Here is a picture of my knob versus the original knob.
View attachment 189800
I wasn't sure if the knob was metal based on the finish of the new knob, and tapping on it with my finger, but per your confirmation and also now trying to tap a piece of metal on the knob, it is indeed metal.
I think the issue for me is that the original knob seems higher end to me, and it is still the knob pictured on the product page I ordered from.
Many people might not care about the different knob, but I think between going from the shiny, metal looking knob with the Schiit-style little dot/dimple level indicator, to a matte, almost painted looking knob with a diagonal slit, the change isn't a welcome one to me. I understand there are sourcing and logistics issues galore, but I think Schiit should call out the change on the product pages of affected products, at least until new imagery can be put online (which I know can be a pain to get, especially just for a single cosmetic change). Or, it would be nice if Schiit could try to get the old style knobs, even if it will take a while, for any customers who are bothered by this unexpected change.
Some of us do get caught up in aesthetics/fine details. If you look at my few posts on ASR about a variety of products, many of them aren't really about audio quality, but are focused more on aesthetics, materials, product ergonomics, and my priority for products made in countries with high living standards. I am not an audio science expert, and more of an aspirational audiophile, and thanks to great reviewers and communities like ASR, any of the audio gear I purchase meets certain minimum audio spec requirements. We're also living in a time of reasonably-priced, high-performing audio gear, and that leaves opportunity for people to choose gear based on non-audio characteristics, and for supporting companies with great customer service.