[Nick76]

If your headphones can safely be hung by the headband, these 19 dollar ikea stands are hard to beat: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/lanespelare-headset-stand-ash-veneer-80571524/

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Yes, I just flashed the firmware on the remote for my powered window blinds. Let me say that again: remote for powered window blinds.

The blinds actually don't require a hub for the wireless remote control nor smart app - so I guess the logic must go somewhere. But it does require a gateway for voice integration.

So as a lifetime corporate software developer, I totally respect Jason's business practice of no general computing devices.

But I am a LITTLE curious if there was any security risk assessment needed around the company's USB implementations. Like I said, corporate software developer that understands software vulnerabilities but not a clue about hardware support.


If someone writes a malicious
USB stick to pretend to be a musical bitstream, which could what? Silly question I know, but Google stuxnet for some 10 to 15+ year old USB hackery, and consider some of the biggest bot nets out there were supposedly compromised cheapo IP security cams.

Absolutely zero risk. You can't even program Unison USB from the USB port. Unless you have physical access to the interior of the product, a programming puck, and much knowledge of what we're doing software-wise, you're doing nothing with Unison USB. The Unison USB host is the only USB host not based on a general-purpose computing OS.

Much more to worry about with Android/Linux based streamers on your home network. Have fun with those, especially when the security updates stop.

Thank you for the writing, long but worth reading.


Will you consider to make a passive (no electronics) volume control with good Alps attenuator plus several inputs/ outputs with XLR/SE in a 9" chassis? may be call it SYS+.

We've considered this, but I'm not convinced its a product. Fairly expensive with a good pot and good selection switches. Might get close to $200. Ouch.

Hello Mr. Jason Stoddard !
I have great respect for both you and for Mr. Mike Moffat . Thank you both for the work you have done to engineer , design , and sell the great equipment so that regular people like me can enjoy beautiful music !

I do humbly have a suggestion for you and Mr. Mike Moffat to consider :

The very best volume control technology may be the " LEEDH Processing digital volume control technology . This mathematical algorithm was invented / discovered by a French mathematician who is a passionate audiophile . It may be a game changing breakthrough in audiophile volume control technology . None of the previous digital volume control technologies work as well as the LEEDH Processing digital volume control technology .

Here is link # 1 to their website page which has a simple , easy to understand , explanation and description of their proprietary technology :

https://www.processing-leedh.com

Here is link # 2 to the professional " white paper " presented by the French mathematician to a convention of mathematicians in Switzerland . It is a serious , detailed , explanation of his remarkable invention / discovery . VERY interesting math and science .

https://www.processing-leedh.com/copie-de-presention

They do license their proprietary technology to manufacturers of audiophile products and some are using this technology in their streamer / servers with great success .

At this time , no one is selling a stand alone , state of the art , digital volume control using this remarkable LEEDH Processing technology . I am suggesting that you make a product that is used exclusively to be the best volume control technology product available . This product would have multiple digital inputs , multiple digital outputs , a processor using the LEEDH Processing digital volume control technology , physical knobs to select the digital input and digital output and control the volume and a remote control . This equipment would go between the digital source , for example , your Urd transport or any streamer/ server and any d a c .

VOILA ! Another great idea and product from Schiit Audio !

This product would totally eliminate the need for any control / line preamplifier in any system that only used digital sources . Of course , it is not useful in a system using analog sources . The money saved on buying a control / line preamplifier could be used pay for your state of the art LEEDH Processing technology volume control product .

If you sold this product , I would be your first customer . You will be the first and only audiophile manufacturer to sell a product like this . It would get a lot of attention .

What do you think about my suggestions ? I do know that both you and Mr. Mike Moffat have great knowledge , experience , understanding and wisdom in building fantastic audiophile products and I am only an audiophile enthusiast . Maybe this is a bad idea for you to do , I do not know . It is just a suggestion . Please do discuss this idea with Mr. Mike Moffat .

