Upcoming R2R DAC: Schitt Yggdrasil

Q

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I think Hugo is one of the better portable DACs, but unfortunately still can't beat a desktop DAC with less design compromises. It's a bit unrealistic to think so. :) Not sure about the TT. The Chord also would benefit from a better source, and a good coax input.

Source is indeed important but that also includes the upstream from the DAC such as the PC.. many people neglect this aspect, even more so than a DAC.

Even if you buy a 'summit-fi' DAC, performance will be low if you don't tune upwards. There are many expensive systems which sound pretty bad, IMO, as sometimes more revealing gear just reveals more flaws that you have to solve.
 
dqwong

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Questor said:
I think Hugo is one of the better portable DACs, but unfortunately still can't beat a desktop DAC with less design compromises. It's a bit unrealistic to think so. :) Not sure about the TT. The Chord also would benefit from a better source, and a good coax input.

Source is indeed important but that also includes the upstream from the DAC such as the PC.. many people neglect this aspect, even more so than a DAC.

Even if you buy a 'summit-fi' DAC, performance will be low if you don't tune upwards. There are many expensive systems which sound pretty bad, IMO, as sometimes more revealing gear just reveals more flaws that you have to solve.
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Summit-fi dac & amp will go a long way to show you what's right or wrong with your setup and with the music/singer. That's transparency for you. Double edge sword.

e.g. when someone tells you they cannot hear the difference between let's say 256kbps AAC and Original PCM 16bit. It's usually due to their dac or some equipment down the chain that doesn't resolve well enough but It always start from the DAC first.
 
Q

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I feel there are many other things that affect the sound and are perfectly discernible even to novices to the hobby.. no need to get an expensive DAC to do so although it makes it easier.

The Corning USB is not a good solution, IMO, as it just replaces the noise from the PC from that from the hub and also affects the data. At the higher end, many people have experimented with the Adnaco S3B which is a better platform.

However, while I feel trying to manage the noise from the power lines is good to have, I feel having the data lines go direct is much better than trying to reclock.

If you have a DAC that works without connected USB power lines, you can just run without the power lines.. that helps that part of the issue.
 
derazor

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Questor said:
I feel there are many other things that affect the sound and are perfectly discernible even to novices to the hobby.. no need to get an expensive DAC to do so although it makes it easier.

The Corning USB is not a good solution, IMO, as it just replaces the noise from the PC from that from the hub and also affects the data. At the higher end, many people have experimented with the Adnaco S3B which is a better platform.

However, while I feel trying to manage the noise from the power lines is good to have, I feel having the data lines go direct is much better than trying to reclock.

If you have a DAC that works without connected USB power lines, you can just run without the power lines.. that helps that part of the issue.
Click to expand...

maybe get TT analog sua...
 
Murcielago

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DACLadder said:
Even with 110 hrs the improvement in sound over the Master 7 driven by Off Ramp 5 HDMI I2S is no contest. In comparison the Master 7 sounds bloated in the lower mid-range down while the Yggy is neutral top to bottom. The Master 7 has the illusion of a wide sound field but very flat and not really all that much in the middle. The Yggy imaging with speakers is unreal as it paints a 3D sound picture in front of your speakers where you can pick out anything in the mix. I haven't heard anything like that since I spinning vinyl in the 1970s. Plus the Master 7 has a little grain in the vocals and touch hissy on sibilance. The Yggy is clear as driven snow in comparison and handles source sibilance much better.

