Affordable Audiophile Amplification! Schiit Vidar vs Schiit Aegir - Which Schiit

[@cheapaudioman]

Vidar and Aegir www.schiit.com --CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K ----Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS -----Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH ------apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P -------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 --------Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 -----------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman

[@oldschoolaudioenthusiast]

I purchased a Vidar a few months ago to replace an older McIntosh solid state power amp with similar power ratings I had owned from new. I find the Vidar to be quite exceptional in it's overall sonic performance while allowing for greater flexibility in speaker choices. Anecdotally, I read that the Vidar based on it's biasing runs up to 2 watts or so at 8 ohms in Class A before switching over to Class AB (or about 10% of the Aegir's rated value.) My only disappointment was that Schitt chose not to include a switchable standby mode like they did for the Aegir. If you turn the Vidar off between listening sessions you'll notice that it generates a brief / mild "pop" sound through the speakers as it does not include in it's design (intentionally,) a speaker shutdown relay. Other than that extra added "feature," it's an amazing value for the money! P.S. - if you leave it on 24/7, it idles at around 40-50 watts of power consumption. Hey Randy - keep up the great reviews!!!

[@harrybaque5502]

I own them both, I love the Vidar but I’m in love with the Aegir.

[@markwilding5329]

Darko asked Schiit if he could run a pair of Aegirs into 4 ohm loads. Stodardt replied "Should be ok, worst that will happen is the will trip safety shut down" . Darko said they didn't cut out

[@MoisheLettvin]

I’ve got an Aegir and Freya driving Zu Audio Soul Superflys, which are super efficient speakers. It’s a great combo for me - I love how smooth and warm it is, and with those speakers it is plenty punchy. I think I’d also love the Vidar, though. Was nice to get your take on the differences!

[@matthewrichey8542]

Adding to the monoblock question…I had a pair of Vidar’s running both Magnepan LRS’s and 1.7i’s. In both cases (more so with the smaller LRS’s), 98% of the time everything was fine. However, on multiple occasions, the Vidar’s would overheat and go into protection mode. One time, the Vidar’s both simultaneously clipped and blew the fuses on the LRS’s. Of course, I was playing reasonably loud but not at “head banger” levels. In the end, I had to replace the Vidar’s with another amp. When they didn’t overheat, the Vidar’s sound really nice. Lots of punch, grip, detail, etc. I had no complaints about the sound. However, I couldn’t handle the occasion buzz kill when they shut down.

[@1mctous]

The Maggie's are an especially difficult amp load. Anything under 200 W/ch/4 ohms need not even apply.

[@matthewrichey8542]

@@1mctous Even 200w into 4 ohms isn't enough for Maggie's. I replaced.the Vidars with a Parasound A23+ which is 240x2 into 4 ohms. It too has shut down on the Maggie 1.7i's. Now I'm moving to a Parasound A21+ with 500x2 into 4 ohms. I believe that will be enough!

[@timothywilliams9450]

This combination of a single Vidar plus ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 is what I set up about a year ago, and I'm still quite happy with it. A Freya+ preamp allows adding some wonderful tubiness you can really hear, but it's not a cheap addition.

[@a3marketing991]

I recently purchased the Vidar and Freya Plus. I have them paired with Elac DFR52 floor standing speakers and a REL T/5X subwoofer. My sweet spot is the Freya volume turned up to 3 o'clock. Vidar amp with the Elac DFR52 at 87dB and 6 ohms is great match. I may purchase another Vidar and run them as mono's, which would also allow me to use balanced connections. High quality products. Update: I did purchase another Vidar amp and running them as monoblocks with balanced connections. It was worth it with my speakers, as they like power. Not sure I noticed a huge difference in sound, but maybe a little more clarity.

[@joeslacker1020]

What speakrs would allow you to run 400 watts at 8ohms though???? that's what these are rated at in bridged mode.

[@DjRjSolarStar]

Well, I do in fact know about running the Vidar in 4 ohms mono, as I asked Schiit about that a few weeks ago. "Vidar in monoblock is not recommended for 4 ohm speakers. Bottom line is that 2 Vidar in monoblock will work with 4 ohm speakers at moderate volumes, however at higher output it may trigger Vidar's protection (same with Aegir)." Straight from the horse's mouth, in this case Tom from Schiit. Unfortunately this precluded the Vidar from my amp search as I need it to output at least 400 watts into 4 ohms, which the Vidar will not reliably do.

[@joseph-ow1hf]

This is not a rip on Schitt......as I own a Vidar, a Saga, a Bifrost and Bifrost 2......but for a bit more money I think the Odyssey Khargago is a better amp than the Vidar. More current, (bigger PS) and the mono versions can easily do 4 ohm. I got the Vidar for it's small footprint on a desktop system (plus it's a good amp) I have the bigger Odyssey amps, the Stratos Monos w/ upgraded cap option (120K microfarad) which were biased by factory for my speakers which are Maggies. And the stock speaker dips a bit below 4 ohm, although mine are modded and have a more stable impedience curve. I use the Vidar on Merlin TSM-MMe. Odyssey also made in US.....in Indianapolis.

