Schiit Gungnir Multibit impressions

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Bill-P, Oct 7, 2015.

  1. Josh Schor

    Josh Schor Friend

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    wondering why you want to spend money on a side grade?
     
  2. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

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    It’s silly, I’m just itching for a different flavor, but currently in-between work contracts so I can’t afford to go endgame with an YA2/OG
     
  3. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    Best DAC I have heard in the same price range as Gungnir is Soekris.
     
  4. sheldaze

    sheldaze Friend

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    In addition to the Soekris, I have tried Chord Qutest and ECP Walnut X.3. The Soekris is a little softer, less dynamic impact. The Chord has kind of a wall of sound effect, though not too closed in. The ECP is definitely speedy, more focused, less gray. Broad stroke comparison, and you could probably read more (or ask for more specifics).

    However, based on the advancements I have heard in D/S from Schiit, I would also suggest to wait and see. No idea what their in-house implementation of Delta Sigma might cost, but I would guess it to be less than Yggdrasil.
     
  5. Ksorota

    Ksorota Friend

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    This was my comparison of the Soekris vs. the Gungnir from about 1.5 years ago.

    Currently thinking of picking up another 2541...but really want a D/S Gungnir, wink wink!
     
  6. joch

    joch Friend

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    How about a Modius? I believe any next tier DS would puts you in a different price bracket.
     
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  7. Maximillion

    Maximillion Acquaintance

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    Been away a long time.
    Been very happy with my Gungnir MB and am using it again after a really silly one box ‘upgrade’ to my system. Embarrassing actually.

    The old amp I have also gone back to doesn’t have balanced inputs, so have a question for the experts here… Is the Gungnir significantly better using the balanced outputs vs the SE? Asking specifically because I like the sound of the Rega Atheos amp as an upgrade and it only has SE inputs.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2022
  8. mtavares

    mtavares Acquaintance

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    Hi,

    I would much appreciate to know if you have tweak the fuse of the Gungnir. I did that in the past with some improvements in clarity and soundstage increase.

    I used a brazilian product, Saxsoul. It worked very well. In the past I have used Synergistic Research Black and HiFi Tuning Supreme, not in this application, with good results.

    Best Regards,

    QJA

    Marcos
     
  9. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    search this thread as it's been asked and answered many times

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/393306921615

    Magic 8 ball says this is the best fuse. don't question it, just do it.
     
  10. caute

    caute Lana Del Gayer than you

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    Wait, is this a thing or a bit? I can replace the fuse in my Gungnir for $3 plus shipping and increase its soundstage and clarity? Sounds like an audiophile infomercial...
     
  11. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    Not sure what to think about this convo. Completely bypassing the fuse is generally recognized as improving the sound of Magnepan speakers for instance. I have not done this because I also generally think fuses were put there for a reason, and I have blown speakers in the past. Whether different fuses actually make an audible difference IDK? If power cables supposedly do I suppose anything is possible but I remain skeptical.
     
  12. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    Please do not bypass the fuse in your $1200 dac unless you want a $1200 paperweight in the case of component failure or power surge.

    as for whether or not they make a difference, it depends if you want to find out. if you do, you can spend $4. if you don't, then don't!
     
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  13. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Think about it like having extra fudge on a chocolate sundae. It's better, but still great without it. If you can take advantage of the balanced outputs, all the better... if not, don't worry about it and just enjoy the DAC.
     
  14. joch

    joch Friend

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    ^ what @ColtMrFire said.

    If SE is a 10 on the volume knob, XLR is like 11.

    The Gungnir is a fine DAC either way.
     
  15. mtavares

    mtavares Acquaintance

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    Bypass the fuse is not the a good approach. You will loose the overcurrent protection. I was not considering it in the beginning of my comment.

    Agreed.

    The idea of my initial comment is to verify if anyone else has performed this tweak. It is important to remark that you loose the warranty following this route.

    Regards,

    QJA

    Marcos
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2022
  16. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

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    I absolutely agree. Do not bypass the fuse. My post was not intended to suggest that. Was simply pointing out that in a speaker, a fuse does affect the sound. I highly doubt the fuse in the Gungnir will change the sound, as it is not at all the same thing.
     
  17. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    Well if you boil everything down it kind of is the same thing. a fuse is just a metal conductor designed to fry itself when too high a current flows through it. In a DAC it will break the AC input when it fries to save the rest of the circuit. In your Magnepan example, it also breaks the (modulated) AC input from the amplifier if it fries, but in this case to save the (supposedly fragile) tweeters.

    in terms of Ohm's law, the fuse does not interfere with the circuit in either example. So if we hear a difference with fuses, the explanation would be non-material, and we would expect to hear it in any audio circuit application. This is just rational thinking, unless one wanted to argue that somehow conductors in the direct signal path influence the sound more or less than those found in power supplies. This line of thinking does not hold up under scrutiny as power supplies are signal paths as far as currents flow through them, and an amplifier is just a power supply for a speaker.

    Continuing with the thought experiment, it would be irrational to believe in cables affecting the sound but to dismiss the sound of fuses -- after all they are both simply metal conductors. Perhaps it is because we think of fuses as utilitarian safety devices that we do not want to admit they could have a sound of their own.

    I don't suggest buying expensive fuses but I do encourage experiments for fun and learning
     
  18. Kernel Kurtz

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    Actually I was suggesting that. I'm much more inclined to accept that speaker or headphone cables affect the sound (which I know they do) than power cables, though I admit to never having spent a bunch of money on a power cable.

    The difference would be between the relative effects of signal paths on the input side and the output side

    I also agree and alluded to that in my original post. I know they matter in the signal path. I'm unconvinced of their effect in PSUs, but will be happy to let someone else test and report back.
     
  19. Josh Schor

    Josh Schor Friend

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    Crazy question, I love my MB A2 Gungnir.
    Has anyheard a combo dac/streamer that sounds as good and is not crazy money, $2,500 max.
    As I get older would love to simplify with fewer boxes.
     
  20. artur9

    artur9 Almost "Made"

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    My Linn DS is good. A used one is about that price but hard to find.

    I have an Akurate DS Katalyst and a Gungnir Multibit OG (2017) and have directly compared them through the Mjolnir 3. The Linn is noticeably better than the GMB.
     

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