Own a Loxjie P20 with Riverside tubes. It is a terrific little headphone amp
that sounds great with my planar magnetics. Well worth the money.
Also use a LOKI Mini and find it very useful.
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People that have extensively heard the Multibit Module you can get in the Lyr and Jot. How does it compare against similar priced external ones? Is it good and capable, or bit crappy and don’t bother?
Would it be much of a improvement going to something like a Topping D50S?
It’s pretty good. They are close enough to the sound of a Modi MB that you probably couldn’t tell the difference.
The Modi MB was better than the internal DS card I got in my Jotunheim. Better staging, super quiet background stuff seemed more present, a little warmer overall.
If you’ve heard the DS Modi or Modi MB, and compare it to your D50 thingy, then hopefully the above helps.
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What’s the DS part? Brain no works.
Haven’t heard any of them unfortunately.
I’m wondering if I get this Lyr 3 that has a MB chip and actually use it. Super simple desktop setup then.
Delta sigma = DS.
Multibit = MB.
I’ll put it this way, the MB card in there will compete with any sub-$699 DAC on the market for sound. There are a few tradeoffs, but they are mostly in your favor.
I specifically say sub-$699 DAC, as the Bifrost 2 is $699, if you catch my drift.
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Haha. Ok. So might be decent enough then!
ASR has a hard on for Topping. These forums for Schiit and ZMF 
Just don’t want to pay the premium for one with the MB card if I won’t use it. But if it’s decent, can ditch the topping and just run the all in one. Which is neat.
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Better resale value with it in there too
Part of the problem. $300 premium (AUD) with it in there. Would happy pay less for straight amp and use the Topping DAC too.
Decisions, decisions etc…
I would get the Schiit with the MB internal dac. I have heard them and its really hard to hear any differences and I always take ASR stuff with a grain of salt…MB dacs are just different in the way the circuit is designed and works…
I had several DS dacs and a few MB’s and MB’s are the way to go for me…and if I wanted a really neat setup then go with the internal MB Dac…
If you want a more flexible one then get the external dac…and I would get the Bifrost 2, its one of the best out there and will last you a lifetime.
Alex
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Assume the Lyr stacks on top of a Bifrost?
Yup it sure does in my case or side by side and even you can stand it on end!
Here is my setup as of this morning!!
Bifrost 2 is on the bottom. I use the Unision ™ USB interface.
I was testing the unison interface with a Beta test board in a Bifrost 1 (original gen) for months and compared to the other digital interfaces…its the real deal…and you get this with the B2 but not with the internal MB adapter…fyi
Alex
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What’s the key advantage of Unisen? I have a iFi iDefender and iPurifier piggyback for my current DAC, seemed to clean up the bad noisy USB signal I had.
Here is the marketing stuff from Schiit:
Unison USB™ Upgrades Now Available for All Schiit Upgradable DACs
January 28, 2020, Valencia, CA. Schiit Audio announced the immediate availability of its Unison USB™ input for all of its upgradable DACs (Bifrost, Gungnir, and Yggdrasil.) Unison USB is Schiit’s unique, proprietary USB input that is the result of 2 person-years of development. Running on a general-purpose Microchip microprocessor (rather than a typical XMOS or C-Media solution), Unison USB provides superior UAC2 performance at very low current draw from the host, as well as complete electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation.
“Unison USB is designed to do a single thing, and to do it better than anything else: deliver exceptional PCM audio performance,” said Mike Moffat, Schiit’s Co-Founder and head of digital development. “As a result, Unison USB is now our preferred input over SPDIF. It’s not ‘just as good,’ or ‘close.’ It’s really better than SPDIF. And yes, that’s me saying this, not an alien pod person.”
Unison USB debuted in Schiit’s all-new Bifrost 2 DAC last year. Now, Schiit is bringing Unison USB to all of its upgradable DACs: Bifrost, Gungnir, and Yggdrasil.
All models of these DACs, regardless of age can be upgraded to Unison USB. Gungnir requires a motherboard firmware re-flash, which means it needs to come back to Schiit for the upgrade. Bifrost and Yggdrasil can be upgraded by any competent technician, or can be sent back to the factory, at the owner’s choice. If a customer chooses to have Schiit do the upgrade, they can continue to enjoy their DAC until it is ready to be upgraded, thanks to Schiit’s upgrade queuing system.
All new Gungnir and Yggdrasil models will now include the Unison USB input standard. Gungnir cost increases to $899 for the delta-sigma model, and $1299 for the Multibit version. Yggdrasil increases to $2449.
The Unison USB upgrade is available for purchase today at Schiit.com, for $150, or for $200 including installation by Schiit
IMO whatever magic they did in house works very well…as good as if not better than other vendors interface. With their implementation they can program the dace internals to work with their design etc instead of being stuck with other chip vendors “structure”…Schiit has been asked by some folks what the magic is, and they are very closed mouth on this, but the inventor did mention custom clock timings etc…
Alex
Nice stack. Since both at the top are modular amps, do you have the USB modules (or maybe phono) in them?
If not, how your OCDish part (I don’t know how big it is) handles the fact the frontal switch is doing nothing in such cases? I mean, I wish one could actually order this option: “hey, I don’t plan to put a module, please do not make that hole in the chassis”.
I hope someday Schiit may consider that. It’s just a matter of adjusting the production and adding an extra option when putting an order.
Nope the Bifrost 2 I bought as a B-Stock (they still have 3 in the deals section)…and it does not have the phono adapter, but easily it can be installed if desired. I dont do vinyl anymore :>(
Ha! No the switch to no where is not an issue at all…to me. Its there for the future stuff as well…but if you do have to sell it the next guy might want this…and the techie guy in me likes switches!!! lol!
I might come across a Schiit fanboy ( i am not a boy any more…ha!! I am 70 yrs old!!) and I just like their minimilistic stuff which works well at a decent price.
The B2 has really taken many folks by surprise when they listen with it…screw the numbers this bad boy just works and works very well.
Many good choices out there for DS and MB but Schiit IMO is a great and affordable solution…
Alex
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OBTW…the amp on the right is a BH Crack and the one in the back is a Hagerman Audio Tuba.
Alex
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Right. I understand this was a Product Development decision. And it makes a lot of sense, from a modular point of view.
However, from a customer point of view, having a frontal switch doing nothing for those that tend to purchase separates (e.g.: B2, LYR3, ASG3, etc…) can be perceived as a quality issue. Anyway, I hope they consider this option in the future.
Time for my anxiety pills. I don’t have any of those units and am already rambling about it. 
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Ha!! Time for more coffee here…another day in paradise!!
Another thought on the switch is having another choice and having to stock 2 different chassis would add to the parts and possibly cost etc…and figuring out how many of each to stock etc…
Always decisions and choices…
But I will let them know of the comment!
Alex
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I bought a Lyr3 with the MB module. IMO, I thought it wasn’t that great. I previously owned a Gumby MB. I ended up trading it back to Schiit for a Mjolnir2. I thought the Lyr3 amp section was good.
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Hello - I’m looking for a solution with 1 RCA input and 2 RCA outputs. I understood that the SYS has 2 inputs and 1 output. The JDS Labs OL Switcher has 2 outputs, but 1 of them is 3.5mm. Your other post on the Nobsound steers me in another direction.
Also, for the Loki, is it better to situate it toward the beginning of the chain right after the DAC or at the end right before the amp? Perhaps it doesn’t make a difference, but curious if you had any observations (I’ve yet to buy). This is related to integrating a tube pre-amp with a solid state amp (likely not ideal, but what I currently have to work with before getting a separate tube power amp). Thanks much.