[acguitar84]

Yes.

If there's a most cost effective upgrade from an Yggdrasil A1 to anything else, I don't know what it is.

Are you still using the A2? (hope it's ok to ask, I've learned a ton reading through this thread and just wondering about life after Yggy so to speak)

 

[Torq]

Are you still using the A2? (hope it's ok to ask, I've learned a ton reading through this thread and just wondering about life after Yggy so to speak)

Nope.

Chord Blu Mk2 -> Chord DAVE is my primary DAC at the moment. With a Chord Hugo M-Scaler -> Chord Hugo TT 2 as my secondary DAC. With a Linn Klimax DSM (Katalyst) in my speaker rig.

And of course it's okay to ask.

 

[quanghuy147]

Thank you all for your input.

I have just tried to ordered the A2 upgrade on Schiit website. However, I couldn't get around the shipping option. Because I live in Socal so I want to drop off/pick up my Yggy instead of shipping them. It seems that Schiit website does not support that option. I just sent an email yo ask them about that.

 

[bacobits]

Ahh cool. Call on Monday. Laura was always very good to help with things there.
I think it's a wise choice for the upgrade. I have had the Yggdrasil (upgrade last year) 3 years now and it ain't going anywhere!
Besides what would I go for next? Different maybe, better not necessarily.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Nope.

Chord Blu Mk2 -> Chord DAVE is my primary DAC at the moment. With a Chord Hugo M-Scaler -> Chord Hugo TT 2 as my secondary DAC. With a Linn Klimax DSM (Katalyst) in my speaker rig.

And of course it's okay to ask.

I've missed a lot over the years, but you switched to the DAVE over the Yggy? If I recall, you felt they were about the same giver or take in the performance but the gap in price was the deciding factor. The M-Scaler tipped the scales, so to speak?

 

[Torq]

I picked up a DAVE a bit over a year-and-a-half ago. Lots had changed at that point. I wanted one DAC, not two (Yggdrasil + Spring DAC KTE/L3). I didn't particularly want a dedicated solid-state headphone amp, but there were still times I didn't want/need to fire up the tube-amp. I had a strong desire for something more compact, overall. And I got it, new, for about the same price as they're usually seen used.

Shortly there-after I also stopped giving a toss about "value".

I still think that Yggdrasil, especially the Analog 2 version, is a superlatively enjoyable DAC and is very hard to beat (it's also the only DAC I've ever owned two of, at the same time). I can't think of anything that does so, for me, even for two or three times it's MSRP. Most of the "new since I stopped doing this thread" stuff has left me relatively cold, and most of the "giant killers" I've felt have been, at best, significantly-over-hyped. Though, of course, personal preferences and overall system-synergy play heavily here.

The addition of the M-Scaler, which was just earlier this year for me (it was only the last few weeks that I went for a Blu-Mk2 ... which was more about aesthetics vs. the Hugo M-Scaler that I had first ... long/boring story), elevated the DAVE further. And at that point I felt it had become the best overall digital replay I'd heard (even vs. my Linn Klimax DSM (Katalyst) and/or the big dCS stack), without needing to further qualify the statement.

So, in short, "yes".

 

[bigfatpaulie]

I picked up a DAVE a bit over a year-and-a-half ago. Lots had changed at that point. I wanted one DAC, not two (Yggdrasil + Spring DAC KTE/L3). I didn't particularly want a dedicated solid-state headphone amp, but there were still times I didn't want/need to fire up the tube-amp. I had a strong desire for something more compact, overall. And I got it, new, for about the same price as they're usually seen used.

Shortly there-after I also stopped giving a toss about "value".

I still think that Yggdrasil, especially the Analog 2 version, is a superlatively enjoyable DAC and is very hard to beat (it's also the only DAC I've ever owned two of, at the same time). I can't think of anything that does so, for me, even for two or three times it's MSRP. Most of the "new since I stopped doing this thread" stuff has left me relatively cold, and most of the "giant killers" I've felt have been, at best, significantly-over-hyped. Though, of course, personal preferences and overall system-synergy play heavily here.

