[Randolf711]

As to Gen 5 USB VS Unison, that was an instantly noticeable improvement and is highly recommended, especially if you use a computer as a source.

I can’t agree with this more. I had the gen 5 and upgraded to Unison and it noticeably improved the sound.

 

[liamo]

This was the first recording of Sempre Libera I ever heard - after buying it at the Royal Opera House in London while on a trip fifteen years ago and listening to it on a friend's laptop (much to their chagrin).



Sills's phrasing is so effortless, fluent, and charming. I don't think she's a better singer than the singular La Divina - but hers is a wonderful addition to the discography. Not quite so technically dazzling as Sutherland's, but given to better acting and, altogether, a more persuasive reading of the role.

Saw her do it at a matinee at the Met in NYC on a school field trip and was mesmerized. I just fell in love with Sills on stage. Took my daughter to see an awful performance in Seattle about ‘90 with a cast not memorable. Wondered how I got front row center balcony. Arts can be funny.

 

[tromba]

Well, I am sitting here listening to Wagner’s Siegfried. Siegfried just kissed Brunnhilde and woke her ass up. After another half hour of singing they will be united in bliss and love at the end of the opera. The stage will then be set for Gotterdammerung, the end of the world.

So have I got this right? Siegfried is the offspring of Sigmund and Sieglinde, twins father by Wotan. Brunhilde also has Wotan as a father, so Siegfried will be united in bliss and love with his aunt Brunhilde...... and next is the end of the world?

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Yes correct

his very special aunt

 

[Baldr]

So have I got this right? Siegfried is the offspring of Sigmund and Sieglinde, twins father by Wotan. Brunhilde also has Wotan as a father, so Siegfried will be united in bliss and love with his aunt Brunhilde...... and next is the end of the world?

The easiest way to appreciate The Ring is to ignore the complex intergod/interman interman/interman incest and enjoy the music, all 15 or so hours of it. The central romantic theme is that Wotan screws anything that moves. There are no aesthetic comparisons to Wagner. It is at once sublime, complex, absurd, and violent. Two things Germans do that few others can is construct 800 page books which deal with philosophy and write music, from Rammstein to Wagner, which is admittedly an acquired taste.

Now that I am in a Wagnerian frame of mind, transitioning from listening to Salome making good on her promise to kiss John the Baptist's mouth after demanding that her stepfather bring her his head on a silver platter. After all, she just performed a striptease for her stepfather, Herod, who was in a position to order the decapitation. Yet another erxample of cheerful German opera, this time from Richard Strauss. This time, however, we owe much of the degeneracy to a Brit, Oscar Wilde, whose play was adapted as the basis of the libretto for Strauss' opera. I apologize for the digression.

Returning to The Ring, I recall buying my first. an early 1950's recording by Furtwangler that was eighteen or so records. This was back in the 1960s. At that time, there was no complete studio recording of all four operas of The Ring. This was about to end with the Solti/Culshaw recordings which were finished by 1965 or so. The recording quality here was what we expect from Solti(and Culshaw) arguably the best yet today. Fast forward to current day and now have ten or so Rings. Even though Solti is hardly a lyrical conductor, his style frequently meshes with the music involved. I have loved that recording for its fidelity, energy, and violence.

Lately, however, I have found the last three operas annoying for Birgit Nilsson's singing. Granted, she was, in her prime, a perfectly pitched very big voiced world class soprano. I suppose it doesn't help that she resembles physically a longshoreman with makeup. Someone you want on your team for the rugby scrum. In the 1960s the type that would have her cigarette pack twisted up in her t-shirt sleeve. Sorry folks - I hope no one is in high dudgeon. These are the mental pictures I get when I hear her sing Brunnhilde. Nothing heroic at all.

TECH STUFF.....................................TECH STUFF........................................TECH STUFF..........................................TECH STUFF.............................................
I lamented and wondered elsewhere if there were any more things to upgrade on Schiit Dacs. This is since USB were the majority upgrades in the first eight years or so of Schiit until USB was finally fixed with the Unison built from scratch USB. Yet we have readily upgradable Bifrost 2s and Yggys. Now I have built several sideways-grade boards which do sound different, some to my distinct preference. What say you?

Back to Salome, if you love it as I do - the Chandos disc with Inga Nielsen is my dramatic fave. She nails Salome as the childlike sociopath using her charms to get what she wants now!

 

[jnak00]

Most in this hobby love to tinker. I myself swap the pads on my headphones depending on mood. If you offered easily swappable cards for the DACs, with different (not necessarily better or worse) sounds, I suspect they would sell very well indeed. The only problem would be explaining all the options to a newcomer.

 

[ev666il]

I too may be interested in the swappable modules for the Bifrost 2, depending on their price.

If you do release them, may I suggest you post a YouTube video tutorial that shows how to swap them? I’m sure many users would appreciate that.

 

[jkpenrose]

I lamented and wondered elsewhere if there were any more things to upgrade on Schiit Dacs. This is since USB were the majority upgrades in the first eight years or so of Schiit until USB was finally fixed with the Unison built from scratch USB. Yet we have readily upgradable Bifrost 2s and Yggys. Now I have built several sideways-grade boards which do sound different, some to my distinct preference. What say you?

Like tube-swapping with DAC boards?

That actually sounds pretty interesting!

Would love to hear what you prefer about one vs the other at the very least and always fascinated by the design/engineering differences that aren't proprietary.

 

[Alexnova]

A Yggdrasil with boards that match your preference? Take my money.

 

[TheTechQ]

I lamented and wondered elsewhere if there were any more things to upgrade on Schiit Dacs. This is since USB were the majority upgrades in the first eight years or so of Schiit until USB was finally fixed with the Unison built from scratch USB. Yet we have readily upgradable Bifrost 2s and Yggys. Now I have built several sideways-grade boards which do sound different, some to my distinct preference. What say you?

I would love to have a Schiit mode and a critical mode on Bifrost 2. One would sound amazing, the other would point out everything wrong with your mix.

 

[FLTWS]

LOL. Just listened to Salome the other day, my favorite Strauss opera, the Solti / Nilsson on Decca. Compact libretto, compelling story line, great Decca recording, great performances all around. All of opera is about the music for me, even when it comes to the singers I tend to treat them as another instrument, another color on the palette to paint the sound picture. I try not to get tangles up in the words, I know the story lines.

A good wide ranging dynamic recording of the "Dance of the Seven Veils" I find is also good for evaluating audio gear.

And now I'll have to search out that Chandos recording.

Ordered.

 

[crazychile]

Upgradeable DAC features are cool, but it's not like taking apart the Yggdrasil and reassembly is a 5 minute job. So something like different selectable DAC flavor modes would be cool for a one time installation, but then there would probably need to be a faceplate upgrade as well.

Honestly, right now I just want that transport! I haven't been able to play CDs for a few years and I am ready to place my order as soon as it's available.

 

[Ripper2860]

Count me in for DAC side-grades -- at least for BF2.

 

[RickB]

I lamented and wondered elsewhere if there were any more things to upgrade on Schiit Dacs. This is since USB were the majority upgrades in the first eight years or so of Schiit until USB was finally fixed with the Unison built from scratch USB. Yet we have readily upgradable Bifrost 2s and Yggys. Now I have built several sideways-grade boards which do sound different, some to my distinct preference. What say you?

How about Unison in a Modi Multibit? (Please.)

 

[TheTechQ]

A 120/240v switch on the back of Schiit products with a linear power supply might be handy.