The USB board was actually Tango Uniform and has been replaced at no charge (I get it back tomorrow). For my own sanity, I'm still going to let them do any future upgrades. My "pucker factor" was sitting at 9.5!
The USB board was actually Tango Uniform and has been replaced at no charge (I get it back tomorrow). For my own sanity, I'm still going to let them do any future upgrades. My "pucker factor" was sitting at 9.5!
HK sends, just so I'm clear, you were never able to get sound from the USB even though in your devices pane it showed Schiit USB Speakers? And you get sound from Toslink, and digital? Sorry if I'm being thick, here. Your clarification will help my pucker factor.
HK sends, just so I'm clear, you were never able to get sound from the USB even though in your devices pane it showed Schiit USB Speakers? And you get sound from Toslink, and digital? Sorry if I'm being thick, here. Your clarification will help my pucker factor.
Installed my uber board two days ago. Was pleased to find out that my bifrost, purchased in February this year, already had the newer USB board installed. Anyways, the über analog board is a sweet upgrade. Improved sound quality in my system across the board, particularly in regards to bass definition and soundstage width. The bass response is fantastic now, tight and punchy, where before it was more loose and boomy. I'm happy with the results!
Installed my uber board two days ago. Was pleased to find out that my bifrost, purchased in February this year, already had the newer USB board installed. Anyways, the über analog board is a sweet upgrade. Improved sound quality in my system across the board, particularly in regards to bass definition and soundstage width. The bass response is fantastic now, tight and punchy, where before it was more loose and boomy. I'm happy with the results!
Are you sure about that USB board? I have the older board and my Bitfrost was shipped out on 04-08.....I added the Uber upgrade and are waiting for the Gen 2 card to arrive. While I had it apart, I noticed that silver solid cap near the center of the card and thought it was the newer board, however, on my Windows 8 laptop, using the unified driver, there are 2 Schiit audio devices showing up. One is SPDIF, the other is USB speakers. According to Schiit there should only be one device showing up in Windows and only then will that be the indication that it is the newer board.
I am dealing with a ground loop problem with my Bitfrost and Lyr and have narrowed it down to the Bitfrost causing the problem. If I run my Pioneer SACD player analogs into the Lyr directly, no ground loop. When using the Pio optical out into the Bitfrost and then into the Lyr, I get some noticeable hum past 12 o'clock. If I put a cheater plug on the Bitfrost, the hum goes away. I hate to spend another $70 for one of those HumX devices but may have to. I am going to put the older analog board back in the Bitfrost just for grins to see if I missed the humming the first time around.
Installed my uber board two days ago. Was pleased to find out that my bifrost, purchased in February this year, already had the newer USB board installed. Anyways, the über analog board is a sweet upgrade. Improved sound quality in my system across the board, particularly in regards to bass definition and soundstage width. The bass response is fantastic now, tight and punchy, where before it was more loose and boomy. I'm happy with the results!
Changed back to the older board and humming still there. It doesn't matter if using my Lyr, Asgard, or Little Dot Mk III, the Bitforst is still causing it. The cheater plug is the only thing that solves the problem. Doesn't matter if it's on the DAC or amp (although I like the idea of having it on the DAC better). I tried a couple of directional sub-woofer rca interconnects and the problem is still the same.
Question? I have heard that by having rca cables connecting a dac to an amp.......if one of the units has a path to ground (3rd prong) that there really wouldn't be a need for further grounding because the rca cables are the ground path. What is thought about that?
Sorry to stray a bit off topic, but at least I eliminated the idea of the boards being different concerning ground loop (although that is probably obvious to many).
Changed back to the older board and humming still there. It doesn't matter if using my Lyr, Asgard, or Little Dot Mk III, the Bitforst is still causing it. The cheater plug is the only thing that solves the problem. Doesn't matter if it's on the DAC or amp (although I like the idea of having it on the DAC better). I tried a couple of directional sub-woofer rca interconnects and the problem is still the same.
Question? I have heard that by having rca cables connecting a dac to an amp.......if one of the units has a path to ground (3rd prong) that there really wouldn't be a need for further grounding because the rca cables are the ground path. What is thought about that?
