The thing with the Aegir 2 is that when we imagine the triangle described above and when we know what each of its apexes represent – then we can place the general sound signature of this one particular Schiit in this so often met in life geometric figure. And here comes the most interesting thing here: it would not be, as someone might have expected, in the middle, but a bit closer to the SE-category and to the… “high-resolution” camp at the same time. The thing here is that, for one, most Class A push-pull solid-state designs sound really different that (still solid-state) single-ended designs. And the Aegir 2 is clearly something that is different from both of them altogether, because while you can feel that you’re listening to some serious piece of amplification this time – it’s not your typical class A issue.
Because while you get that Class A timbre here – you also get something more. And by that I also mean something that is not that often found in those low-powered amps. It is this uncanny cleanliness of its sound, it’s apparent lack of one of those distortion mechanisms that can be hard to name (and possibly hard to measure objectively) – but in the case of many other amps they are definitely there.
This is one of those amplifiers that can properly convey complex harmonic structures without over-saturating them and also without adding own discernible elements that would in turn excite some speakers, resulting in all sorts of edginess in sound. I emphasize this, because Aegir 2 will sound cleaner and better in this regard even compared to many tube amplifiers. I do understand that such a statement may really turn some heads, but this was pretty obvious just after a few days of listening.
Then there’s that other thing, which also needs more thorough explanation, especially because it can be more or less direct effect of Schiit’s Halo implementation. It’s that Aegir 2 sounds truly controlled in the whole audio spectrum, which is totally bonkers when you look at its damping factor and power output figures. But it also has a different kind of control than what most of us may be familiar with. It doesn’t sharpen nor soften leading nor trailing edges in the sound and it doesn’t make the lower registers seem tighter (or actually harder) than they actually should be. Yet on the tracks that there used to be a tendency for shouting in the upper midrange – like Annie Lennox’s “Legend In My Living Room” – there’s suddenly that very specific kind of calmness that goes together with unforced, natural transparency. When there was a tendency for the bass to get boomy – it became just better defined and better behaved around the port resonance too. It also has a very natural texture to it, better definition here means not only properly placed start and stop points in time, but also more fluid, more cohesive bass notes. And while Aegir 2 doesn’t seem to keep the speakers’ drivers by the iron hand, it definitely does something very interesting with them, which at the same time just sounds natural.
It was easily heard on the “Unusual” album by Marian Hill, where the Aegir 2 not only conveyed Marian’s voice with almost staggering clarity but also provided rich timbre of all accompanying instruments. Tracks like “Differently” were presented with perfectly recreated space and dynamic swings that were surprisingly untamed yet astoundingly clear. While in the absolute terms those big 845 (or 811 or 211 or similar) SET amps will probably provide bigger soundstage depth, this is still one of those amps that will give you the holography that is innate to teleporting the recording venue to the listener’s room. On Massive Attack “Protection” the Aegir 2 was capable to render both the Fraser’ voice and propel the rhythm lines with that unwavering ease and clarity of presentation. This happened even with the volume almost maxed out, which only confirms what the Jason told me about the “class-A effects occurring over the 90% of output”.
Listening to more of my usual review tracks only confirmed that the Aegir 2 is actually a singularity at its price point. The intro song from the Oblivion movie (“Waking-Up” by M83) was presented with dense textures and loads of emotions, while the most dynamic track from the “Social Network” (“A Familiar Taste”) was presented with visceral impact and dynamics that were so explosive that it made me wonder whether I really listen to the 30WPC power amplifier or something much more powerful.
Schiit Aegir 2 – wrapping up
I will start this summary with an interesting story here. This review was actually going to be published much earlier, yet during the process I unexpectedly had to change my mancave. In the new one, I could finally place the speakers almost in the middle of the room, more than 1.5 meters from the back wall. And the acoustics is now totally different and at the same time even than before. Yet by the virtue of having quieter place now with less bass boominess and generally better clarity made me wonder. Because the Aegir 2 performance is actually so far beyond its price tag that in many cases, when connected to some lesser ancillaries and in not that optimal setup its main qualities may just be somehow overlooked.
That is also because its own character is very discrete. After that one hour of warm-up you get a power amplifier that offers sheer transparency on a level that is more common in those bigger brands that offer power amplifiers costing at least five to ten times more. Obviously, you will have to consider its power envelope, but if you have speakers that are at least 89-90 dB/2.83V and are listening in rooms no bigger than 30 square meters – you should be fine. The thing here is that it sounds great up to the clipping point where the protection activates. Its one of those amps that can handle both small-level signals and big swings at the same time. And at the same time it offers unique sound, marrying Class A-like timbre (which is actually dangerously close to many SET amps) to the transparency of those amps that warrant “high-resolution” badge.
It is at the same time, the easiest Editor’s Choice award that I ever given to any piece of equipment.
Adam Kiryszewski
Product page: https://www.schiit.com/products/aegir_2
Price: 889 USD