Schiit Gungnir DAC
Nov 13, 2018 at 7:46 AM Post #5,446 of 7,010
I just have something against leaving a $1.3k piece of hardware on while I am at work or out of the house. I just cannot see letting it sit there, wasting electricity and making needless heat. It has been mentioned that Gungnir doesn't use all that much electricity, but it is still a waste. And the room it will be in does get quite hot in the summer, so any unnecessary heat is highly frowned upon by me. That is why I asked you, owners of Gungnir, if you would still have bought it, fully knowing it would never stay on more than a couple of hours. Yeah, maybe one day I would change my mind and end up leaving it on; but for now it wouldn't be.

I have thought about buying the Gungnir and just trying it out, to see how much I actually like it and if I think it sounds worth the $1.3k price; even when just powered up. If not, I could just return it for the restocking fee. Which is what I am trying to feel out from the responses or if I should just move on for now.
 
Nov 13, 2018 at 8:03 AM Post #5,447 of 7,010
I should just move on for now.
Here are some alternatives, most would consider for your application:
  • Holo Cyan
  • Metrum Amethyst
  • RME ADI-2 DAC
  • Soekris dac1541
Rolling changes not withstanding, I have personally experimented with the original Gungnir Multibit, from cold. I would not recommend use without at least 24-hours warm-up. Say for weekend listening, turn on the evening before - leave on over the weekend. Or, as you said, try it for 15 days - let your ears decide.
 
Nov 13, 2018 at 8:41 AM Post #5,448 of 7,010
I just have something against leaving a $1.3k piece of hardware on while I am at work or out of the house. I just cannot see letting it sit there, wasting electricity and making needless heat. It has been mentioned that Gungnir doesn't use all that much electricity, but it is still a waste. And the room it will be in does get quite hot in the summer, so any unnecessary heat is highly frowned upon by me. That is why I asked you, owners of Gungnir, if you would still have bought it, fully knowing it would never stay on more than a couple of hours. Yeah, maybe one day I would change my mind and end up leaving it on; but for now it wouldn't be.

I have thought about buying the Gungnir and just trying it out, to see how much I actually like it and if I think it sounds worth the $1.3k price; even when just powered up. If not, I could just return it for the restocking fee. Which is what I am trying to feel out from the responses or if I should just move on for now.
The short answer as you asked again?... I would purchase over and over again knowing (which I did) that I wouldn’t power it down. I wouldn’t have bought it if my intention was to power down after each session. The Schiit developers recommend that you don’t power down your “multibit” as it’s perfectly safe to leave it on :)

I live in Phoenix and you want to talk about getting warm in any room even with the AC blowing snowflakes?
It’s obviously by your last response that you already made up your mind so you really should just do what YOU feel is best. It’s just a shame you’ll miss out on this wonderful DAC.
Good luck in your search.
 
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Nov 13, 2018 at 9:04 AM Post #5,449 of 7,010
The GMB just sounds so musical and natural to me ... I hate to think about searching for another DAC especially at the price.
I have a surge protector for piece of mind ... I unplug it only when the Thor thunderbolts arrive. It's in a dark corner of the house :)

If you're not listening w/ resolving headphones, you may not even hear a difference anyway.
 
Nov 13, 2018 at 9:05 AM Post #5,450 of 7,010
Maybe my ears are bad but I can't tell if my Gumby has been on for two minutes or two weeks. I can't hear anything different.

I also couldn't tell any difference between what it sounded like when brand new and after keeping it on for two weeks.

I seem to be the only one though.
 
Nov 13, 2018 at 9:31 AM Post #5,451 of 7,010
It sounds better warmed up (left on) but it sounds great cold. At least, better than some other things I've had even after warming them up for a month (sabre, anyone?)
 
Nov 13, 2018 at 12:11 PM Post #5,452 of 7,010
I just have something against leaving a $1.3k piece of hardware on while I am at work or out of the house. I just cannot see letting it sit there, wasting electricity and making needless heat. It has been mentioned that Gungnir doesn't use all that much electricity, but it is still a waste. And the room it will be in does get quite hot in the summer, so any unnecessary heat is highly frowned upon by me. That is why I asked you, owners of Gungnir, if you would still have bought it, fully knowing it would never stay on more than a couple of hours. Yeah, maybe one day I would change my mind and end up leaving it on; but for now it wouldn't be.

