Schiit embarrassed at AXPONA

[botrytis]

18 hours ago, GUTB said:

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.

 

 

 

The Cantons are 25K a pair - they are their TOTL speakers. Also the equipment was around 50K. Compared to the Schiit Stack? You are comparing Apples and oranges.

[botrytis]

3 minutes ago, GUTB said:

But I’m told on this forum that price doesn’t matter. It’s not like the Song 3As are junk...or are they? To be 100% honest I’ve never heard a Salk that I’d describe as being excellent or superior, but that could be for reasons of setup, room, equipment, etc. 

 

BTW I’ll also point out that class D across the board was inferior. I heard the latest W4S, the big Cherry monos, a PS Audio setup (stereo amp, didn’t get the model), and maybe 1 or 2 I’m forgetting about. Insipid, lacking in inner detail, reality, etc.Very forgettable sound.

 

Then you haven't heard the new version of the speakers. They are actually excellent sounding.

 

Can I say your Class D nonsense is just that - NONSENSE.  MBL used Class D amps in their room and that was an excellent sounding room.

[botrytis]

Schiit had a great show. The Yggy was used in quite a few rooms, like Silnote cables and that was a fantastic sound.

[botrytis]

Like I said, Schiit was used in quite a few rooms and they sounded and worked great.