rickyhgarcia
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- Feb 26, 2019
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Just recieved a Schiit Bifrost 2/64. Physically it feels real good, and it looks great. Runs a little warm, but Schiit says this is normal.
I put together a Raspberry-Pi/Allo DigiOne Signature streamer, that I supply with the Allo Shanti linear power supply. Running Volumio on the DIY streamer to manage the many MP3 files that I have accumulated over the years, and stored in the Micro SD Card. Some of these MP3 files are songs from my vinyl collection that I digitilized using my PC. The streamer is connected to the Bifrost via kimber kable D60 coax digital cable. I guess I must upgrade to Roon soon, as I heard it to be the best player around.
The Bifrost feeds a Creek Audio OBH-12 passive preamp (I have owned this unit since the early 90´s), then to a NYAL Moscode 300 amp (hybrid AB amp, w/ tubes on input stages, and MOSFET on output stages), and to a pair of Magnepan 1.7 speakers. As a passive preamp, the Creek only switches inputs and controls volume, it does not alter the signal in any way.
I am amazed with the sound of this setup, and the ease of playing thousands of files sitting on my couch with iPhone in hand. It just sounds great.
Another piece of equipment in my rig is an Oppo BDP-95 disc player. I initially bought it for Bluray discs playing, but recently I got a Reavon UBR-X110 UHD disc player, so now the Oppo is used only as my CD player. The BPD-95 was labeled as an audiophile disc player by Oppo because it included a high quality DAC implementation internally. It has 7.1 RCA connections for home theater, and separate stereo outputs for both RCA and XLR connections. According to Oppo, the stereo outputs have a better (from the 7.1 connectors) DAC implementation behind them, thus the audiophile grade.
Since the Oppo-DAC and the Bifrost are the only high quality DAC´s that I have, I decided to compare the sound coming out of both these DAC´s. The Creek Audio preamp has a remote, so I can switch between Bifrost listening, to Oppo-DAC listening instantly very easily. I connected the Oppo to the Bifrost using the kk D60 coax cable, the Bifroft to the preamp using high quality RCA cables. Likewise, I connected the Oppo stereo outputs directly to the preamp using RCA cables. The RCA cables from both the Bifrost and Oppo to the preamp are the same brand, length and age.
Playing various types of CD´s (classical, pop, latin, jazz, etc.) I can say that I cannot hear any difference between the two. The only difference I can hear, is that the output from the Oppo-DAC is a hair higher than the Bifrost. But the sound quality, definition, clarity, bass, high frequencies, etc are all the same.
Why is this important to me? An Oppo disc player was measured in these forums that ranked quite high in all measurements. Although it is one or two models newer that my BDP-95, both use ESS top of the line DACs. Oppo was known as a price efficient, high quality maker of discs players so I assume that the implementation of the DAC is similar or the same on both models. With this in mind, I consider the Bifrost to be a good choice of DAC, high quality, great sound, with good customer support.
I put together a Raspberry-Pi/Allo DigiOne Signature streamer, that I supply with the Allo Shanti linear power supply. Running Volumio on the DIY streamer to manage the many MP3 files that I have accumulated over the years, and stored in the Micro SD Card. Some of these MP3 files are songs from my vinyl collection that I digitilized using my PC. The streamer is connected to the Bifrost via kimber kable D60 coax digital cable. I guess I must upgrade to Roon soon, as I heard it to be the best player around.
The Bifrost feeds a Creek Audio OBH-12 passive preamp (I have owned this unit since the early 90´s), then to a NYAL Moscode 300 amp (hybrid AB amp, w/ tubes on input stages, and MOSFET on output stages), and to a pair of Magnepan 1.7 speakers. As a passive preamp, the Creek only switches inputs and controls volume, it does not alter the signal in any way.
I am amazed with the sound of this setup, and the ease of playing thousands of files sitting on my couch with iPhone in hand. It just sounds great.
Another piece of equipment in my rig is an Oppo BDP-95 disc player. I initially bought it for Bluray discs playing, but recently I got a Reavon UBR-X110 UHD disc player, so now the Oppo is used only as my CD player. The BPD-95 was labeled as an audiophile disc player by Oppo because it included a high quality DAC implementation internally. It has 7.1 RCA connections for home theater, and separate stereo outputs for both RCA and XLR connections. According to Oppo, the stereo outputs have a better (from the 7.1 connectors) DAC implementation behind them, thus the audiophile grade.
Since the Oppo-DAC and the Bifrost are the only high quality DAC´s that I have, I decided to compare the sound coming out of both these DAC´s. The Creek Audio preamp has a remote, so I can switch between Bifrost listening, to Oppo-DAC listening instantly very easily. I connected the Oppo to the Bifrost using the kk D60 coax cable, the Bifroft to the preamp using high quality RCA cables. Likewise, I connected the Oppo stereo outputs directly to the preamp using RCA cables. The RCA cables from both the Bifrost and Oppo to the preamp are the same brand, length and age.
Playing various types of CD´s (classical, pop, latin, jazz, etc.) I can say that I cannot hear any difference between the two. The only difference I can hear, is that the output from the Oppo-DAC is a hair higher than the Bifrost. But the sound quality, definition, clarity, bass, high frequencies, etc are all the same.
Why is this important to me? An Oppo disc player was measured in these forums that ranked quite high in all measurements. Although it is one or two models newer that my BDP-95, both use ESS top of the line DACs. Oppo was known as a price efficient, high quality maker of discs players so I assume that the implementation of the DAC is similar or the same on both models. With this in mind, I consider the Bifrost to be a good choice of DAC, high quality, great sound, with good customer support.
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What amp would you choose to pair with Bifrost and to use it with LCD-X and Celestee? Current primary candidates - Jotunheim2 and Topping A70Pro. All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