Thank you very much ! oldhippie

I referred this to Mike, Dave, and Ivana (our in-house Ph.D, who develops our own algorithms) a while back. They kinda sniffed and said, "yeah, just another volume control scheme." They weren't impressed. Bottom line, analog attenuation will always be better, and if we want to do better digital attenuation, we'll do it ourselves. And then still remind everyone that analog is better.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Absolutely zero risk. You can't even program Unison USB from the USB port. Unless you have physical access, a programming puck, and much knowledge of what we're doing software-wise, you're doing nothing with Unison USB. The Unison USB host is the only USB host not based on a general-purpose computing OS.

Much more to worry about with Android/Linux based streamers on your home network. Have fun with those, especially when the security updates stop.

We've considered this, but I'm not convinced its a product. Fairly expensive with a good pot and good selection switches. Might get close to $200. Ouch.


I referred this to Mike, Dave, and Ivana (our in-house Ph.D, who develops our own algorithms) a while back. They kinda sniffed and said, "yeah, just another volume control scheme." They weren't impressed. Bottom line, analog attenuation will always be better, and if we want to do better digital attenuation, we'll do it ourselves. And then still remind everyone that analog is better.

Thank you Jason for the reply, I also expect it will cost around $200 for good connectors, selection switches and a nice pot, but it worths more than the Sys, though it is a cheaper version for 5" stacks.

Analogue volume control is always better, easier to match with different equipment.

 

[fendermke]

I never had to hack the BIOS of my Hackintoshes to get them to work, but there was a lot of messing with bootloaders, kexts, and fussy components.

I used to build them also. It was fun but I eventually got tired of all the hoops to jump through to keep it running for every OS update. I eventually just picked up a used Mac Pro that was then replaced with a M1 Mac mini.

 

[golfbravobravo]

For an endpoint, those are great. But if you want to have all the music stored there and have multi zones and EQ and DSP, then a Mac mini is where it’s at.

The suggestion was an output HAT. For the rest, Roon is where it is at. Mac mini offers little (nothing, which is why I have spare minis sitting around doing nothing) over and above an RPi with a good HAT.

Cheers

 

[golfbravobravo]

I thought there were plenty of those.

Again, not for us. Problem with Pi board = now our problem. Product with ribbons, cables, connectors = now our problem. Problem with external display = now our problem. Problem with streaming software = now our problem. Plus problems with our boards, of course, but then we have to sort the preceding out first.

Fun fact, somewhat tangentially related: does anyone remember where ARM came from, what problem it was intended to solve, what high-profile failure first used it, or what it stands for?

Some of us are old enough to have actually used ARM in its original incarnation! On a desktop.

On the HAT I'd be interested in views on how other HAT manufacturers deal with the points you raise. In the RPi user base I'd be surprised that the HAT manufacturers had to cope with as wide a scope as that.

Cheers

 

[wcwc]

Thank you Jason for the reply, I also expect it will cost around $200 for good connectors, selection switches and a nice pot, but it worths more than the Sys, though it is a cheaper version for 5" stacks.

Analogue volume control is always better, easier to match with different equipment.

The least expensive Saga is only $100 more in the same form factor. Jason also mentioned that Saga is not a big seller.

 

[golfbravobravo]

I'm not sure what Schiit (or anyone else) can do that's meaningfully different from a Pi2AES. The enclosure will be an issue as well as the power supply, not to mention the software issues that will inevitably come up even if you make it compatible with an existing hat (like the Pi2AES is). You just need to look at the other forum's Pi2AES thread to see all the issues that come up.

Pi2AES is made offshore, so there's something there, but could you make it cheaper? Probably not meaningfully so.

I'm not of the opinion that price is the issue. There are boards that range from a few $ to multi-hundred $.

Few are available, and orderable. Managing a good product that IS available. Ditto for HiFiBerry ...........

Cases are, or can be, an issue. There are non that I've found that are elegant, so the streamer gets hidden

I'm surprised that there are power supply issues, good ones are readily available.

