[Plautus001]

If you get rid of manuals for tube-based products, you may have to build protective cages/enclosures around them to cover yourself for liability. Some idiot somewhere will burn his finger and argue that Schiit didn't tell him not to touch the glowing tubes.

Or just simply put "Do Not Touch Hot Toobz" static-cling stickers on top of those products. Moar plastic

Yup CYA, there is always someone who says, "no one told me and there was no manual in the box".

 

[Moondog55]

I choose to see the glass as 1/2 full.

The glass is always 100% full. It's a mixture.

 

[Ableza]

So instead of scolding people with "RTFM" would I change to "DTFM" (D for download)?

 

[Luckyleo]

Good bye old friend. We definitely had great times together. Perhaps we meet again one day!!!

So instead of scolding people with "RTFM" would I change to "DTFM" (D for download)?

You my friend, are a wise man!

 

[KoshNaranek]

There is just something satisfying about reading the manual before you connect up the equipment.

I like the manuals. I also put them back in the box to let me know which piece of equipment goes in which box when I move it or ship it

 

[ThorCorps]

I like the manuals (mostly due to the cryptic nature of the lights and stencils on the equipment), but certainly not a deal breaker to refer to (or download) an online version. But, as was mentioned, they need to stay on the website (archived) for older products.

Keep the Stickers coming!

....and as an aside, last week I did my Bifrost 2/64 upgrade. The included microSD card was either corrupt or unformatted, but luckily, the website had the 2 new firmware .dat files, so I could download them, throw them on a known working card and load it. So, no big deal, other than some troubleshooting of why the heck after the board install, the firmware wouldn't load.

 

[Godaisan]

I like having the manual but would like to see the manuals for discontinued products housed on Schiit.com though.

 

[Schiit Money]

Just an FYI everyone, the manual would still be there, it would just be available digitally via something like a QR code. Same Jason snark and all.

Thank you for the insight and opinions, they are very helpful.

 

[bcowen]

If you get rid of manuals for tube-based products, you may have to build protective cages/enclosures around them to cover yourself for liability. Some idiot somewhere will burn his finger and argue that Schiit didn't tell him not to touch the glowing tubes.

Or just simply put "Do Not Touch Hot Toobz" static-cling stickers on top of those products. Moar plastic

Or maybe that static-cling sticker on the component that states "If you burn yourself on these tubes, you're too stupid to own a tube amp." Probably minimize claims as most people won't intentionally admit they're stupid.

 

[markstar]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

Online manuals are good: you can easily correct errors, I won't have to find them when I need them, and trees are spared.

 

[adias]

…

This is why Tyler keeps telling me to lose the manuals, stick a QR code in there, download the stupid thing yourself.

The problem with PDF models is that they do not print correctly double-sided. Perhaps you could supply a properly formatted MS Word file to TV that? It’s always nice to have a printed version.

 

[nephilim32]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

That is a fair thing to bring up and my answer to physical manuals would be a “pro” if manuals could be revamped a bit. The addition of pictures and back stories to how your product was made plus the inclusion of the actual instructions and warning information could make for more of an easier read. It is all in the presentation and I know this has been done by some companies, but maybe if this format for physical manuals was a regular thing people would gravitate to looking through them and not find them as Junk.
If I bought a high end product and I’ll I got was a QR code it would seem a bit impersonal.
Just a thought. I could be wrong or thinking a bit impractical, especially with all the environmental craze that is happening right now. Save the paper!! Protect the planet you idiot!

 

[Moondog55]

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time

...sez Macbeth.

Tomorrow Never Knows

 

[adias]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

What’s wrong with plastic bags? I keep them in the shipping box in case I need to ship the unit later.

 

[Brubacca]

Let's discuss manuals:

1. I know if we get rid of them, someone's gonna complain about us being cheap/assholes/etc. Understood.
2. However, if we get rid of them, we're right there with $3500 products (Cintiq) with no manuals and with massively complex apps and other stupid stuff with no manuals.
3. Most manuals are about 10% useful information and 90% scolding (looking at tools especially).
4. Manuals are almost always somewhat wrong.

So: manuals? Pro? Con? Indifferent?

Edit: I linked Tyler to this, so he'll definitely read your opinions.

Edit2: also, for the high school debate team champions, don't try to shift this to plastic bags and other crap in the box. We get it. We've been trying to eliminate plastic bags. Nothing is good enough so far. You get to choose between weirdo semi-plastic molded stuff to hold the non-bagged product in place, and bags. Some things (Tyrs) require foam, period. Magnis and Midgards and stuff like that have been moved to, or are being moved to, all-recycled cardboard. We beat FedEx to this, FWIW.

I haven't even read the manual to my super complicated Arcam AV receiver with Dirac. Paper manual that is.
I have a crazy thought. Maybe make a checkbox on the order page saying you want a manual? Probably a crap idea that makes it more complicated for the 10% that still want them.