New, mid-price Schiitt Bifrost DAC on the way

[Feanor]

Feanor, I was just on the AC forum reading in the planar circle about a guy who decided to try a Peach Tree Nova integrated amp/dac combo with his Magnepan 3.7's. He loves the sound. I did not know this but the Nova has a built in tube preamp using 6N1P tubes that AVA.hifi use to use. PT did this to tame the version 2 Class D Audio Amps that it puts in the Nova.

Is Peachtree Audio Full of It?

That's interesting. Their 'nova125' integrated looks like a great deal combining Sabre DAC, tube-buffered preamp, and 125wpc class D power amp for MSRP $1499.

On the other hand much less of a deal is Peachtree's 220 power amp that looks suspiciously like Class D Audio's SDS-440CS amp -- except 2x the price !!!

I'll repeat what I've said on several occasions: these Class D Audio amps, (I have an SDS model), sound just fine with really good recordings -- it's the crappy recordings and/or poor associated equipment that makes them sound bad. I say this again with emphasis now that i have the BIFROST, which for its part, is neutral but provides superior transparency & PRaT.

I suspect the same garbage in/out, quality in/out principle applies to various other class D makes as well as A/B solid states like Bryston or Krell that are so often maligned by many audiophiles.

Also, I'm sticking with my hypothesis that injecting a little 2nd order harmonic distorion into a system can mask nasties from recording or other components, whether this is done with a tube DAC, standalone tube buffer, tube preamp, a tube power amp -- or may be any decent s/s amp with zero or minimum negative feedback. (Hello, Pass Labs.)

[blackraven]

I certainly agree with your point about tubes injecting some harmonics or distortion. But if the end result is a more pleasing or likable sound then it is a non issue. With my hybrid tube gear, I have many different tubes that have different sound. Some certainly have a more detailed and resolving sound while others have an overly warm and smoothed over sound with less detail, especially in the high frequencies. But I have found tubes that offer the best of both worlds, removing any high frequency harshness and giving me a neutral to slightly warm sound that greatly appeals to me with out loosing detail and resolution.

[Feanor]

I certainly agree with your point about tubes injecting some harmonics or distortion. But if the end result is a more pleasing or likable sound then it is a non issue. With my hybrid tube gear, I have many different tubes that have different sound. Some certainly have a more detailed and resolving sound while others have an overly warm and smoothed over sound with less detail, especially in the high frequencies. But I have found tubes that offer the best of both worlds, removing any high frequency harshness and giving me a neutral to slightly warm sound that greatly appeals to me with out loosing detail and resolution.

At one time I was an adamant "accuracy" advocate but I've a evolved a bit towards the euphonic point of view. No, nothing wrong with ameliorating harshness or adding a little romantic warmth or ambience it that increases you musical enjoyment.

I'd like to experiment with tubes myself, cash funds being the big constraint. I'd like to try a tube power amp of at least 60wpc for my Magneplanars. AbeCollins over at AA, an amplifier guru if ever there was one, has recently become an advocate for the Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum integrated with K120 tubes that's good for 100wpc. I love to try that or the corresponding power amp, the Atlas Magnum ...

[LeRoy]

Feanor, congrats on the new Schitt. Is the optical link on the unit an input or output connection?

[Feanor]

Feanor, congrats on the new Schitt. Is the optical link on the unit an input or output connection?

The optical link is an input; the only outputs are the analog L+R pair.

I'm still highly impressed with the Bifrost. The transparency and dynamics are well beyond expectation. However if you are looking for something that will "tame" a shrill or raunchy amp, this ain't it.

[LeRoy]

Bill, thanks for the insight on the Bifrost. Recently, a buddy loaned me his Vincent DAC-1 to review. The Vincent has only 3 inputs, Coax,Toslink, and USB. Regardless of which input I used the unit has a loud clicking relay switch and it goes off at the start and end of EVERY track. My G.F. Dac-11 also has a clicking relay with the digital inputs but only clicks when the disc is loading and when the push play button is pressed but no clicking the rest of the way.

Does the Bifrost DAC have any clicking going on?

[Feanor]

Bill, thanks for the insight on the Bifrost. Recently, I a buddy loaned me his Vincent DAC-1 to review. The Vincent has only 3 inputs, Coax,Toslink, and USB. Regardless of which input it used the unit has a loud clicking relay switch and it goes off at the start and end of EVERY track. My G.F. Dac-11 also has a clicking relay with the digital inputs but only clicks when the disc is loading and when the push play button is pressed but no clicking the rest of the way.

Does the Bifrost DAC have any clicking going on?

I haven't heard anything from the Bifrost the resembles the Vincent behaviour. I seems to recall the Bifrost gives off a very soft click when it first starts of 24/192 files, but not every file, and again when it starts to play files of 24/96 or lower rez. I haven't yet tried a CDP as source so I'm not sure what would happen it that case.