Schiit Gungnir 2 – Balanced Multiform @TM DAC
My Experience. Yours may differ!
Disclaimer: Schiit provided me with a Demo Gungnir 2 for testing and analysis. I received no compensation from Schiit, the unit will be returned. Thanks to Schiit for the loaner!
Well, the long awaited Gungnir 2 has finally arrived from Schiit. Many folks have been anxiously waiting for this new version of Gungnir, on the road of Schiit’s journey of its multi-bit designs. Gungnir 2 is now referred to as a “balanced multi-bit architecture” dac. Some sites refer to this as a “balanced multi-bit Multiform @TM” dac. Gungnir 2 is modular, upgradeable and is compatible with Schitts new ForkBeard @TM technology.
Gungnir 2 a modular DAC, meaning it has a slide in analog card, completely modular input and processing cards, with the capability of over the air or SD Card firmware updates. Schiit calls this Modular Autonomy 2…Ready for the Future. Nice to be able to upgrade without sending the unit back. Try this with stuff made outside the USA. Hmmm.
First impressions are a lasting one. So they tell us at the US Army Officers Military Academy I attended.
Whats in the Box
Well, when I lifted the cold silver chassis out of the Schiit shipping box I was amazed at how solid feeling it was. Solid, sturdy, a real hunk of metal, weighs a mere 12 lbs, only 4 lbs less than the Schiit Mjolnir 3. The look of this new form factor dac from Schitt was to me , nothing less than stunning. What a wonderful size, a great match to the MJ3. The unit sent to me was silver, a slight cost upgrade, over the black version MJ3. Together the Gungnir 2 and Mjolnir 3 weigh a paltry 28 lbs…pick them up at the same time and you get the feeling this is some serious setup. And it is.
The new wording “Multiform” created quite a stir in the community. What’s this? What is this new verbiage “Multiform” @TM stuff? In a world of trying to make things “better” or introduce new technology to skin an old horse you have to watch what you say or the competition could possible copy this into their products good or bad. We all know what that means.
A description is included in Schilit’s website and in Jasons several comments on various websites as well. According to Schiit this new implementation of their multi-bit technology incorporates a new balanced analog multiplication stage along side four medical and defense-grade DAC8812CRUZ digital to analog converters. Along with their propriety digital filter optimized for both time and frequency domains, utilizing an Analog Devices DSP. Schiit has also allowed for the option to choose a No-Oversampling (NOS) mode bypassing their digital filter if a user chooses to do so.
Schiit states this is “True Multibit – Evolved”.
The new Gungnir 2 is available in Black and Silver. Black is $1549, silver is $1599. Add Schiits new ForkBeard @TM technology for an additional $50. ForkBeard @TM is not discussed in this “experience” in detail. It deserves an entire “experience” all by itself IMO.
From Schiits website, notice “SPECS THAT MATTER”
Other specs listed on the Schiit site that some folks might be interested in are on the Schiit website, I am not going to list them all here. Needless to say, they are all “exceptional” and many times beyond what our human transducers can hear or even perceive. Transducers = “ears”. LOL.
The specs that you really might want to take note of are things like Maximum Output” 2.0 v RMS for single ended and 4.0 v RMS for balanced. Why? Well, some folks are into driving their downstream stuff with lots of volts thinking this will be an assist in achieving their version of audio perfection with hard to drive loads (think Tungsten). The Gungnir 2 DAC has not one, but two USB-C type inputs one for 32/384 and one at 32/192. Both Unison. This allows you to have two USB inputs simultaneously like a network streamer as well as a PC, Mac or Smartphone. Nice to be able to switch easily and compare multiple sources on the fly. Unison 384 allows for PCM decoding and supports DXD (Digital Extreme Definition) format. In my use case I only used the 32/384 Unison input from a Windows 11 PC with good ole Foobar 2000 and JRiver Media Center 27.
For those that are interested in Schiits new ForkBeard @TM technology here is what you get access to with the Schiit ForkBeard @TM app on an iOS device. (Android will follow according to Schiit).
One thing that is missing with Gungnir 2 are any visable lights or LEDs to indicate what sampling rate you are using with your source material. With ForkBeard @TM you should be able to see this. This may or may not be to your liking.
Front Panel Left to Right:
Mode Select: Push button that allows you to select the inverted phase and NOS modes if desired. There are two lights. The first is the phase LED and the second is the NOS LED. If either one is one that means the phase invert or NOS modes are enabled. Easy to use. One short press turns on the phase invert function, a long press (2 seconds) turns on the NOS function and no super Schiit digital filter. In the photo I have Invert phase on and am in NOS mode using the 384 input.
