Can a name make you or break you in the Audio World
I remember being at a show a couple of years ago and seeing a company named Schiit in one of the hotel rooms. I thought it was a terrible name and didn't even walk in. I know who they are now and they seem to be doing quite well even in spite of the name. I guess you can have a lousy name if you make good products at fair prices. I just always thought that first Impressions meant everything when starting a new company. I wonder If they had started with a better name would they be more successful today than they already are.
I know how important this subject is in other industries. The car industry has made some real howlers in naming cars and not considering the meaning in every main language, which I understand they all do as a matter of course now. I am not sure it matters so much in a niche market like HiFi, which like it or not, it is and getting nichier, if that is a word, which it isn't.
This company is doing the best job in the industry in offering great sound quality and well made products at high value pricing, at least that is the perception of me and many of my audiobuds(i.e. audio enthusiasts, not those other buds).
The name works for them because it goes with their "s not bs" attitude and is backed by solid engineering, build quality and customer service.
OTOH, they name most product models after Norse mythology and I find the names hard to spell, pronounce, etc. Therefore, I am typing slowly to state that I am excited as I await my new Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC to arrive. Cheers, Spencer
I used to sell Adcom products at retail many many years ago and they always used interesting model numbers. Ever wonder why all of their products began with GF for their amps, preamps and tuners? It stood for Great Fu&kin, as in GFA1, GFA2, GFA545, GFA555, and GFP555, GFP565, etc for their preamps. At least that's what the adcom rep told us.
The name was intentional as a means of drawing attention. The announcement of yet another headphone amp and DAC would have barely been noticed. The announcement of an amp and DAC from a company with a unique name was rewarded with attention. It helped that the gear behind the name lives up to the promise.
Schiit has grown exponentially, and is continuing to expand now. Has the name put some people off? Perhaps. But not a large enough number for them to even worry about.
I found the name amusing and learned that the people behind it are quite serious about audio and just have a wicked sense of humor. It's like that ceiling fan company called Big Ass Fans. They make what looks like a great product. I wonder how many people pass them up because of the name. Their loss.
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