[wink]

and....

 

[tromba]

There's been lots of comments on Wagner opera, so I thought I'd mention that the Metropolitan Opera does a series called Live in HD where live performances are broadcast in movie theaters over the world. This Saturday at 12:00 EST is Wagner's Die Walkure. You can learn more about this production here, and find a synopsis and cast sheet here. I've seen Die Walkure in Vienna and seen this production a few years ago in the theater. In Vienna I only could get a Standing Room Only ticket (cheap but 5 hours is a long time to stand). In the theater I could eat popcorn!! While the theater isn't the same as being there live, the camera work does allow you to see the singers better and with the translations on the bottom of the movie screen it's a little easier to follow what's going on. Is there a theater near you? You can find out here. Typically there is a encore presentation the following Wednesday, although not all theaters show that. Cost is about $25.

Wagner's Ring Cycle consists of 4 operas, so Die Walkure is the second in the cycle. The Met is doing all four this spring so if you want to look up plots and stuff from the other operas, you can look here or just search online. AND undoubtedly the most famous music from Die Walkure can be found here.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Yes, though I prefer the finale.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I appreciate all the tips I am getting here about how to improve my digital source (a dedicated fanless i5 MPC with two SSDs, running NUC/ROCK) and really do not want to look like I am an ungrateful git. Keep your suggestions coming, I will definitely try a cheap end point to see what happens.
All the great suggestions just got me thinkin’ …
If all those beautiful boxes, all the RPis, Metrums, Lumins, bluesounds and what have you are such an improvement, no, basically considered necessary, why on earth is Schiit not offering one?
The answer is twofold, I think. One, Mike (if I am catching his drift) seems to maintain that streaming is crap, period. I like streaming. Two, 44.1/16, which he seems to consider the only necessary digital format, works seems to work very well without an additional endpoint. At least in my system, for my brain, it does not sound like ass at all.
We seem to only be able to reap benefits from an additional output/endpoint once we get to HiRes. And Mike seems to be Hi-res agnostic. My own experience supports his findings, so I am going with Mike on that. Anything all those additional output (roon endpoint) boxes offer my MPC already does. With the one exception of offering more connection options, which all should have become obsolete with Schiit USB Gen5.
Unless the Hi-Res file is made from a digital or analogue master, it will be just an upsampled 44.1 file. Which means an algorithm adding something that wasn’t there before. Digital invention, padding, fluff. I understand and accept that others like that and they have good reasons for it.
I prefer to listen to the 44.1 files in perfection. Bitperfect, unadulterated. If a true 88.2/24 file comes along, it will sound great, I am sure, and surely Gumby will perfectly reproduce it.
Looking forward to the unfolding friendly discussion about this, I have no intention to polarise.
Instalment three about the transformation of my system to follow soon, the amp arrived this morning.

{This post is a transfer from Jasons thread.}

Mike and Jason once said not to go into software and it's evident troubles of updates etc.

 

[artur9]

so I thought I'd mention that the Metropolitan Opera does a series called Live in HD where live performances are broadcast in movie theaters over the world.

My daughter tried one of those. They put on a strange performance of Carmen so she's off the whole idea. It's a wonderful thing but actually being able to see the performance live is a big part of it for me. I find that anything that includes a mixing board nowadays is painful to listen to. The sound technicians are terrible.

I went to see a "live" performance honoring Ella Fitzgerald but the sound techs butchered it ;-( We left at intermission.

 

[Operaphile-]

There's been lots of comments on Wagner opera, so I thought I'd mention that the Metropolitan Opera does a series called Live in HD where live performances are broadcast in movie theaters over the world. This Saturday at 12:00 EST is Wagner's Die Walkure. You can learn more about this production here, and find a synopsis and cast sheet here. I've seen Die Walkure in Vienna and seen this production a few years ago in the theater. In Vienna I only could get a Standing Room Only ticket (cheap but 5 hours is a long time to stand). In the theater I could eat popcorn!! While the theater isn't the same as being there live, the camera work does allow you to see the singers better and with the translations on the bottom of the movie screen it's a little easier to follow what's going on. Is there a theater near you? You can find out here. Typically there is a encore presentation the following Wednesday, although not all theaters show that. Cost is about $25.

