Man, you have golden ears and if you lived near me, I would have just send you everything I have so you can help me review it. Thanks for the shout out!
Haha, thanks for the kind words! Maybe when the borders open back up we can meet in the middle for a video over Niagara Falls. 😂 Great to see you here buddy, big fan
You guys both do a terrific job ! I currently own a Schiit Modi Multibit, SMSL M300MKII, Teac UD-505, Gustard A18 and I received this week the Singxer SDA-6 with the upgrade option (Crystek 957 oscillators and German Mundorf film capacitors in the output). I will look to test those out on my main system shortly. So far I only did brief testing on a Violectric V200 amp with Beyerdynamic T1.1, the Singxer is the most musical among the bunch, combining an organic signature that is not usual for an AKM chip while retaining precision. My second favorite is the Gustard A18, very neutral and detailed. I believe you guys would be VERY impressed with the Singxer especially with strings and vocals.
Hey man, HUGE fan of your channel! You always have the clearest and most unbiased view of products imo. Always look forward to your uploads. Thanks for the support as well!
@@morespinach9832not necessary I reckon. Only needed if you’re constantly changing sources, etc. or your just can’t be bothered to get off the couch. If you’ve used records over any length of time, you’re used to getting up anyway.
I’m so glad I found you. Wow... one of THE best reviews and the most helpful comparison. What I loved about this review is you actually choose to compile it up all my favorite considerations DAC’s in just 1 single video. Thank you! Actually wish to see you in person and thank you for this particular review. I myself own the ADI-2 paired up with Cayin A-88T, powering the Monitor Audio Golds and REL Sub. I exactly know what you are saying. A transparent lively DAC accompanied by a tube musical integrated amp. Pair made in heaven!
My vote for ADI-2. Parametric equalizer is huge overlooked advantage. Preamp feature with easy access to volume, treble and bass knobs again huge feature. Headphone and IEM are great. Don’t overlook the features for $1200 this is a great deal
@@eddywaller1864 that's what I thought when I bought it ,along with my valve amp , I thought if I don't like my sound it would be my fault. Though partly because I love the sound and partly because I haven't dared touch it, I have not yet changed anything ( though I have used the EQ on my WiiM pro.)
Adi-2 is just superb device. I was using Bayerdynamic T1 headphones which were "extremely sensitive to source quality". I understood what that mean. At first those sounded bit too precise, too perfect let's say. Then I played with "crossfeed" setting on dac. Wow, after getting used to new sound characteristics I realized my headphones sound became so natural. Just an amazing dac! I sold Bayerdynamic but dac stayed. Now it acts as dac+preamp in my audio setup. I'm so happy with this purchase.
As soon as u add a digital eq ur manipulating the source ... IME this always results in less than optimal soundstaging and transients du... the 2 things u cannot measure
Great comparisons. I just got the RME (ESS version) and totally love it. I already had an older Burson Conductor and I have a really hard time hearing a difference between them while using LCD-X, HD650, or TH900, even though the amp section of the Burson is much more powerful. I was worried it would be too cold or analytical sounding. But it's just a clean "natural" sound, true to the source as a DAC should be. The functionality of the RME is what I got it for. I love using parametric EQs just for minor adjustments and it's just great to be able to do it directly in the DAC instead of relying on Windows software (as good as PeaceEQ and Roon is). The ability to sit back in a couch and boost or decrease bass/ treble from the remote when that poorly mastered track comes on is a sweet bonus. Enough rambling, it's a great DAC/ Amp packed with well thought out features.
Really enjoyed your comprehensive review. I bought my first DAC a couple months ago...(Topping D90) and really have nothing to compare it to other than my vinyl. Your review only reinforces that I made a decent choice. At some point I may venture into the higher end but for now I’m enjoying what I have and the limitless selection of music now as well as the ease of playing select tracks without leaving my chair. Subscribed
Great to hear! Try setting the D90's filter to slow if you think it sounds overly digital compared to vinyl. It may help take the edge off like a Scotch! :D
Wonderful review. A million thanks for your effort. Recently purchased Topping D90SE. Would have opted for RME ADI if I saw your comparison review earlier... Anyway I am happy with Topping D90SE, being very Transparent and crystal clear which helps aging person's like me ( 55 yrs )... Keep doing what you like most and do include comparison reviews as much as possible.🤗
Thanks! Big fan of your channel, the kind words mean a lot. The Ares is just so smooth and satisfying, it honestly makes me want to make the jump to the Venus but the cost difference is astronomical, and it isn't even their top tier DAC!
Great video, finally a sound quality showdown between some of the most popular DACs. None of the 'best we've heard', 'great for the money' or other BS caveats so many reviewers use to insulate themselves from having to share their real opinion on DACs.
Great review. Happy RME ADI 2 FS owner here. ;) Comparison videos like this are very helpful for everyday users. Thankyou. I personally partner my RME ADI2 with a Firstwatt F7.. Sounds amazing IMO. I listen to a very broad range of music, IMO the RME is a good middle ground DAC that sounds excellent on most things,. The PEQ provides good options, and does sound better than Roon's EQ.
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so! I thought I'd be getting more flack from people saying software EQ should be the same or better since it's closer to the source. Though if you check Roon's Signal Path when using it's PEQ you'll see some bit depth conversion going on. RME just may do these type of conversion handlings better with dedicated hardware.
The other big advantage of the Denafrips that many seem to overlook is that it has 2x Optical and 2x Coaxial inputs as well as the USB. I use all of those easily. Other DACS usually only have one of each.
This is such an incredibly useful video. I was looking at buying a used Ares 2, and this solidified my decision to purchase it. Really well done, seriously. Thank you.
One of the best dac 'demos' and breakdown I've probably ever watched. Thanks for all your informative insights and help. You've given me a lot to consider as I near my first major dac purchase
Amazing review and comparison mix, thank you for that passion and clarity. If possible please surprise all of us with a bit lower level DACS like ir: SMSL m400, vs SU-9 vs Topping d70s, whatever you want to add. Greeting from México.
I don't know anything about sound, but your command of language and descriptions was very appealing. Now I want to know more about DAC conversion. I'm amazed at how long I have settled for bad sound.
Long term ADI-2 owner, I really do love this device. The remote, the EQ, the vu meter.. it's all been great. Nothing else on the market has this combination of features and performance. The EQ is particularly useful for doing room EQ on your powered monitors, and you can easily switch to your headphone rig and switch profiles quickly. Love it, there was no D90 when I bought the ADI-2 however, little bit weary of chi-fi but it's an interesting option. The ADI-2 pair's really well with tubes, sounds great with my Liquid Platinum, the USB implementation in the ADI is no slouch either. They just feel no need to pimp it, that is one area where Chi-Fi often times comes up very short.
I love the ADI-2, never a bad decision. Looking back at my review I feel I probably should have worded how better the D90 is at "raw performance" vs the RME. They both are great and if you value soundstage the RME is the better decision. If you value highly resolving details above all else then the D90 takes it there, but hearing *every* single detail doesn't automatically equate to a better listening experience. To each their own.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
one of the best DAC review I've heard. Very concise, choice of DACs are affordable and popular. These DACs are what I've been considering all along. Especially the Denafrips. From other reviews, I couldn't find a negative on R2R DACs. Now I know the cons on R2R. thanks.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
I've got a Qutest and my amp has an internal 4490 chip based DAC. I prefer the Qutest because the bass notes don't start and stop on a hair pin like the amp, even though I love electronic genres like DnB - it's just easier to listen to the qutest for a prolonged period and doesn't have that 'edginess' you feel from other DACs Great review video, +1 sub!
