Iām a little unsure if I should post here or make a separate threadā¦
Iāve just taken delivery of an Asgard 3 but seem to be having some noise issues which I think is coming from my DAC.
Iām using the Soundblaster G6 as my DAC so that I can use my mic for gaming. Problem is, Iām getting noise such as mouse movement and GPU noise from 0-9 on the dial, This seems to disappear a little between the 10-2 stage and come sback louder after that.
The G6 is connected via USB which is then connected to the Asgard via a 3.5mm to RCA on the line out of the G6. When I disconnect the RCA connections from the asgard, I still have noise. When I then diconnect the mic from the G6 I then get silence. I assume a ground loop being caused by the USB to the G6 and using a y-splitter to the G6 mic and asgard 3 headphone out isnāt helping either.
Iām currently looking for my optical cable to try that next. Any thoughts?
Yes, you canāt split a headset/mic connection between two devices, only one is grounded. You either need to go with a Modmic or other standalone mic.
Just done some further testing. With only headphones connected (DT990) directly into the Asgard, As soon as the G6 is connected I get audible noise. The only way to rectify is to have external power to the G6 and optical from the PC to G6. Going to try an iDefender+ from iFi Audio.
I removed the Asgard and fed it from a different wall socket. Same issue. The only way it seems is use a different supply to the G6 now. Iāll see how it goes with the idefender.
First impressions (In comparison to the JDS Labs EL II)
The JDS Labs EL II amp is very crispy clean-sounding. I donāt know how to put it to words, but I will try: It was like wearing prescription glasses for the first time. Everything is clear, sharp, and the detail of everything is mesmerizing. For me personally, this gave the impression that all of my headphones and IEMS were too loud. Especially for the Yamaha HPH MT-5, the BLON BL-03 and Tripowin TC-01, I couldnāt get passed ~7:00-7:30 or else I felt like my eardrums would explode, and this was on low gain. However, the Tin P1 and Sennheiser HD 6XX in my arsenal saw great benefit from thisā¦ this power. For that reason, I had to buy the iFi IEMatch+ for the express purpose of more volume control. Going back to the prescription glasses analogy, itās like getting surprised of the hustle and bustle of a city, because you can see anything and everything. Everything is so detailed and stimulating that you canāt help but admire the world around you.
For the Schiit Asgard, I will relent with the prescription glasses analogy. Instead of the big city however, what stimulates me is a scenic beachside. However, these glasses have been worn for a while, but I can still see just fine; I can appreciate the ocean waves, the good weather, and the amazing sunlight. Unlike the busy street, I can just escape from reality with the relaxing atmosphere, and that is all that really matters. Itās truly ironic, because my lineup doesnāt sound as loud on the Asgard on low gain as it would on the EL II.
Donāt get me wrong, the EL II had me going āOh! Oh? Agh!ā, but the Asgard 3 makes me go āAhhhhhhhhhhhhā¦!ā if that makes senseā¦
I got one shortly after the release and am pretty darn happy with it. It is still limited to 32 bit 192kHz but got the Schiit Unison USB which seems to be very good. I hooked it up to my Macbook Air, to my RoPieeeXL and my Pixel 4a. All worked perfectly and the sound differences were miniscule.
Right now I have my Pixel 4a connected to the Asgard 3 via USB-C playing local files via UAPP.
Yeah. If you are looking for an all-in-one solution itās pretty competetive. The measurements look decent too. No IMD hump at all. Sound is not typical ESS sound but rather a Schiit refined ESS sound. Not as bright as other ESS dacs I have listened to over the years. Resolution is pretty good as is layering and imaging. For the price you canāt go wrong imo.
okay people, itās been about 2-and-a-half days, and i am already having a problem. to cut it short, the right channel of ANY headphone or IEM i use has this scratchy and sibilant distortion. i tried swapping cables.
in the middle of writing this message, i have decided to swap back to the JDS Labs EL II to check if this was perhaps a DAC issue. I did the headphone shuffle, and the IEM cable switcharoo, and no scratchy distortion in the right channel for anything.
to triple check, i decided to swap back to the asgard 3, and then like magic, the scratchy distortion is gone. i have no idea why it started, nor why it ended. iām just happy that it magically fixed itself. will keep you all updated in case if it persists. in a state of panic, i have already contacted schiit, and i will updated them about my findings as well.
in the meantime, please look at how geometrically pleasant this asymmetrical triple stack is.
update: the scratchiness returned after some time, and again for no discernable reason. i decided to plug out the asgard 3 again and swap to the EL II. again, no scratchiness in the right channel when i use the EL II. afterwards, i swapped back and the scratchiness is gone in the asgard 3. what a mystery.
Update: the right channel will have a pop and slight hiss at times after listening to music for an hour or two.
Manā¦ I love my Asgard 3 but it seems like the QA on this product is not the best. Seems like every time I check back in here there is a new person with an issue which is a real shame because this is such a fantastic product at the price point. Hope they can fix whatever is going on there.
Thankfully they are pretty nice with return/exchange policy, they fixed my issue within 1 week of e-mailing them.
