Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Review
 

by J. Dan Daniell

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4610/...eb048221_b.jpg


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.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4637/...582b1518_c.jpg


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.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4676/...b8f946bc_c.jpg


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.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4733/...d6262fb7_c.jpg


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 25th 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.



https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4730/...8854e5cd_c.jpg


With 550 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.


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4659/...59eda7cb_c.jpg


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.

Oh boy!!! :eatndrink:

How does it compare with your K01X?

Adam.......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 curiosity and will 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 am not sensing the K-01X is outperforming the Yggdrasil, nor when I come from the studio system to the living room system I am not sensing a 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 in good time.

Fantastic review Dan. :thumbsup: Glad to hear YggY is bringing you so much listening satisfaction. I had little doubt that would be the outcome after the extended burn in. Thanks for sharing your findings in a very detailed and enjoyable review.

By the way, you really should do reviews on a professional level. Your enthusiasm, experience and a thorough approach to evaluating and putting your thoughts into an enjoyable and informative reviews should be rewarded. :yes:

Dan,
Thanks for the excellent review of the Yggdrasil. The Yggdrasil is a uniquely designed and obviously well executed DAC. When I ordered my Tannoy Canterbury GR's, my dealer and I talked at length several times about my current setup, listening preferences and how my view of listening to music would change as soon as the Canterbury's were in my room. During one of our conversations, he told me to ignore what the audio overlords are telling everyone is the best DAC and just order a Yggy. He then proceeded to rattle off a list of the top, high-dollar DACs he had owned but said he enjoyed music more with the Yggy than any of them. He was spot on about the Canterbury's. Reading your review makes me think he was spot on about the Yggy as well.

I work with more than 100 editors and former journalists from some of the top media companies in the county. Your writing skills and ability to put thoughts into words is right up there with the best of them. "Yggdrasil" will soon be appearing more frequently in AA signatures.

Serge.......Thank you, but my days of employment, marching to someone else's drum and all that entails are over. I appreciate the sentiment and encouragement, but I review audio gear and write my impressions strictly for entertainment. As it stands now I am satisfied to connect in a positive manner with those who read my reviews. I enjoy providing insight and entertainment to others. I do this at my leisure and in my own good time. Writing professionally means work, gear coming and going, unpacking, setup, packing, shipping, then writing to meet word count requirements and editor deadlines. To make it financially worthwhile I would have to review and write full time. I do not want to forfeit ownership of my time. Being retired and secure is a blessing I relish. I'm not keen on relinquishing that freedom.

The way I review audio equipment allows me to play with gear that interests me. I like being able to relay the facts as I see them, but it is equally important for me to provide insight, excitement and satisfaction with my words. I hope my excitement for the gear I review manages to be transposed to those who read my words. If that happens, that is my reward.

Well Dan,

That was an incredibly detailed and more importantly, passionate review. It really gets right to the point at how well this product complements and fits into your very capable "living room" system and its potential to do the same for others. Anyone considering a new DAC should have this on their short list.

Of course, l would be in remiss not to make mention of Stephen's and Serge's earlier dipping into the Schiit honey as well.

Cheers to all and back to some listening!

Terry.......Thank you so much for your kind comment. On the other point, your dealer was trying to save you a boatload of money while at the same time stirring you toward a DAC for music lovers, not gear heads. I have great respect for any dealer who will be honest, even if it doesn't do his bottom line any good at that moment. You may want to consider taking him up on his advice.

Well, as much as you enjoy writing and you obviously do, I thought it would be a fulfilling way to enjoy the gear and share your finding with the rest of the gang here on AA and perhaps capture an even bigger audience through youtube or a blog. I am sure if you reached out to some of the manufacturers and showed them your "portfolio" of reviews, they would be impressed. "The Retired Audiophile"? Does that have a nice ring to it for a youtube video channel or a blog? :scratch2:

Pretty sure it was Stephen who sailed on the SchiitFlower to the new land and brought the rest of us the tales of the new and wonderful DACs that await there.

