Schiit Loki & Meridian Director shootout

[Pider]

No, not using a NAS at the moment. I am just using the few albums that I keep on the PC.

I've actually stopped using memory play, as they specify, and it's working better. I thought it would be just the opposite.

I've looked a bit closer at their screen shot and fiddled with the seek, stop and pause settings. Also, I hadn't set the "play silence at start-up" setting.

It seems to be working okay at the moment. I'm switching between songs within an album and between albums. It's keeping up at the moment. This will take a bit of futzing, I'm sure.

Wish I knew more about JRiver zones so I could switch back and forth between the Music Streamer DAC and the Loki DSD. That's next.

[Pider]

It's doing just fine now. Not sure quite what all I did to make it so, but it hasn't burped again, and I've been pretty aggressive trying to make it do so.

Overall, impressive! Nice find, guys. Can't wait to see how it stacks up to my Bifrost, and how it holds up to PC's upcoming Gungnir. For systems such as mine, this is some good Schiit for a very affordable price.

[Loop4fun]

My Loki arrived a couple of days ago. I'm currently using it with a Macbook Pro and Audirvana. I have a new Mac Mini that I will install tomorrow with JRiver and try to get it to run PCM with my Bel Canto system and DSD with the Loki. I want JRiver of course to be able to convert PCM to DSD.

I ordered a power upgrade from Core Audio for the Mini, but I came to my senses and want to be sure the Mini serves the purpose before I go all in. Ryan was nice enough to cancel my order and refund. I'll wait a few months and see how this all shakes out.

My Bel Canto system consisits of the CD-2VB transport, Dac 3.5 Mark IIVB, Ref Link, and VBS-1. Right now I'm using Pure Music for it and as I mentioned Audirvana dor the DSD. I could not get the Loki working with Pure Music. I'd like to get it set up so that it is easy to compare the two formats.

Early on I am very impressed with this $149 Loki and DSD. I feel like I'm at least "In the game".

[Puma Cat]

Hey guys.
I'm listening to Loki as I write this, and I have to say that, if anything, it has gotten even better with some burn-in time on it. Something that I found to make a big improvement was to put an Audioquest Coffee USB cable on it, so know that it it is resolving enough to clearly reveal the benefit of higher specification USB cables. If you are using an el cheapo Radio Shack, Belkin, or even an Audioquest Carbon USB cable, you are quite simply, not hearing how good Loki can sound.

I haven't been messing around with trying to convert PCM to DSD or other players; just streaming DSD to it via Audirvana, and Loki ROCKS!!! This DAC sounds every bit as good as my $1300 Wadia 121, if not better. I have some stuff that is has been back-ripped to DSD from SACD, and that sounds great, but the native DSD stuff is absolutely remarkable.

Michael Lavorgna at Audiostream said Schiit knocked one of the park in his review of Loki, and I have to agree. I know some folks here will never consider putting Loki into their system because it only costs $149....all I can is, "It's your loss, baby!"

Loki has got to be the bargain of the year in audio.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Pider

No, not using a NAS at the moment. I am just using the few albums that I keep on the PC.

I've actually stopped using memory play, as they specify, and it's working better. I thought it would be just the opposite.

I've looked a bit closer at their screen shot and fiddled with the seek, stop and pause settings. Also, I hadn't set the "play silence at start-up" setting.

It seems to be working okay at the moment. I'm switching between songs within an album and between albums. It's keeping up at the moment. This will take a bit of futzing, I'm sure.

Wish I knew more about JRiver zones so I could switch back and forth between the Music Streamer DAC and the Loki DSD. That's next.

Here is a note from Jason Stoddard at Schiit regarding pop from Loki when using PC based music servers....

"Actually the "pop" when starting up a stream is a known issue with many, many DSD DACs. This is why JRiver and other players have the option to "Play silence on startup for hardware synchronization" and "Play a little silence on stop."

It's a computer-based issue. We don't have the problem on any of our Mac installs, nor on any of our current test PC installations, even without those options enabled, but some systems will need it."

[Loop4fun]

Stephen, I could not get the Loki to run at all with my a expensive cable which at 9 feet worked will the Reflink.

One of the first things the Shiit troubleshooting guide said to do was to go get a short "non audiophile" cable, and that solved the problem.

I'll try the one meter Coffees on both.

Thanks for the tip on the Loki!

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Hey guys.
I'm listening to Loki as I write this, and I have to say that, if anything, it has gotten even better with some burn-in time on it. Something that I found to make a big improvement was to put an Audioquest Coffee USB cable on it, so know that it it is resolving enough to clearly reveal the benefit of higher specification USB cables. If you are using an el cheapo Radio Shack, Belkin, or even an Audioquest Carbon USB cable, you are quite simply, not hearing how good Loki can sound.

I haven't been messing around with trying to convert PCM to DSD or other players; just streaming DSD to it via Audirvana, and Loki ROCKS!!! This DAC sounds every bit as good as my $1300 Wadia 121, if not better. I have some stuff that is has been back-ripped to DSD from SACD, and that sounds great, but the native DSD stuff is absolutely remarkable.

Michael Lavorgna at Audiostream said Schiit knocked one of the park in his review of Loki, and I have to agree. I know some folks here will never consider putting Loki into their system because it only costs $149....all I can is, "It's your loss, baby!"

Loki has got to be the bargain of the year in audio.

[ronenash]

Yesterday I replaced the WW starlight USB cable I used with the Loki to WW Platinum, which is what I use with the Meridian Director, and had another big jump in sound quality. Better detail, highs are more extended, lows are more articulate and a wider soundstage. This DAC truly amazes!

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by ronenash

Yesterday I replaced the WW starlight USB cable I used with the Loki to WW Platinum, which is what I use with the Meridian Director, and had another big jump in sound quality. Better detail, highs are more extended, lows are more articulate and a wider soundstage. This DAC truly amazes!

I agree. It took a big jump in performance when I put an Audioquest Coffee USB on it. Amazing DAC.

[Puma Cat]

Snagged a 1.5 meter Audioquest Diamond USB cable today for Loki!

A $699 USB cable on a $149 DAC! Ha!

[ronenash]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Snagged a 1.5 meter Audioquest Diamond USB cable today for Loki!

A $699 USB cable on a $149 DAC! Ha!

Tell me about it. The WW Platinum USB cable also costs over 4 times the Loki price