• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Schiit Buf

Schiit quality has been a bit sketchy since they moved production to Texas, likely training issues with the new employees- only 1/3 of their workers moved from CA to TX with the company, my daughter knows a couple folks who used to work there and they said "Hell No" when asked to move to Texas (politics):
the first Wotan I received was bent (poor shipping likely but the box wasn't damaged), my new Freya+ was junk right out of the box and it blew up the right channel in my replacement Wotan (they claimed shipping damage again) ... good thing their customer service is still top notch: faulty Freya+ replaced immediately, and the blown up Wotan was repaired in less than two weeks.
 
Last edited:
Oregon said:
Well, mine failed after three days of use. Probably par for a box full of Chinese electronics.
Click to expand...
They use good quality parts, not the cheap stuff, and make their own circuit boards. (They use mostly Japanese made electronics). They will send you a new one as soon as they get notice from FedEX that you have sent the bad one back. (they'll E-mail you a return label, then box it up and drop it off at FedEx)
 
Wow. Three or four songs in and I'm going to have trouble getting on with my day. I've always been sort of neutral about the neutral sound of my Sansui AU-11000/BA-2000 stack. I tend to lean harder into my older capacitor coupled Sansuis. I prefer those tones to those of my later units for sure.

I put the Buf in between the AU-11000 preout and the BA-2000. Streaming Spotify Lossless from a WiiM Ultra and Schiit Mimir into JBL L36 Decades. Simply put, this stack has awakened from a hard nap. A bigger better sound. More space, more air, and a wide open soundstage. I think I'm finally qualified to use the adjective holographic, certainly in terms of the influence on this particular signal chain. Best $99 I've spent in a while.
1000009573.jpg
 
Last edited:
Mr Boochie said:
Don't let anyone say, "Oh, buffer tubes can't make a difference!"

System dependent? Yes. But in a certain setup, they can have a huge impact. In others, next to nothing.

:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
No question in this case! I've honestly always been kind of meh about the sound of this pair of Sansuis. It's more eye candy than my first listening choice among several other options. I'm the guy that's taking the AU-222 to the desert island with me. This setup just rose to the top for now.
 
petesui said:
No question in this case! I've honestly always been kind of meh about the sound of this pair of Sansuis. It's more eye candy than my first listening choice among several other options. I'm the guy that's taking the AU-222 to the desert island with me. This setup just rose to the top for now.
Click to expand...
I guess even within the same company, making products during the same era, there can be some sort of impedance mismatch. Whatever the reason, the tube buffer is fixing that for you.
 
petesui said:
No question in this case! I've honestly always been kind of meh about the sound of this pair of Sansuis. It's more eye candy than my first listening choice among several other options. I'm the guy that's taking the AU-222 to the desert island with me. This setup just rose to the top for now.
Click to expand...
That is exactly how I felt about my pristine combination BA/CA 2000. Beautiful to look at but the looks did not match the sound quality. Too late now as they have been enjoying a new home. Live and learn. Glad the buf made a positive improvement for you.
 
TomD62 said:
That is exactly how I felt about my pristine combination BA/CA 2000. Beautiful to look at but the looks did not match the sound quality. Too late now as they have been enjoying a new home. Live and learn. Glad the buf made a positive improvement for you.
Click to expand...
Nice to know I'm not alone in that assessment. It's hard to say out loud when you're looking at all that pretty iron. I lean heavily to my early cap-coupled receivers, 5000A, 7000, and Eight, and the early triple digits like the AU-222, 555A, 777, and 999. I love that tone. The Buf had brought it to the 11000 and BA-2000. Been listening to it all day now and I'm quite happy.
 
Last edited:
petesui said:
Nice to know I'm not alone in that assessment. It's hard to say out loud when you're looking at all that pretty iron. I lean heavily to my early cap-coupled receivers, 5000A, 7000, and Eight, and the early triple digits like the AU-222, 555A, 777, and 999. I love that tone. The Buf had brought out to the 11000 and BA-2000. Been listening to it all day now and I'm quite happy.
Click to expand...
I kept my AU-9900A as I thought it sounded much better than the BA/CA 2000. All three were original; perhaps the BA/CA drifted further out of spec than the 9900A. I had a 7070 that I thought was OK, but my 881 is definitely not going anywhere. Listen on my friend.
 
