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Damn, I'm new to everything audio. Was reading up on gear and forums, of course I was recommended the new Bifrost 2 multibit and ordered one.
I feel kind of like an idiot now. The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
Jason1273,
please dont feel like an idiot.
if i were you, i would try it first and listen to it in a calm state of mind without thinking about what you read about it . Analising too much the measurements Wont Help Either
Trust Your Ears/Brain input that you will experience and then let us know if your Dac sounds like Music Or Like A Broken Record
Damn, I'm new to everything audio. Was reading up on gear and forums, of course I was recommended the new Bifrost 2 multibit and ordered one.
I feel kind of like an idiot now. The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
Welcome! No need to feel like an idiot...we've all been there.
Hard to believe how nuts this industry is! Glad you found the site...and sorry about your Schiit. Too late to return it?
Damn, I'm new to everything audio. Was reading up on gear and forums, of course I was recommended the new Bifrost 2 multibit and ordered one.
I feel kind of like an idiot now. The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
The thing is tho, would you hear the difference between the Bifrost and another DAC? I can hear the different between the Modi Multibit and other DACs for sure but YMMV.
The Asgard 3 looks to give a lot of power and they published measurements. My Asgard 2 gets plenty loud but is dark for my tastes.
Based on the measurements AtomicBob posted on SBAF, the Bifrost 2 has so much intermodulation distortion (-62dBu in one channel from the balanced outputs) it's likely that at least some people would be able to easily tell the difference between it and with another DAC.
It actually has more IMD than the Modi Multibit (which measures ok, all things considered), so if you could hear the difference with that one, it's likely you could also hear the difference with the Bifrost 2.
Thanks all, good points.
My only real problem is though that I'm inexperienced. I have no reference points and nothing to make comparisons with, except my ODAC and O2 combo. I don't even know what all is out there, what I like or prefer. Add in that everything is highly subjective and not everybody likes the same things, doesn't make it any easier. Ergo, the internet is filled with contradictory information.
De gustibus non est disputandum and all that.
Thanks all for offering advice and great feedback, including running an awesome forum. I'm learning every time I visit.
I have a Bifrost 2 - Asgard 3 stack and am enjoying it. It's a very euphonic DAC, and the Asgard reminds me of a tube amp.
I'm enjoying my stack, but have not much to compare it with.
I do have a Lehmann Audio Linear headphone amp on the way.
Damn, I'm new to everything audio. Was reading up on gear and forums, of course I was recommended the new Bifrost 2 multibit and ordered one.
I feel kind of like an idiot now. The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
The guys in the Goo Goo Dolls and the Red Hot Chili Peppers talked one night about how they came up with their respective band names. It was a similar process to Schiit, and one both bands really wished they hadn't used.
[...] The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
Schiit gear is completely different engineered than most others, because they were designing everything from scratch instead of copy-pasting manufacturer's design; they even did their own custom firmware for the CM6631 transport, so they do love R&D for sure. Probably this is why some of their gears are not measuring perfectly, but that doesn't means Schiit devices are poor-sounding.
I think their newest cheap DACs and headamps are having quite a good price/perf. ratio. You can check Asgard3's AP measurements on Schiit website, but seems a good headamp.
[...] My only real problem is though that I'm inexperienced. I have no reference points and nothing to make comparisons with, except my ODAC and O2 combo.
I still have this combo and I don't intend to get rid of it. As long as with the headphones on my head there is no background noise heard and, when playing, the amount of distortions is lower than 0.1%, I think everything is just fine. After all, most headphones have a THD of 1% when volume passes over 90dB SPL.
I have a Bifrost 2 - Asgard 3 stack and am enjoying it. It's a very euphonic DAC, and the Asgard reminds me of a tube amp.
I'm enjoying my stack, but have not much to compare it with.
I do have a Lehmann Audio Linear headphone amp on the way.
I also have the Bifrost 2 with Schiit Saga tube preamp. Volume matched with the $9 Apple lightning DAC, the Apple DAC is just as euphonic as the Bifrost 2. There's no such thing as euphonic outside of psychoacoustics BTW
Damn, I'm new to everything audio. Was reading up on gear and forums, of course I was recommended the new Bifrost 2 multibit and ordered one.
I feel kind of like an idiot now. The forums I've been reading is pretty much filled with Schiit fanatics and everyone is recommending their stuff. I'm not feeling that good about my purchase anymore. I was also planning on buying an Asgard 3 per recommendation, but I'll rethink that. Luckily I found this site.
Oh please. You haven't met me yet. I had a combination of "audiophile" forums and friends who put me on a hi-fi treadmill that has delayed my retirement by a few years. Be glad your damage is limited to Schiit and you found this website.
I know people who love to show off their gear. IMO, Schitt has adopted a brilliant marketing strategy - the product names are great conversation starters and I am sure people have a lot of fun when they invite their friends over to listen. Its happening here to on these forums.
I also have the Bifrost 2 with Schiit Saga tube preamp. Volume matched with the $9 Apple lightning DAC, the Apple DAC is just as euphonic as the Bifrost 2. There's no such thing as euphonic outside of psychoacoustics BTW
The Bifrost 2 has very high levels of IMD, almost certainly to the point of audibility. That's most likely the explanation for the euphonic sound.
I spent some time with a friend who has a Bifrost 2 over the holidays, and with the right music the IMD is very obvious if you know what to listen for.
It’s a sighted listening without volume matching. Performing a DBT volume matched to 0.1 dB would eliminate all perceived bias and you would be unable to tell the difference. I did a sighted volume matched with Apple lightning DAC and found zero differences. With just enjoying music, Bifrost 2 seems more holographic sounding until I volume matched A/B with another DAC
It’s a sighted listening without volume matching. Performing a DBT volume matched to 0.1 dB would eliminate all perceived bias and you would be unable to tell the difference. I did a sighted volume matched with Apple lightning DAC and found zero differences. With just enjoying music, Bifrost 2 seems more holographic sounding until I volume matched A/B with another DAC
With most DACs, I'd agree with you, but the way the Bifrost 2 handles upper registers in classical music is just blatantly colored. IMD at -62dB (!) will do that (SBAF measurements, 19+20kHz, worst channel).
