[HumdrumPenguin]

I see you guys talking about volume such and such using Tidal, do make sure you have Exclusive mode enabled in Tidal as well.
For the record, I listen to my 6XX at about 10:00 on high gain with the Asgard 3/4490 in Tidal. It shouldn't be compared to an Asgard 3 with Bitfrost 2 because there will be a large difference in volume.

The discussion about volume is that @Sean_MR is not getting enough volume with the Asgard,and we are trying to figure if everything is set properly to avoid sending a complaint to Schiit on an otherwise perfect unit.

 

[genck]

Oh, and my Asgard never gets warm. Is that abnormal too @HumdrumPenguin ?

FWIW my Asgard 3 is definitely warm, and always has. It's definitely normal to be warm, I'd be concerned if it wasn't warm at all,in fact (due to the way this amp works).

 

[jnak00]

@Sean_MR do you have another source you could test?

 

[Sean_MR]

The discussion about volume is that @Sean_MR is not getting enough volume with the Asgard,and we are trying to figure if everything is set properly to avoid sending a complaint to Schiit on an otherwise perfect unit.

I actually am already returning the Asgard 3 anyways, but that decision was made before learning all this and is unrelated. I actually filed my return request a few days ago (waiting on bubble wrap from amazon to ship), but because long story-short covid led to family re-shuffling around in the house, and my new smaller compact desk can't fit the Asgard 3. Anyways, I just hope that if it is indeed defective I don't get blamed for breaking it, since it was like this since I received it.

And @jnak00 no I do not, unfortunately. It would just be my laptop.

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

I actually am already returning the Asgard 3 anyways, but that decision was made before learning all this and is unrelated. I actually filed my return request a few days ago (waiting on bubble wrap from amazon to ship), but because long story-short covid led to family re-shuffling around in the house, and my new smaller compact desk can't fit the Asgard 3. Anyways, I just hope that if it is indeed defective I don't get blamed for breaking it, since it was like this since I received it.

And @jnak00 no I do not, unfortunately. It would just be my laptop.

You probably have no idea how the amp sounds in this case, so if Schiit could send you a new one and take yours with free shipping both ways, I'd take that path first, although there's the second problem you've just introduced now... the mini desk! Assuming you do return, consider the long time delivery wait lines for whatever amp you decide to get next.

 

[Eddie C]

Hi folks,

I've been highly considering the Asgard 3. I am wondering if it is recommended to get the AK4490 DAC card with it or buy standalone DAC (Topping D10 in mind) in terms of performance?

Cheers

 

[genck]

Hi folks,

I've been highly considering the Asgard 3. I am wondering if it is recommended to get the AK4490 DAC card with it or buy standalone DAC (Topping D10 in mind) in terms of performance?

Cheers

It's a personal preference. I have the internal 4490 because I like a clean workspace. If you choose an internal now you can still use an external one later through the rca input in the back, so it's not a big deal.

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

Hi folks,

I've been highly considering the Asgard 3. I am wondering if it is recommended to get the AK4490 DAC card with it or buy standalone DAC (Topping D10 in mind) in terms of performance?

Cheers

The 4490 is not very resolving in my opinion. I'd go with a standalone DAC. I initially tried the SMSL M100, which would be comparable to the Topping D10 I suppose, and although it was better than the 4490, it wasn't quite there yet. I then moved up to the Bifrost 2. The 4490 (and the multibit card as I've heard) will hold back the Asgard 3.

 

[alej16]

Hey guys

I have this amp since yesterday and maybe i have also problem with volume ..
my only other sorce is xonar STX and this amp with 4490 module

My headphones are MEZE Classics 99 and HiFi Sundara
With STX i listen on low(normal gain) (MEZE) for 64ohms and i can,t max volume in Foobar and for Sundara i put on extra gain for 300-600 and i have good volume

With Asgard on HIGH gain i can listen to MEZE at 11 - 12:00 easy and for Sundara i can even max it for sec , ofc not listening there , for "normal" loud(er)
listening i can have it at 15:00 or more easy.

I also try with STX as sorce and got more volume and also more bass (dont know if DAC can have that impact on sound ) bass is not better is more boomy lets say

in foobar i always use replaygain and if i remove it ofc sound is louder but i was using that all the time

its really weird it seems that Xonar STX is more powerfull than this amp and thats crazy right ?

