Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Better clarity than previous versions
- Better low-end definition, layering, wider soundstage, and dynamics compared to previous versions
- Is upgradable with user-serviceable cards and firmware
- High build quality, and products are made in the USA
- Has a warmer sonic climate, and a slightly laid-back groove
Product Considerations
- The original Bifrost had a hazy sound, while the AK4399 version was a little bright with not a lot of bass
- The multibit version can sound hazy, with less low-end definition and not much punch
- The highs on the BF 2/64 may stick out a little bit more than the original BF 2
- On its own, the Bifrost 2 can be unrelentingly sharp in its presentation, and sometimes come across as too harsh or focused
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Schiit Gungnir: The Bifrost 2 offers almost the same performance as the Gungnir for almost half the price
- Vs Schiit Modius: The Bifrost has added front–back dimensionality, with layering and sparkle in the treble making it more exciting than the Modius
- Vs Schiit Asgard 3 Multibit: The Bifrost feels like turning up the brightness and vividness on your TV by a couple of percent
Takeaway: The Bifrost is a great DAC that connects the listener to their music, giving excellent clarity and a wider soundstage. It is a steal of a deal because it has a better low end and is very dynamic.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Bifrost
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz, +/-0.02dB
- THD+N: <0.0008%
- IMD: <0.0006%, CCIF
- S/N: > 124dB
- Crosstalk: -132dB, 20-20kHz
- Maximum Output: 2.0V RMS single-ended, 4.0V RMS balanced
- Input Capability: up to 24/192 for all inputs
- Output Impedance: 75 ohms
- Power Consumption: 12W
- Size: 9 x 6.75 x 2"
- Weight: 5 lbs
Description
Bifrost 2/64 is a complete re-thinking of what an accessible DAC can be. With full hardware-balanced topology, balanced and single-ended outputs, remote control, Schiit's unique True Multibit™ architecture with a time-and frequency-domain optimized digital filter, NOS mode, and our own Unison USB™ input and easy-to-upgrade Autonomy™ platform, Bifrost sets all the standards.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Schiit Audio offers product modularity, allowing users to upgrade individual components like DAC and USB boards within their existing devices, extending product lifespan and enhancing performance over time.
- They directly challenge industry norms by releasing new versions of flagship products (like the Yggdrasil) at lower prices than existing models.
- The brand focuses on in-house design and manufacturing, keeping production and component sourcing largely within the US.
- Schiit is known for its idiosyncratic, humorous marketing and branding. This aims to counter hifi audio pretentiousness and appeal to a broader customer base.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Modi Plus:
- Positioning: The entry-level DAC, offering a budget-friendly option for those new to high-fidelity audio.
- Description: Features Schiit's Unison USB for superior connectivity. It stands out with its ESS ES9018 DAC chip, providing a clean and detailed sound that competes with more expensive models. Compared to the Modius, it lacks balanced outputs, making it more suitable for simpler setups or smaller spaces where budget is a priority.
Modius:
- Positioning: A step up from the Modi Plus, offering balanced outputs for enhanced audio performance.
- Description: Features balanced outputs and high performance, using the ESS ES9028 DAC chip and Schiit's Unison USB. It provides a more refined sound than the Modi Plus, with better soundstage and connectivity options.
Bifrost:
- Positioning: A mid-range DAC in Schiit's lineup, offering advanced features like True Multibit technology.
- Description: Uses True Multibit architecture, providing a rich and detailed sound that surpasses the Modius. It includes Schiit's proprietary digital filter, enhancing both time and frequency domains.
Gungnir 2:
- Positioning: A high-end DAC, offering advanced features and modular design for serious audiophiles.
- Description: Uses Schiit's Multiform architecture, providing exceptional sound quality with its balanced multibit design. It includes two USB inputs and the Forkbeard system for enhanced control and future-proofing. Compared to the Bifrost, it offers more connectivity and modularity.
Yggdrasil:
- Positioning: Schiit's flagship DAC, offering the pinnacle of audio performance and modularity.
- Description: Features True Multibit architecture and proprietary digital filter, delivering groundbreaking sound quality. It offers a fully modular design, allowing for future upgrades and customization. Compared to the Gungnir 2, it provides even greater precision and detail.
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Avg. Product Price
$501-$1,000
Used For Sale
36
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
62
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
31
Founding Year
2010
Our take on the brand
Schiit Audio, an extremely popular direct-to-consumer hifi brand, specializes in entry-level DACs and amps for both headphones and speakers. Through their distinctive, authentic voice and low-price philosophy, they've built a very loyal customer base.
