I was on the fence between the Aries II and the Bifrost. I went with the Bifrost, because I'd rather buy American. It's been fantastic so far. I absolutely love it.
I hear ya. I prefer to buy American hifi. I've got a Rogue amp and Revel speakers, but whether it's valid or not, I don't buy audio gear that measures poorly (Audio Science Review).
Glad the approx ceiling is now $1k, vs $600, opens it up a little. Still relatively cheap, compared to 65" tvs, top tier mobile phones, and gaming graphics cards.
Randy, as always, thanks for another great and honest review. DAC: Bifrost 2 $699, PreAmp: Saga $399, Speaker Amp: Vidar 100 watts/ch $699 = $1800. Add speakers $??? and sub woofer $???. If only the funds were available........ However, my $150 Klipsch ProMedia computer speaker system plugged into the back of my old Dell desktop sounds pretty darn good and will just have to do until I hit the lottery.
I had the original ProMedia speaker set (the ones with the on/off switch placed very inconveniently behind the sub). I always thought they were incredible VFM especially when compared to my 10K main system. After owning them for about 20 years I finally gave them to a friend at work. Every time I walk through his work space and hear them I question my sanity for all the money I have spent on high end audio gear. He just says to me (grinning): these things sound pretty good, you should have kept them.
I just purchased my BiFrost 2 and I absolutely love it. I too am using it with the Freya+. Using the Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 3 amp to power a pair of Vintage Dahlquist DQ10s that I tech refreshed. Sounds incredible. Thanks again for another great review. Two things to point out are that BiFrost includes a remote and Denafrips has no evaluation period. So once you purchase it, it’s yours.
The cheapest way to try out Multibit, is to buy an old 80s CD player. The Philips TDA1541 DAC comes highly recommended and can be found in wide range of old CD players.
Agreed. I’m running bifrost2 > saga+ > Vidar into b&w CM9s2 and I really like the synergy. My speakers have felt thin and bright and the bifrost seems to fill in the mids and lows. The b&w brightness seems to recover some of the “lost” highs so it all works. I dropped my EQ after I got the bifrost.
I'm thinking the saga for my basement system, it has Laser Disc and Dac cassette recorder, LP, and PC input from the dac, that's 4 inputs, I'd have 1 left.
Fun fact about balanced internal signal paths. There are 2 places where it converts to single ended. Everyone knows the speaker out is single ended, what many people don't realise is the volume control is also single ended. So in your lovely balanced pre-amp with balanced inputs and balanced outputs, deep inside it converts to single ended and back again.
Own both the Ares 2 and the Bifrost 2. Both sound fantastic. Which one sounds better changes depending on speaker / headphone / and even track parings. It is worth noting that if you plan to use the Ares 2 for gaming or editing, you will suffer signal delays. The Bifrost 2 is better when it comes down to handling latency as their USB Unison is awesome. Unlike the Ares 2 the Bifrost does not require you to download a driver. It is plug and play which is nice. Bifrost also has Roon support that even has an icon for the DAC. I use the Ares 2 on a speaker system that is reserved for 2 channel music only. This is where it shines. Multi purpose use? Not so much. Bifrost 2 is used on my PC for gaming and music paired with the Hifiman Ayre headphones and topping A90 amp.
Is the Ares II "veiled" or overly warm? I keep hearing the Denafrips described as warm and I like lots of air and details. I'm afraid the Denafrips may end up sounding (to me) like other things described as "warm" which to me sound less detailed and like a big blanket is over the speaker
Great review, Sir! Keep 'em coming! I'm glad you extend your "gear pool" beyond 600$, up to 1k, which is not that far, still in the affordable territory. 👍
RANDY: Its the LG V20 I have and it is the best sounding phone I've ever heard. I also own the Bifrost 2. I gotta tell ya as far as "value" goes - I have the Bifrost2 into my vintage Yamaha CR2040 with a pair of Elac Unifi's with my vintage Velodyne sub as my small living room setup and its crazy good
I put a Bifrost 2 into my system about a month ago, replacing the SMSL M300 DAC that I previously had in there. Oh, yes! It was the right thing to do, absolutely!
The Xduoo 604 is now my main headphone/ IEM amplifier…however, my DAC output ( balanced) is too much ..my solution was to put a Little Bear balanced passive preamp in the chain prior to amp ..and setting the 604’s volume at noon ..but controlling the input with the 604 ..so the 604 controls are used as the true balance controls and the preamp as the master volume. Btw, current DAC : Drop / Grace Balanced DAC. As usual a great review, thank you.
@@jaykabel I’ve since gotten an IFI Go Blue and now run my IEM’s on that ..however the 604 is now my dedicated amp for my Sen’s 650. The high impedance of the 650’s ( 300 ohm’s) brings out the most of the tubes characteristics 🥰 Btw, have a great weekend and enjoy Father’s Day.
I’ve had my Bifrost 2 for a couple of months now, and I have to say that I am VERY happy with it. No second thoughts or regrets. No looking back. Worth saving up for. My smartest (luckiest ?) audio purchase, period.
The USB section is also replaceable / upgradable, too. A possibly important difference between the Bifrost 2 and the Ares II - is IF you use a DAC for sound editing, you will want the Bifrost 2. For whatever reason, the Ares II has a fairly significant buffer delay that would make it hard to use. But for music, this has no effect; other than you having to wait a bit longer for the music to start. Once it is playing, there is no difference.
@@MiemoPenttinen Right, if you are not needing to sync things exactly, like during editing, this doesn't matter. I only mention it, so that people will know, that if they are going to be doing editing, then the Ares II probably would not work.
Great review, spot on. Less hyped than the ares II but a pretty good performer with very good timbre and satisfying slam. Also future-proofed in a couple of ways.
@@kinglear5952 From Schiit’s website: “Turn Bifrost 2 around, and you’ll see that this DAC is completely modular. Not only that, the modules are designed to slide in from the back of the chassis, meaning this DAC will never have to come back to Schiit for upgrades-you can do it yourself. Firmware updates? Sure, if there are firmware updates, just use the external MicroSD card slot-again, no need for it to come home. Compare this to other DACs, even DACs costing many times more. Only Bifrost 2 provides complete hardware and firmware upgradability, without sending the product in for service.”
I’m only one minute and twelve seconds into this video, but I’ve already determined its your best video yet. I put a “Hi-Fi Audio” sticker on my phone and it sounds worlds better than it did previously, I might need to check out your audiophile screws.
I’ve just started to notice people doing that, not just Ron. Don’t know if it’s a regional or generational thing, like people not using the long “A” in front of a word that starts with a vowel. “I ate a egg” or such.
Had a lady in my accounting class from long ago pronounce dividends as “divy-dends”; I twitched every time I heard her say it. Perhaps I was drinking too much back then - or, possibly, not enough.
When I first stumbled upon you channel, I thought your style was too meandering and took too long to get to the meat and potatoes. Now, I watch for 30% audio knowledge, 70% analogies involving violent butchers and vegan bacon.
For $600 you can get the awesome new Hifiman EF400 amp DAC, which has BUILT IN Himalaya balanced R2R DAC. It has XLR out, so it might be interested to compare its DAC-only performance. It has enough power to drive Susvara! Crazy deal. Sounds fantastic
I just discovered your channel today, but I'm now subscribed. Less than a month ago, I bought the Modi (the delta-sigma version) and the Magni to use with my Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro's. I'm certainly enjoying music a lot more now than I have in the past. I quickly decided that I did want a bit more headroom in the amp, so I've got a Asgard 3 on the way. Figuring that would be it, I ordered the delta-sigma DAC board with it (the ESS ones; they've apparently exhausted their AKM stock). Then yesterday after reading reviews and watching videos, I ordered the Bifrost 2. So I'll have a DAC in the Asgard 3 that probably won't get used.
