Schiit (MultiBit) Bifrost

100% Agreed. Spend your money on more expensive DACs last. Transducer>Amp>Source.

 

I'm currently comparing Bifrost Uber and Bifrost Multibit on my 305s and they do resolve minor differences to my ears. I think the LSRs are a stunningly good value for their low cost, just don't expect romantic lush euphonic sound from them they are clean, clear, and dry.

 

Last night I was up till 1 AM listening to music through the Bifrost Multibit. This thing is seriously addictive.

 

Yes It's easy to lose track of time. Every song leads to another. And so on.

 

I’d like to extend a ‘Thank You’ for offering me the opportunity to participate in the Schiit Bifrost MB loaner program.

I asked to be part of the Bifrost MB loaner program because I was looking to add one to my work system which currently consists of a Denon DVD-910 or Yamaha SACD (with an aging drawer motor) feeding a Schiit Magni 2 to either AKG Q-701s or Zero Audio Carbo Tenors. I find this combo to be a little grating after a while and was hoping that the Bifrost Multibit could help.

Since being added to the list and before receiving the Bifrost MB I’ve been relocated at work to the noisiest room in the building. Even the Zero Audio’s with comply tips can’t block out enough sound to enjoy music.

My home system hasn’t been assembled for over a year but it was time to correct that situation and receiving the Bifrost MB was enough incentive to pull it out of storage and set it up again. Unfortunately the Bifrost MB came a week earlier than anticipated and during the middle of the week so I didn't have time to directly compare it to my present DAC.

My home system consists of Audio GD DAC19-DSP and C2 Amp feeding Senn HD650’s.

The first night I fed the Bifrost MB from the Denon DVD-910 via a Black Cat Veloce coax cable with about 4 hours of warm up on the Bifrost.

After not listening to the Senns for over a year I was kind of expecting to be blown away but wasn’t. Sound wasn’t awful but it seemed a little squashed and flat. If my foot’s not tapping to Tower of Power than I’m either half dead or something’s amiss with my system. Even though not blown away I realized that some of reference recordings weren’t as good as I thought they were.

The second night I fed the Bifrost Multibit via my laptop, JRiver MC20 and Empirical Audio Offramp 5. The low mid-range bump from the DAC19-DSP was gone and generally speaking I was sort of impressed with Bifrost Multibit's presentation.

Issues: I couldn’t get my PC to find the OR-5 while using the Empirical Audio Short Block that I also own. The SB made a significant improvement over the OR-5 alone with the DAC19-DSP and I really couldn’t help think what the Bifrost Multibit would sound like with it in the link.

Bifrost Multibit really wasn’t aided by vibration eliminators or at least to the effect that they are really appreciated with the DAC19-DSP.

On night one I was thinking that the Bifrost Multibit was a little analytical (soul less) and thought there would be no way that I could enjoy the Yggdrasil.

After using the OR-5 with it I found that while enjoying it I found myself wishing that it was more resolving. I think it did fine on better recordings but on compressed material I’m not sure if it dug deep enough to pull out everything that was on the recording.

Question is did I reach the limit of resolution of the C2 amp, the HD650’s and/or interconnects (Blue Jean Audio LC-1’s) or was it the Bifrost MB?

Drums generally sounded great but I was hoping for a little less one note bass guitar. Again I’m not sure if it was Bifrost Multibit’s fault or the rest of my system.

Now I’m still left wondering if the Yggdrasil will be too analytical or would the Gungnir Multibit MB better suit my needs.

CD’s used:

Natalie Merchant - Tigerlily
Tower of Power – The Very Best of T of P (The Warner Years)
Barbra Streisand – The Essential Barbra Streisand
Carolyn Dawn Johnson – Room With a View
Sara Evans - Restless
Martina McBride – Greatest Hits

 

If I have the Bifrost Multibit and the HE-400i, would I be better off upgrading to Gungnir Multibit or getting better headphones (HD800, HE1000 possibly)?

 

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...dget-among-headphones-amps-and-dac-source.57/

Headphone > amps > dacs > cables

You have an awesome dac. You will notice a huge difference in a headphone swap. Maybe try the HD650, mod it, see if you like Sennheiser sound.

Also, what amp are you using?

 

Agree with Josh. Headphones by a million miles unless you have a terrible amp.

I really like the 400i for their price, but there's much better to be found out there...

 

I have the Audeze Deckard. I really like it. Not a lot of talk about it on here, but I think it's a very nice amp for the price. A couple reviews seem to agree with me. But I have limited experience with amps.

