ARES II vs D90 vs Bifrost 2 vs ADI-2 vs Gungnir vs Qutest [Mega DAC Roundup & Comparison]

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Man, you have golden ears and if you lived near me, I would have just send you everything I have so you can help me review it. Thanks for the shout out!

[@MidFiGuy]

Haha, thanks for the kind words! Maybe when the borders open back up we can meet in the middle for a video over Niagara Falls. 😂 Great to see you here buddy, big fan

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@MidFiGuy Cool cool! Keep it up, you will catch up to our sub count in no time.

[@alexh5343]

You guys both do a terrific job ! I currently own a Schiit Modi Multibit, SMSL M300MKII, Teac UD-505, Gustard A18 and I received this week the Singxer SDA-6 with the upgrade option (Crystek 957 oscillators and German Mundorf film capacitors in the output). I will look to test those out on my main system shortly. So far I only did brief testing on a Violectric V200 amp with Beyerdynamic T1.1, the Singxer is the most musical among the bunch, combining an organic signature that is not usual for an AKM chip while retaining precision. My second favorite is the Gustard A18, very neutral and detailed. I believe you guys would be VERY impressed with the Singxer especially with strings and vocals.

[@Micke65]

Yeah . Thomas is one of the best .

[@lextr3110]

I have golden ears too :p

[@chrisnyc3641]

Wow, impressive video! You're nuts for putting all of this content in just one video, but we viewers appreciate it. 👍

[@RafiGish]

I'm still looking for midfi reviews...

[@JBoulter11]

I actually love the international descriptions in the native languages for each DAC. Very cool and creative!

[@motorradmike]

Mostly Mandarin, unfortunately.

[@Damarious25]

Funny. I didn't like it at all. Not a complaint towards the video at all, just my preference.

[@DaveTheBird]

One of the best reviews / comparison videos I have seen in a long time.... thanks

[@DaveSchulze]

Absolutely the best video on DACs. Sold me that the Schiit is the answer for me. Between the Ares euphonics and the Topping precision.

[@slawekfacet4272]

You have stolen my heart with this review. Subscribed :) Greetings from Poland.

[@gordonfreeman4491]

Thx for doing a multi review like this, it was sought after, at least by me.

[@ThujanK]

Great video! I love the calm presentation and the effort you went into getting all these units. Subscribed!

[@PassionforSound]

Great job on the comparisons! You're a lucky man being able to bring all those products together at the same time!

[@MidFiGuy]

Hey man, HUGE fan of your channel! You always have the clearest and most unbiased view of products imo. Always look forward to your uploads. Thanks for the support as well!

[@gnostalgick9353]

I fell in love with the Qutest the moment I heard it: loads of detail without any harshness. Exactly what i was looking for.

[@victormoreno2767]

I am deeply impressed! Not even Thomas Stereo (Hi-Fi Sensei) have been able to come up with a review like this one! Congratulations, you are the man!

[@keithbertschin1213]

Thomas is a legend. We’re lucky to have so many great reviewers who all bring something different to the table

[@vibes1952]

Rarely do I comment on videos. Great review. Absolutely beautiful. Sorry for the glowing words of praise. Thx thoroughly enjoyed.

[@MidFiGuy]

Haha thank you much! The words of encouragement seriously makes me want to focus on the channel more!

[@erickgruis106]

One of the absolute BEST reviews on YT right now. Clear, detailed information, presented in a fairly quick format. I'm subscribing!

[@jeffreylowy3180]

Schiit is the answer for me. Great company great products, great build quality, customer service and REASONABLE prices.

[@leonardjona]

Thx for doing this vid! Couldn’t find an overall comprehensive review like this yet. Narrowing down my DAC selection getting easier 😉

[@TheNaboen]

This was brutally good! So thorough and relevant. Fantastic balance between technology and well-communicated listening impressions. Bravo!

[@Ceko]

What I also like about the Qutest is the no-bs interface. Just plug it in and it runs.

[@morespinach9832]

No remote. End of.

