[liquidsmote]

Maybe I didn't present my problem clearly. I have a MacBook Pro as my only computer, connected to a USB hub with a Bifrost 2 on my desk at home. Every morning I unplug the laptop and go to work. When I get home, the Bifrost has often switched inputs to optical or coax (which are not plugged in). Why does the Bifrost have the ability to change inputs on its own? I've set it for the input I want (and only have that one plugged in) so it should never change away from that selected input.

Edit: and I'm sure that I'm not losing mains power at all.

From the manual: Note 1: The USB input will be skipped unless a valid USB source is connected to Bifrost 2.

I'm inferring that when you disconnect your Laptop from the hub, no valid USB source is detected, and thus the USB input is skipped?

 

[callumrd1]

From the manual: Note 1: The USB input will be skipped unless a valid USB source is connected to Bifrost 2.

I'm inferring that when you disconnect your Laptop from the hub, no valid USB source is detected, and thus the USB input is skipped?

Well that’s obnoxious. And it doesn’t skip the other invalid sources when they’re not connected, apparently only USB. I don’t see this as a useful or productive feature in any way. Let me select the input I want and not the one you think I want.

 

[liquidsmote]

Well that’s obnoxious. And it doesn’t skip the other invalid sources when they’re not connected, apparently only USB. I don’t see this as a useful or productive feature in any way. Let me select the input I want and not the one you think I want.

Keep in mind what you consider obnoxious is someone else's killer app. Imagine the person who only connects to the Bifrost via optical and coax. With this feature, they don't have to go through the USB input selection at all ... it'll be conveniently skipped.

Regarding Bifrost not skipping the other sources when they're not connected ... do you have a foolproof algorithm handy for detecting an optical connection?

Edit: I'm not a Schiit fanboi and have no stake in defending them. I post publicly when their Schiit fails, and I post publicly when their Schiit works.

 

[callumrd1]

Keep in mind what you consider obnoxious is someone else's killer app. Imagine the person who only connects to the Bifrost via optical and coax. With this feature, they don't have to go through the USB input selection at all ... it'll be conveniently skipped.

Regarding Bifrost not skipping the other sources when they're not connected ... do you have a foolproof algorithm handy for detecting an optical connection?

Edit: I'm not a Schiit fanboi and have no stake in defending them. I post publicly when their Schiit fails, and I post publicly when their Schiit works.

I get that, but it makes for an inconsistent experience for some people. My issue is less skipping the input when it isn’t connected and you’re running through the options, but more that it’s auto switching at some point one it’s own, but quite inconsistently. Some days it doesn’t switch, some days it does. No matter what input you use, having it change on you without you interacting with the Bifrost is frustrating. And to what end? So that a subset of people have to press the input button one fewer time when they’re setting up the device? And for someone who frequently switches from coax to optical, they’re already pressing the input button so pressing it twice to skip over USB isn’t any more work. I don’t see the upside to this design decision.

Edit: if the USB selection was persistent even after disconnection that would solve the issue while retaining the benefits for those who don’t use USB. Have USB not selectable when no device is plugged in but if USB is selected, it remains selected if the source is disconnect.

 

[rkw]

I'm inferring that when you disconnect your Laptop from the hub, no valid USB source is detected, and thus the USB input is skipped?

Does it switch input immediately when you unplug the USB cable? I thought the manual was talking about what happens when pressing the input selection button.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

I get that, but it makes for an inconsistent experience for some people. My issue is less skipping the input when it isn’t connected and you’re running through the options, but more that it’s auto switching at some point one it’s own, but quite inconsistently. Some days it doesn’t switch, some days it does. No matter what input you use, having it change on you without you interacting with the Bifrost is frustrating. And to what end? So that a subset of people have to press the input button one fewer time when they’re setting up the device? And for someone who frequently switches from coax to optical, they’re already pressing the input button so pressing it twice to skip over USB isn’t any more work. I don’t see the upside to this design decision.

Edit: if the USB selection was persistent even after disconnection that would solve the issue while retaining the benefits for those who don’t use USB. Have USB not selectable when no device is plugged in but if USB is selected, it remains selected if the source is disconnect.

I honestly thought we'd killed that "feature," since it was a holdover from the days when you could buy a Bifrost without a USB card.

