[bosiemoncrieff]

  Seems like I'm late to the party! Apologies if this has been answered before.
 
Has anyone tried both the regular Bifrost and the new Bifrost Multibit? If so, how does the sound vary in your opinion? Is the sound on the multibit better, better enough to justify the increase in price?

Yes. Bifrost sounds a lot better. It justifies its price 5x over.

 

[Ampeezy]

  Seems like I'm late to the party! Apologies if this has been answered before.
 
Has anyone tried both the regular Bifrost and the new Bifrost Multibit? If so, how does the sound vary in your opinion? Is the sound on the multibit better, better enough to justify the increase in price?

This is what someone said earlier in the thread:
 
 
Just got my Bimby upgrade back this evening and *HOLY SCHIIT* I am really enjoying it so far!
 
Granted, I did let it warm up for a couple of hours before I had a chance to listen to it (had to wait for my son to go to bed), so I'm not sure whether there was an improvement within that time frame as many have mentioned, but *wow* I am very happy at this point already. If it is going to get better than this, I am a lucky man.
 
I upgraded from the 4490 -- which I actually also liked very much -- so in comparison to that, the first few differences I've noticed right away are:
 

• For lack of a better description, everything just seems to sound more "live". I'm not sure what it is, but maybe something about the reverb just seems more natural than the 4490 does to me. Whereas the 4490 is kind of more "expansive" like being in a huge cloud of sound, the Bimby seems to reproduce the sound in such a way that I can perceive the room more. Orchestral stuff sounds more like I'm at a symphony venue, whereas good studio albums sound more like I'm in the studio.
• The Bimby has less "sheen" on things like brass instruments, high pitched percussion, vibes, and sharp vocals like screams, etc. Although I found the 4490 to be very smooth and non-fatiguing as well, the Bimby definitely seems to sweeten things even a little more.
• The output levels of the Bimby seem slightly lower than the 4490, presumably due to the different analog stage. Not a big deal either way, and it's pretty close...just an observation that I noticed I turned the volume on my amp up just a teeny bit more to achieve the same levels I'm used to.  (Just past 1/4 turn on my Asgard 2 is about right for me on most recordings on the Bimby. The 4490 was loud enough at 1/4.)

 
I just listened to Purple Rain for the first time in a long time in honor of Prince (sorry Mike, I guess that's pretty "poppy"...), and it absolutely knocked my socks off. Great emotion and tons of detail.
 
Interestingly, I am actually finding so far that the Bimby has made me appreciate some older recordings that I thought weren't particularly well produced in the past, so I'm now realizing that maybe it was actually the crappy DACs of that era that made me think that! It is true that there is lots of data on those old Redbook CDs.
 
Finally, I would also like to add that the upgrade process was super smooth and painless, with great service from Schiit.  Thanks, guys!

 

[Suichan]

Cool, thanks for the input both

 

[theveterans]

Interestingly, I am actually finding so far that the Bimby has made me appreciate some older recordings that I thought weren't particularly well produced in the past, so I'm now realizing that maybe it was actually the crappy DACs of that era that made me think that! It is true that there is lots of data on those old Redbook CDs.
 

 
Currently listening to ABBA Gold Album on Spotify ASIO via Fidelity and I've been holy schiit floored that the ABBA album sounds incredibly musical, natural and holographic where as they used to sound flat and boring before I got the Bimby. FYI, this is on Bimby being fed through coaxial which IMO sounds a tiny bit more natural than Schiit's USB Gen 2 input.

 

[madwolfa]

  Currently listening to ABBA Gold Album on Spotify ASIO via Fidelity and I've been holy schiit floored that the ABBA album sounds incredibly musical, natural and holographic where as they used to sound flat and boring before I got the Bimby. FYI, this is on Bimby being fed through coaxial which IMO sounds a tiny bit more natural than Schiit's USB Gen 2 input.

 
Now go find their original first press discography, not the squashed and raped loudness war remastered abomination, and be floored truly!
 
Listening to this right now on my Bimby:
 

 

 

[theveterans]

 Now go find their original first press discography, not the squashed and raped loudness war remastered abomination, and be floored truly!

 
I'll be hard, but so far Bimby's magically making those new low DR masters sound dynamically amazing while relaxed and natural at the same time.This is just with Asgard 2 as my only amp and K712 headphones. Even Rihanna's ANTI album sounds amazing with it considering how harsh it sounds (actually most Rihanna's album) on a lesser DAC with a neutral bright headphone.