Wagner's Ring Cycle consists of 4 operas, so Die Walkure is the second in the cycle. The Met is doing all four this spring so if you want to look up plots and stuff from the other operas, you can look here or just search online. AND undoubtedly the most famous music from Die Walkure can be found here.

This Walküre should be worth seeing if primarily for the cast. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the LePage Ring or the way the Met sometimes throws stuff on stage without creating an “ensemble” feeling, but these are some great singer/performers. Eva-Maria Westbroek and Stuart Skelton are wonderful as the Liebespaar. They may no longer be the young, exciting stars they were 10-15 years ago but belong in this top tier in these roles. Christine Goerke is definitely worth checking out. Neither Jamie Barton nor Gunter Groissbock have I witnessed live but certainly have strong reputations. For me the real draw would be Greer Grimsley. I’ve loved his gravely, rich voice and shockingly subtle and heartfelt artistry since my first encounter with him. Overall I wouldn’t put anyone today as a better Wotan, but of course that’s just my opinion.

Met HD is a great experience for the majority of opera goers and while it can’t compete with being there (again, my opinion), it provide views of the sets, costumes, and singers better than the best seats in the house. And let’s face it, the price beats the cost of a plane ticket, hotel, and seats in the theater! We here perhaps wouldn’t be happy with the sound but we aren’t the masses, are we? Great idea to mention it, tromba!

 

[Leopold Nenning]

{This post is a transfer from Jasons thread.}

Mike and Jason once said not to go into software and it's evident troubles of updates etc.

Ah, I was not aware that Roon outputs/endpoints needed care. Another reason not to insert one in my chain. My Roon server just has me OK the update, if and when there is one. I assumed the same would be true for any output/endpoint device.

 

[earnmyturns]

Ah, I was not aware that Roon outputs/endpoints needed care. Another reason not to insert one in my chain. My Roon server just has me OK the update, if and when there is one. I assumed the same would be true for any output/endpoint device.

It depends. My Metrum Ambre pretty much takes care of itself. Cheaper hobbyist-oriented devices like the Allo USBridge are another story.

 

[Leopold Nenning]

It depends. My Metrum Ambre pretty much takes care of itself. Cheaper hobbyist-oriented devices like the Allo USBridge are another story.

Right. The Ambre should take care of itself at that price. Just cannot seem to get over that for better sound I should buy another device, almost as expensive as the Gumby. One that renders the Gen 5 upgrade obsolete. And how much better is it? I know, only listening to it myself can answer that, but it just begs to be asked. Anyone in this forum from Vienna, Austria who has a suitable device who would enjoy testing the theory that an intermediate endpoint with S/PDIF out will improve things?

 

[rlow]

Right. The Ambre should take care of itself at that price. Just cannot seem to get over that for better sound I should buy another device, almost as expensive as the Gumby. One that renders the Gen 5 upgrade obsolete. And how much better is it? I know, only listening to it myself can answer that, but it just begs to be asked. Anyone in this forum from Vienna, Austria who has a suitable device who would enjoy testing the theory that an intermediate endpoint with S/PDIF out will improve things?

A good endpoint with USB out will also sound better than going direct from a PC/NUC running Roon ROCK or CORE. I have tried this with my NUC compared to a Sonore Microrendu and a SOTM SMS-200Ultra as well and I prefer both of these endpoints feeding Gen 5 USB on my previous Gumby and now Yggy. And if the new Unison USB is all it’s cracked up to be it should exceed SPDIF. So if you plan to stick with your Schiit DAC, then a good USB endpoint like a Sonore Rendu or Sotm SMS would also be great now AND in the future (if you upgrade to the new Unison USB card when it comes out).

Edit: there is also the Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra which is supposed to sound very good.

 

[Derrick Swart]

A good endpoint with USB out will also sound better than going direct from a PC/NUC running Roon ROCK or CORE. I have tried this with my NUC compared to a Sonore Microrendu and a SOTM SMS-200Ultra as well and I prefer both of these endpoints feeding Gen 5 USB on my previous Gumby and now Yggy. And if the new Unison USB is all it’s cracked up to be it should exceed SPDIF. So if you plan to stick with your Schiit DAC, then a good USB endpoint like a Sonore Rendu or Sotm SMS would also be great now AND in the future (if you upgrade to the new Unison USB card when it comes out).