The addition of the M-Scaler, which was just earlier this year for me (it was only the last few weeks that I went for a Blu-Mk2 ... which was more about aesthetics vs. the Hugo M-Scaler that I had first ... long/boring story), elevated the DAVE further. And at that point I felt it had become the best overall digital replay I'd heard (even vs. my Linn Klimax DSM (Katalyst) and/or the big dCS stack), without needing to further qualify the statement.

So, in short, "yes".

Interesting and good to know. Out of curiosity, have you spent much time with the MSB Select?

 

[Torq]

Interesting and good to know. Out of curiosity, have you spent much time with the MSB Select?

Enough to know that it wasn't something I considered to be better, just different.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Enough to know that it wasn't something I considered to be better, just different.

Thanks for letting me know.

That's a heck of a DAVE+Blu endorsement considering the cost difference

 

[Torq]

That's a heck of a DAVE+Blu endorsement considering the cost difference

The only thing I've found cost to be a reliable indicator of, in audio, is how much you have to pay for something ...

 

[hikaru12]

Matrix X-Sabre Pro or MQA best both. I have almost your exact same setup (HPA4) and prefer the Matrix over the Qutest and Dac3 which I owned all of them. I seriously don't get the DAC3 hype, yes I bought into it and had one for 6 months.

Can you contexutalize this and explain why? I'm looking at getting the DAC3 as my next upgrade from a Gumby. I prefer the detail of D/S DACs paired with a good SET amp to tame any harshness. What did you like about the Matrix that you found lacking on the Benchmark?

 

[neogeosnk]

Can you contexutalize this and explain why? I'm looking at getting the DAC3 as my next upgrade from a Gumby. I prefer the detail of D/S DACs paired with a good SET amp to tame any harshness. What did you like about the Matrix that you found lacking on the Benchmark?

Benchmark is ok, just ok. It's being outclassed by Topping dacs that go for about $500. It's using older chips that aren't as good as what the Matrix and cheaper dacs use. I currently have the Gumby, RME Dac-2, Yggy a2 and the Matrix. The upgrade from a Gumby to a Dac3... ur going to be disappointed. Look around, read other forums, Dac3 is old tech. Look for the Gustard Dacs with the 9038 chips if you want to save a lot of money even over the Matrix.

 

[YooperAudio]

Benchmark is ok, just ok. It's being outclassed by Topping dacs that go for about $500. It's using older chips that aren't as good as what the Matrix and cheaper dacs use. I currently have the Gumby, RME Dac-2, Yggy a2 and the Matrix. The upgrade from a Gumby to a Dac3... ur going to be disappointed. Look around, read other forums, Dac3 is old tech. Look for the Gustard Dacs with the 9038 chips if you want to save a lot of money even over the Matrix.

I went from a Gumby MB to a DAC3, and my experience was the opposite of the stated opinions above. It was no contest - the Benchmark was obviously better, and it wasn’t even close. And some of the statements in the post above are just silly, despite the effort at sounding like the final authority on the subject. But having said this, I may grab a Matrix for an in-home comparison against my DAC3 - could be interesting to see if there is something to the idea of having a complete Benchmark stack to bring out the best with the DAC3. Zero interest (negative interest, actually) in MQA.

 

[neogeosnk]

I went from a Gumby MB to a DAC3, and my experience was the opposite of the stated opinions above. It was no contest - the Benchmark was obviously better, and it wasn’t even close. And some of the statements in the post above are just silly, despite the effort at sounding like the final authority on the subject. But having said this, I may grab a Matrix for an in-home comparison against my DAC3 - could be interesting to see if there is something to the idea of having a complete Benchmark stack to bring out the best with the DAC3. Zero interest (negative interest, actually) in MQA.

I still have the HPA4, great amp but the Dac3 is outdated. Matrix Dac was actually a better fit for the Benchmark HPA4.

 

[koolblue3]

@neogeosnk dont confuse newer chipsets different math for better, the newer math is often made to be able to include the next higher sampling rate options available, whether that be pcm or dsd. For those of us with decades of critical digital listening experience we know that the complete package from input thru processing to output, grounding schemes, power supply and noise suppression are all important , just look at what you get when you move up the Schiit line,