Schiit Gungnir Multibit impressions

Thank you. I can already hear it getting better. I have been listening to it for nealry 10hrs straight.
I am not really good at explaining what I am hearing, but there are 3 things in particular I listen for:
Separation of instruments and vocals even at higher volume.
Feeling like the artist is in the room performing when I close my eyes (I love live music)
Hearing subtle details in the performance, like fingers sliding along a guitar fret board to reach the next fret.
They are very personal preferences, of course.
I never really got all three with any of the previous DACs I tried - cranking the volume made my set up produce a wall of noise and the sound always seemed somehow artifical. Some I tried had excellent detail , like the Qutest, but none of them even got close to meeting my personal taste.
The Gungnir is spot on for me.

 

Glad you love your new DAC!

I am ~ 6 months in with with A2 Gungnir and still cannot believe it. Have never listened to headphones/music as much as I have over that time.

Already some Family in town for X-mas, my brother in law listened to my set-up for a good 2 hours last night with his jaw dropped.

Love spreading the joy!

I also don't understand the Schiit hate on some forums I have run across.... I thought this hobby was just suppose to be fun?? If it sounds good to you enjoy it!!

 

Yes, I do love it. I went out and bought a decent digital audio cable today and swapped from using usb gen 5 to s/pdif input. Sounds about the same as to me - which is brilliant. I have had mine on now since 9am yesterday morning non stop.
Next for me is to feed the Gungnir Multibit with a better source.

 

A few months ago I picked up the cheapest new decent CD player I could find - Onkyo C-7030 - and it helped me appreciate my Gungnir Multibit A2 even more. I thought Gen 5 usb sounded pretty good, but feeding it CD's via BNC (with an RCA to BNC cable) I noticed meaningful improvement in separation and air, blacker background, improved definition and extension in both bass and treble. So yeah, I try to listen to CD's first nowadays, while saving up for Schiit's next gen USB upgrade and CD transport.

 

I did the exact same CD player upgrade and can vouch for this. The Onkyo is excellent for the money.

 

That's interesting. I had not thought of that. My Rega Apollo has digital out. I'll give it a try.

 

Glad you are happy with the DAC. I had my early Gungnir multibit with USB gen 2 factory upgraded to USB gen 5 a couple of months ago. Most sound signature changes are welcome which I may report later in detail - no spoiler as all changes are very very subtle. Focusing on the input USB 5 vs. BNC, I think the USB gen 5 still a little "muddy" than BNC. It may well suit a neutral or bright system. The music flows, not listening fatigue, and brings me hours and hours of listening. Using the co-ax BNC with a good transport - Rega CD players for one or a good raspberry PI HAT streamer like one from Michael at SBAF (https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/raspberry-pi-i2s-to-spdif-hat.1990/) will let us appreciate the Gungnir multibit's true potential.

 

Currently in the privileged position of being able to decide which version of this amazing DAC I can own.

I used to have the A1 and loved the laid back but powerful euphonic richness. A2 sounds intriguing with the increase in technicalities, but the drier, more neutral tone is giving me pause.

Especially since the 800 is my daily driver (running out of Torpedo 3). Hmm, decisions decisions...

 

Have you had the chance to hear A2? I have the A1 with gen5 usb, though currently using the coax in. I’m curious about the A2 as well. So far, I’m just waiting for the upgrade path to open up. I hypothesize that this will happen when Universal Schiit Bus is ready to see the light of day, and Schiit offers one, sensational, climactic upgrade. Or not.....

 

Haven't heard A2, no. But A1 would be cheaper and that's a big consideration for me at this stage, plus I used to own it and the euphony/slight wetness/laid back smoothness was one of the bigger pluses.

 

I went from Gungnir Multibit A1 to A2, but realized I also missed those A1 qualities and sold it for Yggdrasil A2. If you don’t think you’re ready to spend on Yggdrasil A2 then Gungnir Multibit A1 might be your move.

 

@AdvanTech Would you say that Yggrasil A2 is a mash-up of Gungnir A1 personality with improved technicalities?

 

Somebody with better ears than mine needs to make a Gungnir A1/A2 Yggdrasil A1/A2 spider chart. And maybe with an outer ring where the Dangerous Convert 2 can exist beyond the reaches of mere mortal DACs.

 

I guess you could say so, though I’m speaking mostly for the high end, where the Yggdrasil A2 is a bit sweeter and softer. I’m lucky enough to work from home in front of my 2 channel setup, so I can have music/sound design going for 10+ hours a day and the Gungnir Multibit A2 treble was a touch fatiguing after such lengthy sessions. YMMV.

 

I did this exact same thing earlier this year.

I've said it before, but if you really love the sound of the A1 Gungnir you may be disappointed in the A2. I was turned off enough to return it and spend double on the new Yggdrasil. The A2 upper mids and treble are tipped up and the bass is toned down. Neutral heads will probably love the A2 upgrade.

 

I've pretty much decided to go with the A1 Gungnir Multibit for this reason. I've owned it before and it's just an incredible experience that I see little reason to give up.

 

Or maybe I should just sell the HD800, keep my 650 and use the money along with the $1K I have laying around for Yggy2?

 

Like I PM’d, if you’re asking about improvement-to-dollar ratio, it’s not going to be good. DAC differences are subtler than they might seem from nervosa chatter on the internet.

On the other hand, if you know deep down inside you’re going to get a Yggdrasil A2 at some point, then save yourself the hassle, bite the bullet now, and get it over with.

 

^Agree with the above, definitely.

Also don’t expect the warm, euphonic, easy listening “air-ride” (as @k4rstar described it) with Yggdrasil either. Although Yggdrasil A2 may resemble Gungnir Multibit A1 more than A2 in certain aspects, it’s still far more precise and tight, leaner through the mids, and more tipped up on the high end than Gungnir Multibit A1. Depending how you find your current transducers and amp, it may or may not pair well.

Yggdrasil pretty much took my ATC speakers out of my system because they were already pushing the edge of brightness before with Gungnir Multibit A1 and with Yggdrasil they went too far. So now I’m waiting for Aegir to be able bi-amp them with to see if I can bring the highs back to something silkier than with Yggdrasil and Vidar.

 

I heard the new, “improved” Gungnir Multibit at a recent mini meet. Bass is overpresent and rounded while treble is indeed more dynamic than in original units. However the midrange is still veiled and hazy, even compared to the Soekris. The extension at both ends is way better than the Soekris though.

The veiled mids made Marshall guitars and screams never honk and pop right outta the mix like they do on so many recordings, where the guitarist switches pickups (or they’re punched in) and the cleaner, obviously Marshall leads are 3x as loud as the rhythm work or riffs.

I didn’t like the Gungnir Multibit and can’t recommend it; it’s just too rounded in the low end and mids are veiled, mushy, muddy, motoroily. There are better options for about the same cost that are less veiled with more features.