Next up is the big Input Select button. Press through the inputs you want to select. They rotate thru Unison192, Unison 384, optical, coax and AES. Simple.
The small hole to the right of the input LEDS is the IR Sensor Opening or Window. For the Included Schiit Remote. ForkBeard @TM need not apply !
To the right of the IR Sensor opening is the ancient “Buy Better Gear” Schiit light! It actually lights up when cycling thru the inputs if nothing is connected to them. Selecting the Unison 384 input the light goes off. Don’t think most folks will ever see this light come on IMO. Schiits manual indicates all these controls are available via their ForkBeard iOS technology. I am and Android user so I can not comment on this. I might add in Windows 11 Sound settings the device is recognized as 192 or 384 depending on the input selected.
Whats on the rear panel of Gungnir 2?
Left to Right :
Both XLR and SE outputs. Funny the XLR pins are upside down compared to other dacs. Looks like the way the analog card is installed made this happen. No big deal, but when cabling up it took me by surprise. Also notice the AC power inputs are reversed as well. Shows how we are indeed creatures of habit. Smile.
Next an AES input. Then the Coax, Optical, Unison 384, Unison 192 inputs.
Power switch still on the back! Yeah! AC Power and a ForkBeard @TM Port.
You also get the run of the mill Schiit infra-red remote. Not used here.
Mjolnir 3 with Gungnir 2 Rear Panels - Notice the power outlet mounting! (Smile).
Upon receiving the Gungnir 2, letting it warm up for several hours, I started listening with the Mjolnir 3 Schiits top of the line Class A headphone amplifier. I was struggling to decide what headphone to use with this combination for the first time. Headphones are a really BIG part of the listening equation. I decided to try all six! The six I have here at present are decent and all have their individual traits, dynamic and planars with varying impedances and sensitivity ratings. Well first up were a pair of ZMF Verite Closed back dynamics. The music player I used was Foobar 2000 and all my material is ripped flacs of varying bit depth and sampling rates. The majority is the good ole Redbook 44.1khz/16bit stuff.
One thing that stood out is there are no indicators that actually show you the actual sampling rate your music is being played at…Dacs like Soekris 2541, Holo Cyan2 have LEDS (although some are blindingly bright) to indicate what the sampling rates are on their front faceplate. A small thing. Looking at the ForkBeard @TM description (see pix) it looks like this information can be seen in their ForkBeard @TM app. Most music players have this information displayed as well.
Listening Experience or the Subjective Part, YMMV.
HE1000SE. D8000 Pro, Rad 0, ZMF Verite Closed Back, ADX 5000, HD 650
So, I spent a day with each of six headphones. Mentioned above day 1 was with ZMF Verite Closed back headphones. Used to be one of the TOTL cans from ZMF. I used XLR connections from the G2 to the MJ3 and XLR out to the cans. No fancy cables. Using LOW gain on the MJ3 for the most part. No Feedback or PP mode, Just SE Class A. (All switches down). 99% listening via 32/384 Unison @TM port. I did use the 32/192 port as well. Sonically no discernable differences with my ears.
ZMF Verite Closed Backs: One of the best overall pairings with these headphones. Yup. That good, really that good here. I often was tempted to sell these cans, Not now. Richly detailed. Micro-details are all there. Tonality is close to perfect. Very musical and a tad warm. Makes listening to most music a pleasure. The Gungnir 2’s ability to allow for minute details is amazing. Soundstage front to back is exceptional if the source was well recorded. Slam is here in spades try some FourPlay, Brian Bromberg (Wood CD) or Joe Satriani. Larry Carltons “March of the Jazz Angles” superb.
HD 650: Sennheiser’s Classic headphones. First cut was Eva Cassidy singing “Dark End of the Street” from her Eva By Heart CD. A solid performance. One thing that’s really starting to come out is headphones are sounding “better” …hmm same cans new dac…showing the really good resolution and ability to bring out the best of existing transducers. Joni Mitchells Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, what an open wide soundstage front to back and side to side. Imaging is stellar. Easy to pick out instruments and their placement. The decay of instruments is very noticeable. Presentation is not as warm as with the ZMF’s. I took the SE outs to my Midgard. Eva Cassidy’s “Wonderful World” from Live At Blues Alley. Wow! Absolutely stunning. Midgard with its awesome transparency was very, very nice with G2.. With a $500 or less set of headphones the magic is there in spades. Giddy good! Holly Coles ‘I Just Seen a Face’…micro-background details shine thru…the dac is a resolution killer.
