Schiit Yggdrasil -- 21 bit?

@defiantboomerang

Apologies.

I sincerely thought a wide degree of latitude would be acceptable, because your post (thread title) is specific to Schiit Yggdrasil, and it has been compared within this thread by others - directly and/or indirectly - to the Benchmark DAC 3. So, by extension, I thought - again, apologies because perhaps my thinking is incorrect - that since the DAC 3 uses a Sabre ESS 9028 chip, it would be reasonable to submit the Oppo UDP-205 into the discussion, because it too uses an Sabre ESS chip, albeit a 9038.

Please let us know what you ultimately decide to "shop" for.

My best guess to the 21 bit question is the utilization of the DAC chips in a balanced pair per channel configuration. Not that in any way changes the chips ability to process the data, but possibly lowers its noise floor to a degree in which they decided to market it with that level of performance, but not purely technical aspect of capability.

From what I have read about the AD5791 in use, its an extremely linear performing R2R solution accomplished by using thin film resistor matching, then placed in pairs to provide its performance in a compact and simple to implement package. It also exhibits little drift in variable temperature ranges. Other R2R products that have been shown in the market are utilizing FPGA processors running code that corrects the linearity issues of ladder dac in use. So as long as the linearity drift remains within a range, they can identify the error and correct for it digitally before it reaches the next stage. Obviously a lot larger and may not be as stable as the AD5791 in stability. 

@gdhal 

you make a very good case for the OPPO. Looks like a machine with tons of potential. 

Udishamir,

"When connected with the Lynx sound card, then everything "opens up" started to hear new elements (especially in electronic music, soundtracks)."

Hello, I was wondering if the Lynx card made any difference in the sound of Yggdrasil that you may have noticed or was it more so noticeable only on Soekris? 
Just curious being an yggy owner... 

I just found this post/quote from Mike Moffat and it appears to directly answer the OPs question.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-yggdrasil-impressions-thread.766347/page-123#post-12342937

"Two twenty bit DACs (one per phase) double the resolution for a balanced signal. Double the resolution only adds 6db (one more bit) for a total of 21 bits. In this case, 20+20 equal 21."