Just wanted to say thanks. I am a recovering audiophile from about 20 years ago and wanted to get back into it. You're one of the few reviewers that talks details about the actual sound qualities and soundstage instead of solely focusing on measurements which to me are mostly irrelevant marketing ploys. Thanks for your clear well thought out views.
What's their name ASR? Can't stand that site. "Look how great it measures!" "I'm blown away with that 99% reading!" Like Zappa would say: "who gives a FCK?"
Finally here, a great review. Got my BF2 last week and it was absolutely amazing pairing up with my Rag. The sound is just come to life compare to my RME which is a little flat and straightforward. Again, very thorough and detailed review here with the comparison to ares2 which a lot of people are struggling choosing between. Not a lot reviewers out there are doing dac reviews nowadays, very glad that you can keep making high quality contents with dacs. Please keep it up.
Thanks HOB, glad you like the content. The BF2/Rag combo must be really nice. I've always wanted to try a Rag 1 as a headphone amp, but haven't gotten there just yet...
Hi, I'm sorry I got in. About RME adi-2 dac, by saying that it is flat and direct, with flat you mean that all instruments and details are delivered on the same plane with the same strength and force, without having much three-dimensional or deep stage in layers? or flat you mean frequency response?
Hi Erick, yes that word is a bit confusing and I'm trying to find some new descriptors. I mean 2-dimensional sound. It IS also very flat in terms of frequency response, but all good modern DACs should be. When people describe DACs as having emphasis anywhere, it's most likely the timbre/texture of the sound they are talking about and how it influences our perception, not an actual increase in bass, treble or midrange.
@@PassionforSound Gracias !!! plana creo tiene doble significado, plana puede hablar de escenario sonoro, y también respuesta de frecuencia, por eso mi confusión, pero creeme lo haces perfecto, siempre lo agradeceré.
That was a fantastic review! You really nailed the character of the Bifrost 2. Ironically back in February of this year I was considering the Bifrost 2, Ares II and A90 and went with the Bifrost 2 and have loved it ever since! I don't think there is a better DAC that can sort of "do it all" anywhere near this price point. Once again, superb review!
one of the top tier youtube reviewers on hifi who is not afraid to share your opinion. When asked to comment on Device A vs Device B, most TH-camrs will cop out and say they can't provide an opinion as they've heard Device B (ie. Dark.....) You gave your best guess based on your experience and that to me, is an A+ in my books.
I have not heard the Bifrost 2, but I have owned the Gungnir Multibit (A2, if there is such a thing) for 3 years, and I really love it. I had the Modi Multibit for about 6 months before that, and immediately started saving to move up their line. If the Bifrost 2 had been out , I would probably have gone that route, but my dac is the one bit of gear I don't think about upgrading. At my budget, there is nothing I have heard for which I would trade it. Not to everyone's taste I am sure, but perfect for me and my 60 year-old ears. Thanks for your efforts, mate. Cheers.
Thanks Kurt. I totally get where you're coming from. My Gumby (using A1 board) was my longest lasting DAC until the Qutest and then TT2 came along, but it was a close call and the A2 board is apparently a significant upgrade. Glad you're loving your setup.
Great review. I've been wanting to try it out myself for some time now, but Schiits are quite expensive to import into my country. I just subbed, it's good to keep an eye on the competition, especially the good ones. :) Keep up with great work! Cheers from Serbia!
@@PassionforSound It would be nice to get a comparison between the D70s (which some claim has some of that R2R sound) and the Bitfrost 2. I have heard the D70s in my system albeit using rca and not xlr but compared to the dac in my hegel h160, the D70s was warmer and had more low end grunt but a bit less separation and a smidge less resolution. If the Bitfrost 2 has just a bit more separation and resolution over the d70s it would be preferred by me. I think the only drawback is that alot of Topping dacs can decode SACD and HDCD formats on discs which sound a step above Redbook CDs (when using a transport). Really enjoy the vids and your effort, it helps.
I'm yet to hear the D70S, but I'd be shocked if it's providing anything other than warmth in the sound. What I mean by that is that R2R DACs and Schiit's Multibit DACs present the sound differently. Whilst some R2R DACs come across thick and warm (like the Denafrips Ares II), the magic of these non Delta Sigma DACs are that they provide a much better sense of space in the presentation and a slightly more natural timbre. Of course, if you're just looking for a slightly warmer sound then please ignore all that and maybe check out the SMSL SU-8s. I've got the review coming out VERY soon... 😉
@@PassionforSound It's warm but bass is still tight. The warmth bleeds into separation just a bit but there is good detail. I slightly preferred the AKM 4396F in my hegel for resolution but the D70s was nice. A very solid step up form y Marantz CD6006 which was better than the sub $300 dacs I tried. Hence trying to decide between Topping and Schitt now that I am open to that kind of budget. The D70s is nice, but may be with us for a limited time unless Topping gives it an overhaul like they did with the D90se.
Great review! Thanks for comparing to the D90 & Ares - those were the exact other 2 I was considering when I ended up buying the Bifrost a few months ago. Sounds like I made the right choice. I'm sure others in the same position will find your assessment very useful. 👍
Since I last messaged you I've given up on the Cayin RU6 and Denafrips. I'm looking at this Bifrost 2, ifi NEO and the Soncoz SGD1. Yes, all are at least double the cost of the Cayin. The Soncoz is available locally and that's a big advantage for me, but not the only factor to consider. Thanks for this review. It really helped.
Glad I could help. I've actually got the Soncoz here now and it's a great DAC. The Bifrost 2 is probably still slightly better, but nothing wrong with the SGD-1.
After hearing your Ïnside the Life..."video I took the plunge and ordered the Bifrost and the Burson Soloist 3xP. OMG! how did I put up with the old entry level combo for so long time?. Soundstage and imaging incredibly good and the realism of the acoustic instruments is exceptional through the Empyreans. For anyone, agonising over spending the money - just do it. You won't be disappointed. And thanks for your excellent advice, Lachlan.
So glad I could help and that you're enjoying your setup so much now! Without wanting to make you spend more money, I have a video coming soon about different op-amps you can use in the Soloist 3XP and it can actually get a little bit better still! (Only a little bit though)
A year on and the need to replace my 30 yo CD player, I took the advice of another YT reviewer and bought a Cambridge CD transport and coupled it to the Bifrost 2. What a revelation! Who said CDs were dead? A new musical experience.
I bought the original from Schiit. From the comments there seems to be differing opinions on the 2/64. Given my vintage and state of hearing I'm well pleased with what I have now
I wanted the Bifrost 2, but spent $600 on my balanced Freya S preamp instead. The $500 I saved on the Modius will pay for headphones and headphone amp. I'll upgrade my DAC after main amps and loud speakers. My ears are decent for an older guy. I'll see if this holds up for the next several years. Your reviews and channel are excellent. What the heck is wrong with TH-cam for not reccomending your channel sooner?
Thanks AA! I think you've made a wise choice, not that the Bifrost 2 isn't great, but it would be wasted if you had to buy super budget gear to pair with it. Much better to go the route you've chosen I think 🙂
Excellent review. Your ear is very similar to mine, I had the same impressions of the Bifrost 2 and Chord TT2. I would add that the presentation on the TT2 is slightly faster and more involving than the Bifrost 2 but not by much. Keep up the good work!
I don't have a Biforst, but I do have a Asgard 3 with the Multibit DAC card installed. Having lived with it as a digital source for over a year I can tell you there is a huge difference after letting it warm up for several hours. It sounds a bit cold and thin for the first twenty minutes or so and blossoms into being very tonally rich, spacious sounding and the transient response is tough to beat. I literally don't turn it off even though it has a non insignificant power draw idling. I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger on a new Bifrost. I've been trying Chinese DACs and keep returning them. I respect what they are doing, but I just keep plugging my heaphone rig into my main stereo in place of others DACs I keep trying, so I think it's safe to say I'm a Multibit guy. I've really been enjoying Schiit week, and I really enjoyed your interview series with Jason. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Ben! You'll notice significant improvements from the Bifrost 2 I think and it pairs wonderfully with the Asgard 3. That's my secondary setup for editing, etc. at the moment.
Excellent and detailed review! loved those glamour shots! your descriptions of multibit/r2r vs chip-based are really clear and helpful in conveying the differences. I've never used an R2R/multibit but I may consider it!
Hi Michael, glad it was helpful and that you liked the glamour vid! 🙂 Chips can be very good too, but I find R2R and Multibit to be slightly more enjoyable at a similar price point
I just ordered the Bifrost. I haven't listened to it or any of the others but I went on my gut feeling as to what will be the best decision. Sound quality will be very close to ares 2, but when you factor in the future upgradability and with Schiits excellent customer service and dealing with a US company. I went with the Schiit!
Nice review. To my ears, where the Bifrost really pulls ahead of the D90 is in spacial resolve and imaging. Imaging on the D90 has that somewhat vague, "cardboard cutout" sound typical of a lot of chip-based DACs, lacking the dimensionality and coherency that give the Bifrost's sonic image its holography, or that sense that the image actually occupies a portion of physical space. I also found it to be rather significantly more resolving of both subtle sonic cues and volume modulation, as well as being able to better delineate harmonic overtones and present a richer, more life-like timbre. To be honest, I've yet to be impressed by anything Topping has produced. I get the sense that they care more about measurements than they do sound.
That's a great summary on every level I think. The measurement-based design approach doesn't really serve any of us searching for the most enjoyable sound so it's great to know that manufacturers like Schiit, Chord, Geshelli Labs and others are combining measurements and subjective listening to design products that measure well (perhaps not perfect) and sound fantastic!
It's a nice setup. The Asgard 3 limits the maximum performance so a future upgrade would improve it, but it's a great start. I'm actually in the process of prepping my Asgard 3 review now...
I'm guessing higher level Schiit amps would do well, but I haven't heard them. Otherwise something like the Monoprice Liquid Platinum (currently on sale) would be a nice upgrade, but at full price you might as well go straight to the Burson Soloist for great performance. For something a bit closer in price, the Burson Fun amp might beat the Asgard 3, but I need to test that in the review process
BTW, in stating you would have to twist the XLR cable 180 degrees, note the longer the cable the less stressful that degree of twist will have on the cable.
On STAX headphones, to be precise STAX Lambda PRO benefits from phase shift (STAX ED-1 EQ setting) it does widen the soundstage a lot and gives better instrument placement on the soundstage.
stax on tubes already have a huge soundstage, add this EQ and you will hear the sound stage in the next universe i did hear one when i was younger, but family friend who had it sold it before i could buy it at least i got his stax, i hear they are quit rare and i have not seen any for sale do you know where i can get one? i think they cost as much as the amp.
@@chefsteve8381 ebay and hifishark are you best choise. But yes they are rare. Mine cost 900€ amp and headphones 750€. They are in top condition, like new.
Hi, Lachlan. After weeks comparing the Composer and the Bifrost 2, balanced and unbalanced (it was complicated to set the volume, because the Composer has a slightly higher output), I've come to the conclusion that the spatial information the Bifrost 2 renders feels weird with some recordings. What I mean by this is, it's not that the Bifrost 2 positions better the instruments in the space, but it just pulls to the front or back sounds in certain frequency range. It's interesting to listen to something like Bruckner's 4th symphony, with Manfred Honeck directing the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (I mention this recording only because it's a magnificent recording and it shows what I mean very clearly), and instruments which are behind the violins, sound like that until they reach a climax (1st movement, around 5:00 more or less) and horns are blown harder, they reach certain notes in a higher frequency, and all of a sudden they're in the front line, whereas violins sound farther in the back. I don't mean they sound louder, but that the spatial sensation you get is they moved to the front. It's in any case, a deceptive spatial information. The Composer may be more upfront, no doubt, but it doesn't "move" the instruments like the Bifrost 2 does. Horns are still in the back, even if they sound louder than strings in the front. After noticing this, I started checking other records, and I found another odd thing. In many solo piano recordings, when the recording has a fuller sound (Angela Hewitt playing Bach's keyboard partitas, for example), the lower keys played with the left hand sometimes sounded farther to the back. Not lower, but farther to the back. As if there were two pianos, one played to the front and another in the back only with the left half of the keys. Weird... I still find the Bifrost tremendously enjoyable. But I feel as if it's doing something weird with the spatial information. As for air in the recording and soundstage, I feel the Composer beats the Bifrost, too.
That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing your experiences! It's not something I've noticed, but I'll take a listen when I can (the B2 is currently on tour with channel patrons) Can I ask what other gear you were using (just for context so I can try to replicate your experiences)
@@PassionforSound Hi. The headphone amp I used was a Soloist 3XP. Which, by the way, reaches so deep and it's so transparent that it welcomes the extra detail the Composer adds. I used two switches to a/b. For unbalanced connection, a Schiit Sys, and for balanced, a Nobsound 3 in 1 out switch. RCA and balanced too, are some cables I bought from Ghent Audio (ebay). They are all the same type, so there shouldn't be any interference in the result. I've also tried several times changing cables, and I never noticed anything, at least at the level I can afford. The result was the same both in balanced and SE. It's very dependent on the recording, though. In the case of solo piano recordings, if the sound is richer, the depth where there should be none is more obvious. If it's dry, it won't be noticeable. But take Schiff's latest cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas (ECM), and it's there. I'm listening to Belder's recording of the Scarlatti sonatas on the harpsichord, and it's there too. With the BF2, it's like there is a harpsichordist playing behind Belder. Maybe it's a matter of synergy with the amp, I have no idea. In any case, don't get me wrong: the BF2 sounds awesome. I still think the Composer delivers better the air in the recording, vocals and soundstage, but I could be happy with any of them. I have both now, so I'm extra happy. But happiness can't last, so eventually I'll get rid of one of them.
Thanks for the extra info and SO sorry that I didn't even check who'd written the comment as I responded before or I would have realised that you're a patron (I haven't forgotten you 🙂). I'll do some testing when the B2 returns and see what I can hear.
I so appreciate your applying the comparisons and qualitative benefits to specific recordings. Equipment pairing is one dimension, but music pairing is just as important. Super-excellent and informative review. Still deciding between the Bifrost 2 and the Ares II as an upgrade from an Airist r2r, but am much closer to an informed decision 👍🏼
Ah thank you for this! You've mentioned the Gungnir MB in a few videos, I would like to see your review of that as well if you still have it or get the opportunity to get one. Great wrap up to a crazy week in the US though, thank you!
Sadly, the Gumby was sold to fund the Qutest purchase, but hopefully I'll get a chance to try a current version in the future. Glad the video was a welcome break from electionitis!
Nice review... as usual. Been having a difficult time deciding between the Ares II and the Bifrost. Now it’s clear... I need to get both. Well, schiitt !!! Would like to hear your take on the Loki as well
Haha. Both are good DACs, but unless you need the smoothness of the Ares II to tame something bright in your system, I'd just go for the B2. I'm intrigued by the Loki. I'll have to see if I can find one secondhand...
@@PassionforSound That’s exactly it... my system is pc > smsl su-8 > THX 887 > Arya ( primarily) and I do find it bright/ glaring with some music which is why I was considering the Ares. I also ordered the Violectric V280 and a pair of Focals. Awaiting both of those. So I’ll have some contrasting tonality with those I think. Just need that dac upgrade ( and possibly a Loki ) and I’m set. Was planning on splitting both DACs to both amps. With my setup would you go with the Bifrost ? Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.
I haven't heard the SU-8 to comment, but there's no doubt the Bifrost 2 is brilliant in any setup based on my listening. The V280 should bring some nice refinement compared to the 887 so I think you'll be happy with that. Should be no issues splitting the DAC outputs to both amps and you've got XLR and RCA outputs so you could also just use SE and balanced from each DAC too.
That was a really good review! Thanks a lot for the comparisons! I have Gumby OG and I’m pretty happy with it. But I was curious if I should try Pontus. Now I at least got the companies’ directions (which I neither got from forums nor from other reviewers).
Testing completed. There may be tiny, tiny differences in the treble quality between the 3 inputs, but it could also be a result of the different cables used so I'd say that they are as good as identical - all excellent
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the follow-up. I have a Bifrost 2 and encountered similar - very slight, possibly due to different cables, and all excellent. My default is from my streamer to the BF2 via Optical.
