Schiit Tyr Monoblock Amplifier Reviews and Impressions

Discussion in 'Power Amps' started by AllanMarcus, Apr 3, 2022.

  1. Dana Reed

    Dana Reed New

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    I will try plugging in when everything else is off that circuit to see if it makes a difference. Also, can I measure the DC offset on the AC power line just by using a DVM in DC mode? How much DC on the line is typically considered acceptable?
     
  2. Pancakes

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  3. Wobbletits

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    the ifi one's own specs say
    Maximum current rating > 7A
    Max amplifier power 880W or VA on 220v
    440W or VA on 110v
    Continuous current rating 4A


    Also the post pancakes linked is about measuring ac on the dc output of a psu...
    You usually cant get an accurate dc reading on a 120 or 230v ac as the peaks will interfere with you getting a ~1v reading of dc. see https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metro...e-ac-line-with-multimeter-andor-oscilloscope/
    Also I don't really suggest plugging your dmm directly into mains though maybe you don't care about it breaking if it's one of the cheap ones, mine costs more than a tyr. Also can break yourself...
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2022
  4. Dana Reed

    Dana Reed New

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    Yeah, I don't really want to get an oscilloscope for home just to measure the DC on my power. I'll try some other troubleshooting, and then maybe contact AVA about their DC blocker. They're local in my metro area, and a pair of those is <<< than the amps themselves.
     
  5. Wobbletits

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    The thread actually says to use a dmm, with a low pass filter while dropping the V waaaay down from 230v, regardless I'm not really suggesting you do it if you aren't really sure of yourself and your home wiring etc. Just that you can't just stick your dmm in the wall and measure the dc offset like that. You should have a healthy respect for electricity and how bad things can go.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2022
  6. Soups

    Soups Sadomasochistic cat

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    So I do hear a very quiet hum from my Tyrs, up to 2-3 feet away, and only when I'm intently listening for it. It was there upon power-up and was still there after about an hour or so. It's not audible at all from my normal listening position about 7 feet away. Actually, I never noticed it at all until I read this thread, and initially assumed my amps were dead-quiet.

    Hope the hum isn't louder for others, but It's a non-issue after discovery, because once the music is on, even very quietly, I'm lost in it.
     
  7. PTS

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    Could put this suggestion on the loaner suggestion thread, but might be better to ask here. Any chance of a Tyr loaner circulating among trusted SoCal SBAFers? I don't live far from the The Schiitr in Santa Clarita, so would be happy to pickup and then drop off at the end of the loaner. Shipping/insurance costs would be tough, so transporting yourself to the next "loanee" would be the best option.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Probably unlikely because they are monoblocks, so two are necessary, and each weighs 50lbs+. I wouldn't assume high availability either. I don't know how well they are selling, but I've heard of reviewers wanting to get their hands on them and not being able to do so.

    Perhaps the situation will change in a few months after interest rates go up and our gov't reduces the amount of money in circulation.
     
  9. roughroad

    roughroad formerly mephisto56

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    Back in the day when I was into 2-channel, I owned a Jeff Rowland Model 5 power amp. It was an old school design that weighed more than (2) Tyr monoblocks combined and had a power transformer the size of Earth's moon; it weighed IIRC either 125 or 140 lbs. (150 w/ch into 8 ohms, 300 w/ch into 4 ohms, 480 w/ch into 2 ohms). It too had a slight trafo hum that could be heard from a distance of about 2 feet away but not through the speakers. I never gave it a second thought.
     
  10. SuperRoo

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    My Trys hum more than the Vidars. The Vidars were silent at first then started to hum. After snugging up the bolts on the Vidars they became silent once again. I suspect the Try's will do the same.
     
  11. Metro

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    That also worked with my Vidar. I think tightening the transformer bolts makes it transmit some of the vibration into the chassis, where it dissipates less audibly. It doesn't address the root cause (DC offset, loose windings, etc), but it could help.
     
