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    • Schiit

    Posts: 25,254
    in Electronics
    I have little to no experience with Schiit products. What does everyone think of Schiit? Novelty gear, serious gear, or just average.

    They seem to have a lot of smaller pieces and the prices are pretty reasonable. I read their philosophy and know the two main guys are from larger very successful brands.

    So many different but similar things to choose from always makes me a little suspect.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 19,501
      Haven't heard a lick of 'em yet....

      Some of the people that own them seem to like the gear. Without hearing anything from them....can't really comment.

      Tom
      ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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    • Posts: 34,200
      edited December 2024
      I bought one of their little Mani headphone preamps to monitor livestream audio for our church. It's very good, and it was very inexpensive (on close-out).

      53538261327_7397de8e20_b.jpg

      sdy8e216xss3.jpg

      Their frat-boy humor and snarky, self-deprecating style doesn't really work for me, and some of their products are downright silly, but they have a reputation for knowing what they're doing (ahem, with the possible exception of their turntable fiasco). Their product line seems to be drifting steadily upscale, especially in price, though.
      Their customer service reputation is kind of checkered (many glowing reports, but some disastrous ones, too).
      ASR, of course, is very Schiit-centric (yeah, yeah... I know... low hangin' fruit :p) -- lots of chatter & lots of reviews there, too.
      I am not terribly impressed with the construction of their components -- which all looks the same, irrespective of whether it's the aforementioned $100 HP amp or a multi-thousand dollar amplifier or preamp. Grit your teeth and read a few of their reviews -- more to the point, the discussion in the threads attached to the reviews. :#

      Are you thinking about specific product categories?

      I will admit... I wouldn't mind playing with one of their little tone control boxes, but even the cheap one's not quite cheap enough to buy on a whim.

      PS Their products do seem to have fairly short lifecycles, and they have an almost bewildering array of individual products for what I presume is fundamentally a pretty small company. :|

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    • Posts: 5,013
      FWIW,

      I bought the AEGIR and like it a lot for a small setup I use sometimes. Sweet sounding.

      I see they have the AEGIR 2F for a hundy more that is a bit more powerful.

      The Mani or the Skoll are on the backup phono pre list...
      Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT SuperzeroSpeaker Cables: DH Labs, Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster: Beer budget, Bose ears
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    • Posts: 10,450
      I enjoy all my Schiit stuff. Several mid-level DACs (both delta-sigma and multibit), headphone amps (ss and tubed), and several of the small form-factor components (same types as above).

      Varying levels of design quality/complexity/cost.

      I haven't had a chance/need to try their higher level, more serious gear, but would like to.

      You guys prob wouldn't be satisfied with it.
      I disabled signatures.
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    • Posts: 19,501
      I dunno. I remember listening to a cheap Radii chi-fi (I think it was a Chinese build) 8-watt tube amp that sounded rather impressive. I need to find that and pull it out again. I haven't seen it in a very long time.

      Tom
      ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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    • Posts: 25,254
      edited December 2024
      msg wrote: »
      I enjoy all my Schiit stuff. Several mid-level DACs (both delta-sigma and multibit), headphone amps (ss and tubed), and several of the small form-factor components (same types as above).

      Varying levels of design quality/complexity/cost.

      I haven't had a chance/need to try their higher level, more serious gear, but would like to.

      You guys prob wouldn't be satisfied with it.

      Looking to make a 4th rig for near field listening and/or to alternate in the office rig. Lately I've been intrigued by minimal parts design, low power amplifiers and basic minimalist pre-amps. On a budget.

      I'd really like to dip my feet into some First Watt stuff, but for making what is a 3rd rig, even used it's just too expensive (I think). Then I'd need a suitable pre and dac at the level of the First Watt amp. That's just another rabbit hole.

      I am buying one of these. https://diyaudiostore.com/products/aca-minmax-bundle

      Nelson Pass "Amp Camp Amp" but reworked for a bit more power. Hopefully my very rusty electronics skills come back to me and I'm able to assemble and test properly.

      I just received this. Schiit Gjallahorn amp.

      3linre8chrc9.jpg
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      I had been reading some very positive reviews and it seems it might fit my near field listening w/the R200's.

