Schiit DACs (Bifrost and Gungnir down, one to go)? The information and anticipation thread. - Page 77

 

You're not going to be able to use the S:Flo2 with the Bifrost. Does not have digital out.

 

Edited by Shubar - 10/22/11 at 7:48am

Thank you guys for helping us get  an idea what to expect with Bifrost....sounds like a nice solid start, wait until these units get a good week of use and then I bet they are game changers. I'm no authority just an old guy who loves music and toys, I mean gear!!!! 

 

  Also folks shouldn't struggle with the whole burn in issue- if you don't hear it thats fine, your gear is ready alot sooner than mine to fully listen to critically. I didn't think there was such a thing until I got my first DAC and the first 2 days it sounded great, on like the 3rd into the fourth it got way better.

 

  My Virtue TWO.2 was going to be sent back the next day after 4 days of listening, then on a Sunday afternoon while listening to music I have heard before multiple times everything sounded amazing, I was hearing it take place I believe and things like that got me thinking in the other direction....so if you don't hear it, you don't. If you do, then you do!! Pretty easy I think?

Placebo needs burn-in, maybe 

Many veteran audio publications and respected forum members disagree. I think it's safe to say that you're in the minority.
But hey, more power to you! That's what the free world is for.

One of the biggest things that earns Schiit extra respect is going the extra mile to source their parts and labor in the US, while still competing with the Chinese products on price. This country needs more companies like Schiit.

Clever!
 

 

I suspect that if he has gotten this far (!), that wont mean much right now. 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter

 

Bizarrely, JHA have just the device he needs, albeit at considerably more than he may be willing to pay:

 

http://www.jhaudio.com/product/jh16-pro-custom-ear-monitor-jh-3a-dsp-amp

 

Whether the incoming signal is digital or analog doesnt seem to matter with this gizmo - DSP will save us all !  

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're flattering me, Sir 

Schiit must use the same LEDs found in tactical flashlights. With the room lights off and the Lyr on, it's easy to walk around safely. Add the Bifrost, and I can practically read..

 

Anyhow, spent most of day listening to Bifrost with speakers (Triangle Celius, powered by Musical Fidelity A300 and supplemented by Hsu 1220 subwoofer.) All for you, fellow Head-Fiers.

 

Overall impression, this is not a shy DAC. It puts the transients right out there, especially in contrast to the DLIII. The PS Audio has been praised as analog-sounding, which some people might interpret as rounding off the edges. The Celius-es (Celii?) have no lack of treble and are about as discreet as Perez Hilton, so the combo sometimes teeters on the brink of too much. In fact, I'm sure it would be for some people. Not for me though, or you if you enjoy occasionally being startled by cymbal strikes or other such notes.

 

Beethoven's Ninth (BIS hydrid SACD) was more enjoyable than I recalled. IMHO, this isn't the greatest recording, but the Bifrost made the individual instruments clearer and thus easier to follow. The chorus had impressive presence.

 

One of my reference tracks is Laughing by David Crosby from his album If I Could Only Remember My Name (2006 remaster.) Right off the bat, the Bifrost presented each guitar as an individual. Each had great weight, and there was very much the sense of each string being fingered. There's a lot going on in this song, and it came across clearly. Highly enjoyable. It's not the the Bifrost revealed new details, but it did make small things that much easier to pick out.

 

So far, so good. Some posters have opined that the Bifrost doesn't really punch above its weight class. I wish I could hear enough DACs (and more expensive) to have a truly informed opinion. I do wonder if the pace of advancement in digital doesn't render this a moot point. Even if I could afford to spend $5K or $20K on a DAC, I'd still have this nagging fear that it would be outdated in a year or less. As for the Bifrost, I'm not sending it back.

 

Frankly, he's just being realistic. Nobody's expecting a $350 DAC to go against much more expensive ones in an already saturated market at every price point. Why else do you think Schiit is making multiple tiers? Because the Bifrost simply doesn't compete at higher price points...are you really expecting everybody with PWDs to drop them and swoop up a Bifrost and enter audio nirvana? No, you don't.

Likely not, but I do believe that products in this space tend to be overpriced. It sure would be nice to be surprised by a product such as Bifrost that goes head to head with the likes of the PWDs

I think that the comment referred to Schiit punching above its weight an price point, not being world champion. 

Some things are well over price,  have a look at the Resonessance Invicta,  all this nice electronics and they stuffed it with a AD797.  There are better op amps than AD 797!  And for $4K US!!!

Even it it doesn't better above its price bracket, who cares, its an entry level dac that is cleverly marketed!!!  The AKM is not new, it is used in a Taiwanese dac manufacture that no one wants.

The Invicta is like the ultimate bedside rig though. It sounds great with HD800 too which tends to be hard to drive well. Plays off SD cards has very small footprint and good power levels. Maybe not worth $4k, but not terrible.
Edited by Maxvla - 10/22/11 at 6:53pm

Thanx a lot estreeter. I was just kindda confused if the analog signal provided by the S:Flo 2 can be converted to digital and then again fed into the biifrost but meh by the time poor signal reaches biifrost there will be quite a loss in the quality I guess so will stay away from it. Thanx anyway