I am looking for feedback from those who have had extensive time with all three of these fine Schiit DACs. I am purposefully excluding the Bifrost MB as it occupies the most odd market segment of the Schiit DAC lineup.
Who has done a BLIND comparison of these three?
Who can best compare the sound signature of these three?
I have compared the Gungnir MB and Yiggy on my home setup and have my own conclusions there. The Modi2 MB is what really makes all this interesting IMO. I have not heard it yet, but perhaps I can say differently on October 16...
These three DACs represent three distinct pricing categories: inexpensive, mid-market, and more premium.
The main question for me is, which of the three delivers the most satisfaction per $, or in other words, which of the three is the value leader? This is not such an easy question, as I have read that the Modi2 MB offer 85% of the performance of the Yiggy at about 12% the price. The Yiggy is said to compete favorably against DACs costing 600-700% more.
Is the Modi2 MB closer in sound signature to the GMB or to the Yiggy?
I personally have NO need for balanced outputs and am interested in a smaller footprint. Score two points for the Modi2 MB. The Yiggy is the best DAC I've heard and is worth its asking price IMO. I can part with $2300 but does the Modi2 MB get me 85% of the way there, especially with respect to SE output, at 10% of the cash outlay? The GMB is the darker horse for me. It lies in the middle of the price range, offers featured I don't need (balanced output), offers a compromise with regards to footprint, but compared to Yiggy, offered a slightly warmer, perhaps slightly darker, sound that was well and good but not as addicting!
The other thing I keep in mind is that if I bought a Modi2 MB, or even a GMB, there is money for "USB cleaners" or even a U2S; such would not at least initially be the case with a Yiggy purchase.
Thoughts?