[gikigill]

ElBulli was $300+ a plate, had a waiting list a year long, and ranked #1 in the world multiple times. It never achieved a profit and finally closed due to financial losses. I'm sure Schiit would love to have access to audiophile research and technology on the level of TI. But without a way to recoup those costs it'd drag Schiit down and we'd all be worse off because of it.

The way to push the envelope on hi-fi is increase the size of the user base. In order to increase the user base it needs to be accessible. $30k speakers aren't accessible. Tidal, Modi, Magni, Piston 2's, Q701's, HD598's...these are the products that are going to help push the envelope for hi-fi. More potential buyers means Schiit will be willing to spend more money on R&D, knowing that they will recoup the costs. If we want electrostatic products from Schiit, we just have to give them a way to recoup their expenses. Unfortunately 99% of the current audio users aren't aware these products even exist. They walk in Best Buy and drop $300 on a set of Beats thinking they'll achieve audio nirvana. It's sad to think more R&D dollars are probably being spent on choosing out popular colors for Beats than Audeze spends on research for their entire company.

I never discussed their financials but the method. They managed to use objective science and subjective tastes to be number 1 and the reason it failed was that it was simply too cheap for the level of sophistication.
It closed with over a million reservations received every year and a limited season due to availability of ingredients. There was never a lack of customers for sure.
 
There,s a reason why some of the finest chefs used to go there and it had nothing to do with money but knowledge and technique. As Anthony Bourdain said:
 
"Pastry chefs everywhere—when they see this—will gape in fear, and awe, and wonder. I feel for them; like Eric Clapton seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time, one imagines they will ask themselves 'What do I do now?'^.
 
The above is to demonstrate that objective science is just as important as any subjective view. ElBullis closing had nothing to do with their method but Ferrans idealistic view.

 

[OddE]

  (stability, for example...many times, an edge-of-stability design won't manifest as overt oscillation, but as a slightly higher noise floor or noise floor modulation--and simulations of phase margin will only get you so far on a real layout).

 
-There's a truism in radio-frequency engineering that 'The most sure-fire way to build an oscillator is to design an amplifier.'
 
Sigh.

 

[45longcolt]

   Maybe we can get an add on booklet once the second volume gets some heft to it.

 
Holding out for the two-volume, slipcased leather-bound signed edition - brown leather, of course...

 

[jehugo]

The way to push the envelope on hi-fi is increase the size of the user base. In order to increase the user base it needs to be accessible.

 
Better listening equipment is already accessible at all price points The challenge of expanding HiFi is changing mainstream attitudes towards music. The majority of music consumers already balk at the premium pay tiers of Spotify, Tidal, etc. because the prevailing consumer attitude is "music is music, I can get it for free, I don't know what compression is or how it affects me." Given the current status quo of mobile phone sources with free-to-cheap streaming services, climbing up the higher fidelity audio equipment chain is capped at whatever headphone is in fashion.
 
How will HiFi break out of a niche market when the consumer majority is perfectly content with low cost, low quality music/source/headphone? You can conceivably get an average joe to buy in on Grado 60/80s and they will experience a significant boost in quality, but I don't see how the current mass consumption of LowFi can possibly change while an entity like Spotify exists which gives you access to whatever you want, for free. Audio in general is just not something to invest in. Hifi remains niche.

 

[aamefford]

Regarding the science vs. art, objective vs. subjective debate.  The two really go hand in hand.  Analogies?  Sure!
 
Restaurants/chefs/food (I spent 10 years managing high end (and a couple of low end) restaurants) - A good chef has a good grasp of solid techniques and the science of food.  Every good chef also has a good grasp of what tastes good.  The science helps him get to good taste, but in the end, if it doesn't taste good and look good when prepared and plated, it doesn't make the menu, regardless of the science.
 
Cars - Without the need for subjective good looks, everything would look like a safety cage with an engine and wheels.  Without the need for a fine driving experience, nothing would drive like a fine German or Italian road car, everything would drive like a Toyota Camry (or tractor....).  Don't get me wrong, the Camry is a fine auto, but driving it is like swimming in Novocain.
 
Architecture - It is the civil and structural engineers who make sure it won't fall down and kill people when built as conceived.  The architect makes sure it is beautiful, at least to he and his clients.  The engineers and architect have a lot of back and forth to get to a final, attractive and safe design.  (I left restaurants and became and engineer and for a while, rocket scientist - see below).
 
Aerospace - here is one place where the final appearance is based almost exclusively on function.  Still, one of the first things I learned from mentors in this field - If it doesn't pass the "look right test" - it isn't right.
 
Industrial Equipment - (I now work in the repair end of this field)  OK. this stuff is just plain fuggly.  Save for token applications of the looks right test, this stuff is fuggly, fuggly, fuggly.  Woof!  No subjective appeal what so ever.

 

[Silent One]

I never discussed their financials but the method. They managed to use objective science and subjective tastes to be number 1 and the reason it failed was that it was simply too cheap for the level of sophistication.
It closed with over a million reservations received every year and a limited season due to availability of ingredients. There was never a lack of customers for sure.
 
There,s a reason why some of the finest chefs used to go there and it had nothing to do with money but knowledge and technique. As Anthony Bourdain said:
 
"Pastry chefs everywhere—when they see this—will gape in fear, and awe, and wonder. I feel for them; like Eric Clapton seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time, one imagines they will ask themselves 'What do I do now?'^.
 
The above is to demonstrate that objective science is just as important as any subjective view. ElBullis closing had nothing to do with their method but Ferrans idealistic view.

 Jus thought I'd add the chef explained the limited season was to afford time for research & development. They used this time to push the envelope of food & science. 

 

[45longcolt]

 
 but driving it is like swimming in Novocain.
 

 
Sometime, probably soon, I will steal this simile. Kudos.

 

[Eee Pee]

Swimming in Novocain sounds more fun than driving a Camry.

 

[aamefford]

Swimming in Novocain sounds more fun than driving a Camry.

My lovely wife had one and loved it. A fine family car. Driving it? My analogy stands…

 

[crazychile]

Swimming in Novocain sounds more fun than driving a Camry.

My lovely wife had one and loved it. A fine family car. Driving it? My analogy stands…

I own one and agree with your comment. They also tend to be pretty darn reliable. So I can buy new cars less often and have more money to buy new Schiit.

See what I did there to bring this back on topic?

 

[wink]

I had 2 camrys.
They were manual though.
 
I liked them well enough.

 

[MWSVette]

My brother works at the plant in Georgetown, Ky. where the Camry's in the US are manufactured.  Made in America just like our Schiit .They are good cars and good amps and dacs...

 

[wink]

But they will NEVER be a [REDACTED].....!   

 

[wink]

It just occured to me ...
 
If Jason et. al. were to build a motor vehicle with a cubic body, what would it be called...?
 

 

[David Aldrich]

  It just occured to me ...
 
If Jason et. al. were to build a motor vehicle with a cubic body, what would it be called...?
 

How about a Schiit Corvette model, call it the 'Z-0 Schiit'