[FLTWS]

I want to make note of a change to some info I posted on the 24th, (post 45108) regarding the NuPrime CDT-8 CD Transport. I discovered something after further investigation and re-thinking the why of its operation and have re-visited it 3 times since to confirm what I found out having to do with its operation. And it may just be my particular unit but;

On the back of the unit is one of those on/off rockers that doesn't turn the unit on but does place it in a "ready" or "standby" state. Out of curiosity I switched it completely off (I think it was always in the “On” position since I purchased it. Then I unplugged the units AC cord and let it sit for a few minutes. I did this because of something I noticed with repeat play track options on the remote. Whatever I had last set the unit for (repeat one, repeat all, shuffle, etc.) upon restarting the unit it always returned to whatever I last set it to. So I figured there must be some memory function assigned to the decks transport options. I re-plugged the unit and turned on that "ready" or "standby" state rocker switch on the back which activates a little blue LED dot in the front screen to let you know it’s in “Standby” mode. Lo and behold all the buttons on the front panel now respond with a single press except for the "Standby" button. The manuals diagram identifies it as a “Power” button (but printed underneath that button on the front panel it say “Standby”) but there is no other mention of how it works or what it’s supposed to do in the manual that I could find. I’ve tried several combinations of player on/off, disc in drawer or none, but pressing it does nothing.

The remote does have a “Power On/Off button that works. However, it and several of the other remote buttons do usually require a double press to get a response with any of the buttons on it (maybe something to do with some of the redundant buttons on the front panel of the unit or just a too narrow remote IFR beam or pickup window?). As I previously mentioned there is no programing and no ability to pick 2 points within a track and bookmark for A/B repeat like my ERC-3 can do, and there is no keypad to jump to a track, so I just use the skip forward/backward buttons. And the button layout on the smallish remote is not too easy for me to use with my largish hands. I sometimes hit the “Off” button when I want to cycle though the “Repeat” functions, and it’s also too easy for me to hit Stop/Eject when I want to hit the Play/Pause.

But it is a compact little transport unit, really perfect for desktop use (9.25 inches W, 11 inches deep and 2.25 inches high) solid as a brick, and with a dead quiet motor and sits on vibration eliminating feet. I will most likely buy whatever Schiit comes up with and compare the two units and have one for backup in case one of them goes on the fritz or my ERC-3 downstairs comes up with an issue.

One other thing to watch for with the CDT-8 or any unit that uses the low profile type trays, it’s easy (for me, LOL) to not have the disc properly seated down in its recess and when the tray closes it gets stuck with a pinned disc in the top of the opening. Done that twice so far since I bought it late summer last year, but that low profile tray doesn’t seem as vibration prone as standard DVD / CD sized tray mechanisms, and may also contribute to the dead quiet running and solid “clunk” when it closes. I'm curious to see what Schiit will chose for a disc tray mechanism.

 

[mp29k]

I'm curious to see what Schiit will chose for a disc tray mechanism.

Fingers crossed for a top loader (and inclusion of a memory buffer)

 

[rkw]

Which pretty much means I will stick with Tidal instead of Qobuz, even though, at least where I am, the latter is more reliable. Just too much 96/24-only material on Qobuz.

You can limit the resolution on Qobuz to 16/44. Click on the resolution in the player, or streaming quality in settings. You can can save money and downgrade your subscription to HiFi if you don't want to use the hi-res.

A big advantage I get with Qobuz is that I don't hear audible watermarks. I hear the watermark on Spotify, Tidal (except for MQA releases) and Google Music.

I don't know if the music labels use watermark in Europe. Listen to Yuja Wang's Sonatas and Etudes album on DGG and compare Qobuz with Tidal. You'll hear the watermark distortion immediately if it's there.
https://play.qobuz.com/album/0002894778264
https://listen.tidal.com/album/5387443
(the album might have different links in Europe. Search in the service if the link doesn't work)

 

[valiant66]

I definitely would recommend doing what you did Doc.

I ran a dedicated line to my audio system before I ever started to put it together.

I have never regretted it, I keep my computer on the AC line in the room and I have a dedicated line coming straight from the main.

I have never had any hum or any AC power issues.

I had the opportunity to put in a 15 amp circuit dedicated to just my hi-fi gear. I have never had problems with hum or buzz or anything electrical related. Highly recommend it. And, in the end, not that expensive!
.

 

[Leopold Nenning]

You can limit the resolution on Qobuz to 16/44. Click on the resolution in the player, or streaming quality in settings. You can can save money and downgrade your subscription to HiFi if you don't want to use the hi-res.

A big advantage I get with Qobuz is that I don't hear audible watermarks. I hear the watermark on Spotify, Tidal (except for MQA releases) and Google Music.

I don't know if the music labels use watermark in Europe. Listen to Yuja Wang's Sonatas and Etudes album on DGG and compare Qobuz with Tidal. You'll hear the watermark distortion immediately if it's there.
https://play.qobuz.com/album/0002894778264
https://listen.tidal.com/album/5387443

(the album might have different links in Europe. Search in the service if the link doesn't work)

Interesting, thanks! Thing is that I have a HiFi account. So it should be limited to 44.1/16 2ch. But I do have access to everything from MQA to 88.2/24. I am on my trial subscription for another two weeks, so maybe this will change once I am a paying subscriber. Will wait another month and see. Will test Yuja Wang in the next couple days and see if I hear a diff.

 

[rkw]

Thing is that I have a HiFi account. So it should be limited to 44.1/16 2ch.

