Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up
May 8, 2019 at 4:28 PM Post #46,322 of 145,777
It’s kind of nuts how much of a scam Roon really is and how people eat it up.

One person's scam is another person's utopia. How is Roon a scam?
 
May 8, 2019 at 4:38 PM Post #46,323 of 145,777
Hey all,

It's another busy week around here. Lots of first articles (including Ragnarok 2!) and lots of little issues as we get Sol closer to production.

With Sol, we've been running into many mechanical problems, some small, some larger, including bad machining, bad paint, late parts (holy crap late, I mean this is getting ridiculous late type of late), and we're making the changes necessary to have a problem-free launch--and, hopefully, be able to keep things in stock. If I don't feel we can get good parts in a timely manner, we may have to make more radical changes, such as going to different vendors. I don't want to do that, but if we have to, we have to.

For now, I'll go back to the first articles. You'll be hearing more about those soon!

All the best,
Jason
Thanks for the update, Jason. This is why I trust Schiit. You guys refuse to release product before it’s ready. Keep it up. I need a new table, but will wait patiently until you’re ready!!
 
May 8, 2019 at 4:51 PM Post #46,325 of 145,777
Hey all,

It's another busy week around here. Lots of first articles (including Ragnarok 2!) and lots of little issues as we get Sol closer to production.

With Sol, we've been running into many mechanical problems, some small, some larger, including bad machining, bad paint, late parts (holy crap late, I mean this is getting ridiculous late type of late), and we're making the changes necessary to have a problem-free launch--and, hopefully, be able to keep things in stock. If I don't feel we can get good parts in a timely manner, we may have to make more radical changes, such as going to different vendors. I don't want to do that, but if we have to, we have to.

For now, I'll go back to the first articles. You'll be hearing more about those soon!

All the best,
Jason

Sounds like we're heading into...

 
May 8, 2019 at 7:44 PM Post #46,326 of 145,777
Thanks for the update, Jason. This is why I trust Schiit. You guys refuse to release product before it’s ready. Keep it up. I need a new table, but will wait patiently until you’re ready!!
While this may be true, they literally do not have the parts to put the thing together... They are doing what every other company ever does, waiting on schiit to arrive so they can assemble the things and sell them to you.

Yeah I do have an acute sense of hearing, and it is both a blessing and a 'curse'.

But being able to hear these changes and subtle shifts are also dependent upon the entire system and not just the dac.

IOW if the signal coming out of the dac is 'obscured' then these forms of masking or veiling can all to easily 'hide' these subtle nuances.

As for you being lucky or not, your wallet and your lack of falling into the trap of audio nervosa are 2 big pluses, and as long as you are pleased with and enjoy the music you like, then all else is fluff.

My 'curse' if you will, is that I DO hear these nuances and have gotten pretty good at identifying and describing them.
I also got 'Calibrated' for what is possible in terms of SQ many decades back, which helps set a 'target' of sorts to aim at, when I make tweaks to my system in order to know what, for me, is 'better', or not.

But really the primary goal, at least as I see it, is to enjoy the music, to get sucked into the emotional and personal involvement that music can deliver.
And all of these audiophool details and nuances of SQ etc, are just 'icing on the cake'.

And a couple of my indicators of this involvement is what I refer to as T3 (Toe Tapping Time) and HB&W (Head Bobbing & Weaving).
This is when your whole body starts danc'n in your chair, which can easily lead to a 'sing along'.

That is when reaching my SQ goals (and more) have fed back to me that I'm get'n into the music.
Just like I like.

JJ
See, to me, the first sentence sounds like you disagree, then you post a big post agreeing. Your brain changed, right? I stand by common knowledge, so if you have something other to bring to the table, about how you keep your brain the same for a couple months, let us know. The reviewers will go crazy for that!
 
May 8, 2019 at 7:44 PM Post #46,327 of 145,777
I think Jason made that comment when asked if Schiit would be building a streamer. And I think he said he didn't want to build a UI, which would be required for a streamer but not for an ethernet port. Schiit writes software all the time.
I remember Jason musing about that in a John Darko YouTube post. And Schiit produces low-level (correct term? [firmware?] CMOS or BIOS-like) software... the applications Schiit does NOT want us farting around with. I'm still waiting for some Warranty-voiding-DIYer to plug into their EITR or Gungnir's board jack... and post their woeful results. :ksc75smile:
A Schiit transport would be a great compromise. And once USB is solved we won't need the LPS, right? This does make me think of the Schiit-Pi.
I'd like to feed my toys with a stand-alone device. Does my Android-enabled Chromebook (running VLC or Foobar2000) do the job? Yep. The Android version of these applications are less feature rich than WinOS (I do have an elderly Lenovo T400 with MintOS installed [MintOS + VLC + Tangerine] that gives me those features back). I'm a fan of purpose-built devices. And many brushed aluminum boxes (with glowing white LEDs & filaments). Yep!
 
