NOT: Theory on the new Schiit

Something like a Mutec build into the DACs would be pretty cool though. Bifrost and Grungnir could upgrade the USB cards to something new and cool. The connection between computer and DAC is what limits the sound quality most. Make CDPs and Decrapifiers obsolete.

 

I'm not to familiar with balanced gear, but that wouldn't automatically make it a fully balanced setup would it?

 

DI boxes are what electric guitarists or bassists use to plug their TRS outputs into XLR inputs, so not exactly "fully" balanced because there would be some small length of unbalanced.

Mike's hint is definitely pointing to ADC. Pre-WWII probably means pre-RIAA EQ in that context, so maybe it grabs a phono signal and converts it unprocessed, or is capable of applying other non-RIAA EQ curves. In that case, the bluegrass thing earlier wasn't strictly about bluegrass, just any record before the EQ was standardized. And the device being made to look outdated is the USB turntable, I guess?

The hypothetical digital tube-ifier still sounds like a cool gimmick though. Schiit wouldn't make tube amps if they didn't think tubes sound good.

Edit: I didn't read earlier than Mike's reply in that other thread, oops. Was he actually referring to the Manhattan/Gadget, or hinting at one of their other irons in the fire?

 

Digitial tubifier would fit with the many hints given by Mike and Jason.

It would make tube amps possibly reduntant as much as LISST replaced need for tubes in the analog domain.

The only hint that doesn't fit is that the gadget is mainly for headphones rather than speaker systems.

Adding digital tubeness implemented in a revolutionary manner to my Ragnarok would be fantastic.

 

Jason has been pretty clear (at some point recently) that all the recent breadcrumbs dropped by him and Mike are not to do with "the gadget." I also stand by my earlier speculation that the gadget is almost certainly something to do with power supplies. The real Manhattan Project was all about unlocking tons of power. I hope / don't think they are delving into the radioactive, but it wouldn't surprise me if they are working on something with excellent power supply that doesn't need to be hand wound by elves at midnight on the solstice.

 

This is very interesting but I remember repeated statements about an A/D being really unlikely, just isn't the market for it, blah blah. Now the magic of the original MFSL GAIN system is thanks to Mr. Moffat and his multibit implementations...it could allow for transfers to be done with the Burrito math going in (ADC) and coming out (DAC), meaning no delta sigma would ever touch it. There is a huge gap between PC soundcards, inexpensive audio interfaces, etc. and the Benchmark ADC1, Lavry converters, all the pro options that definitely measure well and are well engineered. If they could make a really solid ADC for not a lot of money (like, Mani or Modibit prices) the enthusiast crowd that has been holding off on those vinyl transfers might jump. But most of the market for ADCs is in recording interfaces with 4-8 channels. Obviously he said it for a reason. It's just messing with my head.

 

If Schiit releases a studio grade ADC I will buy it day 1.

(and then have it face off in a death match against the TASCAM DA-3000 via needledrops for your entertainment.... bring your popcorn!)

 

It comes pretty darn tootin' close for most definitions of the word "balanced". Just keep the DI closer to the dac side.

 

If schiit made an active DI box, with a multitude of ins/outs and a volume pot for use as a pre, I would buy that. Like an uber sys camping just outside my modiMB.

 

Originally I was suspecting that Manhattan was a high-res converter box, which would use Mike's burrito math to easily convert content from 44.1 kHz redbook to whichever your DAC is expecting, thus bypassing the DAC's own upsampling filters. Basically, externalize the filter from the DAC, which in itself would be revolutionary. I was expecting that this would help bring down costs of Schiit's R2R DACs, which would come in handy for a potential younger brother to Bifrost MB; since Modi MB is now out, and features its filter internally, this makes the external high-res converter box less likely.

Mike has however these days dropped a very strange and, to me, suggestive comment on head-fi:

See also this separate comment on well temperament. I think that this is the firmest hint yet on what Manhattan really is about, even if not obviously so from the above, and that Mike's "fun to imagine" is more suggestive of "work in progress"...

 

Schiit will introduce a headset of course!
Now where can I collect my price?

(although I'd be curious what Schiits design of a top decrapifier would look like)

 

I also read that post (and replied to it) but as someone who has worked with Melodyne, iZotope, Capstan and all their insane DSP powers...do you really think they would make a box that runs some absurdly strong polyphonic analysis in real time and changes temperaments? As hardware? Who would buy that? How much would they buy it for?

 

I really want to see Jason or Mike walking around at the Schiitshow carrying a plunger-sceptre with "Schiit Decrapifier" engraved on it.

 

Schiit toilet brush

 

Did @zerodeefex ever give them their well-earned golden schlong for last year's Gungnir Multibit? Between the sceptre and a schiit-schlong, I think pimp status would be well cemented.

 

I tire of the term "fully balanced". Isn't it just a passive-agressive put-down? The gear I am listening to now is all fully single-ended and fully-stereo (trollface).

 

We still haven't seen a production model of the prototype that Jason brought to the meet at Shiazada's house in January.

 

Yea I'm probably using the term wrong. Don't have much experience with balanced gear aside from a brief stint with an LC.

I see how some would use it as a "put down". Does kind of have a connotation that single ended is somehow worse which is not the case.

 

People seem to give less of shit here about the semantics of something being 'balanced'. If @Armaegis made that suggestion at head-case they would go straight to DEFCON 1

 

@burnspbesq oooh, prototype of what?!