DSD vs SCHIIT

[beerandmusic]

I have seen lots of raving about Schiits, and Jud mentioned that of the "lesser expensive DACS" that the schiits are the only "lesser expensive (sub $1k) ones he knows of that doesnt do the "sigma delta modulation" (which i have heard many people frown upon sigma delta).

 

So my question is which do you think will sound better (given everything else is the same)

 

A) $600 schiit bitfrost multibit

playing a 192K PCM file

(this schiit isn't capable of DSD)

 

OR

 

B) $1K (or less) DSD sigma delta dac (e.g. teac ud503 or ifi micro)

playing a 256M DSD file (without upsampling)

[Tuco1965]

I love my Bifrost Multibit. My music library is 99% 16 Bit 44.1k material. I have absolutely no desire to obtain anything in DSD.

[JoeWhip]

I will eventually add a DSD only DAC but I convert my DSD files to 176.4 and play them through my Gumby. They sound excellent so I am in no rush to add a second DAC. If I do, it may be the Gustard or the newest ifi.

[beerandmusic]

I will eventually add a DSD only DAC but I convert my DSD files to 176.4 and play them through my Gumby. They sound excellent so I am in no rush to add a second DAC. If I do, it may be the Gustard or the newest ifi.

 

what do you use to convert your dsd files to 176.4?

and why 176.4? i thought 192k is standard?

[Paul R]

LOL! I really do enjoy your polls, they are marvelously inventive!

 

I have a a SCHIIT DSD DAC, which sounds fantastic and totally changed my mind about DSD. $149 I think it was.

 

I think that DSD is a technically superior format to PCM in so far as listening goes. But PCM sounds pretty good when listening through a decent PCM DAC. And PCM and DSD sound about the same to me, equally wonderful, when the PCM sample rate is very high.

 

-Paul

[beerandmusic]

LOL! I really do enjoy your polls, they are marvelously inventive!

 

I have a a SCHIIT DSD DAC, which sounds fantastic and totally changed my mind about DSD. $149 I think it was.

 

I think that DSD is a technically superior format to PCM in so far as listening goes. But PCM sounds pretty good when listening through a decent PCM DAC. And PCM and DSD sound about the same to me, equally wonderful, when the PCM sample rate is very high.

 

-Paul

 

you should have picked the top choice? did you pick the wrong one or didnt pick at all? I know you have at least tried ifi dsd?

[Paul R]

you should have picked the top choice? did you pick the wrong one or didnt pick at all? I know you have at least tried ifi dsd?

 

Not sure which to choose, as the Schitt DAC I have is only DSD, and there are other DSD DACs that sound better. I believe your comparison was between DSD and PCM.

 

-Paul

[DrN]

I think there are too many polls now.

 

Paul, you meant to say your Schiit DAC is PCM only? They don't make a DSD DAC.

[sandyk]

I think there are too many polls now.

 

Shhh. Somebody might start a Poll about Polls !

[kumakuma]

Paul, you meant to say your Schiit DAC is PCM only? They don't make a DSD DAC.

 

I think Paul owns their discontinued Loki DSD DAC.

[Kal Rubinson]

The thing is: I have thousands of DSD albums which I can convert to PCM if I choose.

I also have somewhat fewer PCM albums which I can convert to DSD if I choose.

How would I know what I prefer, in each case, if I did not have a choice.

[Paul R]

I think there are too many polls now.

 

Paul, you meant to say your Schiit DAC is PCM only? They don't make a DSD DAC.

 

 

Nope, I bought a Loki when they first came out. DSD only. And yep I disagree with 'em and like the sound of DSD better than PCM, depending upon the DAC of course...

[DrN]

Sorry forgot about the Loki.

[beerandmusic]

Nope, I bought a Loki when they first came out. DSD only. And yep I disagree with 'em and like the sound of DSD better than PCM, depending upon the DAC of course...

 

how is a dac dsd only? will it ONLY play dsf and dff files? or it upconverts everything to dsd? or?

[Tuco1965]

how is a dac dsd only? will it ONLY play dsf and dff files? or it upconverts everything to dsd? or?

Schiit Audio, Headphone amps and DACs made in USA.

