CPP
Active member
Dan does your dac have the new analog stage ?
Schiit Yggdrasil DAC Arrived
- Thread starter jdandy
- Start date
Dan does your dac have the new analog stage ?
This is really cool. When I had the Yggy, it didn't have the USB Gen 5 board and it sounded awesome - big 3d soundstage. I had to sell it because my DSD collection is ever growing. Now with Gen 5 USB and Analog 2 board, I can only imagine how better it would sound.
Great DAC choice Dan and I might even spring for one with all these new upgrades.
audio.bill
Active member
Dr Tone
Banned
If your collection is DSD64 mostly converting it to 24/176.4 still sounds darn good in my opinion. I used to do it with my Devialet.
Mrppv
Member
Thanks for the heads up on this; just ordered an upgrade. Added the gen 5 USB to the order, even though I'm not currently using USB.
jdandy
New member
- Thread Author
- #86
Jeff.......I am one of the fortunate ones that received the Analog 2 upgrade, and best of all it came without the $100.00 price increase that Yggdrasil is now priced ($2399.00) on the Schiit Audio website.
Yggdrasils with Analog 2 boards are designated with a serial number prefix of “B,” rather than “A.” My Yggdrasil has the serial number prefix "B". I am happy I don't need to send my Yggdrasil back to the factory for this Analog 2 upgrade.
Dr Tone
Banned
Well, now that there's a new Class A analog section, I'm intrigued again. Some of the reviews in the past concerned me enough not to try one out. Any chance at all of brightness doesn't work with my slightly damaged ears. Not saying the old one was actually a bit bright, but I wasn't willing to take that chance with shipping to Canada and brokerage etc.
A side to side comparison review with the original would be nice. Was the old output stage also Class A? If not it gives me an slight idea of how the sound would change.
A side to side comparison review with the original would be nice. Was the old output stage also Class A? If not it gives me an slight idea of how the sound would change.
Mrppv
Member
Yes, I am paying for being an early adopter... paid the same base price as you, but now $700 plus shipping two ways, to equal your model. C'est la vie.
On the plus side, my place in the upgrade queue came up less than 30 minutes after I placed the order. So, its on its way.
CPP
Active member
I sent Schiit a email asking that same question, Was the old output stage also Class A? so far the person responded noted the answer wasn't in his documents so I asked if maybe he could ask Mike or Jason.
Update from Jason Stoddard. ""Yes, there's really no such thing as Class AB or Class B small-signal stages."
Conversion can sound good, but loses the magic...I confirmed this even on a kick ass Goldmund system.
Dr Tone
Banned
There is no brightness whatsoever. I agree with most of Robert Harley's review but not on this point. The Yggy is simply more true to the timbre of real instruments. Flute sounds darker than on my Berkeley, as it does in real life. Violin sounds more wooden and more convincing. On the other hand, trumpet sounds brighter and sharper on the Yggy, again more in line with a realistic sound. Piano sounds more extended towards both register extremes. Vocals sound sublimely natural, with no emphasized sibilance.
I have the old analog stage, the new sound can only be better.
I don't care about magic, but about realism. PCM conveys the realism of actual instruments to me.
Having said that, if I cared about DSD which I don't, I'd prefer it in native form. But then, most DSD is not native to begin with, since it involves PCM in the mixing/mastering stage.
Most of my DSD are Tape and vinyl rips!
Its PCM that involves DSD conversion in the mastering chain. Since the demise of the Pacific Microsonics, what pure PCM chain exists? All the Pro gear is delta sigma.
For me magic IS realism and vice versa.
Having said all this, I LOVE PCM too and while I dont bow down to MQA, I welcome it as a viable and credible alternative.
The YGGY is not my favourite Dac, but having heard it in a more everyday system, I prefer it to when I heard it in the ultra neutral bespoke system. Great value for money too....but not exactly my cup of tea. I will be for others, so its all good.
Its PCM that involves DSD conversion in the mastering chain. Since the demise of the Pacific Microsonics, what pure PCM chain exists? All the Pro gear is delta sigma.
For me magic IS realism and vice versa.
Having said all this, I LOVE PCM too and while I dont bow down to MQA, I welcome it as a viable and credible alternative.
The YGGY is not my favourite Dac, but having heard it in a more everyday system, I prefer it to when I heard it in the ultra neutral bespoke system. Great value for money too....but not exactly my cup of tea. I will be for others, so its all good.
Multibit delta sigma is still PCM, not DSD. This has been explained in discussions on Computer Audiophile by Michael Ritter from Berkeley, and other experts agree. One-bit delta sigma is DSD. So no, most PCM is still mastered as PCM.
Yes, realism IS magic if you look at it that way.
Dr Tone
Banned
That’s a fair analysis as the Devialet was going to poison it anyway. HQPlayer doing it sounded better. Moving on to my current DAC, I still think the HQPlayer conversion does a good job, I’ve done it a bit with the Mirus to test evening the volume disparty with DSD.
Randy Myers
Active member
I agree with Norman. The Yggdrasil has always been intriguing to me, but I am a huge fan of DSD (which I might add I directly blame on Norman who convinced me to try it a couple years ago). Between DSD downloads, DSD64, 128, and 256; and my SACD rips so that I can play them on my server, I now have 275 albums, most of which are my favorites. I personally hear a huge difference.
Yes, I enjoy PCM, and even occasionally a CD rip, but all in all I enjoy DSD much more. Therefore not having DSD in any DAC would be a deal breaker for me. That is not saying anything negative towards those who prefer to stick with PCM. There is nothing wrong with that what so ever.
MQA has been a non-starter for me at this time. Who knows what the future will bring. But, since I currently have no interest in streaming the only thing that matters to me is the best sound I can get on local files (that I can afford), and at this point that is DSD.
Yes, I enjoy PCM, and even occasionally a CD rip, but all in all I enjoy DSD much more. Therefore not having DSD in any DAC would be a deal breaker for me. That is not saying anything negative towards those who prefer to stick with PCM. There is nothing wrong with that what so ever.
MQA has been a non-starter for me at this time. Who knows what the future will bring. But, since I currently have no interest in streaming the only thing that matters to me is the best sound I can get on local files (that I can afford), and at this point that is DSD.
AJ Soundfield
Active member
Yep. Plenty old guys grew up watching too much Batman I guess.
Sound like Dan found himself a winner, though I am a bit concerned by this whole upgraded output stage thing. Was it some big secret? Why was the original not designed this way?
Dr Tone
Banned
Hmmm. I'd be upset if companies didn't learn and evolve their products to sound better. If MQA takes off, things should get more stagnant as we'll need Bob Stuart to evolve digital.