Got my D90 MQA and A90 stack with a Sony MDR-Z1R and love the setup. I‘m sure I‘d love the spaciousness of the Bifrost, but sadly I‘d probably have to pay a lot extra due to import taxes. Also, I really love the D90 and especially the MQA part (I listen to Master files a lot and hardware sided decoding gives me a huge benefit in sound quality and resolution). Therefore I won‘t switch for the moment, but I will keep the Bifrost 2 in mind when I should ever be willing to buy a new DAC!
Hi Fabian, if you're largely using Master files through Tidal there's not a huge benefit upgrading to the Bifrost 2 as you'll probably find the D90 MQA to be as good or better when playing Masters.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for the fast reply and your opinion on that!:) That actually puts my mind to peace no longer worrying about potentially having done a „wrong“ choice even if I truly love the sound signature of the D90.
@@PassionforSound You‘re right. I‘m sticking with my unit:) Are you planning on reviewing the Z1R any time in the future? Would be really interested in your opinion on those. I greatly enjoy them.
I used Schiit stack for a few years. The stack sounded solid, powerful (in the bass) and quite analog-ish. The cons are: despite of its detailed sound, the sound was very compressed and lacked of airy feeling. But the main reason I sold the stack was they sounded very one-noted. I meant the volume of every notes, every instruments and voices had the same magnitude. You would never known when the guitarlist or drummer play a particular note harder/stronger with that type of sound. It was lifeless to my ear. With many headphones and iems. And I was lazy to find if it was the fault of my Schiit amp or my Schiit multibit dac back then. I just sold them.
@@PassionforSound Hi, tk for your reply. I have not tried many other hi-end dac and head-amp brand other than Schiit. I bought many stuffs from them. My last stack was the Modi multibit v2/Magni 3. The stack had many good qualities on sound, size and design (compared to many previous gen of Schiit products). But I have always found something off about its sound. I didn't know what it was until recent time
@@PassionforSound pls don’t laugh at me because i am using the Apple usb-c to 3.5 dongle now :) it doesn’t have the sound problems that Schiit stack has. Much cheaper. And i can hear many details that I didn’t hear with the Schiit stack. My balanced armature iem sounds crazy good and doesn’t need too much power. But i am still finding and saving for a true “hi-end” dac/amp for my unicorn LCD2
@@PassionforSound please note that there are 2 versions of Apple usb-c to 3.5 dongle. The dongle’s versions for Asian and USA are really stunning small audio gears
Have you been tracking Schiit's Bifrost upgrade option available now? The Bifrost 2/64; (Module available for upgrade of Bifrost 2) It's not inexpensive. I'm curious about the justification of the expense related to performance improvement.
Thanks Moshman, me too! Especially after Jason said the Bifrost 2 is his preferrt DAC (he didn't say it was better, just his preference due to size, sound presentation, etc.)
@@PassionforSound Yggdrasil still should dive deeper into details as Bifrost 2 is 18bit (1x 18bit chip per channel), and Yggdrasil is 21bit (2x 20bit chips per channel). Right now the latest version is the A2 (analog 2) with Unison USB. But I believe Mike Moffat is working on another version of the analog portion that closer matches his own preferences. I think they said it's more of a side grade than a straight upgrade, but I'm very excited to see/hear how that turns out!
Jason did give me the impression that the Yggy is still more resolving. Hopefully I can try it sometime. It's great that they allow for upgrades over time with their products!
@@PassionforSound I have a friend who has one who says it's phenomenal at that price point. Yet I keep hearing Bifrost 2 being described as a mini-Yggy, likely because of the added unison usb, balanced outputs and other tweaks. It'd be interesting seeing how much Bifrost 2 can reconcile with the Yggdrasil.
Since we are talking Schiit, how would you compare the Modi Multibit vs Bifrost 2? Both r2r. Put aside maybe a bit more inputs on the Bifrost, but is it essentially the same r2r meaning the sound would be comparable? Btw, great review! I really appreciate that you compare products head to head and that you take your time to explain the differences 👍
Hi Rana, I haven't heard the Modi MB to comment, but they use different chips (model and quantity) as far as I know so while similar, the Bifrost 2 should be noticeably better. The Bifrost 2 also has a "proper" power supply which should further improve the sound
When I was into high end two channel, back in the day, I spent three times more on an amplifier than the DA converter and twice as much on speakers than the amps. With the headphone setups it seems to be the opposite. I'd love to see a review that defines the percentage of overall effect from each component.
Hi Chris, I'm not certain that it works that way because everything matters and while I've also come across those kinds of "equations" over the years, I'm not sure they're helpful. Admittedly the DAC is probably the least impactful, but it IS the component which defines the maximum amount of information available to the rest of the chain so going cheaper here undermines high quality amps and headphones. I tend to break things into tiers so a budget DAC and amp (like Topping E30/L30 or Schiit Magni/Modi) is great for budget to mid tier headphones, but will start to limit the good mid tier cans like HD6XX, etc. The next step is mid tier like Topping A90/D90 (although price wise they're pushing towards the next level) which are good for mid to high end headphones (HD6XX through Focal Clear, etc.) but will start to restrict the best headphones in these categories. The same is true for high end (e.g. Schiit Bifrost 2 and Burson Soloist 3X) and then you get to the flagship/aspirational/endgame tier with products like Hugo TT2, Denafrips Terminator and Artemis, etc. which are the only types of products that will really show you what the top of the range headphones are capable of (e.g. Meze Empyrean, Focal Utopia, etc.) Not sure how I'd get that into a review format, but hopefully it makes sense here.
enjoying all the dac reviews. I was looking forward to this one and the modius after your denafrips review. I believe the denafrips ares ii has the phase inversion button on the front panel as well. Is the phase inversion an audible thing - i don't know...
Hi Kaneda, yes, the Denafrips does. I didn't really discuss it in that review, but there was less to talk about with the BF2 so that feature kind of stood out a bit. I need to spend some time tracking down inverse phased recordings to see if it makes a difference. Switching it on and off on general content was subtle enough that I didn't notice any difference, but I also wasn't listening super critically at the time and focussed my critical listening on the general sound quality plus comparisons.
Best review to date on this product that I’ve seen. Ive been stalking this device for a couple of months and I’m ready to buy one. I’m in the US and late to this so I hope you see this note. I somewhat new to your channel and do have a question regarding how you test and listen. Do you use headphones exclusively when you do product tests, or do you use a speaker based system, or both? Thanks.
Hi Steve, I'm 100% headphones for critical listening. I do have a pair of Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 3 active speakers that I use, but not for review purposes as I find the headphones tell me more.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for replying! I’ve bought Revel speakers and they are very revealing. Sometimes they reveal more than I want and can be a bit edgy. My streamer/Dac is the BlueSound Node 2i and I think the Dac that is resident could be contributing to my issue. I know the Denefrips would make a difference there but I’m not willing to give up the detail.
Sounds like the Bifrost 2 will be a good match then if you're looking for smooth AND detailed. It's still very revealing so isn't going to reduce the revealing nature of your speakers, but the quality should be good enough that it won't have any harshness coming through
Just discovered your channel! Awesome review! I have the Schiit Bifrost 2/Lyr 3 combo and absolutely love it! Anxiously awaiting the Schiit Audio CD transport.
Hi Michael, thank you! That would be a wonderful setup. I'm keen for the transport too. I believe I might be joining the beta test so hopefully I'll be able to share some impressions sooner than later...
@@PassionforSound That's cool! Hope you have the opportunity to beta test the new CD transport...looking forward to your updates! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the great review. Which headphone amp would you suggest to use with the Bifrost 2? Anything from Shiit or from another company? Topping? Tube or solid state?
Hi ndaniel, I've got the Jotunheim 2 here at the moment for review and it's a VERY easy recommendation to pair with the Bifrost 2. Unless you specifically want a certain type of sound, I'd grab that.
Hi Gill, I haven't tried the Bimby 1, but the Bifrost 2 is (based on memory) even better than the Gumby I had so I would say yes to the upgrade. Bifrost 2 is brilliant!
Great review. I own a Bifrost 2 now. Did you try any other power cords? Thinking of trying a Pangea AC-14 or similar. Had success with power cords on my integrated amp, just not sure if this DAC will benefit.
Thank you for the outstanding review and all of your valuable contributions to this community. I'm planning to buy the Bifrost 2 to feed my HD800s via the Sennheiser HDV820. I'm expecting a significant sound quality improvement over the internal DAC- do you happen to have experience with this combo?
Hi Eric, I don't have specific experience with the HDV820, but I would expect improvements as the Bifrost 2 outperforms any other Sabre DAC implementations I've heard. Specifically, it does a better job of reproducing the depth and layering in the soundstage and is also smoother (more naturally so) than any chip-based DACs I've tried. You may feel at first like there's a loss of detail, but relax and listen into the music because I've found that the detail is all still there, it's just not pushed all forward in a 2D layer.
@@PassionforSound Thanks very much for your response. I ordered the BF2 and will definitely be listening for soundstage improvements. I watched your (excellent) 'Top 5 audiophile tracks' video - is there a particular album/track you'd recommend for soundstage? Blackstar? Thanks again!
I currently have the multibit dac card inside the Asgaard 3 - I just wonder if I will experience a noticeable difference by upgrading to the Bifrost 2/64. In other words, as both multibit tech are from Schiit, how is it implemented differently as a card vs a discrete product like the Bifrost?
Hi Andrew, I haven't tried the MB card in the Asgard 3, but I've chatted to multiple people who find the DAC card in the A3 to be not quite as good as the Modi DAC. The BF2/64 is then a solid upgrade over the Modi MB2 so I'd say you can expect a very big jump in sound quality.
Thanks for the review. Well done with chapters and easy to understand. I would love to know the differences as you go up the denafrips range. Does more detail prevail. Or is it more refined of the same as the ares 2. Eg lushness and smoothness.
Excellent Review! I just watched your series of the interview to Rob Watts and you mention that your reference DAC was a Gungnir Multibit. I been searching in your channel and I can't find any review of the Gungnir Mb. Since your are so familiar with it and the TT 2, it would be great if you do a comparison. Is the GMB way better than the Bifrost 2?. Is the TT 2 way superior to the GMB? . PD: great job with this channel buddy, I really enjoy watching this reviews.
Thanks Mauricio! It's a while now since I owned the Gumby and it's not comparable with the current DACs so I expect Bifrost 2 would be better than or as good as what I had. The newer Gumby is probably a different story though. Hopefully I can try one sometime. TT2 is clearly superior to the Gumby I had - miles ahead. I think the Yggdrasil is the closer comparison and another DAC I hope to try in the future...
Might get this along with their 6 band equaliser. Maybe more people should review the equaliser because I think it would help many systems. I won’t get the expensive remote control version, I think that’s unnecessary.
@@PassionforSound Yes they are under stocked on many things. I was reading an article on the Lokius last night and it was not an overly positive conclusion. But I think it’s use case is best suited to minor tweaks along the frequency range rather than trying to make big changes. And making frequency reductions rather than big boosts. Apparently Roon users have access to a software based EQ, but I’m not into computers so just use the streaming apps. I might get the 6 band just to play with.
Great review! I've been considering the Bifrost 2 & D90 as a step up to the internal DAC in my Parasound P5 (Burr-Brown PCM1798). I primarily stream Tidal HiFi but am not too concerned with MQA as I've heard mixed reviews of its benefits. I am leaning heavily towards the Bifrost based on your description of their sonic qualities. Would you consider this to be a substantial upgrade to my current setup? The only thing that's killing me right now is that Schiit just pushed the shipping date out on the Bifrost 2 to Jan 15.
Hi Ed, I just saw this comment that somehow slipped through the cracks - I'm so sorry! Did you end up buying the Bifrost 2? I do think it will be an upgrade for you.
Hello, great review again, thank you so much. I have been looking at the Ares II as my end game dac but now I think I am leaning more toward the Bifrost 2. I prefer the resolution to the smoothness. Did I miss how the Modius compares to this? I thought I was paying attention twice but I might have missed it. Thanks again. Looking forward to the Sundara review. Thinking about trying that one next. I bought the Sivga Phoenix thinking it would be better than the Sundara but it is a little dark and veiled for me, I was not impressed and I am thinking of returning them. I much prefer clarity.
Hi Andy, I covered the Modius vs Bifrost 2 comparison in the Modius review. In short, the Bifrost 2 does everything a little better. The Sundara will be a nice choice I think - the review is uploaded and scheduled for next Saturday 🙂
I bought the Aeries 11 because it has multiple inputs. I can run 4 input devices, I actually run 3, two on glass Toslink and one Coax. I have owned the Modius and while it has different input choices they are all different and will sound different. The Modius is a very, very good DAC.
@@doctorrobin3040 thanks for the input Doc. I'm leaning toward the modius for now instead of my Onkyo's built in dac but in the end, i might want to go with the Bifrost 2. I've heard so many good things about the Ares II but I want the most resolving while glare free dac i can find for the price.
Clean, concise, and full of good information. Great work as always. Your timing is incredible as I'm currently testing out a bifrost 2 and modius to decide which to pair with an Asgard 3 and LCD2C/ZMF Aeolus. Still haven't decided even though I've come across many of the things you have pointed out like the bifrost bass/slam and 3 dimensionality. Other than the large markup, the bifrost 2 seems damned near perfect, while the modius is almost there even though I hate the micro usb. I'd appreciate a recommendation to throw in there if you are familiar with these headphones primarily playing heavy doses of metal. Either way, its nice to see someone else hears what I do, so I know I don't have some sort of audio-induced delirium. Thank you for the reviews.
Maybe with both have audio-induced delirium? 😉 If you have the budget, the Bifrost 2 is definitely the way to go. I don't know either of those headphones directly, but owned LCD2s once upon a time (not that that helps). The reason I'd say to go for the B2 is that it's going to reward you more if you upgrade anything in the future. The Asgard 3 is really nice (I'm using one with the B2 at the moment), but it will be the limiting factor in your setup so if/when you want the next step you can upgrade that and the B2 will still have plenty to show you.
@@PassionforSound I've decided on the Bifrost 2. AB testing is useful initially, but after having listened to the Bifrost 2 for multiple sessions exclusively before switching back, the differences hit me in the face with how flat the Modius presented certain songs. The best way I can describe it is that the Modius is a perfect picture taken or drawn by someone very talented, then printed and placed in front of you on a large, room sized, curved canvas, while the Bifrost 2 is seeing the scene in person. The picture makes everything easily accessible at the cost of realism and space. You may have a harder time locating a specific detail in the real life scene due to shadows or distance, but it's real. My wooden ZMF Aeolus have never sounded better. I would love to hear what you think of any of Zach's dynamic headphones. Those looking for clinical detail above all else may not like the lush, musical house sound but would at least appreciate the hand crafted, wooden, masterwork art that is the ZMF lineup. From my understanding of your acoustic preferences, I think you would appreciate the more neutral Auteur for opened or Eikon for closed (Yes closed. ZMF does closed very well) as the open Aeolus are darker and warmer in comparison. Thank you for your quick input and I look forward to the next review!
That's a great description of the Modius vs Bifrost 2 presentation! I'm keen to try Zach's headphones at some point. I've heard very good things about them and I'm all for warmer, richer signatures when done right.
@@PassionforSound Thank you and feel free to use it if you wish. Ha. If well-done warmth is on the menu, I obviously recommend the Aeolus. I'm rather sensitive to treble and upper mid peaks/harshness and the Aeolus just makes everything so enjoyable presenting all of the details in the most natural and pleasing way. I hope you can get your hands on a pair sooner rather than later simply for enjoyment. I'll be waiting patiently for the Asgard 3 review. You seem to hold it in high regard. Thank you again for taking the time to provide input.
Thanks for your videos. They are great. One request I have is if you could please review a Schiit Gungnir and compare it to some DACs in the same price range. Thanks.
There may have been some shortages, but it also might not be listed as Bifrost 2/64 which is the new version. You'll likely also find buying direct from Schiit to actually save you some money too so consider that option as well 🙂
Really liked this review. You compare this Bof 2 an other dac. The way you describe this other dac sounds amazing. Not the Topping or the Denafrips, the one you really like. But you say the name so fast I can’t make out the name. Which dac is it?