      I also just received this yesterday for pre/dac duty. I have a big hard on for Keces gear. High quality budget gear back in the day. Heavy emphasis on stout, properly designed power supplies. Hand soldered pcb's, intelligent design. High quality part selection. I am listening to a 14 year old dac and it sounds great, only 16bit. (BB PCM 2702 chipset)

      667rzgizn6v6.jpg
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      Todays Keces gear is even better, modern but pricey. I have another dac, and a headphone/pre-amp from the older days. Current gear, I have the superb E-40 integrated amp w/high rez dac and phono section and (2) linear power supplies.

      If I can find one of these (used). The others will be obsolete and maybe I'd spring for a First Watt amp to pair with. This audio thing is a disease....lol

      https://www.kecesaudio.com/S3.html

      But back to the Shiit.

      I have had very little time listening to the Gjallahorn (10 wpc), but while writing this I have been listening to Muddy Waters - Folk Singer and I have to say I am impressed at the details in space and the room reflections as well as the depth of the recording is coming through in spades. Ambiance retrieval is impressive. That's a testament to the amp as well as this 14 year old dac/pre.

      H9

      P.s. I do have some discrete op-amps I will roll in the Keces DA-152. I have found these can make a profound difference in sound. Keces op-amps are socketed.





      Post edited by heiney9 on
      "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 3,217
      I tried a Mani (first version) phono preamp several years ago, but experienced a lot of RFI, so had to sell it. Full disclosure: it wasn't the first time (nor the last) that I've had RFI issues, so not a real shock.

      When I contacted Schiit about my issue (before selling the unit), their reply didn't exactly give me the warm and fuzzies. They suggested that I try different interconnects :/ The issue was clearly a poorly-shielded power supply in the Mani, but they didn't want to admit that.
      "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
      "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
      Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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    • Posts: 2,691
      I have the Schiit Skoll phono pre. Very positive thoughts on it.

      Solid build quality, especially for the price and very flexible.

      Sound is much, much improved from a lot of the built in phono stages I've messed around with in the past. Only put it up against a Musical Fidelity MX VNYL, very similar overall.
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    • Posts: 4,544
      Upstatemax wrote: »
      I have the Schiit Skoll phono pre. Very positive thoughts on it.

      Solid build quality, especially for the price and very flexible.

      Sound is much, much improved from a lot of the built in phono stages I've messed around with in the past. Only put it up against a Musical Fidelity MX VNYL, very similar overall.

      When Schiit's products hit the market I thought of them as being similar in concept to the old Musical Fidelity X series of components from the late 1990s rather than anything unique. I still have some of the MF X10v3 components but haven't used them in a long time.
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    • Posts: 25,254
      I've spent a little time with the Gjallahorn and compared to what I usually run in my office rig. Probably too early to comment, but it seems to be mid/upper mid forward. It's missing some of the "flesh" on the bone I'm used to. It's not bright or strident, just thin in the lower midbass down.

      I will continue to evaluate. I just snagged a well built Pass Labs Camp Amp. 8-10 wpc singled ended class A. Going to compare when that gets here.

      https://diyaudiostore.com/products/amp-camp-amp-kit

      H9
      "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 2,564
      Well heiney9 how do you like the Amp Camp Amp?
      I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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    • Posts: 25,254
      MillerLiteScott wrote: »
      Well heiney9 how do you like the Amp Camp Amp?

      The deal fell through as the unit started having issues before he shipped it. Now I'm a bit leery of buying other people's DIY builds, when I know nothing about their skill level.

      I grabbed a pair of NEW amp camp amp kits when they came back in stock at the DIY Store. I am going to run them in parallel mono. I even bought the upgrade parts that were done at one time.

      As soon as I get the big rig set up in my new space (I'm about there) I will start building my own amp camp amps. I've looked at a couple other pre-built units and still no confidence in buying. People ask retail and in many cases more for these kits.

      There is a great looking pair on US Audiomart right now that appear to be well done, even with the associated upgrades. But he's asking $795 for the pair plus shipping. That's a lot of $$$ for DIY. Another guy was asking $1200 (now down to $1100) for a standard pair.......insanity!

      Believe me I will post here when they are done and I'm listening to them. Looking forward to it.

