DAC Discussion Thread No. 3

You 100% make sense. The Gungnir A2 uses an older output stage that sounded dirtier. You may have heard the term that the A2 didn't have a very black blackground. The Gungnir A2 SE performance sounds like it has a blanket over it, so this is why many on SBAF have preferred to use the A2 XLR balanced outputs and convert to SE using transformers.

MM2 is very close to the BF2/64 from a technicalities POV and is the DAC that I would prefer over the BF2/64 for most setups. The BF2/64 can beat it, but with only with careful curation of downstream synergies, e.g. BF64/2 and Folkvangr amp + ZMF headphones.

The LIM isn't that much technically better than BF2/64 or BF2. Comparing to OG BF2, they are very close - with the LIM being more refined and cohesive overall. I did find the LIM more easygoing in the highs and less bassy compared to BF2/64. With you running Freya S and Tyr and the Cornwalls, I suspect the BF2/64 could even be better than the LIM with the LIM possibly being too laid-back and the BF2 having more low-end kick.

No you are not insane. The differences are not huge, especially with horns. With headphones or expensive wide-banders (Voxactiv) with SET amps, I find the differences more striking. Finally, here's the deal I've always noticed about Schiit: they aren't afraid to cannibalize their existing product line. If a product higher-up isn't cutting it because of a better improved lower-line model, they don't care. They eventually make the higher-up product better