Good review, as usual, Randy. You’re slowly slipping into the not so cheap audio world……but it’s OK because you keep it grounded with those cheap Sony bookshelf speakers that sound so great!
This was already a great DAC, and now there's a new upgrade they're calling "2/64" that, by all accounts I've read so far (don't have my upgrade card yet so I haven't been able to listen myself), is a pretty noticeable improvement over the original. Also comes with new firmware with a NOS mode if you're into that. Don't quote me on this, but I think you can install the new firmware and get NOS on the original Bifrost 2 without needing the upgrade.
Resurrecting this older video...... I've had my Bifrost 2 for roughly 1-1/2 years and still love it! My system is pretty much all American: Schiit, Parasound P6(though made in China), Van Alstine M225 amps, Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2EX, and dual Rythmik Audio F12's. I do have a MiniDSP 2X4 HD in the system, but that's the only non-American piece.
@@ChicagoRob2 No, haven't heard the LX. I don't know of anyone in my area with them. A friend out West has them, going from Sierra-2's. He is quite happy with the LX's. I don't have the budget to try them and am very happy with the EX. Have to lay low with the purchases for now after inciting a civil war with the recent purchase of the new mono amps.
Exceptionally good review of Bifrost 2. I recently gave my beloved Schiit Heresy/Modi 3+ and Sennheiser HD 600's to my audio-deprived big brother (who is blown away by that rig) and I am setting my sights on getting a replacement Magnius/Bifrost 2/HD 600 rig for myself. This review has helped me cement that plan. Thank you very much! BTW, where can I get one of those Weyland Yutani tee-shirts (hopefully, intact without any xenomorph damage)?
I love you t-shirt! Alien, what a saga!. Thank for the review, I am considering add an external DAC to my Parasound 200Pre, maybe with aim put (in the future to come) in the Freya+.
There is a world of difference between the Modi 3+ delta-sigma DAC, and the Modi Multibit DAC. My Modi 3+ was super bright and forward, so I returned it for the Multibit. No more delta-sigmas for me. The improvement in neutrality, soundstaging, and overall presentation was not subtle. I would assume the Bifrost 2 is even better, but if you don’t need balanced outputs, the $250 Multibit is an absolute steal.
I bought a Modi Multibit shortly after the late 2016 product launch and never looked back. Compared to most delta-sigma DACs you lose fine detail but also lose the rough treble and gain a sense of ease, coherency, and rhythmic drive.
I have a Dragonfly Red and it’s a great DAC. I use it primarily to run my ATH M50X headphones. The Multibit is in my dedicated main system, which I use with my iPhone, Yamaha integrated, and B&W Matrix 805 miles monitors. I did use it for a short time to drive my phones and found that it delivered a very natural, smooth sound signature, with great depth and space, and lack of hardness. So, I would have to say that it’s definitely better than the DFR.
😝 4:45 talks about Delta-Sigma DAC and shows block diagram of a Sigma-Delta ADC! Too funny! 😝 But seriously I really like your reviews Randy. You’re a breath of fresh air on the audiophile scene.
Wasn't going to speak up, but as an LG V60 owner I thought I should. Playing music through my phone on battery power sounds fine, but once you try charging it you'll get tons of noise added to the signal, definitely would still recommend getting a separate dac.
Randy, I might might be completely wrong (not the first time!) but as far as I know, balanced lines are to reject outside noise picked up by the cable which tend to act like an antenna. This is primarily AC 60 hz hum and stuff like AM radio signals. They do not act as filters to remove noise inherent in the signal, say from noisy USB circuits. Also it does little good to have a balanced DAC when most pre-amps have single ended inputs. The only tube pre I can think of that offered balanced input was Audio Research and that was outside and definition of cheap.
Oh...of course Schitt themselves have balance pre amps, inc one w/ tubes. And then there was BAT.....but the antithesis of cheap audio.....those things were 5 figures.
Just gone mine, only been in system for a few hours. Yeah.....impressive low end. Acoustic instruments sound more natural, esp. piano. I'm most impressed by the USB input. Have never heard music from UA-cam videos sound so good. They did a superb job with their proprietary module. I can't say it trounces my old Stan Warren modded Dacmagic, which is less of a knock on Schitt, than a testament to the genius of Stan. Right now, I'm feeling like vocals sounded actually a bit smoother on the DacMagic when using SPIDIF in from the Audiolab CDT6000. I don't notice a a significant difference between Audioquest Forest optical vs coax. I'm still waiting for the R2R chips to thermally stabilize. I have a Blue Jeans optical SPIDIF I will try. But this thing rules on USB. BTW: Gen 5 I got for $312 on the 'bay. I can upgrade to latest 2/64 board, and still be all in for less than a new one. Oh.....the case work is beautiful. Solid bit of kit there.
I have a nagging feeling that the front end has become so revealing that maybe I'm bumping up against the limitations of using a 90's Pioneer power amp, while my Odyssey Stratos mono amps are out to factory for upgrade. I may buy the Schitt desktop power amp, as I'm running my Merlins as my desktop rig. They are fairly inefficient, but I think in this situation that amp will be an upgrade. And it's $300 for an amp using a linear PS with discreet output devices, not some Class D toy. Now kinda sold on Schitt. This build quality, for these prices and made in USA? Hell yes.
When streamimg, I find myself playing individual tracks more than listening to entire albums usually. The late Quincy Jones purposefully woke up each morning to the Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue album. He called Kind Of Blue his "morning orange juice." This might be too personal a question to ask, as it might be a window to your soul. But you out there, what music is the soundtrack to your life? Not music you play on a player, but music you play everyday in your head. When you're dicing tomatoes, washing the dishes, taking a shower, walking, being barked at by dogs, (or cats). Or chased by dogs if you are a mailman. Here are my everyday tunes I hum to myself when doing the ordinary things of life. Keep in mind this is very personal. A Taste Of Honey-Herb Alpert The Casino Royale Theme-Burt Bacharach. (This is good both when being barked at by dogs, and when trying to go slower at work). Goin' Up Around The Bend-Creedence Clearwater Revival. (When trying to go faster at work. Seldom played in my mind. Although I guess CCR'S Travelin' Band would be even better if you are a real go getter. Don't ruin it for the others!
Strange. I have both the Ares II and the Bifrost 2 and for me, I came to the exact opposite conclusion as Randy. For me, the Ares II is just next level when compared to the Bifrost 2. While I think the Bifrost 2 does sound better than all the other DS-based DACs in it's price-range (especially in the mids and treble), the Ares II is the most dynamic, punchy, realistic sounding DAC I've heard so far. Honestly, I can't imagine it getting much better overall than the Ares II, just more refined. The only weakness of the Ares II that I've heard is that sometimes it can sound a bit TOO dynamic and raw sounding whenever the music starts to get really dense and powerful. But they are both great sounding DACs, that's for sure. Just my $0.02.