[@1980JPA]

Had a friend let me long term borrow a Freya with two vidars for about 6 months. Absolute best sound for the money I've ever heard in my house. I've heard slightly better for thousands more at that same friends house. Back then it was a bit out of my budget. Fortunately now I own my own company and have leveled up just a bit. Enough to at least get the Freya with one Vidar. Haven't ordered it yet (because awesome used speaker sets keep showing up in my area and I can't turn down Snell J's and vintage ARs) but it's my plan to order that exact setup. IMO it's the best quality for the price that I've heard yet. BTW I think the Freya smoothed out the vidar, great combo

[@abxaudiophiles]

You REALLY got me looking at Schiit. Specifically the freya +, which I know you had for a while. Can’t find a specific review on it from you, but wanting to move to a tube pre to pair with my XPA-2 gen3. Thoughts? Thank you.

[@dougspitler3843]

Randy, I've owned both a pair of Vidars and a pair of Aegirs and run them as both stereo and monoblocks. The rest of my system is a Freya pre and the Yggdrasil DAC along with 93 dB efficient, 8 ohm speakers. First, as you would expect, both are RELATIVELY laid back in stereo, but pretty different. In stereo, I had to give the Aegir the edge because I prize transparency, detail and soundstage above all else. I really didn't hear the Vidar as much different in bass control. With my speakers, they were pretty close. Second, in monoblock, they were both WAY better than in stereo mode. Nothing laid back about either of them in mono. Again, the Aegirs won out for those same three reasons. I think you would have to pay a TON more money to sound better, more engaging than the Aegirs in monoblock.

[@matthewtieman8842]

I'm curious as to what speakers you used?

[@erics.4113]

@@matthewtieman8842 same here. And what wattage in mono? I know I could look this up sorry . But I also thought aegir are 8ohm only in mono is that true?

[@SgtMjr]

My Aegir and Freya + on on they way. Randy, Steve The Audiophiliac are the ones who turned me on to Schiit ( got me into the Schiit ?). Honest straightforward reviews, to the point and really great. Thanks Randy you're the Schiit!

[@UptownReef]

This is the video SO MANY people need. Thanks for answering questions!

[@preiter20]

It's an actual Schitt show! You are on fire this holiday season Randy.

[@gabrielgodwin9953]

It's always refreshing to hear someone clearly and succinctly state, "this works good for me, but it might be different for you." It's a fine line to walk presenting subjective opinion in an objective manner. Well done sir! That's really what makes your reviews worthwhile.

[@sopasadena1499]

Randy, Great video and I completely agree with your comments on the Vidar vs. the Aegir. I own the Vidar with the Freya S. I went with the Vidar - Freya S combination as I am driving very inefficient speakers, refurbished AR 2ax speakers. The Vidar has really impressive tight detailed deep bass and really controls the old woofers in the AR. The mid frequencies are completely revealing and detailed. A true audiophile amp combination which blows my 1980s Yamaha integrated amp out of the water. I did audition the Vidar and Aegir at the Schiit retail store in Newhall, CA. The Vidar drove the Magnepan LRSs there with ease. The Aegir drove very efficient tower speakers very musically. I would appreciate your comments / video on the Saga Plus, Freya S and the Freya Plus, as many of us would use Schiit preamps with their power amps. I leaned toward the Freya S over the Saga Plus because of the extra gain driving the inefficient ARs, but I am sure the Saga Plus would be musical. (Could not justify the extra $350 for the Freya Plus over the S.) I presume these differences in preamps are somewhat a kin the differences of the Vidar vs the Aegir. Thanks again for a great video.

[@welderfixer]

Randy, your reviews and video quality keeps getting better and better. I hope that you are having a great deal of fun while doing it.

[@tehmowz]

I run aegir monos into 4 ohm ls50 metas and hit 105db around 85% on my freya+ in tube mode. I usually am listening around 60-65 db near field and recommend you only get aegir into 4 ohms for near field. Sounds so amazing.

[@frederf69]

I also have discovered using 4 or 6 ohm speakers which are less efficient to bring great results with the Aegir MB's/ Freya+ combo 😎

[@richardsaila8073]

Demonstrating the sound of the boxes (the material) is one of the numerous USPs of cheapaudioman. This is not only fun, this is valuable information! 👍

[@sidesup8286]

David Bowie is credited as being a major musical influence by so many artists. They proudly admit he was one of their big influences. The woman loved him even though whether he was straight was seriously in doubt due to among other things an early Playboy magazine interview. They showed a multi artist rock movie in our high school auditorium and when he came on so many girls shouted you would have thought the Beatles just arrived for the first time from England. Station To Station was one of his earlier lp's that is a true gem. If your speakers had bass your friend would know your stereo is better than his within the first several seconds of its opening track "Stay". Really impressive and well recorded. TVC15 and some other good tracks are on that album too. Young American and the later Let's Dance are good albums too. There are some other good ones by him that I haven't explored yet. Bowie's best of albums are called Changes One and Changes Two. Both of these on CD are extremely generous as to how many great best of Bowie tracks they give you. Bowie's wife Angela is said by many to be who The Rolling Stones big hit Angie was based on. Bowie's song Starman is what they call their equivalent of Santa Claus in Poland. "See that star right there? That's where Starman comes from to bring you gifts on Christmas." Christmas Day in many countries of Europe is about a week away yet. There Christmas is just as legitimate as ours. Bowie's biggest hit "A Space Oddity," about something going seriously wrong aboard a space capsule and an astronaut being lost forever was released here in America just a few days before the actual Apollo launch with Neil Armstrong becoming the first man to walk on the moon. Unless you are a non believer.

