Schiit Modi Multibit

[rickb119]

Forgot to ask you, did it sound great right out of the box? Someone said it needs burn in. Thanks!

I thought it sounded amazing straight out of the box. Has it improved? Maybe. Probably? I really don't know. Part of the I don't know is that I changed horses mid stream. Started out using a Sansui AU-919. Listened for an hour or two and was told about caps that could fry the amp if they weren't replaced. Replaced the Sansui with a Pioneer SX-850 and of course the sound changed, somewhat. The Pioneer is a little more laid back. Then started swapping interconnect cables. (Blue Jeans basic vs my DIY Belden). I "think" I prefer mine, but it may just be my mind remembering the huge difference from the cheap interconnects i used to use. Plus, I kept playing different CD's. I also had to lower the volume considerably due to my tinnitus.

I guess my point is that I was so focused on listening for the differences in equipment that didn't notice if the overall sound improved (due to burn in). I'm also somewhat limited by the speakers (re capped Norman 8's). Don't get me wrong. they're very musical, easy to listen to speakers. And, with the addition of the Schiit, much more detailed. However, there's only so much detail they're capable of.

Did you get yours today? If so, whatcha think?

 

[gvl]

I looked at a number of R2R DACs before pulling the trigger and I have to admit my decision was 50% based on price. I also did not want to order from China or Holland and have to pay international shipping. I would have loved a Metrum but at $1,000 I'm just not good enough.

Metrum is a NOS DAC that sounds radically different from the ModiMulti on redbook material. You'd need to upsample externally to make it's sound signature to be closer to what you hear with the Modi with redbook. Hi-res should be closer without upsampling.

 

[AlTinkster92]

Well, received my MB (found on doorstep) Thanks FEDEX. Second time they just dropped and ran after leaving my wife's new IPhone the same way over Xmas. Last time I ever use them for sure. I was home and they didn't even knock.

Anyway, hooked it up and it installed drivers automatically which I like, turned my stereo on and it really does sound very good. I had no issues with my Aune T-1 either, it also sounded very good. The Multibit is really a improvement and will be listening to it this evening. I was surprised as to how small it was, all the pics I have ever seen I thought it would be larger in size. So, initially , I like it! Will report back if things change. Thanks Al

 

[Poultrygeist]

Schiit has reduced their costs by using the same enclosure for different products.

The Modi MB and Mani phono stage share the case and there are probably others.

 

[EyeGee]

Metrum is a NOS DAC that sounds radically different from the ModiMulti on redbook material. You'd need to upsample externally to make it's sound signature to be closer to what you hear with the Modi with redbook. Hi-res should be closer without upsampling.

I have an upgraded Op-Amp/tube rolled Maverick which is NOS and don't hear much difference from the Modi unless one includes the distortion from the tube stage. I do prefer the Modi right now but as so many have noted, it depends on the recording quality on the tracks from the redbook CD.

 

[gvl]

I have an upgraded Op-Amp/tube rolled Maverick which is NOS and don't hear much difference from the Modi unless one includes the distortion from the tube stage. I do prefer the Modi right now but as so many have noted, it depends on the recording quality on the tracks from the redbook CD.

The NOS abbreviation is overloaded, when talking about DACs it usually means Non-Over-Sampling and not New-Old-Stock. The Maverick is an oversampling DAC.

 

[AlTinkster92]

One thing on the MB I have noticed, every night when I turn it on I have to go to Audio settings on my computer and check the box for SChiit MB for it to work. MY Aune T-1 never had this problem........not a biggy but annoying for sure...Al

 

[Jim Shearer]

Not sure about the computer issues, but all of Schiit's multi-bit DACs should be left on 24/7 for best performance. They need to be temperature stable for the R2R ladder to work properly.

 

[judsonw]

I do not have to change my playback device when I plug in my multibit. One question I have is do you have any media playback software open when you plug it in? While it is not the multibit, I know if I have Audacity open when I plug my behringer uca-202, it is not immediately recognized, but if I do not have audacity open, it is.

