Yggdrasil MIB was: Jason+Marv Pyrate Edition 11001B

As promised, reporting back after weeks of living with MiB and I am also back after a couple weeks out on vacation. After listening to MiB this morning, I got out the screwdriver and spent an embarrassingly long time trying to "slide" the Yggdrasil's top apart from the bottom chassis. Plastic hard drive wedge thingys to the rescue, sort of. LiM boards back in business.

Cutting to the chase: This choice is really the first time I have had to choose between these so-called DAC flavors. I did not find LiM and A2/OG to be flavor differences–they are different DACs to me. Now LiM and MiB on the other hand...this is a problem for me.

I like LiM's overall involvement and presentation of sound because it draws me in like music should. I like MiB's overall sonic quality and it too sounds like music, but the audiophile in me feels relative softness in some attributes I don't want to give up like microdynamics. MiB comes across dynamically flat, overall, relatively speaking. I'm torn because music is not flat! So I think I'm going to return to LiM for its dynamics despite MiB's superior qualities. It pains me to give up all those positive qualities for the dynamics of LiM. And then who knows, maybe Stoddard will get enough feedback about MiB's relative lack of dynamics and Schiit will somehow adjust for that with a future "soft upgrade" to MiB, improving/fixing the dynamics. Damn, is this gear nervosa or what?!?

LiM's microdynamics come across to me as more dynamic range. Compared to MiB, I feel the ebbs and flows of the music better. With MiB, I sort of always want to turn up the volume. With LiM, I am pretty satisfied even at regular levels (mid 70-dBs and lower).

Finally, remember how I recommended those nature recordings? LiM does not present the sense of the open, airy canopy like MiB does. That sound of air is essentially rolled off. Insects sound a bit veiled with LiM in comparison to MiB. Because I know how it could sound, I feel like I'm just listening to a nice recording of nature with LiM rather than being drawn into the illusion of being in nature with MiB. Further, I played the same CDs via the player's built in DAC (Burr Brown) and that actually sounded a lot better, so maybe this nature CD will turn out to be a good test of "warmed up" LiM high frequencies vs. MiB's highs.

For now I'll live with LiM and see how things go. I have a couple things to try so perhaps system synergy will tip the scale eventually. Just really wish MiB had better dynamics for my taste.

 

Just get gs or a1 board with rom chip and call it a day. That's what I did until it becomes more than a flavor. For me, it seems to be the best combination of dynamics, staging, detail.

 

Thanks, @Cellist88 , I had an A2 and have had other Schiits such as their balanced DAC (AKM Modius? I forget) which is in my second system. I've compared Yggdrasil vs several other DACs (Chord, Denafrips, Audio-GD, etc.) and LiM is the sweet spot for me. I've a friend I swap gear with and I've triangulated what works for my ears.

And so there was warm-up needed after all. Even last night the sound was much improved, and this morning it's pretty clear to me the MiB is staying out and LiM is staying in. I'll give it a few more days, and wish swapping was easier for making a comparison, but I'm hearing the high end on the LiM opening up and the forest is sounding more like a forest! And LiM has it's own kind of sparkle up top–but this is where language really fails to explain the differences I hear between these two flavors.

MiB is "better" but this is a case of the sum not equaling the whole of the sound. MiB but LiM for me. And with that, you're right, time to call it a day (and get to work). I really appreciate the peeps here who helped me crack open the case to make this comparison possible. Cheers!

 

Good morning,
I would like to make some technical questions about the Yggdrasil:
1) Does it use a buffer FIFO (in input) such as for example like the Holo May or the MSB or the T+A dacs?
How does it handle the signal? Or does it use PLL? how many oscillators? The goal is to minimize jitter of course.
How much is the jitter declared, if there is? How many picoseconds?
2) AES/EBU vs USB Unison inputs.....which is in your opinion the best sounding?

a) PC with for example Lynx AES16e PCI express card with AES/EBU outputs
b) PC with normal motherboard's USB outputs
c) Pc with PCI express USB card (JCAT for example)
https://jcat.eu/product/usb-card-femto-audiophile-usb-audio-output/

thanks

 

I guess you are new here, so prepare for dislikes since you did not introduce yourself in the introduction thread.
Furthermore, most of your questions have been answered in this or other threads on Yggi's already.
So introduce yourself and do your own research before posting. We like threads nice and clean.
With these simple rules you will find this forum to be very friendly and a wealth of real information based on well known peoples taste and experience. Have fun!

