Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up

[Jason Stoddard]

That first sentence was supposed to say "should have." Just for clarification.

I understand that you guys didn't really have a choice but to try to stop him from turning people away from your products, but didn't that just give him more publicity in the end and make more people think bad about the Asgard?

Actually, I was saying that you should take a look at that thread again. I am very familiar with our responses, and we did not engage in personal attacks on NwAvGuy, except for one single post asking him to step forward from anonymity. It's funny how human emotion works. It's instructive to look at how NwAvGuy reacted to negative input on his own products, as well.
 
You can also take a look at the chapter I wrote, and NwAvGuy's own writings about us, for two other perspectives.
 
If we hadn't engaged in the thread, and told everyone what we found, and what we were going to do, the damage would have been much worse. And, even then, this has reached the level of dogma in some circles--there are forums out there that still reject Schiit products with knee-jerk animosity, based largely on the Asgard Incident. It gets very tiresome to hear, over and over again, even 3 years later. We recalled the Asgards. There's an offer in perpetuity to retrofit any with relays. I know it's impossible, but can we simply move on?

 

[Finjima]

I know it's impossible, but can we simply move on?
 
+1
 
topics been covered, move on gentlemen. 

 

[ToddTheMetalGod]

Actually, I was saying that you should take a look at that thread again. I am very familiar with our responses, and we did not engage in personal attacks on NwAvGuy, except for one single post asking him to step forward from anonymity. It's funny how human emotion works. It's instructive to look at how NwAvGuy reacted to negative input on his own products, as well.

You can also take a look at the chapter I wrote, and NwAvGuy's own writings about us, for two other perspectives.

If we hadn't engaged in the thread, and told everyone what we found, and what we were going to do, the damage would have been much worse. And, even then, this has reached the level of dogma in some circles--there are forums out there that still reject Schiit products with knee-jerk animosity, based largely on the Asgard Incident. It gets very tiresome to hear, over and over again, even 3 years later. We recalled the Asgards. There's an offer in perpetuity to retrofit any with relays. I know it's impossible, but can we simply move on?

Honestly I probably shouldn't have commented in the first place, not knowing a lot about the backstory. Sorry, I wasn't trying to accuse you of anything.

 

[doublea71]

I think Schiit's slogan ought to be: "Why the F not?" That question seems to come up again and again during new product design.

 

[NinjaHamster]

  I know it's impossible, but can we simply move on?

 
Damn - I was looking forward to the self-immolation thing ... 

 

[pulchritudejim]

This may be slightly off topic, but I just wanted to say this: All these stories inspired me to switch my Major and get a degree in Electrical Engineering. I was initially scared of the math, but then I thought, literally, "Screw it", and changed my major next semester. All your explanations of components and what they do is the coolest thing ever. So far I'm really loving EE, far more than my old Major.
 
 
I just wanted to say thanks to you Jason, I am doing something I really enjoy now. Thank you  for inspiring me. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

 

[Rudiger]

(@ pulchritudejim)
Jason be careful, you're going to train future competition!

 

[ngyu]

As a fellow engineer in New Product Development (R&D), I totally agree with this! We engineers definitely need to have more time to play with new designs and concepts. You can never predict what the market needs 100%, sometimes you need that crazy thought and wonder "will this work?" or "screw it, why not?". 
 
I'm loving my Schiit, keep up the good work!

 

[Matias]

Next chapter is DSD and Loki. 

Chapter 32: Name Me One Non-Standard Format That’s Succeeded, Ever, Or, A Trickster Cometh

 

[baronkatz]

 
Well I've not done any market research so I'm pretty much talking out of my a... err, off the top of my head, but since people who still use analog sources like turntables are a niche (and tapes?  an even smaller niche) and knowing what I do know about the audiophile community that many if not most in the turntable niche would not be caught dead using a digital source, I think the percentage of turntable users who would use a product to digitize a vinyl collection is very small : smaller than the turntable niche.  I used to be one of those vinyl junkies, with over $50K in my turntable and multiple thousands of vinyl albums consuming half my living room, and even though pro-level ADCs were available when I decided to abandon all things analog, I simply sold or gave away everything and rebuilt the parts of my collection that I cared about from CDs.  Are there people who would use an ADC?  Certainly.  Are they likely to be a sufficient quantity of people to justify a consumer product development?  I would be very surprised.

Many people still shoot film (myself included both 35mm and Medium Format) but then I digitize them for the workflow. Hardly anyone develops and enlarges them at home anymore, but many people still shoot film. Using an ADC is like using a scanner, it's the best archiving device and using a really high quality ADC is like using a drum scanner instead of a CCD scanner.
 
Records can get scratched with time, the needle can wear down the grooves which will cause hisses, clicks, pops, etc... Unless you get one of those insanely expensive Japanese laser record players that supposedly output a complete analog signal, then you will wear down your record. There's no reason why someone who's into analog, such as myself, would not want to digitize in order to preserve/archive and possibly restore old and rare records, especially if the reason they have them is because they were either better mastered/pressed than the CD version or that the CD version is not available.

