Schiit Magni 2 / Modi 2 Uber Stack Help Please!!!

[fxception]

Hey Y'all.... So my Magni 2 / Modi 2 Uber stack finally arrived. I plugged in the optical cable from the Modi 2 to my Sound Blaster Z, the RCA cables to both units. Setting SPDIF as default in playback devices on windows 8.1. Sound isn't loud at all with windows sound turned all the way up and volume control on magni 2 half way. I'm not sure if I am doing something wrong! Please help!! Also do these units tend to get warm?

 

[fxception]

 

[billybob_jcv]

What headphones are you driving?

First test is to plug the headphones directly into the PC's headphone jack.

Second test is to plug the Magni into the PC's headphone jack. Is it louder?

Third test is to plug the Modi into the PC via USB and then the Magni into the Modi. Does that work OK?

Do you have theWindows device set to 2 channel or 5.1?

 

[rids57]

is the gain set to low or hi on the rear of the Magni?

 

[fxception]

What headphones are you driving?

First test is to plug the headphones directly into the PC's headphone jack.

Second test is to plug the Magni into the PC's headphone jack. Is it louder?

Third test is to plug the Modi into the PC via USB and then the Magni into the Modi. Does that work OK?

Do you have theWindows device set to 2 channel or 5.1?

Sennheiser HD600
.
Before my Stack arrived I had my headphones plugged in directly into the headphone jack of my sound card, Volume is decent at 100%. When plugged into my amp, Volume mixer in windows at 100% and knob on amp at half way... and volume is pretty low compared to plugging it into my Sound card.

 

[fxception]

  is the gain set to low or hi on the rear of the Magni?

There isn't much difference between setting it to low or hi, i already tried that.

 

[rids57]

Can you try connecting the Magni direct to the line out of the SB Z?
 
If you can't get good volume then the Magni is most likely faulty.
 
My HD650s only need to go to about 10 o'clock to be rather loud on my Vali and that is a lower output amp than the Magni.

 

[fxception]

  Can you try connecting the Magni direct to the line out of the SB Z?
 
If you can't get good volume then the Magni is most likely faulty.
 
My HD650s only need to go to about 10 o'clock to be rather loud on my Vali and that is a lower output amp than the Magni.

Would I need RCA to 3.5mm to do that? Could it be ****ty RCAs connected to magni / modi that is producing low sound? Also this optical cable... is it connected to Optical IN or OUT to my sound card? http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/uk-electronics/product_content/creative/SB0886Connections.jpg

 

[rids57]

Yes you'd need a 3,5mm to RCA adapter or Y cable.
 
It needs to be connected to the Optical Out on the SB Z

 

[fxception]

Okay, I tried to see if it's better with USB... but its the same as optical... Not loud at all... and this is pointing the nob at 12 o clock. I don't have a RCA to 3.5mm jack to test that. I have a feeling it might be a bad amp.

 

[superjawes]

http://puu.sh/h80C4/c96eaa5904.jpg

It looks liks you still have the speaker output selected in this snip. Shouldn't the check mark be on the SPDIF out?

 

[fxception]

in SPDIF there is no speaker setup like that. I didn't mean to post that link.

 

[superjawes]

Okay, so we have confirmed that Windows is set to output to SPDIF? If you open up your Windows volume mixer, you should have that SPDIF volume slider in addition to your speaker one.

Assuming that is the case, the last check I can think of is outputing Modi into another piece of gear with RCA in. If you can't do that, then it is time to email Nick (Schiit support).

 

[fxception]

Hmm 

Okay, so we have confirmed that Windows is set to output to SPDIF? If you open up your Windows volume mixer, you should have that SPDIF volume slider in addition to your speaker one.

Assuming that is the case, the last check I can think of is outputing Modi into another piece of gear with RCA in. If you can't do that, then it is time to email Nick (Schiit support).

As in connect the dac/amp to a different device?

 

[superjawes]

Just the DAC. I've never tried this myself (soI'm not 100% sure it would work), but if you connect the RCA out (on Modi) to a television, then you should be able to hear something out of the TV's speakers (if everything is working properly). This would mostly be a sanity check to make sure Modi is working properly, and that your Magni is the culprit.

Acutally, I did just think of one more thing. Is this a vanilla Magni 2 or Uber?