Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Review

[jdandy]

by J. Dan Daniell





Digital audio conversion has come a long way from its infancy. My inaugural digital audio experience came in 1980 when I had the opportunity to hear Sony’s very first consumer DAC, the PCM-1. A Sony 1” professional video cassette recorder fed a digital signal to the PCM-1. I listened to a solo piano recording and a piano and trumpet recording. I remember thinking the digital sound seemed phenomenally clear, with a completely silent background and impressive dynamic range. I recall being quite impressed. The Sony PCM-1 was a 12 Bit digital to analog converter and sold for $4,400.00. Adjusted for inflation from 1980 until 2018, the PCM-1 would cost $14,575.00 today.

Zooming ahead to present day, auditioning the Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC with its significant technological advances, striking performance, and nearly unbelievable price of $2299.00, now $2399.00 with the Analog 2 upgrade, it seems almost like a dream compared to the original Sony PCM-1. We’ve come a long way baby. The same can be said for the co-founders of Schiit Audio, a California based audio company founded in 2010, beginning operation in a humble garage and now residing in a 12,000+ square foot facility they have nearly outgrown. Mike Moffat goes back to the days of California Audio Labs and Theta Digital. His digital to analog converter designs from decades ago were praised as leading edge at the time. His newest digital to analog converter designs reflect a wealth of acquired knowledge and continue to push the boundaries of conventional thinking. Business partner Jason Stoddard is also a stalwart audio industry contributor with a history of amplifier design dating back to Sumo. Both gentlemen bring decades of audio engineering accomplishments to the table. As partners in Schiit Audio, Mike and Jason continue their staunch tradition of product excellence with the distinct advantage of a cost to performance ratio that is setting the audio industry on its ear. They are thoroughly committed to designing and building audio components with performance levels that exceed their price points by a wide margin. Their growth clearly reflects the success of this business model.

I only recently discovered Schiit Audio. I admit the company name was sort of a turn off for me in the beginning, but owner praise for their products gradually altered my perception. The more I researched the company, its products, its history, and read the testimonies of Schiit Audio owners and reviewers, the more persuaded I became to audition one of their DAC’s, especially since I needed a new DAC for my living room sound system. Selecting their top DAC seemed the best way to go so I ordered the Schiit Audio Yggdrasil. Five days later it was delivered to my door. Schiit Audio components are purchased direct through their online website. Eliminating the middle man is one of many solutions they embrace to keep component prices as low as possible. A 15 day return and refund policy, less 5%, takes the worry out of getting stuck with a component you aren’t pleased with. I have absolutely no desire to return the Yggdrasil DAC but it was comforting to know I could.





Interesting to note, all Schiit Audio products are named after characters from Norse mythology. Yggdrasil, I discovered, is an immense mythical tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse cosmology. Irrespective of how they name their components there is no denying the unprecedented fidelity designed into each “Made in the USA” Schiit Audio product. The price points totally belie the startling performance delivered for what I consider pennies on the dollar, clearly challenging the audio industry's trend of seemingly unending price escalation. Schiit Audio builds amplifiers, preamplifiers, headphone amplifiers and DAC’s. Digital is done in PCM only up to 384kHz. Mike Moffat makes it clear he sees no need to march to the consortium standards of others, nor does he have any desire to pay licensing fees associated with DSD or MQA. Mike and Jason cherish their freedom to design innovative audio components unrestrained by group think. They want no part of being restricted by predetermined standards beyond their control that continuously shift and change on a whim, nor do they embrace the financial burden of never ending licensing fees required to play in the building block chip of the month club. I consider these two men audio design pioneers.

Now let’s get down to the meat and potatoes. My Yggdrasil DAC arrived well packed and securely cushioned in sturdy double boxes. Once unpacked, first impressions found me pleased with the appearance. The minimalist design of the Yggdrasil enclosure, display functions and controls are tastefully executed. The overall caliber of finish and assembly are better than anticipated. The anodized aluminum case is attractively curved and formed to exhibit smooth lines. Nothing fancy, no extravagant, exotic, flashy protuberances or expensive CNC milling to catch the eyes and fleece the wallets of perspective buyers, just a clean simple presentation with two user controlled momentary contact buttons in a recessed area of the face. The smaller button reverses phase of the analog output and is indicated by the illumination of a white LED next to that button. The larger button cycles through five digital inputs, USB, Coaxial, BNC, AES/EBU, and Toslink optical with respective LED’s to the right of the Input button indicating which input has been selected. There are also six LEDs to the left of the large Input selector button. These individual LED’s illuminate to indicate the incoming sample frequency. The first two LED’s are labeled 44 and 48, while the remaining four LED’s are labeled x1, x2, x4, and x 8 respectively. By observing the LED’s and employing simple multiplication the incoming sample rate can be determined. There is no alpha/numeric digital display, thus eliminating the requirement for a noisy digital display circuit inside the DAC enclosure.





