Just got a Yggdrasil!

[gmgraves]

3 hours ago, LarryMagoo said:

A DAC with a Volume control ??? Kinda like a NAS with a volume control...it does not make sense!   

 

15 DACs...Yikes...do you have a problem with commitment? 

 

Streamers with Volume control..makes sense...straight DACs...not so much!

 

I have at least six at the moment: The Yiggy, the Modi 2 Multibit, The Auralic Aries, The Dragonfly Red, Assemblage (Sonic Frontiers) DAC2, And the dual differential DAC in my HK900.  I've probably overlooked one or two. Chris is a reviewer, so am I. I'm sure that like me, he often has a few too many of something laying around. 

[gmgraves]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

DACs with volume control makes a lot of sense to me. I usually have a single digital source and single analog output. 

 

It makes a lot of sense if your sources are strictly digital. Then you only need your source component(s), your DAC and a stereo power amp. No need for a preamp when your system has no analog sources. 

[gmgraves]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

I actually believe the last 1% can only be achieved with built-in volume control (analog or digital). A preamp adds another set of cables and a lot of circuitry to traverse just to control volume. 

 

I might point out that Schiit makes a 2-input analog switch/passive volume control called a Sys for 50 bucks. It's extra cables, but no extra active circuitry.

[gmgraves]

4 hours ago, LarryMagoo said:

The new Oppo disc player will have the Sabre ESS 9038 chip, just like their new Sonica.  From my experience owning their 105 Disc player as well as their HA-1 HP Amp/DAC.  The Sabre DAC is way harsh compared to the Yggy...in fact there is literally no comparison ...> I have read reviews on the Sonica, and they have said, although much better than the 9018 and 9028 chips, the Sabre Glare is still there.

 

I still use my HA-1 as my Headphone amp (class A with plenty of grunt for my HD 800S), but use it with the Yggy DAC instead.   

 

As far as remote control goes, the HA-1 has an excellent remote to control my Headphone volume.

 

I agree with you here. While the Sabre DACs might be excellent Delta-Sigma DAC chips, they're still 1-bit oversampling DACs and those never sound as good as an R2R DAC. My 12-year old Assemblage DAC2 is a R2R DAC and it sounds better than essentially any Delta-Sigma based DACs that have passed through my hands in the ensuing  years. It's only 24/96 but then 99.99% of all my digital material is 24/96 or lower, so that's OK. The Yggy blows it out of the water, of course, but then I would hope the state-of-the-art has improved in 12 years!

[firedog]

13 hours ago, gmgraves said:

 SDIF must be a Sony-only format, perhaps the one they came up with for DSD.

 

Some of the Mytek DACs have it. I think b/c it is more of a "pro" thing. But you should know more about that than I do.

[firedog]

11 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

DACs with volume control makes a lot of sense to me. I usually have a single digital source and single analog output. 

Just not the Schiit approach. Look at the head-if thread about Schiit - they explain their approach quite well.

 

I don't like all their choices, but admire that they have a well thought out approach aimed at giving buyers the best SQ for the money. They put a lot of thought into the trade off between more features and adding cost and complexity to their devices, and what the added features mean  in order to keep the same level of SQ.

 

I don't think they care a bit about what other DAC manufacturers do (volume control). They must be doing something right, they sell a lot more units than many competing audiophile brands.

 

You want volume control? Get their "two channel line" (preamps). Or their integrated.

[mourip]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

Just not the Schiit approach. Look at the head-if thread about Schiit - they explain their approach quite well.

 

I don't like all their choices, but admire that they have a well thought out approach aimed at giving buyers the best SQ for the money. They put a lot of thought into the trade off between more features and adding cost and complexity to their devices, and what the added features mean  in order to keep the same level of SQ.

 

I don't think they care a bit about what other DAC manufacturers do (volume control). They must be doing something right, they sell a lot more units than many competing audiophile brands.

 

You want volume control? Get their "two channel line" (preamps). Or their integrated.

I added a Tortuga Audio LDR "preamp" to my Yggy system so that I would have mute, volume control, and balance control. Works great.

[Jud]

18 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

 

 

I have lots of 1st world problems...

