Schiit GUNGNIR User manual

BALANCED UPGRADABLE DAC
GUNGNiR is oDiN’s sPEAR iN NoRsE mythoLoGy.
it’s so CooL it NEvER missEs its mARk.
oUR GUNGNiR woULD mAkE A tRULy CRAPPy sPEAR.
BUt it DEfiNitELy hits thE mARk mUsiCALLy.
wARNiNG: Not APPRovED foR jAvELiN EvENts.
UsiNG GUNGNiR LikE thAt woULD voiD thE wARRANty.
GUNGNIR
owNER’s mANUAL

The following is required by the roughly 9,542 government agencies
and regulations we have to comply with. If you have some common
sense, they should seem pretty straightforward. In any case, read
these instructions before proceeding farther, follow all instructions, and heed
all warnings. Or else!
1. If you don’t know how to install audio devices, get a qualied professional
to help.
2. Never use this device near water, and clean only with a
dry cloth.
3. Assure adequate ventilation, do not block any ventilation openings, or place
near heat sources.
4. Use only the supplied power cord or suitable replacement. Route cords away
from trafc areas and protect them from being pinched. Unplug the cord from
the outlet if the apparatus is unused for a long period of time.
5. To prevent electric shock, do not use the plug with an
extension cord, receptacle, or outlet unless blades can be
fully inserted.
6. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Service is required when
the device has been damaged, including cord or plug damage, liquid has been
spilled or objects have fallen into the device, the device has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS DEVICE TO RAIN OR
MOISTURE.
INTRODUCTION
Gungnir is Odin’s spear, which never missed its mark. Yeah, we
know, it doesn’t sound so impressive in these days of nuclear
weapons, Higgs bosons and so all, but ya gotta consider the
context. And who knows, “a spear that never misses” might be
Norse for “hydrogen bomb,” for all we know. And yeah, we know,
we started this out with a discussion of weapons. Well, we are
Americans, after all. Sorry about that.
But back to Gungnir. Don’t use our Gungnir to stab your friends,
use it to deliver unfailing, on-target reproduction of your digital
music library, whether it’s on CD or in a computer server. Enjoy
your time with Gungnir!
iN thE Box
(1) Gungnir
(1) Power cord
(0) Stick-on feet (they’re screwed on)
(0) Wall-warts (they’re not needed)
(0) Crystals, cryo-nano-dampers, alien wave
absorbers, or any other magical parts

1. Connect Gungnir to your source and your amp or preamp. You’ll
need a set of XLR or RCA cables to connect the Gungnir’s outputs
to your amp or preamp, and a digital cable or cables (coaxial BNC
or RCA, Toslink, or USB) to connect your sources.
2. If you are using USB and have a Windows computer, you may
need to download drivers. Many newer Windows computers will
automatically install the correct drivers, though, so it’s best to sim-
ply plug the Gungnir in via USB and see if it does so. If it doesn’t,
our drivers are available at schiit.com/drivers
3. If you are using a computer source, ensure it is set to output to
the Gungnir. Sometimes PCs and Macs get confused and want to
use internal speakers, or your powered USB headset, or whatever.
Plus, you need to select the Gungnir via Control Panel or System
Preferences and via your music player software—many types of
music players can override the output specied in the OS.
4. Select your source using the button on the front panel. And
enjoy your music!
GETTING STARTED
ABoUt UPGRADEs
Gungnir is upgradable via modular DAC/Analog and USB Input
Cards. Upgrades can be purchased on the Schiit website. All cards
must be added or changed by authorized service personnel. Some
cards may require rmware changes from the factory.
USB Card. When signicant changes happen to USB technology, we
can easily keep pace with an updated USB input card.
DAC/Analog Card. We’ll announce selected upgrades when there
have been signicant changes in technology—or, in other words, we
won’t be starting a D/A chip-of-the-month club.
When it’s time for your upgrade, and it has to come back to us, the
Schiit Upgrade Queueing system ensures you can keep your DAC
until the moment we’re ready to do the upgrade and turn it around
fast. When you order an upgrade, you’ll be automatically added to
the queueing system.
If you’d like to be the rst to know about upgrades as they become
available, sign up on the SPAM link on our site.

SCH-06
06002000
230VAC 20W
CONNECTIONS
2 3
4
5 6
3 Coaxial Input. Connect your coaxial out-
put source with . . . wait for it . . . a coaxial
cable! Very exciting.
4 USB Input. Use a standard USB A-B cable
to connect—2m or less in length, true USB
2.0 rated. Note that some audiophile USB
cables can’t handle USB 2.0 speeds. Yes,
even in this day and age.
5 Optical Input. Use a standard Toslink
cable to connect to the optical input. If
you’re using an Apple computer with inte-
grated optical output, you’ll need a Toslink
with a 1/8” (3.5mm) plug on one side, and a
standard Toslink on the other.
1 RCA Single-Ended Outputs. If you don’t
have balanced inputs, use these to connect
to your amp or preamp. We’ve provided two
pairs for your convenience. There’s no dif-
ference between them, and all outputs are
active all the time.
2 XLR Balanced Outputs. If the rest of your
gear is balanced, use XLR cables to connect
Gungnir to their inputs from these outputs.
You can use all outputs, XLR and RCA,
simultaneously.
6 BNC Input. If you have a source with a
BNC output, Gungnir provides a true 75 ohm
input. Connect this input with a true 75-ohm
BNC cable.
7 Power Switch. Up is on. Down is off. It
doesn’t go sideways.
8 AC Input. Plug the power cord in here.
Plug the other end into a wall outlet of the
correct voltage. Trying to run a 115V unit on
230V will result in a blown fuse, no music,
and a void warranty.
1 7 8

