Marantz SA-11S3 USB Dac Issues - Mac OSx Yosemite

[airheadair]

Thank you both for these posts.  I currently have an SA 14, which so far works fine with my iMac and El Capitain.

I'm only now experimenting with Sierra, and it seems to be okay there two, with and without Audrivana Plus (version 2.x)

 

Sorry, what is "Eitr" ?

 

I am very interested in hearing more about the SA10.  For me, SACD's (some of them) sound really excellent on the SA14, but  most CD's don't match to my LP setup.  Any idea how the SA10 would compare to the SA14?  I know it used a completely different approach to the DAC, but how does that pay off?  

 

 

[watercourse]

Unfortunately I can't speculate how the SA-10 might sound compared to the SA-14.

 

I did have an NA-11S1 in my system for a few weeks, but doing purely DAC duties with my SACD spinner, the differences in sound (for PCM only) weren't massive from my Bel Canto and didn't justify my purchase just on the streaming and networking functions. FWIW, I believe that the NA-11 and SA-11 are similar on the DAC side (but I don't follow Marantz tech very closely and could be very wrong about this, although I am a big fan of their sound).

All that said, the SA-10's sonics are strikingly awesome, very liquid, resolved, dynamic, and refined. True for all inputs, including CD and SACD playback. And the USB input did not need any aftermarket components to get to this level of performance, as it should be for the price tag.

[Tapper]

Hello,

 

I can only speak for the SA-14S1. I was running the Tidal hi fi stream via an iPad lighting (adapted) USB A to USB B. Now with the Eitr: [it's a converter that accepts the USB b connection in from a laptop and converts it out Coaxial (SPDIF). In other words it isolate the USB and all its sound issues.] the signal is a direct digital cable from Eitr to a DAC- Not a subtle difference. Bang for the buck stuff ($207 shipped) in my system. 

 

Happy listening,

Glenn

[Tapper]

From the Schiit Audio site: USB, SOLVED: INTRODUCING GEN 5 AND EITR

07/17/2017

Schiit Eliminates Need for USB "Band-Aids"

July 17, 2017, Valencia, CA. Today, Schiit Audio announced the availability of its new Gen 5 USB input and Eitr USB to SPDIF converter. Both products feature "Gen 5" USB technology with full electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation from the source, self-power for the low-noise reclocking section, and precision crystal clock sources for both 44.1k and 48k sample rate multiples, for unprecedented performance. 

“Throw away your decrapifiers, regenerators, isolators, magic boxes, and all the rest of those USB band-aids,” Mike Moffat, Schiit’s Co-Founder said. “You don’t need them with our Gen 5 USB input.”

Mike Moffat notes that the Gen 5 USB technology achieves its UAC2 high-speed capability in a different way than most other USB inputs, using transformer coupling rather than optoisolation. “Transformers gave us better jitter performance,” Mike added. “This, coupled with much better local clocking, makes for the highest-performance USB input we’ve sold. I like to say it’s so good, we skipped a generation (from 4 to 5.)”

The USB Gen 5 input is now standard on all upgradable Schiit DACs. Retail prices remain the same as before, with Bifrost and Bifrost Multibit at $399 and $599 respectively, Gungnir and Gungnir Multibit at $849 and $1249 respectively, and Yggdrasil at $2299. Current owners of Schiit DACs with Gen 1, 2, and 3 USB inputs can upgrade for $150 with installation. All Gen 5 products are available for purchase now.

Eitr, a standalone product, converts USB to coaxial SPDIF using Gen 5 technology. This standalone product, compatible with all DACs having a coaxial digital input, is available for purchase now at $179.

About Schiit Audio
Founded in June 2010 by Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat, Schiit has grown into a leader in affordable high-end audio, with a wide range of products spanning DACs, headphone amplifiers, and preamplifiers, from $49 to $2299. 

 

 

 

 

[Tapper]

The Schiit Eitr is a USB to COAX converter. I’m hearing all around improvements when placed between computer and player/Dac.