 

The odd thing is that remote operation couldn't cost them more than few bucks per unit.  Maybe they thought it was too much Schiit.

 

Jason Stoddard actually posted their reasoning for not doing so at Head-Fi, but I don't remember what he said.

[Jud]

18 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

Looking at a selection of 15 DACs in my room right now, only five don't have volume control. Yggy, Bifrost, Emm Labs DA2 and D2X, and Audio Research DAC 9. 

 

The first DAC Mike built for Theta came with or without volume control, customer choice.

[John H]

On 3/30/2017 at 9:27 PM, gmgraves said:

Well, since the newest DACs don't have those "characteristics" any more (much has been changed of late it could well be that you are we are talking apples and oranges, here.. I'm not at liberty to say what all has been changed, and the Yggy that I have is ostensibly one of the first to incorporate those changes. Needless to say, that I doubt seriously that the DAC you tried and the one I was sent do not sound the same.

 

 

Could this be the reason the Yggy has been out of stock for the past 30 plus days and not available until April 21st?

[Jud]

15 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

The Benchmark DAC has a Volume control - in fact it is a "hybrid" Volume control for both digital and analog sources - maybe it is 2 ganged together(??)

 

AFAIK, the idea is that a digital volume control reduces volume by tossing out bits - a big no-no... no?

 

Depends how many bits you start with.

[hornytoad]

Schiit threads always seem to bring out the Schiit hater trolls . Sad. 

[GUTB]

Well I don't hate Schiit. I've auditioned most of their amps, found most of them lacking -- but I currently own the Mjolnir 2. I haven't tried their multibit products, but I am meaning to.

[manisandher]

On 31/03/2017 at 4:47 AM, Rexp said:

What was the Roon solution you went for? Thanks!

 

Nah, not going to go into what I replaced the microRendu/LPS-1 with as a Roon solution. Way too many overly-sensitive people here. You put facts and evidence forward for your point of view on something and instead of counter-argument, they come back with name-calling and ad hominem attacks.

 

Crazy world!

 

Mani.

[Speed Racer]

On 3/29/2017 at 0:28 PM, GUTB said:

 

Considering the 7K MSB Analog is clearly superior to the Yggdrasil, it's surprising to hear that the Diamond V performs so poorly.

 

On 4/1/2017 at 11:03 AM, GUTB said:

Well I don't hate Schiit. I've auditioned most of their amps, found most of them lacking -- but I currently own the Mjolnir 2. I haven't tried their multibit products, but I am meaning to.

 

How can you say the MSB Analog is "clearly superior" to Yggdrasil when you haven't tried any of the Schiit Audio multibit DACs? I am not saying it's not because I have haven't tried out any of the MSB products. It just seems odd to make bold statements like that without any personal experience. How you tried out the MSB Analog or you just going by specs and prices?

[GUTB]

11 minutes ago, Speed Racer said:

 

 

How can you say the MSB Analog is "clearly superior" to Yggdrasil when you haven't tried any of the Schiit Audio multibit DACs? I am not saying it's not because I have haven't tried out any of the MSB products. It just seems odd to make bold statements like that without any personal experience. How you tried out the MSB Analog or you just going by specs and prices?

That's based on a detailed review of the Yggdrasil which compared it to the Analog.

 

To paraphrase, the Yggdrasil with the Hydra Z bridge plus power supply brought it somewhat close to the Analog. The Analog with the latest updated Quad USB module put the Analog way out ahead.

[hornytoad]

17 minutes ago, GUTB said:

That's based on a detailed review of the Yggdrasil which compared it to the Analog.

 

To paraphrase, the Yggdrasil with the Hydra Z bridge plus power supply brought it somewhat close to the Analog. The Analog with the latest updated Quad USB module put the Analog way out ahead.

Don't make an opinion on any audio equipment where you read a review but haven't personally listened to the device!

 

Crazy!

[Speed Racer]

21 minutes ago, GUTB said:

That's based on a detailed review of the Yggdrasil which compared it to the Analog.

