[Maxvla]

Balanced cable can be very cheap actually. You can even reterminate the stock cable on some phones if you want for ultimate cheap-ness. Going with a DIYer that doesn't charge crazy premiums you can get a decent balanced headphone cable for $75-100. I know from experience since I just ordered 2 of them from a guy.

 

[christophrowley]

Quote:

You may be right, though I find it hard to believe many people with $400 headphone spending a few hundred more on balance cable to go with a balance amp.

If a $750 amp is competitive with >$1,000 amps, then the cost of the cable isn't a deal breaker, imo. Just something people need to watch out for. 

 

[drez]

.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Okay, I feel compelled to comment on our history (or lack of it.)
 
Yes, Schiit has only produced three headphone amps and one DAC so far. In the process, we've also built: 
 
1. The only USA manufacturer of headphone amps selling at near-Chinese prices.
2. Huge value products that have frequently been compared by reviewers to ones costing several times our price.
3. A line of one-and-only products like the only Dynamically Adaptive amp (Lyr) and the world's least expensive fully upgradable DAC (Bifrost.)
4. A top headphone/computer audio brand in 18 months.
 
So, not very much. Of course, that's completely discounting the history of our founders (Mike and I.)
 
I've done:
Balanced amps from 200W to 300W per channel, with Stereophile Class B recommendations
Class A amps from 60W to 100W per channel (imagine the heat . . .)
Balanced preamps with relay-switched stepped attenuators and remote controls
Single-ended/balanced configurable preamps with DAC or phono module options
Single-ended amps from 60W to 125W per channel
The world's only synchronous (separate clock line) transport/DAC combo
The world's first serious value DAC, the Cobalt 307
The Theta Gen V analog section, on teflon boards, a true current-input discrete amp beating the best opamps in all categories of measurement, including at the summing junction
 
Mike has done:
Some of the earliest work in digital (the Theta Frankensteins)
The worlds' first DAC/Pre (Theta DS Pre)
Some of the world's first DACs (Theta DS Pro, only because the Pre came first)
Many of the world's most acclaimed DACs
The world's first custom audio digital filters running on Motorola DSP
The first advanced VCO jitter-reduction scheme
Exclusive glass-optical AT&T ST interconnections for transports and DACs
The world's first DTS-equipped surround processor
The world's first sub-$1000 Dolby Digital surround processor
Modular upgradable architecture for Bifrost and Gungnir
Exclusive bitperfect clock management system
Exclusive Adapticlock VCXO/VCO regeneration system
 
Bottom line: Go ahead. Put Mjolnir up against anything, up to many thousands of dollars. You may be very, very surprised.
 
And that's my last word on this matter. Give us a few more years, and see what we can do.

 

[WNBC]

Keep the hits coming, I personally find the Schiit business model refreshing and the gear speaks for itself. 
 
Quote:

Okay, I feel compelled to comment on our history (or lack of it.)
 
Yes, Schiit has only produced three headphone amps and one DAC so far. In the process, we've also built: 

 

 

[HeyWaj10]

Jason,
 
I really don't think you or Mike need to explain yourselves.  People (especially some members of this site) need to check themselves with reality sometimes and their level of expectations.  The mere fact that we now have a company like Schiit in the USA, where manufacturing is not shipped overseas just to maintain a competitive (and attractive) pricepoint is game changing, and much appreciated!
 
Sure, China can make some good products, but I for one feel much more inclined to purchase homegrown products with customer service on our shores...even if the price paid was a bit higher.
 
Your team's level of knowledge, experience, and expertise is going to carry you guys very far I think, and you'll be in the game for a long while.  Keep pumping out these quality products and being real in the industry (not hiding behind marketing fluff), and you'll have a lot of us behind you guys!
 
Now get back to your Schiit.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

 
Quote:

Now get back to your Schiit.

 
Yep, we're going full speed ahead in engineering, and I'm hoping to get the first true proto boards ordered for the "statement" amp in the next couple of days. The principles behind it are well-developed, but there are a ton of details to work out, and software to write.

 

[clarknova]

 
Quote:

Jason,
 
I really don't think you or Mike need to explain yourselves.  People (especially some members of this site) need to check themselves with reality sometimes and their level of expectations.  The mere fact that we now have a company like Schiit in the USA, where manufacturing is not shipped overseas just to maintain a competitive (and attractive) pricepoint is game changing, and much appreciated!
 
Sure, China can make some good products, but I for one feel much more inclined to purchase homegrown products with customer service on our shores...even if the price paid was a bit higher.
 
Your team's level of knowledge, experience, and expertise is going to carry you guys very far I think, and you'll be in the game for a long while.  Keep pumping out these quality products and being real in the industry (not hiding behind marketing fluff), and you'll have a lot of us behind you guys!
 
Now get back to your Schiit.

 
Well said. The mere fact that its made in the USA swayed my decision to buy a Valhalla for my HD650's , China has a near death grip on low cost amps/dacs and its great to see a manufacture with down to earth prices actually going head to head with them.
 
Looking forward to more Schiit in the future Jason.
 
 

 

[Mauricio]

As an American, I am not at all swayed by the fact that Schiit makes the kit in the Homeland.  I refuse to let experience of a religious or nationalist nature get in the way of my judgement of things.  I am not a about to start with audio equipment.  Finally, you should realize that many here are not American so the Made in USA bit is a lot less meaningful as SQ and value.  This may come as a revelation to you, but for many people in the rest of the world the U.S. is not the center of the universe.

