Any Schiit Modius Users?

[SWL3600]

Have you noticed a certain amount of burn in time with this DAC?

 

[BobbyHurley]

Interested in this as well. Ordered one yesterday.

 

[StimpyWan]

I personally haven't noticed any huge changes with my Modius. When I first received it, I listened to it, straight out of the box, for about an hour. I A/B'd it against my Gungnir D/S, then left it on for several days, before more listening sessions. That session was with my Bifrost M/B. Still, the Modius sounded very good. Both sessions seemed very similar. But, it's still powered on, for more burn in, if needed. More listening as time permits.

 

[SWL3600]

So.....I got my Modius a few days ago and have been able to get about 8-10 hours run through it this weekend.

The Modi 3 was my first Schiit DAC and it hooked me. After getting a few hours (8) on the Modius I switched back over to the Modi 3. While the Modius is certainly warmer and more laid back in the mids/highs (which I prefer....works better with my speakers), the Modi 3 has more detail and more separation of instruments.

The Modius is more analog sounding. More of a smooth, gelled sound possibly less detailed but more listenable. I'm thinking of a pair of 1957 NOS Mullard 12AX7 long plates with square getters if you catch my drift.

I can't say that I remember the Modi 3 drastically changing it's sound quality in the first 20-30 hours either but I've had DACs that did.

The Modius is kinda deceiving. It's laid back but the detail is there. Well worth the price tag in my opinion. Combined with a tube integrated........'sweet' is an understatement.

 

[SWL3600]

I stream both Spotify Premium and Tidal lossless almost exclusively. A normal listening session starts with Spotify and transitions over to Tidal lossless or lossless files on my media server.

With the Modi 3, Tidal lossless is definitely preferred over Spotify.

With the Modius, I find myself preferring Spotify Premium most of the time. Weird? I suppose but whatever.....I dig both DACs. Can't yet really say which one is 'better' but the Modius might just be my preference.

Curious to see if the Modius changes at all after 20+ hours.....

 

[BobbyHurley]

Nice! Thanks! Keep 'em coming.

 

[tmccullough]

 

[runnin']

Great thread idea, I was considering another Modi 3, but am now tempted by the Modius. Burn in with Schiit products seems to be on the more subtle side of things, I’d like to see John Darko or one of the other YouTube reviewers put this thing through its paces.

it was a surprise for me, but I suppose looking at their line up there was a space between the $99 Modi and the revamped Bifrost at $699.

I expect them to now refresh the Gumby and Yggy.

 

[StimpyWan]

In my comparisons, of my Schiit Stash, all of the Schiit Delta/Sigma DAC's have a similar sonic signature. Even and sweet, with great musicality. A natural analog sound. But, as you step from the Modi 3, to the Modius, to the Gungnir D/S, you gain in the details of the sound. More extended bass and treble, better timbre, and micro and macro detail, soundstaging, and dynamics. Deeper reverb tails, with a better sense of space. If you're happy with one, you'll more that likely be happy with any of them.

Now, I also have a Bifrost DAC, and I'm lucky (stupid) enough to have D/S and Multibit cards for it. Swapping in the Multibit card gains a more forward midrange response, resulting in greater midrange detail. Imaging is slightly better, though, I didn't find a huge difference here. Dynamics are better, with more bass slam, but at the expense of slightly more bass boom too.

Some like the Schiit Multibit DAC's the best. Me, I like the Delta/Sigma DAC's. Just so natural to me. Relaxed and easy to listen to, without fatigue. Not a blow you away DAC, more subtle, that draws you in. The Modius is a great example of the Schiit D/S DAC. A nice price point. A used Bifrost 1, with the 4490 card, is also worth looking for as well. All the attributes of the other D/S DAC's. with some of the bass slam of the Multibit. Another bargain, considering their used prices. Update-able, if desired?

 

[Tbone289]

I expect them to now refresh the Gumby and Yggy.

What would you expect them to do? I suppose they could add remote control and the modular design of Bifrost 2. I'm not sure there's much room for improvement in the DAC chips and analog stages.

