[ciphercomplete]

At the time I had the newest firmware, but the Amanero board was released months after I sold mine. I didn't use the M7s USB input anyway. I installed the I2S/HDMI board and used the CI Audio transient mkII for USB to I2S conversion.

 

[i019791]

  Reports on the M9 + Yggdrasil combo? Enough bass and soundstage?
 
I also used to have the Lite DAC-83, so a rusty memory comparison of that to the Yggdrasil would be interesting to hear for me. I've had my sights on the Yggdrasil for a bit and am trying to get some good comparisons to help better understand what to expect of it. Much appreciated if you can.

Enough bass and "soundstage" (with Sennheiser HD800 and Hifiman HE500) for me.
Very neutral, resolving and faithful to the recording, bests my previous combo Audio-gd SA-1 + Violectric V200 by a generally small margin in every area, excepting tonality (Audio-gd SA-1 is beautifully colored to my ears). 

 

[Rossliew]

When one says neutral sounding, is it akin to having a flat EQ?

On a separate note, can anyone share experiences between the M9 and GsX Mk 2?

 

[Shini44]

When one says neutral sounding, is it akin to having a flat EQ?

On a separate note, can anyone share experiences between the M9 and GsX Mk 2?

ops wrong link
 
here is the right one ^^
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-gd-master-9-preamp-headphone-amp/reviews/10414

 

[Rossliew]

  ops wrong link
 
here is the right one ^^
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/audio-gd-master-9-preamp-headphone-amp/reviews/10414

Thanks, dude!

 

[Timmitus]

Does anyone here run the M9 with Yggy? I read something about ADG amps shorting to ground and tripping the Yggy fault protection.

 

[Benny-x]

  The Yggy's bass is amazing.  Deep, precise and detailed.  The M9 does nothing to it.  The only limit to how good this pairing would sound bass-wise is the headphones you are using (I'm certain I am hearing the limits of what my two pairs of headphones can do).  The combo is extremely good with my speakers. 
 
Soundstage: I mostly listen to speakers so "soundstage" with headphones is sort of confusing to me because there is no crossfeed. But the Yggy+M9 often spook me - certain instruments (recordings) sound cues often seem to be coming from beyond the headphone housing.  Are you asking about how spacious it sounds in general or whether there is good instrument/detail separation?  Spaciousness depends on the headphone imo (which is why I seem to always have a pair of AKGs around).  As for detail separation or whatever, the Yggy/M9 puts gobs of space between instruments/vocals etc.  Again, the Yggy/M9 offer both a very deep and wide soundstage when I am listening through speakers. 
 
I like the DAC-83 but I liked the Audio GD M7 better.  IMO the Yggy walks over the M7 as I had both dacs in house for a month before selling the M7 mid last year. No regrets.

Thanks Cipher. 
 
That's all great feedback on the Yggdrasil. Hopefully some time down the road I'll get a chance to hear one. Maybe I'll even have to buy one to see how it auditions in my home set up.
 
I have also recently come into the world of speakers, but yes, the soundstaging I was asking about was on headphones. Spaciousness is about headphones, you're right. I guess I was asking that comparatively the Yggdrasil/M9 combo didn't detract from anything there, which you have confirmed. 
 
I liked the smoothness of the DAC-83 and I still think it's build quality was fantastic. I loved those enclosures and the outboard PSU. I didn't however like the bass presence of it in any way. There was no feeling down there. So, off it went. My PWD MkII has filled in that void quite nicely, but I always wished I'd somehow had an M7 on hand to compare the 2. The M7 was the other DAC I was looking at the whole time and availability finally settled the question for me. If you, and many others, figure the Yggdrasil tops the M7 in any regard, then I'll probably find a way to get that in house first before the M7. I'd still like to have a listen to the M7, it's been on my radar for about 3 years now. I remember back before the Ref 7.1 when the Ref 7, 8, and 9 were around and people used to discuss which they thought was the king of Audio-gd sound. 

 

[Benny-x]

  Enough bass and "soundstage" (with Sennheiser HD800 and Hifiman HE500) for me.
Very neutral, resolving and faithful to the recording, bests my previous combo Audio-gd SA-1 + Violectric V200 by a generally small margin in every area, excepting tonality (Audio-gd SA-1 is beautifully colored to my ears). 

Thanks for reporting in as well. 
 
