Post by lurch on Nov 1, 2022 14:56:17 GMT
As you all know by now, on Thursday I acquired an ex-dem Innuos ZenITH and it of-course only outputs via USB. Other than a couple of old printer leads I didn't have a suitable USB lead, couldn't be bothered with a 40 mile round trip to AudioT in Portsmouth, so agreed a price for the dealers ex-dem Chord Epic usb lead. Anyway I plumbed it in direct to my Black Ice DAC, (hadn't re-installed Mutec at this point) and set it to play RP whilst I worked out how to import files from my NAS, DAMN! this really does sound good, so for the rest of the evening I swapped between my files, Qobuz and RP, (all tracks 16/44 & 24/44 or 48)
Friday afternoon when I came in from work I settled in for another session and after a while I decided to have a play, so re-inserted the Mutec to see the difference, this however entailed Coax out to the BI, with a 24/96 cap which was set with the Innuos Sense App. I returned to my listening chair with great expectations for a good lift in SQ so having checked all the correct lights were up on the Mutec I fired it up. WTF!!! How can £6k of kit and wires produce such a disgusting noise?? Yes there was music but this was overlaid with a horrible level of hash. Bollox!! I pull the usb from the Mutec and plug it back in the BI and all is good with my audio world. Next step, give T a ring to discuss the problem, with no joy, he suggests checking my Innuos settings with Alan, so I give him a ring only to discover my settings are all good, though he's not impressed with the noise he hears over the phone and confirms something ain't right. I also try different control devices (my Chrome book & Galaxy Tab A8) at Tony's suggestion still no joy so text T to let him know, to which he says yep looks like usb section in Mutec is fooked. Looks like I'd bought a bum unit but never having used the usb IN before so had no idea it could be bad.
Having had enough of RP I stick a few albums in a queue and let them play whilst I check the forums, after about an hour a 24/96 version of Alison Moyets Alf starts, hmm nice! But then I notice a few gently ticks, so concentrate and realise the sound is the tiniest bit fuzzy around the edges. Never mind maybe it's the file, so as the usb on the BI can handle 24/192 I jump to the next album Norah Jones Come away with me (24/192 Qobuz) WTF is going on this is unbearable, dropouts, no lock clicking, hash and music. I try another album SRV Couldn't stand the weather (24/176 Qobuz) and yep you've guessed it, the same disgusting noise.
Well bugger me sideways, two pieces of kit on which I've never before used the usb IN are defective, with the BI working great on anything upto and including 24/48 but getting upset on anything above that. I contacted Rob Ayres (Open door on the WAM who was the Jolida/BI importer) who said to return it to him, he would check it and if needs be get a new board from BI which are pretty cheap. So looks like two repair bills eating into my play money.
Sunday sees me sticking to 16/44 and researching affordable but decent usb capable dacs, either as a temp stand-in whilst the BI is repaired or as a long-term replacement.
Monday was mostly a day without music as I was on grandad duties, though I did spend the day taking stock of my current dilemma whilst trying to entertain my 9yr old & 6yr old grandsons.
1. Direct into BI the ZenITH sounds great upto a max of 24/48
2. Won't play nicely with the Mutec
3. Units could be away for upto a month for repair
4. Do I buy a temp/perm replacement even though funds are low
5. Revert to Node and a FiiO Taishan whilst units are repaired.
Got home from daughters, stuck the system on and went searching for the Mutec & BI boxes so I could pack them for shipping. When I opened up the boxes there were the two giveaway cables so on a whim I decided to stick them in to see what happened (one into dac t'other into Mutec (as easier to swap over via ZenITH).
It didn't matter whether I played direct to the DAC or via the Mutec, both el cheapo giveaway cables worked perfectly 24/192 direct to BI & 24/96 via Mutec and Coax.
How does sound at higher res via the cheapo cables, absolutely wonderful.
So there you have it, a virtually brand new Chord Epic was the root of a stressful 3 days but because it was piping music I had no reason to think it was at fault. Well normally a cable either works, or it doesn't, full stop, end of story, or so I thought.