[@serg2963]

They all do that out of the box...

[@martyn_g]

@@morespinach9832not necessary I reckon. Only needed if you’re constantly changing sources, etc. or your just can’t be bothered to get off the couch. If you’ve used records over any length of time, you’re used to getting up anyway.

[@martyn_g]

On ASR, it’s one of the best measuring DAC’s too.

[@morespinach9832]

@@martyn_g yes I need it because in my use case my speakers are active as have amps inside them - so my Tv and streamer are both connected to my DAC.

[@hemantishwaran5741]

My vote for ADI-2. Parametric equalizer is huge overlooked advantage. Preamp feature with easy access to volume, treble and bass knobs again huge feature. Headphone and IEM are great. Don’t overlook the features for $1200 this is a great deal

[@eddywaller1864]

Yes the parametric equaliser can make the ADI 2 sound like any dac you want it to with a little bit of work

[@richardwood8548]

I agree with everything you said about the ADI-2. It also has a great remote control that is very useful.

[@johnh539]

@@eddywaller1864 that's what I thought when I bought it ,along with my valve amp , I thought if I don't like my sound it would be my fault. Though partly because I love the sound and partly because I haven't dared touch it, I have not yet changed anything ( though I have used the EQ on my WiiM pro.)

[@jmydy]

Adi-2 is just superb device. I was using Bayerdynamic T1 headphones which were "extremely sensitive to source quality". I understood what that mean. At first those sounded bit too precise, too perfect let's say. Then I played with "crossfeed" setting on dac. Wow, after getting used to new sound characteristics I realized my headphones sound became so natural. Just an amazing dac! I sold Bayerdynamic but dac stayed. Now it acts as dac+preamp in my audio setup. I'm so happy with this purchase.

[@cory3685]

As soon as u add a digital eq ur manipulating the source ... IME this always results in less than optimal soundstaging and transients du... the 2 things u cannot measure

[@al201103]

Incredibly valuable video to any of us looking into DACS. Simultaneously, really enjoyable!! Thanks :)

[@icebergzero]

Thank you so much for publishing your reference tracks! I got lost in a wonderful rabbit trail of amazing music. Thank you for the wonderful evening!

[@kingstoler]

Great comparisons. I just got the RME (ESS version) and totally love it. I already had an older Burson Conductor and I have a really hard time hearing a difference between them while using LCD-X, HD650, or TH900, even though the amp section of the Burson is much more powerful. I was worried it would be too cold or analytical sounding. But it's just a clean "natural" sound, true to the source as a DAC should be. The functionality of the RME is what I got it for. I love using parametric EQs just for minor adjustments and it's just great to be able to do it directly in the DAC instead of relying on Windows software (as good as PeaceEQ and Roon is). The ability to sit back in a couch and boost or decrease bass/ treble from the remote when that poorly mastered track comes on is a sweet bonus. Enough rambling, it's a great DAC/ Amp packed with well thought out features.

[@ravdeepsandhu24]

I’m so glad I found you. Wow... one of THE best reviews and the most helpful comparison. What I loved about this review is you actually choose to compile it up all my favorite considerations DAC’s in just 1 single video. Thank you! Actually wish to see you in person and thank you for this particular review. I myself own the ADI-2 paired up with Cayin A-88T, powering the Monitor Audio Golds and REL Sub. I exactly know what you are saying. A transparent lively DAC accompanied by a tube musical integrated amp. Pair made in heaven!

[@micatske]

The best review of this year!

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you!! It was honestly a pain putting all of this info in one video but I wanted someone to do an all-DAC roundup

[@micatske]

I could imaging. I would this vid will become something people played again and again. It roughly includes all the popular Dacs

[@cheapaudioman]

Awesome. Really enjoyed this. Just got the Ares 2 and I'm probably keeping it too.

[@MidFiGuy]

Thanks! Big fan of your channel, the kind words mean a lot. The Ares is just so smooth and satisfying, it honestly makes me want to make the jump to the Venus but the cost difference is astronomical, and it isn't even their top tier DAC!