Hi Rob, glad you liked it. Sorry for not being clear! The other DAC is the Hugo TT2 which is a much more expensive DAC. I included it here as a benchmark to see just how good the Bifrost 2 is.
Great review, enjoy your format/style! I've been looking at DAC's in this price range and the Bifrost has been at the top of my list. Your breakdown of its attributes vs the D90 & ARES II have kept it at the top of my list. I am looking to replace the old Burr-Brown DAC built in to my Parasound P5 and wonder what you think of that swap in terms of what improvements I could expect?
Hi Ed, without hearing that specific implementation, it's hard to say, but I think you'll find some nice improvements, particularly in 3-dimensionailty and soundstage depth.
@@PassionforSound Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. The only thing I'm having a hard time with right now is that Schiit moved their shipping date for Bifrosts to Jan 15. Hopefully that won't get pushed out further.
@@PassionforSound, Well, I was struck by COVID and actually took delivery during the 1st week of quarantine. I only had limited time to listen as I was not feeling up to it for a while. I installed it, did limited listening and left it on as you mentioned. So, last Thursday I was feeling well enough to give it some listening time. Unfortunately, the power supply had decided to take a permanent vacation somewhere between my last visit to trying to listen that day. Schiit was very quick in replying to my email and immediately sent me a return shipping label. I was able to pack it up and drop it off at the nearest FedEX location that afternoon. Supposed to receive the replacement later this week.
Oh no! That's dreadful on multiple levels! I'm glad you're feeling better and I hope the new Bifrost stays working longer. Between you and me (and anyone who reads this), my Bifrost died in much the same way. Hoping to get a replacement soon...
Great review. Agree on almost all points. For the most part, I really enjoy the BF2. I did not enjoy receiving the wrong color but that’s another story. It’s so good with rock and pop music, but I find its warmth and weight can be a just bit too much for classical. That being said, if there is one dac that can do it all, I haven’t heard it yet. :)
I know this is a step up and a different presentation to the budget Modius, but in comparison and regarding that glare that chip based dacs can have, ie, Topping D50s...is the Modius as glare free as the Bitfrost 2? Is the Modius as 2D sounding as the D90 or is there some depth?
Thank you for another thorough review. I currently have a audio quest dragonfly cobalt but I’m thinking about upgrading to a desk DAC. Would the BiFrost to work well with a direct iPhone USB input and a headphone amp and headphones? Would this be a good option for someone who is only using their phone as their data input source? Should I look somewhere else? As always, thanks for your great insight and advice.
Hi Jay, I've not tried the Bifrost 2 from a phone, but there's no inherent issue with doing what you suggest. Phone outputs can be a bit noisy, but the Bifrost 2 is pretty well protected from that. Just a matter of determining if the phone will see the Bifrost 2. I'll see if I can check that for you and report back...
Great schiituff! Do you think Bifrost 2's multibit tech is worth the upgrade from Magnius? I have a mini schiit stack (Magni heresy/Modi 3) for my desktop. I love the stack so much that I want to pair my THX AAA 789 amp from DROP with one of the Schiit products.
Hi Josh, I think the Bifrost 2 is the best DAC under $1000 from any company and maybe the best under $2000. I'd definitely recommend it for your upgrade. The 789 won't reward you with the full depth of soundstage that the Bifrost 2 is capable of, but it should still sound excellent.
@@PassionforSound @Passion for Sound That's excellent! I have plans to add a tube amp for that warm, deep sound stage, using the SE RCA pass on the 789. Any suggestions on which amp to demo for pairing with Bifrost 2? I apologize ahead for nagging you with many questions. I feel that your reviews and guidance are the most helpful, in terms of directions I am looking for! Thank you!
Happy to help, Josh, but I'm not sure which tube amp I'd recommend as most of my positive tube amp experiences have been DIY kit amps like the Bottlehead Crack, S.E.X. and Mainline, all of which I highly recommend if you have patience and basic soldering skills. Beyond that, it gets expensive with things like the Auris Audio Euterpe that I just reviewed recently.
Great review! I see users of Bifrost 2 say USB is better than optical because of his multibit module, i think. I would use Optical only 95% of the time, so this keep me away considering this great dac, could you try and see if this dac in Optical sounds almost as usb, or better than D90 in optical. If you could would be greatly appreciated for me, since i turn my head in lot of amazing sounding dac's like this but i'm scared they don't look to sound as great on optical?
Hi Viper, I tested all inputs for the Bifrost 2 and they all sound basically identical. The only differences I can hear could just as easily be from the cables used because they are very tiny differences. Optical has traditionally been better than USB so improved USB implementations like this one serve to match optical, not surpass it.
Hi and thanks a lot. Looking for a naturel sound ( Multibit) in the 400 $ range and couldn't afford the bifrost 2, which stack would you recommand? - Asgard 3 with the multibit dac - Asgard 3 + moduis - Asgard 3 + Modi (multibit)
Hi Mathieu, that's a tough one to answer because I haven't heard the Mimby (Modi MB) or the MB card in the Asgard. I think with the Asgard 3 I'd probably choose the Mimby though to get the naturalness of Multibit and it should be slightly better than an inbuilt card I'd think because it's separated from the amp componentry and any associated noise.
@@PassionforSound Thanks a lot. Is there a good multibit DAC available in the 300 to 600$ range. All the DAC you compared are a bit on the expensive side (for me)? Looking forward watching you review on the Asgard 3.
Hi Ted, the Asgard 3 is great if you're on a budget. The new Jotunheim should also be excellent, but I'm yet to hear it. The Burson Soloist 3X would be my ideal choice though.
Update: I ordered the Monolith Liquid Gold X to see if that will do the trick. I’m going to compare the built-in DAC to the Bifrost when the Liquid arrives.
I'm keen on getting an asgard 3 and would have paired it with bifrost 2 but the dac alone is $1600. Would there be better dac options at or lower than this price point (no longer at $1000 from time of review). Thinking of using these with Mrspeakers Ethers (red) and Focal Clear Pros. Any thoughts?
The Modius is probably the best DAC I've heard below the $1000 mark so far and then the Topping E30 would come next I think (or maybe the Loxjie D30). Neither come particularly close to the Bifrost 2, but they're solid DACs.
I'm sure I'm out of my league here but some classical music and some meters and showing us the separation would have been nice. I thought it was a little heavy on the bass.
Hi Tim, what do you mean about the meters and showing separation? Also, almost all modern DACs, including this one measure flat from 20-20,000Hz so there's no bass added, but perhaps the note weight of the Bifrost 2 is a bit heavier than what you're used to. (Note weight is the sense of presence and thickness of each instrument - it's a result of lots of factors like the filtering used and output stage design). I don't say that to make you wrong - if you prefer something leaner, that's totally fine - I just wanted to clarify for anyone else reading this
@@PassionforSound It was kind of meant as a joke because I'm listening to the music through my internet connection and my sound card and the cheap speakers I have plugged into my laptop. My volume is maximum even with the external speakers. In my twenties I used to be an audiophile and spent a lot of money on phono cartridges and Yamaha amplifiers with JBL's. All of that is gone now and you wonder if these little BT speakers with wireless can do anything. How small can the file be to retain all the nuance of the music and is it important. I suppose Bose is a way. Even with my cheap equipment my favorite song was done at 10 MB file by a women which I believe was done at a 394 sample rate and when you go to 64 or a 3 MB file it just isn't good. My comment concerned if I was hearing stereo or not as I couldn't tell. If there was a meter maybe I could hear the separation by looking at meters. I thought the classical music would be good to hear the different instruments in the music stream. Like I knew from years ago you can have a mastered LP but if you play it through cheap equipment it will still sound cheap. Nice review though, you are passionate. My friend transferred his whole LP collection to digital at 128 which he let me have a copy of the folder. Years of our old favorites, the ones you grow up with, and I think they all sound lacking. I wish he would have done a 256 recording but then I don't understand the other factors that might have been necessary for a good recording.
Yeah, there's no doubt in my mind that higher quality files make a difference - particularly going from lossy (MP3) to lossless (FLAC). For my videos, everything except my voice is in stereo. My voice is converted to mono from a stereo recording because if improves the sound quality and intelligibility.
Thanks for this lovely review and comparison again. Seems the only one that is missing from your comparison/lineup is the Burson Composer DAC from your own country 😉! I tried the RME adi 2, but it was too sterile/clinical for me and lacked soundstage with nearfield speakers. I ordered the Burson Conductor Performance to try out, so very curious how that will work in my system. Apparently it is a great dac, great preamp and great headphone amp, so killer combo device for the money. It should combine the soundstage of the Ares 2 combined with the detail of the D90, without sounding too flat. You can also tune it with the opamps to your liking. I will receive it next Tuesday, so very curious to find out how this performs. You were already very impressed with the Soloist I remember. Thomas & Stereo was most impressed with the Composer Dac, of al the “budget” dacs.
I have a Composer arriving in about 2 weeks I believe (along with my Soloist! 😁) Glad you liked the review and I think the Conductor will be great for you.
I should clarify that the Composer is on loan for review, but it should be an excellent stack. Ultimately I'll be using the Soloist with the Bifrost 2 and Hugo TT2
@@PassionforSound Yes I think the difference with Dacs might be much more noticeable on hi end headphones than they are on similar priced speakers/amp combo’s or active speakers. So the conclusions on a Dac from a headfi guy should be assessed differently from a hifi guy is my take. You would probably need an at least 10k speaker system to start noticing those differences in a obvious way. The room, position, speakers and the amps themselves all have much more impact on the sound experience if you go from let’s say a few hundred dollars Dac to a 1k Dac. I would argue a 1k Dac on a 2k speakers system is generally overkill and can even result in too much detail and sharpness. You can better invest that 700 euro in better speakers or (pre)amplification.
Thanks for introducing me to Sarah McLachlan :) I really appreciate your reviews. I do have a question about the relative difference between Bifrost and Gungnir, have you had the chance to try it as well?
Hi Raymond, I don't have a Gungnir available to test, but I used to own a Gumby with the USB5 and Analog 1 boards. Based entirely on memory and various comparisons, I think the Bifrost 2 is better than the older Gumby. I can't speak to the recent additions though and how they might have improved it.
@@PassionforSound thanks, it was interesting to hear. Other person told me that Gumby A1 might be more dynamic sounding, but I didn’t hear the Bifrost 2 myself. Did you listen Gumby over USB?
Great video, I really like your work and reviews, adjectives that you use give excellent idea of the work that each dac does. You mention many interesting adjectives for me, I only have confusion in one: Expansive sound. I understand it as being in a large room, where the sound has a lot of space to expand and be more three-dimensional, but to hear it you must be behind a few meters, softening the music a little and that it does not give up so direct, otherwise a dac that has no expansive sound, as you mention with adi-2 dac, means that you lose three-dimensional space , to deliver a more direct, energetic, blunt sound on your face as you mention with D90? I hope I don't confuse you with my text.
Hi Erick, not confusing at all. Yes, that's what I mean by expansive. Some DACs produce a very 2-dimensional soundstage (Topping D90, RME ADI-2, etc.) with width, but no depth. Others like the Bifrost 2, Qutest and TT2 create a much better sense of depth as well as width. These are what I call expansive. By creating this space, you shouldn't be losing energy and detail. If that happened, I would describe that as smoothed off (like the Ares II) or words similar to that. In products with expansive (or 3-dimensional) presentations all the detail and energy is still there, but there's better layering of those details in space versus a flat wall of sound like the Topping, ADI-2, etc.
@@PassionforSound Thank you very much, excellent explanation, you made everything very clear to me. I really appreciate that. Seriously thinking about buying ADI-2 and Bifrost 2, and staying with the one I like the most, or both !!! it is a pity that in my country I do not get proof for 30 days with option of return, I listen rock, it may not be so necessary a 3 D presentation, but it would be interesting to have both and stay with the one I like the most, I will consult with my wallet if I can afford that !!! You're a good person, I really appreciate all the time you use in reviews, and in answering every message they write to you, that shows passion for your work, never change !!!!
Would you say the D90 is more detailed overall? I like my BF2 but the smooth sound signature keeps me from feeling as engaged as something like a Gungnir which is very dynamic in comparison especially with the bass. It sounds more liquid despite being a tad bit cooler.
Hi Brian, I've noticed a few times now that the DS DACs seem more detailed because they push everything forward in the mix and create a 2-dimensional sound. It's great for those who like to hear every detail, but it comes at the sacrifice of some soundstage depth, separation of sounds/instruments and (to me) realism in the music. Is your Gungnir a standard or multibit version?
Hi Eric, I'm confident it will be based on my experience of how Schiit products scale as you move up the range, but I am still working on getting one for review.
Eric...my previous DAC prior to the bifrost 2 and Topping D70s was the Modi Multibit. If your question is does the BiFrost 2 sound 2.5xs better than modi mulitibit then no...but in my limited experience audio never scales like that. If you are asking however if I'd pay the $699 again instead of the $250 for the modi multibit? Then yes. I certainly would. I really enjoyed the modi multibit. Had it for quite awhile...but the BiFrost 2 is better in every single way. Not leaps and bounds better but if you take pretty much any area bass treble mids Soundstage, imaging etc and each of those things get better by 20%...then the whole listening experience is very noticeably better. I couldn't see myself going back.
@@jlovigs2139 This is very interesting! Would you say the Bifrost 2 is worth it even if you only use the SE output? I remember hearing the Magnius SE output wasn't very good because the architecture favors balanced. I have an SE amp, so balanced doesn't help me.
@@EricRosenfield when I first got the BiFrost 2 I had it paired with the Asgard 3 which is single ended. It does sound a little better out of the balanced connection with the balanced amp but not by a lot. If you are coming from a single ended and that's all you know (like for me at first) then yeah...the single ended output is very good. It's really not a big difference from the balanced connection.. This is all of course just my opinion...my ears...my chain etc. But it is truly my experience.
At this point, I don't have anything to listen to higher than 192..... And I don't see myself chasing higher numbers just because they are numerically higher...... but do higher kHz sound better/different? Because if they do, then it seems like something that tops out at 192 is heading to obsolescence. What are your thoughts? (Ps I currently use Asgaard3 and modi3+, mainly classical, some jazz, occasional pop as well)
There's really no absolute need to chase higher sample rates. The benefits of higher sample rates are twofold: 1) it provides more room for the DAC filters to operate outside of the audible range and this can allow for better, less aggressive filtering. (2) higher sample rates may be better and capturing the timing of fine details in the music such as transients which in turn can improve the timbral accuracy of the playback. Personally, I think it's nice to have higher rates, but not at all necessary. Most gear sounds great with anything from 16/44 up and Schiit's Multibit DACs that don't go above 192 still sound better than some of their DSD-capable competitors.
So, maybe a bit of a stupid question, but the fact that the bifrost 2 does not support highres and no MQA, does it make a bad fit for Tidal with their Master albums? Kind regards
Hi Rana, that's an interesting question. I've found non-MQA albums to be preferable where available, but when there's no choice, an MQA DAC is probably preferable. I'll try a comparison with the D90 and let you know... Or I might even make a full video on it...
Bifrost 2 does support high-res up to 24/192khz. There's some logic behind this as electrical signals can only really get about 20~21bit accurate before thermal noise takes over, so 24bit is used. While 192khz provides great accuracy in the time domain. 44.1khz was picked for sampling of CDs way back in the day as it can sample sounds up to 22.05khz which was determined more than enough at the time but 44.1khz is 22.67µs between samples. Apparently recent studies have shown that humans can hear differences down to the 6-15µs range (depending on the person I believe those with 6µs hearing were people that had a life long history with music), thus 192khz sampling being 5.2µs is determined to be enough. Some DACs today say they'll do 32bit/768khz, which to me basically means they've got caught up in a specs war. It looks good but I'm not sure it matters. Some people like MQA some people are against it. The guys at Schiit are against it as they see it as a licensing fee like paying Dolby, DTS or HDMI is basically required in the home theater space. That said if you only listen with TIDAL which it's MQA library is growing (even recently they added a lot more MQA albums) there are some advantages to having a DAC that can do the MQA decoding internally. Schiit have said their Multi-bit DACs are built for those that want to enjoy the music they already own (assuming people own a big CD or FLAC library). But if you don't own a ton of music and strictly use TIDAL then an MQA capable DAC might be a better choice.
