Schiit Bifrost 2

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by RobS, Aug 28, 2019.

  1. HotRatSalad

    HotRatSalad Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,684
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NH
    That's a bummer, I had not heard of this issue. I've had a bifrost 2 for a month and have not heard a peep out of it. Hopefully it stays that way, has Schiit commented on the issue or offered a fix ?
     
  2. aph123

    aph123 New

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    London, UK
    Been trying to get through to them for a couple of days, let’s see what they say.

    Transformer hum seems to be a not too uncommon issue with Schiit products (google tells me). Vidar seems badly effected, and to some extent BF2.

    Like I said, my only other Schiit product is the Lyr3 which has none of these issues.
     
  3. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2019
    Likes Received:
    993
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Does the hum only happen while the MBPro is charging, or also while it's unplugged and running on battery power?

    EDIT - Never mind, misread the description of the hum.
     
  4. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,697
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    NOVA
    Home Page:
    My Aegirs have trafo hum when "bad" appliances are throwing grunge back onto the AC mains. Let's not confuse external noise with internal noise. My BF2 is dead silent, even when the same bad appliances are polluting the mains. Less google, more signal.
     
  5. Cebuboy

    Cebuboy New

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    21
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Cebu
    Reading that you have both the Bifrost 2 and Modius. Does the $500 price difference between the Modius and Bifrost 2 justify the gap in performance? I would mainly use it via USB from a macbook with Audirvana. Downstream are Crack + HD650 and HD600, WA6SE + LCD2F and the Jotunhiem for all three if I feel like going solide state. Current dac is a Modi mb with Eitr.
     
  6. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,709
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    India
    It really comes down to the type of genres you listen to. You can read this post , where I get into a bit more details as to, under what circumstances it might be worth saving $500 and choosing the Modius. To keep it succinct, if you don't listen to genres that involve acoustic instruments, IMO, the advantage the Bifrost 2 offers in terms of timbre over the Modius becomes irrelevant and, the difference in detail is almost negligible. The problem comes when your library is comprised of music from both camps (acoustic and synthetic).

    To me, both are different sounding DACs and catered for different audience. If you are looking for something along the lines of the Modi MB, I believe Bf2 would be the way to go.
     
  7. Cebuboy

    Cebuboy New

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    21
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Cebu
    Thanks for the detailed reply, I listen to mixed genres. Pop, acoustic, symphonic, rock and classicals. Yes the multibit does give meat to the vocals, strings and drum strikes. Damn, $500 is a very hard decision to make especially if the gains stepping up from the Modi MB is not at least 2x as much.
     
  8. aph123

    aph123 New

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    London, UK
    Tried unplugging everything but the BF2, different power cords, usb cables, laptops (plugged and battery powered), sockets. All causing the same hum.

    I think I simply got a defective unit.
     
  9. Sqveak

    Sqveak Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    916
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NSW, Aus, Terra, Sol.
    Did you try moving the Bifrost away from other equipment, cables or power points in a different room?
    It could be picking up something that's environmental and reacting to it.
     
  10. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,709
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    India
    Anytime. Yes, for the genres you’ve listed here, I’d choose the Bifrost 2 anyday, over the Modius. As to whether the extra $500 would be worth the upgrade, given that these are difficult financial times, if $500 is going to put a lot of strain on your wallet, I’d say, don’t do it.
     
  11. aph123

    aph123 New

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    London, UK
    Yes, took it into the guest-room (only lamps there - all off), BF2 only thing on, hum. Plugged a laptop (running off the battery) USB into it, even more hum.
     
  12. Sqveak

    Sqveak Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    916
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NSW, Aus, Terra, Sol.
    No good.
    Did you purchase direct from Schiit or from electromod (schiit.co.uk)?
    International post is less than fun at the moment. Maybe you can exchange it for another unit via electromod if they are able to accomodate.
     
  13. tranq

    tranq Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2018
    Likes Received:
    228
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    US Midwest
    I always wonder what people mean when they say they want something more expensive to be X times as good as what they have, to justify a purchase....

    if Modi multibit (which i own and love) gets you to say 75 percent of perfection, Bifrost 2 (which i also own and love) is NOT going to get you to 150 percent of perfection.

    Now lets say modi multibit gets us to 92 percent of perfection, bifrost 2 gets ME to 95 percent of perfection...

    To me its better then the best of modi multibit, and way way better then the worst of modi multibit. Even then we are talking relatively small audible improvements, but they are audible if you are a careful listener...

    so toss out the 90 for some not really real math.... (9)2 modi multibit. (9)5 bifrost 2. By this admittedly flawed example Bifrost is 2.5 times better then Modi multibit..... but maybe we ought to say take a page from whisky tasting...bifrost is 3 points better.... dont feel bad about your gear. 92 to 95 is pretty good, or pretty bad, depending on nervosa, wallet size, and how u look at scale.

