[mattlach]

I sold mine when I upgrade to a BF2, wish I never had. And they are very thin on the ground in the used market here in Oz.
Not that I regret getting the BF2, it's awesome, just shoulda hung onto the Modi.

I still have my Modi Multibit in a box, sitting unused since I bought my Bifrost 2.

Honestly I had some issues with it.

It had an intermittent fault where it would suddenly have MASSIVE l distortion, but only on the left channel which would persist until a power cycle (with ~30s rest time). The sound was reminiscent of when Psy-Trance artists like Infected Mushroom rapidly on-off gate their sound for a kind of buzz effect, (but of course not in time with the music) with a kind of echo-y effect along with it. It was also accompanies by a terrible high pitch whine.

It would happen every few days. I sent it back under warranty, and they did some rework on it with a cryptic code on my paperwork which I could never decode. It said "V17-V20 replaced" whatever that means.

This didn't solve the issue though.

Works fine as long as I don't mind power cycling it every few days, but it was a little annoying.

I meant to follow up with a second RMA, but then I got distracted by needing to move on short notice and forgot about it during the pandemic. Once I remembered it my warranty was expired :/

I don't blame the Schiit guys. I know how tricky intermittent issues can be to diagnose.

I don't really need the thing anymore, but I wouldn't feel right selling it knowing it has an issue, so I just keep it around as a backup DAC.

 

[Timster]

Good choice of GIF. You do sound a bit like a cantankerous old man

I resemble that too

 

[Plautus001]

At least three (actual and professional) studios I worked with in the past did their final mastering on a pair of Yamaha HS8, insisting that those would be The Ultimate in studio monitor technology, delivering The Most neutral and realistic representation imaginable, and nothing better could be had, neither for love nor money.

But whaddayagonnado, some people are just too far gone to be helped… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

To your client's credit: At least she tested her sample in a real-world environment, meaning on a playback device that roughly resembles what most people actually use to listen to their music with.
I cringe every time someone holds their phone, tablet, or notebook up to me, telling me with all the sincerity in the world that I should check out how great it sounds.
Worse, whenever I then invite someone to my house to have a listen to some of my finer audio gear, a good lot of them just ends up sitting there, looking at me with pained and questioning eyes as if they wouldn't be able to tell the god-damned difference.

In the old days, a single Yamaha speaker was used as a schiit mix speaker or how it would sound on AM radio

 

[Bonehead7171]

Thanks for the responses. I also skimmed the Bifrost 2 thread.

So, here's my impression on a well burned-in and well warmed-up Bifrost 2 (non-/64) in MCB mode and in NOS mode:

I can't hear even the slightest bit of a difference.

Like, literally none.

Switching between the two modes seems to work, at least going by the LED. It's toggling as expected between steadily lit (MCB mode) and breathing (NOS mode) when the source button is pressed and held for a few seconds and then released. But there's no audible change of any kind, none whatsoever.

Based on the impressions I've read here and elsewhere, I should be able to hear somewhat of a difference in Bifrost's presentation, even if people can't quite agree on what those are. …but what else is new, right?!

I couldn't find a video or audio recording of someone switching between the modes, so I don't even know if there's a little gap in the audio playback when the microcontroller switches between the two modes. With my unit, I can't hear any gap whatsoever, not even for a millisecond or two. Which, again, could be perfectly normal for all I know.

My hearing is comparably good, and anyone who has read my reviews in the past knows that I'm not JUST talking out of my a$$. But that I can't hear a difference in presentation feels really odd to me.

Not least of all because I sincerely doubt that Mike would go through all that effort to develop his MCB filter if you can't even hear the slightest bit of difference in the end after all.

So, either I'm hearing things by NOT hearing any difference, or my particular unit doesn't actually switch between the modes for some reason. That's why I asked specifically if someone has some MCB/NOS mode switching experience and impressions with the Bifrost 2 (non-/64).

