Schiit Gungnir DAC - Page 59

so far, that strategy has worked fine for them... whatever overpriced gear apple puts out, there will be hoardes of poseurs willing to camp out to be the first to have whatever, even if it's just a new color. i was reading an article about apple users, ipods in particular (talk about overpriced and under-performing) and that many who buy them merely want to make fashion statements.

i've always wanted to switch to the apple OS just to be rid of windows glitches and viruses, but a proper desktop has never fallen under $1200 that i've ever seen, where you could get a custom built PC compatible for half that. i'm thinking of switching to linux, especially now that windows' forced upgrades path (no different than apple's except apple owners are EAGER to upgrade maybe) has turned windows 8 into crapware of the lowest order that's no longer a "real" desktop OS, but a clunky tablet interface in the way of one.

i think i'll convert this old dinosaur into a linux web browser and eventually get a new custom PC and a "final version" of XP and updates to run multimedia software that's all compatible and run that system into the ground for 20 years the way PCs SHOULD work without the industry wide planned obsolescence few seem too concerned about, but that i've always hated. if i had my way, i'd still be using 98 and get my sound mixer back and all of my text documents XP "broke" to make me need word to still read.

Has anyone with a Gungnir also had experience with the Stello DA100? Im currently using that with the mjolnir/lcd2's and was interested in personal experience with both. Cheers..

Hey folks,

My first post here.  Just ordered a Gungnir (well actually back in early December) and its on its way.  Proud Mjolnir owner and looking forward to hearing the pair together.  How many folks here run this setup with Audezes?  I've got a pair of LCD3s and I'm just in love.

Fox

I'm also waiting for my Gungnir and Mjolnir that shipped out yesterday. I will be using the LCD 2 rev. 2 and LCD 3 with a Norse Reign 8 cable and either pyst xlr's or Norse Reign xlr's. I have been waiting a long time for this set up cannot wait to use it. 

Congrats, dudes!

LCD-3's are a sublime combo. 

my system:
AKG K44 closed cans with a couple feet wound
Art DualPre AD/DA preamp
2x 4 foot Radio Shack grey plastic 1/4 monos twisted & looped out of the preamp and back in for PC listening

backup cans are an old pair of JVC semi-opens with the headband glued that aren't as efficient as the AKGs or have as much bass, but were the best sounding around $40 when i demoed them in the early 90s.

i have a bunch of earbuds and the cube i'm listening off right now had some nice sounding earbuds, but mine had a shorted channel so i use my cowon earbuds for traveling or the AKGs.

i have a nice sounding creative labs audigy gold sound  card that they busted the drivers on collecting dust that i had to get the ART for as well as it's phantom powered mic inputs.

i'd get a short cable pair of AT50s if AKG would make them.

i like the out of head imaging of speakers better than in your head cans sound and have a 2002ish sony DVD player, a panasonic SA-XR55 class D receiver, 10 gauge monster cables with bananas soldered to the receiver end and soldered, wired or gold pinned into energy RC-10 5 1/4" mini-monitors with the ports plugged as seen in my avatar in a nice sized and proportioned living room 4 feet or more from the back wall and about as close together as i can fit around my TV stand and 42" widescreen on 4 cinder blocks stacked to 24" which is about right for tweeter height. i listen at under 70dB usually and maybe mid 70s for TV watching.

i do my loud listening on the PC AKG system, like now listening to zapp's dance floor.

the best sounding cans i've owned were a nice pair of sampson AKG clones i got in a cheap package with a large diaphragm mic. they weren't the most efficient or had much bass, but you could crank them loud with little distortion.

i really liked the efficiency and bass of of my cheap head clamping sennheiser 202s i think until the wires got pulled by a duffle bag of groceries. they fared well against up to $100 cans including grados. not a fan of those swivel mounts either. they came with a nice cable winding oval bobbin that made them portable friendly. i'd get another pair if i needed to.

they really should offer 30 day testing of the gear as the consensus seems to say it takes 300 hours to break in, and that's just 12 days if run constantly.

Gungnir came in today and it's leaps and bounds above the Dac Magic.  However, it is a bit bright out of the box and these LCD3s are pretty laid back headphones.  I've had it running about 6 hours. So, I'll reserve any criticisms until it's had time to burn in some more.  I do really notice quite a bit more detail and more natural sound with this addition to my setup.  So far happy but ready to see what the steady state operation will be once its had some time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfoxvol 

Gungnir came in today and it's leaps and bounds above the Dac Magic.  However, it is a bit bright out of the box and these LCD3s are pretty laid back headphones.  I've had it running about 6 hours. So, I'll reserve any criticisms until it's had time to burn in some more.  I do really notice quite a bit more detail and more natural sound with this addition to my setup.  So far happy but ready to see what the steady state operation will be once its had some time.

Can't wait

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfoxvol 

Gungnir came in today and it's leaps and bounds above the Dac Magic.  However, it is a bit bright out of the box and these LCD3s are pretty laid back headphones.  I've had it running about 6 hours. So, I'll reserve any criticisms until it's had time to burn in some more.  I do really notice quite a bit more detail and more natural sound with this addition to my setup.  So far happy but ready to see what the steady state operation will be once its had some time.

Things will definitely smoothen out. I find it curious that soo many of us have found it bright out of the box. And congrats!

then it definitely makes sense to warm my already thin and clinical sounding system up with an amp change first. it might not get a fair testing on my panasonic SA-XR55 that i'm trying to upgrade from. that would be a bad synergy at the start. that the unit can sound a little more liquid and analogue after a break in is why i'm interested though. just not liking the sound descriptions of overly warm & "musical" yulong and eastern electric competitors. EE in particular is out of the $700 game though as is MDHT labs too i think.

the "ideal balance" for me is simply effortless without too much warmth and thickness or cold hard edge and grain. everything i've read makes me think that the gungnir is pretty neutral like that overall