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I Am Not an Audio Snob

Over the course of my 15+ years in the Forums, I have been called an "audio snob" a few times. Perhaps it was my attitude with the equipment being discussed, but I really am not sure. Which brings me to discuss my most recent purchase, a Schiit Lokius 6 band EQ. I ordered it last Friday afternoon (9-15-23) and received it on the following Monday! When I ordered it, the shipping time was 1-3 days and I received it in only 3 days.

My office system is 50% McIntosh, perhaps that is where audio snob came from, although Mac is no better or worse than other comparatively priced equipment. I am running the new JBL L100 Classic on their dedicated stands and supplement the bass with a single SVS PB2000 Pro sub. The room is extremely difficult, being on the second floor of my house and it is a big room. It has 3 dormers and slanted ceilings and the height of the ceiling is 18 feet. I have wall hangings on the slanted wall behind my speakers and various other wall hangings and some GIK room tuning treatments.

I was using a Bellari 4 band EQ in this system prior to my new purchase. First off, the Lokius is very nice, well built, high level of fit and finish for its price. It is dead quiet, and the controls are set up so you can’t screw up the sound too much. A few twists of the knobs here and there, and I am very happy. This was all in all, a very pleasant experience dealing with Schiit Audio. While I have no plans to make any further purchases, one never knows. I hope this puts the Audio snob to rest.

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hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 

If you are an audiophile you are a snob.  You believe and act as if you know more about music reproduction (and music) then the average mid-fi/pop music consumer.

What if you do know more and you're not an a**hole? What if you do have a more careful and criteria-filled approach to a complex aesthetic experience? You're not a snob if you don't act like one.

And if someone doesn't know something -- and you do -- should you not act like you know more since you do know more? You can instruct people without attacking their dignity.

My doctor is not a snob, a Ph.D. in physics is not a snob, a wine connoisseur is not a snob -- unless they act like one. 

snapoli2
101 posts
 

Schitt makes good gear - especially for the price. I especially love their Freya+ pre. I had that hooked up to a mc-462 amp and they sounded wonderful together. Like you I was also contemplating getting the schitt tone controls for my current system. 

gemoody
137 posts
 

2 Schitt Sys in service.  I no of no better device for what it does.

Thinking of trying a Vali or Valhalla as a tube buffer, but that is another story.

pooch2's avatar
pooch2
82 posts
 

I have owned the schiit Lokuis for a couple of years now and love it!  It is dead quite and is especially helpful with that vintage vinyl that has seen a few miles. It's also an important part of getting my listening room to behave for some recordings. These old ears can use all the help they can get.

helomech
1,673 posts
 

Whoever claims the Lokius is dead quiet either has other noisy gear in the chain or should seriously consider going to their local ENT for an audiogram. It is indeed dead quiet when in “bypass” mode, but is quite noisy and high in distortion otherwise. I tried one in conjunction with the Benchmark LA4 and AHB2. Once you flip the Lokius out of bypass it immediately becomes a noisy bottleneck. And before you ask, yes, the Lokius was located well away from any transformers or other sources of noise.

Maybe this qualifies me as a noise snob, so be it. Noise is the enemy of true resolution.

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