DAC Problems

1. You may have a low-power USB port. In their quest to save us from excess USB power consumption, Windows and MacOS can cause problems by selectively suspending operation and/or having only low power available from the USB port. 

 

2. On PCs and Macs, you may be able to eliminate it by disabling port power management. See here:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-windows-10-turning-usb-devices and https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204032

 

3. For all devices, a definitive solution is to use an externally powered USB 2.0 hub and insert it between your computer and your DAC. This provides power that an underpowered USB port cannot.

 

 

1. It’s totally normal for Bifrost, Gungnir, and Yggdrasil DACs to click (mechanically, from the chassis) during normal operation. That’s the muting relay, doing its job. It clicks whenever the SPDIF datastream is interrupted. 

 

2. If it’s clicking excessively on a Mac or PC, you can reduce it by routing system sounds to the speaker on a Mac, rather than to the Schiit USB Audio Device output. On a PC, you can set system sounds to "no sounds." In both cases, using USB largely eliminates it.

 

3. If it’s clicking excessively on a CD transport when in pause, the CD transport has a cycling interruption in the datastream. There’s no real fix for this, except getting another CD transport. It won’t hurt the Bifrost or Gungnir, though—the relays are rated for several million cycles.

 

 

1. If you're using a computer source, make sure you’ve selected SPDIF output in BOTH System Preferences/Control Panel and your non-iTunes player software (Bitperfect, Amarra, Audirvana, Foobar, JRiver, etc…) Sometimes you’ll have to restart the player again, too. Extra fun: volume all the way down mutes output in Mac OS Ventura.

 

2. If you're using a disk player, ensure you're plugged into the digital output and that it is functional.

 

3. If you're using an SACD player, remember that it will not output digital content from SACDs. This is not our fault. Blame Sony's lawyers for that one.

 

4. A DAC with multiple inputs, like Gungnir or Bifrost, has to be set to the correct input. Believe it or not, some people miss the button on the front panel.

 

5. If it’s set to the right input and you’re still not hearing music, make sure you don’t have the volume turned all the way down on your player software. 

 

6. Try a different optical or coaxial cable.

 

7. Try a different transport or computer source.

 

8. Still no sound? Are you using an amp and headphones or speakers? The DAC won’t make sound by itself. 

 

 

1. Most Apple computers lock down the optical output above 24/96. If you’re using a Mac, that’s all you get. Complain to Apple.

 

2. Many PCs also cannot output anything higher than 24/96 on optical. Even if the PC claims higher than 24/96 on optical, the BIOS or drivers may not be able to enable it. Check the manufacturer’s website.

 

3. Many longer optical cables will struggle with 24/192 data rates. Use a short, high-quality optical cable. And cross your fingers. Really, if you want to do 24/192 reliably, use USB or coax inputs.

 

 

1. Optical cables can be problematic at higher data rates. See above. 

 

2. USB cables can be problematic as well. Try another one that's 2M or less in length, and at least USB 2.0 rated. Also see power management tips above.

 

3. If you’re using your computer for more than listening to music, it may have trouble keeping up with your work and your music—especially if it’s a few years old, or using an older operating system. 

 

4. Some anti-malware and anti-virus software may interact with Windows UAC2 USB audio interface and cause audible problems such as dropouts, pops, and glitches. Consider disabling such software and using the standard Windows Security options in Windows 10 or 8.1, including Firewall and Defender options if needed, since these are engineered specifically to work with all Windows drivers and capabilities