John Darko
Multichannel audio without an AV receiver? In the land of Schiit Audio, that used to mean a Syn surround DAC / pre-amplifier married to three power amplifiers: your choice of Rekkr, Aegir 2 or Vidar 2.
Today, a singular option joins the fray.
The Kraken is Schiit’s first multichannel power amplifier and its promotional email proudly underscores what’s missing. Kraken utilises no Class D amplification, zero chip amps and zero switch-mode power supplies but, according to its designer and Schiit co-founder Jason Stoddard, it is not a stripped-down, ‘cheaped-out’ amplifier.
Inside Kraken’s Aegir/Vidar-dimensioned chassis, we find a large toroidal (pulled from Ragnarok 2 and Aegir 2) that fronts a linear power supply to juice the amplifier’s 5 x 30-watt output. The 30wpc power rating is into 4 Ohms. Into 8 Ohm loads, we’ll see 20wpc. However, Kraken also promises 20A of current delivery for 100ms. How so? It’s a fully-discrete Class A/B design.
Stoddard tells us via his Head-Fi chapter that the Kraken’s circuit is “current feedback, DC coupled, with 2SC/2SA devices and TO3P outputs” plus “Schottky rectification, independent high voltage, regulated stacked supply from the front end to the drivers, intelligent 32-bit microprocessor and completely transparent current and temperature measurement for protection.”
and in terms of mod-cons, it sports a front-panel switch that puts the amplifier into a 1-2 Watt low-power standby mode, a 12V trigger on the rear and non-invasive protection.
Per most other Schiit products, Kraken is built in the USA. Price? US$999. Two will be required for a height-enabled Dolby Atmos system.
Further information: Schiit
Photos: Lee Shelly
