[dnlee480]

Hi guys I see a lot of praise for the new Yggdrasil.  Just wondering how it compares to the Auralic Vega and Berkeley Alpha Dac2 with USB?  I have not heard any of these.  I like the Yggdrasil price better of course.  But am I really get a lot more performance with the Vega or Alpha?  As far as the Vega and Alpha; I'll be purchasing used so all the prices in the end will be somewhat comparable.  For those who had a chance to A/B which do you prefer?  Which measure better?  Thank you

 

[dnlee480]

One thing I have to say is why do these super expensive dacs have hardly any features?  I really like the bluetooth feature on my current Oppo HA-1.  It comes in handy when my fiancé just wants to listen to her podcasts or iTunes via wireless.  She doesn't really care about audio quality as much.  I guess its features vs sound quality.  That is the one thing I'll be missing when I get rid of my Oppo for one of the other dacs.  But for me sound quality is priority number one.  

 

[Insidious Meme]

Super expensive? They haven't even started talking about the 5 figure dollar ones...

 

[coli]

  One thing I have to say is why do these super expensive dacs have hardly any features?  I really like the bluetooth feature on my current Oppo HA-1.  It comes in handy when my fiancé just wants to listen to her podcasts or iTunes via wireless.  She doesn't really care about audio quality as much.  I guess its features vs sound quality.  That is the one thing I'll be missing when I get rid of my Oppo for one of the other dacs.  But for me sound quality is priority number one.  

Because you are buying from small shops (even 1 man operations) instead of large shops.

 

[Exacoustatowner]

  One thing I have to say is why do these super expensive dacs have hardly any features?  I really like the bluetooth feature on my current Oppo HA-1.  It comes in handy when my fiancé just wants to listen to her podcasts or iTunes via wireless.  She doesn't really care about audio quality as much.  I guess its features vs sound quality.  That is the one thing I'll be missing when I get rid of my Oppo for one of the other dacs.  But for me sound quality is priority number one.  

I would keep the HA-1 to do A/B comparisons before selling it. See if you can match levels and ask your fiancé to switch without telling you which one you are hearing. 

 

[dnlee480]

Thanks for the reply.  I honestly, have not been able to tell the differences in dacs.  But I have never done a true A/B test.  I have owned other dacs or built-in dacs like Oppo 105d, Burson Conductor, Schiit Gungnir, Schiit Bifrost, Grace Design M905 & M920.  I don't know if I could really tell a huge difference.  But I have never owned a dac that costs over 2k and performs at a higher reference level...

 

[Exacoustatowner]

  Thanks for the reply.  I honestly, have not been able to tell the differences in dacs.  But I have never done a true A/B test.  I have owned other dacs or built-in dacs like Oppo 105d, Burson Conductor, Schiit Gungnir, Schiit Bifrost, Grace Design M905 & M920.  I don't know if I could really tell a huge difference.  But I have never owned a dac that costs over 2k and performs at a higher reference level...

IMHO: performance is only important if you can HEAR it. I bought the OppoBDP 105D and am muling over trying a different DAC. Audio memory and expectations can really color perceptions and I take someone's perception that A is way better than B with a grain of salt. Bear in mind- it might BE better. That said, I may at some point try the Yggy and it might sound better than my Oppo BDP105D- to me. 
 
 The best I can do it set levels close and rapidly switch between one AMP and another and play short test snippets over and over and over.
I have found preferences that way. For me it is Ragnarok with a close 2nd being my Lyr (with certain tubes), then OppoBDP-105D, Denon DRA636, with my "Natural Sound" Yamaha RX657 bringing up the rear. 

 

[Exidrion]

Thanks for the reply.  I honestly, have not been able to tell the differences in dacs.  But I have never done a true A/B test.  I have owned other dacs or built-in dacs like Oppo 105d, Burson Conductor, Schiit Gungnir, Schiit Bifrost, Grace Design M905 & M920.  I don't know if I could really tell a huge difference.  But I have never owned a dac that costs over 2k and performs at a higher reference level...

Huge difference between Bifrost and Yggy. For sure.

