[bixby]

@Iv4nI @landroni
 
Doing a bit more research on the typical audio toslink transmitter modules leads me to believe that Landroni may be correct in stating that the distance may be too far.  Most of the TOTX177 modules used for digital audio are only speced to go a distance of 5 meters with plastic cable.  Perhaps more with HQ Silica fiber, but may not be as reliable or worth the effort and cost if ti proves unreliable.  Other Toslink modules can do 40 meters, fwiw.
 
Now back to the Schiit show!  

 

[landroni]

 
Just trying to understand, I learn something every day.

 
You make some bold statements about optical in general not toslink per se.  Optical fiber (not Toslink, just to be clear) has tremendous ability to transfer tons of data successfully without resending packets all the time. And I know how music streamed to dac works vs a file transfer.

 
The thing I do not understand is what a "flipped bit" is and how does it manifest itself in an audio packet stream to a dac?  Does it have a sound?

 
As for jitter in Toslink, yes it can be a problem, so the measurements say, yet even reputable manufacturers of Toslink cable sell 10 meter and up to 100 foot cables.  Not saying that op may not be able to reliably stream 192, cuz I do not think the bandwidth is there in the Toslink spec, but regular stuff should be fine, unless he kinks the crap out of it.

 
As for alternatives, he could go aes spdif if the dac supports it, yet USB that far is a no go according to spec.  So I think that is his only choice if he must run that distance.  And if it sounds like crap then he will have to make a compromise, but it is worth a try.

 
As for snarky, I am just looking for facts, clarity and truth, not trolling 

Thanks, works for me.
 
Whether a flipped bit (you can also think of it as a lost bit) has audible consequences can be easily tested: fire up hex editor, flip a bit, play back the file. The flipped bits conundrum comes from digital data transmissions being a fully analogue process: 0V for 0 and 5V for 1 in audio. Voltages though are never exactly 0v nor 5v, so e.g a 1.23v signal will likely be interpreted as 0, while a 4.51v one as a 1. Depending on the analog signal attenuation (which will happen more with long cables), they can be flipped, or misread (0 as 1 or 1 as 0), but there will always be a value on the wire/fibre at the point in time the clock ticks and a bit must be read.

 
Whether and how the thing is audible, it would depend on which bit was flipped or misread (high order bits would have a bigger impact than low order). However, testing the audible effect is actually pretty easy. You take a .WAV file (just because they're the easiest to manipulate directly) and change the values of individual bits in a given sample (there will be 22500 of them per channel, per second, for 16/44.1 stereo audio). You can even zero-out the sample value entirely, or set it to it's maximum value. Save that file, then play it.
 
This said, however, my understanding is that flipped bits are rare with audio applications in practice, especially with electrical connections (0v and 5v voltages are pretty big). Some very strong interference should be going on for that to happen. Electrical noise from the source (for Coax and USB) and timing errors (for USB, Coax and Optical) are of more concern. Especially for Optical, unless a short, unbent, high-quality glass cable like the Lifatec is used, you're increasingly more likely to get timing errors because of the physical constraints of optical transmissions --- so yeah, it can be fast, just as it can be jittery, and with poor cables you may even be getting dropouts.
 
Again, though, timing errors are irrelevant when downloading a file from the internet and storing it digitally. Things will be different though when playing back music. So the analogy, while widespread, isn't very helpful.
 
Here are several posts by @Torq that were very insightful on these matters (see also several posts below):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/766347/schiit-yggdrasil-impressions-thread/2220#post_12453511

 

[AJTSin]

I am not sure if this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything in search.

I recently picked up a Magni 2 Uber to slot into my vinyl setup. (I am also pairing it with an AQ Dragonfly Red for digital which is working quite nicely).

I am curious if the Magni is going to change/amplify the output sound to powered speakers using the Pre-Amp outs or just pass through with a volume control?

I am just double checking that my placement is correct.

Right now I have:

Turntable > Phono Preamp > Magni 2 U > Behringer 2 Channel Mixer > Powered Tannoy Reveal Studio Monitors

I have been running this setup without the Magni for years and I love the clean sound. I use the 2 Channel mixer as a phono volume control for the powered monitors. I also went with a mixer so I can run the turntable and Apple AirPlay input into the speakers at the same time without having to change inputs on a receiver etc.