May 8, 2019 at 8:37 PM Post #46,328 of 145,777
I remember Jason musing about that in a John Darko YouTube post. And Schiit produces low-level (correct term? [firmware?] CMOS or BIOS-like) software... the applications Schiit does NOT want us farting around with. I'm still waiting for some Warranty-voiding-DIYer to plug into their EITR or Gungnir's board jack... and post their woeful results. :ksc75smile:

At this point I think that the market based reasons that Schiit wouldn't add ethernet to any DACs are persuasive. However, I don't buy the tech based reasons. RAAT does not require interactions with the users to run properly and "firmware" can be updated easily by plugging the device into a host and running an updater app. I've done it with my HRT MicroStreamer and everyone does it with BIOS updates all the time. It's not a big deal.
 
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May 8, 2019 at 9:17 PM Post #46,329 of 145,777
I'd love to know if Schiit are seriously thinking of creating a Raspberry Pi streamer. There's not a lot to choose from really and if Schiit can do one that's good and cheap it'll really be a money maker. I know that Jason had said that he wouldn't want to do one (as per John Darko's interview due to matters relating to software), but there's decent music streaming software that's often upgraded by the open source community that the Raspberry Pi can use isn't there?
 
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May 8, 2019 at 11:46 PM Post #46,330 of 145,777
I'd love to know if Schiit are seriously thinking of creating a Raspberry Pi streamer.
...
I know that Jason had said that he wouldn't want to do one
You answered your own question.

If Jason and Mike personally use streamers and were frustrated with them and thought they could do better, that would be their motivation to make their own. I don't recall either Jason or Mike ever mention using streamers for their own music listening.
 
May 8, 2019 at 11:53 PM Post #46,331 of 145,777
If anyone is predicting new and unknown Schiit products I have one, (edit) no, many I can see coming. A network storage device utilizing both an Ethernet port and the new unison USB. Could be the Roon ready device everyone was speculating on the other day. It would also be something that could nice maybe play with Jil and the upcoming transport. Multiple people have commented on the transport being ideal for ripping. Baldr has a a limited supply of apple computers, he probably wanted something schiity.

Or a new DAC card or module or upgrade that has Ethernet in.

That digital preamp folks are talking about. USB, Ethernet in, digital inputs and outputs.

A phono preamp with USB and/or Ethernet out, in addition to the balanced/RCA out.

Maybe a balanced phono preamp.

4 products that all make sense together, going to be something digital.

Schiits going high tech baby!!

Maybe a Schiity Pi hat, with aluminum Schiit case. Let the user do all of the pi related install and building.

Incoherent ramble over. Time for supermarket Cali rolls, Miller lite and some tuneage provided by Schiit.
 
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May 9, 2019 at 1:23 AM Post #46,332 of 145,777
Guys, I have an honest and straight question to you. Why are people so obsessed about Roon, audionirvana, Tidal etc. so much?
I listen to lots of live music, jazz and classical, from good seats in good venues. I care for how instruments sound, the fine details of a jazz double bass in the hands of a great bass player like Dave Holland or Larry Grenadier. Listening to even the best recorded music at home is not quite it, but it's much better on quality equipment from quality sources. I love YouTube for interesting takes that I cannot not get in good quality elsewhere. But most of the time I get what I care for from Bandcamp, Qobuz, various digital downloads, and the occasional CD. All organized via Roon, to my speaker or headphone systems. Works great for me. And buying from Bandcamp has the added benefit of sending more of the money to the artists, rather than to all the middlemen.
 
May 9, 2019 at 5:31 AM Post #46,333 of 145,777
Just noticed the SchiitrMeets over on the Schiit site and there's supposed to be one this Friday. How many people have been showing up to these, will there be a decent-sized crowd? Would be interested in trying out other people's headphones on the Schiit gear!
 
