New Schiit Modi Multibit???

Discussion in 'Audio Science' started by purr1n, Jul 7, 2018.

  1. svperstar

    svperstar Acquaintance

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    If you are on the fence about getting a new DAC IMO just get the SDAC from Mass Drop. It sounds better then the Modi Multibit to my ears, thinking of selling mine.
     
  2. Senorx12562

    Senorx12562 Case of the mondays

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    He has already said that he purchased a Bifrost MB that is on the way. Reading the rest of the thread before posting might be helpful, or are you suggesting that the SDAC is better than that as well?
     
  3. svperstar

    svperstar Acquaintance

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    I haven't heard the Bitfrost MB but its one step up the ladder from the same company using the same DAC chip tho it does have a much nicer case. From what I have read they have more in common then they do different. I don't think even Schiit themselves would claim there is a huge difference between the two.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Sonically speaking, I'd say the Bifrost has more in common with the Gungir / Yggdrasil than the Modi Multibit. The Modi Multlbit, even the current versions rolling off the line, are quite behind in resolution compared to Bifrost / Gungnir / Yggdrasil. But ultimate resolution was never the selling point of the Modi Multibit - it was the slightly dark voicing and the price for non S-D timbre.

    BTW, I'm pretty sure the latest Bifrost upgrade cards are the "A2" revision, same as with Gungnir. I'm not a 100% sure though with Bifrost and going by @atomicbob's results that there is a revision of the Bifrost that corrects certain measurement anomalies from the prior versions.
     
  5. MikeW

    MikeW Shitbag

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    You know, I seriously considered the SDAC, I actually thought about buying one as a backup dac. At 80 bucks it's tempting. Then I started reading impressions of the dac, and from what I gather it sounds like a 100$ dac. Aka, any DS dac around 100$... like Modi 3, or any number of 100$ D/S Dac's. I don't really need it right now either, I figure if I do need a backup dac i'll just order a Modi 3, or topping/smsl/fii0. I find massdrop irritating with their buy it now or never schedule. Often times the products they sell are not even that great of a deal. I think I paid 240$ for brand new HD650's on amazon.com one day, just a random sale. Many of the products they sale can be found in their original form factor used and/or on sale for similar price.

    Don't get me wrong, Im not railing the SDAC, i think it's a great dac at 80$. It sounds like you may just prefer the DS sound. @svperstar

    I really would like to try that Gilmore Lite MKII one day as well.. saw one for 390$ on headfi recently. Kevin's been around this hobby forever and I've always wanted to try one of his amps. Headamp get's no love around here, he seems to have quite the engineering skillset. Maybe too outspoken/rude.

    The seller shipped the bifrost today, and shockingly, for whatever reason, they shipped it overnight, so i'll have it tomorrow. Trying to temper my expectations, either way, I needed a stand alone dac, I really want to try LOKI and LYR3, and im done with AIO's for awhile. There is something that im just not pleased with, with my current JOT/Multibit module and balanced HD650. I can't really put my finger on it. It may be the JOT sound signature, but so many people say the pairing with HD650 is excellent. I did have my JOT hooked up to a problematic USB port for awhile and fixing that issue did yield positive results across the board, but pop and sounds with alot of artificial instruments sound really conjested/flat/closed. Then some music sounds amazing, particularly female vocals, Adele, norah jones, and most music made before 1980.

    Edit: speaking of massdrop, I was thinking of getting some Koss Porta Pro's for my wife, is there a difference between the current Massdrop porta pro's at 37.99? and the Koss Porta Pro's on amazon for 34$?
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2018
  6. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    The Massdrop ones have a one-button mic/remote. You can find that model on Amazon too, but it's $59.99 (or a 3-button version for $44).
     
  7. MikeW

    MikeW Shitbag

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    Also @ SVperstar I do believe the XU208 is better then Schiit GEN2, and this may contribute to your preference for SDAC as well. Especially if your connecting these devices straight to laptop USB. You should perhaps consider an Eitr, either way. though that's a pretty expensive trinket to pair with an 80$ dac.
     
  8. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    Eitr doesn't have USB out and SDAC only has USB in. Please check specs before making suggestions.
     
  9. MikeW

    MikeW Shitbag

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    My bad, your correct. I must have got SDAC mixed up with some other low cost dac that uses XU208. I've been reading alot lately.
     
  10. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    What are you talking about? Have you seen this thread where myself and Ice Man like it very much. Pretty much the same design is in my daily driver, a DIY Dynalo. I compared it to mine and it has just a bit more resolution.

    Kevin I think is too into his own designs and himself. As long he follows the MOT rules here, but I doubt he could handle them. Marv has already talked about this.

