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Schiit Owners Unite
Mar 1, 2014 at 10:31 AM Post #4,666 of 13,350
  Dear Jaywillin, Jay, Madwolfa, Traum, Tuco, et all:
 
    Thank you for your direct and/or indirect input regarding both Bifrost card update installation and qualities information as well as preferred digital source input connection, (though I am still just a tad unsure that there is a definitive answer regarding the second issue...)...However, the primary reason for my inquiries is as follows:
 
 
    I have thus far been feeding my Bifrost a coaxial input from my CD player, and sending that converted signal on to my stereo pre-amplifier, which then in turn sends that signal on to my main amplifier, loudspeakers etc., as well as sending that same analogue signal on to my Asgard 2, or Lyr...(and am quite happy with that...)
 
    However, so as to access the internet's streaming music sources,  I am also currently sending an analogue signal from my aging, (read 14 year old and dying), desk-top PC to my main stereo system/pre-amp.  The desk-top's digital to analogue conversion is courtesy of a 2+ year old Asus Xonar Essence ST PCI sound card, (pretty highly rated as a sound card/mini-headphone amp way back then)...the sound card's output I use is the stereo pair analogue out connectors.  Now, I anticipate this desk-top PC to eventually NOT boot up (fail) one day, so that I will have to utilize the USB 2, or USB 3 outputs on my Lenovo T530 Thinkpad lap-top...    THIS is the primary impetus for my inquiries... 
 
    Assuming that modern OUTBOARD D/A converters ARE generally better converters than modern INDWELLING/onboard computer card D/A converters(?)...(I otherwise would eventually have to replace my "dying" desk-top with another dedicated, "music desk-top PC" along with another, onboard PCI-E sound card...)...
 
  From what I have read on both the Schiit Audio website as well as that which has been volunteered on this head-fi/ Schiit Owners unite thread, it is unclear to me as to whether there is any consensus as to the best way to feed an outboard D/A converter a digital signal...(and I might have to go as long as 5 meters...)
 
If indeed sending a digital signal up to 5 meters is definitely better done co-axially, is there a good suggestion regarding converting that USB 2, 3(?) output to a coaxial/SPDIF output...or is that simply just another component in the audio chain with the potential to corrupt that signal...?...
 
  I certainly would like to maximize my signal quality, as well as maximizing my output/input flexibility...while not simply wasting money...should you have read this far, thank you for any and all assistance you wish to provide...oh, and yes, I do realize that the science of psychoacoustics is inherently a combination of both the objective as well as the subjective...
 
Thank you.
 
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
 
P.S.  Perhaps someone from Schiit Audio might provide some additional information/clarification regarding signal input to output quality comparisons between SPDIF, Optical and USB 1,2, 3(?) as regards the latest generation Schiit Bifrost and above D/A converters...?...   
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 10:55 AM Post #4,667 of 13,350
synergist969 said:
    Dear Jaywillin, Jay, Madwolfa, Traum, Tuco, et all:
 
    Thank you for your direct and/or indirect input regarding both Bifrost card update installation and qualities information as well as preferred digital source input connection, (though I am still just a tad unsure that there is a definitive answer regarding the second issue...)...However, the primary reason for my inquiries is as follows:
 
 
    I have thus far been feeding my Bifrost a coaxial input from my CD player, and sending that converted signal on to my stereo pre-amplifier, which then in turn sends that signal on to my main amplifier, loudspeakers etc., as well as sending that same analogue signal on to my Asgard 2, or Lyr...(and am quite happy with that...)
 
    However, so as to access the internet's streaming music sources,  I am also currently sending an analogue signal from my aging, (read 14 year old and dying), desk-top PC to my main stereo system/pre-amp.  The desk-top's digital to analogue conversion is courtesy of a 2+ year old Asus Xonar Essence ST PCI sound card, (pretty highly rated as a sound card/mini-headphone amp way back then)...the sound card's output I use is the stereo pair analogue out connectors.  Now, I anticipate this desk-top PC to eventually NOT boot up (fail) one day, so that I will have to utilize the USB 2, or USB 3 outputs on my Lenovo T530 Thinkpad lap-top...    THIS is the primary impetus for my inquiries... 
 
    Assuming that modern OUTBOARD D/A converters ARE generally better converters than modern INDWELLING/onboard computer card D/A converters(?)...(I otherwise would eventually have to replace my "dying" desk-top with another dedicated, "music desk-top PC" along with another, onboard PCI-E sound card...)...
 
  From what I have read on both the Schiit Audio website as well as that which has been volunteered on this head-fi/ Schiit Owners unite thread, it is unclear to me as to whether there is any consensus as to the best way to feed an outboard D/A converter a digital signal...(and I might have to go as long as 5 meters...)
 
If indeed sending a digital signal up to 5 meters is definitely better done co-axially, is there a good suggestion regarding converting that USB 2, 3(?) output to a coaxial/SPDIF output...or is that simply just another component in the audio chain with the potential to corrupt that signal...?...
 
  I certainly would like to maximize my signal quality, as well as maximizing my output/input flexibility...while not simply wasting money...should you have read this far, thank you for any and all assistance you wish to provide...oh, and yes, I do realize that the science of psychoacoustics is inherently a combination of both the objective as well as the subjective...
 
Thank you.
 
Sincerely,
T.A. Kogstrom
 
P.S.  Perhaps someone from Schiit Audio might provide some additional information/clarification regarding signal input to output quality comparisons between SPDIF, Optical and USB 1,2, 3(?) as regards the latest generation Schiit Bifrost and above D/A converters...?...   
Click to expand...

i think it might be hard to find any real consensus , i would believe any of the methods mentioned, can deliver very good sound if properly implemented ,
and any differences may not even be audible
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 11:06 AM Post #4,668 of 13,350
If you have to go as long as 5 metres, then you likely have to rule out usb.  Any chance to move the dac closer to the pc?  You can run long rca cables to your stereo from it.  I run 1 foot cables to my Lyr and 35 foot cables to my stereo from the bifrost.  I use splitter blocks on the Bifrost to feed both.
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 11:08 AM Post #4,669 of 13,350
I think being as the signal is digital you shouldn't have a problem sending the signal quite a good distance so long as you use a high quality well shielded cable. Unless you work in a power station or some place where there is a LOT of RF and other electrical interference.
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 11:12 AM Post #4,671 of 13,350
If anyone elects to use USB, I happened to ask Schiit last night as to how much current the Bifrost USB port draws from the host, Nick replied about 90mA. He replied within a few hours, I didn't expect such a fast answer.
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 11:18 AM Post #4,672 of 13,350
Since we are once again on the subject of USB, I remember someone mentioning several pages back then he solved the Bifrost audio cut out problem by disconnecting the ethernet cable. I happened to try that today, and I think it solved the problem. Curious, most curious. 
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 1:06 PM Post #4,676 of 13,350
tuco1965 said:
  I have tried every combo of uninstalling devices, old drivers, new drivers, power management and I'm still perplexed at how ethernet causes this issue.
Click to expand...

 
It's possible that particular computers go on the cheap and easy now by running an ethernet port through the internal usb of the computer rather than giving it is own independent bus.
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 1:16 PM Post #4,678 of 13,350
You could look at the device manager and see where the ethernet is running though.
 
Mar 1, 2014 at 1:23 PM Post #4,679 of 13,350
FWIW I just can't be bothered to hunt it down any more.  Much better just listening to the music now.  
biggrin.gif

 
Since it has been -30C and below lately, I've had some pretty extended listening sessions.  
 
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