Adding onto this, I've done some listening and here's what I found comparing D90 MQA and Bifrost 2: PCM tracks on both - Bifrost wins PCM on D90, MQA on Bifrost - Bifrost wins MQA to both - D90 is slightly better to my ears, but the Bifrost 2 sounds great and some will prefer it's sound. The D90 is smoother when playing MQA, but retains all the same detail, just better presented. It's like the D90 with MQA does what the Bifrost 2 does with PCM which is to produce a smoother, but fully resolved reproduction that has better 3-dimensionality. If you're all in on MQA, the D90 is probably the better choice. For a mixed library, I'd go Bifrost 2. Really interesting question, though!
Thanks for the answers. I don't own a lot of flac albums, I stream a lot of Masters albums via Tidal. I'm guessing I'm far from being the only one. So it might indeed be very interesting to see what DAC would fit a Tidal owner with their large MQA Master albums. Streaming high res audio is getting more popular nowadays after all compared to the old skool CD -ripping- flacs. The "issue" here is, the r2r DAC's are often not MQA compatible, at least not to my knowledge, so for millions of Tidal users and more and more high quality streaming players, a lot of good DAC's are suddenly becoming a bad fit, that would be a shame 🤔 The Topping stuff are all MQA certified right? Both the Denafrips and the Schiit Bifrost 2 are better than the Topping D 90, correct? Unless you listen to Tidal... Now that would be an interesting test. Same goes for the D50s of course. Update: lol, I just saw you posted that you already did some tests like this👍👍👌👌
Glad you saw my response. I'm contemplating some kind of video about this, but it's a tricky one to cover. Oh, but beware that not ALL Topping gear is MQA. It will specifically say it if it is MQA
Very professsionnal review ! I currently have a Violectric V200 with a Gustard A18 (AK4499), Nordost Valhalla XLR cable and Beyerdynamic T1.1. I would like to add a second DAC that would sound more organic but not too soft, are there currenltly any benefits of picking a Gungnir A2 with unison USB over a Bifrost 2 ? I also have my eyes on the Singxer SDA-6 with the "advanced" options, on paper this DAC seems to be excellent.
Hi Alex, glad you like the review. I haven't heard a modern Gungnir (mine was A1 & Gen5 USB). I know the Bifrost 2 is excellent and also much more compact and I think it fits what you're describing, but I can compare it to your other mentioned DACs - sorry!
Nice review as always (liking the new graphic effect too, don’t recall seeing that before!), few questions though. Inputs, any difference between them? Outputs, any difference between them? And lastly....should I upgrade from a Modius!? Cheers
Hi Richard, glad you liked it. Always looking to keep things fresh and try new editing/production techniques. Which graphic did you mean specifically? As for the inputs and outputs, I need to double check on the inputs. Outputs are essentially indistinguishable (allowing for the fact that my interconnects aren't identical). Should you upgrade? The Bifrost 2 is definitely better so it just comes down to how much you value an increase in sound quality of maybe 10-15% (always hard to put numbers to sound quality improvement)
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the info, I think it’ll slot into my setup very nicely!! Damn I was sure Qutest, but hearing how BF2 can not be a million miles from a TT2, well...that has to be high praise indeed! I love my Modius too so if BF2 is better again then it’s got to be winner. If you had to sum up very briefly in 1 line BF2 vs Modius, what does BF2 do better? I like the smooth nature of Modius, but I’d like some more sparkle/attack up top (which I incorrectly called roll off on a previous comment, but its just the slight lack of top end bite. And wider deeper sound stage would be a bonus. Also the graphics I was referring where on the product panning shots of BF2 and then it goes sort of animated, cool (and if you’ve been doing it a long time then it shows I’m simply not very observant!! But I hadn’t noticed that effect before). Cheers
I think Qutest might still be a hair better than BF2, but for the price, the BF2 is amazing! I'd say BF2 is just like the Modius with some extra resolution, greater sense of space and more 3-dimensionality for each sound / instrument. It's everything the same, but better. I don't think the BF2 will give you the extra bite you're looking for and I don't think a DAC should be any "bitier" than the BF2 so maybe look at other parts of your sound chain for opportunities. Amps and cables are often good places to start. As for the glamour vid, I've never used that effect before - it's new so you haven't overlooked it in the past. Each time I do a new glamour vid I try to see what suits the footage and the music I've chosen and just try new things. I quite liked this one too 🙂
@@PassionforSound that’s certainly true for the money the BF2 represents terrific quality and it’s pretty much half the price of the Qutest. I like Chord, it’s British as am I, but... I do wonder just how much extra we are paying for the milled case and pretty lights etc! Have you seen the price of the new Qutest System Stand just released for example! Clearly there’s a good couple of hundred added to the Qutest that is nothing audio related, whereas Schiit seems the minimum and pared back approach on those components- and the focus is audio components only. It’s the TVR of the audio world!
Versus something like the modius ($199) is it worth the extra cost. The bifrost is ($699). I currently use a Magnius/Modius stack. But I've heard the SE isn't that great so I only use it balanced if can. I'm considering an asgard+bifrost or possibly Jotunheim+Bifrost. Since they have all the same form factor (length and width) I can stack them all so like a Magnius+Modius+Asgard (in case I have a headphone incompatible with balanced) stack. Or would it be worth it to have a quad stack with the bifrost added.
Hi Krypto, I compared the Modius to Bifrost 2 in my Modius review if you want greater detail, but the short answer is that I believe it's worth the extra. Bifrost 2 is one of the best value pieces of equipment I've ever heard. Performance for price is insane. I'm reviewing the new Jotunheim soon so stay tuned because I'm hopeful that Bifrost 2 + Jotunheim 2 could be approaching endgame for way less than $2000 USD
@@PassionforSound Thank You, I'll probably consider doing a Magnius/Asgard/Bifrost stack since i drive my HD6xx and HD800s fully balanced at the moment.
Great review. I have Bifrost 1 Multibit and I'm very happy with it, would be curious if there is any point in upgrading to version 2. Also have the SMSL SU-8 Aniv. version, that should measure incredible well, but to my ears it sounds somewhat oversharpened and unnatural compared to Bifrost 1 Multibit.
Hi Flisker, yes, that's the problem with the measurements - they tell us nothing about the tonality of the sound, just distortion levels. As for upgrading your Bifrost. I think it's a significant upgrade based on what I'm hearing and my memory of the Gumby I owned. I believe the B2 is a bit better than the Gumby (USB5 and Analog 1) so it should also be better than the B1
I owned the Bifrost 2 for a while, and as good as it was, I was always hoping to upgrade to the Qutest. I know you don’t have it anymore, but (from memory) are they really that close? If money/value was irrelevant, I would think the Qutest with its insane technology would offer a noticeable amount of detail retrieval over the Bifrost 2!
Hi Sean, I still think Qutest is probably slightly better than the Bifrost 2. I wish I had one here to confirm! I would still but the Qutest if money were no object.
I haven't. BUT I do recall trying the Bifrost 2 and M-Scaler way back when I first got the Bifrost 2 and the impact was smaller than on most DACs. That could be partly due to the Bifrost 2 not accepting super high sample rates or it could be that the Multibit approach is already doing a better job with timing accuracy compared to delta sigma DACs
How would you compare vocals , (specially female vocals than rely on upper mids ) of D90 vs Bitfrost 2? Is there a notable difference? Which one has better bass slam/impact?
The D90 flattens out the upper frequencies a bit and it makes female vocals a little edgy. The Bifrost 2 creates a more 3D rendering that's more enjoyable to my ears. In terms of bass, the character is ever-so-slightly different, but I'd say they both hit just as hard. Bifrost 2 is the more realistic sounding DAC though with better nuance to the sound.
Yeah. What I CAN tell you is that it inverts the phase of the whole signal (both channels). My experience with speakers has me wondering if phasing issues there are more about just one channel being out due to different distances from the listener. That would need channel phase switching, not signal phase switching (my terms, not sure correct terms)
@@PassionforSound ok - I thought it was single ch...if it does both channels I'm still not understanding the purpose then. Even with the example you gave.
Yeah, it's hard to explain and I'm not convinced that I can hear the difference. I guess it's as though the microphone was wired out of phase (on both channels) and therefore captured all the waveforms in reverse polarity. Theoretically, it shouldn't make a big difference I think, but some say they can hear it. I need to do more testing...
I’ve been trying to decide the best dac that would match with my LaFigaro 339i tube amp. Headphones are either the Beyer T1.2 or DT1990. What would be your choice of dac between the Bifrost 2, Topping D70 or D90 and the Gustard x16?
For me? Bifrost 2 all the way. The others are all good DACs, but the soundstage depth and natural tonality of the Bifrost 2 beat the 2D sound that the ESS and AKM chips create. To be fair, I haven't heard the D70 or X16 yet, but I've heard so many delay sigma chip-based DACs now that I'm very confident in the recommendation.
In pure detail, you could look at options from Topping, SMSL, Soncoz, Gustard, etc. but keep in mind that you're trading off soundstage depth and overall realism when you go to these chip-based (i.e. ESS/AKM) DACs.
Thanks Connor! I have the Spring and May KTE on the way. Hopefully that's close enough. I'll discuss my understanding of how the L2 and KTE will differ when I do the review
I would choose the Bifrost 2 in any situation over the Ares II. I think it's the better overall DAC. The Liquid Platinum doesn't have any extreme character than needs particular help from the DAC so the Bifrost 2 would be my choice.
In July 2020, I compared the Qutest and Bifrost 2 for several days. I ended up keeping the Qutest and returning the Bifrost 2. I liked the Bifrost 2, but perceived a smoother, more grain-free sound from the Qutest. Someone else certainly might make another choice, especially if a balanced output is desired. I thought they were both really great DACs. Around that time, I also tried an RME ADI-2 DAC. I returned it because I was disappointed with the headphone amp section, and was put off by its incredible complexity of operation. I still have the Qutest, and have never regretted my decision.
Thanks , I appreciate your time to respond. I also discovered another DAC and I purchased it too , which is the Pontus II by denafrips. So far it’s smooth but with a muscular tone.. For some reason I haven’t seen you reviewing preamplifiers , is there a reason?
Hi Rulbert, I haven't been setup with the right active speakers to test pre-amps and I don't use passive speakers and power amps. I have a few recent reviews of headphone amps and pre-amps and will continue to share them as I have more come across my desk.
Ah I see, you’re more advanced than me , lol. I’m still using passive speakers and I’m in a quest for a preamplifier. Your reviews matter to me and you’re doing a phenomenal work.. I hope you also find a satisfying pair of active ones so you can pursue your journey in a more pleasing way. Good job.
Hi Kevin, yes. The SE and balanced are basically indistinguishable. I don't have identical interconnects so I'll stop short of saying they're 100% the same, bit they're close enough so as to not worry.
I'm in the market for my first DAC and I been watching videos for months. It would be for a HiFi system that is driven by a tube amplifier. Would you choose this dac or the denafrips?
If you're using tubes, there's a good chance the sound is already a touch warmer so I'd probably choose the Bifrost 2, but it really depends on whether you want a rich, warm and spacious DAC or more neutral sound that's a bit more resolving and still quite spacious (just not as much as the Denafrips)
Just wanted to say thanks. I am a recovering audiophile from about 20 years ago and wanted to get back into it. You're one of the few reviewers that talks details about the actual sound qualities and soundstage instead of solely focusing on measurements which to me are mostly irrelevant marketing ploys. Thanks for your clear well thought out views.
Thanks Chris. So glad I can help a recovering audiophile! 🙂
What's their name ASR? Can't stand that site. "Look how great it measures!" "I'm blown away with that 99% reading!"
Like Zappa would say: "who gives a FCK?"
Yeah, it can be interesting to see the measurements sometimes, but they're a totally unreliable predictor of sound quality (e.g. Topping EX5)
Yesss, waiting on your opinion on this! You have become one of my favorite reviewers
Glad I could oblige 🙂
Finally here, a great review. Got my BF2 last week and it was absolutely amazing pairing up with my Rag. The sound is just come to life compare to my RME which is a little flat and straightforward.
Again, very thorough and detailed review here with the comparison to ares2 which a lot of people are struggling choosing between. Not a lot reviewers out there are doing dac reviews nowadays, very glad that you can keep making high quality contents with dacs. Please keep it up.
Thanks HOB, glad you like the content. The BF2/Rag combo must be really nice. I've always wanted to try a Rag 1 as a headphone amp, but haven't gotten there just yet...
Hi, I'm sorry I got in.
About RME adi-2 dac, by saying that it is flat and direct, with flat you mean that all instruments and details are delivered on the same plane with the same strength and force, without having much three-dimensional or deep stage in layers? or flat you mean frequency response?
Hi Erick, yes that word is a bit confusing and I'm trying to find some new descriptors. I mean 2-dimensional sound. It IS also very flat in terms of frequency response, but all good modern DACs should be. When people describe DACs as having emphasis anywhere, it's most likely the timbre/texture of the sound they are talking about and how it influences our perception, not an actual increase in bass, treble or midrange.
@@PassionforSound Gracias !!! plana creo tiene doble significado, plana puede hablar de escenario sonoro, y también respuesta de frecuencia, por eso mi confusión, pero creeme lo haces perfecto, siempre lo agradeceré.
I have no idea what you said after "gracias", but you're welcome! 🙂
That was a fantastic review! You really nailed the character of the Bifrost 2. Ironically back in February of this year I was considering the Bifrost 2, Ares II and A90 and went with the Bifrost 2 and have loved it ever since! I don't think there is a better DAC that can sort of "do it all" anywhere near this price point. Once again, superb review!
Thanks so much! Glad you're loving your Bifrost 2
Finally a review of all these 3 DACs! Thanks for your thorough insight and impressions. Great review!
My pleasure. Glad it was helpful!
Simply the finest review of the Bifrost 2 I have heard on TH-cam. I truly appreciate your contribution to the art. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Awake!
one of the top tier youtube reviewers on hifi who is not afraid to share your opinion. When asked to comment on Device A vs Device B, most TH-camrs will cop out and say they can't provide an opinion as they've heard Device B (ie. Dark.....) You gave your best guess based on your experience and that to me, is an A+ in my books.
Thanks, Veritas - I aim to help without hopefully ever speaking on a topic that I shouldn't.
Your remarks on multibit/r2r vs normal dacs are spot on
Thank you. It's always nice to get confirmation that I'm not the only one hearing things this way 🙂
I have not heard the Bifrost 2, but I have owned the Gungnir Multibit (A2, if there is such a thing) for 3 years, and I really love it. I had the Modi Multibit for about 6 months before that, and immediately started saving to move up their line. If the Bifrost 2 had been out , I would probably have gone that route, but my dac is the one bit of gear I don't think about upgrading. At my budget, there is nothing I have heard for which I would trade it. Not to everyone's taste I am sure, but perfect for me and my 60 year-old ears. Thanks for your efforts, mate. Cheers.
Thanks Kurt. I totally get where you're coming from. My Gumby (using A1 board) was my longest lasting DAC until the Qutest and then TT2 came along, but it was a close call and the A2 board is apparently a significant upgrade.
Glad you're loving your setup.
Great review. I've been wanting to try it out myself for some time now, but Schiits are quite expensive to import into my country. I just subbed, it's good to keep an eye on the competition, especially the good ones. :) Keep up with great work! Cheers from Serbia!
Thanks iiWi. That's the biggest challenge with Schiit if you're outside the US. I'll come over and check out your channel too 🙂
@@PassionforSound It would be nice to get a comparison between the D70s (which some claim has some of that R2R sound) and the Bitfrost 2. I have heard the D70s in my system albeit using rca and not xlr but compared to the dac in my hegel h160, the D70s was warmer and had more low end grunt but a bit less separation and a smidge less resolution. If the Bitfrost 2 has just a bit more separation and resolution over the d70s it would be preferred by me. I think the only drawback is that alot of Topping dacs can decode SACD and HDCD formats on discs which sound a step above Redbook CDs (when using a transport). Really enjoy the vids and your effort, it helps.