Cheers

 

[Ripper2860]

The least expensive Saga is only $100 more in the same form factor. Jason also mentioned that Saga is not a big seller.

It might be a bigger seller if it had Balanced OUT and IN (via Pentacon or Mini XLR given the smaller FF and space available).

 

[wout31]

Absolutely zero risk. You can't even program Unison USB from the USB port. Unless you have physical access to the interior of the product, a programming puck, and much knowledge of what we're doing software-wise, you're doing nothing with Unison USB. The Unison USB host is the only USB host not based on a general-purpose computing OS.

Much more to worry about with Android/Linux based streamers on your home network. Have fun with those, especially when the security updates stop.

We've considered this, but I'm not convinced its a product. Fairly expensive with a good pot and good selection switches. Might get close to $200. Ouch.


I referred this to Mike, Dave, and Ivana (our in-house Ph.D, who develops our own algorithms) a while back. They kinda sniffed and said, "yeah, just another volume control scheme." They weren't impressed. Bottom line, analog attenuation will always be better, and if we want to do better digital attenuation, we'll do it ourselves. And then still remind everyone that analog is better.

On that last part, attenuation / volume control, I still have my question about the TVC, the Transformer Volume Control. Is it better?
https://www.sowter.co.uk/transformer-attenuators.php

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

It might be a bigger seller if it had Balanced OUT and IN (via Pentacon or Mini XLR given the smaller FF and space available).

No pentacon please....

 

[AstronomerXI]

I used to build them also. It was fun but I eventually got tired of all the hoops to jump through to keep it running for every OS update. I eventually just picked up a used Mac Pro that was then replaced with a M1 Mac mini.

That's pretty much my trajectory, too. The Hackintosh days are far in the rear-view mirror. Apple silicone is just that much better.

 

[AstronomerXI]

The suggestion was an output HAT. For the rest, Roon is where it is at. Mac mini offers little (nothing, which is why I have spare minis sitting around doing nothing) over and above an RPi with a good HAT.

Cheers

That's the fun of this hobby: It's a hugely individual, mostly subjective thing. Some love opera, some run in the opposite direction as soon as they hear it (me); some will eat brussels sprouts by the pound, others gag on it (this fella); Some love to tinker in the DIY space (often me), others just want something that's supported and will work pretty much out of the box (also often me). Bonus points if I can pop into the Terminal to make quick changes and check on things.

 

[oldhippie]

Absolutely zero risk. You can't even program Unison USB from the USB port. Unless you have physical access to the interior of the product, a programming puck, and much knowledge of what we're doing software-wise, you're doing nothing with Unison USB. The Unison USB host is the only USB host not based on a general-purpose computing OS.

Much more to worry about with Android/Linux based streamers on your home network. Have fun with those, especially when the security updates stop.

We've considered this, but I'm not convinced its a product. Fairly expensive with a good pot and good selection switches. Might get close to $200. Ouch.


I referred this to Mike, Dave, and Ivana (our in-house Ph.D, who develops our own algorithms) a while back. They kinda sniffed and said, "yeah, just another volume control scheme." They weren't impressed. Bottom line, analog attenuation will always be better, and if we want to do better digital attenuation, we'll do it ourselves. And then still remind everyone that analog is better.

Hello Mr. Jason Stoddard .
Thank you for r eading my post . First , I must apologize to you because somehow I must have made a mistake when I wrote the email address # 2 that is the link to the professional " white paper " presented at the mathematician conference in Switzerland . My mistake , sorry . If you do go to the link # 1 , that email address is accurate and will take you to the website page that has a simple , easy to understand , explanation and description of their proprietary technology . From that same page , you can then go the page with the " white paper " , that has a very serious explanation of how this technology is completely new and different than all similar previous technology .

Second , if anyone actually does serious research into the proprietary LEEDH Processing digital volume control technology , and they have an understanding of mathematics , they will learn that this really is a significant breakthrough in audiophile technology . This new technology does volume control in a way that has never been done before . It does it much better than it has ever been done before . Much better than any analog technology on digital sources . Analog volume control technology that you sell is the very analog equipment available for analog sources , no doubt about it . But , according to science and mathematicians , it may not be the state of the art for volume control technology for digital sources .

