[money4me247]

   
I hope that's not true. The sound card I'm planning to use only supports up to 96
 
I hope thats true. Since im getting the bifrost I wanted to return my asus xonar stx and use my old xonar dg for optical to the bifrost. 
Alright.

From Schiit's website:
 
Inputs: Coaxial SPDIF, Optical SPDIF, USB (optional)

Input Capability: up to 24/192 for all inputs, including 24/176.4
 
the whole point of a dac is to bypass your computer's internal sound card, so your internal sound card does not matter at all.

 

[bearFNF]

  I've heard some people say that toslink is better than coax because of electrical isolation, is there any merit to that? :S

Electrical isolation could be an issue but if the system and components are properly grounded and have good connections there should be no issues. IMO

Well, toslink could have jitter issues if the cable is not kept straight (i.e. no kinks or twists).  Toslink also does not care how long the cable is, while coaxial signal degrades over long runs.  Very long runs.
Component to component in the same rack wont care either way.  Next issue would be the quality of the connectors, both cable types would like to have good quality terminations.

 

[Guidostrunk]

If he's using optical out , he wouldn't be using the internal dac, right? Isn't optical a digital transfer prior to the bifrost converting it to analog?

From Schiit's website:

Inputs: Coaxial SPDIF, Optical SPDIF, USB (optional)
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Input Capability: up to 24/192 for all inputs, including 24/176.4[COLOR=8F8F8F]
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the whole point of a dac is to bypass your computer's internal sound card, so your internal sound card does not matter at all.

 

[Michael V]

  From Schiit's website:
 
Inputs: Coaxial SPDIF, Optical SPDIF, USB (optional)

Input Capability: up to 24/192 for all inputs, including 24/176.4
 
the whole point of a dac is to bypass your computer's internal sound card, so your internal sound card does not matter at all.

 
Alright just making sure, thanks for clearing it up. I just didn't want to pay extra for usb if I don't need it.

  Electrical isolation could be an issue but if the system and components are properly grounded and have good connections there should be no issues. IMO

Well, toslink could have jitter issues if the cable is not kept straight (i.e. no kinks or twists).  Toslink also does not care how long the cable is, while coaxial signal degrades over long runs.  Very long runs.
Component to component in the same rack wont care either way.  Next issue would be the quality of the connectors, both cable types would like to have good quality terminations.

I have an audioquest cinammon optical cable so it should be good, it's long enough where I don't have to kink it.  http://www.bestbuy.com/site/audioquest-optilink-cinnamon-4-9-digital-optical-interconnect-cable-red/2926076.p?id=1218364489019&skuId=2926076

 

[madwolfa]

If he's using optical out , he wouldn't be using the internal dac, right? Isn't optical a digital transfer prior to the bifrost converting it to analog?

 
The source (sound card) would still need to support the needed playback resolution (like 24/192) for the digital output.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

Okay well from personal experience, I was not able to output 88.2 or 176.4 through optical, and 192 was buggy as hell. I don't know if that was because of my receiver or what, maybe I'll check the input of my interface with the optical

 

[Michael V]

Alright so the xonar stx supports 192/24. When I said spdif earlier, i meant the optical toslink. Since I'm getting the bifrost I don't have a need for the stx anymore and I just purchased it last week so I want to return it if it won't make a difference with my other sound card the xonar dg. The dg has optical/toslink out but only supports 96/24. If it really is dependant on the soundcard then I will have to keep the stx then.

 

[BeatsWork]

  I've heard some people say that toslink is better than coax because of electrical isolation, is there any merit to that? :S

Quite possibly depending on your PC. I have a high end Frankenstein rig. Dedicated USB card etc. and I still get weird noises with some DACS (i.e. mouse movement) which was resolved by USB isolator. So IF your PC happens to be electrically noisy then YES toslink could be better option. I see other people already noting though that highest bit/sample rates may be problematic with toslink. Haven't really used toslink from PC to DAC so can't comment. If I had to choose between noise and being limited to 16/192 no question I'd be downsampling

 

[madwolfa]

  Quite possibly depending on your PC. I have a high end Frankenstein rig. Dedicated USB card etc. and I still get weird noises with some DACS (i.e. mouse movement) which was resolved by USB isolator. So IF your PC happens to be electrically noisy then YES toslink could be better option. I see other people already noting though that highest bit/sample rates may be problematic with toslink. Haven't really used toslink from PC to DAC so can't comment. If I had to choose between noise and being limited to 16/192 no question I'd be downsampling

 
I have ground loop hum when connecting my PC to the big rig with anything but Toslink (like USB). Honestly, I'm fine with downsampling to 24/96 for the sake of quiet background and electrical isolation. Most of my mysic is 16/44 anyway (24/192 are vinyl rips and some rare HD downloads).

 

[Michael V]

 
Quite possibly depending on your PC. I have a high end Frankenstein rig. Dedicated USB card etc. and I still get weird noises with some DACS (i.e. mouse movement) which was resolved by USB isolator. So IF your PC happens to be electrically noisy then YES toslink could be better option. I see other people already noting though that highest bit/sample rates may be problematic with toslink. Haven't really used toslink from PC to DAC so can't comment. If I had to choose between noise and being limited to 16/192 no question I'd be downsampling

Hmm I'm actually getting the weird noises when I move my mouse as well. I have the lyr 2 connected to the rca out on the xonar stx currently. Hopefully that noise will go away when I use toslink to the bifrost.

 

[madwolfa]

  Hmm I'm actually getting the weird noises when I move my mouse as well. I have the lyr 2 connected to the rca out on the xonar stx currently. Hopefully that noise will go away when I use toslink to the bifrost.

 
Most probably it will.

 

[Tuco1965]

I was surprised to read this today. http://www.cbc.ca/television/posts/schitts-creek-premieres-january-13-on-cbc-television
 
Yeah I know, totally unrelated, but that name.

 

[iJimmy]

Hey guys,
 
I'm not that experienced in DACs and amps and only own a Vali which I love using with TH600 and loved using it with my D7000. Do you guys think I would benefit from getting the Modi 2 as well? Would pairing it with a Fulla make any sense at all?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy 

 

[Zojokkeli]

  Hey guys,
 
I'm not that experienced in DACs and amps and only own a Vali which I love using with TH600 and loved using it with my D7000. Do you guys think I would benefit from getting the Modi 2 as well? Would pairing it with a Fulla make any sense at all?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy 

 
If you're listening to music from a computer without proper soundcard, adding Modi to the chain would make perfect sense.

 

[bearFNF]

  Hey guys,
 
I'm not that experienced in DACs and amps and only own a Vali which I love using with TH600 and loved using it with my D7000. Do you guys think I would benefit from getting the Modi 2 as well? Would pairing it with a Fulla make any sense at all?
 
Thanks!
Jimmy 

The fulla is a DAC/Amp with no line out so the Modi 2 would be the way to go, unless you want to stop using the Vali and only use the Fulla (which I would not do since you already have the Vali) or unless you want a portable solution for a laptop...