[grokit]

I'm trying to decide on my next DAC. I've heard glowing praises for the Yggy but I don't know if I wanna splurge over $2k and then more money on a transport for the Yggy to get the most out of it. It seems like everything under the $2k bracket can't compare including the Qutest, RME ADI-2, Matrix X Sabre or Element M/X, etc. I personally didn't care for the Gumby - while it was spacious sounded it was way too warm especially coupled with my warm headphones at the time Auteur/LCD 2. I couldn't get the detail I liked with it as I could from a good D/S. It sounded muddy to me - additionally the grey background didn't help. SBAF claims the Gumby is the next godsend around that price tier which sucks because I didn't care for its sound and can't found a good 3D sounding D/S for around it's price.

Should I just spring for the Yggy or is it worth still looking for a middle ground (less than 2K DAC) smooth sounding D/S which would be more up my alley. The more I think about multibit the more I think I actually prefer the sound of D/S (Modi 2 Uber vs the Multibit, etc.) I think having natural sounding headphones makes up for most of the benefits touted by multibit.

In this case you should give a listen to the D/S Gungnir, not the Gumby.

 

[earnmyturns]

Should I just spring for the Yggy or is it worth still looking for a middle ground (less than 2K DAC)

Besides the Bifrost 2 (which I've not heard but has got a lot of positive feedback), one of the Soekris DACs might meet your price requirements. I own a 1541 (currently on loan to a friend). I like it less than the Yggdrasil A2 for speakers, a bit too polite and less expansive stage, but I do like it with headphones, dynamic, detailed, smooth. The built-in amp on the 1541 is pretty good, but I prefer to use one of my several external amps (see my sig for what I have).

 

[johnzz4]

I would suggest considering Benchmark as well.

 

[jp11801]

I’ve owned the qutest, Mytek Brooklyn plus and the Yggy GS and all were excellent dacs. In the end I preferred the Yggy as the one that best presented the music. The chord may have had slightly more micro detail and the Brooklyn is undisputed best value for its multifunction but the Yggy allowed for longer listening sessions with a better connection to the music.

 

[hikaru12]

Why do you think Qutest can't compare? For transparency and detail Qutest is what I'd get under $2K, or DAC3.

I've read that it lacks the dynamics of the Yggy and the Benchmark is too dry - it gets beat out on detail by things like the Mytek or Matrix.

Have you considered the Yggdrasil GS at $1600?

I have not - I've heard the GS is dry because its using the Analog 1 board but it would be more up my alley. I'm looking at the Sokeris 1541 and RME ADI-2 right now or if I go completely off the beaten path - the Holo Spring.

 

[NEXTLEVEL5]

I would just pony up the extra money and get the Yggy A2 and call it a day. It's excellent and end-game for me.

 

[earnmyturns]

I'm looking at the Sokeris 1541 and RME ADI-2 right now or if I go completely off the beaten path - the Holo Spring.

I've owned a Holo Spring KTE 3. Nothing wrong with it and in some ways very engaging, impressionistic, dense rendering on headphones, bringing some extra life to hard-edged solid-state headphone amps. Weird imaging on the speaker system I owned then (Hegel H360 + KEF Reference 1), very wide and too spaced out, compared with the Yggdrasil. In the end, I decided to dial back the dense colors with another NOS DAC (Metrum Onyx), but even that is gone. The two DACs that have survived these explorations are the Yggdrasil A2 and the Soekris dac1541, which in their different ways provide a good balance between dynamics, detail, and tonality without pushing anything too far. They have been a good match to the variety of amps I've cycled through the last few years.

 

[hikaru12]

I've owned a Holo Spring KTE 3. Nothing wrong with it and in some ways very engaging, impressionistic, dense rendering on headphones, bringing some extra life to hard-edged solid-state headphone amps. Weird imaging on the speaker system I owned then (Hegel H360 + KEF Reference 1), very wide and too spaced out, compared with the Yggdrasil. In the end, I decided to dial back the dense colors with another NOS DAC (Metrum Onyx), but even that is gone. The two DACs that have survived these explorations are the Yggdrasil A2 and the Soekris dac1541, which in their different ways provide a good balance between dynamics, detail, and tonality without pushing anything too far. They have been a good match to the variety of amps I've cycled through the last few years.

How are you liking your Soekris? I had a Gumby before and I didn't care for it - felt it was too warm and hazy (this was the A2). I haven't personally demoed the Holo Spring but I've heard a few sound demos and it sounds right up my alley. I'm basically looking for a DAC upgrade from the Gumby with the same or better detail while still retaining musicality. I'm not too worried about the Soekris reports of being too bright as I got some warm tubes to help tame any etch (I'm currently using a Hugo 1 which is considered bright but I don't have any issues).

 

[earnmyturns]

How are you liking your Soekris? I had a Gumby before and I didn't care for it - felt it was too warm and hazy (this was the A2). I haven't personally demoed the Holo Spring but I've heard a few sound demos and it sounds right up my alley. I'm basically looking for a DAC upgrade from the Gumby with the same or better detail while still retaining musicality. I'm not too worried about the Soekris reports of being too bright as I got some warm tubes to help tame any etch (I'm currently using a Hugo 1 which is considered bright but I don't have any issues).

