I was just reading Mark Henninger’s show coverage on the AVS forums and he stated the Schiit/Salk room sounded considerably better than the Esoteric room with $100k worth of gear. Apparently the master clock alone in the Esoteric cost $20k. No matter what you think of the sound from either room, from a cost standpoint it’s hardly a fair comparison in my opinion.
Schiit not that Good?
Schiit was at AXPONA again this year. They were showing a Salk music server streaming into a Gungnir Multibit (?) feeding a Freya and two Vidars. Speakers were the Salk Song 3As.
So what happened?
Esoteric was just next door. This allowed attendees to move immediately from one room to another. Esoteric was showing a full stack of thier latest separates plus a VPI Avenger for analog. Speakers were a pair of Cantons I didn’t get the model of.
The Schiit room, while not bad, was completely destroyed by the Esoteric room. Esoteric played one SACD that unfurled a massive soundstage that I could sense even not being in the best seat. The sound of the Esoteric system, both via SACD and vinyl was dynamic, resolving, extremely musical, collected, vibrant, both large and delicately structured. It was a system that got all the minor details right. Such a good setup. The Schiit setup, while unoffensive, clean, and musical in its own right, simply couldn’t face the Esoteric in inner detail, soundstage, reality and low-level dynamics.
Why did the Schiit system fail so hard vs the Esoteric? Part of the reason might have been the junk cabling used by Schiit. Peaking behind the system I was Blue Jeans speaker cables and mess of power bricks, basic cabling, etc. I don’t know how much of the Schiit’s performance was compromised by inferior cabling, but I’m curious how close it would have come to the Esoteric had Schiit paid some basic attention to that area.
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I’m inclined to read something like madavid0’s writeup as a not so subtle slap at Schiit. Damning with faint praise (e.g., "unoffensive, clean and musical") while asking why the Schitt system "failed so hard" vs the Esoteric. To suggest it was due to use of Belden cabling without including any price info about the two systems being compared seems disingenuous to me. Yeah, I own several pieces of Schiit so you could say I’m "emotionally invested" (and you might be right) but then I’m not the one making ridiculous comparisons. |
It’s unfortunate that honest assessments like this get such blowback. The offended fanboys always pile on. Schiit gear is decent, but often overhyped. Having owned some Schiit, and having heard a number of systems with Esoteric pieces, I certainly don’t doubt the veracity of op’s observations. And it’s just that - his observations posted in an online forum. He doesn’t need to justify or qualify his opinions, and I don’t care that there’s a gigantic price differential (op didn't mislead anyone in to believing the 2 systems were similarly priced); it’s still an interesting comparison - especially with Schiit pushers continually barking about their "giant killer" gear. Well, then go fight giants! |
Yeah, I just noticed he started a thread at computer audiophile using the same first post. I wonder how many forums he's done this to, and why does he feel the need to wage some kind of campaign? Get a life, GUTB! https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/39108-schiit-embarrassed-at-axpona/ |
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