[@cheapaudioman]

@@MidFiGuy Ron at New Record day reviewed the Terminator and was really impressed. I think I’ll be happy with the Ares though

[@MrRonnmaui]

Thanks for doing this. I am just starting to look for another DAC. Way too much tech and fluff out there. Really appreciate it!

[@xq0404]

The most useful review of almost all DAC reviews on KZbin. I know where my Gustard A22 ranks now.

[@vulongcon]

@Xie, can you give your opinion on the A22 and its ranking compare to these DACs

[@klaymoon1]

Great review! Does anyone know if Unison USB by Schiit works with iOS? Say connect to a USB-C iPad, does it work?

[@drsuresh9]

Wonderful review. A million thanks for your effort. Recently purchased Topping D90SE. Would have opted for RME ADI if I saw your comparison review earlier... Anyway I am happy with Topping D90SE, being very Transparent and crystal clear which helps aging person's like me ( 55 yrs )... Keep doing what you like most and do include comparison reviews as much as possible.🤗

[@Vamon_Kinctuarinwhe]

This is such an incredibly useful video. I was looking at buying a used Ares 2, and this solidified my decision to purchase it. Really well done, seriously. Thank you.

[@satorizero5448]

Thank you for this multi roundup and the clarity if info here.

[@LorDarkGoose]

The other big advantage of the Denafrips that many seem to overlook is that it has 2x Optical and 2x Coaxial inputs as well as the USB. I use all of those easily. Other DACS usually only have one of each.

[@MidFiGuy]

Amen! Especially in 2-channel systems!! It's clutch connecting my TV and an outboard streamer to the same DAC.

[@Ceko]

Great video man! Thanks for sharing all this!

[@herrtrigger7220]

Great video, finally a sound quality showdown between some of the most popular DACs. None of the 'best we've heard', 'great for the money' or other BS caveats so many reviewers use to insulate themselves from having to share their real opinion on DACs.

[@erics.4113]

One of the best dac 'demos' and breakdown I've probably ever watched. Thanks for all your informative insights and help. You've given me a lot to consider as I near my first major dac purchase

[@Steveh817]

Really enjoyed your comprehensive review. I bought my first DAC a couple months ago...(Topping D90) and really have nothing to compare it to other than my vinyl. Your review only reinforces that I made a decent choice. At some point I may venture into the higher end but for now I’m enjoying what I have and the limitless selection of music now as well as the ease of playing select tracks without leaving my chair. Subscribed

[@MidFiGuy]

Great to hear! Try setting the D90's filter to slow if you think it sounds overly digital compared to vinyl. It may help take the edge off like a Scotch! :D

[@Grizzly1644]

Great review. Happy RME ADI 2 FS owner here. ;) Comparison videos like this are very helpful for everyday users. Thankyou. I personally partner my RME ADI2 with a Firstwatt F7.. Sounds amazing IMO. I listen to a very broad range of music, IMO the RME is a good middle ground DAC that sounds excellent on most things,. The PEQ provides good options, and does sound better than Roon's EQ.

[@MidFiGuy]

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so! I thought I'd be getting more flack from people saying software EQ should be the same or better since it's closer to the source. Though if you check Roon's Signal Path when using it's PEQ you'll see some bit depth conversion going on. RME just may do these type of conversion handlings better with dedicated hardware.

[@The_Waraba]

Thank you for making discover that Blowback song. I love it!

[@carlitomelon4610]

You had me at the pancakes and syrup. Wicked bait before breakfast (of course I was hooked by the tube amp background;-) Subscribed.

[@tommyzhou5719]

Great review! I’m very happy about my current system, which is qutest - gsx mini - Empyrean. Can’t wait for your next episode!

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you much!!

[@LakerTriangle]

Nice video! Love my Bifrost 2 and it fits on my desk.

[@brandingmix]

Amazing review and comparison mix, thank you for that passion and clarity. If possible please surprise all of us with a bit lower level DACS like ir: SMSL m400, vs SU-9 vs Topping d70s, whatever you want to add. Greeting from México.