Sorry to stray a bit off topic, but at least I eliminated the idea of the boards being different concerning ground loop (although that is probably obvious to many).
Preface. I am stil learning electronics...
Ground is ground.
The RCA ground can only get to the earth via one board or the other third prong.
There is no other path. There is some isolation provided by the transformer between Primary and secondary. Think of a bridge.
But thinking out loud the earth ground still goes to the chassis and hum could be coming from the primary side of the transformer.
My opinion... it's down stream of the Schiit gear.
As a test, make sure everything else on the AC outlet circuit breaker is off. Lamps etc.
Can you hear the hum without anything playing? If so, can you hear it with your PC shut down.?
Try an outlet that's on a different breaker.
Try it at a friends house.?
Try it without the RCA's . Just the Lyr.
Unless the tranny has a problem, you should be able to isolate the source.
My bet is environmental.
Changed back to the older board and humming still there. It doesn't matter if using my Lyr, Asgard, or Little Dot Mk III, the Bitforst is still causing it. The cheater plug is the only thing that solves the problem. Doesn't matter if it's on the DAC or amp (although I like the idea of having it on the DAC better). I tried a couple of directional sub-woofer rca interconnects and the problem is still the same.
Question? I have heard that by having rca cables connecting a dac to an amp.......if one of the units has a path to ground (3rd prong) that there really wouldn't be a need for further grounding because the rca cables are the ground path. What is thought about that?
Sorry to stray a bit off topic, but at least I eliminated the idea of the boards being different concerning ground loop (although that is probably obvious to many).
Installed my uber board two days ago. Was pleased to find out that my bifrost, purchased in February this year, already had the newer USB board installed. Anyways, the über analog board is a sweet upgrade. Improved sound quality in my system across the board, particularly in regards to bass definition and soundstage width. The bass response is fantastic now, tight and punchy, where before it was more loose and boomy. I'm happy with the results!
Preface. I am stil learning electronics...
Ground is ground.
The RCA ground can only get to the earth via one board or the other third prong.
There is no other path. There is some isolation provided by the transformer between Primary and secondary. Think of a bridge.
But thinking out loud the earth ground still goes to the chassis and hum could be coming from the primary side of the transformer.
My opinion... it's down stream of the Schiit gear.
As a test, make sure everything else on the AC outlet circuit breaker is off. Lamps etc.
Can you hear the hum without anything playing? If so, can you hear it with your PC shut down.?
Try an outlet that's on a different breaker.
Try it at a friends house.?
Try it without the RCA's . Just the Lyr.
Unless the tranny has a problem, you should be able to isolate the source.
My bet is environmental.
Thanks guys! What I have is one of those 4 outlet Tripp Lite Isobars, with the source, amp, and DAC plugged into it.
If I take the Bitfrost out of the equation and use the DAC's of the source (Pioneer or Onkyo SACD players, 2V out) and connect by analog to either a Lyr, Asgard, or Little Dot Mk III, the amps are quiet (except for the Lyr which is very slightly noisy at full volume).
If I use the optical or coax (doesn't matter which) out of the source and connect it to the Bitfrost, I get prominent hum after about 12 o'clock (on any of the amps), although I can detect it lower on the volume knob.
The Bitfrost (in combination with any of the amps) appears to be the culprit.
I've tried powering straight into the wall, other outlets, an APC H10 line conditioner, directional and/or different rca cables.
Nothing has stopped it except the cheater plug.
BUT now, after a trip to Guitar Center, I am the proud owner of a $75 HumX (yes my @$$ hurts) which is performing the same as the cheater plug. Didn't really think I'd have to buy an additional piece of gear after dumping a boatload of currency into Schiit gear.
Not disagreeing ....
Wouldn't that be the definition of a ground loop? Box A ground A, Box B, ground B. RCA interconnect in between... Pretty much a loop. Could also be an open ground.
Just have to isolate down to the simplest part, hope it doesn't occur, and rebuild backwards from there.
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