[junker]

   
Well only the light for 44.1K is on so I'm guessing that I'm not?

Are you sure the 8x multiplier isn't on... sounds to me like you are possibly doing some serious up sampling. What player s/w?

 

[akarise]

  Are you sure the 8x multiplier isn't on... sounds to me like you are possibly doing some serious up sampling. What player s/w?

 
Yeah only the 44.1K light is on.
 
In the LH Control Panel:
Current sample rate: 44100 Hz
USB Streaming Mode: Safe
Asio Buffer Size: 2048 Samples
 
I'm using Foobar2000 and the output is Light Harmonic ASIO.

 

[bhazard]

It's not that the Hifime DAC doesn't have noise, it's that the GO is much more powerful with higher gain. You're hearing the recording.
 
Switch between different songs and you'll hear different noise floors. The GO is totally silent when running on a non compressed to hell music file.

 

[junker]

  It's not that the Hifime DAC doesn't have noise, it's that the GO is much more powerful with higher gain. You're hearing the recording.
 
Switch between different songs and you'll hear different noise floors. The GO is totally silent when running on a non compressed to hell music file.

 
Hahaha. True!

 

[akarise]

  It's not that the Hifime DAC doesn't have noise, it's that the GO is much more powerful with higher gain. You're hearing the recording.
 
Switch between different songs and you'll hear different noise floors. The GO is totally silent when running on a non compressed to hell music file.

 
I would understand if I was just hearing the different noise floors of different songs. But what I'm getting is noise without any music playing. And with the 0.47 ohm output, I'm just hearing a TON of noise, it's seriously not even usable through my IEMs.

 

[bhazard]

   
I would understand if I was just hearing the different noise floors of different songs. But what I'm getting is noise without any music playing. And with the 0.47 ohm output, I'm just hearing a TON of noise, it's seriously not even usable through my IEMs.

Use the extension cable that came with it. It sounds more like a dirty power issue from your PC.
 
Go into playback devices (Speakers, Geek Out), and disable any enhancements. Bump up the sampling rate higher too.
 
You shouldn't be hearing any noise whatsoever, especially when it isn't playing music. I have the extremely sensitive Ostry KC06 on the .47 line, and it is silent.

 

[tomscy2000]

  I would understand if I was just hearing the different noise floors of different songs. But what I'm getting is noise without any music playing. And with the 0.47 ohm output, I'm just hearing a TON of noise, it's seriously not even usable through my IEMs.

 
It's definitely conceivable that you may have received a partially faulty unit or that it was damaged during shipping. The reasons that the others are offering are really plausible, but the Geek Out's topology utilizes a good deal of power regulation such that hiss, even if audible, should be like what you're describing.
 
Some of the Geek 1000 owners are reporting some hiss with IEMs, but that's the 1000. If anything, all of the Geek's shunt regulators being equal, the 450 should be better about the hiss and residual noise.
 
FAD's IEMs are all hiss monsters, but even so, I doubt you'd hear none from the HiFiMeDIY DAC and a ton from the Geek 450. It doesn't make sense.

 

[akarise]

  Use the extension cable that came with it. It sounds more like a dirty power issue from your PC.
 
Go into playback devices (Speakers, Geek Out), and disable any enhancements. Bump up the sampling rate higher too.
 
You shouldn't be hearing any noise whatsoever, especially when it isn't playing music. I have the extremely sensitive Ostry KC06 on the .47 line, and it is silent.

 
The noise doesn't change whether I'm using the extension cable or not. I thought that maybe it was dirty power, but I don't think the power from my laptop is so dirty that I can hear THIS much noise. It's seriously a ridiculous amount of noise from the 0.47 ohm output.
 

   
It's definitely conceivable that you may have received a partially faulty unit or that it was damaged during shipping. The reasons that the others are offering are really plausible, but the Geek Out's topology utilizes a good deal of power regulation such that hiss, even if audible, should be like what you're describing.
 
Some of the Geek 1000 owners are reporting some hiss with IEMs, but that's the 1000. If anything, all of the Geek's shunt regulators being equal, the 450 should be better about the hiss and residual noise.
 
FAD's IEMs are all hiss monsters, but even so, I doubt you'd hear none from the HiFiMeDIY DAC and a ton from the Geek 450. It doesn't make sense.

 
Yeah I don't think it doesn't makes sense either, I'm thinking I really did end up with a faulty unit. I also realized I can even hear very faint noise from my AD2000X without music playing. This is really unfortunate, I've already emailed LH Labs about the issue and hopefully I can get a replacement soon.
 
Thanks to everyone who tried to help though!

 

[junker]

Before I would go through all that I'd check on another computer, and if possible, of a Mac w/o drivers. While you could have a h/w issue I'd wager it is something with the config since they are tested on an Audio Precision when being shipped out.

 

[akarise]

  Before I would go through all that I'd check on another computer, and if possible, of a Mac w/o drivers. While you could have a h/w issue I'd wager it is something with the config since they are tested on an Audio Precision when being shipped out.

 
I'll give it a shot but I feel like this kind of noise couldn't be caused by a config issue...

 

[rdsu]

LH drivers support Kernel Streaming, WASAPI and ASIO?
It also have ASIO 64bit version, to use with 64bit players?
 
Did you tried JPLAY with it?

 

[akarise]

  LH drivers support Kernel Streaming, WASAPI and ASIO?
It also have ASIO 64bit version, to use with 64bit players?
 
Did you tried JPLAY with it?

 
Nope I don't use JPLAY, only Foobar2000 and JRiver. But regardless, there is noise even without playing music through any program so I don't think the drivers are the problem.

 

[rdsu]

   
Nope I don't use JPLAY, only Foobar2000 and JRiver. But regardless, there is noise even without playing music through any program so I don't think the drivers are the problem.

My post is just a question for those that already have Geek Out, and not about your issue...
 
Thanks

 

[akarise]

OH haha my bad!

 

[alpha421]

  I haven't run into that issue yet with the Geek 450 and Windows 8.1 x64.  I haven't touched the physical buttons after Larry confirmed that we should be using the Windows volume control.

 
Can you run a test with your 450 on your WIN8 machine  to confirm that: 1) If you touch any of the physical buttons, unplug the 450, and then plug it back into the USB back, it sets to max volume; 2) If you don't touch the physical buttons, adjust volume using Windows volume control, unplug the 450, and then plug it back into the USB back, the Windows volume control setting is retained?
 
Thanks in advance.  I just sold my 450 in haste because I thought it retained the volume upon unplug/plug, and get a deafening volume level.  I think the Windows (using Win7) 450 drivers somehow doesn't retain the volume level and resets itself to max volume. Then again, you can't rule out user error.