Look inside the brand
Brand Page
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
What's your approach to customer support?
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
What other products pair best with yours?
From our interview with
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Used
Schiit
All of the Brand's Used Products
What if you spend more?
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- Smoother and clearer sound compared to the Gungnir 1
- More depth in sound and good separation between foreground, middle ground, and background elements of the music
- Punchier bass compared to other products
- Wider and deeper soundstage compared to other products
- Creates an emotional connection to the music
Product Considerations
- The Gungnir 1 Analog 2 has a flatter sound
- The Iggy OG has sharp and nasty highs
- The Iggy OG had a veil to it
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs. Gungnir 1—the Gungnir 2 is smoother, clearer, and has more depth
- Vs. Denafrips Yggdrasil—the Gungnir 2 has punchier bass, while the Denafrips Yggdrasil has more present low and sub bass
Takeaway: The Gungnir 2 offers an emotionally engaging and sonically superior experience. For those seeking enhanced clarity, punchier bass, and a deeper soundstage, the Gungnir 2 could be an ideal upgrade.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Schiit Audio, an extremely popular direct-to-consumer hifi brand, specializes in entry-level DACs and amps for both headphones and speakers. Through their distinctive, authentic voice and low-price philosophy, they've built a very loyal customer base.
Product Page
Product Page
AURALiC
Altair G2.1
2439
2439
/
11
Reviews
AURALiC is a hifi audio brand focusing on streaming audio sources with user-friendly interfaces. The company uses its proprietary Lightning DS music playing app to provide easy integration and customization of your music library.
Expand Details
Product Strengths
- Solid digital sound, good authority, solid bass, and a weighty sound with good scale
- Excellent clarity, very good timing, and a very good soundstage
- Outstanding build quality—solidly made and near indestructible
- Versatile unit that can become the hub of the digital audio world
- Clean and effortless digital processing
- Connectivity options
Product Considerations
- The Lightning DS app is only available for iOS
- The 4-inch non-touch screen is adequate, but not exceptional
- When written instructions feature on the screen, the words can be small and difficult to see
- The alphabetical order of the albums is not followed when used with an external hard drive
- Some reviewers felt a need for a high-end turntable setup, as the analog input feeds directly to the analog output stage—bypassing the digital stage altogether
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs NAD M10 V2: The Altair offers a step up in sound quality
- Vs AURALiC Aries G1: The Altair G2.1 chassis is a significant upgrade with an internal copper sub-chassis, tuned feet, and a solid steel base
Takeaway: The AURALiC Altair G2.1 is a versatile and well-built streaming DAC preamplifier that offers a clean and detailed sound. Comprehensive features and excellent sound quality make it a great choice for audiophiles looking for an all-in-one solution.
Video review
Our take on the brand
AURALiC is a hifi audio brand focusing on streaming audio sources with user-friendly interfaces. The company uses its proprietary Lightning DS music playing app to provide easy integration and customization of your music library.
Product Page
Product Page
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Gustard
DAC-R26
1649
1649
/
8
Reviews
Gustard is a hifi brand known for integrating advanced clocking systems in their DACs, including atomic clocks, and developing custom digital filters that bypass standard ESS Sabre filters for a more tailored sound. The brand stands out for offering high-end audio performance at relatively affordable prices, with products featuring modular designs that allow for easy upgrades and customization.
Expand Details
Product Strengths
- Natural and organic timbre with rich and vibrant overtones, offering a remarkable sense of realism
- Stands out as a highly musical DAC within its category, while maintaining an impressively competitive level of technical performance
- Exceptional build quality, made of thick aluminum, ensuring durability and a sleek appearance
- Almost inaudible noise floor, remaining dead silent and free from any hint of distortion
- Wide range of digital inputs, and an integrated streamer, offering versatility and convenience
Product Considerations
- The LCD screen can be difficult to read from a distance greater than 20-30 cm
- The embedded streamer can experience occasional interruptions and buffering issues when streaming high-resolution files
- Some reviewers experienced small hiccups when skipping songs using the internal streamer
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Chord Qutest: Has a bigger soundstage, equally sweet highs, much fuller tone timbre and a more muscly bassline—sounding more lifelike
- Vs Ladder Schumann: Gustard R26 hits with more clarity and speed, with a darker background, and an even deeper soundstage
Takeaway: The Gustard DAC-R26 is a musical and technically impressive DAC with excellent build quality and versatile features, including a streamer, making it a great choice for a top-notch audio experience. The natural sound and engaging performance create a lasting impression.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Gustard is a hifi brand known for integrating advanced clocking systems in their DACs, including atomic clocks, and developing custom digital filters that bypass standard ESS Sabre filters for a more tailored sound. The brand stands out for offering high-end audio performance at relatively affordable prices, with products featuring modular designs that allow for easy upgrades and customization.
