[Starchild]

Just out!!

Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Multibit DAC Review

[kernelbob]

An excellent review that touches on just what differentiates the Yggy from other DACs in terms of how the music sounds.  I'm just approaching one month on my new Yggy and it keeps improving.  You must keep it turned on 24/7.  The last area of improvement I'm hearing is in the bass power and extension.

The special thing that the Yggy does in my system is it's delivery of leading transients down to even low levels of detail that I've discovered really let you hear what instruments sound like.

A true overachiever and a bargain at it's modest price.

[JLM]

Thanks for the heads-up/link.

The review seems to try to provide a layman's explanation of the Multibit technology.  Now I wonder if Multibit is a waste for Redbook (the vast majority of my music).

Yggdrasil is a bit beyond what I want to spend, so am looking at the Gungnir  or Gungbit-Multibit (dang those stupid names).

[Starchild]

Thanks for the heads-up/link.

The review seems to try to provide a layman's explanation of the Multibit technology.  Now I wonder if Multibit is a waste for Redbook (the vast majority of my music).

Yggdrasil is a bit beyond what I want to spend, so am looking at the Gungnir  or Gungbit-Multibit (dang those stupid names).

The Gumby will answer the mail!

[wellpleased]

..

[wellpleased]

 

[mr_bill]

The Gumby will answer the mail!

How close is the Gumby to the Yggy?

[Starchild]

How close is the Gumby to the Yggy?

Not having heard the Yggy, (yeah you busted me) I can't answer that definitively; but I do own a Gumby.  The conventional wisdom appears to be if $$ is a consideration (i.e. $2300 vs $1249), then buy the Gumby without hesitation; otherwise, buy the Yggy.  The word from the folks at Headfi is that the Gumby will get you 80%-90% of the Yggy performance at 50% of the price.  One poster who has heard and tested the Yggy, Gumby and Bimby made the following "terse and ribald" observations:

1. Best of D-S Dacs - an indistinct sound is barely audible in the recording that appears to not be musically related to the orchestral piece playing
2. Bifrost MB - someone in the Second Violin section has flatulated
3. Gungnir MB - the flatulent sound originates with the 2nd chair in the 2nd row of the 2nd violins
4. Yggdrasil - that 2nd chair, 2nd row, 2nd violinist has let loose with a Db when clearly the piece being played is in the key of G.

According to Schiit Audio:
"Gungnir Multibit brings a significant percentage of Yggy's performance to a price that's almost 50% less," said Mike Moffat, Co-Founder of Schiit Audio. "It uses the same time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter algorithm running on an Analog Devices SHARC processor, similar medical/military-grade precision multibit DACs, and the same discrete JFET output buffers. We're proud of the fact that Gungnir Multibit costs $1249, as compared to Yggdrasil's $2299...."

I think it's fair to say that the Gumby doesn't fall far from the Yggy tree.  If I run across a more in depth comparison, I'll report it back.

[Tomy2Tone]

SOLD!

That didn't take long...

With all the love the Yggy has been receiving, just curious why it didn't work out for you or why the sale?

[wellpleased]

That didn't take long...

With all the love the Yggy has been receiving, just curious why it didn't work out for you or why the sale?

...

[kmmd]

Thanks for the link.  My order has been placed.  In addition to the price to performance ratio, this DAC is upgradeable with its modular architecture much like my Theta Casablanca.   

[JLM]

Not having heard the Yggy, (yeah you busted me) I can't answer that definitively; but I do own a Gumby.  The conventional wisdom appears to be if $$ is a consideration (i.e. $2300 vs $1249), then buy the Gumby without hesitation; otherwise, buy the Yggy.  The word from the folks at Headfi is that the Gumby will get you 80%-90% of the Yggy performance at 50% of the price.  One poster who has heard and tested the Yggy, Gumby and Bimby made the following "terse and ribald" observations:

1. Best of D-S Dacs - an indistinct sound is barely audible in the recording that appears to not be musically related to the orchestral piece playing
2. Bifrost MB - someone in the Second Violin section has flatulated
3. Gungnir MB - the flatulent sound originates with the 2nd chair in the 2nd row of the 2nd violins
4. Yggdrasil - that 2nd chair, 2nd row, 2nd violinist has let loose with a Db when clearly the piece being played is in the key of G.

According to Schiit Audio:
"Gungnir Multibit brings a significant percentage of Yggy's performance to a price that's almost 50% less," said Mike Moffat, Co-Founder of Schiit Audio. "It uses the same time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter algorithm running on an Analog Devices SHARC processor, similar medical/military-grade precision multibit DACs, and the same discrete JFET output buffers. We're proud of the fact that Gungnir Multibit costs $1249, as compared to Yggdrasil's $2299...."

I think it's fair to say that the Gumby doesn't fall far from the Yggy tree.  If I run across a more in depth comparison, I'll report it back.

Thanks for the info/opinion.  Wondering using Redbook, how much difference there is between Gungnir and Gungnir-Multibit.  I cheaped out on my last DAC because I only run Redbook (in a $5000 system without source).  Schiit tells me that Multibit works for all PCM formats, but of course couldn't give me a definitive answer. 

[Starchild]

Thanks for the info/opinion.  Wondering using Redbook, how much difference there is between Gungnir and Gungnir-Multibit.  I cheaped out on my last DAC because I only run Redbook (in a $5000 system without source).  Schiit tells me that Multibit works for all PCM formats, but of course couldn't give me a definitive answer.

Check out the  Gungnir owners thread on Head-fi to get the insights of folks who upgraded from the DS Gungnir to the Multibit Gungnir.  There's more information there than you want to read.  I'd start at the last page (currently #192) and work backwards.  There's also a thread on Super Best Audio Friends titled Schiit Gungnir DS vs Gungnir MB Impressions that you may find useful as well. 

