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

I still got a UPS for mine. It stops my paranoia and that's worth it all on its own.

 

I've always felt like mine took at least 3 days to warm up. I'd say it would be about 80% at 3 days and improve just a tiny bit more by day 5. But you notice the biggest changes within the first 24 hours. I have an analog 2 unit which I received in october 2017.

 

Beg to differ. Out of the shipping box, some piano tracks I know very well sounded rough and congested, which I confirmed listening to them on my other systems. Now, 16h after power up, significantly better but still not there. In some respects it is already the best DAC I own (eg. percussion and string transients), but it is still less together and rougher than the others. (other multibit DACs in the house: Holo Spring KTE 3, Soekris dac1541).

 

Since my Yggdrasil-A of 3 years was only gone about a week before I got Yggdrasil-B, the character of the cold out of box "B" was pretty obvious. Clean, transparent, nicely balanced f/r wise, no harshness. Everything a good $200 dac normally is, including flat and lifeless.

And yes, for 25ish days it wavered, up, down, and around that performance level. Then the switch flipped. Even 2nd time around, it is startling. Break-in, thermal equilibrium, whatever we want to call it, in the past, it's usually been some vague combination of component and "listener burn-in". But for me, with both Yggys, it's "window open" when it happens.

 

Turns out Schiit had a b-stock Yggdrasil so went that direction instead of waiting for the 1 month plus for a new one. Hoping to get it next week..

 

They do "burn in" all Yggdrasil units for a full 72 hours before they ship out to customers. They have a rack that exists just to burn in freshly manufactured units. You can see this process in more detail in the making of a Yggdrasil video posted on their channel.

Nice. Was it a black unit?

 

Sorry double posted by accident

 

No, it was silver.

 

That's well known, but not enough to take the DAC to optimal performance. Not to mention that even a burned-in Yggdrasil needs quite a while to stabilize thermally after power on if was off for a while. I'm speaking from experience, I've owned an A1 since 2015 which has just been upgraded to A2.

 

What he said ^…
These dacs are at the bleeding edge of what is possible and as such they need optimal operating circumstances to be able to hear everything they are capable of delivering.

Some may not require, or even want to explore these bleeding edge attributes, but for those who do, expecting the 'standard' treatment (hrs of burn in etc.) to apply only goes so far.

JJ

 

Yggdrasil A2 with B sticker (A2 and Gen5 update) is back. It's cold, so all I can hear at this point through the Utopias is a slightly blacker background, and mellower (but also 'flat') sound. I'll know more after warm up, but cold out of the box, the sound is nothing to write home about.

I previously had the Intona -> Eitr in the chain, so I'm not expecting any difference there (just as long as I was spending the $ to ship to/from Schiit it made sense to update the input board).

p.s. The Intona does nothing as far as I can tell now or before, but I continue to use it for the same reason I use a surge protector, the original purpose of the device is to provide some zap protection.

 

@purr1n Thanks. The A1 version also took some time before I really heard those wow moments, but yea, some recordings I know well, are congested, flat, and more poo than music. I am not hearing utterly annoying digital repetition, but where did the bite, blat and blare of trumpets go?. I'll know more in time.

 

Ah, you like the sound of a horn. It will return!

 

Not just horns of course, but I have my list of 'hard to reproduce' instruments that I can form quick impressions of. Getting the horns right, the sheen, blare, sound of spit, the overtones, the dynamics, is high on my list.

Anyway 36 hours later, warmed up, much better. I'll know more in a few weeks and will wait to form anymore impressions.

 

An early impression... a teaser... after 36+ hours warm up, The sound has gone from FM radio to some emotionally moving music that has brought tears to my eyes (get over it, music can move me). I hope this new trait sticks. I greatly enjoyed my A1 version, but there was a metallic tint, and Schiit has smoothed this over, closer to analog. It's still digital, but a gap has been closed.

p.s. I've removed the equalization I was using with the Utopia headphone, no need anymore. The mid-range is smooth sailing.

 

Well, I'm in. See ya, Gungnir Multibit. Come on in, Yggdrasil A2! Hope the sharpness I recall from the original has been sanded off, and looking forward to hearing this with the Dyna Special 40s I'm babysitting for the month. I've learned a ton from this thread -- thanks all for your reports and ex-;nations.

 

Wrong thread!