Some time ago I upgraded Schiit Audio Bifrost from the base version to 'Uber analog' version, now I'll be upgrading to the 'Multibit' version.

Schiit Audio has been as good as its hype about providing upgradability. E.g. the Bifrost upgradability has permitted:
  • USB to be added via a card
  • USB to be upgraded via newer, different card
  • the 'Uber' analog section upgrade
  • more recently, a '4490' DAC and analog upgrade
  • and now the 'Multibit' upgrade.


The 'Multibit' upgrade replaces the previous DAC and analog section with Schiit's new, proprietary "closed-form filtering" DSP and "multi-bit", a.k.a. "ladder" or R-2R DACs and, as well, a new analog section. Multibit was first introduced in Schiit's top-of-the-line Yggdrasil model, ($2300). Trickle-down then happened to the Gungnir model whose older version is upgradable for $500, and finally to the Bifrost for $250. Not surprisingly, the lower models' upgrades are less extreme in terms of the components used.

Unfortunately none of these Schiit models does DSD, a format that I guess is inherently incompatible with R-2R DACs.

The Bifrost with 'Multibit' card, which includes DSP, DAC, and analog section: the 'Multibit' card is the daughter board on the right-hand side ...