TomD62 said:
my 881 is definitely not going anywhere
Click to expand...
I just sourced a nice 881 for a good buddy getting into the hobby. I hadn't listened to that series before. I had it on the bench for a couple weeks getting it tuned up and testing speaker pairings for him. I didn't want to send it to him when it was time. Lucky for him, he'd already reimbursed me so off it went! So what did I do? I bought a ratted out 551 with a cut power cord and missing outputs. Should be here in a couple days . . .
 
petesui said:
I just sourced a nice 881 for a good buddy getting into the hobby. I hadn't listened to that series before. I had it on the bench for a couple weeks getting it tuned up and testing speaker pairings for him. I didn't want to send it to him when it was time. Lucky for him, he'd already reimbursed me so off it went! So what did I do? I bought a ratted out 551 with a cut power cord and missing outputs. Should be here in a couple days . . .
Click to expand...
I have not heard a 551 but if it sounds anything like a 661, I am confident you will enjoy it. My first receiver in HS was a 331 so I guess I like this series. :cool:
 
petesui said:
Wow. Three or four songs in and I'm going to have trouble getting on with my day. I've always been sort of neutral about the neutral sound of my Sansui AU-11000/BA-2000 stack. I tend to lean harder into my older capacitor coupled Sansuis. I prefer those tones to those of my later units for sure.

I put the Buf in between the AU-11000 preout and the BA-2000. Streaming Spotify Lossless from a WiiM Ultra and Schiit Mimir into JBL L36 Decades. Simply put, this stack has awakened from a hard nap. A bigger better sound. More space, more air, and a wide open soundstage. I think I'm finally qualified to use the adjective holographic, certainly in terms of the influence on this particular signal chain. Best $99 I've spent in a while.
View attachment 3803549
Click to expand...
Be careful. You might find yourself wanting even more tube goodness! :naughty:
 
My first experience with a tube buffer was at the height of the chifi era and I ordered the Little Bear P5-1 that used 6J1 tubes.


1784611659126.png

It's a starved plate circuit but I still use it for some setups and it sounds good with JAN 5654W's. I thought it would be a gimmick but it really helps with impedance matching, and that's really the whole point of a tube buffer - isolate the source from the load, and prevent loading effects. Also unlike the Schiit it has a gain knob which is useful for some systems.
 
Last edited:
albusark said:
My first experience with a tube buffer was at the height of the chifi era and I ordered the Little Bear P5-1 that used 6J1 tubes.


View attachment 3805118

It's a starved plate circuit but I still use it for some setups and it sounds good with JAN 5654W's. I thought it would be a gimmick but it really helps with impedance matching, and that's really the whole point of a tube buffer - isolate the source from the load, and prevent loading effects. Also unlike the Schiit it has a gain knob which is useful for some systems.
Click to expand...
Those 5654W's sound pretty good too. I use them in a small hybrid single ended preamp.
 
albusark said:
My first experience with a tube buffer was at the height of the chifi era and I ordered the Little Bear P5-1 that used 6J1 tubes.


View attachment 3805118

It's a starved plate circuit but I still use it for some setups and it sounds good with JAN 5654W's. I thought it would be a gimmick but it really helps with impedance matching, and that's really the whole point of a tube buffer - isolate the source from the load, and prevent loading effects. Also unlike the Schiit it has a gain knob which is useful for some systems.
Click to expand...
The Buf has a 0dB/12dB gain switch. Good if you need a little extra boost, especially with a phono pre.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

red 111
Schiit Buf
Replies
2
Views
382
red 111
red 111
Yamaki
Three Years With The Schiit Freya + Pre-amp
2 3 4
Replies
61
Views
10K
Gigantic
Gigantic
BmWr75
Schiit Freya+ passive mode failed
Replies
4
Views
359
BmWr75
BmWr75
The Fuxtor
Schiit Saga tube blunder
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
The Fuxtor
The Fuxtor
djnagle
Just ordered a Schiit Saga+
2
Replies
26
Views
4K
zackthedog
zackthedog
Back
Top Bottom