[Jason Stoddard]

Thank you Jason for that explanation. I’m just playing a bit of devil’s advocate for the objectivist group here and trying to preempt their questions. I agree that music and this hobby should be about having fun and not sucking all the joy out of it through the audiophile anxiety syndrome.

To clarify, I don’t belong in either of the objectivist/subjectivist camps. I do think measurements matter but I trust my ears over anything.

I am also in neither camp.

I am doing this because I think it is interesting and fun, and also because I think it helps dispel a lot of the nervosa about audio gear.

If objectivists-only want these events to be hardcore data-gathering AES-level triple-blind-with-controls, then they should probably organize their own events. Or contact us, I'd be happy to loan an Avermetrics and provide a location so they can go as hog wild as they want.

 

[Rensek]

These are fun events

As they should be!

As this hobby should be (and is to me).

 

[kalsonc]

Are you running an original Bifrost and Lyr?

If you are, I think you owe it to yourself to try a Bifrost 2 (its fantastic) and a Lyr 3 or Asgard 3 or Valhalla 2.

to be honest i am not sure
i purchased this setup used from a friend who needed to offload them

if it helps - my Lyr has 2 tubes (i see the current Lyr3 has 1 bigger one)

 

[yonson]

We're still going back and forth on Sol. The last gripe--wow and flutter--has been vanquished, and we are getting below 0.1% consistently.

Most importantly, this measurement is NOT done with hinky phone apps or ancient W&F meters, but with the APx555's Wow and Flutter measurement utility, which measures according to standard "AES 6-2008 - Method for Measurement of Weighted Peak Flutter of Sound Recording and Reproducing Equipment" (IEC 60386 Weighted).

Unfortunately, to get less than 0.1% consistently, we have to use a heavy pulley (the old pulley), which will NOT self-start. If the beta users decide this is acceptable, we will re-start sales most likely in February, depending on if we have to get new belts or other small items.

The sales tactic will be very different, as we will provide every Sol with a cartridge (there will be no cartridge-free option) and make sure it is pre-set and ready to go. You'd still be able to buy additional arms, of course, and use your own cartridge, but it's much better to provide a ready-to-go product. The type of cartridge is still up for debate--Grado Red sounds the best in our testing, but Ortofon Red has less hum (Grados do tend to pick up environmental hum).

Could you get a higher torque motor built for it?

Ortofon Red would be a good choice, and it's quite easy to upgrade to the Blue...

 

[valiant66]

Ha!
.

 

[GumbyDammit223]

A easy thing to try also is to turn the knob from min to max, max to min 10 to 20 times (amp off or no sound playing of course). That helped me with a pot that had developed a “bump” (that could be felt turning it, no audible noise though).

I have that same problem with my Valhalla 2. The problem is that it only seems to show up after it warms up. It's not noticeable in the slightest, but I can feel it. I have to keep reminding myself to leave the volume alone!

 

[bboris77]

I have that same problem with my Valhalla 2. The problem is that it only seems to show up after it warms up. It's not noticeable in the slightest, but I can feel it. I have to keep reminding myself to leave the volume alone!

I had the same issue with my Valhalla 2. Had no effect on the audible performance - just the feel changed. When the amp was just turned on, the pot was harder to turn and offered a lot of smooth resistance. Once fully warmed up, it was easier to turn but with a few rough spots. I am sure it was because of the fact that the amp ran so hot - it must have affected the metal tolerances within the potentiometer. Ultimately, it had zero practical effect on the performance though.

 

[mp29k]

Hi everyone, question about Bifrost 1 Gen 5 USB.

I leave mine on all the time, and as such, I hear it doing it's clicks all the time. Even when there is no music playing. What can cause this? Do I have a defective Bifrost? I know the clicks are normal switching between formats, but when there is nothing playing, it seems odd it would click. The only two options I can thin of are: 1. The Mac Mini puts out a "blip" over USB every so often that causes the mechanical click? This seems the most likely scenario since this is 95% of the time the active input. or 2. the Apple TV that is not actively playing anything, that is going into my Coax input (or the optical to coax dongle I am using to connect it) is sending a "blip" every once in a while causing the click.

Can anyone with the Bifrost 1 confirm this behavior? I am considering updating to the Bifrost 2, and don't want to sell this one to a buyer if there is something wrong with it.

-K

 

[bboris77]

Hi everyone, question about Bifrost 1 Gen 5 USB.

