"Transparent" means it does not add distortion. This is the problem with old equalizers (with the sliders). The idea IS to alter frequencies within the range of the control knob, plus or minus. This unit has 4 ranges. I have an old equalizer that I have used in my system, it works, but it is not very discreet. The Schiit EQ uses better quality parts, and has been designed fairly straight forward. For $150, it will be a little fun for me, at the least.
I wanted to use the Loki in my headphone set up, but I don't see how. I am laptop usb out/ into usb in Woo wa7d amp/dac HD650HP. With Loki having just RCA in and out. I don't see how to make the connection. Is there a way?
Tim, I share your concerns about the poor measurements of some Schiit products. And I don't understand why people care about where a products is manufactured. The questions to me are, is the device good? and is there reliable support for customers? I am happy to own American speakers, a Canadian amplifier, a Swiss equalizer, and a Chinese DLNA renderer. That said, I think your perspective on transparency is missing something. Like you, I find that computer-based EQ can be very good, and I use it in my desktop system. But not everyone wants a computer-based system, so there's need for good hardware equalizers. It is not easy to find one that doesn't alter the sound in some way other than the intended FR changes. The few analog ones I've tried each put a little veil over the sound -- removed its immediacy -- even when bypassed. I don't know why. A digital EQ I tried hardened the sound, making high violin notes relentless. Again, I am not equipped to determine the mechanism. So I hold that there is a need for fresh thinking and engineering to produce a hardware equalizer that doesn't degrade the sound. Is the Schiit Loki a start in that direction? If it gets audiophiles to accept EQ again, it might be.
Anybody here buying one to use for mastering? For instance, inbetween a tape deck and the Jil ADC? Or similar.
Very interesting product for Schiit to put out. I wouldn't have guessed this at all, especially when desktop pc/headphone listeners that are a huge chunk of their market use EQ built into whatever audio player program they use, if they use any EQ at all. The cynical part of me says that they looked at sales numbers and figured out that products in this price range ($200 or less) tend to sell the most for them so they set out make more devices that fit that price point.
jeez, hell of a headphone and speaker system! anyways, yeah my plan is probably also to use the Loki with my head^phones and speaker system. very excited by this!
Transparent means that the component adds no additional "noise" to the system; resulting in a lower S/N and higher noise floor.
This EQ sounds very interesting. I'd been thinking about integrating an Elysia Xfilter into my system but I might give this a go for the money. Also, the 'ignore' function makes this thread a far more pleasant read.
Ya, you want the Schiit. Forget about Elysia whatever her name is. - Ah, forget it, just ignore me... I think there is an "ignore" function on the Schiit too!
If you put anything in the signal path, active or passive, it degrades the signal. If you can't hear that, good for you.
Sorry, disagree; that's absolutely not true; if that were the case, the Schiit Eitr would not bring the benefits it brings to signal and sound quality. Also using a Sonore microRendu between the grungy, noisy and hashy USB out port of a computer and the USB in port of a DAC brings comparable and significant in improvement in signal and ultimately, sound quality. Even replacing a stock power with a good aftmarket one, e.g. Shunyata, prevents degradation of signal. In the case of the power cord, degradation in the form of RFI and EMR noise; as do shielded cables in the right application.
Yes, what I said is too general; I wasn't thinking along the lines of USB cables and power cords. But, is there a an external EQ that you know of that won't degrade the signal if you insert it, for example, between a CD player and a preamp?
I use a DSP in my system which can target any specific unwanted frequency. It has been a godsend on some recording that interact badly with the room. It can easily be bypassed but i dont buy in to the theory of sound degradation caused by its inclusion in the signal path
My Heresys are only capable of moderately low frequencies (I do not use a sub-woofer). I am wondering what effect the lowest frequency attenuation will have on the Heresy. Could boosting the lows that the speaker is not capable of, damage the speaker's woofer?
Doubt that pushing your Heresys would harm the woofers (I have owned Chorus IIs and Forte IIs, still have a pair of RF7s), but it is possible you could generate some distortion. Over time, that might damage the woofer. You might want to start with less than "the lowest frequency attenuation" and work down from there.
Well, my opinions are based on my 16-track analog recording experience. Anything inserted into the mic -> channel strip -> tape machine path diminished the sound. I could hear it easily. Same with mixing. Anything inserted into the tape -> mixer -> 2-track path diminished the sound. I could hear it easily. I'm not saying the Schiit doesn't sound good. I saying that I don't believe that any box with the 'bypass' switch engaged is as clean as a straight wire. I'm also not an anti-EQ person. The loudness button on my vintage receiver is permanently in the ON position.
Ya, I'm not unhappy with the Heresy's bass performance, it's nice and tight. But with the EQ it would be tempting to push it a little. I actually see the EQ as a way to tame the tweeter when playing cds. It can show some digital "glare" occasionally. Maybe roll that off a little, if it needs to. Looking forward to some user reviews here from forum members who have ordered one already.
i see your point. My DSP does not have a bypass switch. My cd player for example has two outputs. One goes directly to the amp's input and the other goes to the DSP via a passive amp. I cant avoid the DSP however when using TT unless i reconfigurate the RCA cables. Takes a few minutes to do so i dont really bother. Usually leave the DSP setting on "flat" and alter the settings when needs be.
What DSP is it? DSP would be what I would like to use, as I assume, it has a lot more options on fine tuning than just a simple EQ with fixed bands and fixed Q factor - at least you cannot adjust the Q factor yourself. Time corrections also come to my mind as problems a DSP could fix, dynamic compression or expansion, etc... However, to effectively use a DSP one should make himself familiar with all the options and setting. Should read and understand what all the option do to the sound. For people who also avoid using a computer for needle drops, a DSP likewise would be to complicated, so a simple 4 band EQ just would do for the coarse adjustments that get the sound 80% right. The last 20% of sound perfection would require about 80% of the work and effort. And not everybody wants to go that route, or has the time and energy to spend so much efforts on sound perfectioning of needle drops, for instance. So, for some people, a simple 4 band EQ might just be the right piece of gear. It's easy to understand what it does to sound, and might correct about most the sound issues.
