New! Unison USB
 

I don’t know about Sony and MSB, but NAD, Lumin, Linn, and most other higher end music servers now support Roon, so you’re not tied to their proprietary software at all. And most also can be used with a host of other off-the-shelf DNLA/upnp player apps.

That’s good news - thanks Tony!

Wonder how much difference there would be between the new USB Gungir and Bifrost. What does the $200 get one?

I’ll let you know - my board arrives this Thursday.

kmmd has posted some thoughts on the upgrade in post #4 in this thread.

These Schiit engineers are really good. If they decided to develop a proprietary USB interface instead of using one of the chip-based interfaces, there must be a very good reason.

Tom

Is it just a few screws and plugging/unplugging a board (properly grounded)? I have no other skills or PC to load code. The line looks like it will move slowly to ship it in.

Yes it involves removing screws and a ribbon cable. All of the screws on the top need to be removed. There are two rows of screws (on the bottom front) which free up the front / face. You also remove the screws on the outer edges of the sides and back. Then you remove all of the black screws on the back and the nut to the BNC connector. You slide the front / top panel out slightly and disconnect the ribbon cable. The boards can then be freed with the unit right side up. The Unison board is held down by two screws. There is no coding involved. This link gives you an idea of how the Yggy looks with everything taken apart.

http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/Schiit_mod.html

Ken

Ken - great description of the disassembly process.

I just finished installing the Unison USB card in my Yggdrasil. It took about 30 minutes total.

The build quality of this unit is exemplary. All the casework fits perfectly. The tolerances are very tight. Every machine screw mates to a nut plate - no thread rolling screws or holes tapped into sheet metal.

Listening impressions to follow.

I've spent several hours listening to the new Unison USB card in my Yggy. While A/B comparisons are impossible, the Unison USB made a noticeable improvement in my system. Digital sources sound even more focused and dynamic now. Everything seems to be quieter too - the background noise continues to be inaudible right at the speakers.

I liken the improvement to the difference between the WW Platinum Starlight Seven USB cable which replaced an Audioquest Carbon USB cable in my system. The fundamnetal sound hasn't changed - everything just got a little better.

Highly recommended if you are using the Yggy USB input. And it's an easy DIY project.

Tom

New! Unison USB
 

Tom (and kmmd),

Thanks for the initial impressions. Looking forward to longer term impressions.

While I’m still in love with my Gumby, it’s a no-brainer for me to upgrade; it’s only a matter of letting it go for two weeks (Gumby needs to go back home for the upgrade).

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your impressions. I agree that the Yggy is very well made, solid and easily upgradable. Mine is a 1st Gen Yggy, so I’ve swapped the fuse from the SR red to black to blue and now orange. I installed the USB Gen 5 board years ago and sent the Yggy back for the analog 2 board. I picked it up at their B&M storefront. It’s been through a lot over the years, but its upgradability is exactly why I purchased it. I commend the folks at Schiit for their commitment to offer upgrades for their products at a reasonable price.

I switched to the Shunyata Sigma USB several months ago from the Curious. The Sigma USB performance is exactly as everyone on the Shunyata forum posted. There is so much separation, detail, focus and air. Everything has its own space and contributes to an amazing overall musical performance. With the Yggy Unison change, everything has become more dynamic, full of body and has become more natural sounding. In my system, I can feel that pluck of a guitar string, strike of a piano key and voices such as Eva Cassidy, George Michael, John Legend, etc gives me goosebumps. Please wait a few more days and allow the Unison board to settle in. Everything seemed to be forward initially, but it will settle and your soundstage depth will improve.

BTW for people wondering about my system, as I can't edit my signature yet, I am using a 2011 MacMini with SSD and a Paul Hynes SR7EHD power supply running Roon. The PC is a Shunyata Alpha NR PC plugged into a Denali 6000s V2.

My pre is a VAC Sig MkIIa SE with US made Amperex PQ white label with gold pin 6922's.

I have Maggie 3.6R speakers that are biamped with a highly modified Marchand XM44 crossover.

Amps for now are a ModWright KWA150SE (will be replaced by Pass Labs later this year) for the mids and highs and Bryston 7B SST's for the lows augmented by a pair of REL S/5 SHO subs.

The 2-channel components are part of an all Maggie HT system controlled by a Theta CB IVa with D3 Xtreme DAC pre/pro as a second pre.

Cabling is all WireWorld with Platinum 7's for main 2-channel listening and older Golds elsewhere. PC's are mostly Shunyata KC and Anaconda Helix CX and Paul Kaplan's HE's for 2 channel.

It's a modest system compared to those in this thread. Now I'm waiting for the Everest to replace my Running Springs conditioner to supply my pre's, DAC, and crossover. A Sigma EF C19 PC is on order already.

Ken