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Schiit Asgard

tvrgeek

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Just a quick comment as it's not obvious in their WEB. The Asgard is the Modi-3 DAC USB only in a box with a head amp/preamp. $300 combo. I have one on order.
 
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tvrgeek

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Not what they said, but if it performs as tested, I will be a happy camper.
Just ordered a Parasound 2145 to go with it. Safe bet.
 

Jimbob54

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Not what they said, but if it performs as tested, I will be a happy camper.
Just ordered a Parasound 2145 to go with it. Safe bet.

I hate to say it but the E30 plus the Asgard w/o DAC would have been a killer high power combo. But at least you didnt get the multibit.......
 

Aldoszx

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Also, take care of the drivers !
Even Schiit says that W10 should install them automatically, you have to be care about.
For ASIO, you'll need correct drivers to enable all capabilities of a DAC.
Thre is a mention about the drivers in the manual !!!
 
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tvrgeek

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I hate to say it but the E30 plus the Asgard w/o DAC would have been a killer high power combo. But at least you didnt get the multibit.......

Agree, if only it had reliably communicated with the PC, I was ready to keep it. I get a week or so with Schiit to be sure all is well.

One thing for sure, they do have people who do return your call, as did JDS. Even Cambridge got back to me. Slow, but responded. With COVID times slow is understandable.

Uninstall of the E-30 on my laptop caused issues, but I eventually got it cleaned up. It went better on the all-in-one, just uninstall and Avast registry cleaner. CCleaner did not get it.
 
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tvrgeek

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Well it came. I could not get a strait answer if the board preformed as the Modi-2 or 3, so I gave it a shot. Plugged into my Windows 10 machine and sure enough it came up in devices and set to 32 ( internal) 196K. Ran it on one of my analyzers and if it had any noise or distortion, it was below my test baseline. Could not get it stable under RightMark, but that is not Schiit's problem. So plugged it in. Pretty big thump on power up I will have to resolve by delaying the amp longer, but it seems a bit smoother than my old Muse Fuse.

Spec or not I do not know, it measures better* and sounds better, so my goal is achieved, providing nothing odd comes up as I play it. Next will be to get J-river installed so I can use ASIO. I'll see if I can balance things without tone controls. If not, Loki looks like an easy solution.

* Conformation at least to me, my measurements and problems with the Topping and SMSL were valid. If it was my methods, I would have had the same bad results.
 

Tortie

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I hate to say it but the E30 plus the Asgard w/o DAC would have been a killer high power combo. But at least you didnt get the multibit.......

After seeing how the L30 blew up your headphones I'd say this chap did himself a favor steering clear of Topping's incompetently designed rubbish. Not to mention their tonedeaf response to the L30 debacle.
 

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After seeing how the L30 blew up your headphones I'd say this chap did himself a favor steering clear of Topping's incompetently designed rubbish. Not to mention their tonedeaf response to the L30 debacle.

There is always that.... but Schiit and other companies have all had their fair share of issues.
 
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tvrgeek

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As it has been a few months:
Still happy with the setup. My 20 HZ high pass filter finally came for the sub. ( e-bay special) and my muting relay board for my X-kit crossovers is ready to install. Only thing I am not happy with is the Windows Media Player. Using it is great. I like the layout, but it occasionally "studders" . I tested several other Windows based servers and am not in love with any of them. Audirvana seems to be the best. Took it off wi-fi and hard-wired it, killing a bunch of Windows services. Better. I have not had time to build a Linux server. Over all it is maybe a little more clinical sounding but I got used to it quite quickly. I assume it is the much lower distortion. I am using the JSL tone controls.

It is still probably a tossup, could have gone JDS Atom, tone and passive volume control.

Not sure I really did myself a favor in the amp upgrade. Probably should have modified the old MOSFET with big cap bank boards. ( The original power supply caps are only available in 10.000 lots) I am using a Pyle power sequencer so when the PC USB comes on, things step up in proper order. Under normal operation, no thumps, but on a power failure, those X-Kits are still killers. Their performance is excellent, but the compromises for a single ended power supply overshadow that. I did get a set of 80 Hz filters for it, moving up from 60. Slightly lower low bass HD.

Anyway, now upgrading my woodshop dust collection system and debating on if I should pay the huge price for a SawStop table saw or go with the Harvey. My old Ridgid contractor saw has served well, but time to go. Need to get back to getting my Triumph Stag back on the road.
 

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After seeing how the L30 blew up your headphones I'd say this chap did himself a favor steering clear of Topping's incompetently designed rubbish. Not to mention their tonedeaf response to the L30 debacle.
Making sweeping statements is hardly justified. There were issues with the L30 that appear to have been rectified. (Granted, not much consolation for those who lost headphones!). Topping make a number of products that are well reviewed and well received on here.

As @Jimbob54 has said, Schiit have had their fair share of engineering blunders, well documented on here. Are we to label their products as "incompetently designed rubbish"? Or are they exempt from such criticisms based on their geographical location?
 

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Making sweeping statements is hardly justified. There were issues with the L30 that appear to have been rectified. (Granted, not much consolation for those who lost headphones!). Topping make a number of products that are well reviewed and well received on here.

