[wink]

All this talk of opera, and not one mention of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf or Dame Joan Sutherland...........   

 

[aamefford]

We are waiting here patiently.

I'm not so sure all of us are all that patient…

 

[Baldr]

   
The implication is that something has changed to address some “problem” within the Yggdrasil.
 

You know, everything I have ever done has "problems".  Since I am the release authority on my products it behooves me to make sure any of those are so minor as to be inconsequential.  If I fail in that regard, it will cost me time, trouble, and money.  So minor, in fact, they must be reduced to the level of imperfections as a design imperative.  If called out on those "imperfections", my first response will probably be like it was 30 years at Theta, where I would tell them to go buy a phuckin' anybody else's DAC.  All these years later, I am still doing the best I can for the most people.  No matter what I do, I can't build an every person's DAC or digital audio thingy.  It is inevitable that somebody out there is going to tell me I'm full of Schiit and believe it as well.  Way back then, Theta was the first company to go upgradable.  Everything Bifrost and up continues so today at Schiit.  Every now and then someone will tell me how much he spent on Bifrost upgrades.  You want a better sound earlier than others, that's why you go upgradable.  You don't like it, buy some phuckin' DAC where you have to throw the whole thing away.  Then watch the Accu-Jack model I resale crater when the Accu-Jack model 2 comes out.  That is not as hostile as it sounds, I just have to pick a path and stick with it - which I have been doing so for decades now.
 
So here comes another benefit of upgradable gear which has nothing to do with earlier rumors on this thread:  from time to time we make trivial and minor improvements to our gear.  That's why an Yggy flushes down all of the old Theta gear.  In 30 years you learn stuff.  Problem is most of those upgrades do not justify a trip back until we have something of major consequence to upgrade.  $75 worth of shipping for a $2 part?  Nah.  All good things come to those who wait.  You will be able to upgrade.  You can bet most other makers of DACs do as well.  With no upgrade path, however, you will be looking at the resale of the Accu-Jack 1 unless you are psychic.
 
One of the reasons I designed Mimby was that it will result in upgrades all of the way above it up the line.  This is true even if the Mimby itself is NOT upgradable.
 
So that is one design path I follow; it is the best I know how to do, even yet today over thirty years later.  I am very grateful to have so many happy clients today.  I have them all to thank, which I do not do often enough.

 

[Baldr]

  All this talk of opera, and not one mention of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf or Dame Joan Sutherland...........   

Schwartzkopf's Four last Songs with Szell were absolutely heart-rending, as it was toward the end of her career, not to mention her Lieder and performances in Der Rosenkavalier and Don Giovanni, in particular.  A giant.  I have a bit more trouble with Dame Sutherland, despite the angelic beauty of her voice, makes me wonder if it is my poor Italian or if she errs away from the side of intelligibility.
 
Listening to the Missa Solemnis right now, maybe the most perfect piece ever written.  Bohm's stereo recording from the 1970's.  Many versions give me chills every time.

 

[winders]

  You know, everything I have ever done has "problems".  Since I am the release authority on my products it behooves me to make sure any of those are so minor as to be inconsequential.  If I fail in that regard, it will cost me time, trouble, and money.  So minor, in fact, they must be reduced to the level of imperfections as a design imperative.  If called out on those "imperfections", my first response will probably be like it was 30 years at Theta, where I would tell them to go buy a phuckin' anybody else's DAC.  All these years later, I am still doing the best I can for the most people.  No matter what I do, I can't build an every person's DAC or digital audio thingy.  It is inevitable that somebody out there is going to tell me I'm full of Schiit and believe it as well.  Way back then, Theta was the first company to go upgradable.  Everything Bifrost and up continues so today at Schiit.  Every now and then someone will tell me how much he spent on Bifrost upgrades.  You want a better sound earlier than others, that's why you go upgradable.  You don't like it, buy some phuckin' DAC where you have to throw the whole thing away.  Then watch the Accu-Jack model I resale crater when the Accu-Jack model 2 comes out.  That is not as hostile as it sounds, I just have to pick a path and stick with it - which I have been doing so for decades now.
 
So here comes another benefit of upgradable gear which has nothing to do with earlier rumors on this thread:  from time to time we make trivial and minor improvements to our gear.  That's why an Yggy flushes down all of the old Theta gear.  In 30 years you learn stuff.  Problem is most of those upgrades do not justify a trip back until we have something of major consequence to upgrade.  $75 worth of shipping for a $2 part?  Nah.  All good things come to those who wait.  You will be able to upgrade.  You can bet most other makers of DACs do as well.  With no upgrade path, however, you will be looking at the resale of the Accu-Jack 1 unless you are psychic.
 
One of the reasons I designed Mimby was that it will result in upgrades all of the way above it up the line.  This is true even if the Mimby itself is NOT upgradable.
 
So that is one design path I follow; it is the best I know how to do, even yet today over thirty years later.  I am very grateful to have so many happy clients today.  I have them all to thank, which I do not do often enough.

I appreciate all that you just said. I actually don't expect anyone's products to be perfect. In the 10 years I worked at Apple, they never came out with a perfect product. Not even simple ones that had no moving parts.
 
I asked about the comment made over on CA because it characterized the change as more than just a minor upgrade. I certainly did not intend to project that I was in any way dissatisfied with my Yggdrasil. In fact, I have been extremely satisfied with all the Schiit Audio products I own. Especially my Yggdrasil! I was curious about the possible upgrade because the idea of an even better sounding Yggdrasil is exciting! I am sorry if my intent was not clear and if I offended you.
 
