[Jason Stoddard]

@Jason Stoddard, will the Unison USB be able to fit into the Modi Multibit?

Unison USB could fit into anything we want it to. Heck, it could fit in Fulla 2. It's actually physically smaller than our current C-Media based solution. However, Unison is a bit more expensive than our current USB input, and, as mentioned before, this is a future-looking product (no W7 support), so we'll be careful what we put it in until W7 is well and truly dead. So, Unison small products are pretty far out. Expect to see it in a card first.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

@Jason Stoddard Now that you are getting more comfortable with remote controls can you please consider having a regular remote for switching inputs for the Yggy 2? For use in a living room in a family setting, this is important for me. I could integrate it with Logitech Harmony and use it with the rest of my smart home setup.

Anything can happen in time, but we have to be careful as to the timing of any upgrades. If there is an upgrade in the future to remote, we'd probably have to bundle it in with something else (Unison USB? Tesseract generator? USB charger? Who knows?) Otherwise we'll just irritate you by having two or more upgrades in a short amount of time. Rest assured that we are committed to making all the upgrades we can do-able in the field, rather than having to come back to the mother ship...but even then, you probably don't want to have your Yggy taken apart one month...and then do it again 5 months later.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Will Ragnarok 2 have a amp direct input so it can be used a just a power amp?

It will. It's called "use any input." Turn the volume all the way up, and you have only a set of relay contacts in the signal path. Done.

(And yeah, I understand if this wasn't what you're looking for. If so, no worries, there's lots of other gear out there.)

 

[Alcophone]

Unison USB could fit into anything we want it to. Heck, it could fit in Fulla 2. It's actually physically smaller than our current C-Media based solution. However, Unison is a bit more expensive than our current USB input, and, as mentioned before, this is a future-looking product (no W7 support), so we'll be careful what we put it in until W7 is well and truly dead. So, Unison small products are pretty far out. Expect to see it in a card first.

Windows 7 won't be dead just because Microsoft stops supporting it - some people will continue to use it anyway. Personally, I think you can decide not to support Windows 7 whenever you feel like it, and even after Microsoft ends its support, you're still going to get customers asking about Windows 7.
Or is the point to still have something for Windows 7 (the current products) until Microsoft declares it dead?

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Windows 7 won't be dead just because Microsoft stops supporting it - some people will continue to use it anyway. Personally, I think you can decide not to support Windows 7 whenever you feel like it, and even after Microsoft ends its support, you're still going to get customers asking about Windows 7.
Or is the point to still have something for Windows 7 (the current products) until Microsoft declares it dead?

Oh, I hear you. We're going to be declaring W7 de facto dead to us when Unison USB shows up, but some people may want to hang on to their Windows 7 machines, and they can use Gen 5 or 3 or whatever. That's why it will be a card first--you have the choice. Putting it in the small products and saying "Tough Schiit" right now ain't a great idea.

In any case, these days it is more important to make sure the popular Linux-based streamers are covered, more than Windows or Mac.

Also, W7 officially ends extended support January 14, 2020, FWIW. Then it is really, truly, 100% dead. Unless you want to roll the dice and end up paying someone in Bitcoin to unlock your computer.

 

[rlow]

I’m surprised you won’t be putting Unison into an updated Eitr, mainly because I’m surprised that it’s not selling well - I had assumed it would have been. It’s an excellent product and one of the best priced USB decrapifiers out there.

Wyrd I can understand because it’s getting pretty long in the tooth at this point - people likely feel there is better out there now.

Perhaps people just don’t want to convert to SPDIF as much as staying with straight USB into their DACs? I guess lots of DACs are USB only now. Or maybe decrapification just isn't as big a deal as it was in the past. Or maybe most of your customers already have a Schiit DAC with Gen 5 anyhow, so who needs Eitr. Interesting nonetheless.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

I’m surprised you won’t be putting Unison into an updated Eitr, mainly because I’m surprised that it’s not selling well - I had assumed it would have been. It’s an excellent product and one of the best priced USB decrapifiers out there.

Eitr sold well for a time, but it appears its time has passed. No huge deal; we never pushed it as a product, and I'm not sad to see it go.

So will there never be a Unison Eitr? Not impossible, but not high on the list. We have a lot more interesting things to introduce. And soon.

 

[Rattle]

Very curious about Unison support outside of windows 10 and MAC. I won't be using either, slowly migrating to Linux as I can't stand either of the 2 for many reasons. Then again I have not fed a dac with USB for almost a year anyway..