I leave mine on all the time, and as such, I hear it doing it's clicks all the time. Even when there is no music playing. What can cause this? Do I have a defective Bifrost? I know the clicks are normal switching between formats, but when there is nothing playing, it seems odd it would click. The only two options I can thin of are: 1. The Mac Mini puts out a "blip" over USB every so often that causes the mechanical click? This seems the most likely scenario since this is 95% of the time the active input. or 2. the Apple TV that is not actively playing anything, that is going into my Coax input (or the optical to coax dongle I am using to connect it) is sending a "blip" every once in a while causing the click.

Can anyone with the Bifrost 1 confirm this behavior? I am considering updating to the Bifrost 2, and don't want to sell this one to a buyer if there is something wrong with it.

-K

I had this with my PS4 Pro via optical output. I would not worry about it. I am sure it happens with all the other DACs except they do not have audible relays, so you never know that it happened. I would only worry about it if it happened all the time while listening to music.

 

[mp29k]

I had this with my PS4 Pro via optical output. I would not worry about it. I am sure it happens with all the other DACs except they do not have audible relays, so you never know that it happened. I would only worry about it if it happened all the time while listening to music.

It is dead stable and silent relays while it is playing music! Thanks for the comment.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Could you get a higher torque motor built for it?

Ortofon Red would be a good choice, and it's quite easy to upgrade to the Blue...

If we have to change the motor, we have to change the pod. Which means we have to change the motor board. Which means we have to change the sorbothane isolator for the new pod. And the motor will be a lot more expensive. Also, a new custom motor is like 20 weeks lead time, plus lead time for the pod. Plus the cost for all this. So, if we have to change the motor, Sol won't be coming back.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hi everyone, question about Bifrost 1 Gen 5 USB.

I leave mine on all the time, and as such, I hear it doing it's clicks all the time. Even when there is no music playing. What can cause this? Do I have a defective Bifrost? I know the clicks are normal switching between formats, but when there is nothing playing, it seems odd it would click. The only two options I can thin of are: 1. The Mac Mini puts out a "blip" over USB every so often that causes the mechanical click? This seems the most likely scenario since this is 95% of the time the active input. or 2. the Apple TV that is not actively playing anything, that is going into my Coax input (or the optical to coax dongle I am using to connect it) is sending a "blip" every once in a while causing the click.

Can anyone with the Bifrost 1 confirm this behavior? I am considering updating to the Bifrost 2, and don't want to sell this one to a buyer if there is something wrong with it.

-K

Most computers will play various sounds as you poke around on them. Those sounds will cause the Bifrost to mute and unmute. You can route system sounds to speakers on a Mac, or turn them off on a PC.

 

[yonson]

If we have to change the motor, we have to change the pod. Which means we have to change the motor board. Which means we have to change the sorbothane isolator for the new pod. And the motor will be a lot more expensive. Also, a new custom motor is like 20 weeks lead time, plus lead time for the pod. Plus the cost for all this. So, if we have to change the motor, Sol won't be coming back.

WOW, yeah I can live with giving it a nudge...

 

[JLoud]

That is what I did on my Mac mini. Designate sounds to go through internal speakers. Eliminated the issue on my Yggdrasil.

 

[45longcolt]

Pleased to hear there's a good chance Sol will return. MoFi has just delivered the 2-LP heavy vinyl One-Step (whatever the heck that means) edition of "Fragile" by Yes, pre-ordered months back. I had hoped to play it on my new Sol. When the table was announced, I was intrigued but hesitated. So far as I knew, no one at Schiit had any experience designing or manufacturing turntables. Thus the teething troubles weren't a shock. But I was confident that Jason would have everything sorted in a month or two and I could unsheathe the credit card.

Would urge Jason to do at least a one-time release of Sol, not only to meet the pent-up demand from ardent schiit-heads like myself but to earn back some of what was spent on R&D (Regret & Debacle?) Heck, Jason, do some old-fashioned marketing and make it a Limited Edition. That tag sells out everything from sneakers (Nike) to cars (Porsche.) Not that I am suggesting you adopt Nike/Porsche pricing, mind. Please don't. Then again, I don't think Mike or Jason ever expected Sol sales to pay for the new Schiit corporate jet. Even way back when, turntables weren't a mass-market item like washing machines or frying pans.

Key is to make sure people know what they're getting, and getting into. Sol may just be the tweakiest audio component of the 21st century. Vinyl hipsters who probably spend more on beard-care products than on LPs want plug-n-play; with a phono pre built in and preferably an ADC chip and a cable to send the files to their phone. Sol is the polar opposite. I wouldn't even run ads in the print mags. Just a post here and on that other site, where only us OCD hobbyists will see.

Please PM if you'd like me to send a check.