[leesure]

Check this Schiit out!

Loki is a $149 DSD processor that connects to your computer's USB it and brings hi Rez audio to your system.

Wait, did you say $149? YES! I too thought they might have forgotten a decimal place, but I confirmed it.

According to their site, there is no need to buy a new DAC, Loki plays nice with everyone else's DAC...even those without a Norse name.

Details: http://schiit.com/products/loki

I haven't played with DSD yet, but for $149, I may have to give in!

Now if the big labels would just start mastering for DSD...but that's another fight.

 

[kstuart]

The marketing talk on the web site is a bit confusing.
 
Basically it is an entirely separate DSD-ONLY DAC.... except that it has on onboard manual switch between its output and a set of RCA jacks.   SO, if you don't have any RCA analog inputs remaining, you can push the manual button on the front.
 
The marketing talk makes it sound like there is some computer-based switching, but there isn't...
 
Otherwise, looks promising.

 

[zhunter]

Love to read the FAQs as always lol 

This little Loki is really a unique product in the market, add the DSD option to any of your DAC! Awesome! I'd probably grab it if I have some DSD here to try, unfortunately 90% of my music library are still 16 bit, 44.1k flacs lol

 

[reiserFS]

Same here. DSD really is a niche market after all.
 
Quote:

  Love to read the FAQs as always lol 

This little Loki is really a unique product in the market, add the DSD option to any of your DAC! Awesome! I'd probably grab it if I have some DSD here to try, unfortunately 90% of my music library are still 16 bit, 44.1k flacs lol

 

[Zadok]

The main thing holding me back is that I really can't find DSD files anywhere except really small indie labels. My grandfather has a ton of SACD's and an SACD player, but finding digital DSD files for anything I want to hear is next to impossible.
 
I'd love to read some impressions on this though.
 
Quote:

  The marketing talk on the web site is a bit confusing.
 
Basically it is an entirely separate DSD-ONLY DAC.... except that it has on onboard manual switch between its output and a set of RCA jacks.   SO, if you don't have any RCA analog inputs remaining, you can push the manual button on the front.
 
The marketing talk makes it sound like there is some computer-based switching, but there isn't...
 
Otherwise, looks promising.

 
 
You can have the signal pass through the loki without change if you want to use your normal DAC. It is essentially an A/B audio switch.

 

[miceblue]

You can get some legally free DSD files from here if you want to experiment with it.
http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html

 

[HPiper]

I read an artical on the web about DSD and I still don't know what is is, near as I can tell it is like a SACD only different. I have never seen any disks for sale with that encoding so I am kind of wondering who who be buying one of these and what you would play through it if you did.

 

[Radioking59]

  I read an artical on the web about DSD and I still don't know what is is, near as I can tell it is like a SACD only different. I have never seen any disks for sale with that encoding so I am kind of wondering who who be buying one of these and what you would play through it if you did.

 
DSD is to SACD what PCM is to CDs. SACDs are DSD but they have copy protection that does not allow them to be easily copied. Also SACD players do not pass DSD over anything other than HDMI.  If Loki had a HDMI input it could be used with SACD players. There are some websites that sell DSD recordings. Acoustic Sounds has started to sell DSD downloads. These have the same masterings used on Analogue Productions SACDs. There are some others but they are mostly classical music.
 
SACDs can be ripped using an early PS3 that has been jailbroken. This requires the PS3 to have a very old firmware (3.55 or older). I'm guessing most people who bought Loki listen to these rips.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Sigh..... Seems like a cool product but soon every1s gonna be having magni mod loki triple stacks and be telling us how good lcd-3 sounds on it...

Anyways is this a stand alone dac as well

 

[Zadok]

Sigh..... Seems like a cool product but soon every1s gonna be having magni mod loki triple stacks and be telling us how good lcd-3 sounds on it...

Anyways is this a stand alone dac as well

 
It is standalone only if your files are all DSD. It is not capable of being a DAC for the other formats. It is essentially a supplemental box to do the occasional DSD file if you have it, otherwise you need another dac or use your computer's sound card. They enabled the switch on the loki so that you don't need to change the cables when switching formats... Just change the switch on the loki when not playing DSD and it will pass through.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Oh ok