I'm yet to hear the D70S, but I'd be shocked if it's providing anything other than warmth in the sound. What I mean by that is that R2R DACs and Schiit's Multibit DACs present the sound differently. Whilst some R2R DACs come across thick and warm (like the Denafrips Ares II), the magic of these non Delta Sigma DACs are that they provide a much better sense of space in the presentation and a slightly more natural timbre.
Of course, if you're just looking for a slightly warmer sound then please ignore all that and maybe check out the SMSL SU-8s. I've got the review coming out VERY soon... 😉
@@PassionforSound It's warm but bass is still tight. The warmth bleeds into separation just a bit but there is good detail. I slightly preferred the AKM 4396F in my hegel for resolution but the D70s was nice. A very solid step up form y Marantz CD6006 which was better than the sub $300 dacs I tried. Hence trying to decide between Topping and Schitt now that I am open to that kind of budget. The D70s is nice, but may be with us for a limited time unless Topping gives it an overhaul like they did with the D90se.
So this is the Schiitty review, I love it!
Sometimes I can't help but talk some Schiit 😉
Great review! Thanks for comparing to the D90 & Ares - those were the exact other 2 I was considering when I ended up buying the Bifrost a few months ago. Sounds like I made the right choice. I'm sure others in the same position will find your assessment very useful. 👍
You've definitely made the right choice, Chris. Enjoy your Bifrost!
Super video! I applauded for $10.00 👏👏👏
Thank you so much!
Since I last messaged you I've given up on the Cayin RU6 and Denafrips. I'm looking at this Bifrost 2, ifi NEO and the Soncoz SGD1. Yes, all are at least double the cost of the Cayin. The Soncoz is available locally and that's a big advantage for me, but not the only factor to consider.
Thanks for this review. It really helped.
Glad I could help. I've actually got the Soncoz here now and it's a great DAC. The Bifrost 2 is probably still slightly better, but nothing wrong with the SGD-1.
After hearing your Ïnside the Life..."video I took the plunge and ordered the Bifrost and the Burson Soloist 3xP. OMG! how did I put up with the old entry level combo for so long time?. Soundstage and imaging incredibly good and the realism of the acoustic instruments is exceptional through the Empyreans. For anyone, agonising over spending the money - just do it. You won't be disappointed. And thanks for your excellent advice, Lachlan.
So glad I could help and that you're enjoying your setup so much now!
Without wanting to make you spend more money, I have a video coming soon about different op-amps you can use in the Soloist 3XP and it can actually get a little bit better still! (Only a little bit though)
A year on and the need to replace my 30 yo CD player, I took the advice of another YT reviewer and bought a Cambridge CD transport and coupled it to the Bifrost 2. What a revelation! Who said CDs were dead? A new musical experience.
That's great news! So glad you're enjoying it! Did you get the new Bifrost 2/64 or did you get your BF2 secondhand somewhere?
I bought the original from Schiit. From the comments there seems to be differing opinions on the 2/64. Given my vintage and state of hearing I'm well pleased with what I have now
There's nothing wrong with the standard Bifrost 2. If it weren't for the 2/64 the OG would still be my favourite DAC under $1000
I wanted the Bifrost 2, but spent $600 on my balanced Freya S preamp instead. The $500 I saved on the Modius will pay for headphones and headphone amp. I'll upgrade my DAC after main amps and loud speakers. My ears are decent for an older guy. I'll see if this holds up for the next several years. Your reviews and channel are excellent. What the heck is wrong with TH-cam for not reccomending your channel sooner?
Thanks AA! I think you've made a wise choice, not that the Bifrost 2 isn't great, but it would be wasted if you had to buy super budget gear to pair with it. Much better to go the route you've chosen I think 🙂
Excellent review. Your ear is very similar to mine, I had the same impressions of the Bifrost 2 and Chord TT2. I would add that the presentation on the TT2 is slightly faster and more involving than the Bifrost 2 but not by much. Keep up the good work!
I agree about the sense of speed and engagement from TT2. Glad we're hearing similar things (nice to get confirmation from time to time)
I don't have a Biforst, but I do have a Asgard 3 with the Multibit DAC card installed. Having lived with it as a digital source for over a year I can tell you there is a huge difference after letting it warm up for several hours. It sounds a bit cold and thin for the first twenty minutes or so and blossoms into being very tonally rich, spacious sounding and the transient response is tough to beat.
I literally don't turn it off even though it has a non insignificant power draw idling. I'm getting very close to pulling the trigger on a new Bifrost. I've been trying Chinese DACs and keep returning them. I respect what they are doing, but I just keep plugging my heaphone rig into my main stereo in place of others DACs I keep trying, so I think it's safe to say I'm a Multibit guy.
I've really been enjoying Schiit week, and I really enjoyed your interview series with Jason. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Ben! You'll notice significant improvements from the Bifrost 2 I think and it pairs wonderfully with the Asgard 3. That's my secondary setup for editing, etc. at the moment.
Did you ever end up upgrading to the BF2?
Excellent and detailed review! loved those glamour shots! your descriptions of multibit/r2r vs chip-based are really clear and helpful in conveying the differences. I've never used an R2R/multibit but I may consider it!
Hi Michael, glad it was helpful and that you liked the glamour vid! 🙂 Chips can be very good too, but I find R2R and Multibit to be slightly more enjoyable at a similar price point
Fantastic job on this review! I appreciate your specific thoughts using comparisons of the Bifrost2 to other popular DACs! Awesome job!
Thanks LP Spinners!
I just ordered the Bifrost. I haven't listened to it or any of the others but I went on my gut feeling as to what will be the best decision. Sound quality will be very close to ares 2, but when you factor in the future upgradability and with Schiits excellent customer service and dealing with a US company. I went with the Schiit!
I think you've made a great choice and I think it's a better DAC than the Ares II
Nice review. To my ears, where the Bifrost really pulls ahead of the D90 is in spacial resolve and imaging. Imaging on the D90 has that somewhat vague, "cardboard cutout" sound typical of a lot of chip-based DACs, lacking the dimensionality and coherency that give the Bifrost's sonic image its holography, or that sense that the image actually occupies a portion of physical space. I also found it to be rather significantly more resolving of both subtle sonic cues and volume modulation, as well as being able to better delineate harmonic overtones and present a richer, more life-like timbre.
To be honest, I've yet to be impressed by anything Topping has produced. I get the sense that they care more about measurements than they do sound.
That's a great summary on every level I think. The measurement-based design approach doesn't really serve any of us searching for the most enjoyable sound so it's great to know that manufacturers like Schiit, Chord, Geshelli Labs and others are combining measurements and subjective listening to design products that measure well (perhaps not perfect) and sound fantastic!
Fantastic review mate! I'm really enjoying the new review space layout too. Great camera positioning. The rooms looking awesome. Cheers
Awesome! Glad you like it and thanks for letting me know!
@@PassionforSound No problem. Keep it up. The channel keeps getting better and better.
Another great review. Thanks. Veering towards Asgaard 3 and this unit.
It's a nice setup. The Asgard 3 limits the maximum performance so a future upgrade would improve it, but it's a great start. I'm actually in the process of prepping my Asgard 3 review now...
@@PassionforSound great looking forward to hearing it. Where would you go up from the Asgard then, for desktop use
I'm guessing higher level Schiit amps would do well, but I haven't heard them. Otherwise something like the Monoprice Liquid Platinum (currently on sale) would be a nice upgrade, but at full price you might as well go straight to the Burson Soloist for great performance. For something a bit closer in price, the Burson Fun amp might beat the Asgard 3, but I need to test that in the review process
@@PassionforSound Great thanks so much for the advice it is really appreciated. Will start saving.😊
BTW, in stating you would have to twist the XLR cable 180 degrees, note the longer the cable the less stressful that degree of twist will have on the cable.
Very true. It's no fun with my shortish, solid core AudioQuests!
On STAX headphones, to be precise STAX Lambda PRO benefits from phase shift (STAX ED-1 EQ setting) it does widen the soundstage a lot and gives better instrument placement on the soundstage.
Cool. Thanks for sharing that, Cam.
stax on tubes already have a huge soundstage, add this EQ and you will hear the sound stage in the next universe i did hear one when i was younger, but family friend who had it sold it before i could buy it at least i got his stax, i hear they are quit rare and i have not seen any for sale do you know where i can get one? i think they cost as much as the amp.
@@chefsteve8381 ebay and hifishark are you best choise. But yes they are rare. Mine cost 900€ amp and headphones 750€. They are in top condition, like new.
@@Thevikingcam thanks
Hi, Lachlan.
After weeks comparing the Composer and the Bifrost 2, balanced and unbalanced (it was complicated to set the volume, because the Composer has a slightly higher output), I've come to the conclusion that the spatial information the Bifrost 2 renders feels weird with some recordings. What I mean by this is, it's not that the Bifrost 2 positions better the instruments in the space, but it just pulls to the front or back sounds in certain frequency range.
It's interesting to listen to something like Bruckner's 4th symphony, with Manfred Honeck directing the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (I mention this recording only because it's a magnificent recording and it shows what I mean very clearly), and instruments which are behind the violins, sound like that until they reach a climax (1st movement, around 5:00 more or less) and horns are blown harder, they reach certain notes in a higher frequency, and all of a sudden they're in the front line, whereas violins sound farther in the back.
I don't mean they sound louder, but that the spatial sensation you get is they moved to the front.
It's in any case, a deceptive spatial information. The Composer may be more upfront, no doubt, but it doesn't "move" the instruments like the Bifrost 2 does. Horns are still in the back, even if they sound louder than strings in the front.
After noticing this, I started checking other records, and I found another odd thing. In many solo piano recordings, when the recording has a fuller sound (Angela Hewitt playing Bach's keyboard partitas, for example), the lower keys played with the left hand sometimes sounded farther to the back. Not lower, but farther to the back. As if there were two pianos, one played to the front and another in the back only with the left half of the keys.
Weird...
I still find the Bifrost tremendously enjoyable. But I feel as if it's doing something weird with the spatial information.
As for air in the recording and soundstage, I feel the Composer beats the Bifrost, too.
That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing your experiences! It's not something I've noticed, but I'll take a listen when I can (the B2 is currently on tour with channel patrons)
Can I ask what other gear you were using (just for context so I can try to replicate your experiences)
@@PassionforSound Hi.
The headphone amp I used was a Soloist 3XP. Which, by the way, reaches so deep and it's so transparent that it welcomes the extra detail the Composer adds.
I used two switches to a/b. For unbalanced connection, a Schiit Sys, and for balanced, a Nobsound 3 in 1 out switch.
RCA and balanced too, are some cables I bought from Ghent Audio (ebay). They are all the same type, so there shouldn't be any interference in the result.
I've also tried several times changing cables, and I never noticed anything, at least at the level I can afford.
The result was the same both in balanced and SE. It's very dependent on the recording, though.
In the case of solo piano recordings, if the sound is richer, the depth where there should be none is more obvious. If it's dry, it won't be noticeable. But take Schiff's latest cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas (ECM), and it's there.
I'm listening to Belder's recording of the Scarlatti sonatas on the harpsichord, and it's there too. With the BF2, it's like there is a harpsichordist playing behind Belder.
Maybe it's a matter of synergy with the amp, I have no idea.
In any case, don't get me wrong: the BF2 sounds awesome. I still think the Composer delivers better the air in the recording, vocals and soundstage, but I could be happy with any of them.
I have both now, so I'm extra happy.
But happiness can't last, so eventually I'll get rid of one of them.
By the way, I'm a patron too, just not in the highest ranks... ;)
Thanks for the extra info and SO sorry that I didn't even check who'd written the comment as I responded before or I would have realised that you're a patron (I haven't forgotten you 🙂).
I'll do some testing when the B2 returns and see what I can hear.
@@PassionforSound There's absolutely no need to apologize for that! I'm a little patron, anyway. XD
I so appreciate your applying the comparisons and qualitative benefits to specific recordings. Equipment pairing is one dimension, but music pairing is just as important. Super-excellent and informative review. Still deciding between the Bifrost 2 and the Ares II as an upgrade from an Airist r2r, but am much closer to an informed decision 👍🏼
So glad you found it helpful, John!
Ah thank you for this! You've mentioned the Gungnir MB in a few videos, I would like to see your review of that as well if you still have it or get the opportunity to get one. Great wrap up to a crazy week in the US though, thank you!
Sadly, the Gumby was sold to fund the Qutest purchase, but hopefully I'll get a chance to try a current version in the future. Glad the video was a welcome break from electionitis!
Great sound comparison with the Ares and D90. I love my Bifrost 2. Magical sound.
Glad you liked the comparison. It's a wonderful DAC!
Does the new Bifrost 2 have a warm dark sound with detail? If true that would be great!😊
I wouldn't say it's particularly warm or dark, but it is smoother and maybe a touch warmer than the D90.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for clarifying that😊
No problems 🙂
Nice review... as usual. Been having a difficult time deciding between the Ares II and the Bifrost. Now it’s clear... I need to get both. Well, schiitt !!! Would like to hear your take on the Loki as well
Haha. Both are good DACs, but unless you need the smoothness of the Ares II to tame something bright in your system, I'd just go for the B2.
I'm intrigued by the Loki. I'll have to see if I can find one secondhand...
@@PassionforSound That’s exactly it... my system is pc > smsl su-8 > THX 887 > Arya ( primarily) and I do find it bright/ glaring with some music which is why I was considering the Ares. I also ordered the Violectric V280 and a pair of Focals. Awaiting both of those. So I’ll have some contrasting tonality with those I think. Just need that dac upgrade ( and possibly a Loki ) and I’m set. Was planning on splitting both DACs to both amps. With my setup would you go with the Bifrost ? Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.
I haven't heard the SU-8 to comment, but there's no doubt the Bifrost 2 is brilliant in any setup based on my listening. The V280 should bring some nice refinement compared to the 887 so I think you'll be happy with that. Should be no issues splitting the DAC outputs to both amps and you've got XLR and RCA outputs so you could also just use SE and balanced from each DAC too.
That was a really good review! Thanks a lot for the comparisons! I have Gumby OG and I’m pretty happy with it. But I was curious if I should try Pontus. Now I at least got the companies’ directions (which I neither got from forums nor from other reviewers).
Glad it was helpful, Oleksii. I'm hoping to review the Pontus in future. It will have to be very good to beat the Bifrost 2
Great review, especially the comparisons. Are you able to speak to sonic differences for the inputs, if any, and how that lines up with the Modius?
Hi BP, I can't remember if I checked and found no significant difference or if I overlooked that test this time. I'll check and come back to you...
Testing completed. There may be tiny, tiny differences in the treble quality between the 3 inputs, but it could also be a result of the different cables used so I'd say that they are as good as identical - all excellent
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the follow-up. I have a Bifrost 2 and encountered similar - very slight, possibly due to different cables, and all excellent. My default is from my streamer to the BF2 via Optical.
Perfect. Happy listening! 🙂
@@PassionforSound I was also curious about the inputs. Thanks for the update.
What an outstanding review.
Thanks Enrique
Got my D90 MQA and A90 stack with a Sony MDR-Z1R and love the setup. I‘m sure I‘d love the spaciousness of the Bifrost, but sadly I‘d probably have to pay a lot extra due to import taxes. Also, I really love the D90 and especially the MQA part (I listen to Master files a lot and hardware sided decoding gives me a huge benefit in sound quality and resolution). Therefore I won‘t switch for the moment, but I will keep the Bifrost 2 in mind when I should ever be willing to buy a new DAC!
Hi Fabian, if you're largely using Master files through Tidal there's not a huge benefit upgrading to the Bifrost 2 as you'll probably find the D90 MQA to be as good or better when playing Masters.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for the fast reply and your opinion on that!:)
That actually puts my mind to peace no longer worrying about potentially having done a „wrong“ choice even if I truly love the sound signature of the D90.
If you love it, relax and enjoy it. There are truly no right or wrongs in this hobby
@@PassionforSound You‘re right. I‘m sticking with my unit:)
Are you planning on reviewing the Z1R any time in the future? Would be really interested in your opinion on those. I greatly enjoy them.
I don't have it planned because I don't own them, but you never know...
