[OldRoadToad]

Some news, in the absence of a new chapter (I'll try to do this every week, with chapters every other week):

1. We finally have everything we need to begin Vidar chassis assembly. Good news!
2. We will supposedly have Vidar first articles next week from the PCB assembly house. Homework for you: find the key word in this sentence. Hint: it starts with an "s".
3. We actually have a ton of stuff in the pipeline, including, yes, stuff we haven't talked about, but when it ships depends on many factors. However, expect a busy summer and fall.

And, a happy report from another sourcing expedition.

If you've read the last chapter, you know about the abject failure of several US manufacturers to give enough of a Schiit about a little inductor, and the subsequent quoting and ordering of the product from China. Fortunately, that's not always the case.

I thought we were heading for another case of "oh crap, contact China" a couple of weeks ago when we had been sitting for 3 weeks waiting for a quote for a new deep-drawn/machined piece from a supplier we're currently working with in the USA. The capper was that they couldn't supply samples, of any kind, not even something for us to cut to fit for testing. Since this part is a critical piece of another unmentioned/maybe-might-happen/maybe-might-not-happen product, it's kind of hard to figure out if we want to do it if we (a) don't know the price, and (b) don't have anything to test with. The alternative was to literally billet machine a prototype, but that would be costly and not representative of the final product.

Why wouldn't a current supplier want to work with us? I don't know. Probably simply because we're not a big customer, and also probably since they have a lock-up on "top of mind" for their industry.

But, in any case, it was time to see if anyone was hungrier. I did the usual dance--sending a drawing out for quote amongst this company's competitors. Competitors in the USA were thin on the ground, but I was able to identify three possible alternate suppliers. I let them know that the drawing was provisional, and that we could use a slightly different size of can if they had something close (the same thing we'd told our current supplier.)

One responded with a quote for custom tooling, which is fine, but it didn't get us any closer to having something we could use for the prototype--buying $5K in tooling and getting 10,000 pcs is not exactly the most efficient way to get the 1-2 pieces you need.

One didn't respond.

And one said, "Yep, we have something like that, we already make tons of them, we could cut it down for your app, and if you wanted a couple of unfinished samples, we could send them right out."

Holy schiit. Someone who actually read the email.

Of course, samples are not a quote, and the quote could be astronomical. But that was another matter. First, the samples. I gave them our FedEx number, and I had two samples in a few days. And they were perfect. They fit the need, they could easily be cut down for a prototype, and our problem was solved. By the way, you may soon be seeing this prototype in public--it's a significant enough departure for us that we figured it may be, like, intelligent to show it to you before we commit to some (very expensive) tooling. More on this later.

So, I told them that the samples were perfect, and please quote us on finished and unfinished pieces. (Finished means, "cut to length, with some holes in it, powder-coated, and screened," whereas Unfinished was simply cut to length.

They came back in a few days...at eminently fair pricing. We'll be working with these guys.

To the other US manufacturers: this is how you do it.

Well done, Sir Jason of Stoddard. Huzzah!

ORT

 

[Pandahead]

Some news, in the absence of a new chapter (I'll try to do this every week, with chapters every other week):

1. We finally have everything we need to begin Vidar chassis assembly. Good news!
2. We will supposedly have Vidar first articles next week from the PCB assembly house. Homework for you: find the key word in this sentence. Hint: it starts with an "s".
3. We actually have a ton of stuff in the pipeline, including, yes, stuff we haven't talked about, but when it ships depends on many factors. However, expect a busy summer and fall.

And, a happy report from another sourcing expedition.

If you've read the last chapter, you know about the abject failure of several US manufacturers to give enough of a Schiit about a little inductor, and the subsequent quoting and ordering of the product from China. Fortunately, that's not always the case.