I found the 1541 very smooth, clean, neutral, fairly fast, although not as hard-hitting as the Yggdrasil A2. I'd not call it bright or etched at all, even with a Neurochrome HP-1 headphone amp that does not disguise the highs. This combo worked well with two very different closed headphones, the Dan Clark Audio Æon Closed, and the ZMF Verité Closed. I had the 1541 and the HP-1 with my work office system, but now I'm working from home, where I have the Yggdrasil, because of covid-19 so I lent the 1541 to a friend who is testing some new gear.

 

[sahmen]

I found the 1541 very smooth, clean, neutral, fairly fast, although not as hard-hitting as the Yggdrasil A2. I'd not call it bright or etched at all, even with a Neurochrome HP-1 headphone amp that does not disguise the highs. This combo worked well with two very different closed headphones, the Dan Clark Audio Æon Closed, and the ZMF Verité Closed. I had the 1541 and the HP-1 with my work office system, but now I'm working from home, where I have the Yggdrasil, because of covid-19 so I lent the 1541 to a friend who is testing some new gear.

So why did you let go of the Onyx, if I might ask? I'm personally considering trading up my Onyx for a Sonnet Audio Morpheus, which is the latest from Cees Ruijtenberg, but my Onyx still sounds really nice to me, even when compared to the Yggy A2, and I still need to convince myself that the trade up makes sense, even when I am not seeing any immediate down sides to the sound of the Onyx. Maybe I could learn something from your experience with the Onyx that I am currently not seeing myself? By the way, so far, I have been using the Onyx exclusively on a headphone rig, with a Metrum Ambre. and a Monolith Cavalli Liquid Platinum, and I enjoy it a lot, especially since I added an etherregen to the chain. I still haven't experienced how the Onyx does with speakers, although I have had it for going on to two years now. The Yggy A2 has enjoyed the monopoly in that speakers department for a long time now (even as an A1 and long before it became an A2), and I have either been too busy or too lazy to try something different.

 

[earnmyturns]

So why did you let go of the Onyx, if I might ask?

My old setups had Ambre+Onyx for home office headphone system, Yggdrasil A2 for speaker system, and dac1541 for work system. We moved last summer and for various reasons we got a new all-Linn speaker system in the new house. We compared the left-over Yggdrasil with the Onyx for headphones with several amps, but mainly Phonitor XE and Eddie Current Aficionado, and all-in all the Yggdrasil won. Not by a lot, and mainly for Redbook where the Onyx sounded a bit smeary in lower mids compared with the Yggdrasil. The Onyx did have a lovely fullness in the bass, but not enough to win the contest. I still have a soft spot for NOS in some ways and I noticed the Morpheus, but I won't be rushing to get another DAC unless I hear a lot more about it.

 

[Don Quichotte]

How are you liking your Soekris? I had a Gumby before and I didn't care for it - felt it was too warm and hazy (this was the A2). I haven't personally demoed the Holo Spring but I've heard a few sound demos and it sounds right up my alley. I'm basically looking for a DAC upgrade from the Gumby with the same or better detail while still retaining musicality. I'm not too worried about the Soekris reports of being too bright as I got some warm tubes to help tame any etch (I'm currently using a Hugo 1 which is considered bright but I don't have any issues).

I've heard the Gumby A2 and the Holo Spring in the same system. Holo is the warmer of the two (actually, Gumby A2 seemed quite neutral, maybe even a tiny little bit on the cold side).

 

[hikaru12]

I've heard the Gumby A2 and the Holo Spring in the same system. Holo is the warmer of the two (actually, Gumby A2 seemed quite neutral, maybe even a tiny little bit on the cold side).

What did you have as your downstream equipment? I find that odd but it could have been my system. At the time I had the LCD 2 which is really warm, the AQ Colorado cables which are very warm as well and I was using optical. All three of those as a combination may have swayed my opinion. I do know that NOS dacs tend to be pretty warm but it seems like the Holo has the tonality I would go for. I'm assuming even the Level 1 is more detailed than the Gumby too? Right now I've read a favorable pairing seems to be the the Holo + GSX MK2 as the bright and precise nature of that amp pairs really well with the warm nature of the Holo.

 

[traehekat]

Does anyone have any experience using the Bluesound Node 2i with the Yggy? I have an Auralic Aries but I’ve been having wireless connectivity issues for a long time now and I’m looking to make a change. I’m also interested in any other streamer recommendations for the Yggy. I currently have a NAS with a bunch of lossless and hi-res files, and I’d want to be able to stream Tidal.

 

[Don Quichotte]

What did you have as your downstream equipment? I find that odd but it could have been my system. At the time I had the LCD 2 which is really warm, the AQ Colorado cables which are very warm as well and I was using optical. All three of those as a combination may have swayed my opinion. I do know that NOS dacs tend to be pretty warm but it seems like the Holo has the tonality I would go for. I'm assuming even the Level 1 is more detailed than the Gumby too? Right now I've read a favorable pairing seems to be the the Holo + GSX MK2 as the bright and precise nature of that amp pairs really well with the warm nature of the Holo.

I've heard them both (but not at the same time) in a friend's speakers system consisting of an Exposure 3010 integrated amplifier and B&W 705 standmounts with matching B&W sub. Gumby A2 was more dynamic, exciting, with better contour of the instruments and more texture (at least in the bass, iirc), while Holo (KTE, I think, anyway certainly not level 1 or 2) was more euphonic, had nicer tonality (expecially brass instruments were very enticing), more spacious soundstage, weighty (-er? - not sure) bass and had very smooth and silky but also rolled-off treble. Overall, I think Gumby was a bit more detailed.

Edit: Both me and my friend agreed upon these observations. For what it's worth...