[eimis]

would love to hear your thoughts on modi 3 versus that cd player someday. just curious ^^

Well I'd gladly borrow a Modi 3 for all and any comparisons...

Sadly, the CDP-X303ES laser pickup is dying (long story short it's impossible to repair these things nowadays), so I'd decided to convert it into a USB DAC. Once that's done, I will allocate a whole day for serious testing and comparison. That will be a very difficult day, because it's already difficult to tell the CDP and Multibit (laptop toslink) apart. Multibit sounds a little brighter and images differently while the CDP seems calmer and has a more realistic imaging...maybe.

<tech blab>
Currently, the CDP is fed I2S by a raspberry pi 1 B+, with an FPGA in between to generate the I2S bit clock from DAC's 45MHz crystal. So rPi is configured as bitcklock slave, but as master for the LR clock - this is the only configuration that works without glitching. And a attiny2313 with magic code that configures the CDP's filter/DAC on power on...
There's a nice USB to I2S board with galvanic isolation and I2S reclocking that also outputs a master clock for the DAC. I've investigated the CDP-X303ES schematic and apparently all the ICs that touch I2S have their clocks synced to the DAC's 45Mhz crystal (I guess thiat's what the "Direct Digital Sync" stands for on the CDP's front panel). I'm planning to connect the 45MHz master clock from the I2S board in place of the DAC's crystal, to maintain the "Direct Digital Sync"...
</tech blab>

 

[tcellguy]

I haven’t heard Modi 3, but I’ve heard a number of DACs with the AKM AK4490 chip and I like the Mimby much better. It sounds more real somehow. I use an Eitr to convert my USB to coax and it sounds great.

I was just comparing the Eitr/Mimby/Jotunheim vs. iUSB nano / dual AKM AK4490 jotunheim card last night. Even with the iFi iUSB nano USB power supply reclocking, the Eitr/Mimby is dramatically better sounding to me. There's a much larger sound stage even after correcting for volumes. The space in between notes is much better separated with a quieter background. String instruments sound more defined. The AK4490 sounded compressed and more grainy / digital by comparison.

It was really a bit of a shock as I hadn't listened to the dual AKM AK4490 jotunheim card in a while.

I'd be really curious to hear the new Modi 3 with Eitr too.

 

[Zenithcric]

I couldn’t find, on a quick search anyways, information about the chip(s?) in that Sony CDP-X303ES player, “CXD2562Q – CXD2567M.”
But i picked up an old, c. 1991, Denon DCD-660 from a local used electronics shop for maybe $30 (around $300 new in ‘91), and it’s DAC chip, a PCM61, is apparently true multibit ... so possibly the Sony’s of that era?? In my main 2-channel system it sounded clean, clear, & accurate, if a little dry, thin, & cold. Using it with a different amp and speakers helped that — no option for feeding my Modi 3 since it has no digital outputs. & to think i was considering a cheap A-D converter for that purpose. Now i’m thinking Vali 2 as preamp or some other tube buffer arrangement. My question is — does anyone know how the sound of these old multibit CD players compare to a modern Modi Multibit? In the meantime i’ll consider it my multibit fix - which i may yet tweak - while i save for new speakers (& maybe cans, damnit, since i’ll need to here that Vali in the way it was meant to be used, besides being a preamp in a Frankensystem). I’ve not read a lot of love for the Vali as preamp, but why not experiment ...

 

[bradbort]

Thats unusual. Try unplugging the the toslink then turn off the Modi, wait a minute, plug the toslink back in and turn the Modi back on. If that doesnt correct the problem try a different toslink cable if you have another one. If that doesn't work I guess you will just have to switch it back to the correct input manually.

Coming back to close out this issue. The unit was flawed. I had schiit swap it, and everything has been fine ever since. Hopefully they did not sell it as a refurbished, since its a subtle problem that only becomes apparent if using toslink.

 

[RCBinTN]

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.

 

[438555]

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.

The lightning to USB camera adapter will work along with the A-B usb cable you mentioned. But you will likely need a powered hub in between so that the iPod won’t report the “too much power draw” error.

 

[caenlenfromOCN]

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.

i would do modi 3 and jds labs atom amp. $200 total and will sound better than that setup.

 

[alpovs]

i would do modi 3 and jds labs atom amp. $200 total and will sound better than that setup.

Modi Multibit is... well... a multibit DAC unlike Modi 3. I am pretty sure RCBinTN is looking to buy a multibit DAC specifically as most people prefer the sound if it over delta-sigma DAC's. There are exceptions. I know...

 

[alpovs]

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.

I highly recommend adding an Eitr while it's still available (Schiit is thinking to discontinue it). Apple products are known for problems with USB. USB data signal is in the Lightning bus in this case. Also, I believe Eitr is fully self-powered and there will no above-mentioned problem with power.

 

[Zenithcric]

RCBinTN —
Schiit should have you covered https://www.schiit.com/guides/ios-android-and-linux
Otherwise i’m sure Schiit would answer an email ...

I had a question above, buried in too much typing ... how does old multibit (‘91 Denon) compare to the sound of new multibit (Modi 3 etc)?
Newer technology not always better sounding (some Delta Sigma DACs,some all-SS systems) ...

 

[tcellguy]

I highly recommend adding an Eitr while it's still available (Schiit is thinking to discontinue it). Apple products are known for problems with USB. USB data signal is in the Lightning bus in this case. Also, I believe Eitr is fully self-powered and there will no above-mentioned problem with power.

I also highly recommend the Eitr. It makes a very audible difference on my system: Audirvana MacBook Pro > Eitr>Mimby>Jotunheim

Where did you hear it was going to be discontinued?

 

[jimmers]

I also highly recommend the Eitr. It makes a very audible difference on my system: Audirvana MacBook Pro > Eitr>Mimby>Jotunheim

Where did you hear it was going to be discontinued?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2939#post-14793313
says:
"2 ... And there won’t be a Unison Eitr, Eitr is pretty much dead as a product due to slow sales (like Wyrd) and will probably not be made anymore. ...."

 

[tcellguy]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2939#post-14793313
says:
"2 ... And there won’t be a Unison Eitr, Eitr is pretty much dead as a product due to slow sales (like Wyrd) and will probably not be made anymore. ...."

Wow bummer. I really like mine. Also too bad about the new USB interface not being planned as a stand alone.

 

[triggsviola]

I use iPhone=>Eitr=>Mimby=>Vali 2=>HD650 for my bedside setup and I couldn’t be happier. The Mimby sounds far better than any AKM or Sabre chip I’ve tried. So real. I’m a multibit believer. I’m a musician working in the LA area as a session player. The things I hear/feel when I listen to a multibit DAC are the things I hear/feel when playing in a symphony or chamber ensemble.. The delta sigma solutions just sound like recordings. The Mimby sounds like music.

 

[joeike]

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.

At this time I'm using the Mimby to CTH amp with a pass-through to the A-100 basx by emotiva very happy with that set up and affordable to less than 250 for each unit.