SCH-06
06002000
230VAC 20W
5 BNC Input LED. And...when this is lit,
the BNC input is selected. Yeah, we know.
Obvious.
6 Clock Mode LED (AKA the “Buy Bet-
ter Gear Light.”) When this LED is on, this
means the input is off-frequency or high
jitter, and Gungnir cannot provide maximum
clock regeneration. Don’t panic. What this
means is you’re still getting re-clocked data
(via VCOs vs VCXOs.) If it’s a source you
have no control over (such as via Airport
Express) there’s nothing to worry about. If
you can control your source, you may want
to consider a new one.
1 Input Select. Press the button to cycle
through the inputs: USB, Optical, RCA Coax-
ial, and BNC. Only one can be selected at a
time, unless you ordered the special Reality
Distortion Field™ option. No. Not really.
2 USB Input LED. When this is lit, the USB
input is selected.
3 Optical Input LED. When this is lit,
the optical input is selected. Pretty
simple, huh?
4 Coax Input LED. When this is lit, the co-
axial input is selected. You probably already
knew this.
7 How Come These Holes Don’t Go
Through? Hey, you try getting FCC-friendly
radiated noise on a DAC that has vents in
the cover. Go ahead, try. But hey, they look
cool, right?
CONTROLS
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2 3 4 5 6

I hear hum from Gungnir. What do I do?
Gungnir’s noise floor is insanely low, so it’s most likely a ground
loop. To x a ground loop, try a HumX or a ground loop isolator.
Hey, this thing clicks between songs/between inputs/etc!
Yes, it does.
Care to explain why, smartass?
Sure. That’s the muting relay engaging when there’s no input. Many
computer sources turn off the digital audio output between songs
and when changing sampling rates. We went with a muting relay
because it’s the best way to ensure there are no clicks or pops when
the input is unlocked. But it does click a bit.
It takes a few seconds to change inputs and play music!
Yes, it does. Gungnir is doing a lot when you change inputs. It’s
actually looking at the quality of the input signal and making a deci-
sion on which clock regeneration system to use, as well as which
clock frequency is appropriate to the sampling rate. It’s a hell of a
job, so it can take a little while to lock in.
My computer doesn’t see the Gungnir via USB. What’s up?
It depends on the computer. Some Mac and PC operating systems
have draconian restrictions on the amount of power their USB ports
can provide. Check schiit.com/faq/USB-problems for some possible
solutions.
FAQ
How do I install the Windows USB drivers?
Many newer Windows systems won’t need drivers at all—just plug in
and it will nd and install the correct driver. If you need drivers, our
drivers are available at schiit.com/drivers.
What if I’m still having glitches or intermittent connectivity
when connected to a computer?
Start at schiit.com/faq/DAC-problems for troubleshooting.
I don’t get any sound from Gungnir!
Are your sources on? Check those rst. If you’re using a computer
source, ensure that your computer’s sound output is set to go to the
Gungnir via SPDIF or USB in BOTH the Control Panel/System Prefer-
ences AND your music player software.
Can I leave Gungnir on all the time?
Sure, if you want to. In fact, we leave all our DACs on all the time. It
won’t hurt anything.
So when do I get the killer upgrade to the next level from you?
Make sure you’re on the mailing list, and we’ll let you know when
we’ve released new USB or analog boards.
It doesn’t turn on, what do I do?
Plug it in to a different AC socket. Ensure you are not currently in a
blackout. Then email us if it still doesn’t turn on.

Schiit Audio warrants to the original purchaser that the product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship for ve (5) years from the date of purchase.
Exceptions: Tubes and remote controls. Tubes are covered by a 90-day limited warranty with the same terms, and remotes are covered by a 1-year limited warranty
with the same terms. If a defect covered by this warranty occurs during this warranty period, Schiit Audio will repair the defective product, free of charge. Date of
purchase will be based on customer-submitted receipts, otherwise date of manufacturing will be used to determine warranty period.
OBTAINING WARRANTY SERVICE
If you believe you need warranty service, contact us rst. There may be a simple solution to your problem. Schiit Audio products sent back to us without a Return
Authorization (RA) will be returned to the sender without repair. To contact us and obtain an RA, email [email protected]. We will respond quickly to email inquiries.
WARRANTY LIMITATIONS
THIS WARRANTY SHALL NOT APPLY IF THIS PRODUCT: (a) IS MODIFIED OR TAMPERED WITH; (b) IS DAMAGED BY NEGLIGENCE, ACCIDENT, UNREASONABLE
USE, COFFEE, OR BY OTHER CAUSES UNRELATED TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS OR WORKMANSHIP; OR (c) HAS HAD THE SERIAL NUMBER ALTERED, DEFACED OR
REMOVED.
ANY APPLICABLE IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE HEREBY LIMITED
IN DURATION TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD (5 YEARS). IN NO EVENT SHALL SCHIIT AUDIO BE LIABLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES RESULTING
FROM THE BREACH OF ANY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS WARRANTIES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS OR
EXCLUSION OF CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
This warranty gives you specic legal rights. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state or province to province.
WARRANTY
Application for Council Directives 72/23/EEC, 89/336 EEC
Conformity declared for EN60065, EN55022 Class B, EN50082-1
This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital device,
pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.

sChiit.Com
[email protected]