As @Jimbob54 has said, Schiit have had their fair share of engineering blunders, well documented on here. Are we to label their products as "incompetently designed rubbish"? Or are they exempt from such criticisms based on their geographical location?

We did label Schiit's earlier products as rubbish and rightly so. Their original Asgard dumped DC current into headphone drivers and their DACs sucked. But they responded constructively to the criticism by upping their game. Time will tell if Topping has the desire or wherewithal to the same.
 

Sukie

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We did label Schiit's earlier products as rubbish and rightly so. Their original Asgard dumped DC current into headphone drivers and their DACs sucked. But they responded constructively to the criticism by upping their game. Time will tell if Topping has the desire or wherewithal to the same.
But we're talking about one product (the L30). Topping's game is already pretty "up" for a producer of relatively cheap units - A50s, A90, D10s, D50s, D70s, D90, E30 etc.
 
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tvrgeek

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My bias against both Toping and SMSL is not due to single defective products I was lucky enough to get, but their total lack in one case, and arrogant response in another for customer service. I used to be in manufacturing. Ran corrective action as a quality engineer. Things happen, but it is what the company does to stand behind their products and how they treat their customers.

Schiit and JDS were both helpful and responsive. Always got good CS from Parasound for questions. ( never had an actual problem) Focusrite CS was very helpful. In woodworking, I will never buy a Delta product. Great designs, some quality issues, but their customer support is basically "up yours". In school ( one of my degrees is in management) you learn that if you treat a customer well, he will tell someone. Treat him poorly, he will tell ten. Rikon, Laguna, Jet/Baleigh/Powermatic, Grizzly are all so-so. They basically try and eventually will stand behind their product. Ridgid claims a great lifetime warrantee, but makes it impossible to actually get. ( not buying another from them either). Harvey, one of the actual Chinese OEMs had provided very good CS, as has SawStop. I wil never buy another GE appliance due to the way they treated me, and I will never buy another BMW product. When I was industry, I needed to buy some obscure photo-sensitive chemical. Called all the big names you have heard of. Ten layers of phone tag, secretaries, salesmen, know nothings. Finally one technician said "Yea. Kyocera makes that stuff" Called them up. The guy who answered the phone was the plant manager. He said, sure, we make it, what is your use? I explained and he said, sorry, wrong polarity. One layer. Correct answer. As helpful as possible. If I ever needed a chemical again, I would call them FIRST. I had an Accura. 50K warrantee. At 55K, it wiped a cam. Their answer? "That does not happen to Acuras. Here is a loner, we will fix your car" Done. If they had still made a smaller car when I bought my GTI, I would have bought it. I had to pay for replacing defective ignition coils and a defective ignition lock as amazingly enough, they were not covered in the VW. But darn, it is a great car to drive.

Customer service matters. Be it a commodity audio product or an industrial tool. I like doing business with small companies as usually who you talk to has a stake in the company. They tend to care. Yes, it may cost a little more up front, but that is part of the total value.
 

Tortie

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My bias against both Toping and SMSL is not due to single defective products I was lucky enough to get, but their total lack in one case, and arrogant response in another for customer service. I used to be in manufacturing. Ran corrective action as a quality engineer. Things happen, but it is what the company does to stand behind their products and how they treat their customers.

Schiit and JDS were both helpful and responsive. Always got good CS from Parasound for questions. ( never had an actual problem) Focusrite CS was very helpful. In woodworking, I will never buy a Delta product. Great designs, some quality issues, but their customer support is basically "up yours". In school ( one of my degrees is in management) you learn that if you treat a customer well, he will tell someone. Treat him poorly, he will tell ten. Rikon, Laguna, Jet/Baleigh/Powermatic, Grizzly are all so-so. They basically try and eventually will stand behind their product. Ridgid claims a great lifetime warrantee, but makes it impossible to actually get. ( not buying another from them either). Harvey, one of the actual Chinese OEMs had provided very good CS, as has SawStop. I wil never buy another GE appliance due to the way they treated me, and I will never buy another BMW product. When I was industry, I needed to buy some obscure photo-sensitive chemical. Called all the big names you have heard of. Ten layers of phone tag, secretaries, salesmen, know nothings. Finally one technician said "Yea. Kyocera makes that stuff" Called them up. The guy who answered the phone was the plant manager. He said, sure, we make it, what is your use? I explained and he said, sorry, wrong polarity. One layer. Correct answer. As helpful as possible. If I ever needed a chemical again, I would call them FIRST. I had an Accura. 50K warrantee. At 55K, it wiped a cam. Their answer? "That does not happen to Acuras. Here is a loner, we will fix your car" Done. If they had still made a smaller car when I bought my GTI, I would have bought it. I had to pay for replacing defective ignition coils and a defective ignition lock as amazingly enough, they were not covered in the VW. But darn, it is a great car to drive.

Customer service matters. Be it a commodity audio product or an industrial tool. I like doing business with small companies as usually who you talk to has a stake in the company. They tend to care. Yes, it may cost a little more up front, but that is part of the total value.

Brilliant comment. This good stuff man!
 
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