[rnadell]

  I hate to say it, but I have the Gungnir with the gen 2 USB and the iFi iDSD, and the iDSD sounds MUCH better. I kick myself for it in some ways, but I have subbed the Gungnir in and out several times, and the iDSD is just MUCH more natural. The Gungnir sits in a corner. I refuse to sell it because I like to put it back in every so often just to convince myself that I'm not hallucinating!

So, can you use it as a dac only?

 

[earwaxxer]

 
So, can you use it as a dac only?

Not sure what you mean?

 

[rnadell]

 
Not sure what you mean?

I thought it included an amp as well.

 

[earwaxxer]

 
I thought it included an amp as well.

Nope - its just the DAC..

 

[listen4joy]

how gungnir compares to auralic vega anyone know?

 

[Mr.Sneis]

Not really that useful of a comment for comparisons but if I were in the market for an Aurilic Vega why would I be looking at the Gungnir??

 

[paradoxper]

Because around that sub $2-3k bracket there just really isn't all that much that offers the performance that beats Gun.
The real question should be why isn't he considering Yggdrasil.

 

[BeyerMonster]

  The real question should be why isn't he considering Yggdrasil.

At this point, it's just vaporware. I've been trying to follow Yggdrasil, but I don't believe there has been a single sighting of even a non-functional "fake"(non-working branded enclosure), yet.

 

[kothganesh]

  One more question! How is the Gen2 USB implementation on the Gungnir .........

Don't know about the VLink but in my experience, I used the BNC Halide USB-SPDIF converter. I switched to the USB and never looked back. Better detail retrieval, more extended top and bottom end. Heck even the BIfrost Uber with USB that I have in the office seems to be better direct than using these sort of converters, in my experience.

 

[rodomo]

  how gungnir compares to auralic vega anyone know?

Gungnir is not on the same level of vega, I tried both at a friend, vega is definitley the winner without any doubt.

 

[Neuromance]

  Thanks.  I'm considering that xlr passive pre over the mjolnir, given the latter may color the sound.  
 
Any recommendations for decent XLR interconnects that would offer an improvement over monoprice?  I'm looking at spending no more than aprox. $200 on XLR pairs. Something on the neutral/musical side given i have active studio monitors.  i dont want to make the system sound brighter than it is.
 
 I'm planning on buying the audioquest coffee or the mapleshade clear plus for my USB cable.

 
This is a tad late, but I use Mogami XLR cables with.  I haven't A/Bd with other cables (given they're so affordable), but they've gotten good reviews here and on Agon.  Can get them at any pro audio site (I bought from Markertek for $60 for a pair (6 ft) including shipping).  

 

[blitzxgene]

   
This is a tad late, but I use Mogami XLR cables with.  I haven't A/Bd with other cables (given they're so affordable), but they've gotten good reviews here and on Agon.  Can get them at any pro audio site (I bought from Markertek for $60 for a pair (6 ft) including shipping).  

http://www.redco.com/Custom-Cable.html?cableid=QW8A2w
 
I've made my own from here for real cheap, but i'm in the middle of upgradis.

 

[Nuttinbutair]

earwaxxer,
 
I am curious to hear a little more about the iDSD to Gungnir comparison.  Does the iDSD provide better, clarity, imaging, tonal balance, frequency extension,..?  Is the comparison for PCM or DSD music?  Any further impressions are welcome.
 
Thanks

 

[earwaxxer]

  earwaxxer,
 
I am curious to hear a little more about the iDSD to Gungnir comparison.  Does the iDSD provide better, clarity, imaging, tonal balance, frequency extension,..?  Is the comparison for PCM or DSD music?  Any further impressions are welcome.
 
Thanks

Well, with my system, the iDSD is much more precise than the Gungnir, but not in the way of being harsh and thin like some precise DAC's can be.
 
I wouldnt go as far as to say that the iDSD is tube like, but it is certainly more tube like than the Gungnir, to the extent that the notes and instruments are better fleshed out, with no real emphasis on any certain part of the note and timber. More 'real' is how I would put it. IMO the Gungnir is just a bit messy in trying to be more 'analog'. It doesnt do it for me.
 
Like I said before, it wasnt the iDSD that kind of woke me up to what the Gungir sound was like. I think we all try to make up for limitations in a particular piece of kit by adding tubes in the pre-amp etc, when we should just go with a different piece of kit from the get go. - Again - its my opinion with my gear. Personally, I have not kept my Gungnir in the DAC position for long since I have had other alternatives to it, especially the iDSD. For those with no good alternatives I can understand how others would 'like' the Gungnir. I'm not knocking them, its just that we have choices.

 

[earwaxxer]

As far as the question about PCM vs. DSD and the iDSD, I dont have any native DSD recording, but from my experimentation with upsampling PCM to DSD etc., I 'like' the way DSD sounds with the iDSD, but PCM done 'right' sounds just as good IMO. I would get the iDSD for either PCM or DSD, but I wouldnt get it only because it does DSD. Its a better DAC than that IMO.