Schiit Vidar Amplifier Review

[LTig]

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

You have absolutely no idea who you're talking to.

 

[amirm]

OK, let's dial down the emotions folks.

 

[Theriverlethe]

The answer is not in your post. Did you do level matched double blind tests?

Denon AVR’s easily throttle or shut off completely with sustained high output, so he’s not really saying anything that controversial.

 

[garbulky]

You have absolutely no idea who you're talking to.

David and LTiq: I have no idea of what you are talking about and I don't know who either of you are. So you are both correct. You just got the wrong person.

 

[FranzF]

Hi. New to this forum, and this is my first post. I wanted to share my experience with Vidar(s).

I've had 2 Vidars for some time now. Initially they were hooked to my B&W CM10's in the balanced dual mono bridged mode. This produced an audible 50-60 hz hum coming out of speakers, without pre-amp/source connected. The sound was also lacking the depth and finesse. Then I switched to vertical bi-amp through the unbalanced connection. Sound markedly improved and the hum was gone. As someone already pointed out these suckers have a significant mechanical hum coming out their EI transformer (I use Euro/Australian 240v model). I sent them back for the replacement and received 2 different units with exactly same problem. It took opening (voiding the warranty) them and fiddling with the transformer mounting to reduce the hum. It could not be completely eliminated.
I would not recommend this amp to anyone. It just feels like an unfinished and untested product. Purely on sound/price merits it would have made a sense, but the amount time spent fiddling with it, its just not worth it.

Unfortunately. 2 Vidars are one of very few audio purchases that I've come to regret.

Regards

 

[purceller]

Hi. New to this forum, and this is my first post. I wanted to share my experience with Vidar(s).

I've had 2 Vidars for some time now. Initially they were hooked to my B&W CM10's in the balanced dual mono bridged mode. This produced an audible 50-60 hz hum coming out of speakers, without pre-amp/source connected. The sound was also lacking the depth and finesse. Then I switched to vertical bi-amp through the unbalanced connection. Sound markedly improved and the hum was gone. As someone already pointed out these suckers have a significant mechanical hum coming out their EI transformer (I use Euro/Australian 240v model). I sent them back for the replacement and received 2 different units with exactly same problem. It took opening (voiding the warranty) them and fiddling with the transformer mounting to reduce the hum. It could not be completely eliminated.
I would not recommend this amp to anyone. It just feels like an unfinished and untested product. Purely on sound/price merits it would have made a sense, but the amount time spent fiddling with it, its just not worth it.

Unfortunately. 2 Vidars are one of very few audio purchases that I've come to regret.

Regards

DM me, I'll buy them from you.

 

[Dana reed]

Hi. New to this forum, and this is my first post. I wanted to share my experience with Vidar(s).

I've had 2 Vidars for some time now. Initially they were hooked to my B&W CM10's in the balanced dual mono bridged mode. This produced an audible 50-60 hz hum coming out of speakers, without pre-amp/source connected. The sound was also lacking the depth and finesse. Then I switched to vertical bi-amp through the unbalanced connection. Sound markedly improved and the hum was gone. As someone already pointed out these suckers have a significant mechanical hum coming out their EI transformer (I use Euro/Australian 240v model). I sent them back for the replacement and received 2 different units with exactly same problem. It took opening (voiding the warranty) them and fiddling with the transformer mounting to reduce the hum. It could not be completely eliminated.
I would not recommend this amp to anyone. It just feels like an unfinished and untested product. Purely on sound/price merits it would have made a sense, but the amount time spent fiddling with it, its just not worth it.

Unfortunately. 2 Vidars are one of very few audio purchases that I've come to regret.

Regards

surprising there's hum with 90 dB speakers. My 1.7i are 86 dB and I can't hear anything from the transducer even with my ear up to it. I can hear the hum if I put my ear right near the amps, but not from where I'm sitting while listening at all. Can you hear the transformer hum from listening position? If you haven't returned them, you could probably sell them and not lose much.

 

[Dana reed]

DM me, I'll buy them from you.

Apparently you got an offer while I was typing my reply...

 

[FranzF]

surprising there's hum with 90 dB speakers. My 1.7i are 86 dB and I can't hear anything from the transducer even with my ear up to it. I can hear the hum if I put my ear right near the amps, but not from where I'm sitting while listening at all. Can you hear the transformer hum from listening position? If you haven't returned them, you could probably sell them and not lose much.

Yeah. I can hear mine humming from 2.5-3 m away.

EDIT: I only refer to mechanical hum coming out of the units (not the speaker).