[@ben23a31]

You're like the Audio Santa... Giving us gifts (reviews) throughout the holiday season. ✊🏽

[@williamwest9253]

The best combo I have found with Aegir Monoblocks, is a pairing with Zu omen Mkii. The 12 ohm + 97db rating really shines with the Aegir. Bass slams a lot better, because of the lower power requirements to move those drivers. Also, the Zu Omens are a really lively speaker, so when adding the Aegirs you get a nice balance between live and laid back, with the sparkle on top from the Aegirs going through Zu’s frequency of 10k and above compression driver (tweeter). When pairing the Aegir Monoblocks with Elac Debut References, the bass appears to slam less (6ohm + 87db speakers). I found that the Vidar doesn’t care and is way more useable with all speaker types.

[@troylefevre]

Buddy Randy- Hey man, I believe I can weigh in on the 4 ohm mono question. I run a pair of Vidars driving the KEF R3. That speaker is spec’d at 8 ohms nominal and 87 dB sensitivity-the specs also state the speaker can reach down to 3.2 ohms. In my setup, running mono, using the XLRs the soundstage looses stability and imaging isn’t as locked in. Of course, as they say, your mileage may vary. I now run a horizontal bi-amp setup. Where a mono’d left and right signal feeds both the respective amp’s RCA inputs, and one channel of the amp feeds the woofer and the other channel on the mids and highs-200 watts a side. This restored the symmetry and locked in the soundstage. Whilst I love the R3s I do wish the load was more stable and that they where a bit more sensitive. I do also love to rock out and crank the volume. Alas, I feel the Vidar is a bit conservative in its thermal limits. Keep up the great work!

[@1mctous]

Bi-amping seems like a good solution and even better with an active crossover that gives each driver 100% of the input power.

[@mikehoward9912]

You are a great reviewer/ person and I love you for your demeanor. You are a lovely man. Thank you for being you

[@AllboroLCD]

Your reviews are getting better as time passes, your methods are no different than the other reviewers, no need to worry! Long as you chose & know your reference setup well, just trust the intuition ; )

[@grayfool]

You've got som good schiit there. Sorry, couldn't resist. I've heard such good reviews of so many items from this company. I really need to check out their stuff. The Ziggy Stardust album should be in everyone's library, awesome.

[@TyRonKitzeRow]

I have 2 Aegir running mono to my Klipsch Cornwalls. Wow, love the combination!

[@UptownReef]

Same here for my Forte's. Klipsch Heritage + Schiit Aegirs are sublime. Put a Freya+ tube preamp in the mix for magic.

[@splaff79]

KLF20’s and Magnat Transpuls 1500’s here. The Freya+ is a must as well

[@joeslacker1020]

​@@UptownReef What speakers around 300-500 dollar price range would you recommend for an (single) Aegir amp?

[@careylymanjones]

Just got an Aegir less than a week ago. Feeding it with audio from a Topping EX5 run through my Emotiva SE8 subs (for bass management, high pass, 80 Hz), and using it to drive a pair of Klipsch RB 61 IIs. Sub bass is handled by the sub, but the mid bass, mids and treble, when played through efficient speakers, are great. Herb Reichert, over at Stereophile, compared an Aegir with a First Watt SIT-3 amp (18 WPC, all class A, $4000) and said the Aegir gives nearly 80% of the First Watt's performance for a fifth of the price. I'm planning to set up a dedicated listening room, next year, and I plan on using the Aegir to drive a pair of Tekton Perfect Set speakers (30-30khz, 96db, 8 ohm) The Perfect Sets are designed to be driven by low-wattage tube amps, so the Aegir shouldn't have trouble driving them.

[@kenromie4367]

I know this thread is aging, and thank you for the comparison. I bought a pair of Vidars to power my Magnepan 1.7is, and when I got them, in the manual, Schitt said that in mono block configuration, 8 ohms was maximum recommended. Now, I don't listen to the maximum volume in my room. But they drive the 4 ohm (average, nominal) Magnepans just fine. I like them. To my ear, they tend to be a little sharp, which is good sometimes. Heavy on the high end. Nice bass, no complaints. No clipping at the volumes I listen. They'd probably shut down to safe mode if I did, but I have never had a problem listening to them at reasonable levels.

[@cheapaudioman]

Yeah. Vidar has a bit of edge on top but probably a good pair with the mags

[@allanflippin2453]

Randy, The "mono" mode would be done by bridging the two channels (one channel drives the "+" and one drives the "-"). In that configuration, each of the two channels sees a load of 1/2 the actual speaker impedance. In mono for 8 ohms, the amp channels are seeing 4 ohms. Put another way, if the amp were rated for driving 2 ohm speakers in stereo, you could expect it to drive a 4 ohm speaker in mono. I suspect there is no 2 ohm rating for this amp, so they won't suggest mono into 4 ohms. Allan

[@rjbean13]

So this is a dumb question, but based on that, what would you expect the vidars 4 ohm mono power rating to be? Would it double again from their mono 8 ohm rating of 400 watts?

[@allanflippin2453]

@@rjbean13 That is an ideal, but reality can be different. If the power consumption is too high for the power supply, then you won't get the full output. Also, if increased power consumption leads to overheating, you can't get the full predicted output because the amp will shut down to protect itself (hopefully).

[@r.debats8784]

Grear video Randy, finally the video i was waiting for,. Based on your advise i have both the Elac’s Uni-Fi 2.0 and the Vidar, it’s an excellent combination. Keep up the great work in 2022, really enjoying you video’s!

[@CML21]

Thanks Randy! There is plenty on KZbin covering both of these individually, but not nearly as much content that compares them directly to each other. It's cool to hear your thoughts on the differences!