The USB input is notable. It is Schiit Audio’s most recent Gen 5 upgrade featuring full galvanic isolation via transformers, self-power for low noise and latching sections, and high quality local clocking for both 44.1kHz and 48kHz multiples. I compared Lee Ritenour, “Fatback” from his A Twist Of Rit recording played from the Aurender N100H via USB to the Yggdrasil with the same song played from CD on an Oppo BDP-95 transport to the Yggdrasil DAC via a coaxial connection and could not hear any perceptible differences in sound quality. The opening horns, bass, drums, and Lee’s guitar were mirror images from both sources. The Gen5 USB input is transparent and holds its own admirably against the coaxial input. In addition, the five digital inputs are managed with a clock regeneration system called Adapticlock which assesses the quality of all inputs, measures incoming center frequency and jitter, and automatically routes the inputs to the best clock regeneration system, either VCO or VCXO. If your source does not provide a good center frequency, or jitter is high, then VCO mode is selected and the right most LED on the front panel is lit to indicate this status. Schiit calls this LED the “buy better gear” light. The Yggdrasil is designed and assembled in such a way that allows upgrades to be performed by swapping modular circuit boards. If and when an upgrade becomes available, like the latest Gen 5 USB input or the newest Analog 2 output module, a quick trip to the factory is all that is required for the upgraded circuit board installation. This ensures owners won’t have to purchase a new DAC to remain current with future technology and is a perfect example of how Schiit Audio builds future value into today’s components. And not to be overlooked, Schiit Audio offers a generous five year warranty.

Schiit Audio recently redesigned the Yggdrasil’s analog output boards, now called Analog 2, and quietly began shipping them on new production Yggdrasils in late October, 2017. Yggdrasil DAC’s with the new Analog 2 output modules installed are designated with a serial number prefix beginning with the letter “B”, whereas older Yggdrasils have a serial number prefix beginning with the letter “A”. According to the press release, Yggdrasil Analog 2 is a thorough redefinition of the original Yggdrasil analog output module, featuring refined Class-A, all-discrete FET buffers and numerous internal improvements. The Analog 2 upgrade is now available to older Yggdrasil owners who wish to upgrade and requires the Yggdrasil be returned to the factory. The upgrade cost is $550.00. In Mike Moffat’s words, “The result is a significantly better-sounding, better-performing analog output module, and a significantly better Yggy. Measurement-wise, Yggdrasil Analog 2 offers higher current output capability and lower noise, but to me, the benefits go far beyond the measurement differences.” The new Yggdrasil with Analog 2 output stage is now available on the Schiit Audio website for $2399.00. My Yggdrasil has the Analog 2 upgrade installed. Fortunately for me I beat the $100.00 price increase with my December purchase.

The rear panel of the Yggdrasil is where the main power switch is found. It is located next to the IEC socket for incoming power. The power switch location suggests that the DAC should remain continuously energized. In fact, Schiit recommends the DAC remain powered on. The Yggdrasil consumes 35 watts, so leaving it energized should have minimal impact on your utility bill. The five digital input connectors, USB, Coaxial, BNC, AES/EBU, and Toslink, plus the two balanced (XLR) and four single ended (RCA) analog output connectors are neatly arrange across the remainder of the rear panel and clearly labeled. The Yggdrasil is supported on four small rubber feet with no pretense of isolation.





The Yggdrasil DAC will be serving my living room sound system. The equipment consists of a McIntosh C2300 tube preamplifier and MC452 solid state power amplifier, McIntosh MR85 tuner, Magnum Dynalab 205 FM Signal Sleuth, Oppo BDP-95 used as a transport, Sonos ZP1 zone player, Micro Seki DD-40 with Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, PS Audio Power Plant Premier, Aurender N100H music server, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, PMC EB1i speakers, and a JL Audio Fathom f113 subwoofer. The system is cabled with Wireworld Silver Electra power cords on all components, Wireworld Silver Eclipse balanced interconnects, Wireworld Silver Starlight digital cable, Wireworld Super Nova glass Toslink optical cable, and Wireworld Platinum USB cable.

After rearranging the top shelf of my audio rack to allow the music server to be placed directly above the DAC, I installed the Yggdrasil on the shelf below the Aurender N100H, connecting the two components via USB. I powered on the N100H and the Yggdrasil and was pleased to see “Async (192kHz) Yggdrasil Gen 5” appear on the Aurender’s display as I began playing music files. The digital music files were played 24 hours a day, 7 days a week nonstop with the exception of an 18 hour interruption on day 11 when utility power to my home was lost due to an ice storm. As soon as the utility power was restored I energized the DAC and music server once again and continued playing music files nonstop. I fed digital signals to the USB input, the RCA coaxial input, and the Toslink optical input using the Aurender N100H (USB), Oppo BDP-95 transport (coax), and the Sonos ZP1 (Toslink). During the first 200 hours I allowed 10 to 12 hours at a time for each digital input, switching back and forth between the three sources. After 200 hours I remained exclusively on the Yggdrasil’s USB input since that is the one I must use with the Aurender N100H music server. The DAC has acquired 550 hours of break-in, and I am now comfortable beginning a critical evaluation.