I had the 2/64 for a while and I posted that I thought the NOS mode sounded terrible comparatively at the time. Users here said that it was useful for those using other filters, so, whatever. But, there was a DEFINITE difference, FWIW.

 

[bcowen]

Most likely it will become another toy for Finnegan or I could send it back to Cowen and ask for a replacement.

The first one was free. Replacements start at $100. Plus shipping, tax, and the 'Seriously?' fee.

Must have been a 6SL7? Don't think I've sent you any 12AU7's...

 

[Paladin79]

The first one was free. Replacements start at $100. Plus shipping, tax, and the 'Seriously?' fee.

Must have been a 6SL7? Don't think I've sent you any 12AU7's...

It was a 6SL7 in the Cary phono pre-amp. Naturally I would have repaired it for you if any harm was done. I had some NOS Sylvanias still in the box that matched up perfectly so all is well. I will send you my invoice later after Finnegan thinks of a workable number, I think he wants 300B cat toys.
And why may I ask have you not sent any 12AU7’s? I will send you a list of pairs I own so you can try to out do my current stock.

 

[bcowen]

It was a 6SL7 in the Cary phono pre-amp. Naturally I would have repaired it for you if any harm was done. I had some NOS Sylvanias still in the box that matched up perfectly so all is well. I will send you my invoice later after Finnegan thinks of a workable number, I think he wants 300B cat toys.
And why may I ask have you not sent any 12AU7’s? I will send you a list of pairs I own so you can try to out do my current stock.

Because you didn't ask. LOL! I only have some really crappy ones left in the stash...some Mullards, GEC's, Tungsrams, Tele's, and very few Mazda silver plates (like less than a dozen). I'm sure none of those are better than what you already have.

 

[mattlach]

The first one was free. Replacements start at $100.

So, are we talking about Tubes?

...or crack cocaine?

 

[bcowen]

So, are we talking about Tubes?

...or crack cocaine?

Is there a meaningful difference?

 

[mattlach]

Is there a meaningful difference?

Fair.

That's why I'm a solid state guy. I've been clean for 6 years now, ever since I got rid of my Lyr 2.

I did have some fun sticking some Soviet space race era tubes in it before throwing in the towel though.

It was just too much. I retreated back from the brink, and wanted fewer options (which is unusual for me as I am usually a tinkerer)

 

[Paladin79]

Because you didn't ask. LOL! I only have some really crappy ones left in the stash...some Mullards, GEC's, Tungsrams, Tele's, and very few Mazda silver plates (like less than a dozen). I'm sure none of those are better than what you already have.

Hell’s cupcakes man, can you not sense what I need? Your skills are starting to fail you!!! Start with GEC’s and Telefunken’s and I may overlook your failings. Finnegan used to look up to you and now this???

No silver plates, this is by no means about table service although it is great to hear you now use a knife and fork, hopefully there will be a spoon in your future.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hey all,

Just a quick follow-up to my cryptic note on the future being, well, pushed a bit farther into the future. First, I can't talk about the Thing That Has Slidden, but it's one of the big-big ideas I've been hinting at. A bunch of people have been using this Thing for quite a while (in various incarnations, over 18 months now), and everyone really really likes it.

Now, before you can say, "Of course your suck-up toadies are gonna like anything you do, tell me another one, hey," let me explain how you know someone really likes something: they don't want to give it back. They also, unsolicited, tell you how pleasantly surprised they were with it. And they do it again and again. So either we really have something here, or there's a lot of delusional people at Schiit.

(I guess either is equally likely.)

And yes, it's just one Alps part that's holding us back. A critical one, though. So there's no getting around it. It's sit-and-wait time.

But that's OK. We've had a bunch of new stuff this year. And there's still several things to come, both on the big and small fronts. More on that later. In the meantime, maybe you can get a sneak preview of at least some of it, if you join us for the Schiitrmeet next week. I don't know what the blind listening theme is, but I'll let you know when I know. I think we're setting up for Thursday the 13th from 6-10 PM. I'll let you know more when I know.