ADX 5000’s. One of the best dynamic headphones to me. Less warm that the Verite’s. Very open and airy, transparent…. Gungnir 2’s open wide soundstage with these cans is really nice. Very apparent how good this dac is in this area. Wonderful. Try Stanley Jordon and “When Julie Smiles” off his Flying Home CD. Deep soundstage. Feists “Brandy Alexander” off of the “The Remember” CD, female vocal, piano, bass drum and depth of soundstage from her vocals…wonderful. Great with G2/MJ3 and Vali 3. More on Vali 3 below.
Rad 0’s: Oh, my these are great with this pairing. Super wide soundstage, width and depth. The Beatles Rubber Soul, “Girl” …Stereo separation is very well done. Again, nothing to complain about here. The ability to discern those small background details, the shimmering hits on the drum kit, like being there listening to the studio mix. Lee Ritenour’s “Color Rit” and the Etude cut…deep soundstage, resolving the minutia background details very well. Switching to the Schiit Vali 3, almost the same sound but a little less warm overall. Still all the details are there. Aimee Manns “Momentum” from the Magnolia soundtrack…drum whacks, lots of stuff going on, real busy….no issues producing a pleasing realistic presentation. Bass, oh yes! Try Stanley Clark and the group in S.M.V. Thunder Cd, cut is ‘Thunder”. Width and depth of soundstage is about as good as it gets with traditional cans…
Of all my present headphones the Rad 0’s has the widest soundstage capability. IMO as good as even an HD800x. The capabilities of the G2 and this can in this area are exceptional.
D8000 Pro: One of my favorite headphones as well…soundstage is not as wide as the Rad 0’s but the bass response is like Abyss level IMO. These excel over the Rad 0’s in clarity and accuracy to the music being played. Crystal clean, clear with stunning bass. So far this is the BEST headphone for tonality with this pairing. These are serious headphones. The Vali 3 is just a smidge less warm overall…again that MJ3 sound that is IMO just a little warm. This is the best pairing so far with Gungnir 2. Just so right, correct, accurate. What’s in the recording is not going to hide from you. SMV’ basslines are phenomenal, don’t see why anyone would think G2 is bass lite at all. Nope. Key up some Spyro Gyro’s “Three Wishes” CD and the cut is “Breathless”. Drum whacks, bass line, vibraphone, electric piano, staccato attacks…close to perfect. Acoustic Guitar with Luiz Bonfa and “Non-Stop Brazil” and the cut “Passeio No Rio” just brilliant! G2 abilities shine thru with this headphone. Nils Lofgren’s “Girl In Motion” details, details and more details. Nothing is hidden. Fleetwood Macs “Big Love” LIVE 1997 is spectacular, audience reactions very noticeable in a good way…like being there at times soundstage depth is outstanding. Tested with Midgard and Vali 3 for amps as well. MJ3 the warmest, Vali 3 less so, Midgard squeaky clean. All allow the G2 to show of its prowess.
HE1000SE: Light and airy headphones. Last but not least. Very transparent and detailed reproduction. Not warm at all. Even with this combination that tends to be a tad warm with the MJ3 in the loop these cans are still on the bright side and allows you to really experience what the Gungnir 2 is capable of. Combined with the soundstage presentation using Gungnir 2 its almost as wide as with the Rad 0’s. Goes to show how much the headphone can influence the experience. One of the reasons I used 6 headphones with this test. The same logic can be applied to many hi-fi comparisons especially other headphones.
Gungnir 2 and Holo Cyan 2
One of the big questions is how does the Gungnir2 stack up against other dacs? Well I spent the better part of a day comparing the G2 with Holo Cyan 2 recently acquired. I tried many combinations using both SE and XLR outputs on each into Mjolnir 3 and Midgard. The output voltage on the Cyan 2 SE outputs are 2.5 volts compared to 2 volts on Gungnir 2 and the XLR outs on the Cyan are 5.0 volts compared to 4.0 volts on G2. So our brains can be deceived into thinking due to the loudness difference can make on dac sound “better” than another. Have to carefully level match. Comparing the SE output vs the XLR outputs is difficult because of this loudness due to these differences. Connecting the SE of one dac and the XLRs of the other dac and switching between them leads to a loudness “unfairness” to the lesser voltage output, the SE one.