Additionally, the multibit has Schiits proprietary, time- and frequency-domain closed-form DSP digital filter which is unique in the industry.  I've not heard the DS Gungnir but I can tell you that the Multibit Gungnir does an awesome job with redbook digital.  Like you, 99% of my library is standard resolution red book digital.  I hope this helps.

Mike

[abernardi]

Well, I just picked up a gently used Yggdrasil and have been letting it cook for a day or so.  It's replacing my Audio-gd Reference 7.1, which I was very pleased with for quite a while until I started hating almost every digital front end I was hearing in friend's systems and at shows.  The unit itself is about 4 months old and has been burned in, but I've been told by some that this thing needs to be powered up for about a week before it sounds right.  Schiit recommends leaving it on all the time.  And also, even used equipment seems to need some burn-in time when introduced into a different system, at least that's my experience.
So far, the presentation is dryer and the soundstage is smaller but higher (physical height) than the Audio-gd.  It sounds a bit restrained and polite in comparison.  However I did notice that I could understand more of the lyrics in "Morph The Cat" than I ever could with ANY other system, even on headphones.  That stopped me in my tracks, because I think that means the perceived resolution at least is higher.  I also had to reposition my speakers because the imaging got much more finicky, the sweet spot shrunk considerably and I had to toe in my speakers more.  Interesting.  We'll see how it settles into the system.  I'm not even close to an opinion on this thing yet, but it's very intriguing.

[Starchild]

100 hours minimum for it to warm up. It took about 350 hours for my Gumby to fully burn-in but I may have been hallucinating.  Depending upon how gently used your unit is, it may still require some burnin.  Hopefully that will not be for a prolonged period.  I'm enjoying my Gumby so much that I'm having difficulting turning the stereo off at night.  As you know, when your stereo is sounding really good all you want to do is listen to it (and you buy more music dammit).  Of course YMMV.  Please keep us posted on your findings.

[JLM]

Semi related...

BiFrost Multi-Bit versus Gungnir Multi-Bit via it's single ended outlets is very, very nearly a draw from what I've found. 

So it seems that Gungnir and Yggdrasil really are balanced designs at heart and should be considered/used as such.

[Starchild]

Semi related...

BiFrost Multi-Bit versus Gungnir Multi-Bit via it's single ended outlets is very, very nearly a draw from what I've found. 

So it seems that Gungnir and Yggdrasil really are balanced designs at heart and should be considered/used as such.

According to folks at Head-fi who have heard all three its more a matter of increased resolution as you move up the the ladder.  Mike Moffatt has emphatically denied that the single ended outputs of the Gumby are somehow inferior to its balanced outputs.  Of course, those who prefer balanced over single ended will not be denied.  A respected contributer to Head-fi who apparently tests equipment for a living has heard and tested all three.  His comments are as follows:

Having all three of these Schiit multibit DACs is a considerable privilege. Comparing them to other DACs with printed words is challenging at best. These need to be heard, preferably in level matched A/B comparison to other DACs, to fully appreciate the advancements achieved by Mike Moffat and team at Schiit. I have spent many hours with these multibits, as I have with some of the best (and worst) of Delta-Sigma DACs. It is no secret that I am enchanted with the Schiit Multibit solutions to source components. I am not as adept with the flowery prose as many others on forum so this will be my concise comparison.
 
1. Best of D-S Dacs - an indistinct sound is barely audible in the recording that appears to not be musically related to the orchestral piece playing
2. Bifrost MB - someone in the Second Violin section has flatulated
3. Gungnir MB - the flatulent sound originates with the 2nd chair in the 2nd row of the 2nd violins
4. Yggdrasil - that 2nd chair, 2nd row, 2nd violinist has let loose with a Db when clearly the piece being played is in the key of G.

Of course ultimately YMMV.  DAR has an overdue  comparison of the Bimby and the Gumby in its review queue.  It will be interesting to hear their thoughts.

[abernardi]

Some more observations as I let this thing burn in:

  It's interesting about the Db story and how resolving this DAC is - I was listening to "Take Five" and during the drum solo with the drum set in the left channel, the drum reverb plainly in the center while the piano vamps in the right channel and string base carries the base line in the center.  I hadn't noticed how out of tune the bass and the piano are to each other before, or it might be the piano needed tuning with itself.  It almost sounded like an old rundown upright bar piano.  Either way, I had never noticed a pitch problem with other DACS.
 
  I hadn't noticed how much play is in those strings of the bass, rattling and buzzing all over the place. 

  The drum reverb in the center has less shimmer and decay than my previous DACs produced.  Normally I would count that against the DAC, but it feels more right, as if the other DACs may have been exaggerating the "sparkle".

  It's still sounding a little dry, and the music itself a little less romantic sounding.  I think we're talking about euphonics here.  If this DAC is really that accurate, then perhaps these other DACs have been adding even harmonic distortion.  I suspect that's what Kingwa (Audio-gd) means when he describes some of his DACs as "Musical".

  I noticed tonight while listening to Paul Simon's self titled album, "Everything Put Together Falls Apart", he turns his head during a line and scratches his cheek or chin and you can hear his stubble.  I've heard this before, but this time, it invoked an image so specific, it was as if I saw it and it was much more plain than I had heard it before. 
 
  I also noticed some distortion in the highs on my speaker system, as if his voice was rattling some tissue paper.  I switched over to my headphone system and there is no distortion, it's not the DAC.  But I've been having endless intermittent problems with my speaker system and have been having a hell of a time pinning it down.  I think the Yggy may have let me hear more accurately what's been going on.

   More to come...

[Starchild]

The best is yet to come.  Enjoy!

[martinr]

Thanks for the review and updates!