 

[FranzF]

Just to clarify. The hum from the speakers was in balanced mono config. I think this may have something to do with Schiit implementation of bridged mono. There's no hum coming from the speakers in an unbalanced configuration.

Regards

 

[restorer-john]

Transformer physical hum is absolutely ruinous to a high quality listening experience. I've got rid of plenty of amplifiers that exhibited such lamination/winding noises that couldn't be ameliorated.

Japanese high quality potted toroidals are pretty much dead silent across the board in my experience. Most amplifiers I have to put my ear right on the casework to even hear a tiny noise. If I can hear a transformer from a foot away, it's not good enough.

 

[just_another_guy]

Just curious. Why would you compare a power amplifier, with its singular purpose...to provide power, with an AV receiver? They are completely different components. "Apples to oranges", someone said.

 

[hege]

Yeah. I can hear mine humming from 2.5-3 m away.

It might also be DC in your powerlines, fixed my toroidial hummbuzzs with a blocker before.. fortunately I'm SMPS user these days.

 

[FranzF]

It might also be DC in your powerlines, fixed my toroidial hummbuzzs with a blocker before.. fortunately I'm SMPS user these days.

Hello,

It is not my power line. That was the first thing I looked at.

I' ve had many amplifiers with currently 2 running. None of them hum(ed).

Regards

 

[audioeclectic]

I recently have the experience to physically review a 2 new Vidars from a friend of mine, he bought 2 Vidars in 2018, he configure in his system in mono with to Sonus Faber Soneto, the system sound grate and it doesn't present any noise, no physical noise form transformer, and no electrical noise on the speakers.
When I carry them with my hands I realized that the transformer is fixed, absolutely nothing moves, unlike the Vidar that I have from the first generations, the transformer is like floating in suspension, and if I carry it and move it I perceive that the transformer moves inside the chassis, and mi Vidar make electrical noise in the speakers. More if I put my finger close to the XLR input, and it doesn't make noise when I put my finger on RCA inputs.

 

[McFly]

It seems like they mounted the tx on suspension bushes to minimise hum transfer to the case where it would be amplified. I'm yet to come across a class AB amp that doesnt hum. No actually, the only one I've had that didn't hum was a friends Cambridge 851W. I have a Vidar here, it hums slightly, enough to hear from a meter away, but its extremely hard to hear from LP. I just tuck it away so I can't hear it humming.

 

[_B_]

I’ve owned a Schiit Vidar for about a year now. My only complaint is a low-level mechanical buzz that can be heard from the unit itself whenever it is on. The buzz can be heard when the wires are disconnected from the speakers. It’s noise, but it’s not in the audio signal. I’ve read here that it may be from DC contamination of my household current, but so far I haven’t wanted to spend the money on yet another device to see if it can be eliminated. I can’t help but see it as a flaw of design and/or manufacture.
In my understanding of what I’ve read on this forum in postings by experts, the measured SINAD of Vidar puts it into the transparent category. That is is say, further improvements in this regard are an unnecessary waste of resources that cannot be perceived by the human ear.
The family of curves provided by Amir shows the distortion rising with frequency, but even worst case is imperceptible or nearly imperceptible, and out of my hearing range at 20kHz. The measured distortion at frequencies that are within my hearing range, I expect are imperceptible to me.
Class D will be more efficient, of course, but shouldn’t be able to deliver an audible improvement in sound quality. In fact, any improvement in sound quality (other than increased power delivery) should not be possible, right?

I have had great results in what 'sounds' like noise reduction by isolating vidar with sorbothane, humfrees and most importantly the emotiva cmx-2 dc offset eliminator. Transformer is quiet as a church mouse now. Zero hum. I think it sounds better. Would be cool if there was a corresponding measurable decrease in noise floor.

 

[audioeclectic]

I have had great results in what 'sounds' like noise reduction by isolating vidar with sorbothane, humfrees and most importantly the emotiva cmx-2 dc offset eliminator. Transformer is quiet as a church mouse now. Zero hum. I think it sounds better. Would be cool if there was a corresponding measurable decrease in noise floor.

do you have some pics about that tweak, how you apply the sorbothane?

 

[_B_]

do you have some pics about that tweak, how you apply the sorbothane?

Duro 70, .13 sorbo washer between the case and rubber feet. You'll need to get screws to fit new length.

 

[FranzF]

I have had great results in what 'sounds' like noise reduction by isolating vidar with sorbothane, humfrees and most importantly the emotiva cmx-2 dc offset eliminator. Transformer is quiet as a church mouse now. Zero hum. I think it sounds better. Would be cool if there was a corresponding measurable decrease in noise floor.

Hi,

Is your Vidar 220/240V or 110V version?

Regards