2. digital
  3. 191235-3418

settings on my Hegel cdp

Hello all-

I am having a bit of trouble with my set up and wonder if you all had any advice.

I recently purchased a Hegel Viking cd player.  I am running RCA cables from the cd player to my amp that powers my speakers.  Sounds great.  I also have a BNC cable from the digital out on the back of the Viking connected to a Schiit Bifrost DAC connected to a LYR 2 amp for headphones.  I used this same setup with my prior cd player (Line Magnetic 515).  I don’t get any sound with the Hegel out of the headphone amp, however.  I sent the headphone amp in for service (it’s fine); I have new tubes.  I’m thinking of getting a new BNC cable in case that has failed (but it isn’t that old).  But is there some setting on the Hegel that I need to select for it to know to send music to the external DAC when I use my headphones?  I see a “DAC + “ button on the remote?  The manual says this is for "DAC input."  I don't know what that means.  Do I need to do something with this to select the external DAC?

Other ideas?

Many thanks!

Margot

mcanaday
3 responses Add your response
mcanaday OP
169 posts
 

Hi-

Thanks for the ideas.  I am glad to know about Pasternack.  (Current cable is Black Cat Cable--BNC on one end with RCA adapter on the end that connects to Bifrost DAC.)

I checked coax settings etc on Bifrost.  That doesn't seem to be it.  

I got this reply from Hegel.

"Thank you for your email. Please note that there are no settings required for using the digital output. However, connecting the digital and analog outputs simultaneously to different systems could in some cases lead to grounding issues that disturbs the digital signal.

In this setup I would recommend connecting your Viking CD player directly to your headphone amp with analog cables as this would give you way better sound quality than using an external DAC. Viking is designed to be used with analog connections, you will not get any sound quality benefits from the special technology used with the digital output. "

Hmmm.  I am sort of interested in an upgrade, so now I am wondering about moving the Bifrost/Lyr 2 elsewhere and getting a Schitt Moljnir 3.  Then I could run balanced cables directly to the headphone amp, while the RCA's are connected to the Brinkmann amp that drives my speakers.  I hadn't really considered bypassing an external dac on the headphone setup, but this seems pretty simple?

Thoughts?

cheers and thanks,

Margot

 

 

zlone
657 posts
 

Looking at the Viking manual, I do not see any setting or control that would affect the digital out. The DAC+ button does not apply to the Viking and is used for their DAC’s. I suspect that the issue could be with the Bifrost. Do you have the correct input selected for coax? Is it muted by chance? It seems unlikely that it is the cable, but if all else fails it is worth trying. 

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,825 posts
 

The DAC +/-  button is for Hegel's stand alone DAC  .   The digital out should always be active.   Is the BNC cable an RCA on one end ?   What DAC are you using?

If you suspect the cable , check out a company called Pasternack.com.   The can ma,e you a true 75 Ohm custom BNC to RCA or BNC to BNC what ever you need.  WireWorld makes BNC to RCA or BNC both ends that are good too.    

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