May 9, 2019 at 5:49 AM Post #46,334 of 145,777
If anyone is predicting new and unknown Schiit products I have one, (edit) no, many I can see coming. A network storage device utilizing both an Ethernet port and the new unison USB. Could be the Roon ready device everyone was speculating on the other day. It would also be something that could nice maybe play with Jil and the upcoming transport. Multiple people have commented on the transport being ideal for ripping. Baldr has a a limited supply of apple computers, he probably wanted something schiity.

Or a new DAC card or module or upgrade that has Ethernet in.

That digital preamp folks are talking about. USB, Ethernet in, digital inputs and outputs.

A phono preamp with USB and/or Ethernet out, in addition to the balanced/RCA out.

Maybe a balanced phono preamp.

4 products that all make sense together, going to be something digital.

Schiits going high tech baby!!

Maybe a Schiity Pi hat, with aluminum Schiit case. Let the user do all of the pi related install and building.

Incoherent ramble over. Time for supermarket Cali rolls, Miller lite and some tuneage provided by Schiit.

From Baldr:
(bold added)
2018 Oct 19
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wha...n-robert-hunter.784471/page-622#post-14547328

I arrived back home from RMAF and an extended week of National Park visiting in Southern Utah over the weekend. Wow! Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef, Zion, and Canyonlands. The capper was the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Simply stunning. Almost argues intelligent universe design.
So back here at Schiit setting up the order of the cast parts for the Sol. (Someone asked if we include a dustcover – Sorry, no. There are folks on ebay who custom fabricate them, albeit for mucho $$$.) We need to go to the foundry to work out some cosmetic aspects of said cast parts. Then we will be at the point where everything should be on order for the Sol. I stand by first quarter 2019 delivery.
Next on the horizon will be the transport, the music processor/DAC front end, and a (tease, tease) top secret apparatus for the second quarter next year. The transport needs a bit of programming from Ivana, a button/control processor which is a major imbedded step towards the Schiit Pie, and a layout of the signal processing section. Call that second/third quarter 2019.
The music processor is a bit further out. The gadget engineering/proof of concept is done. I will be soon playing with an expander to see if it feasible in a lack of sonic fuctivity sense. The key is independent unlimit/expansion params which could be a giant whet dream. The only way to judge is to do it.
The new USB is done through Beta. A major caveat is that it is our first USB section and will need quite a bit of Beta eval since I want to ensure it really will work with any equipment, any time, and anywhere. More will be revealed.

So all of this Schiit is being worked on – should come out in this order:
1. Sol.
2. Transport
3. That which cannot be uttered.
4. Music processor/Swiss Army Knife/DAC front end
; Hell, I don’t know What to call it.
Stay tuned – I hope to finish the ten year plan in five! It is good to be back!

...

and another list of potential products

From numbercube ("New Head-Fier")
2018 Dec 29
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2843#post-14685784
11 new products in 2019, huh? Let me speculate for fun and look back in a year.
  • Aegir, class AB tranconductance power amp.
  • Sol, all metal turntable player.
  • Asgard 3, transconductance headphone amp+USB DAC.
  • USB Gen 6 upgrade card.
  • Mjölnir 3, balanced Nexus amp.
  • Ragnarök 2, balanced Nexus amp.
  • CD transport with BWD.
  • Multibit Jil, Analog to Digital Converter.
  • Big loki, EQ with more bands.
  • Gadget, digital dynamic range expander and pitch shifter.
  • Fulla 3. Discrete and/or multibit!
...
and I said this

2018 Dec 29
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2843#post-14685784
Schiit has previously said a new Ragnarok is not coming soon.
 
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May 9, 2019 at 10:18 AM Post #46,335 of 145,777
I listen to lots of live music, jazz and classical, from good seats in good venues. I care for how instruments sound, the fine details of a jazz double bass in the hands of a great bass player like Dave Holland or Larry Grenadier. Listening to even the best recorded music at home is not quite it, but it's much better on quality equipment from quality sources. I love YouTube for interesting takes that I cannot not get in good quality elsewhere. But most of the time I get what I care for from Bandcamp, Qobuz, various digital downloads, and the occasional CD. All organized via Roon, to my speaker or headphone systems. Works great for me. And buying from Bandcamp has the added benefit of sending more of the money to the artists, rather than to all the middlemen.
I really like your expression. Thank you. Lets see what other people has to say.
 

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