Schiit Modi 3

I guess this is finally out. See photos here: http://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1

Front plate selector for input: toslink, coax, or USB. Two micro USB in the back. One for power and another for data / power. The neat thing is that the data USB input can be zero draw while the power USB is plugged in, so use with tablets and phones is feasible. I'll need to test this out more. A big change is no more AC wall wart (as with the Modi Uber). Schiit went with a switching power supply - a USB cable and wall adapter is included too.

As for the sound, I find it hard to believe that it's a SD DAC. AKM and BB179* are the best of bunch in terms of presenting sound with a minimum of digital nasties, but it looks like Schiit has taken this a step further from the prior AKM4490 based Modi 2. There's still a bit of that AKM "velvet" sound going on (see here for an interesting read: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/akms-velvet-sound.2356/). The attacks aren't as sharp as the 4396/4399 based chips, the mids are recessed; but staging and resolution take a noteable step forward.

Tonally, the Modi 3 sounds stately, laid-back, refined. Not quite as sloped / dark as the Modi Multibit, but it does have marginally better clarity. Where the Modi Multibit pulls ahead is with the imaging where there is stuff front, back, in between, etc.

 

Measurements here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/schiit-modi-3-dac-measurements.6856/

 

Given the slightly different AC noise components as seen per the measurements I took, I'm sure peeps will now be looking for the ultimate USB wall adapter. Maybe AudioQuest or MIT cables can provide us with audiophile USB wall adapters ranging from $99 to $799.

 

The MB version still uses the AC-AC brick / wall wart.

 

Let me do a direct comparison. I know that they will definitely sound different since the SDAC and Modi 2 AKM4490 were very similar sounding - and Modi 3 a departure from the Modi 2 AKM4490.

No guarantees. Just came back from thr hospital a week ago and still have IV lines going from a vein under my left arm to my superior vena cava. The good news is that I've gained 3 of the 17 lbs I lost via Korean BBQ and McDonalds shakes and apple pies.

 

OK, just did a direct comparison. Last time around, I said the SDAC and Modi 2 were a tossup, and that if anything, I might have preferred the SDAC because it had a "sweeter" sound.

This time around, the Modi 3 is the runaway winner. The Modi 3 has better edge definition, better focus. Attack is about the same, but the SDAC renders voices, string instruments, horns a little bit on the blurry side so a bit of that bite is missing. There's a little bit of siblance (natural) in some parts of the Murray Head's singing in Heaven on Their Minds (JCSS) that sort of wasn't there with the SDAC. The bite of the horns was muted on the SDAC. Which leads to another Modi 3 advantage: better dynamics. Murray Head actually emotes on the Modi 3 whereas on the SDAC, less so. I feel like I need to adjust the volume knob on the amp when running the SDAC to get Murray's voice to the proper volume. The bass drum and bass notes while not very clear on the recording are more precisely rendered on the Modi 3.

Tried another track, Daft Punk - Doin' It Right, pretty much similar results. On the Modi 3, I checked out the long bass drops and that section about 40 seconds in with a bass drop every beat that smashes my head in - which it's suppose to. The effect from the SDAC isn't as dramatic. Also, the reverb on the vocals tends to linger a bit longer on the Modi 3.

Tonally, I'd say that they are close, but with the SDAC having just a bit more warmth (possibly from the lesser precision and focus) and the Modi 3 having a bit more presence (vocals, edge, string and horn bite). Soundstage of both DACs is very similar with the Modi 3 stage being closer by 5 rows (insignificant), but also offering noticeably more depth to instruments on the stage.

HD800 and Verum headphones were used along with the Massdrop THX AAA and a prototype solid state amp.

 

It was actually difficult for me to tell the difference between Modi 2U AKM4490 and SDAC. Modi 3 is one class up compared to Modi 2U and SDAC.