Modi Multibit: Multibit for the masses.

Just a heads up for those that are looking for a black modi. There are black Modi 2 available on the Schiit website.

 

I've been able to spend a little bit of time with the Modi Multibit thanks to the AU/NZ loaner programme.

A few preliminary things to get out of the way first. This is the first Schiit product that I've laid my hands on (they're not the easiest things to source here), and whilst this will not be news to anyone here, I was still a little taken aback by the build. I actually quite like the no-frills design, but I swear I almost cut myself on the corners reaching around the back to switch cables. The source switch button feels broken. And would it have killed Schiit to have used LEDs that weren't brighter than the f'ing sun?

Don't get me wrong, none of these things overly bothered me. It's a DAC, after all. I don't need it to be pretty.

OK, on to sound. Chain is USB -> Hifimediy USB isolator (don't laugh, it works) -> Modi Multibit -> Project Polaris -> modded HD650. So yeah, decidedly mid-fi - but I suppose this is the kind of setup that the Modi Multibit is designed to be used in. I came into this knowing that the Modi Multibit would probably be the best DAC I'll ever hear until I upgrade the rest of the system.

The first thing that's immediately obvious is the weight of the bass. Not necessary fast bass, but not bloomy either. Very nice. Then I notice cymbals have a wonderful timbre to them and sound far more realistic than any DAC I've heard to date. But what really hits me is the amazing 3D soundstage - not particularly wide, but very deep, and everything is placed perfectly. I didn't really think headphones could do soundstage like this. Not everything is perfect though. Although the treble sounds great, it has this slightly splashy quality that seems to really fatigue me after a while. Like when you're at a concert and the drummer is technically competent but is riding that hi-hat so incessantly hard that you just want to climb on the stage and feed him his sticks. Just me?

Compared to my PupDAC, the Modi Multibit is better in every way. Not by much though, if this loaner has taught me anything it's that differences between (proficient) DACs are incredibly subtle and to really hear this stuff you have to be the kind of asshole who takes listening notes so that you can later congeal your thoughts into forum posts for other obsessive people to read. Good thing that's me, apparently.

Comparing to my SPS DAC3, things get a little more interesting. Soundstage is much wider on the SPS and instruments are a little less defined in terms of placement - especially cymbals which sort of cascade around my head and sound just slightly unnatural. The midrange though, and especially the bass, has this amazing texture that I don't think the Modi Multibit can replicate. Maybe it's just distortion, but I like it.

In short, this is a great DAC. But everyone knew that already. Am I going to buy one now? Well, no, but only because I'm pretty happy here with my SPS. I'll miss the Modi Multibit's soundstage, but if I'm honest that's about it.

Sorry about the longish post, I'm not so great at describing this sort of stuff. And a massive thank-you to SBAF for giving me the opportunity to be in on the loaner programme. I don't think I'd have had the chance to hear a Schiit DAC otherwise.

 

You compared 13grand to $650 and said it was better, alright then.

 

I know you recommend lynx cards over mutec and didnt found much improvement with mutec mc3+ over your cd transport.

what server do you recommend? Aries, Aurender, ...
im not sure If I ever read your opinion about servers marv... sorry if you did and never read it...

will also discard the zinger usb su-1
thanks

 

The Aries has gotten very good press here. Do a search.

 

I know the aries is well liked, but I asked marv which other servers he recommends... sorry if he already answered that question, I just never read it.

 

He compared the two in order to show that the headphone scales well. This is useful as many headphones do not benefit greatly from better gear upstream.

 

Just got mine, I dub this the "Stack of Ludicrous Value".

It's incredible. Better than any D/S DAC I've ever heard. Immediately noticed the bass was somewhat lacking vs. my Bifrost Multibit, but more time will tell on that front.

This combo is highly entertaining. The Butte was built with OPA551s in unity gain which is just perfect even for my 650s.

 

This is only my second post after my intro, and I hope I'm putting it in an alright spot. I placed my order for Modi Multibit and Jotunheim today (both black finish) and am very excited. I want to use my Cayin N5 to connect to the Modi but I don't really know what kind of cable to get. 3.5 mm to coax? I want to be sure I have the right cable on hand when the Schiit box arrives.

 

(3.5mm does indeed carry stereo, I'm an idiot and ignore that previous statement)

Mm, not completely sure that's possible. Coaxial can be digital, and 3.5mm is analog.

It sounds like you're trying to connect a DAP to a DAC? Not sure the Cayin works that way. If your coax is analog output, then you'd probably need a TRS/TRRS -> Coax cable though.

 

The player should have come with a short 3.5mm to coax interconnect that looks like this:



Plug that into the coax out, not the headphone out, then just run a standard male-to-male digital coax cable to the Modi.

 

I dig it and the Modi Multibit is very sexy in black. Ridiculous value, indeed!

 

I like how he has Schiit on his Butte

:^)

 

wow, that was like a magic trick! I got the N5's box out of the closet, opened it up, and there it was just like you said it would.
thankyouthankyou k4rstar!!

 

k4str: "Now take the cantaloupe from your fridge, cut it open and you will find an orange inside. Cut the orange open and you will find... a printed copy of your last post to this thread."

 

Spent more time with my Modi Multibit (fed by a Singxer F1), well damn warm-up time do change this dac...dramatically. Modi Multibit just sound super boring while being cold with its bloated bass, veiled as fck treble, i literally fell asleep during a listening session. After fully warmed up, i can hear some of that famous Schiit multibit staging and bass now, treble is still lack some detail & sparkle, not complaining though, that'd be what Gungnir Multibit is for then. What i dont understand is why it take like 3 days to fullly warmed up, that's not really technically realistic right?

 

There seems to be something to the prevailing wisdom that multibit DAC's take some time and usage to really hit their stride. Metrum Acoustics owner's manual for their lineup of DAC's state that "it will take several weeks of continuous use for your DAC to reach it's best sound" or something to that effect.

 

Warm-up for R2R DACs it's a thing. For Yggdrasil some people report 7 days for full warm-up.

This has been lightly discussed here:
http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...y-19-dac-measurements.4135/page-2#post-128847

 

There is also a thread exactly about this phenomenon here. @Cspirou's explanation here is pretty clear.