DAC ?

[elmex]

Hi, I currently listen to CD’s at work with the ERC-3 and HD600 and Klipsch HP-3 with the A-100. I am looking to squeeze out the best sound out of the CD and was looking into a stand alone DAC. Is the juice worth the squeeze for getting the Schitt Yggdrasil? I know the DAC in the ERC-3 is pretty good but this hobby of mine I’m in the quest for continuous improvement. Thanks and please advise.

[Casey Leedom]

You can get a Topping D90 for $699 and be done with it. The only thing it doesn't have from my perspective is an Ethernet input with a Roon Endpoint. But with about $70 you could add a Raspberry Pi 4 on running RoPieee and have that covered. There's even a really nice case you can buy for it from Flirc.

Casey

[DYohn]

As a Yggdrasil owner I vouch for it sounding great. It is unique in my experience in how organic and "whole" it makes digital music sound. In my main system it beat out a DAC from Wavelength that cost literally 10X its price. I love it (I actually have two, one for stereo and one for my headphone rig.) YMMV.

[vcautokid]

Another one to consider is the quite amazing RME.
www.rme-audio.com/adi-2-pro-fs-be.html

[jerrin]

Even though I only have the Gungnir MB, I have to agree with David.

But even it, to me, sounds smooth, full, and organic, compared to other DACs I have listened to on my setup.

There is something pretty special about how it sounds.

[cburbs]

What are users using for music source in there setups?

[SteveH]

I am very new to all of this, but I am very satisfied with my Bluesound Node 2i DAC. I use Ethernet, but it also has wireless, Bluetooth and it is a Roon endpoint, it cost me $549.  I do have a Roon music server on a NAS with Tidal/Qobuz and the Node 2i was the least expensive way for me to complete the circuit with the least amount of effort and it sounds very good..

[audiobill]

99% Tidal streaming at CD resolution streamed through a mac mini as my source

[klinemj]

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

[audiobill]

Apr 8, 2020 17:29:54 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

Only Mark would have a hot tub in his kitchen......

[klinemj]

Apr 8, 2020 18:27:06 GMT -5 audiobill said:

Apr 8, 2020 17:29:54 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

Only Mark would have a hot tub in his kitchen......

punctuation could be improved...LOL!

Mark

[megash0n]

Apr 8, 2020 19:01:00 GMT -5 klinemj said:

Apr 8, 2020 18:27:06 GMT -5 audiobill said:

Only Mark would have a hot tub in his kitchen......

punctuation could be improved...LOL!

Mark

But, a hot tub in the kitchen could be fun!

[garbulky]

I haven't heard the Ygdrassil - I have heard the Gungnir MB. My impression was that the sound was "different" in a good way, but not enough to convince me to switch. It was still one of the best DACs I've heard. If the Yggy can bring that same magic but with more detail, then yes I would switch. Having said that you wouldn't be able to hear a large benefit with the HD600's. They are not resolving enough (even though they sound great!). I don't know how good the heritages are so I can't speak to them.

[KeithL]

I should point out that the DACs in the ERC-3 are actually very good - and already the equal or better of many standalone DACs.

Therefore, while I wouldn't rule out the possibility, I would NOT assume that an external DAC is going to be better, or even as good.

In terms of both technical performance and sound quality, separate DACs are "all over the map".

Some sound very good, some don't sound good at all, and many just have a distinctive sound, and so merely sound different.

Apr 8, 2020 20:41:48 GMT -5 garbulky said:

I haven't heard the Ygdrassil - I have heard the Gungnir MB. My impression was that the sound was "different" in a good way, but not enough to convince me to switch. It was still one of the best DACs I've heard. If the Yggy can bring that same magic but with more detail, then yes I would switch. Having said that you wouldn't be able to hear a large benefit with the HD600's. They are not resolving enough (even though they sound great!). I don't know how good the heritages are so I can't speak to them.

[cburbs]

Apr 8, 2020 17:29:54 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

Which OS are you running on the PIs?

[klinemj]

Apr 9, 2020 10:02:56 GMT -5 cburbs said:

Apr 8, 2020 17:29:54 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

Which OS are you running on the PIs?

One is using Ropieee and the other is DietPi with the Allo GUI. Frankly, I don't really see a difference between them for my use. I built the Hifiberry and had put Ropieee on it for a headphone station because it was a straightforward with Roon.

Then I decided to add a second Pi for a 2nd headphone station, and I wanted a cool case for it. I really liked the Allo Boss Player case. I was going to buy the case and build my Pi, but it was cheaper to buy it assembled. It even came with my choice of OS on the microSD card. I could have chosen others - but DietPi looked cool, so I chose that. When it arrived, I plugged it in and Roon found it, and that was it...easy.

Both work equally well.

Mark

[Boomzilla]

I'm currently running the AURALiC Aries streamer & Vega DAC. Sound better than most everything else I've heard.

[cburbs]

Do people seem to prefer the ESS or AKM dacs? These seem to be the most popular right now in devices. What are peoples opinions on them?

[conmoto]

So, is the DC-1 obsolete as a DAC? How does it compare to the ERC-3 DAC? 

[novisnick]

Apr 8, 2020 18:27:06 GMT -5 audiobill said:

Apr 8, 2020 17:29:54 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I truly love my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC, and it beat out my DC-1 handily. While that's not the Yggy or the ERC-3, to me it says DACs can make a big difference beyond DC-1/ERC-3 level. Give the YGGY a try!

As for my sources, for high end listening I use a combo of pulling FLAC off a NAS and Tidal at CD quality (or MQA). I use Roon to select the music/sources.

For "Around the house" (great room, kitchen hot tub room, master suite) and on my deck and in my pool, I use Sonos.

For headphones, I have 2 setups (each controlled by Roon playing FLAC or Tidal):
1) An Allo Boss DAC playing into a Schiit Asgard II
2) Hifiberry R-Pi DAC playing into an Emotiva BasX A100

Mark

Only Mark would have a hot tub in his kitchen......

Great for cooking crawfish and lobster! I don’t see the problem! 😁