Totally agree. I'll be honest with you though, sometimes I miss that edginess for certain tracks. Maybe it's just bad habits due to years of being conditioned listening to cheaper DACs. Like missing Pop Tarts every so often even though you live next to a French bakery. =) In the end the Qutest is the better overall experience and I really enjoy it!
What a fantastic review - if only other reviews were as good as yours. Great combination of specifications and real-world listening. I would not hesitate for a minute to base a purchase on any of your recommendations.
Thank you for doing this comprehensive review. I ask folks to do a blind test to see if you really would choose the DAC's you believe are so great. You may be surprised in your choices.
Wow, fantastic thorough reviews! Your presentation and delivery is engaging with perfect pacing. I own the Denafrips Ares 2 and just compared to Qutest and pretty much agree with all your findings. Keep up the great work and looking forward to more videos. Thanks so much!
This is a great review; I would say it's also rare to find one that covers so much ground so well. You have a way of describing differences and sound characteristics that is very nuanced and gives the viewer a detailed and rather thorough idea of what to expect. I purchased the Schiit Bifrost 2 and am very happy with the overall sound, its great reproduction of the timbre of different instruments, the sound stage, as well as the smoothness and level of detail. I also like the fact that it is upgradeable in certain ways. Thanks again for the great service you provide for those of us who don't have the chance to listen to a variety of audio equipment.
Thanks for the Blowback track suggestion. Wow, the separation of instruments, the vocals, and that bass! Listened to it on my Burson Soloist GT + Bifrost 2 + Meze Elite. Heavenly! Purchased a Chord Qutest last Friday. It is scheduled for delivery this Monday! Excited to compare it to the Denafrips Ares 2 and Bifrost 2. Thanks for these Reviews. Very helpful!
Hi Samuel, I have the Burson Soloist GT + Meze Elites also, linked up to the NAD M33 Amp/Streamer (with the ESS Sabre DAC chip). Am thinking to purchase a standalone DAC for headphone use with the Soloist. Good to hear you like the Bifrost 2. Was wondering what you thought of the Chord Qutest in your combo and/or the Ares 2, if you have tried that DAC as well...thanks!
30:37 re: “Pizza Guy” by Touch Sensitive - wow what an amazing track for separating the Chord vs RME. How did you come across it? My Mojo smokes my RME ADI-2 FS Pro with this track. The RME sounds harsh and muddled, whereas the Mojo plays it smoothly and deals with the complexity like a walk in the park with a smooth and clear midrange (which the RME isn’t able to render nearly as well). It’s so night-and-day that I can’t bear to listen to it on my RME - it’s the first time my Chord smoked my RME - thx for helping me with that. I agree with Thomas & Stereo...you have golden ears!
This is probably the nicest comment I've ever received, thank you 😁🙌 I love that song. I found it by listening to playlists of people much cooler than me!
@@StefanUrkel correct, the RME seems to be the much better DAC in terms of detail and resolution, thus it’s my preferred DAC for my main system. However, I’ve recently bought a much better system and will do some A/B tests to confirm this is still the case, because some people say that detail & resolution can be faked/overdone. My new system should be good enough to better tell these DAC’s apart....if the Mojo can smoke it on “Pizza Guy” then who knows what my tests will reveal.
@@StefanUrkel so I’ve just finished my A/B testing on my new system, discussed in my previous reply. Pretty incredible - the Mojo is more natural sounding than the RME. The RME, I think, is more digital and the way it achieves its famed resolution, detail and clarity is artificial because as a side-effect it produces glare. I discovered this in a few tracks: 1) “The Pink Panther”, Manchini on ‘Audiophile Speaker Setup’ from the label 2xHD. Files were in DSD256. From 2:22 to 2:57 (where someone shouts ‘Yeah’ around 2:42). RME: the trumpet solo is forward with a glaring tone which distorts the relationship between the tone of the trumpet and tone of the room ambience. This makes the musician seem closer to the mic. Chord: trumpet solo sounds natural and fits well with the ambience of the room as they sound natural...i.e. they don’t sound out of balance. The result is better depth perception (as though the musician is a bit further from the mic). 2) “Route 66”, Doreen Smith, from the same album as (1). The RME renders her voice with more precision which gives the effect of a midrange with fantastic clarity. However, the Mojo renders her voice with less clarity and less well defined edges but it sounds more natural. 3) “Sambebe” by Dom um Romao from Saudades, CD ripped to lossless FLAC. The recording of the opening trumpet solo captures the sound of the room perfectly. With the Mojo it sounds natural but on the RME it’s over emphasised, which makes it more amazing to listen to but it’s unnatural. 4) “Pizza Guy” same conclusions as my original comment. I now understand why people think the RME is so good, but I’m after a more natural sound, so I’m putting swapping out the RME and putting in my Mojo. Here’s my main system” - Vandersteen Model 1Ci speakers - YBA Heritage A100 amp - YBA Passion 600 CD player. - Isol-8 Minisub Axis power conditioner.
Great mega comparison. I was recently comparing the Ares II, D90 and Bifrost 2 for myself. I ended up with the Bifrost 2 in large part due to the 5 year warranty and the fact that both firmware and some hardware parts of the DAC can be upgraded down the line.
Wow, your a natural and have the knack! Damn I wish I would have seen this before pulling the trigger on a iFI iDSD Pro which I just plugged in, using Tidal HiFi sub. All I can say is I’m very happy to date. Never heard my JBL 4429s sound so great with Rogue amplification.
absolutely AWESOME review...This guy is an audio savant and fantastic video editor. I've found myself in the DAC rabbit hole watching countless reviews of just about every DAC worth considering. This is by FAR the best and most well thought-out and laid-out. Thank you!
This is a great video and gives me some good ideas on potential dac upgrades in the future. I have the RME ADI-2 and although it may be the main selling feature I find it somewhat annoying that there are so many options. This was fun at first but I've got to the point where I just want to plug and play and don't need all of the features. I'm thinking that a multibit "shite" dac or Chord product is in my future
Dude, I *really* liked the Gumby. I'm sad it's not in my possession anymore and it's close to the price of the RME. I think you'll really appreciate it coming from the ADI-2.
Nice and informative video. The hassle with setting the Topping to preamp mode is understandable. You wouldn't want to accidentally switch to non-preamp by pushing the wrong button (and have your speaker cones flying through the room).
Nice video! Can‘t wait for part 2. I allready own an arya hp with a rme adi-2 dac, but I want to expand my collection with a meze empyrean, a ttube amp and a fitting dac. I will wait for part II before I decide what dac and amp I will get...
Outstanding video!! I almost pulled the trigger on the Ares II when I was looking for a DAC, several weeks ago. Ended up buying the D90 MQA because it was about $300 less expensive and I could get it in just a few days. I'm very pleased with its performance and expect it to provide years of listening enjoyment. If I decide to try an R2R DAC, the Ares II will be my first choice.
