Schiit Yggdrasil Less is More (and MIL and OG) Impressions + Measurements

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Sep 9, 2021.

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Should SBAF get a loaner Yggdrasil Less Is More?

  1. Yes, please!

    75.4%
  2. Only if there isn't anything else more interesting

    11.5%
  3. No, I would prefer for a loaner an overpriced planar that looks like it's from House Harkonnen

    6.2%
  4. Save up for something better

    6.9%
  1. kee7a

    kee7a New

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    Just wanted to clarify - After switching to AES, LIM sounded more resolving to your ears than OG or more resolving than BNC? Also, did AES help with the congestion? Thanks for the listening notes so far!
     
  2. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    A coupled dumb questions.
    1. does using the XLR output on the LIM and the RCA outputs all at once cause problems? It seems like it would draw more power from the analog section and reduce SQ but I don't know. Is there a difference if only one headphone is plugged into the connected amps at once vs multiple headphones connected to the amps thus creating additional load?
    2. When using a transformer to convert balanced to XLR, the word is that the maximum recommended SE cable after the transformer is 3 feet. Is there the same limit for RCA cables when using the SE output on the LIM? What's the recommended length limit for the SE outputs?

    Thanks!
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I believe he meant AES more resolving relative to BNC using the pi2AES as a source to the LIM. AES has always sounded a bit less lazy compared to the BNC on the pi2AES.

    You can have the RCA cables up tens of feet depending upon quality of cable and how well they are shielded. I've run RCA cables 20-25 feet since I was a kid and never had any problems. XLR is kind of nonsense in the home but audiophiles turned retarded. Hence today we get bad advice and misinformation regarding using RCA in home environments, e.g. ,"Oh, you are asking for trouble if you use RCA 10ft or more". Sure if we line up that RCA cable parallel to an AC lamp cord for a six foot stretch, we may end up with some problems.

    RCA cables past a line level transformer should be as kept as short as possible because this is how the line level transformers were intended to work. They are supposed to be affixed to the chassis of a preamp or amp - not really act as an external XLR->RCA box where some retarded audiophile can use super fancy cables, the kind with screwy capacitance. We want to maintain the impedance of the secondary windings without the influence of whatever cables are added at the end of it. Keeping wires as short as possible is the best way to do this.

    I didn't notice any reduction in sound quality using both outputs at the same time or did I see a difference in the XLR measurements while I loaded the SE outputs into an amp. It's possible that each output could be independent from each other or that the output is robust enough to power both. I didn't take a close look at the board.

    I posted a measurement of the XLR into a difficult "pro" 600-ohm load (most line level loads are 10k or higher) while the SE outputs were fed into a Magni. Basically there was no difference: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...essions-measurements.11391/page-3#post-358718
     
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  4. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    exactly as @purr1n states below. AES out of the Pi2AES sounds better than the BNC out of the Pi2AES. More clarity but I think more resolving as well. I didn’t a/b back and forth but it clearly sounded better.

     
  5. Wojciech Czupta

    Wojciech Czupta New

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    I've just read the whole thread, while switching forth and back between Yggdrasil A2 and Dave&Mscaler. Realizing the latter wins in clarity department, but probably loosing a bit in resolving small details. But I still have no idea which one LIM or MIL is the right for me... if any... very little here on MIL so far.
     
  6. Wojciech Czupta

    Wojciech Czupta New

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    could anyone compare LIM & MIL to Chord? Listening to the last week interview with Jason I expected MIL could be the one, but here MIL is really depreciated and LIM sounds more Chord like. Am I reading this properly?

    The questions is: would MIL be of any improvement over Analog2 and what improvement would that be if any?
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    MIL is sidegrade, a different flavor from Analog 2/OG. Definitely more clarity. I actually don't think it's that bad nor does it sound like ass. In many respects, the MIL is more similar to the CHORD house sound. So it really doesn't make sense if you have DAVE to consider the MIL. Unless you just really want a slightly differentl flavor. Think difference between Camaro SS 1LE vs. Mustand Mach 1. If I had one of them and wanted something else, I would get something different like a Cayman, Supra, or Vette - a something a bit more different.
     
  8. Wojciech Czupta

    Wojciech Czupta New

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    I don't have Dave. It's taken for audition from a local dealer. It is bloody expensive though. I like my Analog2, but Dave made me crave for more clarity. Do you think MIL is the direction? good thing it is on stock. But when I read the thread, It sounds like LIM is really way up.
     
  9. Baten

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    LIM is perfect timbre and cosy which is hard to find these days. MIL is clarity, which is less hard to find these days but since it's Schiit/Yggdrasil, I'm sure it is very palatable and if it's the direction you want, a good choice, too.
     
  10. schneller

    schneller Acquaintance

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    In terms of top-end sparkle, I assume MIL comes out over LIM? Sparkle is nice but I don't want anything fatiguing either.
     
  11. Aklegal

    Aklegal Friend

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    I was hoping to get a little clarity here. The Yggdrasil A2 can sometimes have a slightly u-shaped sound - a very very wide u-shape - but it is u-shaped nonetheless. All of the talk about tonality leads me to believe the LIM is flatter throughout the range just darker on the top end. Is this a fair assesment?
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Perceptual tonal signature
    upload_2021-9-26_17-59-47.png
     
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    Last edited: Sep 26, 2021
  13. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

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    Trying to triangulate - Yggdrasil A1 is closest to Gungnir A2 correct?
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    upload_2021-9-26_19-4-23.png
     
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  15. Aklegal

    Aklegal Friend

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    Holy $h!t the DAC 2541 might be my jam.
     
  16. Wojciech Czupta

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  17. Wojciech Czupta

    Wojciech Czupta New

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    I digged out another pair of XLRs to have instant switch between Dave&Mscaler and Yggdrasil A2. And having A-B comparison I'm amazed how close these DACs are. They sound different but there is no class difference between them. It actually shocking if one consideres the price difference. Or maybe my ears don't work today as they should.

    I think I'll order both LIM and MIL to have some fun.
     
  18. artur9

    artur9 Facebook Friend

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    My speakers have that downward tilt same as the LIM.
    Would combining them be too much?
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Depends upon amp. I think you will be OK. The LIM isn't rolled and remains energetic. All my current speakers are tilted downward in some degree. Some roll off early in the last octave. Others have a BBC dip in the upper mids. This is with slightly warm amps too.

    I think the main synergistic concern is the transient response. The LIM isn't zippy or square in the highs. As such, I don't think it does slower/rounder speaker/amp combinations any favors. I exclusively run speakers (all my own designs) which are super efficient with light surrounds. A bit of overshoot, a bit of time for them to settle, but fast attacks.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    When I find the EPROM chip. It fell somewhere under my desk. The cat could have eaten it.
     

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