 

[Jones Bob]

The initial release of the Schiit Unison USB would make a wonderful Yggdrasil upgrade.

 

[ScottFree]

Scott

Thank you for that video. I have a few Queen albums but I don't remember ever hearing that song before, I liked it, why doesn't it get any play on radio (yes I still use my FM radio in my car if I don't have an audiobook queued up or Quboz running via USB) ?

DP

No Problem. Yeah Breakthru is one of my absolute favourite Queen songs, but not many people I tell about it have ever heard it.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Very curious about Unison support outside of windows 10 and MAC. I won't be using either, slowly migrating to Linux as I can't stand either of the 2 for many reasons. Then again I have not fed a dac with USB for almost a year anyway..

Any version of Linux that supports UAC2 shouldn't be a problem. Mike will have a specific list when we launch. However, we cannot guarantee that it will literally work with all Linux versions and all Linux players. I know it works fine with stuff like the Sonore Microrendu, for example, but I'm not part of the detailed testing. Best to ask Mike about that.

Beyond that, it will also work with iOS and Android--power draw is below 100mA, so no separate power input needed.

 

[Alcophone]

1. About new Modi Multibit firmware: contact Amy@schiit.com and she can help you out. I believe it’s $35 to bring it up to current (which has not changed since February 2018.) This is the only running change on Modi Multibit. Mike (and many others) are of the opinion that it makes no sonic difference.

Oh, good to know!

4. About QC, grounding, transparency, etc. I think I’ve done a chapter before on this, and there are Tony’s videos. The short primer is that literally everything is checked on instruments and ears, and anything from Asgard 2 on up gets 1-4 day burn-in and recheck as well. We also have extensive test equipment, including 6 Avermetrics and one APx555, the Avermetrics mainly used for in-line testing. In terms of grounding, when we were made aware of one Jotunheim that appeared not to be grounded, we instituted a 100% test of new, repaired, and refurbished units for this possible defect across the entire line, not just the slide-top chassis. And in terms of transparency, please point me at another audio company that shares more about their process, their ongoing trials, their successes, and their failures.

I know I have nitpicked about minor cosmetic issues with most of my Schiit products, but after dealing with a certain Australian company for way too many months now, with actual functional issues in three of three products (user fixable in one case after opening the unit), a replacement PCB that got damaged in transport by the replacement PSU because of poor packaging choices, having to install said PCB myself which almost inevitably causes cosmetic damage to the unit, two incorrect shipments, long wait times because everything ships from China, not getting tracking numbers in most cases, questions not being answered clearly, terms not being stated clearly... well, you guys just rock and I'll keep buying your stuff, but not theirs.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Oh, good to know!


I know I have nitpicked about minor cosmetic issues with most of my Schiit products, but after dealing with a certain Australian company for way too many months now, with actual functional issues in three of three products (user fixable in one case after opening the unit), a replacement PCB that got damaged in transport by the replacement PSU because of poor packaging choices, having to install said PCB myself which almost inevitably causes cosmetic damage to the unit, two incorrect shipments, long wait times because everything ships from China, not getting tracking numbers in most cases, questions not being answered clearly, terms not being stated clearly... well, you guys just rock and I'll keep buying your stuff, but not theirs.

The Sol will be the first product we introduce (and hopefully the only product) to have a "this is a hand-made product, small flaws are expected and normal and part of the character, please embrace your upcycled hipster alter ego and go with it." Why? Because there are a ton of parts, and it IS hand-assembled. The bottom line, if you want a perfection-level showpiece of a turntable, please consult the manufacturers of $10K and up products.

And, in reality, all of our products are "handmade." However, there should be no significant cosmetic flaws on A-stock product. Our guys are pretty picky about grading "A" and "B" products. And, we spent a lot of last year addressing small but real flaws in the fit and finish of our products, like the perpetually-misaligned Magni 3 and Vali 2 knobs (now they are in a machined pocket like the rest of our stuff, so they always align).

 

[Jason Stoddard]

In case you guys haven't noticed, I'm trying to spend some more time answering questions these days. I can't guarantee being here every day, but I'm trying!

 

[Ableza]

First boards supposedly come in tomorrow. So, with any luck, next week.

Aside: I love it when I say "February," and some people start emailing us on February 1 at 12:02 AM, asking for the product. People that know us know we mean, "February 28 at 11:59PM. Maybe." That's why they're called "estimates." AKA "guesses."

I usually remind my customers that if we say "February" we have not specified a year.