Imagine for a moment that just one electrolytic capacitor in the Denafrips begins to leak... Probability is high, as there are so many in there. Nice review, BTW.
Seriously top notch reviews. Since we have limited availability of these DACs in India, it is hard for me to audition the majority of them. I need to instead rely on reviews. I have probably tuned into every DAC review in the internet. I frequently get lost with the buzzwords like "warm sounding", better SQ, deeper, more meat to the bone and the 100 other adjectives that are typically used by the reviewers. In this case, since you are comparing all the DACs in one video, your comparisons are amazing. I, for the first time, could fathom the difference between an R2R DAC like the Ares and the DS DACs like the D90. Amazing! Thanks a ton for this
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
@@MrGrosMamouth Hey. I don’t think the BF2 is colored in such a way that it lends itself to only certain types of music. I guess some describe it as sounding a little warmer maybe but I think that’s said because the high frequencies aren’t bright and the bass region is very full. All in all, I think it’s a very balanced, natural and quite resolute DAC. I personally listen to Jazz, Classical, Acoustic and Electronica however I think the BF2, like any neutral and balanced sounding DAC, will present any type of music quite well.
Really great review and comparison. I had the Qutest on home dem about a year ago. I agree that it has a massive soundstage and in my case I thought also amazing detail (I'm finding it hard to imagine the D90 and RME have more detail, but I haven't heard them!). However, I wouldn't describe the sound as soft or rounded at all, if anything I found it a bit forward and hard in the higher frequencies - for example Bono from U2's voice sounded too nasal and a bit synthetic. It was extremely fast and dynamic sounding but that slightly synthetic timbre and wide soundstage started to grate after a while with some instruments seeming to loose focus and solidity and almost disappear in the mix. In the end I decided to keep my much older Chord DAC64 which provided it is fed from a high quality source and NOT run in buffer mode (i.e. a source with a better clock than the DAC64's internal clock) , I found gave 90% of the detail and soundstage of the Qutest but with a more natural timbre and solid if somewhat smaller soundstage.
I’ve done the same by getting the first Hugo tt instead of the qutest. I think the qutest has a ton of processing power but doesn’t balance it out with a worthy power source supply and the guys who suggest upgrading the wall wart are still bottlenecked by the usb dc input
@18yearsoldnot Me too. I couldn't live with never knowing when the next track was going to sound a bit harsh. I moved it on and am now happily living with a Schiit MMB2.
GREAT REVIEW! D90 arriving later this week. 8-D Can't wait! Upgrading my ageing signal cables at the same time to free up that reference class sound. All the best, Rob in Swsitzerland
Just found your channel. And I’m already diggin your style! And you’re reviewing a dac I have interest in! I suspect your subbies are going to grow quickly.
I am LOVING my Gungnir multibit! It's WAY more versatile than I thought when I first bought it. I started out hooking it to my main system, an older Marantz SR7007 AVR, running in stereo ("Pure Direct") only, bi-amping a pair of Martin Logan Theos speakers. I shortly thereafter upgraded from a Chromecast to a proper streamer...the Bluesound Node 2i, so I could get high-res digital audio to the DAC. Then I realized that I had a wireless audio transmitter and receiver in my box of cables, the Atlantic Technology WA-50, being unused. I took those out and hooked it to the second RCA output from the Gungnir, and hooked the receiver into my bedroom system (Parasound 2100 pre-amp, Proton D-1200 amp, Atlantic Technology AT-1 speakers). I know the WA-50 probably does horrific things to the sound quality here, but it's primary purpose is to link the Node 2i to the bedroom system for internet radio while I sleep...I have a Parasound ZDAC (v1) in there as well, if I need better sound quality...also a Sony turntable. Later, I decided to pick up a headphone amp and connect my PC audio as well. I currently just have a set of Bose QC35 II headphones...not the best, but they are OK for now, I will upgrade soon. I picked up the Schiit Magnius headphone amp (which is, honestly, a STEAL at $200!) and then hooked the unused XLR outputs from the Gumby to the amp. So yeah...now I have a single DAC running 3 audio systems! And they all sound pretty great! In the future, I will probably switch things around a bit. I want to get a good balanced pre-amp (looking at the Schiit Freya+), then I can run balanced cables all the way back to the bedroom through my crawlspace...and use the RCA for the main system and the headphone amp. The only thing I really wish for on the Gungnir, which the lower cost Bifrost 2 has, is a remote. Fortunately, I have a small house, but if I want to change inputs, I have to get up and go press the button on the face of the unit...a little less than ideal. Still, I am THRILLED with the performance of this DAC, and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone considering a DAC in this price range! HOWEVER, Schiit just did something amazing. They recently improved the analog audio stage of their higher end "Yggdrasil" DACs, and offered their customers an upgrade. They ended up with a pile of the "old" Analog 1 boards from those upgrades, and didn't know what to do with them. They decided to put these old boards into new units and sell them at a pretty steep discount! So, right now you can get the Gungnir multibit for $1250, or for $1599 you can get the Yggdrasil with one of these old boards (with an option to upgrade later to the new one), or you can buy the "new" Yggy with the v2 analog stage for $2449. It's nice having options!
Thanks so much for the detailed comment! Amazing price on a Yggy!! I actually have a Chromecast streamer for my 2-chan setup and was looking at the Blue Node 2i. Did you hear any difference on basic 16/44 music from Tidal? And yes I absolutely love the Gumby and am sad I sold it. :( There's a used one going for a good price right now but my wife will kill me if I start buying up more DACs again. Do you notice a difference on the Gungnir when using the RCA vs XLR outputs? I heard some chatter that there may be a difference in SQ.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
@@kaankucuk1612 heya! I have both the M17 and a d90/a90 stack. For my IEMs (u12t by audio64) I love both equally but for my Hifiman Arya I prefer the a90/d90 stack - it opens up the headphones a bit more. But the differences are minor. A Hugo 2 is great but again it all depends on your personal preferences, try out some dacs if you can!
@@kaankucuk1612 For me the U12T is a better option since the MKII is less of a neutral/reference IEM, it does make music sound more 'fun' and adds a touch of warmth and low-end, and I know people that REALLY want that in their music, but I don't. I primarily listen to classical music, so a more neutral approach has my preference :)
I have the Qutest no matter what you listen, the sound is always amazing (To Hi-res songs to crappy pop music) is always a joy with a lot of detail and not a hot treble.
Super content. Thanks for making massive effort here. I have Chord 2qute. I did a demo in a HiFi shop of Qutest and TT2. TT2 for me had far better bass detail. I would choose the TT2, when I win the lottery. I would love to try some of these r2r dacs. They sound very interesting from how people describe them.
Thanks!! Although it was a process putting this review together I thought it was a real fun learning experience comparing all these different sound signatures with each other. Really shed some light on what I was reading online. TT2 really is amazing as well!
