Okay, it’s been a few days. While I’m sure it’s still not perfect, what I’ve come to understand is that it really punishes poorly recorded music. The best compliment I can give it. It makes me listen to all the music. All of it stands up and says listen. Not just the vocals, bass, mid or treble. All of it. It resolves so well.
I have a Johunheim 2 on the way to replace my 789. I’m looking forward to that marriage.
Would like to know how the BF2 and Jot2 works for you.
I’m loving the combination. There is a lot of versatility in this package. I’m adding the Loki mini+ for even more.
Trying to figure out if the BF2 is a smart upgrade for me.
I’m currently using a Grace SDAC and Liquid Carbon amp, with HP-3, HD6XX and TYGR 300R for listening, with Amazon HD as my source of music. I was considering the Modius but I feel like it would be a side-grade. Y’all have raved about the detail of the BF2 and how it’s really endgame for <$1000 DACs so I wanted to ask.
One thing I like about the SDAC is that it has a 1/8"/3.5mm out to my Kanto 2 speakers. The BF2 only has a Coaxial out - I’m not sure how that works, would something like this Coaxial out to 3.5mm adapter work?
I’m also open to any other suggestions on perhaps upgrading the amp first; I think eventually with the sound signature I prefer, something like a BF2 → Liquid Platinum would be the ideal chain for me.
Slight upgrade but sidegrade as well
For the bifrost, what I would do is if you have a balanced amp, run the bal into the amp, and then run a rca to 3.5mm to your speakers, or if you end up with a single ended out, you would split the rca out
Personally, I would upgrade your amp first imo, you might get more benefit there and it would be cheaper (as the going rate for a liquid plat would be 400 ish or it should be), and then I would consider the bf2
Thanks @M0N,
For the bifrost, what I would do is if you have a balanced amp, run the bal into the amp, and then run a rca to 3.5mm to your speakers, or if you end up with a single ended out, you would split the rca out
Definitely see where you’re going with that but since I’m using a Loki for EQ I’m having to go RCA from the SDAC → Loki → Amp. I wish Dekoni or someone made pads for the HP-3 so I could try something different but in the meantime I’m having to tweak stuff that way.
Personally, I would upgrade your amp first imo, you might get more benefit there and it would be cheaper (as the going rate for a liquid plat would be 400 ish or it should be), and then I would consider the bf2
I think that’s a good point; I know most of the big sound changes people can hear outside of changing the headphones will be from upgrading the amp. The Liquid Carbon X is a solid amp but I’ll admit that as I’ve become more of a listener these days it can definitely seem… flat with some music. Which is fine I guess, but I’m looking for a little more… energy, musicality, soundstage and impact.
I’ve seen the LP drop to around $400 every now and then so I’ll keep an eye out for it.
I see, so would you want to keep the loki in chain with the amp and speakers, or just the amp? If you wanted to keep it in with the amp and speakers, you would just run bf2 se out > loki > split off the loki to speakers and headphone amp. If you wanted to keep the loki only for the headphone amp, you would just place the splitter on the bf2 itself and then go bf2 > split to kanto and loki > headphone amp.
liquid plat will def do that for you lol. Also I would look into the flux fa-10 or fa-12s, or the singxer sa-1 around that somewhat similar price range. This is with the hp-3 as the main headphone correct?
Oh I see what you’re saying… Okay yeah actually that makes sense, I like it! And I don’t even really have to worry about it now until I end up with the BF2 anyway, lol.
liquid plat will def do that for you lol. Also I would look into the flux fa-10 or fa-12s, or the singxer sa-1 around that somewhat similar price range. This is with the hp-3 as the main headphone correct?
For sure. Yeah, HP-3 as my main for listening to music, but also a part of me wants to have a solid DAC/Amp for upgrading in the future - I really think a ZMF Atticus might be in my future but I just feel the headphone upgrades won’t be as meaningful off a relatively budget DAC/Amp, especially now that I know what my preferences are.
Hmmmmmm ok, that might end up changing what amp you want to invest in if zmf is in your sights, in that case I would be leaning more toward something like a feliks echo, woo wa6 2nd gen, cayin ha-1a mk2, bottlehead crack + speedball (all are more fun leaning amps under 1k for the atticus, the echo is a bit more warmer relaxed sweeter leaning, the woo is more rich wetter sounding and sweetened, the cayin is more neutral warmer, and the bottlehead crack + speedball is more warm forward and fun for some short signature comparisons). I can’t say the hp-3 is all that solid of a match with most of those (although I do think it could potentially sound good on the woo and cayin). The atticus may sound good off the liquid plat or other aforementioned solid states, but I haven’t heard that exact combo so I can’t say. Although personally I can’t say I like the atticus myself
Oh wow, thanks for the recommendations, I’ve only even heard of the crack+speedball lol - I’ll look intp these as well.
Might not a Jotunheim 2 be an option as well with it’s out puts?
Please no lol, go with the asgard instead if you have to do that imo as the magnius really isn’t that great of an amp imo. That also really doesn’t seem like a worthwhile thing to do, as you will get a different sound, but it won’t really be a big upgrade over what you have now. I would honestly at least go jot 2, but at that point you might as well hold out for some of the aforementioned amps
Haha, alright got it - you’ve got way more experience than I do hearing these different units so just thought I’d ask!
Okay I must not have even known that the Jotenheim existed because I’m just now seeing you and @LittleJoe talking about it… hmm…
I really like the combination of the Bifrost 2 & the Jot 2, and I have a Loki on the way. But, @MON has much more experience than I do. Follow his advise, I just thought the outputs on the Jot 2 would help you out.
So I’m a little confused with the options here, reading from Schiit’s website. If you get an Asgard or Jotunheim, you can spend an extra $200 and get the Bifrost2 DAC chip installed inside it? Making it essentially an all-in-one?
Not quite. You can get a multibit dac module in the A3, J2, or Lyr 3. It is not the same multibit chip in that is in the Bifrost 2. It’s the one they put in the Modi multibit - decent, but not quite BF2 level of performance.
The multibit dac chip is more similar to the modi multibit, which is nothing near the bf2. Yes the asgard or jot can be all in ones, but honestly I would rather get an external dac, as the internal ones are lackluster from my experience and limit your options later on
Got it, thanks guys. I’ll keep researching - a lot to try and keep up with / figure out lol
Okay, after much thought, comparing, searching, etc. (I’m sure we’ve all been there, lol) I went with the Bifrost 2 + Jotunheim! Thanks @WaveTheory for the great review.
I do think I the LP is still in my future but I don’t really want to wait around for it to drop back to $300-400, since who knows when that will be? Plus I’m a sucker for the same form factor / stack, I think it will look and sound great on my desk.
Will let y’all know when I get it and what I think.