I don’t know what’s more impressive, the Yggdrasil or your writing ability. I read it twice and probably will several more times. Thanks for a very thought out and I’m sure, time consuming review. I’m really glad you not only gave Schiit a try, but are enjoying the Yaggi as much as you are.

Dan........ Great review and I enjoyed reading your systematic approach of the entire process from beginning to end. This is a good reference for anyone contemplating a Yggy purchase and will help many, especially considering its affordable price point with performance that competes against DACS many multiples its cost. :thumbsup: A high performance DAC like the Yggy can really transform an ok system to a good one, and a good one into a great one. :music:

Hopefully Schiit will read this outstanding review and send you a nice little NOTE, thanking "The Retired Audiophile" :scratch2: for such high praises that will surely help their bottom-line.

Ron

Serge.......I like that, "The Retired Audiophile" might make a fun YouTube channel. I might have to give this idea some consideration. That's quite a creative title. Made me smile.

Ron.......Thank you for the compliments. Schiit Audio will see this review because I emailed them a link to it. It will be interesting to see if they respond.

Glad you like it Dan. :thumbsup: One other idea is to review new albums, I'd like to see more of that on youtube. :yes: Discussing the new LPs that come out for example, sound quality, musical content, etc. They don't have to be long either. Would be fun. Reach out to ElusiveDisc, SoundstageDirect, etc to see if they would be interested in sending you new LPs to review? :scratch2:

Thanks for the great review Dan. I've been on the Schiit bandwagon for almost 2 years now as that is when I bought my first Schiit DAC (a Bifrost MB). I recently stepped up to a Gumby, and now you have me thinking that I may need to take one more step up!!!

Someone better notify Schiit to get that Yggdrasil assembly line cranking for the upcoming wave of orders. :D

A truly excellent review Dan.

Thank you for taking the time to articulate as you have and share your passion with us all...

Very well done as always Dan. ‘Passion, Fire and Grace’ with eloquence are your hallmarks.

Thanks for sharing this with us.

Craig

Such a kill joy in not comparing the Yggdrasil to the K-01x, but to it "in good time."

Dan, your liking and excitement statements to me illustrates selfless contribution to helping others formulate better opinions on their journey covering various topics.

Yes, I will openly admit I am appreciative of your efforts and have made several purchases following this manner.

Real reviews and discussions by you and others is the foundation of this forum.

Thank You!

David.......That's the advantage I have reviewing and writing for entertainment. Don't fret, I will get to it "eventually". . :D

In the immortal words of President Abraham Lincoln, "You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time." I am comfortable with that.

Dan,
Thanks for another great review. As you said early on, digital audio has come a long way. I really like the approach Moffat and Stoddard have taken in the Yggdrasil.

Your sonic impressions sure emphasize that approach - super accurate reconstruction of the digitized signal followed by well designed filtering make for a great listening experience, not to mention attention to detail in the analog design.

Good audio engineering never goes out of style and it is even better when you get it without the bloviation and bling that seems to permeate high performance audio.

Thanks again for a great review.

Tom

Dan,....well, what can I say? You've done it again. Hit a home run out of the park with your thoughtful, informed, insightful and thorough review of Yggy. You and Serge make a for a team of "heavy hitters" when it comes to audio reviewing. Your Yggy review and Serge's Gumby review are the best reviews I've read of these remarkable components, bar none. Robert Harley's review in TAS is "thin" by comparison.