@@btentusscher I didn't hear 2qute and Qutest together on the same system. But going on what I heard in the demo room. I would not buy Qutest to replace 2qute. Qutest didn't seem to bring more than I was used to, on my own system. To really know you would have to try on your own system. I didn't buy a new dac, I couldn't stomach the cost of a TT2. So I built my own dac. Not as dynamic as a Chord, but far more suited to my taste and current system.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
Could have used more info on the D90 and Qutest filters. I've heard that the D90 filters are less perceivable than those available on Qutest. An awesome review that manages to include all the DACs on my shortlist - big thanks for that!
Oh I definitely A/B'ed the hell out of the filters on all the delta sigma models. I should've mentioned it, your right, but I didn't bring it up because there wasn't a huge difference. I mentioned it during the ARES portion but I generally prefer slow filters on delta sigma DACs, and this is true for the D90 as well. The difference in sound toggling through the filters is roughly the same on D90 as it is on the Qutest. There is a change in sound but it's very slight. For personal, non review listening, I keep the Qutest on the green filter and the D90 on either slow or SD slow (couldn't decide which I liked better).
What you are liking is the distortion components the R2R is introducing. There is a distortion plug-in for foobar that you can use with discrete DAC's and get about the same result.
Would that distortion be done in the digital domain or the analog in f2k - when I don't have a robust digital chain, I prefer to have plain pass-through bit perfect audio for the DAC to actually do the decoding, and in most cases that brings out much cleaner performance out of the DACs than feeding them processed analog audio.
You do have good ears! And thanks for describing the way these all sound in a simple, meaningful way. I recently bought an Ares II and absolutely love it. The only thing I regret is not stepping up to the Pontus for its i2s interface, but at more than double the cost I still think I did really well with procuring the Ares II.
Thank you! I hear you on the Pontus. Though someone told me as you go further up the Denafrips line in cost you do get more detail, but you sort of lose that level of smoothness at the same time. I'm curious how much, if any, of that is true. Either way, many months in and I'm still very much satisfied with the ARES. Cheers!
I just bought a little bear MC3 switcher. I want to use the same amp and fronts in for both theater and 2 CH. I bought the RME for my DAC/ preamp for the stereo side. It showed up two days ago, the wife snatched it up, wrapped it and said I couldn't have it till X-mas. After hours of research, reviews, comparisons, figuring out the financials, finding the best deal, waiting for delivery, CRUSH! I have to wait. Have a great holiday.
Wow, so you’re the one selling a bunch of dacs on headfi yesterday lol. I was wondering who da fuk would buy these many dacs. Anyway, good to see you back with maybe the best dacs review on UA-cam. Seeing other reviewers even separate a review to a unit to two videos with an extra pointless open box video to get more views, you are just role models here. Love it.
Man, you’ve done your homework here. I’m looking to buy the Ares II and who would have thought that a large comparison video would give you enough usable info? However, you’ve really been helpful here and it’s clear that you know what to listen for. When you have other respected reviewers and fellow audiophiles complementing you on your content then you’re doing some good work 👍🏻
Man, you have golden ears and if you lived near me, I would have just send you everything I have so you can help me review it. Thanks for the shout out!
Haha, thanks for the kind words! Maybe when the borders open back up we can meet in the middle for a video over Niagara Falls. 😂 Great to see you here buddy, big fan
@@MidFiGuy Cool cool! Keep it up, you will catch up to our sub count in no time.
You guys both do a terrific job ! I currently own a Schiit Modi Multibit, SMSL M300MKII, Teac UD-505, Gustard A18 and I received this week the Singxer SDA-6 with the upgrade option (Crystek 957 oscillators and German Mundorf film capacitors in the output). I will look to test those out on my main system shortly. So far I only did brief testing on a Violectric V200 amp with Beyerdynamic T1.1, the Singxer is the most musical among the bunch, combining an organic signature that is not usual for an AKM chip while retaining precision. My second favorite is the Gustard A18, very neutral and detailed. I believe you guys would be VERY impressed with the Singxer especially with strings and vocals.
Yeah . Thomas is one of the best .
I have golden ears too :p
Wow, impressive video! You're nuts for putting all of this content in just one video, but we viewers appreciate it. 👍
I'm still looking for midfi reviews...
I actually love the international descriptions in the native languages for each DAC. Very cool and creative!
Mostly Mandarin, unfortunately.
Funny. I didn't like it at all. Not a complaint towards the video at all, just my preference.
One of the best reviews / comparison videos I have seen in a long time.... thanks
Absolutely the best video on DACs. Sold me that the Schiit is the answer for me. Between the Ares euphonics and the Topping precision.
Thx for doing a multi review like this, it was sought after, at least by me.
I fell in love with the Qutest the moment I heard it: loads of detail without any harshness. Exactly what i was looking for.
I am deeply impressed! Not even Thomas Stereo (Hi-Fi Sensei) have been able to come up with a review like this one! Congratulations, you are the man!
Thomas is a legend. We’re lucky to have so many great reviewers who all bring something different to the table
You have stolen my heart with this review. Subscribed :) Greetings from Poland.
Great job on the comparisons! You're a lucky man being able to bring all those products together at the same time!
Hey man, HUGE fan of your channel! You always have the clearest and most unbiased view of products imo. Always look forward to your uploads. Thanks for the support as well!
Great video! I love the calm presentation and the effort you went into getting all these units. Subscribed!
One of the absolute BEST reviews on YT right now. Clear, detailed information, presented in a fairly quick format. I'm subscribing!
Rarely do I comment on videos.
Great review. Absolutely beautiful.
Sorry for the glowing words of praise.
Thx thoroughly enjoyed.
Haha thank you much! The words of encouragement seriously makes me want to focus on the channel more!
Thx for doing this vid! Couldn’t find an overall comprehensive review like this yet. Narrowing down my DAC selection getting easier 😉
Schiit is the answer for me. Great company great products, great build quality, customer service and REASONABLE prices.
This was brutally good! So thorough and relevant. Fantastic balance between technology and well-communicated listening impressions. Bravo!
What I also like about the Qutest is the no-bs interface. Just plug it in and it runs.
No remote. End of.
They all do that out of the box...
@@morespinach9832not necessary I reckon. Only needed if you’re constantly changing sources, etc. or your just can’t be bothered to get off the couch. If you’ve used records over any length of time, you’re used to getting up anyway.
On ASR, it’s one of the best measuring DAC’s too.
@@martyn_g yes I need it because in my use case my speakers are active as have amps inside them - so my Tv and streamer are both connected to my DAC.
The best review of this year!
Thank you!! It was honestly a pain putting all of this info in one video but I wanted someone to do an all-DAC roundup
I could imaging. I would this vid will become something people played again and again. It roughly includes all the popular Dacs
Incredibly valuable video to any of us looking into DACS. Simultaneously, really enjoyable!! Thanks :)
Thank you so much for publishing your reference tracks! I got lost in a wonderful rabbit trail of amazing music. Thank you for the wonderful evening!
I’m so glad I found you. Wow... one of THE best reviews and the most helpful comparison. What I loved about this review is you actually choose to compile it up all my favorite considerations DAC’s in just 1 single video. Thank you! Actually wish to see you in person and thank you for this particular review. I myself own the ADI-2 paired up with Cayin A-88T, powering the Monitor Audio Golds and REL Sub. I exactly know what you are saying. A transparent lively DAC accompanied by a tube musical integrated amp. Pair made in heaven!