Maybe im doing something wrong im not expert in this.

Does any of u guys have same headphones and can test this ?

Thanks

 

[Eddie C]

It's a personal preference. I have the internal 4490 because I like a clean workspace. If you choose an internal now you can still use an external one later through the rca input in the back, so it's not a big deal.

Yeah the appeal of the DAC card is to preserve workspace as an all in one unit and potentially save money on a pair of RCA cables. However i am chasing performance, and deal is if it doesn't perform up to par it is more difficult to resell+swap over a standalone usb dac.

The 4490 is not very resolving in my opinion. I'd go with a standalone DAC. I initially tried the SMSL M100, which would be comparable to the Topping D10 I suppose, and although it was better than the 4490, it wasn't quite there yet. I then moved up to the Bifrost 2. The 4490 (and the multibit card as I've heard) will hold back the Asgard 3.

Thanks for your insight!

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

Hey guys

I have this amp since yesterday and maybe i have also problem with volume ..
my only other sorce is xonar STX and this amp with 4490 module

My headphones are MEZE Classics 99 and HiFi Sundara
With STX i listen on low(normal gain) (MEZE) for 64ohms and i can,t max volume in Foobar and for Sundara i put on extra gain for 300-600 and i have good volume

With Asgard on HIGH gain i can listen to MEZE at 11 - 12:00 easy and for Sundara i can even max it for sec , ofc not listening there , for "normal" loud(er)
listening i can have it at 15:00 or more easy.

I also try with STX as sorce and got more volume and also more bass (dont know if DAC can have that impact on sound ) bass is not better is more boomy lets say

in foobar i always use replaygain and if i remove it ofc sound is louder but i was using that all the time

its really weird it seems that Xonar STX is more powerfull than this amp and thats crazy right ?

Maybe im doing something wrong im not expert in this.

Does any of u guys have same headphones and can test this ?

Thanks

The STX hasn't been on my computer for about a year or so (when I got a huge graphics card and wanted more space for air flow), but I do remember it being extremely powerful on the highest gain.

I had the Classics 99 for a couple days before returning them (the comfort was so bad for my ears that I couldn't keep it on my head for 10 min without a lot of pain), and I don't remember it requiring much power from the Asgard 3.

 

[alej16]

The STX hasn't been on my computer for about a year or so (when I got a huge graphics card and wanted more space for air flow), but I do remember it being extremely powerful on the highest gain.

I had the Classics 99 for a couple days before returning them (the comfort was so bad for my ears that I couldn't keep it on my head for 10 min without a lot of pain), and I don't remember it requiring much power from the Asgard 3.

yes that is true u can power them with anything almost

do u maybe know if cheap usb a\b cable can make diference , because when i play hi res audio 24 bit i get distortion and its like half a song is missing 16bit flac plays normal
but if i use quality RCA cable from STX into asgard it plays normaly

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

yes that is true u can power them with anything almost

do u maybe know if cheap usb a\b cable can make diference , because when i play hi res audio 24 bit i get distortion and its like half a song is missing 16bit flac plays normal
but if i use quality RCA cable from STX into asgard it plays normaly

I never used the STX as a dac only to feed the Asgard (if I understand you correctly, that's what you are doing), but digital cables shouldn't matter since they carry just binary code (digital signal). Cables only matter when carrying analog signal, and only to a certain point according to what I have tried up to this day.

 

[alej16]

I never used the STX as a dac only to feed the Asgard (if I understand you correctly, that's what you are doing), but digital cables shouldn't matter since they carry just binary code (digital signal). Cables only matter when carrying analog signal, and only to a certain point according to what I have tried up to this day.

yes that is correct

what i found interesting is when i use this cheap usb a\b cable and output is wasapi, 24bit song are distorted but when i select DS output it plays normal , maybe because it downsaples or something

 

[Sean_MR]

You probably have no idea how the amp sounds in this case, so if Schiit could send you a new one and take yours with free shipping both ways, I'd take that path first, although there's the second problem you've just introduced now... the mini desk! Assuming you do return, consider the long time delivery wait lines for whatever amp you decide to get next.

You’re correct. This was my first real dedicated headphone amp, so I didn’t know what I should have been hearing! I wouldn’t know if anything was wrong because I had no point of reference haha. And yea, I’ve got to return it because of the desk anyways. Thanks for all your help btw though!