Gungnir Multibit DAC Mini-review

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by robfine

I know Gumby is the nickname. Right now I am considering getting the Gumby with the Mjolnir 2 because I have balanced cables for my Audeze LCD-XC and BD T5p and will probably soon do the same for my Elears. That’s why I was asking when PHC1 mentioned “Gumby XLRs”. My recollection from growing up was Gumby did not make cables. Maybe Pokey did but I wasn’t sure. [ATTACH][ATTACH]52673

Gungnir/Gumby and Mjolnir 2 should make a great pair. I have not personally auditioned the Mjolnir 2 but have read a few reviews, one of them with that same pairing you have in mind and the reviewer was very impressed. Let us know what your thoughts are if you do decide to go for it.

[Soundmig]

My Gumby arrived Thursday. It's cooking in now. Couldn't wait to listen, so I can already tell you that I WON'T be sending it back. I'll write more once its broken-in and I've had time for some critical listening.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Soundmig

My Gumby arrived Thursday. It's cooking in now. Couldn't wait to listen, so I can already tell you that I WON'T be sending it back. I'll write more once its broken-in and I've had time for some critical listening.

I'm not surprised you like it already but do give it some time to stabilize and reach thermal equilibrium. I left mine on playing around the clock with the USB feed from the PC while it was playing youtube music. Happy listening!

[Soundmig]

OK, I've had this puppy on for about 260 hours now. Its really starting to settle in. Here's the some of my impressions of how it compares with the Bimby:
Bass: goes a bit deeper and is better defined.
Midrange: very similar but Gumby is more transparent especially in the layers further back in the soundstage.
Vocals: May Like Bimby better on vocals, but Gumby IS more accurate. More detail - like the "air" moving through the mouth is heard on the Gumby.
Treble: more "apparent" energy but still silky smooth - NICE!!! Cymbals sustain longer and reverb decay hangs in there for a longer amount of time with a greater sense of the recorded space being the result
Imaging: Wow! Are you kidding me!
Soundstaging: More layering and instruments are more precisely located within the 3D space. Instruments and vocals further back in the soundstage are more detailed and the timbre of instruments and vocals back in the stage is more accurate. Example 1: Individual voices on Chesky's recording of Mozart's Ave Verum. Also, Pipe organ bass on this recording is well controlled, deep and with a great sense of "air". Example 2: Choir in Alan Parson's "Children of the Moon", you can hear individual voices and they are easily located and spread from side to side and very deep into the stage. Example 3: Sheffield Lab - Chicago Symphony Winds "Mozart Serenade No. 11 in E-flat Major" French Horns, trumpets, double reeds - position and timbre very accurate and easy to locate.
Micro Dynamics: Really shines here. Small auditory cues associated with the very important attack envelope are really well fleshed out. Examples: the reeds in the Harmonica in Mark Knopfler's "Hot or What"; Bass intro on Bonnie Raitt's "Baby Me" - greater sense of attack and the air coming off the strings as they vibrate; Clear ease in hearing the difference between C-Trumpet played high and a Piccolo Trumpet in numerous recordings (I played trumpet for many many years)
Macro Dynamics: As good as I've heard from a Digital Set-up. Concert Bass Drums have big time slam and a palpable sense of the "air" coming off of the skins. Accent instruments like wood blocks hit hard, as they do live, but not in an unpleasant or unnatural way
All in all I am very pleased and I can see why several of you are so enamored with the Gungnir MB DAC. Stellar piece of gear !!!
The only DAC I've auditioned that is possibly its superior is the DAVE from Chord (not heard in my system though). I really like the DAVE, but I'm not going to spend that kind of money on stereo gear. No disrespect intended toward those of you who do, but I'm just not willing to spend that kind of cash on audio gear.
None of this is intended to disparage the Bimby in any way as it is an excellent DAC with a very musical and pleasant sound. In it's price point, its a fantastic piece of gear as well. Gungnir MB is better, how much better probably depends on how revealing the rest of your system is as well as what one "listens for". For me, small differences are fairly big. I love detail, but not if it is analytical or "sterile". Gumby increases detail without detracting from the musicality. In fact, its presentation of detail enhances the music. As such I find Gumby to be a significant upgrade and one that well justified the additional expense.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Soundmig