Naturally, I spent several hours each day listening to the Yggdrasil as the break-in progressed. On day one, with less than three hours on the DAC, I created a playlist using the Aurender Conductor App. The playlist included Liz Story – “Captain April” from her 17 Seconds to Anywhere recording, Mike Howe - “Round River” from his Round River recording, Diana Krall – “Temptation” from her The Girl In The Other Room recording, Ronnie Earl And The Broadcasters – “Blues For Celie” from his Just For Today recording, and Paul Simon – “Graceland” from his Graceland 25^th Anniversary recording. I played these five songs each time I began listening to the Yggdrasil during the break-in process. Being familiar with these recordings afforded me the ability to identify changes in the sound as the DAC opened. During my initial listening session on day one I had expected to be underwhelmed. Surprisingly, I was not. Sure, there were circumstances where it became obvious the DAC had some maturing to go through, things like a bit of glare on upper octave piano notes and guitar strings, a slight edge on female voices, and some congestion of the soundstage, but there was also a sensation of real musical character in the sound that was unexpected at this early stage. My thoughts at that time already had me thinking this was going to be a special performer. As the break-in hours and days whiled away I had plenty of time to listen to the Yggdrasil. By day three the performance began to show positive signs of improvement. Much of the glare I experienced from upper octave piano notes during the first hours of the DAC’s infancy had disappeared. Liz Story’s piano began to glisten in the upper octaves. Sustained notes contained more definition. The weight and timbre of full chords and the lowest octaves demonstrated a more prominent sense of strength and authority not present in the earliest hours. Mike Howe’s nylon string acoustic guitar began to ring with the proper tone of the instrument, sounding authentic with a warmer resonating tone from the guitar’s body. Diana Krall’s piano chords began to exhibited power and clarity. Her voice grew throaty rather than obscured in a hollow sense. Ronnie Earl’s electric blues guitar began gripping my attention where it had previously left me wincing to a degree and unimpressed. Paul Simon’s rhythmic beat on “Graceland” began to spread out on a wider sound stage. By this time the Yggdrasil sounded considerably more refreshing and exciting, although there was certainly more to be gained. With each passing day small improvements in purity and tone of instruments and voices gained new credibility. Every sound gradually relaxed, sounding more organic and true to life, displaying a layered and focused soundstage. Music resonated deeper into my consciousness. At the same time performances were beginning to blossom, exposing a cohesive wholeness and accuracy of timbre that became more thrilling to hear. The Yggdrasil was starting to tug at my emotions.

Moffat’s ladder DAC design is as special as it is unique. There is definitely something good going on here. His choice of four dual channel Analog Devices AD5791 precision multibit ladder DAC’s, more commonly found in military and medical applications, establishes fully balanced bit-perfect results rather than the mathematical guesswork of a delta-sigma DAC. Make no mistake digital to analog conversion is all about mathematics at a level requiring accurate finite computations that are fully closed calculations in the end. Moffat’s multibit ladder DAC design delivers true bit-perfect conversion. Coupled to this is Mike’s highly refined Closed-Form Digital Filter, a time and frequency-domain optimized digital filter with a true closed-form solution. This means the filter retains all the original samples, performing a true interpolation. What this all comes down to is a DAC that doesn’t guess at reconstructing analog from the digital stream. The Yggdrasil DAC preserves the original samples all the way through from input to output. This careful attention to accuracy doesn’t end there. It is carried beyond the DAC outputs. The new Analog 2 modual is remarkably transparent and dynamic. This detailed and robust analog output is enhanced by the fact there are no op amps in the Yggdrasil’s output signal paths to restrict or cloud resolution, only sophisticated discrete JFET buffers and summers. The analog signals remain as pure at the output connectors as they are at the output pins of the DAC’s.





With 560 hours of active break-in plus 72 hours of factory burn-in on the Yggdrasil I am confident it has reached a level of maturity and settling of parts where any additional advances in analog purity will be subtle. It was day 15, with approximately 340 hours of break-in completed, when I began to notice the Yggdrasil becoming invisible. In other words it was no longer influencing the music, it was presenting music unabridged. Listening became completely relaxed for me. Layering of instruments, voices, and percussion became immensely satisfying with not a single thought of the equipment. With my eyes closed there was nothing but marvelous sound enveloping me. Some owners are reporting the Yggdrasil DAC continues to improve beyond 800 hours. Time will reveal all. As it exists right now, the Yggdrasil is one of the most musically satisfying DAC‘s I have ever experienced. It has the ability to paint three dimensional illusions in your mind that linger beyond the event. The experience impacts your subconscious perception similar to how one reflects on the emotional connection made during a live music event, and how that excitement stays with you after the performance ends. The Yggdrasil DAC does that to me. It is captivating and addictive, leaving tunes rebounding in my mind long after I leave the room. The Yggdrasil makes me want to listen, and the more intently I do the more thrilling the experience becomes. When music begins playing the Yggdrasil vanishes leaving only the performing artists and you in the room.

