[sysfail]

If you truly want your money's worth, save your money until you can afford a bifrost MB. Used ones come up for $500 usually.

How does the Multibit compare to the non-multibit version? In regards to just optical input (no USB)?

 

[Deftone]

there is a comparison of the 4490 and Multibit floating around.
 
somone might be able point you in the right direction.

 

[sysfail]

  there is a comparison of the 4490 and Multibit floating around.
 
somone might be able point you in the right direction.

 
That'd be great, I definitely want to read that.

 

[aamer23]

Its an insane upgrade to Bimby. The bifrost even at $600 is a DAC I could live with forever, and I've heard Yggy, and many other top of the line DACs.

yep I agree however this one of the best sounding DACs at any price point 

 

[aamer23]

How does the Multibit compare to the non-multibit version? In regards to just optical input (no USB)?

really good i use the optical out connected to a cocktail audio x10 network player sounds really good i have used the usb and coaxial too all good

 

[bigro]

"Its an insane upgrade to Bimby."

+1

 

[BlakeT]

I am extremely pleased with the sound quality from my Bimby.  I am using it in a desktop/nearfield speaker setup at work and I cannot believe the "bang for the buck" sonics for the cost.  
 
My work setup:  PC (fidelizer) > iFi iUsb > Bimby > Luminous Audio Axiom II passive preamp > Classe CA-100 power amp > Dynaudio Emit M10 speakers > Elac S10 subwoofer
 
The Bimby replaced a $2,000 DAC in the system above and I prefer the Bimby to the DAC it replaced.  

 

[billerb1]

  I am extremely pleased with the sound quality from my Bimby.  I am using it in a desktop/nearfield speaker setup at work and I cannot believe the "bang for the buck" sonics for the cost.  
 
My work setup:  PC (fidelizer) > iFi iUsb > Bimby > Luminous Audio Axiom II passive preamp > Classe CA-100 power amp > Dynaudio Emit M10 speakers > Elac S10 subwoofer
 
The Bimby replaced a $2,000 DAC in the system above and I prefer the Bimby to the DAC it replaced.  

 
+1.  The sonic difference between the Uber and the Multibit is night and day.  You can feel and hear the space of the recording venue so clearly.  That is the part that constantly surprises me.
Music is just so much more real.   Engagement factor is downright scary.  Closest thing to being there that I've heard on headphones.  Thanks Schiit !!!

 

[raybone0566]

+1.  The sonic difference between the Uber and the Multibit is night and day.  You can feel and hear the space of the recording venue so clearly.  That is the part that constantly surprises me.
Music is just so much more real.   Engagement factor is downright scary.  Closest thing to being there that I've heard on headphones.  Thanks Schiit !!!

It is really special the first time you hear it. I upgraded from a modi and the improvements were huge. I had actually considered selling my he-560's because felt they were underperforming their asking price. And I was highly skeptical about the whole Dac thing. recordings sound so much more realistic, more detail, and that sense of space. It's really hard to explain that kind of difference. It's like the music has more body to it. There's going to be some special amps around hopefully soon that are supposed to pair very well with the schiit Dac's. Really enjoying this bimby though

 

[Astral Abyss]

It is really special the first time you hear it. I upgraded from a modi and the improvements were huge. I had actually considered selling my he-560's because felt they were underperforming their asking price. And I was highly skeptical about the whole Dac thing. recordings sound so much more realistic, more detail, and that sense of space. It's really hard to explain that kind of difference. It's like the music has more body to it. There's going to be some special amps around hopefully soon that are supposed to pair very well with the schiit Dac's. Really enjoying this bimby though

 
I have both the Modi 2 Uber and the Bifrost Multibit.  I would just like to add that my enjoyment of the MB doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the Modi.  They're both great sounding and you may prefer one or the other depending on your use and music you listen to.  I actually like the Modi better when I'm wanting to listen to music in the background while on my PC.  It's not as aggressive.  

