Schiit Gungnir Multibit impressions

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Bill-P, Oct 7, 2015.

  1. PoochZag

    PoochZag The Shadow knows - Friend

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    Does this include Delta Sigma DACs? I was under the impressions it's the multibit/R2R DACs that really benefit from the warmup/being left on
     
  2. IndySpeed

    IndySpeed Friend

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    Mike Moffat, Schiit, says it does include DS DACs, but just to a lesser extent. I'm not sure if anyone has any other references for or against leaving your DAC on all of the time from an authoritative reference. If you do, please post the link so that we can review. Nonetheless, MIke's comment about it on head-fi is here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/667711/new-schiit-ragnarok-and-yggdrasil/6600#post_11566460
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2016
  3. SKiring

    SKiring Friend

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    Yup and honestly I've rarely turned off any of my DACs in the past, even when I had the Hugo, it was pretty much on all the time (though I don't really think it made a difference in sonics). I just never saw a good reason to turn it off. There's no real 100% consensus though, I'd say at least as far as Schiit MBs go, just leave it on, the hassle of warm-up time (unless you have the same power outage problems that @IndySpeed has) is not worth it.
     
  4. Hekeli

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    I guess the measurements support it, but is the single-ended output really that gimped? Noise floor hiss starts being audible even at normal listening volumes. I think some said it being "a little behind" balanced, I'd say it's barely a convenience at this level. ;) But yeah balanced is dead quiet even at extremes.
     
  5. Hekeli

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    Can someone confirm there's indeed a high noise floor on RCA? Just wanna make sure it's not some anomality/fault on mine.
     
  6. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    It might be a fault of some sort, I've got pitch black background on both outputs.
     
  7. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    @Hekeli have you reached out to Schiit to see what they say? You might have a faulty unit that needs repair.
     
  8. Hekeli

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    It might not be unsual, but sure I'll verify with schiit. Tried USB and optical both. Note that everything is obviously pitch black if there isn't any signal active, but when USB for example locks on (you hear the relay click) it stars being audible. I'm using Sonarworks with -12dB gain, that's why I might use a little more volume on amps so I might hear it sooner than others, but on other quality dacs (tried Chord 2Qute ;)) I can crank everything to max on my amps without hiss coming up..
     
  9. Hekeli

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    Ok forget Sonarworks. I'll clarify without it. Listening to HD800 and normal "hot" (non classical) tracks, the point where hiss stars being audible is at quite uncomfortable levels. Obviously I'm describing the hiss without music playing, with music playing it certainly would be masked away. So I'm pretty sure the noise floor is normal considering the RCA summers aren't probably exceptional in nature (they aren't the main point of this dac).

    For OCD persons listening to classical of requiring lot of gain (Sonarworks etc), an almost audible noise floor could be a dealbreaker. So that's the only point I'm making here, sorry for the noise. ;) I doubt anyone would choose this DAC anyway for RCA use only. Or get some external transformers then.
     
  10. JohnnyCanuck

    JohnnyCanuck Acquaintance

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    I listen to my Gungnir Multibit through the RCAs. No noise audible here.
     
  11. Thujone

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    I've had Gungnir Multibit for a week and I've had no noise through RCA.
     
  12. Hekeli

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    That's fine, but more informative would be telling at what level you DO get noise? Unless the amp in question has so little gain you can't get to that point. But yeah people listen at different volumes too, so kinda pointless reference.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2016
  13. Thujone

    Thujone Friend

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    If I turn my amp up enough to hear noise, the noise is coming from the amp, not Gungnir Multibit. Are you sure you aren't hearing your amp?
     
  14. Hekeli

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    As I said, other dacs I tested like Chord 2Qute had far lower noise floor from RCA (yes I tried playing a silent tracks too, so it's not a case of inactive signal path). Surprisingly my Matrix HPA-3B has much lower noise floor than Audio-GD NFB-1AMP, which even from XLR starts making self noise beyond 75 volume. Obviously you can verify amplifiers own noise floor by simply disconnecting the source.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2016
  15. Thujone

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    So, you're listening to classical (quiet) recordings, decreasing your gain by -12dB, and thereby hearing noise. Is there a particular reason why you're intentionally increasing your probability for noise by decreasing your digital output level?

    I mean, I'm not entirely sure why you'd hear noise anyway if you're decreasing the digital end. But maybe it's a software problem?
     
  16. SoupRKnowva

    SoupRKnowva Official SBAF South Korean Ambassador

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    You also have to ground the input pins if you want to actually find out the noise of the amplifier itself.
     
  17. Thujone

    Thujone Friend

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    This is probably not the right thread, but I'm putting it here for the sake of not creating a new one.

    Noob questions about Schiit MB

    Important disclaimer: I don't know anything about DACs when it comes to the technical aspects. Personal experience has shown that (subjectively) some DACs do a better job producing an enjoyable sound, which is why I've continued to upgrade through the years.

    All questions relate to my new Gungnir Multibit.

    1. 19 bits (MB) - I've read on changstar to help myself understand why "less is more" when it comes to R2R. Something about how the bits are compiled... whatever. Q: Do I need to do anything fancy to set Gungnir Multibit up in my sound settings? I have sound preferences set to 32/192, is this right?

    2. MegaComboBurrito Filter - I hate to say it, but I literally have no idea what this is or what it represents. Searching around and cruising through changstar, SBAF, and HF has shown that most folks seem to already know what this is. In other words, I'm having a hard time finding a post that defines what this is and what it means to a DAC ignorant user like myself. I read through pages and pages of people talking about this filter and JRiver settings and yada yada yada. Q: Do I need to change any settings on my sound preferences, my music software, or elsewhere in order to use this filter? I understand DAC chips have multiple filter choices by default - is this just the filter that Schiit has used and I'm already using it when I set up Gungnir Multibit?
     
  18. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    I set my output for 16/44.1 since all of my music is in that, but you can set it as high as you want and it'll output at whatever bitrate your music is and Gungnir Multibit will solve the rest.

    The filter I don't know about. Go through Moffat's posts on HF and you'll find a lot of technical stuff.
     
  19. Thujone

    Thujone Friend

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    Thanks. Is there any reason why you don't just set it to 32/192? I understand that your music isn't in 32/192 (and mine isn't either) but why not?
     
  20. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    Because I've no music at that bitrate, less is more, innit? :p
     

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