New, mid-price Schiitt Bifrost DAC on the way

[Feanor]

Further impressions =>

Now with >25 hours of burn-in the unit should now be stabilizing. My early impressions are confirmed and enhanced ...

...
Bifrost characteristics, (relative to my other DACs):

1. Really great PRaT, (microdynamics)
2. Relatively full, robust, but somewhat forward midrange
3. Very good resolution & transparency
4. Very good depth & width of soundstage ...

Actually the positive above were understated. What I'm hearing is more palpable instruments and voices, more like real performers in a real space. Furthermore the stronger dynamics/PRaT have made percussions sounds, including piano, virtually a new experience.

This is well beyond my expectations -- it's the stuff of audiophile delight. I know it's a cliché but almost like hearing my recordings for the first time.


I note that my "early post-initial" impressions were mostly established using the S/PDIF interface; shortly after my earlier post I switch to the USB interface and I'm pretty sure I am hearing sweeter, more transparent highs and maybe less obtrusive midrange forwardness.

I suspect my better result with USB is more than burn-in because I noticed it immediately when I switched over. The reason might be just that my S/PDIF cable is too long: it's 30 feet, and while S/PDIF cables should be longer than 1.5 m (~6 ft) according to techno-pundits, they should ideally be shorter than 12 ft. In any case the Schiit's custom USB driver is highly effective