Schiit Gungnir DAC - Page 8

Looks as though we will be neck deep in it shortly.

 

Sorry, I could not resist. ; )

Mine made it. Listening as I type...

Congratulations! Waiting for you first impressions.

Not gonna lie, I'm totally hating on you guys right now.

I'm jealous.  So M2Man, what are the initial impressions?  Or are you going to give it a thorough listen before jumping to any conclusions?
 

 

We need impressions and pictures. Stat.

Got mine also--Initial thoughts with the MOLJNIR & LCD 2 Rev2 WOW--more to follow...

 

Can't figure out the #6 Light though---

 

Jack

Never mind on the # 6 light--manual has #5 listed twice---

 

Jack

I'm not sure I have anything good/fair to compare it with. It easily beats my Fostex HP-P1. More extension and less distortion. Not as good as my Eximus, though the Gunjnir does go lower (damnit). Clearly there is a bass head over there at the factory headquarters. It doesn't seem colored in any way, though it's not as bright as the Eximus (which arguably could be too bright). Good detail but not harsh or gritty anywhere.

Hope that gives you a taste of what to expect.
Edited by m2man - 9/21/12 at 1:11pm

^ That's helpful.

 

Detailed comparison with the Eximus could be pretty useful and not unfair at all, given Schiit think Gungnir could be an endgame DAC for many. Await your thoughts as they develop.

 

I see you have a good set of gear - interested in any comments you have to offer about the Gungnir/Mjolnir combination too...

 

TIA

Yes, that's helpful. After reading the initial impressions of the Bifrost, I was worried that the Gungnir would be a bit clinical-sounding and maybe some thinness down low since it uses the same DAC chip(s). So those concerns have been somewhat alleviated. It sounds like it should be an ideal match for the Mjolnir (like Bifrost>Lyr but in the opposite fashion), can't wait to hear how it fits into my system!

Edited by grokit - 9/21/12 at 2:26pm

Well, the easiest difference to hear is that the Eximus is smoother. Detail-wise they are pretty close. The Eximus has more forward mids and the high treble is a hair crispier so it seems more detailed at times. Like I said before the Gungnir isn't grainy or harsh. If you picture the Eximus as having a solid smooth waveform, the Gungnir is more like a dotted smooth line. Probably too visual an analogy, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment. The Eximus is a bit more delicate perhaps.

More significantly, while the Gungnir has reasonable instrument separation, on the Eximus I can easily follow 6-8 melodies going on in a song without trying at all. Even on the muddy mixes, it's real easy to pull out what's going on. It's just super enjoyable. The Gungnir has just enough detail that you want to follow along, but my feeble brain has to work at it. I'm usually not up for work when I put my headphones on.

Pairing wise I would say that the LCD-3/Mjolnir can handle a much nicer source if you want to go that way. $800 is probably a pretty good price for the DAC. The Mjolnir is a steal though.

As always, YMMV
Edited by m2man - 9/22/12 at 9:48am

Hope mine arrives early next week. When is Schiit releasing the balanced PYST cables?

I asked Jason about balanced PYST cables the other week. He said they had been ordered, but that they didn't have a firm date when they would be in stock. Still no listing (as of this morning) for them on their web site.

Mine's finally en route!