[Rensek]

I squirrelled myself.

Yes, I have swapped between both dacs at work with Asgard 2, and HD6XXs, and HD600s.

Both are great, Bifrost 2 has more detail, and a fuller sound. I don't miss Bifrost 2 at work, but it is better.

These were minute differences I'm talking about. But again that was toslink.

 

[Tim van der Leeuw]

The Unison USB page says "If you're not on Windows 10, stick to Gen 5."

I assume it works with the latest version of OSX?

Yes it does. It's just about Windows 7 not being supported.

 

[wout31]

NOOO!!! I never ever use USB.
Let me use AES/EBU in peace.
I told myself it sounded best and I do believe myself.
Let me alone. My AES/EBU cable is far more beautiful than a USB cable can be.
The XLR connectors are much more Hi End than those flimsy flimperts.
I'll concede if you're the one that comes to my house and does the upgrade.

AES/EBU (S/PDIF) is just a transport protocol, XLR is just a connector.
Doesn't say anything about the strength of the design of the receiver and the clocking, data and error handling on the receiving end.
So as @Baldr Mike stated he has improved the USB receiving part audibly above and beyond his implementation of S/PDIF.
In interviews he stated Unison USB sounds better than his S/PDIF implementations. I trust Mike for 200% when he claims something like that. He is all about sound quality.
Hell he even was very much against putting a USB input on Schiit DAC's to start with. Now he's claiming it sounds way better (not a little bit) than anything else. For me that is a statement to think about.
So I ordered my board for the Yggdrasil A2 and I'm very much looking forward to evaluate it.
Maybe one day you can bring your Yggdrasil to my house and we can build in the card for you. But hey, the Dutch Schiit importer is just around the corner for you, so that can't be a problem to bring it there. Walk in and out within 1 hour tops.

Look at this interview



and go to 24:00 onwards. Pay extra attention after 28:00 At 30:00 there it is: "Why am I even bothering with S/PDIF. Unison USB is realy f**ing good". It's chicken Schiit and chicken salad"
But as always YMMV

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

AES/EBU (S/PDIF) is just a transport protocol, XLR is just a connector.

I know that.
Still I don't think it will be worth it for me.
Every single item/concept/thought/action in our universe is a "just a....".

 

[Alexnova]

Curious if we'll see Unison in Modi 3 and Modi Multibit this year.

 

[ev666il]

I imagine that would be tricky for Schiit. If you put Unison on those DACs exclusively, you suddenly lose the pre-Win10 user base (I.e. your best-selling products will no longer be considered by anybody running Windows 7 or earlier); OTOH, if you offer Unison units as an option, you magnify inventory complexity and make it harder on operations.

 

[RickB]

I'm entering a great debate with myself.

Spend 150 on a Unison for my 4490 Bifrost, or buy an Eitr for 99.

Or, eBay my Modi 3, Magni 3, fulla 3, Bifrost 4490, a pair of AKGs, and put all of that together with the 150 I could spend on unison, to buy another Bifrost 2.

Decisions, Decisions......

I have an Eitr. While it's great and what I have to use with my Modi Multibit, if I was in your shoes I would go with the Unison. From all reports I've read it's significantly better.

 

[audio philestine]

I'm entering a great debate with myself.

Spend 150 on a Unison for my 4490 Bifrost, or buy an Eitr for 99.

Or, eBay my Modi 3, Magni 3, fulla 3, Bifrost 4490, a pair of AKGs, and put all of that together with the 150 I could spend on unison, to buy another Bifrost 2.

Decisions, Decisions......

Bifrost 2 will give you balanced out, if you care about that sort of thing. Your proposed upgrade also goes from 4490 to Multibit, which gets a lot of love around here.

The Eitr @ $99 (while "Last Call" supplies last..) is probably the cheapest option. But I believe it's only gen5 usb, not unison. I think I heard an improvement on my eitr -> bifrost (OG, gen 5) over direct USB to the bifrost OG, but that's probably just audiophilia nervosa (I spent money so it must be better...).

EDIT: I see since posting this that you have both bifrost (og 4490 gen 5) and bifrost 2 (multibit, unison), so all my advice about balanced and mutlibit is already known to you.

I'm not sure about upgrading my gen5 bifrost OG, I think that's just nervosa and I should just leave good enough alone. Although it is a tempting price point to upgrade to something Mike thinks is better than S/PDIF.

 

[belgiangenius]

Works with everyting except Windows versions older than 10

Now.



Added a FAQ section to the page that goes into what OSes support our UAC2-compliant input, and also which formats it handles.

Thanks. Ordered it for my Yggdrasil.

I also grabbed a HEL while I was at it. Hopefully that won't hold the order up long.

 

[yonson]

I imagine that would be tricky for Schiit. If you put Unison on those DACs exclusively, you suddenly lose the pre-Win10 user base (I.e. your best-selling products will no longer be considered by anybody running Windows 7 or earlier); OTOH, if you offer Unison units as an option, you magnify inventory complexity and make it harder on operations.

I imagine that issue will solve itself...
Now that Win7 is no longer being supported most people will migrate to Win10. There's really no reason not to update unless your machine is completely offline, or you have software that won't run on Win10, however I personally have yet to run across any that wouldn't run on 10 that did run on 7...

 

[yonson]

Thanks. Ordered it for my Yggdrasil.

I also grabbed a HEL while I was at it. Hopefully that won't hold the order up long.

I have been quite impressed with my HEL! Even though I mostly use it for making business calls, I have used it a few times with various cans and even with HD650's it has plenty of power on low gain!

 

[ev666il]

I imagine that issue will solve itself...

In the medium-to-long term, I would expect that too. However I imagine there are people who will hold on to Win7 for as long as they can because it is tried and true, and Win10 is an unknown for them. Upgrading those DACs to Unison before a few more months could backfire.

 

[marca56]

I have been quite impressed with my HEL! Even though I mostly use it for making business calls, I have used it a few times with various cans and even with HD650's it has plenty of power on low gain!

I have both a Hel and Modi Multibit/Vali 2 setup and since I spend a lot of time on business calls I find myself using the Hel for the better part of most days. It does sound different but not “cheap” or less good. In fact, for spoken word things like most TV or movies, it is a little clearer to me. On the other hand, if the TV or movie has a lot of music, or listening to music, the Hel sounds good, but not as amazing as the Modi Multibit/Vali 2 setup.

 

[Brubacca]

Just pulled out my shipping box to send back my Gungnir MB for the Unison Upgrade. I received the unit early in January 2016.

I think its really great that 4 years later I can upgrade the unit and get an additional 2 year warranty!

 

[TS0711]

I’m tired of this Schiit

Over the years I’ve spent hundreds of dollars upgrading my Bifrost. Original to Uber/Gen2 – Uber/Gen2 to Multibit – Gen2 to Gen5, and now Unison comes out! I know I can get the Bifrost 2 for $100 less but I’m sure when I do they’ll put out a new Gungnir (which is what I really want).

Original Bifrost = $450
Uber/Gen2 = $250
Multbit = $250
Gen5 = $150
---------------------------------
Total all-in = $1,100

Get me off this merry-go –round!