A reference from Head Fi:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/764978/vega-vs-yggdrasil

In summary, this Audio Pro (atomicbob) concludes:

After 700+ hours I feel the gap is widening between the Yggdrasil and the Vega, favoring the Yggdrasil.

Don't get me wrong, the Vega is one fine DAC and possibly best in class for delta-sigma types. But the 3-D,  the sense of space, etc. is really special with the Yggdrasil.

I'm keeping my Yggy order and can't wait for it to arrive, with the ZBit already in my listening room.

I think both are great DACs. In fact, my Sabre-based Audio Gd NFB3 (2014), another Delta-Sigma proposal, is wonderful, and although quite detailed, it never projects a too clinical presentation. But, the Yggy and Vega are in a different class and should be quite rewarding when coupled to the right gear.

Joe received back my Indra IC. Unfortunately, Auralic does not drop ship direct to me. It has to ship to Joe...then me.

I'm hoping to have the Vega in my Rig by 8/6 or 7. Or by, 8/10 or 11.

Augmenting the Alchemy of gain volume and voltage output I use in my CSP3 and ZMA......with the volume control output of the Vega, should prove interesting.

On the road to me for Friday! ....then I'm done.  ::)

Actually, I'm going to keep all things equal, my settings on my CSP3 an volume I adjust, + where I keep my ZMA...turned down 10 to 15% from usable gain.
I look forward to the adjustable volume/Vega, from my Listening Seat!

Then, after a couple weeks, I will take my CSP3 out and drive my ZMA direct.

FedEx delivers between 12:30 and 2pm today!  

The Vega has an hours of use clock. Very cool added value function. Sure, I can count them myself....but I'd rather have the clock counter in the menu to refer to!

Seven hours in is a long way from the 130+, I've put on all the other DACS that have come through here....but here is my initial impressions:

First off, I backed the voltage output down from 8's to 7's, on my CSP3 6N1P-EV's output tubes. This allowed for more usable gain from the CSP3, which is fleshing things out nicely from the Vega now, driving into the CSP3 to ZMA at 90% of its usable volume. Listening in the mid 80's of SPL. Meter's rock solid.

NOTE: the CSP3 is an incredible Preamp! Read: Adjustable Voltage Output!
This allows me to use the Volume Output of the Vega between 85 and 100. Nice to be able to do that from my chair with no loss! The Pre in the Vega is worth half its price for sure.

Sound: In Mode 1 and using Auto Digital Input from Illuminati D-60 RCA from Transport PCM....a wonderful detailed an seductive musical presentation with Timbre fleshing out now as well. Great imaging, with a laidback soundstage.

I like it so far. However, so far, I prefer the Vivid Live (read: More Real) presentation I get from Steve's Output Stage of the ZDSD for PCM at 16/176.

This could shape up to be a keeper in both cases. For sure, Steve's DAC stays....his Voicing is incredible out of the ZDSD. The best 1600 bucks you will ever spend on a front end.

The tale of two DACS ensues......... . I have to wrap her up at the 10 hour mark on the Vega's clock counter. To nice to be inside!

I'll pop back in after I have 40 or 50+ hours on her.  

1.5 MHz PCM....in Filter Mode 4 with FEMTO EXACT Clock in from Transport. She's a keeper!

Sometimes I use Filter Mode 1..... .

NO, I did not order a Yggy. Pleassseee?!  



Listening Room:
Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew

Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation
Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC

AURALiC Vega D/A processor

Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder (@ -20 Ref Level @ 16/176.4)
(.....will be sometimes rotated in~great machine)

WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030
Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps (NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC .....for Input Tube)
WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030

Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier
***NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 in my A12 an B12 positions***

Kimber Select KS3033 Speaker Cable
Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified)

Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross
(Gutted: 3kHz/18dB/Octave, Linkwitz/Riley Crossovers....with all crappy parts = gone)

XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA
PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3
(Transport, ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output)

1) I have to comment on the four Filter Modes. The time and research that went into these modes must have been exhaustive. Mode 1 and 4 are just exquisite. The FEMTO EXACT CLOCK LOCK ~ yeah WOW. Good luck PS Audio with any update you have planned or existing FROM SD Card!

2) The BUILD QUALITY. Built with the precision, like Nagra. If you're not familiar with Nagra....look them up.

PS Audio is shamed by this unit in sound and build. The plastic box that the PS DSD DAC comes in is embarrassing (for PS Audio).

The Vega is a steal at this price!



PS-I love my Power Plant 3 in build quality and power/sound. I would not be without it.

stone_of_tone wrote on 08/21/15 at 16:42:37:


I don't know why you feel you have to insult every other brand, but anyway the PS Audio DirectStream has a metal box with a wood lid.

Lon, I'm not insulting anything. No more, than you telling me how many hours I need on something to know its sound quality. Hey wait a minute that is INSULTING!

OBJECTIVE FACT: The DSD Box is a piece of horse hockey compared to the Vega. Not debatable.

HifiTubes, I forgot to mention:

Free update period will end by 1st October 2015. Please contact support@auralic.com for detailed information.

Whatever Stone. The DS needs a lot more hours than you gave it. And I may have been wrong about the ZMA needing power conditioning, the other amps I have/had (Zen, Integrated, Toriis) all have been greatly improved by it.

Regardless of what you think I have not been insulting to you. But you seem to be involved in one big continuous pissing contest when you're not being a huge fan boy. Be sure to stay hydrated. Lon out.

Once again, quit chiming in on every thread!

Whatever. Did you put 600 hours on the DS or more? It changed about three times in the first 600 hours. And yeah, I'm a fan boy too. That wasn't meant to be an insult.

