[RCBinTN]

Thanks for all your answers I don't have coax and did notice the new Gumby does come with Gen 5 usb that's what I use thanks again all..enjoy

Please come back and tell us what you think about your GMB...
Happy Listening!
RCB

 

[Loquah]

I have found the Gumby with BNC SPDIF cheap diy cable out of the D300 Cambridge CD player as a transport as better sounding (clearer, more detailed) than with USB Gen5 out of a cheap PC (Foobar, Wasapi) using a cheap short USB cable. I'm pretty sure the BNC SPDIF is the most promising interface.

I agree. I did a lot of comparisons a while ago and found that the Coax was vastly superior to pre-Gen 5 USB, but the difference is much closer now. Coax is still marginally better, but it's close enough that I've dropped back to using USB for the sake of convenience for computer audio.

 

[jrflanne]

Thanks for the reply. I’m currently building my FLAC library but still have mostly 256 AAC. Does that factor in? Fortunately I can afford the Gungnir, but from other forum members I got the sense that updating all my music to FLAC first would be the bigger improvement. I’m not trying to start a lossy vs. lossless discussion. I’m just curious if any gains from the Gungnir would be cancelled by using 256 AAC. My experience so far has been that I’ve noticed improvement at each upgrade of DACs, AMPs, and headphones with both AAC and FLAC sounding better at each step.

I have a bunch of iTunes downloads in my library. The Gumby works great with those. I suspect the combo burrito filter has a lot to do with that. So, buy the Gungnir, listen to your AAC’s, and get rippin.

 

[gordec]

I'm interested in getting an used Gumby on classifieds. Is there a significant difference between the different USB generations?

 

[luckybaer]

I'm interested in getting an used Gumby on classifieds. Is there a significant difference between the different USB generations?

Gen5 is what you want to get if you want well-implemented USB.

Per Schiit:

Gen 5 USB: USB, Solved
Forget decrapifiers, regenerators, isolators, and all the USB dongles and boxes you’ve been told you need for USB sound. Our all-new Gen 5 USB input doesn’t require any of that stuff. It’s this simple: Gen 5 is USB, solved. Now standard on all our upgradable DACs, Gen 5 USB features full galvanic isolation via transformers, self-power for low noise and latching, and high-quality local clocking for both 44.1 and 48k multiples.

 

[Second Gear]

I'm interested in getting an used Gumby on classifieds. Is there a significant difference between the different USB generations?

I had an opportunity to compare Gen 2 vs. Gen 5 Gumby's via a Ragnarok + HD600 for about a day. It was casual. Everything at polite volume with some of my newer favorite blues and jazz tracks.

IME, I did not hear a significant difference or maybe any difference. The source was a 2014 rMBP 15 running Roon and connected to the DAC with a Schiit cable.

 

[gordec]

I had an opportunity to compare Gen 2 vs. Gen 5 Gumby's via a Ragnarok + HD600 for about a day. It was casual. Everything at polite volume with some of my newer favorite blues and jazz tracks.

IME, I did not hear a significant difference or maybe any difference. The source was a 2014 rMBP 15 running Roon and connected to the DAC with a Schiit cable.

Thanks. Good to know. I guess don't need to be too picky as long as price is right.

 

[Globox]

Thanks. Good to know. I guess don't need to be too picky as long as price is right.

I think that it... Depends...
Lets say that you have a great USB output on your computer. It wont change anything.
Let's say that you have a crappy USB output on your computer. It will make a great change. You won't have any noise anymore.

 

[wgallupe]

Thanks. Good to know. I guess don't need to be too picky as long as price is right.

Getting a good price on a used unit is hard to do. They all seem to sell for 85-90% of a new unit. That differential is not enough for me personally. Especially when you don't get a warranty with the used unit.

 

[Audiofiend1]

Well i have a bit of a horror story here goes...(it does have a happy ending though).