The Yggdrasil is replacing a Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 in my living room system. The DAC2 uses the popular ESS Sabre Reference ES9018 delta-sigma DAC chip with integrated filtering. I am now able to sense a particular edginess in the sound of the DAC2 when compared with the Yggdrasil DAC. There is a certain lack of emotional connection with the DAC2 sound that I had not focused on until comparing it to the Yggdrasil. There is a lustrous radiance to the sound from the Yggdrasil, a glimmer of faithfulness that makes sound seem acoustically accurate and natural that is not accounted for in full measure from the DAC2. Don’t misunderstand, the W4S DAC2 is decent. I have enjoyed mine for years, but it is unable to conquer the sheer musical richness, weight, and dimensional detail that effortlessly flows from the Yggdrasil’s analog outputs. The result of comparing the DAC2 to the Yggdrasil did not surprise me because I knew from the beginning the Yggdrasil was touching my soul on a deeper level. The intrinsic musical realism the Yggdrasil produces is a true wonder. What stands out in my mind about the Yggdrasil is the splendidly extended overall frequency range, the deep wholesome resonance, weight, and strength of bass, the immaculately pure midrange where male and female voices appear holographic on the soundstage, and Yggdrasil’s air, sparkle, and energy in the high frequency range without a hint of glare, grain, or edge. Reproducing piano, violin, guitar, horns, and cymbals is a pristine experience that imprints the performance into memory as though you had just listened live.

I delighted in a wide variety of music while auditioning the new Yggdrasil DAC in my system. Listening to Fiona Joy Hawkins “Naked Love” from her 600 Years In A Moment recording gave me goosebumps. The piano, violin, and clarinet were so three dimensional it was almost surreal. The spatial cues while recreating the ambiance of the recording space were significant and believable. The violin strings resonated with such elegance I could practically envision rosin dust floating in the air as the bow moved across the strings. The independence of each instrument allowed their sounds and harmonics to flow from perfectly focused locations on the soundstage. The Yggdrasil held back nothing while at the same time conveying an air of relaxed serenity that made the performance convincingly sublime.

K.T. Oslin’s “Do Ya’” from her 80’s Ladies recording was great fun to hear. The bass underpins the entire song and the Yggdrasil allowed the rhythmic thumping, finger plucking and muting of the bass strings to exist unhindered in conjunction with the electronic keyboard and K.T.’s voice. A hint of reverb was added that enhanced K.T.’s voice and the harmonies. The harmonica floating in the background perfectly showcased the dimensional depth of the soundstage. Again, the Yggdrasil simply disappeared as though there was no DAC, just the music.

Jeff Golub’s “Pick Up The Pieces” from his Avenue Blue recording was enjoyable. Jeff’s opening guitar riffs were locked dead center in the sound stage, electric bass was solid and engaging, drums were mixed to appear behind Jeff’s guitar yet remained focused and dynamic. The Hammond B3 in the right channel was mixed perfectly with Jeff’s guitar, and the female voice that occasionally appears in both channels was sultry and three dimensional. Jeff’s band plays a slick version of AWB’s classic hit. The Yggdrasil laid out the performance in a wide soundstage with plenty of air between each performer. The rich bass beat and drums had my foot tapping and my head bouncing from side to side, always a good sign. That tune ricocheted around inside my head the remainder of the day.





There is so much virtuous musical goodness in the sound of the Yggdrasil DAC it is difficult to sum it all up. It is unique in so many of its circuit designs, yet none of that would mean a thing if it did not deliver sonic excellence. Fortunately for everyone who owns the Yggdrasil, it does that in spades. Despite the Yggdrasil’s attractively low price, it is the most expensive component in Schiit Audio’s catalog. What’s interesting and rather comical, the price is so far below the Yggdrasil’s level of excellence that no one seems able to mention this DAC without also commenting on its astonishingly low price. It is nearly unbelievable, especially to those of us who own the Yggdrasil and know what it is capable of doing. It would not surprise me to discover Yggdrasil’s low price is inhibiting some aloof high-end enthusiasts from ever considering this DAC, thinking it must be inferior to the performance level of their high-end systems. If that is true, it is a huge mistake on their part.

Even before hearing the Yggdrasil I had high expectations based on reading several positive reviews and favorable testimonies from satisfied owners. What I wasn’t prepared for was the stunning level of high-end performance delivered by such a reasonably priced DAC. Price be damned, the Yggdrasil kicks ass and takes no prisoners. From the faintest micro details in a recording to the bombastic dynamics of a close mic’d drum solo or an orchestra in full swing, the Yggdrasil never flinched. What it does with conviction is reproduce distinct and fully reinforced analog characteristics of all instruments and voices. Complex and deeply layered performances are portrayed without smearing or homogenizing the individual instruments’ sounds. Every sound is allowed its full measure of time and space. Music arrived at my ears unencumbered by anything other than what was recorded. The Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC delivers an extraordinary level of high fidelity and a remarkably believable perception of a live event. It raises PCM performance to new heights. Those interested in a magnificent high performance DAC would do well to seriously consider including the Yggdrasil in your sound system. You may want to do it before the head duo at Schiit Audio regain their senses and triple the price. Even then, the Yggdrasil would still exemplify a bona fide audio bargain worth every penny. It is unequivocally that good.

