Final review post!
OK, I apologize to anyone who read that I thought the Id didn't sound good. It was a process to get the right driver for the Gungnir multi-bit, but I finally did. So how does it sound?
I build custom tube amps and preamps so my system is pretty good. System is: Id > gungir multibit > my commercial version of the tubes4hifi sp14 line stage (very hot rodded 6sn7 based line stage with Akido buffer) > my custom kt88 amp with independent regulated high voltage supplies for each channel and full auto biasing > Audio Nirvana 15 inch Alnico classic drivers in 5.6 cu ft. cabinets. The Id drives the Gungir with a USB connection, not optical. I may pick up a cheap optical cable just to hear the difference.
The system is quite revealing and has tons of headroom with 65 watts/ ch of tube power on a 95-96 dB speaker. It is very detailed, but not the least bit bright. The Id presents a blacker background than an old windows laptop running MC for windows. It is more revealing of fine detail. The price is that it is just slightly brighter than the old laptop. The brightness is subtle and the detail and blacker background are addicting. Part of the difference may also be the windows version is using a Schiit-supplied USB WASAPI driver to link MC and the DAC, and the linux version on the Id uses some other driver. Both drivers basically just send the data from the drive to the DAC with no digital volume control and no adjustments of any kind, bypassing the OS as far as I know. The Gungnir multi-bit upgrade is well worth it to my ears. I ran that Gungnir for 3+ years and loved it, but the upgrade is well worth the money.
So my take on the Id is that it is not quite turn-key (darn close), you need to fiddle a bit if you are trying to port an existing MC library to it. I need it to be the music server of the system. It sits by the stereo and connects to everything via my wireless network. I am not playing music from network drives although it does see them nicely. The music resides on a big external drive that is attached to the Id. I control the Id with my android tablet, my android phone, or my windows laptop. All work seamlessly. Once you get the copy of MC set up on the Id and the proper drivers for your DAC installed it sounds fantastic. Black background, dead quiet, wonderful dynamics. The slap of fingers on bass strings are amazing. It just works. So for $300-$500 (including an external drive) you get a music server that you have complete control of, with software updates that cost what… $19 every year or two? MC is a great program I have used for years. You can wander around with any number of hand held devices and control your music via your wireless network. It is not a closed system with ridiculous digital rights management BS. You can make all of your playlists, etc… AND it will play basically any file of any resolution that your DAC can handle AND MC is like a big Swiss army knife, it can convert all your high resolution formats into lower res copies for your phone or car. You just have to roll up your sleeves a bit and figure it all out, but once you are there you have complete control of your music for peanuts… what’s not to like?!!!
Happy listening,
Don
