DENAFRIPS Terminator and Schiit Yggdrasil Evaluation and Comparison

@zoophaugus you probably already know but if not you should check out Schitt's new USB implementation they will roll out in 2020 on their DACs, a new fresh design by them. Mike Moffat usually doesn't make a big deal about things but apparently it really is a big deal, they think it sounds quite different then the USB GEN 5 im a good way and is even better sounding than SPDIF. 

I've never purchased a Schitt DAC but I think I am excited enough to patiently wait until the USB is implemented and purchase a Gumby or Yggydrasil in the future. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUBFtqNpC7U&feature=youtu.be&t=655&fbclid=IwAR09FYCDZwNX...

In general though to people tend to incline towards AES/EBU or SPDIF? Which is by the most part better quality?

If you spend some time on the forums or a lot of time like I did you would see that the general consensus is that the AES / EBU input is superior to spdif.  When I bought my yggy in early 2016 schiit was going on about their new usb3 input which mine came with.. And then came the even better new gen5 usb.. And now apparently theirs another one in the works... 
I've had some one PM me on the DDC I use and he was reluctant to purchase it as he had the new "gen5 usb" .
Well a few weeks later I get another PM from thus same person thanking me as the DDC via AES / EBU totally beat out the new gen5 usb...
This made me feel really good as I skipped an upgrade step from schiit and still came out on top...
In case your wondering I use a Matrix audio X spdif 2 DDC powered with a Uptone audio LPS1.2 linear power supply.. 

That's really interesting that AES /EBU is superior to SPDIF, I was wondering why Mike in the latest video did not mention that in this comparison to why he was trying to make USB good or better, in his case the latest development of USB they are working on in the beta stage is so good that "why even bother with SPDIF". But if what you say is that AES /EBU is better than SPDIF, than I'm not sure why SDPIF could be the ideal way to go about things.

In the case you are using the Matrix Audio interface, may I ask what your chain is specifically to get a better picture?

In particular, what is the transport you use and how does it connect to your Matrix interface. 

If you are using a laptop with USB (just case and point) since it is using proprietary XMOS U208, could you say you are still comparing that to USB gen 5 even though you eventually feed into the Yggydrasil with AES /EBU?


If you are not feeding the audio via USB into the Matrix perhaps you are using something else I guess. 

You may want to add the Ifi DSD Pro Dac at $2,500.00 to your shootout, Herb Richert from Stereophile was blown away by this little dac and felt if was in the same league as three of his reference dacs and Herb also uses the Yaggy.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/ifi-audio-pro-idsd-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-page-2

Bottom line: iFi Audio's Pro iDSD lived up to the hyperbole of its owner's manual. It did actually play music like "a 'state of the art' reference digital to analog converter." It did indeed sound like "an all-out assault" on what is possible in DACs today . . . and it did both of those good things at a ridiculously low price. Highly recommended.

Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/ifi-audio-pro-idsd-da-processorheadphone-amplifier-page-2#atGeRi...


We have never heard one but the reviews are praising this little dac as a true giant killer and no we have never heard one but are a fan of Thorsten Loesch.


The reviews out of Europe as stellar as well.

If this little $2,500 dac can stand up to $7k dacs and a few other well lauded dacs it may be even better deal then the Denfrips of the Yaggy.


Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

and for the Audio Doctor haters we are not currently selling Ifi but after reading this review we will be bringing in a sample.