[@DavidMatterall]

I don't know anything about sound, but your command of language and descriptions was very appealing. Now I want to know more about DAC conversion. I'm amazed at how long I have settled for bad sound.

[@pierrec8174]

Details are listen by the microphones 🎤 close to the instrument 🎺 . Live music from couples meters away does not throw details at our ears.

[@dynamic-audio]

Excellent review midfiguy!!! You really know what are you talking about!! The best!! Regards!

[@mikeweatherford5312]

Long term ADI-2 owner, I really do love this device. The remote, the EQ, the vu meter.. it's all been great. Nothing else on the market has this combination of features and performance. The EQ is particularly useful for doing room EQ on your powered monitors, and you can easily switch to your headphone rig and switch profiles quickly. Love it, there was no D90 when I bought the ADI-2 however, little bit weary of chi-fi but it's an interesting option. The ADI-2 pair's really well with tubes, sounds great with my Liquid Platinum, the USB implementation in the ADI is no slouch either. They just feel no need to pimp it, that is one area where Chi-Fi often times comes up very short.

[@MidFiGuy]

I love the ADI-2, never a bad decision. Looking back at my review I feel I probably should have worded how better the D90 is at "raw performance" vs the RME. They both are great and if you value soundstage the RME is the better decision. If you value highly resolving details above all else then the D90 takes it there, but hearing *every* single detail doesn't automatically equate to a better listening experience. To each their own.

[@ronniefranks4351]

@@MidFiGuy Can the ADI-2 display be turned off?

[@bassmaschine]

@@ronniefranks4351 yes

[@newkid7]

Does EQ work in Dac alone mode?

[@kaankucuk1612]

Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you

[@iemayaaudio5734]

great video man, never expected such content flowed in one video!!! keep up the great work.

[@kazumahsu]

just stumbled upon your channel, great content and the multilingual product intro really is fun.

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you!

[@jimspencer2403]

Outstanding reviews! Many thanks for your exquisite impressions of all these DAC's.

[@veritas932]

one of the best DAC review I've heard. Very concise, choice of DACs are affordable and popular. These DACs are what I've been considering all along. Especially the Denafrips. From other reviews, I couldn't find a negative on R2R DACs. Now I know the cons on R2R. thanks.

[@kaankucuk1612]

Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you

[@ChicagoRob2]

What a fantastic review - if only other reviews were as good as yours. Great combination of specifications and real-world listening. I would not hesitate for a minute to base a purchase on any of your recommendations.

[@Farazao]

Man you killed it in this video... awesome job!

[@stephencosta6814]

😍omg I have never seen anybody review this many Dac‘s at one time totally awesome I was really glued to your channel keep up the great work👍💪💪👍

[@micumatrix]

Finally I find the test to compare all dac's others are shouting about. And then Cowboy Bebop...subscribed! Thanks!

[@mensrea1251]

Finally, the DAC round up and comparison vid everyone’s been waiting for. Subscribed.

[@jbarelds78]

Nice and informative video. The hassle with setting the Topping to preamp mode is understandable. You wouldn't want to accidentally switch to non-preamp by pushing the wrong button (and have your speaker cones flying through the room).

[@suburamaa]

I subscribed, because your review is exactly the kind I like. You and British Audiophile are my fav. I have moved on from others.

[@pierremartin9048]

Wow, your a natural and have the knack! Damn I wish I would have seen this before pulling the trigger on a iFI iDSD Pro which I just plugged in, using Tidal HiFi sub. All I can say is I’m very happy to date. Never heard my JBL 4429s sound so great with Rogue amplification.

[@rndm4642]

Great video. Thank you. If someone is forcing you to say d..a..c instead of DAC, give us a safe signal and we’ll rescue you.

[@jarvinco9993]

great video!:) comparisons are very important so that at least we get an idea of where the starting point of each discussion point is. :)

[@StefanUrkel]

saw this review when it came out.. revisiting it today. wanted to say this is a fantastic review/comparison. really top caliber stuff.

