[ericrosenfield]

Prickliness? I suspect that has more to do with associated components. Change amps/speakers and the effect may change.

Nah, Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to. See the helpful chart at SBAF here: #190

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to.

I won't go so far as to say "this is incorrect," but I will say, "that is not my experience," and that many audio disagreements can be avoided by saying "in my opinion," rather than painting with a broad brush as if it is absolute truth.

 

[adias]

Nah, Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to. See the helpful chart at SBAF here: #190

My comment is due to experience. Switching amps, changed the issues in the highs... YMMV.

 

[Ableza]

Nah, Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to. See the helpful chart at SBAF here: #190

1. "Prickliness" is not a thing.
2. What you are describing is subjective.
3. SBAF is not supposed to be linked (or even mentioned depending on who you ask) on this forum - I don't believe.

 

[NoBodyNoWhere]

Nah, Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to. See the helpful chart at SBAF here: #190

My experience is kind of limited… (4 different Schiit DACS, a Topping DAC and a Denefrips Ares II) but when I swapped out my Bifrost 2/64 for the Ares II, I felt the Ares II was rather grating in the high end and I found the Schiit DACs to have a much smoother high end. (I’m not quite sure what is meant by “treble f*ckery” but I’d guess it’s referring to this grating quality.)

Maybe some people would like the sharper quality of the Ares II, but to me, it was like walking barefoot on sharp gravel whereas the Bifrost was like walking on a plush rug.

Obviously this is limited to my system, the specific speakers, my aging ears, and the kind of music I like. The Ares II is a good DAC, but maybe for someone else.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Nah, Schiit DACs (and others) are known to have a prickliness (aka "treble f*ckery") that some people are sensitive to. See the helpful chart at SBAF here: #190

Big caveat. Can be prickly on certain chains. That’s not on the Yggdrasil, that’s on the amp and transducer.

The treble f*ckery scale is very narrow for the Yggdrasil. Compared to the Topping which clearly has treble issues.

I like that site, but context is key. Nothing is absolute.

 

[ericrosenfield]

I won't go so far as to say "this is incorrect," but I will say, "that is not my experience," and that many audio disagreements can be avoided by saying "in my opinion," rather than painting with a broad brush as if it is absolute truth.

Hi Jason,
I say this with all due respect because I genuinely love your products and have happily handed over quite a bit of money to your company, but it's not my opinion that I hear an uncomfortable itchiness using the Bifrost 2, it's a fact. I do. I did say it was something "some people are sensitive to", as I know lots of people who don't hear this as well, and you seem to be one of them. I wish I was too. However, I'm not the only person who's reported this phenomenon, it's not an opinion I have like I think Star Trek is cool, it's something I hear and in some sense feel on a physiological level especially when I pair it with certain other gear and it actually causes headaches. (Pairing the Bifrost 2 with the Audiolab 8300 for example was significantly more painful than pairing it with the SMSL SU-8.) Again, I am sensitive to this and there's lots (too many) of other gear that gives me headaches which clearly don't give other people headaches, but I think it's a bit cavalier to dismiss someone else's lived experience as "just an opinion".

 

[AstronomerXI]

deleted

 

[adias]

Hi Jason,
I say this with all due respect because I genuinely love your products and have happily handed over quite a bit of money to your company, but it's not my opinion that I hear an uncomfortable itchiness using the Bifrost 2, it's a fact. I do. I did say it was something "some people are sensitive to", as I know lots of people who don't hear this as well, and you seem to be one of them. I wish I was too. However, I'm not the only person who's reported this phenomenon, it's not an opinion I have like I think Star Trek is cool, it's something I hear and in some sense feel on a physiological level especially when I pair it with certain other gear and it actually causes headaches. (Pairing the Bifrost 2 with the Audiolab 8300 for example was significantly more painful than pairing it with the SMSL SU-8.) Again, I am sensitive to this and there's lots (too many) of other gear that gives me headaches which clearly don't give other people headaches, but I think it's a bit cavalier to dismiss someone else's lived experience as "just an opinion".

I suggest you follow your DAC with a Freya/Kara or passive stage and that with Vidar2 or Tyr and report back.

 

[Orange5o]

Not trying to start a row. Just pointing out that others have heard it too, and it's not the other parts of chain for me. In my experience, it just means finding a different flavor of Schiit for my ears. Which is a fun process!

 

[Condocondor]

and that many audio disagreements can be avoided by saying "in my opinion," rather than painting with a broad brush as if it is absolute truth.

Amen Jason. Now, if we could get the media to do this one simple thing and say, "...in my opinion", the world would be a much better place.

 

[ericrosenfield]

I suggest you follow your DAC with a Freya/Kara or passive stage and that with Vidar2 or Tyr and report back.

Sorry, I actually realize what I wrote was more defensive than I intended. Apologies to Jason.

I actually just got an Aegir (lovely!) but I already sold my Bifrost 2. (If you'd like to lend me another BF2 and a pair of Tyrs I'll be happy to try them together )

 

[adias]

Sorry, I actually realize what I wrote was more defensive than I intended. Apologies to Jason.

I actually just got an Aegir (lovely!) but I already sold my Bifrost 2. (If you'd like to lend me another BF2 and a pair of Tyrs I'll be happy to try them together )

Too bad you did not try the Bifrost with the Aegir. I would love to hear your impressions.

 

[Ableza]

When someone reports hearing something (whether it be prickliness, plankton, sound stage, weight, forward, recessed, whatever) that is by definition their opinion. Audio is subjective. The signal is not, it's electrical, but hearing and perception of audio is acoustic, and is subjective and dependent on ambient listening conditions and on the listener. Are there some phenomena that are generally perceived by most users and can be called "generic characteristics"? Yes, such as loudness. But even those are not 100% universal. What I hear will be different from what you hear will be different from what Joe and Jane Blow hear, and what each of us perceives is our "truth." I don't like the sound of Onkyo products. Others do. Simple. That is how human perception works. Arguing anything different demonstrates lack of understanding.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

Hi Jason,
I say this with all due respect because I genuinely love your products and have happily handed over quite a bit of money to your company, but it's not my opinion that I hear an uncomfortable itchiness using the Bifrost 2, it's a fact. I do. I did say it was something "some people are sensitive to", as I know lots of people who don't hear this as well, and you seem to be one of them. I wish I was too. However, I'm not the only person who's reported this phenomenon, it's not an opinion I have like I think Star Trek is cool, it's something I hear and in some sense feel on a physiological level especially when I pair it with certain other gear and it actually causes headaches. (Pairing the Bifrost 2 with the Audiolab 8300 for example was significantly more painful than pairing it with the SMSL SU-8.) Again, I am sensitive to this and there's lots (too many) of other gear that gives me headaches which clearly don't give other people headaches, but I think it's a bit cavalier to dismiss someone else's lived experience as "just an opinion".

Not trying to start a row. Just pointing out that others have heard it too, and it's not the other parts of chain for me. In my experience, it just means finding a different flavor of Schiit for my ears. Which is a fun process!

Sincere question:
What's your point, guys?
Schiit doesn't design their DACs to some "taste profile." Nor do any other manufacturers, at least not to my knowledge.
If you don't like the sound of the Bifrost 2, buy a different DAC. (Full disclosure: I don't, and I have.)
But there are plenty of people out there who prefer the way Bifrost 2 sounds. I wouldn't want to take that away from them. Especially not since there are other Schiit DACs available that I like a whole lot more. They're a bit more pricey, but that's par for the course in this hobby.
So, I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to get at with this… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