[YashN]

So my question is which do you think will sound better (given everything else is the same)

 

A) $600 schiit bitfrost multibit

playing a 192K PCM file

(this schiit isn't capable of DSD)

 

There's one option missing:

 

() I don't give a sheet about your poll since you think Audiogate + a Korg Dac cannot be beaten for SQ.

[beerandmusic]

There's one option missing:

 

() I don't give a sheet about your poll since you think Audiogate + a Korg Dac cannot be beaten for SQ.

 

thats an untrue statement. i said the korg dac is lacking, but that audiogate sounds better than other players. If i thought korg dac couldn't be beaten, i wouldn't have 2 others and another on the way (a schiit btw). I don't even own a korg at present....

 

As for audiogate, Try it, you will be surprised.

 

And if you don't have anything to input, please go troll someone's elses thread.

 

I am here to learn, and if you don't agree with my opinion, that's great...there are a lot of opinions here, and not everyone will agree, but keep your smartass remarks to yourself or go play somewhere else.

[gldgate]

For what it is worth I have both a Schiit Yggy and a DSD capable DAC (Eastern Electric Dac Supreme). I prefer the Yggy and it's native closed form filter to the Dac Supreme using HQ Player at 128 DSD . I honestly think both PCM and DSD can sound good (or bad) and implementation is key. I actually like having both a multibit and DSD DAC and may be picking up a 256 DSD DAC in the future (Mytek Brooklyn looks interesting). Audio is a hobby and should be fun. I like fooling around with the HQ Player filters and think shaking things up (switching equipment) can help to keep things fresh.

[Paul R]

how is a dac dsd only? will it ONLY play dsf and dff files? or it upconverts everything to dsd? or?

 

Aw yep - http://schiit.com/public/upload/PDF/loki-manual.pdf

 

I have the feeling that it was produced to prove that PCM was better, and in some ways, had just the opposite effect, at least some people.

 

-Paul

[beerandmusic]

I actually like having both a multibit and DSD DAC and may be picking up a 256 DSD DAC in the future (Mytek Brooklyn looks interesting). Audio is a hobby and should be fun. I like fooling around with the HQ Player filters and think shaking things up (switching equipment) can help to keep things fresh.

 

Thanks for the info...I actually bought a schiit today (just the multibit bifrost though). It will probably get here in 4-5 days. I am curious about why so many people are still buying into schiit, when it doesn't support dsd. I like to play also, ALWAYS trying something new....I just got the NT503 yesterday, and haven't taken it out of the box yet. More often than not, my ears don't agree with others ears here....but i certainly can hear differences, but most of the time, the differences seem subtle to me, not worth paying for except for amp and speakers. If the bifrost does ANYTHING for me, i may give the yggy a shot, but right now all i ever listen to is DSD stuff, so it's a hard battle for schiit to win me, but i am always willing to give anything a shot.

[One and a half]

Thanks for the info...I actually bought a schiit today (just the multibit bifrost though). It will probably get here in 4-5 days. I am curious about why so many people are still buying into schiit, when it doesn't support dsd. I like to play also, ALWAYS trying something new....I just got the NT503 yesterday, and haven't taken it out of the box yet. More often than not, my ears don't agree with others ears here....but i certainly can hear differences, but most of the time, the differences seem subtle to me, not worth paying for except for amp and speakers. If the bifrost does ANYTHING for me, i may give the yggy a shot, but right now all i ever listen to is DSD stuff, so it's a hard battle for schiit to win me, but i am always willing to give anything a shot.

 

Schitt wins on price and perceived value for money ratio is high. Price wins. Always. Way of the world. You should know that by now.

I didn't vote in your poll.

[JW Audio]

I had a Bifrost gen2/uber dac for about a year. I could never get the energy and dynamics from it that I had with my CD Player.

Recently picked up a PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC and I finally have the energy and dynamics in my system that was missing.

The Bifrost is a good DAC for (Now) under $500. It was a good DAC to get my feet wet in computer audio.

[JoeWhip]

what do you use to convert your dsd files to 176.4?

and why 176.4? i thought 192k is standard?

 

The software conversion works only in multiples of 44.1 up to 358.8. 192 is not an option.

[esldude]

Don't know what software Joe whip is using. I use some from Sonora which is a free download.

[JoeWhip]

Don't know what software Joe whip is using. I use some from Sonora which is a free download.

Audirvana +