Its been a while since i've heard Yggy; Gumby is more familiar to me as I own one, but I think I can safely say that your findings and conclusions are 100% accurate with my own experiences, and speak to the somewhat magical way that Mssrs. Moffat and Stoddard produce remarkably musical components that get to the essence and truth of music itself. This is the overarching attribute that I experience with their Muiltibit DACS...they sound less digital, less "sampled" or "contrived" than any digital components I've heard. They simply sound like MUSIC. IIRC, Serge, in his reviews, has said the same exact thing, verbatim. Here's one small example: you refer to the "edginess" in the sound of the Wyred 4 Sound DAC2 D/S DAC by comparison. This is the "glare" that owners of Muitlbit and R2R ladder DACs refer to regarding D/S DACs. It's hard to hear that glare until you hear a component that doesn't do it, and then all of a sudden, you can't "not hear it" anymore in those D/S components. What this means is that these fine Multibit DAC imbue the musical reproduction with qualities and attributes that create more engaging and beguiling listening experiences. Your comment about being able to hear the rosin flying off the bow particularly struck me. I've had similar experiences listening to Jonas Starker playing cello in a small church, where the recording was made. With Gumby, you can clearly hear his breathing and the reverberations of his bow work on the strings reverberate off the walls and the notes decay into space. It's astonishing, and its these kinds of attributes that create these engaging and beguiling listening experiences. It's all these "little" things that you start hearing that you realize you've never heard before that embellishes the musical experience in a completely natural and lifelike way.

Your comment about the price vs performance ratio is spot-on, too. This is one of the great ironies (and quite honestly, its laughable when you think about it) of high-end audio: that there are a not inconsiderable number of folks out there that would not even think about or consider getting an Yggy for their system simply because it does not cost enough. How could a $2300 component possibly sound better than my gold-plated Special Edition Bricasti M1? :p it tells me that high-end audio in many respects has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, and many high-end components have become "vleben goods", where the perceived value is directly correlated with the price. Mike, Jason, and their legions of fans and satisfied customers all know better and are "laughing all the way to the bank", in terms of the value we are getting for our dollar. You humorously mention that Mike and Jason should come to their senses, and triple the price of Yggy; I know for a fact that will never happen, and I've read in Jason's blog on Head Fi that they are commited to, and working even harder, to drive costs DOWN.

On a parting note, in Jason's latest chapter of "Schiit Happened" on Head Fi, he talked about goals and objectives for 2018, as would any good exec of a successful company. One of the things that Jason referred to was creating design/product embodiments utilizing new analog amplfication circuit topologies and methodologies that he's developed over the last couple years. My guess is the new "Analog 2" circuitry is the first example of this. And you're right, they did this on the "QT" because I hadn't even heard about it until you mentioned it in a previous post. This is classic "Schiit-y" behavior, working quietly behind the scenes, making their products better and better, and not blowing their own horns about it, just getting on the with the job.

The great irony about a company named "Schiit" is that they execute like nobody's business and are thoroughly "No Bull-Schiit" when it comes to product development, quality and value.

Well done! :thumbsup:

Stephen.......What an excellent addendum to my review. Thank you. I agree with you that Mike and Jason are making invaluable contributions to their customers in many ways that are flying under the radar for audio enthusiasts who are unfamiliar with Schiit Audio products. I also agree with your perspective about all the little things that become apparent, ultimately combining to recreate a truly life like listening experience with the Schiit multibit DAC's. This awakening often comes from finally being able to hear the micro sounds with correct timing that go unnoticed with more conventional delta-sigma DAC's. Once you've heard how engagingly musical and lifelike a multibit DAC like the Yggdrasil can sound, this refreshing experience becomes a brand new yardstick by which all other digital conversion is measured.

Dan,
Absolutely 100% agree. More insightful points and comments. Your thorough research of Schiit as a company as part of doing your background research for your purchase of Yggy have placed you in good stead to understand their product positioning and core values as an audio company.

Ha! LOL! Perhaps so.

But its even more gratifying to know that there were folks open-minded enough to give their products a try and not be biased by things like the company name or, ironically enough, the price of the product. :thumbsup:

This is what makes a place like AA so special: we can share our experiences with our fellow members in the pursuit of more accurate and lifelike musical reproduction and those folks can know that we don't have an agenda driven by driving ad revenue, personal associations with manufacturers, spiffs, product placement, shoving new licensing schemes down the throats of customers, etc.

That gives these reviews credibility and as such, they provide a contribution to the society that is AA as a whole.

Agreed! :thumbsup:

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.

Me too
 

I think I got my Yggdrasil one week before Dan. To my surprise I also got the upgraded, analog 2 version, serial number starts with "B" even before they announced it and at the regular price. Good Schiit!