    But please read up, and please stay on topic.
    And why are we talking about this here? You bring up two unrelated topics in a different product thread. SMH
    Like @Biodegraded said, the SDAC is USB input only. Either way, we make suggestions for Etir on Modi 3 all day long. You don't have to have expensive DAC for something like Etir...it is a better source for most any DAC. It probably benefits lower priced DAC's even more and most consider it an "upgrade" to their current DAC. Again, SMH.
     
  11. Lasollor

    Lasollor Friend

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    Personal preference and synergy are the most important. I have an Yggdrasil V1, Modi Multibit and an SDAC at home. SDAC sounds like shit in my headphone system but sounds ok with a pair of JBL LSR503 monitors.

    But I also don’t like Modi Multibit fed with with USB. SPIDF from Eitr or Allo Signature sounds way better and 10.345 times better than the SDAC.
     
  12. MikeW

    MikeW Shitbag

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    Well, to each their own, but if one only has 300$ to spend, you can either get an EITR and Modi 3, or a Modi Multibit. You may recomend sources that cost double the dac all day long, but general wisdom suggest Transducer>Amp>Dac>source. Maybe the trend is changing.
     
  13. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    last suggestion: read more, parrot less and post ONE message a day with plans of more accuracy, more concise thoughtfulness and with less stream of consciousness (must post every thought) noise.
     
  14. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    So you’re saying that you think that Bifrost Multibit may have received actual “A2” hardware improvements, rather than just firmware/DSP updates (e.g. dithering) like Modi Multibit?
     
  15. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    he's not officially stating actuals.
    yet if having $600 to burn + knowing Single Ended is all you need/require- I would buy a new Bifrost today and listen.
    then open it up and look.
     
  16. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Yes I realize it’s conjecture, but interesting conjecture nonetheless from someone who tends to be right about these things.

    I do plan to grab a recent Bifrost Multibit if I happen to come across one - been keeping my eye out for some time.
     
  17. winterfog

    winterfog Facebook Friend

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    I'm in the queue for a Bifrost multibit upgrade. I'd be happy to pop it open and take pictures of the insides once I get it back. As I recall, the physical parts that changed on the Gungnir Multibit "A2" were on the multibit card, which was actually labeled "v.2" or something similar, so that would be the place to look.

    I hear the status LEDs are a bitch to get back into place, but Schiit was nice enough to post a video online showing exactly how they do it. ("The manly way. Brute force." Relevant section of video starts at 8:30.)

    This won't necessarily answer all questions, since my unit isn't new production. Maybe new multibit cards don't play nice with older main boards, or something, so they could put in a "new old stock" multibit card when upgrading older units. Who knows. But the probability of that seems low IMO.
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2018
  18. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I actually broke two of my LED's trying to get it all put back in the case. I did not watch the video first. My mistake was putting on the back/top panel first. That basically blocks your sight from getting them in correctly. Too many bends and rebends and those metal legs tend to break.

    Just put in the board in to the U-chassis first, then put in the other top/back piece.

    I will be fixing my LED's tomorrow, so I will look at my board as well as mine was just upgraded to multibit in August.
     
  19. winterfog

    winterfog Facebook Friend

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    I received my upgraded Bifrost Multibit back. I took off the back panel, as promised above. The exterior case is the same (same minor cosmetic scratches, same rubber feet). Everything else appears to be brand new:
    • The original Bifrost was a delta-sigma "Uber" with an "A" serial number. Now it has a brand new "B" serial number, and the "A" sticker has been peeled off and voided.
    • It now has a main board that is marked "Bifrost MB v2.05." It appears to also be marked "2017", which would postdate the production of the Bifrost Uber model (The 4490 replaced the Uber in October 2015.)
      [​IMG]
    • It now has a Multibit board that is marked "Schiit BifrostMulti BFM v2.0."
      [​IMG]
      [​IMG]
    The "v2.0" marking appears to confirm that there has been at least one major physical update to the Bifrost Multibit card at some point since the introduction of the Multibit model.

    I did not fully remove the boards from the case because @rtaylor76 made me a bit worried about breaking off the LEDs, and because it seems to me that the marking text on the cards is enough to confirm the existence of a silent "A2" upgrade to the Bifrost. If people are really clamoring for a full-nude picture of the board, I will reconsider. But for now I'm going to plug it in to start warming up.

    Crossposting into the main Bifrost thread.
     
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2019
  20. lm4der

    lm4der A very good sport - Friend

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    So... what is the story with regard to @schiit providing upgrades to their upgradeable products. I remember reading something about Schiit getting some static when they released the yggdrasil upgrade, and subsequently changing their upgrade policy? Do they still do upgrades? Will we get an upgrade option for the Bifrost Multibit at some point?

    Edit: Oops, moving to the Bifrost MB thread, dopey ol' me.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019

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