[Mediahound]

Press release is up on the website now here: http://schiit.com/news/news/schiitshow-introduces-3-new-products

 

[zeissiez]

This looks similar to the M2, albeit switching between tube and SS gain stage is by flip of a switch:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/702376/ifi-audio-pro-desktop-line-discussion-thread/510

 

[leafs]

A quick check. For Gungnir multibit, can I say that both XLR balanced and RCA single-ended outputs are active at the same time when the unit is power up? 
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[Stillhart]

Hey, quick check:  I know I met some head-fi'ers down there whose names I didn't know.  If you met me, let me know!  I'd love to put a face to the online name.
 
@fuzzybaffy and  @XERO1, nice meeting and chilling you guys!  The guy with the TH900 and HE-6, don't recall your handle sorry, but thanks for letting me check out your gear!  Obviously folks like @moedawg140 and @audiofrk and @netflix whom I met previously know it's always cool hanging out.  
 
Looking forward to the next (domestic) show at RMAF.  

 
 
EDIT - Oh, belated shoutout to @kamekha, whose name I can't ******* spell right now.  lol

 

[audiofrk]

It was nice seeing you again too stillheart.

 
Hope your flight was ok, sorry I couldn't make dinner I had already promised others I'd join them.

 

[fuzzybaffy]

  Hey, quick check:  I know I met some head-fi'ers down there whose names I didn't know.  If you met me, let me know!  I'd love to put a face to the online name.
 
@fuzzybaffy and  @XERO1, nice meeting and chilling you guys!  The guy with the TH900 and HE-6, don't recall your handle sorry, but thanks for letting me check out your gear!  Obviously folks like @moedawg140 and @audiofrk and @netflix whom I met previously know it's always cool hanging out.  
 
Looking forward to the next (domestic) show at RMAF.  

 It was really cool of you to let me listen to your gear, when it was my first time meeting you. The same goes to everyone else who let me listen to their gear, of course. It goes to show how welcoming and cool the head-fi community is. Thanks again, and maybe I'll see you again in a future meet! 

 

[audiofrk]

really quickly I was talking to a headfier with a handmade cane from arizona, what was your name again?
 
you can send me a PM if you prefer.

 

[kcazbarach]

will the multi bit upgrade affect simultaneous output at all? part of the reason (a big one) of me getting the gungnir was being able to use more than 1 output simultaneously. 
 
(just curious)

 

[Exidrion]

So now the only difference between the Yggy and GMB is the use of more expensive DAC chips for $1k more? #BuyersRemorse #WTFSchiit.

Hahaha, juuuuust kidding I'm sure there's more to it than that. I hope.

 

[johnjen]

Well there's, USB v.3, the more advanced, power supply & dac chips, and a phase reversal button, along with 14 more lbs. and probably a bunch more…
 
And I'm finding the phase reversal button, quite handy of late.
 
JJ

 

 

[cspirou]

So now the only difference between the Yggy and GMB is the use of more expensive DAC chips for $1k more? #BuyersRemorse #WTFSchiit.

Hahaha, juuuuust kidding I'm sure there's more to it than that. I hope.

They mention it in the FAQ for the Gungnir on their site:
 

 So what’s the real answer? How is Gungnir Multibit half the price of Yggdrasil?
Easy. It’s a simpler DAC. The power supply has no choke-input, shunt-regulated stage like in Yggdrasil, the chassis and construction more streamlined, we’re using more surface-mount parts in the analog section, and (most importantly), we’re using 18-bit AD5781BRUZ D/A converters, rather than the mind-blowingly expensive AD5791s we use in Yggdrasil. However, the completely insane, closed-form, DSP-based, 18,000-tap filter remains in Gungnir Uber.

Another thing they do not mention is that the Yggdrasil has an AES/EBU XLR balanced digital input which the Gungnir does not have.

 

[crazychile]

  will the multi bit upgrade affect simultaneous output at all? part of the reason (a big one) of me getting the gungnir was being able to use more than 1 output simultaneously. 
 