[audio.bill]

Very professional job on this review Dan, at this point we expect nothing less from you. It's always nice when a new audio acquisition exceeds expectations!

[Mike]

Another first class, amazing review. You missed your calling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MRJAZZ]

Great review. I see you have a Esoteric K 01x and a Aurender N10 in your other room. Any sense how the Yggy might stack up against the K-01X?

Cheers.......

[kzhtoo]

Very well written and informative review, Dan. Your review is making me antsy as my unit that was scheduled to deliver today didn't arrive due to usual FedEx bungle.

[jdandy]

Very well written and informative review, Dan. Your review is making me antsy as my unit that was scheduled to deliver today didn't arrive due to usual FedEx bungle.

kzhtoo.......Damn the bad luck. I hope your delivery happens tomorrow. I hate waiting, especially if it's late arriving.

[RDSChicago]

Dan,

That was one of the best reviews I have ever had the pleasure of reading! Stellar job and I appreciate all of your insights and observations. It makes me want to a) listen to all do the songs you mentioned, and b) put in my order for a Yggdrasil!

[jdandy]

Great review. I see you have a Esoteric K 01x and a Aurender N10 in your other room. Any sense how the Yggy might stack up against the K-01X?

Cheers.......

MRJAZZ.......I have not done a direct A/B comparison of the Yggdrasil DAC to the Esoteric K-01X DAC. I will eventually do that to satisfy my own curiosity and then write a separate review detailing the results. What I can say is the Yggdrasil is ultra musical and pulls me into every listening session with ease. When I go to the studio and spend time with the Aurender N10 and the K-01X I don't sense the K-01X is outperforming the Yggdrasil, nor when I come from the studio system to the living room system I am not sensing any loss of connection with the music. In fact, the Yggdrasil has a particular musical essence and completeness to the presentation that wants for nothing. It is truly hypnotic. I will get to a Yggdrasil / K-01X shootout before too long.

[jdandy]

Dan,

That was one of the best reviews I have ever had the pleasure of reading! Stellar job and I appreciate all of your insights and observations. It makes me a) want to listen to all do the songs you mentioned, and b) put in my order for a Yggdrasil!

Rob.......Both of those things sound doable to me. And thank you very much for your kind comments. Much appreciated.

[Devg]

great review. agree with Mike :-)

[MikeCh]

BRAVO! Dan. Fantastic review!

I'm with Rob

[sharkmouth]

Love it Dan! Nothing like really connecting the boogie with a new component acquisition. I am really interested in your comparison of the 2 dacs too at a later date, i think you may ruffle a few feathers with your findings, but only of the richer.

[wisnon]

I dont know this new version and the old version was not my favourite Dac....BUT, I LOVE the review. Good job.

[Audio 1]

Dan as always your reviews are second to none, but this one may be your best to date!
Really great to have such a wonderful experience with such a reasonably priced product.

[CPP]

Awesome review Dan. Well done.

[Dr Tone]

Well written!

[JWhip]

I will be sending my Yggy back for the new analog board in a bit. Looking forward to hearing the difference. Great review and mirrors what I have been hearing as well.

[Dr Tone]

Here is a post by Mike Moffat on Head-Fi with regards to the upgraded Yggy:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/what...#post-13982140

[jdandy]

Here is a post by Mike Moffat on Head-Fi with regards to the upgraded Yggy:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/what...#post-13982140

Jeff.......Thanks for the link to Mike Moffat's post. I like his "no BS' approach his business and other people.

[jdandy]

Dan as always your reviews are second to none, but this one may be your best to date!
Really great to have such a wonderful experience with such a reasonably priced product.

Buddy.......Very kind of you to say, thank you.

[jdandy]

Gentlemen all.......I am happy the review is an enjoyable read. The Yggdrasil is such a sweet DAC it is difficult not to gush about the performance.

For those who want to see a Yggdrasil / K-01X shootout, it will happen before long. I am curious, too.

[bart]

Dan, Dan, Dan, what an fantastic and utterly enjoyable review!
Wow!

I notice something a bit different from the style of your former reviews.
It comes more from the heart, or even deeper, from the belly.
And that is exactly where we experience music at the most intense level.
Beautiful sounds coming from lovely voices and well tuned instruments do not only touch our brain, they affect our whole body, or should do so.
Reading your highly eloquent appraisal makes me realise that this time, a component has really made you come closer to the essence of music.

Bravo!
You are a great author.
Enjoy the Iggy in good health.

