New Schiit for $99

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geowak

New Schiit for $99
« on: 6 Jan 2013, 02:20 am »
Just noticed Schiit Audio has a new USB ASYNC DAC for $99. Got my interest because I have a Bifrost DAC and really love the resolution. It's been a great budget DAC IMHO.

http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=14

Folsom

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #1 on: 6 Jan 2013, 03:38 am »
I want a review that talks about tonal quality, not just details.

A DAC should sing to me, be musical, not just let me know if the person playing sax farted during the recording.

geowak

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #2 on: 6 Jan 2013, 03:52 am »
I have not heard or have done a review of the MODI DAC by Schitt. I have done a review of the Bifrost at AudioKarma.org I did not opt for the USB option.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=459745

It was very musical and shined on Jazz recordings. I compared it to my older and pricer Benchmark DAC and it really
held up well. A bit less clinical and almost as refined. But no headphone jack at all...

saisunil

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #3 on: 6 Jan 2013, 04:00 am »
Nice review ... thanks

Rclark

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #4 on: 6 Jan 2013, 04:00 am »
I want a review that talks about tonal quality, not just details.

A DAC should sing to me, be musical, not just let me know if the person playing sax farted during the recording.

I would prefer the music to sing, and the dac to mind its manners. I've used this term before, but I don't want any of my gear to be musical. the music should be musical and the gear should translate that.

Having spent a lot of time with my current amps has created quite an appreciation for transparency. You can keep your richly toned/voiced aka musical dac. It's lying to you.

geowak

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #5 on: 6 Jan 2013, 05:20 am »


geowak

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #7 on: 6 Jan 2013, 05:34 am »
Thanks for the assist SRB!

wushuliu

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Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #8 on: 6 Jan 2013, 07:14 am »
I would prefer the music to sing, and the dac to mind its manners. I've used this term before, but I don't want any of my gear to be musical. the music should be musical and the gear should translate that.

Having spent a lot of time with my current amps has created quite an appreciation for transparency. You can keep your richly toned/voiced aka musical dac. It's lying to you.

It's not that simple. Every component is 'voiced' to a degree. It's unavoidable. At some point, the designer makes a decision that 'this' is what x should sound like, and then they make their case as to why their approach is the correct and/or best one. There is no magic door to the musical 'truth' that some have access to and others don't. So you are being lied to regardless. Heck, your ears and brain are lying to you anyway. From the mastering to your brain, it's lies lies lies. We choose the truths that fit us and we defend their gospel as best we can.

Folsom

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #9 on: 6 Jan 2013, 11:19 am »
I would prefer the music to sing, and the dac to mind its manners. I've used this term before, but I don't want any of my gear to be musical. the music should be musical and the gear should translate that.

Having spent a lot of time with my current amps has created quite an appreciation for transparency. You can keep your richly toned/voiced aka musical dac. It's lying to you.

I find transparency and lack of coloration by components to be what keeps tonal quality, keeps the music sounding like music and not a sad attempt at reproduction by squeezing it through electronics. If it doesn't give me some emotion, it isn't be conveyed remotely like the original.

I don't know what the fuck you are talking about, basically. I don't have a DAC atm but the one I did have was world class; and no tubes. Also I've seen enough live music to know that music is musical, per say, and very enjoyable for the life it has in it. If it just sounded clinical why would I listen to live music, or any music?

If something sounds very good, detail isn't the main point of discussion. Most decent gear has detail in spades. I want to know the attack and decay of stringed instruments will make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Detail, imaging, bass, OBVIOUS qualities of anything that isn't junk... they will be present but will I want to listen? I assure you, objective data of noise, replication, etc, are not enough for me. They aren't enough for anyone that prefers any DAC that costs more than the ODAC either (because objectively it scores freaking awesome).

Letitroll98

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Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #10 on: 6 Jan 2013, 07:45 pm »
A nice compromise.  Only USB, only 24/96, but only $99.  How could you go wrong if you need a computer only solution.

As for Mr. Rclark's post, it's just too easy to pile on, I'll resist the temptation.  I did have a great joke about his agility, but it would be in bad taste.... 

S Clark

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Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #11 on: 6 Jan 2013, 09:29 pm »
It's hard to go wrong at $99.  No doubt that this is an interesting company, but I was one of those burned by the Bifrost fiasco. When people lie to you face to face (RMAF), it's hard to put faith in them again. 

trackball02

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #12 on: 6 Jan 2013, 11:07 pm »
S. Clark, I'm not sure how they burned and lied to you. Personally, I bought a Bifrost and Asgard amp last summer. Very nice and smooth transaction. I also found them to be quite decent to chat with at THE Show in Newport last year.I would not hesitate to buy more equipment from them.

Rclark

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #13 on: 6 Jan 2013, 11:27 pm »
I find transparency and lack of coloration by components to be what keeps tonal quality, keeps the music sounding like music and not a sad attempt at reproduction by squeezing it through electronics. If it doesn't give me some emotion, it isn't be conveyed remotely like the original.

