Schiit Gungnir Multibit in the house

[Feanor]

My new, Gungnir Multibit arrived today. It replaces my Bifrost Multibit now sold to some luck buyer. The Gungnir is up & running but, of course, requires some burn-in to reach full potential; how long the will take I don't know but I'm hoping it's not nor than the typical 20-30 'till it's 95+%.

As some will know, the Gungnir Multibit is Schiit's mid-range "multibit" offering. The whole range of three devices deliver "closed form" filtering by way of a DSP chip and conversion by way of a high-accuracy, "ladder", a.k.a. R-2R DAC. High-rollers who are interested will undoubtedly want Schiit's top of the line Yggdrasil model. For me however, the mid-range Gungnir, (US$1250), hits the top of my budget range.

With the notion of some sort up upgrade in mind I did consider a few other options before deciding on the Gungnir, the main ones being:


Wyred 4 Sound Dac-1 LE (https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/dac-1-le-limited-edition)
PS Audio NuWave DSD (http://www.psaudio.com/products/nuwave-dsd/)


However a few factors settled my choice for the Gungnir Multibit:


i was highly impressed by the Schiit's low range Bifrost Multibit
I not really concerned with the DSD, (which the R-2R DACs won't handle). Nor, for the matter, the very new MQA format which is proprietary and might or might not amount to anything
Also, I'm not intending in the forseeable future to get into computer-based oversampling and filtering programs like HQ Player or Bughead Emperor. Not that the Schiit Multibits entirely preclude these programs, but at least I'm won't be getting the higher performance computer they require.


Versus the Bifrost Multibit, the Gungnir MB has higher specification DSP and DAC, balanced output, as stronger power supply, and something called "Adopticlock" that has to do with jitter reduction.

I'm using the Gungnir balanced outputs because my ARC LS9 preamp and Pass X150.5 amp are balanced. Sound quality is supposed to be better via the balanced output: we shall see. The downside is the my preamp's volume control must be set lower on account of the 6dB additional gain from the balance outputs.

I shall provide further listening impressions in a few days.

http://schiit.com/public/upload/general/gungnir-main-1920.jpg
http://schiit.com/public/upload/general/gungnir-back-1920(1).jpg

[Jack in Wilmington]

My new, Gungnir Multibit arrived today. It replaces my Bifrost Multibit now sold to some luck buyer. The Gungnir is up & running but, of course, requires some burn-in to reach full potential; how long the will take I don't know but I'm hoping it's not nor than the typical 20-30 'till it's 95+%.

As some will know, the Gungnir Multibit is Schiit's mid-range "multibit" offering. The whole range of three devices deliver "closed form" filtering by way of a DSP chip and conversion by way of a high-accuracy, "ladder", a.k.a. R-2R DAC. High-rollers who are interested will undoubtedly want Schiit's top of the line Yggdrasil model. For me however, the mid-range Gungnir, (US$1250), hits the top of my budget range.

With the notion of some sort up upgrade in mind I did consider a few other options before deciding on the Gungnir, the main one being:


Wyred 4 Sound Dac-1 LE (https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/dac-1-le-limited-edition)
PS Audio NuWave DSD (http://www.psaudio.com/products/nuwave-dsd/)


However a few factors settled my choice for the Gungnir Multibit:


i was highly impressed by the Schiit's low range Bifrost Multibit
I not really concerned with the DSD for matter, (which the R-2R DACs won't handle). Nor, for the matter, the very new MQA format which is proprietary and might or might not amount to anything
Also, I'm intending the forseable future to get into computer-based oversampling and filtering programs like HQ Player or Bughead Emperor. Not that the Schiit Multibits entirely preclude these programs, but at least I'm won't be getting the higher performance computer they require.


Versus the Bifrost Multibit, the Gungnir MB has higher specification DSP and DAC, balanced output, as stronger power supply, and something called "Adopticlock" that has to do with jitter reduction.

I'm using the Gungnir balanced outputs because my ARC LS9 preamp and Pass X150.5 amp are balanced. Sound quality is supposed to be better via the balanced output: we shall see. The downside is the my preamp's volume control must be set lower on account of the 6dB additional gain from the balance outputs.

I shall provide further listening impressions in a few days.

http://schiit.com/public/upload/general/gungnir-main-1920.jpg
http://schiit.com/public/upload/general/gungnir-back-1920(1).jpg

Congrats on your new DAC. I've heard nothing but stellar reviews on the Schiit Gungnir as I'm sure it will sound great once it's broken in.

[blackraven]

It should be a nice step up in sound is more on par with the rest of your gear.

Bill, I don't know what the specs are on your computer but the newer versions of BH are more computer friendly now, especially the non SQ versions of BH. You will need a minimum of a good I3 processor and 8gigs of ram although 4 gigs will work. If you keep the settings fairly basic BH should run fine even if up sampling to 2x. Running a free program like Fidelizer and tuning off your antivirus software when running BH helps. I always disable the antivirus and occasionally use Fidelizer even with my I7 and 16gb ram.