 

[AlTinkster92]

I emailed Tom at Shiit last night, I was not using the audio settings correctly on my Windows, all is well. I got super fast reply as well, a welcome thing these days....Al

 

[Alobar]

I emailed Tom at Shiit last night, I was not using the audio settings correctly on my Windows, all is well. I got super fast reply as well, a welcome thing these days....Al

Good to hear you got good results from contracting them.. Windows machines can have lots of issues that have nothing to do with the DAC. I eventually got my Schiit MB completely off from my win 10 desktop machine and now it runs exclusively from a raspberry pi3 and ever since I did this, performance had been perfect with none of the issues I was experiencing before.

 

[AlTinkster92]

Yep, all is fine now, one thing I was really impressed with is that I got a reply from Shiit in about a hour. And....wait for it.... it was around 9 pm last night! That's good Customer service I say...

 

[runnin']

Not sure about the computer issues, but all of Schiit's multi-bit DACs should be left on 24/7 for best performance. They need to be temperature stable for the R2R ladder to work properly.

All it says in the manual(at least the Bifrost) is that it won't hurt anything if you leave it on. What have you heard and where did you hear it?

 

[Jim Shearer]

@runnin',

There is a wealth of info to be found on another site which is head phone oriented. Both Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat, the founders of Schiit Audio post and blog there. The powers that be don't like us posting links to other sites, but if you can PM me, I could be much more specific.

Cheers, Jim

 

[mjw21a]

Jupiter Copper Foil 0.22uF / 600VDC coupling caps replacing Exotica Teflon caps in the Moth Audio s45

Installed these three [3] months ago and the system sounds better every day. They warned me of the extended [200 hr] burn in period but it seems to have lasted longer than reported by other enthusiasts. A month ago I was almost tempted to go back the Teflon caps [which are excellent]. Glad I didn't.

Lovely caps. I've found cap changes definitely benefit from burn in often taking over 6 months to get the best from them. I've never run anything as high end as Jupiter caps though. My experience is around Mundorf ZN, Solen ZN and Russian KY40-9 PIO's. Cheap stuff in comparison.

Since this thread is apparently going through some controversy. I've got a rebuilt lenco with a very heavy platte and plinth a,nd a Linn tonearm. With a Denon MC 103r cartridge

Vinyl playback is better. It is.

But what this little $200 DAC can do blows my mind. It really is this good.

But also get tubes.

You need tubes

You just really need tubes

That is all.

Except get tubes

I've found that digital can sound every bit as good under one provision. That its a well recorded vinyl rip (using a Schiit JIL ADC for me) and playback is through a high level enough DAC (Gieseler Groß in my case).

Having said that I've a Schiit Modi Multibit on the way to use in a bedroom system. I expect it will be quite nice like this:

Shanling ec1b CDP > Schiit Multibit > JLH 1969 Hood repro amp > Boston Acoustics A100 speakers.

I expect it will sound quite good

 

[mjw21a]

Well after trialling the Modi Multibit I've gone back to using the RCA output of my Shanling EC1B CD player. Sounds more balanced and natural . The Modi Multibit frankly didn't live up to expectation.

 

[runnin']

I’m kind of not surprised you returned the Modi. Your system, at least your speakers, are incapable of delivering beyond a certain level of detail. I owned the A100 and though it was a fun speaker it was certainly not a particularly resolving one.

Good for you for finding gear that has good synergy with your system.

 

[runnin']

I’ve become interested in this thread because I’m the proud owner of a new mimby. I saw a b stock for sale on Schiit’s clearance page a few months back and thought I’d compare it to my bimby.

In a word, wow. I’d say the mimby is a bit more forward to the bimby’s slightly warm signature sound, but other than that they really are pretty close in sq. At least in my system which is probably in the ‘midfi’ category.

For the money though, the mimby really is a “can’t miss” purchase.

 

[mjw21a]

I’m kind of not surprised you returned the Modi. Your system, at least your speakers, are incapable of delivering beyond a certain level of detail. I owned the A100 and though it was a fun speaker it was certainly not a particularly resolving one.

Good for you for finding gear that has good synergy with your system.

That was a bedroom system. I didn't really find it anything special with my two better systems either though it is something of a large backwards step from a Gieseler Gross DAC. Then again, you can get quite a few Schiit DAC's for the cost of a Gross DAC so not really a fair comparison.

 

[runnin']

The only price I can find on that Gieseler Gross DAC is 2350, though that might be Aussy bucks. On second thought, I'm not sure if that's the cost, their site sucks. Looks like they know what they're doing DAC wise, however.