If I gave the impression I don’t love the Ares 2 I should have done a better job. It’s great. I did a comparison review on the DAC attack video. I love the Ares 2
I’ve not heard either but have a plethora of cheap $100-ish DACs and prefer an FX-Audio SQ5 with a Burr-Brown chip to the various AKs I have (Modi 3, Sanskrit 10 mk2, Breeze ChiFi 4493). Saving for the Bifrost 2 and figure that the five year warranty & made in USA is worth it vs an Ares with all those resistors & what warranty I don’t know. I’ve a single-ended only Saga + with RCA-to-XLR cable to my balanced-only VTV Hypex made across town Ohio amp. Cable runs are short. Q-Acoustics 3050i speakers & almost endgame for me. The Saga has two SE outputs so i could send one to a headphone amp. Can hardly wait. Thanks CAM for the timely review; just got paid & put a hundred towards more Schiit. About a month or so to go.
I've been on the fence between the Bifrost and Aries. After this review, which is in keeping with many others, (I love continuity**) - it seems, for now, the Bifrost is the way to go. I live in BC, Canada so if, big "if" - something goes wrong with the unit then Schiit is just down the road and I can send it across the border without proof of vaccination. I bought the latest Modi (with an Eitr) and then recently, a Modius. They're just fine - no complaints but a Bifrost will be added and yes, I do have three separate applications for each. ** Schiit has some new Continuity circuit magic they've introduced and I'd love to hear your take on this "Schiit-newity thingy" I'm going to get a coffee and research those salsa-screws. Thanks Randy.
Randy, great tô see you with that many gear. Great content ahead for us. Schiit is really making some buzz in the Market. In my opinion only few top reviewer not looking into them. Ares II and bifrost what a match up that might have been. Based on your review I believe I lean more into the ares II. Top end sensitive but I listem to low volumes, so extra details would not turn into ear piercing nails. Make sense?
I was so close to buying the Ares II. Had great communication with Alvin. But at the end of the day, I’m not comfortable with having to perform firmware updates with a Chinese company. Simply a security issue.
I discarded my Bifrost 2 and Ares 2 for the Topping D70s, the perfect synthesis of the other two DACS: The D70s is more extended, and cleaner sounding than the Bifrost 2, and it doesn't sound 'grainy' like the the Ares 2. The Topping D70s is the first DAC I've owned which has all the details across the frequency band, without any shortcomings or flaws.
The d70s is definitely one of the most under the radar dacs out now. Sounds fantastic in my set up. It throws in some added whatevers like mqa, bluetooth and volume control...And for only $650. Couldn't be happier.
@@backrack01 I agree - the D70s is very much under the radar - funny enough, this DAC ended my R2R/Multibit 'journey' - who would have thought that a D/S DAC could sound this good? Right now the D70s is more of an outlier, but hopefully it's a harbinger of things to come - better DACs for less money.
I have had the Schiit Gungnir for many years now with the McIntosh mc275 and c2200 and JBL 4429 speakers. Never liked the sound. Went from gold lion kt88, tungsol 6550, sovtek 6550 and settled on JJ kt88 power tubes and all other tubes gold lion. The Gungnir upgrade eventually became available so I upgraded and added the usb port. It sounded better but the highs sound artificial and irritating. The more I turned the volume up, the worse it got. I got the Denafrips Ares and it’s now an enjoyable system. Not as detailed as the Schiit but it’s enjoyable. I decided to try the Gungnir with another system with the VTA ST70 for power and the SP12 preamp and the old version Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grands. This system sounds really good in that it has a very fun and musical presentation with euphoric detail. The more I listen to it, the more I want to listen. All this with a Dragonfly red dac and the Schiit Mani for vinyl. I tried the Gungnir and it did the same thing on this system. I wonder if it does not play well with tubes?
Would those happen to be Tom Hanks Range Free Pomeranians? Randy's latest sponsor is a bass port lubricant. I have to get me some of that. He has the best sponsors 😆
Great video, mate! I had the Gungnir Multibit, but sold it after about 6 months. The audio always sounded kinda "muffled" to me. I tried a few other DACs and finally went with the Topping D90. I'm curious about the Border Patrol DAC and might give it a shot.
Great video, helping me get back in the audio game! Question: Looking at your setup, I understand the better DAC you have the better your chances of achieving soundstage imaging. However, I've found adding an EQ helps dial in sound as well. Do you use an EQ somewhere in your setup? If so, please share and if not...help is understand why not? Keep up the great job! 🔥🙌❤️
If you decide to repeatedly run the tune A Taste Of Honey by Herb Alpert through your mind while doing life's ordinary things, adopting it as the soundtrack of your life, be aware; somehow it may eventually make you feel like a Secret Agent. If you really are a Secret Agent; it's best not to tell anyone. But you might already know that.
More and more I’m becoming a Schiit fanboy..I too like the USA made vibe..and you can alway add the Schiit Loki or Lokius EQ, and pump the highs a little….I personally own the Modi + and the Magni headphone amp to connect with ,y iMac..so nice!
Two things: Without exaggeration, an alarmingly high number of topping products arrive DOA or die in short order. They have the lowest reliability in the DAC market. They have extremely poor CS. The other thing: I have a modius maximus and have been considering going to a BF2/64. I have not yet seen ANY direct comparisons, except for a quick blurb about treble. I have, based on YOUR review, ordered a BF2/64.
This is all so confusing. I'm at the point where I watch reviews 10x more than I listen to music. I just want to get a setup that sounds good and looks awesome. I have the rp600m, and want a matching set of whatever to power them up. Waiting on the new intagrated Emotiva, but if they make me wait much longer, I'll be going a different direction. I wish there was a store I could go to and really browse like the "old days". It was a lot easier to impulse buy when things were in hand.
Yea I wouldn't go Emotiva with those speakers myself either. Plus it's crazy to wait for the latest thing, when the technology isn't anything new anyway. I would be much more concerned with getting the options you want, and getting a sound signature that matches your speakers (warm to neutral, warm is best though IMO, unless you really want forward, bright, lively, and detailed). Unless you're source is absolutely dark sounding, and your room is very well treated. Bright speakers with a bright amp is usually a really bad idea. And unfortunately Emotiva is usually on the bright side, as are your speakers. I think Denon would be a great choice myself. But if you really like a lively type of sound. And want a neutral amp. Go with the IOTAVX Sa3. Or a Rega IO would probably make you very happy too, but cost more. As well as a Yamaha A-S701, or A-S801, if you're willing to stretch your budget even further. But want to stick with the warm anp/lively speaker type of combo (and I recommend you do in most cases). Personally, if it were me. I would go with the Denon, or the Yamaha depending on my budget. For a few reasons. But the main ones being that they're both coming from very well known, and very good companies. Plus they can both be ordered at places that will allow you to return them for free, if you're not happy. Plus they both have lots of options built in. I think Amazon has both for instance, and I'm pretty sure Crutchfield does too. And will do the same return deal. But read the fine print first of course. And honestly, I wouldn't worry about having enough power with either of them. Especially the Yamaha, but that little Denon will surprise you. There's a reason it's Steve Guttenberg's reference for a low budget integrated amp. And if you don't like it. Box it back up, and send it back (tell Amazon you weren't happy with how it sounded/worked, and they should send you a free return shipping label). No big deal. I bet you keep it though. 😉 ✌️ BTW just to let you know. With the Yamaha you're going to get a little better sound obviously, a much better build quality. A better resale value, and likely a quicker sell, if you ever decide to upgrade later. And of course more power. Plus the ability to add an aftermarket power cord. But it's also bigger, and heavier. On top of being a lot more money. But if you have the money, and the room. It is the better choice IMHO. Either way, good luck.
