New Yggdrasil - First (and second) Impressions

All are personal decisions on what you would like to hear and where you use it. All these micro descriptions between equipment gets tiresome, don't like don't buy it.

@bacobits1 

I agree in principal with what you are stating. However, often is the case that one must purchase (or commit something) in order to make a decision as to whether or not you like a product or not. Further, and perhaps more importantly, the micro differences in this hobby (between equipment), although subtle and not without diminishing returns at the higher levels, are sought after nevertheless.

If you don’t hear any difference returned it back !
It happened to me in the past and I returned the dac to my dealer with no regrets and didn’t use dac anymore , however 3 years ago I bought the McIntosh d100 and wowwwww the effect was huge the dynamics are vicious, many new details that couldn’t hear before appeared suddenly, huge soundstage, great seperation between instruments and everything is more natural really remarkable dac.
I strongly recommend you try other dacs till you find what you are looking for.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of synergy between components maybe this the Yggdrasil is not what your system need .Or maybe your system is fine as it is and you don't need a dac at all .

or maybe the Oppo is really, really good

- could you list a couple of the best recorded/mastered source recordings you used in the test?

or maybe the Oppo is really, really good

- could you list a couple of the best recorded/mastered source recordings you used in the test?

Hi @randy-11

Not sure/clear if your post/question is directed at me specifically, but in any case, I’m reasonably certain you already know - via first hand experience or second hand reading of scores of threads/posts - that the Oppo, and specifically the UDP-205, is *definitely* - not maybe - really, really good. :)

I did not make it clear that I upgraded my DAC-2 DSD SE to the V2V with the newer ESS 9038.   It was  worth every penny.  Part of the reason I got the Yggy was I knew the W4S was a little off and glary at times.  The 9038 is soooo much better.  I think the filters are a weakness for the V2V but they are a lot lot better than what they replaced and it has been educational to be able to read about each filter and then hear them and how everything changes for good and bad.
The V2V does Hi Rez better in my system.  And Redbook or Hi Rez there are instrumentals where it is clear that parts of the notes are missing with the Yggy, I think it is an effect of the Yggy's filter and done to keep the harmonics more  natural and why it sounds overall more relaxed.  The digital filters in both DAC's are a compromise between two un-natural sound effects, pre-ringing and phasing effects. To me the pre-ringing is way more fatiguing but the notes are richer, the notes with a minimum phase filter are much clearer but sometimes sound like part of the note is missing.
I like both DACs because they do what they do really well and because they are so very different in how they do it and how they sound.  Of the two I think the W4S is better but is also twice the price.  I really love the way it does DSD.  If I didn't  play DSD or a lot of Hi Res the Yggy is a no brainer.
Also fwiw I play digital files from a music server with a SSD.  I have A/B compared listening to a CD thru the DAC right after ripping it to a music server and the CD player's