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About

Who We Are

Schiit got started in 2010 when two audio industry veterans decided it was time to shake things up a bit. The two audiophiles are Jason Stoddard, formerly of Sumo, and Mike Moffat, formerly of Theta. Together, they have designed dozens of audio and A/V products before Schiit, from the Andromeda III to the Cobalt 307 to the DS Pre and Angstrom 200.

So, yeah: fully balanced differential power amplifiers, fully discrete I/V conversion stages, audiophile D/A converters, relay-switched stepped attenuator volume controls in preamps. the first DTS home theater surround processor on the market . . . we’ve done a ton of stuff.

So What Now, and Why So Much Headphone Stuff?
In the old days, audiophiles went up the food chain from the table radio to the console stereo to separate speakers the size of refrigerators and monoblocks that would cook a cat. Today, nobody starts with a table radio. Everyone—and we mean everyone—starts with headphones.

So, yeah. We do a lot of personal audio. But that doesn't mean we don't have products that are totally comfortable in a speaker-based system, from industry-leading preamps and amps, to literally every DAC we make. Whether you're looking at personal audio or at a speaker-based system, we have fun, affordable products that'll put a smile on your face.

So What Makes Your Products Special?
Mike Moffat separately aligns each molecule of every JFET, using a special Absolute Zero containment suit…er, well, no. What makes them special are three things:

True Multibit™ DACs and Unique Digital Filter 
Today, virtually every DAC uses a reduced-bit technology known as "delta sigma." Multibit DACs have largely gone by the wayside, thanks to less-expensive delta-sigma technology. The few multibit DACs that exist either use NOS (new old stock) D/A chips, one of two or three still-extant multibit chips, or build their own R2R ladders at high cost. We've always believed that multibit DACs provide the best sonic performance, especially when coupled with Schiit's unique, DSP-based closed-form digital filter. This is why we've brought them together in our unique True Multibit topology, using current-production, medical/military grade D/A converters.

Innovative Analog Approaches
On the analog side, we've also taken innovative approaches, each uniquely designed for the task at hand. Even our least expensive headphone amplifier is essentially a miniature, fully discrete, DC coupled, current-feedback power amplifier. We've introduced the Continuity™ output stage to address the transconductance droop that is inherent in Class AB amplifier designs, developed unique balanced topologies like Nexus™ in Ragnarok 2, and created a seamless blend of tube and solid state with Coherence™in Lyr 3. 

Designed for the Real World
The real world is a complex place, which is why all of our products are overbuilt. Pick up any of our products, and marvel at their weight, heft, and solidity. Even our smallest products are made of aluminum and steel. The larger products use high-quality C-core transformers, extensive power supply filtering, and precision low-noise regulation.

All of our products are developed with the latest APx555 audio analyzer, as well as a full half-dozen Avermetrics analyzers for in-line testing. We burn-in every product from Asgard on up for a minimum of 1 day to help catch any early failures. (Ragnarok and Yggdrasil get 4 days each). We also keep very close tabs on any service and support needs, so you can rest assured of years of great sound.

And—it bears mentioning—we believe that close-coupled, local control of all of the aspects of production delivers better products. That's why we design and produce our stuff here in the USA, with the vast majority of parts cost going to US-based companies manufacturing in the US. We need all of that clarification in there because some people have played games with what "Assembled in USA" means. When we say it, it means that our chassis guys are right over the hill in the San Fernando Valley, our transformers are made here in California, our boards come from the east coast (of the USA), and we design, assemble, and test everything here in Valencia, California. 

Why don’t you check out our Schiit?

Want more info? Check out the full story—all 160,000+ words of it—here on Head-Fi. Or, if you're really into it, you can even buy the book.