[alpovs]

I use a Goldpoint SA2X-O to switch Yggdrasil balanced out between a SPL Phonitor-XE and an Eddie Current Aficionado. I use the volume control in the SA2X-O to reduce the high Yggdrasil output level so that the amps own volume controls can operate in the middle of their ranges.

OMG! That's the price of a new Bitfrost.

 

[johnjen]

FWIW I've split the Yggy2's balanced outs between my Yamaha A-S3000 (speaker amp) and Mjolnir2 (headphone amp) using XLR splitter cables (Van Damme IIRC) and noticed no deterioration in sound quality. I also noticed no drop in output level, so if the output level has dropped then it must be in the order of fractions of a dB.

As others have already said it's important that neither amp shorts its inputs when off. I had a Moon headphone amp briefly on demo that did this and it meant I needed to have it switched on whenever I was listening to my A-S3000 otherwise there would be audible distortion.

I got to thinking about your results of not hearing much if any volume shift when you doubled the load to the balanced output.

That tells me that JggyB's analog output is way more capable than I figured it was.

Which is good news all the way around.
So in only some cases (like mine for example) can the volume drop when a 2nd amp is fed the balanced signal.

It depends upon the input impedance's.

JJ

 

[johnjen]

Goldpoint stuff ain't cheap.
But then the gud stuff seldom is.
I'm using a pair of their stepped mono attenuators in my Purp-Amp and while expensive they are less so than 'other' options.

But a $20 set of Y cables is a good way to start out to see if there are any 'issues' and for some they may be perfectly adequate.
They are short and if they use decent connectors etc. that means there is minimal 'insertion loss' so to speak.

Just say'n…

JJ

 

[ToTo Man]

I got to thinking about your results of not hearing much if any volume shift when you doubled the load to the balanced output.

That tells me that JggyB's analog output is way more capable than I figured it was.

Which is good news all the way around.
So in only some cases (like mine for example) can the volume drop when a 2nd amp is fed the balanced signal.

It depends upon the input impedance's.

JJ

A few years ago when I split the single-ended RCA outputs of my Bifrost DAC into two different Yamaha amps, there was also zero detectable signal loss. Back then I was actually expecting a 6dB drop because, not understanding anything about electrical circuits, common sense told me that splitting a signal between two inputs would cut the voltage in half, but I soon discovered that my common sense thinking was wrong!

I still don't fully understand the relationship between output voltage and input impedance, but it seems I've been lucky so far whenever I've split an output between two inputs not to experience any issues.

 

[johnjen]

From my perspective it's about the load the dac sees.
And the rated output impedance the dac can drive.

In your case you had 2 ≈50KΩ loads and it dropped to ≈25KΩ

In my case my tube amp has a 100KΩ load while the The Rok amp has ≈20KΩ (I think if memory serves).
This results in ≈ 9KΩ load.

So in your case you had a ≈50% reduction in Ω but in my case it was a ≈ 90% drop.

The JggyB can handle this load since it was designed to deal with a 600Ω load.
Even so, in my case there is an orders of magnitude shift, while in yours it is cut in half, but it's still in the 10's of KΩ.

Dropping down to ≈9KΩ from 100KΩ represents a significant change in the amount of current needed from the dac and this leads to a much larger voltage drop as a result.

JJ

 

[ToTo Man]

From my perspective it's about the load the dac sees.
And the rated output impedance the dac can drive.

In your case you had 2 ≈50KΩ loads and it dropped to ≈25KΩ

In my case my tube amp has a 100KΩ load while the The Rok amp has ≈20KΩ (I think if memory serves).
This results in ≈ 9KΩ load.

So in your case you had a ≈50% reduction in Ω but in my case it was a ≈ 90% drop.

The JggyB can handle this load since it was designed to deal with a 600Ω load.
Even so, in my case there is an orders of magnitude shift, while in yours it is cut in half, but it's still in the 10's of KΩ.

Dropping down to ≈9KΩ from 100KΩ represents a significant change in the amount of current needed from the dac and this leads to a much larger voltage drop as a result.

JJ

Excellent explanation, it's much clearer to me now, thank you!

 

[johnjen]

JJ
These smilies don't measure up to Schiit…

 

[earnmyturns]

OMG! That's the price of a new Bitfrost.

Sure. I did quite a bit of research and found no cheaper alternative. In any case, it’s less then 10% of the total cost of the gear it connects.

 

[andre dufour]

Sure. I did quite a bit of research and found no cheaper alternative. In any case, it’s less then 10% of the total cost of the gear it connects.

Agreed 100%. 600+$ for a good switch is a great deal if it works well and doesn't mess around with with the other amps and headphones that each cost many times more. To put it into perspective, just the tubes on a 'hi-fi' amp can easily cost thousands of dollars and they are very consumable.

 

[andre dufour]

From my perspective it's about the load the dac sees.
And the rated output impedance the dac can drive.

In your case you had 2 ≈50KΩ loads and it dropped to ≈25KΩ

In my case my tube amp has a 100KΩ load while the The Rok amp has ≈20KΩ (I think if memory serves).
This results in ≈ 9KΩ load.

So in your case you had a ≈50% reduction in Ω but in my case it was a ≈ 90% drop.

The JggyB can handle this load since it was designed to deal with a 600Ω load.
Even so, in my case there is an orders of magnitude shift, while in yours it is cut in half, but it's still in the 10's of KΩ.

Dropping down to ≈9KΩ from 100KΩ represents a significant change in the amount of current needed from the dac and this leads to a much larger voltage drop as a result.

JJ

Hey JJ,

What's with this name of JggyB? Just call it a Yggy2 if you want to give it a unique name!

 

[gefski]

Hey JJ,

What's with this name of JggyB? Just call it a Yggy2 if you want to give it a unique name!

Serial # for original Yggy is A_______, for the 2018 upgraded version is B______.

 

[johnjen]

It rolls off my tongue better, and see my sig lines for a complete list of all my silly nicknames.

Edit: Yeah and what he said ^^^^…
hahahahahahahahaha

JJ

 

[BreadMaster]

@Jason Stoddard We got the Denafrips Terminator and the upcoming Holo May dac at 4K, when will you up your game Schiit?

 

[exdmd]

Have you done a side by side test of the Yggdrasil A2 to the Holo May in a two channel system?

 

[JerryLeeds]

Here is a cheap RCA switch in case anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.com/rolls-SS32-3...5?keywords=rolls+switch&qid=1577888205&sr=8-5