[Currawong]

Since the old thread is unrecoverable, having descended too far into off-topic arguments, I'm starting a new thread.

Note for conspiracy theorists: "I" does not mean "they". I did this of my own volition. I am not staff. People who are considering buying a product like to read customer impressions. This includes me, as I have been considering upgrading my original Yggy for some time.

Rules:
Impressions only!

OK:
Impressions with headphones, amps, other components, compared to other gear.
Impressions with mods, even controversial ones. I suggest saying "I felt it sounded better/worse after I ..." rather than definitive statements.
Questions about impressions and sound (by other owners or by potential buyers) are most welcome.

Not OK:
Any other discussion that isn't directly related to one's impressions.
Shipping or stock availability discussion.
Warranty, service or upgrade issues.
Measurement discussion.
Discussion about the company or people in it.
Posts by people who don't own an Yggy and haven't ever auditioned one (excepting questions mentioned above).

All that other stuff goes in the general discussion thread (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-schiit-ragnarok-and-yggdrasil.667711/), or start your own specific thread about those topics.

 

[the finisher]

I love to tell you mine,compared to my AK4490 dac in the Jot. Yggy is much more resolving, even on a less resolving HP like the HD 6xx.
The soundstage is holographic on my very large desk with the Focals compared to the D/S dac. I certainly am getting a love for headphone listening with the LCD Xs and this rig.

 

[the finisher]

I have heard that the Jot really wakes the 6xx's up, I just got mine and am waiting for a nice balanced cable, but already they are amazing for $200

 

[D2Girls]

Reserved

 

[sennsay]

I love to tell you mine,compared to my AK4490 dac in the Jot. Yggy is much more resolving, even on a less resolving HP like the HD 6xx.
The soundstage is holographic on my very large desk with the Focals compared to the D/S dac. I certainly am getting a love for headphone listening with the LCD Xs and this rig.

Now, holography I'm into! If my favourite 29 year old Ref1s can effectively disappear, seemingly along with the bones of my head, with the Mimby and Magni 3, then the Yggy really ought to be something! It will probably end up in my main system connected to a nice preamp and then to the Yamaha HS8 studio monitors that now reside in my newly downsized lounge system.

 

[the finisher]

The holographic image I'm primarily describing is with my studio monitors, and they do disappear.
The Imaging with the LCD Xs is more like you are on stage than in the front row. Very good but smaller. I still prefer speakers.

Still getting a handle on the HD 6xx sound, but it's very different from the orthos. I like it.

 

[sennsay]

The holographic image I'm primarily describing is with my studio monitors, and they do disappear.
The Imaging with the LCD Xs is more like you are on stage than in the front row. Very good but smaller. I still prefer speakers.

Still getting a handle on the HD 6xx sound, but it's very different from the orthos. I like it.

Yes and very different than my Ref1s as well .. which have been described by a thread pal as having sig that is very similar to the LCD3s, just much easier to drive! I'm not talking stock standard Ref 1s though, only as I/we have them. I really do wonder what the Yggy may bring to them? I don't know anyone local who has one.
In my experience with both the Schiit stack and the R2R, the HD6xx are less 3D in their staging - though better with the Mogami cable, tend to push the mids forward and roll off the lower bass, again less so with the R2R, but still there with the stock pads. Quite good detail too, but not with the utter naturalness of the Ref 1s. I've tried both Brainwavz HM5s (blech! far too bass heavy and rolled tops) and the beautifully made Dekoni Elite Velour pads which are halfway between the stock and HM5 pads but still unbalanced on both the M/M3 and R2R. I should have probably gone for the Hybrids instead.
Since this is not a HD6xx thread I shall get back on topic and ask if the Yggy really is a rhythm hound as I've read elsewhere? The M/M3/Ref1s most certainly have the most rhythmic integrity and organic wholeness of any combo I've used ever and if the Yggy will do this and more, I'm in!

 

[the finisher]

Many others have more experience comparing Yaggy to other dac's here. But it is a forward sounding dac for sure.
Just not fatiguing in any way. Which is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[sennsay]

Many others her have more experience comparing Yaggy to other dac's here. But it is a forward sounding dac for sure.
Just not fatiguing in any way. Which is exactly what I was looking for.

