Schiit Gungnir Multibit impressions

Great to hear, thanks for the answer.
Since it's safe I assume it doesn't run too hot.

Now I'm mostly set except USB to BNC transport. Been reading about some people having clicks or something on USB when changing sampling rate.
Fortunately I don't like using USB directly to DAC.

 

There are clicks on Gungnir Multibit whenever sampling rate changes, regardless of input (BNC,USB,RCA). Thankfully it is on Gungnir Multibit itself, not carry though its output (RCA/XLR)

 

So basically you can hear the clicks from inside the Gungnir even without wearing headphones?
If so and it's not carried through until the amp, that's a relief.

 

Yes, the click sound when samplng rate change is very audible, but it is only on Gungnir Multibit. You will not hear this click sound coming from your headphones.

 

It's a muting relay. A relay is a physical part that makes noise, but not in the audio chain, just actual out-loud noise.

 

Maybe your laptop is not providing enough power to the USB port. Try connecting it through an external USB hub with its own power supply.

 

Also check the USB and port settings under power managment. Power to USB can be lower when run on battery too.

 

Yup but as others have stated, the relay is only audible from outside the case. Schiit did a really good job at muting the relay. No need to worry about blowing up headphones or speakers with the Gungnir Multibit when changing bitrates.

 

Some thoughts and comparisons on the last three DACs I've had in my possession, the Audio-GD Master-11, Schiit Gungnir Multibit, and the MHDT Pagoda (I only still have the Gungnir Multibit):

I should clarify first that 95% of my listening is on speakers and not headphones.

1) Soundstage and imaging:

Gungnir Multibit > M-11 > Pagoda

The Gungnir Multibit has this amazing sense of space around each instrument and musician, and by far gives the best feel for the recording space. It's like there's a vacuum of black space between instruments in the soundfield, and lends itself to impressive realism and that feeling that the musicians are standing in the room with you. One of my favorite tests of soundstage and imaging is a collection of Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano performed by Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Kempff. The recording is focused more on Menuhin's violin, which is slightly more forward and to the right compared to Kempff's piano, which is pushed back and to the left in comparison. The Gungnir Multibit recreates this in a truly three-dimensional manner where you can "feel" the room around the piano with reflections from the recording space, and visualize the violin moving slightly as the violinist moves as they play. The Master-11 comes relatively close but doesn't have the depth that the Gungnir Multibit has, and both instruments are less defined in space with the violin in particular not having the pinpoint location as Menuhin sways with the music. The Pagoda seems rather 2-dimensional in comparison and comes up lacking in imaging as well as soundstage depth and width. The soundstage feels constrained to the space between my speakers and not expanding beyond that. Instruments sometimes feel "taller" in space than they should.

2) Detail:

Gungnir Multibit >> M-11 > Pagoda

I think the Burr Brown PCM1704 chips are significantly less revealing than the Gungnir Multibit, especially the Pagoda. The 8x oversampling of the Master-11 seems to allow the DAC to dig deeper and provide more low-level detail while the NOS implementation of the Pagoda really limits the amount of low-level detail and dynamics retrieved from recordings. Using the same Beethoven sonatas mentioned above, the Pagoda lacks the textured friction and vibration that you feel when a violin bow is pulled across strings. While it sounds like a violin, it is missing that extra layer of textural detail in reproduction that can create that uncanny sense that the instrument is in the same room. The Master-11 is better at this, but still pales in comparison to the Gungnir Multibit. The Schiit DAC makes a violin sound like a violin, while the Pagoda sometimes sounds like a synthesized violin; the basic sound is there, but without the needed texture and detail. The Master-11 is somewhere in between, but closer to the Pagoda.

