Yggdrasil A2 vs Gungnir A1 - brief review

Yggdrasil A2 vs Gungnir A1

Source: Pi2AES with NoiseNuke

BNC -> Gungnir A1
AES -> Yggdrasil A2

Test setup

Yggdrasil XLR out -> Jensen iso PO-2XR -> switcher input 1
Gungnir XLR out -> Jensen iso PI-2XR -> switcher input 2

Amp and headphones
-> @Fallenangel SOHA1 -> modded LCD-X

Setup this way, I can just flip a knob and switch between each DAC. The two Jensen transformers are not the same model, but they sound basically the same to me.




Tonality

They sound the same tonally to me. Same bass emphasis and weight, same vocal presentation (the Yggdrasil might have very very slightly more forward vocals), same treble presentation. They really sound like the same DAC tonally.

Differences

The biggest difference is in depth. When I flip the knob to the Yggdrasil, notes are less flat, and more round 3 dimensional sounds with sides. In other words, there is a sense that I can hear the sides of notes leading into the background that they come from. There is also a lot more information all along the front and sides of notes. Microdynamics are improved, little swings between attacks are easier to hear. And macrodynamics are improved too, though not to a great extent, they’re pretty even here. But the added sense of space gives a better sense of dynamics - notes don’t slam harder but they slam with much more nuance. Soundstage is greatly improved with the Yggdrasil, there’s just way more space in the sonic landscape.

The experience of switching from the Gungnir A1 to the Yggdrasil A2 is like taking a photograph of a detailed landscape and flipping to larger format film of the exact same image or I guess a higher resolution digital sensor (though the film analogy works better because larger format film gives added depth to prints as well among other things). The smaller format negative shows objects as more blunt shapes and when you switch to larger format film, those shapes suddenly have discernible form, texture, depth, and details all through the object where before it was just a more generic shape.

The differences aren’t huge when A/Bing but listening to the Yggdrasil over more time it is a much more enjoyable DAC. All my headphones and amps sound significantly better. There’s just a lot more subtle information there in the music. Even with good iems like the og Solaris.

That’s as far as I’m going to go describing the improvements, I’m not really a DAC reviewer. I care about tone the most. And I haven’t heard enough (or any) bad DACs to give me context on what details to listen for. Also to me, transducers have such gross colorations that trying to evaluate DAC’s in more detail than this is a bit nonsensical.

Similarities

The interesting thing here to me isn’t that the Yggdrasil is better or in what ways it’s better, I think we all know or were expecting what I described. The interesting thing is that they sound so similar tonally. And yet they were not released at the same time. Listening to the two, I would put a lot of money on the Gungnir A1 being a cheaper version of the Yggdrasil A2, and that the Yggdrasil A2 being a Gungnir A1 with some improved parts and implementation. But the Yggdrasil A1 is the improved Gungnir A1 and they evidently have pretty different tonality. So somehow when Schiit designed the Yggdrasil A2 they came back to the exact same sound as the Gungnir A1.

It will be interesting to see how the Gungnir A3 sounds, but I’m betting on it coming back to this more natural sounding house sound. I had a Gungnir A2 in house before the A1 and found it very unnatural sounding. All the usual complaints.

TL;DR
If you like the Gungnir A1, you are sure to like the Yggdrasil A2 no question. It sounds the same but better in every way. If you like the Gungnir A2 better, you should look into a GS or maybe another DAC entirely as an upgrade. Which has been discussed before.

ps. These impressions aren’t that revelatory, but I didn’t know where to put them and I thought the similarity in tone between the Yggdrasil A2 and Gungnir A1 would be of interest. Both for upgrades and necessary downgrades. The Gungnir A1 really isn’t much worse than the Yggdrasil A2. Definitely not worth the cost difference. That being said I’m keeping my Yggdrasil.

If this post is boring I’ll just merge it onto the Gungnir thread eventually

 

Thank you rhythmdevils I enjoyed the impressions.

I'm looking into Yggdrasil A1/A2 to replace my Bifrost 2 and what I'm looking to improve is the too much warmness and rolled off treble of the BF2. Would you say Yggdrasil solves this?

 

Sounds like @Marvey 's answer is the best advice if you're buying new and can wait.

But I do have a Bifrost 2 as well. it's hooked up to my speaker rig and I've never had it in my headphone rig, so I can't be positive, but I would say that it has the same or very similar tonality as the Gungnir A1 and Yggdrasil A2. So you would want the Yggdrasil A1 if you wanted less warmth, or the Yggdrasil GS (same thing).

I doubt the Yggdrasil GS will depreciate in value that much if you buy used. You could always buy one of those now and then get whatever Marv is talking about later. Or if it's a Yggdrasil A3, have it upgraded.

 

Nice summary. I just wish Yggdrasil was sized more like the Gungnir.

 

Re: above, Schiit has already hinted at new analog boards coming for the Yggdrasil. Seemed like more than just an Analog 3 board, but rather multiple new board options to tweak the sound. See here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...alks-about-mcdonalds.5246/page-51#post-333454 (and discussion that follows).

EDIT: More information on these new boards released. See: https://superbestaudiofriends.org/i...alks-about-mcdonalds.5246/page-52#post-357184.

 

Thanks very much, I really enjoyed my Gungnir A1, and your impression reinforced my feelings that Yggdrasil A2 (or A3) is the best upgrade path.

 

Haven't been able to get the Analog 2 upgrade and here's version 3. Then again my system doesn't need more warmth so perhaps there will be a neutral and warm flavor?
Self install would be appreciated but that probably means an upgrade of the board with the firmware? I mean i can flash chips left and right but they're understandably apprehensive about giving consumers that option.

 

The Gungnir A2 has been my main rig DAC now for 3 years or so, and I have had the Yggdrasil A2 for a few days now. Several pleasant surprises. The first is how much it out resolves/details the Gun A2. I expected a relative small increase given these are DAC's (and not transducers or amps) but it's more like going from the Clear to the Utopia.

The second is the tonality, I am enjoying the bass and treble "emphasis" (strong word - it's a DAC), particularly the bass, and there is no bass-to-low-mid bleed or muddiness as I feared.

There is however a slight smooth "technicolor" feel across the FR to the Yggdrasil, whereas the Gun A2 was dry and served everything up a bit straighter. I say all this in that I can see how this might cause some to want the GS which allegedly does not have this.

edit: I think you will appreciate this @rhythmdevils : The Utopia is scaling with the Yggdrasil better than the D8000 Pro the latter is showing less of the change(s) in the sound. Indeed I think the D8000 synergized with the Gun A2 overall better. Heck, with pi2 AES>Yggdrasil>DNA Starlett the Utopia has stage now, width and depth.