Schiit announces a fully upgrade-able DAC for $449- Thanks ted_b

Sonny · « **Reply #180 on:** 23 Dec 2011, 07:35 pm »

I've had mine a few weeks now and really love it! Today, I'll be taking it to a friend's to compare the Bifrost to the Benchmark, we'll see. Will report back when I get a chance!

Happy Holidays!

Tuan

intelonetwo · « **Reply #181 on:** 23 Dec 2011, 07:39 pm »

Quote from: Sonny on 23 Dec 2011, 07:35 pm

I've had mine a few weeks now and really love it! Today, I'll be taking it to a friend's to compare the Bifrost to the Benchmark, we'll see. Will report back when I get a chance!

Happy Holidays!

Tuan

I'll be waiting to hear how you like it compared to the Benchmark; a DAC I've owned before.

Sonny · « **Reply #182 on:** 23 Dec 2011, 07:41 pm »

Will do...it will played on a really resolving system with Orion speakers!
T

intelonetwo · « **Reply #183 on:** 23 Dec 2011, 07:53 pm »

Quote from: Sonny on 23 Dec 2011, 07:41 pm

Will do...it will played on a really resolving system with Orion speakers!
T

I heard the Orion at RMAF this year and was impressed. Big open sound with serious bass.

I'm in the process of changing speaker since USPS lost my Ohm Walsh 5 driver that I was sending in for repair. Anyhow, I'm picking up a pair of Emerald Physics CS2's from a friend. I'm pairing them with Dayton Audio DTA-100a Class-T amps. Should be interesting.

brother love · « **Reply #184 on:** 25 Dec 2011, 01:35 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 22 Dec 2011, 12:03 am

If you'd like to borrow my LX just let me know...

Very kind of you to offer, but I talked to the CEntrance folks & they do not recommend running more than 16 ft. USB cable for the DACport LX (sadly cable run to my iMac requires 20 ft.).

Tuan,

Really look forward to your Bifrost comparisons!

Sonny · « **Reply #185 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 06:08 pm »

Quote from: intelonetwo on 23 Dec 2011, 07:39 pm

I'll be waiting to hear how you like it compared to the Benchmark; a DAC I've owned before.

Ok, so, last Friday, I brought the Bifrost down to my friend's to compare to the Benchmark Dac1 HDR and the new MyTek http://www.mytekdigital.com/europe/store/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=116 using Orions ++ speakers and XO, driven by Emotiva IPS-7 APS-5 amps. We used toslink and coax, both cheap cables from monoprice.com.

First off, I've listened to my friend's set up many many times before and it's just amazing! The Orions do micro dynamics and loud SPLs without any strain and music sounds "real", especially orchestras! It's one thing to say the jazz trio or quartet is in the room, but another to say the whole symphony is there, filling up your listening room! Anyways, we used a couple of songs for our review, but in short, the Benchmark DAC1 and Mytek sounded more full and less compressed than the Bifrost, though the Bifrost is very very good! One would never have heard it if not for the two $1500 plus DACs that were compared to it. We used both toslink and coax and found that toslink was a tad better on the Bifrost. At first we had the Bifrost on BDR #4 cones, it sounded nice, but when we took it off, it sounded closer to the Benchmark and Mytek, strange but true.

Most systems and people will not show the minor differences in sonics from one DAC to the other and if the other two DACs weren't there, I would swear that the Bifrost sounded as good as any DAC I've heard. Personally, I thought the Bifrost was different in that it presented the soundstage a little wider and a little more "back" than the other two DACs. I thought both the Benchmark and Mytek had a better "punch" as you will and "warmer" lower midrange upper bass. It seemed that the other DACs was more forward and in your face while the highs were smooth and detailed. The highs on the Bifrost, to me sounded just as good as the other two, not compressed or grainy, but my friends though otherwise. I guess I am bias to that and like the sound a little less "forward".

Overall, having heard the other two DACs, I am happy that my Bifrost, with USB, was only $449 compared to $1500 Plus for the other two! The differences were minor and to me, it's a personal taste, one that I believe the Bifrost was a better fit for my system and likes...would I take the MyTek or Benchmark if someone gave it to me? Sure! Would I discard the Bifrost for a free Benchmark or Mytek, probably but it would take more listening to make that call!

oh, sorry the song we used, which just happened to be in the player, was Josh Rouse's 1972.

Tuan

randytsuch · « **Reply #186 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 06:58 pm »

Hi Tuan
Thanks for taking the time to do that comparison, it was interesting.

Wondered what you used for a transport?

Also wondered if you have compared USB to the digital input?
I know it's apples to oranges, and probably depends on the PC and the transport, still curious. I'm looking at getting a USB capable DAC at some point, and the Bifrost looks interesting.

Randy

Sonny · « **Reply #187 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 07:01 pm »

Quote from: randytsuch on 27 Dec 2011, 06:58 pm

Hi Tuan
Thanks for taking the time to do that comparison, it was interesting.

Wondered what you used for a transport?

Also wondered if you have compared USB to the digital input?
I know it's apples to oranges, and probably depends on the PC and the transport, still curious. I'm looking at getting a USB capable DAC at some point, and the Bifrost looks interesting.

