Schiit is going to come out with something digital related. Just wait a bit, should be after Vidar releases sometime in the Summer/Fall.
Schiit Gungnir DAC
- Thread starter WarriorAnt
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UntilThen
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Ah thank you. I'll wait then.
daddyo1973
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Ok, I am going to test the waters on this USB converting thing and will try a Gustard U12 to feed my Gumby. Should be here in a day or two from Amazon. I'll take a listen and report back on that vs. my current feed which is an AQ Jitterbug -> Cardas Clear USB -> Gumby. I got the AQ jitterbug after talking with a friend who uses like three devices to scrub/de-jitter/clock/convert his USB feed into a DAC. He made me seem a fool if I did not at least so something with my USB signal. That was a while ago and while I can't say it was ever a sonic improvement, I've never had any problems feeding any DAC off my iMac via USB since I've used it.
winders
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm debating on your suggestion of getting a Singxer F1 for my Yggy or a Asus Essense STX ii card or a bigger expense Lynx AES16e .... or do nothing, continue using USB until Schiit comes up with a better solution. I just want something simple. My source is an iMac 27" (Audirvana Plus 3) and a new PC running Windows 10 and using JRiver Media Center 22.
I know USB isn't the best option but it's sounding very good to me now. Flip to Toslink and I couldn't hear much difference.However with USB, I did experience JRiver hangs as described by @RCBinTN. Doesn't happen now though.
Btw Yggy sounds incredible. Was using a NAD d1050 previously. The difference is great.
My plan is to migrate away from USB completely. I will soon be buying a AOIP streamer/end point that outputs AES/EBU (and SPDIF). Then I won't need device like the Singxer F-1 to "fix" USB...thank God!!
artur9
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Would it be possible to change your sources from a Mac to something that is natively Coax/BNC/AES?
Tom Blake
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For me the combination of a microRendu and UpTone Audio LPS-1 power supply into the Gumby completely solved all my USB gremlins. Of course that's nearly a $1K combination. The microRendu is served by a dedicated Win10 box as my RoonCore (see my sig). My main PC has an ASUS Essence STX II in it that is supplying the Gumby with a coax SPDIF signal. That sounds much better than straight USB from that machine, but not as good as the mircroRendu from the dedicated server.
UntilThen
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I suppose the question was directed at me. I'm staying with my PC and when I want to, use the iMac occasionally. With the PC, I could get the ASUS Essence Stx II (coax) or the Lynx AES16e (AES). I don't feel in a hurry now as I am hearing great tones using just USB. So aside from the 2 options, I could wait for Schiit to implement something.
Tom Blake
100+ Head-Fier
I can vouch for the Essence STX II working well with my Gumby via coax SPDIF. Like I said though I do prefer the microRendu via USB into the Gumby, albeit at much higher cost. The ASUS card was definitely better than straight USB out of that PC. I had really bad problems with dropouts and distorted sounds on occasion from the mobo USB ports, That's went sent me down the rat hole of the ASUS sound card and then the microRendu. USB can certainly sound very good if you throw enough money at it. Long term I am very interested in the ethernet-based protocols like Ravenna.
UntilThen
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Yeah I heard from friends who have use the ASUS card, saying it's much better than USB for Bimby and Gumby. This is probably the cheaper option using coax. Also heard from a friend who has a Yggy that the microRendu with Uptone Audio LPS-1 is very good but is expensive. That said person finally sold the microRendu + Uptone LPS and bought a Lynx AES16e, feeding AES straight into Yggy. The feedback I got was that both microRendu and Lynx sounded the best of all the options, with the Lynx being cheaper and bypassing USB completely.
JerryLeeds
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Has anyone heard or know about Simaudio's Network Streamer? Im thinking about using it to replace the computer in one of my two setups (home office or living room)
Mobile link below
http://m.simaudio.com/en/product/106-network-streaming-music-player.html
Mobile link below
http://m.simaudio.com/en/product/106-network-streaming-music-player.html
artur9
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That's was considered a very good device, excellent even, when it came out. But I think it's a bit dated now. Has it been revised since it came out?
Personally, my used Bryston BDP-1 is the best purchase I've made in the USB cleaner, network streamer, arena.
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JerryLeeds
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New model just came out in January 2017
RCBinTN
Headphoneus Supremus
Thanks All for the great ideas. Appreciate the help, as always. Head-Fiers are the Schiit.
The option that seems to make sense for me is Singxer F-1 between the Macbook Pro (USB) and the GMB (RCA-RCA or RCA-BNC). I don't have a dedicated space to keep my rig, so must assemble the components each time I want to listen. That's the reason I didn't like the Wyrd - it needs an external power source. Amazon has the Singxer for US $180.
@winders am I correct the Singxer needs only USB power? Are you using RCA-RCA or RCA-BNC from the Singxer to your Yggr? I went to BlueJeans' site and they seem very knowledgable about digital cables. Thanks for your help! Wish now I'd found this type of solution long ago...
BTW, I did hear an improvement in SQ when I upgraded my Toslink cable - from AQ Evergreen to AQ Diamond. But overall the USB - Singxer F-1 - RCA is a less expensive solution.
Cheers,
RCB
The option that seems to make sense for me is Singxer F-1 between the Macbook Pro (USB) and the GMB (RCA-RCA or RCA-BNC). I don't have a dedicated space to keep my rig, so must assemble the components each time I want to listen. That's the reason I didn't like the Wyrd - it needs an external power source. Amazon has the Singxer for US $180.
@winders am I correct the Singxer needs only USB power? Are you using RCA-RCA or RCA-BNC from the Singxer to your Yggr? I went to BlueJeans' site and they seem very knowledgable about digital cables. Thanks for your help! Wish now I'd found this type of solution long ago...
BTW, I did hear an improvement in SQ when I upgraded my Toslink cable - from AQ Evergreen to AQ Diamond. But overall the USB - Singxer F-1 - RCA is a less expensive solution.
Cheers,
RCB
You are correct -- the Singxer F-1 is usb powered! Mine is powered by the LPS-1 via an ISO Regen. The combo makes things very smooth, refined, organic.
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winders
Headphoneus Supremus
Yes, as jcn3 states, the Singxer F-1 gets its power from the USB Vbus. I am using a RCA-RCA coax cable. I have used this setup with and without the ISO Regen powered by an LPS -1. It sounds great without the ISO Regen but it sounds better with. In your situation, RCB, I would stick with the simple configuration since you have to setup it up and tear it down all the time. Bypassing Yggy's seems to be a good thing to my ears. For those with a Gumby, it should make an even bigger difference since the USB hardware is better on Yggy.
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