[KcMsterpce]

I was debating the upgrade for my Yggy. I just love it so much as it is, I can't imagine it sounding that much better. When I have enough funds accrued, I will probably take the plunge. Just not now. Especially when I have "one more" Big Purchase to make soon. I'll just have to keep chasing that dragon!

Have Yggy2 running now for 72 hours and my main concern it’s a bit dry and dull. This is an upgraded A1. No complaints on anything other than tone.

Like others said, it will take time to "settle" and "get warm".
When I first got my Yggy, I already knew it would take a couple weeks AT LEAST for it to sound closer to expected norms. When I first turned it on, I listened to music on it for a half hour and just wasn't all that impressed. "Wait," I told myself. "Don't freak out."
A week later - after playing music on random the whole time - it started to get less tinny and anemic. There was a little more vitality, and it was beginning to "have potential" to be something great.
After two full weeks of playing music on random, I tried it again. I immediately went "Woah!" and noticed that it really DID sound better than before.
When I had it turned on for a couple months, it had transformed into what may now be my favorite piece of audio gear. That's too tough to say definitively, but it is high on my list of favorites.

Patience, Grasshopper.

 

[the finisher]

Is the plankton some kind of special sauce?

Yes, special Schiit sauce

This thing must be heard on a good speaker setup to really appreciate the amazing soundstage it can throw up.
Headphones are real good but damm, I'm still amazed.

 

[US Blues]

Is the plankton some kind of special sauce?

Nah, it's what blue whales eat.

Plankton may also refer to the finest resolution sonic details brought out by a quality DAC, such as Yggy the Deuce.

 

[Les Strat]

Yes, special Schiit sauce

This thing must be heard on a good speaker setup to really appreciate the amazing soundstage it can throw up.
Headphones are real good but damm, I'm still amazed.

We may soon have a rather tasty Schiit Pie to complement the outstanding Schiit 'sauce'

I don't use headphones, but I am happy to report that the Yggy A2 sounds amazing on my ATC SCM 100 ASL studio monitors.

 

[Drewligarchy]

Ok - everyone that told me to wait is right. After 3 weeks this DAC is special.

I complained previously that it was dull. Boy did that change. The thermal stabilization is dramatic. I am not prone to hyperbole but it’s night and day. I was worried that it was going to be too dark compared to analog 1 - now I think it’s actually slightly brighter but with more body. I actually think brighter is the wrong word as it’s more resolving which leads me to that impression. With a Stax 009 and a KGSSHV Carbon, you have to be careful if you add too much resolution because it’s so resolving as is. This can lead to listening fatigue.

This is the most resolution I’ve gotten with the least fatigue. Tonal balance is better than Dave in this system in that regard. Dave is more resolving, but too much in this system - though it does other things better. I think Dave is a better DAC, but the Yggy is a better DAC in this system. And overall, it’s shocking how close it gets for a fraction of the price.

Need to keep listening to see if fatigue returns. Never did with Yggy 1 but that was not as resolving. If it does, it’s time for a new amp (you’ll pry the 009s from my cold dead hands). For the first time, I don’t feel like I need a new dac to get my 009s to their full potential.

I just have to laugh at the folks at that science forum who refuse to run in the new Yggy. Some people believe in burn in and some don’t, but their is science around the resistors taking time to fully stabilize. I would happily blind test my 3 week run in Yggy with a cold Yggy 50 times and get s 50 out of 50. This is not brain burn in. I may have listened for a total of an hour or two over 3 weeks (and now I’ve listened to it for about 12 hours the past two nights). The sound changes ALOT.

This is good Schiit.

 

[johnjen]

From the sounds of your system and those aspects you mentioned…

Give it another month.
Sometimes it can take as much as 2KHrs and things just blossom, and in unexpected ways.

Yeah I know crazy talk, until you hear it for yourself.