Now with the Magni in play I have all the inputs on the mixer set to 0DB and am using the Magni to now control the vinyl sound and laptop/iPhone etc to control the volume for the Airplay.

The Mixer has a headphone out which I could use to run the Magni as a branch out kinda thing but I kinda like it in the middle so when I do use headphones it mutes the rest of the chain.

Anyways this may be too much explaining, just want to make sure having the Magni early in the line isn't adding too much amplification and wondering what people with powered desktop monitors typically do for sound levels (change on the speakers, or on the Magni etc etc)

Any advice would be helpful. Kinda new to this whole thing.

 

[MothAudio]

Ordered the Modi 2 Uber to matrix with Chromecast Audio.

 

[WardrumMastodon]

I have a modi u2 and magni u2 sitting in a box next to me and I am hesitating even opening it. I am not sure I will notice the difference from my E10K. Might of been better off getting another set of cans. What you guys think? 

 

[bixby]

  I have a modi u2 and magni u2 sitting in a box next to me and I am hesitating even opening it. I am not sure I will notice the difference from my E10K. Might of been better off getting another set of cans. What you guys think? 

you will, we're betting on it, don't let us down

 

[WardrumMastodon]

you will, we're betting on it, don't let us down

Hmmm... Whose we? You're not bull schitt'n me are you?

 

[rez11]

must find non-stiff+short easy to work with RCA cable for my Modi, got this KableDirect one thats 3feet long and so stiff the plug is forced sideways a little due to the pressure on the cable

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

  I have a modi u2 and magni u2 sitting in a box next to me and I am hesitating even opening it. I am not sure I will notice the difference from my E10K. Might of been better off getting another set of cans. What you guys think? 

No offense mate, but this Fiio (and other Fiio's) I dread to the bone! While I don't always like Schiit product I think the Modi 2 and Magni 2 are among the best combos you can get for < $300.

 

[Letmebefrank]

  must find non-stiff+short easy to work with RCA cable for my Modi, got this KableDirect one thats 3feet long and so stiff the plug is forced sideways a little due to the pressure on the cable

Contact cablesforless, they made me a custom 8" RCA cable for my schiit stack, and I tell you it is top notch quality and very affordable.

 

[Shogster]

I have a modi u2 and magni u2 sitting in a box next to me and I am hesitating even opening it. I am not sure I will notice the difference from my E10K. Might of been better off getting another set of cans. What you guys think? 

Please do open them, and tell what you think, cause i have the stack in my cart and the e10k on my desk.

 

[MothAudio]

  must find non-stiff+short easy to work with RCA cable for my Modi, got this KableDirect one thats 3feet long and so stiff the plug is forced sideways a little due to the pressure on the cable

 

Is this due to your cables being physically too large that they touch pushing the RCA jacks sideways OR is it due to the snug fit that's pushing the plug back into the chassis? The audiophile analog cables I was hoping to use have a very snug fit. I imagine, due to the stiffness of the cables, I'll also have to weigh the box down.

 

 

[rez11]

So i did the test to see wether i have new 4490 chip and i think i do, Modi is only shown in windows when switch is turned on. 
 
Question: Is the wobbly/loose/noisy input button normal on Modi 2 Uber? Read a report that someone had a wobbly one returned it and got a new 4490 version that has a tight non-loose button. just curious im sure its nothing to worry about. thanks!

 

[sheldaze]

  So i did the test to see wether i have new 4490 chip and i think i do, Modi is only shown in windows when switch is turned on. 
 
Question: Is the wobbly/loose/noisy input button normal on Modi 2 Uber? Read a report that someone had a wobbly one returned it and got a new 4490 version that has a tight non-loose button. just curious im sure its nothing to worry about. thanks!

I have the new 4490 version of the Modi 2 Uber. The button is the same as the previous version. Rumors of a changed button are untrue.
And the button, regardless of how loose or wobbly as people may describe it, works.

 

[bixby]

yes, mine is loose and sounds like a free screw rolling around in a metal case when you move it side to side.