I have great respect for you , I know that you are very intelligent . I know that you have very good judgment . I know that you a expert and a master of audio technology . You know a million times more about audio technology than I know .

But I am surprised that you would form any opinion on any subject without doing your research to have all of the information on that subject before forming your opinion .

Maybe you could discuss this technology with your people again , just to find out all of the information on the subject so that you will know if this new technology is as good as it appears to me .

One thing that I know for sure is that I very much admire and respect Schiit Audio and all of the people who work at Schiit Audio . I am saving my money and I will be buying a Yggdrasil GS2 as soon as I can . Then I will buy your new Aegir 2 power amps , after that I hope to buy your Urd transport . My new system will be made up with your fantastic audio equipment .
Thank you for your time and consideration . oldhippie

 

[AstronomerXI]

Hello Mr. Jason Stoddard .
Thank you for r eading my post . First , I must apologize to you because somehow I must have made a mistake when I wrote the email address # 2 that is the link to the professional " white paper " presented at the mathematician conference in Switzerland . My mistake , sorry . If you do go to the link # 1 , that email address is accurate and will take you to the website page that has a simple , easy to understand , explanation and description of their proprietary technology . From that same page , you can then go the page with the " white paper " , that has a very serious explanation of how this technology is completely new and different than all similar previous technology .

Second , if anyone actually does serious research into the proprietary LEEDH Processing digital volume control technology , and they have an understanding of mathematics , they will learn that this really is a significant breakthrough in audiophile technology . This new technology does volume control in a way that has never been done before . It does it much better than it has ever been done before . Much better than any analog technology on digital sources . Analog volume control technology that you sell is the very analog equipment available for analog sources , no doubt about it . But , according to science and mathematicians , it may not be the state of the art for volume control technology for digital sources .

I have great respect for you , I know that you are very intelligent . I know that you have very good judgment . I know that you a expert and a master of audio technology . You know a million times more about audio technology than I know .

But I am surprised that you would form any opinion on any subject without doing your research to have all of the information on that subject before forming your opinion .

Maybe you could discuss this technology with your people again , just to find out all of the information on the subject so that you will know if this new technology is as good as it appears to me .

One thing that I know for sure is that I very much admire and respect Schiit Audio and all of the people who work at Schiit Audio . I am saving my money and I will be buying a Yggdrasil GS2 as soon as I can . Then I will buy your new Aegir 2 power amps , after that I hope to buy your Urd transport . My new system will be made up with your fantastic audio equipment .
Thank you for your time and consideration . oldhippie

Respectfully, you might want to look up Mike Moffat's background in this realm. Between Mike, Dave, Ivana, and Jason, I will accept their judgment and opinions as the final word in areas where they work, live, and breathe.

When I was president of a national Canadian astronomy organization, I'd get unsolicited manuscripts sent to me on at least a quarterly basis from some rando who had "conclusively proven Einstein wrong!" with their new, groundbreaking, physics-shattering, "all Nobel Prizes in Physics should be revoked!" theory that purported to unify relativity and quantum mechanics. Of course they were...not that.

Similarly, a colour blind friend was recently gifted, with all good intentions, one of those pairs of glasses that purports to let the colour blind see in technicolour. Now, my friend has a deep understanding of optics from physiology through to camera and astronomy lenses and how they all work separately and together. He could see through the hype and obvious flim-flam that was going on - and quantify it - and the glasses were of course far less than what the marketing claimed.

Last, in audio, we have MQA. The less said about that, the better. Jason and co. have made their position on that and other licen$ed standards like Dolby, THX, etc. very clear (hence, Syn).

I'm more than content to let the folks at Schiit dream up their own products and solutions in their Skunkworks laboratory. Their track record is pretty darned good, in my humble-ish opinion.

<edited for typos & punctuation>