Schiit Gungnir Multibit impressions

Even the Gungnir Multibit you’re selling today Jason will need to go back for a firmware update?

 

Thanks for confirming this Jason. I know I am probably not the only one that is really excited about sending my Gungnir Multibit in for the upgrade (have been loving the Bifrost 2 unison at work). Still looking at an early 2020 timeframe for when the upgrade will be available?

 

It appears I will need to wait until Q1/2020 to order a new Gungnir MB with Unison.

 

Yep, all Gungnirs will need to come in for Unison USB, regardless of age. And yep, still shooting for January.

Sorry about the "send it in" thing, but this should be the last upgrade where that is required. I hope.

 

I may have found a good used Gungnir MB close to home. My intention is to buy it and get the Unison upgrade by sending it back to California after January. Easy.

The GS is interesting, but it is beyond the edge of my financial interest.

 

Seems like trying to find a gen 2 MB would be the way to go. Save a few bucks on the front end, and you already know you are going to be doing the usb update anyway. Just a thought.

 

A good thought.

 

Just picked up a Gungnir MB Gen5 Analog v2 board.

My main DAC previously was an RME ADI-2. Everything I was reading about the Gungnir seemed to be to my liking especially the bigger stage. Wanted to try these out and sell the one I don't keep. I'm strictly comparing USB on 2ch stereo setup. Mac mini to ultrarendu with Roon and Qobuz. Several amps including LFD MK IV, Belles Aria, and Rogue Cronus Magnum II feeding Harbeth C7ES3 speakers.

The RME I'd been using for 6 month or so... great DAC with a plethora of options. I'd characterize it as clean, accurate and transparent.

After letting the Gungnir stay on for 3 days I decided to listen and compare. Didn't take long to experience a bigger fuller sound vs the RME. The micro detail was close but edge to Gungnir. So even after only 1 full day of comparison it was pretty easy for me to say I'm keeping the Gungnir. I like a nice soundstage and even with the bigger fuller sound, the pinpoint accuracy was still there with vocals, etc.

I also like having a much simpler piece. If you need all there extra options on the RME that's a great bonus, but I didn't. and lets face it, the Gungnir looks much better in the audio rack.

I think it was mentioned before but what the heck is the Gungnir doing with live recordings? Whatever it is I love it. Very spooky presence I’ve not noticed with other DACs

 

Scored the Gungnir Multibit from a local source. Let it warm for a week or so. My SQ is better than ever. I will upgrade to Unison USB when the offer is made. I am happy, and I will return to lurking.

 

How is it better?
What are you coming from?
What are you listening with (what’s the rest of your chain)?

These are the things you should be including in your posts/impressions if you want to come out of Lurkerville. Otherwise we have no point of reference and your post doesn’t really contribute anything except noise.

Not being mean, just trying to help you (and others) understand why this type of post will typically attract dislikes here.

 

So just how much better is the Yggdrasil A2 compared to the Gungnir Multibit A1?

I gotta know after spending time with speakers and headphones today. Most of my eartime these past few months have been with the Convert-2 in my chains, so I haven't really done much listening with the Gungnir.

I had the Gungnir warmed up for about a week now and totally expecting to be let down after letting go of the Convert-2. I mean this is supposed to be a downgrade right? I was ready to regret selling it the moment I hit play.

But holy shit I can't believe what I'm hearing. I'm giggling like a giddy kid on Christmas Eve who can't sleep knowing all the presents waiting to be opened under the tree. This is musical paradise. After a few songs I paused to call my girlfriend over to have a listen. We can't comprehend how good this is. It's the best f'ing music we have ever heard in our lives. I'm on the floor laughing and in awe.

By most "Hi-Fi" standards I have a system that's probably Class S. But it doesn't matter, cause what is coming from the speakers sounds so f'ing magical. It is the most enrapturing, intoxicating music I've ever heard.

So after awhile of having our minds blown, I decide to hook up the Convert-2 to see how it fares. Oh sure the transients and snap are intensely graphic, instruments, especially power chords have this startling realism. The Gungnir doesn't quite attack like it or slam as hard.

But there's no soul, there's no emotional engagement, there's none of this crazy sorcery that possess you and sucks you into the music. It's technically sharper, yes, but there's a lack of a unifying cohesive structure. The Gungnir has so much more tiny nuance and detail that are brought into the light that blows me away. Convert-2 is very one note. It's a one trick pony. It doesn't mesmerize or engross you. That's what matters the most to me. Emotionally gripping > technical brilliance. Every f'ing day. It's why I hate certain genres of music cause they are devoid of any soul and emotional depth. Is it really any wonder why so few black musicians do metal? I mean who is there? Living Colour? GTFO.

Almost went on a rant, but god damn I can't handle how good this is. I can't pull myself away. One more album, one more song. I don't even give a shit about fine combing this DAC cause of how musical it is.

And with the HD650...it's like the headphones disappear on my head. I absolutely love how much of this tiny detail is elevated up that gives it this richly woven tapestry. And because these layers are pulled up, it does give a presentation of a slight grayish haze. But it's so finely textured and so much is going on in these songs. And it's never distracting either, all this detail just goes to form this euphoric whole.

