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It is my understanding that any 75 ohm coax cable should work such as the ones here: https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm.

 

This is interesting since mine works with any cable I have connected to it including RCA audio cables.  

2 Channel: Mac mini with Audirvana + & A+ Remote -> Netgear AC170 -> microRendu -> Chord Mojo -> oppo HA-1 -> Arcam  P49 -> B&W 804 D3

5 Channel: Apple TV/Sony XBR-65A9G -> Rotel RSP-1098 -> oppo HA-1 (bypass) -> Arcam P49 -> B&W 804 D3 (L/R), Arcam P349 -> B&W 804 D3 (C), B&W 805 D3 (RR/LR)

 

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Thanks to everyone for all your help!  I contacted Schiit yesterday, and they concluded the unit is defective, so I have shipped it back for repair/replacement.  Let's hope that resolved the issue, although now I'm concerned, given the comments about the quality of the RCA jack on the unit.

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On 19. 02. 2018. at 9:49 PM, Charente said:

@Lebouwsky ... great result Robert ! Your DAC must have a reasonable USB input ... Whilst my Gungnir MultiBit is still on Gen2 USB I'll be keeping the EITR a bit longer. I haven't bought any further tweaks for some time, other than move the EITR's PSU off the audio power strip but still on the Balanced Power Supply. Sounds impressively good to my ears. 

 

The difference between Eitr as a separate device and Gen5 upgrade is that first should offer a better galvanic isolation, while the second will avoid any S/PDIF induced jitter or noise (which depends a lot on a coax cable). Impossible to tell which is better without direct comparison test.

 

On 08. 03. 2018. at 5:49 PM, mazuly said:

It is my understanding that any 75 ohm coax cable should work such as the ones here: https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm.

 

This is interesting since mine works with any cable I have connected to it including RCA audio cables.  

 

Any cable will work, but sonic results will be different, depending on length, shielding, design, materials, even connectors.

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@zalive .. Yes, indeed. Comments I've seen from people that have actually compared EITR & Gen5 Schiit Upgrade, on this forum and others, indicate that there is little or no audible SQ difference with some preferring one over the other. So, no definitive conclusion and, as you say, dependant on connections, and receiving equipment I guess. I'm currently using RCA>BNC Coax (1 metre) between EITR and a Gen2 GungnirMB with a very slight improvement over RCA>RCA to my ears.

Main System: NAS or QOBUZ > BlueSound Node 2i > Schiit Gungnir MultiBit > PYST XLR > Schiit Mjolnir 2 or Gilmore Lite MK2

 

Office System: iMac > Audirvana > Schiit EITR + Audiophonics LPS25 > Metrum FLINT NOS DAC (DAC TWO chips) > Schiit Magni 3+ > Aeon Flow Open

 

Loudspeaker System: NAIM Muso Gen 2

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I'm currently using Daphile installed on Atom based small Asus laptop. Music comes from external USB HDD.

Within next few months or sooner I will probably be getting RPi + Allo DigiOne. Will be using Volumio for convenience.
This will be an interesting comparison to make. 

I've got rise time spec for DigiOne from Allo guys, and it shows that a 30-40 cm long coax should be perfect for it, which is great.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎21‎-‎10‎-‎2017 at 9:27 PM, Charente said:

@Abtr I can't understand why we hear USB & S/PDIF inputs as exact opposites ... bizarre to say the least ! I can't imagine that Gungnir's USB input is worse than Modi's ... probably the same, but I don't know for sure ... I may give USB direct another whirl at some stage if only to quell the seed of doubt in my mind !!

 

Ah, OK ... I see what you're doing with the clean 5v injection at the DAC ... I've never tried that so, didn't understand your original suggestion. I do have a USB adapter with a pigtail somewhere in my collection of bits, so I could try that at the same time to try and replicate your setup. 

 

An update.. Some months ago I installed a couple of 24dB/octave Linkwitz Riley 70Hz active crossover boards (from Xkitz Electronics) for my sub and front speakers. The result is a very nice overall SQ improvement. Anyway, I think you will be interested to hear that although I reported earlier that my Intona to Schiit Modi Multibit Gen 2 USB interface sounded better than the EITR Gen 5 USB to S/PDIF interface, this is now reversed. With my previous sub-front crossovers  I preferred USB->Intona->Modi Multibit Gen 2, but in its current configuration with the new crossovers and the EITR Gen 5 interface, my system sounds better than ever over USB! Maybe even better than my reference CD player + Mutec S/PDIF reclocker to Modi Multibit (coax).

 

So apparently upstream improvements can influence the subjective perception of downstream changes. The Intona still seems to make a slight difference when used in front of the EITR, but I'm not sure whether it's an improvement and I didn't do a DBX. :) What's immediately audible however is that clean 5V injection at the USB input of the EITR (still) improves SQ.

 

Regards.   

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On 3/31/2018 at 2:52 PM, Abtr said:

 

An update.. 