I had the Klipsch RP 600M set in my bedroom, run off a SMSL M400 and the cheaper Yamaha Aventage receiver set on Pure Direct. That was the cleanest and most impressive music that i have ever heard in my life. When my Iota VX stack came in, I moved the speakers and deck to the living room to hook to the stack. It sounds...ok.
To me...I need more than 1 Dac, Just like I need more than 1 set of headphones. Sometimes I'm the Grado guy, Other times the Sennheiser guy. Speakers well I've had Magnaplaners for 22 years, now using JBL and Warfdale while I save for the OhmWalsh 2000s. And that's just the upstairs system. It's Schiit and everything else downstairs.
Please try the Tone Board from Khadas. It is under $100 and comes with a snap together case that is very cool and fun to build. I had a Bifrost 1 when I got it. After I built it, I picked it over the Bifrost even tho the Bifrost is more expensive. Bifrost is really good and a little warmer, but man what you pay for the Tone Board and what you get is stunning.
They are assembled and QC'd in the United States. Not all the parts come from the US though. In this day and age that simply isn't possible for some stuff. A lot of electrical and chips and stuff you can only get from Japan and China. They are the only places making them, period. I think some of their volume control and other pads come from Japan as well simply because they think those products are the best. I might be wrong on that part but I think that is what Jason the co owner said.
In your 2022 recommended dac video you did not list the Bifrost 2/64. In this video you compare it to the Denafrit Ares II. However in the recommended dac video, you chose the Geshelli J2 over the Ares II. How does the Geshelli J2 compare to the Bifrost 2/64.
Curious: I have the standard Jotunheim V1. Wondering if I should buy the newer Jotunheim V2, OR just pair what I have with the latest Bifrost? Emphasis will be on headphone listening. What say you?
This has been particularly intetesting as I have been considering the ares ii and bifrost 2, and have the wharfedale evo 4.1's. I'm thinking maybe I will wait to see if schiit manage to recover from the covid hassles (the uk distributors still have no stock) and see if they bring out a bifrost 3 at some point later on
I have a cheap stereo. A FX Audio Tube-03 MK II with GE 5654W. tubes, and Aiyma A07 Amp pushing a pair of Sony SS-CS5 speakers. Love the sound. The thing is, I would like to hook up to the optic out on a TV. I don't want to change the sound. I just want a good CLEAN signal and as you see I am trying for the best I can get for the least out of pocket. I'm not new to this game, I once had a Pioneer Spec 1 & Spec 4 driving HPM 150s ( in my case 1500s). What do I need, cheap!
California is doing everything it can to drive businesses out of the state. I tried several DACs and settled on a Multi bit Gungnir. Love it. Oddly, the Gungnir costs almost twice that the Bifrost does but doesn't have the remote and the upgrades are via new interior boards. Hmmm.
Are you able to source any Old Theta DAC's? I'm lucky to own a few and they are by far my favorite sounding DAC's! Mike from Schiit use to work for Theta as a side note.
Torn between buying the Bifrost 2 or the iFi Neo to use with Adam A5x and HD 660s. Would still need a pre amp/hp amp with the bifrost 2 but get a 5 year warranty and support North American manufacturing with Schiit.
Entertaining as always! However, I think that your channel is very biased towards speakers, DACs, and amps. Not much in the way of source. And, yes, I saw the double Fluance review.👍 but more cartridges? And CD players? And maybe turntables available OUTSIDE North America? It's a big world, out here.... Love, from Denmark!
You should test my FiiO X7 mk2, best DAC I've ever heard from a portable device. Only reason I haven't gone multibit yet, the ESS9028 in the X7 is so damn good I really don't feel like there's much room for improvement.
Hi and thanks for the review! I have a warm sounding poweramp (Vincent) and a pair of Dynaudio emit 50! This is nice but I need a DAC with volume control that is better than a the NEO iDSD wich I using now, what would you recomend? Best regards Mikael
Hello, thanks for this review. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up a pair of Sonus Farber Lumina V tower speakers. In your opinion, do you think the Bifrost 2 would pair well (would be in a chain of Bluesound node2, Freya S, Buckeye Hyper X NC502 500wpc amp)?
![ARES II vs D90 vs Bifrost 2 vs ADI-2 vs Gungnir vs Qutest [Mega DAC Roundup & Comparison]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sCP63G8MYOI/mqdefault.jpg)
The World may be going to hell in a handbasket, but dammit I get another 18 min of total enjoyment again. Thank u CheapAudioGuy.
💯 percent ❤️
I was on the fence between the Aries II and the Bifrost. I went with the Bifrost, because I'd rather buy American. It's been fantastic so far. I absolutely love it.
I hear ya. I prefer to buy American hifi. I've got a Rogue amp and Revel speakers, but whether it's valid or not, I don't buy audio gear that measures poorly (Audio Science Review).
Good choice!
I have one too and love it.
I too prefer U.S. made audio gear, and I've never had any regrets after the purchase.
I went with cheaper topping d70, Ares 2 is double the price of D70 and bifrost not available in EU anyway more expensive
Glad the approx ceiling is now $1k, vs $600, opens it up a little. Still relatively cheap, compared to 65" tvs, top tier mobile phones, and gaming graphics cards.
Great explanation of what balanced means and what it does. One of your best reviews yet! Keep the content coming!
Prob the clearest explanation of ‘balanced’ I’ve heard. Thx 👍
Randy, as always, thanks for another great and honest review.
DAC: Bifrost 2 $699, PreAmp: Saga $399, Speaker Amp: Vidar 100 watts/ch $699 = $1800. Add speakers $??? and sub woofer $???. If only the funds were available........
However, my $150 Klipsch ProMedia computer speaker system plugged into the back of my old Dell desktop sounds pretty darn good and will just have to do until I hit the lottery.
I had the original ProMedia speaker set (the ones with the on/off switch placed very inconveniently behind the sub). I always thought they were incredible VFM especially when compared to my 10K main system. After owning them for about 20 years I finally gave them to a friend at work. Every time I walk through his work space and hear them I question my sanity for all the money I have spent on high end audio gear. He just says to me (grinning): these things sound pretty good, you should have kept them.
@@mikecees2230 Exactly! I enjoy my "first gen" set everyday.
I just purchased my BiFrost 2 and I absolutely love it. I too am using it with the Freya+. Using the Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 3 amp to power a pair of Vintage Dahlquist DQ10s that I tech refreshed. Sounds incredible. Thanks again for another great review. Two things to point out are that BiFrost includes a remote and Denafrips has no evaluation period. So once you purchase it, it’s yours.
Denafrips doesn't have a return policy at ALL?
@@JayGreezy Nope
That is an epic vintage-meets-new setup! My new setup will include BF2/64 and the XPA-2 Gen 3
The cheapest way to try out Multibit, is to buy an old 80s CD player. The Philips TDA1541 DAC comes highly recommended and can be found in wide range of old CD players.
Why did you suggest that??? You just drove the price up on better made eighties CD players.
I'm glad to see that you have sidled up to the kilobuck range of audio. I think this is the real sweet spot on great value for $$$$$$$
Agreed. I’m running bifrost2 > saga+ > Vidar into b&w CM9s2 and I really like the synergy. My speakers have felt thin and bright and the bifrost seems to fill in the mids and lows. The b&w brightness seems to recover some of the “lost” highs so it all works. I dropped my EQ after I got the bifrost.