My first Schiit products, a Vali 2 and a Modi Multibit, where purchased in late January of this year. If you had told I would spend $2,300 on a DAC and $850 on a headphone amp, I would have laughed at you. But, I really appreciated the value your products offer. The wonderful sound I was able to get out of the Vali 2 and Mimby re-ignited the passion I had for music 35 years ago. That passion led me to massively upgrade my headphone and near filed monitor equipment and had me planning to build a full 2 channel system using your products. I am just waiting on Vidar to pull that trigger.
 
Anyway, I am a very happy client and I look forward to your new products with great anticipation!

 

[WoodyLuvr]

One MUST have a thick skin and loads of perseverance to survive a very fickle and demanding audiophile world.

 

[Armaegis]

 
The second is the problem of whatever discs we pick, there is going to be somebody wandering in only to request some audiophile recording of dubious musical value. 

 
The obvious solution here is to use a modded Playstation with blackgate caps sticking out for cd playback, and specifically carry only a few cd's salvaged from the local thrift shop like the "Best of Yanni", Shrek 2 Party/Karaoke, and thirteen different female vocalist Christmas albums.

 

[wink]

My blood just ran cold.........   

 

[FLTWS]

  All this talk of opera, and not one mention of Elizabeth Schwarzkopf or Dame Joan Sutherland...........   

 
What of Kirsten Flagstad? Where's bosiemoncrieff when we need him?

 

[FLTWS]

... Accu-Jack 1...

 
Portable version of the "Orgasmatron" for when one is "on the go"?

 

[jeremy205100]

  You know, everything I have ever done has "problems".  Since I am the release authority on my products it behooves me to make sure any of those are so minor as to be inconsequential.  If I fail in that regard, it will cost me time, trouble, and money.  So minor, in fact, they must be reduced to the level of imperfections as a design imperative.  If called out on those "imperfections", my first response will probably be like it was 30 years at Theta, where I would tell them to go buy a phuckin' anybody else's DAC.  All these years later, I am still doing the best I can for the most people.  No matter what I do, I can't build an every person's DAC or digital audio thingy.  It is inevitable that somebody out there is going to tell me I'm full of Schiit and believe it as well.  Way back then, Theta was the first company to go upgradable.  Everything Bifrost and up continues so today at Schiit.  Every now and then someone will tell me how much he spent on Bifrost upgrades.  You want a better sound earlier than others, that's why you go upgradable.  You don't like it, buy some phuckin' DAC where you have to throw the whole thing away.  Then watch the Accu-Jack model I resale crater when the Accu-Jack model 2 comes out.  That is not as hostile as it sounds, I just have to pick a path and stick with it - which I have been doing so for decades now.
 
So here comes another benefit of upgradable gear which has nothing to do with earlier rumors on this thread:  from time to time we make trivial and minor improvements to our gear.  That's why an Yggy flushes down all of the old Theta gear.  In 30 years you learn stuff.  Problem is most of those upgrades do not justify a trip back until we have something of major consequence to upgrade.  $75 worth of shipping for a $2 part?  Nah.  All good things come to those who wait.  You will be able to upgrade.  You can bet most other makers of DACs do as well.  With no upgrade path, however, you will be looking at the resale of the Accu-Jack 1 unless you are psychic.
 
One of the reasons I designed Mimby was that it will result in upgrades all of the way above it up the line.  This is true even if the Mimby itself is NOT upgradable.
 
So that is one design path I follow; it is the best I know how to do, even yet today over thirty years later.  I am very grateful to have so many happy clients today.  I have them all to thank, which I do not do often enough.

Mike, would you mind elaborating on what some of these "invisible" minor changes are? As someone with no experience in designing products or manufacturing I'm curious how these are handled and how often they occur. I have no doubt that this happens all the time with all kinds of products, so I'm just genuinely curious. This isn't meant as a critique of Schiit or your work.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

   
What of Kirsten Flagstad? Where's bosiemoncrieff when we need him?

 
Kire te Kanewa, Jesse Owens, Nina Hagen, Romy Haag

 

[dglow]

  The best fix for an environment like the Schiitr would be ... a Bomb-ass USB isolator and S/PDIF converter for the converters with a proper set of inputs.

 
Baldr, please design and product that USB isolator! If it's as important as you suggest I'm sure there will be many willing buyers.
 
As for S/PDIF conversion, I have a nice external box that does this now. However, it still brings all the complexity of any USB-connected DAC: sample rate switching, OS layers attempting to fiddle with the sound, and the pain of getting true exclusive/bit-perfect output working.
 
But it's worth the effort. The Yggy continually shocks me – pleasantly so – with the very noticeable shift in channel separation achieved by true 'direct' output mode.

 

[nojwe]

  I heard a very exciting rendition of Tchaikovsky's second symphony last weekby the Florida Orchestra here in Tampa. This week they are doing his piano concerto no.1  with pianist Vadym Kholodenko, a Van Cliburn competition winner, and I am just giddy to hear it ! 
 
BTW has anyone heard Mahler's piano quartet in a minor ? It seems to be very little known and I can't find a good recording of it outside youtube. 

 
Mahler's piano quartet is beautifully haunting and it's a true shame it was never completed. Members of the Emerson quartet have an excellent live recording on Spotify, including one of the most thrilling recordings of Brahms' first piano quartet.*
 
*Setting aside feelings about some of the details of certain members' playing...

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

This just crossed my desk. The noteworthy phrase, of course, is "a modular design that can accommodate high-end CPUs and big honking hot-running GPUs, and which should make it easier for Apple to update with new components on a regular basis."
 
In a universe of increasing miniaturization of components, gluing rather than screwing together, and frenetic proprietarization of I/O (and everything else) this seems like a stunning validation of the Schiit philosophy. The trash can mac pro is a dead man walking; the new "mac pro tower mini" we should expect next year. Granted, this is a niche of a niche, but for high-end stuff (as all audiophile gear is, compared to the total market for the acoustic reproduction of sound), it was extremely gratifying to see.