[earnmyturns]

Correct me if I am wrong, I believe the goldpoint is pcb based. Meaning if you have nice interconnectes then this switch will eventually passthrough thin coppers on the pcb hence negating the good qualities of your interconnects.

See https://goldpt.com/sa2x.html for an inside photo. "Wiring: High grade, silver-plated copper, multi-stranded, with Teflon jacketing."

 

[andre dufour]

The WA22 has a preamp out you could use to hook up the WES.

Thanks bearFNF, I ended up going the route you suggested with the WA22 as a preamp for the WES and using the WA22 direct to the Senn 800S. Hooking it up now!

 

[SilverEars]

How many Yggdrasil impression threads are there?

Anyway, I'm going to chime in on AES/EBU, and other interfaces fiasco. I tried Allo and Pi2AES streamers, and I got to say, I'm underwhelmed. I found Pi2AES to be the worst of them all even though AES/EBU connection that is touted to be superior here. It's really not. Allo was pretty similar to USB, but I find USB best them all. I have Gen5 usb currently. Pi2AES sounds rolled-off, more blended compared to the other two. It just goes to show that just because something has AES/EBU connection doesn't mean squat. I tried the Bartok AES/EBU, and didn't sound like Pi2AES, and didn't find it to sound as and improvement over USB either. Both AES/EBU? So what gives?

So, I found Allo better than Pi2AES, and just because Pi2AES has AES/EBU doesn't really matter. I found USB to be better over both.

Something that I noticed with the both the Pi Streamers is that the sound stage seems slightly smaller imaging wise.

Lesson I learned is that, just because somebody posted Pi2AES with AES/EBU connection is superior doesn't mean it really does apply. Blanket statements doesn't apply. There's variables.

So, I will say if you use USB, no need to get into streamers unless for some functional reasons. The interfaces aren't going to radically improve the sound. Just save your money toward something else.

Big positive that I should mention with Pi streamers is that, it's cost effective streamer solution. The audiophile streamers out in the market are quite pricy, so the Pi streamers are a good solution for those looking for cost effective streamers (relatively speaking). You can use Roon with these streamers as there is a Pi OS called Ropieee out there that makes the Pi streamers compatible as a Roon node.

https://ropieee.org/

 

[sahmen]

How many Yggdrasil impression threads are there?

Anyway, I'm going to chime in on AES/EBU, and other interfaces fiasco. I tried Allo and Pi2AES streamers, and I got to say, I'm underwhelmed. I found Pi2AES to be the worst of them all even though AES/EBU connection that is touted to be superior here. It's really not. Allo was pretty similar to USB, but I find USB best them all. I have Gen5 usb currently. Pi2AES sounds rolled-off, more blended compared to the other two. It just goes to show that just because something has AES/EBU connection doesn't mean squat. I tried the Bartok AES/EBU, and didn't sound like Pi2AES, and didn't find it to sound as and improvement over USB either. Both AES/EBU? So what gives?

So, I found Allo better than Pi2AES, and just because Pi2AES has AES/EBU doesn't really matter. I found USB to be better over both.

Something that I noticed with the both the Pi Streamers is that the sound stage seems slightly smaller imaging wise.

Lesson I learned is that, just because somebody posted Pi2AES with AES/EBU connection is superior doesn't mean it really does apply. Blanket statements doesn't apply. There's variables.

So, I will say if you use USB, no need to get into streamers unless for some functional reasons. The interfaces aren't going to radically improve the sound. Just save your money toward something else.

Big positive that I should mention with Pi streamers is that, it's cost effective streamer solution. The audiophile streamers out in the market are quite pricy, so the Pi streamers are a good solution for those looking for cost effective streamers (relatively speaking). You can use Roon with these streamers as there is a Pi OS called Ropieee out there that makes the Pi streamers compatible as a Roon node.

https://ropieee.org/

That is strange : I run the Ultrarendu through the Yggy Analog 2 with USB 5, and it cannot hold a candle to my Metrum Ambre, when running through the same Yggy Analog 2 via the AES port... Sometimes, thanks to the Schiit Eitr, I can also run the Ultrarendu through the S/PDIF coaxial port of the Yggy B, and in many respects, I prefer the Schiit Eitr S/PDIF coaxial route to the straight USB 5 route, in spite of the fact that I use a boutique made Phasure Lush USB cable with the Ultrarendu and Yggy A2...

