Schiit Gets Into The Surround Game

[firedog]

Got to give it to them for innovation and creativity. And it's low cost. 

It will be interesting to hear the reports of how people think it sounds as a system fed 5.1 and as a system creating 5.1 from stereo.

Chris, can't they send you one for review?

[firedog]

12 hours ago, DuckToller said:

Just look at the fees plus living cost for academic education - particularly in the Anglo-American system.

Nowadays parents can't afford to buy you a fancy stereo anymore.

 

12 hours ago, PeterG said:

 

Interesting hypothesis.  Not saying you're wrong, but for those of us of a certain age, just a few years ago, every dorm room (and apartment) had an "awesome" stereo

 

None of my contemporaries - even those from well off families had a stereo provided by the parents. Every family I knew considered the stereo an expense the offspring had to provide for themselves. The only exceptions I remember were families with decent setups that would give their now second hand equipment to a kid when they upgraded. 

 

Stand alone stereos are relatively expensive and take up space. Modern lifestyle is oriented toward appliance like devices and removing complexity, and reducing clutter. Not to mention getting rid of any kind of cables and using voice commands. People nowadays have listening to streaming mp3 over BT to a lifestyle speaker or earbuds as their default, and they consider it adequate.

Even in the relatively rare case that they want something better, they still tend to want something that doesn't take up much space and and is more or less wireless. There are some pretty good sounding active speakers with BT out there that don't cost an arm and a leg (say $200-$500 per speaker). Except for the types that come to sites like this, that's already considered an "audiophile upgrade". 

 

Headphone or earbud listening can lead to upgrades that are "audiophile" desktop systems for headphones or small desktop speakers. I don't think it's coincidental that Schiit is doing so well making lots of small, relatively inexpensive boxes aimed at the market for desktop and headphone based systems, for those that want a upgrade over the default using BT. 

 

I also don't see any necessary connection between wanting a better quality headphone based system and having a speaker based stereo; in some cases the desire for quality may lead to a speaker based setup, but I think in many cases it doesn't. 

[firedog]

2 hours ago, bobfa said:

GJALLARHORN power amps 3x $299

3 amps, meaning 2 run in stereo and one in mono? Or what am I not understanding?