Schiit Urd Impressions

I reinstalled ROCK on my Roon Core. Will update in a month or so if I fail to see the issue again, will report back readily if the USB connection goes to hell.

 

How did you run Pi2AES to Urd? Pi2AES provides SPDIF output but Urd only has USB input.

I don't see how that makes it a Roon issue. What you have in common with @keemniloc is using Urd USB to Yggdrasil. Urd is Schiit's first product with USB output (developed with their own implementation of USB), and it was a difficult project that caused delays. Have you contacted Schiit about your issue?

 

Right, it mitigates against it being a Roon issue because it's never happened via AES connection to Yggdrasil, only when using USB. I haven't contacted Schiit because it only happens in my context with Roon. Roon isn't officially supported, and I can't reproduce the issue on-demand. It'd suck to pay to ship it back and forth, be without it for however long, and then have them tell me they can't reproduce. That said, I believe that's my next step as I've confirmed from two users that they also experience this but haven't been able to identify cause or solution here or elsewhere.

 

Technically pi to urd, yup! roon -> pi4 -> (pi2aes or urd) -> Yggdrasil.

 

But the PI2AES hat doesn’t have USB, so you must be using the pi4 usb port, yes? If so, the problem could be with the PI4 usb interface.

 

USB audio output has to be enabled by ropieee. Check the configuration to see if it's selected.

 

I'm using Moode Audio w/ the RoonBridge plugin and everything is enabled. USB output is working/works fine 99% of the time except for when it doesn't.

 

Just for the reason of Urd's heralded Unison-to-Unison thing, I'll keep my eye open for one. I know Jason said that an Urd Jr. without a CD drive was not the idea - but god, just the DDC or even just the Unison USB switch would be heavenly. It might nicely fit with a Modi/Modius setup on the desktop too, where USB switching can be a real boon, and still be stackable with a Gungnir/Yggdrasil.

Here's to dreams...

 

I've been using the Urd in a different setup w/ a Gugnir via USB and a Sunvalley DAC I picked up from @bobboxbody via coax and no issues so far w/ the weird screeching issue with Roon. Maybe something specific to the Yggdrasil LIM? Maybe a Roon update? Who knows. One thing I've noticed is that the CD playback from Urd is significantly better than Roon streaming Qobuz via an iFi Zen Stream over wifi. More relaxed, 'more analog', more blackground, better layering within the soundstage etc. I would have thought the Urd would sort the difference but it doesn't seem like it.

 

This is my last update on this topic to anyone thinking of running the Urd into a Schiit Unison input. In my experience Unison output to Unison input is no bueno, and I've heard from others who have experienced the same. All 'screeching' / distortion / laggy playback issues (which were not isolated to Roon and cropped-up in every audio use case I tested i.e. YouTube, gaming, Teams calls etc.) have disappeared since I changed my setup and now run the Urd into a Technics SU-R1000 integrated via USB. I have my PC permanently connected to the Urd and have also demoed with an OpticalRendu connected simultaneously. No issues in either use case. I now run the OpticalRendu directly into the second USB input on the Technics and it was/is immediately and obviously better in this configuration than running through the Urd.

The Yggdrasil is now doing desktop duty with no issues via USB from my PC so I'm ruling-out a defective Unison implementation in my LiM.

The Urd is still more than enough CD transport for my needs, and I enjoy the alleviation of nervosa re. running an input from my PC, but the issues with Unison to Unison are inexplicable to me. Surely Schiit tested this extensively in a device that is meant to be a USB to USB interface?

 

Really haven’t seen enough use cases personally to know what might be up there. I guess I could check over at HF to see. Are you using the latest firmware with Urd? Only thing I could think that might fix an issue.

Wonder if Schiit will ever do another Unison out device. Lot of R&D to only have it in one product, so it would seem they would eventually.

 

In another forum I saw the question "Who is this made for"?
And it's basically exactly what I was looking for.

I had no idea this thing existed until about a month or so ago, and I immediately bought it from the UK Schiit website.
Turns out it was the only one left as well, so maybe it's more popular than expected, or they only made like 5 for the UK.

I was looking for something to replace my Lynx AES soundcard, which I'd been carrying over to every new desktop build.
I also have a growing CD collection, so this thing is ideal in just every way possible.

Currently running the following 2 sources: one desktop PC and one laptop.
And 2 outputs: (AES) OG Yggdrasil from 2017 into Euforia into Utopia and (Coax) Sony TA-ZH1ES into IER-Z1R/MDR-Z1R.

Everything works perfectly on the AES side, my Nervosa has been alleviated and life is good.

On the Coax Sony side there is a slight niggle:
Whenever the sound signal stops (between tracks in foobar or even when sound stops in loading screens in games) there is a small barely audible pop.
In games this is more noticeable as it also takes a while to "reactivate" and eats the first part of the sound coming back on.
An example here is Metaphor: Refantazio, where random battles pop up and the battle music begins - it takes a fraction of a second for the music to kick in as opposed to just using the USB signal from the PC into the Sony.

This may very well be a Sony TAZ problem though.
It happens with both desktop and laptop sources.

Or maybe it's the Coax.

It's not a huge issue for me personally however, as the slight pop in between tracks is almost inaudible (and I'm mostly using the Yggdrasil setup for music), and for games I just use the USB signal into the Sony.

To sum up: I really love this thing and I wish I'd known about it sooner.

 

I see the URD has been delisted on the site??

 

“Hey, Urd’s gone too!” someone cries.

"Yep.

This one was simple: we made the rest of the Urds we had, and they sold out much faster than expected. So it’s going to be gone for a while."

Jason Stoddard, Steward of Schiithalla