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

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by drgumbybrain, Jan 16, 2018.

  1. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    That would work so long as your amp doesn't clip on a hotter source.
     
  2. Boops

    Boops Friend

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    Is there a reason why adding a converter to the chain is better than just turning up the line stage more?
     
  3. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Friend

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    I've only seen anecdotal evidence of the balanced outs being "better" than the SE outs but even Purrin has said it's not drastic, but he prefers the transformer over staying SE the whole way. The additional gain is just a side benefit, I think. That said, it's a question I'll have to answer for myself at some point if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiousity.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL so true. In the overall scheme of things, the haze is minimal and nitpicking. But nitpicking is what it's all about, especially with the higher-end gear. Read this post (and the thread for context): https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ream-of-consciousness.7000/page-2#post-230218

    It's funny. When we say something good about the Yggdrasil or defend it, we get called Schiit shills. When we say something bad about it, then we are super audio dweebs.
     
  5. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    To be fair we are super audio dweebs. That would be a more accurate name for the site.
     
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  6. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    Are you still running the Yggdrasil via coax for all testing?

    btw check your PM.
     
  7. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    upload_2018-12-1_15-36-57.png

    Say hello to Dorothy for us, tin man.
     
  8. LetMeBeFrank

    LetMeBeFrank Won't tell anyone my name is actually Francis

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  9. musicfirst

    musicfirst Almost 60, supposedly still hears ant farts

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    THAT would Make us SuperBAD! :headbang:
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
  10. musicfirst

    musicfirst Almost 60, supposedly still hears ant farts

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    OK, here goes. Observations from YA2 break-in from day 14 to 16. Thus far, I'm reminded of that old Joke, if you don't like the sound, wait a minute.

    Day 14 sounded like early digital, not 40 year old digital but more like 20. There was a discontinuous to the treble that imparted a slight sand paper coloration to the hi hat on some recordings This is especially evident on the title song of Springsteen's The Ghost of Tom Joad. I thought this coloration was intrinsic to the recording for years, until I heard it on the DAVE, then later on the Fully Cooked YA1. This is not digital glare in the classic sense, as there was no excess of high frequency energy, but what was there was colored nonetheless. (BTW, If you liked/loved Nebraska, as well as Bruce's other Woody Guthrie inspired work, you may well love The Ghost of Tom Joad).

    Day 15 sounded very much the same, however, now there was a very slight smearing through the midrange and treble that did two things. The first was to impart a 'connectedness' to the instrumental lines, This is not a good thing, as it made it much more difficult to switch one's focus between the overall musical presentation and one or more instrumental lines; an area where the FCYA1 was without peer. The second was to lessen the impact of the sandpaper coloration evidenced the previous evening. It was still there, just not as sharply defined.

    Day 16, aka the day of this post, the treble coloration is gone, the overall presentation is sightly warmer and dare I say more polite than the FCYA1, but the resolution is still behind by several layers of glass.

    As for the 'grayness', or mesh noise that some people describe. It is only noticeable on SOTA digital recordings where the noise floor of the recordings drops below that of the intrinsic noise floor of the YA2. This noise is certainly nowhere near as high as analog tape noise, and I don't personally find it distracting, as the alternative can be the unnatural 'inky blacknes' similar to that of early and bad digital, where the performers and the venue can disconnect from the listener. Its a fine balance nonetheless, and I'm sure this is more evident on headphone based systems. However, not an issue for me.

    The Bass is no longer boomy. Still more of a one note wonder, but much better than it was outta the box.This album deserves four stars the cut Renewal five stars.

    Imaging is still substantially improved. Corners are deeper, and stuff is happy to exist outside the speakers. On KOB 24/192 Flamenco Sketches, 'Trane and Cannonball are ethereal in their presence way behind (6 feet) and outside the speakers, if not quite outside the room. Miles and Paul Chambers are center left and center right, both far back but not like the saxes. Bill Evans and Jimmy Cobb occupy the areas of the left and right speakers respectively, but they float around the baffles with no speaker artifacts present. This imaging is the best I have EVER heard and is close your eyes real. The YA2 is without peer in my estimation in this regard, only slightly bettered in the area of image specificity, density and focus by the DAVE and the FCYA1 at this time. I can conservatively say there are at least four easily distinguishable layers in this recording's sound stage, and with the best systems, it is quite easy to visualize each musician occupying his own position both left to right AND front to back if the recording has the necessary spatial information.