[@UptownReef]

As an owner of the Aegir(s) ran in monoblock configuration, powering Klipsch Forte IVs, I would like to add that, if you are using highly efficient, aggressive speakers like the Klipsch heritage lines, the Aegir is absolutely the way to go IMHO. I've never thought my system has lacked a bit of detail or shimmer up top - a finding likely due to the horn loaded, agressive nature of my speaker choice. I will also add, if you are looking to vertically bi-amp the Aegirs, don't. The variable impedence of the low frequency drivers does not play well with the Aegir in a stereo output configuration. It will likely cause the Aegir to fall into protection mode at moderate volumes or, at least that was my experience. You'll want to drive both binding posts with a single output in either stereo output with 1 Aegir powering both left and right OR in monoblock configuration (what I have chosen) with 1 Aegir power left and 1 Aegir powering right. Lastly, remember that if you want to use either of these in monoblock cofiguration, you are required to use XLR connections. You cannot use them in monoblock and also use RCA interconnects. So, make sure you're preamp or DAC output XLR, if this is your intentional use case. Overall, I LOVE the Aegir for powering the Forte IV's. And, Schiit is a top notch company putting our quality products with an industry disrupting direct-to-consumer approach and price. Both the Aegir and Vidar outperform amplifiers prices significantly higher, a characteristic of most of the product solutions Schiit puts out.

[@barryhallsack8852]

I have Cornwall 4 with the Aegirs I agree with you 100%. I tried the Viders everything was so flat it was weird I thought they were going to be more powerful not the case. I am now building Bob latito monoblock tube amps. I borrowed a Macintosh tube amp from the store that I bought my speakers from and I will say comparing tubs to the solid state anything tube is what I am looking for. It is amazing how these speakers sound with different amplification. But for me I'm a tube guy I know this now LOL. This is how it went for me tried my old pioneer receiver class d sounded okay got the Aegirs and Viders played with those and obviously like I said Aegirs class a all the way! For my listening I just want a little bit more headroom so I went and borrowed the Mac. The Mac did the same thing to the Aegirs made them seem flat and boring. Obviously a Macintosh cost five grand or so but how it sounded made me order a tube amp kit the kit cost $2,800 for the monos with tubes if you assemble it. If you get a chance put some tubes amps on your fortes I think you will be amazed like I was.

[@JayGreezy]

Completely agree, I have monoblock Aegirs with my RP600ms (I'm not balling like you guys yet but I do want to get some fortes :) ) and it sounds phenominal. No lack of bass (i do use a powered sub) and I get a little extra tube juice from the Freya+. I am more than happy with this setup, the Aegirs sound fantastic

[@UptownReef]

@@barryhallsack8852 i wonder how much more "tube" it will get me since I am already preamping with tubes in my Freya+. I have a buddy that has a primaluna 400 stereo amp and he LOVES it. I'm hitched to the monoblock configuration though and love the XLR connections for the insane low noise floor. you'll have to follow up and let us know how the tube amp kit sounds!

[@UptownReef]

@@JayGreezy the Forte's blew me away as soon as I got them. once I was able to experiment with the placement and nail now the center image and sound stage, wow. i had a friend come over and he legitametley thought I had a speaker in the center spot becuase the image was so powerful. they would be last piece I thought about changing at this point.

[@barryhallsack8852]

@@UptownReef I will most definitely let you know how my kit sounds, it's on backorder till January 22nd and then I have to build it. I think the Freya plus is probably giving you more synergy than my setup. I bought the emotiva xmc1 for the balanced outputs and home theater stuff. I'm going to buy a newer preamp once all this chips shorted stuff gets sorted out and you can actually get equipment. I was looking into monoblock tube amps with balanced xlr's oh man you better bust out your wallet LOL they are out there but they cost over $15,000! I'm learning real quick about synergy and mixing equipment, I think the Schiit matched with its own stuff is probably giving you awesome synergy. Happy listening happy New year cheers!

[@billpetersenjr.5781]

Have been debating about retiring my vintage Adcom GFA-2 (100w/ch) w/ a Schiit Amp and while the Adcom adds quite a bit of "warmth" to certain recordings, I'm intrigued by the cleaner sound of the Vidar. This was a very informative review.

[@mikhalize]

Great review. I run mono Vidars with my Klipsch 8000F speakers - the Freya+ and the Gungdir Multibit are on the front end. The Vidar paring is superb, like the Klipsch 8000F these amp are both beauty and beast. No coloration just clean detailed production of music.

[@joeslacker1020]

how are those speakers not obliterated by now? If the Vidars are at 400 watts in bridged mode at 8 ohms and the max power recommended for the Reference speakers you speak of are 150 watts per channel. Then surely those things would blow with that much power to them?

[@joeslacker1020]

Oh wait I just saw something I think I get it. The klipsch are very efficient at 98 db, so this means that you won't have to turn them up nearly as loud reducing the amount of power you're even requiring from the amplifier. Is this right? But then the question becomes , whats the formula in order to know that that efficiency is going to be enough not to require too much from the amp and blowing the speakers?

[@br1878]

I have a single Aegir powering a pair of ADS l710s (6ohm 93db) in a smaller listening room. It’s a match made in heaven. The dual 7inch drivers keep the bass tight and articulate, with the amp and speakers working together to present the most delicious midrange ever. If I ever move to a bigger room I’ll just get another. I’ve also tried them (briefly) with the Elac unifi 2.0 and the Kef Q350. They paired badly with the Elacs, which seems to need a lot more power. I’m not even sure 2 would work in all but the smallest of rooms. The Kef’s did better, but I’m not sure it’s the best pairing as the Kefs don’t really have the kind of midrange clarity that the Aiger deserves.

