[Ghosthouse]

Now, THAT's interesting! Because my S/PDIF converter is the Musical Fidelity V-Link 192/24, about which I can only say good things.

Do you hear a difference between the V-Link and the Eitr? I would upgrade to the Eitr solely to get any sonic benefits possible. Otherwise there's little point...

First - you won't get any argument from me about the V-Link. I thought it was a good performing/high value device. Putting it between Aries Mini and Gungnir really made things sound great. I actually bought a second to have a backup spare if the first should go south. This was before I got the Eitr.

It has been a long while since I compared Eitr and V-Link. Seems to me the differences at the time were subtle. BUT, I hasten to add, the V-Link would have had many hours on it (hundreds, probably) whereas the Eitr was new out of the box. Always seems to me that electronics do take some time to settle in and sound their best. I haven't compared recently. The Eitr supports the main listening source (Aries Mini) on the strength of it having the latest Gen 5 USB tech and because I was running a Schiit Gungnir. Did keep the V-Link for converting USB from a MacBook Air (listening to Youtube etc.).

At less than $200, can't hurt to give Eitr a try and find out what YOU hear. You can return it if it doesn't seem any better than the V-Link.

One thing that is definitely worth trying on the V-Link is a double-headed USB cable where signal and power leads are separated. I got one off E-Bay from Douk Mall. Very reasonable price. iFi, Cardas, and others all making double-headed USB cables now.

 

[Ghosthouse]

Brother you're going to cost me a fortune! I'm thinking of the AQ diamond for the USB portion, than an EITR than coaxial. I'm using a Node 2 as a transport so I don't know if straight Coaxial would be worth it either vs the configuration you described.

If you are convinced you want to go with an AQ Diamond, check US Audio Mart and see if you can find used. That will save you some $.

 

[zztopps]

Brother you're going to cost me a fortune! I'm thinking of the AQ diamond for the USB portion, than an EITR than coaxial. I'm using a Node 2 as a transport so I don't know if straight Coaxial would be worth it either vs the configuration you described.

I also have the Node 2 and run a Blue Jeans coaxial cable straight out of it into a Modi Multibit. I not sure it sounds any better or worse than the coax out of the Eitr. Both setups sound pretty good.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Brother you're going to cost me a fortune! I'm thinking of the AQ diamond for the USB portion, than an EITR than coaxial. I'm using a Node 2 as a transport so I don't know if straight Coaxial would be worth it either vs the configuration you described.

Well, only you know how much money you have and how you wish to spend it. But to me, an Audioquest Diamond is too much $$$ for a cable. Maybe if all my gear was endgame/big-$$$ audiophile stuff, each component costing $10K-20K (such systems do exist), then a cable this expensive would make sense.

2 USB cables that cost anywhere from 1/2 to 1/12th of a Diamond were mentioned just today in this string. I own the Lush 2 cable and can strongly recommend it; for me primary system I'm about the get the Oyaide USB cable, which costs all of $50.

That's just the way I look at it, though. What you do is entirely up to you...

 

[Pharmaboy]

One thing that is definitely worth trying on the V-Link is a double-headed USB cable where signal and power leads are separated. I got one off E-Bay from Douk Mall. Very reasonable price. iFi, Cardas, and others all making double-headed USB cables now.

Very interesting suggestion. I take it this cable would require 2 X USB 2.0 slots on computer?

If that's the case, has anyone heard any of the suggested cables? I should point out that I've read this entire string but just don't recall if the topic came up before...sorry if I'm missing something.

 

[Ghosthouse]

Very interesting suggestion. I take it this cable would require 2 X USB 2.0 slots on computer?

If that's the case, has anyone heard any of the suggested cables? I should point out that I've read this entire string but just don't recall if the topic came up before...sorry if I'm missing something.

No. That way might work but it defeats the purpose. The idea is use a separate power supply and NOT the noisy supply from the computer's 2nd USB port. Take only signal from the computer. Easiest way is get a little 5V USB charger like for an iPhone to power the USB connection. It works very well with the V-Link this way. There are probably more sophisticated power supplies if you are worried about noise from an iPhone charger. I had no problem with this method.

