Schiit Modius DAC announced

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by JohnCarter17, Jun 2, 2020.

  1. MichaeLeroy

    MichaeLeroy Almost "Made"

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    I have nice headphone amps with single-ended inputs (Lyr 3 and ECP T4) and did see comments that some DACs have better sounding balanced outputs, which got me thinking about this question.

    @atomicbob has done some nice work on this question, for example Audio balanced output to unbalanced input - a brief visual guide. As noted, the level converter can introduce distortions that negate any benefits of the DAC balanced output. There are a number of pro audio boxes that perform this conversion. There is also an ampsandsound solution that looks quite credible but is very expensive:

    I did try a super search to see if there was any forum observations on this ampandsound box but could not tease anything useful.

    My current goto DAC is the Bifrost 2, which apparently does not raise the concern of balanced vs unbalanced output. When I get my Modius, I may play with listening to its balanced vs. unbalanced outputs using a Freya preamp to make the conversion. I have no idea how good the Freya is at this. (I suppose that I could get an idea by feeding it both Bifrost outputs and A-Bing them.)
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  2. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    Covered earlier in the thread:
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Not the same. They have similarities in that they are sigma-delta done right with even tone, good highs, crisp transients, black background. But the similarities end there.

    The Convert-2 has vivid, almost exaggerated attacks and dynamics. Modius is more rounded with the dynamics. CV-2 has crazy slam and incredibly textured bass. Modius is limited here. The bass texture is good with the balanced outs, but it's still not top of the game. The Convert-2 has a soundstage that wraps around closer at the edges and pushes images wide. The Modius pushes things out. The Modius is way more resolving than the CV-2. The AD1855 in the CV-2 is really old and needs to be doubled up or more like in the Bricasti to get the most out of it.

    However, I do think it's a reasonable substitution for Bifrost 2 if you want something that isn't semi-vintage R2R sounding like Bifrost 2.

    Other than what I have already said. The question is how much do you want the multibit / R2R sound and the Schiit staging. The Modius is in many ways better than the MM. The MM has been around a while, underwent a revision, and is starting to show its age.

    I swapped out the Modi 3 for a MM recently for my son's desktop system. In more than a few ways, the Modi 3 was already better than MM. It's very possible that I may swap out the MM with Modius. Still thinking about it. The imaging capabilities of the MM and the Schiit custom filter are hard to give up.

    Now, what if Schiit implemented their custom filter for a Modius MegaComboBurrito?

    It might be interesting.Schiit can offer two lines; sigma-delta and multibit, but both with their custom filter.

    --

    As far as a companion amp... just wait. How many times do I need to say this: Schiit just released a new DAC in a new form factor never seen before in the value segment. How much longer do you think you will have to wait before a companion to the DAC arrives?
     
  4. Pogo

    Pogo Friend

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    Sounds like somebody's got a prototype Magnius for beta testing....
     
  5. crenca

    crenca Friend

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    Looking for the transformers used I found this:


    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...-xlr-rca-converter-w-input-transformers.7700/

    I wonder what price @purr1n could pull something like this off for, and would it be moar better than Iso-Max Jensen's offerings (e.g. the PI-2XX series)?

    edit: I meant by "this" a transformer XLR to SE box with cinemag transformers. As @Scott Kramer below notes there are two Iso-Max Jensen offerings, the PC-2XR and the PI-2XR. The difference is that the former has larger transformers with a bit better linearity/distortions specs, particularly in the bass, whereas the latter is a "faraday cage" design with better EMI rejection, but smaller and slightly less linear transformers used (spec sheets for both aviliable online). I believe both are street priced just under $300.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  6. mykeldg

    mykeldg New

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    Thanks for the impressions, appreciate it. I actually came from Modi 3 to Modi Multibit and since then I could not find a sound in that price-class that has the same scale and holographic wizardry as the Modi Multibit (I've later tried Topping D50s and E30 to my dismay, they do not posses the same depth). One thing I get from the Modi Multibit though is a bit of coarseness/grain in the highs and a bit of fatigue. It would surely be an interesting product if schiit made a DS with custom output stage like they do with their multibit lines.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  7. neomax

    neomax RobS / hinterlander

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    what is it about these new AKM chips that make them so much more resolving than older DS chips?
     
