Schiit DACs (Bifrost and Gungnir down, one to go)? The information and anticipation thread. - Page 94

Here is a nice comparison of 3 levels of Audioquest USB cables.

http://www.goodsound.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=278:audioquest-carbon-cinnamon-and-forest-usb-cables&catid=56:equipment-reviews&Itemid=37

The reviewer, Doug Blackburn, is actually a ISF calibration tech in the AV world. These guys are firmly in the engineering and measurement box, and cables do not make any difference e.t.c But with an open mind he has come around to reporting what his ears hear, despite USB skepticism.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AiDee 

Absolutely agree, but nope purrin is not who I meant. I just found it - I did say IIRC: "...The only downside I think I may have perceived is that my bass doesnt seem to hit as low as before. The mid-bass seems tighter but the low slams dont seem to vibrate my couch as they did previously..." (HyperM3, post 1282, p.86)
 

 

Edits: added "purrin is not who I meant" and... my point simply was no one impression is enough to generalize from. I guess HyperM3 + purrin makes two. Still no statistical power.

After about a week of burning in and listening Id like to update my review a little bit.

I tried putting on some music that I normally listen to which gives my speakers a good run for their money which is dubstep. You might not like it and I dont expect everyone to, but I like it because it just throws sounds "everywhere". It also tests bass extension for me on my speakers. I can say that the bass is going lower but its DEFINITELY more controlled than before. Where it used to be slightly muddy and deep, now its barely audible but clean. The bass has become "snappy" and more musical from what I can tell.

In other ranges music just shines. The depth of soundstage is amazing. I really find myself looking through the music now when listening and seeing instruments being played behind my wall. Its really neat when demo'ing to friends when they experience that.

Mid-range and highs are just like the bass, snappy. I dont hear any extra notes being played and nothing sounds rolled off. Controlled is a word Id like to use. This is different to me though from what Ive been used to. I listen to music I have known for a long time that would go to and play as reference material. Im hearing them very clearly but different now. Theres more separation of notes and instruments. I hear more silence before when there aught to be. Am I making sense?

That was all when playing my itunes(recorded in lossless) through my logitech touch. I can hear a small difference when listening through my TV as well. Im using the same speakers for TV stereo and one of the things Ive noticed is vocal separation is cleaner. As with the instruments from the music, voice are separated better and imaged clearer. Another thing is off-axis listening on the couch(laying down) has no bearing on soundstage either. Everything is still centralized and if I closed my eyes I wouldnt know there were speakers in the room.

I dont know if ALL this could be contributed to the DAC as I had a good foundation of products to start with. But the addition of the bifrost continued my excursion into increasing the quality of sound I was looking for. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kremer930 

Uberzone- Some people just don't deserve to have good quality audio. I can't see how you make it through life if you get this wound up over a short delay. By the sounds of your comments you weren't even a pre-order customer in the strict sense. 

 

Jason has advised the cause of the delays all the way through the Bifrosts release. Not everything in life can be controlled. 

 

Heh?  Just because someone expects to have a company deliver on its time promises he doesn't deserve to have good audio? WTF are you talking about?  Plus, this person is asking not only about the Bifrost, a new product that has well documented reasons for missing it's shipping dates by as much as 2 months, but also about Asgard, an established product that does not have developmental issues that can understandably make deadlines slip.

While I agree that 6 extra days is not exactly a tragedy in the long term, I think we are all too used to companies in this industry over-promising on delivery dates. 

I understand where Jason's issues were rooted and don't envy him the balancing act of building hype and pre-orders vs building units and meeting self-imposed deadlines.  It's very hard.  It inevitably leads to some disappointments...but those who are disappointed have every right to express it without being told that don't deserve good quality audio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agisthos 

Here is a nice comparison of 3 levels of Audioquest USB cables.

 

http://www.goodsound.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=278:audioquest-carbon-cinnamon-and-forest-usb-cables&catid=56:equipment-reviews&Itemid=37

The reviewer, Doug Blackburn, is actually a ISF calibration tech in the AV world. These guys are firmly in the engineering and measurement box, and cables do not make any difference e.t.c But with an open mind he has come around to reporting what his ears hear, despite USB skepticism.

Thanks for the cite.  I prefer the Carbon to the Forest myself - haven't heard the Cinnamon.  But I also preferred the Forest to $100 cables from two other manufacturers, so my preferences didn't track cost.

For anyone who feels cables don't make a difference, cool.  These are just my own impressions.

Uberzone, why don't you contact me and let me know what your order is? I can let you know if it's going to go out soon, or if it has already gone out. We'd also be happy to cancel it. Unfortunately, wecan't map your username to an order.

Bottom line, everyone who has preordered is covered, it will just take us a few more days to finish them up. 

A few other comments:

1. When you place your order with us, there is *always* a note on every product page--the first line of the product description--that says if the product is in backorder, or if it's in preorder, and the estimated time that it will ship. Note: estimate = guess.

2. Why is an estimate a guess? Because we can't plan perfectly for demand, and we do not have complete control over the boardhouse that builds our products. We were caught off guard by a surge in orders for all products--nothing we could plan for by looking at the sales rate for the past few months. Also, the boardhouse has been slower than normal following their ISO certification.