A few days ago i was travelling intentionally out of San Francisco, i was going abroad for quite a few months and so, i decided i wanted to take my Gumby multi + MJ2 with me. I packed them both into a pelican case with foam perfectly cut out to match their dimensions. There is absolutely no play in the case for them to move around, the fit is perfect and i felt that the case was doing a good job of protecting these items. I showed up at the airport and the airline informed me in no uncertain terms that their policy had changed and i was not allowed to take an extra carry on item as i had done many times before.

With my plane taking off in 2 hours i was faced with a choice, either miss my flight or check in my pelican case containing my Gumby multi + MJ2 as check in luggage. All i could think about were the horror stories of cases being thrown around and roughly handled, furthermore i was scared that someone might steal my pelican case. I argued with the airline check-in lady that how was i to know that their policy had changed as i make this flight several times a year sometimes. They agreed to check my bag through as priority business with the highest clearance for no extra charge and so i agreed.

Ten minutes later i was still not happy and ran back to the desk and asked the lady if there was anything else we could do, as i stressed the contents of the case were extremely fragile and i was petrified to say the least. She said she would see what else she could do and on my way i went.

When i arrived at my final destination i went to the luggage carousel (ran is more like it) and was among the first to see the first set of cases coming out. What i saw shocked me as cases were being thrown more then 6 feet and landing on the carousal quite hard After roughly an hour of waiting to see my pelican case rudely thrown onto the carousal and watching people pickup their bags i was beginning to think my pelican case had been stolen. 15 minutes later the last person picked up their bag and the carousal closed, great i thought close to $3k in equipment stolen.

Just as i was about to walk away a lady approached me and asked me if a pelican case was mine. She walked me over to another area and there was my case. She explained it had been carefully checked through as it was classified as fragile and so was not placed with the other check in luggage. There was also a big fragile sticker on the case so i was extremely happy that the check in lady back in San Francisco had actually listened to me and helped me out even though she was under no obligation to do so.

My case had zero scratches on it and both my Gumby multi and MJ2 have never been in better condition. Still i learnt a lesson how dangerous transporting high end pieces of home equipment across the world can be and i won't be doing this again. So now i am looking to see if i can buy an amp/dac combo that is transportable but it needs to be comparable to my Gumby mulit + MJ2 combo, any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Globox]

Hi Audiofiend1, it wont be nearly as good, but it will be a lot easier to carry and definitly worth every penny : Fostex HP A4(or HP A4BL if you run balanced headphone).
BTW, which pelican case did you buy ? I might be interested !
Thanks !

 

[Ojisan]

Well i have a bit of a horror story here goes...(it does have a happy ending though).

A few days ago i was travelling intentionally out of San Francisco, i was going abroad for quite a few months and so, i decided i wanted to take my Gumby multi + MJ2 with me. I packed them both into a pelican case with foam perfectly cut out to match their dimensions. There is absolutely no play in the case for them to move around, the fit is perfect and i felt that the case was doing a good job of protecting these items. I showed up at the airport and the airline informed me in no uncertain terms that their policy had changed and i was not allowed to take an extra carry on item as i had done many times before.

With my plane taking off in 2 hours i was faced with a choice, either miss my flight or check in my pelican case containing my Gumby multi + MJ2 as check in luggage. All i could think about were the horror stories of cases being thrown around and roughly handled, furthermore i was scared that someone might steal my pelican case. I argued with the airline check-in lady that how was i to know that their policy had changed as i make this flight several times a year sometimes. They agreed to check my bag through as priority business with the highest clearance for no extra charge and so i agreed.

Ten minutes later i was still not happy and ran back to the desk and asked the lady if there was anything else we could do, as i stressed the contents of the case were extremely fragile and i was petrified to say the least. She said she would see what else she could do and on my way i went.

When i arrived at my final destination i went to the luggage carousel (ran is more like it) and was among the first to see the first set of cases coming out. What i saw shocked me as cases were being thrown more then 6 feet and landing on the carousal quite hard After roughly an hour of waiting to see my pelican case rudely thrown onto the carousal and watching people pickup their bags i was beginning to think my pelican case had been stolen. 15 minutes later the last person picked up their bag and the carousal closed, great i thought close to $3k in equipment stolen.

