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

Big News:
Schiit "Byggy" is available for preorder on the Schiit site under the upgrades section

Options include:

• Buy a Byggy, keep your current Yggdrasil: $2999
• Upgrade from Yggdrasil to Byggy: $2000 (must come back to us)
• Upgrade from Yggdrasil+ to Byggy: $1500 (must come back to us)
• Upgrade either Yggdrasil+ or Yggdrasil to Singular: $1000 (can be done by us or we will ship card to you)

 

Longtime lurker, first time posting here.

I need some guidance. I’m looking for a DAC to pair with my Icon Audio HP8 Signature. My headphones are ZMF Verite Open, HE1000 Stealth and HD800.

I was originally eyeing a Gungnir OG Multibit but with the upgrade program launched, I am now considering a used Yggdrasil OG A2 w/ Unison or a new Yggdrasil+ GS2.

I am interested in NOS which I believe the OG A2 doesn’t offer?

 

The Yggdrasil+ chassis does have a button to switch off oversampling, basically engaging NOS mode. However, you should buy a piece of gear for how it sounds, not for a particular topology like single-ended vs balanced, OS vs NOS etc. The OG and GS2 are both designed for OS with a very special "closed form" oversampling filter (meaning no information is lost), however, ime NOS can be good if your digital source is very clean.

I am not familiar with your amp. What dac are you currently listening with? What do you hope to improve? You will get better recommendations if you tell us your preferences and what you want to achieve/are currently dissatisfied with.

Also, beware of disappointment after dropping big money on a DAC due to poor source. It is important to pay proportional attention to each part of the chain.

 

Here is a link to the amp (https://iconaudio.com/headphone-amplifier-hp8-mkii). It is a beloved amp in the ZMF circle. I am currently using the WA7 Amp/DAC for one chain and a Centrance Dacmini CX with my HP8. As you can tell, I don't have any particularly strong DACs.

My sources vary but none are particularly great. Most of my listening is using my Macbook Pro M2 or Apple TV using Apple Music. I do occassionally listen to Vinyl using a vintage Thorens TD126 MKii. I highly doubt I will improve my sources in the future.

I am looking to improve on clarity, detail, and dynamics. Keeping proportion in mind, am I overreaching going for a yggdrasil?

 

My interpretation of the fine print is that buying the used Yggdrasil A2 would not give you access to the early adopter program. I believe it has to have come from Schitt or have a major upgrade done by them. So based on that (and the fact that it's a fine DAC overall), I would get the GS2.

I also hate to say, but I've auditioned the Dacmini in the past (it was a Cable Company loaner, back when they had one) and I just remember it sounded...dead. It's a pretty ancient design. I think even a Modi Multibit would fare way better than it did. Treat yourself to an Yggdrasil!

FWIW, I have seen effectively nothing positive about NOS on the Schitt DAC's. And I've looked hard for it! I think it's just a bonus. The meat and potatoes is the OS with the filter.

 

I think you are right about NOS on Schiit and I should probably just cross that off my list of Schiit considerations. You are correct about a used A2 not being eligible for the upgrade list but Schiit did say the upgrades will be available to everyone once they get through the queue. No idea if the cost will be the same.

I totally agree about the Dacmini. It is dead. The only reason I have it is because it was given to me. The WA7 DAC isn't terrible, but it isn't great. This led me to the Orchid, Gungnir OG/2 and Yggdrasil OG/GS. Initially I was going to get the Orchid as I found some great used deals but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to deal with tube rolling on a DAC. So, this led me back to Schiit.

It is difficult to choose between the Gungnir OG Multibit options and the various Yggdrasil. For future clarity, I have my sights on a ZMF Caldera and DNA Starlett for my second chain with the WA7tp, HD800 and HE1000 likely being sold.

 

I too would give the nod to the GS2. It has better dynamics, and some (including myself) give it the edge in detail too. Yoiu can read many impressions and comparisons in this thread.

 

Thanks for the guidance. The GS2 does seem like the logical choice. Can anyone comment on the Blackground of the Gungnir 2 and GS2?

 

The Yg GS2 (A1 boards) is not the inkiest. However, I don't think this should be the sole area that you should consider. It's very capable, and upgradeable (see other discusion on Byggy). The Gungnir 2 should also be upgradeable, but the upgrade path might be more limited in the future due to size. With that in mind, the GS2 is big (Gungnir is shorter and less deep, but just as wide).

