Life after Yggdrasil: Watering the Ash

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by Torq, Mar 1, 2017.

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  1. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    If I'm gonna pick my poison though, I will support the cult that encourages education.
     
  2. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Me too. Some people may be particularly good at presenting "science" to the public. I wouldn't dismiss this one the basis of how many papers they have published. Those people should only be dismissed if what they are presenting is fake science. Fake science is just unicorns in white coats.
     
  3. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    [​IMG]

    Now I have no idea how to get this thread back on-topic, sorry. Paging @Torq...
     
  4. Mshenay

    Mshenay Barred from loaner program. DON'T SEND ME GEAR.

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    Fiasco is the right word to describe all my of experience with Moon Audio, a disorganized "wait how did you" mess

    that said, as far as getting us back on topic... good to see the Gungnir Multibit still holding it's own. If you get the chance @Torq I'd love to see a comparison of the Gungnir Multibit again'st one of the similar priced AGD.
     
  5. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Hopefully on track...

    Switching between Bifrost Multibit (SE input) vs Yggdrasil (balanced input), I would say Bifrost Multibit is very listenable, but Yggdrasil (or maybe it's the balanced input?) leaves the Bifrost Multibit sounding slow like molasses. Yggdrasil is lively, but in a very pleasant way. I suppose you could almost say it is too lively at times, and might be too much if the rest of the gear downstream is analytical. I can see the appeal of a mellower sound, but the detail and energy level is much more there, and live music is highly energetic.
     
  6. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Downstream of my Yggdrasil: Hegel H360, KEF Reference 1s, REL T7i. Room not especially treated, mix of hard surfaces (hardwood floors, plasterboard walls) and soft materials (rug, sofas), high ceiling. Lively, but exactly what's needed to create the illusion of a live performance with the right recordings (top-quality small ensemble jazz especially fine). The Bifrost Multibit was my first Schiit multibit DAC. Engaging, great for not so focused work listening with headphones, but I agree that transients lack the clear edges that the Yggdrasil delivers.
     
  7. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    It's why I ended up keeping my Bifrost Multibit. There are times I need to focus, and the Bifrost Multibit is better for me at those times. Liquid, and mellow has it's place. Listenable without shouting.
     
  8. winders

    winders boomer

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    I kept my Modi Multibit when I upgraded to Yggdrasil. But only because it made sense to have a second discrete DAC. There has never been a time, nor do I foresee a time, when I would prefer to listen to my Modi Multibit instead of my Yggdrasil.
     
  9. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    An analogy would be why I switch between the easy to listen to Hifiman Edition X V2s or the more gutsy HE-500s, and keep both. An equivalency would be I wouldn't possibly get anything done at a live concert, but can with some mellower background sound. Or sometimes I flip on the Klipsch KLF-20s and sub-woofer. The slam and dynamics of the horn mid-range and tweeters blows my headphones away, but it's too much sometimes.
     
  10. TonyNewman

    TonyNewman Validated by Tyll removing Utopia from WOF

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    Exactly why I jumped from Yggdrasil to Metrum Pavane. Yggdrasil can sometimes be too much of a good thing - a little too forward for my tastes.
     
  11. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Still Yggdrasil conveys, without being digitally harsh, pace, energy, liveliness, it's addicting. It is still not LIVE, but it is close. Love the way metal sounds like metal, and the hard instruments (piano, cymbals, bells, violins, cello, and others) sound like the instrument and it's not just one-note digital noise through which I have to struggle to hear the music.
     
  12. jacq

    jacq Top 3 poster - friend

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    USB Gen 5 thoughts anyone?
     
  13. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Start here, then go here.

    And then go here ...
     
  14. jacq

    jacq Top 3 poster - friend

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    Thanks @Torq I actually own a SU-1 as well and I'd like to replace it sometime in October when I have free time. Will definitely be doing that, thanks!
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Personally, I'd get the Eitr for flexibility.
     
  16. wonderbrah

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    Hey, are you still planning on doing a Gungnir/Yggdrasil comparison?
     
  17. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Yes.

    It'll actually be an all-up Yggdrasil, Gungnir MB, Bifrost MB and Modi MB comparison. There's a better than even chance I get that posted today before the end of the week.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2017
  18. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    spider chart or it didn't happen.
    :sail:
     
  19. Galm

    Galm Still looking for Little Red Riding Hood

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    Whoops finger slipped.

    Anyway I didn't see anyone talk about this so I'll ask here, have you compared the new USB vs AES and other inputs (I'm sure you have). How much closer do you think it got to AES? Enough that it's not needed to go buy an expensive card for it anymore? I think you originally ranked it, but I can't seem to find the post, and I'd love to see how this has changed it from your (or other early birds) perspectives. I know you mentioned your thoughts on eitr/gen 5 in the thread, but I always like your A > B >= C type posts, I find them helpful references. Since I'll be starting out with Gen 5 Yggdrasil I'll never know how much the difference is.

    I guess I kinda wanna know if you'd put it equal with optical.
     
  20. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    Yes.

    Close enough that I cannot, with any degree of reliability, distinguish between either Eitr/USB Gen 5 and my Aries via AES (which I previously considered to be the best source I'd heard into Yggdrasil via AES or any other input).

    I would say so.

    If you're using a computer as the source I would just go with the USB Gen 5 you'll get as part of a new Yggdrasil and call it good.

    I'd rank the inputs as:

    AES = USB Gen 5 >= S/PDIF BNC >= S/PDIF RCA > Optical
    This assumes an interface on the level of Eitr/Aries for the non-USB connections (in other words, if you use a lower quality AES source, it's very likely that the USB Gen 5 input will beat it). With some other interfaces/DDCs/sources the differences between AES and the BNC/COAX connections, and especially the optical connection, will be more varied.

    At this point, with Yggdrasil (and I have no reason to believe it'll be any different with Gungnir) the only reasons to use the non-USB Gen 5 inputs are a) because your source (CD transport, Roon end-point or other streamer) requires something else or b) you want to use more than one input.
     

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