I have thought about buying the Gungnir and just trying it out, to see how much I actually like it and if I think it sounds worth the $1.3k price; even when just powered up. If not, I could just return it for the restocking fee. Which is what I am trying to feel out from the responses or if I should just move on for now.
Move on. Why create discord in your life when there are so many other products out there that don't create conflict with your values?
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 2:22 AM Post #5,453 of 7,010
It sounds better warmed up (left on) but it sounds great cold. At least, better than some other things I've had even after warming them up for a month (sabre, anyone?)
This! At this moment, with only the DACs I have experience with... YES, I would buy the Gumby G5 even if I had to turn it off each day. My experience with different DACs is limited tho.

Move on. Why create discord in your life when there are so many other products out there that don't create conflict with your values?
This! IMO, probably the best advice yet...
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 1:15 PM Post #5,454 of 7,010
Maybe my ears are bad but I can't tell if my Gumby has been on for two minutes or two weeks. I can't hear anything different.

I also couldn't tell any difference between what it sounded like when brand new and after keeping it on for two weeks.

I seem to be the only one though.
Here is my experience.

I once had to turn my Gumby off for a few hours. When I went back to listen (via headphones and my AURALiC Taurus MkII), I didn’t notice the music sounding badly or differently. Then, about 30 minutes later, I noticed the music opening up with better separation while seeming more detailed. Was it the DAC? My amp? My ears acclimating to the music? Who knows?!
 
Nov 15, 2018 at 1:58 PM Post #5,456 of 7,010
The difference for me compared to the bifrost multibit is hard for me to quantify...... i was an early adopter of the bifrost and upgraded to uber before upgrading to gen 2 usb and multibit. I guess i had the bifrost 6+ years and all i can say is that the sound from the gungnir sounds less congested to my ears, however its a bit brighter in the treble . I could not afford £1100 for a new gungnir multibit so decided to by one used (i am the 3rd owner).... i paid £395. Soundwise i have left it on for a week so far and find the Delta Sigma chip to be quite good. I am 55 so my hearing has deteriorated compared to say a teenagers. The sound is about on par with the bifrost multibit so i am looking forward to the Gen 5 usb and multibit upgrade for the gungnir.... Apologies if i am not describing the sound properly.... I very rarely post and have only been a member for 2 years. It was always my intention to source a gungnir DS secondhand because of the price and then upgrade. I will do my best to give a more coherent opinion about the sound when i have listened to the dac for another 3 or 4 weeks as this will give me time to play my music and find out the gungnirs signature soundwise. By the way i listen for 8 to 10 hours a day when i get the chance.
Well its been over a month or so since i switched this on and i have decided to get the multibit upgrade as soon as funds allow then add a Mjolnir 2 to the mix and change my headphones from AKG K812 over to SENNHEISER HD800 S Balanced. The DS version is Ok but i feel i am missing the multibit sound, i find the brightness of the DS gungnir a bit much for my ears...... Ideally i will run the dac and headphone amp balanced and will wait for GEN 6 USB availability before doing the upgrade. Glad i got it and thankfully upgradeable too.
 
Nov 15, 2018 at 3:04 PM Post #5,457 of 7,010
Hello guys,
Will the Gumby perform at its best if I don't let the Gumby keep turning on but warming it up with the heat from an amplifier? Thank you
I really doubt it will!
 
Nov 15, 2018 at 4:28 PM Post #5,458 of 7,010
Hello guys,
Will the Gumby perform at its best if I don't let the Gumby keep turning on but warming it up with the heat from an amplifier? Thank you
The "warming up" is not really a thermal phenomenon. It's more like the internal components reaching optimum performance and the clocks stabilizing.

Taking the phrase "warm up" literally is thus a no go.
 
Nov 15, 2018 at 6:24 PM Post #5,459 of 7,010
Here is my experience.

I once had to turn my Gumby off for a few hours. When I went back to listen (via headphones and my AURALiC Taurus MkII), I didn’t notice the music sounding badly or differently. Then, about 30 minutes later, I noticed the music opening up with better separation while seeming more detailed. Was it the DAC? My amp? My ears acclimating to the music? Who knows?!

I think your experience is typical of a GMB that has previously reached thermal equilibrium.
It only takes a long time to equilibrate on first break-in. After that, it becomes stable much more quickly.
I really doubt the amp changes its performance much at all ... I know my Bryston doesn't and the Taurus is a similar-type of amp.

I've heard the same with my GMB ... the SQ relaxes on warm-up after a short time. Happy listening! :)
 
Nov 15, 2018 at 6:32 PM Post #5,460 of 7,010
Damn @Ableza -- I almost spit up my bier :)

Don't disassemble your Gumby - voids the warranty, my friends.

RCBinTN

You cannot void a warranty by doing such a thing. They might state that it voids the warranty, but under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty act such a thing is illegal.
 

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