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

Thanks. Yeah I am getting that squareness too. But there is a hardness. I'm not confusing this with slam btw. Not hearing an etch though, but it was intially a bit strident which has calmed down.

I'm thinking about AOIP cause it would actually be pretty simple to setup in theory, more so than having a Pi. Just connect an ethernet cable from the second port on my mobo to a Dante interface then AES out. I shouldn't have latency issues but...

What do you mean by game through it? So if I have my desktop PC hooked up to a Dante interface and play a video game simultaneously I'll run into latency issues? Even over a gigabit fios connection?

 

He means if you run your gaming audio through the Dante into your DAC you’ll create a delay.

 

Last time I tried it bothered me with movies if I didn't adjust for it in vlc, and with games it's even more noticeable.

Its possible that much of it was in the virtual soundacard software and has been improved, if anyone can give you measurements on that Bob can.

Personally I find it's best to use USB or toslink from mobo or sound card for games and everyday shit, and aoip/sbc transports for when you just want to music.

Some things are just better at certain tasks.

 

Why not just buy an AES capable soundcard?

 

Yep that's what I am doing now. I have one USB DAC for games and other computer apps. Then C2/Yggdrasil for music playback only. So I should be good to go, just wonder about latency.

I don't have an extra PCI slot. I would need some kind of external case or whatever. I saw songmic was selling something like that but it uses Thunderbolt 2 which isn't compatible with USB-C so that won't work.

 

Same results as an sbc or AOIP, same price or higher, and now you can't turn off your pc if you only want music.

Personally I don't think they're a winning proposition anymore unless you actually use the pro-audio features they come with, but sure, it's an option.

USB-C can carry thunderbolt, but adoption in the pc space has been minimal, outside of laptops - tb-to-hdmi is real easy so it let's them save space since they don't need a dedicated hdmi out anymore.

 

Today my Digigram VX222V2 PCI AES soundcard arrived. I have put it in my PC and did some listening tests already. There is quite a difference in sound compared to USB and SPDIF coax. AES sounds more upfront, faster, more edgy, more dynamic and lively and has more details. Less muddy and veiled. SPDIF coax sounds smoother and softer and for easy listening it's a good option alltogether. For POP and Rock AES sounds better.
In my system there is no muddiness left with AES. More bite and it would get slightly harsh.
Someone here or at HF described the AES input as "more relaxed sounding". Definately not the case in my system.
One thing that bothers me is the Windows sound driver of this rather old model. It supports only 16 bits/48khz max. The ASIO driver supports 24Bit/48khz but I cannot use it with my configuration. I can live with 48khz but 16bits is a bit outdated... I am thinking about getting the up-to-date VX222e version for PCIe. It might even sound better than the card I have now.
@Riotvan Can you confirm the Windows driver of VX222e supports 24bit/96khz ?

 

interesting... this was A1:


@Buddha1979 Are there isolation transformers* (right at the spdif output) on that AES soundcard? I have a running theory on that.

*commonly called galvanic isolation, they look like this:

 

You need the PCIE ethernet accelerator card to guarantee low latency performance. That costs over a thousand from SSL, Focusrite, and others.

 

Yep it does 24bit 192khz under Win10 and Fedora 31. Regarding sound being different between the two cards i cannot say. I did have both the Lynx Aes16e and the v222e and i preferred the latter. The lynx was a bit muddy/glossed over in comparison. The Digigram is never harsh to my ears though but perhaps for your preferences the Lynx is an option?

 

Right, it was something like that when I looked into it, which is why I spent that money on an rpi streamer for music and a pcie creative card for games, and bought a set of snow tires and other car accessories with the left over

 

I don't know. There is a square part near the digital output section which I cannot identify.

You are using the ASIO driver. I mean the Windows driver - I think it is called Directsound Driver ? Can you please check in Windows under System Settings->Sound->Playback->choose the Digigram card->Advanced and there you should be able to choose 24bit/96khz. Sorry I do not exactly know how each menus are called in English Windows, I am running a German version.
I like the dynamic Digram AES sound. For a smoother presentation I can switch to SPDIF Coax Out.

 

I bought songmic's Lynx card and I'm using the thunderbolt 2 case with a thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 adapter plugged into an NUC's USB C port without issue.

 

Yep it does it all up to 24/192Khz. But for playback you want asio or wasapi to bypass the windows mixer.

 

Okay here we go! Ha! Being a pro musician funds do not allow me purchase and compare similiar stuff. (Though I have compared it to my Modi & DIY Dac with transformer outputs)
So you can write me off now. But wait, being a pro musician I play out numerous times a week with actual instruments as my reference point. The real thing baby. The instruments to my ears. Analogue to analogue conversion there I’m always looking for the best bang for buck stuff that sounds most natural and lifelike. I’m one of the rare audiophile musicians. Remember there are many variables (as you know) in the chain that affect the sound of the Dac. Cables, transport, etc. Yes audiophile nervosa, but it’s a fun hobby and Superbestaudiophilefriends is a great site to express our perceptions.
Anyone in the northeast Tri-state area is welcome to stop by my place with their Dac to compare, I’ll even provide food! Didn’t mean to derail the thread. Back to the normally scheduled Yggdrasil program!

 

Not sure musicians being audiophiles are rare. I play out several times a week with real instruments too, analog to analog baby what do you know were both special.

 

Thanks mate, that is what I was hoping for. Another option would be the Digigram VX222HR for the PCI bus, which has been discontinued recently. It is rated 24bit/192khz and comes with a Windows 10 driver. I am pretty sure it supports the same formats as the VX222e as it works with the same driver number...
I cannot use ASIO, I need Equalizer APO to correct the frequency response of my broadband speakers and it is only compatible with Windows sound drivers.

 

Well maybe if you max out the volume and set the windows sample rate to the same as the music file you're playing windows won't do any resampling but i'm not sure. Seems cumbersome but i guess that's why you might want more options for high res files. You might be better off doing eq further down the chain though, i do not trust the windows mixer. I use a minidsp studio for eq/crossover and find it very transparent but the integrated volumio streamer is a bit shit sometimes(Qobuz) or all the time(network playback) but i use the Digigram for files anyway.

Another option now that i think of it is Jriver and use the integrated EQ and feed asio/wasapi from there.

 

Equalizer APO is convenient with it's 30 bands and it allows to integrate Steinberg VST plugins into the audio stream. I use 2 VST plugins to improve and shape the soundstage. It all works really well.
Equalizer APO does not have a sound of it's own. If it is enabled or all sound enhancements are disabled - the sound quality is pretty much the same. Windows 10 sound kernel is not that bad anymore. It was bad in the past with Win XP for example - I always used ASIO and it sounded so much better.

 

Ah didn't know it supports VSt's now, thats pretty cool. Jriver can do the same though and you can install Equilibrium there which is pretty much the best software EQ i've heard and used. It's pricey though but they also have a cheaper cut down version which i have not tried. Windows 10 might be better but i still don't trust it and even if it was good i would never use windows as my main os due to other reasons.

Don't mind me though i'm just set in my ways

Edit this is going a bit off topic maybe one of the mods wants to put this somewhere else.