Schiit Eitr Preview Thread

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Rotijon, Jul 17, 2017.

  1. Rotijon

    Rotijon Friend

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    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 17, 2017
  2. SSL

    SSL Friend

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    According to Schiit, not needed if you opt for the Gen 5 USB upgrade.

     
  3. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    Basically it's great if you have a non-Schiit DAC, or a Modi with coax input.
     
  4. Sniperpr5

    Sniperpr5 Acquaintance

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    Well a benefit I suppose to the Eitr vs the Gen 5 upgrade alone is it could be moved to other DAC's as well. Also no down time away from your DAC for the upgrade.
     
  5. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Pops up just as I'm looking for USB -> SPDIF convertors. This is the third time they come out with something right when I am shopping around for it (cheap MB, SuSy type amp, this)

    Stack I want to see just because:

    Wyrd -> Eitr -> Modi Uber -> Magni/Vali
     
  6. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    They actually created a subconscious need for you. That's pure marketing genius.
     
  7. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I have had an eitr for months now in a prototype chassis:

    [​IMG]

    Short summary:
    • Way better than the USB in my Gungnir Multibit already
    • Way better than the USB in my Gungnir Multibit + Wyrd alreadhy
    • Way better than any USB decrapifier or SPDIF converter I've used so far
    • Not as good as the Lynx/my Theta Data III to the coax input of the Gungnir Multibit but I haven't heard anything that is.
    What's better? It's much cleaner than the USB output of the Gungnir Multibit (I don't have the Gen5 yet). Instrument separation is better, resolution is generally improved and noise rejection out of a known noisy crappy laptop is much improved. That laptop has had trouble with pops and drop outs with almost every USB DAC I've ever used and with the Eitr it's rock solid.

    What's not better? Tonality is not changed. I don't think bass slam is changed (but Marv might disagree with me here).

    In short, it's a damn good price for a significant upgrade. The converters over $200 are all pretty much fucked and the ones under $200 are irrelevant.
     
  8. Chittagong

    Chittagong New

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    At home, I run a Mirage audio server over SPDIF coax to Yggdrasil, so Eitr probably won't do much. But at work, I have an iMac outputting SPDIF optical to a Bifrost MB / Asgard 2 stack, so I wonder if an Eitr would be a preferable solution? It seems comments on iMac SPDIF quality seem to be mixed. Any thoughts?

    EDIT - wow, zerodeefex - thanks for the impressions, much appreciated! And ever so slightly jealous :)
     
  9. pandather

    pandather Acquaintance

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    Hmmm, I wonder how it compares to the RPi2 and the Pi2Media 502DAC? I can't justify the Eitr right now but I can loan my Pi setup to somebody to compare if they're interested. The Eitr is much less complicated though, and can play sounds direct through your PC without resorting to Airplay.
     
  10. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

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    That Lynx board has been getting a ton of positive feed back, even better I can get it on Sweetwater!!!!

    Still the I've got a few purchases to make this week for my wife, and if I can swing it I think I'll be grabbing an Etir for my self, unless a loaner tour pops up soon. Upgrades to my existing chain are only new components, which I don't have the room for

    If this $200 purchase can squeeze the last bit of clarity out of my dac then I'm game! Just need to get a nice set of Jensen XLR to RCA Transformers and I'll hopefully be maxed out with what my NFB10ES2 can do
     
  11. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

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    I was disappointed that there wasn't an AES/EBU output. Maybe performance would be a little gimped from USB anyway, but having another output would be handy if your DACs Coax input is already being used. Still, I'm glad that Schiit finally made this and am anxious to hear impressions after people get theirs.
     
  12. Rotijon

    Rotijon Friend

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    Whats the lynx board people are talking about? E44?
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Generally, I've found the USB Gen 2+ to be slightly better or at worst on par with the Macbook Toslink outputs. I can't say for the iMac. Toslink at best seems a bit smoothed over and leaner compared to coax SPDIF or AES. It is very much component dependent still. For example, the Toslink from my CDP isn't all that bad, but I still prefer the coax SPDIF output.

    Coax/BNC / SPDIF to AES transformer: https://www.amazon.com/Sescom-SES-A...sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=coax+to+AES+transformer

    This is what I use for one CDP that only has a coax output.
     
  14. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Sadly, that's not going to stop the "massive chain of snakeoil" types from posting fatuous nonsense. Still, good. f**k 'em.

    (I was quite impressed with my Breeze U8, a $99 emergency problem solver in case I needed to connect the Gungnir Multibit to a Linux box, in cases without usable S/PDIF. However, people won't need to wrestle with getting hold of those from AliExpress, and find the f'ing Windows drivers online if they need them etc. now- a properly supported box from an outfit who likes to do it right[tm] is a lot lower stress.)
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2017
  15. a44100Hz

    a44100Hz Friend

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  16. lm4der

    lm4der A very good sport - Friend

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    I need to ask a really stupid question: What type of cable does one use for the BNC connection? Can you use an RCA type cable, or does one get a special BNC cable?
     
  17. skank

    skank Friend

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    ^^^

    You can use an RCA to BNC adapter but that kind of defeats the purpose of using BNC (which has the correct impedance). If I had BNC connectors on my equipment I would buy a BNC cable but if I needed to switch between RCA and BNC often then the adapters work.
     
  18. baldr

    baldr Schiit-sterer

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    I hate the term"gimped" which does not apply here. It is something I do not do, period. It is a bad value offering to include AES/EBU for all of those who do not want it in a world where one can buy a Sennheiser S/PDIF to AES/EBU transformer (the right way to do it) for 40 bucks. I use one but those who do not want it are not coerced to pay.
     
  19. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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    1. AES = SPDIF. Through a transformer. Via XLR. That is all. There is no magic to it.
    2. Any "impedance mismatch" caused by RCA to BNC will be swamped by the transformer ringing anyway.
    3. If Eitr had AES, it would have a XLR connector. Which wouldn't fit in our standard small chassis. Which would have literally doubled the price. That seemed stupid, so we didn't do it.
     
  20. landroni

    landroni Friend

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    But then it's pretty useless if you have an OptiModi. ;)
     

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