[@galessi1226]

Love ADS!!!

[@joeslacker1020]

Ya man the elacs are rated at 40-140 watts per channel the aegir at (around) 30 watts per channel. I'm guessing that those elacs would be clipping rather quickly as the demand of that small amp wouldn't be neough for even mid-high normal listening levels.

[@hoth2112]

In my somewhat limited experience with tubes so far, I've found a good tube pre-amp into a good solid-state amp is really something special. But it can also depends on the speakers. Sometimes I liked the all-tube option over the Tube+SS combo, other speakers I thought the Combo was better than the all-tube option. It really makes the talk about "synergy" all the more interesting.

[@kensmith1179]

You said you didn't find a tube amp that you liked, have you tried the Reisong A-12 but with upgraded tubes to Golden Lion's, both power and pre-amp tubes. That upgrade will bring the Reisong A-12 up to around $700. Bring your ELAC speakers out about 2-3ft and check out the sound-stage with the upgraded Reisong. You might be surprised or not, but you should give it a try.

[@jim010109]

Great review as usual. Hope you had a awesome Christmas.

[@fletchermunson6225]

The Aegir can run 4ohms in mono per Schiit. A single Aegir runs CSS Critons and JBL 1600 HDI (4ohm) just fine at low 80s DB in my 15x17 room. The Aegir in Mono is 80 watts and that could change listening opinion.

[@jimovergaard1254]

I enjoy your concepts especially of your ability to bring new people into audio at a reasonable price. Your concepts were lost when audiophiles destroyed innovation and prices went out of sight. Interestingly, I have found that electrical engineers have all agreed on the concepts of good audio that were important which miraculously the Laboratory Series provides the finest products that were made and can compete with Spectral at a fraction of a price. Schiit is a GREAT system and awesome for the 2nd generation buyer on their way up the ladder. Componets are quality too and you show them too.. While audiophiles still exist, I would hope that the middle class comes back which was the driving force of advancement in all aspects of music and being 65, I read every audio magazine and visited the disappearing audio shops and many of us used to meet each other as no one that moved out of the house bought a stereo first and many of us didn't even buy a television.. It sounds like if one wants to actively bi-amp, the Vidar would be ideal for low and mid frequencies with the upper mids and Aegir would keep the HF very listenable.

[@jdm-uk-yank]

If you ever get a chance to hear the Audio Matiere Majuscule integrated, you'll finally hear a tube you'll love. Sadly no longer in business. The designers fell out, one started Audio Aero also no longer in business.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@cheapaudioman I hope you can do a comparison with the AkitikA GT-102 Z4; to see where it fits in the scheme of things. I think it brings a tube-like sound AND better bass extension and dynamics than even the Vidar.

[@janiga74]

I would love to see this too. I am actually thinking about building a set of the akitika's as monoblocks and would love to see how they compare to the schiit amps.

[@erics.4113]

To sum up answer from other comments and videos. 8ohm only when running as mono.

[@legrandgroves8560]

Been waiting for this, thanks Randy!!

[@odwatchguy]

Great comparison, Randy. I agree that these are destination products and something to work up to, great value at that level. I just wish they did a lower level power amp for the journey up. Thanks for clarifying the differences of what's watt.

[@OutdoorShellback]

I'm from the future and am excited to tell you about the Gjallerhorn! Exactly what you wished for...a year ago.

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

I looked at Vidar and Aegir but wasn't convinced. I would like to try a tube sound through my NAD M10. It sounds about perfect but to dip my toe in the tube sound with some balls for $800 makes sense. The tube amps I have listened to were a bit underwhelming and I can't imagine tube swapping. Thanks for the review!!

[@andrewforsythe7240]

Sounds like either Schiit will do. Thanks for the review.

[@spencerJtye]

Aegir monoblocks worked quite well with my Focals (87dBm ~4-6ohm) but they started to run out of headroom at about ~85dB at 10ft. Wonderful amp but i'd look for speakers in the 93dBm efficiency range to really make them sing

[@joeslacker1020]

What do you mean by monoblocks?

[@spencerJtye]

You can run the amp as stereo or connect to it using a balanced cable and run it in mono, doubling the output. You then need an amp for each channel.

[@Audiorevue]

So I have both and I have an all digital system running a Bluesound node 2i as my source and some older Zu speakers and for a long time I prefered the Aegir and it wasn't until about a year ago I had met a "hifi" guy locally who said to me that the best piece of advice he could give me regarding hi-fi was That a preamplifier makes a bigger impact on sound then a power amplifier. Now for a long time I had preferred the Aegir because it had more Prat as the British like to say. It had more attack,better timing and you got a better sense of the fun of music through the Aegir than the Vidar. Anyway for a long time I have been using both with an asgard two headphone amp as the Preamplifier and the sound of the Vidar using it in that set up was great but it always seemed to lack that timing and that rhythm showcase that is often present in music and ultimately wouldn't display it in quite the same way as the Aegir did. Also it sounded slower sort of kind of more intimate in a smoky darkly lit back jazz room kind of way and I also got a reduced sense of the timbre of music with the Vidar versus the Aegir So when the older gentleman gave me his advice about the preamp making a bigger impact on sound I sort of took it in stride but after a month really started to think about it and decided to pick up a Freya S to use as a preamp. I've got to say that the guy was right, with the Vidar now you get up great sense of timing and attack ends I feel a better sense of mid range Tone without sacrificing any of the bass impact or aggressiveness that you mention here. Another big thing is I feel that you can hear the timbre of instruments better now than you ever could and i recently sold off the Aegir and have been running the Vidar as my only amp.