Edit: there is also the Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra which is supposed to sound very good.

Yes i read about the S2, seems a lot of money for a pimped rasberryPi with usb decrapifier and nice power supply build in. 700€ !!!! That ain’t peanuts

 

[ImagesbyMurray]

On Jason’s thread, I have been reading a steadily growing volume of often speculative posts re our upcoming transport. Please allow me to clear the air regarding the true current state of said product’s goals and development. As a preliminary, I have nothing bad to say with respect to any other transport makers. For someone such as Cambridge to say in business four or so times longer than we have says nothing quite as much as they certainly must be doing a lot of things right. More power to them.

The proposed Schiit transport will be the fourth or fifth transport I have been involved with over the last thirty or so years. It will be absolutely compatible with all future Schiit digital products. Of all things digital, I am certain about the following sentence. Paramount to optimum performance/listening are antiseptically clean clocks. We have many source devices such as ethernet to USB devices, transports, and sundry sother components. Well and good. What few or none consider is the fact that by far the most important location for clean clocks and data is right at the DAC chip itself – the ass end of the converter. (Destination clocks) The farther the clean clock goes back in the reproduction toward the source, the less it matters. Clean clocks still matter at the source, but all to frequently rapidly approach triviality. Destination clocks rule.

So at some point in our Schiit, newer products and upgrades for our higher end products will feature the best, rock solid clocks at our DACs where they kick the most ass. What does this have to do with a transport? Well, we can use an enhanced BWD connection controlling jitter all the way back to the transport even through an async USB connection as well as BWD.

Huh, USB connection??!!?? Yup, our transport will have a USB out. Such apostasy! Why? Well, I am finally good with USB now being as good as S/PDIF and AES on our new USB receiver. Better, even. Yup, really. This begs a USB out.

So what transport do we use? On our proto, we have a genero interface to try virtually any transport. Well, here is what we found out on differences between transport mechanisms: Using a clock close to the DAC, running it all the way back to a moderately de-jittered and cleaned up transport clocks and data, very little difference exists. To repeat: trivial, mouse nuts, vanishingly little differences. This makes transport mechanism selection point towards product life and reliability, as it should.

With traditional clocking from the source, the clock cleaning becomes much more important. The differences between different transport mechanisms significantly widen.

So, if destination clocks are so good, how come no one uses them?? Well, it requires a perfectly stable async BWD/USB connection back to the source. The key to public acceptance is a compatible system which will mate with ROW source clocked components (ROW – rest of the world.) There is also a phuc ton of engineering to do – A self engineered USB digital audio host and input, and/or a BWD with clock control line interface.

So the transport will include a USB host (audio output), and a BWD with destination clock features, in addition to AES and S/PDIF ROW features. We do have a proto running, that still has a few bugs to fix, mostly in our USB interface. What we have our attention on now is a stubborn bit selection 16/24/32. What a waste of time 32 audio bit is, kinda like a hub cap on a pizza, but people expect it, so we waste our time.

We then pick a transport mech and let Ivana finish with the control software. Sounds easy, huh? After we get our USB interface debugged and our Host (transport out running) we will be almost ready to start the rest of the transport. All efforts are on finishing the last of the USB. Then we will wait until Microsoft gets to the no new development point on W7 and we will be ready to release our new USB. Why? Because we do not have time to write a driver for an OS which will soon be on its way out (probably just when we finish). Another thing we have to get running is the USB with Linux so it will work with Linux powered Ethernet to USB devices on the market for the streamers. The point, there is still a lot to do.

On sounds like ass – it means I cannot get emotionally involved with the music. It seems there was some discussion on Jase’s thread about my true meaning of “sounds like ass”. If I don’t get PTSD listening to Steppenwolf’s Magic Carpet Ride or contemplate promised rewards listening to the end of Mahler’s Eighth, or feel like setting a fire at the end of Die Walkure, it sounds like ass.

