[automojo]

Agreed about warm up time on MMB2.
Same with BF2 OG.
My BF2 runs on the warm temp wise.
MMB2 runs relatively cool, but seems to run warmer when being used vs being on with no signal, running through it.

 

[adias]

Agreed about warm up time on MMB2.
Same with BF2 OG.
My BF2 runs on the warm temp wise.
MMB2 runs relatively cool, but seems to run warmer when being used vs being on with no signal, running through it.

They all need to get warm, especially Yggy.

 

[automojo]

They all need to get warm, especially Yggy.

Sure I get that they need to warm up to sound good… though these two don’t need the warm up time as the Gungnir, or aforementioned YGGY
My comment was merely about the outside temperature and the difference between the 2.

 

[automojo]

I'm 70 so I grew up with records. I became part of the record revival in the late 90's and amassed a good sized collection but in 2018 I started planning an out of state move. No way was I going to move a bunch of heavy albums so I started selling off my collection. My favorite cartridge since 1973 has been the Shure V-15 III. All this is just to put into context my comparison.
To me the mm1 has a warmer and thicker presentation than the mm2.
It's like using an elliptical stylus in my cartridge. Full and rich but there are details in the music being left behind in those grooves. So after using an elliptical stylus for years I tried a Jico SAS stylus which is a micro ridge stylus. Holy cow! I heard clarity and detail in my albums that I'd never heard before. For me, and this purely subjective, this is what going from the mm1 to the mm2 is similar to. The differences between the mm1 and mm2 might be a little more subtle than switching the two syli but similar.
The mm2 has a more articulate presentation. I was hesitant to order one because I read the word "bright" used in different posts to describe it. I don't find it bright at all but more revealing or resolving. It's not harsh or fatiguing.
The mm1 was a real game changer for me when I went from a Modi 3 to a mm1. It was like I was moved from a chair in front of the stage to the being on the stage.
I tried a Modi 3E but didn't care for it. I preferred the AKM modi and Modius to it.
The mm1 is still an excellent budget DAC, that's all I buy on my retired income, but I like the mm2 better. The NOS doesn't do anything for me. I have two dedicated NOS DACs that do the NOS better.

Agreed!!
I wish people would quit describing the MMB2 as bright!!
Because let’s face it, it has negative connotations.
Plus it’s simply not a accurate description.
Its definitely more detailed and transparent the the MMB1v2… but if it sounds bright, it’s the recording.
As it should be.
But you can say the same thing BF1MB vs the BF2OG.
But I don’t see anyone saying the BF2OG being bright.
The 2/64 is not bright either.
A deeper soundstage and less foward, in the lower mids, upper mid bass.
So perhaps that’s what some mistake as “ brightness”.
If you do a side by side, all these differences are not earth shattering but noticable.
Except MMB2 vs MMB1 either version.
Major differences.
And I think it freezes people from trying out this DAC for no real justifiable reason.
Same with the BF2/64.
To me, if you’re going to make such radical descriptions out of the gate, you might wanna hold, pressing the send button and listen to it for another week or two.
I’m not trying to point any fingers, but if you’re going to all the trouble of making a post, at least make it even handed and accurate.
I have to say I kind of fell for this early on- but after some further investigation, I figured out this was inaccurate.
I’m glad I did because these are both awesome Dacs.
Including the BF2/64.

 

[automojo]

And maybe this is there are a lot of super tilted up headphones??
I wouldn’t know about that. I’ve got a pair of 90’s Yamaha studios that I use on occasion but I’m not a headphone guy..
The headphones I had before were Koss AAA’s with their crappy ear cushions.
You’re simply not going to get any decent speakers that are tilted up that much to make any of these sound bright.
Even a OG set of Heresy’s .
They aren’t going to sound any brighter than a decent cartridge, r to r tape…etc.
Again, maybe I’m missing something with high end headphone listeners.
And the close relationship to the transducers, etc. versus a listening room acoustics etc.
Having said that.. my current listening room is it’s the second one I’ve had with all hardwood floors and modest furnishings.
I wouldn’t consider the room “bright”
But the hardwood floors have the cool ability to transport your sound into other rooms esp with Heils and EMITS
I can be in my office down the hall and have a perfect picture of sound from 40 feet away
Flip on any of the current Beatles offerings for example and it sounds like they’re playing in a room right down the hall.
Very cool

 

[artur9]

.... it sounds like they’re playing in a room right down the hall.
Very cool

That's one of the tests for a good system - does it sound "live" from another room.
I'm sensitive to this now because I have a system in the other room that sounds so transistor-radio-ish from here....

 

[automojo]

That's one of the tests for a good system - does it sound "live" from another room.
I'm sensitive to this now because I have a system in the other room that sounds so transistor-radio-ish from here....

