Does Anyone Buy Schiit for the Sake of Schiit?


Most of us I think when buying something where workmanship and materials are less critical than price will go to a discount store like Walmart of Target (I think we've all heard they about calling it Tar-zhay because it's classier than Walmart) or Costco - the sort of stores where what you buy is not the best but it's always good for what you pay for it. I'm wondering, is Schiit the audio equivalent of Target? That is, does anyone buy it because the Schiit gear is particularly good, or merely that it's good for the price? The only Schiit product that I've ever bought is the Asgard as a headphone amp, since I don't use headphones that often, and I wasn't going to put a lot of money into it. Actually, I tried the Vali 2+ at first, and that seemed rather inadequate, so I sent it back and got the Asgard instead. It seems good enough, though I don't have much to compare it to, but it seems to struggle a bit in getting to higher volume levels. 

heretobuy

I have one of the last batch of their Sol turntable. From what I've heard in the comparable range, the Sol blows away the competition. It's no question that Rega, Thorens, etc. make nice turntables, and I know if you dropped some $ tweaking them, they do get better with upgrades. Even right out of the box, my Sol was a great sounding unit, and eventually I did some accessory purchases and some DIY tweaking too. It now absolutely sounds fantastic and completely runs circles around a Rega P3. I really wish they'd bring the Sol back into production or at least produce a few more tonearms so I can easily swap cartridges. My only regret was not purchasing extra tonearms when I could.

-Lloyd

 

 

@fuzztone 

 

"Shenzhen is cheaper, sounds more musical and better customer support"

 

Couldn't agree more!

I won't buy something just because of the name.  I buy audiophile gears based on extensive quality reviews and trials.  I purchased Schiit Modius and I kept it because I think it is a dac outperforming may DACs I had tried below $500 and other had reviewed below $1k.  It takes away digital glare so I could listen to music many hours without fatigues, while still retains details and commendable SS width and depth.  The only thing remained to be seen is its long-term reliability.

I found the forumers who praise the Schiit as very good to excellent "budgetary" products but NOT audiophile grades are rather snobbish.  If you do not beleive they are audiophile grade then do not buy it, because you are downgrading yourself to a non-audiophile at the same time.  Why do you proclaim yourself to be a audiophile when you purchase and actually enjoy with a non-audiophile product?  Snobbish!  That is the first explanation I could think of.  In addition, they are one of direct-sale companies that aim to serve well the audiophile community with quality yet affordable audiophile grade equipments.  This business model puts themselves a competitor of not only other manufactures but also dealers.  That is the second explanation I could think of.  If you proclaim yourself as a audiophile and enjoy using the Schiit product, give the appraisal that Schiit actually deserves.  Don't be that stingy.

Cost does not always determine quality. Many companies work hard to keep costs down. Direct to consumer sales low advertising budget. To say Schiit is low quality because you had one product and did not like it is what we typically see here. You “heard” they have bad customer service? People rendering opinions on gear they have never heard. If Schiit shut down for a year for r&d, then advertised for 6 months that their new high end line of product was coming out, signed a contract with multiple retail stores, then doubled the price when they put them in the stores man there would be saying how great they are. Thing is though everything was the exact product before the marketing campaign, retail launch. Buy what you want and let others buy what they want and only offer opinions from real experience.

 

Well, I am an audiophile with lots of experience (I am 65, bought my first pair of Advents in 1972 and started listening to state of the art equipment shortly thereafter, building a GAS Ampzilla in 1975, pairing it at the time with a Marantz Model 7).

To say that Schiit is not audiophile equipment is flat out dumb. I’d put my Yggdrasil up against any DAC on the market, at any price, and it won’t be embarrassed. Every piece of Schiit I have bought for myself or my family has been terrific, and not just for the price. I got my older son a Modi Multibit DAC this past Christmas  and damn!, the drive that unit has is unbelievable. The Schiit Vali headphone amp, combined with the Modi, did a superb job of driving my Sennheiser HD800S. Different but Not too far in overall satisfaction than what I get from my Woo WA6 with the Sophia Electric mesh rectifier tube.
 

so c’mon, cut out the superiority. They are all well made (I have bought a Saga, Vali, Modi, Loki, Hel, and Yggdrasil), no issues with any of them ever.

Audiophile equipment indeed, but without the stupid, gold-chain prices.