New Schiit SYN - Analog Surround Sound Processor

[Deleted member 48726]

That's fine. But you then have 3-5 amps on your desktop to handle the 5 surround channels? I'm not aware of any compact 5-channel amps?

You just need 3 Schiit Gjallarhorns too. -At one point you can start playing Jenga with your friends.

 

[DSS]

What no one is has mentioned is this most resembles Steve McCormick / Conrad Johnson's nifty all-analog "ARM" circuit that takes a 2-channel signal and intelligently expands it to matrix surround. I use a different preamp now and I miss that circuit.

Also of particular Interest: the ESS DAC used here is like 10 years old...hmmm.

My TC electronics DAC (BMC-2) is over 10 years old and sounds great!

 

[617]

I absolutely love this. For the center image alone. Spread Spectrum makes a device called the 'Trinaural Processor' which makes a center channel for $3000.

Hifi is supposed to be fun and there are lots of precedents for this technology. Dynavector makes a device to add speakers for spatial effects.

 

[T.M.Noble]

It's fun to see how polarizing this product is. A lot of different opinions. I am excited to see how it shakes out.

 

[617]

It's fun to see how polarizing this product is. A lot of different opinions. I am excited to see how it shakes out.

First Schiit product I've considered buying honestly! I assume it matches the Saga in terms of size?

 

[Matias]

How many people will need a desktop surround processor when the typical setup is something like this?
View attachment 276754

This Syn can handle both use cases: the processor in a home theater room like you have shown (remote), but also a desktop computer with speakers in front and surround as well as headphone with mic (gaming). It handles both scenarios pretty well imo.

First Schiit product I've considered buying honestly!

Me too! And I am far from a Schiit fan

It's fun to see how polarizing this product is. A lot of different opinions. I am excited to see how it shakes out.

In your place I would be having a beer and enjoy reading us users debate this. Also curious to see how the sales go.

 

[NTK]

This Syn can handle both use cases: the processor in a home theater room like you have shown (remote), but also a desktop computer with speakers in front and surround as well as headphone with mic (gaming). It handles both scenarios pretty well imo.

Headphones are two channel devices. The "surround" processing is done to manipulate the signal into a 2 channel output. DSP is much more suitable/capable for this purpose.

[Edit] I'd think a DSP with a matrix mixer (plus a multi-channel DAC or audio interface) can easily do what this device does and much more.

 

[Matias]

Headphones are two channel devices. The "surround" processing is done to manipulate the signal into a 2 channel output. DSP is much more suitable/capable for this purpose.

The same processing from L/R channels mixing into fake center can be used partially for headphones - it is called crossfeed and many users prefer it to pure L/R channels (not my case, but still).

 

[T.M.Noble]

First Schiit product I've considered buying honestly! I assume it matches the Saga in terms of size?

Same chassis size as Magnius/Modius/Lokius. Same footprint as Saga but lower profile.

 

[NTK]

The same processing from L/R channels mixing into fake center can be used partially for headphones - it is called crossfeed and many users prefer it to pure L/R channels (not my case, but still).

Crossfeed is just a tiny part. DSP can do much more than that. See below link for some ideas of what Dr. David Griesinger did with his Logic 7 upmixer, and the issues he was trying to address. And that was 15-30 years old. The "technology" used in this Schiit product is about as primitive as it gets.

http://www.davidgriesinger.com/surround_from_stereo2.ppt

 

[617]

Crossfeed is just a tiny part. DSP can do much more than that. See below link for some ideas of what Dr. David Griesinger did with his Logic 7 upmixer, and the issues he was trying to address. And that was 15-30 years old. The "technology" used in this Schiit product is about as primitive as it gets.

http://www.davidgriesinger.com/surround_from_stereo2.ppt

I eagerly await David Griesinger's kickstarter

 

[T.M.Noble]

Crossfeed is just a tiny part. DSP can do much more than that. See below link for some ideas of what Dr. David Griesinger did with his Logic 7 upmixer, and the issues he was trying to address. And that was 15-30 years old. The "technology" used in this Schiit product is about as primitive as it gets.

http://www.davidgriesinger.com/surround_from_stereo2.ppt

Primitive indeed. Also, sounds pretty good.

