[NA Blur]

  Just got my Bimby in, sounds great so far!
 
Out of curiosity, is it only the multibit version that has the 15-second blinking startup sequence? Is the 4490 basically instant-on like the original Bifrost that I had a few years ago?

4490 does not have a 15 second delay
 
I just tested it and it functions from the toggle of the on switch.

 

[Defiant00]

 
4490 does not have a 15 second delay
 
I just tested it and it functions from the toggle of the on switch.

 
Much appreciated, thanks 

 

[Baldr]

Bingo!  The 15 second delay in the Bifrost is time for two processors to initialize and reset to start, and the time for analog servos to settle.

 

[disastermouse]

Bingo!  The 15 second delay in the Bifrost is time for two processors to initialize and reset to start, and the time for analog servos to settle.

What do the servos do?

 

[Baldr]

Set the analog quiescent voltage to zero.

 

[Tuneslover]

Yup, I can also confirm that. Instant on for the 4490.

 

[aamer23]

  So after nearly a week of intense listening here are my thoughts on the Bimby (Asgard 2 -> Alpha Dog):
 
-It doesn't "quit" in a similar analogy to planar magnetic drivers.  When there's a lot of things going on, Bimby doesn't have any one particular instrument/voice/etc become overly dominant unless it's meant to be.  The most noticeable way it doesn't "quit" is with vocals and analog instruments that reverb and resonate; Bimby makes fading voices seem to hold just a bit longer and resolve nicer as they dissipate into the background.
 
-Soundstage opens up, and I would say that it widens the stage more noticeably in a "front to back" sense rather than a "left to right" increase in width.  This became extremely apparent when I started to use the Bimby with my JBL 530s in a proper room setup.  Orchestral pieces seriously have more depth as I mentioned earlier.
 
-Music feels truly layered.  Voices and analog instruments took on a lot more presence in my opinion.  Things feel much less "covered up" when the music sweeps in and out in dynamic pieces as you can still distinguish single timbres no matter the volume.  I get a sense that I can pluck out the individual parts in symphonic pieces especially.
 
-Finally, some people don't like how the Bimby makes an audible click when it changes sample rates; however, I've found this feature quite reassuring because it allows you to know that it's actually doing things. 

translates to much more connected experience with the music you are listening too. it becomes less about the equipment 

 

[Snuss]

  translates to much more connected experience with the music you are listening too. it becomes less about the equipment 

I think the word we've been looking for is transparency.  

 
Bingo!  The 15 second delay in the Bifrost is time for two processors to initialize and reset to start, and the time for analog servos to settle.

 
Also, I rather enjoy the Bimby's 15 second startup sequence.  The cycling lights make it have a UFOish effect that I wish I could keep on sometimes.

 

[earnmyturns]

Listening to Charlie Haden's and Antonio Forcione's 2006 "Heartplay" (96/24 FLAC from HDTracks), Haden's bass on the left is so naturally resonant, the onset of the notes so clear, his fingering so "here," that it's an almost uncanny return of this so sadly departed master of the bass. I concur with several others on this thread that the Bimby shines especially with well-recorded strings.

 

[billerb1]

  translates to much more connected experience with the music you are listening too. it becomes less about the equipment 

 
Agreed.  Hard to explain exactly why...but the engagement factor is off the charts for me with the Multifrost...as compared with the Uber. 
And I loved the Uber upgrade.

 

[wahsmoh]

   
Agreed.  Hard to explain exactly why...but the engagement factor is off the charts for me with the Multifrost...as compared with the Uber. 
And I loved the Uber upgrade.

 
At first I read that wrong and thought you preferred the Uber. Then I was like ohh okay makes sense. I had the Uber upgrade too and then when I bought my Theta the Uber took a step back from my listening time cause it sounded boxed in and not as focused w/o the ambience and reverb cues I heard with the Theta. Then the Bifrost MB came and it sounds fantastic, although a bit more reserved and more neutral than the Theta but with the massive soundstage and reverb tails that seem to fade off outside of the earcups.

 

[raybone0566]

Agreed.  Hard to explain exactly why...but the engagement factor is off the charts for me with the Multifrost...as compared with the Uber. 
And I loved the Uber upgrade.

Well put,

 

[disastermouse]

At first I read that wrong and thought you preferred the Uber. Then I was like ohh okay makes sense. I had the Uber upgrade too and then when I bought my Theta the Uber took a step back from my listening time cause it sounded boxed in and not as focused w/o the ambience and reverb cues I heard with the Theta. Then the Bifrost MB came and it sounds fantastic, although a bit more reserved and more neutral than the Theta but with the massive soundstage and reverb tails that seem to fade off outside of the earcups.

BiMBy has been such a more significant upgrade than I ever expected. It definitely over-delivered for me.

 

[billerb1]

   
At first I read that wrong and thought you preferred the Uber. Then I was like ohh okay makes sense. I had the Uber upgrade too and then when I bought my Theta the Uber took a step back from my listening time cause it sounded boxed in and not as focused w/o the ambience and reverb cues I heard with the Theta. Then the Bifrost MB came and it sounds fantastic, although a bit more reserved and more neutral than the Theta but with the massive soundstage and reverb tails that seem to fade off outside of the earcups.

 
Besides the Multibit, I also just started using Fidelizer Pro with my flac files and Foobar2000 (and Spotify). 
That has proved to be one incredible one-two punch on my little setup.  Holography and overall "presence" skyrocketed.
Getting real close to a sense of actually being there at times.  Everything seems new.  And the cost for this leap has been relatively minor.
(Multibit upgrade $250, Fidelizer Pro $69.95 after trying the free version)

 

[Snuss]

   
Besides the Multibit, I also just started using Fidelizer Pro with my flac files and Foobar2000 (and Spotify). 
That has proved to be one incredible one-two punch on my little setup.  Holography and overall "presence" skyrocketed.
Getting real close to a sense of actually being there at times.  Everything seems new.  And the cost for this leap has been relatively minor.
(Multibit upgrade $250, Fidelizer Pro $69.95 after trying the free version)

Not sure if many of you have heard of it, but Tidal is an incredible lossless streaming service that I've started to prefer over Spotify immensely.  It now competes with Foobar for my listening time on PC.  You can get a free trial too.