[eclein]

hp300plus-Thank you so very much for the review, a nice concise look at a new product and one I have ordered with USB and should be getting very soon. My guys were at RMAF today and saw Jason from Schiit and he told them the USB's should start shipping this coming week so its not to far off for me. While I wait patiently I've been popping in from time to time hoping to catch someone who can put into words what they are hearing and you did that superbly in my book..Thanks!!!
 For those cable skeptics, if you don't believe it makes a difference fine but let others hear it and decide for themselves. I swear you guys come off as cult like with the whole anti cable thing.....

 

[45longcolt]

My thanks also to hp300plus - my Bifrost ships next week or so sez Jason and I am impatient.
 
And eclien is right on - you must decide with your own ears about cables, power cords, power conditioners etc.  Granted, it is sometimes easier to notice a difference than to decide whether that difference is an improvement. But, skeptics, have you really done the listening or are you just going on theory?
 
If one DAC is better than another, then the same must be true of any component; be it a deck, a set of phones or even a capacitor (There, how's that for theory?) Keep an open mind.

 

[ecohifi]

Has any Bifrost owners at this stage have a other dacs such as the sabre 9018 or audio gd that they can directly compare it with, would be interested in your findings!!! Especially in coax mode.

 

[ChavaC]

coax->lyr (6N23P) -> bifrost -> LCD-2 r1
 
Just to chime in with my thoughts, I've had the Bifrost about 4 days now and so far I'm really enjoying it. Mind you I'm coming from a D10 coupled to my Lyr so take my impressions with a grain of salt, but the Bifrost really is night and day in comparison across the board. The thing that especially jumps out to me is the imaging; everything has such a 3 dimensional and voluminous sound to it that I've never been able to get out of the other dacs I've owned. I had even all but decided to move on from the LCD-2s to the HD800 because I thought they were never going to let me hear into the music to the extent I wanted, but that idea is pretty much out the window now, and I've been having a lot of fun revisiting all my music with the LCD's. Even some of the poorly recorded music I have is showing some new life. On top of that, the soundstage is much more fleshed out but only a bit wider, although in all fairness my LCD-2s have never really shined in that department. I really get the feeling I'm listening to an actual room/stage rather than a wall of sound. Detail wise the bifrost is pretty big step up and I'm hearing several nuances I've never caught before, even in some of my favorite songs. It also feels like extension on both ends has been upped a notch or two. Tonally what I'm hearing sounds pretty neutral, maybe slightly warmer but I don't really get the impression it's coloring the music to any significant degree. So far I'm having trouble coming up with anything to complain about. There were a few hihats and drum beats that sounded a little thin when I first started listening, but my ears might have just been a little wonky as I haven't been able to find them again. Build quality is of course simple and solid.
 
I don't have a high end reference to compare to against higher price points, so take everything with a grain of salt, but I have to say I'm quite pleased with the sizeable bump in clarity and detail. I've always been a pretty underwhelmed with my past DAC upgrades (HDP, D10), so it's nice to finally have something that really adds to my rig.

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

My thanks also to hp300plus - my Bifrost ships next week or so sez Jason and I am impatient.
 
And eclien is right on - you must decide with your own ears about cables, power cords, power conditioners etc.  Granted, it is sometimes easier to notice a difference than to decide whether that difference is an improvement. But, skeptics, have you really done the listening or are you just going on theory?
 
If one DAC is better than another, then the same must be true of any component; be it a deck, a set of phones or even a capacitor (There, how's that for theory?) Keep an open mind.

45longcolt,
 
I have built most of my gear apart from sources and dacs because these devices are so small that I cannot solder them,  I am experimenting with op amps right now and I can tell you that changing a RCA cable makes a difference.  Removing caps or replacing them with MKPs in the signal path will change SQ.  Even replacing a volume pot every 6mth will maintain SQ.  I fall short in power cords because I know enough that in therory this is not value to do if you spend hundreds on a power cord, you're better of getting a better dac or amp or upgrading other components in your rig.  Line conditioners will help to reduced noise that is introduced in the digital domain but in saying that transformers in psu will filter out most electrical noise.  I haven't delved into line conditioning deviced but others will prove me wrong!!
 
 

 

[pseudohippy]

I dont see anywhere anyone being ani cable. I think a couple people just said what they did because it sounds like he has hundreds invested in cables and $90 headphones. Seemed odd to me also but if that is the sound sig he likes then price is really irrelevant. But yeah, I was kinda surprised also when I read about all that great gear the then ATH M50. You guys have to admit that headphones make a bigger difference than cables, even if you totally believe in them so most folks spend money on the phones before cables. Of course, if you love the M50 then consider yourself lucky, you get to save tons of dough. I like mine.
 
Thanks for the reviews to everyone who has talked about the Bifrost. I thought Jason said USB models should have started shipping late last week but another week is no biggie. I must admit Im getting pretty excited now though. 

 

[Kremer930]

Thanks for the reviews.  It is great to read more positive impressions from those lucky non usb headfiers.
 
I do have a comment to hp300plus though.  You mentioned that the Bifrost may be the entry drug into a world of seeking improvement in sound quality now that you have been awakened to the improvements that are possible.  I wont pick on your cans as I havent used them before but I will suggest that you check out the Lyr tube rolling thread.  The stock JJ tubes are unanimously declared as holding back the potential of the Lyr.  Even spending $4 or less on a set of 6N23P tubes will give you a noticeable improvement.  But beware...at this price...this really is opening up a potential tube rolling drug craze...
 
