internethandle Posted September 22, 2021 Share Posted September 22, 2021 48 minutes ago, matthias said: The upcoming Schiit URD is also supposed to improve the input to the Yggdrasil. A comparison might be interesting. Matt Yeah, to this point, Unison USB input is very responsive in my experience to putting reclocking/conditioning before it in the chain. I’m using a JCAT Femto USB V2 card with LT3045 regulated LPS -> SOtM tX-USBultra Special Edition with Paul Hynes SR4T -> Unison input on my Less Is More Yggy to very good effect. Also had a noticeable improvement on A2/OG before it. Still, there are quite a few folks who think that AES is the clearest and least colored input. One of these days I’ll get around to trying a Pi2AES with it, which a lot of people say compares favorably with solutions many times its price. econaut 1 Link to comment
internethandle Posted September 22, 2021 Share Posted September 22, 2021 Also, to clarify @matthias’ post about Urd, it is purported to improve on Unison by providing a custom-designed Unison USB output to match any Unison-outfitted DAC’s input. Urd will be a CD-based transport, but, at least according to a recent Q&A, will include a USB pass through for those who would like to try the Unison output sans CD. Mike at Schiit was pretty enthused (and surprised) by how much it improved USB playback vs. a motherboard port or what have you. The Unison output is also being tested with other manufacturers’ DACs’ USB inputs to ensure compatibility, so you could use it with a non-Schiit DAC as well. matthias 1 Link to comment
bbosler Posted September 22, 2021 Share Posted September 22, 2021 5 hours ago, R1200CL said: It’s “interesting” that in your opinion or system Schiit hasn’t been able to make a proper USB interface. Hope I understand you correctly. That may be a bit strong. I haven't done anything to optimize the USB input and my experience is limited. I haven't spent enough time with it to be definitive so it is too early to come to that strong of a conclusion. see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
feelingears Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 23 hours ago, internethandle said: Still, there are quite a few folks who think that AES is the clearest and least colored input. One of these days I’ll get around to trying a Pi2AES with it, which a lot of people say compares favorably with solutions many times its price. My bias in audio has over the years increasingly leaned toward clean electricity. I use AES with Yggy and think it far superior to USB, but I am all Red Book so if you need USB for hi-res, you need USB. For AES, IME (bias) Pi2AES seems low cost until one adds "quality" power to the mix. That bumps it up into "may as well buy a _______" territory where you get quality power built in. I don't have a good answer for this, for me. Currently using an older Auralic Aries streamer with its better LPS. I'd prefer to put an Uptone power supply on it but the voltage doesn't match, so now I'm into "might as well buy Aries G1 or higher" territory. But nonetheless, I think AES is much better and really find USB to be problematic. Still, if you get it sorted, you never need fuss with it again. Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes. Link to comment
Popular Post feelingears Posted September 23, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 9/22/2021 at 7:00 AM, rruffin said: Wondering what digital coax cable you are currently using and if you have done much experimenting? I'm no longer using coax for SPDIF, I now use AES, but... For cables, in my system, my room, I've tried several coax cables and really liked Oyaide DB-510 as an affordable cable. Then I borrowed a $900 Transparent Audio coax from the dealer. Wow, great cable. Then Silnote Audio (note: NOT "Siltech") put their line on sale at their website and so I took a flyer and was happily sold on their warmth and detail...and price. They're still on sale it seems, (small company, apparently). I now use Silnote Audio for my AES (and coax as well, from my CD player/transport). As an aside, a long time reviewer for TAS (Cordesman) says that in his experience, using all cables by the same company isn't likely to have cumulative effect. That has been my experience as well. To stay on topic I will end with my observation that AES into Yggy A2 beats the coax inputs and USB. Broadly speaking, there is more musical information, more soundstage size, and more musical engagement. It's worth switching to an AES source with quality power, IME. Hope this helps. LarryMagoo and rruffin 2 Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes. Link to comment
