[DenverW]

Has anyone done the upgrade to the unison usb? The que to send in the Gumby is...slow moving to say the least. I’ve been in it about three months and have moved from 79 to 35. I’m currently using an eitr, and this length of time has me questioning if it’s worth it.

 

[artur9]

How does the Gungnir Multibit compare with some of the other well regarded R2R DACS from Denafrips (Ares/Pontus), Soekris or some of the new players out there like Musician?

Don't know the Musician.

There are comparisons out there between Schiit's MB and Soekris and Denafrips. I think Dick Olsher compared the Soekris to Schiit (absolute sound writer).

 

[duranxv]

Don't know the Musician.

There are comparisons out there between Schiit's MB and Soekris and Denafrips. I think Dick Olsher compared the Soekris to Schiit (absolute sound writer).

I don't recall seeing that. Do you have a link to that review?

 

[artur9]

I don't recall seeing that. Do you have a link to that review?

Comparison against Yggdrasil: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/soekris-dac1421-dac

 

[LCMusicLover]

How does the Gungnir Multibit compare with some of the other well regarded R2R DACS from Denafrips (Ares/Pontus), Soekris or some of the new players out there like Musician?

I’ve owned Ares & Pontus (both v1, not v2). In addition, I just participated in a Soekris 2541 loaner.

I was trying to create a chain to ‘soften’ my Utopia. Ares did that, but to my ears, ‘cost’ too much detail. Pontus was much better, and it was my main DAC for over a year before I got an A2 Gumby.

Here’s something I wrote a while ago regarding Pontus vs Gumby. It’s a bit convoluted, ‘cuz it started as a cable comparison, but ended up also being a DAC comparison:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/focal-utopia-general-discussion.811273/post-15402529

Meanwhile, I wrote this elsewhere regarding 2541 vs Gumby:

To me, 2541 & Gungnir Multibit were close to identical. Tonality was nearly indistinguishable. Imaging/stage exhibited bigger differences. But the differences seemed to vary by track— thus I cannot provide a definitive comparison.

 

[macdonjh]

Has anyone done the upgrade to the unison usb? The que to send in the Gumby is...slow moving to say the least. I’ve been in it about three months and have moved from 79 to 35. I’m currently using an eitr, and this length of time has me questioning if it’s worth it.

I'm the the queue as well; approximately where you were three months ago. I figure I'll get the MB and Unison modifications at the same time as long as it's in CA. Of course, if the rate of upgrade completions holds steady, I have eight months to change my mind.

 

[duranxv]

I’ve owned Ares & Pontus (both v1, not v2). In addition, I just participated in a Soekris 2541 loaner.

I was trying to create a chain to ‘soften’ my Utopia. Ares did that, but to my ears, ‘cost’ too much detail. Pontus was much better, and it was my main DAC for over a year before I got an A2 Gumby.

Here’s something I wrote a while ago regarding Pontus vs Gumby. It’s a bit convoluted, ‘cuz it started as a cable comparison, but ended up also being a DAC comparison:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/focal-utopia-general-discussion.811273/post-15402529

Meanwhile, I wrote this elsewhere regarding 2541 vs Gumby:

To me, 2541 & Gungnir Multibit were close to identical. Tonality was nearly indistinguishable. Imaging/stage exhibited bigger differences. But the differences seemed to vary by track— thus I cannot provide a definitive comparison.

So basically you liked the Gumby more than the Pontus if I understand correctly?

Thanks!

 

[LCMusicLover]

So basically you liked the Gumby more than the Pontus if I understand correctly?

Thanks!

Yes, but it certainly wasn't 'night-and-day'. Depended on the rest of the chain (obviously) and the material I was listening to (also obvious). Of course, now I wonder what I would think about Pontus II vs Gumby.

As a side-note, let me mention that I also had an A2 Yggy for a while. And honestly, while I could hear some differences between Yggy & Gumby, I'm not sure I heard anything I could call a hard preference. All the knowledgeable folks I've mentioned this to say that I would have heard more difference from a two channel system, while I'm firmly embedded in Headphone World.

Point is, my 'barely distinguishable' might be someone else's 'significant difference'. Just sayin'

 

[macdonjh]

Yes, but it certainly wasn't 'night-and-day'. Depended on the rest of the chain (obviously) and the material I was listening to (also obvious). Of course, now I wonder what I would think about Pontus II vs Gumby.

As a side-note, let me mention that I also had an A2 Yggy for a while. And honestly, while I could hear some differences between Yggy & Gumby, I'm not sure I heard anything I could call a hard preference. All the knowledgeable folks I've mentioned this to say that I would have heard more difference from a two channel system, while I'm firmly embedded in Headphone World.