I used Schiit stack for a few years. The stack sounded solid, powerful (in the bass) and quite analog-ish. The cons are: despite of its detailed sound, the sound was very compressed and lacked of airy feeling. But the main reason I sold the stack was they sounded very one-noted. I meant the volume of every notes, every instruments and voices had the same magnitude. You would never known when the guitarlist or drummer play a particular note harder/stronger with that type of sound. It was lifeless to my ear. With many headphones and iems. And I was lazy to find if it was the fault of my Schiit amp or my Schiit multibit dac back then. I just sold them.
Which series were you using, HO Tam? I remember being quite unimpressed by the original Modi and Magni, but recent stacks have been much improved.
@@PassionforSound Hi, tk for your reply. I have not tried many other hi-end dac and head-amp brand other than Schiit. I bought many stuffs from them. My last stack was the Modi multibit v2/Magni 3. The stack had many good qualities on sound, size and design (compared to many previous gen of Schiit products). But I have always found something off about its sound. I didn't know what it was until recent time
What did you upgrade to?
@@PassionforSound pls don’t laugh at me because i am using the Apple usb-c to 3.5 dongle now :) it doesn’t have the sound problems that Schiit stack has. Much cheaper. And i can hear many details that I didn’t hear with the Schiit stack. My balanced armature iem sounds crazy good and doesn’t need too much power. But i am still finding and saving for a true “hi-end” dac/amp for my unicorn LCD2
@@PassionforSound please note that there are 2 versions of Apple usb-c to 3.5 dongle. The dongle’s versions for Asian and USA are really stunning small audio gears
really like your reviews! well done!
Thank you!
Have you been tracking Schiit's Bifrost upgrade option available now? The Bifrost 2/64; (Module available for upgrade of Bifrost 2) It's not inexpensive. I'm curious about the justification of the expense related to performance improvement.
I've got a review and comparison queued up for next weekend I think (very soon for sure)
This is well put together. I'd be interested in a comparison with the Yggdrasil as some point.
Thanks Moshman, me too! Especially after Jason said the Bifrost 2 is his preferrt DAC (he didn't say it was better, just his preference due to size, sound presentation, etc.)
@@PassionforSound Yggdrasil still should dive deeper into details as Bifrost 2 is 18bit (1x 18bit chip per channel), and Yggdrasil is 21bit (2x 20bit chips per channel).
Right now the latest version is the A2 (analog 2) with Unison USB. But I believe Mike Moffat is working on another version of the analog portion that closer matches his own preferences. I think they said it's more of a side grade than a straight upgrade, but I'm very excited to see/hear how that turns out!
Jason did give me the impression that the Yggy is still more resolving. Hopefully I can try it sometime. It's great that they allow for upgrades over time with their products!
@@PassionforSound I have a friend who has one who says it's phenomenal at that price point. Yet I keep hearing Bifrost 2 being described as a mini-Yggy, likely because of the added unison usb, balanced outputs and other tweaks. It'd be interesting seeing how much Bifrost 2 can reconcile with the Yggdrasil.
Yeah, I agree. I'll get an Yggy to try at some point, I'm sure
Since we are talking Schiit, how would you compare the Modi Multibit vs Bifrost 2? Both r2r. Put aside maybe a bit more inputs on the Bifrost, but is it essentially the same r2r meaning the sound would be comparable? Btw, great review! I really appreciate that you compare products head to head and that you take your time to explain the differences 👍
Hi Rana, I haven't heard the Modi MB to comment, but they use different chips (model and quantity) as far as I know so while similar, the Bifrost 2 should be noticeably better. The Bifrost 2 also has a "proper" power supply which should further improve the sound
But $450 better???
I expect so. The Bifrost 2 is an incredibly good DAC for the price whereas I see mixed opinions on the Modi MB.
When I was into high end two channel, back in the day, I spent three times more on an amplifier than the DA converter and twice as much on speakers than the amps. With the headphone setups it seems to be the opposite. I'd love to see a review that defines the percentage of overall effect from each component.
Hi Chris, I'm not certain that it works that way because everything matters and while I've also come across those kinds of "equations" over the years, I'm not sure they're helpful. Admittedly the DAC is probably the least impactful, but it IS the component which defines the maximum amount of information available to the rest of the chain so going cheaper here undermines high quality amps and headphones. I tend to break things into tiers so a budget DAC and amp (like Topping E30/L30 or Schiit Magni/Modi) is great for budget to mid tier headphones, but will start to limit the good mid tier cans like HD6XX, etc. The next step is mid tier like Topping A90/D90 (although price wise they're pushing towards the next level) which are good for mid to high end headphones (HD6XX through Focal Clear, etc.) but will start to restrict the best headphones in these categories. The same is true for high end (e.g. Schiit Bifrost 2 and Burson Soloist 3X) and then you get to the flagship/aspirational/endgame tier with products like Hugo TT2, Denafrips Terminator and Artemis, etc. which are the only types of products that will really show you what the top of the range headphones are capable of (e.g. Meze Empyrean, Focal Utopia, etc.)
Not sure how I'd get that into a review format, but hopefully it makes sense here.
enjoying all the dac reviews. I was looking forward to this one and the modius after your denafrips review. I believe the denafrips ares ii has the phase inversion button on the front panel as well. Is the phase inversion an audible thing - i don't know...
Hi Kaneda, yes, the Denafrips does. I didn't really discuss it in that review, but there was less to talk about with the BF2 so that feature kind of stood out a bit. I need to spend some time tracking down inverse phased recordings to see if it makes a difference. Switching it on and off on general content was subtle enough that I didn't notice any difference, but I also wasn't listening super critically at the time and focussed my critical listening on the general sound quality plus comparisons.
Best review to date on this product that I’ve seen. Ive been stalking this device for a couple of months and I’m ready to buy one. I’m in the US and late to this so I hope you see this note. I somewhat new to your channel and do have a question regarding how you test and listen. Do you use headphones exclusively when you do product tests, or do you use a speaker based system, or both? Thanks.
Hi Steve, I'm 100% headphones for critical listening. I do have a pair of Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 3 active speakers that I use, but not for review purposes as I find the headphones tell me more.
@@PassionforSound Thanks for replying! I’ve bought Revel speakers and they are very revealing. Sometimes they reveal more than I want and can be a bit edgy. My streamer/Dac is the BlueSound Node 2i and I think the Dac that is resident could be contributing to my issue. I know the Denefrips would make a difference there but I’m not willing to give up the detail.
Sounds like the Bifrost 2 will be a good match then if you're looking for smooth AND detailed. It's still very revealing so isn't going to reduce the revealing nature of your speakers, but the quality should be good enough that it won't have any harshness coming through
On the fence between purchasing a D90 or a Bifrost 2. Will be running HE1000’s off a McIntosh MHA200.
I'd personally take a Bifrost 2, but the MHA200's tubes will certainly help with the flatness (2D) of the D90 so it will still sound good.
Just discovered your channel! Awesome review! I have the Schiit Bifrost 2/Lyr 3 combo and absolutely love it! Anxiously awaiting the Schiit Audio CD transport.
Hi Michael, thank you! That would be a wonderful setup. I'm keen for the transport too. I believe I might be joining the beta test so hopefully I'll be able to share some impressions sooner than later...
@@PassionforSound That's cool! Hope you have the opportunity to beta test the new CD transport...looking forward to your updates! Keep up the good work!
@@PassionforSoundHope you will be reviewing the new Schiit Audio Urd CD transport soon! Thanks!
@@michaelkoenig8449 they are short on stock, but said they'll send one from the next batch so 🤞🤞
@@PassionforSound Thank you for the update! 👍
Thanks for the great review. Which headphone amp would you suggest to use with the Bifrost 2? Anything from Shiit or from another company? Topping? Tube or solid state?
Hi ndaniel, I've got the Jotunheim 2 here at the moment for review and it's a VERY easy recommendation to pair with the Bifrost 2. Unless you specifically want a certain type of sound, I'd grab that.
Hi Lachlan, great review as always.
Have you tried the Bifrost 1 Multibit and would it be worth it to upgrade to the Bifrost 2?
Hi Gill, I haven't tried the Bimby 1, but the Bifrost 2 is (based on memory) even better than the Gumby I had so I would say yes to the upgrade. Bifrost 2 is brilliant!
Superb review, thank you!
You're welcome!
Great review. I own a Bifrost 2 now. Did you try any other power cords? Thinking of trying a Pangea AC-14 or similar. Had success with power cords on my integrated amp, just not sure if this DAC will benefit.
Hi JP. I haven't dabbled much in power cords for quite a while and not with the Bifrost 2 - sorry! Would love to hear your experiences if you try one.
Thank you for the outstanding review and all of your valuable contributions to this community. I'm planning to buy the Bifrost 2 to feed my HD800s via the Sennheiser HDV820. I'm expecting a significant sound quality improvement over the internal DAC- do you happen to have experience with this combo?
Hi Eric, I don't have specific experience with the HDV820, but I would expect improvements as the Bifrost 2 outperforms any other Sabre DAC implementations I've heard. Specifically, it does a better job of reproducing the depth and layering in the soundstage and is also smoother (more naturally so) than any chip-based DACs I've tried. You may feel at first like there's a loss of detail, but relax and listen into the music because I've found that the detail is all still there, it's just not pushed all forward in a 2D layer.
@@PassionforSound Thanks very much for your response. I ordered the BF2 and will definitely be listening for soundstage improvements. I watched your (excellent) 'Top 5 audiophile tracks' video - is there a particular album/track you'd recommend for soundstage? Blackstar? Thanks again!
Blackstar is great, but also check out Yosi Horikawa's album, Spaces. Both are excellent to close your eyes and mentally wander through the recording.
I currently have the multibit dac card inside the Asgaard 3 - I just wonder if I will experience a noticeable difference by upgrading to the Bifrost 2/64. In other words, as both multibit tech are from Schiit, how is it implemented differently as a card vs a discrete product like the Bifrost?
Hi Andrew, I haven't tried the MB card in the Asgard 3, but I've chatted to multiple people who find the DAC card in the A3 to be not quite as good as the Modi DAC. The BF2/64 is then a solid upgrade over the Modi MB2 so I'd say you can expect a very big jump in sound quality.
@@PassionforSound Thanks Lachlan. Got the message loud and clear.
Thanks for the review. Well done with chapters and easy to understand.
I would love to know the differences as you go up the denafrips range. Does more detail prevail. Or is it more refined of the same as the ares 2. Eg lushness and smoothness.
Glad you liked the review. I'm hoping to review more Denafrips gear this year and I'm keen to answer that same question so stay tuned! 🙂
Excellent Review! I just watched your series of the interview to Rob Watts and you mention that your reference DAC was a Gungnir Multibit. I been searching in your channel and I can't find any review of the Gungnir Mb. Since your are so familiar with it and the TT 2, it would be great if you do a comparison. Is the GMB way better than the Bifrost 2?. Is the TT 2 way superior to the GMB? . PD: great job with this channel buddy, I really enjoy watching this reviews.
Thanks Mauricio! It's a while now since I owned the Gumby and it's not comparable with the current DACs so I expect Bifrost 2 would be better than or as good as what I had. The newer Gumby is probably a different story though. Hopefully I can try one sometime.
TT2 is clearly superior to the Gumby I had - miles ahead. I think the Yggdrasil is the closer comparison and another DAC I hope to try in the future...
Might get this along with their 6 band equaliser. Maybe more people should review the equaliser because I think it would help many systems. I won’t get the expensive remote control version, I think that’s unnecessary.
I was trying to get my hands on one of the EQs, but demand was so high that they couldn't spare a review unit
@@PassionforSound Yes they are under stocked on many things. I was reading an article on the Lokius last night and it was not an overly positive conclusion. But I think it’s use case is best suited to minor tweaks along the frequency range rather than trying to make big changes. And making frequency reductions rather than big boosts. Apparently Roon users have access to a software based EQ, but I’m not into computers so just use the streaming apps. I might get the 6 band just to play with.
Great review! I've been considering the Bifrost 2 & D90 as a step up to the internal DAC in my Parasound P5 (Burr-Brown PCM1798). I primarily stream Tidal HiFi but am not too concerned with MQA as I've heard mixed reviews of its benefits. I am leaning heavily towards the Bifrost based on your description of their sonic qualities. Would you consider this to be a substantial upgrade to my current setup?
The only thing that's killing me right now is that Schiit just pushed the shipping date out on the Bifrost 2 to Jan 15.
Hi Ed, I just saw this comment that somehow slipped through the cracks - I'm so sorry! Did you end up buying the Bifrost 2? I do think it will be an upgrade for you.
Excellent review
Thanks Nick!
Hello, great review again, thank you so much. I have been looking at the Ares II as my end game dac but now I think I am leaning more toward the Bifrost 2. I prefer the resolution to the smoothness. Did I miss how the Modius compares to this? I thought I was paying attention twice but I might have missed it. Thanks again. Looking forward to the Sundara review. Thinking about trying that one next. I bought the Sivga Phoenix thinking it would be better than the Sundara but it is a little dark and veiled for me, I was not impressed and I am thinking of returning them. I much prefer clarity.
Hi Andy, I covered the Modius vs Bifrost 2 comparison in the Modius review. In short, the Bifrost 2 does everything a little better. The Sundara will be a nice choice I think - the review is uploaded and scheduled for next Saturday 🙂
@@PassionforSound look forward to it. Thanks again.
I bought the Aeries 11 because it has multiple inputs. I can run 4 input devices, I actually run 3, two on glass Toslink and one Coax. I have owned the Modius and while it has different input choices they are all different and will sound different. The Modius is a very, very good DAC.
@@doctorrobin3040 thanks for the input Doc. I'm leaning toward the modius for now instead of my Onkyo's built in dac but in the end, i might want to go with the Bifrost 2. I've heard so many good things about the Ares II but I want the most resolving while glare free dac i can find for the price.
Clean, concise, and full of good information. Great work as always.
Your timing is incredible as I'm currently testing out a bifrost 2 and modius to decide which to pair with an Asgard 3 and LCD2C/ZMF Aeolus. Still haven't decided even though I've come across many of the things you have pointed out like the bifrost bass/slam and 3 dimensionality. Other than the large markup, the bifrost 2 seems damned near perfect, while the modius is almost there even though I hate the micro usb. I'd appreciate a recommendation to throw in there if you are familiar with these headphones primarily playing heavy doses of metal. Either way, its nice to see someone else hears what I do, so I know I don't have some sort of audio-induced delirium.
Thank you for the reviews.
Maybe with both have audio-induced delirium? 😉
If you have the budget, the Bifrost 2 is definitely the way to go. I don't know either of those headphones directly, but owned LCD2s once upon a time (not that that helps). The reason I'd say to go for the B2 is that it's going to reward you more if you upgrade anything in the future. The Asgard 3 is really nice (I'm using one with the B2 at the moment), but it will be the limiting factor in your setup so if/when you want the next step you can upgrade that and the B2 will still have plenty to show you.
@@PassionforSound I've decided on the Bifrost 2. AB testing is useful initially, but after having listened to the Bifrost 2 for multiple sessions exclusively before switching back, the differences hit me in the face with how flat the Modius presented certain songs. The best way I can describe it is that the Modius is a perfect picture taken or drawn by someone very talented, then printed and placed in front of you on a large, room sized, curved canvas, while the Bifrost 2 is seeing the scene in person. The picture makes everything easily accessible at the cost of realism and space. You may have a harder time locating a specific detail in the real life scene due to shadows or distance, but it's real. My wooden ZMF Aeolus have never sounded better.
I would love to hear what you think of any of Zach's dynamic headphones. Those looking for clinical detail above all else may not like the lush, musical house sound but would at least appreciate the hand crafted, wooden, masterwork art that is the ZMF lineup. From my understanding of your acoustic preferences, I think you would appreciate the more neutral Auteur for opened or Eikon for closed (Yes closed. ZMF does closed very well) as the open Aeolus are darker and warmer in comparison.
Thank you for your quick input and I look forward to the next review!
That's a great description of the Modius vs Bifrost 2 presentation!
I'm keen to try Zach's headphones at some point. I've heard very good things about them and I'm all for warmer, richer signatures when done right.
