I'd have to agree. I need to figure out the easiest way to clean up the signal to the DAC. If the wyrd would do this it would certainly be cheaper than a new computer. Thing is I don't understand how it could work because I would be plugging it into the existing USB.
Schiit Modi Multibit
- Thread starter MikE
- Start date
I'll have to open it up and see what is open. Any good recommendations for audio grade USB cards? Or will anything do so long as it is separate? Currently I still get the noise even with all the USB cords disconnected except for the audio to my Modi. Where the interference is coming from I think is the motherboard itself. I confess I don't know all that much about what makes a good computer for serving up music. I bought this one before I had the idea to use it for my music server.
xeizo
Active Member
It seems it's the output stage of the USB-card that picks up most of the computer noice, my USB-card have balanced out and it's dead silent using those balanced connectors(to my mixer, which has balanced in and out and then balanced to active monitors). Using RCA you can hear every mouse move in the background, I have a modern PC attached to the USB, i7 6700K, Asus ROG, GTX1070 etc
Conclusion: buy a USB-interface with BALANCED out and use a pre-amp with BALANCED in, and you 're good to go
Using streaming over WiFi this problem is of course non existent, network players are very nice and in many respects better than USB-gear for playback only!
edit. interesting enough so is my Asus Xonar ST PCI sound card also dead silent, very good implementation from Asus.
SoNic67
Well-Known Member
Ah, it might be the motherboard USB then. A new card might work better.
I have stayed away from USB on my PC for those reasons. SPDIF connection is good enough for me if I want to use/test something else than my E-MU 1820m card.
Maybe this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1N82M64384
I have stayed away from USB on my PC for those reasons. SPDIF connection is good enough for me if I want to use/test something else than my E-MU 1820m card.
Maybe this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1N82M64384
xeizo
Active Member
That card is good for headphone use, but if you want to playback to a stereo this one is much better:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...29&cm_re=asus_xonar_dx-_-29-132-006-_-Product
CS4398 high-end DAC onboard and better OP:s.
And even better is the modern version of my card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...607181&cm_re=xonar_STX-_-29-132-072-_-Product
But price is starting to cost like a good separate DAC, very good SQ though, TI:s best 24-bit DAC-chip, TI:s best OP:s, stable clock.
If you only want to use SPDIF the cheapest card, like you posted, will suffice. Or even onboard audio, it is usually possible to get SPDIF out even from onboard. I guess you're thinking SPDIF -> Multibit-DAC, definetely a way to go, optical should be the best since there's is no electrical connection.
Even with optical, it's still a very big advantage if the DAC has balanced out, if going fo a more expensive one I wouldn't choose any without it.
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Thanks for the input! Will have to do some serious research into this then. As mentioned previously, I don't seem to get any noise from the other USB stuff, including 2 wireless keyboards, but rather the noise seems to be linked to "power options" (win10). When on power saver, I can crank my power amp up and it is dead silent, but as soon as I pick the "balanced" power option, I hear the buzz like sound every time the light on the pc flickers (and sometimes when it isn't flickering). When the power option is set to high performance, the buzz immediately becomes constant.
xeizo
Active Member
You could always build a PC-case in pure copper and earth everything
Btw, do you use earthed power to all the apparatus involved? It could potentially reduce a lot of the PC-noice.
DS216J and a 2 tb nas hdd for about $260 and you're ready to go. Can always add another hdd later for Raid 1 or JBOD.
Just plug the Synology nas into your router and your can control it from your computer or a tablet.
SoNic67
Well-Known Member
That card was suggested ONLY for the digital out, no way it can compare with a dedicated DAC.
Maybe is the power supply that is at the limit. When you load it up more, it generates more electrical noise.
dave1701
Active Member
If you recall, I'm the guy with the Modi Multibit that won't work on USB mode and their customer support wasn't taking me seriously.
After a couple useless email exchanges with Nick T, Schiit Tech, I got an email from Laura Z, a customer service rep that actually responded more like one would expect. She apologized for the issue with the Multibit (but not for the customer support up till now) and let me know that they were sending me a shipping label to exchange the unit.
So I got what I wanted, it just took 6 days and left a bad taste in my mouth. I doubt I'll buy anything from them again, but I don't suggest that anyone else do the same. The product I bought has good sound and decent build quality. Given that several others have had good experience with Schiit customer service, maybe my experience was just a fluke.
After a couple useless email exchanges with Nick T, Schiit Tech, I got an email from Laura Z, a customer service rep that actually responded more like one would expect. She apologized for the issue with the Multibit (but not for the customer support up till now) and let me know that they were sending me a shipping label to exchange the unit.
So I got what I wanted, it just took 6 days and left a bad taste in my mouth. I doubt I'll buy anything from them again, but I don't suggest that anyone else do the same. The product I bought has good sound and decent build quality. Given that several others have had good experience with Schiit customer service, maybe my experience was just a fluke.
MikE
Color Me Gone
I got one a few months ago. Originally, I got it to go between a Peachtree X1 and whatever as the X1 wasn't being recognized all the time or would drop off from a NAS. It fixed that issue.
Then, I started using it between the NAS and dac. Can't say that it improved anything and I tried it in and out of the system over a period of several weeks. Now, I have it in use all the time. Can't really say why but I seem to like everything a little better with it in use. :shrug:
So, I call it recommended. Whether or not it will help in your system, can't say.
The leds on the face of the unit are/were extremely bright. I don't mean slightly annoying but more like "WTF is the deal with this - it's going to burn holes in my eyes" bright. I took mine apart and blobbed some blue paint on them and it knocked the brightness way down.
Murray
Thanks Mike, Have been having a down day with a wisdom tooth extraction and have been reading the link you sent me in between bouts of unconscious. A lot to take on, this digital component and I was always thinking that the noise coming through to my DAC now would also simple pass through the Wyrd. Then it occurred to me that if the Wyrd is essentially a new USB then it should only recognized the digital and simply filter out the analog noise, thus cleaning (decrapifying) the signal. Does this sound on base?
brad1138
Active Member
$250 is right in my price range for a new DAC, thinking of getting a multibit. I have also heard great things about the Entech Number Cruncher 205.2, which I can probably find used for around that price. Anyone have any thoughts on which would be the better one to go with?
evoroadster
Active Member
For those of you with the Modi Multibit; how warm does it get? Mine gets appreciably warmer than my Modi 2.
slimecity
Super Member
I'm pretty new to the world of DACs and I've been getting some conflicting advice on my question - but would a MacBook Pro bought in 2014 benefit from using one of these DA converters? I have an audiophile setup (Accuphase amplifiers and Fostex OB speakers), so just curious. thanks!
Mine gets quite warm, even if it is just on and not playing music through it.