JJ

 

[Drewligarchy]

If slightly off topic I apologize, but anyone have any impressions on how the Freya changes or (completely leaves unaltered) the sound of the Yggy 2?

Only thing I am missing is remote volume control. I listen on my couch - and my headphone gear is in a tall crate and barrel wine rack in my picture.

I have previously used in LDR preamp. Its passive and I had thought it was completely transparent, but its not. Thats not to say its bad. It adds a cohesiveness to the sound at the expense of a little resolution. I have also determined that it can cause listening fatigue in certain setups (009 setup yes, LCD 4 set up no).

I'd love to play with the tubes a bit on the Freya, but am mostly interested in it's passive and/or JFET capabilities as I don't want to change the sound at all: just want remote control volume.

It's backordered at Schiit - so have some time to decide. I can of course go to the Freya thread, but it seems mostly to discuss tubes - but as I'm interested in the passive aspect, and I'm particular interested in how it pairs with Yggy, I've posted here first.

 

[Les Strat]

If slightly off topic I apologize, but anyone have any impressions on how the Freya changes or (completely leaves unaltered) the sound of the Yggy 2?

Only thing I am missing is remote volume control. I listen on my couch - and my headphone gear is in a tall crate and barrel wine rack in my picture.

I have previously used in LDR preamp. Its passive and I had thought it was completely transparent, but its not. Thats not to say its bad. It adds a cohesiveness to the sound at the expense of a little resolution. I have also determined that it can cause listening fatigue in certain setups (009 setup yes, LCD 4 set up no).

I'd love to play with the tubes a bit on the Freya, but am mostly interested in it's passive and/or JFET capabilities as I don't want to change the sound at all: just want remote control volume.

It's backordered at Schiit - so have some time to decide. I can of course go to the Freya thread, but it seems mostly to discuss tubes - but as I'm interested in the passive aspect, and I'm particular interested in how it pairs with Yggy, I've posted here first.

I tried a Freya in my system ( Logitech Transporter -> Yggy A1 -> ATC SCM 100 ASLs).
Personally, I didn't like the tube output at all, and passive seemed flat and lifeless.
JFET output was, to my ears, the most enjoyable, but it was so close to having no preamp, and possibly slightly 'worse', that I didn't keep the Freya.
I have since upgraded my Yggy to A2, so cannot comment on how Freya changes the sound of this fantastic DAC.
I would also be interested in others' experience of Freya with Yggy A2, as I am holding on for Mike's new CD transport, at which time I will need a preamp and Freya is still top of the list

 

[Jose R]

I received a new Yggdrasil a couple of weeks ago. Haven't done any serious comparative listening yet, but, I do use a Freya in mostly passive mode. Sample setup:

Marantz SA-14 > RCA SPDIF out > Zu Audio Event coaxial cable > RCA SPDIF in > Yggdrasil > Balanced Out > Cabledyne Silver cables > Amb M3 Balanced (DIY headphone amp) > HD600, HD800, LCDX (all using Wywires cables).

I know many listeners complain that the passive out of the Freya is "flat" or "lifeless". I just don't hear this at all. Dynamic and detailed is what I get.

When people mention flat or lifeless, I think this implies insufficient system gain structure or lack of current delivery to the drivers.

I also, use small active speakers for movie watching, and again I have no complaints with the passive mode.

 

[KcMsterpce]

Ok - everyone that told me to wait is right. After 3 weeks this DAC is special.

I complained previously that it was dull. Boy did that change. The thermal stabilization is dramatic. I am not prone to hyperbole but it’s night and day. I was worried that it was going to be too dark compared to analog 1 - now I think it’s actually slightly brighter but with more body. I actually think brighter is the wrong word as it’s more resolving which leads me to that impression. With a Stax 009 and a KGSSHV Carbon, you have to be careful if you add too much resolution because it’s so resolving as is. This can lead to listening fatigue.

