New DAC advice

Discussion in 'Leaderboard, Overboard, and Deals' started by wormcycle, Jan 27, 2017.

  1. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    I need to buy a DAC and in my price range I came up with three options:
    1. Bifrost - confirmed with Nick from Schit that the newest model comes with USB Type 2 and the 4490 board in the base price
    2. Emotiva Stealth DC-1 - very attractive features, the only problem I see is I do not need really headphone amp, and particularly with 1/8 jacks,
    3. Used Benchmark DAC1 HDR, I like the reviews and has a good reputation

    I have slight bias for balanced

    That would have to support Talisman T-3H or Bryston headphone amps with HD800S, Beyerdynamic T5p.2 and HE500, and very old but still kicking AKG K240 DF. Sot it goes from 32Ohms all the way to 600.

    Leaning towards Bifrost but what do you think?
     
  2. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2016
    Likes Received:
    6,942
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Between those options? Buy Bifrost now and wait for the rumored gen2 Multibit upgrade. DC-1 doesn't make sense unless you need the balanced outs for monitors and the Benchmark DAC is a hunk of junk.
     
  3. a44100Hz

    a44100Hz Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,159
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    US East
    Have you looked into the Modi Multibit? Less than the Bifrost 4490 and should be an improvement.
     
  4. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

    Staff Member Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,893
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seattle
    I owned the Bifrost Uber w/ Gen 2 USB and the Modi Multibit easily outperformed it in just about every aspect. Can't recommend the Benchmark myself.
     
  5. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Would Bifrost Multibit be better option in your view?
     
  6. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

    Staff Member Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,893
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seattle
    @wormcycle I have not heard the Bifrost Multibit in a sane environment and cannot comment on it's merits or flaws, but the consensus I gather is that the Modi Multibit is a better value than the Bifrost Multibit.
     
  7. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    They're too close for comfort. I actually found the Modi MB a little more natural sounding than Bifrost Multibit, for whatever reason...
     
  8. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    Thank you, it will be a schiit then. My priority is soundstage and instrument separation. I hope I will have opportunity to hear both multibits and decide but with this difference in price and recommendations I am getting Modi multibit looks like a winner
     
  9. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

    Pyrate Slaytanic Cliff Clavin
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,345
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Bifrost Multibit is just much clearer up top and the reduced punch helps with the lower mids. Modi Multibit embraces all the early 90s CD playerness inherent to the Bifrost Multibit and rocks with it.
     
  10. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    The feature set between the Modi MB and Bifrost are nearly identical. Bifrost has a superior power supply and upgradibility, while Modi can switch between 110v and 230v power rather painlessly.

    Although I don't know if upgrability is that big a deal since you can easily sell a Modi MB to offset the cost, whereas the Bifrost MB card can't really be sold. Especially since you need to send it back to Schiit HQ to update the firmware.
     
  11. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    4,521
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    London, UK
    Unless you have a strong preference otherwise, the Modi Multibit is the obvious choice. If you really strongly want the Bifrost Multibit (for a specific reason, like suspecting there's an incoming upgrade board), it's not like it's a terrible choice either, it's still fantastic value compared to the competition. @baldr says that the differences are minimal, except for on hulking two channel setups, anyway (where your budget would probably stretch to a higher end DAC painlessly anyway).

    Agonise over it for just as long as it's fun, you can't really lose either way.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2017
  12. pedalhead

    pedalhead Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Likes Received:
    2,046
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Oxfordshire, UK
    Hmm, slight tangent but did @baldr say what kind of improvements Bifrost Multibit has over Modi Multibit..? I'm considering a multibit dac for my hulking two channel setup but appear to have spent most of my budget on the speakers!
     
  13. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

    Staff Member Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,893
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seattle
    ...there may be more if you scroll through Mike's profile page under postings.
     
  14. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    4,521
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    London, UK
    Thank goodness for the SBAF custom search - I remembered that the post included "concrete" :D

     
  15. wormcycle

    wormcycle Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    OK I get a point of what baldr said but it is misleading the same time. Taken literally it means that unless I have what.. six ton concrete wall or like $500k system I cannot get any improvement moving higher from Modi Multibit, to Yggdrasil for example. On the system with HD800S, HE1000 etc with the headphone amp let's say Bryston BHA-1, Modi Multibit is the upper limit of how much sound improvement I can get from a DAC?
    I am a contrarian by nature and it almost makes me go for Gungnir. I have balanced amp and balanced cables for all my headphones so I can put it to some use.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2017
  16. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    4,521
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    London, UK
    No, that's not what he's saying at all. The entire point is that he's specifically comparing only the Modi Multibit and the Bifrost Multibit, which use the same chipset. This is why people are interested in what the difference is between the two devices, sonically, and the circumstances in which they might be audible.

    Obviously, unless you're a cloth-eared doofus (or your chain is non-resolving/rolled off crap) you'll hear a difference going to Gungnir Multibit or Yggdrasil.

    There's a huge difference between "misleading" and "misreading". Engage brain in gear.
     
  17. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

    Staff Member Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,893
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seattle
    One other point to make here, of which has been highlighted before but could use more emphasis, is the upgradabilty of the Bifrost. None of Schiit's upgradable products have become obsolete yet. Schiit has held true to the nature of their upgradable products. While the Modi Multibit may seem to be the better value right now, that may not hold true over time.

    I sold my my Bifost for more than the price of a Modi MB or an MB upgrade, but typing this makes me want to reconsider that decision.
     
  18. SSL

    SSL Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2015
    Likes Received:
    1,239
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Is 90s CD playerness a good thing?
     
  19. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2016
    Likes Received:
    4,521
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    London, UK
    Though given the new price and resale value of the Modi Multibit, it's quite hard to see any risk with buying one. That said, I have a nasty suspicion that If I did upgrade to a Gungnir Multibit, I'd have a hard time parting with the Modi Multibit, rather than just taking it to work for desktop use there.

    Whatever craziness Schiit has planned, they can go ahead and bring it on, frankly.
     
  20. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

    Staff Member Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    3,893
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Seattle

Share This Page