Well... I bought the Yggdrasil... because all of the reviews said it one of the top 3 dacs at any price, ranking with the best available. And... though skeptical... I was pleasantly surprised... it is, as they say... "on a whole other level."
Just incredible... detail resolution, air, ambiance, soundstage, imaging, dynamics, etc., etc. - which combine to present a real, live sound that the performers and venue are right in your audio room. You hear all of the sounds of the venue - if its in a club / dining room you hear the sounds of the diners, the ambient sounds of the performers chairs, shoes, etc. - everything that combine to make it sound like you're right there in the audience. Not to mention the details of the instruments and the performers hands / breath / etc. playing them.
It's very much like the sound you get from a tube set-up, with speakers that have very high resolution and rich mids (e.g. ESL 57's, or Harbeths, etc.). Some, don't like the "harmonics" of tube set-ups, others think they add an air of life-like sound.
Of course, this assumes you have a streamer / player, amp and speakers that can deliver that clarity and resolution. But, if you do, very few DAC's will provide that same "life-like" sound.
If you're a fan of such a "life-like" sound, then you may be similarly impressed. If those artifacts distract you, or your system is limited in its capabilities... you may prefer a smoother, more obscure sound, without all the details. But, as for me, I love that type of sound.
