Schiit Loki Max?

@stuartk

After cataract surgery, my view of the gear became a lot clearer. I missed the Loki Max, so recently I bought one again, now in silver finish (formerly unavailable) to match my other gear.

Although I can read the knobs, I prefer more definite indicators. I bought replacement knobs from DigiKey.

I do find the unit cleaner than any other analog eq I’ve used. It doesn’t take anything from my listening pleasure; rather, it adds to it.

I set Preset 1 to all bands flat, and with each track, I start out that way. If EQ is needed, I can dial it in in a few seconds.

Did I really need it? No. Am I enjoying it? For sure!

@mike_in_nc 

"Did I really need it? No. Am I enjoying it? For sure!"

... and that's what matters, right? Life is short. 

You've made me curious about DigiKey -- I'll check them out. I may very well  eventually pick up a Max -- it's just not at the top of my upgrade list. 

These continued Schiit EQ testimonies prove time and again they’re worthy of a listen, and even the "purist" in mind should at least take notice. The Lokius which sets one back only a few hundred I consider a bargain / steal, Goldilocks Zone EQ. Those whom may be interested implementing one into their system I’d without hesitation skip right over Loki and purchase a Lokius. I’d certainly be interested in a Max (Schiit EQ trifecta style) if only felt she’d best their Lokius but have my doubts. Max level is purely "man, I ain’t getting up for schiit" convenience.

Equalization is necessary sometimes for some speakers; in my case for my very special headphone; then "purist" are deluded...

I use some for my headphone AKG-K340...It is an hybrid with two cells a dynamic one and an electro-acoustic one, and to reach optimal S.Q. i must tame a precise frequencies range in the middle band and at the two extremities, i boost the top highs and the deep bass... The result is more natural timbre for all instrument and voice... Hybrid headphone are too complex and costly to design well for profit and good sound said to me a big headphone company designer , that said a lot, and are too picky to drive well with any random amplifier in my experience ... The K340 is the only success and flagship for an hybrid ever... It change my life after the sad fateful lost of my acoustic room...

I dont use EQ. as a toy at all for different nusical genre or styles  and i never touched  it again after the listening month experiment where i set it right to optimize my K340...I use EQ. to optimize TIMBRE perception once for all  and this acoustic factor had nothing to do with  listening to various musical genre...

If someone use it as a toy it may be fun for sure but for me that means this audio system had an unsolved problem ... Because well designed system in optimized room need EQ only for improving timbre, and compensate for some speakers limits as in my headphone drivers case, it did not replace passive acoustic treatment not mechanical active control of the room ... ( in my room i was using mechanical equalization)

My EQ is integrated in my dac as a very basic tool it is not a sophisticated equalization as the Schiit product, but it does the minimal  work i need ...

«The only "purist" i trust has a double personality, he bi-locate around my head»-- Anonymus acoustician 🎧

@mahgister

Forgive me but I’m having difficulty locating my experience with EQ within your framework... so I must use my own framework in this case.

For me, it’s not so much about timbre as it is about overall tonal balance-- most often the highs are too forward or sometimes the lower mids are lacking clarity -- imbalances due to the, at times, frustratingly-inconsistent SQ of compact discs. 

The more resolving my system becomes, the better all CDs sound but their individual differences are also more apparent. They do not sound uniformly wonderful.

While I do not keep glaringly poor-sounding CDs in my collection, there are some that only require small EQ adjustments in order to eliminate otherwise distracting flaws that inhibit, as you might say, "immersiveness". This is not typically an issue with acoustic music genres but can certainly be an issue with electric instruments.

I hope this makes sense, despite being presented within a different framework.

🙏