Schiit Audio Bifrost 2

[Nick76]

I had the AK4493 Modius and it was a really good delta sigma DAC. I've been curious about Modius E with the ES9028. I currently use the MM1 and MM2. I'm retired so no plans to buy the Bifrost 2 and I'm not sure my 70 year old hearing warrants a costly DAC. The MM2 is really an amazing little DAC. An improvement on the MM1 which I still still enjoy. Maybe I try a Modi E just for the heck of it. I had a Bifrost multibit and I really couldn't discern a difference between it and the MM1.

I think the both the Modi+ and Modius E are great DACs, and now I hold the Modius E in even higher regards, as it can hold up to the Bifrost 2/64. My 26-year-old ears can't tell them apart at all. Maybe I would have preferred the original Bifrost 2 card as a deviation from the more neutral signature of the 2/64 card.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

I think the both the Modi+ and Modius E are great DACs, and now I hold the Modius E in even higher regards, as it can hold up to the Bifrost 2/64. My 26-year-old ears can't tell them apart at all. Maybe I would have preferred the original Bifrost 2 card as a deviation from the more neutral signature of the 2/64 card.

26 year old ears! Holy crap! My hearing is still pretty good. High frequency loss which is common. All those concerts 50 years ago didn't help. That and a bunch of other things. The Modi Multibit was really a game changer when it was introduced. $250 for a multibit DAC!
I still remember the first time I used it after switching from my AK4490 Modi 3. I couldn't believe the difference. I had a Modi 3E and sold it after trying to like it after a month. I wonder if Schiit rushed the production after their AKM chip supply ran out. It sounds like the Modi + is an improvement.

 

[JStro23]

Just got it all hooked up. Was using a borrowed x-blaster DAC prior to this. This is my first "HiFi system" as such, and I just decided to jump in head first. No regrets, this sounds divine. Playing into a set of HEDD headphones, and it is just . Gonna take a step back for a bit and just enjoy this, and expand to a turntable setup too as the autumn comes.

 

[chrisnyc75]

I bought it used from a user here who had it for a couple months, so I assume its been used a fair bit. I haven't turned it off since I got it a couple days ago. Guess I should be happy that I don't have golden ears and can settle down again with the cheaper Modius to save a couple hundred bucks

Honestly, it's a blessing when you DON'T hear a difference, because then you know you've reached the level of audiophilia that YOU require for maximum enjoyment. Enjoy your Modius!

 

[Lokust]

Hi, am picking up a Wells Audio Milo in the next few weeks, which is a single-ended amp, to pair with my LCD-4. How would you folks rate the bifrost 2/64 single-ended connection? Was also considering a Qutest, but since I'm unable to try either out, I'm here begging for and appreciative of any input you can offer. Thanks!

 

[theeclone]

Hi, am picking up a Wells Audio Milo in the next few weeks, which is a single-ended amp, to pair with my LCD-4. How would you folks rate the bifrost 2/64 single-ended connection? Was also considering a Qutest, but since I'm unable to try either out, I'm here begging for and appreciative of any input you can offer. Thanks!

I would rate both the BF 2 OG and 2/64 single ended outputs as excellent. They really seemed to pair those op amps well. I switched to balanced at one point after I got a freya n, and didn’t notice any gains sonically over the single ended.

 

[Lokust]

I would rate both the BF 2 OG and 2/64 single ended outputs as excellent. They really seemed to pair those op amps well. I switched to balanced at one point after I got a freya n, and didn’t notice any gains sonically over the single ended.

Thanks, great to hear!

 

[emorrison33]

I switched to balanced at one point after I got a freya n, and didn’t notice any gains sonically over the single ended.

Yea, I can't tell much difference, if any, with single ended vs. balanced with the Bifrost 2/64 either. Good job Schiit! But then again I have mine running into a Freya N as well, and not sure if that makes a difference or not.

 

[Lokust]

Yea, I can't tell much difference, if any, with single ended vs. balanced with the Bifrost 2/64 either. Good job Schiit! But then again I have mine running into a Freya N as well, and not sure if that makes a difference or not.

Cool ... though it makes for a difficult decision.