I don't know what the fuck you are talking about, basically. I don't have a DAC atm but the one I did have was world class; and no tubes. Also I've seen enough live music to know that music is musical, per say, and very enjoyable for the life it has in it. If it just sounded clinical why would I listen to live music, or any music?

If something sounds very good, detail isn't the main point of discussion. Most decent gear has detail in spades. I want to know the attack and decay of stringed instruments will make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Detail, imaging, bass, OBVIOUS qualities of anything that isn't junk... they will be present but will I want to listen? I assure you, objective data of noise, replication, etc, are not enough for me. They aren't enough for anyone that prefers any DAC that costs more than the ODAC either (because objectively it scores freaking awesome).

It's actually a pretty commonly discussed issue. Products are often heavily voiced in order to differentiate themselves.

Imo I prefer neutral and transparent. The music will impart whatever tones the producer decided on. I don't need my dac to replicate a tube amp.

srb

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #14 on: 6 Jan 2013, 11:35 pm »
S. Clark, I'm not sure how they burned and lied to you.

As I recall S Clark was told they would ship by a certain date and there were long delays so he cancelled his order.  If that was the case, not really what I would call being burned.  As far as being lied to, I remember Jason Stoddard posting ongoing updates about the delays.  I also remember someone was organizing a demo tour and Schitt never did make a "promised" tour unit available.
 
Unfortunate, but that seems like a possibility with any small company new product introduction.  It might be more prudent to wait until product stock is in hand before anouncing, but sometimes that can be the death of a small company if advance announcements are not made to create a buzz, which takes some time.  They gambled and lost.
 
I would be more concerned that the product has the features and functions as advertised.  I made a pre-order payment to Emotiva for their XDA-1 DAC after being told over the phone that it would do 24/192 over USB (the website did not disclaim that USB couldn't, it simply stated 24/192 as the "DAC's" capability, hence my phone call for clarification).
 
When I received it, it was apparent that it could only do 16/48 over USB, so I returned it.  Was I burned?  A bit singed.  Was I lied to?  I chalked it up that marketing was not in total communication with engineering and/or they did not understand that Windows would perform the downsampling required unless an internal mixer bypassing driver such as ASIO or WASAPI was used, so I guess it appeared to them that it would.
 
A bit of a hassle, but they were polite and paid for my return shipping (original shipping was free) so I'm not going to complain too much, and perhaps they learned something.
 
At least Schitt can say "Schitt happens".  It wouldn't make much sense if Emotiva said "Emotiva happens"!  ;)
 
Steve
 
 

medium jim

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #15 on: 7 Jan 2013, 01:27 am »
It's actually a pretty commonly discussed issue. Products are often heavily voiced in order to differentiate themselves.

Imo I prefer neutral and transparent. The music will impart whatever tones the producer decided on. I don't need my dac to replicate a tube amp.

?  What exactly does a tube amp sound like?   You do understand what I DAC does...It converts Digital back to Analog, tubes are the purest form of Analog, or the most linear. 

Jim

S Clark

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Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #16 on: 7 Jan 2013, 02:20 am »
S. Clark, I'm not sure how they burned and lied to you. Personally, I bought a Bifrost and Asgard amp last summer. Very nice and smooth transaction. I also found them to be quite decent to chat with at THE Show in Newport last year.I would not hesitate to buy more equipment from them.

You have a PM.

jackman

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #17 on: 7 Jan 2013, 02:27 am »
Does anyone know if this will work with a squeezebox?

S Clark

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Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #18 on: 7 Jan 2013, 02:30 am »

As I recall S Clark was told they would ship by a certain date and there were long delays so he cancelled his order.  If that was the case, not really what I would call being burned.  As far as being lied to, I remember Jason Stoddard posting ongoing updates about the delays.  I also remember someone was organizing a demo tour and Schitt never did make a "promised" tour unit available.
 
Unfortunate, but that seems like a possibility with any small company new product introduction.  It might be more prudent to wait until product stock is in hand before anouncing, but sometimes that can be the death of a small company if advance announcements are not made to create a buzz, which takes some time.  They gambled and lost.....
 
Steve
Steve, there was a bit more to it than delays.  You have a PM.

srb

Re: New Schiit for $99
« Reply #19 on: 7 Jan 2013, 04:06 am »
Does anyone know if this will work with a squeezebox?

If you have a Squeezebox Touch with firmware v7.7.x or later and the Enhanced Digital Output app it should work, but the new Schiit Modi is not in the tested list of DACs.  USB Class 1 Audio DACs may need a high speed external USB hub to work properly.  Read the limitations in the above link.
 
Don't know if anyone on this forum with a SB Touch owns this new DAC yet, so we'll see if anyone can verify for sure.
 
Steve