matthias Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 Comparing AES to Unison USB output will be very interesting when URD is released since this device offers both excellent USB and AES outputs. Matt feelingears 1 "I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe) Link to comment
LarryMagoo Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 21 minutes ago, feelingears said: My bias in audio has over the years increasingly leaned toward clean electricity. I use AES with Yggy and think it far superior to USB, but I am all Red Book so if you need USB for hi-res, you need USB. For AES, IME (bias) Pi2AES seems "low cost" until one adds "quality" power to the mix. That bumps it up into "may as well buy a _______" territory where you get quality power built it. I don't have a good answer for this, for me. Currently using an older Auralic Aries streamer with its better LPS. I'd prefer to put an Uptone power supply on it but the voltage doesn't match, so now I'm into "might as well buy Aries G1 or higher" territory. But nonetheless, I think AES is much better and really find USB to be problematic. Still, if you get it sorted, you never need fuss with it again. Hey Looney, Look at the HDPlex https://hdplex.com/hdplex-fanless-300w-linear-power-supply-for-pc-audio-and-ce-device.html. Multiple DC outputs two of which are adjustable voltages. Mine powers my AudioByte Bridge and 12VDC for my MAC Mini that I have dedicated to Roon. Just a thought! Link to comment
bbosler Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 48 minutes ago, feelingears said: Currently using an older Auralic Aries streamer with its better LPS. I'd prefer to put an Uptone power supply on it but the voltage doesn't match I don't know what the Auralic requires but Uptone can adjust their high end supply to voltages other than those listed on their website feelingears 1 see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
Popular Post Superdad Posted September 23, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 23, 2021 2 hours ago, bbosler said: I don't know what the Auralic requires but Uptone can adjust their high end supply to voltages other than those listed on their website Clearly we are OT now, but for completion sake I can mention that the original Auralic Aries (not the mini which really does need 14V) runs great from as 12V. I don't recall if our (now discontinued due to global chip shortage) 1.14A UltraCap LPS-1.2 had enough current for the Aries, but the dual-rail 7.4A JS-2 certainly does. And yes, we can upon request adjust a JS-2 to have a 15V setting (trading away one of the standard 5/7/9/12V settings) on one output. Max current at 15V is 4.4A. feelingears and The Computer Audiophile 1 1 UpTone Audio LLC Link to comment
Stin Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 9/22/2021 at 10:57 AM, internethandle said: Yeah, to this point, Unison USB input is very responsive in my experience to putting reclocking/conditioning before it in the chain. I’m using a JCAT Femto USB V2 card with LT3045 regulated LPS -> SOtM tX-USBultra Special Edition with Paul Hynes SR4T -> Unison input on my Less Is More Yggy to very good effect. Also had a noticeable improvement on A2/OG before it. Still, there are quite a few folks who think that AES is the clearest and least colored input. One of these days I’ll get around to trying a Pi2AES with it, which a lot of people say compares favorably with solutions many times its price. Currently using Pi2AES -> AES -> LiM. Yeah, the Pi2AES is money very well spent. Ran 1 Link to comment
Exocer Posted September 23, 2021 Share Posted September 23, 2021 The Pi2AES presents a tremendous price to performance ratio. I have had one for over a year and tried many OSes and configurations. I settled on GentooPlayer OS because it sounded better than Volumio and Moode at the time. My first build surpassed it fairly early on in my journey but was much more costly to put together (at least 4x the price). This is with no network optimizations and a fairly decent for the price Audioquest Forest USB cable. I will revisit this test for those curious. I'll use my Schiit Pyst USB cable to compare to the standard Mogami AED cable I used with Pi2AES. I have a 5V LPS i can use with the Pi2AES now (diy MPAudio ALS-HPULN) but would need to build a cable that fits and search for the guide to getting it to work with 5V input (i only used the included smps). It has been a while since I conducted this test, but, I remember one major difference between the two sources. The fairly basic PC based build sounded bigger and had more authority. Pi2AES sounded very good as well but smaller and somewhat leaner. I have since come a long way with my computer source. Go ahead, rip me to shreds 😁,just sharing my experience. Pi2AES is a tremendously good sounding low cost option that can and should be endgame for many! Edit: Forgot to mention this comparison is with the Yggdrasil A2/OG. Cheers, -Rob internethandle 1 Link to comment
