darmok
Last Activity:
Apr 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Joined:
Mar 19, 2023
Messages:
234
Trophy Points:
93
Positive ratings received:
906
Neutral ratings received:
3
Negative ratings received:
2

Post Ratings

Received: Given:
Like 790 110
Dislike 1 1
Respectfully Disagree 3 2
heart 17 11
Miss Information 1 1
Epic 24 28
Agreed, ditto, +1 75 32

Followers 2

Gender:
Male
Location:
Tree Town

Share This Page

darmok

Almost "Made", Male, from Tree Town

Contributor

I’m curious about whether the Schiit guys have done any prototyping with Cirrus DACs. These dongles stomp all over Modi+ and Modius. Apr 17, 2025 at 7:51 PM

darmok was last seen:
Apr 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
    1. darmok
      darmok
      I’m curious about whether the Schiit guys have done any prototyping with Cirrus DACs. These dongles stomp all over Modi+ and Modius.
      1. Pocomo, Merrick and rhythmdevils like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. internethandle
        internethandle
        Probably not given the in-house development of their own delta-sigma solution.
        Apr 17, 2025 at 11:40 PM
      4. Lyander
        Lyander
        @internethandle forgot about that, genuinely rather exciting to eventually try out. Still, wonder why they specifically went with ESS after the AKM shortage a while ago
        Apr 18, 2025 at 2:09 AM
      5. ColdsnapBry
        ColdsnapBry
        I much prefer Cirrus and Texas Instruments DACs over ESS stuff, it's just way more natural sounding.
        Apr 18, 2025 at 10:52 PM
    2. darmok
      darmok
      Value gem: seller Clairmont Cable on eBay. No-nonsense headphone cables made from Gotham wire and Neutrik connectors. Exceptional sound.
      1. lithium, FlySweep, Qildail and 7 others like this.
    3. darmok
      darmok
      Vali 3 + MMB2 still getting a lot of ear time. It might not be the last word in resolution, but it’s thicc in all the right places.
      1. SofaSamuraiX
        SofaSamuraiX
        I like when the music is what the gear makes me hone in on! I gave my Vali 3 to my eldest daughter. I do miss it!
        Apr 11, 2025
      2. M3NTAL
        M3NTAL
        My work setup is similar. MMB2 and Vali 2++ / Piety. I just need some sort of loki + syn
        Apr 11, 2025
    4. darmok
      darmok
      DCA E3 remains phenomenal when properly amped. Every time I put it on I’m blown away by how open and detailed it sounds.
      1. Ksaurav402 and decompositions like this.
    5. darmok
      darmok
      Looks like Sennheiser is launching a bunch of new made-in-China HD 5xx-series headphones at price points right on top of the made-in-EU 6xx…
      1. View previous comments...
      2. darmok
        darmok
        @Lyander yes, I did. My ears got plenty of time on the driver covers and their embossed L/R indicators. My recollection of the sound is: scratchy, like the outer part of my ears were rubbing up against a scratch piece of fabric with embossed letters. I don’t remember anything else, sorry. It went back too soon.
        Mar 21, 2025
        Thad E Ginathom and Lyander like this.
      3. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        I read something on a camera site about the rest of the world moving out of making-in-China. Sennheider is behind the times?
        Mar 22, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @Thad E Ginathom depends how large the gap in cost structure is between the two regions; even with tariffs it could still be profitable. “Out of China” might also mean Vietnam, not Romania.
        Mar 22, 2025
        Thad E Ginathom likes this.
    6. darmok
      darmok
      Good news: my new Bokeh Opens are not broken. Bad news: turns out this B-stock Asgard 3 is broken after all.
      1. RestoredSparda, joch, Merrick and 3 others like this.
      2. Lyander
        Lyander
        Time to shoot (the) Schiit an email I suppose. They've been genuinely helpful with sorting my dead MMB2 issue out. Haven't gotten the replacement board yet but slow going with international stuff as always, massive props to them. That said, sucks that QC seems to miss things sometimes.
        Mar 19, 2025
    7. darmok
      darmok
      OMG. It’s here! Christmas came very early or somewhat late, but the Bokeh Open is finally under the tree. Or made of the tree. Or something.
      1. darmok
        darmok
        Damnit, I’ve got work to do today.
        Mar 18, 2025
        Gazny likes this.
    8. darmok
      darmok
      Uh, Bokeh Open shipped? No email, but Shop app claims it’ll be here today!
      1. Riotvan likes this.
    9. darmok
      darmok
      Picked up a B-stock Asgard 3 w/9028 card for shits and giggles. First impression: is it broken? MMB2 + Vali 3 spanks this thing.
      1. yotacowboy likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. Claritas
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @Lyander it’s definitely better with MMB2, but oddly it seems like there’s crosstalk since the headstage width is much narrower than Valí 3. I’ll give it a whirl with Modius + PI-2XX tomorrow.
        Mar 17, 2025
        Lyander likes this.
      5. darmok
        darmok
        Turns out it is broken. Audible distortion in the right channel. Will take some measurements, then try to convince Schiit not to charge return shipping on a DOA.
        Mar 18, 2025
        Lyander likes this.
    10. darmok
      darmok
      I feel like it’d be worth keeping a list tracking made/assembled-in-USA audio manufacturers and the tariffs’ impact on them. For science.
      1. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        Don't say that it is for science: it will be banned!
        Mar 18, 2025
        darmok likes this.
    11. darmok
      darmok
      Moved the multibit (Unison USB-C) card into the Jot 2. Not sure how I feel about it. USB isolator makes a big difference from a Pi though.
      1. roderickvd likes this.
      2. AlPastor
        AlPastor
        Do you have any thoughts on multibit card vs 9028 card for Jot2?
        Mar 10, 2025
      3. darmok
        darmok
        @AlPastor Nope, don’t have a 9028 card. All I can say is that I wasn’t a fan of Modius E with Jot 2. To be honest I only like that DAC through output transformers into Pietus, so that may not be helpful to you.
        Mar 11, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @AlPastor I spotted a good opportunity to grab a 9028 card wrapped in an Asgard 3, so watch this space!
        Mar 12, 2025
        AlPastor likes this.
    12. darmok
      darmok
      xDuoo TA-32 is an intriguing proposition, but $1k is a bit steep for a blind purchase. Has anyone here had some ears-on time with it?
      1. rhythmdevils likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. joch
        joch
        …and the display, and the antenna BT.
        Mar 8, 2025
      4. Lyander
        Lyander
        ... Bluetooth functionality and tubes just seem amazingly incongruous to me. I seem to like the sound of hybrid designs but this better STOMP the competition for what it costs relative to the TA-66.
        Mar 8, 2025
        atomicbob, joch and RestoredSparda like this.
      5. darmok
        darmok
        @rhythmdevils the DAC is what made it interesting to me. Not a lot of ROHM DACs on the market, and this one is also modular and can accept other DAC cards.
        Mar 8, 2025
        roderickvd and Lyander like this.
    13. darmok
      darmok
      On second thought I'll wait for the $9000 Full Load of Forkin' Schiit Stack with Urd, Loki Max, Kara, Gungnir 2, 2x Aegir 2, and Stjarna.
      1. SofaSamuraiX likes this.
      2. darmok
        darmok
        Call it an even $10,000 with Mjolnir 3 and a Noire X thrown in and it's practically a steal!
        Mar 6, 2025
        SofaSamuraiX likes this.
    14. darmok
      darmok
      Oh schiit, Gjallarhorn F. I'd love one on my desk with a Saga 2 if it weren't for that fat-ass brick. First world problems, I know.
      1. darmok
        darmok
        I suppose one solution would just be to switch the power strip that's hanging under my desk to something mounted right-side-up on a tray that's hanging under the desk. Then I can hide the brick without worrying it's going to fall down and break a toe while I'm working.
        Mar 6, 2025
        joch likes this.
      2. SofaSamuraiX
        SofaSamuraiX
        Oh that smashed toe thought is a terrible one!
        Mar 7, 2025
      3. Biodegraded
        Biodegraded
        Mar 7, 2025
    15. darmok
      darmok
      Headphones.com customer support wins, Shopify still loses.
      1. Lyander, HotRatSalad and netforce like this.
    16. darmok
      darmok
      FiiO DM13: gapless playback works perfectly on the latest firmware, and it drives the E3 pretty darned well! I'm impressed.
      1. yotacowboy likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. yotacowboy
        yotacowboy
        The internal amp is a touch upper-mids pushed, but far from a deal killer, but I agree for $150-ish it's quite good especially with slightly dark headphones. DM13->MMB (OPA modded)->Vali3 is a stellar "cheap" combo. My only real concern is longevity of the transport mech.
        Mar 5, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @yotacowboy ha, DM13 -> MMB2 -> Vali 3 is my current setup for dozing off in the Eames chair
        Mar 5, 2025
      5. darmok
        darmok
        to the extent I've noticed it, I think the upper-mid-forward thing is a common trait in CS43131 DACs. It doesn't bother me nearly as much as upper-treble fuckery does, and in the case of the DM13 I've heard worse things for quite a bit more money
        Mar 5, 2025
    17. darmok
      darmok
      Bokeh Open in assembly. Waiting impatiently...
      1. HotRatSalad likes this.
      2. RestoredSparda
        RestoredSparda
        Just got that update as well. We need to combine our powers of patience, of which I have none.

