ЦАПы — Schiit Audio BIFROST

The Bifrost is the mid-priced standalone DAC from Schiit Audio, and the version sold today is the Bifrost 2/64, a revision of the Bifrost 2 that swaps the converter board and firmware while keeping the same modular chassis. Schiit lists it at USD 799 with a remote control included, in black or silver. The original Bifrost that came before the Bifrost 2 was a different model with no shared parts, and it cannot be converted to the newer design.

Key specs that matter

Four Texas Instruments DAC8812 16-bit chips do the conversion in a hardware balanced layout, one converter per signal phase. The same basic chip is used in the Yggdrasil Less is More. Coaxial and optical S/PDIF plus USB all accept up to 24 bit and 192 kHz. Maximum output is 2.0 V RMS from the RCA sockets and 4.0 V RMS from the XLR sockets, with 75 ohm output impedance on both. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.02 dB, THD+N stays under 0.0008 percent, IMD under 0.0006 percent (CCIF), noise is more than 124 dB below full output and crosstalk measures -132 dB. The case measures about 229 x 171 x 51 mm, weighs about 2.3 kg and draws 12 W.

Engineering and use context

The original Bifrost 2 used two Analog Devices AD5781 18-bit converters and was single-ended inside, deriving its XLR outputs with differential amplifiers. The 2/64 is balanced internally, so both output types carry the same performance. The proprietary filter, tuned in both the time and frequency domain, runs at 8x oversampling on a SHARC processor from Analog Devices, and holding the front button for two seconds switches to a non-oversampling mode that bypasses the filter. The S/PDIF receiver is an AK4113, while the Unison USB input is Schiit's own code on a Microchip PIC32 processor, with local clocks, electrical isolation from the computer and full UAC2 compliance. The analog stage is differential, built around LME49724 or OPA1632 with OPA1656. A 24 VA transformer feeds eight regulation stages. Under the Autonomy concept the DAC card and USB card slide out for replacement and firmware loads from a MicroSD slot, so older Bifrost 2 units can become a 2/64 at home. Assembly is done in Texas, and a five-year limited warranty applies.

Pairing

Having XLR as well as RCA sockets, the Bifrost feeds balanced or single-ended preamplifiers, headphone amplifiers and active monitors. The remote covers input choice, phase inversion and mute but not volume, so a separate preamplifier with level control is needed ahead of a power amplifier. USB playback works from Windows 10, macOS 10.10 and newer, Linux streamers, iOS and Android.

Alternatives

The Schiit Modi 5 is a USD 149 DAC powered by USB that combines the same company filter with an ESS ES9018 delta-sigma modulator.