Measurements and Review of Schiit Yggdrasil DAC

[Jerry Sobel]

I own a Yggdrasil and I sent a message to support to ask them about the testing and as expected I never received a response. That is a bit concerning. I would have at least expected something like we will send you are in house testing. Maybe it does not exist.

 

[amirm]

Pictures, pictures, pictures! Please post more pictures because a test setup that is not repeatable is not as useful as one that is repeatable. Pictures help everyone because it helps in being able to repeat a test setup and the measurements.

It is easy for you to ask. But every time I post a picture of myself people laugh!

See, I just saw you do it!!!

Or do you mean the equipment? If so, there is nothing to show. I hook up either USB or S/PDIF cables to the DAC, and then a pair of analog cables connect it back to the Audio Precision analyzer. It is not like there are many choices here, or ways to screw things up. It is just a couple of cables going back and forth.

 

[amirm]

From SBAF: "Bimby does not measure badly. It measures respectably for 16-bit entry level multi-bit DAC. And the fact that Amir paints the opposite picture incorrectly, with folks actually buying that, is only the tip of the iceberg."

That's rich. I believe even their measurements showed it crapped out after 10 bits, and that's not bad?

I'm no expert, but aren't these linearity tests showing the same thing (first is atomicbob's measurement):

They are. And they have a 34 dB scale versus my 10 dB so it actually makes the problem look less severe. And it is still awful.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

It is easy for you to ask. But every time I post a picture of myself people laugh!

See, I just saw you do it!!!

Or do you mean the equipment? If so, there is nothing to show. I hook up either USB or S/PDIF cables to the DAC, and then a pair of analog cables connect it back to the Audio Precision analyzer. It is not like there are many choices here, or ways to screw things up. It is just a couple of cables going back and forth.

Ok, you fraud, you have revealed what a liar you are. Who can trust your measurements after this?

 

[rtg97229]

It is easy for you to ask. But every time I post a picture of myself people laugh!

See, I just saw you do it!!!

Or do you mean the equipment? If so, there is nothing to show. I hook up either USB or S/PDIF cables to the DAC, and then a pair of analog cables connect it back to the Audio Precision analyzer. It is not like there are many choices here, or ways to screw things up. It is just a couple of cables going back and forth.

Was just trying to help, if you don't think you need it that is fine. I work in test and measurement for a living and if someone handed me a calibration report on one of my SAs with your level of documentation I would drop it in the garbage. I am clearly not your target audience with your reports here. Best of luck with what you are doing for your target audience.

 

[March Audio]

You're talking to a person. Treat them like one. Ask what is going on, rather than "demanding an explanation."

..mmmm..... company sells a product with a claim it "delivers 21 bit resolution". Measurements show it struggles to acheive 16 bit resolution. I think a customer is entitled to an explanation, and if it doesnt acheive that performance claim, their money back.

The customer is perfectly entitled to be pissed off and schitt need to take responsibility for it, that includes taking the flack .

 

[amirm]

Was just trying to help, if you don't think you need it that is fine. I work in test and measurement for a living and if someone handed me a calibration report on one of my SAs with your level of documentation I would drop it in the garbage. I am clearly not your target audience with your reports here. Best of luck with what you are doing for your target audience.

That is key: we are trying to communicate information to the Internet at large, not as an internal company memo and certainly not as a "calibration report."

People want answers and want it quickly. As such, anything that is not absolutely necessary takes away from clear communication. See John Atkinson's reviews. They are absolutely short with just a few graphs and ever fewer words at times. He doesn't provide the pictures you ask for either.

Now compare that to atomicbomb who plasters the forums with dozens and dozens of measurements. And a useless picture of an analyzer hooked up to a sound card. This is why his measurements are not getting notice but mine and JA are. You have to know how to communicate effectively. This is not about some school work.

When people in my group wanted to send something to Bill Gates, I would always tell them it had to be at most a paragraph. No more than 2-3 sentences preferably. Why? Because he would get hundreds of emails a day and would only allocate a few seconds to each. If you wrote anything longer it could completely get ignored. Indeed the higher ups you went, the shorter your emails/communications had to be. You had to convey the ultimate message and conclusion and not the minutia.

So no, it is not useful to keep posting a picture of the DAC hooked up to the same analyzer using the same 3-4 cables.

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

..mmmm..... company sells a product with a claim it acheives 21 bit resolution. Measurements show it struggles to acheive 16 bit resolution. I think a customer is entitled to an explanation, and if it doesnt acheive that performance claim, their money back.

The customers is perfectly entitled to be pissed off and schitt need to take responsibility for it, that includes taking the flack .

Explanation of what?

 

[Dimitri]

I would drop it in the garbage.

