[bigro]

Yes and No at the same time - depending how you want to approach it. An owner always could've sold the previous Bifrost version at some loss (usually at 30-50%) and buy the next version. It will cost more than paying for an upgrade, but not dramatically more. That's why I'm not sold on Schiit's upgradability. As you can see below the difference is $50 only.



All I'm saying is that Bimby is a great value in DACs world, but not so in Schiit's DACs world with Mimby around. And I like that Schiit's products hold their value pretty well comparing to competition and that they don't do sales (even BF).

They could sell the previous dac model but that number of return is hard to pin down depending on when and how it sold. Which is why I did not count that.
 
 
I do not doubt that the Mimby sounds very close to the Bimby as they seem to be similar at least on the DAC portion. Until the Mimby came out every iteration of the Bifrost (Original, Uber and Bimby)  Bested the best available version of the Modi at that time. I found the difference were not as apparent in headphones as they were in a 2 channel setup. Comparing the Cost of Both Lines along the Lifespan of each does not take into account that there was never really a blurring of the lines between them until a few month ago. Almost 8 months after the Release of the Bimby the Mimby came along.  Mike just Made my heart skip a beat with the mention Of Bimby 2.0. Which more than likely will make those lines pretty clear again. I am not Mimby hating. In Fact I am very close to getting one to may replace the Modi 2 U on my desk at work but It seems when comparing both line in terms of how close they sound to each other that Window is very a small one, as in months in when you look at the grand scheme of things.

 

[Baldr]

Software is irrelevant in this case. User has to have a source in any case (Tidal, Spotify, cds, pandora etc.), regardless of their DAC - Yggy, Gumby, Bimby etc.

There are tons of things relevant to the hobby and headphones are #1.

My comments were not related to the entire chain of things in this hobby and were made ONLY to Modi vs Bifrost and upgradability. Thanks.

You were right - I amended my statement to include Multi Modi and Bifrost BOTH require RELEVANT software which should be evaluated in the context of a total system cost.  Time for both of us to let this go.

 

[Jimster480]

  Actually, there's a bit more to it than just that. All humility aside, we produce more multibit DACs than anyone else for this market. There is a smattering of entry level 1x NonOverSampling style stuff and a few used to new car priced high, high end entries. This leaves me no option but to compete with myself. Seriously. As a believer in free markets being the best for both buyer and seller, competition results in the best for the most. Keeps me on my toes. Resting on laurels makes the whole line go stale.
 
Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. Oh, and someone posted a Bifrost would cost $1200 if bought when first offered and steadily upgraded. Hmm, $240 per year over the Bifrost's life. Ten bucks less than a Multi-Modi per year. Twenty bucks a month. How much is Tidal? How often does the average guy change DACs?
 
So here's the bottom line: Modi Multis cater to those who want the best deal and want it right away. If you are willing to wait and willing to spend half to a fraction of what you spend on streaming or physical media on your DAC, a Bifrost will be a much better value over time.
 
Have it your way!

I can understand what you are saying, subscription services cost more than the hardware themselves.
I spent more last year on Cable/Internet than I did on my Sony x850D, but I don't upgrade every year and I think many people will be looking for something that lasts from year to year.

But you also have to factor in the cost of upgrades and how good the upgrades are.

If I got a Modi Multibit today and then sold it in a year I could probably get $150 for it (considering the going rate for Modi 1 and Magni 1 and other original Schiit products on ebay) meaning that it only cost me $125 for the year to own it (assuming ebay fee + shipping).
But my Xonar DG for example I bought 3+ years ago and used it every day in my office for years with my speakers (which btw I got in 2005 or 2004) so I tend to keep stuff for a really long time!
 
I've had my Denon Heos 3 for 3 years now (I beta tested it when it came out) and I picked up another Heos 3 1st gen last year which now got moved to my kitchen when I bought these Klipsch reference speakers on a blowout sale a few weeks ago.
 
If you are a person who keeps audio gear its best to invest in something that suits your needs now and you just keep using year after year.

 

[Jimster480]

   
Nice, let's us know how it turns out!
 
 
That's a better option too haha

Will do, I can't wait for it to come out now!

 

[djchup]

All this bimby-mimby comparison and I haven't seen a mention of the bimby's power supply.  That's the big selling point to me.  Although $599 was more than I was ready to invest in a DAC, hence I'm a mimby owner.  To quote Mr. Stoddard in 2016 Chapter 10 of the Schiit Book:

 Plus, the power supply in Bifrost Multibit was far and away better than the one in Modi, and always would be. (It's not possible to beat a custom transformer with multiple secondaries, plus many more stages of general and local regulation, plus the fact that the transformer alone was almost 3x the size.)

 

[leeperry]

Well, you can always go overkill on mimby's eh: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281988496071 

 

[Alchemist007]

I got an uninterruptable power supply and called it a day.

 

[bigro]

  Well, you can always go overkill on mimby's eh: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281988496071 

Why?
 From the schiit Website
 
 
"Power Supply: 
Modi 2: USB bus powered, 120mA draw
Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power"
 
It already has a Linear Power Supply.

 

[Tuneslover]

@Baldr

Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet.


Hair Raising! My thinning cranium is all in!!!

 

[Leigh]

I have immensely enjoyed my original Bifrost, my Bifrost Uber, and, just recently, Bifrost Multibit. I've loved them all, really, and have experienced an increase in quality through these upgrades. I could probably live with the Bimby indefinitely. But now that I've had a taste of multibit I'm afraid I'm already mentally squirrelling $ away for a Yggy....
 
I would actually be tickled pink if the consensus was that Mimby sounded as good as or better than Bimby. Your gain is not my loss. It's all good - you simply can't beat any of this performance at these prices IMO.
 
My wife asked me if my new DAC was "schiitty enough for me" (although I think her spelling would have been different). I laughed and said, yes, yes it is
 
The idea of another Bifrost upgrade is intriguing. Even if it came out tomorrow I'd probably hold off for at least six months, I'm into the delayed gratification thing (which helps the wallet).

 

[slex]

Hair Raising Bifrost ! Any time frame?

 

[Letmebefrank]

This looks like a nice and neat solution.  Considering the quality of the wire they are using to the header it doesn't make much sense to go high end on the coax cable from circuit board to DAC.  Before I saw this devise I had been considering having Blue Jean Cables build a coax cable that would hook up directly to the MB header.  A high quality version of a cable like this.
http://www.htomega.com/ca-1-cable.html

EDIT: Just heard back from Blue Jeans cable.  Not able to supply a cable with the 2 pin end.  Going to order this Asus unit now.

I'm not sure how it works but there are 3 pins and one is 5v, and there are parts on the board between the header and the coax output. My thought is that it has to create the signal that is ultimately sent to the dac using the raw data from the header. Or it could just be to power the toslink transmitter. I'm using a 6' blue jeans coax, mostly because the RCAs on bjc arent super tight and I don't want to break this little circuit board with stiff connectors.

 

[MWSVette]

I think when upgrading customer pays shipping both ways. Thanks.

And you would be wrong.  According to Nick at Schiit, return shipping is included in the upgrade pricing.

 

[Jimster480]

 
And you would be wrong.  According to Nick at Schiit, return shipping is included in the upgrade pricing.

So you are saying that you won't pay for return shipping at all as long as you upgrade?

thats not a bad deal then.

 

[MWSVette]

 
So you are saying that you won't pay for return shipping at all as long as you upgrade?

thats not a bad deal then.

Yep, you pay to ship to Schiit, they upgrade the unit and pay for return shipping...