Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up
Oct 11, 2018 at 3:19 PM Post #39,917 of 145,685
I have a Gungnir Multibit with gen 5 USB connected to a gaming PC with a 15ft standard spec USB cable. Would I Wyrd offer any benefit, either as a USB cleaner or as a repeater?

From your post I deduce currently you're not suffering any problem. If so, Wyrd would be a waste of money, IMHO.

I have a Wyrd and I bought it cause from time to time I used to hear some clicks & pops from the music that came from my PC (via USB too, obviously). After I connected it, those clicks & pops disappeared, but in terms of sonic quality, I didn't appreciate any improvement.

Note my speakers are a pair of Genelec M030 monitors, which are extremely transparent and analytical, so I'm convinced I would notice any improvement immediately, but as I said, nothing really happened in that regard.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 3:51 PM Post #39,918 of 145,685
Freya will do the same thing as the high end passive preamps you linked, since it can operate in passive mode. Freya and Saga use relay-stepped attenuators, so in passive mode, that's basically like putting a single resistor between the DAC and the power amplifier.

I just purchased one of these, probably the best in this price range. For Yggy to the monitors, balanced. https://www.adorama.com/bemonitor1.html
And one of the for the sub system, it needs L&R feeds. https://www.adorama.com/sesesmkp25.html

So this should be an interesting setup to try, I'll have to set the volume, then blend in the subs. However this gives me much control, and totally passive. I have very good interconnects.

And I still have 1 SE out for the Jot left on Yggy, I'll use all the outputs this way. Nice to have them all.
Wonder how this will sound:thinking:

@D2Girls I won't be testing LS50 spl today, I need a real meter the phone meters are trash. One is on the way.


With all the discussion about speakers to match with amplifiers, I thought that mentioning an internet direct speaker company that is in many ways similar to Schiit would be appropriate. Ascend Acoustics is owned by Dave Fabrikant and located in southern California. The speakers are sold only from the website, so there is no dealer/distribution mark-up. Dave used to work for M&K, and started his own company around 2000. I think the speakers are an incredible value. There are many similarities in philosophy and approach between Schiit and Ascend. Dave does all of the design work. The transducers he uses are his custom designs he buys from Seas, Raal, and others. His top line of speakers use bamboo (not MDF) cabinets. He does not advertise, and no longer goes to any shows. He sells all the speakers he can make. His website (ascendacoustics.com) is in dire need of an update (which he has been promising for a while now). I am trying not to sound like a fanboy, but I do own a set a Sierra Lunas that I use in a nearfield listening situation, powered by a Vidar. Neutral, clean, balanced, and articulate. The Raal tweeter is smooth, crisp, and devoid of any harshness. These small speakers are not very efficient (85 dB) and are effortlessly handled by the Vidar. His top of the line towers ($2800/pair with Raal tweeters) are more efficient (93 dB) and would go nicely with a pair of Aegirs in most situations I would guess.

Bottom line: if you like the kind of company at Schiit is, I think you would like the company that Ascend is.

I did not know of them thanks.:)
 
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Oct 11, 2018 at 4:24 PM Post #39,919 of 145,685
With all the discussion about speakers to match with amplifiers, I thought that mentioning an internet direct speaker company that is in many ways similar to Schiit would be appropriate. Ascend Acoustics is owned by Dave Fabrikant and located in southern California. The speakers are sold only from the website, so there is no dealer/distribution mark-up. Dave used to work for M&K, and started his own company around 2000. I think the speakers are an incredible value. There are many similarities in philosophy and approach between Schiit and Ascend. Dave does all of the design work. The transducers he uses are his custom designs he buys from Seas, Raal, and others. His top line of speakers use bamboo (not MDF) cabinets. He does not advertise, and no longer goes to any shows. He sells all the speakers he can make. His website (ascendacoustics.com) is in dire need of an update (which he has been promising for a while now). I am trying not to sound like a fanboy, but I do own a set a Sierra Lunas that I use in a nearfield listening situation, powered by a Vidar. Neutral, clean, balanced, and articulate. The Raal tweeter is smooth, crisp, and devoid of any harshness. These small speakers are not very efficient (85 dB) and are effortlessly handled by the Vidar. His top of the line towers ($2800/pair with Raal tweeters) are more efficient (93 dB) and would go nicely with a pair of Aegirs in most situations I would guess.

Bottom line: if you like the kind of company at Schiit is, I think you would like the company that Ascend is.

Sierra-2 nice speaker, Raal tweeters - perhaps the best. I have the closest reasonable cost "copy" I could find - Fountek Neo X3

One difference between Schiit and Ascend is that Ascend brings products to market a bit slower, but the products are excellent.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 4:52 PM Post #39,920 of 145,685
I have a Gungnir Multibit with gen 5 USB connected to a gaming PC with a 15ft standard spec USB cable. Would I Wyrd offer any benefit, either as a USB cleaner or as a repeater?

