New Yggdrasil - First (and second) Impressions

Hi @parsons

I appreciate your candid feedback and comparison information. Thanks.

To your point about the Yggy definitely taking 300-400 hours to sound it’s best, of course, I’ve read this elsewhere and numerous folks share your sentiments in that regard.

Personally, I’ve never been much of a believer in equipment break in. When I first got my Yggy (analog A) and was in the trial 15-day period, I left it on 24/7 thinking - but not really expecting - some magical difference would present itself on day 7, 8 and so on with respect to day 1. In my opinion, there was *some* improvement, however, I would not be able to say/write that I could hear the improvement in a blind test. By contrast, I am able to tell the Yggy from my Oppo in a blind test. I then *intentionally* powered off the Yggy for 24 hours, turned it back on and again attempted the blind test. Same result. I was/am able to hear a difference (with the proviso that appropriate music is playing). But to my ears, the sound was no different after being off for 24 hours.

Further, I’ve performed external temperature readings with a probe. Granted, the external temperature is not the same thing as the internal temperature. But what I’m getting at here is that the external temperature was/is at it highest point after about one and a half hours (now an hour or so longer with analog B) of being powered on, which would lend some credence to the fact that the unit doesn’t need all that much break in.

I take solace in knowing that while I’m listening and the unit continues to warm, the sound only gets better. :)

EDIT:

If there is a difference after 300 hours or so, in my opinion it would be so subtle that elizabeth may not recognize it.... especially when listening to grunge bands :)

Some believe in break in--others don't.  I'm one of the firm believers.  It's cool if others disagree.

When I had the $16K DAC in my system, I listened closely to a number of tunes I know very, very well.  What I noticed was the soundstage tended to "float around" and be a little loose, in spite of being a little larger.  It sounded good, but "off."  Not different--"off."  After another 100 hours, it pulled itself together and much of the things that didn't sound right to me sounded corrected--more cohesive.  I asked the dealer, without indicating why I was asking, if this was a new unit or the previous version (there had been an update).  He said "yeah, current version, brand new...it's been played for a day or two only since we pulled it out of the box."  Then without my saying another word he said "Sorry, it's definitely not broken in either, so please keep it a couple weeks."  

Doesn't prove anything, nor am I trying to sway you.  But while I don't know that you'll hear a completely "magical" change, I do suspect you'll hear a soundstage improvement at some point in weeks 3 or 4, including the soundstage getting bigger.  And I also think powering it on helps, but having it's output section outputting signal is also an important break-in step in my opinion...I think you want it fully doing it's thing.

My further experience:  if you buy tubes from the factory, they change in the first week or so (output, driver, rectifiers--all uses).  If you build new crossovers for speakers, they mellow out and change in sound over the first couple of weeks (often sounding downright bad at first).  If you get a new cart for your turntable, you hear changes as you get through the first 50 albums or so, especially as you cycle back through favorites.  I'd prefer break-in didn't exist (I'm terribly impatient, especially with new, expensive equipment).  But I will never be convinced it doesn't unfortunately.  YMMV, obviously.

John Darko on the Analog 2 (B) Yggdrasil

https://darko.audio/2018/04/dial-m-for-multi-bit-schiits-yggdrasil-analog-2-dac/

@david_ten

Thank you!

One more comment on burn-in, then I'll stop...but I was just reminded of it when I dropped my new SOTM "trifecta" stack into my system last night.

Aside from the soundstage effects you can sometimes hear that I previously mentioned...

One clear side-effect I very often hear when dropping in a factory-new source into a system (like a DAC, streamer, Roon endpoint, etc.)...the resulting PACE gives the impression of just the slightest, but very noticeable, perception of "slowing down" of a song that you know very well.  It needs to be a song that you have listened to for years to really notice it.  Often the tonal qualities, detail, and even soundstage are there as you would hope for, but something about it still doesn't sound "right"...and when you really listen, you can realize that the timing of piano strikes, drum strikes, guitar string plucks, etc...will sometime sound just the slightest bit delayed from what you are used to.  LIke it's just slightly dragging the whole song.

It's a very strange effect, and I cannot explain why I find this to be true.  And it almost always goes away after the first 24 hours of continuous play for me...it's rarely a day 3 or 4 or beyond thing.

I also noticed this same effect with new cross-overs (twice).  I've never heard this with burning in carts for turntables or tubes (although I hear other tonal and soundstage changes there).

Maybe this is a caps thing?

Just wanted to mention that as something else you might try to listen for on a new piece.