[Oklahoma]

@Jason Stoddard. My suggestion on the home theater bypass would be: Add a switch of some sort to select how each input acts. Is could be dip switches placed on the back or bottom like mani, so one couldn't inadvertently hit the switch plugging in a cable, that would signal the processor as to how to treat that input. Freya would ship with all the switched in say the variable position where the volume knob controls it. If one wanted a bypass they would flip the switch for the input they wanted to use as a home theater bypass to say fixed. Where when one goes to that input the processor would set the mode to passive and set the volume to max, then when someone switched off that input it would default back to whatever mode and volume level it was before. This would make it so any input could be a bypass and one could not accidentally switch to another with the volume up or put an input into bypass by hitting it plugging in a cord. As you would have to change it to bypass when you set it up it is less likely to accidentally put an input bypass on something that shouldn't, and you don't have to go through a menu of lights to change it if you no longer want a bypass. This would mean a board and case revision in addition to firmware instead of being just a firmware update.

 

[Alcophone]

@Jason Stoddard. My suggestion on the home theater bypass would be: Add a switch of some sort to select how each input acts. Is could be dip switches placed on the back or bottom like mani, so one couldn't inadvertently hit the switch plugging in a cable, that would signal the processor as to how to treat that input. Freya would ship with all the switched in say the variable position where the volume knob controls it. If one wanted a bypass they would flip the switch for the input they wanted to use as a home theater bypass to say fixed. Where when one goes to that input the processor would set the mode to passive and set the volume to max, then when someone switched off that input it would default back to whatever mode and volume level it was before. This would make it so any input could be a bypass and one could not accidentally switch to another with the volume up or put an input into bypass by hitting it plugging in a cord. As you would have to change it to bypass when you set it up it is less likely to accidentally put an input bypass on something that shouldn't, and you don't have to go through a menu of lights to change it if you no longer want a bypass. This would mean a board and case revision in addition to firmware instead of being just a firmware update.

+1, with an LED that lights up when the bypass is active on the current input, and flashes quickly when the user attempts to adjust the volume in any way (which should otherwise be ignored).

Yay for relays making this all feasible!

 

[muziq]

Sales on Loki are strong, but not exciting enough to hurry out any additional products.

Having picked up the new Loki in early October, I've had enough time with it to know that I'd buy the next product in the line. I was a touch skeptical that it would sound so clean, but it does...and I'm now finding new depth in my Alpha Primes. Literally depth--those things can go a LOT lower than I realized without getting flabby. I attribute rediscovering how much I love the first Amon Tobin album to adding the Loki to my rig. Want to add some bands and give me a bit more precise tuning? I'm all for it...will buy the day you release it.

Dialing it in for a particular album or style of music is akin to dialing in your espresso machine and grinder to a new batch of beans. The freedom to tweak and refine adds fun back into the quest.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Dialing it in for a particular album or style of music is akin to dialing in your espresso machine and grinder to a new batch of beans.

Really?
Why would you do that?

 

[audioelements]

@Jason Stoddard. I truly like the idea of remembering the volume set of each channel - it will work as a HT-bypass for me. But the real killer function to add is the backward switching of inputs. Other than holding 40 seconds (or 4 seconds), I was thinking, how about double click for backward input switching, single click for forward input switching?

 

[DSNORD]

Sales on Loki are strong, but not exciting enough to hurry out any additional products.

No, Jason. Sales of Loki are STRONG. Actually so UBER STRONG that Loki Maxi Balanced is just now going into production and will be ready to join my Yggy/Rag and Gumby/Jot systems by Christmas!!!!!!!

 

[rlow]

@Jason Stoddard. I truly like the idea of remembering the volume set of each channel - it will work as a HT-bypass for me. But the real killer function to add is the backward switching of inputs. Other than holding 40 seconds (or 4 seconds), I was thinking, how about double click for backward input switching, single click for forward input switching?