[@frankfang4605]

Wow, so you’re the one selling a bunch of dacs on headfi yesterday lol. I was wondering who da fuk would buy these many dacs. Anyway, good to see you back with maybe the best dacs review on KZbin. Seeing other reviewers even separate a review to a unit to two videos with an extra pointless open box video to get more views, you are just role models here. Love it.

[@tomlocke7628]

Wow, fantastic thorough reviews! Your presentation and delivery is engaging with perfect pacing. I own the Denafrips Ares 2 and just compared to Qutest and pretty much agree with all your findings. Keep up the great work and looking forward to more videos. Thanks so much!

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you kindly! I need to drink more coffee right before filming because on playback I feel I talk too slow thinking about the script haha

[@ronniefranks4351]

@@MidFiGuy I disagree. Your presentation was perfect. I can’t imagine it being any better.

[@RobWhittlestone]

GREAT REVIEW! D90 arriving later this week. 8-D Can't wait! Upgrading my ageing signal cables at the same time to free up that reference class sound. All the best, Rob in Swsitzerland

[@legione1capone]

This is exactly the video I needed right now. Thank you for all your hard work! Straight information, I love it.

[@mikepaul2372]

Thank you for doing this comprehensive review. I ask folks to do a blind test to see if you really would choose the DAC's you believe are so great. You may be surprised in your choices.

[@ZadiusTech]

welcome back, and you have a camera person now :)

[@MidFiGuy]

My wife was cool with doing it but not for the entire video 🤣😭 Really appreciate the kind words 👍👍

[@ZadiusTech]

@@MidFiGuy somehow I thought it might be your wife doing it for you hehe

[@robertdiffin9136]

Thank you. One of the most helpful reviews I’ve heard. Perfect for those of us still wandering in the wilderness of digital.

[@iramaske6696]

It's adorable you think there's a difference and that you can hear it.

[@ajuyal]

wahooooo... love it! nowhere else but here :-) Amazing effort in putting the line up together and great short reviews! Thank you

[@oohtob6685]

That made me subscribe. Cant wait to see part 2.

[@godtiermedic]

When ginny kissed Harry orchestral song from the Harry Potter soundtrack. The D90 revealed the musician breathing. Crazy

[@dreddguy6454]

Loving Galimatias. New to me. Delving through their Tidal content right now.

[@MidFiGuy]

Thank you! Much of those choices are from years of working with cool people much younger than me at the workplace 😂

[@PyxisLearning]

This is a great review; I would say it's also rare to find one that covers so much ground so well. You have a way of describing differences and sound characteristics that is very nuanced and gives the viewer a detailed and rather thorough idea of what to expect. I purchased the Schiit Bifrost 2 and am very happy with the overall sound, its great reproduction of the timbre of different instruments, the sound stage, as well as the smoothness and level of detail. I also like the fact that it is upgradeable in certain ways. Thanks again for the great service you provide for those of us who don't have the chance to listen to a variety of audio equipment.

[@motorradmike]

My experience as well!

[@DistroUser]

Great job on the review and most of us will appreciate the comparisons, I know I do! Cheers

[@jc51373]

absolutely AWESOME review...This guy is an audio savant and fantastic video editor. I've found myself in the DAC rabbit hole watching countless reviews of just about every DAC worth considering. This is by FAR the best and most well thought-out and laid-out. Thank you!

[@al201103]

I'm going to save myself some time and second this. Spot on.

[@Zelosis_]

This was an awesome video, fantastic work man. You have earned my sub!

[@SunsetOasis]

Nice video! Can‘t wait for part 2. I allready own an arya hp with a rme adi-2 dac, but I want to expand my collection with a meze empyrean, a ttube amp and a fitting dac. I will wait for part II before I decide what dac and amp I will get...