In any case, if you want to wait until next week, when Dave and everyone else is back in the office, I'm sure I can send you a link to firmware that doesn't have the USB lockout. Then you can just update it with a MicroSD card.

 

[liquidsmote]

Does it switch input immediately when you unplug the USB cable? I thought the manual was talking about what happens when pressing the input selection button.

I honestly thought we'd killed that "feature," since it was a holdover from the days when you could buy a Bifrost without a USB card.

In any case, if you want to wait until next week, I'm sure I can send you a link to firmware that doesn't have the USB lockout. Then you can just update it with a MicroSD card.

So I just tried this. Both directions. Input did not immediately switch. Over X time; IDK?
I have numerous micro-outages at my facility daily. I just installed 24U of BBU to help with this issue. I'm guessing that's why you conjectured AC issues?

 

[callumrd1]

I honestly thought we'd killed that "feature," since it was a holdover from the days when you could buy a Bifrost without a USB card.

In any case, if you want to wait until next week, when Dave and everyone else is back in the office, I'm sure I can send you a link to firmware that doesn't have the USB lockout. Then you can just update it with a MicroSD card.

That would be awesome! Thank you so much.

 

[MatthiasP]

Then you can just update it with a MicroSD card.

This is so cool! Audio gear which is updateable, like good computer hardware. I like it a lot. Time to switch out my Bifrost for a Bifrost 2 maybe?
My always on Yggdrasil sounds great, its real quality is not any technically to describe sound, but it has it -- it can transport the soul of the music!

Can't wait for the Unison, I'll mate it with a Allo Usbridge Signature then, and a Pass Labs XP20 and XA 30.8.

At the moment I'm in the happiest position to be at home, with my newborn daughter and my partner, and mostly every day we listen to music.
Maybe my daughter will discover in the future that she has a strangely attraction to some albums of jazz and classical music, and of cause The Black Keys!

 

[callumrd1]

So I just tried this. Both directions. Input did not immediately switch. Over X time; IDK?
I have numerous micro-outages at my facility daily. I just installed 24U of BBU to help with this issue. I'm guessing that's why you conjectured AC issues?

Mine doesn’t immediately switch but does at some point longer after disconnecting. I have my computer and audio stuff plugged into a power monitor (for no real reason at this point) which only has volatile memory so it resets if the power goes out. It says I haven’t lost power in a couple thousand hours so that doesn’t seem to be an issue for me.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

That would be awesome! Thank you so much.

No worries, just email me at jason@schiit.com and I'll get you a link sometime next week.

 

[Alcophone]

I honestly thought we'd killed that "feature," since it was a holdover from the days when you could buy a Bifrost without a USB card.

Interesting. My Modi Multibit does this as well, my Yggdrasil does not.

In any case, if you want to wait until next week, when Dave and everyone else is back in the office, I'm sure I can send you a link to firmware that doesn't have the USB lockout. Then you can just update it with a MicroSD card.

That's awesome! Do you think you can just make that firmware available for everyone via the Download site? While my Bifrost 2 has never switched away from USB on its own, I don't want it to be "smarter" with USB than with the other inputs.

So I just tried this. Both directions. Input did not immediately switch. Over X time; IDK?
I have numerous micro-outages at my facility daily. I just installed 24U of BBU to help with this issue. I'm guessing that's why you conjectured AC issues?

If you turn it on without USB connected, you can't set it to USB at all. So if it was set to USB, then lost power, then started up again, some other input would be selected.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

That's awesome! Do you think you can just make that firmware available for everyone via the Download site? While my Bifrost 2 has never switched away from USB on its own, I don't want it to be "smarter" with USB than with the other inputs.

I'm sure we'd make any firmware revisions available for anyone.

 

[TylersEclectic]

Thank you sir; greatly appreciated. I'm hosting a whiskey tasting tomorrow, and everyone was coming over to sip and listen. This happened same time last year (also a whiskey tasting I hosted) with the Modi MB. While it's not a good look to have a product fail in front of a group ... the efforts you take to communicate and support your customers are beyond reproach. We're an understanding bunch. Especially after a few drams!

My kind of party! Currently on a Bourbon and Rye kick with a side of sipping rums! They pair very well with music lol especially headphones

 

[Hofy]

@Jason Stoddard Are there any plans to offer the Modi in black?

They have offered the Modi 2U and Multibit in black in the past.