[Kelvinate]

Hello, new member here. Does anyone know how the Gumby pairs with the Pathos Aurium? It will be used with the HD 800 S and LCD X. Unfortunately, I have no way to try it in Canada. So far I'm enjoying the Aurium and I'm looking for a DAC that pairs well with it. The Matrix X-sabre pro is also an option.

 

[SilverEars]

I have no issues with the midrange presented from my GMB/A2 + BHA-1 to the HD800, or with any other portion of the music frequency spectra, for that matter.
IMO, the HD800 midrange, as driven by the GMB/A2 + BHA-1, is highly resolved and engaging.
The sound stage is unrivaled by any headphones in the world.

That's why I stopped looking for new equipment (I am in my happy place).

My starting point was hearing the Yggy + Rag1 and Yggy + WA5. Those rigs, owned by Mr. Speakers, drove the HD800 beautifully.
But, again IMO, the GMB/A2 sounds nearly as good as Yggy, even perhaps a bit more engaging, and the BHA-1 provides a very neutral and sublime driver.

The music transition points are smooth, to me.
There, I mean the mid-bass to lower mids, and the upper-mids to treble. Fast and clean.

Depending on the music and production, at times I do experience a bit of brightness at 6kHz, but I've digitally EQed it down with JRiver.

YMMV, and thanks for the discussion.
RCBinTN

Iuv the bass response out of the BHA-1, and probably the most articulate and defined bass I've heard out of an amp.

 

[Rowethren]

Further to my report the other day about the right channel randomly being dead one day and then being okay after a restart the right channel is now slightly quieter.

I have spent the last 2 days trying to work out where in the chain the issue was and have narrowed it down to either my DPS or the Gungnir but I should have final confirmation one way or another by the end of today...

Edit - Turns out it was the DPS having an odd issue with its bypass on preset 1. Very odd, at least it isn't the Gungnir though.

 

[RCBinTN]

Edit - Turns out it was the DPS having an odd issue with its bypass on preset 1. Very odd, at least it is the Gungnir though.

I think you mean it is Not the Gungnir

 

[Rowethren]

I think you mean it is Not the Gungnir

Good catch, edited for clarity.

 

[earChasm]

Good catch, edited for clarity.

Why not for me ? :.(

 

[mikap]

Anyone had experience pairing Gungnir with Schiit Ragnarok and HD800? Currently have Parasound ZDAC and it used to be the great combo while using optical input but after switching to USB it became brighter and dryer to my ears.

 

[szymonsays]

I'm posting in multiple threads as it may stretch the range to those who might be able to offer some advice. I've never been a big believer in DACs, but i think i owe it to myself to get a higher end DAC. I'm not willing to go over £2200 and the less money i spend the better. I've been looking at multiple dacs and i'm having a hard time deciding what to get. I've looked at the Schiit Gungnir multibit, i've pretty much ruled out the V850, but i've also considered the Onyx. In an ideal world, i'd be able to audition them all but since i can't i will have to go by user reviews. To those who have owned a Gungnir multibit and have jumped to a higher level entry Metrum DAC like the Onyx or perhaps another R2R DAC, would you say there was a significant improvement and was the jump worth the difference in price?

 

[RCBinTN]

Anyone had experience pairing Gungnir with Schiit Ragnarok and HD800? Currently have Parasound ZDAC and it used to be the great combo while using optical input but after switching to USB it became brighter and dryer to my ears.

I've heard the Yggdrasil (A1) with Ragnarok into HD800 and the sound was spectacular.
That was at a headphone meet several years ago. It's what first got me on the journey to the HD800.

Gungnir MB/A2 with Gen5 USB (the DAC that I own) + Ragnarok would be a great rig for driving the HD800.

I reviewed the specs of the Parasound ZDAC, and IMO the Gungnir will blow it away for SQ.
I am using USB feed from a Macbook Pro, and the sound is not bright - just right. Very stable and musical.

Enjoy your music!
RCB

 

[dieslemat]

Gungnir MB/A2 with Gen5 USB (the DAC that I own) + Ragnarok would be a great rig for driving the HD800.

Gungnir A2? I really thought that there is no such thing yet.

 

[RCBinTN]

I'm posting in multiple threads as it may stretch the range to those who might be able to offer some advice. I've never been a big believer in DACs, but i think i owe it to myself to get a higher end DAC. I'm not willing to go over £2200 and the less money i spend the better. I've been looking at multiple dacs and i'm having a hard time deciding what to get. I've looked at the Schiit Gungnir multibit, i've pretty much ruled out the V850, but i've also considered the Onyx. In an ideal world, i'd be able to audition them all but since i can't i will have to go by user reviews. To those who have owned a Gungnir multibit and have jumped to a higher level entry Metrum DAC like the Onyx or perhaps another R2R DAC, would you say there was a significant improvement and was the jump worth the difference in price?

The move that really opened up my music to the HD800 was upgrading my DS Gungnir to Gungnir MB.
The music is 16/44.1 FLAC. The Schiit MB technology is the real deal.

Now with the A2 and Gen5 USB, the Gumby is a tremendous value.
I see Gumby on the Schiit-Europe website, on-sale for 1,239 Euros.
It appears that the Metrum Onyx is an R2R ladder DAC that retails for around 2,750 Euros.

I've not heard any Metrum gear, but IMO the SQ and value of the Gumby will be tough to beat.

FWIW.
RCBinTN

 

[hikaru12]

So I've thinking of upgrading to an Audioquest Coffee Coaxial cable for the Gumby input - anyone with this setup care to comment if it improved sound quality?

 

[TJ Max]

So I've thinking of upgrading to an Audioquest Coffee Coaxial cable - anyone with this setup care to comment if it improved sound quality?

While I've proven to myself that there are indeed differences in sound quality between USB cables, I also discovered that you don't have to go all out to get the best performance.
Honestly, just look for a shielded cable that 24/28awg (big data conductor, small power conductor) and make sure all devices in your audio chain are p lugged in to the same electrical outlet and you'll get equal or better performance than any self-claimed audiophile cable. If you suspect any noise (hiss or humming) look into a ifi idefender.

 

[Cutie59]

Just noticed the gungnir has two single output. So I plug my bottlehead crack and Sony Ta zh1es at the same time(both single end ). They work fine so far ...... am I going to see any firework later on ? Lol.

 

[hikaru12]

Just noticed the gungnir has two single output. So I plug my bottlehead crack and Sony Ta zh1es at the same time(both single end ). They work fine so far ...... am I going to see any firework later on ? Lol.

Nope no issues. I got my Gumby feeding my speaker amp from the SE1 and my headphone amp from SE2.