I'm out, inclined never to respond to your spiels again. Just didn't want to let your comment about the non-existant plastic on the perfectly sound case of the DS to stand uncorrected.

I read the whole board when I have time on my hands, I'm interested in accurate information about many products. You made a mean-spirited inaccurate claim about the DS case being plastic. I corrected what you said. I'm allowed to read or appear on any thread.

Sorry don't mean to be as aggravating as it seems I am. I just find your style of pissing on other products to be really off-putting. I'll stay out of your thread the rest of the day.

What you think you OWN this thread? My last post explained that I read the whole board, have a right just as we all do to post on any thread, and was a response to your post.

Sorry if I got out of line and upset you. Your aggressive manner upsets me, so I understand. See ya.

Calm down boys!

85 to 100 is plenty on the Vega for usage.

An Active Preamp is a must. I agree whole heartedly with Srajan Ebaen from 6moons:

"Swapping in my new Nagra Jazz preamp in 0dB gain mode with the Vega back at 100 became decidedly more dimensional, billowy, fluid and embodied. This demonstrated in completely unambiguous terms how despite fancy numbers magic, a truly superior preamp still retained a very significant advantage. At even lower levels (-70 to -80dB) the contrast was painful. Going DAC-direct sounded stripped, stark and flat. Audible space and all its connective tissue had collapsed and all prior tonal and textural elegance abandoned. Whilst theory would beg to differ, the age of preamps hasn't expired yet".

I think the CSP3 is even one step better via voltage output adjustment and with my Master and Commander Input Tube (Telefunken~see signature~below).  Of course, cabling matters too. If you're not running the right combination of silver an copper. If you're running cheap horse hockey....then you would not have a clue about the Vega.

The fact that the case of the PS is cheap~still stands. I agree with you whole heartedly....if you paid more than 4k for the DS....you got suckered.  ;D



Listening Room:
Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew

Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation
Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC

~AURALiC Vega D/A processor~
1.5 MHz PCM....in Filter Mode 4 with FEMTO EXACT Clock in from Transport. She's a keeper!
Sometimes I use Filter Mode 1.....for flatter extended Treble.


Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder (@ -20 Ref Level @ 16/176.4)
(.....will be sometimes rotated in~great machine)

WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030
Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps (NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC .....for Input Tube)
WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030

Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier
***NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 in my A12 an B12 positions***

Kimber Select KS3033 Speaker Cable
Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified)

REL T5 SUB, Neutrik connection from ZMA
Auralex Subdude II

Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross
(Gutted: 3kHz/18dB/Octave, Linkwitz/Riley Crossovers....with all crappy parts = gone)

XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA
PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3
(Transport, Auralic Vega or ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output)

Yes, to each their own. Thanks for weighing in Dave. I really like the case of the DirectStream, and how it matches the PerfectWave Transport case. Having those two on shelves above and below each other, each on a PowerBase. . . love the look, and they are very substantial, well-built.

I've gone back and forth with the preamp and no preamp dilemna and I'm now solidly on the side of "no preamp." I love my CSP2+ with stepped attenuators and Jupiter caps, but with the Pike's Peak and now the current Yale Final OS in the DirectStream I prefer the DirectStream straight into the Torii and riding the gain between the stepped Torii stepped attenuator and the DirectStream output for most sources, though I do often just run the DirectStream straight in, full output. And my Denon universal player sounds best without the CS2+ now with my current interconnects, as does my ZP3, so I just alternate connecting those two to my second input on the Torii. A few years ago I would never imagine I would not be using my CSP2+.

When I read the thread, I'm not the one I see with a tantrum. Have a nice day.

Do you really want me to pull up 15 other instances and quote them?

I can....let me know?!

Yes, I feel my CSP3 benefits from regen and my ZDSD too. I will take my Vega off regen in the near future....to see/hear. Some don't like their DAC's on regen. I need to employ the MW on and off too. Right now I have it off.

The ZDSD is a great front end. What Steve is squeezing out of that architecture with his output stage is big league.

However, having A-B-A'd again....even this early in the process (42 hours on my Vega hours clock).....she is doing what I needed to hear....that/you can't walk away involvement. The ZDSD has it too....and for the money/run don't walk and buy the ZDSD. But, the Vega 42 hours in is delivery that extra "je ne sais quoi".....that does take PCM to.........this description:

"There could be another explanation for the short quality jump for the Vega from Redbook to DSD: the DAC itself. AURALiC’s Vega lends 16/44 source material a hi-res vibe. It’s as if one’s CDs have been dipped in DSD and/or coated in hi-res. No glare, no MSG but plenty of weight and spaciousness. There’s a graceful ease to its ability to trawl for detail.  Transients slice with sharpness and softness. Imagine using a sharper knife to cut an apple – this simple task feels easier, more graceful".

I'm heading out for a pair of LIVE Wire RCA(F) to XLR (F) at Guitar Center. Right now I'm running unbalanced. I need the adapters to fully use the ORFEO output stage from the Vega....and lower the noise floor even more.... .

My REL T5 and Subdude II, arrive tomorrow!

You need some adapters with pin 3 floated so you can try the ORFEO stage.

Hifitubes, did you special order the adapters?

You mentioned:
you use some Cardas adapters with correct pin floated (3rd pin) so you can use the ORFEO output stage from the XLR outputs of the Vega to RCA Preamp or Amp.

Done! Pins 1 an 3 severed, crimped and clean. Pin 2 running out......glorious XLR TO RCA! The ORFEO output stage voiced from the NEVE 8078 ANALOG CONSOLE Design......wow! Now I know what the Vega can do.....she is staying put!

I must give a big shout out to Chris at Auralic Tech Support. Quick to answer my questions and make sure I was good to go to do my mod on the XLR Adapters. Thanks Chris!