 

I tried to make a search in the previous posts but it's difficult to find a precise answer, I would have to read all of them, but I'll have a look again.
P.S. wrote in the introduction thread

 

Hello,
I am trying to contact dncnexus to buy the MIB he has for sale. We were Pm back and forth and then it stopped 6 days ago. If anyone knows him please check if he is okay. I hope I did not irratate him to much with my OCD Questions. I have the cash and am ready to buy.
best,
Josh

 

Got the MIB form dncnexus today. its been playing for about 4 hours. Using balanced out to balanced autoformer preamp. My reference has been the Gungir MB A2. Ive had the bifrost,LIm, Holo, soekris in house to compare I did not like any of them except the bifrost. Not sure what has changed in my brain but I now have the Lumin U1 streamer which has cleaned up a lot of noise I did not even know was there.
. Right now its clean with a beautiful top end, big and spacious, bass is tight( should get better with time)
The biggest compliment I can make right now is im listining to all kinds of music and it all sounds very good. Do not notice any lack of attact on the leading edge of a note, mids seems a little weak ( not as meaty as Gungnir) time will tell. Im very happy to have the + Yggdrasil in the house. Will post again in a few days after it settles in.
best,
Josh

 

Am I correct in assuming that the MIB board doesn’t have the same issues with the rca outputs being a bottleneck like the Analog Devices boards?

Now that the Aegis is my primary amp and only has rca inputs, looking towards trying out a MIB board to see if I prefer that flavor over A1.

 

1. Welcome
2. Read MOAR, *then* post
3. We all go through this; it’s a different place (just got a dislike 8 months after I was stupid, and then learned). Be mature, and you’ll be fine AND learn a lot (and contribute as well)

Oh, (and again) welcome

 

There aren’t any issues with the RCAs, it’s just that the XLRs are a little better. It’s probably not worthwhile to use transformers to convert the XLR outs to RCA since this might affect the sound for a slightly “better” XLR output.

I think if you enjoy the A1 sound via SE (IMO it’s pretty good) you might just gain some and lose some with the MIB. The MIB from what I pick up here is that it’s different and better in some ways, and less in others.

Where XLR is noticeably better is the Gungnir. The RCA for that is actually good, but it just seems you’re leaving money on the table.*

*Apologies if people get the impression that the SE outs were “gimped” because they’re not. It’s just the XLR were moar but meant for XLR.

 

MIB has been on for 3 days about 15 hours with music playing. Bass is better, great attact and speed, maybe not the impact of the Gungnir but more articulate. The top end is really good, smooth and gentile no loss of detail(maybe Im just getting used to it) The telling thing is im listining to whole albums instead of changing when the sound is not right or harsh. Thats a treat and oll kinds of music sounds excellent, im listining to some rock again. Comparing AES - BNC - USB. Tried toskink good just not as good, same for coax.(might be my cables) they all sound good, just different. Tried NOS mode it sound good just a flatter sound stage(wonder why). Will report how its progressing in a few days when I go back and compare to the Gungnir.
best,
Josh

 

I did not include all my listining is with a 2 channel reg. Bal> bal autoformer pre > then se into my amp. I have not tried se all the way from dac to amp, I will do that and report if its any different.
I am loving the gentilness of this dac, I feel embraced by the music and I just listen.

 

@Josh Schor is this the first Yggdrasil you are listening to? Or did you have tried also the previous versions, Yggdrasil OG for example?

 

I have only heard the LIM which I had in my house.

 

so the MIB has been on and playing about 5 hours a day for 10 days. I compared the Gungnir MB with it tonight. I was told by a good friend that if I was not having problems to not get the MIB. Well he was right and there are some differences on my system.
1. the gungnir has a little more bite, attack on the leading edge of the note, note dramatic and I can hear it
2. the mib is more relaxed. I define this with physical sensation. I feel digititise in my gut (crazy and its true for me) with the mib my stomach relaxes, I like that alot.
3. tone wise , stage, depth and height, its a wash
4. I like the bass better on the mib, its cleaner more deniliated (is that the right word?)
5. Summation- both really good for me the MIB wins out with being more relaxed and for my ears better bass. Also the MIB is modular so I will be able to upgrade with what ever as Schitt comes out with new stufff.
6. I do not find very much difference between the Usb, aes, toslink and bnc. I have them all hooked up at once so can change easily with the remote.
best,
Josh

 

There's A1 boards on eBay right now if you want to try them:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2566575804...customid=3c10cea0-7f88-11ef-965a-346130333930

 

This right here is it.
This is the biggest selling point of this DAC for me. This makes the MIB the most analog sounding Schiit DAC I’ve heard.

 

so after a few weeks of listining and comparing with the Gungnir MB I will be going MIB . I have been going back and forth between the SE and blanaced outputs I do not find a noticible difference, both very good. The balanced had about 6db more gain but no benifit in tone, attack , decay or bass.
I still love the Gungnir and the MIb in mysysstem is better.
best,
Josh