Schiit EITR

[Lebouwsky]

After waiting very long for the delivery and 24 hours of burning in I finally got a chance to listen and write down my first impressions.

 

this was my setup:

w10 server - synology nas - Sotm sms200 - Supra usb - uptone regen (both units powered by Teradak 30w lps) - Amr dp-777

 

my listening impressions are based on the above chain, but the Eitr and Supra spdif cable Replacing the uptone regen/Teradak lps

 

There are a lot of improvements in different aerias. First of all the overall presentation is more relaxed, which is very good for people who suffer from listening fatiguesness. I think it has to do with less distortion or noise. Bases on just this improvement I think it's well worth the investment.

 

But there's more. The bass is just a step up. It's dryer and more real when base drum kicks in. Less boomy, more solid.

 

The seperation of instruments is better too. Everything is more at it's place. If my memory serves me well people mentioned a wider sound stage. Unfortunately I can't say that for the Eitr in my setup.

 

It also makes it easier to listen at higher volumes. In fact I have to pump it up to get the same kick. But since there's less distortion fatiguesness kicks in much later. Really nice.

 

One of the drawbacks of this setup so far is that the sound is bit more layed back. With that I mean there's less depth and the presentation moved backwards. I can remember when auditioning the regen it gave the presentation more sparkle and 3D. This weekend I will add the regen to the Eitr.

 

One last thing, when I first listened to the Eitr before burning in the sound was quite bad. It really benefits from burning in. Things can only get better.

 

oh yeah, one last thing.... it's tiny

[Charente]

@Lebouwsky Great write up ... soundstage depth and quality was one of my personal big gains, so a little surprised by your own findings ... I listen to quite a few live recordings and 'depth' and 'ambience' detail was one of the key positives for me. I guess it's possible that our different setup may account for that ... not sure. Agree on everything else, particularly the less 'flabby' bass and (absolutely) giving it time to settle down. Let us know how the Regen/EITR works ... might sort out that depth issue. 

[cfisher]

34 minutes ago, Charente said:

@cfisher That is strange ... I'm listening to Mark Knopfler's TRACKER in 24/96 as I write this. There must be something wrong with the unit, I suspect. 

 

EDIT: How are you playing your music ?

I'm playing on Roon. Oddly, HQPlayer won't play at all with the microrendu>eitr combo

[Charente]

@cfisher So, without the EITR it all plays OK via mR ? I have to admit to not knowing enough about either Roon or HQPlayer ... perhaps someone can chip in ?

[Charente]

The Balanced Power Supply from AirLink Transformers has arrived ... it is a VERY heavy thing indeed !  ... and not very pretty but it will be sitting out of the way and out of sight. I'll connect it all up and see what this can do to cancel out power spuriae that I'm getting. It should also give some sonic benefits as well.

[Abtr]

3 hours ago, Charente said:

The Balanced Power Supply from AirLink Transformers has arrived ... it is a VERY heavy thing indeed !  ... and not very pretty but it will be sitting out of the way and out of sight. I'll connect it all up and see what this can do to cancel out power spuriae that I'm getting. It should also give some sonic benefits as well.

 

Airlink sent me the wrong unit! So they offered a collect and replace somewhere next week. Very interested in your experience with the BPS1502.

[Lebouwsky]

The secund 24 hour burn in did improve things a little bit more, but not as dramatic as the 1st 24, which was a night and day difference. I expect it to settle down before the weekend, so I can experiment with the regen in this chain.

 

Ofcourse I could't resist listening when I got home from work. This is a bargain in hifi world. The improvement from this little gem is just as big as my recent dac upgrade or the speaker upgrade I did this spring. It feels like a thin curtain has bin removed and the fridge stoped making this anoying sound. The presentation is so clear and.... wel.... comfortabele and accurate at the same time. 

 

If you're not interested in DSD, get an Eitr, you won't be sorry. 

 

 

[Charente]

@Abtr Oh, that's a pity ... I have to admit my AirLink unit looks different from the photo on their website, but the label indicates it's the correct model. I'll check with AirLink.  

 

I've had an initial listen (hard to resist really) and I can tell I'm going to need some time with this ... my immediate view is that it sounds 'different' ... best way I can put at at the moment ... I need to get my head around what I'm really hearing. Nothing bad, just not what I was expecting.