I'm looking very much forward to your comparison with your other formidable DAC, the Esoteric K-01x.
I will not be too surprised when it appears that the Schiit component holds it own quite well in such a noble company.

[jdandy]

Bart.......Thank you so much. It pleases me to no end when my reviews are fun, informative, and entertaining for those who read them.

I received a number of comments before this review was posted and since, with many people interested in how the Yggdrasil stands up to the Esoteric K-01X. I am curious, too. The reason I did not make that comparison in the Yggdrasil review is because I feel a Yggy / K-01X shootout deserves more than a passing mention in a paragraph. The Yggdrasil is an incredible DAC, as is the K-01X. Comparing these two DAC's deserves its own cover.

[Sean]

Awesome review, for sure. It's great seeing companies like Schiit succeed.

[jdandy]

Awesome review, for sure. It's great seeing companies like Schiit succeed.

Sean.......Thank you. Schiit Audio has an very nice line of DAC's, headphone amps, preamplifiers and amplifiers. By all accounts they are all performing well above their price points.

[Dr Tone]

Well I caved and had to hear what all the Schiit was about for myself.

I’m not sure my first impressions are quite as favourable as Dan’s were. I’ll leave it at that for now and give the DAC some time to get it’s mojo togethor.

[jdandy]

Jeff.......Keep the Yggdrasil powered on and a digital signal fed to it continuously 24/7. It will gradually open up to reveal its true sonic personality. After about 300 hours you will be in high cotton. There is no shortcut for break-in. You are not only performing break-in on the DAC and digital input board, you are also performing break-in on the analog output boards. Patience will be rewarded.

[Old Bob]

Mr. Dandy,

Dear Jim.

well, THANKS FOR NOTHING!! it is solely due to you, that i must TRY to explain to my wife, a $2400 charge to my Visa card. (i live in fear!) i have not yet read your remarkable review, but it is obviously written by someone quite bright, and who LOVES MUSIC! i have played violin in several orchestras, and i like lots of types of music. i am dying to get my Yggy! should be this week! if i just plug it in, with nothing going in, will that break it in? i plan to keep it always plugged in. i guess i could somehow ?program? the OPPO 105 to constantly play???? i am prepared to not like the sound at first.

OK, dumb question: would a GOOD power conditioner improve my sound, to the extent that i could HEAR the improvement? my budget is running dry.
congrats, and thanks!
sincerely
Bob

[Mike]

Congrats Bob!

[Dr Tone]

Mr. Dandy,

Dear Jim.

well, THANKS FOR NOTHING!! it is solely due to you, that i must TRY to explain to my wife, a $2400 charge to my Visa card. (i live in fear!) i have not yet read your remarkable review, but it is obviously written by someone quite bright, and who LOVES MUSIC! i have played violin in several orchestras, and i like lots of types of music. i am dying to get my Yggy! should be this week! if i just plug it in, with nothing going in, will that break it in? i plan to keep it always plugged in. i guess i could somehow ?program? the OPPO 105 to constantly play???? i am prepared to not like the sound at first.

OK, dumb question: would a GOOD power conditioner improve my sound, to the extent that i could HEAR the improvement? my budget is running dry.
congrats, and thanks!
sincerely
Bob

Go get a $5 USB cable if you don't have one and plug it into your computer and use any old software player to send some music to it on repeat.

[mdp632]

Go get a $5 USB cable if you don't have one and plug it into your computer and use any old software player to send some music to it on repeat.

If he is using his Oppo 105 as a disc player with no computer audio setup. Perhaps also try using the Oppo as a transport by connecting a SPDIF to the Schiit's SPDIF input and interconnects on the DAC output to your integrated amp. That way when playing CDs via the Oppo you'll be using the external DAC as well as the Yggy's output stage.

Which most likely after some break in will be far superior to the Oppo 105 sonically.

[jdandy]

Mr. Dandy,

Dear Jim.

well, THANKS FOR NOTHING!! it is solely due to you, that i must TRY to explain to my wife, a $2400 charge to my Visa card. (i live in fear!) i have not yet read your remarkable review, but it is obviously written by someone quite bright, and who LOVES MUSIC! i have played violin in several orchestras, and i like lots of types of music. i am dying to get my Yggy! should be this week! if i just plug it in, with nothing going in, will that break it in? i plan to keep it always plugged in. i guess i could somehow ?program? the OPPO 105 to constantly play???? i am prepared to not like the sound at first.

OK, dumb question: would a GOOD power conditioner improve my sound, to the extent that i could HEAR the improvement? my budget is running dry.
congrats, and thanks!
sincerely
Bob

Bob.......I think you will be extremely pleased with your new Yggdrasil, and if your wife also enjoys music, she will quickly forgive the expense once she has been captured by the performance of this DAC.

