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Showing 1 of 50 conversations about:
Niro
36
Aug 30, 2018
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Isn't this rather overpriced? You could get a PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC for $1700, or really, at this price point, it'd be insane to not consider the most affordable FPGA DAC on the market today, the Chord Mojo for $600. The Mojo really sets in perspective the cost of DACs based on off-the-shelf components. The next cheapest FPGA DAC would be the Chord Hugo 2 for $2700.
Cocomusicnuts
12
Aug 30, 2018
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NiroYou could consider the new Chord Qutest as well having a FPGA DAC on board too for 1.895 USD. Owning its predecessor the 2Qute which is already a great DAC, the Qutest is even better. For an excellent review you can read: https://www.headfonia.com/review-chord-electronics-qutest/
akosinskiy
1
Sep 5, 2018
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NiroYggy ver B. for $2400 is end of game DAC for everything below 5K. So why go with ESS if you are already paying over 1k? Otherwise get Gungy for $1250 and start saving money for Yggy :)
ThorAsgard
6
Sep 5, 2018
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akosinskiyBecause Yggdrasil sucks, there are better DACs, and LKS MH-DA004 is a beast of a DAC, as much as I want to upgrade to Chord Hugo TT 2 DAC, I could probably live happily with LKS MH-DA004 (And I'm a Focal Utopia headphone owner)
ElectronicVices
2937
Sep 6, 2018
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akosinskiyWhile I won't say that the Yggdrasil sucks (haven't heard it so can't form a strong opinion), I will say the sub $5k DAC market has some killer options. I've been looking at several DAC's in the $1000-$3000 range for a future upgrade. While the Schiit offerings were in the initial review there is stiff competition from Benchmark, PSaudio, Mytek, Holo Audio and Chord. I could personally benefit from some of the more "feature-rich" DAC offerings so the Schiit has for the most part fallen back in the running for me. Have you personally heard the Yggy and any DAC's from the manufacturers I mentioned? If so I would love to hear comparisons! If you're just being a fanboy running solely on stuff you read online... I would kindly ask you to... eh... stop.
akosinskiy
1
Sep 6, 2018
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ElectronicVicesIt's hard for us here to get hold of most of competitors you named but I did compare R2R with more expensive delta sigmas and prefer R2R by large margin. As to which R2R to pick I had to base my choice on consensus of group of people I trust. They do agree that Holo Audio is there as well as few other units including Chi-Fi manufacturers. As for Chord you have to go all in which is way above of what I'm ready to spend. Keep in mind that I'm primarily loudspeaker user although have 007 for occasional listening. I'm also fine with just listening to PCM.
ThorAsgard
6
Sep 6, 2018
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akosinskiyYou should be careful for what you say "hard for us" who are these Us?
I haven't heard the Yggdrasil and I don't want to, they do not support any format other than PCM, not even PCM DXD, requires running 24/7 and with a good UPS.
Also regarding "Why Yggy sucks? Have you heard it yourself?" you haven't even heard anything else and you're forming your opinion based on that, lol... what a troll. LKS MH-DA004 is a very excellent option, I've got it before massdrop, was surprised that it even came to this website.
akosinskiy
1
Sep 6, 2018
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ThorAsgardThat's interesting. I'm called a troll and you are saying that Yggy sucks while you never heard it. I don't have a problem with 24/7 and good UPS as soon as I'm getting the sound I like. I did hear other DACs especially many delta sigma ones and they are not in the same league. All I said is that I don't have an option to audition DACs like Holo Audio Spring L3 or Dave or DirectStream or Pavane. You are saying that LKS is "a very excellent option". What is your experience with other DACs especially with R2Rs?
rdodev
632
Oct 28, 2018
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akosinskiyThere are better DACs at a fraction of the price. In fact $99 Schiit Modi 3 performs much better than either of those two you mentioned.
ElectronicVices
2937
Oct 28, 2018
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rdodevAre you stating the Modi 3 the PSaudio Direcstream DAC & the Chord Dave. are on the same playing field. I'm not asserting the performance increase is the worth the money to me (maybe a used directsream jr) but the lack of feature set alone makes the Modi inferior, let alone all the advanced processing in those devices.
rdodev
632
Oct 28, 2018
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ElectronicVicesI'm asserting that in objective/lab tests, the Modi 3 performed better than Schiit's high end DACs. No statement about the other higher-end gear.
ElectronicVices
2937
Oct 28, 2018
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rdodevGotcha, wish massdrop would indicate which post (not just the poster) you are replying to. I thought you were replying to this bit... option to audition DACs like Holo Audio Spring L3 or Dave or DirectStream
akosinskiy
1
Oct 28, 2018
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rdodevwhat is the rest of your gear so you are making such statements? No manufacture would put 99$ DAC sounding better even the same as their 2300$ option.
ElectronicVices
2937
Oct 28, 2018
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akosinskiyHe's regurgitating audiosciencereview, not sure you want to say too much their followers get riled up easily.
Objective tests use test tones/sweeps/"noise", not music I listen to music so I use test data where I think they matter and trust my ears, hands and feet when evaluating new gear.
Drumming and shouts of Topping! start in distance... they are coming, gotta go!
rdodev
632
Oct 28, 2018
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akosinskiyTechnology advances, newer chips, better design, better power isolation. Unlike the analog world where good design and workmanship can last decade, in the digital realm, all DACs are one chipset away from becoming commoditized., regardless how much they originally cost.
rdodev
632
Oct 28, 2018
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ElectronicVicesYou say that as a pejorative. It isn't. They measure and they show the numbers and put it in context of others. I'm not a die-hard fans of theirs but it definitely is more trust worthy than audio enthusiasts false sense of more expensive => better.
akosinskiy
1
Oct 28, 2018
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rdodevI get all that and I also love to find products performing same or better than more expensive alternatives. But if a company sells 99$ product which performs better than their $2300 option then this company has some real issues. Now when you start comparing - are we talking about DSD or PCM playback? I was referring to old good PCM.
akosinskiy
1
Oct 28, 2018
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ElectronicVicesI'm on the same page here. Always use my ears if product could be auditioned.
ElectronicVices
2937
Oct 28, 2018
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rdodevI don't trust anyone in the review segment (yes ASR is in that segment), all of them have their biases. Spend enough time with any of their information and you will learn to pick the truth out of the BS.
On the tech advancement front that is one of the reason's the Directstream product lines are so popular. Their use of FPGA in their Directstream designs allow them to provide additional functionality and refinements over time.
If you want to completely discount the possibility of liking some products solely based on a former microsoft executives hobby site it's certainly no skin off my nose.
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