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

I was supposed to receive those loaner units here in Canada directly from Alvin after the units made their way back to Vinshine for a check-up. Never heard from the guy again.

 

Now that I've moved away, for now, from the idea of trying AOIP, I'm thinking about an XLR > RCA transformer, since my Odyssey preamp only has RCA in. I know Decware offers one that is already built, but I see a few on here have built their own. I'm going to dig around in here and see what I can find on those, but I'd be interested in anyone's opinion of how their build went, if it isn't too much trouble. I just don't see them being complex, but I am no EE and am probably mistaken.

 

Here is a place to start, consider…
http://www.neutrik.us/en-us/accessories/inline-adapters/na2f-d0b-tx

$30
https://www.markertek.com/product/n...r-female-rca-phono-socket-adapter-black-coded

No it's not DIY but it's cheap enough to test to see if the basic idea is worthy of additional pursuit.
And yeah you can spend $$$$ on transformers.

The ones I will install in my amp to perform this same function, cost $260 for the pair, which is a drop in the bucket compared to some.

JJ

 

I saw those neutriks come up, and did end up finding some threads from here to aid. I had searched the other day but just didn't use the right terms and it led me down a different path, but tonight I found some relevant stuff after I posted that. Thank you for the help, I may try out the inexpensive way. Frankly, I think I'm trying to tinker when I really just need to leave it TF alone. It sounds very good to me, and I'm barely over a week in.

 

If you're still in week 1 then I'd wait wait until the Yggdrasil A2 'clicks' into place, then decide if any further fussing is warranted.
Most of the advice about the balanced out vs SE out is based upon reaching for that last couple of % of performance, and simply put you may have other portions of your system that may need addressing 1st.

Just my 2¢.

JJ

 

My Yggdrasil A1 went from 'nice, that's a great DAC', to 'OMG I'm selling my DAVE' at about the 3-4 week mark. Sorry, I did not keep detailed listening notes or times.

I just received my Y2 upgrade last night and am willing to do a more thorough study and impressions to post if enough people like the idea.

my system:

Laufer Technik Memory Player > Yggdrasil (now A2) and Dave DACs > MSB m202 amps > Rockport Cygnus speakers - 3x2 REL Gibraltar subs- Entec 4Pi Supertweeters

decrappifiers include 2xMutec MC3+, & Mutec REF 10 10mhz master clock.

EVERYTHING xcept the subs run 240v balanced, inluding the Yggdrasil and Dave

Analog includes Nottingham Hyperspace, Origin Live Illustrious Tonearm and Decca London Reference Cartridge.

My System is insanely resolving AND phenomenally musical.

I know what some of you are thinking; an OWMS, but sometimes, unfortunately, better IS more expensive*

*The 240v A1Y fully cooked (with the exception of soundstage and leading edge transients, on the 240v DAVE) is the best DAC I've heard in my system. A2Y to follow.

 

Very, very nice system. I have been thinking about going with the Atria's, much lower in the Rockport line. I would be interested in reading your more detailed impressions (impact of A2 upgrades and A2 vs Dave).

 

Has anyone compared a Gungnir Multibit w/ G5 USB, Yggdrasil V1, and Yggdrasil V2 that could try and articulate some of the differences?

Context:
Want to get a DAC upgrade for work and trying to figure out what combo of the following I'd be happy with:
{NewGumby $1249, New Yggdrasil $2399} + {old Yggdrasil as-is $0!, upgrade Yggdrasil $700+S/H} vs Other?

Current systems:
work: Modi->Mjolnir 1->Audeze LCD-XC
home: Yggdrasil v1(Aug 2015)->GSX-mkII->Audeze LCD-3

Listening material:
All over the map, so genre-specific preferences are likely of no help here.

My current systems work "fine" as far as connectivity goes. No USB errors or weird dropouts, per se. No real concept of how the G5 would make my life better in any way without an audition, so mailing back the Yggdrasil for analog V2 seems like the only reason it would be worth paying the upgrade. Shipping+Hassle is probably equivalent to just buying an Eitr if I didn't want analog V2, but I think I do.

Budget is "flexible", but hard to justify upgrading to 2 fully loaded Yggys. I'm open to other suggestions, but closed cans are a must for work and I have a hard time seeing a closed cans swap or upgrade to Mjolnir that would be more cost effective.

I know this is a complete shot in the dark, but figured SBAF is the only place where the recommendations would be worth a damn.

 

Eitr > Modi Multibit > SYS > Aegir > LCD-XC

For context, I use the vintage M-22 and LCD-XC as my office rig, currently with Pavane but owned both Modi Multibit and Yggdrasil v1 before.

