[SoulSyde]

4GB of RAM is anemic for OSX especially if you are trying to run other applications simultaneously with high bit rate files.

 

[Tman5293]

  Question for Bifrost Owners:
 
I currently have the original Bifrost (non upgraded) with USB
 
recently, when watching movies and listening to music (via USB) the sound will become distorted (very staticy and the music is thin and muffled in the background while the static/distortion sound is loud) for about 20-30 seconds before it goes back to normal.  If I pause the audio and replay it, or rewind, it also goes back to normal.  
 
this only happens occasionally.  the 2 previous times its happened (last eek) i was watching a movie and it was atleast an hour before it occurred 
 
today it happened after listening to music for 10 minutes.
 
I'm my setup is macbook pro -> Bifrost (USB) -> amp -> speakers
 
I will pickup an optical cable so i can see if its the bifrost usb causing the problem. or maybe its some type of interference ?
 
 I don't think the macbook or amp has anything to do with it because I have used the same setup but with an ODAC and never had this issue.  
 
Just curious if anyone has had a similar issue or could share any knowledge as to what could be the source of the problem

 
I think I found the problem. 

 

[zantetsuken]

Has anyone gotten random clicks while listening to any of the Schiit gear? I've just purchased a Lyr with stock tubes running with a LCD2 and Uberfrost, I seem to hear these clicks every now and then randomly when the music plays. I'm wondering if it could be the tubes?

 

[Rem0o]

  Has anyone gotten random clicks while listening to any of the Schiit gear? I've just purchased a Lyr with stock tubes running with a LCD2 and Uberfrost, I seem to hear these clicks every now and then randomly when the music plays. I'm wondering if it could be the tubes?

Bifrost clicks when it changes sample rate. Normal.

 

[jaywillin]

  Bifrost clicks when it changes sample rate. Normal.

did later revisions of the bifrost do away with the clicking when changing sampling rates ? mine doesn't click,
jriver says i'm playing different rates, but when i change no clicking

 

[Rem0o]

 
did later revisions of the bifrost do away with the clicking when changing sampling rates ? mine doesn't click,
jriver says i'm playing different rates, but when i change no clicks.

From Schiit Audio FAQ:

"""
Clicking When Changing Sample Rates/Pausing/Etc.
 
1. It’s totally normal for our Bifrost and Gungnir DACs to click (mechanically, from the chassis) during normal operation. That’s the muting relay, doing its job. It clicks whenever the SPDIF datastream is interrupted. 
 
2. If it’s clicking excessively on a PC or Mac, you can reduce it by routing system sounds to the speaker, rather than to the SPDIF output, or by using the USB input.
 
3. If it’s clicking excessively on a CD transport when in pause, the CD transport has a cycling interruption in the datastream. There’s no real fix for this, except getting another CD transport. It won’t hurt the Bifrost or Gungnir, though—the relays are rated for several million cycles.
"""

 

[gefski]

From Schiit Audio FAQ:


"""
[COLOR=8F8F8F][COLOR=000000]Clicking When Changing Sample Rates/Pausing/Etc.[/COLOR][/COLOR]
[COLOR=8F8F8F] [/COLOR]
[COLOR=8F8F8F][COLOR=000000]1. It’s totally normal for our Bifrost and Gungnir DACs to click (mechanically, from the chassis) during normal operation. That’s the muting relay, doing its job. It clicks whenever the SPDIF datastream is interrupted.

This is good info and fits with what I've experienced. Don't recall hearing clicks with Bifrost USB, but when using Bel Canto link to SPDIF, I get clicks when loading tracks for playback in Jplay.

I'm fine with it.

 

[zantetsuken]

  From Schiit Audio FAQ:

"""
Clicking When Changing Sample Rates/Pausing/Etc.
 
1. It’s totally normal for our Bifrost and Gungnir DACs to click (mechanically, from the chassis) during normal operation. That’s the muting relay, doing its job. It clicks whenever the SPDIF datastream is interrupted. 
 
2. If it’s clicking excessively on a PC or Mac, you can reduce it by routing system sounds to the speaker, rather than to the SPDIF output, or by using the USB input.
 