My vote for ADI-2. Parametric equalizer is huge overlooked advantage. Preamp feature with easy access to volume, treble and bass knobs again huge feature. Headphone and IEM are great. Don’t overlook the features for $1200 this is a great deal
Yes the parametric equaliser can make the ADI 2 sound like any dac you want it to with a little bit of work
I agree with everything you said about the ADI-2. It also has a great remote control that is very useful.
@@eddywaller1864 that's what I thought when I bought it ,along with my valve amp , I thought if I don't like my sound it would be my fault. Though partly because I love the sound and partly because I haven't dared touch it, I have not yet changed anything ( though I have used the EQ on my WiiM pro.)
Adi-2 is just superb device. I was using Bayerdynamic T1 headphones which were "extremely sensitive to source quality". I understood what that mean. At first those sounded bit too precise, too perfect let's say. Then I played with "crossfeed" setting on dac. Wow, after getting used to new sound characteristics I realized my headphones sound became so natural. Just an amazing dac! I sold Bayerdynamic but dac stayed. Now it acts as dac+preamp in my audio setup. I'm so happy with this purchase.
As soon as u add a digital eq ur manipulating the source ... IME this always results in less than optimal soundstaging and transients du... the 2 things u cannot measure
Great comparisons. I just got the RME (ESS version) and totally love it. I already had an older Burson Conductor and I have a really hard time hearing a difference between them while using LCD-X, HD650, or TH900, even though the amp section of the Burson is much more powerful. I was worried it would be too cold or analytical sounding. But it's just a clean "natural" sound, true to the source as a DAC should be. The functionality of the RME is what I got it for. I love using parametric EQs just for minor adjustments and it's just great to be able to do it directly in the DAC instead of relying on Windows software (as good as PeaceEQ and Roon is).
The ability to sit back in a couch and boost or decrease bass/ treble from the remote when that poorly mastered track comes on is a sweet bonus. Enough rambling, it's a great DAC/ Amp packed with well thought out features.
Really enjoyed your comprehensive review. I bought my first DAC a couple months ago...(Topping D90) and really have nothing to compare it to other than my vinyl. Your review only reinforces that I made a decent choice. At some point I may venture into the higher end but for now I’m enjoying what I have and the limitless selection of music now as well as the ease of playing select tracks without leaving my chair. Subscribed
Great to hear! Try setting the D90's filter to slow if you think it sounds overly digital compared to vinyl. It may help take the edge off like a Scotch! :D
The most useful review of almost all DAC reviews on UA-cam. I know where my Gustard A22 ranks now.
@Xie, can you give your opinion on the A22 and its ranking compare to these DACs
Wonderful review.
A million thanks for your effort.
Recently purchased Topping D90SE.
Would have opted for RME ADI
if I saw your comparison review earlier...
Anyway I am happy with Topping D90SE, being very Transparent and crystal clear which helps aging person's like me ( 55 yrs )...
Keep doing what you like most and do include comparison reviews as much as possible.🤗
Awesome. Really enjoyed this. Just got the Ares 2 and I'm probably keeping it too.
Thanks! Big fan of your channel, the kind words mean a lot. The Ares is just so smooth and satisfying, it honestly makes me want to make the jump to the Venus but the cost difference is astronomical, and it isn't even their top tier DAC!
@@MidFiGuy Ron at New Record day reviewed the Terminator and was really impressed. I think I’ll be happy with the Ares though
Thanks for doing this. I am just starting to look for another DAC. Way too much tech and fluff out there. Really appreciate it!
Great video, finally a sound quality showdown between some of the most popular DACs. None of the 'best we've heard', 'great for the money' or other BS caveats so many reviewers use to insulate themselves from having to share their real opinion on DACs.
Great video man! Thanks for sharing all this!
Great review. Happy RME ADI 2 FS owner here. ;) Comparison videos like this are very helpful for everyday users. Thankyou. I personally partner my RME ADI2 with a Firstwatt F7.. Sounds amazing IMO. I listen to a very broad range of music, IMO the RME is a good middle ground DAC that sounds excellent on most things,. The PEQ provides good options, and does sound better than Roon's EQ.
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so! I thought I'd be getting more flack from people saying software EQ should be the same or better since it's closer to the source. Though if you check Roon's Signal Path when using it's PEQ you'll see some bit depth conversion going on. RME just may do these type of conversion handlings better with dedicated hardware.
The other big advantage of the Denafrips that many seem to overlook is that it has 2x Optical and 2x Coaxial inputs as well as the USB. I use all of those easily. Other DACS usually only have one of each.
Amen! Especially in 2-channel systems!! It's clutch connecting my TV and an outboard streamer to the same DAC.
This is such an incredibly useful video. I was looking at buying a used Ares 2, and this solidified my decision to purchase it.
Really well done, seriously. Thank you.
One of the best dac 'demos' and breakdown I've probably ever watched. Thanks for all your informative insights and help. You've given me a lot to consider as I near my first major dac purchase
Amazing review and comparison mix, thank you for that passion and clarity. If possible please surprise all of us with a bit lower level DACS like ir: SMSL m400, vs SU-9 vs Topping d70s, whatever you want to add. Greeting from México.
I don't know anything about sound, but your command of language and descriptions was very appealing. Now I want to know more about DAC conversion. I'm amazed at how long I have settled for bad sound.
Great review! I’m very happy about my current system, which is qutest - gsx mini - Empyrean. Can’t wait for your next episode!
Thank you much!!
Long term ADI-2 owner, I really do love this device. The remote, the EQ, the vu meter.. it's all been great. Nothing else on the market has this combination of features and performance. The EQ is particularly useful for doing room EQ on your powered monitors, and you can easily switch to your headphone rig and switch profiles quickly. Love it, there was no D90 when I bought the ADI-2 however, little bit weary of chi-fi but it's an interesting option. The ADI-2 pair's really well with tubes, sounds great with my Liquid Platinum, the USB implementation in the ADI is no slouch either. They just feel no need to pimp it, that is one area where Chi-Fi often times comes up very short.
I love the ADI-2, never a bad decision. Looking back at my review I feel I probably should have worded how better the D90 is at "raw performance" vs the RME. They both are great and if you value soundstage the RME is the better decision. If you value highly resolving details above all else then the D90 takes it there, but hearing *every* single detail doesn't automatically equate to a better listening experience. To each their own.
@@MidFiGuy Can the ADI-2 display be turned off?
@@ronniefranks4351 yes
Does EQ work in Dac alone mode?
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)?
Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
one of the best DAC review I've heard. Very concise, choice of DACs are affordable and popular. These DACs are what I've been considering all along. Especially the Denafrips. From other reviews, I couldn't find a negative on R2R DACs. Now I know the cons on R2R. thanks.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)?
Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
I've got a Qutest and my amp has an internal 4490 chip based DAC. I prefer the Qutest because the bass notes don't start and stop on a hair pin like the amp, even though I love electronic genres like DnB - it's just easier to listen to the qutest for a prolonged period and doesn't have that 'edginess' you feel from other DACs
Great review video, +1 sub!