        Team Nocturn or Emberstone?
        Mar 3, 2025
        SofaSamuraiX, darmok and HotRatSalad like this.
      3. darmok
        darmok
        @RestoredSparda Emberstone! Can’t wait to see it in person. And sorry, no extra patience here either
        Mar 3, 2025
    18. darmok
      darmok
      "Currently, you can’t change the email address that you use to sign in to Shop." All the middle fingers, Shopify. All of them.
      1. joch likes this.
      2. Lyander
        Lyander
        Isn't shopify also that one platform that's oddly keen to host all the white nationalist, hate-speech-forward stuff on their platform? All the middle fingers indeed.
        Mar 1, 2025
    19. darmok
      darmok
      Just realized that neither Pietus nor Jot 2 can make their rated power into 32 ohms with a 2Vrms input.
    20. darmok
      darmok
      ddHiFi TC100S: finally, a correctly designed USB to coaxial S/PDIF adapter that doesn't cost a million bucks
      1. View previous comments...
      2. yotacowboy
        yotacowboy
        I've been using this: https://a.co/d/fSkWROA with a Modi MB that doesn't like chewing on modern USB, and it's pretty flawless. I've no use for I^2S, but the option remains.
        Feb 28, 2025
      3. darmok
        darmok
        @yotacowboy I bought and returned one when it came out bc it didn’t work on the Mac. What’s the maximum sample rate it exposes?
        Feb 28, 2025
      4. yotacowboy
        yotacowboy
        I've only run it out of iPhone running Roon Arc and Shanling M6U running Qobuz, 24/96 the highest thru Arc; played fine. At some point i'll have to try it on my MBP/MacOS.
        Mar 1, 2025
  • Loading...
  • Loading...
  • About

    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Tree Town
    Honorary member of ORFAS