USB Nervosa Thread Decrapifiers, pro interfaces, and bears oh my

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by zerodeefex, Sep 28, 2015.

  1. gefski

    gefski Facebook Friend

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    So the first Unison USB product is ready and for sale -- the completely redone Bifrost.
     
  2. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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  3. NDonchev

    NDonchev New

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    I received my Grimm TPR XLR cables yesterday. Special thanks to @bixby for suggesting the cables. After he brought my attention to the Grimm cables I made some additional research and ordered them. I'm going to share my impressions in short.

    System: Asus Mini PC (Volumio) => USB cable => Yggdrasil A2 => Grimm TPR XLR cables => Violectric V281 => HD800S

    First, let me say that I was very skeptical that cables will make a difference. Well, that has changed.

    From the first moment I plugged the new cables I noticed it's better. Today I made some switching between the 2 sets of cables for additional comparison. There is a definite, easily audible improvement on my system with the Grimm TPR XLR cables over my cheap XLR interconnects (the sssnake SK233-0,5 XLR Patch). Here are the main differences:
    - Better and more pronounced spacial cues, more air around instruments
    - More juicy sound, smoother and easier to listen to
    - Better realism and more tangible sound. Improved "being there" feeling (or sounds "being here" feeling)
    - More clarity and better detail retrieval
    - Overall more cohesive presentation, more musical sound and a great improvement in enjoyment

    I know this is a big statement, but I would say that the improvement from the new Grimm TPR XLR interconnects is similar to that of buying a better DAC. I still feel like I'm missing aspects of how the sound improved. I wouldn't hesitate to say that this was a transformation of my system. I know these are not the best cables in the world, but judging from the review it seems they perform similarly to a much pricier cables. I paid 3 x 51 euro for them and I find this to be great value for money.

    Now I'll have to wait a bit more for the PI2AES to arrive so that I could hook it to the Yggdrasil via the third Grimm TPR XLR cable I have. I expect things to improve even more when that happens.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2019
  4. Yethal

    Yethal Facebook Friend

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  5. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    Who cares? The only super reliable usb is a mains-powered, transformer isolated connection, well-programmed fgpa with stable drivers that are regularly updated. Microshit and Crapple have broken usb and other audio devices so often it’s not even funny. It may or may not work over any update.

    RME and MOTU are the most reliable over USB, RME gets updated more often and MOTU sounds better with a better warranty now. Lynx is third for USB. RME and MOTU both used to sound like total crap but now RME is average but clean and MOTU somehow got good.

    Just try other stuff and if it doesn’t work, then return it. Very simple. A few of the Schiit DACs didn’t actually work at all on my PC. Others worked without a hitch. Cheapo interfaces are hell on earth because you’re going to record with them and change settings more.

    Thunderbolt and USB4 should replace all this stuff in a few years but manufacturers can still f**k that up. See Focusrite never being able to get their Thunderbolt stuff to work well, discontinuing the Thunderbolt Clarets one by one, and the Rednet stuff still having issues for some people. Slate still doesn’t have windows drivers years later. Who the hell knows what Steinberg is doing with their Thunderbolt box but I haven’t even heard of anyone who buying it except for the Russians to take it apart and measure everything in that peculiar way Eastern European audio guys do. The Apogee and Presonus Thunderbolt gear can be retard proof but both of those companies have a checkered recent history and discontinue products rather than fix them (or make sure they work in the first place) leaving their owners stuck with junk.

    Hopefully audio over IP will get better but Dante has high licensing fees (there’s no money in this business haha) and Rednet and motu AVB and Ravenna are exclusive to their manufacturers and most of this network shit has awful fans preventing use in most homes and studios without additional cabling and hardware unless you want to be annoyed or fry your expensive gear.
     
  6. RobS

    RobS RobS? More like RobDiarrhea.

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    Psalm, do you use the USB in your Dangerous Source? How does that XMOS board fair against other USB solutions? I know you place more priority on function, but curious how the sound quality is.

    I don't want to throw a decrapifier in front of the Convert-2 unless I have to.

    I have a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 plugged into my JBL LSR-30Xs, quite frankly it sounds like utter dogshit (and yep I'm using the +4dbu trim setting on both monitors). I don't know if it's the USB, which is some XMOS implementation, but I suspect it's just a shit box cause the Emotiva DC-1 I had delivered super clean audio from the monitors.

