Schiit Eitr Preview Thread

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Rotijon, Jul 17, 2017.

  1. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    How much shit could an Eitr eat if an Eitr could eat shit?

    I'm debating between the following:
    • buying an Eitr to feed Modi Multibit and running 2m of USB cable from my phone, probably requiring a short OTG cable connected to a longer USB A-to-B extension
    • using my micro iDSD as a DDC necessitating a decent 2m digital coax cable that would be much stiffer and less ergonomic than the USB cable option (I would be holding the phone or phone/iDSD stack in my hand a lot while selecting music)
    So my question is, after seeing @atomicbob's USB cable shield resistance measurements, how much shit can the Eitr actually eat? The PYST isn't quite long enough for me, and I suppose I could splurge $30+ for a 1.5m Audio Quest Pearl. But I'm wondering if the Eitr will output more or less the same quality signal if fed through a cheap generic USB cable.

    I've read this whole thread and should probably search again as this has probably been discussed. But if anyone has done a "decent vs. crap" USB cable comparison with Eitr, I'd appreciate knowing the results.
     
  2. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    I tried a few crap 2m cables into Gen 5 USB and they sounded a bit brittle and prickly, while the PYST didn't. It's not a huge difference but was noticeable. In the end I needed 2m and got one from Ghent Audio which to me sounds the same as the PYST. Still $30-$35. However they might be able to make you up a micro B OTG to A all in one if you ask. I recall @mrflibble had some impressions of USB cables too somewhere.
     
  3. mrflibble

    mrflibble Friend

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    Yes, I tried a few different USB cables with Gen 5 USB (Belkin Gold, Dynaco Generic, PYST, Fisual Havana, Atlas Element sc):

    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...-eitr-preview-thread.4729/page-27#post-159135
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...-eitr-preview-thread.4729/page-28#post-160025
    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...rfaces-and-bears-oh-my.62/page-74#post-181880

    I concluded that it is definitely worth going for an audiophile USB cable over a generic USB cable. The Atlas Element sc came out on top, being just a hair better than the PYST in my setup. I would avoid the Belkin and definitely avoid generic USB cables. I did not test very expensive USB cables. IIRC, I recall Torq writing best to look for USB cables that stick to the specification and have the conductors of equal length - One reason why I was interested in the Atlas.
     
  4. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    @gixxerwimp or you could buy a 2m cable from The Straight Wire, Pyst USB is just the 1m version.
     
  5. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Ghent said he can make me this custom cable, along with a soft cotton sleeve instead of the scratchy plastic stuff for $10 more than the standard item, including express shipping to Taiwan. So I'll get this and the other interconnects I need for my new rig all in one go. Thanks for the tip!
     
  6. shanchandi

    shanchandi Acquaintance

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    Been listening through Eitr > Modi Multibit for a week now and its clean as hell! Also looks great as a stack

    Anyone experiences cut outs on flac, foobar over WASAPI(event)?

    I can't find any drivers for it on schiit's site but after poking around the thread i'm wondering if its either the shitty printer cable i'm using or my HDD is screwing me over:(
     
  7. Skyline

    Skyline Double-blindly done with this hobby

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    Yes, but it's infrequent.

    I chalk it up to the crappy laptop I use at work. Memory hiccups and the like.
     
  8. Erikdayo

    Erikdayo Friend

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    I had cut outs a few times before I got a coaxial cable. I had expected to have one when the Eitr arrived, but it was late so I used regular interconnect RCA cables for a few days. One cable cut out a few times the same night. the other I tried never cut out.
     
  9. shanchandi

    shanchandi Acquaintance

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    Ah well, time to head to amazon.

    Still very happy with the eitr Modi Multibit combo though, my only regret is not getting the floor wart. I'm gonna be choosing between Hi-Fi audio and keeping my minifridge cold soon
     
  10. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Just got the OTG USB cable and a digital coax cable in from Ghent. Look good!

    [​IMG]
     
  11. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    So I brought my stack of Schiit home and I'm quite pleased overall so far.

    But I'm finding that Eitr is drawing a significant amount of current from my Samsung Galaxy phones (a cheap inline meter says 90mA), and doesn't work at all with my iPad2+CCK (device draws too much power error).

    Both phones work plugged directly into Modi Multibit, as does the iPad. The meter shows slightly more current draw (120mA).

    I thought that Eitr was supposed to draw zero current. The specs on schiit.com say,
    Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.
     
  12. Comzee

    Comzee Facebook Friend

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    I couldn't give any suggestions, but I can give more data points. I used my Eitr with an iPad pro for months and it was completely fine. iPad2 is super old, might have something to do with that.
     