[@joeslacker1020]

Interesting. Any idea what speakers would go well at around 300-500 USD price range with a single aegir?

[@alondite215]

I prefer the creamier sound of the Aegir and that sense of an internal warmth (as opposed to bloomy sort of warm) that you get with Continuity, but Vidar makes way more power, so you're definitely right in that they're best-suited for different applications.

[@tpn8402]

Internal warmth vs bloomy warmth... interesting.. My only experience with class A is with my SMSL VMV A1 integrated (class A biased) and it sounds quite unique to anything else I've tried (class AB of varying levels, some cheap class D). I wouldn't necessarily describe my class A amp as warm (I'd say the rounded bass is it's "warmest" characteristic).. the standout characteristics are in the midrange.. particularly vocals (lead instruments too). They have a "tonal density" to them. Not a thick, warm, bloomy, veiled feel.. vocals/lead instruments feel forward, close to me, lots of body (not bloom), dense, lots of texture. So much texture in the mids. Not so much higher treble "air", but lots of atmospheric/room reverb info in the mids rather than highs.. I demoed a Rotel A11 Tribute against my VMV A1 and it sounded warm, thick, mids-recessed, fuzzy/veiled in comparison. More bass authority though.. I don't know.. is this kind of what you're getting at with this "internal warmth" vs "bloom"? This information density in the tone and texture of the mids? Perhaps i could call it "well-saturated"?

[@crimsonghost6454]

Great video! This has been the best description of these amps i have heard yet. I think I would go with the vidar also. I have been eyeing it for a couple years now so maybe when my finances allow it Schiit might have them in stock too. One question I have is , How does the vidar compare to vintage gear? I have a good amount of vintage but I want a new amp that will be my daily driver as to try to preserve my vintage gear.

[@bobsabin]

Aegir’s sound fantastic in mono as well. One was good, but two really bring a set of Ascend Sierra 2’s to life.

[@chrismurray790]

I have a pair of Sierra 2’s. I need to hear more about this pairing. I’m thinking about a Bifrost with this combo.

[@joeslacker1020]

​@@chrismurray790 Is there any speaker that you'd recommend in the 300-500 USD price range (for the pair) for just one Aegir amp?

[@steverogers7611]

I am looking at these for Maggie 3.7 Another option is the emotiva monoblocks.

[@nc3419]

Did you notice other differences between the two amps such as width, depth of stage and instrument/voice separation? I an thinking the Aegir would present a deeper stage with instruments placed in space more defined with a smoother presentation. While the Vidar might be more 2 dimensional but more energetic and/or gritty in its' presentation of music giving more energy to a concert whether it be rock or some other genre. Any thoughts on that?

[@scottbaylor6215]

Awesome review. Love schit products. Rock on buddy.

[@sixergixer]

I have not read through all of these comments to see if you got an answer yet (a year later) but I read that these run in mono into 4 ohms will work at moderate volumes but will often hit their protection mode and shut down if pushed very hard at all. Probably not advisable except for perhaps in near-field listening setups.

[@galessi1226]

I had the " cassette" version of this LP back when it came out...1972....turned on my entire Dorm floor onto Bowie.

[@StevePilgrim2013]

No to the question of using either as mono blocks for a 4 ohm (or lower) load. You'll trigger protection in the amps above very moderate listening levels.

[@damiankirkwood7924]

I ordered the vidar recently. Can’t wait to add it to my schiit stack

[@T_Burd_75]

So how high can Schiit be stacked, anyway? 😁

[@UptownReef]

What else is your Schiit stack?

[@damiankirkwood7924]

@@UptownReef Saga +, Loki and modi

[@UptownReef]

@@damiankirkwood7924 noice!

[@joeslacker1020]

@@damiankirkwood7924 So you got the saga + , and Modi along with the vidar, along with what speakers?

[@mattyj3051]

Nice review!..,The SMSL A1 would be a good comparison with the Aegir. Similar pricing.

[@JohnScheppler]

Great review on two awesome Schiit products. Talk about a heavy hitter, a farmer that stacks 70lb bales 7 rows high is not someone you want to be punched by.

[@joeslacker1020]

The dude, is that you?

[@JohnScheppler]

@@joeslacker1020 Yes

[@knobbshots]

Bowie one of the best, surprised you are not more familiar, given the “era” let’s say, you grew up in, lol. Nice review as always, thanks, man.

[@dougg1075]

Great Schitt show!

[@felixlaboy1453]

Amazing video as always buddy

[@damayor62]

Outstanding as always Randy. I'm full of Schiit headphone wise and have been waiting for a head-to-head review on both of these speaker amps for a long time. Thank you for confirming the Vidar should be my choice. Happy New Year to you!

[@amante762]

I very much appreciate the comparison. I get so frustrated when Z refuses to compare products. Z for entertainment, New Record and Andrew Robinson and JoeNtell etc. for info, CheapAudioMan for both.

[@christinearmington]

What, no Steve?

[@Shorby99EK]

I hope you get a pair of TYR’s to try out. They sound close to the Aegir being very smooth in the midrange, but there detail presentation is amazing. And there power is intoxicating.