    Also my Bifrost 2 is dead quiet. As is Rag 2.. I sent my Vidar in for transformer repair in Jan 2019. I have to believe its a small issue that has probably been resolved by now... you hear about the people who have issues, but the majority of happy owners arent going to fill forums talking about Vidars with quiet transformers. I own a bunch of other Schiit too. Its all quiet.
     
  14. BenjaminBore

    BenjaminBore Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,842
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    You’re saying it’s logarithmic, at least after 90. Which is kinda true. I mean if something just makes sound you’re 80-90% of the way to sounding real. If you’re starting with a decent $100-$200 DAC a $10,000 isn’t going to sound 2x better.


    @Cebuboy What spending more money gets you are fewer of the flaws, or gaining of traits unattainable at that price point.

    The Modi Multibit is most of the way to what I’d want, but it really lacks clarity, lacks some resolution, especially in the bass, and has some timbre issues in some higher frequencies. The Gungnir Multibit at 4-5x the price remedied those limitations for the most part (pre-Bifrost 2). With additional improvements in imaging, layering, low-level information, bass and treble presentation, and extension at both ends. Is it 4-5x better, no. But when you’re almost there at 80-90% then all the improvements are in that last 10-20%. In that context maybe it’s 3-4x times better.

    So what you’re paying for is to get closer to real, or at least close enough that you find it acceptable. What each individual finds acceptable varies, and can change. Especially after hearing something better.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2020
  15. Cebuboy

    Cebuboy New

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    21
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Cebu
    Got it, guess I won't be buying any nice tubes for the time being and spend that budget on the Bifrost.

    I get what you mean, reading that it fixes the shortcomings of the Modi mb, then Bifrost it is.

    From what I understand about this hobby, the gains are not proportional in relation to $$$ spent, you just have to hit that sweet spot for you, and it varies per individual.

    Thanks for all the information guys, will report back later.
     
  16. BenjaminBore

    BenjaminBore Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    May 23, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,842
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    London, UK
    I should add that within that last 10-20% can lie toe tapping engagement, beauty, not being able to turn it off, occasional goosebumps, and moments of audio nirvana. You’re at the point where reproducing audio allows the original recording to move you the way it was meant to, or at least close to it. Bear in mind that this is also where quality of a mix and recording really start to come in to play.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2020
  17. nishan99

    nishan99 Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2019
    Likes Received:
    1,617
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Layla
    Also hearing the small differences during a comparison is not like living with those differences. It all adds up with time as Mike Moffat once said.
     
  18. SnowRang3r

    SnowRang3r New

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2020
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Winnipeg, MB, Canada
    I’m planning on getting a Bifrost 2 to upgrade from my Modius, to use with my Focal Clears. Already I’m closer to real tone/timbre on instruments than I was with any other cans but now I’m chasing more...

    Was also considering the Denafrips Ares II but the made in USA and upgrade ability on the Bifrost 2 has turned me into a Schiit-head.

    I’d like to get a matching Schiit amp (like the look of a matching stack). Does anyone have any advice between Asgard 3, Lyr 3 and Jot?

    Seems like Asgard 3 is a real bargain at $199, unsure how big the difference is in sound to the Lyr 3, is it just more power and the ability to change tubes? I’ve never used tubes so I’m both curious and scared haha.

    Jot is also interesting as I have balanced cables. I’ve heard some call it long in the tooth but others seem to really enjoy it. Decisions, decisions...
     
  19. Cebuboy

    Cebuboy New

    Joined:
    Mar 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    21
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Cebu
    Hi all, just got the Bifrost 2 and the Macbook can't detect it when connected to USB. Macbook running OS X 10.11.6 using PYST USB cable, so it meets the minimum requirements. Amp is a BH Crack. Macbook USB works perfectly with Modi MB and with Eitr + Modi MB. Bifrost 2 also works when using Eitr in between. Bifrost 2 also works when connected to Iphone 8 via CCK and PYST USB cable... I'm done racking my brains as to why it wont work with the Macbook via USB...

    Any of you encounter this? Already turned off app nap, maybe an external powered hub perhaps? But it kinda defeats the purpose of unison.
     
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2020
  20. Sqveak

    Sqveak Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    916
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    NSW, Aus, Terra, Sol.
    Have you tried a different OS via live media to rule out a freak hardware issue? Why El Capitan? It's half a decade old at this point.
     

Share This Page