[Vtsailor]

Let me start by saying I’m happy with my Android gear and have never been interested in iAnything.

I’m excited about Forkbeard and expect to invest a considerable amount in gear. Being somewhat impatient, I’ll want to use the capability before the Android app is released. I also want to skirt Jason’s Law. That means my first iDevice ever.

It won’t ever be a daily carry and will sit on my end table in the living room, so: Refurbished or used. No more than $200 and $150 or less is better. No cellular access. Ability to run the same audio apps I have on my Android phone (I've checked this already).

I ended up on Gazelle.com. SE, XR, 11, 12, XS, X models. Confusion! None had greater than iOS 13. Which can be updated to iOS 16? CONFUSION!!

Duckduckgo found this page about iOS 16 updates directly from Apple: iOS 16 compatibility.

So it looks like I can meet my requirements with a phone or pad.

Any comments or suggestions from those already using iPhones or iPads?

Depending on how small of print you’re comfortable with I would recommend at least a ipad mini. I use a regular iPad but I also use it to play iTunes.

 

[Bowmoreman]

So @Jason Stoddard @ArmchairPhilosopher I’ve a Forkbeard Question: What do you estimate the range to realistically be, in-home? For example, I have my Kara (which I can upgrade to FB), and gonna have Stjarna…. Both in my cabinet at back corner of listening room about 20 feet away from where my amp is (which is UNDER the wood flooring in the basement under the speakers. So 3/4” of plywood, with hard oak flooring over that. There is a foiled / vapor barrier in between. Were I to replace current amp with Wotan FB’d, would it work? I’m really not familiar with BT ranges IRL (beyond in my cars to my phones also in said car),

Thanks for any thoughts…

 

[artur9]

I agree up to the point of "use Room EQ Wizard", that is a big nono for me.
Used DIRAC room correction a few years back, but for me all DSP is extremely tiring to listen to for longer span of time.
...

Room EQ Wizard isn't a DSP solution. It can generate parametric filter parameters but its main use is to find room issues. Like if your MLP has modal issues, where first reflections are, things like that.

IOW, it's a measurement tool, not a correction tool. For the more quantifiable (not certifiable) amongst us, so to speak.

ninja'd by both @AstronomerXI and @33na3rd

 

[artur9]

... But don’t take my bait on reg-ex, it does serve a purpose but it’s inventor sure has inflicted pain on ALOT of programmers thru the years.

There's a saying out there: One has a problem and thinks, "I can solve it with regex!" Now one has two problems.

 

[artur9]

well I was born under the zodiac sign for twins, Gemini. My mind would have gone there as well.

That so explains the special affinity you've been showing!

 

[artur9]

...
The Stereophile one and a couple more that I can't remember the names of.
...

Is that different than the Stereophile test CD set? I have one that's handy every once in a while: "this is the left channel -- LEFT CHANNEL"

 

[artur9]

The real product is Nordost Valhalla 2 speaker cable. My knockoff version sounds amazing.

I also use a knockoff Nordost speaker cable with very satisfactory results.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

So @Jason Stoddard @ArmchairPhilosopher I’ve a Forkbeard Question: What do you estimate the range to realistically be, in-home? For example, I have my Kara (which I can upgrade to FB), and gonna have Stjarna…. Both in my cabinet at back corner of listening room about 20 feet away from where my amp is (which is UNDER the wood flooring in the basement under the speakers. So 3/4” of plywood, with hard oak flooring over that. There is a foiled / vapor barrier in between. Were I to replace current amp with Wotan FB’d, would it work? I’m really not familiar with BT ranges IRL (beyond in my cars to my phones also in said car),

Thanks for any thoughts…

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to that, I'm afraid.

Forkbeard range depends, among other things, on…
- whether your phone / tablet is in a case or not
- how you hold your phone / tablet
- how noisy / busy the Bluetooth frequency spectrum is around where you are
- how much stuff is between your phone / tablet and the Forkbeard module
- the distance between your phone / tablet and the Forkbeard module
…and a whole bunch more.

As a rule of thumb: If you place an Apple TV where your Schiit would be and you can control it from where you're sitting using that thing's Siri remote, you'll be fine, as the Siri remote is based on Bluetooth LE as well. Alternatively, if you place a laptop where your stack would be and you can still use a Bluetooth mouse from your seating position, you should be OK.

In your very particular case, to get a somewhat meaningful answer regarding your "buried" speaker amp, I'd try the following:
If you have a pair of bluetooth headphones or a bluetooth speaker somewhere (or if you can borrow them from someone), connect them to your phone / tablet, start some music, put the phone / tablet behind (when looked at from your seating position) your current speaker, and sit down where you're normally sitting with your Bluetooth headphones or speaker in your hand. Still hear music? Then it'll most likely work fine.

I have used Forkbeard without issues from across the house through a bunch of walls with no issues.* But again, it somewhat depends on your circumstances.

*I will neither confirm nor deny that I may or may not have been on the Schiitr when I tried that. Yes, with Forkbeard, you can control your Schiit from the Schiitr.

 

[fidgeraldo]

I also use a knockoff Nordost speaker cable

Knockoff sounds better than FAKE!

Cheers!

 

[artur9]

So, Jason… Forkbeard-enabled toaster?

OMG, a Schiit stack: Coffee maker (sorry, pour-over people), coffee grinder, toaster and maybe microwave. Then I can use FB to adjust my breakfast parameters to perfection! Grinder set to 2, maker set to 4.5, toaster on 5 and microwave high for 10s :-D all from the comfort of some other room....

 

[artur9]

The Kef. I'm thinking of getting the LSX2 for my desk set up. Nice...

I heard some amazing slate-cabineted speakers at CAPFest today. Check out Fischer&Fischer if you can...

 

[artur9]

Sad to see legendary audio names sullied...

Their CAPFest room looked pretty lonely.

 

[Bowmoreman]

Thanks for that great and rapid answer! I realized after I asked the question the distance between any given Forkbearded component and another one is irrelevant, it’s the distance from my iPad (in my case) to the bearded minions… so now I feel ever so much better… typical listening seat to component cabinet is 5 feet and line of sight. So no brainer on that one.

Distance from listening seat to amp is more like 12 feet, but does have to go through the wood floor.

Amp is mounted roughly underneath where Bismarck’s toy squirrel/girlfriend is shamelessly sprawled now… 12” below floor level.

Oooh… Idea: a Forkbeard extender cable… I could run it up through the hole in the floor and put it under the speaker…

 

[Syan25]

I heard some amazing slate-cabineted speakers at CAPFest today. Check out Fischer&Fischer if you can...

I'll take a look. Cheers for the heads-up.

 

[Syan25]

Thanks for that great and rapid answer! I realized after I asked the question the distance between any given Forkbearded component and another one is irrelevant, it’s the distance from my iPad (in my case) to the bearded minions… so now I feel ever so much better… typical listening seat to component cabinet is 5 feet and line of sight. So no brainer on that one.

Distance from listening seat to amp is more like 12 feet, but does have to go through the wood floor.

Amp is mounted roughly underneath where Bismarck’s toy squirrel/girlfriend is shamelessly sprawled now… 12” below floor level.

Oooh… Idea: a Forkbeard extender cable… I could run it up through the hole in the floor and put it under the speaker…

Oh that's a gorgeous set up. I bet you have had wonderful listening sessions in that room.