    The Gen5 in my Bifrost Multibit was really f'ing good, it was sharper and clearer than the Eitr. I can't imagine the need for a decrapifier in front of that. Too bad a Unison USB box won't be coming.
     
  7. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
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    I sold the Source because integrating two interfaces together under windows is impossible unless you hook one into the other with spdif/aes or adat, you can't change the asio buffer, and I found MOTU to outresolve it and have much clearer treble. The Dangerous USB just works for listening and DA on it's own. The USB sounded better than the AES out of most sources because of how Dangerous implemented the AES to slave automatically with hardly any jitter cleanup on their older hardware (Source, the og dbox, and og monitor).

    Focusrite sucks. Their cheap stuff is dull dirty crap. The more expensive ones get way cleaner but are still dull and never wide open. Even the older made in the UK ISA pres were dull. Very inoffensive. Their best stuff was the old RED range of compressors and EQs but they discontinued that to make crap in China, went public, and cost reduced everything while charging the same prices for the same dull old sound. Yeah Rupert Neve designed those ISA pres but you never see anyone lust over them like they do the 1073 and even the Red compressor is not nearly as cool as the 33609. They give away the plugin version of the RED stuff every once in a while and to put it nicely: free stuff sounds cleaner and other free stuff sounds way cooler.

    The Dangerous Convert 2 will be a massive upgrade for you no matter what anyone says about the pot. Yes the LSR 305 can resolve drastic DAC and source differences and you will be pleased.
     
  8. RobS

    RobS RobS? More like RobDiarrhea.

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    This is truth. That Focusrite box is so terrible I'd rather just listen to my Bose Companion 2 speakers I got for free. Distorted and compressed garbage. Using the DC-1 was a huuuuuge step-up, too bad I blew a fuse in that box thanks to a failing computer PSU. Thankfully the Focusrite was cheap, but should be avoided like the plague. I'm going to hook up my Modi 3/SYS later.

    Interesting info about the AES implementation in that Dangerous box. Guess I'll just stick with Convert-2's USB and not worry about getting a Lynx card.
     
  9. mkozlows

    mkozlows Friend

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    What does any of that have to do with Allo's device, which is an RPi-based USB source, not a receiver?
     
  10. gefski

    gefski Facebook Friend

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    Any experience with or comments on the Burl Bomber B2 dac now that they have Dante onboard, eliminating the need for an outboard box?
     
  11. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    Burl is gross.

    Only Focusrite I would consider buying is the Claret Octopre but that's still 700 bucks towards something better.

    The Convert 2 has a much better AES implementation and clock. You can use it as the wordclock for lower quality gear and make them sound better.
     
  12. taisserroots

    taisserroots Friend

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    I've always held some skepticism of usb to spidf converters and decrapifiers, since unless the input is bored I don't see how relocking and converting will correct a bad usb output, especially with pcie cards (also mini tb3 enclosures) and the increasing prevalence of streamers.
    Any issues anyone had with streamers?
     
  13. Raicorl

    Raicorl Acquaintance

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    After 2months testing Pi2AES vs Digione Sig(long listening sessions then swap when I have the mood to do it). I finally came back to Digione with 2 stock psus, the rest of the power+pi combinations has very black background, smooth non fatigue sound but I find them not very engaging.

    Guess I just like hard and jitterry sounds.

    Edited** I also find the timings were off and no zomgbbq moment like when I first plugged in Digione Sig.
     
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2019
  14. Forza AudioWorks

    Forza AudioWorks MOT: Forza AudioWorks

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    I imagine scenarios where this is beneficial. If a setup is on the fuzzy and warmish side, a bit stiffness here and there won't hurt.
     
  15. squishware

    squishware Friend

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    Possibly off-topic but I feel the WYRD is worth owning just so I can reboot the PC without interrupting power to the Bifrost 2.
     
  16. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    um why? IIRC the Bifrost does not use power over USB to power the entire card. the power leg is necessary for handshake negotiation between the host and receiver chips.
     
  17. squishware

    squishware Friend

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    What is the click when usb power is interupted?
     
  18. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Just means the input has changed or lost signal.

    DAC itself doesn't see a power interruption...
     
  19. squishware

    squishware Friend

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    Thanks for the reply. So is there a consensus if Unison is benefited by WYRD? I am all about removing stuff from my chain.
     
  20. Pogo

    Pogo Friend

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    Schiit themselves have answered that question by ceasing Wyrd production and closing out inventory at half off.
     

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