Schiit Loki DSD companion DAC $149

I got the Loki today and all I can say is wow. The DSD files I downloaded from Superhirez sound pure analog after going into This DAC. I'm Going ape Schiit with this endless supply of Bananas for $149.

 

every dac makes a pure analog signal, that's why it's a dac! I'm just having fun

 

I'm giving Oscar Petersons We get Requests DSD download a listen now and hear so much Resolution that I look around the room wondering were the sounds are coming from. The speakers almost sound to life like to me with this DSD stuff coming out the back of that Loki.

 

here is the latest review of Schiit Loki by audiostream http://www.audiostream.com/content/schiit-audio-loki-dsd-dedicated-dac

 

Hey Gang,
It's been almost three months to the day since I got my Loki, so I thought I would post a follow-up review.

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 DBS 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 hoo-ha with JRiver; just streaming DSD files to it via Audirvana, and Loki frickin' ROCKS!!! This DAC sounds every bit as good as my $1300 Wadia 121, if not better. I have some stuff that is has been ripped to DSD from SACD discs, and that sounds terrific (better than their PCM equivalents), but the native DSD stuff is absolutely stunning. There are now close to 200 titles on Super HiRez for y'all to explore, so go check 'em out!

Michael Lavorgna at Audiostream said Schiit knocked one of the park in his review of Loki, and I fully agree. I know some folks here will never consider putting Loki into their system because it only costs $149, or, it's not an all-in-one DAC or it's not this or it's not that or it doesn't butter their toast.....all I can is, "It's your loss, baby!"

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

 

Until now I have been converting my SACD .iso rips to 24/88.2 LPCM files so that I can play them back through my Bifrost DAC (originally I tried Audirvana's on-the-fly DSD-to-LPCM conversion but experienced too many glitches in the way it handled the .iso files). Before I go even further down this rabbit hole, how much of a sonic compromise is converting DSD to LPCM versus playing DSD natively? In other words, will I notice an audible improvement by purchasing the Loki to play my SACD rips in native DSD format versus what I am currently doing?

 

Yes.

 

are you using the Sony Play Station 3 to rip your SACDs?

 

Just snagged an Audioquest Diamond USB cable for use with Loki! I love the irony of using a $700 USB cable on a $150 DAC! Ha!

 

I purchased the new Arcam IRdac recently and absolutely love it. Only drawback is no DSD decoding. I do have jriver which can convert DSD to hi res PCM but wondering if picking up one of these is a better answer. Thoughts anyone? Thanks!

 

Good one.

 

Yes.

 

Just buy a Schiit Loki and fuggedaboutit. You can play DSD natively then.

Oh, and Loki will probably smoke the Arcam IRdac...it punches WAY, WAY above it's weight class, especially with a first-class USB cable.

 

So does the Arcam. You should listen to one before you irresponsibly decide one smokes the other.

 

I have listened to one at length, they are carried by my local brick and mortar store.While I like and respect Arcam's products very much (I own an Arcam AVR280 AVR, for example), the rDAC series haven't impressed me that much. I think there are better DACs available in the same price range.

 

You might be thinking of the Rdac. The IRdac just came out and from what I've read significantly beats the r. I say "read" because I"ve never owned the r.

 

No, I'm referring to the IRdac...I heard it for the better part of an afternoon a few months ago at Music Lovers in Berkeley. It's a good-sounding DAC, don't get me wrong, and if you really like it, that's all that matters. I'm personally of the opinion there are better-sounding DACs available in the IRdacs price-range.

But Loki is an exceptional-sounding DAC, in my opinion, regardless of price, specifically when used with native DSD files. Here's the cool thing: you can get one for $149 and find out for yourself, and if you like DSD and Loki, great! You'll be getting a DAC that provides a tremendous value proposition AND provides acccess to some of the wondeful DSD content that is becoming available now. It's a win-win. If you decide DSD isn't for you, turn around and sell it to someone who also wants to dip their toe into the DSD waters. You can't lose either way, in my experience with this wonderful product.

 

Just put an Audioquest Diamond on Loki! Ha!

See my other thread about this match-up.

 

Not sure about a Diamond but maybe a carbon... Might give it a shot.

 

I have yet to see anyone on the Internet who has actually compared playing a DSD file on the Loki with convering a DSD file to 24/176.4 and then playing that on audiophile DAC (Bifrost or above).

Considering that the Loki has opamp output - as opposed to the Uber analog discrete output - I don't see how the Loki could be better than anything other than the similar Modi PCM DAC.

One thing that I have found in audiophile comparisons is that both "A" and "B" sound good when auditioned by themselves...

 

re: Loki DAC....

If the more expensive Schiit Bifrost needs an Uber Analog upgrade to reach full potential, how does the Loki manage to pull things off?

 

I'd like to know this too??!!

 

There's presently no way to do an analog upgrade on a Loki; remember this is a device that costs $149.

And for what it's worth, I don't see that one needs to do an analog upgrade on Loki; it sounds fantastic just as it is.

Put a good USB cable and pair of interconnects on it, and call it a day.

 

This is just conjecture on your part.

Let me put it this way....playing the same recordings in 24/192 on my Wadia 121 and in DSD on Loki (Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue and Ella Fitzgerald's Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! and Norah Jones Come Away With Me), Loki sounds demonstrably better: better detail and spaciousness, improved leading edges of transients, a deeper, more spacious soundstage or hall ambience, and overall, a more musical and natural sounding presentation.

In a side-by-side comparison with an MSB Analog DAC, while the MSB sounded better in every respect, what was surprising to all listeners (there were three of us listening simultaneously) was how well Loki held it's own compared to an $8,000 DAC. Both the other listeners, hearing Loki for the first time described it's performance as "insane" for the price.

 

When you say "the same recordings" do you mean the DSD converted to 24/192 or do you simply mean the same album (i.e. the same 1958 recording) ? Since you say 192 as opposed to 176.4, I suspect you mean the latter. Usually differences in mastering are larger than differences between audiophile gear.

So far all the reviews for Loki - including your statements - are "its great for $150". That's definitely good information. What I am trying to figure out now is "is it worth bothering with a manual switch, more interconnects, etc. as opposed to just converting DSD to 176.4 and playing over my Bifrost Uber with 2nd Gen USB? (As opposed to using something with the lower grade USB and analog opamp of a Modi, when playing DSD)?