2. amps-preamps
  3. 194720-206156

Problem with system

Last yr I purchased a Schiit Bifrost.  It worked and sounded fantastic for 5 days, then I lost dynamics and clarity.  I ordered another Bifrost  thinking it must be the dac.  But no, it still lacked dynamics, clarity.  So I sent in Bryston amp, got sent a new amp.  Still lacked detail clarity.  Sent in preamp, was told nothing wrong by Bryston.  Ordered Gungnir.    Plugged pre and Gungnir into system, still no dynamics, simply lost detail, dynamics.  Sent Gungnir back for refund.  Of course I switched out speaker wires, even ordered a cheap Cambridge integrated and Dali speakers to troubleshoot.  I tried all iteration with components. Seems to be preamp (bp6).  Anyone ever heard of a componant (in this case Bifrost dac) damaging a preamp?  I’ve been trying to resolve now for a yr. Just ordered bp19.   Thanks

 

crossfreeee

Showing 1 response by gdaddy1

gdaddy1
263 posts
 

GPT...   suggestions

1. Source

  • What is the source device? Laptop, streamer, CD player?

  • Are you using USB, optical, coax?

  • Did you try a different source device entirely?

  • Is any kind of DSP, resampling, or EQ turned on in the OS or player (e.g., Windows mixer, macOS Audio MIDI setup, Roon, JRiver)?

  • Are you using any USB filters, hubs, or reclockers?

⚡ 2. Power

  • Has your power situation changed? New appliances? HVAC system? Solar panels?

  • Dedicated power line for audio? Power conditioning?

  • Ground loops or noise could cause dull, flat sound. Any hum or hash?

🔁 3. Interconnects / Signal Chain

  • Tried different interconnects between DAC → preamp → amp?

  • Any adapters, splitters, or cables with loose RCA/XLR connections?

🔈 4. Listening Room

  • Any change in speaker placement, room acoustics, or listening position?

  • Try nearfield monitoring temporarily.

  • Did you test with headphones directly from DAC or amp? Same result?

🧠 5. Psychological / Perceptual Factors

Not to second-guess your ears — you clearly know what you're listening for — but:

  • Did your hearing change? (Temporary congestion, earwax, fatigue?)

  • Were there any external stressors or changes to your typical environment?

  • Was the initial “wow” of the Bifrost possibly accentuated by contrast bias vs a former setup?

🧪 Next Steps / Experiments

  1. Try headphones directly out of the Bifrost or a simple amp to eliminate room + speaker variables.

  2. Test one setup in a friend’s space, or bring your gear somewhere else.

  3. Use a known-good test track you’re deeply familiar with (like a Chesky recording, or Patricia Barber, etc).

  4. Try a different DAC brand entirely (e.g., Topping, RME, or iFi) just to rule out house sound or synergy issue.

🧰 Possible Silent Culprits

  • USB power issue or grounding problem with your source computer.

  • Incorrect sample rate / bit depth setting in your source (e.g., 44.1 kHz music getting upsampled poorly).

  • Streaming app defaults (like YouTube Music or Spotify compressing the signal) — always test with local FLAC files too.

You've done all the “obvious” stuff. At this point, I'd say the clue lies in:

  • something system-wide, like power or source,

  • or a subtle configuration error (like OS-level DSP or volume attenuation).


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