Life after Yggdrasil: Watering the Ash

Makes sense,@GoldenOne. Perhaps this DAC would synergize better with gear that emphasizes the leading edge of transients. Focal comes to mind. You mentioned in the video trying it out with your friend’s Focal speakers; how was the synergy there?

 

I know but so much of it so close to the audible band seems pretty problematic.
ESS chips operate in an almost identical manner (though with the mapper working differently ofc) to dCS and whilst ESS isn't necessarily a 'top tier' dac candidate IMO they don't seem to have the same problems.

I'm not sure, there's a lot of stuff about the bartok which could have some reasonable explanation, but there's also a lot of stuff which in a 15k DAC leaves me feeling like it's a mediocre DAC in a really nice box.
Both objective stuff like the channels not even behaving the same as eachother or jitter being pretty mediocre, and subjective stuff such as it being dull as dishwater

 

Abbas 2.3 SE review:



Firstly, keep in mind, every Abbas dac will have a different design (each one has slightly different parts) and depending on your source and tubes you could create a very different experience with this DAC.


Gear: sft-SE+ > abbas 2.3SE with meatball RCA > atc sca-2 > atc 150aslt alternatively abbas fed into my eddie current studio SET - headphone amp.



It is super energetic for a NOS dac, very engaging indeed. The abbas DAC is extremely sensitive to source equipment and can sound bad from a lot of sources, fortunately it played very well with my cd-transport with spdif (it's only input).

It also changed a lot with the different tube variants. Fortunately I had some foresight to have my friends in the US send me tubes that coax the best out of the Abbas 2.3se.

The stage is still NOS like, congested and a bit too intimate, imaging suffers as a result and this is definitely the weakest aspect of the DAC. This is much less noticeable on headphones but still an issue. I was able to make it more diffuse with tube selection but then lost some of the energy which is what makes this dac special.

I feel there is some extra presence in the upper octaves and the treble is not like typical NOS (I'm looking at you metrum), it's strong and focused, and transients are sudden and land with authority giving the dac a lovely timbre and energy, however in complex pieces where there is 'polytonal' things going on with lots of instruments the dac loses focus and can become a bit smeared. Blackground it more of a greyground like the Yggdrasil 1 for those familiar.

Due to the greyground, lack of clarity and slight smearing, detail is not a strong point, however this doesn't seem to really detract from the experience as much as other dacs. The PrAT and energy are just addictive.

This DAC is not a giant slayer but it is 'fun', it gets the foot tapping but lacks some technical prowess. It's in a similar vein to the terminator DAC but has more tweakability and a much more pleasant price point. There are several tiers above the Abbas 2.3se and I am definitely interested to see if I can get a hold of them because the 2.3se was definitely an enjoyable dac to spend time with.



we did try it with some good sources like the mutec with ref SE120 and some other cheaper options and it really is a chameleon with sources.


Where does it rank on my Dac list?
It didn't quiet hit the top 10 and honestly was lucky to not get knocked down into the mid-fi range, but the moments of engrossing engagement made me prefer it over a lot of other dacs which were more technical but lacked engagement/energy.

 

You called the Hugo TT2 with Mscaler ‘hot trash’ on your list, but it’s still in your system? Keeping it as a hot trash reference?

Also what do you think of the Signature Rendu SE? I have the OpticalRendu and think it’s fantastic.

Also, thanks for the impressions of the Abbas. I now know this one would not be for me (I’m way too into staging, clarity/cleanliness and instrument separation).

 

Isn't thst the brand from Ukraine (?) that sells on ebay? Am I confusing?

If yes I remember checking that they had a bunch of configs and was always curious about them after a few Danish in a Scandinavian forum had bought a couple of models and loved them. This must have been 2y ago or so...

Edit: can confirm, I had saved a bookmark for his ebay store but its selling a lot less now (maybe it's more of an email order kind of thing?!).
Just will add that if, like me, u are more into sub 1k/2k you better move along since these ain't cheap.

 

ATC 150a!!!!

 

That second photo is from my mates place. He's a dealer and stocks a lot of stuff, I took my rockna and the Abbas there so he could hear it and I wanted to hear Abbas from mutec. My system is the atc + rockna one.
I've heard the optical rendu and agree it's an excellent source. Haven't borrowed the signature off him yet.

 

Hello, I'm searching for a DAC for my headphone setup consisting of the Feliks Audio Envy amplifier and Hifiman Susvara headphones. I would appreciate any recommendations or experiences you might have. I'm not sure where to begin, but I was considering the Holo May KTE. However, I prefer not to rely on a computer for optimal performance. My budget is around $10,000, and I only require a volume control on the headphone amp. The DAC should have a balanced output with high voltage capability. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/new-members-introduce-yourself.11639/

 

What is your current DAC and what kind of sound do you like? Rockna Wavedream, Wavelight are some popular OS DAC options in this circle. You won't see a lot of talk on Bricasti DACs here, but that is also an option that many folks here like. Chord DACs are very impressive in performance, provided you like the way it does tone and truncated decay. I personally have not heard the Merason DAC1 and DACs from Weiss, but I have been hearing some nice things about these DACs.

I do not like Denafrips DACs, but there are a ton of folks out there who like em.

