2. digital
  3. 131826-65769

New Yggdrasil - First (and second) Impressions

Okay, so I’ve finally (on order over 2 months) received my Schiit Yggdrasil. The unit arrived in exactly perfect condition (i.e. well packaged).

Upon first (and second) listening through all sources/inputs, I would need a stethoscope to discern any difference among my current components and connectivity. I also cannot detect any difference using the phase inversion button.

I suppose the aforementioned is a testament to how good my current system (before/without Yggy) already sounds. :)

I can easily A-B test because the Yggy is hooked in via balanced and my other components are also hooked directly to amp via RCA or USB.

Also, obviously I have NOT let the unit "burn in" for days because I just got it, however, it has come to full operational temperature after being powered on continuously over 24 hours.

System configuration: (Yggdrasil > XLR > Musical Fidelity M6si integrated amplifier > Golden Ear Triton Reference speakers )
all cables blue jeans cables "best" offering

Emotiva ERC-3 CD player > AES/EBU > Yggdrasil
Oppo UDP-205 blue ray player > coax > Yggdrasil
Samsung SMT-C5320 cable box > optical > Yggdrasil
Gateway NV79 Windows 10 64-bit computer > USB > Yggdrasil

I’ll be patient, but if there are any suggestions to "try" in order to hear *some* audible difference, that would be great. Appreciate any feedback you have.

Thanks.
128x128gdhal
gdhal's avatar
gdhal OP
1,641 posts
 
PS: And remember not all balanced inputs or outputs are real, as in this. Sometimes they just throw a balanced opamp in on the end of the single ended output to create a false balanced output, this goes for inputs as well.

@georgehifi

FWIW I’m using the XLR out from the Yggy (true balanced design) into my Musical Fidelity XLR input (NOT truly balanced design, converted to SE internally) and it sounds great; and I mean grate. :)

EDIT:

I did "test and compare" the SE out from the Yggy into RCA of the MF. The sound "quality" is the same, but as you know the gain is lower with SE. I’m using short cable (3 foot) in any case. I prefer the XLR because of the increased gain, allowing me to lower the volume of the amp and thereby obtain lower distortion. At least that’s how my mind believes things to be :) Note that the lowering of volume is not within the "zone" that someone like Ralph (atmasphere) would consider detrimental to distortion. 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
From Schiit:
Instead, they rely on precision, multibit ladder DACs, like the Analog Devices AD5791. This allows them the bit-perfect precision they need for critical applications, rather than the guesswork of a delta-sigma. We chose this same critical technology for Yggdrasil. Following these unique D/A converters are sophisticated discrete JFET buffers and summers.
The Analog Devices AD5791 that’s in the Yaggy is single ended output only.
http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5791.pdf
If they used two of them, one for each channel, then the balanced output is false and just tacked on, and the SE should sound better with shielded interconnects up to around 3mts
If they however they used used 4 of them then they can get real balanced from the AD5791’s all the way to the outputs. And will have less noise if using interconnects over 5mts.
Schiits are built to a price they may not have splurged the extra dough on it just to get real balanced, maybe the proof is to open it up and count how many AD5791’s there are.

Cheers George
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,258 posts
 
George thanks for the info very well explained.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal OP
1,641 posts
 
The Analog Devices AD5791 that’s in the Yaggy is single ended output only.
http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5791.pdf
If they used two of them, one for each channel, then the balanced output is false and just tacked on, and the SE should sound better with shielded interconnects up to around 3mts
If they however they used used 4 of them then they can get real balanced from the AD5791’s all the way to the outputs. And will have less noise if using interconnects over 5mts.
Schiits are built to a price they may not have splurged the extra dough on it just to get real balanced, maybe the proof is to open it up and count how many AD5791’s there are.


@georgehifi 

I shouldn't assume you have checked the Yggdrasil specifications, so as a courtesy I thought I might copy/paste a snippet from their website. This seems to address the balanced issue.
--------------------------------
D/A Conversion IC:

Analog Devices AD5791BRUZ x 4 (2 per channel, hardware balanced configuration)

Analog Stages:

Fully discrete JFET buffers for balanced output and discrete JFET summing stages for single-ended output, direct coupled throughout
----------------------------------
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

That’s good, 2 x AD5791 per channel one for - and one for + they didn’t cut any corners with the balanced.

But one thing I would have done, forget the balanced, and parallel the two dacs per channel and only have single ended outputs, the sound of this dac may have jumped to another level again.

Cheers George
More to discover