[adias]

If it is the case, that means UNISON isolation is not good enough, RPI streamer sound quality is much better than PC computer much more, I wonder if people use PC computer with UNISON, the sound quality is wrose than mine. But I think Bifrost 2 still good with UNISON, it is better than no isolation, the sound quality is reflected in the selling price already,I just paid more money to improve it

I suggest you contact Schiit support and talk with them. Mike Moffat says Unison is the DAC’s best input. Either your unit is defective or something is off in that USB connection that Schiit should be aware.

 

[joenetic]

I suggest you contact Schiit support and talk with them. Mike Moffat says Unison is the DAC’s best input. Either your unit is defective or something is off in that USB connection that Schiit should be aware.

I am not going to help Schiit to debug or improve their products, Schiit Audio group should concern about this more than me, Bifrost 2 selling price just USD$699, I don't expect it has very good quality, there has many others DAC much better than Bifrost 2, and also much more expensive than Bifrost 2.

 

[zexk]

I happen to have a Bifrost 1 Multibit w/ Unison USB upgrade. When comparing Unison with coax running from a Schiit Etir, I prefer the coax over Unison. Unison sounded a bit too crisp and raw whereas coax was more smooth and laid back.

 

[Digital Enigma]

I turn my yggy off after listening, haven't noticed any disadvantages the last few years.

Even if there weren’t any sound quality advantages it’s better for the health of the components to leave it on.

 

[Lokust]

Even if there weren’t any sound quality advantages it’s better for the health of the components to leave it on.

Better for my wallet to turn it off. Plus, am just not a proponent of wasting electricity, even if it were to (ever-so-slightly) adversely affect the device's longevity.

 

[axle_69]

I've had a Bifrost 2 for several years, and now a BF2/64 for about six months. I use a 220 V model, and I have not heard any hum. I turn it on in the morning and leave it on all day. It's right under my computer/teaching studio desk. I think if you're hearing a hum 1.5 meters away it suggests a defective unit. Sorry you've had to encounter that.

I still think I got a defective unit but when I returned it, Schiit Europe considered it to be normal, I checked with Schiit US and seems like they consider it normal as well: "The transformers will make a bit of noise unfortunately that's just a reality with 60Hz AC and transformers. They should be essentially silent from about 1-2 meters away or further.". I find that a bit strange since the Yggdrasil in the same conditions (in the middle of a desk, connected to a socket, without any other cables connected) is silent just a few cm away (I can't hear anything from Stax and Violectric amplifiers), maybe they got the length units wrong...
I know the Ygggrasil has a different price and construction but the Bifrost 2/64 is around 1000 euros (not that competitive in Europe) and I was expecting a bit more in terms of QC and customer support, I googled a bit and seems like issues with Schiit transformers are not unheard of.
In the end it turned out well because I got a very good deal on another DAC that I like even more, and the price ended up being lower enough to compensate for having to pay shipping and insurance to return the (defective IMHO) Bifrost 2/64 but it was still annoying.

 

[Digital Enigma]

I still think I got a defective unit but when I returned it, Schiit Europe considered it to be normal, I checked with Schiit US and seems like they consider it normal as well: "The transformers will make a bit of noise unfortunately that's just a reality with 60Hz AC and transformers. They should be essentially silent from about 1-2 meters away or further.". I find that a bit strange since the Yggdrasil in the same conditions (in the middle of a desk, connected to a socket, without any other cables connected) is silent just a few cm away (I can't hear anything from Stax and Violectric amplifiers), maybe they got the length units wrong...
I know the Ygggrasil has a different price and construction but the Bifrost 2/64 is around 1000 euros (not that competitive in Europe) and I was expecting a bit more in terms of QC and customer support, I googled a bit and seems like issues with Schiit transformers are not unheard of.
In the end it turned out well because I got a very good deal on another DAC that I like even more, and the price ended up being lower enough to compensate for having to pay shipping and insurance to return the (defective IMHO) Bifrost 2/64 but it was still annoying.

Im curious what did you replace it with?

I think the hum is fixed when people have added an extra nut and bolt to the transformer, I had a Valhalla 2 years back and that made a loud buzz I could hear through my hd600 even with music on.

Schiits allure from its value just isn’t there when you live outside the US.

Bifrost 2/64 works out at £850 / $1,080
For that much you can get 2x chord mojo 2 with change back and it’s a better DAC as well imo.

 

[bcowen]

S/pdif coax cable came in today, and I took it for a spin on qobuz, switching back and forth between usb and coax on my 2/64. I don’t know what kind of magic is going on, but I swear there’s a difference.

USB sounds brighter/crispier at the end of notes, and maybe a little thinner, while coax connection sounds clearer, with a darker background and more natural, without the slight harsh edge.

Who knows if It’s really different, since I have officially become a crazy man who compares the sounds of digital inputs… but for now I will leave it on coax because I spent 7 dollars on the cable.

ROFL!!!

 

[bcowen]

I happen to have a Bifrost 1 Multibit w/ Unison USB upgrade. When comparing Unison with coax running from a Schiit Etir, I prefer the coax over Unison. Unison sounded a bit too crisp and raw whereas coax was more smooth and laid back.