I'm thinking the saga for my basement system, it has Laser Disc and Dac cassette recorder, LP, and PC input from the dac, that's 4 inputs, I'd have 1 left.
Great explanation of what a DAC is and balanced connections. Plus a nice review of the Bifrost.
Fun fact about balanced internal signal paths. There are 2 places where it converts to single ended. Everyone knows the speaker out is single ended, what many people don't realise is the volume control is also single ended. So in your lovely balanced pre-amp with balanced inputs and balanced outputs, deep inside it converts to single ended and back again.
My Freya+, Vidar, and Bifrost 2 are coming today, very excited! Schiit as a company are very cool, their livestreams are funny and interesting usually
Own both the Ares 2 and the Bifrost 2. Both sound fantastic. Which one sounds better changes depending on speaker / headphone / and even track parings.
It is worth noting that if you plan to use the Ares 2 for gaming or editing, you will suffer signal delays. The Bifrost 2 is better when it comes down to handling latency as their USB Unison is awesome.
Unlike the Ares 2 the Bifrost does not require you to download a driver. It is plug and play which is nice. Bifrost also has Roon support that even has an icon for the DAC.
I use the Ares 2 on a speaker system that is reserved for 2 channel music only. This is where it shines. Multi purpose use? Not so much. Bifrost 2 is used on my PC for gaming and music paired with the Hifiman Ayre headphones and topping A90 amp.
Good to know, thanks!
Is the Ares II "veiled" or overly warm? I keep hearing the Denafrips described as warm and I like lots of air and details. I'm afraid the Denafrips may end up sounding (to me) like other things described as "warm" which to me sound less detailed and like a big blanket is over the speaker
Great review Randy, really enjoyed hearing about the Bifrost 2. If I could just hide the purchase from my wife.
Great review, Sir! Keep 'em coming! I'm glad you extend your "gear pool" beyond 600$, up to 1k, which is not that far, still in the affordable territory. 👍
RANDY:
Its the LG V20 I have and it is the best sounding phone I've ever heard. I also own the Bifrost 2. I gotta tell ya as far as "value" goes - I have the Bifrost2 into my vintage Yamaha CR2040 with a pair of Elac Unifi's with my vintage Velodyne sub as my small living room setup and its crazy good
I put a Bifrost 2 into my system about a month ago, replacing the SMSL M300 DAC that I previously had in there. Oh, yes! It was the right thing to do, absolutely!
I totally agree, your video’s are not silly AT ALL 😀
The Xduoo 604 is now my main headphone/ IEM amplifier…however, my DAC output ( balanced) is too much ..my solution was to put a Little Bear balanced passive preamp in the chain prior to amp ..and setting the 604’s volume at noon ..but controlling the input with the 604 ..so the 604 controls are used as the true balance controls and the preamp as the master volume.
Btw, current DAC : Drop / Grace Balanced DAC.
As usual a great review, thank you.
I recently got the 604 too, and also dealt with the input running hot. Seems like a design flaw. I ALSO got the Little Bear to solve it - worked great
@@jaykabel I’ve since gotten an IFI Go Blue and now run my IEM’s on that ..however the 604 is now my dedicated amp for my Sen’s 650.
The high impedance of the 650’s ( 300 ohm’s) brings out the most of the tubes characteristics 🥰
Btw, have a great weekend and enjoy Father’s Day.
I’ve had my Bifrost 2 for a couple of months now, and I have to say that I am VERY happy with it. No second thoughts or regrets. No looking back. Worth saving up for. My smartest (luckiest ?) audio purchase, period.
Great review, Randy. You just keep getting better.
I am new here and I subscribed. To Schiit or not to Schiit. That is the question.
Thanks Randy. This is one of the best value-for-money purchases I've ever made in my life. Keep up the good work Buddy
hi Randy, great review... I really enjoy my Denafrips Ares ii
The USB section is also replaceable / upgradable, too.
A possibly important difference between the Bifrost 2 and the Ares II - is IF you use a DAC for sound editing, you will want the Bifrost 2. For whatever reason, the Ares II has a fairly significant buffer delay that would make it hard to use. But for music, this has no effect; other than you having to wait a bit longer for the music to start. Once it is playing, there is no difference.
Or movies & TV, for that matter…
@@MiemoPenttinen Right, if you are not needing to sync things exactly, like during editing, this doesn't matter. I only mention it, so that people will know, that if they are going to be doing editing, then the Ares II probably would not work.
Is there a delay if you use optical out?
@@mtnmankeith9069 I don't know for sure, but I would think this is just how it works. I heard this information from Golden Sound.
This ruled the Ares 2 out completely for me. Made me look to either the Bifrost 2 or Audio GD R1 instead.
Great review, spot on. Less hyped than the ares II but a pretty good performer with very good timbre and satisfying slam. Also future-proofed in a couple of ways.
Which ways?
@@kinglear5952 From Schiit’s website: “Turn Bifrost 2 around, and you’ll see that this DAC is completely modular. Not only that, the modules are designed to slide in from the back of the chassis, meaning this DAC will never have to come back to Schiit for upgrades-you can do it yourself. Firmware updates? Sure, if there are firmware updates, just use the external MicroSD card slot-again, no need for it to come home. Compare this to other DACs, even DACs costing many times more. Only Bifrost 2 provides complete hardware and firmware upgradability, without sending the product in for service.”
@@MrKarlengel Fantastic, thank you.
I’m only one minute and twelve seconds into this video, but I’ve already determined its your best video yet. I put a “Hi-Fi Audio” sticker on my phone and it sounds worlds better than it did previously, I might need to check out your audiophile screws.
I really like that you don’t make the first “t” in “important” silent.
Small victories indeed.
Sounds like a jab at Ron LOL
I’ve just started to notice people doing that, not just Ron. Don’t know if it’s a regional or generational thing, like people not using the long “A” in front of a word that starts with a vowel. “I ate a egg” or such.
Had a lady in my accounting class from long ago pronounce dividends as “divy-dends”; I twitched every time I heard her say it. Perhaps I was drinking too much back then - or, possibly, not enough.
When I first stumbled upon you channel, I thought your style was too meandering and took too long to get to the meat and potatoes. Now, I watch for 30% audio knowledge, 70% analogies involving violent butchers and vegan bacon.
For $600 you can get the awesome new Hifiman EF400 amp DAC, which has BUILT IN Himalaya balanced R2R DAC. It has XLR out, so it might be interested to compare its DAC-only performance. It has enough power to drive Susvara! Crazy deal. Sounds fantastic
I really appreciate you spending time on how it feels. Funny delivery throughout
Great Review! I've been wanting to add a Bifrost 2 to my Asgard 3 setup as I'm wanting to add a turntable for my music collection. Thank you!
I've had a Bifrost 2 for about a year now and I love it.
Small correction: Chord is still delta sigma design just implemented in fpga chip for digital part and separate analogue section.
Thanks, friend! I’ve been eagerly waiting for this since your DAC Attack.
Are the audiophile salsa screws kept in an Andrew Jones salsa jar? I hear it adds a touch of refinement
I missed an opportunity on that one
great review - reminds me of your older reviews. you do not miss on longer reviews
Love Schiit products, love your show. Keep it up.
I just discovered your channel today, but I'm now subscribed. Less than a month ago, I bought the Modi (the delta-sigma version) and the Magni to use with my Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro's. I'm certainly enjoying music a lot more now than I have in the past. I quickly decided that I did want a bit more headroom in the amp, so I've got a Asgard 3 on the way. Figuring that would be it, I ordered the delta-sigma DAC board with it (the ESS ones; they've apparently exhausted their AKM stock). Then yesterday after reading reviews and watching videos, I ordered the Bifrost 2. So I'll have a DAC in the Asgard 3 that probably won't get used.