OK, I've had this puppy on for about 260 hours now. Its really starting to settle in. Here's the some of my impressions of how it compares with the Bimby:
Bass: goes a bit deeper and is better defined.
Midrange: very similar but Gumby is more transparent especially in the layers further back in the soundstage.
Vocals: May Like Bimby better on vocals, but Gumby IS more accurate. More detail - like the "air" moving through the mouth is heard on the Gumby.
Treble: more "apparent" energy but still silky smooth - NICE!!! Cymbals sustain longer and reverb decay hangs in there for a longer amount of time with a greater sense of the recorded space being the result
Imaging: Wow! Are you kidding me!
Soundstaging: More layering and instruments are more precisely located within the 3D space. Instruments and vocals further back in the soundstage are more detailed and the timbre of instruments and vocals back in the stage is more accurate. Example 1: Individual voices on Chesky's recording of Mozart's Ave Verum. Also, Pipe organ bass on this recording is well controlled, deep and with a great sense of "air". Example 2: Choir in Alan Parson's "Children of the Moon", you can hear individual voices and they are easily located and spread from side to side and very deep into the stage. Example 3: Sheffield Lab - Chicago Symphony Winds "Mozart Serenade No. 11 in E-flat Major" French Horns, trumpets, double reeds - position and timbre very accurate and easy to locate.
Micro Dynamics: Really shines here. Small auditory cues associated with the very important attack envelope are really well fleshed out. Examples: the reeds in the Harmonica in Mark Knopfler's "Hot or What"; Bass intro on Bonnie Raitt's "Baby Me" - greater sense of attack and the air coming off the strings as they vibrate; Clear ease in hearing the difference between C-Trumpet played high and a Piccolo Trumpet in numerous recordings (I played trumpet for many many years)
Macro Dynamics: As good as I've heard from a Digital Set-up. Concert Bass Drums have big time slam and a palpable sense of the "air" coming off of the skins. Accent instruments like wood blocks hit hard, as they do live, but not in an unpleasant or unnatural way
All in all I am very pleased and I can see why several of you are so enamored with the Gungnir MB DAC. Stellar piece of gear !!!
The only DAC I've auditioned that is possibly its superior is the DAVE from Chord (not heard in my system though). I really like the DAVE, but I'm not going to spend that kind of money on stereo gear. No disrespect intended toward those of you who do, but I'm just not willing to spend that kind of cash on audio gear.
None of this is intended to disparage the Bimby in any way as it is an excellent DAC with a very musical and pleasant sound. In it's price point, its a fantastic piece of gear as well. Gungnir MB is better, how much better probably depends on how revealing the rest of your system is as well as what one "listens for". For me, small differences are fairly big. I love detail, but not if it is analytical or "sterile". Gumby increases detail without detracting from the musicality. In fact, its presentation of detail enhances the music. As such I find Gumby to be a significant upgrade and one that well justified the additional expense.

Glad to hear you are enjoying Gumby. In this digital age of music, the DAC, besides the speakers is a critical component which sets the tone for your whole system if you really think about it. Enjoy!

[Soundmig]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Glad to hear you are enjoying Gumby. In this digital age of music, the DAC, besides the speakers is a critical component which sets the tone for your whole system if you really think about it. Enjoy!

I'm always a big proponent of getting the best source gear that you can (turntable/cartridge, DAC, Reel to Reel, whatever). If the signal doesn't start-out great, nothing down the line will make it any better. I'm really happy that Gumby performs at such a high level and at such a low price

[docmd2010]

Fantastic review! I enjoyed reading it!

[Puma Cat]

Really a great review, Soundmig.

Your impressions and conclusions are very similar to my own experiences with Gumby, and I daresay, Serge would share your findings as well.

[EfeTe]

Excellent review indeed cheers!

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Really a great review, Soundmig.

Your impressions and conclusions are very similar to my own experiences with Gumby, and I daresay, Serge would share your findings as well.

I’ve found my DAC and it is staying. All thanks to you Stephen.

Gumby is the foundation of my headphone listening system. If I decide to break out into full range listening again, I would buy another Gumby or at the very least it would be transplanted to the new system and I would not hesitate to step down to Bifrost Multibit. Analog smooth and very musical sounding. It doesn’t not leave me wanting more.