Schiit Gadget - A "Magic Box"
Oct 20, 2017 at 6:19 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 17

ben_r_

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Couldn't even figure out what forum to post this in as I'm not sure what the heck it even is. Just thought it sounded a bit ridiculous:

LINK and the video is here on Facebook: LINK

A New Class of Audio Control: Dynamic Re-Tuning of Concert Pitch

October 6, 2017, Denver, CO. Today at RMAF, Schiit Audio previewed The Gadget, the first of a new class of "Music Signal Processors," intended to enhance the experience of recorded music. The Gadget dynamically re-tunes music to C=256Hz without altering tempo, and allows the user to change the re-tuning frequency and A/B the result. The result, many listeners report, is greater satisfaction with their recorded music.

"The Gadget has been described as a 'digital joint,' an 'aaaahhh box,' and a 'music immersion processor,'" said Mike Moffat, Schiit's Co-Founder and head of digital development. "Many listeners want to listen longer, and enjoy listening more, with The Gadget."

The Gadget is the first product of a years-long research project into tuning and subjective effects, Schiit's "Manhattan Project." This research began when Mike Moffat began wondering why some older instruments—specifically banjos and mandolins—sounded better than their newer counterparts. This led to the discovery of “tap tuning,” and the increase in tuning frequency over time. After primitive pitch- and tempo-shifting versions were first developed in Summer 2015, Mike brought on a full-time Ph.D to develop new, proprietary, high-quality and efficient algorithms for pure pitch-shifting.

"This is not about mumbo-jumbo, mysticism, or conspiracy theories," said Mike Moffat. "The Gadget uses a 100% proprietary algorithm implemented on an Analog Devices SHARC processor, and it's unlike anything that's ever been offered before."

Unlike some recent attempts to improve recorded music, The Gadget is 100% single-sided and does not require any encoding or decoding. It does not incorporate DRM of any form, including phone-homes, selective degradation, or device serialization and deauthorization. It does not require licensing fees from recording studios, artists, or end-users.

The Gadget being previewed at RMAF is a single-purpose, digital-in and digital-out device. Commercially available versions with multiple inputs are expected to be available in Q1 2018 at a cost of about $200.​


Sooooo it's a magic box that "re-tunes" music via pitch shifting? And somehow it makes the music sound like "ahhhh". Amazing.

What do you guys think of this Schiit?
 
Oct 20, 2017 at 6:39 PM Post #2 of 17
It will be available for demo at the Schiitr this weekend. So, we shall see.
 
Oct 20, 2017 at 8:50 PM Post #5 of 17
Oct 23, 2017 at 4:13 AM Post #7 of 17
It is based on an assumption that A = 432 Hz (and C = 256 Hz with Pythagorean Temperament) sounds more natural than the standard A = 440 Hz pitch used by most orchestras (some US and European orchestras tune A up to 444 Hz), but there is really no evidence for that. A gadget that allows to change pitch is interesting but some performers already tune for different pitches (e.g. baroque and early music performers tune for A = 415 Hz) and it is almost impossible to know what was the concert pitch at the time and in the town the music was composed. Just something to play with.
 
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Apr 2, 2019 at 11:06 AM Post #15 of 17

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