Schiit Bifrost 2

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by RobS, Aug 28, 2019.

  1. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,300
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    SoCal
    Sorry gang, I feel bad for bitching about the wait. It's mostly my fault. I sold my one and only DAC not realizing the Bifrost 2 had just gone on backorder. I've been music free since placing my order. It's like my coffee, I get grumpy without it. Lesson learned. Thank you Jason for the update.
     
  2. theveterans

    theveterans Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    90745
    Interesting that you noted that Unison have a grey background. I had A/B the USB Unison recently against the optical out of my DAP and found that the two sounded clear without a hint of grey background. Could it be that Bifrost 2 on your system is too warm, causing that grey cloudiness with the presentation? I briefly tested the HD 6XX (from Schiitr) with the Bifrost 2 but didn't pick up any "grey background" during my short time there, but that's with optical instead of Unison though
     
  3. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,345
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    @theveterans I didn't mean a grey background or hazy sound. What I meant is grey tonally. Not enough tonal contrast so everything just sounds grey.

    Bifrost 2 being too warm for my system is definitely a possibility.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2020
  4. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    14,051
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I think you can grump. Sure, global supply of everything is unpredictable but it is tough when you don't know when you can expect something that's on backorder. I don't think anyone can hold it against you for being frustrated just like we can't hold it against @schiit that component suppliers are a mess right now, too.

    Hell, I have a supplier partner in China who was supposed to have a simple part ready in "two weeks" for about 2 months now. It's simple but prevents us from shipping $500 products to doctors and other customers. My customers have every right to be frustrated, too.
     
  5. theveterans

    theveterans Facebook Friend

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2018
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    90745
    Interesting. If you find a good SPDIF source, would like to find out how it plays on your system. I find that Unison sounded the most balanced with the rather reference sounding Yamaha HS7 speakers with rich tonality in the mids (no blurring of the tones). I used to have the Wyred 4 Sound uLink to coax during my Bifrost MB days (as it's superior to the Gen 2 USB) but now the uLink is inferior compared to Unison and DAP toslink out to B2 by having a tiny hint of grainy edge in the notes
     
  6. rsnblmn

    rsnblmn Acquaintance

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2016
    Likes Received:
    51
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I, too, have been getting grumpy about the wait on my backorder, and I, too, feel bad for complaining now as I also fully understand that it's out of @schiit 's control. Certainly not their fault that the world is basically an omnidirectional source of frustration lately.

    I greatly admire the way they run their company and truly appreciate all the community interaction and behind-the-scenes stories that Jason and Mike provide. It says something when a company is so lovable that I couldn't really be mad at them even if I actually had a reason to be.
     
  7. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,285
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    I strongly disliked Unison on Bifrost 2. I would rather use an Eitr. I preferred my later iteration, gen 1 BF MB on Gen5 USB over Bifrost 2 with Unison. Not so much when both were fed good SPDIF.

    I know people will poo pop me saying that I'd take the Eitr. "But it's Gen5!" Let's not forget Gen5 had a lot of marketing press around getting close to or matching SPDIF, and that subjective impressions were quite favorable around launch. Yes, I went back and checked these things. And I assume everyone is diligently listening and being honest with feedback, honest about what they hear with Unison. I'm not doubting that, but I nonetheless see it somewhat as a hype train that didn't pan out for me, by far, in my own tests.

    So, yeah, I'd rather have an Eitr. But I'd still rather have a DigiOne or Pi2AES.

    But, hey, that's just me. You might have a totally different experience. And that's totally cool! The Eitr is a handy device to have around even if you end up preferring Unison, so it's a minimal risk experiment.

    By the way, when I said hard hitting, I mostly meant in the lower registers. But I think I know what you mean with what you described. I believe I was talking about something else.
     
    • Like Like x 9
    • Epic Epic x 1
    • List
  8. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,773
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    small island claimed by China
    I find this too in the upper mids and treble, sometimes, out of SW51. Just a bit too "in yer face", depending on the track and genre (or personal mood). Less so out of NBM/ZDTjr. IIRC, switching from Pi>USB to PI2AES>S/PDIF improved the clarity, but smoothed this aggressiveness out a bit.
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    @Melvillian: I'm thinking the Crane Song Solaris (impossible to acquire) may be your ticket. Another strong possibility may be Soekris DACs, but only their TOTL model. I doubt changes to transport: USB, Unison, Eitr, Pi2AES, etc. will lead to satisfaction.
     
  10. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

    Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2016
    Likes Received:
    10,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    East Coast
    Interestingly to see some variation of mileage here.

    I partly (philosophically) agree with @Hands , and the way he looks at unison very much resembles what I secretly concluded regarding RPi streamers and digione (and somewhat possibly extended to Pi2aes which I haven't tried yet because of digione dissatisfaction). I still believe the best way is to BELIEVE IN absence of usb fuckery -- with months of autosuggestion, I could convince myself there's only subtle difference across quality digital inputs, I still avoid some though (e.g., convert-2's builtin usb).

    Moral of the story is reiteration of what's been said. It's more likely dac itself that drive one's preference rather than how it is connected to transports. Bifrost 2 is great (and unison best articulates it to sound as intended) ... to me. To some, it may not.
     
  11. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,904
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Europe
    Connected to my Surface (haavent tried with my home PC, because It was "on-the-go") Eitr solved some issues that I have had but it's still no Spdif from a good source, imo. That said not everyone felt that unison was better than Eitr, although the majority seems to have that opinion.

    Edit: also eitr is a better solution than any direct usb connection I have had since I bought it. Metrum in particular had a terrible usb connection. That said maybe you need another type of dac for what you like.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2020
  12. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,345
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I replaced the amp with an M-22 and it changed everything. Went from not wanting to listen to anything due to issues I stated above to not being able to stop listening.
     
  13. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,773
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    small island claimed by China
    What amp did you replace?
     
  14. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,345
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    An integrated Yamaha A-S2100.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,777
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Yikes. The A-S2100 must be warmpoo.
     
  16. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,345
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Yeah it’s quite warm. I still need to control the mid bass so a leaner sounding multibit DAC like the soekris or a more transparent pre-amp like the Saga might be a better fit. I’m still using the Yamaha as a pre-amp.
     
  17. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,709
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    India
    Hey guys, those of you who bought a Bifrost 2 domestically, was there an invoice either inside or outside the box?

    I am asking because, I am trying to use a forwarding service to avoid high import duty and it is best there is no invoice in the box.
     
  18. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,517
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    I think it did inside the box when I gotten my BF2, I could be wrong.
     
  19. rsnblmn

    rsnblmn Acquaintance

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2016
    Likes Received:
    51
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Denver, CO
    There was no invoice inside or outside the box for me from California to Colorado. Just the manual.
     
  20. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,300
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    SoCal
    Bifrost 2 in the house! Time for a dumb question because ... OCD reasons.

    Why is there a hole in the front panel of my unit? I figured it was for the remote sensor but there is nothing there, I can see through the hole into the case. Just curious. Is every unit like this?
     

Share This Page