3) Timbre and presentation:

Gungnir Multibit = Pagoda >/= M-11

I think all three DACs are quite close here, and are probably more dependent on your listening preferences and equipment. The PCM1704 chips are known for their warm, romantic sound which lends itself beautifully to recreate the timbre of guitars and other wood instruments. I think the NOS design of the Pagoda probably offers the best of this sort of sound signature if that's what you're after. The M-11 is drier, more forward and has a much more prominent treble than the lush, buttery Pagoda, almost to the point where I get a bit of hardness and glare if I'm using headphones or speakers that are more forward in their delivery. The M-11 sounds a tad thinner than the Pagoda, but still has shades of that warm and lush tonality the PCM1704 is known for. The Gungnir Multibit is similar to the the Master-11 in terms of body/tonal thickness, but the overall tonality downright raw and with a more neutral and linear signature. Bass is tighter on the Gungnir Multibit, somewhat bloomy on the Pagoda, and somewhere in between with the Master-11.

Of these three DACs, I ended up keeping the Gungnir Multibit. Ironically, this is my second go-around with it as I actually had one a few months back that I sold before I had moved entirely to a 2-channel setup for music. If I was still using headphones or brighter or forward-sounding speakers for the majority of my listening, the Gungnir Multibit might be too raw. However, with my current listening setup featuring a neutral but slightly relaxed amp and speakers (the Parasound Halo Integrated powering PSB Imagine T2's), the Gungnir Multibit fits beautifully in my chain to provide that final level of detail and realism that was lacking with the Master-11 and Pagoda.

 

I went through years of being analog only - you know those horrid digital LP's from DMM and Telarc, poorly mastered CD's on jitter ridden cheapo CD players. I mean, why bother. A few years ago someone shoved a $25k player and DAC in front of me, and I said - very nice, but, look at the price tag...

Well due to my interest in headphones I started toying with hi res digital files. Then I caught the Schiit wave.. but this unit sitting above my rggy playing into an HD-600 and borrowed HFM 560 and Audeze 3? It's music. Real music. Every track. It most reminds me of a Pass X Series amp. Clean, accurate, deep, just slightly sweet. I doubt I'll ever look at upgrading it. The rggy too. Great balanced headphone amp - a bit lean, but the Gungnir Multibit gives it some flesh and blood.

 

So I've had Gungnir Multibit for roughly a week now. Coming from Bifrost Multibit. Chain is bw2> Gungnir Multibit>wyrd. With this combo it seems the hd800's have lost the bass impact they had with Bifrost Multibit. 650's are sublime with this combo. The Glenn otl with Gungnir Multibit & wyrd is really great with both cans.

 

Are you using the XLR or RCA inputs?

 

That's strange my experience from the 4490 bifrost to Gungnir Multibit was the exact opposite. I think the 4490 is suppose to have more slam than Bifrost Multibit too. Never used it with a black widow though

 

Ray, are you using different cables? I know it might seem silly, but I recently switched out my XLR cables and the previous ones were rolling off the highs a touch, which would make bass more apparent by comparison.

 

Using Rca cables, I may switch them around. Bifrost Multibit was more forward and not a spacious sounding.less air in between instruments. But seemed to have greater punch. totally different experience with what I'm hearing with the 650's. Which has me a bit confused. Going to cable swap tonight.

 

I myself noticed a difference when switching from RCA to XLR. Even though it's summing & supposed to sound the same, the XLR to me sound a clear step up.

 

I have a trivial yet serious question regarding Gungnir Multibit. I'm almost embarrassed to ask.

I recently bought a Gungnir Multibit and I notice that it only has three feet - two at the front, in the corners, and one at the back, halfway along. This means that the Gungnir Multibit is a bit wobbly and unstable on the shelf. Is this normal? I would have expected it to have four feet, one in each corner.

 

Your Gungnir Multibit is not defective; they only have three feet. However, it is supposed to be impossible for a tripod to "wobble", so I am a little concerned about what geometric / physics rules your Gungnir Multibit follows. This might be a bigger concern...

 

It is, look carefully at this picture:



The fiends.

If it bothers you, you could always replace them with other feet, the the market is heaving with them.. for example:

https://www.amazon.com/Sorbothane-Hemisphere-Non-skid-Adhesive-Durometer/dp/B00516DGIG/

Edit: Heed the warnings about some feet- e.g. the ones I linked.. marking wood. Less exciting alternative would be:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OTNGPQ