How I upgraded the Modi Multibit firmware

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by batriq, Apr 25, 2019.

  1. uelover

    uelover New

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    I think that the shipping fee to the US may kill it...

    I bought mine in Dec 2018.

    I saw that the OP was dated in Apr 2019, and it thought that the new ROM was released earlier this year.
     
  2. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Last edited: Jun 5, 2019
  3. uelover

    uelover New

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  4. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    What about shipping to China?
     
  5. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    sidebar related yet not worth a new thread:
    is anyone aware of general improvements to the "Multibit module" available internally for the Jotunheim, Lyr3, etc?

    AFAIK initial impressions of Multibit module was that it was "ok" but certainly lagged behind the Modi Multibit standalone DAC.
     
  6. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Potential dumbass tangential question but it's been bugging me so:

    Bifrost is effectively Modi with a better power supply built into a convenient chassis, and decent USB implementation besides unless I'm mistaken? I'm not gonna ask whether the firmware chip can be plugged straightaway into a Bifrost MB because that's silly, but if a theoretical self-install for the middle child were to be made available, would it be as simple as swapping a chip out as well?

    I've not opened mine up to inspect the board but looking at board nudes over at Schiit's site make me think the above might be possible. If mistaken, feel free to shoot down.
     
  7. ohshitgorillas

    ohshitgorillas Friend

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    I upgraded a few hours ago, have the Magni 3 running under the Modi as a heater to speed up the warm-up. The upgrade went pretty smooth except that the USB LED is not quite in the right place, but I don't use USB anyway so that's fine. Took about 5 minutes. Using FLAC > Oppo BDP-103 coax out > Modi >> Tekton Lores, the most apparent difference is that it's notably less dark. The tonality and tonal density are still the same, and the soundstage is still a little bit blurry compared to Bifrost Multibit, but edges are a little more defined as a result of a slightly blacker background and a touch more detail. Snares in particular are a little bit easier to localize but are still sloppy compared to Bifrost Multibit. A decent and worthwhile upgrade imho.

    edit from a few hours later: The changes I described are a little more pronounced but I'm still satisfied with the adjectives I chose. I'm slightly closer to being satisfied with the way certain snare drums sound (see "Oceanic" by Isis, the Boston band from the 90's - 00's and definitely not any other group), some but not all of the detail in the timbre and the decay from the reverb is coming through but it's still a step behind Bifrost Multibit.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2019
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Just caught up with this and I don't think people were trying to be dicks. It's hard to get tone and inflection across on the Internet.

    I think it's more that we feel privileged that folks like @schiit and @baldr will mingle with us losers, and that in return we don't want to take advantage of the fact that they do. Some members might personally know these guys and can be fiercely protective of them. There is a lot of deference and respect here.

    We try not to contact or invoke their names for mundane issues. There is Schiit tech support for that. And anything the two might know, would trickle down to their techs or in many instances the techs might actually know more because they are on the front lines.

    When I deal with Schiit on gear issues, it's through their normal channels even though I have a Commissioner Gordon "Schiitphone" on my desk.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2019
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Geez, you really want me to use my Schiitphone to find out huh?
     
  10. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    nah. leave it simmer. Batphone might not be needed after RMAF / SBAF luncheon.
     
  11. jnak00

    jnak00 Friend

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    I finally got on the update train - no issues on my gen 1 Modi Multibit. It might be placebo, but it does seem to make a big difference - especially in the bass.

    I bought this along with an Asgard 3....which made the shipping for the chip free.
     
  12. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

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    Thanks to @batriq for the guide! It was a fairly simple process after all. The"Blip" went went smoothly, apart from a stripped screw that did not want to come out. Definitely smoother, more extended and refined than the older chip. Good stuff. Almost makes me forget I paid double what people in States pay for their upgrades...still worth it.
     

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