3. If it’s clicking excessively on a CD transport when in pause, the CD transport has a cycling interruption in the datastream. There’s no real fix for this, except getting another CD transport. It won’t hurt the Bifrost or Gungnir, though—the relays are rated for several million cycles.
"""
 
 

Thanks for that guys just to add though I'm using a USB input, not SPDIF stream, and the click does not come from the chassis but from the speakers themselves occasionally, as though they were being fed a higher signal intermittently (its not common, but just thought I should check that it's not a fault or anything). It seems that the clicks occur randomly, in the middle of a song rather than between songs. 

 

[SoulSyde]

  Thanks for that guys just to add though I'm using a USB input, not SPDIF stream, and the click does not come from the chassis but from the speakers themselves occasionally, as though they were being fed a higher signal intermittently (its not common, but just thought I should check that it's not a fault or anything). It seems that the clicks occur randomly, in the middle of a song rather than between songs. 

 
What is your computer setup (PC, Mac, OS, amount of RAM)? 

 

[zantetsuken]

Running a Windows 7 x64, i7 920 processor, 9gb ram, with foobar as my player set to "Schiit USB audio device". 

 

[jaywillin]

  From Schiit Audio FAQ:

"""
Clicking When Changing Sample Rates/Pausing/Etc.
 
1. It’s totally normal for our Bifrost and Gungnir DACs to click (mechanically, from the chassis) during normal operation. That’s the muting relay, doing its job. It clicks whenever the SPDIF datastream is interrupted. 
 
2. If it’s clicking excessively on a PC or Mac, you can reduce it by routing system sounds to the speaker, rather than to the SPDIF output, or by using the USB input.
 
3. If it’s clicking excessively on a CD transport when in pause, the CD transport has a cycling interruption in the datastream. There’s no real fix for this, except getting another CD transport. It won’t hurt the Bifrost or Gungnir, though—the relays are rated for several million cycles.
"""

lol, yeah, after i posted the question here, and emailed jason, i THEN went to the schiit website , one day i'll do things in the right order ! 
yes, jason confirmed that if USB is used(and i use USB), there shouldn't be any clicking, so, i'm good !

 

[SoulSyde]

  Running a Windows 7 x64, i7 920 processor, 9gb ram, with foobar as my player set to "Schiit USB audio device". 

 
Hmm... seems capable of handling the load.
 
I had some issues with crackling with other DACs on my i5 iMac until I upped the RAM to 16GB (which is overkill) and voila... crackling gone.  

 

[tim79b]

Hi all!
 
I recently purchased a Lyr + Bifrost (with USB Gen2 upgrade) combo along with a set of LCD-2's
 
Whilst the SQ is on a whole other level to anything I've owned before in the head-fi domain, there is a constant underlying hum in the output to the headphones.
 
I think this may be EM interference - the DAC/Amp are sitting directly behind my TV, above my main receiver, and next to a portable HDD on one side and my main speaker on the other - but haven't yet had the opportunity to shift the kit to test it.
 
Setup is Mac Mini -> Bifrost (via USB) -> Lyr (Stock Tubes) -> LCD-2
 
Any thoughts on what may be causing this IF it isn't EM?
 
Thanks in advance...

 

[sceleratus]

  Hi all!
 
I recently purchased a Lyr + Bifrost (with USB Gen2 upgrade) combo along with a set of LCD-2's
 
Whilst the SQ is on a whole other level to anything I've owned before in the head-fi domain, there is a constant underlying hum in the output to the headphones.
 
I think this may be EM interference - the DAC/Amp are sitting directly behind my TV, above my main receiver, and next to a portable HDD on one side and my main speaker on the other - but haven't yet had the opportunity to shift the kit to test it.
 
Setup is Mac Mini -> Bifrost (via USB) -> Lyr (Stock Tubes) -> LCD-2
 
Any thoughts on what may be causing this IF it isn't EM?
 
Thanks in advance...

The Bifrost is sensitive to ground loops from other "things" on your house mains.
They can be very difficult to find.  Use the best power conditioner you can find.
I like Furman AC-215.  There's one for both 110 and 220.
There are other widgets as well.

 

[john57]

Sounds like a couple of things. Move all power bricks like portable HDD if it has one alway from audio equipment. Are you using cable for TV? If so you may have a ground loop from the cable ground that is different from the audio equipment ground. Even if the cable is directly connected to the TV or a cable box that ground loop can still exists even when the Schiit is connected to another unit like your Mac mini. Disconnect the cable from the wall and see if you still hear the hum when nothing is playing of course. If this does not change the hum disconnect the inputs on the Lyr and see if you still hear the hum. We have to narrow down the issue.