[Charente]

@Lebouwsky I absolutely agree that 'clarity' is the main benefit ... as I recall in my own first impression.  ... and it's not worn off ... I still notice it as I play more of my library.

[Abtr]

16 minutes ago, Charente said:

@Abtr Oh, that's a pity ... I have to admit my AirLink unit looks different from the photo on their website, but the label indicates it's the correct model. I'll check with AirLink.  

 

I've had an initial listen (hard to resist really) and I can tell I'm going to need some time with this ... my immediate view is that it sounds 'different' ... best way I can put at at the moment ... I need to get my head around what I'm really hearing. Nothing bad, just not what I was expecting.

 

I received an Airlink unit that was built into one of their industrial casings instead of in the flat case shown on their website. Airlink confirmed that it was the wrong unit and offered to replace it. The label on mine also indicates the correct model: BPS 1502 EU..

[Charente]

@Abtr Thank-you ... Yes, my case looks very 'industrial' as well... seems they may have made the same mistake with me as well.

[Charente]

@Abtr AirLink Transformers have confirmed I also have the wrong Balanced Power Supply ... Mike Novak has been very helpful and a courier will deliver a new unit and pick up the old one, as soon as they have manufactured the correct product. I guess we both have to wait a while. The 'wrong' unit did sound promising tho' !

 

EDIT: He did mention to me that the two sockets out are NOT independent ... this is a feature of their more expensive units. If it had been independent, I did think about plugging in the SMPS's in that.

[Abtr]

1 hour ago, Charente said:

@Abtr AirLink Transformers have confirmed I also have the wrong Balanced Power Supply ... Mike Novak has been very helpful and a courier will deliver a new unit and pick up the old one, as soon as they have manufactured the correct product. I guess we both have to wait a while. The 'wrong' unit did sound promising tho' !

 

EDIT: He did mention to me that the two sockets out are NOT independent ... this is a feature of their more expensive units. If it had been independent, I did think about plugging in the SMPS's in that.

 

Good to hear you'll get a replacement.  Maybe it's just the BPS1502 unit in another casing and maybe it isn't. Airlink said it is the 'wrong' unit..

 

And 'independent' outlets are filtered. AC filters tend to increase AC impedance which may not be a good thing. It may be better to *not* plug a particularly noisy power supply into the isolation transformer together with sensitive analogue audio equipment..

[Lebouwsky]

The weekend started earlier this week, so last night I had some time to plug in the uptone regen in the Eitr. My goal was to see if Schiit's statement (nothing before the Eitr matters) is true. Long story short: it does matter in my setup.

 

The "old" set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Uptone regen (Teradak lps) - hard usb adapter - amr dp777dac

 

The major improved set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Eitr - Supra trico 75ohm - Amr dp777 dac. (See my previous posts for listening impressions)

 

New test set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Uptone regen - usb hard adapter -  Schiit Eitr - Supra trico 75ohm - Amr dp777 dac.

 

Right from the moment I pressed play I could notice a shift in sound. The question was if it was an improvement, which takes more time. I did the listening alone at first, later with my neighbour friend and this morning alone again. Like in my previous posts stated, the Eitr makes it all effortless, distortion free with great seperation of instruments and a dry and controlled bass.  

With the regen extra in line all these improvements stayed, but with more sparkle and excitement. It's a small improvement, but small thinks can lead to great joy, which it did. It was most noticable in the upper mids, highs and micro detail. It widened the sound stage even more and give it a little bit more depth, one of the regions my system does not shine yet.

 

The regen is defenitely a keeper. Ofcourse the improvement is good, but I had hoped the Eitr would spare me 2 devices (Teradak lps and regen). By selling these I would fund a better lps. But instead I'm left with yet another box. The plan is to invest in a Sotm sps500 with a Y - DC cable, in order to simplify my setup and improve sound more.

 

I have to say that I'm really happy with my stereo system, it plays at a level I had never dared hoping for. And it's all because of source investments (digital domain untill pre-amp). If you'd tell my this in the cd player decade, I'd probably just nod politely. It's a great hobby in a wonderfull time at a great platform.

