[aamefford]

  Wow, Amy from Schiit just emailed me to let me know that both multibit gungnir and Mjolnir have shipped this morning. There is nothing like immediate gratification. Mr. Speakers...I'm looking at you.

 
 

 
I'm looking at us too.  When we're Schiit's size I hope we can do the same.  We're not quite large enough to make that happen easily.
 
I can say is we have always started shipping when we promised we would, though sometimes we haven't ramped as fast as I'd hoped...
 

@mrspeakers - Very thoughtful response.
 
@colorsquid - I understand the desire for instant gratification.  Maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder?  Please feel free to remind me I said this once I order my Ether or Ether C (I can't decide - need to get a listen to the "C"), and am whinging about the wait....

 

[nnotis]

Finally, allow me a different observation: I’m very impressed by the level of detail retrieval, openness and transparency offered by today’s electronics and headphones, but when I compare the reproduced sound to what I hear at live events it doesn’t sound the same. Audiophiles often seem to prefer an incisive, somewhat bright, ultra-detailed sound that I just don’t hear when listening to live instruments. This thought was triggered by listening to LA Phil at Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night, but I’ve listened to Kevin Kern play a Steinway Concert Grand piano at the Steinway store in Pasadena – and a different piano at a South Pasadena church. At the latter venue the piano sounded really flat – I really missed the velvety, creamy, meaty sound of the Steinway. But at neither event the instruments sounded bright or harsh, which is my main issue with many headphones in today’s market. Perhaps it’s just me, but I feel that the industry has sacrificed musicality in the search for transparency and detail retrieval.

Make sure you consider the recording piece of the equation.  Most new acoustic recordings are close miced to create just the sound you described.  Reflections from the hall also get butchered by this approach.  Despite the rubbish converters available before the 2000s, older recordings often sound more real because, unlike most done today, they were recorded to be so.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that the headphones you're referring to don't bear some of the blame.

 

[tonykaz]

Trying to be helpful,  don't forget funny!
 
Tony in Michigan

 

[evillamer]

 create just the sound you described.  Reflections from the hall also get butchered by this approach.  Despite the rubbish converters available before the 2000s, older recordings often sound more real because, unlike most done today, they were recorded to be so.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that the headphones you're referring to don't bear some of the blame.

 
That's quite a blanket statement.
 
I don't think all converters were rubbish before 2000s. 

 

[hodgjy]

   
That's quite a blanket statement.
 
I don't think all converters were rubbish before 2000s. 

Exactly. One of the best converters I ever heard was a 1-bit chip in a 1990s Sony Discman.

 

[BobFiggins]

 
Finally, allow me a different observation: I’m very impressed by the level of detail retrieval, openness and transparency offered by today’s electronics and headphones, but when I compare the reproduced sound to what I hear at live events it doesn’t sound the same. Audiophiles often seem to prefer an incisive, somewhat bright, ultra-detailed sound that I just don’t hear when listening to live instruments.

 
I feel the same. I haven't been in this hobby for too long. A year and a half ago I bought the HD 700 and in March I got my HD 800. Perhaps my ears just haven't been burned in yet, but it seems that every setup I listen to comes off as bright, sibilant, and not particularly engaging. I'm sensitive enough that even the warm headphones, such as the LCD2, and HE1k come off as sibilant with vocals to me. Even with well recorded music. 
 
People often ask me why I prefer bright headphones with this type of sensitivity, and the best thing I can come up with is imagining a light gray canvas with a white dot in the center. The light gray represents the lows and mids, and the white dot represents the highs. The contrast is less on bright headphones, while on a darker headphone like the LCD2 the canvas is black with a white dot in the center. This makes it seem even more sibilant to me because it stands out more. I'm an odd duck when it comes to sound and I find that mostly everyone I know or talk to does not have the same problems I do when it comes to sound. It usually requires a beer or 10 for me to get past the digital harshness that come from Delta Sigma dacs.
 
The first DAC I've ever heard that made the music sound completely natural to me, and didn't seem like over-processed digital crud was the Ayre QB-9 DSD. Sadly, the cost of that is more than I want to spend. Hearing that the Gungnir Multibit is something more affordable, and doesn't use Delta Sigma is really exciting. Once I can listen to a Yggdrasil I will know if this type of DAC works similar to the Ayre or not.
 
