Schiit Bifrost 2

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

  1. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    Also keep in mind it sounds like @k4rstar is a fan of warmer sounding DACs. Unison has some amount of sharpness to it. Not so much that it was sterile for me, it just sounded clean...like it was not USB. I was like Jason..I had to pinch myself the first time. So in that sense, it is quite an amazing feat. It just will just not wrap you up in tube/warmth - it rather sounds like a vinyl record with an MC cart.

    TOTL transports are just a different beast IMHO.
     
  2. winders

    winders boomer

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    I would much rather rip CDs and SACDs than play them from a transport. If you have a high quality setup, there is no reason that it could not be as good as the best transports if not better.
     
  3. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    Ya haven't gleaned this already indirectly haha?!

    re: CD ----

    Spinners are a mixed bag, they avoid computer noise by NOT having one in the first place (they are old) --> there's just TTL 74xx chips generating the square waves, a diff kind of, simpler? noise, or it's Krazy high-end where the final transistor has a dedicated aluminum encased power supply. New spinners have an ARM computer in them anyway, might as well be a pi. ie it's not that fact that it's a spinner.

    @baldr knows all this (asm.) and his CD UNISON <--> UNISON DAC will no doubt be awesome, it just gets you there cleanly (no naked pis sprawled about). Anyway he spilled the beans it'll have USB in, alluding to the spinner component is just another PCM source.

    @k4star --> wonderful post & I'm right there with you re: unison, it is impressive (it gets the hard stuff done), my 1st thought was praxis effect bass (not gonna say if good or bad yet) and wtf possible FR stuff going on? vs digiONEsig (gonna maintain this should be the benchmark)... need to gather my thoughts

    also I went stone cold gen5 (gathers dust), same source... and yeah, no

    YMMV, slightly exaggerated to actually write this down, would be so much easier shooting the shit over a few beers!
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2019
  4. Metro

    Metro Friend

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    What products have I2S input? USB to SPDIF (Eitr) already didn't sell well, and the market for USB to I2S would be minuscule in comparison.

    How is that possible? The only possibility is that Schiit might have tried it on a workbench.
     
  5. winders

    winders boomer

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    You don’t know what you don’t know.....
     
  6. MisterRogers

    MisterRogers Ethernet Nervosa

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    I certainly wouldn't argue an I2S Eitr as a unit that would move in any volume.

    As to DAC's, I believe most if not all the Metrum DAC's accept I2S. Holo DAC's do, and I believe we're seeing more manufacturers starting to expose I2S. I haven't dug deeply into how many (I'm a Metrum guy), but it'd be interesting to see. Seems it would be relatively simple engineering wise to design / build - unless I'm missing something, which I may be.
     
  7. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    The beta test was a board that simply replaced the Gen 5 USB card in Yggdrasil and Bifrost Multibit, so it’s definitely possible. Now whether any of the beta testers had a newer revision Bifrost Multibit, I’m not sure.

    Edit: Scratch that I think @winders did now that I think about it. By the way @winders, since Unison is launched we’re allowed to talk about it now.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2019
  8. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    The USB transport still matters. I ran Unison (in Yggdrasil A2) direct from a NUC, from a microRendu, and from a Sotm-SMS200ultra transport, and they all still had their own flavour, which was similar to using them with Gen 5 USB. However they all had a better base to start from. I hated my NUC before with Gen 5, but with Unison, it was passable. And the relative differences between the mR and the Sotm were essentially the same, but they each reached a higher level of performance than previous.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2019
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    ^ Agreed. Shitty USB on the computer is still going to be a limitation of Unison. My best USB ports are either from my tower computer with a cheapo USB card or my ancient Vaio with a dedicated USB with a bus not shared with the other ports. My latest Dell USB is just as assy any most other laptop USBs. I haven't explored what port to use on the Dell.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2019
  10. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    That’s one of the main reason I stopped messing with USB. Too many shitty ports, too many random gadgets to try to fix them, and not enough time or interest anymore to mess with it all. Purposely built SPDIF sources have given way more payoff for way less work. The generally better sound quality, if generalizing, is what sealed the deal.
     
  11. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Amen.

    I have a silent seething hatred of computers, almost exclusively because of USB audio bullshit. I've probably put more effort into just trying to get the stupid things to work right than your average inventor puts into creating a new computer.
     
  12. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I have an OG Bifrost, so all my comments about Unison are with the upcoming Unison card. No board firmware to update...plug and play. I will say aligning those LED's is a real PITA (I have more curse words for it, but I digress). I actually broke one of my LED's legs and had to resolder it back in. Worth it though.

    Different USB souces were different as I thought I even detected a slight change with cables. It is still USB after all, but I feel comfortable not fighting it because it is sucking the tone out and making things dull.
     
  13. winders

    winders boomer

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    The solution for me was to get completely away from a general purpose computer as the device talking to my DAC. Putting Ethernet between the DAC and the computer playing the music was also key. I happen to use an ultraRendu but there are many options.
     
  14. gefski

    gefski Facebook Friend

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    As one who repeatedly has had disappointing relationships with USB interfaces and decrapifiers for years, and who has been "USB free" since 2016 (with YggyA and YggyB), this is like the old Ernest Tubb cowboy song -- "Won't you take me back and try me one more time"! :rolleyes:

    But that's OK, it's a fun part of this hobby. Schiit has provided me so much enjoyment of digital music files that I'll step up to the plate for Unison in 2020 with a smile on my face and ears open.

    ...and my Dante Ethernet/AES to Yggdrasil can be reconnected in minutes when/if I'm crapped on by USB again.
     
  15. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    But then you need $400/meter solid silver cat 7 Ethernet cable!
    :D
     
  16. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Hey @gefski I have one coming for measurements. Maybe it will be here in time for Seattle Can Meet on Sat and you can give it a good audition. Probably setup for USB - Dante A/B.
     
  17. winders

    winders boomer

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    Nope. Off the shelf CAT5E in the walls and to the nodes.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    OMFG. There is actually such a thing as audiophile Ethernet cables. Personally, I'd fear the karmic consequences of conceiving and marketing stuff like that.
     
  19. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    The impressions written here so far suggest to me that there are now two very clear - and distinct - choices in the $700-1000 multibit DAC bracket...

    If you're looking for euphony/warmth (primary consideration), balanced outputs and the best USB input (secondary): Bifrost 2.

    If you're looking for a drier, more technicality-driven presentation (primary) with an extra S/PDIF (BNC) input and choice of filters* (secondary): Soekris DAC 1421.

    System synergy will of course be another factor in the degree of euphony/warmth vs dryness desired.

    * SD card input on the Bifrost 2 might mean that user- or alternative Schiit-written filters could be available in future.

    Comments?
     
  20. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    That’s pretty bang on.
    (You forgot the quite capable headphone amp)
     

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