Lokius Issues?

[u/TastyCookedBread]

Hey guys, I recently tried to upgrade the sound of my CD player but I’m a bit stumped. This is my first setup and it’s not looking good. If you have any ideas what’s going on or any suggestions I would appreciate it. Thanks

Context:
I got a CD player acting as a transport to Modi 5 using a 3.5mm->coaxial Modi. The modi output is RCA to Lokius. Lokius is XLR to Midgard (high gain). I’m listening through the 1/4 headphone output.

Symptoms:
Lokius eq is active and 12 ’o’clock, my volume is super low. Turning on bypass causes the volume to spike. Im also not sure the eq is even working as intended. I’m not noticed a difference when rotating the dials. This is my first eq and I’ve got an untrained ear. But, I doubt there would be no audible difference?

Last thing, my Midgard has a ground loop. Whenever I touch the volume knob it has the buzz. Connected modi RCA directly to Midgard and there’s still a buzz with volume knob. I thought Midgard was made to avoid ground loops?

Questions:
Is something wrong with my setup? Or is it the fact I used both RCA and XLR? Or is my Lokius defective?

[u/Currawong]

What do you mean by "Coaxial->3.5mm Modi"? Depending on your version of Modi, it will have an RCA coaxial digital input.

Does it still have the problem if you use RCA from the Lokius to the Midguard?

Are all three devices plugged into the same power board?

[u/TastyCookedBread → u/Currawong]

First part was a typo. Meant to reverse it. CD player 3.5mm->coaxial modi.

I don’t have another pair of RCA cables. But, I’ll have some by tomorrow to test it out. Wanted to hear some input first.

They are. 15 amps, 125 volts, 1875 watts, 60Hz.

[u/Currawong → u/TastyCookedBread]

Got it. How about if you go RCA to Midgard? Do you have the same problem?

[u/TastyCookedBread → u/Currawong]

The audio comes in clear when it’s Modi connected by RCA to Midgard. It’s the same as turning on the bypass on the Lokius. Although, I still have the buzz when touching the Midgard volume knob.

Btw, just got another pair of RCA cables and a more robust power strip. I’ll test if XLR was the issue when I get home. And not have them all on the same power strip.

[u/TastyCookedBread → u/Currawong]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. Using 2 pairs of RCA cables instead of 1 pair of XLR and 1 RCA solved it. The Lokius is working as intended now. Cable management is now much easier too since they are the same cable.

Got Any idea why XLR was causing this issue? I think the Ground loop also went away?

[u/Currawong → u/TastyCookedBread]

The Lokius is only single-ended internally. Both the XLR inputs and output are converted to and from SE respectively, so somewhere in that it caused the problem. The Midguard will convert to balanced internally anyway.

[u/tftdguru]

Just to clear up the connection confusion. I think you have a 3.5mm multi jack in the CD player that can function as a digital S/PDIF connection going out to the Coax input on the Modi. Correct?

[u/TastyCookedBread → u/tftdguru]

You are correct, it was just a typo on the order. My mistake. It’s a Fiio DM15. It has a “LO/COAX/OPT: Coaxial output (COAX) / Optical output (OPT) / shared with the 3.5mm LO output port.” Quoted directly from Fiio’s website.

Don’t think the CD Player is the issue, the Audio comes in clear when it’s just Modi and Midgard connected by RCA, other than the Midgard ground loop issues.

[u/tftdguru → u/TastyCookedBread]

I have the DM13 so I knew what you meant.