Did you ever try the Bifrost 2 with the Asgard?
Just got a used one for a great deal.. This is the closest I've heard digital come to analog in my system. Very very fun DAC.
You're a good man, Randy. Love you
I LOVE the Weyland-Yutani shirt. I didn't even know that was a thing, and now I want one.
Good review, as usual, Randy. You’re slowly slipping into the not so cheap audio world……but it’s OK because you keep it grounded with those cheap Sony bookshelf speakers that sound so great!
Cheap is a relative term. Relative only to ones budget, and everyone's budget is different
This was already a great DAC, and now there's a new upgrade they're calling "2/64" that, by all accounts I've read so far (don't have my upgrade card yet so I haven't been able to listen myself), is a pretty noticeable improvement over the original. Also comes with new firmware with a NOS mode if you're into that.
Don't quote me on this, but I think you can install the new firmware and get NOS on the original Bifrost 2 without needing the upgrade.
yes, you can update the firmware with the original/old card, I did it, works fine, will get the new card next month
Resurrecting this older video......
I've had my Bifrost 2 for roughly 1-1/2 years and still love it! My system is pretty much all American: Schiit, Parasound P6(though made in China), Van Alstine M225 amps, Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2EX, and dual Rythmik Audio F12's. I do have a MiniDSP 2X4 HD in the system, but that's the only non-American piece.
Sounds like a great system. Have you heard the new Sierra LX? They’re insane.
@@ChicagoRob2 No, haven't heard the LX. I don't know of anyone in my area with them. A friend out West has them, going from Sierra-2's. He is quite happy with the LX's. I don't have the budget to try them and am very happy with the EX. Have to lay low with the purchases for now after inciting a civil war with the recent purchase of the new mono amps.
Exceptionally good review of Bifrost 2. I recently gave my beloved Schiit Heresy/Modi 3+ and Sennheiser HD 600's to my audio-deprived big brother (who is blown away by that rig) and I am setting my sights on getting a replacement Magnius/Bifrost 2/HD 600 rig for myself. This review has helped me cement that plan. Thank you very much! BTW, where can I get one of those Weyland Yutani tee-shirts (hopefully, intact without any xenomorph damage)?
6 dollar t shirts or something along those lines
@@cheapaudioman Thanks!
I love you t-shirt! Alien, what a saga!. Thank for the review, I am considering add an external DAC to my Parasound 200Pre, maybe with aim put (in the future to come) in the Freya+.
There is a world of difference between the Modi 3+ delta-sigma DAC, and the Modi Multibit DAC. My Modi 3+ was super bright and forward, so I returned it for the Multibit. No more delta-sigmas for me. The improvement in neutrality, soundstaging, and overall presentation was not subtle. I would assume the Bifrost 2 is even better, but if you don’t need balanced outputs, the $250 Multibit is an absolute steal.
I bought a Modi Multibit shortly after the late 2016 product launch and never looked back. Compared to most delta-sigma DACs you lose fine detail but also lose the rough treble and gain a sense of ease, coherency, and rhythmic drive.
Would you consider the multibit an improvement over a Dragonfly Red?
I have a Dragonfly Red and it’s a great DAC. I use it primarily to run my ATH M50X headphones. The Multibit is in my dedicated main system, which I use with my iPhone, Yamaha integrated, and B&W Matrix 805 miles monitors.
I did use it for a short time to drive my phones and found that it delivered a very natural, smooth sound signature, with great depth and space, and lack of hardness. So, I would have to say that it’s definitely better than the DFR.
@@ChicagoRob2 I use it with my IPhone /Android in my main system. Not much into headphones. Streaming Amazon HD at present. Prefer vinyl/sacd.
@@michaelkaiser5994 I use Tidal HiFi, FLAC lossless format as my streamer. The quality is amazing, especially with the Multibit.
You are god damned the best audio reviewer on youtube - Enjoy that coffee brother!
😝 4:45 talks about Delta-Sigma DAC and shows block diagram of a Sigma-Delta ADC! Too funny! 😝
But seriously I really like your reviews Randy. You’re a breath of fresh air on the audiophile scene.
Wasn't going to speak up, but as an LG V60 owner I thought I should. Playing music through my phone on battery power sounds fine, but once you try charging it you'll get tons of noise added to the signal, definitely would still recommend getting a separate dac.
Randy, I might might be completely wrong (not the first time!) but as far as I know, balanced lines are to reject outside noise picked up by the cable which tend to act like an antenna. This is primarily AC 60 hz hum and stuff like AM radio signals. They do not act as filters to remove noise inherent in the signal, say from noisy USB circuits. Also it does little good to have a balanced DAC when most pre-amps have single ended inputs. The only tube pre I can think of that offered balanced input was Audio Research and that was outside and definition of cheap.
Or BAT, but those pre amps were 5 figures. But yes, Schitt makes balance preamps and one of those does have a tube stage......my mistake. Sorry.
Oh...of course Schitt themselves have balance pre amps, inc one w/ tubes. And then there was BAT.....but the antithesis of cheap audio.....those things were 5 figures.
Thanks for comparing to the Ares!
Just gone mine, only been in system for a few hours. Yeah.....impressive low end. Acoustic instruments sound more natural, esp. piano. I'm most impressed by the USB input. Have never heard music from UA-cam videos sound so good. They did a superb job with their proprietary module. I can't say it trounces my old Stan Warren modded Dacmagic, which is less of a knock on Schitt, than a testament to the genius of Stan. Right now, I'm feeling like vocals sounded actually a bit smoother on the DacMagic when using SPIDIF in from the Audiolab CDT6000. I don't notice a a significant difference between Audioquest Forest optical vs coax. I'm still waiting for the R2R chips to thermally stabilize. I have a Blue Jeans optical SPIDIF I will try. But this thing rules on USB. BTW: Gen 5 I got for $312 on the 'bay. I can upgrade to latest 2/64 board, and still be all in for less than a new one. Oh.....the case work is beautiful. Solid bit of kit there.
I have a nagging feeling that the front end has become so revealing that maybe I'm bumping up against the limitations of using a 90's Pioneer power amp, while my Odyssey Stratos mono amps are out to factory for upgrade. I may buy the Schitt desktop power amp, as I'm running my Merlins as my desktop rig. They are fairly inefficient, but I think in this situation that amp will be an upgrade. And it's $300 for an amp using a linear PS with discreet output devices, not some Class D toy. Now kinda sold on Schitt. This build quality, for these prices and made in USA? Hell yes.
When streamimg, I find myself playing individual tracks more than listening to entire albums usually. The late Quincy Jones purposefully woke up each morning to the Miles Davis- Kind Of Blue album. He called Kind Of Blue his "morning orange juice." This might be too personal a question to ask, as it might be a window to your soul. But you out there, what music is the soundtrack to your life? Not music you play on a player, but music you play everyday in your head. When you're dicing tomatoes, washing the dishes, taking a shower, walking, being barked at by dogs, (or cats). Or chased by dogs if you are a mailman. Here are my everyday tunes I hum to myself when doing the ordinary things of life. Keep in mind this is very personal.
A Taste Of Honey-Herb Alpert
The Casino Royale Theme-Burt
Bacharach. (This is good both when
being barked at by dogs, and when
trying to go slower at work).