matthias Posted September 24, 2021 Share Posted September 24, 2021 5 hours ago, Exocer said: The Pi2AES presents a tremendous price to performance ratio. I have had one for over a year and tried many OSes and configurations. I settled on GentooPlayer OS because it sounded better than Volumio and Moode at the time. My first build surpassed it fairly early on in my journey but was much more costly to put together (at least 4x the price). This is with no network optimizations and a fairly decent for the price Audioquest Forest USB cable. I will revisit this test for those curious. I'll use my Schiit Pyst USB cable to compare to the standard Mogami AED cable I used with Pi2AES. I have a 5V LPS i can use with the Pi2AES now (diy MPAudio ALS-HPULN) but would need to build a cable that fits and search for the guide to getting it to work with 5V input (i only used the included smps). It has been a while since I conducted this test, but, I remember one major difference between the two sources. The fairly basic PC based build sounded bigger and had more authority. Pi2AES sounded very good as well but smaller and somewhat leaner. I have since come a long way with my computer source. Go ahead, rip me to shreds 😁,just sharing my experience. Pi2AES is a tremendously good sounding low cost option that can and should be endgame for many! Edit: Forgot to mention this comparison is with the Yggdrasil A2/OG. There is another report here on AS where the new ifi Zen stream was preferred to the Pi2AES. Matt "I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe) Link to comment
Popular Post matthias Posted September 24, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 24, 2021 I just read on SBAF that Jason likes a lot the idea of a "Schiit x Soekris" collaboration. So maybe we see in due time an Yggdrasil with Soekris boards.......😃 I think that would not be a bad decision at all. Matt frederick184 and lmitche 2 "I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe) Link to comment
Popular Post Confused Posted September 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 25, 2021 On 9/16/2021 at 5:38 PM, The Computer Audiophile said: I’m all done. Is this a bad sign? Are the highs going to sound a bit off? The Computer Audiophile and Josh Mound 2 Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade. Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones. Link to comment
Popular Post Confused Posted September 25, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 25, 2021 On 9/24/2021 at 6:26 AM, matthias said: There is another report here on AS where the new ifi Zen stream was preferred to the Pi2AES. Matt I cannot comment on the Pi2AES, but I have been trying the iFi Zen Stream versus my REF10 clocked sMS-200Ultra + tX-USBultra feeding a Mutec MC3+USB. Not much in it to be honest, but overall it is the Zen Stream that I prefer, which is a very impressive result for the Zen Stream when you consider the price difference between these two particular options. The Zen Stream is also very easy to use and has been 100% stable for me, not one single issue over a couple of months in use. So as a reasonably priced and user friendly S/PDIF solution, well worth considering. Some interesting measurements thanks to @GoldenOne, see link. https://goldensound.audio/2021/07/22/ifi-zen-stream-measurements/ matthias, GoldenOne and Exocer 1 2 Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade. Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones. Link to comment
matthias Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 On 9/24/2021 at 6:20 PM, matthias said: I just read on SBAF that Jason likes a lot the idea of a "Schiit x Soekris" collaboration. So maybe we see in due time an Yggdrasil with Soekris boards.......😃 I think that would not be a bad decision at all. As Mike @baldrhas the final say in anything digital at Schiit he hopefully gives green light....... Matt "I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe) Link to comment
Valter Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Why listen with a double blind '? it is scientifically proven that it is not a valid method. Hear what you want to hear without double blind. Listen calmly, listen again several times, without haste. audiobomber 1 Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted October 2, 2021 Author Share Posted October 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Valter said: Why listen with a double blind '? it is scientifically proven that it is not a valid method. Hear what you want to hear without double blind. Listen calmly, listen again several times, without haste. Got a link to that science? Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Popular Post pkane2001 Posted October 2, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted October 2, 2021 1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said: Got a link to that science? 3 hours ago, Valter said: Hear what you want to hear without double blind. Hear what you expect to hear, is more like it: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/609045 skikirkwood and kumakuma 2 -Paul DeltaWave, DISTORT, Earful, PKHarmonic, new: Multitone Analyzer Link to comment