So with that in mind I listened to both dacs with level matching and then without just turning the volume knob to the “same” loudness that my brain perceived as similar. Results between Cyan 2 and G2 were noticeable to my ears. Depending on the amp used and headphone there is a difference. IMO both are similar in many respects. But on some piano material the timbre on the Holo there is a difference than with the Gungnir 2. The Gungnir2 is just a tad less “ivory” than the Cyan 2. The piano keys in Dave Grusins “Secret Place” from the “Nightlines” digital master CD this is very noticeable. This was using Schiits Midgard. With the MJ3 this difference to me was less noticeable, they pretty much are the same tonality. One other thing I noticed is the soundstage was wider and more articulate than the Cyan 2. Easy to pick out instrument placement with Gungnir 2 over the Cyan 2.. Also more of a depth front and back than the Cyan2. I think both are excellent dacs. Either one will provide you with many hours of listening pleasure. IMO depending on the source music, its quality of recording and mastering will affect your experience more so than either dac.
I also tried Schiits Vali 3 hybrid tube amp with an old RCA Clear Top 12AU7 tube. Same experience. The Vali 3 comes across as the less warm than Mjolnir 3 and Gungnir 2. The Cyan 2 here comes across as very clean and clear about the same as Midgard. Its like the magical “wrap around your head thing” that some folks tout with the higher up the Holo dacs provide is less with Cyan 2 and more with Gungnir 2. Interesting. Wonder what Mike and Dave Schiit magic they are doing with the Gungnir 2. After all Jason states its Multibit Evolved! Hmmm.
Based on my short time with G2. I would prefer G2 with MJ3 almost all the time. With Midgard I lean towards the Cyan 2. One combination is very what I call “musical” just sit back and listen for hours and hours…this is the MJ3/G2 combination. There is a magical pairing with G2 and MJ3. When I really want to get into critical listening it’s the Cyan 2 with Midgard. Why I will own both! YMMV.
CONCLUSION:
Schiit has sold many versions of its Yggy’s, Bifrost's and several other DAC’s. It's hard for most to keep up with the versions and the technical differences for sure. Confusion. Yes. Technically. But IMO it’s in the listening that really counts and the synergy in your systems. Simple eh. With the Gungnir 2 Schiit has once again set a bar that really exceeds many end users' needs in this subjective hobby. Schitt has said numerous times there are many good products out there. IMO this dac is a serious hobbyists dac. It could easily be a TOTL dac for many. It's really that good. One can quibble over the minutia. Like no oversampling LEDS on the front panel, no super high OS sampling rates…but for 99% of the music out there it’s a real winner. Gungnir 2 is mostly made of US parts, assembled in USA, by good folks in Texas. Couple with a 5-year warranty and excellent Schiit customer service. Winner.
Key characteristics of Gungnir 2 is its ability to resolve or pass thru all the details, big or small, micro or macro, garbage in garbage out, but put in good stuff its sublime! It allows you to hear the subtleties in your music and allows you to really hear what your headphones are capable of. It does nothing technically incorrect IMO. It's just a really good DAC.
It’s a very transparent dac, that allows for hours of good listening. I think it's pretty much neutral and the deciding factor here is what you feed into it becomes a question of what the other parts of your system in. Your source material, your amp, headphones etc.…. It doesn’t hold back other stuff in your chain. But it doesn’t make it any better that stuff is or is not.
MJ3 with the Gungnir 2 is a tad on the warm side, “me thinks” it's not Gungnir 2 but more Mjolnir 3. Swap out the MJ3 for a more reference type amp the warmth lessens and it's even more transparent. With Midgard you get an even more neutral straight wire with gain presentation. Simply transparent and accurate. For me with six headphones it's like it getting six new pair of headphones to listen with all over again!
Schiit is not stopping with the Gungnir 2, as better chips emerge Schiit will I am sure will play with them. Jason has stated they are working on Singular implementation in 2025, which is a FPGA-based high-rate, high-bit depth delta-sigma design. So Gungnir as good as it gets might be “bested” in the near future. “Bested” will be a very subjective definition for many. Objective vs Subjective. You will have to decide.
Does this mean that Gungnir 2 is ho-hum? NO! Wake up and smell the music…Its IMO one of the best dacs out there using monolithic dac chips TI DAC DAC8812C. Schiit has advanced the art with Gungnir 2. This is indeed True Multibit - Evolved.
Future thought from Jason Stoddard:
“Neither Singular nor Multiform we consider to be the be-all or end-all; we prefer to let our approaches fight it out in the open market”.
I can't wait to see how Schiit makes this stuff even “better” ….
Thanks to Schiit for the loaner!
