[Music Alchemist]

Mimby + magni 3 is enough but with Loki in between, it's much better. You can play around with it to make your headphone sounds better.

I guess some people like the novelty of hardware EQ with only a few settings. I favor parametric equalizer software since it gives you full control: virtually any and every frequency, with precision down to a fraction of a decibel, without adding distortion like some hardware can. And it doesn't cost anything unless you get one of the fancier programs.

 

[exdmd]

I think the Wyrd is pretty much obsolete now that Schiit sells the Gen 5 USB in Eitr. If you are using files or streaming over USB you need Eitr or a Schiit DAC with Gen 5 USB. I just upgraded a Modi 2 Uber to a Bifrost Multibit with Gen 5 and the difference is not subtle. You also have upgradeable boards on the Bifrost in case Schiit changes their mind about MQA and decides to support it

I am using the Bifrost with a Magni 3 and feel no need to upgrade that amp it is so good. I think the limiting factor in my setup now is the Oppo PM-3s so I may be moving up to better phones soon.

Bottom line would be your budget. Magni 3 with Eitr and Modi 2 Uber minimum. Go for a Modi 2 Multibit or Bifrost Multibit if you can. A Loki equalizer is nice to have but if your budget is tight put the money towards the best DAC you can buy.

 

[Music Alchemist]

If you are using files or streaming over USB you need Eitr or a Schiit DAC with Gen 5 USB.

I think the Eitr is overpriced considering you can do what I did for a far lower price: get a $30 Behringer UCA202 audio interface and output TOSLINK to the DAC, which electrically isolates it. (TOSLINK does have more jitter, but in my case it didn't matter, since Chord DACs are immune to jitter.) Even then, the differences between S/PDIF and USB were very subtle. Many (if not most) computers do a fine job of sending data to the DAC via USB.

I just upgraded a Modi 2 Uber to a Bifrost Multibit with Gen 5 and the difference is not subtle.

But the difference primarily comes from the DAC, not the fact that its USB implementation is better. You aren't isolating the variables there.

If you wanted to talk about the actual differences their Gen 5 USB makes, you'd have to use an identical DAC (and everything else) with the only difference being the Gen 5 on one of them.