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Schiit Yggdrasil -- 21 bit?

Schiit says that Yggdrasil is a 21 bit DAC. But the DAC chips that they put in the device ( Analog Devices AD5791BRUZ, 2 per channel) are 20 bit with the error of plus-minus 0.5 LSB.

How can the DAC be 21 bit if the chips are 20 bit? Using two chips per channel does reduce the RMS voltage of the noise by  a square root of 2. But how can you get to 21 bit from there?

Can someone please explain.
defiantboomerang
defiantboomerang OP
141 posts
 
@shadorne 

Let me ask you a different question. Is there a publication for rational audio hobbyists? I am getting tired of subjectivist nonsense. 

shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@almarg 

Yes. I did understand your post.

Glad we both agree that you can't magically get 21 bits from a 20 bit DAC without ADDITIONAL digital control (the extra bit) which then makes the DAC a 21 bit DAC not a 20 bit DAC. If you had added the extra MSB digital logic control explicitly then I would have understood beter what you were driving at. 






georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Really guys, 20bit-21bit.

Does it really matter, a PCM-1704 is 24bit, and your hard pressed to hear any difference to the almost swap-able (save for the package difference) 20bit PCM-1702 and that’s 4bit difference.

Cheers George
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@georgehifi 

If playing CD quality files it really doesn't matter at all. Good point.

However in judging a product I do like to check manufacturers claims. For example technical claims by Hegel don't hold water. So either they got something messed up in translation from Norwegian or I have my doubts over technical competence.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
I agree with @shadorne regarding (paraphrasing) drawing an inference to the product based on manufacturer technical claims. In fact, the boisterous claims by Schiit is one (of a few) reasons I purchased this particular DAC to begin with.

In addition to the boisterous claims by owners/reviewers :)
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