darmok
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darmok

Almost "Made", Male, from Tree Town

Contributor

DSO last night was lightning in a bottle. Prokofiev 1st VC was pure fireworks and Shostakovich 10th was just brutal. Glad I could be there. May 11, 2025

darmok was last seen:
May 12, 2025
    1. darmok
      darmok
      DSO last night was lightning in a bottle. Prokofiev 1st VC was pure fireworks and Shostakovich 10th was just brutal. Glad I could be there.
      1. darmok
      2. GanGreinke
        GanGreinke
        I grew up in their youth orchestra, working with members who are still there to this day. They really are a wonderful orchestra, and Orchestra Hall is an amazing concert hall!
        May 12, 2025
    2. darmok
      darmok
      Considering a spring-cleaning/moving sale. Would anyone be willing to sanity-check prices before I post? PM if so.
    3. darmok
      darmok
      Mimir wipes the floor with Modius straight from the SE outputs. If someone told me this was the new Bifrost I’d have believed them.
      1. FlySweep, Royaume, Azimuth and 5 others like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. joch
        joch
        @Qildail I'm on the same boat, too much Schiit

        @darmok Do you prefer the Mimir over the Modius E via transformers?
        Apr 28, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @joch I haven’t tried MImir with transformers yet, but I don’t really feel like I need to. Mimir is ahead in all aspects to Modius E + PI-2XX.
        Apr 29, 2025
        FlySweep likes this.
      5. FlySweep
        FlySweep
        Balanced out impressions? Let me know if I'll need a cigarette for after.
        May 1, 2025
    4. darmok
      darmok
      Thomas de Hartmann Rediscovered (Pentatone). Wow. Wow!
      1. zottel likes this.
      2. zonto
        zonto
        Pentatone is great. Easily one of my favorite classical labels.
        Apr 27, 2025
        darmok and zottel like this.
    5. darmok
      darmok
      I will never be able to make sense of what Schiit calls a new version (e.g. Saga 2, Gungnir 2) versus a new product (Kara, Mimir).
      1. Azimuth likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. SofaSamuraiX
        SofaSamuraiX
        Product line advancement/refresh vs new product.
        Apr 25, 2025
      4. SofaSamuraiX
        SofaSamuraiX
        Unless that was rhetorical, if so, sorry for being gullible and interrupting!
        Apr 25, 2025
      5. Azimuth
        Azimuth
        It all started because the number 4 is not unlucky in some cultures. And that is why the + and the ++ and then just the name. It mostly is confusing on the used market because some just sell and list as a “Yggdrasil”and there are many versions now.
        Apr 26, 2025
    6. darmok
      darmok
      Holy Schiit! Insta-buy. Didn’t even read the FAQ first. Hope this thing supports USB volume or that @schiit can be cajoled into adding it.
      1. View previous comments...
      2. roderickvd
      3. darmok
        darmok
        @roderickvd drat. That response is both true and irrelevant: it doesn’t say why they chose not to implement it. Hopefully we’ll get more clarity or a firmware update at some point.
        Apr 25, 2025
      4. roderickvd
        roderickvd
        You see we’re teaming up there ;-) seems USB hardware volume control was not yet fully understood. And so perhaps not considered. Hope this helps.
        Apr 25, 2025
    7. darmok
      darmok
      The ability of iFi devices to more or less sound the same regardless of the source or power supply is underrated in my opinion.
      1. Biodegraded
        Biodegraded
        Nonetheless, they still want you to buy their USB conditioners and power supplies :) (but of course you can use those in front of non-iFi things too).
        Apr 20, 2025
        roderickvd, darmok and Lyander like this.
      2. Lyander
        Lyander
        Used to think I was deaf for struggling to differentiate but yeah, Thorsten did seem to do a great job with those units. Barring the need for greater power delivery it's kinda just a case of nervosa no?
        Apr 20, 2025
        darmok likes this.
    8. darmok
      darmok
      I’m curious about whether the Schiit guys have done any prototyping with Cirrus DACs. These dongles stomp all over Modi+ and Modius.
      1. Pocomo, Merrick and rhythmdevils like this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. internethandle
        internethandle
        Probably not given the in-house development of their own delta-sigma solution.
        Apr 17, 2025
      4. Lyander
        Lyander
        @internethandle forgot about that, genuinely rather exciting to eventually try out. Still, wonder why they specifically went with ESS after the AKM shortage a while ago
        Apr 18, 2025
        darmok likes this.
      5. ColdsnapBry
        ColdsnapBry
        I much prefer Cirrus and Texas Instruments DACs over ESS stuff, it's just way more natural sounding.
        Apr 18, 2025
        roderickvd and darmok like this.
    9. darmok
      darmok
      Value gem: seller Clairmont Cable on eBay. No-nonsense headphone cables made from Gotham wire and Neutrik connectors. Exceptional sound.
      1. lithium, FlySweep, Qildail and 7 others like this.
    10. darmok
      darmok
      Vali 3 + MMB2 still getting a lot of ear time. It might not be the last word in resolution, but it’s thicc in all the right places.
      1. SofaSamuraiX
        SofaSamuraiX
        I like when the music is what the gear makes me hone in on! I gave my Vali 3 to my eldest daughter. I do miss it!
        Apr 11, 2025
      2. M3NTAL
        M3NTAL
        My work setup is similar. MMB2 and Vali 2++ / Piety. I just need some sort of loki + syn
