dmhenley
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2014
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Quick question - I didn't see comments on this. I've got a microRendu into the Eitr which feeds my Yggdrasil. No sound. Roon sees the mR, and everything appears to be working, but the Yggdrasil isn't seeing anything from the Eitr, as far as I can tell. Are there drivers, and or settings I need to adjust?Hi folks, I've had my Eitr for about a month now so I thought I would post some impressions/experiences for the gang...
I should at this point clarify that I am using a loudspeaker system, not headphones: Conrad-Johnson CT-5 preamp, Conrad-Johnson LP70S stereo power amp, Michell Gyro SE turntable with SME V arm and Koestu Urushi Vermilion cartridge, E.A.R. 324 phono stage, Shunyata Triton power distribution with compelete Shunyata power cords, Sonore microRendu USB streamer, Schiit Modi 2 Uber DAC and Schiit Eitr USB/SPDIF convertor as my interim digital setup while my Gungnir is away getting upgraded (see below). All Audioquest Columbia or Colorado interconnects, and Dynaudio Contour S3.4 with Dynaudio Esotar 2 tweeter upgrade (the best soft-dome tweeter on the planet).
I originally bought Eitr for use with my Gungnir while I waited in the queue to be able to send it in for a Gen 5 USB and Multibit upgrade. One of the reasons for the Gen 5 upgrade is that I had a USB port/controller failure on Gungnir after disconnecting and reconnecting my Sonore microRendu when I moved the Mac Mini out of the stereo rack to move it into the bedroom in the other part of the house to get rid of all the high-bandwidth computer processor noise emanating from the Mac Mini (and sitting next to the stereo amplifiers; computers put out a crapload of noise).
After moving the Mac Mini out, the USB port on the Gungnir simply would not work anymore, at all. The DAC would not even show up when directy connected to a computer USB port. I attribute this mostly likely to a static electricity-charge induced failure.
So, I placed an order for a Gen 5 USB and Multibit upgrade, pulled the Gungnir out of the rack, and I put my Modi 2 Uber into the system and it works fine with the Sonore.
But, I wasn't that overly thrilled with the sound. Obviously, while the Modi 2 Uber is a good DAC, it does not sound as good as a Gungnir. It was acceptable; good, but certainly not great, it has a somewhat thin, dry & sterile presentation of the music compared to Gungnir, with a smaller soundstage (and nowhere near as good Loki, I might add, FWIW).
Then, Eitr got released. I figured, hmmm, I could use Eitr with it's Gen 5 USB/SPDIF conversion functionality and connect via the SPDIF input on Gungnir while I wait in queue. So, I ordered it, and when Eitr arrived, I hooked it up to the SPDIF input of Gungnir using a single Zu Wylde RCA interconnect.
My digital music chain at this point was: Mac Mini sending files from Roon wirelessly over wi-fi > Airport Express in the stereo rack > Ethenet Cat 5>Sonore microRendu > Eitr > Zu Wylde RCA "analog" interconnect cable > Gungnir SPDIF input > C-J amplification chain. Well, it sounded pretty darn good, and more importantly, my Gungnir was back in business while I waited in queue. Cool.
Meantime, I ordered an open-box Shunyata RCA terminated SPDIF 75 ohm digital cable. Once I got that, I replaced the Zu Wylde regular RCA analogue interconnect with the Shunyata 75 ohm digital coax SPDIF cable.
So now, my chain was this: Mac Mini/Roon > Airport Express > Sonore microRendu > Eitr > Shunyata Venom 75 ohm SPDIF digital coax> Gungnir SPDIF input.
Another NOTABLE improvement: with the Shunyata 75-ohm digital cable the sound quality was smoother, sweeter, more dimensional and more full-sounding than with the Zu cable, quite noticebly so. Soooo, now we're actually cookin' with gas...the system sounded VERY good and most importantly, my Gungnir was back in the system and performing to it's full potential. In fact, Eitr using a good SPDIF digital coax cable sounded notably better than the original direct (Gen 2) USB input on Gungnir.
So, I used this confiuguration until I got the email this week from the fine folks at Schiit to send in my Gungnir for my upgrades, which I did yesterday. I just put my Modi 2 Uber back into the system, but this time I used it in conjunction with Eitr and the Shunyata digital cable.
Okaayyy...using the SPDIF input on Modi 2 Uber in conjunction with Eitr takes this setup up quite a notch, IMHO. The musical presentation is now more natural, more full-bodied, sweeter-sounding, less sterile, and quieter than using the USB input only on Modi 2 Uber. NOT as good as Gungnir, but really quite good, impressively so when you consider what Eitr brings to the table for what it cost, and good enough that I can live with this easily until my Gungnir gets back from it's upgrades.
So, bottom line...Eitr is a WINNER. Either used with Gungnir in place the stock Gen 2 USB, or with Modi 2 Uber in place of USB (AFAIK, Modi 2 Uber does not utilize the Gen 5 USB implementation), Eitr brings a notable improvement in sound quality and a more enjoyable and engaging musical experience. BIG thumbs up from me.
Hope this mini-review is helpful to the community.
Cheers.
Thank you!
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