Alex
:>)
My Experience. Yours may differ!
Disclaimer: Schiit provided me with a Demo Gungnir 2 for testing and analysis. I received no compensation from Schiit, the unit will be returned. Thanks to Schiit for the loaner!
Well, the long awaited Gungnir 2 has finally arrived from Schiit. Many folks have been anxiously waiting for this new version of Gungnir, on the road of Schiit’s journey of its multi-bit designs. Gungnir 2 is now referred to as a “balanced multi-bit architecture” dac. Some sites refer to this as a “balanced multi-bit Multiform @TM” dac. Gungnir 2 is modular, upgradeable and is compatible with Schitts new ForkBeard @TM technology.
Gungnir 2 a modular DAC, meaning it has a slide in analog card, completely modular input and processing cards, with the capability of over the air or SD Card firmware updates. Schiit calls this Modular Autonomy 2…Ready for the Future. Nice to be able to upgrade without sending the unit back. Try this with stuff made outside the USA. Hmmm.
First impressions are a lasting one. So they tell us at the US Army Officers Military Academy I attended.
Whats in the Box
Well, when I lifted the cold silver chassis out of the Schiit shipping box I was amazed at how solid feeling it was. Solid, sturdy, a real hunk of metal, weighs a mere 12 lbs, only 4 lbs less than the Schiit Mjolnir 3. The look of this new form factor dac from Schitt was to me , nothing less than stunning. What a wonderful size, a great match to the MJ3. The unit sent to me was silver, a slight cost upgrade, over the black version MJ3. Together the Gungnir 2 and Mjolnir 3 weigh a paltry 28 lbs…pick them up at the same time and you get the feeling this is some serious setup. And it is.
The new wording “Multiform” created quite a stir in the community. What’s this? What is this new verbiage “Multiform” @TM stuff? In a world of trying to make things “better” or introduce new technology to skin an old horse you have to watch what you say or the competition could possible copy this into their products good or bad. We all know what that means.
A description is included in Schilit’s website and in Jasons several comments on various websites as well. According to Schiit this new implementation of their multi-bit technology incorporates a new balanced analog multiplication stage along side four medical and defense-grade DAC8812CRUZ digital to analog converters. Along with their propriety digital filter optimized for both time and frequency domains, utilizing an Analog Devices DSP. Schiit has also allowed for the option to choose a No-Oversampling (NOS) mode bypassing their digital filter if a user chooses to do so.
Schiit states this is “True Multibit – Evolved”.
The new Gungnir 2 is available in Black and Silver. Black is $1549, silver is $1599. Add Schiits new ForkBeard @TM technology for an additional $50. ForkBeard @TM is not discussed in this “experience” in detail. It deserves an entire “experience” all by itself IMO.
From Schiits website, notice “SPECS THAT MATTER”
Other specs listed on the Schiit site that some folks might be interested in are on the Schiit website, I am not going to list them all here. Needless to say, they are all “exceptional” and many times beyond what our human transducers can hear or even perceive. Transducers = “ears”. LOL.
The specs that you really might want to take note of are things like Maximum Output” 2.0 v RMS for single ended and 4.0 v RMS for balanced. Why? Well, some folks are into driving their downstream stuff with lots of volts thinking this will be an assist in achieving their version of audio perfection with hard to drive loads (think Tungsten). The Gungnir 2 DAC has not one, but two USB-C type inputs one for 32/384 and one at 32/192. Both Unison. This allows you to have two USB inputs simultaneously like a network streamer as well as a PC, Mac or Smartphone. Nice to be able to switch easily and compare multiple sources on the fly. Unison 384 allows for PCM decoding and supports DXD (Digital Extreme Definition) format. In my use case I only used the 32/384 Unison input from a Windows 11 PC with good ole Foobar 2000 and JRiver Media Center 27.
For those that are interested in Schiits new ForkBeard @TM technology here is what you get access to with the Schiit ForkBeard @TM app on an iOS device. (Android will follow according to Schiit).
One thing that is missing with Gungnir 2 are any visable lights or LEDs to indicate what sampling rate you are using with your source material. With ForkBeard @TM you should be able to see this. This may or may not be to your liking.
Front Panel Left to Right:
Mode Select: Push button that allows you to select the inverted phase and NOS modes if desired. There are two lights. The first is the phase LED and the second is the NOS LED. If either one is one that means the phase invert or NOS modes are enabled. Easy to use. One short press turns on the phase invert function, a long press (2 seconds) turns on the NOS function and no super Schiit digital filter. In the photo I have Invert phase on and am in NOS mode using the 384 input.
