Schiit Vidar Amplifier Review

[amirm]

@amirm Do you have a measurement of distortion versus frequency please?

It is embedded in this graph:

You can see distortion rising from -80 dB to -60 dB as we go from 20 to 20 kHz.

 

[gvl]

The Yamaha and Denon amps of near every period and comparable price do not include the linearity of this Schiit Vidar.
Schiit Vidar Specifications:
Stereo, 8 Ohms: 100W RMS per channel
Stereo, 4 Ohms: 200W RMS per channel
Mono, 8 ohms: 400W RMS
Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB
THD: <0.01%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 100W RMS into 8 ohms
IMD: <0.01%, CCIR, at 100W RMS into 8 ohms
SNR: >115db, A-weighted, referenced to full output
Weight: 22 lbs; 10 kg.
Power supply capacitance available: 40,000 micro Farad.

From the Yamaha M-85 manual.

 

[amirm]

Any chance you ran this into 4 and 8 Ohm loads off the XLR input?

I did not as I noted in the review. There is plenty of power here in stereo so I don't see the need to try to bridge.

 

[birkbott]

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?

Probably correct but I always feel like more resolution can be obtained with lower distortion. The goal is to get the equipment the hell out of the way so you can hear the music and I think any distortion will get in the way of that.

 

[MZKM]

It is embedded in this graph:

You can see distortion rising from -80 dB to -60 dB as we go from 20 to 20 kHz.

Ah, so it's a THD vs frequency and a wattage vs frequency all in one.

 

[Labjr]

I wonder if Schiit has plans to get into different technologies with their power amps? Like Class-D or Class G, H. Feed-Forward designs like Benchmark?

 

[amirm]

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.

It may be worthwhile to open it and torque the nuts that hold the transformer down. Even slight differences between the bolts can quiet down these laminated transformers. Sometimes it is not fixable but worth a try anyway.

 

[somebodyelse]

Of course, to be a "Class A" component, that microprocessor would have to be discrete and point-to-point wired -- because, you know, audiophile.

A bit like this one?

 

[Dana reed]

I did not as I noted in the review. There is plenty of power here in stereo so I don't see the need to try to bridge.

but I need MOAR power! anway, the graphs for 4 and 8 ohm stereo on the schiit site look very similar to yours, so I guess the xlr input would as well.
(magnepans always need moar power)

 

[Matias]

I wonder if Schiit has plans to get into different technologies with their power amps? Like Class-D or Class G, H. Feed-Forward designs like Benchmark?

No way class D or SMPS. Jason said multiple times "no switchers" as if they were the plague.

 

[birkbott]

I wonder if Schiit has plans to get into different technologies with their power amps? Like Class-D or Class G, H. Feed-Forward designs like Benchmark?

Well their Aegir is “continuity” class A

 

[amirm]

but I need MOAR power! anway, the graphs for 4 and 8 ohm stereo on the schiit site look very similar to yours, so I guess the xlr input would as well.
(magnepans always need moar power)

I suggest going to class D amps to get there. But yes, their measurements are close enough to mine that you can go by theirs for the rest.

 

[geoemm]

I think IOTA VX PA3 is a better power amp if you want class AB

 

[Matias]

but I need MOAR power! anway, the graphs for 4 and 8 ohm stereo on the schiit site look very similar to yours, so I guess the xlr input would as well.
(magnepans always need moar power)

Apollon NC1200 based amplifier has all the power you need for 2,300 euros.

https://www.apollonaudio.com/hypex-nc1200-based-class-d-amplifier-apollon-audio-nc1200sl/

 

[Doodski]

From the Yamaha M-85 manual.

View attachment 58995

I'm familiar with the M-85. A beast of a amp. The amp does have non-linear power output characteristics. If it was more linear like the Schiit Vidar then the specs would read like:
260W @ 8 Ohms
520W @ 4 Ohms

 

[Dana reed]

I suggest going to class D amps to get there. But yes, their measurements are close enough to mine that you can go by theirs for the rest.

I do have a pair of class D monoblocks that are rated at 1100W into 4 Ohms. I've switched back and forth between these and the pair of Vidars a bunch of times, and I always prefer the Vidars. It would be hard to blind test this myself, since I have to shut the amps off and move the cables every time. So it might be my bias going in.

 

[Dana reed]

Apollon NC1200 based amplifier has all the power you need for 2,300 euros.

https://www.apollonaudio.com/hypex-nc1200-based-class-d-amplifier-apollon-audio-nc1200sl/

View attachment 59001

https://www.reddragonaudio.com/collections/amplifiers/products/m1000-mkii?variant=248193336
These are the ones I got about 18 months ago. It looks like the company isn't operating any more, as the items in the store have been listed as sold out for months now. I think it was a 1 man operation, so who know. They were pretty cheap at the time for 1100 W each. They sound OK, but I just kept going back to the Vidars. I can still push the Vidars pretty hard into 4 Ohms mono before they shut down.

 

[gvl]

I'm familiar with the M-85. A beast of a amp. The amp does have non-linear power output characteristics. If it was more linear like the Schiit Vidar then the specs would read like:
260W @ 8 Ohms
520W @ 4 Ohms

Perhaps, however if the specs are not exaggerated it would probably measure better than the Vidar at equivalent power levels in stereo mode. Even the lesser M-65 probably would be same or better.

 

[Jake's Dad]

It may be worthwhile to open it and torque the nuts that hold the transformer down. Even slight differences between the bolts can quiet down these laminated transformers. Sometimes it is not fixable but worth a try anyway.

FWIW, my Vidar is dead quiet, so Amir's suggestion is certainly worth a try. A buzzy sound is not inherent in the design.

 

[Doodski]

Perhaps, however if the specs are not exaggerated it would probably measure better than the Vidar at equivalent power levels in stereo mode. Even the lesser M-65 probably would be same or better.

Your making up stuff probably, maybe, could or would be. The M-85 and M-65 are old amps now. Good amps but we are comparing 30+ year old amps to a new amplifier.