I thought we were heading for another case of "oh crap, contact China" a couple of weeks ago when we had been sitting for 3 weeks waiting for a quote for a new deep-drawn/machined piece from a supplier we're currently working with in the USA. The capper was that they couldn't supply samples, of any kind, not even something for us to cut to fit for testing. Since this part is a critical piece of another unmentioned/maybe-might-happen/maybe-might-not-happen product, it's kind of hard to figure out if we want to do it if we (a) don't know the price, and (b) don't have anything to test with. The alternative was to literally billet machine a prototype, but that would be costly and not representative of the final product.

Why wouldn't a current supplier want to work with us? I don't know. Probably simply because we're not a big customer, and also probably since they have a lock-up on "top of mind" for their industry.

But, in any case, it was time to see if anyone was hungrier. I did the usual dance--sending a drawing out for quote amongst this company's competitors. Competitors in the USA were thin on the ground, but I was able to identify three possible alternate suppliers. I let them know that the drawing was provisional, and that we could use a slightly different size of can if they had something close (the same thing we'd told our current supplier.)

One responded with a quote for custom tooling, which is fine, but it didn't get us any closer to having something we could use for the prototype--buying $5K in tooling and getting 10,000 pcs is not exactly the most efficient way to get the 1-2 pieces you need.

One didn't respond.

And one said, "Yep, we have something like that, we already make tons of them, we could cut it down for your app, and if you wanted a couple of unfinished samples, we could send them right out."

Holy schiit. Someone who actually read the email.

Of course, samples are not a quote, and the quote could be astronomical. But that was another matter. First, the samples. I gave them our FedEx number, and I had two samples in a few days. And they were perfect. They fit the need, they could easily be cut down for a prototype, and our problem was solved. By the way, you may soon be seeing this prototype in public--it's a significant enough departure for us that we figured it may be, like, intelligent to show it to you before we commit to some (very expensive) tooling. More on this later.

So, I told them that the samples were perfect, and please quote us on finished and unfinished pieces. (Finished means, "cut to length, with some holes in it, powder-coated, and screened," whereas Unfinished was simply cut to length.

They came back in a few days...at eminently fair pricing. We'll be working with these guys.

To the other US manufacturers: this is how you do it.

This is the only place where "real" Schiity news is great!

 

[MWSVette]

Cool, not yet discussed new products for us to dream and speculate about...

 

[rkw]

Eilr, MP, Vidar...... Let's talk about something important. When is a black Gumby going to be available?????

When they get enough bad metal to get them anodized.

Jason has said that the black cases are painted (not anodized). Paint can cover up the bad finish, but with anodization they would have to refinish the surface first.

 

[LarryMagoo]

Jason,

Thanks for the explanations...We are all waiting for the new goodies...

BTW, Source Point Associates, my company, makes nothing but custom components, from many different engineering disciplines, please let me know if we can help you out!

Cheers,
Larry

 

[US Blues]

Cool, not yet discussed new products for us to dream and speculate about...

That'll help cut down all the other nonsense, because our speculative posts are always clean and on point.

 

[HumanFly]

 

[FrivolsListener]

Actually he stated the reason was he fell down the DSD rabbit hole once with the Loki and then watched it take 2 years to sell out the first run...

Oh, wrong schiit. Yeah, DSD isn't happening. Go away, trolls. Just. Go away.

 

[Letmebefrank]

Hopefully schiit makes a small form factor (Jotunheim size footprint) desktop stereo amp in the $2-300 range. I would love to get rid of this smsl amp. Class D sounds like crap.

 

[GearMe]

Hopefully schiit makes a small form factor (Jotunheim size footprint) desktop stereo amp in the $2-300 range. I would love to get rid of this smsl amp. Class D sounds like crap.

Would've preferred to buy one from Schiit as well. Waited for a while but finally got the Emotiva BasX A-100...solid amp for the money ($229). Bonus -- the headphone jack 'uses its main speaker power output to drive headphones.' Changing resistor config allows for enough power to drive HE6's through the headphone jack.
https://www.cnet.com/news/emotivas-229-basx-a-100-amplifier-wows-the-audiophiliac/

Footprint is larger than Jot though...still I have it on nightstand powering a pair of the Airmotiv B1's ($299).

