The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

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  1. luckybaer

    luckybaer Friend

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    I'm intrigued by upgrading my IEMs. I find myself listening in "safe areas" (like my office desk at home and in bed while reading prior to falling asleep), so I'm less apprehensive about spending $$$$ on something that blows away anything I've ever had before.

    Part of me also wants to get some of my existing headphones (Beyerdynamics DT880, Denon AH-D2000) recabled. I've had great luck with re-cabling, so I don't have an issue spending there if need be.

    I am also considering diving into the MC cartridge world. My phonostage can do MC, so at least I wouldn't have to change that. Or, I could pick up a high-output MC cartridge...

    Lots of options.
     
  2. Regular Petey

    Regular Petey Facebook Friend

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    How about Asgard 3 with one of the two DAC modules? I don't have experience with it myself, but it seems like it would be another great mid tier desktop option to consider. $299 with the AK4490 module, $399 with the Multibit module.
     
  3. supertransformingdhruv

    supertransformingdhruv Almost "Made"

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    I'm primarily a linux user who uses tidal. Getting good audio out of a web browser over pulseaudio is a pain and I don't recommend it. Rather, use a dedicated solution, skip pulseaudio, and tell ALSA to talk to your DAC. Two options I've tried are:
    • A free solution that I used to use is MPD (music player daemon) along with the mopidy & mopidy-tidal plugins. It looks like the mopidy-tidal project is pretty active again.
      • It wasn't hard to set up and use, though you'll want to try a number of MPD clients until you find one you like. The MPD ecosystem is pretty large, and there are just a ton of desktop linux clients. You can also find decent apps for your phone or tablet.
      • If you're going this route, probably use the active mopidy-tidal project on github, not the old, static copy that's on pypi.
    • These days I just use Roon, mainly because I like the interface and find it worth the price.
     
  4. Smipau29

    Smipau29 New

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    Wanted to follow up with you on this, I ended up going bifrost, freya +, and testing between mono Vidar/Mono Aegir. We experimented, with our ears and personal taste, between stereo/mono/ and with the tubes on Vs passive with the freya +. Ultimately through a range of music mono balanced always sounded better and we enjoyed the gain with the tubes.

    However, now stuck in a dilemma to try or not to run Biamped Vidar/Aegir. I’ve been studying on this and it seems in order to do a true biamp with the two it will take quite a bit of work and potential eliminating the stock crossover in the heresy III.

    Anyone’s thoughts on this would be great!
     
  5. Ice-man

    Ice-man Friend

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    Best solution for going from bifrost 2 to 2 SE amps. Schiit Sys or RCA to xlr cables?
     
  6. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    If doing XLR to RCA be aware that BF2 XLR output will be much hotter than the SE out. Depending on the amp you are using, you may not like how quickly it gets loud from the XLR output.
     
  7. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Just my take.

    RDAC: not competent. Rather take Modi MB.
    Modi MB: a little outdated,
    Bifrost 2: hugely underpriced.

    THX 789: benchmark-ish sounding for poor people. Not recommended at all.
    Asgard 3: insanely underpriced.
    Magni 3+: better balance than 789 but can't reach to the delicacy and resolution of asgard 3.
     
  8. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    I like the Airist RDAC for a old school type of sound that is on the darker tone of things. However, if using it on a computer then please get an USB to SPDIF converter > Airist RDAC. USB directly into Airist blows. I use it on my computer setup and I like it, but it isn't my main DAC (that's my Bifrost 2). It would be helpful if you hear one first before you think about getting it. Not everyone is going to like the darker tone, but some do say with the USB to SPDIF > RDAC they think it is better than Modi MB. However, Modi MB is a few years old and Schiit just came out with the Mobius. I wouldn't be too surprised down the road they will make a successor product to the Modi MB. Unless you can get the Airist for a good price, I would be careful in hunting one down.

    I have the Modi 3, and at this point spend the double on the Modi 3 and get the Mobius at this point. As people are saying, Mobius runs best in balance for best performance.

    Bifrost 2 is best long term value, does sound like the big boys. I enjoy it a lot on my main setup and it does support upgrades when they come roll around. Then again, $700.

    On amps, I do own the Mangi 3+ and the Drop THX 789. I haven't heard of the Asgard 3. Mangi 3+ is great for the price, but with the price it isn't on a high level with sound as the higher end amps (low staging, kind of sounds like a wall of sound on some setups). I actually use the RDAC with the Mangi 3+ on my computer desk and I think it is a very solid combo right there. However, if you are willing to spend more money by not that much you can get something that performs better.