  8. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/wtb-jensen-isomax-pc-2xr.7336/#post-241557

    Just fyi on ISOMAX... I think this is the one to go with (custom [PO-2XR]) (WITH Yggdrasil), @purrin mentioned this one recently somewhere but Shielded, bass perf specs not as good (physically smaller trans.) -- so little correction/fyi there.

    It's perfect for Yggdrasil (really just want it there, it sounds nice, expansive, robust bass the Yggdrasil can do), and would def try it on the modius since it has true balanced-- buying it for only modius, noooooooooooo it's 300+ bucks. And on BF2, no point.. CAB.

    if you want ISOMAX/Jensen and have other uses for it... @purrin has ideas re Cinemag etc and priced better.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  9. Magnetostatic_Tubephile

    Magnetostatic_Tubephile Friend

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    The question is: What could "Magnius" offer that is not already available in the price range? XLR ins/outs? Something else?

    I mean, there is Asgard 3. How would "Magnius" differ from it to justify its existence? (And vice versa.)
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    15-25 years refinement of existing technology. Some of these older DA chips are really old.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  11. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    Raspberry Pi3 USB out on anything I tried was just atrocious. Close to using Windows WDM outs or worse. Unision is has a bit more microdetail and stereo width than a HiFi Digi+ - and that is galvanically isolated or whatever with that S/PDIF transformer.

    With Unison, there was very little to no difference between my Windows laptop and the RPi3 USB output. Now, this is with my Bifrost Multibit.
     
  12. Melvillian

    Melvillian Friend

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    Coming from other DACs in the price range, this thing is so resolving. It's funny because you hear stuff super clearly that you couldn't hear before. It's not even close.
     
  13. MichaeLeroy

    MichaeLeroy Almost "Made"

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    I think my favorite candidate for the Magnius has already been mentioned above, a refresh of the Jotunheim incorporating lessons learned from creating the Ragnarok 2 and Aegir. I'm currently without a good solid state amp and would jump on that. The Asgard 3 is nice but is not quite what I'm after.
     
  14. TheClone

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    Apologies if this has already been covered, but any idea if a multibit version is in the works?
     
  15. lagadu

    lagadu Facebook Friend

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    A $400 Jotunheim 2 that's fully buzzword compliant with nexus and continuity in the input and output respectively sounds like it'd be a good pairing for the Modius: "this is how good we can make a SS headamp sound with everything we learned in the past few years".
     
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL, I've been asking for a Nexus + Continuity Jot for a while.

    That's a different price bracket from the new half-height format factor. ASR actually created a new market: the $300 ChiFi measures-good bracket, that Schiit will have $200 entrants that will measure well (ASR approval) and sound decent (SBAF approval).
     
  17. Vtory

    Vtory Audiophile™

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    Balanced Asgard 3 itself already deserves. And that will serve for folks with good BAL out dacs -- easily think of many. That's my minimum expectation and I will be happy with such offering for the current jot price range (roughly similar with Asgard 3 + Decent converting box).

    At maximum, we may expect some delta shown between Jotunheim and Magni 3 (or Single and Dual Aegirs). Could be true successor of Jot.
     
  18. MichaeLeroy

    MichaeLeroy Almost "Made"

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    If Schiit can pull off a $200 super Asgard that takes full advantage of the Modius balanced output, I'd be seriously impressed.

    For my own listening, I don't care about wining the ASR game. But a nice addition to Schiit's revenue stream is bound to help fuel improvements across their line.

    Perhaps I should just buy a current Jot; I have a history of buying Schiit just before something new and better comes out ;). I could get a Jot in house next week and see the Magnius or a Jot refresh hit the street by the end of the month.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  19. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    I think a $199 Magnius/Asgard Heresy (they are the same thing) would be cool. Arrays of OPAMP shenanigans to pull off the power/balanced using a new interesting circuit peppered in. Naming it may be tough decision haha.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2020
  20. SineDave

    SineDave Friend

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    Honestly, the one thing about the topping DAC that I do love is the remote/volume control and LCD display. Super handy and the one thing I wish Schiit offered on one of their DAC models.

    I know that's not Schiit's style (adds cost), so I'm not holding my breath, however it would certainly appeal to me.

    Looking forward to my Modius arriving today for a nice comparison against the D90, which has all the musicality of a 3 hour lecture on economics.
     

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