The Master 7 has its own "sound" and reminds me I am listening to a DAC while the Yggy disappears. It is not fully broken in but the Yggy is already the best audio upgrade I have ever made going back 40 years. It sounds like a have a totally new sound system with better components everywhere. Remarkable achievement for the price
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http://www.head-fi.org/t/667711/new-schiit-ragnarok-and-yggdrasil/7230#post_11591678
 
dqwong

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https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/35n4zg/my_first_r2r_dac_the_audiogd_dac19_10th/

[–]SasquatchimoWyrd>DAC-19>HPA V220>LCD-X | Cowon Plenue P1>EarWerkz Legend R 2 points an hour ago*

I previously have owned a few delta-sigma DACs and hadn't been entirely happy with the results. My last DAC setup was an Oppo HA-1 which I thought was a fantastic piece of equipment but was far too bright for my taste with my Audeze LCD-X. You might blame it on that infamous Sabre "glare" from the ES9018 in the Oppo.

After a lot of research and stumbling on Purrin's thread here (http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/tho...da-sucks-just-to-get-you-to-think-about-stuff) I decided to grab an R2R DAC. These are also known as ladder DACs or NOS DACs. For awhile I was going to grab a Metrum Octave Mk.2 but decided to give Kingwa's well-received R2R DACs a try and pair it with a Violectric V220.

(Incidentally from my understanding this Audio-GD DAC-19 is not a true NOS DAC the way it comes from the factory as it has an 8x oversampling by default from a DSP, but that can be adjusted via jumpers inside the case.)

The DAC-19 arrived today and it sounds pretty damn good. It's a much more "natural," smoother sound. It just doesn't sound "digital" at all. Comparing it to the delta-sigma DACs like the Sabre in the Oppo, the R2R DAC in the DAC-19 lends more heft and natural decay to notes. I'm borrowing this description that I saw elsewhere, but it's almost like delta-sigma DACs make all instruments sound the same, with guitars and vocals sounding like similar takes on the same basic sounds. The DAC-19 makes music much more lifelike and realistic. Guitars and stringed instruments have resonances and timbre that are much more tangible. I've listened to some Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin and Manchester Orchestra in the past few minutes, but I can't wait to try out some classical music.

With the Violectric V220, it's an amazingly smooth, fun and bassy combo feeding the LCD-X. I'm really happy and we'll have to see how much I like this combo a few weeks down the line.

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[–]ninjapirate9901/r/headphoneporn needs your filth 2 points an hour ago

Wicked setup mate!

Would you say the difference between the DAC-19 and HA-1 is substantial?

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[–]SasquatchimoWyrd>DAC-19>HPA V220>LCD-X | Cowon Plenue P1>EarWerkz Legend R 2 points 49 minutes ago*

Thanks! Yours is as well! I've greatly enjoyed the quality of the photography you put into your posts (cough Ploom Pax cough) as well as the high-end equipment. It's great to see some more decent summit-fi equipment on here.

The differences are honestly quite large. I would venture to say that the two setups were on opposite sides of the sound signature spectrum. The HA-1 had the typical Sabre sound and was quite good at that, but I found the treble to be fatiguing and troublesome, and I finally knew what people meant by the Sabre "glare." There was an artificiality to music and it sounded so distinctly "digital" and sterile. A buddy of mine who was visiting told me he didn't like the combo as it forced him to pay attention to the music in an unpleasant way due to the presentation of treble microdetail. He's also a bit of basshead, but I found I agreed with his impressions.

For awhile I was actually going to sell my LCD-X and grab an LCD-3 to pair with the Oppo, but I really do love the LCD-X and it was surprising to find that I'd be losing something like $500 minimum in selling the X, not counting the money I had paid to get a vegan pads and headband for comfort reasons. By the end of my 30-day return period with Oppo, I ended up returning that instead and doing a lot more research for an end-game setup that was more tailored to my personal desires.

The DAC-19 is the most "analog" sounding DAC I've heard. Violectric's amps are known for being warmer and bassier, so the two combined is a delightful combination and exactly what I was looking for. The Oppo HA-1 was noticeably better at microdetail retrieval due to the treble resolution being so stellar, but I've realized that I prefer a sound signature I can melt into without treble fatigue. The Oppo is still a fantastic piece of equipment and I was sorely tempted to keep it, but I'm glad I didn't at least in these first moments with the DAC-19.
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