If you feel better about having Wyrd in your chain, I would say that's a real benefit.:sunglasses::smile:

I would say that gen 5 is supposed to be quite good, but your ears would be the only thing that really matters.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:05 PM Post #39,921 of 145,685
I have a Gungnir Multibit with gen 5 USB connected to a gaming PC with a 15ft standard spec USB cable. Would I Wyrd offer any benefit, either as a USB cleaner or as a repeater?

Or if your PC has an optical audio output, try connecting that to Gungnir. An optical cable (assuming you don't already have one) is a lot cheaper than a Wyrd. Maybe it will sound better.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:10 PM Post #39,922 of 145,685
I have a Gungnir Multibit with gen 5 USB connected to a gaming PC with a 15ft standard spec USB cable. Would I Wyrd offer any benefit, either as a USB cleaner or as a repeater?

Sometimes audio equipment manufacturers have quality USB cables made for them so at 15 feet I hope you got a decent one. Personally I use an American made cable that has superb shielding and a larger wire gauge than you would find in some of the low cost cables. Many that i know of use small gauge wire and aluminum braid on the inside but I have only cut open a couple dozen brands to check them out. This is especially important in my opinion when you get close to the maximum distance where a USB cable might function, use that same wire at 3 feet and it might be quite good. There are shielded twisted pairs and individually shielded twisted pairs, for distance I trust the latter.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:15 PM Post #39,923 of 145,685
Or if your PC has an optical audio output, try connecting that to Gungnir. An optical cable (assuming you don't already have one) is a lot cheaper than a Wyrd. Maybe it will sound better.

For my situation and my computer, my optical out does not achieve the sampling rate that the USB out does. I have glass toslink cables, many are plastic but I may need to upgrade my computer to get a better digital signal there.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:18 PM Post #39,924 of 145,685
For my situation and my computer, my optical out does not achieve the sampling rate that the USB out does. I have glass toslink cables, many are plastic but I may need to upgrade my computer to get a better digital signal there.

I have a quality Toslink as well, Yggy will only do 24/96, I think this is common.

I almost never need 24/192.
 
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Oct 11, 2018 at 5:26 PM Post #39,925 of 145,685
Sometimes audio equipment manufacturers have quality USB cables made for them so at 15 feet I hope you got a decent one. Personally I use an American made cable that has superb shielding and a larger wire gauge than you would find in some of the low cost cables. Many that i know of use small gauge wire and aluminum braid on the inside but I have only cut open a couple dozen brands to check them out. This is especially important in my opinion when you get close to the maximum distance where a USB cable might function, use that same wire at 3 feet and it might be quite good. There are shielded twisted pairs and individually shielded twisted pairs, for distance I trust the latter.

I have the USB cable Blue Jeans sells. It's made in China but seems like good quality. Mostly I worry about the distance.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:29 PM Post #39,926 of 145,685
I have a quality Toslink as well, Yggy will only do 24/96, I think this is common.
I have not studied this much so I am sure others on here know more about it.

For some applications less expensive USB cables are fine but I steer toward higher quality cables going to a quality DAC. My system is only as good as the weakest link.
 
Oct 11, 2018 at 5:34 PM Post #39,927 of 145,685
I have the USB cable Blue Jeans sells. It's made in China but seems like good quality. Mostly I worry about the distance.

They are certainly a reputable company and there are some decent things made there if someone watches the quality and makes them stick to specs. TYCO has product built there but you can rest assured if they are not up to spec, heads will roll. I have plenty of horror stories dealing with some companies overseas. You will also see Blue Jeans selling a lot of Belden products, I like them as well and they make the USB bulk cable I use. I have built some cables up to 18 feet with no problem.

Except for AC cords and speaker cables I built all cables for my home audio systems. I may play around with those sometime, but spare time can be hard to come by for me.
 
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Oct 11, 2018 at 5:47 PM Post #39,928 of 145,685
I have some new audio grade USB cables coming, I'll compare to my others.:wink:

I have AQ and Analysis Plus, neither is very expensive.
 
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Oct 11, 2018 at 5:50 PM Post #39,929 of 145,685
I have some new audio grade USB cables coming, I'll compare to my others.:wink:

One of these days you and I will have to test some speaker cables as well. I just received a bunch of spade connectors I want to try out some time and I may need a guinea pig, um consultant.:) I like the term partner in crime as well.
 
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Oct 11, 2018 at 5:51 PM Post #39,930 of 145,685
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