Sweet - Schiit DAC & Joule Preamp

PreCd

Memorial Day is being good to me. Brother brought over his Schiit Bifrost DAC and Joule LA-100 Tube Preamp. We are using a Marantz CD5004 as a transport and have everything running through a Adcom GFA-555 amp along with my SDA TL2Bs. What a difference the preamp makes. The Joule has such a great soundstage, detail, and liveliness that my GFP-565 does not have. Of course there is about $1,500 difference in the two so it should make quite a bit of difference. We also have been playing with the USB port on the Bifrost to PC. It really sounds good and makes me realize that listening to music on a PC is definitely a reality and can sound good. Great even. A very fun day in the air conditioning (95 degrees here).

george daniel

damn fine pre amp!!

thsmith

+1 on the preamp. The Schiit DAC has a lot going for it.

PreCd

We are still burning in the Schiit DAC but like what we hear so far. The USB interface to the PC sounds decent. I guess I need to start checking into using my PC as a music server as a alternative to my CDP. I can now see the pros of doing so.

chumlie

Nice brother, maybe he'll leave it there for a while.

PreCd

Not a chance! Leaving tomorrow and then back to my same old system...........

chumlie wrote: »

Nice brother, maybe he'll leave it there for a while.

nooshinjohn

I understand that DAC is the Schiit.

Let us know what your impressions are.

AsSiMiLaTeD

The Schiit is a very good DAC, and they've got an even better one in the works. My biggest problem with the Bifrost is their somewhat half-assed implementation of USB. They're not a big fan of USB and while their implementation is decent, it's not great. They will tell you (and they're correct) that the spdif input is better than the USB. If playing files from a computer, having a good usb to spdif converter in the mix is really a necessity.

PreCd

We were just discussing that last night....the USB to SPDIF convertor. Do you happen to have some suggestions? And yes I read on their website about their USB connection and their dislike of it. Not just theirs but USB in general I believe is what they were talking about.

So far so good on the DAC. Transport from my CD5004 sounds good via SPDIF. Some recordings from the PC sound better than others and is the result of the ripping process, computer not being dedicated, some settings, and other factors I am sure. We are still experimenting with it a bit and he will continue to do so when he arrives back at home.

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

The Schiit is a very good DAC, and they've got an even better one in the works. My biggest problem with the Bifrost is their somewhat half-assed implementation of USB. They're not a big fan of USB and while their implementation is decent, it's not great. They will tell you (and they're correct) that the spdif input is better than the USB. If playing files from a computer, having a good usb to spdif converter in the mix is really a necessity.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Yeah those guys are a bit old school in that they haven't embraced USB yet. I happen to disagree with them on that point, I think USB can be properly done if the work is put into it.

There are several converters on the market. My Musical Fidelity V-Link does a superb job, but have heard the the Audio-GD model is very good as well.

doctorcilantro

M2tech is a great bang for the buck. Coax or bnc options. But you'd even surprised by some motherboards with coax out. In some case inboard could best a sub-par USB implementation.

PreCd

You would not happen to like guacamole would you?

Thanks for the heads up and I will take a look at the M2tech.

doctorcilantro wrote: »

M2tech is a great bang for the buck. Coax or bnc options. But you'd even surprised by some motherboards with coax out. In some case inboard could best a sub-par USB implementation.

organ

That looks great. I love the look of the pre. I'm sure it sounds fantastic.