(just curious)

I asked this question a couple of months ago and Nick at Schiit said you can have both SE and Bal. hooked up at the same time as long as neither amp input shorts when they are shut off. I'm going to make the assumption that the MB option doesnt do anything to change this.

 

[dwest1023]

  will the multi bit upgrade affect simultaneous output at all? part of the reason (a big one) of me getting the gungnir was being able to use more than 1 output simultaneously. 
 
(just curious)

The Yggy outputs both single and balanced at the same time so don't see why Gungnir won't

 

[Odin412]

Adding my impressions.
 
First, big thanks to the organizers and Schiit staff for putting on a great show! I thought that the 10-minute limit at each station worked well and struck a good balance between having enough time to sample each station and keeping the crowd moving.
 
Ether C: Very light, very comfortable – and it looks great in carbon fiber! It sounds good (meaning it doesn’t really sound closed-in like a traditional closed-back headphone), and the noise insulation was good. However, when switching between the Ether and Ether C I much preferred the original Ether – it sounds more expansive and less ‘dense’ or ‘compact’. I was again struck by just how open and clean the Ether sounds without getting overly analytical – it’s a great headphone.
 
Bifrost/Lyr 2: This was my first station and I was struck by how good the Bifrost/Lyr 2 combo sounds. Open, clean and musical. It will be interesting to compare today’s Bifrost to a future multi-bit version. The LISST solid-state tube is a very interesting idea that provides a lot of flexibility. I actually preferred the LISST to the real tubes in both the Lyr 2 and the Mjolnir 2, but that may change with different music and headphones.
 
Yggrasil/Ragnarok: My second stop of the tour. I really like the sound from these big boys (and the geek in me loves the Ragnarok attenuator relays!), but they are quite expensive and given how good the Gungnir/Mjolnir 2 combo sounds the additional (small) increment in sound quality doesn’t justify the extra expense for me.
 
Gungnir/Mjolnir 2: Gungnir multibit offers the exotic digital filter from Yggdrasil coupled with slightly less super-exotic DAC chips and it sounds great! Involving, relaxed and musical. There was no delta-sigma Gungnir present, so I couldn’t do a direct A/B test to see what the sonic differences are between delta-sigma and multibit. One of the stations had both balanced and unbalanced connections and I tried to A/B between the two. I’m not sure that I heard a huge difference in sound, but my experience with balanced components is very limited. The Mjolnir 2 now (finally!) offers a single-ended output, which is great for headphones that don’t have user-replaceable cables. Again, I found myself preferring the LISST to the real tubes, but it’s great to have the choice.
 
So, did I place my order? Not yet. I am very intrigued by the multibit Gungnir and by the Lyr 2/Mjolnir 2 tube/solid state flexibility, but my Bifrost Uber/Valhalla/Asgard 2/Vali setup sounds pretty good already and I’m going to hold off on new acquisitions for a while. Besides, hopefully there’s a multibit upgrade coming for Bifrost – soon!
 
Finally, allow me a different observation: I’m very impressed by the level of detail retrieval, openness and transparency offered by today’s electronics and headphones, but when I compare the reproduced sound to what I hear at live events it doesn’t sound the same. Audiophiles often seem to prefer an incisive, somewhat bright, ultra-detailed sound that I just don’t hear when listening to live instruments. This thought was triggered by listening to LA Phil at Hollywood Bowl on Saturday night, but I’ve listened to Kevin Kern play a Steinway Concert Grand piano at the Steinway store in Pasadena – and a different piano at a South Pasadena church. At the latter venue the piano sounded really flat – I really missed the velvety, creamy, meaty sound of the Steinway. But at neither event the instruments sounded bright or harsh, which is my main issue with many headphones in today’s market. Perhaps it’s just me, but I feel that the industry has sacrificed musicality in the search for transparency and detail retrieval.

 

[sling5s]

Lye 2 stock tubes are pretty bad in my opinion, so the Lisst should out perform them; it will be more interesting to see how the Lisst compares with the more TOTL higher end tubes.