[Ableza]

   

Emotiva ERC-3 would be a good low-cost option with tons of connectivity options.
 
http://emotiva.com/products/sources/erc-3?gclid=CJiN_cHtl9ECFU2SfgodnC8BqA

 

[TsKen]

I screwed up and didn't get the USB upgrade for my Gumby.
 
Would it be a bad idea to use my Xonar DG to get the optical output and connect it via Gumby?

 

[Dithyrambes]

I screwed up and didn't get the USB upgrade for my Gumby.


Would it be a bad idea to use my Xonar DG to get the optical output and connect it via Gumby?

Absolutely not. Optical actually sounds better than usb. Just check if the adapticlock light in the front is blinking. If not you are good to go

 

[watchnerd]

  I screwed up and didn't get the USB upgrade for my Gumby.
 
Would it be a bad idea to use my Xonar DG to get the optical output and connect it via Gumby?

 
Yes, it's horrible, you'll tear a rift in space time and demons will pop out.
 
 
Seriously, though, S/PDIF is superior to USB in many ways.  I tend to prefer coax when available, but optical is fine, too.

 

[a44100Hz]

Just another voice seconding the idea that USB tends to sound worst of the connection options. For my system it results in a reduced soundstage, a sense of bit rate compression, and graininess in the top end (like real snares sounding completely fake).

 

[nasiemp]

I'm using USB out it my Mac Mini along with an audio quest jitterbug and it doesn't sound that bad. Are you suggesting I should be using optical out of the Mac Mini for better results ??

 

[a44100Hz]

I can only speak to my experience with a Dell windows laptop and no USB decrapifier devices. I've read that Mac optical quality is inferior, but you could always give it a try.

 

[watchnerd]

I'm using USB out it my Mac Mini along with an audio quest jitterbug and it doesn't sound that bad. Are you suggesting I should be using optical out of the Mac Mini for better results ??

 
You should use Thunderbolt, actually.  

 

[Dave74]

I finally decided to order a GUMBY after reading so many good things about Schiit's multibit DACS and how natural they sound. Plus, I really like their business motto/ethics.  I was a little hesitant as the CND$ is low now and the cost was around $2000 CND for the WYRD and GUMBY after taxes.  
 
I was using a Chord Hugo as my DAC to my Sustain84(SE Class A tube amp) or Liquid Carbon to HD650's or Nighthawks.  I always though the Hugo to be a very good DAC especially for a transportable, but I felt like at times I was not quite their for a desktop setup.
 
The majority of my listening so far with the GUMBY has been through the Sustain84 and HD650's as I am waiting for balanced interconnects for my Liquid Carbon, I still doubt the Liquid Carbon will sound better to me though. I do have a balanced cable for my Nighthawks and HD650's and have tried the balanced out of the LC and the Nighthawks definitely sound better on the LC with balanced, the HD650's I prefer on the SE Sustain84.  Keep in mind this could also be just do to the cables I am using.
 
I think my GUMBY is taking longer than most to warm up as it is winter here and this room is not exactly hot. Probably around 17C at night and 19-20C during the day.  The GUMBY was only slightly warm to the touch at around the 30 hour mark.
 
So, I received my GUMBY Wednesday around 10:30am and plugged it in around 12:00pm.   I started out using optical as I didn't have a  USB type A to type B cable (I needed 2 actually as I bought a WYRD as well).  At first listen after about 1 hour of turning the GUMBY on I found it to be on par or maybe even slightly better then my Hugo as a DAC.  It had a better (wider) soundstage and sounded less congested to me and also I was noticing details that I hadn't noticed on my Hugo. And it still retained the smoothness of the Hugo.   
 
Thursday afternoon I bought 2 USB cables which put me around the 30 hour mark and the Gumby was continuing to sound very detailed, but not really enough bass for me and dare I say slightly colder than what I like. I was wondering why people were saying that compared to the YGGY the GUMBY was warmer and more euphonic sounding.  I've never hear the YGGY myself, but I was thinking that if this is warmer and more euphonic than the YGGY I was glad I didn't order the YGGY.  Don't get me wrong I was still happy with the GUMBY though, the instruments sounded very natural, detail retrieval was excellent,  just not much bass.  But, as others have said warm up is essential to these DACS, and in my next paragraph there is a big change for me so I could see a warm YGGY being exceptional. 
 
Now this morning (Friday) with probably around 40 hours of warm up time WOW... this DAC seems  to have improved more closer to the 40 hour mark than during the first 24 hours (cooler room in house during winter probably doesn't help either, the case on the GUMBY is FINALLY getting warm) The bass has definitely improved and the music is sounding VERY natural to me with my HD650's. This is the best I have personally heard.  Dynamics are excellent, vocals are stunning, instruments sound like real live insturments.
 
 
Excellent job @Baldr on this DAC!  I am loving it more and more as it continues to improve with warm up.  This is my end game DAC.