 

[madwolfa]

   
I'll be hard, but so far Bimby's magically making those new low DR masters sound dynamically amazing while relaxed and natural at the same time.This is just with Asgard 2 as my only amp and K712 headphones. Even Rihanna's ANTI album sounds amazing with it considering how harsh it sounds (actually most Rihanna's album) on a lesser DAC with a neutral bright headphone.

 
Yeah, it kinda makes schitty music sound better, but it makes good music sound AMAZING.

 

[madwolfa]

Seriously, gotta love the original presses from the 80s...
 

 foobar2000 1.3.10 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2016-07-15 21:55:15 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: ABBA / Super Trouper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR14 -0.46 dB -17.28 dB 4:12 01-Super Trouper DR14 -1.57 dB -19.34 dB 4:55 02-The Winner Takes It All DR14 -0.10 dB -17.37 dB 3:41 03-On And On And On DR13 -2.15 dB -18.74 dB 4:40 04-Andante, Andante DR14 -0.63 dB -17.07 dB 4:55 05-Me And I DR13 -1.70 dB -18.80 dB 4:23 06-Happy New Year DR12 -1.67 dB -16.69 dB 4:20 07-Our Last Summer DR12 -2.64 dB -16.77 dB 3:27 08-The Piper DR13 -1.28 dB -17.06 dB 4:35 09-Lay All Your Love On Me DR11 -2.66 dB -18.49 dB 2:58 10-The Way Old Friends Do -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 10 Official DR value: DR13 Samplerate: 44100 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 16 Bitrate: 820 kbps Codec: Monkey's Audio ================================================================================

 
Compared to this "2005 - The Complete Studio Collection" remaster:
 

 foobar2000 1.1.10 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1 log date: 2014-02-02 09:36:55 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Analyzed: ABBA / Super Trouper -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR Peak RMS Duration Track -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DR8 -0.10 dB -9.20 dB 4:15 01-Super Trouper DR8 -0.10 dB -10.69 dB 4:56 02-The Winner Takes It All DR8 -0.10 dB -9.86 dB 3:43 03-On and On and On DR8 -0.10 dB -11.11 dB 4:41 04-Andante, Andante DR8 -0.10 dB -9.38 dB 4:56 05-Me And I DR8 -0.10 dB -11.35 dB 4:25 06-Happy New Year DR8 -0.10 dB -9.72 dB 4:21 07-Our Last Summer DR9 -0.10 dB -9.94 dB 3:27 08-The Piper DR8 -0.10 dB -9.20 dB 4:36 09-Lay All Your Love on Me DR8 -0.10 dB -11.63 dB 3:00 10-The Way Old Friends Do DR9 -0.10 dB -10.53 dB 3:46 11-Elaine DR9 -0.10 dB -11.67 dB 4:41 12-Andante, Andante (Spanish Version) DR8 -0.10 dB -10.78 dB 4:24 13-Felicidad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of tracks: 13 Official DR value: DR8 Samplerate: 44100 Hz Channels: 2 Bits per sample: 16 Bitrate: 999 kbps Codec: FLAC

 

[theveterans]

That I have to hear. Too bad, it's incredibly hard find an original press here in my location. Importing from overseas is incredibly expensive as well. BTW, my generation sucks since I grew up when the loudness war was already closing-in on brickwalling. Anyways, not to derail this thread, one can't go wrong on Bimby for pleasurable listening experience on any songs IMO.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

I think classical has been generally immune to loudness war carnage, no?

 

[theveterans]

I think classical has been generally immune to loudness war carnage, no?

They have to be immune or else it won't reproduce the hall room effect. There would be a huge protest if all instruments sound just as loud as others at all times.

 

[bixby]

  Seems like I'm late to the party! Apologies if this has been answered before.
 
Has anyone tried both the regular Bifrost and the new Bifrost Multibit? If so, how does the sound vary in your opinion? Is the sound on the multibit better, better enough to justify the increase in price?

try the search function....................it's magic !

 

[jacal01]

It is magic.  Now you see it; now you don't.

 

[disastermouse]

The biggest problem with the Bifrost MB is that it's hard to go back to listening to anything portable now. I have a great pair of PM-3 and I've thought about investing in a Dragonfly Red or an Oppo HA-2, but I just think it'll be $200-$300 simply to drive me back to my iMac->Bifrost MB->HE-500.

 

[cishida]

  The biggest problem with the Bifrost MB is that it's hard to go back to listening to anything portable now. I have a great pair of PM-3 and I've thought about investing in a Dragonfly Red or an Oppo HA-2, but I just think it'll be $200-$300 simply to drive me back to my iMac->Bifrost MB->HE-500.

 
MB ruins other sources for you. Returned the Red after a few weeks - disappointing when compared directly.