[@CriPPleR_HD]

Thanks for the Blowback track suggestion. Wow, the separation of instruments, the vocals, and that bass! Listened to it on my Burson Soloist GT + Bifrost 2 + Meze Elite. Heavenly! Purchased a Chord Qutest last Friday. It is scheduled for delivery this Monday! Excited to compare it to the Denafrips Ares 2 and Bifrost 2. Thanks for these Reviews. Very helpful!

[@marcfoss7687]

Hi Samuel, I have the Burson Soloist GT + Meze Elites also, linked up to the NAD M33 Amp/Streamer (with the ESS Sabre DAC chip). Am thinking to purchase a standalone DAC for headphone use with the Soloist. Good to hear you like the Bifrost 2. Was wondering what you thought of the Chord Qutest in your combo and/or the Ares 2, if you have tried that DAC as well...thanks!

[@rktrkt-tw8nd]

Very brave attempt of testing chord dacs with schiit and other r2r dacs. Nobody has done that earlier at least in KZbin. 😀

[@mohis4299]

Many reviewers will shy away what you done here. Great video and great presentation with an organic in it. Keep the good work and stay healthy.

[@jorgemariohernandez4582]

Great video, I was going to get Denafrips ARES II but I listen to a lot of electronic music, and this DAC would not be for me, thanks for this video it is helping me to decide what dac to choose. I am going to get RME ADI-2 since he point out that this dac is great for electronic music. Not all dacs and speakers sounds great on all genres, and depending of what genres you listen to is the equipment that should alines to the music you listen to.

[@Villaboy78]

I've got a Qutest and my amp has an internal 4490 chip based DAC. I prefer the Qutest because the bass notes don't start and stop on a hair pin like the amp, even though I love electronic genres like DnB - it's just easier to listen to the qutest for a prolonged period and doesn't have that 'edginess' you feel from other DACs Great review video, +1 sub!

[@MidFiGuy]

Totally agree. I'll be honest with you though, sometimes I miss that edginess for certain tracks. Maybe it's just bad habits due to years of being conditioned listening to cheaper DACs. Like missing Pop Tarts every so often even though you live next to a French bakery. =) In the end the Qutest is the better overall experience and I really enjoy it!

[@Villaboy78]

@@MidFiGuy let's be honest - French Bakeries ? They're waffly Good

[@bitterbuffalo8997]

Bro I keep re-visiting this review. It's awesome.

[@dreddguy6454]

Lots of information here. May have to watch again. Appreciate the effort you've put into this.

[@tinears830]

Really great review!!! Thank you so much. Got a like and a subscribe for this.

[@newkid7]

Terrific review! Even nailed the multi language accent introductions 😂

[@HiFiGOAudio]

Woah!! Amazing informative video man!! You have an entire lineup of products with you :)

[@michaelwright1602]

How to put this? DACs do matter. I have a nice setup, around $10,000 invested. But the sound was never quite there, I tried to fix it with amplifiers, preamplifiers, cables, those de-junkifier gizmos, power supplies, etc... Well, after purchasing the Ares II R2R ladder DAC, I discovered it was these damn chip DACs! If you try to listen to your favorite tracks, and in a short time you are ready to go do something else, or find yourself bouncing between tracks to find something pleasing to your ears, it may just be the DAC. I have great sound coming out, but it was not enjoyable, not for say longer than 20 minutes. Then I bought the Ares II, no chip, old school technology... Game changer! Now I can sit and listen, no more hyper analytical sound, it was great in the beginning, hearing all of those details, but in time, it made the music painful to listen too. Others in the household said the same. The sound was clinical, sterile, like visiting the dentist office, it became boring. So, if you are like me, thinking it could not possibly be that expensive chip DAC you own, it must be your amp, preamp, cables, etc... Before you go spend another dime, give the Ares II, or if that is out of your budget, the Cayin RU6, which is an inexpensive dongle DAC that comes darn close to the Ares II. I own both, and can now painlessly listen to my music. Game changer.

[@newton5954]

Review the d70s topping d90se and Gustard x26 pro to them what one is better ! 🤘

[@bernardmueller5676]

Imagine for a moment that just one electrolytic capacitor in the Denafrips begins to leak... Probability is high, as there are so many in there. Nice review, BTW.

