Price:
$1,899
*Check with our team or your local store for availability.
We guarantee that all of our stock is 100% genuine,
New Zealand sourced stock, with full local warranty.
Colour: Black

Description

Tubes, schmubes. Who needs tubes when you have an insane, fully discrete, solid state preamp running on 64V rails—something so over the top that the likes of this haven’t been seen for 30+ years. Welcome to Kara, the all-new do-all Nexus™ preamp from Schiit Audio.

Nexus™, Elevated. Literally.
Yes, literally. Our exclusive differential Nexus stage usually runs on +/-17V or so. Great stuff. But Kara’s +/-32V rails are insanely over the top, giving it the capability of swinging near 100V on the differential output, and contributing to the best-performing, best-measuring preamp we’ve ever made—near -120dB THD+N from balanced.
 
Smart Headphone Capability, Standard. 
A headphone jack? On a Schiit preamp? Yes. Because you shouldn’t have to buy a dedicated headphone amp if you only use headphones occasionally. But that also doesn’t mean a cheapie op-amp headphone amp; it means the same discrete gain stage used for Kara’s outputs, coupled with a smart protection system that guards against headphone mishaps.
 
Still the Best Volume Control
Kara, like Freya+, includes a 128-step relay-switched attenuator, rather than a traditional potentiometer. This means essentially perfect channel matching and near-unmeasurable distortion. You also have the opportunity to run the relay potentiometer purely as a passive attenuator, with no gain stage at all in the path. It’s your choice. 
 
Standard Remote Control 
Did we forget something? Not at all. Kara comes with a standard remote control that gives you the convenience you want for all of its functionality. What’s more, the volume control syncs with the remote, so there’s no confusion as to what volume you’re at, and no endlessly spinning encoders. 
  
Designed and Built in California
By “designed and built in California" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Kara—chassis, boards, transformers, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made minutes from our facility. Kara PCBs are done just over the hill from us. 
  • High-Voltage Performance: Uses an advanced Nexus stage with high voltage for exceptional audio quality and low distortion.
  • Built-In Headphone Amp: Includes a high-quality headphone amplifier with smart protection, perfect for occasional headphone use.
  • Precision Volume Control: Features a 128-step relay-switched volume control for accurate and distortion-free adjustments, with an option for passive operation.
  • Remote Control Included: Comes with a remote control for easy operation, with synced volume control.
Schiit Audio Kara Preamplifier & Headphone Amplifier Specifications
Balanced to Balanced
Gain 1 (0dB)
Frequency Response 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db
3Hz-500KHz, -3dB
THD <0.0002%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 4V RMS
IMD <0.0002%, CCIR
SNR >129db, A-weighted, referenced to 4V RMS
Gain 4 (12dB)
Frequency Response 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db
3Hz-300KHz, -3dB
THD <0.0004%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 4V RMS
IMD <0.0004%, CCIR
SNR >123db, A-weighted, referenced to 4V RMS
Balanced to SE, x1 Gain
Frequency Response 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db
3Hz-500KHz, -3dB
THD <0.0003%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 2V RMS
IMD <0.0003%, CCIR
SNR >123db, A-weighted, referenced to 2V RMS
SE to Balanced, x1 Gain
Frequency Response 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db
3Hz-500KHz, -3dB
THD <0.0015%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 4V RMS
IMD <0.0022%, CCIR
SNR >122db, A-weighted, referenced to 4V RMS
Headphone, x1 Gain
Maximum Power, 32 ohms 1W RMS per channel
Maximum Power, 300 ohms 1W RMS per channel
SNR >123db, unweighted, referenced to 2V RMS
Crosstalk >-90dB
Output Impedance 0.25 ohms
Passive Mode
Input Impedance 10K ohms
Output Impedance 75 ohms SE, 600 ohms balanced
Crosstalk >110dB typical all modes
Topology Nexus™; current feedback with nested differential stages; discrete summed single-ended outputs with high-current headphone capability; intelligent headphone oversight and protection
Inputs 2 XLR pairs plus 3 RCA pairs, selectable via front switch or remote
Outputs 1 XLR pair plus 2 RCA pairs, selectable via front switch or remote
Volume Control Relay-switched stepped attenuator with discrete thin-film resistors, 128 0.625dB steps
Power Supply One 48VA transformer with dual series regulated +/-32V rails with Quietude™ topology; plus regulated 5VDC for microprocessor
Power Consumption 22W typical
Size 16” x 8” x 2”
Weight 11 lbs
  • 1 x Kara
  • 1 x Power Cord
  • 1 x Remote Control

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