3. That said, we're ramping up to try to eliminate these backorder situations in the future. That's our singular focus right now. No new products are being announced until this is fixed, period. That will probably push any new product announcements to the end of the year, or slightly past that, sorry. 

4. When you order, we don't charge your card, nor do we take a deposit, (PayPal will authorize the purchase, which places a hold on the funds for three days, then it is released.) So it's not like the money has come out of your account. Yes, I know, cold comfort when waiting for gear. But nobody is happy about the backorder situation, least of all us. 

All the best,

Jason

In response to your WTF.  I would personally refund his order rather than put up with his whinging.  That is just me.  He needs to lighten up and get a life.  Judge me as you will.

Jason has controlled and communicated his processes as well as I have seen any company achieve.  To have someone complain and daydream about the potential for being caught up in the Christmas postage rush makes me wonder how he manages to make it through an ordinary day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leesure 

Heh?  Just because someone expects to have a company deliver on its time promises he doesn't deserve to have good audio? WTF are you talking about?  Plus, this person is asking not only about the Bifrost, a new product that has well documented reasons for missing it's shipping dates by as much as 2 months, but also about Asgard, an established product that does not have developmental issues that can understandably make deadlines slip.

 

While I agree that 6 extra days is not exactly a tragedy in the long term, I think we are all too used to companies in this industry over-promising on delivery dates. 

 

I understand where Jason's issues were rooted and don't envy him the balancing act of building hype and pre-orders vs building units and meeting self-imposed deadlines.  It's very hard.  It inevitably leads to some disappointments...but those who are disappointed have every right to express it without being told that don't deserve good quality audio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uberzone 

You've promised to ship us asgard and bifrost within two weeks of time, however now it's been more than 20 days since our order was made. We believe this is not appropriate and should be resolved immediately. This is not the service we've expected from a company like yours. What's the point in pre-order with a promise of two weeks? I respect you and your work, but you also understand the users, your apologies only make things worse. It is better to talk about let postural, but still real date of supply.

Wow....just wow.   A Schiit is a very small, "boutique" company that hit it big in the best way possible;  by designing and building a product that combines USA manufacture, cutting edge technology, stellar build quality and eye pleasing design.     This is not a sweat shop DAC (although I wonder if the young woman behind the soldering iron might not argue the point, with all the orders...) and it depends on quality components from other manufacturers.   Schiit is NOT WalMart.  Decidedly so...and that's a GOOD thing.

If you cannot defer gratification, this type of semi-custom gear is probably not for you.  You're probably going to have issues elsewhere, too.

I'm # 546 and it said two weeks when I placed my order, too.  I would rather that Schiit not burn the midnight oil, hire less skilled workers, badger their suppliers or rush around like a chicken with their head cut off to speed up my order.

But that's just me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kremer930 

  He needs to lighten up and get a life. 

 

 

Look in the mirror, my friend.

Jason has been exceptionally forthcoming in his communications...100% agreed.  That doesn't change the disappointment this person feels...nor his right to express that disappointment.  It's clear from his 'accent' that his order is leaving the US...which increases the delay until he receives it. 

I do agree that this exchange would have been better had it just been handled privately between he and Jason thru the Schiit site, but I won't vilify him for simply expressing frustration.

Thanks Jason, I've heard all the answers, I have nothing more is needed.

I laugh.  Really Leesure....are you supporting these kinds of comments...misleadingly placed into a post to look like they were written by me?  Let us just agree to disagree.

Quoted from Uberzone.

You are totally inadequate, useless to talk to you, you have settled that an attorney in the company of Jason? I'm not interested in your opinion, you are not respected. No need to climb into other people's affairs, and that's enough to behave himself as a woman, you rend the air in vain. The problem of congestion-mail there, I came across it twice, as opposed to you the things that I had ordered me to go would be 3 weeks since I am overseas from the United States. Standard 3 weeks turn into this period of eighteen months, and a chance to lose the parcel at customs increases.

gotta love headfi.

ahh my unit got here and there is no usb unit installed!!!? talk about anti-climactic :( I already contacted schiit but watch out if your still waiting for usb unit. My order definitely says i ordered the usb unit haha. Sorry Jason for more stress ;)

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmayer167 

ahh my unit got here and there is no usb unit installed!!!? talk about anti-climactic :( I already contacted schiit but watch out if your still waiting for usb unit. My order definitely says i ordered the usb unit haha. Sorry Jason for more stress ;)

 

M

What an absolute bummer. Sorry bout that. Crossing my fingers for mine :)

Hopefully he can overnight you the board and you can install yourself?

I think I might be waiting awhile....I ordered immediately through a dealer friend way back in the beginning of pre-orders. Am I bummed??? Will I be waiting now because I ordered through a dealer??

 Thanks guys....

 Ed

eclein I think you'll be better off e-mailing Jason to try and track down your order. You probably don't have an order number if you went through a dealer but assumingly he or someone at Schiit will know.

All I can say about the last few pages is Google Translate still needs some work apparently, no offense intended to anyone.