I agree 100% with what Dan wrote. Mine is for my desktop system where I work so its not getting any component which costs more than it does--using with desktop ClairAudient 1+1 speakers which are highly recommended bargains (used in the near-field they are amazing) and a Peachtree Nova125 Integrated to drive it all.

My source is pure comfort food--I use Pandora Premium from USB into the Yggy.
Not even full CD resolution.
Compared to using the DAC in the Peachtree, the difference is dramatic. For the first time I am hearing tracks with the same tonal richness, transparency and delicacy I usually only here in my main home rig. This DAC is phenomenal!

Bart....... :redface:

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.

Dan....I've had a busy week and only just now saw this review, which is fabulously written, as per usual. You're obviously beyond enthusiastic about the product, which appears to be garnering quite a following, as is the company overall. The same applies to the many members here who look forward to each and every review you share thoughtfully prepared and meticulously written.

I'll have to re-read the review, as I usually absorb the reviews better the second time around.

I definitely look forward to my next visit, when I can here the DAC myself. I have no doubt I will be highly impressed.

I too look forward your impressions of the DAC as compared to the Esoteric K-01X.

Fantastic job once again Dan! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Adam.......What a nice discovery to find your Yggdrasil has been upgraded to the new Analog 2 output boards. I was surprised, too, and grateful. This upgrade includes two new analog boards with 4 really expensive DAC chips, all DSP software upgrades were done, a software enhancement to add some routines in the filter which helped overall linearity, and a revision changing the grounding of the mother board. Mike Moffat stated in a post on Head-Fi that the result is a better measuring, far better sounding unit. We were both fortunate to place our Yggdrasil orders at the right time. Good to know you are pleased with yours. I am ecstatic with mine.

Pete.......Thank you. This DAC will knock your socks off. I believe you are correct, a second reading of this review will add to your understanding and be entertaining at the same time.

Dan- a beautifully written and well-researched review, congratulations on a great piece. I especially appreciate that you delve into Schiit as a company and focus on the value that they offer in their product line. Obviously I am a big fan (read my gear list below), because they offer me great sound for a very affordable price.

Your emphasis of the upgradeability of Schiit products is noteworthy, and I'd like to add a quote from Mike Moffat in a post he made on head-fi.org yesterday, which highlights the details of the upgrade:

As an owner of a first-batch Yggdrasil, I was pleased to learn that not only is my unit going to receive the Analog 2 update, but it will receive all the standard production updates that have been made since Yggy was first introduced (save for the Gen 5 USB, which is a separate upgrade). Schiit is bringing my unit up to current production specs, an unparalleled offering in today's audio world.

I look forward to the additional sonic benefits of Analog 2!

Congrats again on a great piece, and for initiating a great conversation.

US Blues.......Appreciate your kind words. I agree, Schiit Audio's entire product line is impressive. I would enjoy hearing their Freya preamp and Vidar power amps. I am also interested in hearing your impressions once your upgraded Yggdrasil is back in action. Schiit Audio's emphasis on modular upgrades certainly increases the value of their products. Glad to see you taking advantage of their upgrade program.

Dan, the K-01X comparison will be very intriguing indeed. I’d love to hear a comparison to vinyl as well. Just how analog is the Yggdrasil... :scratch2:

Wow, what a great review Dan. Honestly, you give the best reviews on AA. I appreciate your patience and attention to detail in describing the Yggdrasil for us to benefit from. I like unconventional and/or unique design approaches when it comes to audio equipment. I think that's why I have the eclectic collection of gear I own and enjoy.

The Schiit DAC is something I'm considering getting in 2019 after I scratch the power conditioning/regenerating itch in 2018. The Yggy is pretty inexpensive relative to most high end gear. You can't go wrong in buying one as it will give it's own insight into music we own/stream. Bits aren't just bits, and each DAC design has its unique sound qualities. That said, I'm looking forward to other reviews you post in the future.

JHW.......If you mean does the Yggdrasil sound like real voices and real instruments, then yes it is extremely analog. There is nothing in the sound that tells me the music I am enjoying is digital. That's how analog the Yggdrasil sounds to my ears.