        Apr 11, 2025
    11. darmok
      darmok
      DCA E3 remains phenomenal when properly amped. Every time I put it on I’m blown away by how open and detailed it sounds.
      1. Ksaurav402 and decompositions like this.
    12. darmok
      darmok
      Looks like Sennheiser is launching a bunch of new made-in-China HD 5xx-series headphones at price points right on top of the made-in-EU 6xx…
      1. View previous comments...
      2. darmok
        darmok
        @Lyander yes, I did. My ears got plenty of time on the driver covers and their embossed L/R indicators. My recollection of the sound is: scratchy, like the outer part of my ears were rubbing up against a scratch piece of fabric with embossed letters. I don’t remember anything else, sorry. It went back too soon.
        Mar 21, 2025
        Thad E Ginathom and Lyander like this.
      3. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        I read something on a camera site about the rest of the world moving out of making-in-China. Sennheider is behind the times?
        Mar 22, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @Thad E Ginathom depends how large the gap in cost structure is between the two regions; even with tariffs it could still be profitable. “Out of China” might also mean Vietnam, not Romania.
        Mar 22, 2025
        Thad E Ginathom likes this.
    13. darmok
      darmok
      Good news: my new Bokeh Opens are not broken. Bad news: turns out this B-stock Asgard 3 is broken after all.
      1. RestoredSparda, joch, Merrick and 3 others like this.
      2. Lyander
        Lyander
        Time to shoot (the) Schiit an email I suppose. They've been genuinely helpful with sorting my dead MMB2 issue out. Haven't gotten the replacement board yet but slow going with international stuff as always, massive props to them. That said, sucks that QC seems to miss things sometimes.
        Mar 19, 2025
    14. darmok
      darmok
      OMG. It’s here! Christmas came very early or somewhat late, but the Bokeh Open is finally under the tree. Or made of the tree. Or something.
      1. darmok
        darmok
        Damnit, I’ve got work to do today.
        Mar 18, 2025
        Gazny likes this.
    15. darmok
      darmok
      Uh, Bokeh Open shipped? No email, but Shop app claims it’ll be here today!
      1. Riotvan likes this.
    16. darmok
      darmok
      Picked up a B-stock Asgard 3 w/9028 card for shits and giggles. First impression: is it broken? MMB2 + Vali 3 spanks this thing.
      1. yotacowboy likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. Claritas
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @Lyander it’s definitely better with MMB2, but oddly it seems like there’s crosstalk since the headstage width is much narrower than Valí 3. I’ll give it a whirl with Modius + PI-2XX tomorrow.
        Mar 17, 2025
        Lyander likes this.
      5. darmok
        darmok
        Turns out it is broken. Audible distortion in the right channel. Will take some measurements, then try to convince Schiit not to charge return shipping on a DOA.
        Mar 18, 2025
        Lyander likes this.
    17. darmok
      darmok
      I feel like it’d be worth keeping a list tracking made/assembled-in-USA audio manufacturers and the tariffs’ impact on them. For science.
      1. Thad E Ginathom
        Thad E Ginathom
        Don't say that it is for science: it will be banned!
        Mar 18, 2025
        darmok likes this.
    18. darmok
      darmok
      Moved the multibit (Unison USB-C) card into the Jot 2. Not sure how I feel about it. USB isolator makes a big difference from a Pi though.
      1. roderickvd likes this.
      2. AlPastor
        AlPastor
        Do you have any thoughts on multibit card vs 9028 card for Jot2?
        Mar 10, 2025
      3. darmok
        darmok
        @AlPastor Nope, don’t have a 9028 card. All I can say is that I wasn’t a fan of Modius E with Jot 2. To be honest I only like that DAC through output transformers into Pietus, so that may not be helpful to you.
        Mar 11, 2025
      4. darmok
        darmok
        @AlPastor I spotted a good opportunity to grab a 9028 card wrapped in an Asgard 3, so watch this space!
        Mar 12, 2025
        AlPastor likes this.
    19. darmok
      darmok
      xDuoo TA-32 is an intriguing proposition, but $1k is a bit steep for a blind purchase. Has anyone here had some ears-on time with it?
      1. rhythmdevils likes this.
      2. View previous comments...
      3. joch
        joch
        …and the display, and the antenna BT.
        Mar 8, 2025
      4. Lyander
        Lyander
        ... Bluetooth functionality and tubes just seem amazingly incongruous to me. I seem to like the sound of hybrid designs but this better STOMP the competition for what it costs relative to the TA-66.
        Mar 8, 2025
        atomicbob, joch and RestoredSparda like this.
      5. darmok
        darmok
        @rhythmdevils the DAC is what made it interesting to me. Not a lot of ROHM DACs on the market, and this one is also modular and can accept other DAC cards.
        Mar 8, 2025
        roderickvd and Lyander like this.
    20. darmok
      darmok
      On second thought I'll wait for the $9000 Full Load of Forkin' Schiit Stack with Urd, Loki Max, Kara, Gungnir 2, 2x Aegir 2, and Stjarna.
      1. SofaSamuraiX likes this.
      2. darmok
        darmok
        Call it an even $10,000 with Mjolnir 3 and a Noire X thrown in and it's practically a steal!
        Mar 6, 2025
        SofaSamuraiX likes this.
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    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Tree Town
    Honorary member of ORFAS