....

So apparently upstream improvements can influence the subjective perception of downstream changes. The Intona still seems to make a slight difference when used in front of the EITR, but I'm not sure whether it's an improvement and I didn't do a DBX. :) What's immediately audible however is that clean 5V injection at the USB input of the EITR (still) improves SQ.

 

Regards.   

 

Thank-you for the update @Abtr ... I have done switch-outs to check my 'audio sanity' but keep going back to the original set-up (in my signature). In a similar way to your experience, the microRendu also is a keeper in front of the EITR, together with the fact that I can feed the music via Ethernet, away from the computer. I am delighted with the system and am not tempted by any new components other than I have recently purchased a Forza balanced cable for the Aeon Flow Open to MJ2 connection. That exceeded expectations ... I am usually cable agnostic !

Main System: NAS or QOBUZ > BlueSound Node 2i > Schiit Gungnir MultiBit > PYST XLR > Schiit Mjolnir 2 or Gilmore Lite MK2

 

Office System: iMac > Audirvana > Schiit EITR + Audiophonics LPS25 > Metrum FLINT NOS DAC (DAC TWO chips) > Schiit Magni 3+ > Aeon Flow Open

 

Loudspeaker System: NAIM Muso Gen 2

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On 03/01/2018 at 10:57 PM, nbpf said:

Short update: after a few days of testing, I have decided that I prefer the Eitr to the Mutec. Now the Mutec is out and I am testing the Eitr vs. my current system:

 

A. fitPC3 > Supra USB > M2Tech hiFace Evo          > Naim DC1 BNC-BNC > nDAC > SL cable > SN2 > NAC A5 > S-400
B.               > Supra USB > Eitr > Coax-BNC Canare > Naim DC1 BNC-BNC >

 

Just curious: have you ever compared the M2Tech hiFace Evo  with the cheaper M2Tech hiFace 2 ?

I am using the M2Tech hiFace 2 with the nDAC and it sounds quite good to me, but I never compared it to another USB/SPDIF interface

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2 hours ago, Charente said:

 

Thank-you for the update @Abtr ... I have done switch-outs to check my 'audio sanity' but keep going back to the original set-up (in my signature). In a similar way to your experience, the microRendu also is a keeper in front of the EITR, together with the fact that I can feed the music via Ethernet, away from the computer. I am delighted with the system and am not tempted by any new components other than I have recently purchased a Forza balanced cable for the Aeon Flow Open to MJ2 connection. That exceeded expectations ... I am usually cable agnostic !

 

Charente, which Forza cable did you buy? I'm thinking about taking my Gumby, Jotunheim, Elears balanced. That or replacing the Jotunheim.

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@cfisher ... I'm using Forza AW HPC Noir Mk2 ... it is a high quality 'custom' cable, at a reasonable price IMO. They are a busy organisation, so you may need to be patient with delivery but it's worth the wait.

 

I did a brief impressions write up on another forum relating to Forza.

 

I also previously purchased the same cable type for my Senn HD650 and that did a better than expected job as well. 

 

Highly recommended.

Main System: NAS or QOBUZ > BlueSound Node 2i > Schiit Gungnir MultiBit > PYST XLR > Schiit Mjolnir 2 or Gilmore Lite MK2

 

Office System: iMac > Audirvana > Schiit EITR + Audiophonics LPS25 > Metrum FLINT NOS DAC (DAC TWO chips) > Schiit Magni 3+ > Aeon Flow Open

 

Loudspeaker System: NAIM Muso Gen 2

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17 hours ago, alainbil said:

 

Just curious: have you ever compared the M2Tech hiFace Evo  with the cheaper M2Tech hiFace 2 ?

I am using the M2Tech hiFace 2 with the nDAC and it sounds quite good to me, but I never compared it to another USB/SPDIF interface

No, I never had the Evo 2 in my system. Meanwhile I have been running the hiFace Evo and the Eitr in parallel for about three months: sometimes I can perceive distinct differences, sometimes I cannot take them apart. When I hear differences, the Eitr is more engaging with more prominent mid-range and perhaps less detailed (or more natural) heights. The hiFace Evo sounds perhaps more "right" but the heights can be slightly fatiguing. Sometimes I prefer the Eitr, sometimes the hiFace Evo. I am also running an Allo DigiOne but so far I am not able to say if and how it differs from the other two interfaces. It is also fed by a Raspberry Pi (MinimServer + upmpdcli under minimal Raspbian) while both the hiFace Evo and the Eitr are attached to the same device, a FitPC3 running MinimServer and upmpdcli in a minimal Debian distribution. 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

@Abtr ... "The theory that nothing before the Eitr matters is clearly flawed IMO. And it seems that certain mains power and grounding issues may mask the SQ effects of real system improvements..  "

 

Completely agree ! 