 
Thanks again for your impressions.

 

[29twenty]

how come all the early reviews are people coming from MUCH lesser dacs? marketing scheme? of course all initial reviews are glowing if theyre comign from portable/sub 150$ dacs. if it is marketing... its genius.  people im sure always talk to schiit about their gear and how theyre excited, etc.  if i were a company, id take that to my advantage.  ship out early units to early orders with much lesser gear.. get the early word + extra sales out. then send the rest. 
 
make any sense? or just over thinking things... u be the judge.

 

[pseudohippy]

Quote:

how come all the early reviews are people coming from MUCH lesser dacs? marketing scheme? of course all initial reviews are glowing if theyre comign from portable/sub 150$ dacs. if it is marketing... its genius.  people im sure always talk to schiit about their gear and how theyre excited, etc.  if i were a company, id take that to my advantage.  ship out early units to early orders with much lesser gear.. get the early word + extra sales out. then send the rest. 
 
make any sense? or just over thinking things... u be the judge.

Nope, you've lost your mind. Schiit is not purposely sending out units to people with lesser DACS. On another note, why would you think people with better dacs would buy the Bifrost? Why would others want to make a lateral move. I think you can assume a majority of the purchasers are looking to upgrade from lower end products.

 

[Kremer930]

From watching Schiit over the past year I think that anyone could confidently say that Jason would not employ this tactic.  Heck, he doesnt even want to accept pre-orders anymore since incurring uncontrollable delays from suppliers and the ensuing duress that it causes his customers.  
 
There is possibly a concentration of lower end dac users receiving their Bifrosts first because they are the non-usb model orders shipping first.  For me personally, I dont really intend to use USB but ticked the box anyhow just so I could have a play and compare.  For budget users they may be more focussed on saving $100 instead.  Just a theory....
 
But I am hanging out to compare to a higher end DAC.  I will only be able to compare to a Matric Mini-i and DacMagic too.
 
If I owned a $800 DAC...I dont think that I would be inspired to upgrade to a DAC costing half the price based on pre-order comments.  It would take real comparisons from people who have used the higher end gear or my own in shop demo.
 
Perhaps Skylabs review may tempt some higher end DAC owners to take the Bifrost plunge.
 
Quote:

how come all the early reviews are people coming from MUCH lesser dacs? marketing scheme? of course all initial reviews are glowing if theyre comign from portable/sub 150$ dacs. if it is marketing... its genius.  people im sure always talk to schiit about their gear and how theyre excited, etc.  if i were a company, id take that to my advantage.  ship out early units to early orders with much lesser gear.. get the early word + extra sales out. then send the rest. 
 
make any sense? or just over thinking things... u be the judge.

 

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

how come all the early reviews are people coming from MUCH lesser dacs? marketing scheme? of course all initial reviews are glowing if theyre comign from portable/sub 150$ dacs. if it is marketing... its genius.  people im sure always talk to schiit about their gear and how theyre excited, etc.  if i were a company, id take that to my advantage.  ship out early units to early orders with much lesser gear.. get the early word + extra sales out. then send the rest. 
 
make any sense? or just over thinking things... u be the judge.

You must be new to Head-Fi.  

 
This happens often with gear that is priced at a point that can appeal to budget-fi members.  No conspiracy by Schiit to stack the initial orders and shipping.  It's just normal operations here at Head-Fi.

 

[ChavaC]

I assume I got mine fairly early because I ordered non-usb the morning the preorder opened.
 
And why would people downgrade to a lesser dac? I mean this is headfi... that would be like water flowing uphill.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

how come all the early reviews are people coming from MUCH lesser dacs? marketing scheme? of course all initial reviews are glowing if theyre comign from portable/sub 150$ dacs. if it is marketing... its genius.  people im sure always talk to schiit about their gear and how theyre excited, etc.  if i were a company, id take that to my advantage.  ship out early units to early orders with much lesser gear.. get the early word + extra sales out. then send the rest. 
 
make any sense? or just over thinking things... u be the judge.

According to a couple of these early impressions the Bifrost is a clear upgrade over the DacMagic, which is pretty close to price-compatible.

 

[Argo Duck]

All good points Kremer.
 
FWIW, I have two DACs - the EE MiniMax and Jan's StageDAC - that cost more and I suppose might arguably be considered 'higher end'.
 
Yet I preordered the bifrost anyway, because (a) what a good price and (b) I like the Lyr, let's see what their DAC can do.
 
Anyway, I'm not sure my order (#101) is still in the works - the cc I use with Paypal expired two months ago. Although I updated it Paypal's message indicates the order's lapsed and I need to contact Schiit. Not a high priority ATM...

 

[Argo Duck]

Well, general relativity nearly got violated in my case 

 
Maybe the Paypal problem was the universe reacting to safeguard the laws of physics - and headfi!!
 
Cheers!
 
Quote:

I assume I got mine fairly early because I ordered non-usb the morning the preorder opened.
 
And why would people downgrade to a lesser dac? I mean this is headfi... that would be like water flowing uphill.