What I meant was that when you wrote, "Just too much 96/24-only material on Qobuz", Qobuz doesn't actually have material that is 96/24-only. They have multiple resolution and if you play on a HiFi account, the 44/16 version will be streamed.

 

[Ableza]

I suggest you gather input from @Ableza who knows many valuable details about such an installation.
He's likely to check-in later, after work. Great question, by the way, and congrats on the new house

Sure, I could put on my electrician's hat for a second.

Running a dedicated circuit (a "home run") to your audio system is not about eliminating ground loops as those can still occur between pieces of equipment connected using RCA cables or certain types of video cables. Home run power is mostly to ensure the audio system has sufficient amperage available (it's on its own breaker) and to minimize the impact of things like dimmers being plugged into the same circuit or other loads in the house causing voltage droop on the circuit. If you have the opportunity it is recommended. But it's not required.

 

[ImagesbyMurray]

Sure, I could put on my electrician's hat for a second.

Running a dedicated circuit (a "home run") to your audio system is not about eliminating ground loops as those can still occur between pieces of equipment connected using RCA cables or certain types of video cables. Home run power is mostly to ensure the audio system has sufficient amperage available (it's on its own breaker) and to minimize the impact of things like dimmers being plugged into the same circuit or other loads in the house causing voltage droop on the circuit. If you have the opportunity it is recommended. But it's not required.

Hi folks! Long time lurker, enjoying all the info! I have to agree - a dedicated circuit is nice, providing a certain degree of isolation from other appliances, motors, dimmers etc. The key here is ensuring your circuit is on the opposite phase of crap inducing equipment (ie: motors and dimmers). Of course some will use both phases, dryers, force air electric, heat pumps.... If you pull the panel of your breaker box you'll see that each sequential breaker is on opposite phase. In my case, I ran both to my listening area (if i'm going to pull a cable, why not two?) - plugging digital into one and everything analog into the other. I'm not going to claim anything other than my Andromeda II liking it's own circuit feeding the Apogees - pretty current hungry

 

[saddleup]

Can anyone tell me if the Saga and Freya give off much heat when used in passive mode?

 

[US Blues]

Can anyone tell me if the Saga and Freya give off much heat when used in passive mode?

Freya runs cool in passive and JFET mode.

 

[johnjen]

I’m building a new house and will be doing the electrical in a few months with my father who is a licensed electrician.
For the theater room, are you just saying to run a dedicated run from a breaker to the electrical socket that my audio equipment will be plugged into?
And then plug my computer/projector into a separate electrical socket that’s on another run?
Would this prevent weird ground loop hum issues? My receiver would be connected to my PC and projector via HDMI.

I’m open to suggestions on the best way to go about wiring the room.

A few additional aspects to consider.
Make all of the dedicated runs that feed the power to each of the, computer's, the audio system, & the video system, all on the same phase but from separate dedicated branch circuits with their own single function breakers.
This will minimize the possibility of hum problems and also help to minimize the 'sharing' of noise.
AND place all these breakers at the top of the stack (with the audio branch circuit as close to the main feeds as possible).

Try and keep the load on this one phase to a minimum and use the other phase for 'noisy' circuits (lighting, heaters, fans, microwaves etc).

If you use aluminimum wire for the main feeds, be sure to use the paste meant for this purpose.
Don't use the 'contractor grade' (cheap, cheap, cheap) duplex receptacles.
Go with more robust components, like hospital grade at the very least.
And especially for the audio branch circuit, make it a continuous run with oversized wire and as short and direct as possible.

Plan for ≈ twice as many ac power plug-ins as you think you'll need.
They will get used in the future, and plugin strips while handy, just add that much more to the mess of wires on the floor.

There are other 'tricks' and tweaks but they get more involved and costly the further down this rabbit hole you are willing to go.

JJ

 

[earnmyturns]

Thanks, got it, found this info in the meantime: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/cost-effective-roon-endpoints/54630/10

Something like this would be a good start. Something like this would be as good as it gets in my experience. With a well-designed digital source, higher sample rates do not sound any worse than 44.1, and sometimes better, on my Yggdrasil A2.

 

[dieslemat]

Freya runs cool in passive and JFET mode.

My Freya is arriving soon. But curious to know ic its adviseable to stack it on top of Yggdrasil?

 

[wink]

Only if you sandwich the [REDACTED] in between............

 

[wout31]

With the wrong source material, Gumby grates. In fact pretty much find only 44.1/16 listenable over longer periods. Makes sense, Mike is a card-carrying Redbook-centric after all. It’s a trade-off I am happy with. Emotions and involvement are way more important to me than anything else in HiFi. I want to be moved to tears when a song is sad and laugh out loud when it is funny. Which pretty much means I will stick with Tidal instead of Qobuz, even though, at least where I am, the latter is more reliable. Just too much 96/24-only material on Qobuz.
Step three to follow as soon as Aleph joins the fray.

"Just too much 96/24-only material on Qobuz" You can choose what version 24/96 - 16/44.1 to use if the album is available in more than one format, which is the case on most "older" album that have been re-mastered. For new releases you are correct, they are mostly only offered at higher resolution than redbook.
I totally disagree on the fact of redbook sounding best / better. I use Yggy A2 since it's release with Qobuz and find redbook and Hi-Res tracks to sound very good. Had Gumby Gen5 before the upgrade to Yggy and had the same experience with that one. Having said that, most of the albums / tracks I play are from the analogue period and have been digitized for CD and streaming. Don't play much "new" music that was digital all the way.