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

Another possible option, if you're handy with tools and dealing with electronics, is to install the next Gen-x USB card yourself.
That is, if they follow the same procedure as the Gen-5 USB card and allow those who can, to install it themselves.

The 'analog' board upgrade all by itself IS worth it, and is more involved than just swapping out the 2 'analog' boards, but the USB card upgrade is a simple and easy card swap.

Just something to consider.

JJ

 

With the information we have right now, the "new USB" seems to be aimed at reducing cost on lower end devices such as Modi. It won't necessarily sound better than Gen 5, or indeed be applied to the Yggdrasil at all.

 

Actually this has changed. Big time.

Watch this video starting around the 28:30 mark:

 

My bad. Actually I remember watching it now, but somehow the crucial part didn't make it into non-volatile storage

Mike saying the new USB implementation sounds better than SPDIF input, that's about as glowing an endorsement as you're likely to hear.

 

Thanks @johnjen and @bengo. The self-installation option is also what I'm strongly hoping for. I'll not call myself very handy but the years spent struggling in the undergraduate electrical engineering lab benches must have meant something .

Mike's endorsement of next gen USB boards is exactly what made me hesitate on the Analog V2 upgrade. However, the more I read about the Analog V2 the less patient I am to wait for 2019. I'll just wager a guess that they offer self-installation options, go ahead with the Analog V2 and be happy. Thanks for the input!

 

Using USB with Yggdrasil A2 isn't mandatory.

Edit: I don't think I've even heard USB on mine.

 

I'm guilty of having not tried any of the other inputs...

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the instructions. I can understand why Schiit doesn't offer official instructions but it's excellent that you've done the heavy lifting of writing one . I'm confident to perform such an upgrade with these instructions, assuming Schiit offers the option for self-installation when next gen comes out. If there's yet another firmware update then I assume the procedures does get a lot trickier eh?

 

The only other DAC I can compare Yggdrasil 2A to is an Aqua La Voce S2 R2R DAC hooked to a "dedicated audio PC" I built three years ago. All LPS's, Pink Faun i2S bridge to the Aqua, etc... Problem is I had different speakers, different room layout, etc... But, from my memories of that setup, it was extremely detailed, very black background, highly resolving and flawless playback.

I discovered vinyl about 6 months later and sold all of the digital stuff. While the digital stuff was really cool and I'm sure very accurate, the power and ease of music that I personally felt from vinyl just rendered that accuracy moot. And I don't mean to say accuracy is bad, it's not. But accuracy at the expense of musical emotion is, to me, not what I'm after. I want the music I listen to to get my air guitar queued up or get my foot tapping. I'd rather feel it than measure it, if that makes sense.

So Yggdrasil - hooked up via AES/EBU from my TASCAM CD Player, it is very reminiscent to me of those early days of vinyl discovery. It's resolving, it's precise (to me) but it's also emotional. Music sounds effortless, lacks fatigue even when cranked a good amount for a long listening session. I finally feel like I can enjoy some of my favorite music that is either not available or ridiculously expensive on vinyl and not compromise all that much, assuming the master is worth a shit.

And I'm only a week in, but I'm very happy with this DAC and transport combo. Trying to decide if I want to try and elevate PC playback again but I'm wavering because I do enjoy playing physical media in this setting. I'm not working, not casually listening, so convenience really doesn't factor in.

Hope that all makes sense.

 

Enjoy it @toddrhodes - I really can find no fault worth mentioning other than the warm up time. Yggdrasil with Analog 2 sounds like music. It has no annoying traits that I can hear. At the price it costs, not sure there is any other option of interest.

Agree!

 

Has anyone here had the opportunity to compare Yggdrasil Analog 2 with Denafrips Terminator?

 

I was just typing the same question. Also the Chord M-Scaler.

 

Chord M-Scaler with what DAC though? It’s just an upscaler, correct? Not a D/A converter.

I believe @Torq was planning to get one...

 

I'd personally love to read that comparison because their Terminator model gets praise elsewhere, but given Denafrips reputation around here after the loaners, that is highly unlikely to happen.

 

Not reviews by SBAFers, but I assume you’ve seen these?

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/denafrips-r2r-dac.3845/page-6#post-224536

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/denafrips-r2r-dac.3845/page-7#post-224676

 

I had issues with usb3, a desync of sorts every few days. Stopping the application and restarting it always fixed it; but it was annoying. A self-installed usb5 upgrade solved the problem 100% using the instructions posted.

While others hear an improvement with the usb5 card, that isn't within my hearing or equipment. I'm just happy the darn thing doesn't glitch. If you are thinking of sending it in for the analog2 upgrade, just do both. Schiit will upgrade everything to the latest versions (and give you a second serial #). The analog2 upgrade made a noticeable improvement.

I'll read the reviews and decide for myself on the latest usb. I'm really not having any issue that I need to resolve.

 

My bad, with Hugo 2 or Hugo TT2. And yes it's just an upscaler, could theoretically be used with the Yggdrasil.

 

Thanks, and here I used to think that USB has been a solved issue for a while! To be clear, my Yggdrasil unit came with their USB Gen 5 card so I'm well covered there, I was just contemplating whether to wait for next generation before I send the Yggdrasil in to get both the A2 and the next gen USB card.

After input from all the kind members, I've pulled the trigger on getting the A2 now. Hopefully next gen USB also offers a self-installation option so I can get on to that when the time comes .

 

I have, but Darko's reviews mean nothing to me as he's the reason I had bought the Mytek Stereo192-DSD DAC with his DAR-KO Award, only to realize what a massive POS it was and sell it a few days later (yes, I learned my lesson the hard way). Also, the second guy compared Terminator to Yggdrasil V1 and preferred the former, but having owned both I can also testify that V2 is significantly improved from V1 especially when using the balanced outs. Which is why I'm looking for a comparison from a certified fellow SBAFer.

My thought exactly. After seeing a lot of folks going aboard the hype train in other communities, Vinshine apparently seemed shocked and even butt-hurt that some of Denafrips' lower DAC models weren't as warmly received here as they had expected. I don't think they would offer another loaner tour even if some of us ask nicely.