Measurement and Review of Schiit BiFrost Multibit DAC

[Thomas Savage]

Oh, these results look so bad they kinda go beyond the usual schiit jokes..

It’s the backed up toilet of schiit products ..

 

[Thomas Savage]

The kind forum member and semi-idiot who loaned the Bifrost was me!
I expected bad things but not this bad.
As for why I bought it back then, the multibit marketing was pretty good factor in why I sold my Yulong DA8 for it.

The good news is I currently have the RME ADI-2 DAC.
The bad news is I feel like I have received a failing grade on a report card by submitting that DAC (I'm sure amirm has a list of report cards on members who loaned things out) .

You pass with flying Colours , most hide from even the mere possibility they could of made a purchasing mistake in Audio so to step up and lend this to amir half knowing the results might be bad is impressive and very much appreciated.

 

[ChuckDigital]

Curious as to how long the unit was warmed up for before being tested? It's kind of well known that this chip sounds like crunchy harsh garbage from cold. If it wasn't warmed up, please measure again after letting music play through it for a good 40 minutes or so first.

 

[amirm]

Curious as to how long the unit was warmed up for before being tested? It's kind of well known that this chip sounds like crunchy harsh garbage from cold. If it wasn't warmed up, please measure again after letting music play through it for a good 40 minutes or so first.

First measurement was probably 5 minutes after power up. The last though was after an hour or more of being on.

 

[Wombat]

Curious as to how long the unit was warmed up for before being tested? It's kind of well known that this chip sounds like crunchy harsh garbage from cold. If it wasn't warmed up, please measure again after letting music play through it for a good 40 minutes or so first.

Very impractical if true. Not exactly user-friendly.

 

[SpeedyRodent]

Very impractical if true. Not exactly user-friendly.

Agreed. I find it a bit far fetched for a modern device like this to need 40 minutes to "warm up".

 

[Purité Audio]

Amir fascinating as usual, does it measure so poorly as to actually ‘sound’ different?
Keith

 

[ChuckDigital]

First measurement was probably 5 minutes after power up. The last though was after an hour or more of being on.

Would be interested in seeing how it measures across the suite after a proper warm up, which is sped up by having music playing.

Very impractical if true. Not exactly user-friendly.

It is what it is. Using a chip that wasn't designed for musical applications has its quirks. 40 minutes is generous, just to be on the safe side.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

First measurement was probably 5 minutes after power up. The last though was after an hour or more of being on.

The manufacture recommends the dac should be on for days for best sound.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Agreed. I find it a bit far fetched for a modern device like this to need 40 minutes to "warm up".

Maybe read about the design, then you will proper info.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

Boy do I feel like an idiot.

Oy I vill buy your dac for $10! Such a deal.

 

[amirm]

The manufacture recommends the dac should be on for days for best sound.

Where? I just read the manual and didn't see anything about warming it up.

 

[Wombat]

Maybe read about the design, then you will proper info.

You can provide a link to the chip manufacturer's application sheet?

 

[Purité Audio]

For best sound they should be left on continuously in someone else’s system.
Keith

 

[SpeedyRodent]

You can provide a link to the chip manufacturer's application sheet?

This should be the data sheet.

http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5547_5557.pdf

I found some info from the schiit designer re. warm up time.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit.815368/page-59

 

[Wombat]

AD5547-5557 operating parameters do not indicate any warm-up requirements.

Likely just another audiophile gullibility test or poor design. Some rational posts in that Head-Fi thread didn't deter the technically ignorant believers.

 

[Sal1950]

Yeh Yeh, that's the ticket.
Amir's bad measurements are invalid cause the unit wasn't warmed up enough.
OH WAIT, and it didn't have the required 1000 hours of breakin.
And I think the source connecting cables were not up to the MultiBits high requirements.
Buzz, Failing grade for Amir.

 

[Sal1950]

I never should have let Amir open my Emotiva DC-1
At least I would have passed on the measurement side before a crash and burn on build quality.
Now I forever have that failing grade on my report card too.

 

[March Audio]

The manufacture recommends the dac should be on for days for best sound.

So its thermally unstable as well ...omg

 

[drconopoima]

Nwavguy was always right in thinking that Schiit didn't do measurements in their design process.