[@younghoonkang240]

Great review and comparison! Cannot wait for your next video. Please be hurry and indulge us!!

[@stewstube70]

Really great review and comparison. I had the Qutest on home dem about a year ago. I agree that it has a massive soundstage and in my case I thought also amazing detail (I'm finding it hard to imagine the D90 and RME have more detail, but I haven't heard them!). However, I wouldn't describe the sound as soft or rounded at all, if anything I found it a bit forward and hard in the higher frequencies - for example Bono from U2's voice sounded too nasal and a bit synthetic. It was extremely fast and dynamic sounding but that slightly synthetic timbre and wide soundstage started to grate after a while with some instruments seeming to loose focus and solidity and almost disappear in the mix. In the end I decided to keep my much older Chord DAC64 which provided it is fed from a high quality source and NOT run in buffer mode (i.e. a source with a better clock than the DAC64's internal clock) , I found gave 90% of the detail and soundstage of the Qutest but with a more natural timbre and solid if somewhat smaller soundstage.

[@18yearsoldnot]

I’ve done the same by getting the first Hugo tt instead of the qutest. I think the qutest has a ton of processing power but doesn’t balance it out with a worthy power source supply and the guys who suggest upgrading the wall wart are still bottlenecked by the usb dc input

[@1jhnpennington]

​@18yearsoldnot Me too. I couldn't live with never knowing when the next track was going to sound a bit harsh. I moved it on and am now happily living with a Schiit MMB2.

[@krismcguirk]

Refreshing to get this amount of info in just one video. Subscribed 👍🏻

[@MidFiGuy]

Awesome, and happy to hear it!!

[@pheunthai]

Love your video. Subscribed!

[@DBTAudio]

Excellent video review! You earned a new subscriber today. I sold my Benchmark DAC 3L and PS Audio Gain Cell DAC and purchased a Holo Audio Spring 2 KTE DAC. Very nice and I would like to see another shootout with the Holo Audio DACs in the mix. Thanks

[@DarklordofBarovia]

Ended up getting the RME ADI-2 FS and the A90 - should be in tomorrow! Your video made me even more excited

[@kaankucuk1612]

Hello, do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? Also, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you

[@DarklordofBarovia]

@@kaankucuk1612 heya! I have both the M17 and a d90/a90 stack. For my IEMs (u12t by audio64) I love both equally but for my Hifiman Arya I prefer the a90/d90 stack - it opens up the headphones a bit more. But the differences are minor. A Hugo 2 is great but again it all depends on your personal preferences, try out some dacs if you can!

[@kaankucuk1612]

@@DarklordofBarovia Thank you, Also I am between U12T and um Melody MKII? Do you think which one is better? Thank you

[@DarklordofBarovia]

@@kaankucuk1612 For me the U12T is a better option since the MKII is less of a neutral/reference IEM, it does make music sound more 'fun' and adds a touch of warmth and low-end, and I know people that REALLY want that in their music, but I don't. I primarily listen to classical music, so a more neutral approach has my preference :)

[@Coreycry]

Well, I've discovered a new favorite audio channel randomly...

[@sajihassan]

Great review. I was behind one of these.

[@twenty4seven368]

Man I just love the feel of this review. Top notch!

[@sean_heisler]

Fantastic review, thank you! Nine month Bifrost 2 owner here, still love it!

[@MidFiGuy]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@MrGrosMamouth]

Hey, what music do you listen to? I am looking for a new dac and wondered which music Bifrost owners listened to.

[@sean_heisler]

@@MrGrosMamouth Hey. I don’t think the BF2 is colored in such a way that it lends itself to only certain types of music. I guess some describe it as sounding a little warmer maybe but I think that’s said because the high frequencies aren’t bright and the bass region is very full. All in all, I think it’s a very balanced, natural and quite resolute DAC. I personally listen to Jazz, Classical, Acoustic and Electronica however I think the BF2, like any neutral and balanced sounding DAC, will present any type of music quite well.