Schiit Audio Syn Universal Surround DAC/Preamp/Headphone Amp

Forget worrying about whether your surround works with the latest standards or if you’ve spent enough Sundays tweaking umpteen 31-band EQs and uploading the latest room correction files because you moved a chair. Plug Syn into the optical output of any smart TV, twist a couple of knobs, and then sit back and enjoy great surround. Or plug in via USB, or use the analog input—Syn provides surround from any stereo source.

 

Whether you’re using speakers or headphones, Syn adds another dimension to your gaming. Immerse yourself by adding surround speakers. Or focus in on the tiniest details with crossfeed-like headphone processing. Or move gaming to the living room or media room. We’re not gonna stop you!

 

Just want stereo? Syn is an exceptional remote control DAC/preamp. With USB, optical, and analog inputs, as well as a fully discrete main stage for the stereo channels and motorized Alps potentiometer for volume control, it delivers amazing quality. Want to try surround? Syn allows you to simply add the surround, sub, and center channels—without touching the mains at all. Try it—it’s pretty amazing!

 

Syn also includes a powerful (1000mW) fully discrete headphone amp, as well as a frequency-dependent, crossfeed-like soundstage mixing capability that help combat the “in your head” feeling from headphone listening. Whether you’re looking for a good headphone DAC/amp, or

want the headphone output for late-night movie watching, Syn delivers.

 

Syn isn’t like any other surround processor. It’s not digital. It supports no standard. Its all-analog processing doesn’t use any steering. It was developed by producing a simple matrix prototype, then tweaking it with analog computing techniques until it provided enjoyable, realistic results. This meant the development of two exclusive controls—Width and Presence—as well as specific headphone shaping and matrix cross-mixing.

  

By "designed and built in Texas," this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Syn—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made in California. Our PCBs are made in Utah or Nevada, and it all comes together in Texas.