[manpowre]

   
Ha, yes.. OK, now that you've put it that way...
 
First of all, let me preface by saying that IMO the ideal digital converter, de-crapifier, re-clocker, what have you... should not sound like anything.  It should do it's job then get out of the way of the source gear upstream - much in the way that a high quality DAC should as well.
 
Of course we don't live in an ideal world, and our audio electronics, cables etc. all have at least some level of sonic colouration to them.
This is neither good or bad; sure it's not the ideal, but it is what it is. 
 
The Mutec MC3+ USB is a digital converter, de-crapifier, and re-clocker all rolled into one nice little package.
Does it meet my ideal?  Well no... it has it's own character like anything else, but it does come as close or closer than any similar piece of equipment I've heard. 
Where I think the Mutec excels - especially so for me -  is in the details.  Literally...  I am very sensitive to sibilance in vocals and any sort of "fuzziness" around the edge(s) of micro/macro details in a recording - in other words electrical and digital noise. 
 
I mean, were talking the last 1% or 2% level stuff here...   The stuff most people generally don't hear or don't particularly care about.
For me though it has always stood out as an ugly little wart on the side of USB audio playback, something I've been trying to defeat for years.
 
The Mutec is the first solution that I've heard that has actually dealt with the USB noise issue so well that it's no longer a problem for my tender ears.
 
So how well does it pair with the Yggdrasil?  Well IMO, it's breathed new life into it... If anything it has shown me just how good Yggy really is and how reliant it is on what's upstream "getting it right"  (cue: Mike Holmes).
 
I really like that about the Yggdrasil, it gets out of the way of the signal path in only the way the best DAC's can, and it shows you what's going on with your upstream gear.  The cleaner the signal you send it, the better it will sound. It's very rewarding that way - but also very costly to ones bank account

.
 
 
So yeah, the Mutec is a cracking piece of kit as far as I'm concerned. 
I found it took a good 2-3 weeks (powered on 24/7) to fully settle in, so if you get one, do give it some time before fully judging it on its merits.

Exactly the same with the Intona galvanized USB isolator that has 2 print boards, one for each side, and galvanized chip between the two print boards. Each print board is powered by its own unit, so the general purpose USB noise on PC/Mac side stays there and the Intona unit reclocks the packets on the Dac side in conjunction with the dac using a high end oscillator.
 
The Intona unit makes wonder with the sound imaging and details for the Yggy. For me a must to have. 
 
Also the Intona unit protects the unit from the PC/Mac as a power surge on the USB wont reach the dac.

 

[Jamiee]

  Exactly the same with the Intona galvanized USB isolator that has 2 print boards, one for each side, and galvanized chip between the two print boards. Each print board is powered by its own unit, so the general purpose USB noise on PC/Mac side stays there and the Intona unit reclocks the packets on the Dac side in conjunction with the dac using a high end oscillator.
 
The Intona unit makes wonder with the sound imaging and details for the Yggy. For me a must to have. 
 
Also the Intona unit protects the unit from the PC/Mac as a power surge on the USB wont reach the dac.

 
Yup, Intona (or JCAT USB Isolator - same product but with a nicer aluminum case) is well worth the coin if you don't need a digital converter (DDC). 
 
I run the JCAT in front of the the Mutec for an even more potent mix.  The improvement with it is quite subtle, but very much audible.

 

[Jozurr]

Can two inputs be connected on the Yggy at the same time (USB and AES) to effectively do a comparison by switching output on the computer and input on the Yggy?

 

[franzdom]

  Can two inputs be connected on the Yggy at the same time (USB and AES) to effectively do a comparison by switching output on the computer and input on the Yggy?

 
Yes, of course.

 

[hifimckinney]

  Can two inputs be connected on the Yggy at the same time (USB and AES) to effectively do a comparison by switching output on the computer and input on the Yggy?

If I look at your question closely, the answer is 'No' because you will have to select input on Yggy too.

 

[Jozurr]

If I look at your question closely, the answer is 'No' because you will have to select input on Yggy too.

Yes thats what I meant. Have both cables connected, switch output on foobar and input on Yggy.

 

[franzdom]

  If I look at your question closely, the answer is 'No' because you will have to select input on Yggy too.

Look closer...

 

[wink]

 

[Whitetriton]

  Can two inputs be connected on the Yggy at the same time (USB and AES) to effectively do a comparison by switching output on the computer and input on the Yggy?

 
Jozurr,
 
I am able to do this with USB and AES using Foobar by switching between the outputs in Foobar's File>Preferences>Output and then switching the Yggy input (I just tired it on my Windows 7 computer with WASAPI).  One option that I prefer though is to set Foobar to one output and set another music program, I use Media Monkey, to the other.  I can set each program to play music at the same time and simply change the input on the Yggy without having to also change the music programs. 
 
There is a valid argument that adding one additional variable to the chain, the second music playing software, makes comparisons of the end result less valid.  I would generally agree with that for many changes, but if supposedly bit perfect digital outputs of the exact same file, with no EQ, on the same computer in to the same DAC, are appreciably different between two fairly well regarded software players. . .then I will just have to accept that my comparisons don't mean much.

One thing I can't do is get two PCI cards in my computer to output at the same time, one ASUS DG via digital optical and the other AES16 via AES.  When I try, even with what I think are all combinations of exclusive mode, the sound crashes every time and I have to restart my computer to play again.  If anybody has any tips on that I would appreciate it.   

 

[hifimckinney]

 

Look closer...

Yeah...I apologize, I overlooked, I thought he was trying to do something like wherein some DACs have auto detect inputs and it switched to the input that is receiving the signal.

 

[kmp14]

I am hoping it is ok to ask a question in this thread.  So I am considering the Yggy, but I do not have any balanced components in my system.  I would be going from a Raspberry PI3/Hifiberry Digi + pro Coax digital/Yggy/McIntosh MA6500 integrated.  Right now I run a Bifrost Multibit, and I am very happy, but you know how that goes...always chasing "better".  Anyway, is it a "waste" or just not worth the upgrade if not using the balanced outs?  For me $2300 is a decent chunk of change, and 15% restock on that is a big hit, so any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Exidrion]

It's still worth it if you can't use balanced outputs.

 

[kazsud]

It's still worth it if you can't use balanced outputs.

+1

 

[Jozurr]

When I choose a track which has a different sample rate, my Yggy takes a second to switch and the right channel comes in first after which the left channel does. All of this happens in a second, but its annoying. Anyone know any "cures"? This happens on both USB and via AES on the Singxer SU-1.

 

[kmp14]

When I choose a track which has a different sample rate, my Yggy takes a second to switch and the right channel comes in first after which the left channel does. All of this happens in a second, but its annoying. Anyone know any "cures"? This happens on both USB and via AES on the Singxer SU-1.

I know it is normal for it to reset when sample rates change, but not sure if one channel should be slower than the other. I know Roon has a setting to add a small delay designed to solve this very problem.