 

One last thing, I think it's time audiophiles would take spdif serious again. I can imagine a Sotm sms300 (?!?) with a coax output instead of usb. My dac is made by Abbingdon music research, which is the mother company of IFI. Their dacs take spdif very seriously. And this was the company that in the beginning of this millenium introduced the first cd player with usb input. The spdif input of my dac has a tube buffer in it, which handles square waves better AMR says. It might be my dac shines better in the spdif region instead of the usb. My point is that the improvement with the Eitr in the chain, can be brought by the Eitr, or the spdif input of my dac, or a combination of both. Who will tell.

 

Have a great weekend all. Cheers

[EMMM]

1 hour ago, Lebouwsky said:

The weekend started earlier this week, so last night I had some time to plug in the uptone regen in the Eitr. My goal was to see if Schiit's statement (nothing before the Eitr matters) is true. Long story short: it does matter in my setup.

 

The "old" set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Uptone regen (Teradak lps) - hard usb adapter - amr dp777dac

 

The major improved set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Eitr - Supra trico 75ohm - Amr dp777 dac. (See my previous posts for listening impressions)

 

New test set up:

w10 minimserver - sms200 (Teradak lps) - Supra usb - Uptone regen - usb hard adapter -  Schiit Eitr - Supra trico 75ohm - Amr dp777 dac.

 

Right from the moment I pressed play I could notice a shift in sound. The question was if it was an improvement, which takes more time. I did the listening alone at first, later with my neighbour friend and this morning alone again. Like in my previous posts stated, the Eitr makes it all effortless, distortion free with great seperation of instruments and a dry and controlled bass.  

With the regen extra in line all these improvements stayed, but with more sparkle and excitement. It's a small improvement, but small thinks can lead to great joy, which it did. It was most noticable in the upper mids, highs and micro detail. It widened the sound stage even more and give it a little bit more depth, one of the regions my system does not shine yet.

 

The regen is defenitely a keeper. Ofcourse the improvement is good, but I had hoped the Eitr would spare me 2 devices (Teradak lps and regen). By selling these I would fund a better lps. But instead I'm left with yet another box. The plan is to invest in a Sotm sps500 with a Y - DC cable, in order to simplify my setup and improve sound more.

 

I have to say that I'm really happy with my stereo system, it plays at a level I had never dared hoping for. And it's all because of source investments (digital domain untill pre-amp). If you'd tell my this in the cd player decade, I'd probably just nod politely. It's a great hobby in a wonderfull time at a great platform.

 

One last thing, I think it's time audiophiles would take spdif serious again. I can imagine a Sotm sms300 (?!?) with a coax output instead of usb. My dac is made by Abbingdon music research, which is the mother company of IFI. Their dacs take spdif very seriously. And this was the company that in the beginning of this millenium introduced the first cd player with usb input. The spdif input of my dac has a tube buffer in it, which handles square waves better AMR says. It might be my dac shines better in the spdif region instead of the usb. My point is that the improvement with the Eitr in the chain, can be brought by the Eitr, or the spdif input of my dac, or a combination of both. Who will tell.

 

Have a great weekend all. Cheers

I was waiting to see what your impressions were with the Regen in the chain feeding the Eitr.  Looks like I'm not alone in hearing some improvement :-)

 

If I may make a suggestion, try a USPCB if you can.  To me, it is much better than the hard adaptor that is supplied with the Regen and for $35, it's fantastic value for money.

[Lebouwsky]

1 hour ago, EMMM said:

I was waiting to see what your impressions were with the Regen in the chain feeding the Eitr.  Looks like I'm not alone in hearing some improvement :-)

 

If I may make a suggestion, try a USPCB if you can.  To me, it is much better than the hard adaptor that is supplied with the Regen and for $35, it's fantastic value for money.

 

Guess we're on the same boat EMMM. Are there more people on perhaps other fora who noticed the same? Still think it's a silly claim of schiit. It means all servers, renderers, network cables, switches, reclockers, decrapifiers and power supplies in front of the Eitr can be put on EBay.

 

Don't get me wrong, it would be great news and all future effort can be put in dac and everything after that. And ain't that the core buisiness of schiit? It's not my goal to damage the reputation of this company. In fact I've owned and enjoyed their Gungnir and Lyr and now this wonderfull gem. It's just that making these big claimes on their website when reality shows different is just not handy.