fas42 Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 5 hours ago, pkane2001 said: Hear what you expect to hear, is more like it: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/609045 Or, Auditory Scene Analysis ... introduced by Bregman nearly 20 years ago, to describe how the brain attempts to make sense of what it hears - so 'adjusts' what comes in, so that it fits in with patterns of sound you're familiar with - and allows you to ignore sounds that "aren't important", at that moment. An example: the phone rings, and you just don't hear it, because your mind is concentrating on other sounds, right at that minute. Which works up to a point ... the brain has its limits - because we're human 😁 - and at some point the irritating, irrelevant sound element breaks through; and once it's there, in your consciousness, you can't get rid of it ... 😉. kumakuma 1 Link to comment
bbosler Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 41 minutes ago, fas42 said: An example: the phone rings, and you just don't hear it, because your mind is concentrating on other sounds, right at that minute. Depends on what you mean by "hear it," We have a grandfather clock that rings the hour and once on the half hour... I'm sure I "hear it" in the sense that my brain receives the input from my ears, but my brain ignores it so I rarely "hear it" in the sense that I consciously register it. not really sure how that fits into this conversation but I like to participate 😉 Superdad 1 see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
fas42 Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 18 minutes ago, bbosler said: Depends on what you mean by "hear it," We have a grandfather clock that rings the hour and once on the half hour... I'm sure I "hear it" in the sense that my brain receives the input from my ears, but my brain ignores it so I rarely "hear it" in the sense that I consciously register it. not really sure how that fits into this conversation but I like to participate 😉 It's about what makes listening to one DAC 'nicer' than another - they all produce distortion in a form which is measurable at some level; it has to be so, otherwise they would sound completely identical, would be impossible to pick them apart. Since they have 'character', which one is "best"? Well, to me, the one that allows the brain to focus on the positives of the recording, rather than the negatives, is the preferred - distortions which in an ideal world wouldn't be there are still in the sound space; but, I don't "hear them", 😉. Link to comment
bbosler Posted October 10, 2021 Share Posted October 10, 2021 Since this thread hasn't had any activity for over a week I hope I am not out of line by mentioning I have one for sale at US Audio Mart ? They are back ordered 10 -12 weeks as of today.. Please delete this if I am out of bounds see my system at Audiogon https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/768 Link to comment
feelingears Posted October 20, 2021 Share Posted October 20, 2021 On 9/22/2021 at 7:00 AM, rruffin said: Wondering what digital coax cable you are currently using and if you have done much experimenting? Sorry @rruffin, missed this somehow. I have experimented with several and to cut to the chase, I like Oyaide DB-510 (?) as the budget best. I also really like Transparent Audio coax and Silnote: I am currently using Silnote (n.b., not Siltech) Audio AES. Their cables have been on a huge discount for a long time now...Joe Bob says "check it out." rruffin 1 Sum>Frankenstein: JPlay/Audirvana/iTunes, Uptone EtherRegen+LPS-1.2, Rivo Streamer+Uptone JS-2, Schiit Yggdrasil LiM+Shunyata Delta XC, Linn LP12/Hercules II/Ittok/Denon DL-103R, ModWright LS 100, Pass XA25, Tellurium Black II, Monitor Audio Silver 500 on IsoAcoustics Gaias, Shunyata Delta XC, Transparent Audio, P12 power regenerator, and positive room attributes. Link to comment
john321 Posted April 4, 2022 Share Posted April 4, 2022 So how would you say the Denafrips Terminator II compares with the Less Is More Yggdrasil ?? Ready to pull the trigger on a new dac and I am looking at both. Thanks. Gavin1977 1 Link to comment
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