Totally agree. I'll be honest with you though, sometimes I miss that edginess for certain tracks. Maybe it's just bad habits due to years of being conditioned listening to cheaper DACs. Like missing Pop Tarts every so often even though you live next to a French bakery. =)
In the end the Qutest is the better overall experience and I really enjoy it!
@@MidFiGuy let's be honest - French Bakeries ? They're waffly Good
What a fantastic review - if only other reviews were as good as yours. Great combination of specifications and real-world listening. I would not hesitate for a minute to base a purchase on any of your recommendations.
Thank you for doing this comprehensive review. I ask folks to do a blind test to see if you really would choose the DAC's you believe are so great. You may be surprised in your choices.
Nice video! Love my Bifrost 2 and it fits on my desk.
Wow, fantastic thorough reviews! Your presentation and delivery is engaging with perfect pacing. I own the Denafrips Ares 2 and just compared to Qutest and pretty much agree with all your findings. Keep up the great work and looking forward to more videos. Thanks so much!
Thank you kindly! I need to drink more coffee right before filming because on playback I feel I talk too slow thinking about the script haha
@@MidFiGuy I disagree. Your presentation was perfect. I can’t imagine it being any better.
This is a great review; I would say it's also rare to find one that covers so much ground so well. You have a way of describing differences and sound characteristics that is very nuanced and gives the viewer a detailed and rather thorough idea of what to expect. I purchased the Schiit Bifrost 2 and am very happy with the overall sound, its great reproduction of the timbre of different instruments, the sound stage, as well as the smoothness and level of detail. I also like the fact that it is upgradeable in certain ways. Thanks again for the great service you provide for those of us who don't have the chance to listen to a variety of audio equipment.
My experience as well!
Thank you for this multi roundup and the clarity if info here.
just stumbled upon your channel, great content and the multilingual product intro really is fun.
Thank you!
great video man, never expected such content flowed in one video!!!
keep up the great work.
Great job on the review and most of us will appreciate the comparisons, I know I do! Cheers
You had me at the pancakes and syrup. Wicked bait before breakfast (of course I was hooked by the tube amp background;-)
Subscribed.
Thanks for the Blowback track suggestion. Wow, the separation of instruments, the vocals, and that bass! Listened to it on my Burson Soloist GT + Bifrost 2 + Meze Elite. Heavenly!
Purchased a Chord Qutest last Friday. It is scheduled for delivery this Monday! Excited to compare it to the Denafrips Ares 2 and Bifrost 2.
Thanks for these Reviews. Very helpful!
Hi Samuel, I have the Burson Soloist GT + Meze Elites also, linked up to the NAD M33 Amp/Streamer (with the ESS Sabre DAC chip). Am thinking to purchase a standalone DAC for headphone use with the Soloist. Good to hear you like the Bifrost 2. Was wondering what you thought of the Chord Qutest in your combo and/or the Ares 2, if you have tried that DAC as well...thanks!
Great video. Thank you. If someone is forcing you to say d..a..c instead of DAC, give us a safe signal and we’ll rescue you.
30:37 re: “Pizza Guy” by Touch Sensitive - wow what an amazing track for separating the Chord vs RME. How did you come across it?
My Mojo smokes my RME ADI-2 FS Pro with this track. The RME sounds harsh and muddled, whereas the Mojo plays it smoothly and deals with the complexity like a walk in the park with a smooth and clear midrange (which the RME isn’t able to render nearly as well).
It’s so night-and-day that I can’t bear to listen to it on my RME - it’s the first time my Chord smoked my RME - thx for helping me with that. I agree with Thomas & Stereo...you have golden ears!
This is probably the nicest comment I've ever received, thank you 😁🙌
I love that song. I found it by listening to playlists of people much cooler than me!
My Topping E30, Smsl su 9 and khadas tone board are all better than my chord mojo. It's on eBay !
so do you mean to say that, aside from one particular track, the RME is otherwise NOT smoked by the Chord.
@@StefanUrkel correct, the RME seems to be the much better DAC in terms of detail and resolution, thus it’s my preferred DAC for my main system. However, I’ve recently bought a much better system and will do some A/B tests to confirm this is still the case, because some people say that detail & resolution can be faked/overdone. My new system should be good enough to better tell these DAC’s apart....if the Mojo can smoke it on “Pizza Guy” then who knows what my tests will reveal.
@@StefanUrkel so I’ve just finished my A/B testing on my new system, discussed in my previous reply. Pretty incredible - the Mojo is more natural sounding than the RME. The RME, I think, is more digital and the way it achieves its famed resolution, detail and clarity is artificial because as a side-effect it produces glare.
I discovered this in a few tracks:
1) “The Pink Panther”, Manchini on ‘Audiophile Speaker Setup’ from the label 2xHD. Files were in DSD256.
From 2:22 to 2:57 (where someone shouts ‘Yeah’ around 2:42).
RME: the trumpet solo is forward with a glaring tone which distorts the relationship between the tone of the trumpet and tone of the room ambience. This makes the musician seem closer to the mic.
Chord: trumpet solo sounds natural and fits well with the ambience of the room as they sound natural...i.e. they don’t sound out of balance. The result is better depth perception (as though the musician is a bit further from the mic).
2) “Route 66”, Doreen Smith, from the same album as (1).
The RME renders her voice with more precision which gives the effect of a midrange with fantastic clarity. However, the Mojo renders her voice with less clarity and less well defined edges but it sounds more natural.
3) “Sambebe” by Dom um Romao from Saudades, CD ripped to lossless FLAC.
The recording of the opening trumpet solo captures the sound of the room perfectly. With the Mojo it sounds natural but on the RME it’s over emphasised, which makes it more amazing to listen to but it’s unnatural.
4) “Pizza Guy” same conclusions as my original comment.
I now understand why people think the RME is so good, but I’m after a more natural sound, so I’m putting swapping out the RME and putting in my Mojo.
Here’s my main system”
- Vandersteen Model 1Ci speakers
- YBA Heritage A100 amp
- YBA Passion 600 CD player.
- Isol-8 Minisub Axis power conditioner.
Great mega comparison. I was recently comparing the Ares II, D90 and Bifrost 2 for myself. I ended up with the Bifrost 2 in large part due to the 5 year warranty and the fact that both firmware and some hardware parts of the DAC can be upgraded down the line.
Schiit's 5-year warranty recently saved me when I had an issue with my 4 year old Jotunheim. It's hard to beat that type of added security.
@@killerra try this with China-tronic products.
What were the sound differences from what you heard?
@@robk5745 sound doesn’t matter to them at all, it’s only about the warranty, which is beyond fuking dumb
Wow, your a natural and have the knack! Damn I wish I would have seen this before pulling the trigger on a iFI iDSD Pro which I just plugged in, using Tidal HiFi sub. All I can say is I’m very happy to date. Never heard my JBL 4429s sound so great with Rogue amplification.
absolutely AWESOME review...This guy is an audio savant and fantastic video editor. I've found myself in the DAC rabbit hole watching countless reviews of just about every DAC worth considering. This is by FAR the best and most well thought-out and laid-out. Thank you!
I'm going to save myself some time and second this. Spot on.
