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Metrum Onyx vs Schiit Yggdrasil?

Hey all:

I'm about to be in the market for a new DAC and have narrowed things down to the two referenced in the subject line. But I'd really like to hear more about each of these DACs. I can't really seem to find current reviews of them. Perhaps they're just older machines, or maybe my googling skills just suck.

I should say that I own and like a Metrum Musette, so I'm leaning towards the Onyx. But if the Yggy is great and could save me some money.

I ALSO HAVE TO SAY THIS: I would be using largely the USB input. I know the Yggy is supposed to have an awesomely engineered USB input, and I do wonder about the Metrum USB input. The Musette has a HiFace 2 USB input which, if I recall, was pretty good for the time (nine or ten years ago.)

So...if anyone can point me towards user reviews, I'd really appreciate it. Or if anyone wants to talk about their first-hand experience with either of these DACs, that would be really great.

Thanks, all!

P.S. I know there are a lot of internet darling DACs right now, but I think I've pretty much settled on one of the two. No offense to your favorite dac. :)

dasherma
deep_333
1,333 posts
 

The Yggdrasil can be a end game dac for many guys. It can present all kinds of detail in a non abrasive manner. I have many studio masters converted with Daniel Hertz MasterClass before it goes into a Yggy...and it is a treat...Never heard the Metrum Oinkn..can’t comment.

dasherma OP
19 posts
 

Thanks, @deep_333. I read one user review that called the Yggdrasil "harsh" and "shrill", which is pretty much the opposite of everything I’ve read. It’s good to hear a current opinion.

jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,006 posts
 

Metrum are good DAc. Read Robert Harley’s review on yagdrassil. 

yyzsantabarbara
4,787 posts
 

I have 2 Yggi+ DACs. I recently got the OG because a musician guy working at Schitt told me to get the last one available and I would not be sorry. I already owned the "musical" Yggi+ Less Is More and the musician guy told me it was awful. Though I like it with my brighter Magnepan LRS+.

It took my latest edition OG about 30 days to ’work’ properly. Robert Harley’s review is exactly how it played out for me too. The only expensive DAC I could compare it was the Lumin X1 that I owned. The OG and the LIM are easily preferred. I think the neutral OG is better than the warm LIM. The new MIB that replaces the OG is supposed to be very good and sounds more like the OG than the LIM.

Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC - The Absolute Sound

Another reason, I went with the Schitt DACs is that a friend of mine who is also a musician had done a project with Schitt building an amp. He told me that he had a long talk with Mike Moffat (Yggi designer) one day and came away thinking this guy is a digital genius. My friend also was not enamored with the LIM DAC. He has not heard the OG but I think he will love it with my Yamaha NS5000. He loved that speaker with the Benchmark DAC3B and the OG is a much better DAC.

I like to give preference to designers that have done DAC work for a long time. Playback Designs, Schitt, Chord, Rockna. I tried a lot of ESS chip-based DACs and while good I wanted a step up.

 

 

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