@@PassionforSound Thank you and feel free to use it if you wish. Ha. If well-done warmth is on the menu, I obviously recommend the Aeolus. I'm rather sensitive to treble and upper mid peaks/harshness and the Aeolus just makes everything so enjoyable presenting all of the details in the most natural and pleasing way. I hope you can get your hands on a pair sooner rather than later simply for enjoyment.
I'll be waiting patiently for the Asgard 3 review. You seem to hold it in high regard. Thank you again for taking the time to provide input.
I believe this is what I'm looking for gaming... Detail, imaging and sound stage. Good thing I have a Jotenheim 2 already!!
Nice review!! Hope you will compare this with Composer 3XP in the future review!!
Sure will! Hoping to have a Composer here in the coming weeks
Thanks for your videos. They are great. One request I have is if you could please review a Schiit Gungnir and compare it to some DACs in the same price range. Thanks.
Glad you're liking the videos. I'll chat to Schiit and see what we can arrange
I'm currently struggling to find these on the Australian market. Do you know if it's been discontinued or has there been a product shortage?
There may have been some shortages, but it also might not be listed as Bifrost 2/64 which is the new version. You'll likely also find buying direct from Schiit to actually save you some money too so consider that option as well 🙂
Really liked this review. You compare this Bof 2 an other dac. The way you describe this other dac sounds amazing. Not the Topping or the Denafrips, the one you really like. But you say the name so fast I can’t make out the name. Which dac is it?
Hi Rob, glad you liked it. Sorry for not being clear! The other DAC is the Hugo TT2 which is a much more expensive DAC. I included it here as a benchmark to see just how good the Bifrost 2 is.
Great review, enjoy your format/style! I've been looking at DAC's in this price range and the Bifrost has been at the top of my list. Your breakdown of its attributes vs the D90 & ARES II have kept it at the top of my list. I am looking to replace the old Burr-Brown DAC built in to my Parasound P5 and wonder what you think of that swap in terms of what improvements I could expect?
Hi Ed, without hearing that specific implementation, it's hard to say, but I think you'll find some nice improvements, particularly in 3-dimensionailty and soundstage depth.
@@PassionforSound Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. The only thing I'm having a hard time with right now is that Schiit moved their shipping date for Bifrosts to Jan 15. Hopefully that won't get pushed out further.
Ouch. I wonder if they've been struck by COVID. It's a difficult time right now in a lot of locations. Fingers crossed! 🤞
@@PassionforSound, Well, I was struck by COVID and actually took delivery during the 1st week of quarantine.
I only had limited time to listen as I was not feeling up to it for a while. I installed it, did limited listening and left it on as you mentioned. So, last Thursday I was feeling well enough to give it some listening time. Unfortunately, the power supply had decided to take a permanent vacation somewhere between my last visit to trying to listen that day. Schiit was very quick in replying to my email and immediately sent me a return shipping label. I was able to pack it up and drop it off at the nearest FedEX location that afternoon. Supposed to receive the replacement later this week.
Oh no! That's dreadful on multiple levels! I'm glad you're feeling better and I hope the new Bifrost stays working longer. Between you and me (and anyone who reads this), my Bifrost died in much the same way. Hoping to get a replacement soon...
Great review. Agree on almost all points. For the most part, I really enjoy the BF2. I did not enjoy receiving the wrong color but that’s another story. It’s so good with rock and pop music, but I find its warmth and weight can be a just bit too much for classical. That being said, if there is one dac that can do it all, I haven’t heard it yet. :)
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
I know this is a step up and a different presentation to the budget Modius, but in comparison and regarding that glare that chip based dacs can have, ie, Topping D50s...is the Modius as glare free as the Bitfrost 2? Is the Modius as 2D sounding as the D90 or is there some depth?
I'd say the Modius is still pretty 2D unfortunately, but they managed to keep the glare / edginess to a minimum
Thank you for another thorough review. I currently have a audio quest dragonfly cobalt but I’m thinking about upgrading to a desk DAC. Would the BiFrost to work well with a direct iPhone USB input and a headphone amp and headphones? Would this be a good option for someone who is only using their phone as their data input source? Should I look somewhere else? As always, thanks for your great insight and advice.
Hi Jay, I've not tried the Bifrost 2 from a phone, but there's no inherent issue with doing what you suggest. Phone outputs can be a bit noisy, but the Bifrost 2 is pretty well protected from that. Just a matter of determining if the phone will see the Bifrost 2. I'll see if I can check that for you and report back...
Great schiituff! Do you think Bifrost 2's multibit tech is worth the upgrade from Magnius? I have a mini schiit stack (Magni heresy/Modi 3) for my desktop. I love the stack so much that I want to pair my THX AAA 789 amp from DROP with one of the Schiit products.
Hi Josh, I think the Bifrost 2 is the best DAC under $1000 from any company and maybe the best under $2000. I'd definitely recommend it for your upgrade. The 789 won't reward you with the full depth of soundstage that the Bifrost 2 is capable of, but it should still sound excellent.
@@PassionforSound @Passion for Sound That's excellent! I have plans to add a tube amp for that warm, deep sound stage, using the SE RCA pass on the 789. Any suggestions on which amp to demo for pairing with Bifrost 2? I apologize ahead for nagging you with many questions. I feel that your reviews and guidance are the most helpful, in terms of directions I am looking for! Thank you!
Happy to help, Josh, but I'm not sure which tube amp I'd recommend as most of my positive tube amp experiences have been DIY kit amps like the Bottlehead Crack, S.E.X. and Mainline, all of which I highly recommend if you have patience and basic soldering skills. Beyond that, it gets expensive with things like the Auris Audio Euterpe that I just reviewed recently.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your input nonetheless!
Great review! I see users of Bifrost 2 say USB is better than optical because of his multibit module, i think. I would use Optical only 95% of the time, so this keep me away considering this great dac, could you try and see if this dac in Optical sounds almost as usb, or better than D90 in optical. If you could would be greatly appreciated for me, since i turn my head in lot of amazing sounding dac's like this but i'm scared they don't look to sound as great on optical?
Hi Viper, I tested all inputs for the Bifrost 2 and they all sound basically identical. The only differences I can hear could just as easily be from the cables used because they are very tiny differences.
Optical has traditionally been better than USB so improved USB implementations like this one serve to match optical, not surpass it.
Hi and thanks a lot. Looking for a naturel sound ( Multibit) in the 400 $ range and couldn't afford the bifrost 2, which stack would you recommand?
- Asgard 3 with the multibit dac
- Asgard 3 + moduis
- Asgard 3 + Modi (multibit)
Hi Mathieu, that's a tough one to answer because I haven't heard the Mimby (Modi MB) or the MB card in the Asgard. I think with the Asgard 3 I'd probably choose the Mimby though to get the naturalness of Multibit and it should be slightly better than an inbuilt card I'd think because it's separated from the amp componentry and any associated noise.
@@PassionforSound Thanks a lot. Is there a good multibit DAC available in the 300 to 600$ range. All the DAC you compared are a bit on the expensive side (for me)? Looking forward watching you review on the Asgard 3.
The Bifrost 2 is the best I've heard, but above your range. The Modi Multibit should be great too, but I don't have firsthand experience
Do you plan on reviewing the Modi Multibit? Many would like to hear your thoughts on the the question above.
I'd love to at some point, but I can only review what I can get on loan or can afford to purchase so I can't promise it just now...
Great reviews! What would you pair with the Bifrost 2 to drive a Focal Clear with warmth and wide sound stage?
Hi Ted, the Asgard 3 is great if you're on a budget. The new Jotunheim should also be excellent, but I'm yet to hear it. The Burson Soloist 3X would be my ideal choice though.
Update: I ordered the Monolith Liquid Gold X to see if that will do the trick. I’m going to compare the built-in DAC to the Bifrost when the Liquid arrives.
Fantastic. Please share what you hear!
I'm keen on getting an asgard 3 and would have paired it with bifrost 2 but the dac alone is $1600. Would there be better dac options at or lower than this price point (no longer at $1000 from time of review). Thinking of using these with Mrspeakers Ethers (red) and Focal Clear Pros. Any thoughts?
The Modius is probably the best DAC I've heard below the $1000 mark so far and then the Topping E30 would come next I think (or maybe the Loxjie D30). Neither come particularly close to the Bifrost 2, but they're solid DACs.
The Ares II you just review also has a phase switch!
Yes, I'd forgotten. There was so much else to discuss with the Ares that I'd didn't go into depth on that one and forgot!
I'm sure I'm out of my league here but some classical music and some meters and showing us the separation would have been nice. I thought it was a little heavy on the bass.
Hi Tim, what do you mean about the meters and showing separation?
Also, almost all modern DACs, including this one measure flat from 20-20,000Hz so there's no bass added, but perhaps the note weight of the Bifrost 2 is a bit heavier than what you're used to. (Note weight is the sense of presence and thickness of each instrument - it's a result of lots of factors like the filtering used and output stage design). I don't say that to make you wrong - if you prefer something leaner, that's totally fine - I just wanted to clarify for anyone else reading this
@@PassionforSound It was kind of meant as a joke because I'm listening to the music through my internet connection and my sound card and the cheap speakers I have plugged into my laptop. My volume is maximum even with the external speakers.
In my twenties I used to be an audiophile and spent a lot of money on phono cartridges and Yamaha amplifiers with JBL's. All of that is gone now and you wonder if these little BT speakers with wireless can do anything. How small can the file be to retain all the nuance of the music and is it important. I suppose Bose is a way. Even with my cheap equipment my favorite song was done at 10 MB file by a women which I believe was done at a 394 sample rate and when you go to 64 or a 3 MB file it just isn't good.
My comment concerned if I was hearing stereo or not as I couldn't tell. If there was a meter maybe I could hear the separation by looking at meters. I thought the classical music would be good to hear the different instruments in the music stream. Like I knew from years ago you can have a mastered LP but if you play it through cheap equipment it will still sound cheap. Nice review though, you are passionate.
My friend transferred his whole LP collection to digital at 128 which he let me have a copy of the folder. Years of our old favorites, the ones you grow up with, and I think they all sound lacking. I wish he would have done a 256 recording but then I don't understand the other factors that might have been necessary for a good recording.
Yeah, there's no doubt in my mind that higher quality files make a difference - particularly going from lossy (MP3) to lossless (FLAC).
For my videos, everything except my voice is in stereo. My voice is converted to mono from a stereo recording because if improves the sound quality and intelligibility.
Thanks for this lovely review and comparison again. Seems the only one that is missing from your comparison/lineup is the Burson Composer DAC from your own country 😉! I tried the RME adi 2, but it was too sterile/clinical for me and lacked soundstage with nearfield speakers. I ordered the Burson Conductor Performance to try out, so very curious how that will work in my system. Apparently it is a great dac, great preamp and great headphone amp, so killer combo device for the money. It should combine the soundstage of the Ares 2 combined with the detail of the D90, without sounding too flat. You can also tune it with the opamps to your liking. I will receive it next Tuesday, so very curious to find out how this performs. You were already very impressed with the Soloist I remember. Thomas & Stereo was most impressed with the Composer Dac, of al the “budget” dacs.
I have a Composer arriving in about 2 weeks I believe (along with my Soloist! 😁) Glad you liked the review and I think the Conductor will be great for you.
@@PassionforSound Wow, thats a very nice combo indeed. Very curious on your take on that one.
I should clarify that the Composer is on loan for review, but it should be an excellent stack. Ultimately I'll be using the Soloist with the Bifrost 2 and Hugo TT2
@@PassionforSound Yes I think the difference with Dacs might be much more noticeable on hi end headphones than they are on similar priced speakers/amp combo’s or active speakers. So the conclusions on a Dac from a headfi guy should be assessed differently from a hifi guy is my take. You would probably need an at least 10k speaker system to start noticing those differences in a obvious way. The room, position, speakers and the amps themselves all have much more impact on the sound experience if you go from let’s say a few hundred dollars Dac to a 1k Dac. I would argue a 1k Dac on a 2k speakers system is generally overkill and can even result in too much detail and sharpness. You can better invest that 700 euro in better speakers or (pre)amplification.
That makes total sense
Thanks for introducing me to Sarah McLachlan :) I really appreciate your reviews. I do have a question about the relative difference between Bifrost and Gungnir, have you had the chance to try it as well?
Hi Raymond, I don't have a Gungnir available to test, but I used to own a Gumby with the USB5 and Analog 1 boards. Based entirely on memory and various comparisons, I think the Bifrost 2 is better than the older Gumby. I can't speak to the recent additions though and how they might have improved it.
@@PassionforSound thanks, it was interesting to hear. Other person told me that Gumby A1 might be more dynamic sounding, but I didn’t hear the Bifrost 2 myself. Did you listen Gumby over USB?
Yes, via USB and I had a previous USB originally before upgrading to Gen 5 USB.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your reply! It seems to perform better over coax. USB5 can be a bit harsh/edgy in comparison.
The USB5 certainly brought the USB sound much closer to coax than whatever my previous version was. Unison seems even better still.
Great video, I really like your work and reviews, adjectives that you use give excellent idea of the work that each dac does.
You mention many interesting adjectives for me, I only have confusion in one: Expansive sound. I understand it as being in a large room, where the sound has a lot of space to expand and be more three-dimensional, but to hear it you must be behind a few meters, softening the music a little and that it does not give up so direct, otherwise a dac that has no expansive sound, as you mention with adi-2 dac, means that you lose three-dimensional space , to deliver a more direct, energetic, blunt sound on your face as you mention with D90?
I hope I don't confuse you with my text.
Hi Erick, not confusing at all.
Yes, that's what I mean by expansive. Some DACs produce a very 2-dimensional soundstage (Topping D90, RME ADI-2, etc.) with width, but no depth. Others like the Bifrost 2, Qutest and TT2 create a much better sense of depth as well as width. These are what I call expansive. By creating this space, you shouldn't be losing energy and detail. If that happened, I would describe that as smoothed off (like the Ares II) or words similar to that. In products with expansive (or 3-dimensional) presentations all the detail and energy is still there, but there's better layering of those details in space versus a flat wall of sound like the Topping, ADI-2, etc.
@@PassionforSound Thank you very much, excellent explanation, you made everything very clear to me. I really appreciate that. Seriously thinking about buying ADI-2 and Bifrost 2, and staying with the one I like the most, or both !!! it is a pity that in my country I do not get proof for 30 days with option of return, I listen rock, it may not be so necessary a 3 D presentation, but it would be interesting to have both and stay with the one I like the most, I will consult with my wallet if I can afford that !!!
You're a good person, I really appreciate all the time you use in reviews, and in answering every message they write to you, that shows passion for your work, never change !!!!
You're very welcome, Erick! Good luck with your wallet and your decision! 😉😁
Would you say the D90 is more detailed overall? I like my BF2 but the smooth sound signature keeps me from feeling as engaged as something like a Gungnir which is very dynamic in comparison especially with the bass. It sounds more liquid despite being a tad bit cooler.
Hi Brian, I've noticed a few times now that the DS DACs seem more detailed because they push everything forward in the mix and create a 2-dimensional sound. It's great for those who like to hear every detail, but it comes at the sacrifice of some soundstage depth, separation of sounds/instruments and (to me) realism in the music. Is your Gungnir a standard or multibit version?
I think the real question is whether the Bifrost is worth the premium over the Modi Multibit
Hi Eric, I'm confident it will be based on my experience of how Schiit products scale as you move up the range, but I am still working on getting one for review.
Eric...my previous DAC prior to the bifrost 2 and Topping D70s was the Modi Multibit. If your question is does the BiFrost 2 sound 2.5xs better than modi mulitibit then no...but in my limited experience audio never scales like that. If you are asking however if I'd pay the $699 again instead of the $250 for the modi multibit? Then yes. I certainly would. I really enjoyed the modi multibit. Had it for quite awhile...but the BiFrost 2 is better in every single way. Not leaps and bounds better but if you take pretty much any area bass treble mids Soundstage, imaging etc and each of those things get better by 20%...then the whole listening experience is very noticeably better. I couldn't see myself going back.
@@jlovigs2139 This is very interesting! Would you say the Bifrost 2 is worth it even if you only use the SE output? I remember hearing the Magnius SE output wasn't very good because the architecture favors balanced. I have an SE amp, so balanced doesn't help me.