Next up is the big Input Select button. Press through the inputs you want to select. They rotate thru Unison192, Unison 384, optical, coax and AES. Simple.
The small hole to the right of the input LEDS is the IR Sensor Opening or Window. For the Included Schiit Remote. ForkBeard @TM need not apply !
To the right of the IR Sensor opening is the ancient “Buy Better Gear” Schiit light! It actually lights up when cycling thru the inputs if nothing is connected to them. Selecting the Unison 384 input the light goes off. Don’t think most folks will ever see this light come on IMO. Schiits manual indicates all these controls are available via their ForkBeard iOS technology. I am and Android user so I can not comment on this. I might add in Windows 11 Sound settings the device is recognized as 192 or 384 depending on the input selected.
Whats on the rear panel of Gungnir 2?
Left to Right :
Both XLR and SE outputs. Funny the XLR pins are upside down compared to other dacs. Looks like the way the analog card is installed made this happen. No big deal, but when cabling up it took me by surprise. Also notice the AC power inputs are reversed as well. Shows how we are indeed creatures of habit. Smile.
Next an AES input. Then the Coax, Optical, Unison 384, Unison 192 inputs.
Power switch still on the back! Yeah! AC Power and a ForkBeard @TM Port.
You also get the run of the mill Schiit infra-red remote. Not used here.
Mjolnir 3 with Gungnir 2 Rear Panels - Notice the power outlet mounting! (Smile).
Upon receiving the Gungnir 2, letting it warm up for several hours, I started listening with the Mjolnir 3 Schiits top of the line Class A headphone amplifier. I was struggling to decide what headphone to use with this combination for the first time. Headphones are a really BIG part of the listening equation. I decided to try all six! The six I have here at present are decent and all have their individual traits, dynamic and planars with varying impedances and sensitivity ratings. Well first up were a pair of ZMF Verite Closed back dynamics. The music player I used was Foobar 2000 and all my material is ripped flacs of varying bit depth and sampling rates. The majority is the good ole Redbook 44.1khz/16bit stuff.
One thing that stood out is there are no indicators that actually show you the actual sampling rate your music is being played at…Dacs like Soekris 2541, Holo Cyan2 have LEDS (although some are blindingly bright) to indicate what the sampling rates are on their front faceplate. A small thing. Looking at the ForkBeard @TM description (see pix) it looks like this information can be seen in their ForkBeard @TM app. Most music players have this information displayed as well.
Listening Experience or the Subjective Part, YMMV.
HE1000SE. D8000 Pro, Rad 0, ZMF Verite Closed Back, ADX 5000, HD 650
So, I spent a day with each of six headphones. Mentioned above day 1 was with ZMF Verite Closed back headphones. Used to be one of the TOTL cans from ZMF. I used XLR connections from the G2 to the MJ3 and XLR out to the cans. No fancy cables. Using LOW gain on the MJ3 for the most part. No Feedback or PP mode, Just SE Class A. (All switches down). 99% listening via 32/384 Unison @TM port. I did use the 32/192 port as well. Sonically no discernable differences with my ears.
ZMF Verite Closed Backs: One of the best overall pairings with these headphones. Yup. That good, really that good here. I often was tempted to sell these cans, Not now. Richly detailed. Micro-details are all there. Tonality is close to perfect. Very musical and a tad warm. Makes listening to most music a pleasure. The Gungnir 2’s ability to allow for minute details is amazing. Soundstage front to back is exceptional if the source was well recorded. Slam is here in spades try some FourPlay, Brian Bromberg (Wood CD) or Joe Satriani. Larry Carltons “March of the Jazz Angles” superb.
HD 650: Sennheiser’s Classic headphones. First cut was Eva Cassidy singing “Dark End of the Street” from her Eva By Heart CD. A solid performance. One thing that’s really starting to come out is headphones are sounding “better” …hmm same cans new dac…showing the really good resolution and ability to bring out the best of existing transducers. Joni Mitchells Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter, what an open wide soundstage front to back and side to side. Imaging is stellar. Easy to pick out instruments and their placement. The decay of instruments is very noticeable. Presentation is not as warm as with the ZMF’s. I took the SE outs to my Midgard. Eva Cassidy’s “Wonderful World” from Live At Blues Alley. Wow! Absolutely stunning. Midgard with its awesome transparency was very, very nice with G2.. With a $500 or less set of headphones the magic is there in spades. Giddy good! Holly Coles ‘I Just Seen a Face’…micro-background details shine thru…the dac is a resolution killer.