    I think there were comments on the imaging of the YA2 being 10 rows back while the YA1 was subjectively much closer. In my opinion, because the front to back separation is dramatically better with the YA2, the 'average' depth is only about 2 rows further back than the YA1.

    In summary, Imaging to die for. Sonically, no longer 'full moon' ass sounding, but there is still plenty of crack showing...

    So I am not worried..(yet). I still recall the literal 'moment of transformation' of my original YA1 at 3+ weeks. I was playing the first cut on Grady Tate's Threesome**** (Renewal*****)..This album deserves four stars the cut Renewal five stars. The cut is just over 8 minutes long, and the system went through a sea change sonically during the playing of this cut, so I am hoping the same thing is to come with the YA2.

    Next report will be either at three or four weeks, whenever fully cooked status is reached.

    All obs done without the Mutec ref10 in the system, as its a new device for me and somewhat of a game changer, even on the YA2 and DAVE... Double MC3+ USBs have been in for the entire journey, so they stay. digital connections are a combination of spdif BNC RCA and and a Wireworld silver platinum starlight 7AES EBU doing the heavy lifting for the last leg to the DAC
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
  11. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    Well stated and explained.

    And I agree with your assessments, and that there truly is more yet to come.

    And I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you notice further significant changes in that + part of 3+, judging by your previous insights above.

    I look forward to hearing your reactions as the Yggdrasil A2 continues to morph.

    Well done!

    JJ
    ps and I have experienced that kind of SQ degradation during extended listening tests before. I call such episodes, TD's (Toilet Dumps) because that SQ is nasty and devoid of any redeeming qualities. Only to 'spring back' into SQ that is stupendous, given a day or 2 or 3… more.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2018
  12. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Y’all are crazy.
     
  13. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    Gungnir Multibit 1 sounded like ass for 2 days, etched and metallic, then smoothed out. Maybe I just don't have the ears but Yg2 warmup never struck as being so drastic.
     
  14. johnjen

    johnjen Doesn’t want to be here but keeps posting anyways

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    But, like isn't that part of the contract to be a 'true audio dweeb'?
    I was sure I read that somewhere, probably on the internet, so you know it must be true.
    hahahahahahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaa a a a a a a

    JJ
     
  15. musicfirst

    musicfirst Almost 60, supposedly still hears ant farts

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    Yes, but we are the GOOD kind!
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
  16. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    I know SBAF blends objectivity and subjectivity, sanity and insanity, but this sort of behavior falls on the far end of the insane side of the spectrum and strikes me as legitimately concerning.
     
  17. musicfirst

    musicfirst Almost 60, supposedly still hears ant farts

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    One man's insanity is another man's genius..
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
  18. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    First, envious of your speakers :p

    Yea, it's just minor, the 1 percent or less at this point. Nothing is perfect, etc. Y2 sounds like music for sure ;)
     
  19. musicfirst

    musicfirst Almost 60, supposedly still hears ant farts

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    In all seriousness, what is sad, at least for me, is that so few people have ever heard a system capable of reproduction the likes of what I'm describing in post 696. I'm an engineer with two degrees and over 30 years of industry experience, but it is precisely that background that has allowed me to come to believe in the truism that one cannot measure everything that one can observe nor can one observe everything that can be measured.

    My system is absolutely capable of reproducing everything I describe. One doesn't need to smoke, ingest, flirt with insanity, or otherwise alter reality in order to hear it. It just does.

    There are more things in heaven and earth, Hands, than are dream't of in your philosophy.

    I invite anyone on SBAF, including and especially Hands to PM me and arrange a visit and hear first hand what I describe.

    Kerry
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
  20. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    So you’re gonna arrange a three week stay so I can listen to claimed changes between days 14 and 16, and everything leading up to that?

    I am no pure objectivist by any stretch, but I gotta draw a line somewhere.
     

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