[Elegiac]

I gave it a cursory check, but it wasn't until recently that I seriously started to use it.
Got a digital transport I'm comfortable with now, so these things shouldn't slip by me going forward.

 

[bigshot]

Simplifying would help too. More units needed to do a single job is a higher chance of getting stuck with something defective. More links in the chain doesn't make for better sound. It just makes things complicated.

 

[Elegiac]

I just didn't want to run anything off my laptop. The Topping M50 is about as simple as it gets
Yeah, 2 or 3 steps is an ideal chain

 

[redrol]

Alright.
I have an SMSL SD-793II DAC, I'm feeding it coaxial, and running RCA out to an SMSL SH-6.
When the unit is powered on but music isn't playing, and I turn the amp up past 2 o'clock I can hear a rapidly oscillating 'electrical' noise. Not a hum or a hiss.
I've worked through every piece in the chain, and the noise originates in the DAC and not anywhere else.
Another DAC in the same position, idling while powered on, makes no sound.
The sound is inaudible(?) when music is playing. I have snuck the volume up to maximum in-between tracks and in quiet parts of songs, and I can't hear it.

What to make of this? I haven't turned up anything through google yet. And I'm wondering whether it's affecting audio quality.
I don't need or expect a stellar performance from this piece of gear, but to my ear, it could sound... cleaner.

USB noise coming from the PC. Trust me, this plagues many many dacs. I'd use optical SPDIF from the PC if possible and that should fix the issue.

 

[bigshot]

If it only happens with the PC, it’s some sort of grounding issue in the PC. Not alll PCs are optimized for sound the way Macs are.

 

[old tech]

If it only happens with the PC, it’s some sort of grounding issue in the PC. Not alll PCs are optimized for sound the way Macs are.

I'm convinced you are one of those sheeple fanboys. You often throw in a Apple endorsement even when it is not true or justify their failings in other areas.

 

[Elegiac]

I never ran it off USB. Coaxial & optical from a Topping M50. It wasn't a ground loop either... yadda yadda.
Trust me guys, I went through each link in the chain to identify where it originated. Got another DAC in its place now: dead quiet.

 

[bigshot]

There is only one kind of Mac. All if them are optimized for A/V. There are a bunch of different kinds of PCs made for different purposes. Some of them aren't meant to handle video and audio to the same degree of quality. A lot more of them do now than in the past. I remember about four or five years ago, there were lots of people talking about hums and noise when they used their PC as the source.

 

[bfreedma]

There is only one kind of Mac. All if them are optimized for A/V. There are a bunch of different kinds of PCs made for different purposes. Some of them aren't meant to handle video and audio to the same degree of quality. A lot more of them do now than in the past. I remember about four or five years ago, there were lots of people talking about hums and noise when they used their PC as the source.

What, specifically, in a modern PC is “worse” for audio than a current Mac. They are both largely built on the same commodity parts - 1994 was a long time ago. There is also certainly not only “one kind of Mac” - the iMac, Pro, studio! Mini, Air and MB Pro are not identical designs or configurations.

How, specifically, is the current Mac “optimized for A/V” in ways a PC can’t be?

What PC, specifically, isn’t “meant to handle video and audio with the same degree of quality”? And why would I buy the incorrect PC for a job if that were true?

It’s rather ironic that you quote marketing material as fact, yet rail against others who come here and do the same thing. And use “I remember” and “lots of people talking about” I,e, personal subjective sighted evaluation and unmanaged public opinions to vet your claims…

 

[castleofargh]

Guys, no religion on the forum.

More seriously, OP has already moved on and got another DAC, which IMO is the right move most of the time. Special cases exist, and building a PC with the cheapest PSU and MoBo in the world probably helps creating most of those special cases. In OP's story, another DAC is silent, problem solved!
Remains to know if the problem child is a one off or if that model simply does too little to attenuate input noises.

 

[Elegiac]

When I bought the SD-793II, the Amazon seller I got it from was the only place I could find it. And that was only early this year. It is an older model.
Now SMSL is selling them again on Aliexpress and Hifi Express. Something of a small comeback. I dunno. Leftover stock. Can't quite stomach buying another one though.
IFI uses the same chip in all their products, so I'm just going to upgrade. I like my Burr Brown DAC's

 

[bfreedma]

Guys, no religion on the forum.

More seriously, OP has already moved on and got another DAC, which IMO is the right move most of the time. Special cases exist, and building a PC with the cheapest PSU and MoBo in the world probably helps creating most of those special cases. In OP's story, another DAC is silent, problem solved!
Remains to know if the problem child is a one off or if that model simply does too little to attenuate input noises.

Nothing to do with religion - just asking for evidence to support a claim made in Sound Science. Seems reasonable given how many times Bigshot has asked for the exact same from others…

 

[bigshot]

I didn’t say “modern PC”. I said five years ago and earlier. I also said PCs have gotten a lot better since then. If you want to question my comments, at least read them carefully.

You really should just put me on ignore. You’re deliberately dogging me. I don’t understand it because I’ve got nothing against you.

By the way, https://www.head-fi.org/threads/digital-noise-from-dac.965352/page-2#post-17204142

 

[bfreedma]

I didn’t say “modern PC”. I said five years ago and earlier. I also said PCs have gotten a lot better since then. If you want to question my comments, at least read them carefully.

You really should just put me on ignore. You’re deliberately dogging me. I don’t understand it because I’ve got nothing against you.

By the way, https://www.head-fi.org/threads/digital-noise-from-dac.965352/page-2#post-17204142

I’m just holding you to the same standards as you’ve repeatedly asked others to adhere to; in Sound Science, one needs to support claims with objective data. To that point, referencing someone else’s unsupported opinion doesn’t constitute evidence, so unsure why you think that helps make your case.

Any reason you chose to respond this way rather than answering the questions I asked?

 

[bigshot]

Because your questions didn’t reflect what I said. If you start out twisting what I say, I’m not going to go back for more. Would you care to ask a question without telling me what I think along with it?