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Schiit Owners Unite
Apr 5, 2015 at 8:41 PM Post #9,812 of 13,350
money4me247 said:
the thing is that realistically headphones account for the majority of the sound quality, so it wld make sense to spend the majority of your budget into the headphones.

it's like buying a cheap tv but getting a rly expensive av receiver & a fancy remote control.

but as always, just my personal opinion & recommendation. actual budgeting decisions are a personal matter & whatever you feel comfortable w is chill.
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I completely agree that money spent on phones is the best investment for improving SQ. That said, this whole audio/audiophile thing is usually a journey taken in steps. Sometimes in big steps, but often in smaller steps, depending on budget.

I guess my point was that the X2 is a phone that punches above its price point, in my experience besting more expensive cans in most ways. It isn't perfect, but it's a great "gateway" phone that likely leads to wanting to strive for better and better sonic experiences. And it pairs like a mofo with the Bifrost Uber and Lyr 2.

But I hear you on the merits of budgeting for great headphones first. Makes sense.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 8:46 PM Post #9,813 of 13,350
netrum said:
Money is not a problem. And I am looking to upgrade for the long haul.
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not even considering money, it just makes more sense to get the headphones first because then you can pick an amp/dac that best pairs with them & tunes the sound signature just the way you like to something you really enjoy. much easier that way than trying to find a headphone that changes just the right way with your pre-existing external set-up. though honestly (imo), the lyr 2 is a bit warm & the bifrost is a bit bright so in combination, it shouldn't really really cause too big of an issue with matching.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 8:49 PM Post #9,814 of 13,350
money4me247 said:
  not even considering money, it just makes more sense to get the headphones first because then you can pick an amp/dac that best pairs with them & tunes the sound signature just the way you like to something you really enjoy. much easier that way than trying to find a headphone that changes just the right way with your pre-existing external set-up. though honestly (imo), the lyr 2 is a bit warm & the bifrost is a bit bright so in combination, it shouldn't really really cause too big of an issue with matching.
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Bifrost is not bright. It's extended with a hint of grain in the treble, but I'd say it's even slightly warm of neutral. Just a hint.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 9:03 PM Post #9,816 of 13,350
hodgjy said:
  Bifrost is not bright. It's extended with a hint of grain in the treble, but I'd say it's even slightly warm of neutral. Just a hint.
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I politely disagree. only brighter dacs I've heard are a few sabre implementations ones. I categorize it as a brighter than neutral. ymmv of course.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 9:52 PM Post #9,818 of 13,350
crixnet said:
When researching gear for my new system, I asked Schiit what the differences in sound quality were between the Ashard 2/Magni Uber stack versus the Bifrost Uber/Lyr 2 stack. They didn't offer much detail but said that the Bifrost Uber's Gugnir-derived discrete analog stage would deliver substantially better performance and detail than the Magni Uber would. Also, they said the Lyr 2 was obviously much more powerful than the Asgard 2 would offer the ability to better match different phones with tube rolls.

I own the X2 and it is an amazing HP at any price. Very comfortable, astounding build quality and It sounds great with my system. It's low price belies its value, but, hey, I'm not complaining! :D
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I think people may not always consider the analog components and focus on the D/A chip. Sounds like Schiit was referring to that.
I wonder how much of the difference between middle quality and high end is in the analog circuitry. Otherwise all DACs would sound the same if they use the same chip
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 11:16 PM Post #9,820 of 13,350
That's my impression
david aldrich said:
It's my belief that the analog circuit will have a more profound effect on the overall sound of a DAC than the D/A chip itself.

However with a setup like the Yggdrasil and true R2R ladder design that goes straight out the window.
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That's my impression. I can't recall how many times I've read comments from certain folk about Sabre DA chips and then qualifying comments along the line of " in this implementation I heard none of the usual Sabre stridency" and so on.
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Apr 6, 2015 at 1:53 AM Post #9,821 of 13,350
At what level of audio equipment does the DAC make a significant improvement? I agree that the headphones make the most difference. Disclosure: I bought an Oppo BDP-105D after wanting to improve my sound and BluRay picture while being able to play my SACD's and have 7.1 Analog Out to feed my Yamaha RXV657 Natural Sound A/V. The Oppo has gathered many rave reviews from the audiophile and videophile press. Some of the reviewers say it rivals their multiple thousands of dollars dedicated DAC's and it has multiple inputs. I've tried DL DSD tracks and been pleased.
Currently it's going XLR out to a balanced only RANE DEQ60L then balanced out to a transformer into the Lyr or Yamaha or Denon DRA 636R for speakers.or HiFIMan HE-560
I generally prefer the Lyr although the Denon has great headphone out
Given the high marks for it's DAC I'm wondering if the Gungnir would be worth trying since I 'm already past "mid-Fi " with the Oppo.
 
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