 

Thanks for the USBCB tip, in fact I might buy 2, so the regen's in- and output is done by the uspcb. It saves one more usb cable. Does the Eitr or the regen's input require vbus power? 

[rickca]

2 minutes ago, Lebouwsky said:

Does the Eitr or the regen's input require vbus power?

The ISO REGEN does require bus power, but the original amber REGEN does not.  

[Charente]

Excellent impressions @Lebouwsky ... and I totally agree with @EMMM about the USPCB. I believe VortexBox UK stock these ... might be easier for you. It took a while to reach me from the US. The EITR does require a few milliamps vbus power during its 'handshaking', I believe. I tried it without and it disconnected.

[sbenyo]

It would be so interesting to hear about the BPS1500eu experience.

If this removes the need for anything else on the USB chain, it's can be a winner.

 

Regarding the Etir, as far as I know it has only SPDIF out which means it usually limited for both high PCM (above 192kHz) or DSD above 64. This is still a limitation for DAC that can do higher resolutions.

[Charente]

@sbenyo As I mentioned earlier, I have a replacement being manufactured for me ...the actual Airlink model I've ordered is the BPS1502 EU. I will certainly be trying out various front-end setups, altho, I'm not expecting direct to USB (Gen 2) on my Gungnir to change my mind about the S/PDIF from the EITR ... but who knows ... we'll see !

[Charente]

Jason Stoddard at Schiit mentioned yesterday that there are 3 new products being launched next couple of weeks ... it got me thinking ... what would be great is a higher spec EITR, with more output types ... like the Singxer SU-1 but cheaper and a top-notch power supply.

[Lebouwsky]

27 minutes ago, Charente said:

Jason Stoddard at Schiit mentioned yesterday that there are 3 new products being launched next couple of weeks ... it got me thinking ... what would be great is a higher spec EITR, with more output types ... like the Singxer SU-1 but cheaper and a top-notch power supply.

That would be great and a bummer at the same time!

[Lebouwsky]

One more thing I forgot to mention about the Eitr is it's ability to completely remove the sharp "sss" in voices and high heads in my system. It makes the less well recorded albums much more enjoyable.

 

A great album is 'there's no leaving now' from 'the tallest man on earth'. In fact he's really short, I've seen him perform live in a very beautiful theatre. Anyone who knows this album (if you don't, I recommand it highly if you like singer songwriter with a rougher edge), knows this album can be hard to listen to because of the over energyzed high frequencies. I always thought it was a bad recorded album. With the EItr in the chain the album is a joy to listen to.

 

Ofcourse this is in my system, but I'm curious if other owners noticed the same.

 

 

[Charente]

@Lebouwsky I'll put it on my list to try on my setup !

[feelingears]

17 hours ago, Lebouwsky said:

I have to say that I'm really happy with my stereo system, it plays at a level I had never dared hoping for. And it's all because of source investments (digital domain untill pre-amp). If you'd tell my this in the cd player decade, I'd probably just nod politely. It's a great hobby in a wonderfull time at a great platform.

 

The spdif input of my dac has a tube buffer in it, which handles square waves better AMR says. It might be my dac shines better in the spdif region instead of the usb. My point is that the improvement with the Eitr in the chain, can be brought by the Eitr, or the spdif input of my dac, or a combination of both. Who will tell.

 

 

Yes, this is great to see/hear about the effects in your system despite the theoretical "should be's." S/PDIF should be a compromise according to what I posted here or elsewhere, based on a quote from Uptone's Alex Crespi. Not to suggest he is dogmatic, but to your point, maybe S/PDIF is easier to get right than USB (which seems to require extra effort, read: cost, to get right along with the noise stuff, etc.) so despite the compromise of going USB to S/PDIF like the Eitr does, S/PDIF still sounds better in some systems.

 

For example, Alex has also posted that the Holo Spring DAC apparently has relatively poor clocks and thus if you bypass them using I2S instead of USB input (and add a Singxer SU-1 and it's power supply!) you get much better clocked sound. Ugh. This makes me want to, yes, go back to S/PDIF! (But then those Schiity guys at Schiit seem due to upgrade the Bifrost and/or the Gungnir so I think I will just wait on a new DAC until then and remind myself in the meantime how good we've got it.)