 

[runnin']

What would you expect them to do? I suppose they could add remote control and the modular design of Bifrost 2. I'm not sure there's much room for improvement in the DAC chips and analog stages.

The performance/specs of the new Bifrost now equal the Gumby, plus it has the remote. So you can get all the performance of a $1299 Gumby for $699.

The single ended RCA’s of the Gumby are also derived through circuitry off the XLR’s, they are not a pure single ended signal. Thus they are compromised and now considered inferior to the Bifrost’s. This is the consensus of the Schiithead threads at Head Fi forum, and to my understanding Schiit has never said this is incorrect. I’m sure sales of the Gumby have dried right up.

And if the Gungnir gets any better it would be bumping up against the Yggy.

 

[Tbone289]

The performance/specs of the new Bifrost now equal the Gumby, plus it has the remote. So you can get all the performance of a $1299 Gumby for $699.

To me a DAC with half the conversion I/Cs (2xAD5781ARUZ vs 4xAD5781BRUZ) and an op-amp based analog stage isn't equal to Gumby. I'm aware of the comparative specs, but I'm in no way purely an objectivist. I thought you might speculate as to what Schiit might do with Gungnir and Yggdrasil since you have your expectations.

 

[runnin']

Perhaps you’re right, I didn’t realize the Bifrost analog stage wasn’t discrete.

Still, it was quite a surprise for many to see how they upped the Bifrost’s game. They’ve been improving every product in their line that doesn’t get retired, to me it just stands to reason that in a few years after introducing their top dacs, they’d have found some new chips or improved circuitry techniques.

Some speculate that there are now better R2R chips that don’t require all of the warm up time. I’ve currently got the Gumby without unison, and it’s a much better dac than my OG Bimby was. Really, I’d be happy with my level of audio quality if the Gumby was never improved again.

 

[Tbone289]

I would as well. Mine is in the upgrade queue for Unison as we speak. I've used the coax S/PDIF input mostly and have been using an Eitr to feed it recently. My Gumby was originally one of the early D/S units and has never had USB input.

...and I couldn't care less if my DAC has a remote.

Back on the subject though, the Modius looks like one hell of a value.

 

[StimpyWan]

I'd bet Schiit is going to drop their CD transport soon. Get everyone excited with the Unison based Modius, and then add the transport, for the one-two punch. A win, win.

 

[SWL3600]

Great thread idea, I was considering another Modi 3, but am now tempted by the Modius.

Get the Modius (you know you want it).

 

[runnin']

Get the Modius (you know you want it).

Wow, you’re right. How did you know that? What kind of freakish mind reading sooth sayer are you?

Oh wait, I’ve posted a ton in schiit threads, it’s probably pretty obvious!

 

[Tbone289]

Still, it was quite a surprise for many to see how they upped the Bifrost’s game. They’ve been improving every product in their line that doesn’t get retired, to me it just stands to reason that in a few years after introducing their top dacs, they’d have found some new chips or improved circuitry techniques.

If I could come back to this briefly...I have to say that Schiit have proven to be very good at this. They find ways to update and maintain their products at established levels within their line without completely "stepping on" other available products in the line. In fact, in many cases they've been able to do this and simultaneously simplify and streamline the product line in the process. I'm impressed with Jason's ability to pull this off from a business perspective.

 

[BobbyHurley]

Quick question as I prepare for arrival of The Modius ... for now, I plan on running a CD player > Modius > integrated pre-amp. The CD player has usb, spdif rca, and optical digital outs. In my setup, the Modius will sit directly atop the CD player, so the interconnect length between the two units will be minimal - very much like a Schitt stack.

Would I be better served to run USB out or RCA out or TOSLINK from the CD > Modius?

Please PM me if you have a good source for a short length cable (pref 6" to 8").

 

[gvl]

USB output on a CD player would be highly unusual, this is likely just a port for playing music off a flash drive. Coax(RCA) or Toslink should be about the same.