[adydula]

No offense taken....its all good! 

I just got it back a few minutes ago, will hook up and listen.

Give me a few hours to burn in and warm up...

Alex

[AllanMarcus]

Sorry adydula, that first sentence wasn't directed at you, rather the poster who thinks you need better equipment to hear differences.  I did take exception with the methodology in my second sentence, but only as a suggestion.

Yes, I was joking, hence the smiley face. Well, sort of joking, there is a lot of voodoo in audiophile.

I have a bimby, Mjolnir 2, Utopia set up, and I love it. I've tried quite a few other set ups, including some stuff that cost two or three times more, and which I can hear a difference, I can only hear it when doing side by side AB testing. I've decided that since I like what I have and the differences are slight (to me) with much much more expensive equipment, I will just enjoy what I have.

Note, while the Utopia lists for $4000, it's commonly available used for under $3000, and that one purchase was worth it to me.

Also, it's a good idea to quote something you are directly resounding to so everyone knows who your response is directed to.

[adydula]

Allan,

I agree totally about spending lots of big bucks on stuff thinking that this will be the end all...and most often the differences are there but whether they are worth it and how much more real enjoyment is had from this journey is well.....different for us all.

I would love to hear your Utopia's! My T1's are the heat for me...after many headphones the Beyer sound seems to keep me buying their stuff!

All the best
Alex

[AllanMarcus]

adydula,

I had T1's too. I sorted started my sojourn into headphone with beyer and Grado. The T1 with a Bottlehead Crack and the right tubes is a fantastic system.

I'm not sure where you live, but the folks over at Head-Fi have meets, some small, some show like, all over the place. Happen to live in Los Alamos, NM, so I go to meets in Albuquerque and Denver (wife and I make a weekend of the Denver one).

Back to the Bimby. Did Schiit upgrade the USB on the Bimby? If so, is there a way to tell which version one has?

[adydula]

I went thru several sets of Grados as well, Audeze, and others...

I have 9 head amps at the moment and my modded Bottlehead Crack works very nicely with the T1's for sure.

I am in Raleigh, North Carolina and have missed a meet here recently, maybe in the next go-around.

Yes Schiit upgraded the Bifrost and all its dacs pretty much with their newly designed Gen 5 USB card. They have the details on their site under news and accessories....the two major things in this design is that is doesnt draw any power from the source USB supply and is very well isolated....a Mike Moffet design...they skipped the Gen 4 and went to Gen 5...lol.

You can tell by opening it up and seeing the new card OR look in dvice manaager or playback settings and you now see Schiit Gen 5 USB.

I am still listening and comparing to the optical input...

Alex

[AllanMarcus]

Thanks Adydula

I'm pretty sure I have the "old" one. Most likely Gen 2. I have an Uptone Amber on it, which I thinks add a bit of clarity and stage. I imagine those with very sensitive and well trained ears will say the Gen 5 upgrade is night and day, or at least audible. I'm sort of lucky in that I probably would not be able to tell the difference. Will be interesting when the folks over at SBAF post measurement (hopefully, they will).

[adydula]

There are so many variables when testing and listening....I try to keep it as simple and direct as I can....one really interesting experience I am playing with right now, is Burson Audio asked me to look at and let them know how I like there new Burson Audio Cable+ Pro series of active op amp cable.

I did a test of their normal V5i op amp Cable +, the Cable + Pro has very good cables, connectors and a discrete op amp that acts to match inpedances between devices.

Today with only a few hours with the new Bimby, I am leaning on one system to liking the optical digital input very much, slightly over the new improved Gen 5 USB....drove me nuts!! LOL.

I just moved to a different PC, running on batteries, and have this new Cable + Pro inbetween the dac and Schiit Vahalla 2 to my T1's. Using the USB Gen 5 input....its absolutley STELLAR....doenst get any better than this with these cans....very crisp, clean, articulate...I could be happy with this setup period....I remove the active Burson Vabe Pro+ and voila it sounds dull!! Ha!

I dont have a good way to quickly change the cables in and out for a good blind test...so its subjective at best.

Burson sell these cables for $199.

They get there power from a AC to DC wall-wort and not from a USB supply...and they are directional.

I am going ot go back to my main listening system with these new active cables and see if I like them their as well...

Such fun!!
Alex

[adydula]

I listened a few hours last night with the Burson Audio Cable + Pro and it was a really pleasant surprise to me!

I placed the active cable in between the Bimby DAC and the Schiit Vahalla 2 amp and there is an immediate difference it clarity and
presence...the device is defintitely providing addition gain, the volume control is about 30% lower in position for the same spl.

I went back and forth several times and I definitely like the sound with this active cable...most people would use this in there 2 ch stereo system to
replace cables from the pre-amp to amp etc...but I thought it would be a good test to see how they would work from a dac output to an amp in
a headphone setup.

I havent heard USB sound so good!!

Aint technology wonderful!!

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=151844.new#new

Alex