I have a BF2 (non-64) and when fed from computer USB, I slightly prefer the EITR/coax to the Unison as well. I use an EITR in my speaker setup too feeding a Cary DAC, and the difference having the EITR/coax between the computer and Cary versus going straight into the Cary from the computer is quite an audible improvement.

 

[theeclone]

I have a BF2 (non-64) and when fed from computer USB, I slightly prefer the EITR/coax to the Unison as well. I use an EITR in my speaker setup too feeding a Cary DAC, and the difference having the EITR/coax between the computer and Cary versus going straight into the Cary from the computer is quite an audible improvement.

Interesting!

I have a hard time not attributing these testimonials about inferior USB performance to the effects of noise making its way into the DAC through USB. Eitr was kind of known for doing a good job of isolating the DAC from the source. And given the choice between attributing the negative subjective impressions of USB to either: a) adding to THD/Noise in the output stage, or b) causing jitter by affecting the DAC chip's clock; I lean toward choice b.

Why? I've mostly run balanced DACs which supposedly tend to suppress the noise making its way to the output stage. I also experienced similar differences with a Gungnir multibit being fed via either gen5 usb or eitr, and tended to prefer the eitr. And I've noticed subtle differences between usb sources with the BF2's Unison input when using its balanced outputs.

This theory was kind of controversial on that other thread for reasons I don't understand. I don't think noise traveling through a PCB discriminates between modulating one type of analog signal (the output of a crystal oscillator), or another (the analog stage's output waveform).

 

[bcowen]

Interesting!

I have a hard time not attributing these testimonials about inferior USB performance to the effects of noise making its way into the DAC through USB. Eitr was kind of known for doing a good job of isolating the DAC from the source. And given the choice between attributing the negative subjective impressions of USB to either: a) adding to THD/Noise in the output stage, or b) causing jitter by affecting the DAC chip's clock; I lean toward choice b.

Why? I've mostly run balanced DACs which supposedly tend to suppress the noise making its way to the output stage. I also experienced similar differences with a Gungnir multibit being fed via either gen5 usb or eitr, and tended to prefer the eitr. And I've noticed subtle differences between usb sources with the BF2's Unison input when using its balanced outputs.

This theory was kind of controversial on that other thread for reasons I don't understand. I don't think noise traveling through a PCB discriminates between modulating one type of analog signal (the output of a crystal oscillator), or another (the analog stage's output waveform).

I won't even pretend to understand how all this stuff works....I just listen. But is it safe to assume that Unison and EITR are doing the same thing, just in a compact/integrated approach with Unison versus a separate box with EITR?

 

[theeclone]

I won't even pretend to understand how all this stuff works....I just listen. But is it safe to assume that Unison and EITR are doing the same thing, just in a compact/integrated approach with Unison versus a separate box with EITR?

Well, you know the analog side probably a lot better than me!

But this is part of what's interesting to me. I believe the eitr basically had a gen5 usb input to spdif output, and still it sounded better than straight gen5 with the gumby.

I always preferred unison on the bf2 over spdif, but I had a pretty nice server at the time, with an overbuilt gaming motherboard and a good power cable. I don't think it had a particularly noisy usb bus. When I tried unison from a raspberry pi 4b with a cheap switching power supply it sounded grainier to me.

 

[Neweymatt]

Schiits allure from its value just isn’t there when you live outside the US.

Hmmm, well as someone outside the US who has collected a bit of Schiit, I’d have to politely disagree.

Bought everything direct from them on account of zero stock in country, everything arrived within a week in perfect working order, and hasn’t skipped a beat.

Have to say, the price/performance value of their stuff has allowed me to accumulate 3 different amps and 3 different DACs, which has really helped to get synergies with various headphones and IEMs that I might not have been able to do with more expensive gear for the same total outlay.

Anyways, that’s just my experience, YMMV etc etc.

 

[2ndWedge]

Im curious what did you replace it with?

I think the hum is fixed when people have added an extra nut and bolt to the transformer, I had a Valhalla 2 years back and that made a loud buzz I could hear through my hd600 even with music on.

Schiits allure from its value just isn’t there when you live outside the US.

Bifrost 2/64 works out at £850 / $1,080
For that much you can get 2x chord mojo 2 with change back and it’s a better DAC as well imo.

The Canadian price for the Chord is $945 and for a $100 more I can get the Bifrost at my door, I guess we are seeing ripoff prices for the Chords here.

 

[2ndWedge]

Well, you know the analog side probably a lot better than me!

But this is part of what's interesting to me. I believe the eitr basically had a gen5 usb input to spdif output, and still it sounded better than straight gen5 with the gumby.

I always preferred unison on the bf2 over spdif, but I had a pretty nice server at the time, with an overbuilt gaming motherboard and a good power cable. I don't think it had a particularly noisy usb bus. When I tried unison from a raspberry pi 4b with a cheap switching power supply it sounded grainier to me.

Thanks guys, you made me pull my Eitr off the shelf and hook it to a Modi I brought back from the cottage for the winter. Its in my main system and I am amazed at how good it sounds. Tomorrow I will move the pair upstairs to the Bluesound and bring my Bifrost back down to the main listening room. Can we convince Schiit to reintroduce the Eitr to get our legacy products back in use?