Schiit Vidar.... Anyone heard one yet?

What’s a real drag for me on the Vidar ( and all of Schiit’s stuff) is the power switch around back.  Leaning in, reaching around and groping with your fingers is not user friendly, no matter what fanboys may say.  And leaving the amp on 24/7 will cause the electric bill to grow, much less so their DACs and other components.

The lack of a 12 volt trigger is also too bad.  I’ve currently got 4 Schiit items and want them to succeed, but they need to be willing to make a compromise or two and include some modern features.  My Parasound P5 has the ability to cut the bass from my fronts and route it to the sub and sounds far better in this regard than the Saga pre I tried out.

The LEDs on their products are also ridiculously bright, and it’s clear that Schiit marches to their own drum.  What I keep hearing  about them is that their DACs are their best products and I’d agree with that.  

Those are the products that are most strenuously attacked on forums, so you can tell they’ve shaken up the market.

I use a Schiit Freya with a small single ended tube amp, and both (along with everything else) are plugged into a power conditioner with a timed power up and off feature...I've been using this thing (embarrasingly old Adcom 515 that works beautifully) for many years, and maybe you should try one...many manufacturers make 'em. Also, you can dim the LEDs with carefully applied magic marker...I did that on a Loki (easy) and the Freya (insane...took forever to get the LEDs lined up with the lid when putting it back together, but it eventually they all popped back in). Maybe a carefully applied bit of something could be put on the LEDs without taking the Freya apart...that's what I'd do now of course, and no clue about the Vidar LEDs but I'm sure there's less of them.

Wolf, I realize that there are work-arounds, and one can magic mark the LEDs or buy a device that turns on the Schiit gear, for instance.  There are ways to get the result you want, but I guess my thought is more towards Schiit's approach to things.

It's kind of a "this is how its gonna be and if you don't like it, tough schiit." attitude.  I suppose in a way this is what all companies do at the end of the day, deciding on feature sets at a given price point, using whatever priorities and feedback in making the decisions on what to include and what to leave on the cutting room floor.

But it seems to me that in today's marketplace, customer feedback is more important than ever.  Many people simply hate the LEDs.  Many people hate the rear power switches.  These are just simple things that could be fixed without much ado.  

But it's their sandbox, and they can do what they like.  They do build great sounding products, and that is what keeps people coming back, myself included.  I just ordered the Mimby just because it's on sale as a B stock.  

Getting a bit off topic but, FWIW, I own a Freya and Gungnir MB (along with Eitr & Asgard 2). Have had the Freya since Jan 2017 and the Gungnir longer than that. The Freya has been excellent in performance and sound once a couple of as-shipped microphonic tubes were replaced (quick response from Schiit when I emailedl about them).

I realize the rear mounted on/off switch is unpopular with a lot of people but, personally, I find it only a minor inconvenience. Freya is located on top of the equipment console so it’s easy to get to; Gungnir is powered up 24/7. On balance, I really like the toggle at the back for the cleaner front face plate that location provides.

The LEDs don’t bother me, but I listen with full room lighting on. Turn off the lights, I fall asleep.

Not dismissing other opinions on these matters just providing another point of view.

There does seem to be a sort of belligerent iconoclasm at work at Schiit. In general, I applaud it. I also think they make decisions that are cost and value driven; frills and "nice to haves" don’t survive the process.

Not sure what distinguishes an enthusiastic owner from "fanboy" but to avoid that dismissive tag being directed at me, I’ll add my own suggestion for improvement to the Freya. As others have also suggested, provide ability to "de-power" tubes when using JFET or pure passive modes.

Nice post FANBOY...heh...sorry...I agree with all of that and if the Schiitsters attitude results in amazingly well made and affordable items from California (which is almost part of the USA), they’re pretty much unique in the stuffy and often precious high end audio world. Regarding "frills and nice to haves": I didn’t need a new preamp when I bought my Freya last November (also bought a Loki which is astonishingly good), I was simply curious about it and wanted to try a tubed preamp...had my eye on some Audio Research stuff at much higher prices...but the Freya has 2 balanced inputs plus the others, 3 outs including balanced, and the 3 operating choices (I prefer the tubed with the higher gain and, well, tubes). Anybody else offer all that and a cool 128 step volume system for the price of a pair of good cables? HA...I say keep at it Schiit.