On one reason why this Schiit takes so long, AKA brilliance: Jason and I were having a discussion of all good and bad re upgrades in the lab a few months or so ago. The two most popular were clients love them in favor, and clients whine and complain about our speed of delivery against. As this discussion reached an impasse, Alex walked by and tossed over his shoulder a comment: Why don’t you make all of the upgrades user interchangeable? Jason and I quietly started at each other like morons for a very pregnant long pause. At pause’s end he was long gone.

This is the real current state of the transport.

More soon on German Music.

Looking forward to current batch of products! May I suggest a name for the Transport?

Lodurr (pronounced “LOAD-er,” from Old Norse Lóðurr, whose meaning/etymology is unknown) is a Norse god about whom we know essentially nothing ...

 

[rlow]

Yes i read about the S2, seems a lot of money for a pimped rasberryPi with usb decrapifier and nice power supply build in. 700€ !!!! That ain’t peanuts

Well I’ve not heard the unit so I’m not going to defend it specifically, but I think that’s a false argument and a trap that I’m sure many fall into.

Most of the stuff out there uses cheap off the shelf boards and chips and are nothing special from a parts point of view - they just don’t happen to have a brand name part that everybody knows and can buy on their own as well (or would want to), but it’s still pretty cheap stuff - probably cheaper than the RPi in many cases. The RPi is just a starting point that is a convenient muti-purpose computing board that runs Linux.

There are multi-kilobuck DACs out there too that get rave reviews that use $20 off the shelf DAC chips. As with almost everything in this sport, it’s about the implementation, not the part.

Raspberry Pi USB sucks - everybody acknowledges that. According to the reviews of this unit however, it actually sounds good. So they must be doing something right. Could you do the same thing yourself by buying and RPi, a HAT, a case and a good power supply and a USB decrapifier? Maybe, maybe not. And if you’re inclined to that kind of thing, do it.

But if you’re not, and you want something that just works, and has a warranty, and has support, and will provide simple updates etc, and that sounds good with no fuss, well then maybe it’s worth 700€ for that. Find a dealer for these guys, and you can probably haggle for less, who knows.

Heck even Mike is planning to use the Pi for some of their stuff. Does that mean you could have pulled of the same end product yourself? I doubt it.

 

[artur9]

...SOTM SMS-200Ultra ...

Dunno about the Ultra but the regular SMS-200 is a nice piece of kit, as the Brits say. I really enjoyed having mine. Nice form factor, excellent sound, very good software.

I only replaced it because I didn't want to go down the USB-decrapifier rabbit hole.

 

[Derrick Swart]

Well I’ve not heard the unit so I’m not going to defend it specifically, but I think that’s a false argument and a trap that I’m sure many fall into.

Most of the stuff out there uses cheap off the shelf boards and chips and are nothing special from a parts point of view - they just don’t happen to have a brand name part that everybody knows and can buy on their own as well (or would want to), but it’s still pretty cheap stuff - probably cheaper than the RPi in many cases. The RPi is just a starting point that is a convenient muti-purpose computing board that runs Linux.

There are multi-kilobuck DACs out there too that get rave reviews that use $20 off the shelf DAC chips. As with almost everything in this sport, it’s about the implementation, not the part.

Raspberry Pi USB sucks - everybody acknowledges that. According to the reviews of this unit however, it actually sounds good. So they must be doing something right. Could you do the same thing yourself by buying and RPi, a HAT, a case and a good power supply and a USB decrapifier? Maybe, maybe not. And if you’re inclined to that kind of thing, do it.

But if you’re not, and you want something that just works, and has a warranty, and has support, and will provide simple updates etc, and that sounds good with no fuss, well then maybe it’s worth 700€ for that. Find a dealer for these guys, and you can probably haggle for less, who knows.

Heck even Mike is planning to use the Pi for some of their stuff. Does that mean you could have pulled of the same end product yourself? I doubt it.

John Westlake designed it for Project and they outsourced the coding plus they state the gui is top notch but still then 699€ seems steep. I think they will sell very well. A hard bundle with a touch screen monitor would trigger me for sevenhundreds of euries.