Schiit CCTX Meet: was Schiit Syn Discussion

Discussion in 'Geek Cave: Computers, Tablets, HT, Phones, Games' started by Paul Scandal, Mar 24, 2023.

  1. Hrodulf

    Hrodulf Prohibited from acting as an MOT until year 2050

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    I'm still kind of at loss - does it take only stereo and dreams up the rest or can it take 5.1 as well if it's already decoded to 6 discrete PCM streams?
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yup none of them - and yet compatibility with all them because of matrix encoding into the base stereo channels of content.

    Cannot take 5.1 unless it is folded down into stereo.

    Use a Modi or Modius to feed it.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You do have to tinker, but c'mon. With this crowd it's really not that hard (considering the number of people who listen to tubes instead of music). Auto calibration is great, but maybe I walked up from the couch maybe two times to adjust a few dials, namely surround volume, center volume, and presence EQ, and stereo width. The width is a fantastic one to make the space bigger like in a movie theater. After I got it dialed in just left everything as is.

    I'll post photos of my ghetto setup in the living room with my two-channel when I do a proper review.
     
  4. Grattle

    Grattle Friend

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    Use a Modi doesn’t answer why. Sorry but that kind of answer is just noise. Any idiot knows that you can feed it from a DAC.
     
  5. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I just have a hard time believing that a folded down DD5.1 to PLII and then unfolded is going to sound as good as a dedicated DD5.1 decoder in and integrated amp. I know my old Denon receiver would take the 5.1 and take to PCM and split that off into 3 different PCM1792 chips. That was back in the day on one of their higher end receivers. Now it is mostly all on one chip, but I would still take that over trying to get my peanut butter and jelly separated after it has been folded together.

    Like I said before though, I guess it does dodge the old surround format since PLII is not going anywhere and since the patent ran out on PLII back three years ago, fair game. It is a neat device, but I can see how it is not for everyone.
     
  6. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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    No Unison USB because Unison USB doesn't support microphone input.

    The internal DAC is Modi/Hel class, no need for a Modi. Want to go crazy? Use a Bifrost 2/64. Or an Yggdrasil. Or some car-priced unobtanium insanity. You can go up as far as you want. Syn doesn't convert the analog input to digital, or even mess with the analog input at all, unless it's in "Shape" mode.

    No logic. No steering. No delays. VCAs sound like ass. Analog delays sound like ass. Try it. See what you think.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
  7. Grattle

    Grattle Friend

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    I was asking about Unison because I was looking at this as a way to split off the sub-woofer signal for a dedicated subwoofer amp, and then use a Rag to power the full range speakers. This looks to a) be overkill for that, and b) without unison, I'm still stuck using a Volumio streamer. With all the new speaker amps they've released, a simple x-over would have been what I was hoping for, and the plan is still to build my own I guess. Looks like a cool product though. I like the out of the box thinking.
     
  8. M3NTAL

    M3NTAL Friend

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    "No stupid questions" - where would one place this in the chain of DAC -> Freya+ -> Amp -> Phones. Only for use as a headphone surround simulator. I think we'll get mixed opinions tonight, but I figure most people will says it's "Neat".

    I've wanted a solid crossfeed for a while.

    Another dumb questions - it looks like the EQ is BASS + TREBLE and MID. Wouldn't it have made more sense to have just bass & treble and tilt? Raising and lowering the bass/treble is essentially just raising or lowering the mids, but if I want a downward tilting "V" - that would be nice. Maybe it's not a mid adjustment and I'm misreading.
     
  9. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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  10. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I gave up surround sound a long time ago. I loved it...when DVD-A and SACD started to become a thing. It was fun, but it was a hassle with all the places I have lived with mounting speakers, running speaker wire, finding a place for the center channel, etc. Although I was the one who setup a Hafler Matrix in my apartment in college and wrote a paper on it for my Mutil-Channel Audio class. And we all wanted a CD-4 decoder and some CD-4 records to enjoy. But I listen to music more and now my 2.2 setup is great with my Freya +.

    I do like a DAC with a volume output with a preamp. I just don't need all the surround features. It seems you could probably just build one of these with the stereo features only, no headphone jack, and a Rekkr built in. Or even a Modi with a motorized volume control. Kind of like for a bedroom TV setup with two speakers. just spitballin.
     
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  11. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    Increased presence and greater soundstage width for headphones? That is pretty neat.
    Might be time to listen to Amused to Death finally
     
  12. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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  13. Ksaurav402

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    There are some software like “Out Of Your Head” etc which simulates surround sound in headphones. Will Syn do something similar but at analog level for headphones if I watch movies on desktop system with headphones on? I know there is an expensive hardware called Realiser A16…will Syn give me an experience of that sort via headphones ?
     
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  14. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    Amused to Death already sounds 3D in regular stereo.
     
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  15. Cellist88

    Cellist88 Friend

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    Can’t you just use a multi channel dac? I mean if you are that serious about audio, having multiple powered speakers and a nice two channel setup? Also wouldn’t use the Yggdrasil a2 with that grey background on single ended. Wished there were xlr input output….all good powered monitors have xlr inputs.
     
    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
  16. ergopower

    ergopower Friend

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    For a rig where 2 or 2.1 channel is the main focus, this could make a lot of sense because you can have the bestest DAC and amps where they count. Unless I missed it in the features, it would have been nice to have a high-pass filter for L & R if using a sub, but you could make your own.
    I'm scratching my head some over the center channel use. I think I'm right in saying that modern movies and high-production TV put most dialogue in the center channel which helps a lot in hearing the dialogue over whatever else is going on. The SYN center is just the sum of L & R; you can adjust how loud the center is compared to L & R, but you'll always have the rest of the noise in the center as well. This would be one advantage I'd see for an AVR or processor, but maybe outside of action movies it doesn't matter?

    Edited to correct link to GR Research video
     
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    Last edited: Mar 30, 2023
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I would guess lack of room on the PCB. It's isn't Gungnir or Mjolnir sized. It's Modius sized.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Lots of good points, comments, questions, concerns. Will go through each post and respond if I can in a formal review tonight. No, the Syn isn't perfect, it doesn't have sub xover point, slope selection, XLR outputs, and it doesn't scratch my balls.
     
  19. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    So I know nothing about surround sound but in layman's terms this is essentially a Loki for surround sound? Might be an easy way to think about it. I have zero interest in this, but I'm glad Schiit is making weird shit and experimenting.

    @schiit now please make an uber Yggdrasil!
     
  20. JK47

    JK47 Friend

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