 

[GBechz]

On the subject of the most recent chapter, I was planning on getting Magni/Modi when a certain Vali review appeared on this site. I decided on Vali instead. Ultimately, I was not entirely pleased and got a Magni later and prefer it. But I'm glad I tried both and it has helped me learn a lot about my personal preferences. I thought I would be a tube guy, having never heard any, and discovered that I enjoy a clean, quiet amp.

The experience did help me appreciate Schiit Audio as a company and I will likely be a longtime customer. The budget equipment is perfect for my use now.

On that note, I am curious to know if Schiit has done any research on age demographics for the various products. I am young with limited income and naturally gravitated towards the less expensive products. Someday I hope to have the resources to purchase a home and then I will be in the market for a speaker system. I wonder if Schiit has realized some of this potential to grow with customers and someday offer a speaker amp (learning from Ragnarok) for a Lyr-like price.

 

[twinkle]

Originally Posted by Ableza 
 
Well I've not done any market research so I'm pretty much talking out of my a... err, off the top of my head, but since people who still use analog sources like turntables are a niche (and tapes?  an even smaller niche) and knowing what I do know about the audiophile community that many if not most in the turntable niche would not be caught dead using a digital source,

 
Obviously you haven't, as vinyl is by far the fastest growing segment in the music industry, double digit figures which makes other media pale with envy (look it up). You have to look at momentum, not the static image. Play where the puck will be as Jobs said.
You also haven't been hanging out with vinyl afficionados doing needledrops of their favorite records for preservation and/or for evaluation of different setups.
It's still time to learn though . A true audiophile probably should consider good analog front ends, pity to miss out considering they don't cost much to sound great (add a tuner if you're lucky to live in a country that has good FM).
By the way, Pioneer just launched the successor to the SL1200 (which Panasonics/Technics foolishly dropped a couple years ago). Pioneer is also the leader in the consumer DJ world so in terms of teenage wannabe DJs, you can imagine the size of *that* market.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by baronkatz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Many people still shoot film (myself included both 35mm and Medium Format) but then I digitize them for the workflow. Hardly anyone develops and enlarges them at home anymore, but many people still shoot film. Using an ADC is like using a scanner, it's the best archiving device and using a really high quality ADC is like using a drum scanner instead of a CCD scanner.
 
Records can get scratched with time, the needle can wear down the grooves which will cause hisses, clicks, pops, etc... Unless you get one of those insanely expensive Japanese laser record players that supposedly output a complete analog signal, then you will wear down your record. There's no reason why someone who's into analog, such as myself, would not want to digitize in order to preserve/archive and possibly restore old and rare records, especially if the reason they have them is because they were either better mastered/pressed than the CD version or that the CD version is not available.

+1 and +1!
Make us a good ADC, then we can buy that affordable commercial DAC product with the last digital bugs worked out (wink wink Schiit) to play back all those needledrops.

 

[kstuart]

On the subject of the most recent chapter, I was planning on getting Magni/Modi when a certain Vali review appeared on this site. I decided on Vali instead. Ultimately, I was not entirely pleased and got a Magni later and prefer it. But I'm glad I tried both and it has helped me learn a lot about my personal preferences. I thought I would be a tube guy, having never heard any, and discovered that I enjoy a clean, quiet amp.

Some amp differences are dependent on the headphones.  I use my Vali late at night with my MrSpeakers MadDog Pro headphones and the qualities of those two mesh very well - producing an amazing amount of a certain sort of detail.  I personally found the Magni to not work as well with my various planars.  YMMV.

 

[tonykaz]

Sir Jason ,
 
What else could , should , maybe shoulda ;   Water under the bridge .  You actually did and that is what counts .  You did well .  Everyone applauds you , you're well respected , your products and your company answer for you , no need for you to accept needling abuse .  
 
I'll keep complimenting you till I get Dr.Moffat's R2R , sub- Femto , 17 power supplied Statement DAC .  
 
Then I'll start lobbing hand grenades about how "pricey" Schiit stuff is becoming ! 
 
If that drives you to drink , I'll have some very nice Cask Strength LAPHROAIG for you and Dr.Mike to get a start with !!  
 
Nice work lads , it's hard work keeping neurotic/psychotic audio hobbyists placated , which is the biggest reason I'm now in another Industry .
 
Bon Vivant ,
 
Tony in Michigan 

 

[ebiscaia]

Jason,
 
As an engineer, can you give your perspective about tube buffers? Something like using Vali's tubes for buffering the signal before Magni. Do you think the overall sound will change that much?
 
And what if you feed one amp with another one? Is the final sound a mix of them?
 
Thanks anyway,
 
Eduardo