Goin' Up Around The Bend-Creedence Clearwater Revival. (When trying to go faster at work. Seldom played in my mind. Although I guess CCR'S Travelin' Band would be even better if you are a real go getter. Don't ruin it for the others!
Randy I have 2 Modi 3+ DACs and I go with American made products whenever I can.
Strange. I have both the Ares II and the Bifrost 2 and for me, I came to the exact opposite conclusion as Randy. For me, the Ares II is just next level when compared to the Bifrost 2. While I think the Bifrost 2 does sound better than all the other DS-based DACs in it's price-range (especially in the mids and treble), the Ares II is the most dynamic, punchy, realistic sounding DAC I've heard so far. Honestly, I can't imagine it getting much better overall than the Ares II, just more refined. The only weakness of the Ares II that I've heard is that sometimes it can sound a bit TOO dynamic and raw sounding whenever the music starts to get really dense and powerful. But they are both great sounding DACs, that's for sure. Just my $0.02.
If I gave the impression I don’t love the Ares 2 I should have done a better job. It’s great. I did a comparison review on the DAC attack video. I love the Ares 2
I’ve not heard either but have a plethora of cheap $100-ish DACs and prefer an FX-Audio SQ5 with a Burr-Brown chip to the various AKs I have (Modi 3, Sanskrit 10 mk2, Breeze ChiFi 4493). Saving for the Bifrost 2 and figure that the five year warranty & made in USA is worth it vs an Ares with all those resistors & what warranty I don’t know. I’ve a single-ended only Saga + with RCA-to-XLR cable to my balanced-only VTV Hypex made across town Ohio amp. Cable runs are short. Q-Acoustics 3050i speakers & almost endgame for me. The Saga has two SE outputs so i could send one to a headphone amp. Can hardly wait. Thanks CAM for the timely review; just got paid & put a hundred towards more Schiit. About a month or so to go.
The only upgrade is the holo may or the denafrips terminator plus. At this point i would upgrade speakers.
@@Leo-yn5fx Do you think Holo Spring 3 better than Ares II and Bifrost 2?
I've been on the fence between the Bifrost and Aries. After this review, which is in keeping
with many others, (I love continuity**) - it seems, for now, the Bifrost is the way to go. I live
in BC, Canada so if, big "if" - something goes wrong with the unit then Schiit is just down
the road and I can send it across the border without proof of vaccination. I bought the latest
Modi (with an Eitr) and then recently, a Modius. They're just fine - no complaints but a Bifrost
will be added and yes, I do have three separate applications for each.
** Schiit has some new Continuity circuit magic they've introduced and I'd love to hear your
take on this "Schiit-newity thingy" I'm going to get a coffee and research those salsa-screws.
Thanks Randy.
Randy, great tô see you with that many gear. Great content ahead for us. Schiit is really making some buzz in the Market. In my opinion only few top reviewer not looking into them.
Ares II and bifrost what a match up that might have been. Based on your review I believe I lean more into the ares II. Top end sensitive but I listem to low volumes, so extra details would not turn into ear piercing nails. Make sense?
Yeah. That’s the right call
I was so close to buying the Ares II. Had great communication with Alvin. But at the end of the day, I’m not comfortable with having to perform firmware updates with a Chinese company. Simply a security issue.
Facts
I discarded my Bifrost 2 and Ares 2 for the Topping D70s, the perfect synthesis of the other two DACS: The D70s is more extended, and cleaner sounding than the Bifrost 2, and it doesn't sound 'grainy' like the the Ares 2. The Topping D70s is the first DAC I've owned which has all the details across the frequency band, without any shortcomings or flaws.
Very cool
@@cheapaudioman Try it sometime, I think you'll like it.
The d70s is definitely one of the most under the radar dacs out now. Sounds fantastic in my set up. It throws in some added whatevers like mqa, bluetooth and volume control...And for only $650. Couldn't be happier.
@@backrack01 I agree - the D70s is very much under the radar - funny enough, this DAC ended my R2R/Multibit 'journey' - who would have thought that a D/S DAC could sound this good? Right now the D70s is more of an outlier, but hopefully it's a harbinger of things to come - better DACs for less money.
D70s is no longer a possibility. Did you ever sample the d30pro in your journey? Wondering how they would compare
I have had the Schiit Gungnir for many years now with the McIntosh mc275 and c2200 and JBL 4429 speakers. Never liked the sound. Went from gold lion kt88, tungsol 6550, sovtek 6550 and settled on JJ kt88 power tubes and all other tubes gold lion. The Gungnir upgrade eventually became available so I upgraded and added the usb port. It sounded better but the highs sound artificial and irritating. The more I turned the volume up, the worse it got. I got the Denafrips Ares and it’s now an enjoyable system. Not as detailed as the Schiit but it’s enjoyable. I decided to try the Gungnir with another system with the VTA ST70 for power and the SP12 preamp and the old version Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grands. This system sounds really good in that it has a very fun and musical presentation with euphoric detail. The more I listen to it, the more I want to listen. All this with a Dragonfly red dac and the Schiit Mani for vinyl. I tried the Gungnir and it did the same thing on this system. I wonder if it does not play well with tubes?
The best sponsor is Charleton Heston's Compressed Air at $129.99 per can! 👌
I like Hanks Free Range Pomeranians
Would those happen to be Tom Hanks Range Free Pomeranians? Randy's latest sponsor is a bass port lubricant. I have to get me some of that. He has the best sponsors 😆
You should make a video about all American audio manufacturers made in the United States.
Great video, mate! I had the Gungnir Multibit, but sold it after about 6 months. The audio always sounded kinda "muffled" to me. I tried a few other DACs and finally went with the Topping D90. I'm curious about the Border Patrol DAC and might give it a shot.
weyland-yutani shirt - immediate upvote
Good review / comparison
Great video, helping me get back in the audio game!
Question: Looking at your setup, I understand the better DAC you have the better your chances of achieving soundstage imaging. However, I've found adding an EQ helps dial in sound as well. Do you use an EQ somewhere in your setup? If so, please share and if not...help is understand why not?
Keep up the great job! 🔥🙌❤️
In Randy’s other video’s he promotes schiit loki and another EQ that I can’t remember. So yes he does like EQ.
Your "Sponsors" are fake? Outrageous.
Love your work, brother.
It’s hard to believe. But yes. They’re fake
I have the Ares2 and the Bifrost2 Both Fantastic.....R2R DACS are the only way to go if you want your Music to sound like Music....Period !
If you decide to repeatedly run the tune A Taste Of Honey by Herb Alpert through your mind while doing life's ordinary things, adopting it as the soundtrack of your life, be aware; somehow it may eventually make you feel like a Secret Agent. If you really are a Secret Agent; it's best not to tell anyone. But you might already know that.
More and more I’m becoming a Schiit fanboy..I too like the USA made vibe..and you can alway add the Schiit Loki or Lokius EQ, and pump the highs a little….I personally own the Modi + and the Magni headphone amp to connect with ,y iMac..so nice!
And unlike Denafrips it plays nice with MACs
great review.
Very good explanations
Bifrost all the way. It's just plain smart design. Once I found Schiit DACs, I never went back.
Two things: Without exaggeration, an alarmingly high number of topping products arrive DOA or die in short order. They have the lowest reliability in the DAC market. They have extremely poor CS.
The other thing: I have a modius maximus and have been considering going to a BF2/64. I have not yet seen ANY direct comparisons, except for a quick blurb about treble.
