[tonykaz]

Atomicbob is back!
 
I was worried, I'd thought you had Heart Issue!  
 
I can't recall how I got that idea, I've lost 4 good friends over this last year  ( a person like me doesn't have very many to loose ).  
 
I'm quite delighted to see your work again.  
 
This is quite a descriptive work on this little Dac, especially since it's so darn affordable.
 
I checked the Schiit Site to learn that it's designer describes it as being able to drive headphones ( with their $50 SYS device acting as a gain control ).  
 
[size=x-small]I have a feeling that technologies are converging here.  We have wonderful Focal headphones with very high [/size]efficiencies[size=x-small], we have low priced Dacs able to drive them and we're about to have a LG V20 Audiophile Smart Phone featuring a Quad Processor Dac. Why on Earth do we need a $145,000 MSB Headphone DAC/Amp? ( the $9,000 Sales Tax would cover the cost of any Superb headphone system, geez! ) [/size]
 
[size=x-small]I hope you're well, [/size]
 
[size=x-small]Bon Vivant,[/size]
 
[size=x-small]​Tony, still in Michigan, with Venice patiently waiting[/size]

 

[3 toes of fury]

wonderful analysis atomicbob!
 
silly question...but it begs asking...if one is looking for a great quality DAC but cant yet afford Bifrost MB....would you suggest this being a good buy or to save up and eventually get bifrost mb?
 
THANKS!

 

[EmiG310]

Hi, 
 
Thanks for your detailed analysis! I'm debating selling my Bifrost 4490 and getting a Modi Multibit now...
 
So the results seem better for Optical vs USB, is that correct?

 

[earfonia]

Thanks for this @atomicbob !
I'm learning about measurement, this is something good to digest.
 
May I know what is this Imaging measurement showing?
 

 
 
Thanks!

 

[landroni]

  silly question...but it begs asking...if one is looking for a great quality DAC but cant yet afford Bifrost MB....would you suggest this being a good buy or to save up and eventually get bifrost mb?
 

See updated comparison:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785369/yggdrasil-gungnir-mb-bifrost-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison

 

[3 toes of fury]

@landroni...thanks for the link...i love it!
 
@atomicbob...i hope your recovery is going super well and appreciate your data, hard work, and great updates on all things schiit!

 

[droopy1592]

Sliding in here. Can see what it means but how does it compare to the d/s 4490 version or a bid rose 4490?

 

[ebiscaia]

What about measuring Modi 2U and making a null test?

 

[NA Blur]

Too much to ask for the same measurements of non R2R DAC from Schiit you may have? Or another DAC in its price point? It it always useful to have something to compare it to.

 

[leesure]

Measurements would be great, but I'd love touts get a personal opinion of, for example, a ModiMulti and a Bifrost Uber. Does the multibit option raise the DAC by a whole class?

 

[MLGrado]

  Wow, thank for this!
 
Any idea why the jitter impulse measurements look so much better when using the USB-to-SPDIF converter versus using the coax or Toslink inputs directly?
 
Thanks.

 
Also,
 
SPDIF is very, very dependent on source quality.  Since there is no independent clock signal, SPDIF recovers a clock from the data stream.  
 
It is not unusual to see varying jitter measurements from different sources. 
 
It would be interesting to know what kind of jitter rejection Schiit employs in this DAC.  Typical is the use of PLL and/or data buffering.  
 
 
This little DAC puts out some very, very impressive measurements!!!!!!  I think I will be grabbing one
 
One has to remember the noise floor measurement is actually quite good for a multi bit DAC, most especially at this price point!!! WOW.   
 
Of course, a Delta Sigma is going to MEASURE better in this regard.  But 16 plus bits of actual resolution is very impressive to me, again, especially at this price point. 
 
Well done, Schiit!!!

 

[hutt132]

So does this show that SPDIF input is better than USB for this DAC?

 

[StanD]

  So does this show that SPDIF input is better than USB for this DAC?

If you need galvanic isolation due to ground loops or electrical noise, then an optical SDPIF can be very useful.
If you need the transmission of certain information/controls like volume control, then USB is essential.
SPDIF (especially optical) requires a good source, destination and proper cabling (optical or electrical, not necessarily wallet busting). I've found my Modi2 and Bifrost DACs to perform properly using optical SPDIF, didn't try coax.