If both were good measuring DACs with similar topologies, why would you expect to hear a difference tho? I agree, I would go less expensive in that case because I also have a really hard time noticing any significant difference between my delta sigma DACs... they all sound fine.
Now, the Yggy is indeed a different sound (and preferable to my ears).
Sorry but neither me or experienced friends understood which dac was playing.
True blind test with no-delay switch, there was no difference. One was a cheap SMSL and the other was the yggy.
Sorry but neither me or experienced friends understood which dac was playing.
True blind test with no-delay switch, there was no difference. One was a cheap SMSL and the other was the yggy.
With your HD800S? Well, then I'm jealous.
It was definitely more apparent to me when using my LCD-5's when I had them, but then those are almost too resolving. Still, I've been able to tell a difference with HD800S.
You can take that difference in cash and apply it to transducers instead, which will always be the greatest difference in sound.
Quick A/B comparisons focus attention on frequency response differences (bright, dull, etc.), noise, and other aberrations . In such a test, I’m sure I would have difficulty telling my Modius from my Yggy, both having nicely balanced f/r and black background.
On the other hand, extended music listening to the Yggy over hours and days, brings true timbre, touch, and texture of all instruments, along with the alive dynamic swings and ambience of the (perceived) music event. Easily heard with 16/44 files and non-exotic cans such as Senn’s HD 600. Also easily heard are Modius‘ limitations in this situation.
And since my original Yggy purchase in 2015, my digital front-end remains pretty much the same, while the frequent downstream component upgrades are increasingly rewarding.
On the other hand, extended music listening to the Yggy over hours and days, brings true timbre, touch, and texture of all instruments, along with the alive dynamic swings and ambience of the (perceived) music event.
I didn't believe this when I first heard about the Yggy's needed warm-up time to really sound optimal. But sure enough, it takes several days or more (at least in my opinion/my experience) and the sound does indeed change for the better. Not sure if this is inherent with multibit and R2R dacs. I owned a Denafrips Ares 2 before this, and it was a similar situation where after a certain break in period, it performs way better.
Even after "break-in" R2R/Multibit DACs prefer being warmed up in order to sound their best. I just leave mine powered up unless we're going out of town. The Schiit, Soekris, and Holo Audio that I've had have all been the same - for some its only a couple hours, others couple days or more before they hit their stride.
I was fortunate enough to find a Yggdrasil A2 w/Unison second hand in excellent condition. It arrived only today so I have it on the alternate desk plugged in and warming up and as such have only done some casual listening. I'm hoping that by the weekend it will be sufficiently warmed up so that I can get a decent feel for it with the rest of my setup.
Interesting. So I should never turn my Yggdrasil off for better quality sound. Until some random time when the audio mysteriously degrades, then it does need to be powered off for better quality sound.
I must have gotten a unicorn Yggdrasil years ago - mine sounds great regardless of how long it's been on. I wonder what makes mine special...
Interesting. So I should never turn my Yggdrasil off for better quality sound. Until some random time when the audio mysteriously degrades, then it does need to be powered off for better quality sound.
I must have gotten a unicorn Yggdrasil years ago - mine sounds great regardless of how long it's been on. I wonder what makes mine special...
You should probably experiment for yourself and do whatever you determine is best for your use case, there is no hard-fast rule. I only noted what has been my experience and those of a few folks I know who've had the same but, YMMV.
I will update once the Yggdrasil has warmed up and I get it swapped into the chain the Spring 3 is in, and then give myself time to listen.
I bought the Yggdrasil mainly because I tried a Bifrost 2 I have out with the Oor+Hypsos and I really liked the effect it had with the Susvara, added some extra dynamic energy and that Moffat punch over that of the Spring + Oor + Susvara. I want to see if with the Yggdrasil I can retain that added energy but with better resolution and staging over what the BF2 offers.
I will update once the Yggdrasil has warmed up and I get it swapped into the chain the Spring 3 is in, and then give myself time to listen.
I bought the Yggdrasil mainly because I tried a Bifrost 2 I have out with the Oor+Hypsos and I really liked the effect it had with the Susvara, added some extra dynamic energy and that Moffat punch over that of the Spring + Oor + Susvara. I want to see if with the Yggdrasil I can retain that added energy but with better resolution and staging over what the BF2 offers.
Interesting. I had a pretty similar experience to you. A while ago back when I had a completely different chain, the BF2 was my DAC. I have a different amp, dac, and headphones now, and my current dac is the spring 3 KTE like yours. There was a particular trait of my old chain though that I just loved. I know it’s technically impossible to say precisely which component or combination of components it could have been from, but I just have this feeling that it was from the BF2. So ever since I’ve gotten my spring 3 I’ve really been wanting to get an Yggy to see if I can get back that sound trait frommy old chain. The only thing holding me back is I’m waiting for A3.
Interesting. I had a pretty similar experience to you. A while ago back when I had a completely different chain, the BF2 was my DAC. I have a different amp, dac, and headphones now, and my current dac is the spring 3 KTE like yours. There was a particular trait of my old chain though that I just loved. I know it’s technically impossible to say precisely which component or combination of components it could have been from, but I just have this feeling that it was from the BF2. So ever since I’ve gotten my spring 3 I’ve really been wanting to get an Yggy to see if I can get back that sound trait frommy old chain. The only thing holding me back is I’m waiting for A3.
As owner of OG Yggdrasil, Spring 2 KTE, and May KTE: the Holo DACs in pure NOS are tonally denser but lack the punch and immediacy of Yggdrasil on Redbook material, which is where Mike Moffat's special filter sauce really shines. For higher-res material, I prefer the Holo DACs. For Redbook, use external upsampling for Holo (Roon x2 linear on the Spring 2, some tricky combo of upsampling/SDM on HQPlayer for the May). For one-and-done, OG Yggdrasil is very hard to beat, or at least I've not been able to. Everything I own that I prefer to it for some material is way more complex/more expensive.
I did, but I didn’t know they officially cancelled A3? I’ve been following the streams and news semi-closely, and I don’t recall ever seeing that. I know it’s been delayed due to chip shortages and all the other problems, but I thought it was still coming “eventually”. Do you happen to know where/when they said that so I can see it?
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