And here's my last post about the comparison of the Composer to the Bifrost 2.
This time, after doing a long listening session with both dacs in balanced, connected to the Soloist 3X.
I used these albums:
John Barbirolli with the New Philarmonia Orchestra - Mahler's fifth.
Devin Townsend - Ocean Machine (remastered)
Mink DeVille - Le Chat Bleu (unremastered Capitol CD)
In Mahler's fifth, I think the Bifrost 2 was more precise in the layering of the orchestra. It offered a better sense of depth. Lachlan, from Passion for sound, says the same in his review of the Bifrost 2. I agree with that.
The Composer was slightly more compressed in depth, but it offers a better and more realistic timbre for instruments.
Devin Townsend's album, I chose it because some tracks are incredibly saturated with guitars. Here the Bifrost really struggled. Where the Bifrost 2 just gave a thick wall of sound, the Composer had no problem separating instruments. The difference wasn't exactly subtle. The Bifrost just couldn't keep up. It still sounded enjoyable, though.
Mink DeVille's album is great, and I love the texture of those tracks. In this case, the Composer rendered better the decay of notes, the echos of guitar sounds in the studio, the air in the recording.
For example, the piano and percussion of Slow Drain sound natural in the Composer in a way that comes off as blurry and airless in the Bifrost 2.
The Composer shines in this aspect. There's really no competition. The Bifrost can sound airy sometimes because details are sometimes blurry, and that blur may come off as "air". But it's not.
My conclusion is:
- Layering - it is really recording dependent, but with some symphonic music, Bifrost 2 does depth better.
- Detail, air in the recording, timbre, separation... - all that goes to the Composer.
Which one is better, though? It depends on what you favour, of course. If you don't need the level of detail and you want something thicker, the Bifrost is for you.
If you prefer detail, separation, texture, etc., then the Composer is the one.
And I haven't mentioned dsd, which of course the Bifrost 2 doesn't decode. In dsd, the Composer shines like a motherfxxx. Too bad I only have a handful of dsd recordings. I don't care that much for dsd, so it has never pushed me in any dac's direction. Same with mqa.
Anyway, this is all for this comparison.
Next, me selling the Bifrost 2. It was a pleasure. I've really liked it. But I don't see the point in keeping two dacs.
).