Spoke to the dealer this morning and told him I wanted a full refund and I would send it back. Also thinking back I never played any hi-res music during the demo so neither of us knew that the cable wouldn't for whatever reason, play nicely with the BI.
Ohh, and this time on T's recommendation I've gone for a Supra usb cable, an Excalibur to be exact.
Friday afternoon when I came in from work I settled in for another session and after a while I decided to have a play, so re-inserted the Mutec to see the difference, this however entailed Coax out to the BI, with a 24/96 cap which was set with the Innuos Sense App. I returned to my listening chair with great expectations for a good lift in SQ so having checked all the correct lights were up on the Mutec I fired it up. WTF!!! How can £6k of kit and wires produce such a disgusting noise?? Yes there was music but this was overlaid with a horrible level of hash. Bollox!! I pull the usb from the Mutec and plug it back in the BI and all is good with my audio world. Next step, give T a ring to discuss the problem, with no joy, he suggests checking my Innuos settings with Alan, so I give him a ring only to discover my settings are all good, though he's not impressed with the noise he hears over the phone and confirms something ain't right. I also try different control devices (my Chrome book & Galaxy Tab A8) at Tony's suggestion still no joy so text T to let him know, to which he says yep looks like usb section in Mutec is fooked. Looks like I'd bought a bum unit but never having used the usb IN before so had no idea it could be bad.
Having had enough of RP I stick a few albums in a queue and let them play whilst I check the forums, after about an hour a 24/96 version of Alison Moyets Alf starts, hmm nice! But then I notice a few gently ticks, so concentrate and realise the sound is the tiniest bit fuzzy around the edges. Never mind maybe it's the file, so as the usb on the BI can handle 24/192 I jump to the next album Norah Jones Come away with me (24/192 Qobuz) WTF is going on this is unbearable, dropouts, no lock clicking, hash and music. I try another album SRV Couldn't stand the weather (24/176 Qobuz) and yep you've guessed it, the same disgusting noise.
Well bugger me sideways, two pieces of kit on which I've never before used the usb IN are defective, with the BI working great on anything upto and including 24/48 but getting upset on anything above that. I contacted Rob Ayres (Open door on the WAM who was the Jolida/BI importer) who said to return it to him, he would check it and if needs be get a new board from BI which are pretty cheap. So looks like two repair bills eating into my play money.
Sunday sees me sticking to 16/44 and researching affordable but decent usb capable dacs, either as a temp stand-in whilst the BI is repaired or as a long-term replacement.
Monday was mostly a day without music as I was on grandad duties, though I did spend the day taking stock of my current dilemma whilst trying to entertain my 9yr old & 6yr old grandsons.
1. Direct into BI the ZenITH sounds great upto a max of 24/48
2. Won't play nicely with the Mutec
3. Units could be away for upto a month for repair
4. Do I buy a temp/perm replacement even though funds are low
5. Revert to Node and a FiiO Taishan whilst units are repaired.
Got home from daughters, stuck the system on and went searching for the Mutec & BI boxes so I could pack them for shipping. When I opened up the boxes there were the two giveaway cables so on a whim I decided to stick them in to see what happened (one into dac t'other into Mutec (as easier to swap over via ZenITH).
It didn't matter whether I played direct to the DAC or via the Mutec, both el cheapo giveaway cables worked perfectly 24/192 direct to BI & 24/96 via Mutec and Coax.
How does sound at higher res via the cheapo cables, absolutely wonderful.
So there you have it, a virtually brand new Chord Epic was the root of a stressful 3 days but because it was piping music I had no reason to think it was at fault. Well normally a cable either works, or it doesn't, full stop, end of story, or so I thought.
Spoke to the dealer this morning and told him I wanted a full refund and I would send it back. Also thinking back I never played any hi-res music during the demo so neither of us knew that the cable wouldn't for whatever reason, play nicely with the BI.
Ohh, and this time on T's recommendation I've gone for a Supra usb cable, an Excalibur to be exact.