Well that is very good to know. This is what my Ref1s are already like ... maybe too much of a good thing? Hard to tell yet. Like your LCDXs, I LIKE being on stage That's exactly as I have described the Ref1s with the Schiit stack combo elsewhere. It's what I love about the combo, because the gear vanishes and I am in with the musicians, not looking at them from outside the studio glass window with the engineer. Same with a live concert, uncannily surrounded by the audience, some sounds appearing to come from slightly behind my ears, tiny sounds coming from in space well in front of me, in vertical height as well. The stunning Ricki Lee Jones live album, Naked Songs, is wonderful for this. I do understand though that for orchestral music this is not necessarily the best vantage point
This is why I ask about the Yggy, forward, alive, yet unfatiguing. Great! Like what I have already, just at a higher level. I enjoy being immersed in the music, the electronics are out of the way, the headphone capsules take a hike after a few moments and I'm there, not observing, simply feeling it. Not thinking about if the bass is coloured with these cans, or if the treble is too forward, the Ref1s as I have them just have an organic holistic wholeness to them that lends one to just relax and dissolve instantly. What the Yggy might bring to that experience boggles my mind ..... or won't work at all, heh heh. None of my other headphones provide this level of complete involvement. The HD6xx come a little closer with the R2R ... but have a ways to go.

 

[the finisher]

Yes you are a good wordsmith. The monitors are in the front row/mixing booth. The Xs are more intimate.
The detail is sometimes stunning with the small but enveloping soundfield.

 

[sennsay]

Yes you are a good wordsmith. The monitors are in the front row/mixing booth. The Xs are more intimate.
The detail is sometimes stunning with the small but enveloping soundfield.

Thank you.
I have the new Yamaha HS8 monitors in my lounge and they are certainly nothing like the headphone experience, not that I expected them too, but the system is new and evolving, nothing yet like the brilliant Triangle Antal EX speakers I had until recently! Sadly they were a little large for our new lounge (12' sq) to really be at their best, as they were in the previous home. I'm sure the new stands coming in a couple of days will help the Yams perform to a higher level. I'm considering Yggy here, with a valve preamp or hybrid there-of.

 

[the finisher]

Wow ya big speakers for a small room, that's why I love the Focals. Designed for 1 to 3 meter listening.
Cool, happy listening. See you around soon.

I am CDT so I'm out

 

[gdhal]

Is it okay to have an impression about the A1 versus A2? Technically that is different gear. Remember how great everyone felt/believed the A1 sounds? Then, Schiit must have realized something - presumably measurable - introduced a fix and here we are today with an A2 that sounds better.

 

[RCBinTN]

Is it okay to have an impression about the A1 versus A2? Technically that is different gear. Remember how great everyone felt/believed the A1 sounds? Then, Schiit must have realized something - presumably measurable - introduced a fix and here we are today with an A2 that sounds better.

The A1 vs. A2 is one of the things about Yggy that I'm most interested in learning more about....

 

[ToTo Man]

My impressions that I posted on the previous thread on 4th May 2018, worth reposting I hope :

She played hard to get for the first three weeks but my Yggy2 is now finally revealing her superior attributes and… I think I’m in love!

My early impression of Yggy2 over its first week or so of use was that it sounded remarkably similar to my Bifrost4490. In fact when switching between the two in real time I honestly could not reliably detect yet alone quantify any sonic differences between the two DACs. Something quite profound must have occurred in the burn-in and/or stabilisation process between weeks 2 and 3 however, as differences began to emerge. Last night especially, for the first time I could clearly and reliably hear the differences each time I switched and pretty much regardless of the genre of music being played. So what are the differences I speak of? Pretty much the same as what the many other satisfied Yggy2 owners have noted:

- An increase in resolution and detail retrieval. I liken it to upgrading to a display with an increased number of pixels, or cleaning a window that you already thought was clean. It’s not until you see/hear the improvement that you become aware of the extent that your previous DAC was ‘hazing’ or ‘fuzzing’ the image. This improvement applies to the entire frequency spectrum but, as others have pointed out, is especially audible on cymbal work, where the reduction of grain and increase in smooth decay adds immensely to the clarity and realism and takes you a significant step closer to actually feeling as if you are in the room with the artists as they are performing.

- A notable increase in presence/ambience. Reverb tails are both more audible and smoother, and their decays linger for longer, which conveys with more clarity and detail the physical/sonic characteristics of the recording space.

- As I touched upon earlier, Yggy2 provides a much clearer window into the recording than Bifrost4490. A/B’ing reveals imaging and soundstaging that is more focused/precise and less diffuse. Individual instruments are given more space and sharper/crisper outlines, which improves the 3D perception of depth and layering, but not in an artificial or disjointed way. I was actually a little concerned by some of the reports of Yggy2 having more palpability/solidity and less “air” than Yggy1. I don’t have any experience with Yggy1 but I do favour a well-lit, crisp presentation with air and sparkle up top. To my delight, Yggy2 offers more of this than my Bifrost4490, which by comparison is rather diffuse and imprecise.

I was so immersed in music last night I didn’t get to bed until 3am…. I can foresee many more late nights ahead as I continue to rediscover my music collection with Yggy2 as my portal of choice. Here’s to the next 3 weeks!