Randy

Randy, my friend has an old Sony player that plays DVD, SACD, and DVDaudio, amongst other formats. unfortunately, we didn't use the Bifrost USB as we didn't know if it needed a special driver. But we did listen to HiRes files on the Mytek and it was "OUTSTANDING"! I want to know how to use USB on my Bifrost using a Mac...I need to first find something that will play FLAC files on the mac.

Tuan

Atlplasma · « **Reply #188 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 08:28 pm »

Tuan. Try the Pure Music (http://www.channld.com/puremusic/) demo for flac playback on the Mac. It's a great player.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #189 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 09:27 pm »

Tuan,

Cheaper than Pure Music are Play (free) Fidelia ($20-30 IIRC). You can find loads of discussion of the various Mac FLAC players over on Computer Auidiophile

Sonny · « **Reply #190 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 09:45 pm »

Quote from: Atlplasma on 27 Dec 2011, 08:28 pm

Tuan. Try the Pure Music (http://www.channld.com/puremusic/) demo for flac playback on the Mac. It's a great player.

Thanks...I'll look into it.

Sonny · « **Reply #191 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 09:45 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 27 Dec 2011, 09:27 pm

Tuan,

Cheaper than Pure Music are Play (free) Fidelia ($20-30 IIRC). You can find loads of discussion of the various Mac FLAC players over on Computer Auidiophile

Thanks, i'll look into this one as well!

roscoeiii · « **Reply #192 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 10:18 pm »

Most have at least a 2 week free demo period, so take a listen and make your own decision.

With the trial periods, it is even more perplexing that folks ask which is best rather than trying and deciding what is best in their system for their tastes.

Sonny · « **Reply #193 on:** 28 Dec 2011, 05:18 am »

well, my old G4 with 10.5.8 OS can't run Fidelia and Fluke didn't work either.
Pure Music may work, hopefully...
Will see if it plays!

Thanks for all the advice!
T

rotarius · « **Reply #194 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 04:04 am »

My bifrost is in transit and I should receive it Friday hopefully. I have tried a bunch of DACs in the sub $1k category. PS audio DLIII, X-dac V3, X-dac v8, VDA-2, MF A3.2, matrix mini, MH 25.2, Spitfire, Keces and few others

I should be able to give you guys an idea of it's sonic attributes compared to the ones I have used...stay tuned.

Sonny · « **Reply #195 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 04:57 am »

Quote from: rotarius on 4 Jan 2012, 04:04 am

My bifrost is in transit and I should receive it Friday hopefully. I have tried a bunch of DACs in the sub $1k category. PS audio DLIII, X-dac V3, X-dac v8, VDA-2, MF A3.2, matrix mini, MH 25.2, Spitfire, Keces and few others I should be able to give you guys an idea of it's sonic attributes compared to the ones I have used...stay tuned.

Great, looking forward to your comments. Did you get the USB version?

rotarius · « **Reply #196 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 05:12 am »

Quote from: Sonny on 4 Jan 2012, 04:57 am

Great, looking forward to your comments. Did you get the USB version?

Yes I got the USB version since I have some hi rez downloads from HDtracks.

Sonny · « **Reply #197 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 05:39 am »

Quote from: rotarius on 4 Jan 2012, 05:12 am

Yes I got the USB version since I have some hi rez downloads from HDtracks.

Cool...I do too, but I can't play it from my Mac without buying software, so I just use the Touch to play it....via Ethernet from and external HD hooked up to the iMac.
T

doug s. · « **Reply #198 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 05:12 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 21 Dec 2011, 07:35 am

The DAC market is officially out of control. There are just too many to choose from...

ain't that the truth. i lurk on these "flavor of the month" dacs, hoping that, one day, at a somewhat reasonable price, i might find something actually worth buying that will supplant my humble modded art di/o from its place in my system. but it seems it's not to be. in this thread, the schiit was compared to the benchmark dac1 - as i know more than one person who has let got a benchmark dac in favor of the di/o, i know that, at best, these new dacs may sound "different", but won't sound "better"...

personally, i think there's only so much blood that can be squeezed from the cd "stone". someday if someone dumps silly money on me, i may, for grins, try something like the nova physics memory player 64; meanwhile i will continue lurking on these "new dac" threads.

doug s.

intelonetwo · « **Reply #199 on:** 4 Jan 2012, 09:09 pm »

Quote from: doug s. on 4 Jan 2012, 05:12 pm

ain't that the truth. i lurk on these "flavor of the month" dacs, hoping that, one day, at a somewhat reasonable price, i might find something actually worth buying that will supplant my humble modded art di/o from its place in my system. but it seems it's not to be. in this thread, the schiit was compared to the benchmark dac1 - as i know more than one person who has let got a benchmark dac in favor of the di/o, i know that, at best, these new dacs may sound "different", but won't sound "better"...

personally, i think there's only so much blood that can be squeezed from the cd "stone". someday if someone dumps silly money on me, i may, for grins, try something like the nova physics memory player 64; meanwhile i will continue lurking on these "new dac" threads.

doug s.

It does seem like daily there is a new hot DAC at an affordable price popping up. Has anyone heard or seen the TC Electronics Impact Twin. It is another DAC that has gotten some attention.