Modi Multibit: Multibit for the masses.

Has anyone commented on warm up time? Is it the same as the Bifrost Multibit? Should we leave it plugged in and turned on all the time?

 

I believe you but the Modi Multibit platform will not thoroughly upgrade without a nightmare hacking/stacking of surface mount components like the Bifrost will.

 

The Modi Multibit's wall-wart is just a transformer though. There's an actual linear power supply on the board... also Jason said they even doubled up the regulators because of heat. Throws you off because wall-warts are usually the entire transformer and cheap, noisy switching power supply all in one. Soooo probably pretty good already, but yeah more room in Bifrost Multibit for a nice supply.

 

Boss I'm not technically inclined to understand what you said, but I certainly appreciate you coming back after your family event to talk about this.

 

I was speaking in general terms. But as good as the Modi power is it still remains that Bifrost Multibit pwr > Modi Multibit pwr. Improvements can be made even though the two systems use the same chips and DSP. I wasn't actually suggesting to mod the Modi Multibit but rather to say that there are reasons to buy a Bifrost Multibit regardless of upgradability, even if the underlying architecture is extremely similar.

 

Cool, gotcha

 

I'm curious. And unitiated with multi-bit. But here is my question: Does multi-bit decrease the "need" for tube amps? It seems like what i read about multi-bit is an "answer" to a symptom that people have in the past used tube amps to fix. Is that close to true? Does multibit take "the edge" that gets carried over by some solid state amps? I know some of this is subjective. Perhaps crazy way to think about it...

 

IMO the amp is still going to have a bigger impact on the sound than the DAC. If you have an SS amp that you feel is harsh or too analytical, I don't think a multibit DAC is going to change your opinion on that.

 

I was looking for some Schiit dacs size comparison. Did not find any, so I made one. Maybe it will be useful for someone else too.

 

@error
That's actually quite helpful, thanks! (putting some dimensions on those images would be nice)

Now if only Schiit could make some rack-mount options for their gear...

 

A tube circuit that masks details is one that is poorly designed. Tubes have high resolution and low distortion - that's why we use them. The things that make old fashioned tube circuits masking are all the non-tube elements to the circuit.

I'd say the analog portion of the DAC itself is going to have the biggest impact to the sound.

 

Got a Modi Multibit in today.
At first listen, it sounds pretty damn good. Not as good as my Gungnir Multibit, but that's probably not a fair comparison. But it's not a night and day difference either. Very impressive.
I have never hear a Bifrost Multibit, but for $249, the Modi Multibit is pretty incredible.
(Using Rag to HD600's balanced for now.)

 

Yep - I told my wife on our afternoon walk today, "The new Modi is the first DAC I've had in house since I sold my Gungnir Multibit that hasn't made me immediately wish I had the Gungnir Multibit back." Just from memory of the Gungnir Multibit - so take that for what it's worth - I'd say the Modi Multibit lacks some of Gungnir Multibit's macrodynamics, stage height (possibly), and a tiny bit of low end extension and high end resolution. It's slightly more midcentric, but reproduces both female and male vocals beautifully. The comboburrito filter seems to be full effect - the holographic stage and instrument separation of the Gungnir Multibit is here in full effect.

IMO tonally it has more in common with the Gungnir Multibit than the Bifrosts do. I've owned both the Bifrost 4490 and Bifrost Multibit and I'd take the Modi Multibit over both. To me, Modi Multibit is very slightly warmer than the Gungnir Multibit but way less warm and overall more coherent sounding than both Bifrosts.

Marv was right when he called it a more resolving TransDAC. That's a totally accurate description. It has the tonal density of the TransDAC but with much better clarity and technicalities. At $249, this thing is f'ing nuts.

 

@error

It works for their amps too!

I wish they would have made the depth of the Gungnir match the depth of the Ragnarok so you can stack the Ragnarok on the Gungnir. Now instead they need to be side by side.

 

Did she roll her eyes and reply "yes dear", but secretly inside say "when the f**k is he going to stop talking about headphone shit!"?