  12. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Just ordered one yesterday from Emotiva directly, will arrive Tuesday.
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Schiit Tyr
    Super-low power test (simulating typical use with high-efficiency speakers)
    2.83V into 8-ohms 1kHz
    upload_2022-4-28_22-55-10.png
    upload_2022-4-28_23-3-27.png

    Schiit Tyr
    Lowish power test (simulating typical use with moderate-efficiency speakers)
    5V into 8-ohms 1kHz
    upload_2022-4-28_23-1-57.png
    upload_2022-4-28_22-58-36.png

    Well, what we can say from the measurements? In my humble experience, having measured many kinds of gear with different distortion profiles, the Tyr is likely to sound good. The distortion levels are extremely low and in theory not audible with the second harmonic well below -90db. However, these measurements are steady state signals that do not reflect the transient nature of musical signals.

    The distortion pattern is very similar to that seen in triode tube amps, considered my some, including myself to be the holy grail of what a good sounding amplifier should sound like. This is indicated by a successive harmonics being lower than the one prior. The measurements indicate that the Tyr will sound nothing like most other class AB solid state amps which often have a distortion profile where odd-order harmonics, particularly at higher orders. These kinds of amps often have an "edgier" sound. Here is an example:

    upload_2022-4-28_23-25-40.png

    I'd gather to say that the sound isn't too "warm" because the distortion level is low. I do think that the Tyr can be said to be "rich" sounding because of it's harmonics, perhaps even richer as crank up the volume to 5V where we start to see the higher 6th and 7th harmonics.
     
  14. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    @purr1n In using Tyr with iESL (+koss estat), and assuming similar volume level, did you observe (either objectively or subjectively) more wattages drawn from Tyrs, or less (than your big and efficient speakers)? It's easier to calculate for headphones with 2ch power amps or to less extent for raal adapters as well. My perception is electrodynamics behave closer to efficient drivers (in the speakers spectrum) and raal was the opposite. Just a little unsure where estat + step-up transformers fall into -- probably more like raal side I guess, but want to hear your thoughts.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I learn everyday (and I just learned something). I thought about what you said with respect to Aegir and realized something. You know the old adage of how "more power always sounds better". There are many reasons, but I suspect one important reason is that an amplifier that is more powerful staves off the appearance of odd order harmonics (and higher order harmonics) until much higher voltages. Odd order and higher order harmonics (what @atomicbob refers to as "crap-factor") can start to make their appearance very early, often well before maximum power ratings are hit.

    I don't have Aegir measurements, but I suspect that Aegir is too low power, and thus gets too easily pushed to have some odd order harmonics pop up. I may not have fully experience what you experienced with the Aegir because I used the 99-100db sensitivity JBLs with the laid-back sounding butt-cheek tweeters. Also I added Freya S in x4 gain to "enrichen" the Aegir. Like you, I found dual Aegirs running as monoblocks on the clinical sounding side, likely because of the cancelled even harmonics.

    Anyway, I wanted to explore this idea. That if Tyr would hold up its nice triode-like distortion pattern at higher levels.

    Schiit Tyr
    Moderate power
    10V into 8-ohms 1kHz
    upload_2022-4-28_23-49-5.png
    upload_2022-4-28_23-36-55.png

    P.S. I would say that the Tyr is more "flowy", way more effortless, than Aegir. Tyr has some elements of Aegir, but it's really a very different sounding amp. I thought it would be like an Aegir will balls or Aegir with Nexus richness, but it's not like that at all. Tyr is Tyr. Aegir is good, Tyr has intangibles, a maturity whereas Aegir sounds raw or unripe when directly compared.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2022
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I'll connect the Koss via the iESL and measure voltages. I suspect the power is nothing considering that the iESL load is super high-impedance.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Check to make sure the screws holding the laminations are properly tightened or didn't come loose during shipping. Take appropriate precautions of course. Think of what these transformers and chokes are asked to do. The laminations alternately want to fly apart or compress together with each AC wave.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2022
  18. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    Just for shits and giggles, Tyr -> HD650?
     
  19. Dana Reed

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    I do have a pair of HE-6 that I could plug into the Tyrs... But for now, the Maggies are staying connected.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Tyr has too much gain for HD650. I never gave the headphone option from the iESL a shot. Maybe I will.
     
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