This is the most resolution I’ve gotten with the least fatigue. Tonal balance is better than Dave in this system in that regard. Dave is more resolving, but too much in this system - though it does other things better. I think Dave is a better DAC, but the Yggy is a better DAC in this system. And overall, it’s shocking how close it gets for a fraction of the price.

Need to keep listening to see if fatigue returns. Never did with Yggy 1 but that was not as resolving. If it does, it’s time for a new amp (you’ll pry the 009s from my cold dead hands). For the first time, I don’t feel like I need a new dac to get my 009s to their full potential.

I just have to laugh at the folks at that science forum who refuse to run in the new Yggy. Some people believe in burn in and some don’t, but their is science around the resistors taking time to fully stabilize. I would happily blind test my 3 week run in Yggy with a cold Yggy 50 times and get s 50 out of 50. This is not brain burn in. I may have listened for a total of an hour or two over 3 weeks (and now I’ve listened to it for about 12 hours the past two nights). The sound changes ALOT.

This is good Schiit.

I'm delighted to "hear" about noticeable improvements in the DAC after time... I thought I was a bit crazy myself, since I don't typically recognize refinement after burn-in to the point that I have a completely different outlook on my initial impressions of any product. I barely notice burn-in in most circumstances (I am sure the changes are part psychological, and part practical/real), but the Yggy was unmistakable. No argument about it, and it made me a believer of how SOME items really DO blossom and tame over time.

 

[exdmd]

The only problem I have with my month old Yggy A2 is the SE output is a bit too hot for my Kenzie amp. I have limited range on the Alps volume control for the amp. I thought about buying a Freya but am going to try a passive Tisbury Audio preamp first. There is a two week return window so I can send it back if I don't like it.

 

[bearFNF]

The only problem I have with my month old Yggy A2 is the SE output is a bit too hot for my Kenzie amp. I have limited range on the Alps volume control for the amp. I thought about buying a Freya but am going to try a passive Tisbury Audio preamp first. There is a two week return window so I can send it back if I don't like it.

You could try some Line Level Attenuators. I have used Harrison Labs RCA Line Level Attenuators. They come in various levels of dB redeuction.

 

[exdmd]

You could try some Line Level Attenuators. I have used Harrison Labs RCA Line Level Attenuators. They come in various levels of dB redeuction.

I did. I have a 6 db reduction pair of Harrison attenuators which do the job but they are not completely transparent, hence the search for a decent passive preamp at a reasonable price, i.e under $500. I have not tried the Rothwell attenuators from England which are reputed to be better than the Harrison.

 

[Les Strat]

I did. I have a 6 db reduction pair of Harrison attenuators which do the job but they are not completely transparent, hence the search for a decent passive preamp at a reasonable price, i.e under $500. I have not tried the Rothwell attenuators from England which are reputed to be better than the Harrison.

I use Balanced 15dB Rothwell attenuators plugged into the back of my active ATCs, as the Yggy Balanced output, at 4V, is way too 'hot' for their 1V sensitivity.
I am very happy with them and even exchanged emails with Andrew Rothwell for reassurance about impedance matching before I bought them.
They cost me £69 in UK. I know some think that's a lot of money for a few resistors, but it was a lot cheaper than a preamp and they are certainly transparent to my ears .
http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/attenuators.html

 

[Jose R]

The only problem I have with my month old Yggy A2 is the SE output is a bit too hot for my Kenzie amp. I have limited range on the Alps volume control for the amp. I thought about buying a Freya but am going to try a passive Tisbury Audio preamp first. There is a two week return window so I can send it back if I don't like it.

The SE out of the Yggdrasil is only 2V.

The amplification factor of the 12SL7 input tube on the Kenzie is probably 70. With the amplification factor of the 1626 at 5. That is pretty high gain. Which would imply, as @Les Strat alluded, that the Kenzie wants a 1V source?

I don't think a passive would help. You need to reduce the input voltage. As described above, using attenuators may be the only solution.

Best of luck.