 

[bellahsu]

I too migrated from Modi 2 Uber to Bimby. One main difference between the two is that Bimby reveals a lot more details in the music than that of Modi. The additional details that Bimby reveals does not make it more "aggressive". I hear more of the intricacies in the recording with Bimby. Does that cause listening fatigue for my ears? So far, no. There is a better sense of realism for vocals and instrumentation such as piano with Bimby than that of Modi. My brand new Bimby sounded anemic, flat, and nervous in the first 48 hours. I was about to return the unit. However, after more than a week of break in, Bimby demonstrated that she is in a different class from Modi. Though I am not tossing my Modi 2 out any time soon.

 

[theveterans]

  I too migrated from Modi 2 Uber to Bimby. One main difference between the two is that Bimby reveals a lot more details in the music than that of Modi. The additional details that Bimby reveals does not make it more "aggressive". I hear more of the intricacies in the recording with Bimby. Does that cause listening fatigue for my ears? So far, no. There is a better sense of realism for vocals and instrumentation such as piano with Bimby than that of Modi. My brand new Bimby sounded anemic, flat, and nervous in the first 48 hours. I was about to return the unit. However, after more than a week of break in, Bimby demonstrated that she is in a different class from Modi. Though I am not tossing my Modi 2 out any time soon.

 
Same impressions as you at first. Bimby is the only dac in my collection that allows me to crank the volume up near 90-100 db without ever feeling fatigued on my AKG headphones which are famous for their analytical/fatiguing sound signature. Listening to even MJ's Thriller album (fatiguing trebles on analytical headphones) at near concert level never felt fatiguing while hearing even more subtle details with Bimby.

 

[Asr]

I haven't read the whole thread, so this may have been asked already, but can anyone answer this:
 
What IS multibit? What does it mean, technically? How does it differ from delta-sigma? And what does delta-sigma mean too, while we're at it?
 
Nothing in the Schiit FAQ really covers my question, and I've tried searching on Google too, but to no avail—I haven't found any "layman's explanations" that offer any insight on what multibit and delta-sigma technically mean, just a bunch of ranting about how multibit is better than delta-sigma, but no one says how either of them work, at least in terms that an average reader can understand.
 
I'm just trying to understand the conceptual difference between delta-sigma and multibit, and why I should bother with a multibit DAC in the first place. I know Schiit doesn't do "hard sells" but this is one thing I'd really like to hear from them on, if possible—essentially, why should anyone buy a multibit DAC? What's so great about the technology, and how exactly is it an improvement? And I'm not interested in "it just sounds better" answers, I'd like an explanation that's at least semi-technical or semi-mathematical, since nearly anything in digital audio can be expressed in terms of numbers.... (and fully-technical or -mathematical explanations would be even better, even if I don't understand them)
 
I recently bought a Bifrost 4490 btw, which sounds really good, so now I'm curious about the whole multibit craze.

 

 

[disastermouse]

  I haven't read the whole thread, so this may have been asked already, but can anyone answer this:
 
What IS multibit? What does it mean, technically? How does it differ from delta-sigma? And what does delta-sigma mean too, while we're at it?
 
Nothing in the Schiit FAQ really covers my question, and I've tried searching on Google too, but to no avail—I haven't found any "layman's explanations" that offer any insight on what multibit and delta-sigma technically mean, just a bunch of ranting about how multibit is better than delta-sigma, but no one says how either of them work, at least in terms that an average reader can understand.
 
I'm just trying to understand the conceptual difference between delta-sigma and multibit, and why I should bother with a multibit DAC in the first place. I know Schiit doesn't do "hard sells" but this is one thing I'd really like to hear from Jason on, if possible—essentially, why should anyone buy a multibit DAC? What's so great about the technology, and how exactly is it an improvement? And I'm not interested in "it just sounds better" answers, I'd like an explanation that's at least semi-technical or semi-mathematical, since nearly anything in digital audio can be expressed in terms of numbers.... (and fully-technical or -mathematical explanations would be even better, even if I don't understand them)
 
I recently bought a Bifrost 4490 btw, which sounds really good, so now I'm curious about the whole multibit craze.

 

They have a highly technical explanation on the website. Too highly technical for me to follow, in fact. What I need is a 'multibit for dummies' explanation.

 

[Asr]

They have a highly technical explanation on the website. Too highly technical for me to follow, in fact. What I need is a 'multibit for dummies' explanation.

 
Where? Do you have a link? I thought I looked everywhere on Schiit's site.