ADX 5000’s. One of the best dynamic headphones to me. Less warm that the Verite’s. Very open and airy, transparent…. Gungnir 2’s open wide soundstage with these cans is really nice. Very apparent how good this dac is in this area. Wonderful. Try Stanley Jordon and “When Julie Smiles” off his Flying Home CD. Deep soundstage. Feists “Brandy Alexander” off of the “The Remember” CD, female vocal, piano, bass drum and depth of soundstage from her vocals…wonderful. Great with G2/MJ3 and Vali 3. More on Vali 3 below.
Rad 0’s: Oh, my these are great with this pairing. Super wide soundstage, width and depth. The Beatles Rubber Soul, “Girl” …Stereo separation is very well done. Again, nothing to complain about here. The ability to discern those small background details, the shimmering hits on the drum kit, like being there listening to the studio mix. Lee Ritenour’s “Color Rit” and the Etude cut…deep soundstage, resolving the minutia background details very well. Switching to the Schiit Vali 3, almost the same sound but a little less warm overall. Still all the details are there. Aimee Manns “Momentum” from the Magnolia soundtrack…drum whacks, lots of stuff going on, real busy….no issues producing a pleasing realistic presentation. Bass, oh yes! Try Stanley Clark and the group in S.M.V. Thunder Cd, cut is ‘Thunder”. Width and depth of soundstage is about as good as it gets with traditional cans…
Of all my present headphones the Rad 0’s has the widest soundstage capability. IMO as good as even an HD800x. The capabilities of the G2 and this can in this area are exceptional.
D8000 Pro: One of my favorite headphones as well…soundstage is not as wide as the Rad 0’s but the bass response is like Abyss level IMO. These excel over the Rad 0’s in clarity and accuracy to the music being played. Crystal clean, clear with stunning bass. So far this is the BEST headphone for tonality with this pairing. These are serious headphones. The Vali 3 is just a smidge less warm overall…again that MJ3 sound that is IMO just a little warm. This is the best pairing so far with Gungnir 2. Just so right, correct, accurate. What’s in the recording is not going to hide from you. SMV’ basslines are phenomenal, don’t see why anyone would think G2 is bass lite at all. Nope. Key up some Spyro Gyro’s “Three Wishes” CD and the cut is “Breathless”. Drum whacks, bass line, vibraphone, electric piano, staccato attacks…close to perfect. Acoustic Guitar with Luiz Bonfa and “Non-Stop Brazil” and the cut “Passeio No Rio” just brilliant! G2 abilities shine thru with this headphone. Nils Lofgren’s “Girl In Motion” details, details and more details. Nothing is hidden. Fleetwood Macs “Big Love” LIVE 1997 is spectacular, audience reactions very noticeable in a good way…like being there at times soundstage depth is outstanding. Tested with Midgard and Vali 3 for amps as well. MJ3 the warmest, Vali 3 less so, Midgard squeaky clean. All allow the G2 to show of its prowess.
HE1000SE: Light and airy headphones. Last but not least. Very transparent and detailed reproduction. Not warm at all. Even with this combination that tends to be a tad warm with the MJ3 in the loop these cans are still on the bright side and allows you to really experience what the Gungnir 2 is capable of. Combined with the soundstage presentation using Gungnir 2 its almost as wide as with the Rad 0’s. Goes to show how much the headphone can influence the experience. One of the reasons I used 6 headphones with this test. The same logic can be applied to many hi-fi comparisons especially other headphones.
Gungnir 2 and Holo Cyan 2
One of the big questions is how does the Gungnir2 stack up against other dacs? Well I spent the better part of a day comparing the G2 with Holo Cyan 2 recently acquired. I tried many combinations using both SE and XLR outputs on each into Mjolnir 3 and Midgard. The output voltage on the Cyan 2 SE outputs are 2.5 volts compared to 2 volts on Gungnir 2 and the XLR outs on the Cyan are 5.0 volts compared to 4.0 volts on G2. So our brains can be deceived into thinking due to the loudness difference can make on dac sound “better” than another. Have to carefully level match. Comparing the SE output vs the XLR outputs is difficult because of this loudness due to these differences. Connecting the SE of one dac and the XLRs of the other dac and switching between them leads to a loudness “unfairness” to the lesser voltage output, the SE one.
