Trust your ears

[PeterG]

1 hour ago, skikirkwood said:

 

If two different network streamers get the same bits to the DAC that uses asynchronous USB, the sound will be equivalent from either.

Maybe if you had a higher end DAC you could tell the difference between sources?

 

I have a Mc/B&W main system comparable to yours, and an NAD/B&W secondary system that costs about 1/10 the price.  Schiit Yggy DAC on the main, Schiit Modi on the secondary.  I recently bought a Bluesound Node that sounds just fine on the secondary system, but is a big disappointment compared to ripped CDs on the main system.

[PeterG]

11 hours ago, skikirkwood said:

 

But the Bluesound Node has a built-in DAC, doesn't it? So are you bypassing that and just sending the digital output to the Modi?

 

I would love to test the sound of a Schiit Yggy, but don't want to pay the restocking fee should I not hear a difference in sound quality. If I ever get down to L.A. from Palo Alto I would love to drop by the Schiitr and do some sound comparisons of their DACs, amps and preamps.

 

Good questions!  I did this a year ago, so you've forced me to go back and double check my memory.

 

The Bluesound Node 2i DAC is bypassed when one uses the COAX OUT, which I do.  But I was wrong about my choice of DAC--I have the Bifrost on my second system, not the Modi.  The original source on the secondary system was ripped CDs on an SSD from a Mac Mini with Amarra, stripped down and using a USB decrapifier (I cannot remember which one, I've had several).  It was easy to choose the Bifrost DAC over the internal Bluesound DAC last year.  But with both sources using the Bifrost into NAD C326BEE and B&W CM-1 with REL T5 sub; I would not assert there's a significant difference in sound from streaming Qobuz on the Node compared to the ripped CDs on the Mac.  This matches your experience.  But as I wrote before, it was easy to dismiss the Node from my more expensive system--Naim Uniti Core, Yggy, Mc C22/MC275, B&W 805 w/DB3D sub. 

 

On the restocking fees--it's funny where price sensitivity kicks in for different people (and I include myself in this boat).  A few hundred dollars is less than the sales tax on the price of your speakers, but physically painful (haha) as a penalty if you don't like the DAC.  I've risked restocking fees 3 times on highly reviewed products unavailable at my local dealer, and kept the products twice.  Given the Yggy's rave reviews, the price delta vs the Modi from the same company, and your great amp/speakers, I think there's an excellent chance you will keep it if you try.

[PeterG]

4 hours ago, Confused said:

I am not sure I would agree with this.  From discussions I have had with many people with an interest in audio, I find most people are a little like myself, interested in the objective side, and the subjective side also.  Plus, most people are not interested in a bar fight, not even in bars.  Usually you have many people simply getting on well and having a good time, but it only takes two to start a bar fight.

Exactly!  I am not so sure the real split in membership is objectivist/subjectivist.  My sense is that for some members the goal of AS is sharing ideas on how to get better sound, and for other members the real goal is proselytizing.  Just about everybody in the first group recognizes that this is going to very by individuals' systems, rooms, ears.  A subset of the second group takes absolutist positions (e.g expensive cables will never help) and simultaneously forgets their manners (e.g. you are a moron if you disagree)--this is when things become unpleasant