Thanks for the input. I would probably jump to the HD800S or the HE1000 from the 400i. Not a basshead, I just love detailed, accurate, involving sound. The Bifrost Multibit got me there so much with my current headphone/amp setup. The most improvements to me were found in well-remastered, high dynamic range classic rock and acoustic music. Increased what I thought my headphones were capable. Now I'm looking for the next step.

 

I personally love the HE1000. It's probably the most absorbing headphone I've heard.

At that price, though, it's just not happening.

 

True, although I think that when buying an expensive DAC you shouldn't only factor in headphone use but speaker use as well. Spending money on the Gungnir or Yggdrasil is a bit easier to swallow when you consider it being used for your home theater setup along with your headphones.

 

Just a heads-up guys. Pulled the plug on a slightly used HE-1000 for $800 off. Time to see how the Bifrost Multibit makes them sing.

 

Haha, love it. The discount you got on your headphones is more than twice as much as I've ever paid for a piece of audio equipment

 

Haha to repeat something said many times on here and elsewhere, if you told me I'd be spending that much even a year ago I'd say you're crazy. But each incremental step of upgrading gear draws you deeper into this hobby/addiction.

However, the combo of my tax return plus a recent unexpected inheritance made me say 'screw it'. I've always loved music. I always will. It's one of the great pleasures of my life. And I'm not the type of headphone guy who loves buying different things for different reasons. I want to "one and done" it. And I think this will do it for quite awhile.

 

So, about turntables...

Sorry to be so off topic. I'm done now, I promise.

 

Apologies if a similar question has already been asked. Would it be fair to assume that the Bifrost Multibit would benefit more from USB filtering/reclocking than the Yggdrasil? I currently have the Yggdrasil being fed by an iFi iUSB 3.0. I've been downgrading my setup gradually to free up money, and although I hoped to avoid it, I'm selling my Yggdrasil, and looking at replacing it with the Bifrost Multibit. (If it's slow to sell on HF I may repost it FS here)

Mostly hoping to keep some of the "magic" and better match the Valhalla 2. I'm probably going to keep the iUSB 3.0 to use with the Bifrost Multibit, since I'm assuming it would better benefit the Gen. 2 USB.

 

Hello guys,
Could I ask you for advice, please?
My audio-system is old but pretty good: amplifier Marantz PM-62 and a pair of Memorex 505 (biggest Memorex speakers). With my CD-player (Marantz CD-63) the sound is fine for me.
Nevertheless now I more often listen to music from my PC (Win7 64, lossless flac 24/96 or 24/192 mostly). I tried to use my portable player Cayin N5 as a DAC (as for the part of DAC N5 is using AKM 4490), but I am not really impressed: sound quality is worse than with the CD-player. Thus I am going to buy Bifrost MB.

My question is:
What cables would you suggest for my setup?
I am considering Blue Jeans LC-1 RCA cable (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJM61GW...=UTF8&colid=88A6EBXLGIWW&coliid=I9Y95WTDTKSJT) as an interconnect set between my amplifier and Bifrost Multibit (good choice?), but I actually don't know what to take to connect the Bifrost Multibit to PC.
There are two options on my PC: optic S/PDIF and USB. As far as I know, S/PDIF would be better, right?
But the cheapest cable I has been able to find is Audioquest - Cinnamon TosLink for $65:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XC56HQ...UTF8&colid=88A6EBXLGIWW&coliid=I18V3KGB9ONJHF
Any cheaper ones (according to reviews, I read) are not good for 24/192 FLAC. Or I can buy a less expensive and more common PYST USB cable for $20 from Schiit when I buy the Bifrost Multibit there...
I know the best thing to do is to try out both and return one I don't like, but it does not work for me: I'll buy 230VAC Bifrost Multibit in the US to use it in Europe. So I can try nothing till I came back to Europe.
This is why I ask you for advice...

I did read the whole thread, but did not find the answers I need.
Any replies are really appreciated.

 

If you can wait a little while, I should be able to pick up my Bifrost Multibit tonight and give it a first listen. I have an inexpensive USB cable with ferrite chokers (~$20) and and two inexpensive optical cables from RadioShack and Amazon (both ~$10). I'll let you know if any of these sound noticeably better to me.

 

Thank you so much. It's really interesting for me, and I will wait
As far as I know, most of optical cables cannot output 24/176 and 24/192 reliably. Could you check yours, please, if it's possible.