Thoughts on the Shandling Onix as a SACD transport?
There are a few other threads that discuss this as well that you can find via search.
What would you connect it to and how? I have one connected to an MU2 via digital cable similar to an rca cable (using an analog rca cable, but is a front row reserve), and am happy listening to SACD.
Iâll be connecting it to a SGCD and M700âs. Sources are Octave Records discs.
I tried that about six months ago. You can only connect the two via I2S, and it does work but be prepared to live with a couple of quirks. One of them is figuring out the proper pinouts on the Onix for compatibility with the StellarGold DAC --modes 5 and 9 seem to work the best. With any other mode, the most obvious sign of trouble is that either CD or SACD (or both) playback will be with the left and right channels swapped. Other examples: swapping back and forth between SACD and CD enough times in a row seems to lock the DAC in a mode where it will only play the redbook CD layer of a hybrid disk and requires a complete power down cycle to recover. I sent PS Audio a list of the quirks I saw, most of them of the type I thought could be fixed with SG DAC firmware updates but they typically happen under a somewhat unique set of circumstances, and I donât imagine theyâve done anything with the list due to other priorities. It did not take me long to give up on the Onix and buy a PS Audio SACD transport --a much better way to go.
As a footnote, I personally love SACDs and donât think them a totally dead medium especially in the audiophile world. I hope the Octave, MFSL, and Analogue Productions labels continue to make them and expand their offerings. Further, I realize it is hard to find a manufacturing source for internal drives for SACD transports but I would really like to see PS Audio come out with a new version of the PMG Signature SACD transport.
Thank you. Exactly the kind of information I needed! I currently listen to Red Book CDâs using a Jayâs transport which I love. Iâll probably pass on a Shandling.
The Shanling might not be the best for your situation, but is wonderful with the MU2. Music on SACD is the absolute best I have heard on my system.
Appreciate!
I also use Onix connected to Grimm MU2, via AES/EBU - SACD and CD are great. This small little transport bested my Jayâs Audio CDT3-MK3⊠.which was way more costly, and bigger/heavierâŠ
I continue to be shocked how good the Onix transport is. Good luck.
Thank you.
I also have the Onix connected to the pmg dac via audio quest i2s dragon, sounds and works perfect. The Onix pin configuration is 1 for ps audio. For those of you that where not lucky enough to purchase the pmg transport like myself the Onix is the way to go.
The Onix Zenith XST20 does sound good! But beware: 1) Have you checked for correct left-right channel assignments for CD playback and for SACD playback? According to my notes, Mode 1 has the CD channels correct but the SACD channels are reversed. When I tried all the combinations exhaustively with a Stellar Gold DAC only Modes 5 and 9 played both layers correctly. 2) The Onix has the SACD gap problem and there is no fixing it â ie there is a brief mute during the transition between tracks. Some recordings such as Pink Floydâs Dark Side of the Moon, some classical recordings, etc, continue the sound through from one track to the next and that is when such a momentary gap becomes noticeable --seemingly not so much by some listeners but for others (including me) it can be annoying. The gap problem seems to be unique to Shanling drives as used in the Onix; the PS Audio transports and several others do not have this problem.
An additional comment: For those using the Onix Zenith XST20, my opinion is that a better DAC pairing would be either the matching Onix Zenith XDA20 or the Gustard X-30. This is why PS Audio needs to have an SACD transport in their product lineup that is not discontinued.
pin 1 is the default for ps audio. Left and right channels work perfectly. I used the ps audio sacd set up disc and works perfectly. For live music discs there is a very slight gap between songs but so little it doesnât bother me what so ever. For classical purists this may be an issue but not for me.
I agree ps audio should and could have another cd transport. There are still drives out there other wise other companies would not still be manufacturing them. Probably not pmg status but still should have another transport like in the stellar gold line perhaps. Top loading even.
Or should PS Audio not want to make an SACD transport they should do a redesign of their DACs to ensure better compatibility (a menu selectable compatibility mode?) with the Onix and other brands of transports.
Thank you.
The Onix links up perfectly with the pmg dac. No issues here. I would rather having a matching ps audio transport though, a silver one. 
So that I understand, are you referring to I2S Mode 1 on the Onix? Iâve not tried my Onix with my PMG DAC before so out of curiosity I tried it this afternoonâ with the same results as with the Stellar Gold DAC: the SACD layer has the left and right channels reversed in Mode 1 (also I verified Modes 5 and 9 are correct). Then I tried using DoP over coax and the PMG DAC is displaying â44.1 kHzâ for the SACD layer which of course is not right. If Mode 1 or DoP is working for you thatâs great and I would like to know more about your setup.
Yes I2S pin 1 on the Onix. You have something going wrong there Bruce. I wish I knew what it is, could be something wrong with the Onix. Right out of the box I plugged my power cable and I2S in, set it to I2S and it defaulted to pin 1 which is the ps audio and have had no problems. I wish I could say the same for Maestro, big issues there.