I have, based on YOUR review, ordered a BF2/64.
This is all so confusing. I'm at the point where I watch reviews 10x more than I listen to music. I just want to get a setup that sounds good and looks awesome. I have the rp600m, and want a matching set of whatever to power them up. Waiting on the new intagrated Emotiva, but if they make me wait much longer, I'll be going a different direction. I wish there was a store I could go to and really browse like the "old days". It was a lot easier to impulse buy when things were in hand.
True statement.
If you can find one the Denon pma600ne would be a nice combo with the Klipsch
Yea I wouldn't go Emotiva with those speakers myself either. Plus it's crazy to wait for the latest thing, when the technology isn't anything new anyway. I would be much more concerned with getting the options you want, and getting a sound signature that matches your speakers (warm to neutral, warm is best though IMO, unless you really want forward, bright, lively, and detailed).
Unless you're source is absolutely dark sounding, and your room is very well treated. Bright speakers with a bright amp is usually a really bad idea. And unfortunately Emotiva is usually on the bright side, as are your speakers.
I think Denon would be a great choice myself. But if you really like a lively type of sound. And want a neutral amp. Go with the IOTAVX Sa3. Or a Rega IO would probably make you very happy too, but cost more.
As well as a Yamaha A-S701, or A-S801, if you're willing to stretch your budget even further. But want to stick with the warm anp/lively speaker type of combo (and I recommend you do in most cases).
Personally, if it were me. I would go with the Denon, or the Yamaha depending on my budget. For a few reasons. But the main ones being that they're both coming from very well known, and very good companies. Plus they can both be ordered at places that will allow you to return them for free, if you're not happy. Plus they both have lots of options built in.
I think Amazon has both for instance, and I'm pretty sure Crutchfield does too. And will do the same return deal. But read the fine print first of course. And honestly, I wouldn't worry about having enough power with either of them. Especially the Yamaha, but that little Denon will surprise you.
There's a reason it's Steve Guttenberg's reference for a low budget integrated amp. And if you don't like it. Box it back up, and send it back (tell Amazon you weren't happy with how it sounded/worked, and they should send you a free return shipping label). No big deal. I bet you keep it though. 😉 ✌️
BTW just to let you know. With the Yamaha you're going to get a little better sound obviously, a much better build quality. A better resale value, and likely a quicker sell, if you ever decide to upgrade later. And of course more power. Plus the ability to add an aftermarket power cord. But it's also bigger, and heavier. On top of being a lot more money. But if you have the money, and the room. It is the better choice IMHO. Either way, good luck.
I had the Klipsch RP 600M set in my bedroom, run off a SMSL M400 and the cheaper Yamaha Aventage receiver set on Pure Direct. That was the cleanest and most impressive music that i have ever heard in my life.
When my Iota VX stack came in, I moved the speakers and deck to the living room to hook to the stack. It sounds...ok.
@@mm-tg8oo It's about the sound, not how the gear looks.
“It also comes with a remote control”, said in your best Carnac the Magnificent voice… “Exactly what time did I lose control of this show?”…
Please review the Modi Multi-bit. I could actually buy that one ($250).
the answer for whether you need a DAC is always yes... unless have a analog source :P
To me...I need more than 1 Dac, Just like I need more than 1 set of headphones. Sometimes I'm the Grado guy, Other times the Sennheiser guy.
Speakers well I've had Magnaplaners for 22 years, now using JBL and Warfdale while I save for the OhmWalsh 2000s. And that's just the upstairs system. It's Schiit and everything else downstairs.
Please try the Tone Board from Khadas. It is under $100 and comes with a snap together case that is very cool and fun to build. I had a Bifrost 1 when I got it. After I built it, I picked it over the Bifrost even tho the Bifrost is more expensive. Bifrost is really good and a little warmer, but man what you pay for the Tone Board and what you get is stunning.
They are assembled and QC'd in the United States. Not all the parts come from the US though. In this day and age that simply isn't possible for some stuff. A lot of electrical and chips and stuff you can only get from Japan and China. They are the only places making them, period. I think some of their volume control and other pads come from Japan as well simply because they think those products are the best. I might be wrong on that part but I think that is what Jason the co owner said.
In your 2022 recommended dac video you did not list the Bifrost 2/64. In this video you compare it to the Denafrit Ares II. However in the recommended dac video, you chose the Geshelli J2 over the Ares II. How does the Geshelli J2 compare to the Bifrost 2/64.
Curious: I have the standard Jotunheim V1. Wondering if I should buy the newer Jotunheim V2, OR just pair what I have with the latest Bifrost? Emphasis will be on headphone listening. What say you?
I'd buy that schiit
This has been particularly intetesting as I have been considering the ares ii and bifrost 2, and have the wharfedale evo 4.1's. I'm thinking maybe I will wait to see if schiit manage to recover from the covid hassles (the uk distributors still have no stock) and see if they bring out a bifrost 3 at some point later on
I have a cheap stereo. A FX Audio Tube-03 MK II with GE 5654W. tubes, and Aiyma A07 Amp pushing a pair of Sony SS-CS5 speakers. Love the sound. The thing is, I would like to hook up to the optic out on a TV. I don't want to change the sound. I just want a good CLEAN signal and as you see I am trying for the best I can get for the least out of pocket.
I'm not new to this game, I once had a Pioneer Spec 1 & Spec 4 driving HPM 150s ( in my case 1500s).
What do I need, cheap!
California is doing everything it can to drive businesses out of the state. I tried several DACs and settled on a Multi bit Gungnir. Love it. Oddly, the Gungnir costs almost twice that the Bifrost does but doesn't have the remote and the upgrades are via new interior boards. Hmmm.
@@chrisveltman1795 I think you meant "Here"
Are you able to source any Old Theta DAC's? I'm lucky to own a few and they are by far my favorite sounding DAC's! Mike from Schiit use to work for Theta as a side note.
Yes, you need a dac if you have good speakers or good headphones. Pay at least $100 and you won't be sorry. I love my Schiit.
I have 2 Modi 3+ and love them
@@thomasward00 What language r u spking?
Torn between buying the Bifrost 2 or the iFi Neo to use with Adam A5x and HD 660s. Would still need a pre amp/hp amp with the bifrost 2 but get a 5 year warranty and support North American manufacturing with Schiit.
Entertaining as always! However, I think that your channel is very biased towards speakers, DACs, and amps. Not much in the way of source. And, yes, I saw the double Fluance review.👍 but more cartridges? And CD players? And maybe turntables available OUTSIDE North America? It's a big world, out here.... Love, from Denmark!
You should test my FiiO X7 mk2, best DAC I've ever heard from a portable device. Only reason I haven't gone multibit yet, the ESS9028 in the X7 is so damn good I really don't feel like there's much room for improvement.
Alright then, subscribed. Lets get cheap.
Hi and thanks for the review! I have a warm sounding poweramp (Vincent) and a pair of Dynaudio emit 50! This is nice but I need a DAC with volume control that is better than a the NEO iDSD wich I using now, what would you recomend? Best regards Mikael
I would like to dive into the world of tubes and get a valhalla. I see schiit recommending the multibit, would it be worth it over a regular modi?
Hello, thanks for this review. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up a pair of Sonus Farber Lumina V tower speakers. In your opinion, do you think the Bifrost 2 would pair well (would be in a chain of Bluesound node2, Freya S, Buckeye Hyper X NC502 500wpc amp)?