"Ears deep" in Schiit

[PHC1]

I am new to this USB stuff. Started thinking a cheap USB cable could affect the sound... Perhaps that's why I can hear a difference but only with Utopia...

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I am new to this USB stuff. Started thinking a cheap USB cable could affect the sound... Perhaps that's why I can hear a difference but only with Utopia...

Oh, yes, it can, indeed. I would recommend getting an Audioquest Coffee USB, or perhaps a WW from Ivan. The AQ Diamond is even better than the Coffee, but it's about twice the price of the Coffee with about 15% improvement in sound quality.

I used to think that USB cables didn't matter, bits are bits, right? Then a coupla audio buddies and I did an A/B with an AQ Carbon vs a AQ Diamond, and it was uh-oh!

There was a BIG difference. Dang! Or, Curses! as Snidely Whiplash would say.

I then had to go on the on the hunt for a used Diamond 'cause I didn't want to spend 500 bucks on a new USB cable. And get this, my local brick and mortar high-end store only carried 1.5 meter USB cables as the shortest length because they said that the 1.5 meter cables sounded better than the 0.75 meter cables. Can you beleve that? It was clearly all about getting customers to pony up 50% more money for a cable 50% longer than most anyone needed 99.5% of the time. Jeez, what a load of cr*p! And they wonder why, as brick and mortar high-end audio stores, they are struggling....

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Oh, yes, it can, indeed. I would recommend getting an Audioquest Coffee USB, or perhaps a WW from Ivan. The AQ Diamond is even better than the Coffee, but it's about twice the price of the Coffee with about 15% improvement in sound quality.

I used to think that USB cables didn't matter, bits are bits, right? Then a coupla audio buddies and I did an A/B with an AQ Carbon vs a AQ Diamond, and it was uh-oh!

There was a BIG difference. Dang! Or, Curses! as Snidely Whiplash would say. I then had to go on the on the hunt for a used Diamond 'cause I didn't want to spend 500 bucks on a new USB cable.

Ouch. Stephen, I think I would much rather try the Absolute Sound USB reference at $15 bucks for 1M... http://www.theabsolutesound.com/arti...interconnects/

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Ouch. Stephen, I think I would much rather try the Absolute Sound USB reference at $15 bucks for 1M... http://www.theabsolutesound.com/arti...interconnects/

Ah, you mean the Belkin Gold? Yeah, I had that cable; it's okay. The Audioquest Diamond and Coffee smoke it, though. Remember that TAS is notoriously bad at updating its recommendations. I have an AQ Carbon sittin' around unused I can send you to try out.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Ah, you mean the Belkin Gold? Yeah, I had that cable; it's okay. The Audioquest Diamond and Coffee smoke it, though. Remember that TAS is notoriously bad at updating its recommendations. I have an AQ Carbon sittin' around unused I can send you to try out.

Cool, I'd love to test it out. Thanks!

[1KW]

Serge try downloading some DSD128 or DSD256 files and playing them via USB to your DAC; you will be amazed at the difference compared to standard redbook or even MQA .

[Humbuster]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Which DAC and headphone amp are you considering? What headphones are you using? Schiit makes headphone amps for a variety of classes of headphones, from planars and orthos to OTL amps designed for the Senn HD600/650 series.

Presently running HD650 w/ Cardas cable. however may make the switch to HD800 if "management" approves.

[Humbuster]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Forgot all about that one Stephen and my wife loves Ludovico. By the way, she is not an audiophile (surprise! ) but she loved the combo.

Attended a Ludovico concert in Boulder on recommendation of my son a few years back and became an instant fan. Good stuff!

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Serge try downloading some DSD128 or DSD256 files and playing them via USB to your DAC; you will be amazed at the difference compared to standard redbook or even MQA .

The Schiit Gungnir only supports PCM; if he were to play DSD it would have to be via DoP if his music player software supported that.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Humbuster

Presently running HD650 w/ Cardas cable. however may make the switch to HD800 if "management" approves.

If you're presently running an HD650, I'd recommend the Schiit Valhalla 2 Output Transformer-less (OTL); it was specifically designed for the Senn HD600/650 series since there are so many of them in use. The Vali 2 would be another good choice.

The HD800 can be a challenge. It has a pretty unusual frequency response and it can be challenging to find an amp that works well with it. Lots of guys have come up with lots of mods for the HD800 to try to tame it's quirky behaviors. The best amp I've heard it with is the Sennheiser HDVA 600 head amp but it's pretty pricey at $1600. Dan owns a pair of HD800s and uses the Sennheiser amp and loves them, which I fully understand, 'cause they sound great with that amp. My recommendation for a Schiit amp under $1K for the HD800s would be the Mjolnir 2, especially if you run the cans with a balanced cable.

The Cavalli Liquid Crimson and the Donald North Audio Stellaris may be good choices as well.

If you're going to go upmarket from HD650s, personally I'd consider other cans e.g. Audeze or Oppo or the Focal Elear.