Schiit Audio recently surprised with the introduction of its Forkbeard wireless control and monitoring solution, which the manufacturer is now expanding to more products. The latest example is the Mimir, a new affordable USB DAC that debuts a Forkbeard-controlled preamp functionality and is also the company’s first to feature what they call a Mesh filter, implemented on a standard ESS Sabre chip.
An affordable balanced DAC with a unique digital conversion that is also a full preamp and EQ via Forkbeard is how Schiit Audio summarizes its latest made-in-the-USA design. The uniqueness is the result of Mesh, a unique combination of the company’s time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter and a standard delta-sigma modulator, in this case an ES9028 – a favorite amongst hifi manufacturers. As the company details, Mesh is the company’s proprietary digital filter – which they believe is “the best-sounding filter on the planet” – implemented on a 32-bit Microchip processor, which makes it more affordable.
“Mesh delivers a DAC that sounds a lot more like our flagship True Multibit and Multiform DACs, at a much more affordable price,” explains Jason Stoddard, Schiit’s co-founder. “Now, we’ve decoupled Schiit’s affordable DAC performance from off-the-shelf D/A converters, creating something completely unique.”
And the Mimir becomes even more interesting when complemented with the optional Forkbeard module, allowing full remote control of the preamp’s volume, balance, 3-band parametric EQ, loudness, digital filter switching (Mesh and NOS), absolute phase invert, and input select (USB, optical SPDIF, coaxial SPDIF, and AES3, all up to 24-bit/192kHz). The outputs include both balanced XLRs and single-ended RCAs.
The new DAC also features the company’s Unison 384 USB input and unique Linear Override power supply, so users can run off the powered USB input for convenience, or plug in an external AC wall-wart to convert to a linear power supply with much higher voltage rails (and higher output). As Schiit Audio explains, Mimir was also designed to complement the company’s Forkbeard-enabled power amplifiers or headphone preamps.
Mimir is priced from $299 without Forkbeard, and $349 with Forkbeard, covered by a 3-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. Mimir is updatable over the air via the Forkbeard app, so if new capabilities are added, there’s no need to send the product in for an upgrade.
Schiit designs and produces its products in the USA. As the company explains — and this is important in current times — meaning that the vast majority of the total production cost of the Mimir — chassis, boards, assembly, etc — goes to US companies manufacturing in the US.
www.schiit.com
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