NOT: Theory on the new Schiit

Seems like a small incremental change from the status quo. Unimpressed.

 

On that other forum, Mike has opined on why R2R and DS will continue to coexist in the lineup;

Now I prefer Multibit - much of that is because I believe audio components' missions are to reproduce music that once existed live in 14.7psi atmosphere, where multibit excels.

If your preference is to listen to highly processed pop music, gaming music and effects, or electronic music which never existed in the acoustic medium, then you may indeed view the role of an audio component to have a "sound", "signature", "palette", or "voicing" of its own. This is one reason we offer delta sigma dacs in our upgradable DACs. The other is to offer a lower cost starting point at each DAC level, except Yggdrasil.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/701900/sch...-most-improbable-start-up/11790#post_12747778

 

Now that we know ModiMB is out, any predictions on next releases?

Jason said There's something new on the desktop side that will make an entire category seem outdated. Balanced for cheap? Full Hybrid swapping support down the line? More phono or USB thingies?

There's also two channel preamps coming for sure. Plus a power amp he's called "The Doughnut" which I believe will be hybrid based on comments he's made.

Then Mike said he just finished a BOM and is also working on the Gadget.


Plus 19 other products apparently...

 

What about a schiit desktop speaker. My guess would include powered, but maybe its also got a built in dac / head amp. Jason does have a bit of speaker experience before amp design. Could turn higher end computer speaker world on end (think expensive bose systems, audio engine desktop speakers, mini moniters, etc.). If it were just powered it would pair very well with their headamps that include pre-outs.

I don't think its going to happen, but maybe I can plant a seed...

 

I like what you're thinking. And it has a 1/4" jack for times when you need headphones.

 

Jason has already stated they are never ever doing transducers. I was thinking active speakers too at some point till I read his post.

 

ooooh hope it's desktop speakers! I need a set.

 

Read above.

 

Yep, for all the things that people have imagined us saying we'd "never" do, only two things are really off the table:

1. Transducers. Reason 1: We know jack schiit about them. You don't want us imposing our learning curve on you, while there are plenty of great choices out there. And there's no guarantee we'd ever get good at them. Reason 2: There are a lot of other great choices out there, including affordable choices; we'd instantly alienate many potential allies in the industry if we started stepping on their feet.

2. Surround sound. Reason 1: it's a completely standards-dominated industry with constantly changing goalposts. The current surround test file set contains something like 1200 specific combinations of standards. Next year it will be different. HDMI rolls out new standards before anyone has implemented the entire current standard feature set--and have "plugfests" that manufacturers come to in order to see what equipment works with what, because the HDMI standards organization itself doesn't know. Reason 2: Mike's been there, done that, and says he won't do it again, and he's the head of digital, so that's that.

Well, and maybe 3: DAPs. Let other people take the bullet on that software/UI nightmare. No thanks.

 

Reading too much into things (as is tradition in this thread) maybe we aren't taking a portable, battery powered, amp or DAC/amp seriously enough. That is something specific to headphones, they haven't done, and Jason does use the specifc word DAP and not "portable" as an exclusion...

This obviously wouldn't be the imminent desktop product, but in general... you have to get to 19 developing products somehow

 

Maybe a D/A converter that the "line out" is actually built as a proper headphone amplifier. A modular Yggnarock?

 

What is the nature of the Schiit partnership with Roon? Is this just an indicator that Schiit DACs are Roon-ready (whatever that would actually mean)?

 

It means future Schiit digital devices will decode Roon to analog directly, without ever going through a DAC.

DACs is what the Manhattan project will make obsolete!

 

Wait did I just read Schiit and Roon in the same sentence. Where can I read more ? or is this just a speculation ?

 

This perhaps? I only see Bifrost and Modi though...

https://kb.roonlabs.com/Partner_Devices_Matrix

 

It is saying this is a USB dac and it will work with roon. We tested it here to make sure since they are popular models. The end.
"As always, the primary source for information about devices and their capabilities should be the manufacturers themselves. This page is purely for the convenience of our users."

There is no partnership.

 

"It will make a certain audio category look dated."

Ok, so what are the audio categories (at least for HF):

• Headphones (wat too competitive for Schiit to compete)
• Headphone Amps (They are already there)
• Dedicated Source Components (They are already there)
• Portable Source Components (strong possibility here)
• Computer Audio (no point)
• Cables and Accessories (YES!)

From Stereophile:
See the list here, I don't want to retype it: http://www.stereophile.com/content/2016-recommended-components

Clearly the answer is cables! Schiit will come out with a wireless desktop cable system based on point to point microwave technology.

 

Aren't wires a thing of the past and dated themselves. I think my great great grandpappy probably used RCA cables. Couldn't you eliminate cables with dockable dac's amps? (we've officially went off the deep end)