The only dacs hitting my interest so far are the Ayre Codex, Audio-GD DAC19, and the Gungnir M.

 

[nicolo]

Very favorably. I'd say 90 % performance for about half price. Jason said there was serious talk about whether they should produce it, as it will take a bite out of the Yggy sales...

 
The Gungnir Multibit is something i can go for. I can afford to go for the Yggy, but just find it way too expensive. The Gungnir Multibit hits the sweet spot for me.

 

[noshortcuts]

  Adding my impressions.
 
..............  
Finally, allow me a different observation: I’m very impressed by the level of detail retrieval, openness and transparency offered by today’s electronics and headphones, but when I compare the reproduced sound to what I hear at live events it doesn’t sound the same. .........

I understand wanting my equipment to sound as good as "real" but the goal/argument of "audio at home isn't great until it sounds the same as LIVE" doesn't fit for me.Why? Because live events frequently don't represent the voices or instruments very well to begin with. They say musical recordings have been in  "loudness wars" for years. So have live concerts! Live concerts are most often too LOUD and can be poorly mixed (at least for where I"m sitting or standing or dancing). Cranking it until the walls vibrate and the ears bleed degrades sound more than improves sound. What's more, my ears hear differently at a live event. The sensory immersion of smells, sites, physical contact, etc. at a live event all impact the auditory experience (especially compared to sitting on the couch at home). How can listening at home ever really compare?

 

[zachawry]

Yeah, unless it's a non-amplified performance in a room with great acoustics, most live music has awful sound!

 

[BobFiggins]

Yeah, unless it's a non-amplified performance in a room with great acoustics, most live music has awful sound!

 

  I understand wanting my equipment to sound as good as "real" but the goal/argument of "audio at home isn't great until it sounds the same as LIVE" doesn't fit for me.

 
I think Odin was pointing out that live music sounds natural. I don't think what you heard live at a concert vs what he heard is really affecting the the point he's trying to get across. As someone who can't stand any Delta Sigma DACs, his point was spot on. I can agree with what you both of you said though, I've been to a concert where it sounded terrible. Though even though it sounded terrible, it didn't sound like a "incisive, somewhat bright, ultra-detailed sound". To my sensitive ears it seems like audio systems are compensating for people being slightly deaf in certain frequencies (I don't mean this comment to be rude, I just don't know a simpler way to put it). Surprisingly I never got into music until a little over a year ago, so my ears haven't burned in or whatever you want to call it. What I hear is terribly sharp and bright, while someone else who's been jamming to music with headphones for the last 10 years hears something beautiful.

 

[Luckbad]

The Lyr 2 now having a somewhat solid state option with the Lisst might entice me to save up for one finally...

 

[zachawry]

Bob,
 
I was more pointing out the general irony that live music often has really poor SQ. Sorry to be unclear.  

 

[noshortcuts]

Speaking from my POV.

 

[Nomad Girl]

  Hey, quick check:  I know I met some head-fi'ers down there whose names I didn't know.  If you met me, let me know!  I'd love to put a face to the online name.
 
@fuzzybaffy and  @XERO1, nice meeting and chilling you guys!  The guy with the TH900 and HE-6, don't recall your handle sorry, but thanks for letting me check out your gear!  Obviously folks like @moedawg140 and @audiofrk and @netflix whom I met previously know it's always cool hanging out.  
 
Looking forward to the next (domestic) show at RMAF.  

 
 
EDIT - Oh, belated shoutout to @kamekha, whose name I can't ******* spell right now.  lol

@Stillhart - You forgot to mention what a pleasure it was finally meeting me IRL. It's ok, I take it as a compliment when I get lost in the mix of fellow Head-Fiers

 But it is nice to be able to put head-fi names to faces. I had an amazing time, and I had a blast hanging out with everyone.      

 

[Stillhart]

  @Stillhart - You forgot to mention what a pleasure it was finally meeting me IRL. It's ok, I take it as a compliment when I get lost in the mix of fellow Head-Fiers

 But it is nice to be able to put head-fi names to faces. I had an amazing time, and I had a blast hanging out with everyone.      

 
Oh pshaw, we technically met at Canjam for like 5 seconds.    I know I left out a few folks like you and Mercer and Ethan and Warren, not to mention all the fine folks running the show like Jason, Mike, Dan, Peter, Warren (again), etc.  But what can you do.  Our brains are only capable of handling so much awesome.