Shrewd marketing or...? Schiit now offering three versions of flagship DAC

[ToTo Man]

I shouldn't be surprised as Jason Stoddard isn't the type to adhere to corporate convention but this latest move is fascinating.

My initial reaction was to suspect a dwindling supply of the original multibit D/A chips to be the motivation behind the new models and that the original model would be phased out. However, if you believe Jason's PR, they basically couldn't agree which of the three versions sounded best (they each preferred a different version) so decided to offer all. The external listening panel who took part in the double-blind A/B/C test also expressed their own individual preference for a particular version and could not reach a consensus, which you could argue vindicate Schiit's decision to offer all three.

Offering three models at different price points is certainly good for consumer choice, but I do wonder if it will ultimately backfire by reducing sales as a result of consumer indecision particularly among those who are unable to audition all three prior to purchase.

Stoddard's blog explaining motivation behind offering three versions of Yggdrasil

AudioHead review of double-blind three-way Yggdrasil listening test

AudiophileStyle review of double-blind three-way Yggdrasil listening test

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Hmmm a strange commercial decision if so!

I used to think that offering loads of options and variants on things I made would be a brill idea (I still do!) but had to give up on that idea for the reasons you mention... ie no one will then buy any version until they've tried out all the options and variants and it just isn't logistically viable or profitable to facilitate this.

 

[david ellwood]

They either had dacs they needed to shift or didn’t have enough availability of a single unit.

 

[kristoffer]

A really confusing choice for potential buyers.

 

[Woodface]

If the all sound so similar surely customers will just choose the cheapest?

 

[cromodora]

Since they are all Schiit..
1. Floater
2. Sinker
3. Chunk (as in the Richard Pryor bit “What does that chunk want?”