[@MojoMagic977]

Have you listened to dual Vidars , if so, how do the Tyr’s compare?

[@Shorby99EK]

@@MojoMagic977 Yeah I own 2 vidars. There about 85% of what the TYR’s can do into my 8 ohm Salk speakers. Sound wise that is. The vidars do run quite a bit hotter and there not tolerant of lower impedance speakers. Or speakers with not so nice impedance curves, they go into protection mode fairly easy. The TYR’s so far don’t really care what you hook up to them.

[@T_Burd_75]

Seeing that stack of amps in the background, I couldn't help but think, "What a pile of Schiit!" 😋

[@terryhu57]

Schiit does not recommend running in mono for 4 ohms for the Vidar. I would assume the same for the Aegir. Sith does make a model that does for $55,000 audiophile dollars. Also you might enjoy streaming Can’s album, Future Days. Think Dark Side of the Moon kinda sorta. I love it.

[@AntoineViau-00]

Thanks Randy, How would you compare soundstage and imaging on both and along with other comparable products? 😊

[@srpsrp3649]

Just picked up a second Vidar and as monoblocks through la scalas - detail and transients improved enough not to return it. Freya+ pre and geshelli dac Your recommendations have been spot on.

[@jayf3562]

I just finished an amp camp amp and was really surprised at how good it sounds (very tube like as you described the aegir). I would love to hear your thoughts on the aca vs aegir on some more efficient speakers. I ordered a second aca and plan to run mono through a freya+ (eventually).

[@gdowns62]

I built 2 ACA’s and just got a Freya+. The ACA’s sound very different in mono. That’s a great combo. You didn’t talk about speakers. My ACA’s are running with Zu DW. I move the amps around a lot. They are so light. Have fun.

[@jayf3562]

@@gdowns62 thanks for sharing your experience with the aca's and freya+. I'm running a pair of omega Super Alnico High Output XRS. I was feeding them with a bottlehead stereomour ii that sounds terrific with acoustic but the aca offers a bit more punch for rock and pop tracks. Different flavors for different music and mood. I also have a pair of klipsch fortes for when I want to rattle the neighbors windows;)

[@fonkenful]

Do y’all agree that the ACA could be considered a gateway drug into the world of “tubish” class A, without the issues of maintenance costs that long term ownership of those can incur? I’ve built both the original dual mono block and a pair of the more recent stereo chassis version for a buddy who alternates them between stereo and bridged mono mode, and they certainly are quite delightful. Any experience with the most recent “mini” version? Enough diversion for now.

[@jayf3562]

@@fonkenful I would definitely agree with that description but add that with sensitive speakers it may be more than just a gateway. I was surprised by the power and don't find myself wanting for more (still going to try mono blocks just cause;) No experience with the new mini version but it gets good reviews on the forums.

[@fonkenful]

@@jayf3562 In the couple of years since I built the pair of stereo chassis, I think there’s been some revisions to the wiring and switching configurations that allow for more variations on mono bridging operation. My buddy used them to drive top end of custom DIY two way speaker build, with higher powered class AB on the dual woofers, and they played together very nicely. I wonder whether Randy’s “cheap audio” philosophy includes any DIY? If not, this’d be a good opportunity to advise him that the full kit from DIY Audio store is one of the simpler kits I’ve built in over 50yrs in this hobby, with tons of support from the forum. The frugal-phile community owes Nelson Pass a debt of gratitude for all he’s offered over the years.

[@rafaelvalle9564]

Love the channel! Schitt amps seem to be really good according to many reviews and same goes with emotiva. Plenty of reviews for both products. I'm looking to buy an amp or two for my stereo set up but had one more company in mind before I pull the trigger. Outlaw audio is the other company I'm looking at. Specifically the model 2220. When buying two it comes out to the vidar price territory. There are basically no reviews on it anywhere. Would be great if you could do a three way shoot out between schitt, emotiva and outlaw. Keep up the good work!

[@joeslacker1020]

Outlaw and Emotiva are both chinese garbage. If you want build quality and longevity go with schiit.

[@bretspangler8717]

I bucked alfalfa for a summer job once, not fun! I am going to get a set of Vidars, just need to save a little to get a pair, I am a little concerned that if I only got one and purchased a second amp a month or two down the road that they may not be identical, just thinking a pair with consecutive serial numbers would assure that the two were very similar. Just saying this because I know Schiit does regular updates to their products and you never know when that will be ;)

[@jkmsaturn]

Good Schitt, all around! Rat Boy is greatness! Sith Audio probably needed a sponsorship break . . . I mean, do they introduce 365 products a year?

[@Uncle_Herman]

I was about to get some dual Schiit monoblocks. But then I settled for primaluna tube amps instead.

[@michaelshulman5068]

You start by describing the Ziggy Stardust CD. What do you think of Steely Dan's album Aja, both for pleasurable listening and for equipment evaluation?

[@buffal0bilious]

I want a Vidar, but I'm kind of holding out hope that they release a v2 that includes a standby button like the Aegir.

[@jimpowell4015]

No need to wait any longer!

[@buffal0bilious]

@@jimpowell4015 I bought an Aegir less than a month before the Vidar 2 was announced! I'd be annoyed if I didn't love the way it sounds, but I do. I'll probably order a Vidar 2 down the road to compare and then either return it or sell the Aegir depending on what I prefer.

[@Feliciano12v]

Awesome! How about a preamp shootout? Freya S vs that DIY. Also, what’s the distance from the speakers to the listening seat? I think knowing the distance,volume and power of an amp would help us know the equipment more.