  13. BenjaminBore

    BenjaminBore Friend

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    (EDIT: Doh, sorry, obviously this doesn’t directly apply to your setup. I’ll leave it here for others who may have the same problems as I did. I was originally using the Apple USB 2.0 lightening CCK from an iPhone 6S and later an 8 Plus. I had less issue running from an iPad Mini Retina.)

    My iPhone would pop up with the error of it needing too much power. The USB 2.0 CCK had worked with other DACs without issue but with the Eitr I would sometimes have to physically reconnect a few times for it to work, which seemed to become more frequent over time. Eventually I was lucky if it worked 1/10, and I’d also have to restart my phone. Though once it did work it was always stable. When that became 0/10 I purchased the Apple USB 3.0 CCK adapter which has a higher ma limit, and it entirely solved the problem. (EDIT 2: Confirmed that the 2.0 cable is now dead for all DACs.)

    Thank the heavens the 3.0 lets you charge at the same time, it was almost worth purchasing just for that. You might want to use a lightening extension cable, though. The cable sleave on those CCKs do not hold up, and the 3.0 is chunkier at the business end.
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2018
  14. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Often the receiver draws current from USB, while the rest of the device is powered from the mains. I remember finding that the Modi Multibit did this:

    http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/sony-nw-zx2-usb-output.3712/#post-111731

    Make sure you're using a CCK that is happy delivering whatever the receiver asks for. Often it will draw a tiny bit less than it claims, though.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2018
  15. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    The Gen 5 USB doesn't seem to use the +5V line, but the Eitr apparently does. At least @baldr sayeth (source):
    90mA seems like more than "a few" though.
     
  16. monacelli

    monacelli Friend

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    One of the things I would try is to connect the Eitr to a laptop, then go into the system information and check how much power it is requesting/drawing. It's pretty easy to do this on a Mac (system info > hardware > usb), and I'm sure there's something similar for Windows. For reference, the USB input on my self-powered DAC draws 4 mA from my MacBook Air. If you're seeing something on the order of 100 mA, that might be an indication that there is something wrong with the USB receiver or the firmware version running on it. This diagnostic information would probably be useful for the folks at [email protected] if you decide to open a support ticket.
     
  17. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Thanks for the feedback, guys.
    I've been through the ZX2 USB output thread again because I remembered I'd bought the H10 cable and searched for info about ZX2+Eitr* but hadn't noticed your post about Modi Multibit current requirement of 100mA. This is consistent with my meter reading of 120mA.

    My iPad 2 with the official crApple 30-pin CCK works fine plugged into Modi Multibit. So one would expect the Eitr to request less (even "zero"?) current.
    Yes, I could live with a few mA that wouldn't significantly affect battery life using my phones as a source. I could even live with the iPad 2 working as its battery is big enough that 90mA isn't a big deal.

    *The ZX2 doesn't work for me with either Eitr or Modi Multibit. Plug it into micro iDSD in battery mode and everything hunky dory.

    Edit: Posted my reply before I saw @monacelli's. Will try this with Windows.
     
  18. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Thanks for this advice. I plugged Eitr into my Windows XP machine and going through the USB Root Hub power properties shows that it's requesting 100mA, which goes a long way to explaining the behaviour I've been seeing.

    Strangely, the Modi Multibit also requests 100mA, yet the iPad 2 works with it. Go figure. I've sent Nick @schiit an email and will report back if/when there is any progress.

    I was planning on waiting until I had had time to listen properly and go through all the various permutations I now have at my disposal before posting any impressions, but so far I'm really liking what I'm hearing from Eitr>Modi Multibit>Sys>Magni3. I first tried USB directly into Modi Multibit, then used the Eitr, and there seemed to be less "hashy" sound. Bass impact, macrodynamics, and stage depth all seem to be improved over my micro iDSD (original "silver" flavour). The music is grabbing my attention more, in a good way! New toy syndrome, placebo expection and all that ....
     
  19. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Interesting, while drafting a post on HF, I noticed that the specs have been edited.

    The product page used to say: "USB Power: 0mA required from source", but this has now been removed.

    Aug. 20, 2017 Link to Wayback page
    [​IMG]

    Today
    [​IMG]
     
  20. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    During the enforced "break", @schiit replied to my posts on HF:
    That would mean Eitr depends on whatever USB power is coming from the source, however "dirty" it might be. If the design of Eitr relies on USB power for isolation, putting "USB Power: 0mA required from source" in the original spec seems a rather large inconsistency. Guess we'll wait for clarification from @baldr.
     

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