Still, with this same YggyA2, the Metrum Ambre connected via AES , which runs on Rasberry Pi3b with piCorePlayer, but also comes armed with a humongous power supply, runs circles around the Ultra-rendu/Yggy2USB-5 or Ultrarendu/Schiit Eitre/Ultrarendu/YggyS/PDIF coaxial chains.

One more thing that some might consider somewhat "sacrilegious" : the Ambre-to Yggy B via AES playing Roon music (Qobuz, Tidal, and local files), is noticeably better performing to my ears than my Emotiva ERC-3 CD player, when hooked up to the YGGY B via AES, although, as disk spinners go, the ERC-3 is no slouch at all. So the AES itself can sound and perform differently, depending on the source that is connected to it.

What this means is that you need to take the make and quality of your renderer or streamer too into account, not to mention accessories, such as power supplies, maybe even (cough, cough) cables, and the requirements of synergy, when making such assessments, and not blame or praise too hastily, AES or USB-5 or S/PDIF on the Yggy A2 alone for the results you get.

Full disclosure : I have also tried the same Ultrarendu with the Yggy using the AES port, thanks to my Stello U3 bridge, and I preferred that AES result to the USB-5 and Schiit Eitr/SPDIF results. I can safely say, then, that in my own tests, either with the Ultrarendu or with the Metrum Ambre, the AES connection comes out ahead of the rest, but I see that as the combined result of the different synergies produced by the different streamers with the YGGY A2, along with their power supplies, and probably even with cables used, and not necessarily as a reason to isolate the USB -5 or AES or S/PDIF coaxial exclusively for blame or praise.

YMMV, of course.

It goes without saying that I am not taking issue with the SQ results you personally heard in your tests, just the conclusions about the Yggy's USB-5 and AES ports that you are drawing from those results.

 

[LarryMagoo]

I too agree with your source assessment.....I use Audiobyte Hydra Z to be my DDC that’s takes my USB and coverts it to AES for my Yggy. I run my Mac Mini on 12 VDC and my Hydra Z on 5VDC that renders a completely quite signal for my Yggy to convert.

 

[poorsod]

I suspect the Yggdrasil USB input is susceptible to noise from the steamer’s power supply and network connection. I have observed increased delicacy and increased depth of sound stage when using the SBooster + ultra with the ultrarendu and even more so with optical rendu. I’m waiting for the Unison to come out and am curious if that would make any improvements.

 

[SilverEars]

I suspect the Yggdrasil USB input is susceptible to noise from the steamer’s power supply and network connection. I have observed increased delicacy and increased depth of sound stage when using the SBooster + ultra with the ultrarendu and even more so with optical rendu. I’m waiting for the Unison to come out and am curious if that would make any improvements.

Theory is that the purpose of streamers to have lower noise, but does this theory translate to audible improvements? Gen5 usb is pretty much isolated, so how would a streamer provide improvements over a different interface?

I've heard that Coax, BNC, and AES are similar. There is no way for me to use those interfaces unless I'm using a streamer. Unless I get a Lynx card with an external enclosure to isolate the card from computer internals.

I rather us a PC over a streamer. It works out better for me as the Tidal app is much better on PC. Same for the selection of players that are available on PC. I really don't like Pi players.

 

[poorsod]

I am using speakers. The biggest change I noticed going from ultrarendu to optical rendu is in the sound stage of the John Williams Swing (Boston Pops) album. With the ultrarendu, the orchestra seemed like it was coming up from the pit in the floor. With the optical rendu, the orchestra moved on stage.

I think the USB interface is not so clear cut. I am hoping that Innuos brings their USB reclocker to CanJam NYC. I am curious to see what difference it might make.

the Innuos demo at CanJam last year changed my mind on the effect of streamers on sound quality. I hope they do the same thing this year.

 

[gefski]

Unison USB boards just released, $150 or $200 Schiit install.

 

[Mike-WI]

I may have missed it, but I don't think I saw the Unison FAQ posted earlier today...
(if it was - semi-sorry/not sorry - as I don't think I've seen FAQ posted for the more casual thread reader)

$150 Unison USB
$200 Unison USB + Schiit install + shipping

https://www.schiit.com/products/unison-usb

What’s all this hoo-ha about Unison USB?
Unison USB is our own proprietary USB input, not based on C-Media or XMOS or any other off-the-shelf USB receiver out there. Instead, we spent a couple of person-years developing our own code for a standard Microchip PIC32 microprocessor, which allowed us to create a higher-performing USB input than anything else on the market.

