[AmpDesigner333]

Any out there?  Aside from passive ones, by the way.   Thanks.

[Rusty Jefferson]

So, not from this circle's company?   David Berning's preamps are DC Coupled, and have DC output protection.  Accordingly, the Linear Tube Audio preamp and their MZ3 are also DC coupled with protection. 

[AmpDesigner333]

So, not from this circle's company?   David Berning's preamps are DC Coupled, and have DC output protection.  Accordingly, the Linear Tube Audio preamp and their MZ3 are also DC coupled with protection.

Cherry DACs are DC coupled with double differential true balanced outputs.  We typically recommend driving our amplifiers directly with our DACs for end-to-end DC coupling.

[Samac]

Any out there?  Aside from passive ones, by the way.   Thanks.

The Schiit Freya S is. Have one, love it.

https://www.schiit.com/products/freya-s

Cheers,

Scott

[AmpDesigner333]

The Schiit Freya S is. Have one, love it.

https://www.schiit.com/products/freya-s

Cheers,

Scott

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB -- NOT DC coupled !!

[Samac]

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB -- NOT DC coupled !!

Ok.

Cheers,

Scott

[richidoo]

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB -- NOT DC coupled !!

3Hz signal normally not a concern for me.    
Freya user manual: "Freya S is also complely DC-coupled (no capacitors in the signal path)"
I need a BAL<>SE preamp and I didn't know this existed. Thanks Samac!

Hey Tommy will your new preamp have BAL<>SE conversion?

[Samac]

3Hz signal normally not a concern for me.    
Freya user manual: "Freya S is also complely DC-coupled (no capacitors in the signal path)"
I need a BAL<>SE preamp and I didn't know this existed. Thanks Samac!

Hey Tommy will your new preamp have BAL<>SE conversion?

You’re welcome, richidoo.

Cheers,

Scott

[AmpDesigner333]

3Hz signal normally not a concern for me.    
Freya user manual: "Freya S is also complely DC-coupled (no capacitors in the signal path)"
I need a BAL<>SE preamp and I didn't know this existed. Thanks Samac!

Hey Tommy will your new preamp have BAL<>SE conversion?

Something's fishy here.  There should be no attenuation at low frequencies at all if this preamp is really DC coupled end-to-end.  Maybe they just copy/pasted the specs from another preamp and forgot to edit it (on the website).

The concern is not about the amplitude roll off, but rather the phase delay.  Explained here:
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=167261.0

Here's the manual, in case anyone's interested:
https://www.schiit.com/public/upload/PDF/freya%20S%20manual.pdf

No specs in the manual.

[AmpDesigner333]

So, not from this circle's company?   David Berning's preamps are DC Coupled, and have DC output protection.  Accordingly, the Linear Tube Audio preamp and their MZ3 are also DC coupled with protection.

Thanks!!

[AmpDesigner333]

Hey Tommy will your new preamp have BAL<>SE conversion?

We've made some radical changes to the design and plan to announce the new product at AXPONA in April.  It will have multiple inputs (digital and analog) and dual outputs.  Thanks.

[AvsFan]

We've made some radical changes to the design and plan to announce the new product at AXPONA in April.  It will have multiple inputs (digital and analog) and dual outputs.  Thanks.

Looking forward to it. I am going to wait to see what your new pre-amp is all about.
Will it have a remote volume control?

[AmpDesigner333]

Looking forward to it. I am going to wait to see what your new pre-amp is all about.
Will it have a remote volume control?

We have the hardware for it (IR receiver, FPGA block decode), but based on the cost of a custom remote, we’re discussing options, including a less expensive version without the remote.  So many of our customers use a streamer or PC to drive their audio system now, so they are covered as far as a remote volume control (phone/tablet/computer SW/app).  We also considered using a simple generic remote, but there’s the issue of accidentally controlling something else in the room.  A learning remote is also being discussed, so you can use a universal type or something you already own.  The original reason for the HSV DAC was to support transports, some portables, and disc players whose SPDIF outputs are always full scale.  The iPhone, for example, locks out the volume control when you play through its USB port directly.

I use a Node 2i these days.  That allows source switching, volume control, search and track select, playlist organization, album art display, etc.... from my phone, an old tablet, one of several PCs, or even one of my kids’ phones.  I pretty much don’t touch the system except to dust.  The amps (Cherry MEGA MK2 MONOs) sleep when the music’s off.   Everything except the turntable is controlled from remote, over WiFi.  The Node connects to the internet on its own. No need for SW running on a local computer.  It streams, does Bluetooth (yeah, I know), has an external digital or analog input, and plays from a NAS if desired.  The only thing it’s missing is solidarity of multi-sourced tracks.  That would be extra great if the purchase of offline music was integrated.  Add in Qobuz, and WOW!  Opens up a whole new world.  Please pardon any typos. It’s the end of a very long day.

[BruceSB]

The new preamp sounds very interesting.
Regarding the two outputs.
Am I right in guessing that one of the outputs is balanced and the other is not?
Looking forward to more details.
Bruce

[AmpDesigner333]

The new preamp sounds very interesting.
Regarding the two outputs.
Am I right in guessing that one of the outputs is balanced and the other is not?
Looking forward to more details.
Bruce

That is correct.  Thanks.

[RonN5]

Whether it is two different models or one model with available options... I continue to believe that two essential options are a subwoofer connection and a remote.

Not having these (and maybe others) options means giving potential customers a reason to Not be willing to try the new preamp.  Offering options at a price that fully covers cost should be a no regrets decision that expands the pool of potential customers.

[AmpDesigner333]

Whether it is two different models or one model with available options... I continue to believe that two essential options are a subwoofer connection and a remote.

Not having these (and maybe others) options means giving potential customers a reason to Not be willing to try the new preamp.  Offering options at a price that fully covers cost should be a no regrets decision that expands the pool of potential customers.

Good points there.  I’ve been involved with product development for several large companies (including names like SONY), and feature inclusion versus price is huge.  The “big guys” suffer from trying to be “all things to all people”.

Our product line is on the minimalist side because this not only keeps “feature creep” under control, but also offers a level of refinement by avoiding things that might lower performance.

One reason this product has been difficult for us is the balance between features and other factors (cost, usability, etc.).  There are some very expensive devices on the main board, and as an engineer, I love to “fill the chip” when it comes to FPGA programming.  This is a lot different than programming a processor.  It’s really hardware design.  So, the IR part comes at low physical cost aside from the actual remote.  Multiple DACs makes the cost go up.  The FPGA comes in various “sizes” (densities) and cost rises sharply as the density goes up.

We strive to create a solution that covers as many bases as possible, and this is why it’s not called the DAC DAC 3 (:

[BruceSB]

You know, the more that I think about it the more I see a pre amp to be a logical product progression.
As far as I can tell the only mention of the new pre amp is on this thread.
I know the new unit is going to be released next month,
But are there any references to it on any other thread?
Or, are there any little titbits that you can offer rather than making us wait another month?!
Yes, I can wait until next month,
But a few nice little tantalising sneak peaks would be good!!
Thanks.
Bruce

[S Clark]

For those of us that are not EE's, what is DC  coupling, and how is it good/bad?

[AvsFan]

For those of us that are not EE's, what is DC  coupling, and how is it good/bad?

Haha! I feel the same way at times. I have to google what is being talked about. 
Sometimes I just nod my head and say uh huh. If you say it's good it must be.