Schiit Audio

The Schiit Audio Gungnir 2 DAC expands on Schiit Audio’s multi-bit approach. It uses a new balanced analog stage and four medical/defense-grade DAC8812CRUZ converters with a proprietary time- and frequency-domain-optimized digital filter (based on an Analog Devices DSP). It can be user-switched to operate in a no-oversampling (NOS) mode to bypass the digital filter.

DAC offers Multiform balanced multibit architecture. (four medical or defense grade DAC8812C D/A and time- and frequency-optimized digital filter managed on an Analog Devices DSP; non-oversampling mode also exists), two USB inputs (one high-rate Unison 384), and a completely modular design.

The new product became the first DAC in the history of Schiit Audio, which uses the so-called Mesh filter, working in conjunction with the standard ESS Sabre DAC chip. Analog Stage based on LME49724 for balanced output, OPA1656 for SE output, with precision thin-film resistors and film capacitors.

Digital filtering in all Schiit multibit devices is implemented on a proprietary closed-type filter, the non-trivial design and characteristics of which I described in detail in the test of the flagship Yggdrasil DAC.

A special feature of the model is the fact that the analog output modules, including the unbalanced and balanced ones, and the USB module could be replaced independently.

Schiit Yggdrasil 1 is the flagship multi-bit DAC from the American company Schiit Audio, built on four precision Analog Devices AD5791 chips (two per channel), which provides real 21-bit resolution and signal conversion accuracy.