 

[juliangst]

Really interesting product. A bit gimmicky but way more exciting than just another DAC in this crowded market.

I just tried this Hafler circuit out myself by connecting my cheap Lepy amp to my subwoofer pass-through which is connected to my integrated amp's pre out. I connected both positive outs to a single cheap satellite speaker.
It definitely adds more spaciousness and makes the sound more lively in my rather dampened office setup.

When switching to mono I still get a fair amount of sound out of my rear speaker which could be the bad crosstalk of the Lepy or the sub passthrough is doing something bad.

Definitely try it out yourself but make sure your speakers are the same sensitivity and you amp can handle the lower impedance or use another amp like I did.

 

[BJL]

This product does not even have six analog inputs, useful in case someone has an optical disc player that decodes providing an analog out (such as the old Oppo players). If that were the case then it would be something reasonable, a 6 channel analog pre-amp with a gimmick for a bonus. The "stereo to multichannel" so-called feature is abject silliness. Dolby and dts provide superior post processing for this purpose, and basically any AVR, even the lowest end, provide numerous post processing options. The Syn is also a poor deal, no amplifiers, means, more cables and the pre-amp is just the beginning.

One person mentioned that they couldn't find and AVR small enough and most were ugly. Yes! This is true. However, an AVR can be hidden away in a cabinet (with vent holes of course) and controlled by a handy iPhone or Android app.

I hope that this product is a market place failure. The manufacturer should be ashamed to market such a scam. This is something that naive folks will waste money on. It looks like sucker bait to sell power amps. As an April Fool's joke it would have been great. As something real, it is shameful.

 

[juliangst]

This product is not meant to compete with AVRs or to be used with multichannel content.
It's basically a DAC/ Headphone/ Preamp with unique feautres. It's made for people with stereo systems who would never get an AVR.

I see a lot of people using Schiit's equalizers and this falls in the same category and is not a scam.

 

[MRC01]

This is quite an unusual device. The only similar device that comes to mind is Meier audio's COUNTry - a device providing built-in hardware DSP functions, accessible with old fashioned knobs instead of display screens. It's sort of like a hardware version of some of the useful stuff in PulseEffects: EQ, crossfeed, stereo expander, reverb, notch filters, bass enhancement, etc.

 

[T.M.Noble]

This product does not even have six analog inputs, useful in case someone has an optical disc player that decodes providing an analog out (such as the old Oppo players). If that were the case then it would be something reasonable, a 6 channel analog pre-amp with a gimmick for a bonus. The "stereo to multichannel" so-called feature is abject silliness. Dolby and dts provide superior post processing for this purpose, and basically any AVR, even the lowest end, provide numerous post processing options. The Syn is also a poor deal, no amplifiers, means, more cables and the pre-amp is just the beginning.

One person mentioned that they couldn't find and AVR small enough and most were ugly. Yes! This is true. However, an AVR can be hidden away in a cabinet (with vent holes of course) and controlled by a handy iPhone or Android app.

I hope that this product is a market place failure. The manufacturer should be ashamed to market such a scam. This is something that naive folks will waste money on. It looks like sucker bait to sell power amps. As an April Fool's joke it would have been great. As something real, it is shameful.

That's a lot to absorb. Am I reading this as vitriolic, or is it just me? I get not liking a product, being indifferent or questioning the purpose. It's the hate that boggles me.

We honestly just make things we think people will enjoy. This one, clearly, is not for you. Luckily, we have not made the purchase of Syn mandatory.

 

[Hatto]

You just need 3 Schiit Gjallarhorns too. -At one point you can start playing Jenga with your friends.

View attachment 276851

And I think that's the main point of coming out with such a device at this point in time: Create demand for multiple speaker sets to sell more G-horns (and maybe Rekkrs) along with it.

 

[Dogen]

These devices can be fun… long ago I sometimes used a Dynaco QD-1 and enjoyed it.

 

[TimW]

Anyone else notice the Schiit CD PLayer on the product page for this?