[@willmac5642]

Freya S is awesome

[@ptbfrch]

Thank you again for providing really interesting content, and great entertaining videos! About the Aegir: I think we may have a case of component mismatch, with that ELAC speaker being very tough to drive. In matching components it might have been a good idea to pair it with something more efficient, if only to see if the differences between the two continue to be so apparent.

[@gustafbratt7171]

Great review, as always! I wonder how these A/B and A-ish compare to modern class D amplification...!? I amplify my 2.0 homebuilt towers, each with single 8-inch Beyma 8-ohm woofer with a Powersoft M20d, which is 600W class D in 8-ohm per channel. Dosent run hot, dosent "waste" much power and has a lot of headroom. Sounds terrific, with visceral base and good dynamics. 🤩 It was around same price as 2 of these. Just curious since the Powersoft is a PA amplifier, am I missing out on details, tone or something vs these? Or is it just similarly but different technology?

[@heLLicop]

Hey CAM please do a review - supposedly high value gear: Topping PA5 (highly rated on audio science reviews) Fosi audio E10 pro Fosi Audio TDA7498E

[@aetch77]

8 months late to the party but hey ho. 1). "Mono" in the Vidar and Aegir is actually bridged mode. One channel pushes while the other channel pulls. 2). To use bridged mode you need to drive them with a balanced (XLR) pre-amp, it doesn't work with single ended (RCA). 3). I've heard you can drive 4 ohm speakers in bridge mode at reduced volumes, but it's not recommended.

[@vannk73]

LOL, I really love your Age + Profession scale of punching strength.

[@dougquesnel5613]

I am not sure if I should have put this in one of your dac reviews, but I'd be curious on your view on the RME ADI-2 Dac FS. It seems crazy high value for what it gives and the quality it provides all in a small package.

[@popzeus3000]

We need to get the Wilsenton R8 to Randy for review. Yeah it’s been well hyped by now but what does the CAM think about it?

[@raw760]

A real Schitt show.

[@orcaflotta7867]

Randy, honest now, Bob Trujillo punched in way below his class when he joined Metalla. Listen to his earlier work with Suicide Tendencies and Infectious Grooves. He is arguably the most funky and technically advanced metal bassman ever. Jason Newsted has nothing on him and Metalla should be super duper grateful he graces them with his funky presence.

[@F1fletch]

Thanks bro, great video!!!

[@computerfreakch8912]

From the description I lean on the Aegir side, but I wonder which one would be actually a better match for my vintage Magnepans (midrange centered speakers with very agile low end)

[@willmac5642]

Raggy 2 is great but not sold on either of these two. Curious about the soon to be released Soncoz

[@christophergaus3996]

Thanks Randy! I'm really wanting to mess with a Vidar and build an Akitika. If I can get the gains matching, I'd like to try bi-amp with the Vidar on the woofers. My towers LOVE 2 amps lol. The big question - what did you say to the farmer?

[@klaymoon1]

Great review!

[@robh9079]

Running them in mono; each 'side' of the amp will 'see' half the load in this mode. i.e. 4 ohm speakers will have each 'side' 'seeing' 2 ohms. If that nominal 4 ohm load has some significant dips you could see some very low figures here. Schiit say it should be OK at same levels, and there is protection - though it is undoubtedly out of it's comfort zone and sounds like a 'hypothetical' untested OK.

[@joeslacker1020]

in bridged mode (mono) then you double the power output so a channel with 8 ohms at 100 watts for example would then be 8 ohms at 200 watts? Or does the ohms get cut in half?

[@robh9079]

@@joeslacker1020 bridged you double power output driving the same load - though the amplifier 'sees' half the load it's driving. So the amp is driving the same load whether at stereo into 4 ohm or bridged into 8 ohm. Bridged mode comes into its own with PA amps where can get more than double the power. One advantage with the Schiit it is fully balanced in bridged mode i believe.

[@lloydbrown3223]

Very informative, thanks! Did you happen to notice any difference in soundstage?

[@mojoneko8303]

I like Schiit Audio's er components.. : ) I have the Hel Dac/gaming headphone amp and it's perfect for my gaming PC. I would love to own either the Vidar or the Aegir amp but I'm seriously considering building a pair of the DIYAUDIO's Amp Camp Amps instead. I can build two of them for less than the price of one Schiit Amp. Have you ever reviewed the amp camp amps? I would be interested in your opinion of them. I've built electronics projects for years so I should have no problem building a pair of the amp camp amps. Thinking of pairing it with the Elekit TU-8500 pre amp kit as well. It will give me an interesting winter project as well as a pretty good base for a quality stereo system. Thanks for the video. Review On! : )

[@DynotoeTube]

The real question is can you use the Lokius or Loki Max Eq(s) to make the Vidar sound similiar to the Aegir, or vice versa. I'd love to see the same comparison (Vidar vs Aegir) in Mono-block mode for both.

[@joeslacker1020]

What I'm thinking man is getting an aegir but then briding it with a different set of speakers later that I upgrade to. This way I can keep the first aegir and buy a second one, saving me money on buying a new amp altogether and also giving much better sound quality as people have said using two aegir together in bridged mode provides much better sound than just one. But now the qestion what speakers would even work at that low of wattage for the aegir to begin with? 20 watts at 8 ohms and 40 watts at 4 ohms is ridiculous small for how much most speakers need.

[@josephlynn85]

Thank you for this review