The All Purpose Advice Thread

I’ll be damned. How the hell did I miss that. Thanks @spwath. Your a good man. A little something I cooked up.

 

I embed using Onedrive.

 

I need some insight on this. Im using an SDAC and a Schiit Modi 3. when i use usb input on either of them and crank spotify or foobar to 100% i get clipping (observed through peace gui for eqAPO.) though when i use optical through the modi its fine. this is independent of windows volume (which would make sense cause the apps are running in exclusive mode). Except when i disable exclusive mode its the same... - would this suggest eqAPO is doing something even with all processing turned off? but then why is it an issue only with usb and not optical?

i dont get why using USB is creating the problem. the optical out is using realtek drivers so maybe that is limiting signal to the modi and therefore preventing clipping, but as far as i know i cant bypass realtek and still use optical to test this theory. so then why wouldnt windows do this for usb signal? maybe cause sdac and modi use their own usb drivers? but then why wouldnt shared mode fix this?

cant seem to TS it myself. ive tried swapping usb cables, ports, using shared mode on both devices - which apparently doesnt work judging by the fact that windows volume doesnt effect it, though does change the actual output volume to the device. which means there is distortion before windows applies volume, which means the problem is happening somewhere between the music app and eqAPO, but not either of those programs themselves as the issue does not exist when using optical/realtek drivers. if it is realtek, that would mean the driver is doing something between the app and eqAPO, and then windows is controlling the output to the modi. this is really confusing.

obviously i could just turn the app volumes down, or pre amp down in eq automatically to reduce clipping just enough without reducing dynamic range. but it feels like a dirty approach.

 

Don't buy cheap adapters. If you do, open them up and inspect before using. I ended up buying one from tubemonger.

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...alli-tube-hybrid-amp.4866/page-34#post-203990

 

i have the following schiit products

mani
bitfrost
jotunheim with passive phono
saga
wyrd
jil
loki

how would i go about setting this up?
is this totally wrong or am i missing anything?


pc > wryd
wryd > bitfrost
bitfrost > jotunheim in
jotunheim out > loki in
loki out > saga in
saga out > jil

turntable > mani
mani > jotunheim passive phono

headphones > jotunheim
speakers > jotunheim bal in


any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

Sometimes, obviously is the right answer. It is what it is. Turn down the signal!

(This is assuming that the signal level you are seeing on your software is right.)

 

Mani and passive phono input on the Jot are the same thing. Just connect turntable directly to passive phono input on the Jot.

For the rest of what you're doing, you'll have to explain - provide a use-case. In particular, I am unclear if you are trying to record the output from the Loki into the Jil. My thought would be equalization goes to speakers (or headphones) and not to the recording. But you may also be trying to record an equalized sound, later to turn off equalization on the Loki for playback of the recording.

And since you still did not introduce yourself, after @gixxerwimp suggested

 

Maybe you can take a look at the Jabra’s Elite Active 65t, which is working with Amazon Alexa.

It’s also terrific for gym exercises, go across training, cycling, spinning, rope thrashing as well as anything else where you get sweaty. After starting to use them,I would now not willingly go back to even the most minimally wired Bluetooth headphones.

 

Those cost 10x what my Jabra Sport Pace cost. For sure I'm going to eventually have an overgrown shrub rip them off my head and they'll end up under the mower. $17, oh well.
I have other headphones for running, strength training, etc.

 

Hey all,

I have to sell my ZMF Eikon because I need a headphone that lets me hear stuff going on around me. Damn kids. It pains me because the Eikon is my favorite headphone to date. I am looking for recommendations on open-back headphones that I can get for $1000 or less new or used that will sound similar to the Eikon. I know the Auteur is the easy answer, but it's out of my price range, unfortunately.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Check at TSAV they have Auteur on sale and is very close to your budget with the discount. Not sure if it is still available.

 

Thanks. Do you know if there is a place to see their inventory? I'm on their website, and maybe I'm just dumb, but I can't find their inventory or sales at all.

 

They have the email and you can also give them a phone call.
Below link has details

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...le-tsav-while-supplies-last.8058/#post-264880

 

Sweet!

Do you have any other suggestions besides the Auteur?

 

I recently scaled up my AMP and DAC and I'm looking to upgrade my headphone at the same time.

• Amp: jds labs atom
  
  
• DAC: Topping d70
  
  
• Headphones: Sennheiser HD600

The HD600 have theses specs:

bass:neutral

midrange:neutral

treble:neutral



I want to find a studio headphone with similar specifications with more upgrade,(better imaging and soundstage,bass etc).
Specifications neutral as possible.

For the moment,I hesitate between HIFIMAN ananda, Focal Elear and Mrspeaker Aeon.
I have 1000$ budget.

If you have more suggestions and advice,dont hesitate.

 

Any recommendations on getting decent spdif out of a pci-e slot? I’m on osx.

It’s for Modi 3 so I would prefer something simpler/cheaper than e22 etc. I know there is Eitr but that’s another box/wart and in that case I would probably just go for Bifrost instead. Unison in Modi would solve all of my problems

 

Why not try those Pi based streamer like Digione. Yes there will be an extra box but you can wirelessly stream your music to it from phone or laptop.

 

ZMF Auteur (Teak) can be had for $1K used. With the stock Auteur pads it is pretty much like a super HD600 with better timbre. And you can roll the included other pads for a darker signature (Eikon perf pads).

 

IMO save money for a new amp dac again. either a clear/definite upgrade or try 3-4 in mid-fi range to see what you like (or enter hi-fi and do the same if you are ok with $ required and time cycling gear). hd600 will scale up and is not the weak link in the above chain.

If you are set on a new headphone all 3 of the above while relatively neutral (elear slightly more so imo) sound very different. auteur is worth a look too.