 

You can tease blackground out of A2 and A1, which are both pretty grey vs. LIM or MIB, with component matching and/or power conditioning pretty easily, IME. The greyground for them is also not the kind of thing you notice unless you directly A/B with something with more blackground, and the detail forward/sharp attack qualities vs. a lot of other pieces that do have more blackground (LIM) tend to make up for it.

 

I'm in the camp where I'm starting to notice the grey-ground thing, but it's almost a complete nonfactor. I've seen discussion here that suggests the blackground actually covers up microdetails in the notes to a degree, whereas the greyground tends to leave them more intact and, even without a proper A/B on the other Yggys, I'm inclined to lean in this direction.

 

Similar to TVs, "black crush". This is great info and something I have been looking into as I research the Pontus 15, various Yggdrasil offerings, Gungnir 2 and MHDT and Metrum offerings.

 

Yeah, the “grit” some people describe from the Analog Devices chips in A1/A2 probably is kind of the opposite of black crush. It’s how that kind of front row-ish (relative) front to back staging sort of pushes forward detail/plankton in a emphatic way versus LIM, eg, where the blackground (black crush) leads to a situation where you’re more rows back but some of that detail may not “reach” you. Something of the nature.

 

My Yggdrasil A2 has been running for two weeks now, and I feel it’s fully settled, so I thought I'd share some impressions.

My music library is 90% classical, so timbre is absolutely the most important factor to me. Here’s the chain of my system:
JPLAY Dual PC → Musiland 03USD DDC → DAC → Holo Serene → Linkwitz ASP v2 → Purifi 1ET6525SA x8 → Linkwitz LX521.4



My previous DAC was the Topping D90. However, I couldn’t get used to its tonal balance. It consistently felt as if an overexposed, over bright picture, and presented a flat soundstage. I also tried the Mola Mola Tambaqui, but its overall tonality is disappointing to me. Later, I came across several threads of Yggdrasil here. After some digging (there really are so many variants), I suspected the A2 might align with what I’m looking for, and it turns out I was right!
Here are a few “wow!” moments from recent listening sessions:



Dukas - Piano Sonata in E-flat minor, 4th Movement
From the very first chord, I knew "Bingo"! The opening four chords were richly layered and harmonically dense; the vibrations of the piano strings felt lifelike and three-dimensional. With previous DACs, those chords sounding more like single notes.



Debussy - Suite Bergamasque
A good system should at least reproduce a soundstage that extends well beyond the width of the speakers, and preserve the tonal differences between instruments. In this piece, the instrument on the left should have a bright, bell-like timbre and the one on the right should have a darker, woody tone. Even more impressively with A2, I could now hear the subtle harmonic resonances of the bars themselves!



Chopin - Grand Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22
From 3:15 to 3:35, there’s a rapid passage. Despite the speed, each note remained clearly articulated. And surprisingly, each note retained its own timbral identity. That level of resolution caught me off guard.



Shostakovich - Piano Trio No. 2, 1st Movement
In the opening violin solo, I could hear the rosin-textured “scrubbing” of the bow hair against the strings, the resonance of the violin body, and what I believe is the vibration of nearby strings touched by the left hand unintentionally.

Overall, the Yggdrasil A2 brings substantial synergy and a more enjoyable listening experience than my previous DACs. Its timbral accuracy is excellent. The slightly forward imaging and slightly emphasis on the lower mids and bass pair wonderfully with the Linkwitz LX521.4. When placed in a large room in an equilateral triangle as recommended, the LX521.4s produce an wide and deep soundstage, but imaging can feel somewhat laid-back, and the bass, while measuring well, can sound lighter compared to conventional box speakers. The Yggdrasil’s presentation fills in those gaps beautifully.

Honestly, I didn’t expect to be this impressed by a Schiit DAC. I had tried the Bifrost Multibit years ago and found its sound hard to enjoy. The Yggdrasil A2 has completely changed my impression. I expect to enjoy this DAC for a long time to come.

 

Very cool speakers. Thanks for sharing.

 

I recently got a Yggdrasil+ LIM and tried to install the A2 boards and there was no sound. Apparently the earlier Yggdrasil+ productions/upgrades (mine was upgraded to + version in late 2022) had dac board specific ROM chips. Mine had LIM sticker on top of the chip. After I swapped with the original ROM chip A2 worked fine. Schiit said I can buy a universal ROM chip for $35.

 

Yes this information is correct. Although I will only add that most of the Yggdrasil+s have the universal ROM chip, but like yours, not all. I believe this also goes for the GS+s.