    THX 789 I am more of a fan of it than @Vtory. It is for those who want a nice all in one amp without spending too much money. It does have some limits for the price, but its current retail price I can't hate on it. Not everyone is going to like the more neutral/cooler sound to it, but this isn't a problem if you pair it with the right DAC/Can. Should work well with a RDAC/THX 789 (I mean, same footprint). Since I upgraded to a great amp, I really haven't been using the THX 789 that much. To be honest, I only use it for BA IEMs since I found this amp to be one of the best amps if you have BA IEMs (due to their sensitive and output Impedance nature). If you really see yourself becoming a heavy BA IEM user in the future, then I would spring for the THX 789. Using the IEMatch stuff kills the dynamics of these IEMs, so I would prefer to run them straight into an amp if i can. I'm leaning on stop using BA IEMs due to my sound preference has change, so I wouldn't be surprised if I stop using the THX in the future.

    I never heard the Asgard 3, so I can comment on that. If you really want to spend light, ask @Vtory if getting the Modius and Asgard 3 for about $500 is a good idea, he knows how the Asgard 3 sounds. Once a better balanced amp appears that isn't a Jot, then that might be a better fit for the Modius.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2020
  9. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    @YMO nearly nailed it.

    Just want to add that my strong dispreference toward thx mostly come from its terrible synergy with ZMFs and personal side by side comparison with Jotunheim. Long ago thought thx was better (when they're first released). But last year could hear the latest revision of Jot a couple of times in the lab with verite and ether 2. Highs were smoother and more refined with Jot (surprising for its notorious glareness in early revisions). Bass was a little more controlled and I definitely could feel better authority, too. With a good balanced source, the gap widened and I surmised it's because thx is not a real fully-balanced amp. It couldn't scale.

    With a single-ended source, asgard 3 or lyr 3 had more checks than thx in my book (and again with verites). THX has its strength and own sounding. Its clarity and squared transition may serve for some. But as I gain more and more experience in this hobby (ultimately living with DSHA-3F), I realized thx's clean sounding is on top of a lot of sacrifice of virtues I prioritize (such as micro details and dynamics).
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2020
  10. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Forgot about the Jot, I had the later rev Jot not too long ago. I sold it due to being Flat/2D sounding. I got bored of it to be honest.

    I wouldn't be surprised if I get rid of the THX down the road if I decide to forgot using BA IEMs on it. CA shipped back my repaired Andro but they ship it to the incorrect address for some reason...fun.
     
  11. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    XLR to RCA cable will drop half the voltage due to RCA pin-out, only a 1:1 transformer can carry over the full voltage.
     
  12. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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  13. Walie

    Walie New

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    Anyone have issues with their Schiit DACs outputting audio via USB after waking their computer from sleep?
     
  14. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    @Walie No such issue on both Win10 home and OSX with the following products:
    • Gungnir MB (A1/A2 non unison)
    • Yggdrasil A2 (non unison)
    • Bifrost 2 (unison)
    • Modi 3
     
  15. Walie

    Walie New

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    Yeah it a weird issue, I disabled all the USB power savings, and the LED indicator of the Mobius DAC stays on while the computer is asleep and when it wakes up. There's just no audio and I have to unplug and plug back in the usb cable.
     
  16. Regular Petey

    Regular Petey Facebook Friend

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    What's the computer and what software are you running on it? When I set up my Mac Mini to be a dedicated music server, besides installing Bit Perfect and stripping a bunch of other stuff off of it, there were a number of steps that I followed from someone's guide, one of which I want to say had to do with USB power saving settings, but I set it up several years ago, maybe that had nothing to do with it.
     
  17. Walie

    Walie New

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    Windows 10, and I've disabled all the USB power saving settings and all that, the issue remains when I run the DAC off external power as well, so I don't think its a power to the DAC issue
     
  18. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Here’s what I would suggest:

    https://www.schiit.com/contact/help-support

    I’m sure they deal with this kind of thing all the time. And they’re pretty responsive.
     
  19. Walie

    Walie New

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    First thing I did, meanwhile I've had to reroute the cable to a usb hub on my desk so that I can unplug/plug in the DAC everytime I wake the computer up

    It sounds very nice though
     
  20. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    @Walie
    Do you have this issue with other dacs? My laptop hates usb audio in general and I get similar glitches all the time. You can spend time sorting through all the power/usb/hard drive settings and turning off everything, only for windows update to turn them on again. I have yet to find a good fix for this other than just leaving my computer on or remembering to unplug the usb (in my case, I simply flip the power switch on a Wyrd)
     
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