 

To paraphrase, the Yggdrasil with the Hydra Z bridge plus power supply brought it somewhat close to the Analog. The Analog with the latest updated Quad USB module put the Analog way out ahead.

 

So your definitive statement is based on random reviews and not personal experience. Got it. Now I know how much weight to put on your statements regarding Yggdrasil.

[hornytoad]

Just now, Speed Racer said:

 

So your definitive statement is based on random reviews and not personal experience. Got it. Now I know how much weight to put on your statements regarding Yggdrasil.

LMAO .Yep 

[jabbr]

On 4/1/2017 at 2:44 PM, manisandher said:

 

Nah, not going to go into what I replaced the microRendu/LPS-1 with as a Roon solution. Way too many overly-sensitive people here. You put facts and evidence forward for your point of view on something and instead of counter-argument, they come back with name-calling and ad hominem attacks.

 

 

One person's experience is always valuable, particularly when one has had the ability to listen at home for an extended period of time.

[Speed Racer]

On 4/1/2017 at 11:44 AM, manisandher said:

 

You put facts and evidence forward for your point of view on something and instead of counter-argument, they come back with name-calling and ad hominem attacks.

 

Crazy world!

 

Funny, I haven't seen any name calling or ad hominem attacks here. They do call you names over on SBAF though!

 

All I see here is people not agreeing with your positions, methods, and conclusions. I alway find it humorous when people conflate disagreement and challenges with name calling and ad hominem attacks.

[One and a half]

On 01/04/2017 at 4:22 AM, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

+1

 

Over two grand and I have to GET UP?!  I've tried to train myself to be mindful of what input I'm going to listen to before I sit down.  Oh well, first world problem I suppose.

 

Given the Yggdrasil works best on the AES3 input, the changing of the inputs by remote is not that a big deal, is it?

[earnmyturns]

29 minutes ago, One and a half said:

 

Given the Yggdrasil works best on the AES3 input, the changing of the inputs by remote is not that a big deal, is it?

It depends on how you intend to use those inputs. Even if you have AES for your top-quality music source, you might also have other sources, such as an AV system or a (I know, I know) Chromecast Audio to listen to podcasts. In my living-room system, I have an IR control system to manage the different sources and their associated equipment (Oppo AV source, Sony video projector, projection screen, Chromecast Audio, input switching), but to make that work I needed an integrated amp with its own DAC for the lesser quality sources, while the Yggy does only music. It wasn't enough to keep me away from the Yggy, but it's unnecessarily redundant. Oh well...

 

[One and a half]

1 minute ago, earnmyturns said:

It depends on how you intend to use those inputs. Even if you have AES for your top-quality music source, you might also have other sources, such as an AV system or a (I know, I know) Chromecast Audio to listen to podcasts. In my living-room system, I have an IR control system to manage the different sources and their associated equipment (Oppo AV source, Sony video projector, projection screen, Chromecast Audio, input switching), but to make that work I needed an integrated amp with its own DAC for the lesser quality sources, while the Yggy does only music. It wasn't enough to keep me away from the Yggy, but it's unnecessarily redundant. Oh well...

 

I see, was really only referring to the single source. OT, have been looking for DAC with at least four coax inputs plus AES3 and hot shot DSD256 to cater for TV, radios but nothing is out there just yet. There's a pro audio device, name escapes me for the moment ,which can accept four coax inputs, tos and convert to AES3 output. The switching is performed by remote electrical inputs, maybe this will work for you.

 

found it. 

http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=449

[earnmyturns]

6 minutes ago, One and a half said:

I see, was really only referring to the single source. OT, have been looking for DAC with at least four coax inputs plus AES3 and hot shot DSD256 to cater for TV, radios but nothing is out there just yet. There's a pro audio device, name escapes me for the moment ,which can accept four coax inputs, tos and convert to AES3 output. The switching is performed by remote electrical inputs, maybe this will work for you.

 

found it. 

http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=449

Thanks, I should have asked 6 months ago  In the meanwhile, I'm all set with my Hegel H360 integrated amp that takes a variety of digital (into its own DAC) and analog inputs. I like the Yggy's sound quite a bit more than the integrated DAC, but that's OK for movies and podcasts.