 

[watchnerd]

I can only speak to my experience with a Dell windows laptop and no USB decrapifier devices. I've read that Mac optical quality is inferior, but you could always give it a try.

 
2011 or later Mac Mini has a jitter of 20 pico-seconds on the optical out.
 
That's a bit better than Atomic Bob's measurements for the Modi MB, and well below the range of caring about.
 
Earlier Mac Mini models had 10x that.

 

[nasiemp]

You should use Thunderbolt, actually.  

Excuse my ignorance, but how would I use thunderbolt? Is there a thunderbolt to optical connector I could buy?

Cheers
Nasiem

 

[joeexp]

  I finally decided to order a GUMBY after reading so many good things about Schiit's multibit DACS and how natural they sound. Plus, I really like their business motto/ethics.  I was a little hesitant as the CND$ is low now and the cost was around $2000 CND for the WYRD and GUMBY after taxes.  
 
I was using a Chord Hugo as my DAC to my Sustain84(SE Class A tube amp) or Liquid Carbon to HD650's or Nighthawks.  I always though the Hugo to be a very good DAC especially for a transportable, but I felt like at times I was not quite their for a desktop setup.
 
The majority of my listening so far with the GUMBY has been through the Sustain84 and HD650's as I am waiting for balanced interconnects for my Liquid Carbon, I still doubt the Liquid Carbon will sound better to me though. I do have a balanced cable for my Nighthawks and HD650's and have tried the balanced out of the LC and the Nighthawks definitely sound better on the LC with balanced, the HD650's I prefer on the SE Sustain84.  Keep in mind this could also be just do to the cables I am using.
 
I think my GUMBY is taking longer than most to warm up as it is winter here and this room is not exactly hot. Probably around 17C at night and 19-20C during the day.  The GUMBY was only slightly warm to the touch at around the 30 hour mark.
 
So, I received my GUMBY Wednesday around 10:30am and plugged it in around 12:00pm.   I started out using optical as I didn't have a  USB type A to type B cable (I needed 2 actually as I bought a WYRD as well).  At first listen after about 1 hour of turning the GUMBY on I found it to be on par or maybe even slightly better then my Hugo as a DAC.  It had a better (wider) soundstage and sounded less congested to me and also I was noticing details that I hadn't noticed on my Hugo. And it still retained the smoothness of the Hugo.   
 
Thursday afternoon I bought 2 USB cables which put me around the 30 hour mark and the Gumby was continuing to sound very detailed, but not really enough bass for me and dare I say slightly colder than what I like. I was wondering why people were saying that compared to the YGGY the GUMBY was warmer and more euphonic sounding.  I've never hear the YGGY myself, but I was thinking that if this is warmer and more euphonic than the YGGY I was glad I didn't order the YGGY.  Don't get me wrong I was still happy with the GUMBY though, the instruments sounded very natural, detail retrieval was excellent,  just not much bass.  But, as others have said warm up is essential to these DACS, and in my next paragraph there is a big change for me so I could see a warm YGGY being exceptional. 
 
Now this morning (Friday) with probably around 40 hours of warm up time WOW... this DAC seems  to have improved more closer to the 40 hour mark than during the first 24 hours (cooler room in house during winter probably doesn't help either, the case on the GUMBY is FINALLY getting warm) The bass has definitely improved and the music is sounding VERY natural to me with my HD650's. This is the best I have personally heard.  Dynamics are excellent, vocals are stunning, instruments sound like real live insturments.
 
 
Excellent job @Baldr on this DAC!  I am loving it more and more as it continues to improve with warm up.  This is my end game DAC.

My Gumby sounds best after around 10 days of warm-up. Never heard any DAC that does Piano better (apart from the Yggy maybe..)

 

[US Blues]

  I think my GUMBY is taking longer than most to warm up as it is winter here and this room is not exactly hot. Probably around 17C at night and 19-20C during the day.  The GUMBY was only slightly warm to the touch at around the 30 hour mark.
 
 
Excellent job @Baldr on this DAC!  I am loving it more and more as it continues to improve with warm up.  This is my end game DAC.

 
The warm-up period does not refer to the temperature of the component itself, it's more about the internal electronic parts reaching a thermal and electrical stability. So, no worries about being in a cold room, and as was said above, give it until the 4th or 5th to really assess what you have. Congrats on finding your end-game DAC!

 

[watchnerd]

Excuse my ignorance, but how would I use thunderbolt? Is there a thunderbolt to optical connector I could buy?

Cheers
Nasiem

 
I was mostly joking.  The Mac Mini has a Thunderbolt connector (if it's not too old).  Thunderbolt interfaces are sometimes used on the pro side for ADC/DAC for its improved capabilities over USB, mainly in the areas of latency.
 
Feel free to ignore -- it was a geeky pro audio tech joke.

 

[Ableza]

Actually there are plenty of Thunderbolt audio interfaces - in the pro audio world.  No reason why they couldn't be used for hi fi.