@@EricRosenfield when I first got the BiFrost 2 I had it paired with the Asgard 3 which is single ended. It does sound a little better out of the balanced connection with the balanced amp but not by a lot. If you are coming from a single ended and that's all you know (like for me at first) then yeah...the single ended output is very good. It's really not a big difference from the balanced connection.. This is all of course just my opinion...my ears...my chain etc. But it is truly my experience.
@@jlovigs2139 Thank you!
At this point, I don't have anything to listen to higher than 192..... And I don't see myself chasing higher numbers just because they are numerically higher...... but do higher kHz sound better/different? Because if they do, then it seems like something that tops out at 192 is heading to obsolescence. What are your thoughts? (Ps I currently use Asgaard3 and modi3+, mainly classical, some jazz, occasional pop as well)
There's really no absolute need to chase higher sample rates. The benefits of higher sample rates are twofold: 1) it provides more room for the DAC filters to operate outside of the audible range and this can allow for better, less aggressive filtering. (2) higher sample rates may be better and capturing the timing of fine details in the music such as transients which in turn can improve the timbral accuracy of the playback.
Personally, I think it's nice to have higher rates, but not at all necessary. Most gear sounds great with anything from 16/44 up and Schiit's Multibit DACs that don't go above 192 still sound better than some of their DSD-capable competitors.
So, maybe a bit of a stupid question, but the fact that the bifrost 2 does not support highres and no MQA, does it make a bad fit for Tidal with their Master albums? Kind regards
Hi Rana, that's an interesting question. I've found non-MQA albums to be preferable where available, but when there's no choice, an MQA DAC is probably preferable. I'll try a comparison with the D90 and let you know... Or I might even make a full video on it...
Bifrost 2 does support high-res up to 24/192khz. There's some logic behind this as electrical signals can only really get about 20~21bit accurate before thermal noise takes over, so 24bit is used. While 192khz provides great accuracy in the time domain. 44.1khz was picked for sampling of CDs way back in the day as it can sample sounds up to 22.05khz which was determined more than enough at the time but 44.1khz is 22.67µs between samples. Apparently recent studies have shown that humans can hear differences down to the 6-15µs range (depending on the person I believe those with 6µs hearing were people that had a life long history with music), thus 192khz sampling being 5.2µs is determined to be enough.
Some DACs today say they'll do 32bit/768khz, which to me basically means they've got caught up in a specs war. It looks good but I'm not sure it matters.
Some people like MQA some people are against it. The guys at Schiit are against it as they see it as a licensing fee like paying Dolby, DTS or HDMI is basically required in the home theater space. That said if you only listen with TIDAL which it's MQA library is growing (even recently they added a lot more MQA albums) there are some advantages to having a DAC that can do the MQA decoding internally.
Schiit have said their Multi-bit DACs are built for those that want to enjoy the music they already own (assuming people own a big CD or FLAC library). But if you don't own a ton of music and strictly use TIDAL then an MQA capable DAC might be a better choice.
Adding onto this, I've done some listening and here's what I found comparing D90 MQA and Bifrost 2:
PCM tracks on both - Bifrost wins
PCM on D90, MQA on Bifrost - Bifrost wins
MQA to both - D90 is slightly better to my ears, but the Bifrost 2 sounds great and some will prefer it's sound. The D90 is smoother when playing MQA, but retains all the same detail, just better presented. It's like the D90 with MQA does what the Bifrost 2 does with PCM which is to produce a smoother, but fully resolved reproduction that has better 3-dimensionality.
If you're all in on MQA, the D90 is probably the better choice. For a mixed library, I'd go Bifrost 2.
Really interesting question, though!
Thanks for the answers. I don't own a lot of flac albums, I stream a lot of Masters albums via Tidal. I'm guessing I'm far from being the only one. So it might indeed be very interesting to see what DAC would fit a Tidal owner with their large MQA Master albums. Streaming high res audio is getting more popular nowadays after all compared to the old skool CD -ripping- flacs. The "issue" here is, the r2r DAC's are often not MQA compatible, at least not to my knowledge, so for millions of Tidal users and more and more high quality streaming players, a lot of good DAC's are suddenly becoming a bad fit, that would be a shame 🤔
The Topping stuff are all MQA certified right? Both the Denafrips and the Schiit Bifrost 2 are better than the Topping D 90, correct? Unless you listen to Tidal... Now that would be an interesting test. Same goes for the D50s of course.
Update: lol, I just saw you posted that you already did some tests like this👍👍👌👌
Glad you saw my response. I'm contemplating some kind of video about this, but it's a tricky one to cover.
Oh, but beware that not ALL Topping gear is MQA. It will specifically say it if it is MQA
Very professsionnal review ! I currently have a Violectric V200 with a Gustard A18 (AK4499), Nordost Valhalla XLR cable and Beyerdynamic T1.1. I would like to add a second DAC that would sound more organic but not too soft, are there currenltly any benefits of picking a Gungnir A2 with unison USB over a Bifrost 2 ? I also have my eyes on the Singxer SDA-6 with the "advanced" options, on paper this DAC seems to be excellent.
Hi Alex, glad you like the review. I haven't heard a modern Gungnir (mine was A1 & Gen5 USB). I know the Bifrost 2 is excellent and also much more compact and I think it fits what you're describing, but I can compare it to your other mentioned DACs - sorry!
@@PassionforSound Thanks for your feedback !
My pleasure
Nice review as always (liking the new graphic effect too, don’t recall seeing that before!), few questions though. Inputs, any difference between them? Outputs, any difference between them? And lastly....should I upgrade from a Modius!? Cheers
Hi Richard, glad you liked it. Always looking to keep things fresh and try new editing/production techniques. Which graphic did you mean specifically?
As for the inputs and outputs, I need to double check on the inputs. Outputs are essentially indistinguishable (allowing for the fact that my interconnects aren't identical).
Should you upgrade? The Bifrost 2 is definitely better so it just comes down to how much you value an increase in sound quality of maybe 10-15% (always hard to put numbers to sound quality improvement)
Testing completed and the inputs and outputs are all identical (accounting for cable differences) 🙂
@@PassionforSound Thanks for the info, I think it’ll slot into my setup very nicely!! Damn I was sure Qutest, but hearing how BF2 can not be a million miles from a TT2, well...that has to be high praise indeed! I love my Modius too so if BF2 is better again then it’s got to be winner. If you had to sum up very briefly in 1 line BF2 vs Modius, what does BF2 do better? I like the smooth nature of Modius, but I’d like some more sparkle/attack up top (which I incorrectly called roll off on a previous comment, but its just the slight lack of top end bite. And wider deeper sound stage would be a bonus.
Also the graphics I was referring where on the product panning shots of BF2 and then it goes sort of animated, cool (and if you’ve been doing it a long time then it shows I’m simply not very observant!! But I hadn’t noticed that effect before). Cheers
I think Qutest might still be a hair better than BF2, but for the price, the BF2 is amazing!
I'd say BF2 is just like the Modius with some extra resolution, greater sense of space and more 3-dimensionality for each sound / instrument. It's everything the same, but better.
I don't think the BF2 will give you the extra bite you're looking for and I don't think a DAC should be any "bitier" than the BF2 so maybe look at other parts of your sound chain for opportunities. Amps and cables are often good places to start.
As for the glamour vid, I've never used that effect before - it's new so you haven't overlooked it in the past. Each time I do a new glamour vid I try to see what suits the footage and the music I've chosen and just try new things. I quite liked this one too 🙂
@@PassionforSound that’s certainly true for the money the BF2 represents terrific quality and it’s pretty much half the price of the Qutest. I like Chord, it’s British as am I, but... I do wonder just how much extra we are paying for the milled case and pretty lights etc! Have you seen the price of the new Qutest System Stand just released for example! Clearly there’s a good couple of hundred added to the Qutest that is nothing audio related, whereas Schiit seems the minimum and pared back approach on those components- and the focus is audio components only. It’s the TVR of the audio world!
Versus something like the modius ($199) is it worth the extra cost. The bifrost is ($699). I currently use a Magnius/Modius stack. But I've heard the SE isn't that great so I only use it balanced if can. I'm considering an asgard+bifrost or possibly Jotunheim+Bifrost.
Since they have all the same form factor (length and width) I can stack them all so like a Magnius+Modius+Asgard (in case I have a headphone incompatible with balanced) stack. Or would it be worth it to have a quad stack with the bifrost added.
Hi Krypto, I compared the Modius to Bifrost 2 in my Modius review if you want greater detail, but the short answer is that I believe it's worth the extra. Bifrost 2 is one of the best value pieces of equipment I've ever heard. Performance for price is insane. I'm reviewing the new Jotunheim soon so stay tuned because I'm hopeful that Bifrost 2 + Jotunheim 2 could be approaching endgame for way less than $2000 USD
@@PassionforSound Thank You, I'll probably consider doing a Magnius/Asgard/Bifrost stack since i drive my HD6xx and HD800s fully balanced at the moment.
That will be a great setup. Enjoy!
Great review. I have Bifrost 1 Multibit and I'm very happy with it, would be curious if there is any point in upgrading to version 2. Also have the SMSL SU-8 Aniv. version, that should measure incredible well, but to my ears it sounds somewhat oversharpened and unnatural compared to Bifrost 1 Multibit.
Hi Flisker, yes, that's the problem with the measurements - they tell us nothing about the tonality of the sound, just distortion levels.
As for upgrading your Bifrost. I think it's a significant upgrade based on what I'm hearing and my memory of the Gumby I owned. I believe the B2 is a bit better than the Gumby (USB5 and Analog 1) so it should also be better than the B1
Thank you for the reply. Will certainly consider Bifrost 2. Btw love the interviews with Jason from Schiit.
Glad you liked them!
I’ve been watching thru your reviews. I have focal clear mg and am looking for amp and dac. Would u prefer the bifrost with schitt amp, or Rme?
Hi Jim, I'd choose Bifrost 2 and Jotunheim 2 (or better, but I haven't heard Mjolnir, etc.) over the RME.
I owned the Bifrost 2 for a while, and as good as it was, I was always hoping to upgrade to the Qutest. I know you don’t have it anymore, but (from memory) are they really that close? If money/value was irrelevant, I would think the Qutest with its insane technology would offer a noticeable amount of detail retrieval over the Bifrost 2!
Hi Sean, I still think Qutest is probably slightly better than the Bifrost 2. I wish I had one here to confirm! I would still but the Qutest if money were no object.
Thank you for your review. These were the 3 dacs I was considering to buy.
Fantastic! Glad I could help!
Have you tried pairing the Chord M Scaler with the Bifrost and the D90SE to see witch DAC show the greater improvement?
I haven't. BUT I do recall trying the Bifrost 2 and M-Scaler way back when I first got the Bifrost 2 and the impact was smaller than on most DACs. That could be partly due to the Bifrost 2 not accepting super high sample rates or it could be that the Multibit approach is already doing a better job with timing accuracy compared to delta sigma DACs
How would you compare vocals , (specially female vocals than rely on upper mids ) of D90 vs Bitfrost 2? Is there a notable difference?
Which one has better bass slam/impact?
Hi Midori, I'll take a specific listen later today and let you know...
The D90 flattens out the upper frequencies a bit and it makes female vocals a little edgy. The Bifrost 2 creates a more 3D rendering that's more enjoyable to my ears.
In terms of bass, the character is ever-so-slightly different, but I'd say they both hit just as hard. Bifrost 2 is the more realistic sounding DAC though with better nuance to the sound.
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your detailed answer!
No problems 🙂
I always thought the phase switch was mainly for powered speakers where the room configuration flips the phase and you can correct it with the button.
Not according to my discussion with Jason Stoddard about it, but I am not a speaker user so I'm not sure if what you're saying is also true.
@@PassionforSound I guess it doesn't have to be just powered speakers - but just speakers in general. Would be cool to know.
Yeah. What I CAN tell you is that it inverts the phase of the whole signal (both channels). My experience with speakers has me wondering if phasing issues there are more about just one channel being out due to different distances from the listener. That would need channel phase switching, not signal phase switching (my terms, not sure correct terms)
@@PassionforSound ok - I thought it was single ch...if it does both channels I'm still not understanding the purpose then. Even with the example you gave.
Yeah, it's hard to explain and I'm not convinced that I can hear the difference. I guess it's as though the microphone was wired out of phase (on both channels) and therefore captured all the waveforms in reverse polarity. Theoretically, it shouldn't make a big difference I think, but some say they can hear it. I need to do more testing...
I’ve been trying to decide the best dac that would match with my LaFigaro 339i tube amp. Headphones are either the Beyer T1.2 or DT1990. What would be your choice of dac between the Bifrost 2, Topping D70 or D90 and the Gustard x16?
For me? Bifrost 2 all the way. The others are all good DACs, but the soundstage depth and natural tonality of the Bifrost 2 beat the 2D sound that the ESS and AKM chips create. To be fair, I haven't heard the D70 or X16 yet, but I've heard so many delay sigma chip-based DACs now that I'm very confident in the recommendation.
Is there any other dacs out here not listed here in the 500-700 price range that could compete with the Bifrost 2 in detail?
In pure detail, you could look at options from Topping, SMSL, Soncoz, Gustard, etc. but keep in mind that you're trading off soundstage depth and overall realism when you go to these chip-based (i.e. ESS/AKM) DACs.
6am drop. Early Schiit.
Schiit can happen at any time, Andrew! 😉
Your reviews are great, can you assess the Holo Spring 3 Dac Level 2 ?
Thanks Connor! I have the Spring and May KTE on the way. Hopefully that's close enough. I'll discuss my understanding of how the L2 and KTE will differ when I do the review
In your opinion, would the Ares II or Bifrost 2 DAC be a better match for the Liquid Platinum tube (hybrid) headphone amp?
I would choose the Bifrost 2 in any situation over the Ares II. I think it's the better overall DAC. The Liquid Platinum doesn't have any extreme character than needs particular help from the DAC so the Bifrost 2 would be my choice.
Like your review,
Can you compare the qutest versus bifrost 2
Hi Rulbert, I'd love to, but I had to sell the Qutest to fund my TT2 purchase. If I get a chance in future, I'll definitely share it
In July 2020, I compared the Qutest and Bifrost 2 for several days. I ended up keeping the Qutest and returning the Bifrost 2. I liked the Bifrost 2, but perceived a smoother, more grain-free sound from the Qutest. Someone else certainly might make another choice, especially if a balanced output is desired. I thought they were both really great DACs. Around that time, I also tried an RME ADI-2 DAC. I returned it because I was disappointed with the headphone amp section, and was put off by its incredible complexity of operation. I still have the Qutest, and have never regretted my decision.
Thanks ,
I appreciate your time to respond. I also discovered another DAC and I purchased it too , which is the Pontus II by denafrips. So far it’s smooth but with a muscular tone..
For some reason I haven’t seen you reviewing preamplifiers , is there a reason?
Hi Rulbert, I haven't been setup with the right active speakers to test pre-amps and I don't use passive speakers and power amps. I have a few recent reviews of headphone amps and pre-amps and will continue to share them as I have more come across my desk.
Ah I see, you’re more advanced than me , lol. I’m still using passive speakers and I’m in a quest for a preamplifier. Your reviews matter to me and you’re doing a phenomenal work.. I hope you also find a satisfying pair of active ones so you can pursue your journey in a more pleasing way. Good job.
Are the single ended outputs as good as the balanced? Did you listen to both?
Hi Kevin, yes. The SE and balanced are basically indistinguishable. I don't have identical interconnects so I'll stop short of saying they're 100% the same, bit they're close enough so as to not worry.
@@PassionforSound Thank you. That's good enough for me.
You're welcome!
Already watched on Patreon, just here to up vote ;)
Haha, thanks Snow!
I'm in the market for my first DAC and I been watching videos for months. It would be for a HiFi system that is driven by a tube amplifier. Would you choose this dac or the denafrips?
If you're using tubes, there's a good chance the sound is already a touch warmer so I'd probably choose the Bifrost 2, but it really depends on whether you want a rich, warm and spacious DAC or more neutral sound that's a bit more resolving and still quite spacious (just not as much as the Denafrips)