Break-in, as far as I am concerned, requires all the circuits be active, not just the power supply idling the remainder of the DAC. Schiit Audio has a burn-in rack where the Yggdrasil gets 72 hours of being energized without an audio signal applied. My preference is that break-in should take place in the same manner you plan to use it, i.e. with a signal passing through it. That way the digital input boards, the DAC, the closed-form filter, and the Analog 2 output boards all get constant signals and electron flow through all their parts.

Jeff's (Dr Tone) suggestion of using a USB connection from a computer is good. Just as easily you can use the Oppo player you mentioned with a CD spinning on Repeat. Be prepared for about 20 to 25 days of break-in playing the DAC 24/7. At the end of that time period you will be completely mesmerized by the Yggdrasil's performance.

As for power conditioners, a high quality one is always a sound investment your system.

[kzhtoo]

Well I caved and had to hear what all the Schiit was about for myself.

I’m not sure my first impressions are quite as favourable as Dan’s were. I’ll leave it at that for now and give the DAC some time to get it’s mojo togethor.

Today my unit has logged 58 hours and I can attest it is now noticeably better than when I first fired it up. If this is the indication of what is to come after break-in, I'm very excited.

[jdandy]

Today my unit has logged 58 hours and I can attest it is now noticeably better than when I first fired it up. If this is the indication of what is to come after break-in, I'm very excited.

kzhtoo.......Keep truckin'. It will continue to open up and reveal its true sonic signature. You don't have to have your sound system on, just as long as the Yggdrasil is energized and a digital signal is being fed to it the break-in will progress. Keep us posted.

[kzhtoo]

kzhtoo.......Keep truckin'. It will continue to open up and reveal its true sonic signature. You don't have to have your sound system on, just as long as the Yggdrasil is energized and a digital signal is being fed to it the break-in will progress. Keep us posted.

Yep, that's what I'm doing.

[Dr Tone]

I’ve reached 325 hours on mine. Looking forward to the next 200 hours.

[kzhtoo]

I've lost track of the logged hours (long story). Should be between 264 and 360. Wondering how much more it could change?

[jdandy]

I've lost track of the logged hours (long story). Should be between 264 and 360. Wondering how much more it could change?

kzhtoo.......Once you have past 500 hours of break-in you will be 98% there. My Yggdrasil now has 924 hours of continuous break-in. Once past 500 hours I noticed only slight improvements in timbrel accuracy. Instruments, particularly acoustic instruments like guitar, double-bass, violin, piano, drums, and horns, achieve an astonishing accuracy that is so satisfying. Instruments and voices sound real, whole, full of life. Once I past 700 hours I have notice little to no additional change in the Yggdrasil's sonic signature, but I made the decision to keep a digital signal fed to it through 1000 hours. That should arrive by next Monday. At that point in time I will consider the break-in officially complete and will cease the 24/7 digital feed, but I will keep the Yggdrasil energized as recommended by Schiit Audio. It will always be ready to immediately rock when I send a digital file to it.

There is no shortcut for break-in. Keep the Yggdrasil energized and fed with a signal 24/7. The hours will while away before you know it. Nothing says you can't enjoy listening to it along the way.

[Mrppv]

My upgraded Yggdrasil should arrive today. Looking forward to hearing any improvements / changes, although not excited about breaking it in all over again.

[jdandy]

My upgraded Yggdrasil should arrive today. Looking forward to hearing any improvements / changes, although not excited about breaking it in all over again.

Mrppv.......I am happy to see Yggdrasil owners taking advantage of Schiit Audio's latest upgrades. The whole idea of being able to keep your Yggdrasil current with the newest features offers a tremendous value to Schiit Audio owners. I will be watching for your impressions once you've gotten some hours on your "new" Yggy.

[kzhtoo]

kzhtoo.......Once you have past 500 hours of break-in you will be 98% there. My Yggdrasil now has 924 hours of continuous break-in. Once past 500 hours I noticed only slight improvements in timbrel accuracy. Instruments, particularly acoustic instruments like guitar, double-bass, violin, piano, drums, and horns, achieve an astonishing accuracy that is so satisfying. Instruments and voices sound real, whole, full of life. Once I past 700 hours I have notice little to no additional change in the Yggdrasil's sonic signature, but I made the decision to keep a digital signal fed to it through 1000 hours. That should arrive by next Monday. At that point in time I will consider the break-in officially complete and will cease the 24/7 digital feed, but I will keep the Yggdrasil energized as recommended by Schiit Audio. It will always be ready to immediately rock when I send a digital file to it.

There is no shortcut for break-in. Keep the Yggdrasil energized and fed with a signal 24/7. The hours will while away before you know it. Nothing says you can't enjoy listening to it along the way.

As always, thanks for being very informative, Dan. Yes, I’ll have the music keep playing through it for another few weeks. It already sounds a bit better than when I first turned it on. I think I started to grasp the sonic character of Yggdrasil and it’s one I like. I had a concern going in based on few reporting Yggy as jumpy. I haven’t felt that way so far.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jdandy]

I just reread the Yggdrasil review. There isn't a single word in the description of the Yggy's performance that isn't the absolute truth. It is a truly remarkable digital to analog converter.