BH will really take the sound to another level of sound and enjoyment.

I am looking forward to more thoughts on your new DAC.

Larry

[Feanor]

Bill, I don't know what the specs are on your computer but the newer versions of BH are more computer friendly now, especially the non SQ versions of BH. You will need a minimum of a good I3 processor and 8gigs of ram although 4 gigs will work. If you keep the settings fairly basic BH should run fine even if up sampling to 2x. Running a free program like Fidelizer and tuning off your antivirus software when running BH helps. I always disable the antivirus and occasionally use Fidelizer even with my I7 and 16gb ram.

BH will really take the sound to another level of sound and enjoyment.
...
Larry

That's good to know about the Bughead. (BTW, I meant to say that I was NOT intending to get into computer pre-processing in the foreseeable future.) My current music computer is a dual-core Athlon with only 4MB so using Bughead or even HQ Player isn't practical as this time. Some day I'll want/need to upgrade, though.

In the past I've had issues (blue screens) with Fidelizer but I'll try it again at some point. My music computer doesn't have an anti-virus installed; they are resource hogs and since I don't browse or download on the music machine I haven't had any problems.

[Feanor]

After a bit more than 24 hours of continuous operation the "Gumby" is sounding great. Not surprisingly its presentation is a lot like the Bifrost Multibit and shares its virtues -- resolution, timbres, decays, and spacial realism -- but with incremental improvements in all areas. Deep base and large-scale dynamics also seem improved.

The Bifrost MB is a huge value and is probably 90% of the Gungnir MB for a little less than half the price; a person has to decide whether the increment is worth it. I'm quite satisfied with the upgrade.

I did indulge myself with a new, low-medium priced pair of XLR cables. These are Mogami 2549 cable with Neutrik connectors, cryo-treated by Take Five Audio, (HERE (http://www.takefiveaudio.com/mall/shopexd.asp?id=1244)). They are a short 2 foot length and low capacitance; they might be aiding the improved deep bass.

[blackraven]

Glad to hear you like the improvement.

I may have to give those XLR's a try. I want to replace the BJC XLR's that I got from a friend. I am also using a Pair of Cardas Parsec XLR's.

[Feanor]

Glad to hear you like the improvement.

I may have to give those XLR's a try. I want to replace the BJC XLR's that I got from a friend. I am also using a Pair of Cardas Parsec XLR's.

Thanks, Larry,

I can't make any certain claims for the Take Five Mogami 2549's; I wanted the shortest practical length. I might have ordered BJC but with the Cdn-US exchange rate where it is, the price is about the same and the Mogami does have significantly lower capacitance if you believe the specs. A little bonus is that you can order different color collars for the Neutrik connectors, which I did: white for Left, red for Right. I didn't go for the burn-in service; I imagine they are burned in my now in any case after about 36 hours of continuous operation.

Those Cardas Parsecs ought to be pretty nice, but obviously in high price bracket -- then again the sky's the limit for cables today.

[Mr Peabody]

You keep this up Feanor we'll have to let you in the audiophile club, LOL

Look, you buying a high end DAC, and upgraded cables, combined with the craziness that is our election cycle, I'm bracing for the end, LOL

Really though, I'm happy for you, enjoy.

[blackraven]

Any update on the DAC? Has the sound improved any further?

[Feanor]

Any update on the DAC? Has the sound improved any further?

I think my Gungnir MB is getting on for fully broken in, (the cables too). I think my initial impressions (with 36 hr break-in) are being born out, and I'm very pleased.

I've sold on the Bifrost MB so direct comparison's aren't possible. But again, I feel the Gungnir MB is similar in character to the Bifrost MB with further refinements that are marginal but all add up. Deep bass is improved, whether on account of the Gumby's all discrete analog section, fully differential operations, and/the the new cables. If anything, large-scale dynamics are also marginally improved. (No DAC is better than it's analog section.)

To be clear, though, the Bifrost MB is huge bargain at US$600, IMO, and the Gungnir MB at $1250, though better, is an example of diminishing returns. Those in the Mr Peabody's "audiophile", i.e. big bucks, club ought to go straight to the Yggdrasil. I haven't heard the latter, but by many reports it's a bigger step up, albeit for a lot more money -- too much for me to contemplate. In any case the two Schiit Multibits I have tried are a revelation in transparency and realism so far as my experience goes.

Versus my old, cheap SMSL SD1955 DAC, or the SMSL M8 that I recently tried, the difference is like listening to a whole different performance of the music. The SC1955 (or the SD1955+) is nonetheless a real bargain at US$100; the M8 not so much at $250, though it does do PCM384 and DSD128.

{edit}
One unfortunate aspect of using Gungnir's balanced output put is that a much lower volume control setting must be used on my preamp. This a bit of a problem in that the setting lower than 9 o'clock are grosser than those above so it is not possible to get as precise an output level than I might like at times. I don't really see a solution to this other than to use the digital control on my Foobar player.