So with that in mind I listened to both dacs with level matching and then without just turning the volume knob to the “same” loudness that my brain perceived as similar. Results between Cyan 2 and G2 were noticeable to my ears. Depending on the amp used and headphone there is a difference. IMO both are similar in many respects. But on some piano material the timbre on the Holo there is a difference than with the Gungnir 2. The Gungnir2 is just a tad less “ivory” than the Cyan 2. The piano keys in Dave Grusins “Secret Place” from the “Nightlines” digital master CD this is very noticeable. This was using Schiits Midgard. With the MJ3 this difference to me was less noticeable, they pretty much are the same tonality. One other thing I noticed is the soundstage was wider and more articulate than the Cyan 2. Easy to pick out instrument placement with Gungnir 2 over the Cyan 2.. Also more of a depth front and back than the Cyan2. I think both are excellent dacs. Either one will provide you with many hours of listening pleasure. IMO depending on the source music, its quality of recording and mastering will affect your experience more so than either dac.
I also tried Schiits Vali 3 hybrid tube amp with an old RCA Clear Top 12AU7 tube. Same experience. The Vali 3 comes across as the less warm than Mjolnir 3 and Gungnir 2. The Cyan 2 here comes across as very clean and clear about the same as Midgard. Its like the magical “wrap around your head thing” that some folks tout with the higher up the Holo dacs provide is less with Cyan 2 and more with Gungnir 2. Interesting. Wonder what Mike and Dave Schiit magic they are doing with the Gungnir 2. After all Jason states its Multibit Evolved! Hmmm.
Based on my short time with G2. I would prefer G2 with MJ3 almost all the time. With Midgard I lean towards the Cyan 2. One combination is very what I call “musical” just sit back and listen for hours and hours…this is the MJ3/G2 combination. There is a magical pairing with G2 and MJ3. When I really want to get into critical listening it’s the Cyan 2 with Midgard. Why I will own both! YMMV.
CONCLUSION:
Schiit has sold many versions of its Yggy’s, Bifrost's and several other DAC’s. It's hard for most to keep up with the versions and the technical differences for sure. Confusion. Yes. Technically. But IMO it’s in the listening that really counts and the synergy in your systems. Simple eh. With the Gungnir 2 Schiit has once again set a bar that really exceeds many end users' needs in this subjective hobby. Schitt has said numerous times there are many good products out there. IMO this dac is a serious hobbyists dac. It could easily be a TOTL dac for many. It's really that good. One can quibble over the minutia. Like no oversampling LEDS on the front panel, no super high OS sampling rates…but for 99% of the music out there it’s a real winner. Gungnir 2 is mostly made of US parts, assembled in USA, by good folks in Texas. Couple with a 5-year warranty and excellent Schiit customer service. Winner.
Key characteristics of Gungnir 2 is its ability to resolve or pass thru all the details, big or small, micro or macro, garbage in garbage out, but put in good stuff its sublime! It allows you to hear the subtleties in your music and allows you to really hear what your headphones are capable of. It does nothing technically incorrect IMO. It's just a really good DAC.
It’s a very transparent dac, that allows for hours of good listening. I think it's pretty much neutral and the deciding factor here is what you feed into it becomes a question of what the other parts of your system in. Your source material, your amp, headphones etc.…. It doesn’t hold back other stuff in your chain. But it doesn’t make it any better that stuff is or is not.
MJ3 with the Gungnir 2 is a tad on the warm side, “me thinks” it's not Gungnir 2 but more Mjolnir 3. Swap out the MJ3 for a more reference type amp the warmth lessens and it's even more transparent. With Midgard you get an even more neutral straight wire with gain presentation. Simply transparent and accurate. For me with six headphones it's like it getting six new pair of headphones to listen with all over again!
Schiit is not stopping with the Gungnir 2, as better chips emerge Schiit will I am sure will play with them. Jason has stated they are working on Singular implementation in 2025, which is a FPGA-based high-rate, high-bit depth delta-sigma design. So Gungnir as good as it gets might be “bested” in the near future. “Bested” will be a very subjective definition for many. Objective vs Subjective. You will have to decide.
Does this mean that Gungnir 2 is ho-hum? NO! Wake up and smell the music…Its IMO one of the best dacs out there using monolithic dac chips TI DAC DAC8812C. Schiit has advanced the art with Gungnir 2. This is indeed True Multibit - Evolved.
Future thought from Jason Stoddard:
“Neither Singular nor Multiform we consider to be the be-all or end-all; we prefer to let our approaches fight it out in the open market”.
I can't wait to see how Schiit makes this stuff even “better” ….
Thanks to Schiit for the loaner!
Alex
:>)