Just as i was about to walk away a lady approached me and asked me if a pelican case was mine. She walked me over to another area and there was my case. She explained it had been carefully checked through as it was classified as fragile and so was not placed with the other check in luggage. There was also a big fragile sticker on the case so i was extremely happy that the check in lady back in San Francisco had actually listened to me and helped me out even though she was under no obligation to do so.

My case had zero scratches on it and both my Gumby multi and MJ2 have never been in better condition. Still i learnt a lesson how dangerous transporting high end pieces of home equipment across the world can be and i won't be doing this again. So now i am looking to see if i can buy an amp/dac combo that is transportable but it needs to be comparable to my Gumby mulit + MJ2 combo, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Wow lucky you! I was curious if you were actually going to travel with the pelican case. Glad everything was safe.

I used to do 100k+ miles of flight a year, all over the world, and I had times when I needed to carry small to very large pelican case with much more expensive equipment. The airport/airline has basically stopped using "fragile" luggage classification and it has become something that is honored only by employees who care. No guarantee that it will not be mishandled. I don't take that risk anymore and neither does our company.

As much as I would love to have all my gear when I'm on the road, I now travel with Focal headphone only (hand carry) which sound decent out of my laptop. If I want to stretch it (and 115V can be managed), I would consider bringing my Jot (or Lyr3 if you prefer tubes) with DAC module. I'd be curious too if anyone knows smaller package that approach Gumby+MJ2 combo.

Safe travels!

 

[Audiofiend1]

Wow lucky you! I was curious if you were actually going to travel with the pelican case. Glad everything was safe.

I used to do 100k+ miles of flight a year, all over the world, and I had times when I needed to carry small to very large pelican case with much more expensive equipment. The airport/airline has basically stopped using "fragile" luggage classification and it has become something that is honored only by employees who care. No guarantee that it will not be mishandled. I don't take that risk anymore and neither does our company.

As much as I would love to have all my gear when I'm on the road, I now travel with Focal headphone only (hand carry) which sound decent out of my laptop. If I want to stretch it (and 115V can be managed), I would consider bringing my Jot (or Lyr3 if you prefer tubes) with DAC module. I'd be curious too if anyone knows smaller package that approach Gumby+MJ2 combo.

Safe travels!

Yup i was crazy enough to go through with it! I think you are 100% spot on because i do not think that the airline i flew offers any kind of fragile service handling for cases, so i think it was completely at the discretion of the air hostess that felt pity for me. I really shudder to think what could of happened if it had been checked through normally.

I was considering the Jot with the multi upgrade but i do not know how good it is/comparable to the Gumby multi + MJ2 ?

@Globox Hey! I just looked up the Fostex HP A4BL it looks like an interesting combo. Any idea how it stacks up to say a Jot?

As far as the pelican case goes, i settled on a 1535 Air edition. When i say that it is a perfect fit, it is literally a PERFECT fit as if it were built for this combo. There is not a single millimeter of space extra for the MJ2 + Gumby, It only moves a teenie bit within the foam. I could move the case violently up and down and the Gumby +MJ2 would not move it feels very secure and it was easy to cut the foam to match the exact dimensions,

i even removed foam bits at the back for the plug end that stick out to make sure that it fit even better so my foam cutout is a bit of an odd shape but it works 100%. If i even need to move it again somewhere i don't think there is a better case out there, however airline check in is something i won't do twice no matter what case it is in.

 

[Globox]

I don't know the HP A4BL, But I have an HP A4, which is not as good as the BL.
I don't know the jot ether. But, let say that my combo Gumby + MJ2 is not a lot better than my HP A4 with an LCD-X.

 

[Ken G]

Getting a good price on a used unit is hard to do. They all seem to sell for 85-90% of a new unit. That differential is not enough for me personally. Especially when you don't get a warranty with the used unit.

You should sporadically check out the Schiit B-Stock/Closeout listing that they've been updating on a regular basis with new gear. Currently no Gungnir listed but I was able to grab a non-multbit (usb-gen 2, I think) for $600 about a month ago. They seem to add new stock weekly.
And the 5 year warranty applies.

http://www.schiit.com/b-stocks