 

[christophrowley]

I can't speak for everyone but as an englishman, I'd much rather buy something made in the US than China. I wouldn't pay through the nose for it, but it isn't an insignificant factor for me. 

 

[clarknova]

Quote:

As an American, I am not at all swayed by the fact that Schiit makes the kit in the Homeland.  I refuse to let experience of a religious or nationalist nature get in the way of my judgement of things.  I am not a about to start with audio equipment.  Finally, you should realize that many here are not American so the Made in USA bit is a lot less meaningful as SQ and value.  This may come as a revelation to you, but for many people in the rest of the world the U.S. is not the center of the universe.

Wow , bit over sensitive aren't we? You do know that our economy is suffering because of out sourced jobs don't you? You honestly think that buying every piece of electronics in your home from Chinese manufacturers doesn't have a negative effect on US manufacturers? Which in turns effects our work force and thus economy and that doesn't even make you think at all? 
 
The vast and I do mean VAST majority of this market dealing with headphone amps and DAC's is built in China. Hell , even the vast majority of headphones we use are built in China ..so us celebrating being able to buy from an American company a product that is made in America in a affordable price range is somehow economically racist?
 
 

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

 
 
Yep, we're going full speed ahead in engineering, and I'm hoping to get the first true proto boards ordered for the "statement" amp in the next couple of days. The principles behind it are well-developed, but there are a ton of details to work out, and software to write.

That's very intriguing. I haven't owned your products, but have heard them many times. A balanced amp? You have my full attention. Quick question, with an 8wpc output, it seems as if you are thinking HE-6 capable with this amp. Do you have a pair that you are testing these amps with?
 
 


Quote:

As an American, I am not at all swayed by the fact that Schiit makes the kit in the Homeland.  I refuse to let experience of a religious or nationalist nature get in the way of my judgement of things.  I am not a about to start with audio equipment.  Finally, you should realize that many here are not American so the Made in USA bit is a lot less meaningful as SQ and value.  This may come as a revelation to you, but for many people in the rest of the world the U.S. is not the center of the universe.

 
For me buying something within the U.S. isn't about the national pride or anything you are alluding to. I don't think that's the case for anyone here. What's clear for me is when my Little Dot Amp broke last year it took 2.5 months for it to get shipped to china repaired and then back to me. Not to mention $100 for shipping. 
 
 

 

[Nebby]

Made in the USA is a just another factor in the decision making process; for me, it's a positive aspect while for you it might not be. There's nothing wrong with having our own differing opinions on priorities

 

[Kremer930]

As an Australian, buying an American designed and built product does provide an additional layer of confidence with regards to warranty and the ability to interact with the key stakeholders. But this is not my main reason for buying. My passion and excitement towards Schiit and their products is mainly derived from their quality of sound, build quality and styling. To achieve all of this at the price points that they do is the clincher.

To then add in the technical merits of Jason and Mike's cv's and Jason's wonderful openness and customer service, takes the value proposition to a whole another level.

I may be a fan of Schiit but it is well earned. My Schiit journey has only just begun.....

There will always be those that mock but I am confident that even those that haven't yet bought a Schiit product will still admire Jason for the way that he conducts himself and the quality of his service to the Headfi world. Well done Jason. Let your products do the talking.

 

[CEE TEE]

Quote:

Okay, I feel compelled to comment on our history (or lack of it.)
 
Yes, Schiit has only produced three headphone amps and one DAC so far. In the process, we've also built: 
 
1. The only USA manufacturer of headphone amps selling at near-Chinese prices.
2. Huge value products that have frequently been compared by reviewers to ones costing several times our price.
3. A line of one-and-only products like the only Dynamically Adaptive amp (Lyr) and the world's least expensive fully upgradable DAC (Bifrost.)
4. A top headphone/computer audio brand in 18 months.
 
So, not very much. Of course, that's completely discounting the history of our founders (Mike and I.)
 
I've done:
Balanced amps from 200W to 300W per channel, with Stereophile Class B recommendations
Class A amps from 60W to 100W per channel (imagine the heat . . .)
Balanced preamps with relay-switched stepped attenuators and remote controls
Single-ended/balanced configurable preamps with DAC or phono module options
Single-ended amps from 60W to 125W per channel
The world's only synchronous (separate clock line) transport/DAC combo
The world's first serious value DAC, the Cobalt 307
The Theta Gen V analog section, on teflon boards, a true current-input discrete amp beating the best opamps in all categories of measurement, including at the summing junction
 
Mike has done:
Some of the earliest work in digital (the Theta Frankensteins)
The worlds' first DAC/Pre (Theta DS Pre)
Some of the world's first DACs (Theta DS Pro, only because the Pre came first)
Many of the world's most acclaimed DACs
The world's first custom audio digital filters running on Motorola DSP
The first advanced VCO jitter-reduction scheme
Exclusive glass-optical AT&T ST interconnections for transports and DACs
The world's first DTS-equipped surround processor
The world's first sub-$1000 Dolby Digital surround processor
Modular upgradable architecture for Bifrost and Gungnir
Exclusive bitperfect clock management system
Exclusive Adapticlock VCXO/VCO regeneration system
 
Bottom line: Go ahead. Put Mjolnir up against anything, up to many thousands of dollars. You may be very, very surprised.
 
And that's my last word on this matter. Give us a few more years, and see what we can do.

Hi Jason,
 
I'm excited about your new balanced amps- I understand you will make history again with the "first circlotron" headphone amp?
 
Please keep going, and thanks for your support and presence in our community (and for attending so many of our meets too)!
 
It is really fantastic to get to ask questions and hear from you...
 
Best,
C