So glad you brought this up.
You must have a real problem with missing the Yggdassil's manufacture's own data.


HP/Agilent/Keysight engineers don't say "We will not be called out out. It wurks guud. It measures guud."
Instead they spend a bit of time pulling a few pages (416 of them) together.
http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/E4440-90647.pdf

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

It is easy for you to ask. But every time I post a picture of myself people laugh!

See, I just saw you do it!!!

Or do you mean the equipment? If so, there is nothing to show. I hook up either USB or S/PDIF cables to the DAC, and then a pair of analog cables connect it back to the Audio Precision analyzer. It is not like there are many choices here, or ways to screw things up. It is just a couple of cables going back and forth.

Just a general question? Do you think that cabling or environment can possible affect equipment, or disturb functioning of or measurements of equipment?

 

[Dimitri]

So no, it is not useful to keep posting a picture of the DAC hooked up to the same analyzer using the same 3-4 cables

Maybe attach the following link at the end of reviews for the picture hungry:
https://www.themeasuredmom.com/best-picture-books-for-kids-letter-m/

 

[Blumlein 88]

It's probably those pesky Russians infiltrating our forums...

https://www.justice.gov/file/1035477/download

I have noticed looking at user metrics, usually there is a 5 to one ratio between members and guests viewing. And another 3 to one ratio above those two and bots connected. Now I know they are probably Russian bots trying to scrape Amir's measurements to use against western imperialist capitalist audiophilist dogma. Either that or Vladimir is looking for a good DAC, and really wants to avoid Schiit.

 

[Blumlein 88]

How you doin' ?

Next thing you know someone will not think it's too much to ask for a video recording of the measurement sessions SMPTE timecode incuded.
Or a notary to be present ... or who knows what else.

"He don't have to prove not'n to nobody".

And since this a site for high quality audio, they should do this in full surround sound at the very least. I know I just can't get into measurements without the full immersive experience.

 

[Dismayed]

I have noticed looking at user metrics, usually there is a 5 to one ratio between members and guests viewing. And another 3 to one ratio above those two and bots connected. Now I know they are probably Russian bots trying to scrape Amir's measurements to use against western imperialist capitalist audiophilist dogma. Either that or Vladimir is looking for a good DAC, and really wants to avoid Schiit.

Of course Putin wants Schiit. It measures as if it was made in the USSR!

 

[amirm]

Just a general question? Do you think that cabling or environment can possible affect equipment, or disturb functioning of or measurements of equipment?

I tested USB cables and with ironically Schiit Modi DAC, it made a difference: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/do-usb-audio-cables-make-a-difference.1887/.

Differences in other cables are below the threshold of my measurements.

FYI when testing products side by side, I use the same cables for all of them.

 

[amirm]

I have noticed looking at user metrics, usually there is a 5 to one ratio between members and guests viewing. And another 3 to one ratio above those two and bots connected. Now I know they are probably Russian bots trying to scrape Amir's measurements to use against western imperialist capitalist audiophilist dogma. Either that or Vladimir is looking for a good DAC, and really wants to avoid Schiit.

I get huge number of Russians trying to sign up which our spam blocker catches. There is also legitimate discussion in Russian forums on some of the things we discuss.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Your getting a good kicking here ...,

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/amirgate-1-multibit-schiit-dacs.5786/

If someone has a technical issue with the measurements they only have to sign up here and say so..

Every time I read a few posts on SBAF I feel like my mind has been invaded by a lunacy virus for a few minutes. Wow, some of the comments are incredible in the layers of fantasy they are wrapped up in. The tone of thinking is juvenile almost infantile.

Now I'll need to go confirm whether or not my reference phones have enough plankton evident when listening to good recordings.

If you sign up for an account at SBAF Amir may I suggest one of these two avatars:

 

[Don Hills]

... So no, it is not useful to keep posting a picture of the DAC hooked up to the same analyzer using the same 3-4 cables.

"People who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
[cough] Uptone ISO Regen. [cough]

I think you started a thread to document your procedures, but I can't find it. Maybe you could put a link in each review and also add it to the "Master Index" of reviews.

 

[DonH56]

He's been putting a reference and link in all the recent reviews to his measurement setup thread.

With a AP analyzer there really isn't much to see...

 

[rebbiputzmaker]

I tested USB cables and with ironically Schiit Modi DAC, it made a difference: https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/do-usb-audio-cables-make-a-difference.1887/.

Differences in other cables are below the threshold of my measurements.

FYI when testing products side by side, I use the same cables for all of them.

Not the cable as stand alone item, I am not thinking a single "stand alone" cable is problem,but the environment as a whole? Another general question, do you have or have used isolation transformers? Do you see any benefit from them?