Main System: NAS or QOBUZ > BlueSound Node 2i > Schiit Gungnir MultiBit > PYST XLR > Schiit Mjolnir 2 or Gilmore Lite MK2

 

Office System: iMac > Audirvana > Schiit EITR + Audiophonics LPS25 > Metrum FLINT NOS DAC (DAC TWO chips) > Schiit Magni 3+ > Aeon Flow Open

 

Loudspeaker System: NAIM Muso Gen 2

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On 9/23/2017 at 11:26 AM, sahmen said:

sound dropouts--which has not been properly addressed as yet by Schiit audio

Just got Eitr and love the sound.  But it fails every time my HVAC unit's Air conditioning shuts off.  As soon as I hear the thermostat click that it's cool enough, bam - out goes the Eitr. How in the world do I deal with this?  When it's playing it sounds sublime!

 

EDIT SOLVED! - seems that polarity matters here given that the wall wart is AC.  I did some troubleshooting and found that the power light would blink off and on when my AC kicked off.  Switched USB cables on a whim, same thing.  

 

Finally turned the wall wart for Eitr around in the receptacle, and bam, no drop out!  

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scratch the above.  Happened again.  NOT SOLVED. 

 

I'm not sure what it was that caused it to work the one time just fine.  AC switched off and no detriment one time out of 5.  The remaining 4 times, I'm back to the same dropouts when the AC kicks off.  

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9 minutes ago, buonassi said:

scratch the above.  Happened again.  NOT SOLVED. 

 

I'm not sure what it was that caused it to work the one time just fine.  AC switched off and no detriment one time out of 5.  The remaining 4 times, I'm back to the same dropouts when the AC kicks off.  

A Topaz/Elgar/Xentec transformer will fix that. Otherwise, replace the switch/thermosatat in the air handling system for a new one. The contacts are probably worn, and when the voltage is interrupted, there's a burst of conducted RF with enough strength to show up on the Eitr. Well it goes to prove, there's only a transformer in the Eitr power supply.

AS Profile Equipment List        Say NO to MQA

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1 hour ago, buonassi said:

Just got Eitr and love the sound.  But it fails every time my HVAC unit's Air conditioning shuts off.  As soon as I hear the thermostat click that it's cool enough, bam - out goes the Eitr. How in the world do I deal with this?  When it's playing it sounds sublime!

 

buonassi : Are you using your Eitr with a Schiit DAC?  I ask because I experienced my problems mostly with the Eitr playing with the Yggy.  The problem went away when I got the USB Gen 5 update for the Yggy.

 

On the other hand, pairing the Eitr with my Metrum Acoustics Hex DAC also whittled down the incidence of those interferences to near-zero.  And yes, the irony of the Eitr playing far, far, nicer with a Metrum DAC than with the Schiit DAC did not escape me.

 

I am not sure how any of this might be helpful to you, but I thought i should mention them any way.  Keep us updated with the progress of your troubleshooting.

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1 hour ago, buonassi said:

But it fails every time my HVAC unit's Air conditioning shuts off.  As soon as I hear the thermostat click that it's cool enough, bam - out goes the Eitr.

I don't have an Eitr, but I have a very similar A/C problem here with my audio system.  I think @One and a half's suggestion makes a lot of sense.  I know my thermostat is really old and I'm going to get it replaced.  Same story, every time my A/C cuts off I get interruptions.

Pareto Audio AMD 7700 Server --> Berkeley Alpha USB --> Jeff Rowland Aeris --> Jeff Rowland 625 S2 --> Focal Utopia 3 Diablos with 2 x Focal Electra SW 1000 BE subs

 

i7-6700K/Windows 10  --> EVGA Nu Audio Card --> Focal CMS50's 

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very interesting to read that it is the small thermostat on my wall.  Would have thought the issue would've been with the HVAC system itself.  Not the small 24 volt thermostat.  

 

I actually have 2 zones here, one upstairs and one down, a thermostat in each zone.  I'll see if the issue persists with both thermostats.

 

@sahmen I'm using it with metrum amethyst - I also read about other schiit DACs having issues, but that was solved by changing buffer size for some people.  

 

Thanks all for the suggestions, will endeavor to fix this of course. 

 

 

 

 

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36 minutes ago, One and a half said:

A Topaz/Elgar/Xentec transformer will fix that.

will any "isolation transformer" do?  Or are these known to be true isolation transformers vs floating transformers?  I'm thinking that even an A/C line filter may do the trick, but may as well invest in a good isolation transformer for my entire rack of gear if this is advisable for other gear as well.  

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1 minute ago, buonassi said:

will any "isolation transformer" do?  Or are these known to be true isolation transformers vs floating transformers?  I'm thinking that even an A/C line filter may do the trick, but may as well invest in a good isolation transformer for my entire rack of gear if this is advisable for other gear as well.  

The Topaz and the like are passive surge suppressors and common mode noise killers that’s the main reason for the recommendation. The Topaz for example reduces a 6000V transient to mV.

AS Profile Equipment List        Say NO to MQA

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