Now, back to a whole lot of new new stuff I'm working on. Too busy. But it's all my fault. And that's the way I like it.

All the best,
Jason

 

[Plautus001]

I guess I'm the polar opposite. I only listen to my music at home. Never outside, never off a playlist that the Stream Service has made. I've discovered new music (to me new) from jazz classics of the 50's and 60's. Americana Music, and Blue Grass. Never would have grown to appreciate them as much as I have without streaming. Also, it is truly awesome to read a review of a new album in the print media and then immediately play it on Qobuz and decide for myself what I think.

For my use cases, this is the best thing in audio I can recall in a long time.

YMMV

Leo

Similar for me... streaming has introduced me to lots of new to me music... Jason Isabel, Johnathan Wilson and many others.

I fell in love with "my Dad's music" 40's and 50's big band while playing LA Noire on XBOX...

Most recently this forum his reintroduced and introduced lots of great music to me... thanks

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Hey all,

Just a quick follow-up to my cryptic note on the future being, well, pushed a bit farther into the future. First, I can't talk about the Thing That Has Slidden, but it's one of the big-big ideas I've been hinting at. A bunch of people have been using this Thing for quite a while (in various incarnations, over 18 months now), and everyone really really likes it.

Now, before you can say, "Of course your suck-up toadies are gonna like anything you do, tell me another one, hey," let me explain how you know someone really likes something: they don't want to give it back. They also, unsolicited, tell you how pleasantly surprised they were with it. And they do it again and again. So either we really have something here, or there's a lot of delusional people at Schiit.

(I guess either is equally likely.)

And yes, it's just one Alps part that's holding us back. A critical one, though. So there's no getting around it. It's sit-and-wait time.

But that's OK. We've had a bunch of new stuff this year. And there's still several things to come, both on the big and small fronts. More on that later. In the meantime, maybe you can get a sneak preview of at least some of it, if you join us for the Schiitrmeet next week. I don't know what the blind listening theme is, but I'll let you know when I know. I think we're setting up for Thursday the 13th from 6-10 PM. I'll let you know more when I know.

Now, back to a whole lot of new new stuff I'm working on. Too busy. But it's all my fault. And that's the way I like it.

All the best,
Jason

I would like to selflessly volunteer to be a tester for said big new world-altering Schiit, too. I vow to rip it apart if I don't like it. Easy for me to do, being the old curmudgeon that I have become and all.

 

[StimpyWan]

Hey all,

Just a quick follow-up to my cryptic note on the future being, well, pushed a bit farther into the future. First, I can't talk about the Thing That Has Slidden, but it's one of the big-big ideas I've been hinting at. A bunch of people have been using this Thing for quite a while (in various incarnations, over 18 months now), and everyone really really likes it.

Now, before you can say, "Of course your suck-up toadies are gonna like anything you do, tell me another one, hey," let me explain how you know someone really likes something: they don't want to give it back. They also, unsolicited, tell you how pleasantly surprised they were with it. And they do it again and again. So either we really have something here, or there's a lot of delusional people at Schiit.

(I guess either is equally likely.)

And yes, it's just one Alps part that's holding us back. A critical one, though. So there's no getting around it. It's sit-and-wait time.

But that's OK. We've had a bunch of new stuff this year. And there's still several things to come, both on the big and small fronts. More on that later. In the meantime, maybe you can get a sneak preview of at least some of it, if you join us for the Schiitrmeet next week. I don't know what the blind listening theme is, but I'll let you know when I know. I think we're setting up for Thursday the 13th from 6-10 PM. I'll let you know more when I know.

Now, back to a whole lot of new new stuff I'm working on. Too busy. But it's all my fault. And that's the way I like it.

All the best,
Jason

Well, none of that is going to have a calming effect around here...! So, let the carnage continue...!