      H9

      "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 34,200
      edited March 1
      heiney9 wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      The deal fell through as the unit started having issues before he shipped it. Now I'm a bit leery of buying other people's DIY builds, when I know nothing about their skill level.
      ...
      Very prudent.
      I have here a lovely, chocolate-faced :) HH Scott LK-72 stereo integrated amp that I bought many years ago for (from my perspective, at least) real money, albeit strictly as-is. The LK-72 was the kit version of the redoubtable Scott 299 amp family (pp 7591). The Scottkits were quite straightforward to build -- partly assembled as shipped, parts collected for each step of assembly, and with excellent documentation with color diagrams for wiring, etc.
      but...
      This LK-72 has one weak channel. I've tried several times over the years/decades :blush: to troubleshoot it. Signal is OK in the weak channel all the way to the phase splitter; that's as far as I've ever gotten with it.
      Way back when, I asked my father for advice about troubleshooting the amp. His first comment: "That's the problem with someone else's kit. You don't know if it ever worked properly." :/
      Besides just mistakes, poor soldering or mechanical connection is often the bugbear -- it's not unreasonable with a someone else's kit to, at the least, reflow every solder connection. Often it's necessary to redo some of them.
      I've had this happen to my own builds, too. :blush::#
      ahem sorry for the typically egocentric aside above :/ -- @heiney9, the one good thing about the ACA is that they're very simple and straightforward. If one had to troubleshoot someone else's problem, an ACA would be way more tractable than an LK-72 :p
      But, yeah -- good call!
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    • Posts: 25,254
      I want instant gratification that's why I was even considering other builds. Honestly the pair on US Audio Mart look really nice and if the ACA kits hadn't come back in stock, I would probably jump on those. They are priced at about what he has in them (with the Tungsten upgrades) sans his labor.

      I ordered the Tungsten upgrade parts from Mouser, the cost was about $50 for both amps. I am happy I have them here to build. I just need to find time to get started and finished.

      I agree, the ACA w/issues would be much easier to troubleshoot. But if I have to do that I might as well build my own.........I am a bit of a perfectionist too....lol.

      H9
      "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 19,501
      My apologies for the off topic post, but have you even completed your other projects? PS upgrades and whatnot?

      We haven't heard a peep.


      Tom
      ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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    • Posts: 25,254
      edited March 1
      treitz3 wrote: »
      My apologies for the off topic post, but have you even completed your other projects? PS upgrades and whatnot?

      We haven't heard a peep.


      Tom

      I finally got the main rig up and running tonight. No, I haven't completed the cross over upgrade on the RT25i's, but I am not really using them now, so that can wait.

      Getting the main rig up and running is a huge thing off my list. I couldn't find the upgrade for the Blue Sound Node 3 I bought before we moved. The one to use an external linear PS. I tore every box and corner in the new place apart looking for it. I didn't want to set up the new rig and then have to tear it apart to put in the upgrade. I ended up buying another one.....lol. Of course after I installed it, I found the original one...... :D:D. It was in a box stashed away, the only one I hadn't looked in.

      We have been doing a lot of decorating and DIY stuff which has made my "free" time limited. My long term GF has been making the place look nice and we are putting our own finger print on the place. I had 9 new windows installed and we ordered new cellular blinds and I installed them last weekend and finished today.

      My mother in law (my GF and I aren't married but dating for 11 years so I do call her my MIL) had one leg amputated below the knee and she lives in an assisted care facility. We spend a lot of time taking her shopping, out to dinner/lunch and just getting her out as much as possible. She's wheelchair bound so it really takes two of us to take her out or to bring her over here.

      I don't seem to have as much free time as I like so the "fun" audio projects come slowly.

      The rig finally has the EtherRegen installed running off it own linear PS. I bought some Bi-Wired MIT Shotgun S1's to replace the non-biwired set I had. Also bought a new power conditioner - Puritan Audio PSM136.

      It sounds absolutely fantastic and it's not even dialed in or have any room treatments yet. Just an equilateral triangle listening position and some toe-in.

      I will be starting the Pass Amp Camp Amps build soon. I don't have a suitable work station set up yet. I have a place, it just needs to be properly set-up.

      A quick pic of the rig. I just finished hooking up the last cable about 2 hours ago.

      P.s. The center speaker for the Polk Magnifi Mini is temporary.

      H98id7os63m095.jpg
      "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
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    • Posts: 19,501
      Thanks for the update bro'.

      Tom
      ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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