Last night I listened to Bill Frisell - Good Dog Happy Man on CD from the MOON Neo 260D transport through the Yggy. The layering of guitars, organ, bass, and drums is so well presented on this recording. The six minute tune "Shenandoah" drew me deeply into the interplay between Bill Frisell's unique guitar style and that of Ry Cooder's guitar. The Yggdrasil presented this entire CD in my living room as if there was no equipment at all, just sweet music at my beck and call. I have yet to listen to the Yggdrasil and not be immediately mesmerized when the music flows. This is a phenomenal DAC. It is worth all the praise it has received and then some. Adding the MOON transport is icing on the cake.

[Old Bob]

absolutely true! listened to Elgar violin concerto, Hilary Hahn. you can hear the rosin on the bow on the incredibly high notes. the detail is amazing. I am lucky to find this DAC, I have no room in my budget for a $10,000 DAC. every thing Dan said is true! bob

[Al M.]

absolutely true! listened to Elgar violin concerto, Hilary Hahn. you can hear the rosin on the bow on the incredibly high notes. the detail is amazing. I am lucky to find this DAC, I have no room in my budget for a $10,000 DAC. every thing Dan said is true! bob

Yes, I hear this extreme detail too. Here are my experiences with solo violin:

http://www.audioshark.org/showthread...l=1#post226992

Now that I have my Octave RE320 amp and the new speakers are broken in, I can report more on the Yggy's performance as it shines through after my system upgrades.

Stunning sound of orchestral massed violins (and violas, celli), just stunning. Silky smooth and fluid, superb resolution, surprisingly similar to what I am used to live. Even though it will never be the exact same of course, and a direct comparison might not be favorable, it still reminds me strongly of my last concert with the Boston Symphony and Stravinsky's Firebird, experienced from a very good seat.

I have rarely heard such superb sound of orchestral strings from analog (in other systems with top vinyl set-ups, can't speak for tape), even though on some occasions I did. Sorry, that's how I perceive it, can't do anything about what my ears tell me. And that from plain ole Redbook CD (Simaudio Moon transport --> MIT digital cable (AES/EBU) --> Schiit Yggdrasil DAC). I am super-excited about what I hear.

The massed violins on digital now have a lot of this elusive not just silky, but also airy quality that is just so rarely heard in home reproduction. I find it interesting, because for decades massed violins had always been a glaring (literally) weak point of digital, and in particular on Redbook CD. The Yggy clearly outshines all the DACs I had so far on massed violins, I know that from comparisons even before I had this level of resolution.

Digital has arrived. The Schiit Yggdrasil DAC rocks.

[nonesup]

Totally agree. I think that the orchestral groups of violins have always been the great heel of Achilles of digital.

[Dr Tone]

A new review is out. A bit different as he switches from the Analog 1 to the 2.

http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index....alog-2-upgrade

I figured I’d tag it on to Dan’s thread instead of starting a new one.

[RDSChicago]

Good Schiit, man!!

A new review is out. A bit different as he switches from the Analog 1 to the 2.

http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index....alog-2-upgrade

I figured I’d tag it on to Dan’s thread instead of starting a new one.

[jdandy]

Jeff.......Thanks for the link to the SoundStage review of the Yggdrasil DAC. I believe Erich Wetzel and I came to essentially the same conclusions. The Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC is a serious performer worthy of inclusion in a high-end sound system. It is a remarkably musical DAC.

[Mrppv]

Curious... didn't see in the Soundstage review anything about updating the firmware when going to analog 2. That's one of the reasons Schitt gives for requiring factory installation.

I'm over 400 hours now on my upgraded Yggdrasil, so don't expect much more change, if any. I notice a more 3-D sound and a hard-to-define sense of ease to the music.

Had a musician friend over a few days ago and when I played a song for him, he just kept shaking his head in amazement. He also listened to a song from his band's latest album, that had a certain down-mixed drum bit (he's the drummer) which he wasn't able to hear on other sysytems but was able to hear on mine.

[jdandy]

Curious... didn't see in the Soundstage review anything about updating the firmware when going to analog 2. That's one of the reasons Schitt gives for requiring factory installation.

I'm over 400 hours now on my upgraded Yggdrasil, so don't expect much more change, if any. I notice a more 3-D sound and a hard-to-define sense of ease to the music.

Had a musician friend over a few days ago and when I played a song for him, he just kept shaking his head in amazement. He also listened to a song from his band's latest album, that had a certain down-mixed drum bit (he's the drummer) which he wasn't able to hear on other sysytems but was able to hear on mine.

Mrppv.......I agree, there is a true sense of genuine musical character and timbre in the analog output of the Yggdrasil 2 that is completely engaging. I would also agree that the Analog 2 and USB Gen5 upgrades should be performed at the factory so that the firmware updates can be installed at the same time. It would be silly not to take full advantage of the available upgrades by doing a board swap yourself.

I am still loving my Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC. It is an astonishing digital to analog converter.