 

My current DAC is Cambridge EDGE NQ Streamer DAC, i have no other DACs and cant say how good the Cambridge EDGE NQ is. I prefer Orchestra, Hans Zimmer, Fink, Jazz, Blues, i prefer more organic, musical sound, real like, because my Cambridge sounds very sharp and detailed in your face.

 

Most of the DACs I listed above will not fit the organic moniker. However, with a good digital source, these shouldn’t be grating or offensive like the EDGE either. For organic, perhaps you could consider the Lampizator Big 7 mk2. A friend of mine owns one and he likes it a lot. The way he describes it kinda fits your bill. He owns an Envy too, but his headphones are Utopia, HD580 and Atrium. Plus he runs speakers, so he gets the most out of it. I personally think it is an overkill if you are going to use it with just headphones.

 

Yggdrasil LIM might fit the bill. It is less sharp/prickly/incisive up top than the OG or the BF2 in my experience. Darker, good tone. Still, it’s an OS DAC, and OS DACs trend toward detail, relative to some other DACs.

Still, you should definitely try a Lampi or other tube DAC if you have that broad of a budget, I agree. Unsure what your concerns are re: a computer source with the May KTE but a NOS DAC like the May or other options (Metrum or Sonnet DACs for instance) would be logical for what you’re looking for, too.

 

I would audition an Audio Note or SW1X DAC if I were you. Lampi is a good choice to try, and although they are good DACs, imho, the May is rather dry in NOS mode for an R2R DAC and the LIM is quite polite compared to the more dynamic A2.

 

I may be mistaken, but I believe the latest Yggdrasil's also include a NOS feature. At least Schiit indicated that a NOS feature would be added if I sent my OG in to upgrade to the newer chassis/case.

(edit: typo...)

 

IME the NOS on both Yggdrasil and BF2 is merely a near-zero cost play toy. I can't imagine any way I'd prefer it to the Schiit megacomboburrito filter with any combination of ancillary gear that I own.

 

I would say, just change your interconnects to Worlds Best Cable Gotham version, that will take the bite off the sound.

 

The Rockna has a Volume Control, how does it work, my Headphone Amp has a Volume controll too, can i use the Rockna as a DAC only Modus? Sorry i am not that technical, new in to the Hobby

 

One of my DACs has its own volume pot; when set to "Preamp Mode," the volume pot is in the circuit and controls the voltage going from this DAC to the headphone amp connected to it. The headphone amp also has its own volume control.

In that situation (and this is strictly my opinion), what works best is this:

1. Consider the DAC's volume pot a gain-adjuster: find the setting on that pot that results in maximum low-to-high volume play on the headphone amp's volume pot.
2. Ideally you want the headphone amp's volume pot to operate somewhere in the middle of its range. Imagine the volume pot is a clock dial. Ideally, the lowest volume you typically use would be at or around 10:00 on the dial; and the highest volume you typically use is between 1:00 and 1: 30 on the dial (these are just approximations).
   • Using the middle of the volume pot's rotation on the headphone amp assures that you will get the best channel tracking (channels being equal in volume) and least distortion

In short, you set the DAC's volume pot once; then use the headphone amp's volume pot for all other volume adjustments.

It actually is a big advantage to have a volume pot on the DAC if your DAC outputs a lot of voltage to the downstream amp (such as a balanced output of 4.4v to as much as 6.0 volts reaching the headphone amp--rather high) and/or if the headphone amp itself has a great deal of gain.

In my case, the DAC is single-ended and outputs approximately 2.5 volts to 3.0 volts maximum, which isn't especially high. But the headphone amp has a huge amount of gain, so that no matter what DAC is used, if it doesn't have a volume pot of its own, the volume pot on the amp never gets above ~8:00 on the dial at the loudest tolerable volume. Using the amp's volume pot in that manner raises the risk of poor channel tracking and even distortion; so having a volume pot on the DAC that feeds this particular amp is a life-saver.

 

Hi, thank you for providing the information. My Cambridge EDGE NQ Streamer DAC has a 6.6v XLR output, which I use strictly as a DAC without volume control. Due to the high output, I can only adjust the volume up to level 2 out of 10 on the headphone amp 3 gets already very loud and after 4 it gets disorted and doesnt sound good. I will test definitly your advice.

I'm currently discussing the Rokna Wavedream Signature XLR Balanced with Felix Audio. I believe it has a 7.7v output, which might further limit the volume control range on the headphone amp if I use it solely as a DAC. In a review by goldensound, he mentioned that the Rockna has a digital volume control that can potentially compromise the dynamic range.

I'm wondering if the Rockna would be a suitable choice for my headphone system. It's available for 10k new at my Hifistore. I'm unsure of its value, but I'm looking to optimize the performance of my headphone system, which includes the Feliks Audio Envy amplifier and the Susvara headphones.

Have such a hard time to pick the right DAC think all of us was in this situation. Goldensound mentioned that the NOS on the May KTE sounds better and has a Native DSD. OS Mode sounds on the Rockna better. But i know the Rockna wouldnt loose that much in Value for resell like the May. I dont know how the R2R Sounds and NOS. Is NOS like using your Streamer with Network Cable and Play in Roon losless?

EDIT:

Thanks for the Advice, with the PRE AMP On i can listen to more louder music without getting the ears explode with more dynamics. Makes really sence having a Preamp with a DAC. Thanks