Thoughts on the Schiit SYS

Shadowfax

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Wondering if anyone has comments on the simple 2 input volume control from Schiit called the SYS.

Looks like an ideal way to eliminate a pre amp.

http://www.schiit.com/products/sys
sys-front.jpg
 
That is what I am thinking Dan. Since my Hafler 945 has been flaking out on me, I may just give it a try. OPPO 93 to Odyssey Stratos with a Volume control. Pretty simple second system.
 
I think you risk permanent revocation of your audiophile card if you have a $49 anything in the signal path
 
I own one. I use it between my Ayre Kx-5 Twenty preamp (via the tape outs) and the Parasound 12-channel amp that powers the in-wall speakers throughout the house. All I can tell you is that it works fine and I haven't experienced any issues with it.... How good it sounds I really can't tell you, as it only passes the signal on to the in-wall speakers rather than the "real" ones via my Ayre power amp. :) I have a Tisbury Audio pre in my office system at the moment; I guess I could swap that out for the Sys and see if it sounds different...
 
I own one. I use it between my Ayre Kx-5 Twenty preamp (via the tape outs) and the Parasound 12-channel amp that powers the in-wall speakers throughout the house. All I can tell you is that it works fine and I haven't experienced any issues with it.... How good it sounds I really can't tell you, as it only passes the signal on to the in-wall speakers rather than the "real" ones via my Ayre power amp. :) I have a Tisbury Audio pre in my office system at the moment; I guess I could swap that out for the Sys and see if it sounds different...
Yes please! Please report on your comparison with the Tisbury (if you've done that).
 
Yes please! Please report on your comparison with the Tisbury (if you've done that).

I haven't yet, but in truth if I swapped out the Tisbury for the Sys in that spot I am pretty sure I wouldn't hear a difference. What I will do when I get back (currently traveling) is swap out the Sys for the Tisbury in my office system upstairs where I have the Tisbury feeding a Berning ea-230 amp and Sequerra Met-7 MK II's. I want to mention tho that the Tisbury also has a few very nice features that the Sys doesn't - adjustable gain levels, tape out, plus 3 inputs. (As well as the stepped attenuator.) I expect I will hear a slight difference there. But of course the Sys is much cheaper.
 
I have a Schiit Sys in my system to switch between my digital and analog systems. It is a decent product for the price, but I do have a few issues with it. First being that, when listening to my analog system, if I don't unplug my DAC from the Sys, I get a nasty hum coming through the speakers. This basically defeats the purpose of the Sys, since I have to unplug the DAC every time I want to listen to my turntable. Not sure what the cause is... obviously some kind of crosstalk between the channels. Bad isolation between the two components.

Second problem is the volume pots they use are not the greatest and get that "scratchy" sound if you don't use it often. The pot is not stepped, so another noticeable issue is channel balance. I've resorted to keeping the pot out of the signal path by turning it all the way up.

I've been wanting to try out the Tisbury passive preamp. Seems like a much better option, with a stepped attenuator you no long have the channel balance issue.
 
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