Yggdrasil Refined - New Schiit Yggdrasil Analog 2 (Yggdrasil A2) Sound Impressions

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by drgumbybrain, Jan 16, 2018.

  1. Andre Y

    Andre Y Friend

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    Yeah, I forgot Lavry did that. You can see it in this photo: http://pic.hifidiy.net/www/gallery/10-25/nEO_IMG_Lavry DA924 15.jpg

    There's a big white rectangular block in the upper left corner, which is a big power resistor, and it probably has some low resistance value, and they're running current into it, heating it up, and it in turn is heating up the chips with the gold tops underneath it, which are probably the DAC resistor networks. For good measure, it looks like it's also the heatsink for one of the voltage regulators.

    More photos here: http://www.hifidiy.net/index.php?s=/home/article/detail/id/6690.html
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    GAIN 1 ADC, used by Mobile Fidelity, designed by Moffat at Schiit, also had an oven inside. This is probably too much for a consumer device. Also, I'd rather Yggdrasil A2 be $2500ish rather than $10k.
     
  3. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Does running off the true sine UPS give it any discernible audiable improvements vs. connecting it to a wall outlet or surge protector in your opinion?
     
  4. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    The AD5791BRUZ (like all things involving analog) is also temperature sensitive and (from the datasheet) performs best (INL/DNL) between 25-45C.
     
  5. murray

    murray Friend

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    Do you turn off your refrigerator when you leave the house?
     
  6. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    If mains power are clean to begin with, then probably not. But when traveling to meets and mains power might be questionable, plenty of laptops with SMPS supplies are present, then it provides a buffer preventing high frequency hash from entering the system. Some systems are more susceptible than others.
     
  7. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Sure, make fun of the guy that cares about fire safety and energy conservation... seems like a good direction to go in.
     
  8. murray

    murray Friend

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    Not really making fun. I actually know someone who switches off his main switch on the power board whenever he goes out. However, he has the refrigerator on a separate circuit out the back.
     
  9. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Well, in this case... nope I guess. It's actually a tricky subject because as someone who lives in the EU I could be in a world of pain if it's proven that I had a non-CE certified piece of gear that caused a fire, insurance company might put up a fight. The Yggdrasil is CE certified but my Theta and Sonett are not for instance. Of course, the risk is really small but I'd rather not leave it to chance. Peace of mind and all that. :p
     
  10. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

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    I thought it was actually just the DAC chip that needed the thermal stability...


    Maybe that's why I felt the Yggdrasil sound great when my room was already melting hot in summer..


    The Yggdrasil could probably burn and even explode internally and you would not know or see anything because of those think slabs of metal.

    Its heavy aluminum dual chasis...
     
  11. Andre Y

    Andre Y Friend

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    I'm referring to the resistors inside the DAC chips.
     
  12. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    [Raises his hand] Yup. It works great. I also put the plugged the UPS into a power inverter in my car. Still less than bringing a turntable to a meet!
     
  13. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    Finally got mine back today! Canadian friends be aware CSBA is going to ding you HST on the parts cost ($700USD for me) which ended up adding $125CDN for me to collect from Fedex. Also previously mentioned but you get a nice little upgrade sheet in the box. Mine checked in on my birthday... good karma I think?

    7D3CD716-4DFA-45AA-A631-F2718F27D0A9.JPG

    Total turnaround from order placed to Yggdrasil B was about three months and man am I glad to have it back. Maybe it sounds snobby and arrogant but you don't realize how much you miss good digital till you are stuck listening to a mid-fi DAC (a GOV2) for 6 weeks.

    Anyhow... serious impressions can wait a few weeks while I run signal through it but my first impression is that the sound is more natural (less forward/aggressive/edgy) than the original and this is a very very good thing. Also, the new USB input seems to be really good. On Yggdrasil V1 I was using an Intona (with a Mutec MC3 going to AES) to dial back the sound a bit and take the edge off. With the Gen V USB my first impression is that the Intona makes things worse and is killing detail. No clue how the Mutec will interact will leave it out for the first few weeks.
     
  14. drgumbybrain

    drgumbybrain Science Nut

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    How did noticed that?
     
  15. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    It's only a two second cable swap to take the Intona in and out of the chain; pretty easy to A/B. With Intona everything is slightly smoothed over and more laid back. Don't ask me for the why. I don't have a scope here to measure. I can only hear it. I'll go out on a limb and speculate it's some property of the USB bridge inside the Intona as it had the same effect (making things more laid back) when hooked up through the Mutec which reclocks everything. (and then Yggdrasil regenerates that clock once more)
     
  16. kirayamato

    kirayamato Friend

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    @Chris F thanks alot for posting the update sheet brings a peace of mind also did you find as others that usb cable swapping has a nil effect to the sound?

    btw how long did it take for you to get it back once they recieved it?
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2018
  17. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    Would the DAC need to have an amp and phones plugged in if you want it to be crunching numbers for the sake of reducing warm up, or is it enough to have the DAC on and receiving a signal?
     
  18. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    I figure it might help to have the amp at least plugged in to provide a 'load' for the dac to drive into.
    But the amp doesn't need to be on, unless you want to help settle it in as well.

    What I've learned is having any device operate normally, and not just be on, helps it completely settle in, as in all of the active circuits run and 'get used to' how they will normally be operating.


    JJ
     
  19. Maxx134

    Maxx134 Dunning–Kruger effect poster boy

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    Agree.
    Not sure about now, but in my early days of being in recording studio, the equipment always stayed on, with stories of all hell breaking loose if anything would be turned off...
    The longevity of equipment stayed stable when in "on" state.

    All electronics are designed, in "operation" mode (the "on" state only).

    Especially now, with electronic software like "splice" showing great non-realistic results much of the time.

    Yet,
    It is during the transition from "off" to "on" states (or "on to "off") that components are at risk .
    Many continously changing variables happen during this brief transition period in the electronic circuits.

    Good seasoned designers always take that into account...

    For example, I have a B&K preamp which was designed to stay on, forever...
    And did so stay on,
    in my father's stereo for over 15yrs easy .
    :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
  20. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    About three weeks from when they received it. It arrived in Cali and sat for about a week and a half before it got "checked in" and then another week and a half in the queue. Once the work was done it got shipped next day and 2 days Fedex to get back to me. Bottom line; you're going to have to be patient. (especially since the queue is pretty huge now I think)

    I don't mess with USB cables. It's not that I don't think they will change the sound; more that IMO USB is a convenience input so why expend the money and effort past "it sounds good".

    For USB I use a Belkin Gold which seems to work fine. I can try the cable that came with my Rane DJ box; it's also good (been using it for years) and spec compliant. I'll try it for fun when I get back home and let you know.
     

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