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Schiit not that Good?

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.


madavid0
wolf_garcia
6,631 posts
 
I haven't heard every Schiit product, but I am very fond of my Freya, Loki, and two Magni IIIs...all of these are relatively inexpensive, as is the Aegir that I didn't like so much and sent back since I prefer my single ended tube amp. 
audition__audio
1,334 posts
 
I have heard numerous Schiit products at Shows and have a friend who had their highest end amplifier (or integrated) and brought it over to my house to listen for a day. No in home experience with Tekton but I have heard them at Shows as well and thought they were less than impressive. In fact the Tektons sounded exactly how I expected them to sound based on the design. If all members could only make comments regarding equipment they have purchased or listened to intimately these forums would be pretty lonely places. Are you taking sensitivity lessons from the Klipsch crowd?
axememan's avatar
axememan
279 posts
 
I really like my Freya
213runnin
914 posts
 
jsautter, I guess you don't like Schiit Audio products then.  I suggest you buy whatever makes you happy.  The Freya + is the best pre I've heard, and it bested my gear from Parasound, Nad, Anthem and Denon while being much cheaper.  Many others are also finding that Schiit gear outperforms, but it's not the equal of the top tier stuff costing 3000+ per component.  I'm fine with that.
jetter
2,962 posts
 
In a way the newfound sensitivity of some members is getting to be a bit of a problem. I know wolf was thinking of purchasing either the Pass XA25 or the Schitt Aegir, the exact two amps I have been considering.

So if I ask him what he liked better about the SET, or what he did not like about the Aegir, would he be considered bad mouthing the Aegir?

That’s a crock of Schitt! (sorry, could not resist). Really though, for those of us considering the Aegir versus other amps it would be very helpful to hear his honest evaluation.
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