[oryan_dunn]

Jason, have you thought about creating a DAC for phones without a headphone jack? A dongle that is better than the $9 one Google uses for it's Pixel line?

I see a huge market for such a dongle. I just bought the LG V30 for it's superb audio. I would have liked to get a Pixel, but schiity sound is a no go.

With most new phones using USB-C, it shouldn't be very difficult. I imagine an Apple dongle would cost more to pay Apple for their proprietary connector.

Something small that fits easily in a pocket, as similar to the current dongles available. Just a thought. When researching a new phone, it occurred to me that getting good audio from a dongle isn't currently possible (that I know of).

I would think there would be a large and growing market for such a product. While they're at it, add a pass-through for charging.

 

[OlDNuke]

The Osbourne Effect would probably kill Schiit if they did this.

We had classes on this at Intel, but we still put out roadmaps with quarterly and semi annual updates. It's all in how you manage expectations and if you consider failure as a learning point or a firing offense. Still doesn't change my opinion on removing the upgradeable tag from the top of the line items, also could depend on what you consider an upgrade. I think BiFrost to Bimby was an upgrade, Gen5 USB an improvement not an upgrade since you had better connections already on the device. Gen5 would be an upgrade to any USB only device.

Oh and on Config Management, don't know which military or aerospace used but in mine it's (simplified) "Do what you say, Say what you do, Document and Verify, and everything up for audit so change control is mandatory"

 

[winders]

I read that whole thread with the "obsessive phuc". IIRC, he went in with the attitude that his DAC was better than the Schiit DAC without ever saying which DAC it was (strike one) or how it was better (strike 2). No matter how many times he was pressed to describe what he was hearing he couldn't do it. And this with a crowd that does things like talk about "plankton".

And then, after about 50 posts in one thread, and lots of notice on other boards, he finds @atomicbob's measurements and says "Oh! Oh! That's the reason." When asked for the measurements on his magic DAC he refused to provide any and none exist because (a) he wouldn't say which DAC it was and (b) he's not @atomicbob.

"Troll" was being generous when describing the golden-eared phuc.

Then, he did say what DAC it was and it all became clear that it was a ploy to sell more of his friend's DACs. What else could it be when you are the only person on the planet that had his ears bleed due to Yggdrasil??

 

[winders]

...Gen5 USB an improvement not an upgrade since you had better connections already on the device. Gen5 would be an upgrade to any USB only device.

Considering that most people probably use the USB input on Yggdrasil or any Schiit DAC for that matter, the Gen 5 USB implementation would have to be considered an upgrade. It may not be an upgrade to you if you don't use USB, but that does not mean it is not an upgrade.

 

[AndreYew]

Or they’re having everything contract manufactured in China and they have no friggin idea what kind of parts are in their product.

Yeah, good luck with products manufactured in China, especially if they don't have direct control of the factory and an actual person from the company there monitoring the line. Random parts substitutions, often of much poorer quality, are common because the factory can save some money, and they don't tell the designers. Even changes in PCB layout can happen. There are really great products with amazing quality and consistency made in China, like the iPhone, but if you're going to be OCD about parts, then you'd have to look at most things made in China with some suspicion.

 

[OlDNuke]

Then what would be Eitr? I would call it an upgrade, took what Wyrd does, changed and improved it, gave all USB users access to the connections already on the DAC's. The fact that Gen5 was spread thru out the Schiit lineup could be called a process improvement; taking a known standard that is poor (USB) and getting a better version on the device (that is still not as good as the other connections IMO).

 

[rlow]

Then what would be Eitr? I would call it an upgrade, took what Wyrd does, changed and improved it, gave all USB users access to the connections already on the DAC's. The fact that Gen5 was spread thru out the Schiit lineup could be called a process improvement; taking a known standard that is poor (USB) and getting a better version on the device (that is still not as good as the other connections IMO).

Holy cow man. We get it - you don't consider what Schitt does as upgrades to your standards. Many others do. Now that you know this, you can now choose to buy your DAC from someone else who actually does do DAC upgrades to your standards (???), or buy a non-upgradable DAC, and just pay for a brand new unit each time they release a new version.

Bottom line: Jason and Mike have explained how "upgrades" from their perspective happen, and it doesn't match what you want or expect from Apple or Intel or whatever other multinational tech company you want to try to compare them to.

 

[winders]

Then what would be Eitr? I would call it an upgrade, took what Wyrd does, changed and improved it, gave all USB users access to the connections already on the DAC's. The fact that Gen5 was spread thru out the Schiit lineup could be called a process improvement; taking a known standard that is poor (USB) and getting a better version on the device (that is still not as good as the other connections IMO).

Eitr is not an upgrade. It's a whole new product. It's Schiit's first and only DDC. Wyrd is obviously different. Upgrading most of your DACs USB capabilities is not solely a process improvement. You have very strange view on what constitutes and upgrade.....

 

[ScottFree]

Holy cow man. We get it - you don't consider what Schitt does as upgrades to your standards. Many others do. Now that you know this, you can now choose to buy your DAC from someone else who actually does do DAC upgrades to your standards (???), or buy a non-upgradable DAC, and just pay for a brand new unit each time they release a new version.

 

[DoubleIPA]

Personally I view an upgrade as anytime you improve upon what you currently have. Sometimes those upgrades are small, like adding faster ram, and sometimes they're big, like putting in a new mainboard.

 

[rlow]

Personally I view an upgrade as anytime you improve upon what you currently have. Sometimes those upgrades are small, like adding faster ram, and sometimes they're big, like putting in a new mainboard.

Exactly. And I don't know anyone else that offers anything like it at the price points that Schiit are offering (for the initial DAC, or the upgrades).

 

[RCBinTN]

The Osbourne Effect would probably kill Schiit if they did this.

That is very interesting. Thanks for sharing it.
Is it known as Marketing Science, or is there a proper term for avoiding the Osbourne Effect?

 

[sam6550a]

That is very interesting. Thanks for sharing it.
Is it known as Marketing Science, or is there a proper term for avoiding the Osbourne Effect?

I believe that marketing and science are mutually exclusive.

 

[RCBinTN]

I believe that marketing and science are mutually exclusive.

Yes, I agree with that...you're a science guy like me.
But, it sounds (from the link) as if science could be applied to the strategy and marketing of product changes to the market.
Jeez, now I sound like a sales guy.

 

[artur9]

That is very interesting. Thanks for sharing it.
Is it known as Marketing Science, or is there a proper term for avoiding the Osbourne Effect?

IIRC, strategies for dealing with it are taught in B-school. So, yeah, as far from science as possible.