I realized having written this the better power supply for the Eitr vs USB power for the V-Link was another contributor to "upgrading"

 

[hikaru12]

Well, only you know how much money you have and how you wish to spend it. But to me, an Audioquest Diamond is too much $$$ for a cable. Maybe if all my gear was endgame/big-$$$ audiophile stuff, each component costing $10K-20K (such systems do exist), then a cable this expensive would make sense.

2 USB cables that cost anywhere from 1/2 to 1/12th of a Diamond were mentioned just today in this string. I own the Lush 2 cable and can strongly recommend it; for me primary system I'm about the get the Oyaide USB cable, which costs all of $50.

That's just the way I look at it, though. What you do is entirely up to you...

Sorry I misunderstood what you were saying - were you trying to say adding the EITR with Gen 5 USB and then going coax out to my DAC would be best instead of coaxial from my transport? I have no problem spending a good amount on cables. My system components are about a grand a piece so a $500 cable with noticeable upgrades will certainly interest me. End game for me is setting yourself a budget for your main components say $2k for headphones and building around that say maybe half for components, cables, etc as long as you like the tweaked sound in the end! The tough thing to get right is when you reach a certain level of transparency everything in your chain is going to change the sound and you'll have to control it one way or another.

I love how AQ handles SPC - some OFC/OCC that I've heard can sound harsh but I think AQ nailed the geometry where it sounds really clear but super smooth and relaxed. A detailed, warm sound signature is my preference hence why I had a hard time letting go of my Auteurs. If you guys really think Gen 5 nails USB I'm probably going to go that route.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

how can I measure how noisy a USB port is? Reading almost all the post here I feel now a bit curious about this device and what it can do to clear up the signal to get better sound quality
Currently I own a mody multibit connected by usb to my desktop rig (Asus Rog Strix mobo) althought I feel happy with it, how do I know how much it will improve my sound quality to justify to buy it?

Welcome to the thread, @wiz2596 . I had a hell of a time with drop-outs, pops, pings, and craptastic listening... when I was streaming music files from my office's DIY media server. The following 2017 article helped me a lot....
https://www.howtogeek.com/285429/how-to-fix-crackling-or-popping-sound-on-a-windows-pc/

I went the EITR and toss-out-my-elderly-PC-and-embraced-evil-Chromebook route. Better sound quality? More often than not - yes (ish). Ah well...

 

[ScubaMan2017]

This has probably been asked a million times but does the quality of the USB cable matter with Gen 5? The reason why I ask is because I'm using Optical with my Gumby since the Gen 5 USB sounded hazy and muddy but I was also using a cheap Belkin USB cable. Does Gen 5 USB scale as an input with the quality of the cable? Thanks!

I tried splicing cables to save money and make long (>3m) cable-runs. THAT didn't work. Re: your USB cable. Is it the latest version? (USB 2.0?). Less than (approximately) a metre in length? Grim, @hikaru12 ... it sounds frustrating. Don't give up, eh.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Brother you're going to cost me a fortune! I'm thinking of the AQ diamond for the USB portion, than an EITR than coaxial. I'm using a Node 2 as a transport so I don't know if straight Coaxial would be worth it either vs the configuration you described.

I also have the Node 2 and run a Blue Jeans coaxial cable straight out of it into a Modi Multibit. I not sure it sounds any better or worse than the coax out of the Eitr. Both setups sound pretty good.

@zztopps ...and... @hikaru12 . I noticed you're using the Bluesound Node. I was bouncing between picking that up, OR going the DIY-Pi-and-SPIDIF-auxiliary-board route.
a. Is the UI similar to Foobar2000, VLC, or (sigh) iTunes?
b. Do you detect any 'decrapifier' signal processing? As compared to just plugging a laptop into your EITR and/or DAC....
c. Internal buffer?
d. How well does its BlueOS integrate with Windows 7, ChromeOS, and DNLA home networks (like the one shipped with Netgear Nighthawk). I had to give up on UMS (Universal Media Server). Files and folders blipped in and out of existence on the receiving end (on my Chromebook). No.