This is a great video and gives me some good ideas on potential dac upgrades in the future. I have the RME ADI-2 and although it may be the main selling feature I find it somewhat annoying that there are so many options. This was fun at first but I've got to the point where I just want to plug and play and don't need all of the features. I'm thinking that a multibit "shite" dac or Chord product is in my future
Dude, I *really* liked the Gumby. I'm sad it's not in my possession anymore and it's close to the price of the RME. I think you'll really appreciate it coming from the ADI-2.
Hello, do you also use amp for RME DAC 2? Thank uou
great video!:) comparisons are very important so that at least we get an idea of where the starting point of each discussion point is. :)
That made me subscribe. Cant wait to see part 2.
Finally, the DAC round up and comparison vid everyone’s been waiting for. Subscribed.
I subscribed, because your review is exactly the kind I like. You and British Audiophile are my fav. I have moved on from others.
Outstanding reviews! Many thanks for your exquisite impressions of all these DAC's.
Details are listen by the microphones 🎤 close to the instrument 🎺 . Live music from couples meters away does not throw details at our ears.
Nice and informative video. The hassle with setting the Topping to preamp mode is understandable. You wouldn't want to accidentally switch to non-preamp by pushing the wrong button (and have your speaker cones flying through the room).
Nice video! Can‘t wait for part 2. I allready own an arya hp with a rme adi-2 dac, but I want to expand my collection with a meze empyrean, a ttube amp and a fitting dac. I will wait for part II before I decide what dac and amp I will get...
Excellent review midfiguy!!! You really know what are you talking about!! The best!! Regards!
Loving Galimatias. New to me. Delving through their Tidal content right now.
Thank you! Much of those choices are from years of working with cool people much younger than me at the workplace 😂
welcome back, and you have a camera person now :)
My wife was cool with doing it but not for the entire video 🤣😭 Really appreciate the kind words 👍👍
@@MidFiGuy somehow I thought it might be your wife doing it for you hehe
Outstanding video!! I almost pulled the trigger on the Ares II when I was looking for a DAC, several weeks ago. Ended up buying the D90 MQA because it was about $300 less expensive and I could get it in just a few days. I'm very pleased with its performance and expect it to provide years of listening enjoyment. If I decide to try an R2R DAC, the Ares II will be my first choice.
How did you find the Soundstage on the D90?
Imagine for a moment that just one electrolytic capacitor in the Denafrips begins to leak... Probability is high, as there are so many in there. Nice review, BTW.
Man you killed it in this video... awesome job!
saw this review when it came out.. revisiting it today. wanted to say this is a fantastic review/comparison. really top caliber stuff.
Very brave attempt of testing chord dacs with schiit and other r2r dacs. Nobody has done that earlier at least in UA-cam. 😀
Great review! Does anyone know if Unison USB by Schiit works with iOS? Say connect to a USB-C iPad, does it work?
Seriously top notch reviews. Since we have limited availability of these DACs in India, it is hard for me to audition the majority of them. I need to instead rely on reviews. I have probably tuned into every DAC review in the internet. I frequently get lost with the buzzwords like "warm sounding", better SQ, deeper, more meat to the bone and the 100 other adjectives that are typically used by the reviewers.
In this case, since you are comparing all the DACs in one video, your comparisons are amazing. I, for the first time, could fathom the difference between an R2R DAC like the Ares and the DS DACs like the D90. Amazing! Thanks a ton for this
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)?
Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
😍omg I have never seen anybody review this many Dac‘s at one time totally awesome I was really glued to your channel keep up the great work👍💪💪👍
wahooooo... love it! nowhere else but here :-) Amazing effort in putting the line up together and great short reviews! Thank you
Fantastic review, thank you! Nine month Bifrost 2 owner here, still love it!
Glad you enjoy it!
Hey, what music do you listen to? I am looking for a new dac and wondered which music Bifrost owners listened to.
@@MrGrosMamouth Hey. I don’t think the BF2 is colored in such a way that it lends itself to only certain types of music. I guess some describe it as sounding a little warmer maybe but I think that’s said because the high frequencies aren’t bright and the bass region is very full. All in all, I think it’s a very balanced, natural and quite resolute DAC. I personally listen to Jazz, Classical, Acoustic and Electronica however I think the BF2, like any neutral and balanced sounding DAC, will present any type of music quite well.
Amazing review! I understood how Gungnir differs from Bifrost2, but the comparison between Bifrost2 and Modi Multibit is very interesting
This is exactly the video I needed right now. Thank you for all your hard work! Straight information, I love it.
Thank you. One of the most helpful reviews I’ve heard. Perfect for those of us still wandering in the wilderness of digital.
Thank you for making discover that Blowback song. I love it!
Really great review and comparison. I had the Qutest on home dem about a year ago. I agree that it has a massive soundstage and in my case I thought also amazing detail (I'm finding it hard to imagine the D90 and RME have more detail, but I haven't heard them!). However, I wouldn't describe the sound as soft or rounded at all, if anything I found it a bit forward and hard in the higher frequencies - for example Bono from U2's voice sounded too nasal and a bit synthetic. It was extremely fast and dynamic sounding but that slightly synthetic timbre and wide soundstage started to grate after a while with some instruments seeming to loose focus and solidity and almost disappear in the mix. In the end I decided to keep my much older Chord DAC64 which provided it is fed from a high quality source and NOT run in buffer mode (i.e. a source with a better clock than the DAC64's internal clock) , I found gave 90% of the detail and soundstage of the Qutest but with a more natural timbre and solid if somewhat smaller soundstage.
I’ve done the same by getting the first Hugo tt instead of the qutest. I think the qutest has a ton of processing power but doesn’t balance it out with a worthy power source supply and the guys who suggest upgrading the wall wart are still bottlenecked by the usb dc input
@18yearsoldnot Me too. I couldn't live with never knowing when the next track was going to sound a bit harsh. I moved it on and am now happily living with a Schiit MMB2.
GREAT REVIEW! D90 arriving later this week. 8-D Can't wait! Upgrading my ageing signal cables at the same time to free up that reference class sound. All the best, Rob in Swsitzerland
Just found your channel. And I’m already diggin your style! And you’re reviewing a dac I have interest in! I suspect your subbies are going to grow quickly.
Finally I find the test to compare all dac's others are shouting about. And then Cowboy Bebop...subscribed! Thanks!
Many reviewers will shy away what you done here. Great video and great presentation with an organic in it. Keep the good work and stay healthy.
I am LOVING my Gungnir multibit! It's WAY more versatile than I thought when I first bought it. I started out hooking it to my main system, an older Marantz SR7007 AVR, running in stereo ("Pure Direct") only, bi-amping a pair of Martin Logan Theos speakers. I shortly thereafter upgraded from a Chromecast to a proper streamer...the Bluesound Node 2i, so I could get high-res digital audio to the DAC.
Then I realized that I had a wireless audio transmitter and receiver in my box of cables, the Atlantic Technology WA-50, being unused. I took those out and hooked it to the second RCA output from the Gungnir, and hooked the receiver into my bedroom system (Parasound 2100 pre-amp, Proton D-1200 amp, Atlantic Technology AT-1 speakers). I know the WA-50 probably does horrific things to the sound quality here, but it's primary purpose is to link the Node 2i to the bedroom system for internet radio while I sleep...I have a Parasound ZDAC (v1) in there as well, if I need better sound quality...also a Sony turntable.