 

[MOFOfunk]

Cool, not yet discussed new products for us to dream and speculate about...

That'll help cut down all the other nonsense, because our speculative posts are always clean and on point.

Looking forward to the hip shots. Go Cowboys.
Really love these teasers on to be released products. Jason even put us in cliffhanging suspense for fear of never seeing this mysterious product which we have absolutely no clue off. Other than it requires metal to assemble. Well written.
Interesting times indeed. Good thing it's happening in the summertime where I have no time for sitting, palms sweaty, in front of the schiit site clicking refresh.

Looking forward to the bi-weekly updates and chapters to add new topics to this thread and help maintain the tracks in sight.

Personally I'm also really looking forward to the "Schiit-Kitts" hitting the streets. If the package is portable enough it could literally be taken to the streets for pop-up meets e.g. on a cargo bike with a good UPS.
Like my new sweet ride:

 

[Letmebefrank]

Would've preferred to buy one from Schiit as well. Waited for a while but finally got the Emotiva BasX A-100...solid amp for the money ($229). Bonus -- the headphone jack 'uses its main speaker power output to drive headphones.' Changing resistor config allows for enough power to drive HE6's through the headphone jack.
https://www.cnet.com/news/emotivas-229-basx-a-100-amplifier-wows-the-audiophiliac/

Footprint is larger than Jot though...still I have it on nightstand powering a pair of the Airmotiv B1's ($299).

Looks pretty nice. I've been considering that amp for a while. I might wait to see what schiit has coming for us. The last time Jason brought up the idea of a small stereo amp he got allot of positive feedback so I wouldn't be surprised to see one from them.

 

[OldRoadToad]

Looks pretty nice. I've been considering that amp for a while. I might wait to see what schiit has coming for us. The last time Jason brought up the idea of a small stereo amp he got allot of positive feedback so I wouldn't be surprised to see one from them.

I have their XDA-2 which as it was relatively uninspiring, I no longer use. By "uninspiring" I mean visually. The sound is fine because it sounds like music. The looks, which are entirely subjective, are bland. Better looking than some, yes. But really now. Just because it is inexpensive does not mean it has to look like s-h-i-t (how silly one can not just spell that word here). Not Schiit.

I will have what I want or stay with what I have. Even if it is currently sitting on a box right behind me. I have it there to remind me not to settle for pedestrian looks in equipment. More and more, I turn to vintage but of course, there really were no vintage DACs from what I consider the golden era of stereo equipment (the '70s).

There is a reason Harley-Davidson sells so many motor bikes. Modern where they need to and should be, but with classic good looks that they own because they are their own. I like Schiit's stuff. I just want what I need to be happy. Er.

ORT

 

[Anavel0]

Hopefully schiit makes a small form factor (Jotunheim size footprint) desktop stereo amp in the $2-300 range. I would love to get rid of this smsl amp. Class D sounds like crap.

What about Jot with powered Audioengine desktop speakers? Pair them and call it a day.

 

[OldRoadToad]

What about Jot with powered Audioengine desktop speakers? Pair them and call it a day.

True, but then you limit your self to powered only. Why not just get powered speakers and skip the preamp? Why indeed...If I may? Because nothing beats the tactile and visual beauty of what comes between the speakers and the source. I prefer the fundamental excellence of an integrated amplifier. You could do worse than what Schiit offers and to me, what they offer is excellent and not just for the money. It is not that they perform way above their price point but that others charge too much for offering the same, if not less, ability. I will pay more for looks but I will not bend over for them. Accuphase Integrated Amps for example, are among my favorites.

I accept that they have yet to make some thing that pleases my eyes as much as it does my ears. They are close and I have left no doubt what I am looking for. To be honest, style never goes out of style. Schiit has their own look. Perhaps in 40 or more years some of you lads will look back on their kit as being your choice in vintage gear. Like I said, you could do worse.

ORT