No-Compromises Power: Vidar

 Affordable, No-Compromises High-End Audio is Back

July 17, 2017, Valencia, CA. Schiit Audio announced the availability of Vidar, an audio power amplifier rated at 100W RMS x 2 into 8 ohms, 200W RMS x 2 into 4 ohms, and 400W into 8 ohms as a monoblock. Vidar is a 100% discrete, fully complementary, current-feedback, Class-AB design with linear power supply and intelligent microprocessor management—a no-compromises design for the affordable price of $699.

"It's time to reset the bar for value in high-end audio," said Jason Stoddard, Schiit Audio's co-founder. "No matter how you look at it, Vidar is a true no-excuses design. There are no capacitors in the signal path. No DC servos. No Class D output stages. No switching supplies. No invasive current limiting. The power supply is insanely overbuilt—dual mono back to the transformer for high-current rails, with a separate linear regulated high voltage supply for input, voltage gain, and drivers. All critical operational points--temperature, DC offset, and current output--are monitored and set in real time via microprocessor control. At the same time, bias is held constant, allowing simplified testing of full power output with non-musical, steady-state signals."

Vidar is the culmination of multiple years of R&D at Schiit Audio, including the development of multiple candidate designs that ranged from MOSFET output stages with active heat tunnel cooling, to BJTs with large passive heatsinks (the design seen on the production Vidar.

"The challenge in developing an affordable amplifier lies mainly in keeping the cost of the chassis and heatsink reasonable," said Jason. "We ended up with a unique design that uses the heatsinks as a structural part of the chassis, allowing the rest of the components to be simple and efficient to produce. At the same time, we were able to get all components on a single PC board, which eliminates board-to-board wiring and simplifies production—while allowing the investment in a 4-layer board for optimized signal and power routing."

Vidar extends Schiit's growing line of audio products aimed at loudspeaker systems. It's a natural complement to the Saga and Freya preamplifiers, as well as Schiit's full line of multibit DACs. Customers who are interested in a no-compromise, tube-input, remote-control system with a relay attenuator can now combine Vidar with Saga and Bifrost Multibit to create a complete electronics package for only $1,647. 

"Less than the cost of some cables," jokes Jason.

Vidar is available for sale immediately at schiit.com.