A double click is a terrible idea, what if I just want to jump multiple inputs quickly? Plus you're starting to get into too many hidden options behind each button which will cause problems for many users. I would also love to go backward in switching inputs (mainly to facilitate faster A/B testing) but I don't think that's the answer.

I do think holding down the one input for 5 seconds or something and it becoming a HT bypass is not too bad an idea, but again how does the user know this input is in this mode or not.

I'm definitely a proponent of the volume memory per input feature. Would this only be for as long as the preamp is powered up (and reset if it's powered off)?

 

[winders]

Sales on Loki are strong, but not exciting enough to hurry out any additional products.

No, Jason. Sales of Loki are STRONG. Actually so UBER STRONG that Loki Maxi Balanced is just now going into production and will be ready to join my Yggy/Rag and Gumby/Jot systems by Christmas!!!!!!!

Jedi mind tricks only work on the weak-minded. Jason is not weak-minded!

 

[audioelements]

A double click is a terrible idea, what if I just want to jump multiple inputs quickly? Plus you're starting to get into too many hidden options behind each button which will cause problems for many users. I would also love to go backward in switching inputs (mainly to facilitate faster A/B testing) but I don't think that's the answer.

I do think holding down the one input for 5 seconds or something and it becoming a HT bypass is not too bad an idea, but again how does the user know this input is in this mode or not.

I'm definitely a proponent of the volume memory per input feature. Would this only be for as long as the preamp is powered up (and reset if it's powered off)?

@rlow LOL. I understand. But the current productions of Saga and Freya both have had a short latency when switch inputs. I am fine with 5-second-holding idea, but double-click won't be terrible. The program would set a duration - any duration of 2-clicks longer than the threshold, say 0.5 second, would be void, thus no false command. I am a PC (not a mac) user. I double-click my mouse everyday

 

[rlow]

@rlow LOL. I understand. But the current productions of Saga and Freya both have had a short latency when switch inputs. I am fine with 5-second-holding idea, but double-click won't be terrible. The program would set a duration - any duration of 2-clicks longer than the threshold, say 0.5 second, would be void, thus no false command. I am a PC (not a mac) user. I double-click my mouse everyday

Nope sorry still a bad idea.

 

[jimmers]

... And with respect to the Guides, yep, I know, I need to cover combo products, 2-channel products, etc. Working on that now.

Don't forget to add Jotunheim in "Choosing an Amp".

 

[RCBinTN]

Actually, there's nothing different about assembly, nor anything hectic about it. Yes, the assembly house uses the proper "no clean" flux that you can see on some thru-hole parts, same as pretty much every manufacturer on the planet (that is not the size of Apple.) Vidar? We send B-stock for reviews, I guess we should be more clear about that.

As far as slowing down/reducing the number of products, absolutely. A lot of the stuff we're doing right now is more foundational than specific new-product development driven. And there'll likely be a delay in releasing any Gadget products until we figure out what the right functionality should be. Sales on Loki are strong, but not exciting enough to hurry out any additional products.

And with respect to the Guides, yep, I know, I need to cover combo products, 2-channel products, etc. Working on that now.

As always, I love the Schiit transparency.
As you all read here, the SOL is a big project and somewhat out of their established wheelhouse.
Thanks, Jason, for sharing that with us.

Edit - Oops, sorry, the SOL details are over on Mike's blog. So many blogs, so little time.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

As always, I love the Schiit transparency.
As you all read here, the SOL is a big project and somewhat out of their established wheelhouse.
Thanks, Jason, for sharing that with us.

Edit - Oops, sorry, the SOL details are over on Mike's blog. So many blogs, so little time.

Yeah, I screwed up. Thought I was posting in my own blog.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Don't forget to add Jotunheim in "Choosing an Amp".

The new Guides should be up this evening or tomorrow. I just need to do the photos.

Choosing a DAC/Amp
Choosing a Headamp
Choosing a DAC
Choosing Amps & Preamps

 

[RCBinTN]

Yeah, I screwed up. Thought I was posting in my own blog.

LOL, me too.
That's where the "time off" idea kicks in...