Happy Friday, all.

 

[hikaru12]

@zztopps ...and... @hikaru12 . I noticed you're using the Bluesound Node. I was bouncing between picking that up, OR going the DIY-Pi-and-SPIDIF-auxiliary-board route.
a. Is the UI similar to Foobar2000, VLC, or (sigh) iTunes?
b. Do you detect any 'decrapifier' signal processing? As compared to just plugging a laptop into your EITR and/or DAC....
c. Internal buffer?
d. How well does its BlueOS integrate with Windows 7, ChromeOS, and DNLA home networks (like the one shipped with Netgear Nighthawk). I had to give up on UMS (Universal Media Server). Files and folders blipped in and out of existence on the receiving end (on my Chromebook). No.

Happy Friday, all.

I really like the Bluesounds app - I would recommend putting the Node on Ethernet as it sounds best from there. Even from optical I do notice micro-detail and overall smoothness I didn't get when running directly from my PC to my Gumby. It was just too noisy. There's something to be said about a transports PSU filtering etc. That's why I also ordered a Purple Flare C7 cable for it. I wanna get better filtering. Best of luck!

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Just to add knowledge to the thread:
I took an elderly Lenovo T400 laptop (the next generation IBM Thinkpad [sigh, miss that brand]), added a 225GB SSD drive to it, installed MintOS 19.x Cinnamon (32-bit). It immediately recognized my EITR as a digital output. My overall experience is even better than plugging in my new Chromebook (that itself is no slouch). Schiit Audio, non-Microsoft-OS-support strikes again. It's nice. @SchiitFerBrainz (one of the techs at the vendor [reasonable dude]). Thanks, eh.

 

[alpovs]

Just to add knowledge to the thread:
I took an elderly Lenovo T400 laptop (the next generation IBM Thinkpad [sigh, miss that brand]), added a 225GB SSD drive to it, installed MintOS 19.x Cinnamon (32-bit). It immediately recognized my EITR as a digital output. My overall experience is even better than plugging in my new Chromebook (that itself is no slouch). Schiit Audio, non-Microsoft-OS-support strikes again. It's nice. @SchiitFerBrainz (one of the techs at the vendor [reasonable dude]). Thanks, eh.

To add further knowledge to the thread, in case somebody is googling "MintOS". "MintOS" is Linux Mint. This is the first time I see anybody call it "MintOS".

 

[Arniesb]

Sorry I misunderstood what you were saying - were you trying to say adding the EITR with Gen 5 USB and then going coax out to my DAC would be best instead of coaxial from my transport? I have no problem spending a good amount on cables. My system components are about a grand a piece so a $500 cable with noticeable upgrades will certainly interest me. End game for me is setting yourself a budget for your main components say $2k for headphones and building around that say maybe half for components, cables, etc as long as you like the tweaked sound in the end! The tough thing to get right is when you reach a certain level of transparency everything in your chain is going to change the sound and you'll have to control it one way or another.

I love how AQ handles SPC - some OFC/OCC that I've heard can sound harsh but I think AQ nailed the geometry where it sounds really clear but super smooth and relaxed. A detailed, warm sound signature is my preference hence why I had a hard time letting go of my Auteurs. If you guys really think Gen 5 nails USB I'm probably going to go that route.

You should try to compare it with other high end usb cables at some dealer or something. Diamond is actually average cable with good metals. Jcat reference, Curious and Wireworld platinum starlight 7 sound way better. Aq is a lot more noisy and fatiguing than competitors.

 

[hikaru12]

You should try to compare it with other high end usb cables at some dealer or something. Diamond is actually average cable with good metals. Jcat reference, Curious and Wireworld platinum starlight 7 sound way better. Aq is a lot more noisy and fatiguing than competitors.

I'm thinking of going with Coaxial at this point as it's a straight electrical connection. Platinum Starlight has been on my radar tho if I was going to stick with USB.