[slantedview]

Quote:

Yep, Schiit should really do something to address this.  In the meantime, just ensure you are feeding the Modi a 24-bit stream and adjust the volume down digitally on your computer.  Then you have more room to adjust the volume on the Magni to a more suitable place.

I've tried that, but it noticeably effects SQ. The more you lower the digital volume, the more dynamics are crushed. At least with iTunes on OSX.

 

[Maverickmonk]

Are you sure you're sending a 24bit signal?

When a 16bit signal is converted up to 24 bit, each individual command is of the form ################00000000. Where #'s represent the original 16 binary digits of the song file, and the 0's are tacked onto the end to bring the song "up" to the top of the 24 bit converters volume level (or else 16 bit streams unconverted would be quieter than the 24bit native files). When you turn the volume down digitally, it changes the last digits first, so effectively you're truncating the 0's, which weren't part of the origionall file, and had a value of "null" anyway.

This should be true down to the single digit percentages of the digital volume before you run out of "blank" bits to play with, meaning there should be 0 change to the dynamic range of the song, unless something is wrong (like for instance, if your computer isn't set to always send files as 24bit audio files, in which case, you'd be altering digits from the original 16 bit stream and thus altering the properties of the sound)

 

[slantedview]

Quote:

Are you sure you're sending a 24bit signal?
When a 16bit signal is converted up to 24 bit, each individual command is of the form ################00000000. Where #'s represent the original 16 binary digits of the song file, and the 0's are tacked onto the end to bring the song "up" to the top of the 24 bit converters volume level (or else 16 bit streams unconverted would be quieter than the 24bit native files). When you turn the volume down digitally, it changes the last digits first, so effectively you're truncating the 0's, which weren't part of the origionall file, and had a value of "null" anyway.
This should be true down to the single digit percentages of the digital volume before you run out of "blank" bits to play with, meaning there should be 0 change to the dynamic range of the song, unless something is wrong (like for instance, if your computer isn't set to always send files as 24bit audio files, in which case, you'd be altering digits from the original 16 bit stream and thus altering the properties of the sound)

Yep - OSX defaults to 24 bit which I verified in the Audio MIDI Setup.
 
I came across a helpful paper at Wadia's website that shows how their digital volume control into a 24 bit dac doesn't result in any lost resolution when attenuating a sample:
 
http://www.wadia.com/technology/technicalpapers/Digital_Volume_Control_2.pdf
 
Makes sense, but how things work elsewhere would perhaps depend on the digital volume implementation?

 

[USAudio]

I've tried that, but it noticeably effects SQ. The more you lower the digital volume, the more dynamics are crushed. At least with iTunes on OSX.

Hmmm, interesting. That hasn't been my experience on Windows.
How much are you attenuating the volume digitally?

 

[MickeyVee]

Try Audirvana.. they say that with their SW, there is no degradation is sound and it integrates well with iTunes. I usually drop the volume by 11db and that makes my Magni & even the Lyr useful with cans like the v-moda M100.
 
Quote:

I've tried that, but it noticeably effects SQ. The more you lower the digital volume, the more dynamics are crushed. At least with iTunes on OSX.

 

[slantedview]

Quote:

Hmmm, interesting. That hasn't been my experience on Windows.
How much are you attenuating the volume digitally?

 
30%ish.
 
 

 

I use and love Audirvarna (free), but when using a USB dac (Modi) it doesn't allow you to adjust volume.

 

[RonD2]

Audirvana + let's you adjust the volume to the dac.

 

[thinh4u2]

Review on Headfonia:

http://www.headfonia.com/schitty-magni-and-modi/2/

I just read this headfonia review and he stated that the m&m stack sounds atrocious with the monoprice cables... Which is what I ordered. Is it true? Does it make that huge of a difference? I thought cables make a very minor gain for the exponential prices?

 

[imackler]

Quote:

I just read this headfonia review and he stated that the m&m stack sounds atrocious with the monoprice cables... Which is what I ordered. Is it true? Does it make that huge of a difference? I thought cables make a very minor gain for the exponential prices?

Answers in order: No, No, Yes. 

 

[thinh4u2]

Answers in order: No, No, Yes. 

Lol thanks, I was getting ready to delete this my post. My greyhound got delayed and so I am flipping through the posts very slowly via my tiny phone and finally just saw some of the replies. I just panicked when I read it on headfonia. Thanks for the reassurance

 

[hp300plus]

Quote:

Anyone using these with sensitive IEMs? I'm considering the stack to drive my JH-16s in the office, but I'm worried about there being background hiss.

 
Using with JH16 here and dead silent which was/is impressive. Only problem (which many have confirmed) is the volume at anything before 8/8:30 position -- you get channel imbalance, which unfortunately for the low ohm headphones/iems like our JH16s, anything above 8:30 gets quite loud, so have to resort to digital/computer volume adjustment instead. I set mine at 9 to get past the channel imbalance comfortably, then use software (Audirvana for Mac) for volume adjustment.

 

[slantedview]

Quote:

 
Using with JH16 here and dead silent which was/is impressive. Only problem (which many have confirmed) is the volume at anything before 8/8:30 position -- you get channel imbalance, which unfortunately for the low ohm headphones/iems like our JH16s, anything above 8:30 gets quite loud, so have to resort to digital/computer volume adjustment instead. I set mine at 9 to get past the channel imbalance comfortably, then use software (Audirvana for Mac) for volume adjustment.

Same issue I hit. Are you running Audirvarna Plus or Audirvarna free without a USB dac?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

30%ish.


I use and love Audirvarna (free), but when using a USB dac (Modi) it doesn't allow you to adjust volume.

I'd assume that's in the realm of losing bit data. I would move that up to like 70%.

 

[Maverickmonk]

I'd assume that's in the realm of losing bit data. I would move that up to like 70%.

Actually, since there's 8 free bits to play with, and each bit multiplies the volume by 2, if i'm correct that is, you should be able to cut the volume to one over 2^8, or 1/256th the max level. I'd like if someone with more computer science knowledge than me could check my work though, hahah

 

[Defiant00]

Quote:

Actually, since there's 8 free bits to play with, and each bit multiplies the volume by 2, if i'm correct that is, you should be able to cut the volume to one over 2^8, or 1/256th the max level. I'd like if someone with more computer science knowledge than me could check my work though, hahah

 
Assuming 16 bit data into a 24 bit DAC you are correct.