 

[Nick76]

It's funny, a couple days ago when I made those posts, I couldn't hear a difference when quickly flipping between the Modius E and the BF2/64. Yesterday I went back to using the Modius after exclusively using the BF for a couple days and I can definitely tell them apart now. I'd say the Bifrost has the edge in a lot of ways, but Modius still is a hell of a DAC for 200 bucks.

On another note, is the 2/64 supposed to get pretty hot? Mine's reading like 105 degrees F with an infrared heat gun at normal operating temps. Quite a bit toastier than my Jot 2 runs and certainly much hotter than the Modius.

 

[morpheus69]

It's funny, a couple days ago when I made those posts, I couldn't hear a difference when quickly flipping between the Modius E and the BF2/64. Yesterday I went back to using the Modius after exclusively using the BF for a couple days and I can definitely tell them apart now. I'd say the Bifrost has the edge in a lot of ways, but Modius still is a hell of a DAC for 200 bucks.

On another note, is the 2/64 supposed to get pretty hot? Mine's reading like 105 degrees F with an infrared heat gun at normal operating temps. Quite a bit toastier than my Jot 2 runs and certainly much hotter than the Modius.

Nothing to worry about, the case is a heat sink... if it's not hot then you should worry

 

[zexk]

I had the AK4493 Modius and it was a really good delta sigma DAC. I've been curious about Modius E with the ES9028. I currently use the MM1 and MM2. I'm retired so no plans to buy the Bifrost 2 and I'm not sure my 70 year old hearing warrants a costly DAC. The MM2 is really an amazing little DAC. An improvement on the MM1 which I still still enjoy. Maybe I try a Modi E just for the heck of it. I had a Bifrost multibit and I really couldn't discern a difference between it and the MM1.

The AKM Modius and AKM Gungnir are the only two Delta Sigma DACs that I like out of the bunch I have tried. I actually still have them, but they are no longer being used since I'm all-in on the Multibit train at this point. I made a post in the Jotunheim 2 thread the other day, but there are actually three different sounding AKM Modius'es. Similar to my two BF2 OGs, the boards with the Nichicon capacitors sounded a bit dull compared to the one with WE (red) caps.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

The AKM Modius and AKM Gungnir are the only two Delta Sigma DACs that I like out of the bunch I have tried. I actually still have them, but they are no longer being used since I'm all-in on the Multibit train at this point. I made a post in the Jotunheim 2 thread the other day, but there are actually three different sounding AKM Modius'es. Similar to my two BF2 OGs, the boards with the Nichicon capacitors sounded a bit dull compared to the one with WE (red) caps.

I agree with you about the AKM Modius. I'm on the ladder DAC train but the AKM Modius was really good.

 

[emorrison33]

It's funny, a couple days ago when I made those posts, I couldn't hear a difference when quickly flipping between the Modius E and the BF2/64. Yesterday I went back to using the Modius after exclusively using the BF for a couple days and I can definitely tell them apart now. I'd say the Bifrost has the edge in a lot of ways, but Modius still is a hell of a DAC for 200 bucks.

On another note, is the 2/64 supposed to get pretty hot? Mine's reading like 105 degrees F with an infrared heat gun at normal operating temps. Quite a bit toastier than my Jot 2 runs and certainly much hotter than the Modius.

Yea, it gets hot when in use. Warm when not. I purchased some rubber feet for the bottom to raise it up a bit, and that definitely helped cool it a little. I have the Bifrost 2/64 underneath the Lokius. Lokius has the "new" feet as well.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08GNV4BV1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[nvs019]

I Received my Schiit Bifrost 2/64. initial impressions are pretty good. tried many mid tier dacs like hifiman ef400, fiio k7, fiio k9 pro, micro idsd signature, shanling H7 as only dac and feliks audio esspresivo tube amp.

Every song i listen it makes me smile. Loved the details and very musical. Excellent pairing with HD820. very good sound stage, layering and positioning, imaging.

IPHONE 12PRO -> SCHIIT BIFROST 2/64 -> Feliks Audio esspresivo tube amp -> senn HD 820 + UPOCC plus silver cable