Sure!
Well, I guess frankly I never thought of that-directly so to speak.
But makes perfect sense!
I have been working on this 1.5 system for years-decades I really suppose.
The AMT3 MOJO Mods were a 16+ year project (@AK) kids/life happens.
Since then added the Infinitiy RSiiia's.
Musical/transparent speakers-both sealed 2x10" woofers/3 ways.
They are both big wide baffle tall speakers, that project the sound in a honest/like-like manner.
The AMT3's are more dynamic and vivid, toe tappin'-while the Infinities soulful and sweet, with a cool transparent finesse to them.
(No mods/recap to them yet).
(I have to admit-the AMT3's/project turned out waaaay better then I would have ever imagined).
Another big thing was migrating to full tube preamps/then finally amps, for both sides.
The MMB2 is on the ESS side-BF2OG on Infinity side. ESS side Van Alstine CF Valve RB/PL Prologue 5 amp-Infinity side Van ALstine 10RB/ EVO300amp.
Except for the Schiit-everything else was second hand/blems.
Amazing what they will sell the Evo's for if you work on them a little...
Myself-I don't mind a few minor battle scars-it all tells a story-hopefully of good sound!

 

[mlsstl]

The MMB2 has a more veiled sound [vs Yggy]. Less separation of instruments. Smaller soundstage.

Good to hear. I certainly hope one gets something for around eight times the price!

 

[automojo]

Good to hear. I certainly hope one gets something for around eight times the price!

Sure.
But it’s not as earth shattering as one would think
Frankly in many systems the MMB2 probably is a better fit sound wise.

He says the Bifrost 2 is better. No fooling! The Bifrost 2 with shipping and taxes would cost me just under $900. I hope it's better.

 

[mlsstl]

But it’s not as earth shattering as one would think

Whether one is talking audio, cars, cameras, computers or whatever, it's not uncommon for that last few percent of performance to be very expensive.

 

[automojo]

I understand what your saying. I think the reason he probably did it is because that's the comparison people ask about most frequently. I can't tell you how many times I have been asked how it stacks up to the BF2. It is pretty cool when I get to tell people that I was honestly a bit taken aback by just how close the MMB2 gets to the BF2's performance. Crazy for a DAC that costs less than half as much.

In other news, I really dig the MMB2.

This hold true for example

Whether one is talking audio, cars, cameras, computers or whatever, it's not uncommon for that last few percent of performance to be very expensive.

Agreed. I think a lot of people new to being audiophiles don't really understand that. Thats what I was trying to point on-more or less in laymen's terms.

 

[Hyde00]

Whether one is talking audio, cars, cameras, computers or whatever, it's not uncommon for that last few percent of performance to be very expensive.

Agreed. I think a lot of people new to being audiophiles don't really understand that. Thats what I was trying to point on-more or less in laymen's terms.

Yeah I definitely think there's diminishing return in this hobby. How I explained to my friend is that for every upgrade you do you have to spend double of your existing gear.

i.e. $500 upgrade to $1000, upgrade to $2000, upgrade to $4000, upgrade to $8000...... so on so forth.

I'm too poor so I conclude $500 is good enough for me.

Which bring me to MMB2, I think it's a very terrific performance to price ratio. The market need more small single ended multibit (or R2R) dac.

I'm not sure why Schiit is the only one that makes this, is it just too much cost/time to make and not profitable enough at the $300 price point?

I really hope other companies makes more small / cheap single ended multibit / R2R dacs.

That being said I wish the combo burrito filter on the MMB2 is a bit less aggressive. I've flipped between NOS and OS mode before to check. I wish Schiit would release a half way firmware. Like combo taco filter or something with 4x oversampling. Something closer to MMB1 sound.

If this happens maybe I'll re-buy MMB2 again.

 

[adias]

Yeah I definitely think there's diminishing return in this hobby. How I explained to my friend is that for every upgrade you do you have to spend double of your existing gear.

i.e. $500 upgrade to $1000, upgrade to $2000, upgrade to $4000, upgrade to $8000...... so on so forth.

I'm too poor so I conclude $500 is good enough for me.

Which bring me to MMB2, I think it's a very terrific performance to price ratio. The market need more small single ended multibit (or R2R) dac.

I'm not sure why Schiit is the only one that makes this, is it just too much cost/time to make and not profitable enough at the $300 price point?

I really hope other companies makes more small / cheap single ended multibit / R2R dacs.

That being said I wish the combo burrito filter on the MMB2 is a bit less aggressive. I've flipped between NOS and OS mode before to check. I wish Schiit would release a half way firmware. Like combo taco filter or something with 4x oversampling. Something closer to MMB1 sound.

If this happens maybe I'll re-buy MMB2 again.

Why?!? The conversion is aggressive? In what sense?

IMHO those statements are system dependent. In my opinion the MMB2 is not aggressive, if anything a bit veiled. And I say that having listened to it in a variety of systems. And I do own a MMB2 and a few others to compare.

 

[automojo]

Is it mentioned earlier I think the forward positioned sound stage-may be mistaken for liveliness/‘agression’.
With some speakers, this might be exasperated.
But usually this can be corrected with more space between the listening position and the speakers.
Headphones-I guess you'd have to try a different pair?
The BF2OG moves the sound stage back.
I use my MMB2 with Mojo modded AMT3s
They are spacious but a bit forward.
I don’t have any issues and enjoy it very much.
Have not tried it with my Infinities, which are very similar, sounding soundstage wise to Magnepans.
Either way, it doesn’t seem like a non-starter to me.

 

[automojo]

I suppose they could’ve made the MMB2 to sound more like the BF2OG.
But I think they were trying to widen the appeal of it with this particular sound staging would be my guess.