But, USB inputs, like, kinda suck.
Not Unison USB. Even Mike Moffat, the famous “friends don’t let friends use USB” guy, prefers Unison to SPDIF.

Prefers?
Yes.

Mike Moffat prefers USB input?
Yes.

Wait a second, my head just exploded.
We know how you feel.

Why is Unison USB so special?
Unison USB is special because Mike Moffat harnessed the power of Prometheus with a sacrifice of ten thousand virgin deer and became The Digital God of the Universe, The Singular, The Bit-Sighted, The Master of All Ones and Zeros. Or, more seriously, because it was developed for a single purpose: to provide the highest performance input for PCM digital, period. It doesn’t have one beeelion un-used functions, nor is it trying to optimize for five different unicorn formats that will probably be gone tomorrow. It also uses very high-quality local clocks and offers complete electrostatic and electromagnetic isolation from the source. It also provides lower power draw and complete UAC2 compatibility.

What formats does Unison USB support?
PCM, up to 24/192. That's it.

No DSD?
No.

No MQA?
Hell no.

No 32/384 or 32/768 or 64/1536 or whatever else people will make up tomorrow?
How much music you got at 32/384 or 32/768? That is really recorded at those rates? That has had those rates preserved through the mastering chain? That has been recorded at the center of a collapsed star at sub-zero temperatures using Gallifreyan technology to achieve the 192dB dynamic range of 32 bits? Yeah, thought so.

So what platforms does your Unison USB input support?
Actually, the question should be “What platforms support your Unison USB input?” since our Unison USB input is 100% UAC2 compliant (that is, USB Audio Class 2, the accepted standard for USB audio transmission.) So, here you go:

• Linux. As in, most popular streamers, from the Sonore MicroRendu to the Salk Streamer. Note “most.” Also most Linux distros that support UAC2 natively will be plug and play. Please note that we cannot provide detailed technical support for Linux.
• Windows 10. Yes, Windows 10 only. We don’t provide UAC2 drivers for earlier versions of Windows, sorry. Yes, it is time to step into the present (not the future, Windows 10 has been out for a couple of years now.) Yes, it is time to upgrade. Yes, it’s worth it. Windows 10 is actually a very nice platform.
• Mac OSX. From 10.10 on up, Macs are good to go. Sometimes you’ll run into power management problems that will require you to turn off App Nap. Got an older version of MacOS? See the comments on Windows above. Time to upgrade. The software is free.
• iOS. From iOS7 on up, iOS devices work with USB Camera Connection Kit, Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, a Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter, or directly with the new USB-C models.
• Android. Most Android devices that shipped with Android M or above will work using a USB OTG cable. Some may require separate player software, like USB Audio Player Pro.

EDIT
(in main Schiit Audio Thread) Jason Stoddard: "Added a FAQ section to the page that goes into what OSes support our UAC2-compliant input, and also which formats it handles." <-- so I guess it was added later

 

[gdhal]

............

But, USB inputs, like, kinda suck.
Not Unison USB. Even Mike Moffat, the famous “friends don’t let friends use USB” guy, prefers Unison to SPDIF.

Prefers?
Yes.

Mike Moffat prefers USB input?
Yes.
............

I take that to mean Mike Moffat does not prefer the Unison USB to AES/EBU, which for the longest time he has considered the best input.

 

[Ableza]

I take that to mean Mike Moffat does not prefer the Unison USB to AES/EBU, which for the longest time he has considered the best input.

AES *is* S/PDIF

 

[SilverEars]

AES *is* S/PDIF

It's not.

I take that to mean Mike Moffat does not prefer the Unison USB to AES/EBU, which for the longest time he has considered the best input.

If he didn't make a statement about AES, he hasn't said anything about it? I really don't get why this is important? Do people need somebody to tell them what is better?

 

[Ableza]

AES is just a transport mechanism. So Is S/PDIF. They are equivalent, same data, just pro vs consumer mechanism.

 

[SilverEars]

AES is just a transport mechanism. So Is S/PDIF. They are equivalent, same data, just pro vs consumer mechanism.

One is called AES, the other is called SPDIF like the way other things are called in this world. Not that complex.