 

Why the 2x Mutec MC3+ by the way ? Really wondering how two units are used in the set-up.

 

It matters, they are simply put in series with the digital output on the server feeding the first MC3+USB which in turn feeds the Second, and that output goes to to the digital input on the Yggdrasil via Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 110ohm AES/EBU.
I would say if I were to rate one MC3+ USB as a 10, then two in series would be a 15.
If have been told its analogous to putting some DAC chips in series, which I know some manufacturers do but don't know if that's precisely correct.
I have just received the 10MHz Rhubidium clock (Called the Mutec Ref 10) from Mutec which can be hooked to all devices accepting a master clock, including my server and the MC3+ USBs, but one thing at a time. Still have to put the A2Y back in the system.

Kerry

 

That doesn't really answer the question. Why do you feel/believe it goes from a 10 to a 15? What is your objective, or subjective, reasoning?

 

OK, other than level matching for comparative purchases, I do not do measurements, so objective measurements are not for me.
Subjectively I here a cleaner presentation with better low level detail, and faster transients when the MUTEC MC3+ USBs are in the system. Smearing from top to bottom is also greatly reduced. Although I can be a very critical listener and my ears have gotten me very far down this 40+ year musical journey, when and for how long I engage my right brain for analysis is a dangerous path, as this analysis methodology becomes my own personal doctor Jeckyl, and becomes very hard to shut down.

It is principally the above parameters that the MC3+ USBs improve, with the second device improving on the first by a further 50% subjectively.

For what its worth, I used to have two Wyred 4 Sound remedies in series in my system, but replacing them with just one Mutec MC3+ USB was a significant improvement in the parameters mentioned above.

Interestingly, even though using the MC3+ USBs, I use the SPDIF and AES/EBU, but the USB version of the MC3+ is significantly better sonically than the regular version of the MC3+ .

Just my 1/50th of a dollar... ;-)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Moderator

SORRY! System post #612 above should have been MC3+ USBs, not just MC3+!!

Mr, moderator if you could change it in post #612, it'd be nice..
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

A DAC is a digital to analog converter, what does putting two of them in series accomplish?

As for putting two USB decrapifiers in series... the only time that might help at all is if you have an extremely long connection and you're basically treating them as repeaters. Even in such a scenario you really should just rethink your system layout. Sorry to say this but I think it's more likely that you've fallen victim to placebo effect.

 

I am running a MC-3+ feeding a MC-3+usb and adding the second MC-3+ was ≈ 50% improvement over a single MC-3+.
And adding a 3rd MC-3 will help but is (according to other reports) ≈ a 25% improvement and so on.

JJ

 

At this point why not get something like the zotac mini tb3 enclosure, then get the rme pcie card and use coax or AES from that into your DAC.

What are these improvements your are prescribing percentages to?

I just find it odd that daisy chaining digital to digital converters is somehow improving stuff.

 

I am running an AOIP feed (see my sig line) into the pair of MC-3's and with each added MC-3, the SQ took a step up.
Not huge, not night and day, but well beyond a small improvement.

The soundstage became more obvious and defined, the focus of inner details and many other of the SQ attributes I deem 'better' took a step up.

I could go back and re-read my notes taken at the time, if it is important enough.

But overall the REALNESS factor was enhanced, and that is why they remain in the system and why I modded them and removed the SMPS's which was yet another step up as well.

Oh and I wasn't the first, nor the last to notice such improvements using multiple MC-3's, all daisy chained.
The AOIP thread 'over there' went into more details surrounding this, if you want to pursue this further.

JJ

 

Guys this is quickly getting off into USB nervosa territory. This is bound to attract the ire of some members here, so it would probably be best to continue the discussion over here:

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...crapifiers-pro-interfaces-and-bears-oh-my.62/

Will probably still attract the ire of some folks who have strong opinions about daisy-chaining USB decrapifiers, but at least it will be in the right thread.

 

That’s f'ing retarded. You’re just muddying up the sound at the point and collapsing staging even more than stock.

Why not just buy a warmer DAC than the Yggdrasil, run it off an AES card, and slave it to an external master clock with a world clock input? Burl gear is warm, class a, and has all the connectivity options you want to tweak with. It even has Dante bruh. Or you could slave AGD pcm1704 to an external master clock Comzee style.

You could also go NOS. NOS staging is more of the staging you are going to end up with after all the retarded reclocking without simply slaving everything to one clock. I’m sure MHTD Labs or Total DAC guy could accommodate your current DSM-5 diagnosis.