 

[Pidgeon]

Talking about interconnection between Ragnarok and Yggdrasil, what are you all currently using, and what do you suggest? I was thinking about buying a pair of simple Schiit PYST XLR cables:
 
http://schiit.com/products/pyst-cables
 
but I was wondering if these would be on par or not with Rag And Ygg quality.

 

[nicolo]

I would suggest that you get Cabledyne Silver interconnects. A couple of pairs are also available at a large discount on Amazon as of now ($201).

 

[Exidrion]

Talking about interconnection between Ragnarok and Yggdrasil, what are you all currently using, and what do you suggest? I was thinking about buying a pair of simple Schiit PYST XLR cables:

http://schiit.com/products/pyst-cables

but I was wondering if these would be on par or not with Rag And Ygg quality.

Yep, I use balanced PYST cables. Sounds great, I'll never pay $200 for a cable lol.

 

[drez]

Never is along time 

 
 
Edit:  Don't listen to me cables are a massive money pit

 

[dnlee480]

Thanks for the advise. I will be using mainly with my home stereo which consists of Parasound JC2bp and Bel Canto Ref1000m with Salk Soundscape 8. Also, pair with my Bryston BHA-1f and use with my sennheiser Hd800, Audeze lcd 3f, and Beyerdynamic t1 and so on. Not a fan of beats.

 

[Pidgeon]

Yep, I use balanced PYST cables. Sounds great, I'll never pay $200 for a cable lol.

 
Well, I was looking to some cheap, but good quality IC cables to connect Rag with Ygg, but I wasn't planning to spend much money on them. I would buy a decent (and pricey) balanced cable for my headphones, instead. So, it seems that PYST XLR should be perfect as IC cables.

 

[Maxx134]

  I dont see whats the problem and dont agree with that response you recieved from tripplight. ...

Also I assumed the tripplight unit also applies its own filtering as well,

So would they call that a "resistance"?..

So much is so wrong with so many posts previous to this that I hardly know where to start....


1) Power conditioners are for anomalies such as noise, harmonics, voltage variation, hum, etc.  Most everyone is already solved by what is required inside a power supply. ..

2) Surges are completely different and require a completely different solution.  How does a surge that cannot be stopped by three miles of sky get stopped or absorbed by a magic box protector or UPS?  It isn't.
......

A typically destructive surge (ie lightning) can be 20,000 amps.  ....

 Learn how Furman easily manipulates the electrically naive into recommending their magic box.....

 A discussion of power conditioners is completely different and unrelated to another discussion about protecting hardware from surges.

SUPER LONG POST! (Like this one )
So I will respond to a bit what I definitely agree upon.

Some topics to consider.
1- surge protection:
After looking at those videos in last few pages,
I have to agree these companies play on the fundamantal fear of comsumers worring about lightning strikes, when,
Like you say, their "majic box" will Not stop a lightning bolt that traveled thru "3miles of sky"...


2- filtering/ AC conditioners (banks, etc):
Also agree that most good products will actually have a power supply capable to filter out noise crap in line, and deliver the necessary DC power according to its design.
Even if they have their own issues that I will state after, but first,

An example of products playing on consumer fears&lack of knowledge:

In the last Furman video , the guy plugged in a phone charger,
which was a super cheap power supply only meant to charge a battery, not a true component power supply.

So who would plug that crap in next to any audio component like a yggy?

Yet even so, it doesnt matter..
In reality that noise displayed is actually simple in origin.
Its not some complex high frequency or computer generated noises.
Its just a simple cheapo rectfied weak filtered DC voltage rippling at 60hz in same phase as original AC,
So duh, that is just AC(!).

The meter used to pick up the noise (which is obviously amplified),
is actually doing the OPPOSITE of what all power supplys (in any unit) does, which is CONVERT that same 60hzAC, and change it to a nicely filtered & regulated DC...

So One of the videos had a gross misinterpretation of 60hz noise in a monitor which would NEVER happen if functioning normal.



3- isolation:
Last video had alot of techno crap talk about some balanced power topology..
But regardless what topology the "secondaries" are implemented,
That unit still in essence was an "isolation transformer".


I havent seen any videos on what a yggy primarily would actually benefit from,
Which is a UPS for loss of outlet power..