I don't doubt the Yggdrasil, but I do wonder about the M9 being almost too neutral. I've got a Phoenix now and sometimes I feel it's almost taking some of the tonality or colour away from the PWD MkII. I'm not a ----DEAD NEUTRAL---- kind of guy. I like a little masking, a little emotion, a little euphoria in my music. I'm listening to be taken away and get my foot tapping, not to study the music. Because of this I have some plans for recapping and swapping some parts in the Phoenix which I've read adds some of what I'm looking for. If not then I'll be on the hunt for something else. 
 
Any thoughts on whether you think think it's the Yggdrasil vs. the SA-1 that's taken the colour out of your music or the M9 vs. the V200?

 

[citraian]

Does anyone here run the M9 with Yggy? I read something about ADG amps shorting to ground and tripping the Yggy fault protection.

I do. Yggy is protected from input shorting from what they said so you should be ok

 

[dan.gheorghe]

Does anyone here run the M9 with Yggy? I read something about ADG amps shorting to ground and tripping the Yggy fault protection.

Hello Timmitus. I had Yggy with M9 for review . I did not have any problems, but I have been careful not to switch inputs or power off m9 while doing the tests. I had a friend that burned a theta v with an agd amp, so I knew what I was getting into. I also bought a Master 10 recently and told Kingwa not to apply short on inputs. You can choose this option if you want.
 
He said it wouldn't affect the performance of the amplifier if you just use one input at a time, but if you have more connected and the other inputs have signal, you will loose some quality from channel crosstalk. I chose without the shortage and I am using one at a time.

 

[i019791]

  Thanks for reporting in as well. 
 
I don't doubt the Yggdrasil, but I do wonder about the M9 being almost too neutral. I've got a Phoenix now and sometimes I feel it's almost taking some of the tonality or colour away from the PWD MkII. I'm not a ----DEAD NEUTRAL---- kind of guy. I like a little masking, a little emotion, a little euphoria in my music. I'm listening to be taken away and get my foot tapping, not to study the music. Because of this I have some plans for recapping and swapping some parts in the Phoenix which I've read adds some of what I'm looking for. If not then I'll be on the hunt for something else. 
 
Any thoughts on whether you think think it's the Yggdrasil vs. the SA-1 that's taken the colour out of your music or the M9 vs. the V200?

It is clear to me that the color was due to the SA-1. M9 is to my ears only slightly more neutral relative to the V200.
Have you tried  using the PWD + Phoenix combo single end all the way ? 

 

[Benny-x]

  It is clear to me that the color was due to the SA-1. M9 is to my ears only slightly more neutral relative to the V200.
Have you tried  using the PWD + Phoenix combo single end all the way ? 

Interesting, I thought the V200 was characterized as a "warmish" amp? Anyway, I get your point.
 
And no, actually, I haven't run the setup single ended yet. I don't even have single ended interconnects... I moved right before I bought this gear, so I'd sold off everything from my old setup and didn't have any extras laying around. Things like interconnects I had to buy. I'm not sure if I'd like to try it to find out, though. I guess I should, some day. 
 
I have tried the Phoenix single ended from a 1/8"->2 RCA cable from my old phone. It made music. I don't remember what I really thought of it because I was trying to test if the speakers functioned fine or if they'd been damaged on the trip here. Fcku I hate Air America. I WATCHED them manhandle my speakers through the window... Anyway, I can say that it sounded better that was than through the USB input coming from my iMac. I also hate that as a source! The Windows 7 laptop is much more engaging. 

 

[Zoom25]

Read through the entire thread yesterday. Was considering BHA-1 for sometime. Now decided to consider the GS-X, but remembered the Master 9 exists as well. I think I'm going to get one for my HD 800. The Master 9 will be better as they have a remote for controlling the headphone and pre-amp for active monitors. I think the remote is the icing on the cake.
 
One question, is the light on the screen on at all times or does it dim after a while etc.?

 

[Articnoise]

  Read through the entire thread yesterday. Was considering BHA-1 for sometime. Now decided to consider the GS-X, but remembered the Master 9 exists as well. I think I'm going to get one for my HD 800. The Master 9 will be better as they have a remote for controlling the headphone and pre-amp for active monitors. I think the remote is the icing on the cake.
 
One question, is the light on the screen on at all times or does it dim after a while etc.?

 

 

Edit;http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-9/Master-9EN_Use.htm 

 

[Zoom25]

   

 

Edit;http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-9/Master-9EN_Use.htm 

So order with:
 
- dimmable display
- not short the inputs
 
Anything else I can customize to make it better?