Product Page
Product Page
Border Patrol
DAC Se-i USB
1400
1400
/
7
Reviews
BorderPatrol is a hifi brand that builds DACs with tube rectification and choke input filtering, using vintage Philips TDA1543 ladder-DAC chips from the 1980s in a copper chassis. Their DACs avoid oversampling and digital filtering, with each unit being hand-crafted and personally tested by designer Gary Dews.
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Product Strengths
- The Border Patrol SE-i DAC brings the music naturally, organically, with great coherence and resolution
- It excels in the midrange
- The soundstage is quite large and can be vast, synergy providing
- There is a natural musicality and an organic quality to the music
- This DAC will give the music lover some of the finest reproduction qualities that may be experienced in a digital-to-analog converter
Product Considerations
- It will not play the various high-resolution formats or DSD or DXD or anything above 24/96kHz
- It only converts PCM (pulse code modulation) digital at sampling frequencies of 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, and 96K
- If one is looking for extreme sonic range, it's best to move on from here
- Synergy with equipment is important to get the best sound
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Audio Note CD3.1x/2: The Border Patrol may be a touch more accurate in its midrange response than Audio Note, but this was also highly dependent on the program sources employed
- Vs Prism Sound Callia: The Border Patrol equals the Callia in every way, but its presentation gives out a touch more softness with a little more naturalness in its fundamental tonality and harmonic presentation
- Vs Wyred 4 Sound's 10th Anniversary DAC: The main differences alongside the Border Patrol would be a touch more upper-frequency lift in comparison, whereas the Border Patrol still exudes a more romantic—slightly smoother—sound presentation
Takeaway: The Border Patrol SE-i DAC is great at making music sound natural and draws the listener into the music. It could be perfect for those who enjoy a natural sound and do not need to play super high-resolution files.
Video review
Our take on the brand
BorderPatrol is a hifi brand that builds DACs with tube rectification and choke input filtering, using vintage Philips TDA1543 ladder-DAC chips from the 1980s in a copper chassis. Their DACs avoid oversampling and digital filtering, with each unit being hand-crafted and personally tested by designer Gary Dews.
Product Page
Product Page
What competes at this price?
Denafrips
Enyo 15th
699
/
Released
In celebration of DENAFRIPS's 15 years of exceptional digital audio expertise, the Enyo 15th Anniversary Edition incorporates highly sought-after features such as I²S input, a redesigned anodised aluminium chassis, and various performance enhancements. If you're a music enthusiast who values high-quality, expressive, and analog-like sound, the Enyo 15th DAC could be a crucial component in your stereo audio setup.
Denafrips is at the forefront of the modern R-2R DAC movement, producing DACs with a smooth, rich tonal quality that prioritizes organic sound reproduction over analytical detail. Denafrips products deliver ultra-low noise and distortion, competing with ultra-high-end DACs at a fraction of the cost. Often compared to Holo Audio, Denafrips shares a similar philosophy and price-to-performance ratio. They're known for using hand-picked resistors and oven-controlled crystal oscillators, which creates a more natural, analog-like sound compared to traditional DAC chips.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Constructed from thick aluminum, making it substantial and incredibly solid
- Buttons have a strong tactile feel, are firm and responsive
- Delivers bass with remarkable extension and control
- Creates a wide and spacious soundstage, extending well beyond the boundaries of the speakers
- Presents music with a sense of warmth, texture and realism that's incredibly engaging
Product Considerations
- Bass is not as clean as some other gear, though some may like it that way
Takeaway: The ENEO offers a natural and musical sound, making it a special listening experience. It connects you with the music on an emotional level and is worth the price.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Denafrips is at the forefront of the modern R-2R DAC movement, producing DACs with a smooth, rich tonal quality that prioritizes organic sound reproduction over analytical detail. Denafrips products deliver ultra-low noise and distortion, competing with ultra-high-end DACs at a fraction of the cost. Often compared to Holo Audio, Denafrips shares a similar philosophy and price-to-performance ratio. They're known for using hand-picked resistors and oven-controlled crystal oscillators, which creates a more natural, analog-like sound compared to traditional DAC chips.
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Product Page
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