Point is, my 'barely distinguishable' might be someone else's 'significant difference'. Just sayin'

After reading many posts about the Yggdrassil, your notes above summarize what I read also and formed the basis of my wanting to try the Gungnir multi-bit over the Yggdrasil (even the GS). What I'd read is the Yggdrasil tops the Gungnir in imaging, spaciousness and instrument separation. The first two qualities I hardly ever listen for when I use head phones, so I don't think the additional cost would be worthwhile to me.

What I'll be considering for the next few months while I'm in the queue is if the additional money to convert my Gungnir from delta-sigma to multi-bit is worthwhile. I really like my Bifrost, will the Gungnir be that much better? I really need to bring my Bifrost back into my bedroom system so I can listen to both during the same evening.

 

[duranxv]

Yes, but it certainly wasn't 'night-and-day'. Depended on the rest of the chain (obviously) and the material I was listening to (also obvious). Of course, now I wonder what I would think about Pontus II vs Gumby.

As a side-note, let me mention that I also had an A2 Yggy for a while. And honestly, while I could hear some differences between Yggy & Gumby, I'm not sure I heard anything I could call a hard preference. All the knowledgeable folks I've mentioned this to say that I would have heard more difference from a two channel system, while I'm firmly embedded in Headphone World.

Point is, my 'barely distinguishable' might be someone else's 'significant difference'. Just sayin'

Yeah, I'm wondering if the Pontus II provides any meaningful upgrade over the Pontus I

 

[lexx510]

After reading many posts about the Yggdrassil, your notes above summarize what I read also and formed the basis of my wanting to try the Gungnir multi-bit over the Yggdrasil (even the GS). What I'd read is the Yggdrasil tops the Gungnir in imaging, spaciousness and instrument separation. The first two qualities I hardly ever listen for when I use head phones, so I don't think the additional cost would be worthwhile to me.

What I'll be considering for the next few months while I'm in the queue is if the additional money to convert my Gungnir from delta-sigma to multi-bit is worthwhile. I really like my Bifrost, will the Gungnir be that much better? I really need to bring my Bifrost back into my bedroom system so I can listen to both during the same evening.

I recently upgraded from my Bifrost MB Gen 5 USB to Gungnir MB Unison and the two are very close.

 

[hodgjy]

After reading many posts about the Yggdrassil, your notes above summarize what I read also and formed the basis of my wanting to try the Gungnir multi-bit over the Yggdrasil (even the GS). What I'd read is the Yggdrasil tops the Gungnir in imaging, spaciousness and instrument separation. The first two qualities I hardly ever listen for when I use head phones, so I don't think the additional cost would be worthwhile to me.

What I'll be considering for the next few months while I'm in the queue is if the additional money to convert my Gungnir from delta-sigma to multi-bit is worthwhile. I really like my Bifrost, will the Gungnir be that much better? I really need to bring my Bifrost back into my bedroom system so I can listen to both during the same evening.

If you like the DS Gungnir, which is known to sound a little dark, you may not like the MB Gungnir because the newer A2 version of it has been called "bleached" by many who have extensively reviewed it. If you want to upgrade, but want to retain some of the darkness, you're probably better served with the Bifrost 2 or Yggy A2.

 

[senorx12562]

If you like the DS Gungnir, which is known to sound a little dark, you may not like the MB Gungnir because the newer A2 version of it has been called "bleached" by many who have extensively reviewed it. If you want to upgrade, but want to retain some of the darkness, you're probably better served with the Bifrost 2 or Yggy A2.

I've never been sure what is meant by "bleached" in this context, but apparently I like it.

 

[hodgjy]

I've never been sure what is meant by "bleached" in this context, but apparently I like it.

Dry/cold/brittle/square/stiff, etc. Not as liquid and holographic as the A1.

 

[LCMusicLover]

Dry/brittle/square/stiff, etc. Not as liquid and holographic as the A1.

I own both (A1 & A2) -- can barely tell them apart from an A/B. My pre-amp allows me to switch DACs with a button click. And I can split the optical out from my mScaler to feed both simultaneously. So literally, the only thing that changes is the DAC (even the same analog cables from DAC to pre-amp).

I'm 'headphones-only', so there may be differences 2-channel listeners hear that I miss, but that is more likely to be imaging (your holography), not tonality (your dry/brittle/stiff). I certainly don't hear a significant bright/dark difference.

(amusingly, the reason I own both is that I got the A2, liked it, succumbed to curiosity, found a good deal on an A1, and now can't decide which I prefer so I can sell the other)