Later, I decided to pick up a headphone amp and connect my PC audio as well. I currently just have a set of Bose QC35 II headphones...not the best, but they are OK for now, I will upgrade soon. I picked up the Schiit Magnius headphone amp (which is, honestly, a STEAL at $200!) and then hooked the unused XLR outputs from the Gumby to the amp.
So yeah...now I have a single DAC running 3 audio systems! And they all sound pretty great! In the future, I will probably switch things around a bit. I want to get a good balanced pre-amp (looking at the Schiit Freya+), then I can run balanced cables all the way back to the bedroom through my crawlspace...and use the RCA for the main system and the headphone amp.
The only thing I really wish for on the Gungnir, which the lower cost Bifrost 2 has, is a remote. Fortunately, I have a small house, but if I want to change inputs, I have to get up and go press the button on the face of the unit...a little less than ideal. Still, I am THRILLED with the performance of this DAC, and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone considering a DAC in this price range!
HOWEVER, Schiit just did something amazing. They recently improved the analog audio stage of their higher end "Yggdrasil" DACs, and offered their customers an upgrade. They ended up with a pile of the "old" Analog 1 boards from those upgrades, and didn't know what to do with them. They decided to put these old boards into new units and sell them at a pretty steep discount! So, right now you can get the Gungnir multibit for $1250, or for $1599 you can get the Yggdrasil with one of these old boards (with an option to upgrade later to the new one), or you can buy the "new" Yggy with the v2 analog stage for $2449. It's nice having options!
Thanks so much for the detailed comment! Amazing price on a Yggy!! I actually have a Chromecast streamer for my 2-chan setup and was looking at the Blue Node 2i. Did you hear any difference on basic 16/44 music from Tidal?
And yes I absolutely love the Gumby and am sad I sold it. :( There's a used one going for a good price right now but my wife will kill me if I start buying up more DACs again. Do you notice a difference on the Gungnir when using the RCA vs XLR outputs? I heard some chatter that there may be a difference in SQ.
Ended up getting the RME ADI-2 FS and the A90 - should be in tomorrow! Your video made me even more excited
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)?
Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
@@kaankucuk1612 heya! I have both the M17 and a d90/a90 stack. For my IEMs (u12t by audio64) I love both equally but for my Hifiman Arya I prefer the a90/d90 stack - it opens up the headphones a bit more. But the differences are minor. A Hugo 2 is great but again it all depends on your personal preferences, try out some dacs if you can!
@@DarklordofBarovia Thank you, Also I am between U12T and um Melody MKII? Do you think which one is better? Thank you
@@kaankucuk1612 For me the U12T is a better option since the MKII is less of a neutral/reference IEM, it does make music sound more 'fun' and adds a touch of warmth and low-end, and I know people that REALLY want that in their music, but I don't. I primarily listen to classical music, so a more neutral approach has my preference :)
CHORD Hugo TT2 & M Scaler combination - the best!
The most expensive, so it should be best by far.
I have the Qutest no matter what you listen, the sound is always amazing (To Hi-res songs to crappy pop music) is always a joy with a lot of detail and not a hot treble.
Super content. Thanks for making massive effort here. I have Chord 2qute. I did a demo in a HiFi shop of Qutest and TT2. TT2 for me had far better bass detail. I would choose the TT2, when I win the lottery. I would love to try some of these r2r dacs. They sound very interesting from how people describe them.
Thanks!! Although it was a process putting this review together I thought it was a real fun learning experience comparing all these different sound signatures with each other. Really shed some light on what I was reading online. TT2 really is amazing as well!
I have the 2Qute also with the Sbooster powersupply. Do you think the Qutest is a big step up from the 2Qute?
@@btentusscher I didn't hear 2qute and Qutest together on the same system. But going on what I heard in the demo room. I would not buy Qutest to replace 2qute. Qutest didn't seem to bring more than I was used to, on my own system.
To really know you would have to try on your own system. I didn't buy a new dac, I couldn't stomach the cost of a TT2. So I built my own dac. Not as dynamic as a Chord, but far more suited to my taste and current system.
Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)?
Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you
Extension of bass and sub bass with detail and refined sound is the hardest part to reproduce beside vocal. Only a real good quality dac can.
Could have used more info on the D90 and Qutest filters. I've heard that the D90 filters are less perceivable than those available on Qutest. An awesome review that manages to include all the DACs on my shortlist - big thanks for that!
Oh I definitely A/B'ed the hell out of the filters on all the delta sigma models. I should've mentioned it, your right, but I didn't bring it up because there wasn't a huge difference.
I mentioned it during the ARES portion but I generally prefer slow filters on delta sigma DACs, and this is true for the D90 as well. The difference in sound toggling through the filters is roughly the same on D90 as it is on the Qutest. There is a change in sound but it's very slight.
For personal, non review listening, I keep the Qutest on the green filter and the D90 on either slow or SD slow (couldn't decide which I liked better).
@@MidFiGuy fantastic review mate, I have the D90 but am thinking of going for an R2R. What number filter is the SD slow and slow on the D90?
What you are liking is the distortion components the R2R is introducing. There is a distortion plug-in for foobar that you can use with discrete DAC's and get about the same result.
Would that distortion be done in the digital domain or the analog in f2k - when I don't have a robust digital chain, I prefer to have plain pass-through bit perfect audio for the DAC to actually do the decoding, and in most cases that brings out much cleaner performance out of the DACs than feeding them processed analog audio.
You do have good ears! And thanks for describing the way these all sound in a simple, meaningful way.
I recently bought an Ares II and absolutely love it. The only thing I regret is not stepping up to the Pontus for its i2s interface, but at more than double the cost I still think I did really well with procuring the Ares II.
Thank you! I hear you on the Pontus. Though someone told me as you go further up the Denafrips line in cost you do get more detail, but you sort of lose that level of smoothness at the same time. I'm curious how much, if any, of that is true. Either way, many months in and I'm still very much satisfied with the ARES. Cheers!
I just bought a little bear MC3 switcher. I want to use the same amp and fronts in for both theater and 2 CH. I bought the RME for my DAC/ preamp for the stereo side. It showed up two days ago, the wife snatched it up, wrapped it and said I couldn't have it till X-mas. After hours of research, reviews, comparisons, figuring out the financials, finding the best deal, waiting for delivery, CRUSH! I have to wait. Have a great holiday.
Wow, so you’re the one selling a bunch of dacs on headfi yesterday lol. I was wondering who da fuk would buy these many dacs. Anyway, good to see you back with maybe the best dacs review on UA-cam. Seeing other reviewers even separate a review to a unit to two videos with an extra pointless open box video to get more views, you are just role models here. Love it.
It's adorable you think there's a difference and that you can hear it.
Man, you’ve done your homework here. I’m looking to buy the Ares II and who would have thought that a large comparison video would give you enough usable info? However, you’ve really been helpful here and it’s clear that you know what to listen for.
When you have other respected reviewers and fellow audiophiles complementing you on your content then you’re doing some good work 👍🏻
This was an awesome video, fantastic work man. You have earned my sub!