Amp to go with a Bifrost 2, or a new stack entirely?

[majingotan]

By the way, was the Bifrost 2 any more satisfying than your other DACs?

Of all my DACs, I use the Chord Mojo (Xilinx 7 FPGA), Bifrost 2 (2x AD5781) and SP2000 DAP (2x AK4499) the most. I enjoy all three equally in terms of sound where I can focus on the music, giving me smiles all the time and forget about the audio chain that I'm using. The FiiO BTR5 (ESS 9218p) and the dongle (Cirrus Logic) are used as my backups at the moment

 

[xykreinov]

I have used 3 different Schiit DACs - original Bifrost upgraded twice with the 4490 board in it at present, the Modi 3, and the Modius. Both the Modi 3 and Modius sound better than the Bifrost to my ears. This was tested using the same music server to each DAC during several listing sessions. Better detail and imaging main differences - Modius best. I suspect this had more to due with the differences in the analog output stages than the DAC chips. Have not heard the Bifrost 2, so no listening opinions to offer.
A bit of general advice regarding changing equipment - upgrades for example. Don't sell your old gear before directly comparing it to the new - greener grass - gear. Unless the difference is large, it is very difficult to judge by memory.

You speak like these electronics are as subjective as transducers. They are not. In a double blind test with a decent amount of samples/repetition, it is pretty much assured you wouldn't hear the same differences consistently. Further, if a DAC measures worse in every way and sounds "better", it's either placebo, your ears mistaking distortion of the DAC chip for detail in the music, etc. So, really, there's just no point to leaving it up to your ears alone.
"People have a tendency to overestimate their hearing capabilities.
Use your ears to listen to music, not as an analyzer." -solderdude

I'd say Schiit multibit DACs keep their values pretty well, despite their crappyness. Chances are the legend that M. Moffat invented about their superiority will outlive him.

Sure, but further depreciation in value is inevitable, even if slow. They'll never be collector's items. So, why not get the most bang for your buck?

 

[gvl]

So, why not get the most bang for your buck?

Sure, I did vote to sell it to fund the Atom stack after all

 

[xykreinov]

Sure, I did vote to sell it to fund the Atom stack after all

Ah, nice.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Of all my DACs, I use the Chord Mojo (Xilinx 7 FPGA), Bifrost 2 (2x AD5781) and SP2000 DAP (2x AK4499) the most. I enjoy all three equally in terms of sound where I can focus on the music, giving me smiles all the time and forget about the audio chain that I'm using. The FiiO BTR5 (ESS 9218p) and the dongle (Cirrus Logic) are used as my backups at the moment

An audio friend of mine had the Chord Qutest and it sounded great in his system. A little out of my comfort zone price wise, but the Mojo is a possibility at some point.

 

[Kw6]

IMO, sighted listening test and no precise volume matching between the 3 DACs tends to create confirmation bias and the illusion that those three DACs sound different and that the more newer the DAC is, the better it sounds through confirmation bias. I recommend reading this thread as an evidence as to why that is the case: We hear what we expect to hear | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

Personally, I have the Bifrost 2 and along with 4 different DACs. I have volume matched A/Bed the $9 Apple dongle against my Bifrost 2 (reduced gain to match volume) and found no sonic difference when I flip the switches with my Schiit Saga preamp on passive mode (120 dB SINAD):

This jives with my thinking too! Every review said Bifrost was a warm and rich dac with great timbre. Your test invalidates those claims!