One of the albums that was totally fucked on the Convert-2 is Pink Floyd's DSoTM. The soundstage is all wobbly, it's missing tons of reverb, and shading from Gilmour's guitar, and so on. The center image is fucked, Claire Torrey's vocals move around like a lava lamp. And I am no way a Pink Floyd fanboi. They're OK. Frankly I'd rather listen to the Sex Pistols. But this is one of those meme audiophile records I have played back quite a bit over the years and familiar with it. But while the staging is up close, there is this perception of a deeper soundstage. The layering and changes in volume seem to create this illusion much more effectively over the Convert-2 which feels forced and faked. And the staging is consistent between right and left channels. I'm also not fighting to have center vocals be brought higher up in the mix on pop songs. This is set on the same even plane so there's no depression in the center.

Even with headphones, I'm moved to tears on some tracks and have ebullient joy with others or an out of a body transcendent experience. I'm enamored. If the Yggdrasil is better than this, I can't even wrap my mind around that.

You know what the Gungnir also reminds me of with headphones? It gives me a little nostalgia of a cassette player I once had for years. There was a bloomy, dense warmth to it but also this level of saturation. All the other musical boxes I've had since never gave me the same musical experiences compared to that POS player. I'm not saying the Gungnir has a lack of fidelity, but it just lacks that ultra clean analytical surgical precision. Don't get it if you want to listen to music "in X-Ray mode", as Collusion put it to me in a PM. This might sound at odds with the outstanding resolution here, but its resolving in a more emotional way than technical.

The one fly in the ointment? OG Freya as a preamp. So far, it's garbage. It's shitty in tube mode cause a lot of detail gets lost. I'm not writing this off yet, as I'm going to spend time with it but so far, clearly the Goldpoint is the vastly superior preamp here. Even passive, Freya ain't that good.

 

Yep OG Freya is a disappointing preamp all around, I sold mine after a few weeks. Tube mode is lacking, passive is not transparent and adds veil. For the price it is still quite good, especially for the options it has, balanced, remote control, etc. But compared to big boy preamps out there it is not up to snuff. I haven't tried the Freya+/s so take that with a grain of salt.

 

Nice write up. I could feel your excitement. I hope to get a Gungnir MB soon. Sorry to hear the Freya isn’t working well. I recently added the Freya S to my stereo and it is one of the finest components I have heard. To say that it has exceeded expectations would be a bit of an understatement.

If the OG Freya doesn’t work out you may want to try the Freya + or Freya S.

Cheers,

Scott

 

I knew from impressions here the passive and buffered modes on Freya sucked but I got it for the tube mode. Wanted a bit of tube character with the Vidars. It sorta has this "M" shaped presentation to it, sounds tinny and hollow. It's a smeary ugly mess. The humble SYS and the OG Saga are soooo much better. SYS is still the better preamp but Saga adds just the right amount of soundstage depth but not forsaking any detail. I can't believe how awful the Freya is.

The funny thing is I can even notice this. These are some cheap Emotiva T2 floorstanders that were probably cobbled out of rejected Parts Express components made in China. But they seem to be extremely resolving of source components. I've had various DACs in my setup and they notably all sound different. I'm under no illusion that what I have ain't "Hi-Fi" and my exposure to other speakers is extremely limited. Take what I say with a bucket of salt. But I do love my speakers regardless.

Dude you're gonna love the Goldpoint if you get it. I saw somewhere you can get it modified to add a remote control. Lol Freya justifies the absurd cost of a Goldpoint. Super f'ing transparent and is superb with the Convert-2.

 

Yeah but the goldpoint isn't cheap and adding a remote to it is gonna run me another $250 at least, plus adding a 12v or 19v supply somehow for it from what the Bent audio guys told me. At this point I'm tempted to just build my own with quality parts.

 

One very important point: Freya+ doesn't sound like Freya.

 

It's a shame the volume pot on the Convert-2 sucks so much to where you need an external pre to get the most out of the DAC.

 

Yeah this is an option I'm weighing also. Why bother building one if the Freya+ is now top notch and offers everything I need at a good price... now if only you made it in black

Yeah it really does suck. A preamp is unfortunately a necessity with that Convert-2 but considering its (to me) the best sounding DAC out there for the money I'm willing to make some sacrifices to integrate it in my chain. My speaker setup never sounded so good.

 

Lol sounds like Jason needs to setup a blind test at the Schiitr between black and silver colors. #TeamSilver. (BTW Jason the new shiny smooth silver finish you guys have on your gear is very nice. Don't listen to these people who want stuff in black!!)

Curious how the Goldpoint fares against the tube active mode on the Freya+. Less gain from the OG would work better for me as well. I'm going to read the Freya+ thread and if anyone has a Goldooint to compare. Everytime I check the Freya+ it's always on backorder, must be selling like hotcakes.

 

Haha honestly silver or black is of little importance if the Freya+ sounds better. I may just end up buying one and testing things out.