Project Ember

interested in both items, myself.
i love spending money.

The linear psu runs really cool so it's not like one of those class A Schiit heaters I'm afraid! It runs very cool and the only heat I can detect is some very slight warmth around the power switch. 

In breaking news (slow news day) I figured out the source of the smell. It's actually the black plastic used on the psu's front / rear faceplates and the trim on the amp enclosure. Nothing to do with the internals despite the oddly electronic aroma.

Some notice while others don't. A better power supply should lower the noise floor and provide the amp with enough plwer to give all of the dynamic range that the amp is capable of giving.

So in theory, it should be quieter and more dynamic. Depending on the quality of your revordings/gear though, it might not be as apparent as some would have you believe.

Personally, I much prefer a big beefy power supply. It allows the amp to do its job properly on anything that demands it. Whether it's just me or is actually the files/mastering, I do get a bigger dynamic range from some of my DSD files in particular. An amp with a power supply that isn't up to it might cause the files to sound compressed on peaks; especially in the bass.

Problem is that companies need to sell amps and they tend to invest less in their power supplies or else the cost would rocket.

The power switch has a small neon indicator light + resistor inside.
The resistor get's warm.

I will have to smell the plastic of the Hammond enclosure myself one of these days.

edit: smelled it... yes the plastic does have an 'electronic' odeur when you snif it really close.
An older box I have here (original Kameleon) doesn't have it so I suspect the 'smell' goes away after some time.
Probably the 'weakeners' in the plastic ?

They're not available yet but Jeremy will be selling the linear PSU - see his update a page back. Not sure about pricing.

I posted this on Head-fi-org about a week ago and forgot to post it here. My head hasn't been the same since getting this amp.

Anyway, I want to share this with everyone here.

I got my Ember 2 and the 4490 upgrade for my Bifrost today.

Here are some impressions after a few hours...

I'm using my LCD-X headphones that I have on for like 12 hours daily. I also tried it with my MadDog Pro headphones.

First off, I am no audiophile, so I apologize in advance if my words are not very sophisticated. LOL

Before I upgraded my Bifrost, I simply swapped out my Asgard 2 for the Ember 2. The Ember 2 has the stock RCA cleartop 12au7 tube in it.

I turned it on, turned on a track I'm very familiar with... And...

HOLY SHIT

The mids sounded louder or more forward. Not sure how to phrase it, but they were more present. Maybe even a tad too much.

As I kept switching the music around, the bass on this is incredible. A distinct improvement. Clear and present. Detailed.

But the biggest thing I noticed is everything was in it's place on a bigger sound stage. Like it is more precisely placed. Clear. It seems both taller and wider.

Yet, I had a nagging feeling like the mids were too present. I started thinking that it might just need me to settle in with it.

I was a bit surprised I could hear a difference. But hear one I can. And it is quite a difference.

Finally I put on my MadDog Pro's and what a let down. They are just not in the same league as the LCD-X. I felt so much bass was just ripped out from my ears. Even cranking them way up didn't help. The Ember 2 finally let's me really hear the difference and clearly. I didn't want to listen to them for long. About 15 minutes to be sure what I was hearing was right. It was.

After about an hour of listening and loving this, I decided to do the upgrade to the 4490 on my Bifrost.


Bifrost upgrade to the 4490 board.

(Thanks to those of you who encouraged me to do it myself. It was super fast and easy. Ten minutes and would have been faster but so many little screws.)

Got it all set up, plugged in and turned on.

And WOW again!

The mids smoothed right out. But they maintain their presence somehow. More natural sounding. Again, a big upgrade.

And again, I'm a bit at a loss for words. The soundstage seems bigger still. I hear the reverb far clearer. The bass and sub bass are just outstanding. It's like I'm hearing layers of music. The high end sounds are distinctly in their own space. The bass and sub bass are in their space. It's so much wider and deeper. And again, a jump in clarity. Everything just fits together better. $70 was a steal for the 4490.

Just damn. This is so good I've been mesmerized.

In a week or so I might put in my 6n6p tube and see if I hear a difference in it.


Conclusion

Seriously, this is an enormous upgrade all the way around.

I feel like my LCD-X's are putting out sound better than ever. I hear things in tracks I have not heard before. A rustling behind me in one that had me looking around the room.

EDM is just outstanding. I have never heard it sound so good. Tiny details that weren't there before, now are. Precision, or maybe it's tightness in the low bass. While at the same time a clearness in the mids. And the highs are there in perfect balance.

I am completely immersed as never before.

I sound like a babbling school girl. Ha ha. It is really that good. Super spaciousness, but with a more real sound. Not so cold like with the Asgard and the Uberfrost. The bass growls and pounds and pulses. I can feel it in my chest and stomach. Or at least it seems that way.

Does music get better than this?

My LCD-X has come to life with the Ember 2. I would never have believed it if you had told me I'd hear this much.

Right now, Prometheus - Corridor of Mirrors - 9th (the man who swam through a speaker) is pulsing away as I write. It's hard to concentrate on what I'm trying to say. Ahh screw it... I had to turn it up a bit and just listen. Such precision and layering. Nothing seems to bleed on top of other things.

I have not heard higher end systems, so all I can compare it to is what I had, as I have outlined. But that is not half bad equipment. And this is FAR better.

I hope this helps someone.

Jeremey - thank you! You guys are incredible. I'm glad I went for this.

***Update***

After about 1 week with the Ember 2, I am even more impressed. Every day I marvel at just how good this is. It is an order of magnitude better than my Schiit Asgard 2. It is so musical vs clinical and "sharp".

I didn't believe when I ordered this that it would make much of a difference. Wow, was I wrong. About as much a difference as night is to day. I'm still struggling for words to convey how this has me so impressed.

The price is soooo right.

Anyone thinking on this, all I can say is... believe what Jeremy says. He won't steer you wrong. And if you are still thinking, stop. Just buy this. You will be thrilled.

I still haven't tried the 6N6P tube. What I have sounds tremendous. But I will try it before long.

If anyone has any questions I can answer, I'd be happy to give it my best shot.

glad to hear you are enjoying your system.
i am just curious to know which, if any, dacs you had tried before bifrost?