[mmq2404]

I'm still running the original modi and magini (version 1 for both) and I don't feel compelled to upgrade. I highly doubt you'd notice any difference going from the 2 to the 3, if that's what you're wanting to do (upgrade).

I'm curious about the tonality of the Modi 3 + Magni 3 combo.

Never owned Modi2+Magni 2U but just wanted to compare the Schitt Stack 3 with them because I had heard of them at local store.

Modi 3 also has very good measurement result at
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...w-and-measurements-of-schiit-modi-3-dac.4742/

 

[wantan]

I'm curious about the tonality of the Modi 3 + Magni 3 combo.

I'd say it's very neutral, which is very subjective, with a touch of velvet sound. The two M3 go together very very well and are great allrounders. They have good clarity and clean sound. DS treble and solid state treble are not bothersome with these and they are also not murky or dull. Treble is a hair zingy but you might not notice this unless you heard very high end DAC/AMP offerings in comparison. Detail and low level information is quite excellent for the price actually and I find it pretty hard to name a serious upgrade unless you look way north 1k $. Plenty of sidegrades with different sound though. The velvet sound makes them a hair polite sounding and they are neither forward sounding nor laid back. Soundstage is a bit flat but it's still ok, if you listen to a classical orchester with solo violin piece the violin is place clearly in front and rest of the orchester around it. It's just not a holographc soundstage that you might get out of a Mulibit /Vali 2 combo neither the very precise 3D image a RME ADI 2 DAC and Phonitor X can present. A good spdif source helps soundstage a bit, Modi is excellent with USB though.
The Schiit 3 stack wouldn't be my first choice if you're mainly listening to Jazz with lots of sax or horns, it still can be a bit fatiguing there.

I have all 4 of Schiits "small" offerings and mostly use Modi Multibit and Vali 2 (with Senns HD6xx series of headphones) as these have more "soul" which works nice for the Jazz stuff I prefer and it's also great for pop, rock and classic. They lack the clarity and tightness in bass the Schiit stack 3 has though which are better suited for lots of hiphop and plastic pop and sometimes metal etc.

Any combination of the two Modi DAC and the Magni 3 or Vali 2 can service you a long way in the journey for good music. I wouldn't put too much money on measurements.

 

[Rensek]

I find that when I use my Loki, I generally use it to turn up the treble (very slightly). On Modi/Magni/Emotiva. I find the details on the upper highs come through a little stronger this way.

My hearing cuts out around 13.5 khz for whatever thats worth.

 

[genck]

Detail and low level information is quite excellent for the price actually and I find it pretty hard to name a serious upgrade unless you look way north 1k $.

That would have been true if this weren't 2019 but there are now offerings like the JDS Labs Atom and Khadas Tone Board (same price dac/amp combo as magni3/modi3) and have perfect "measurements", which some people may like. Just sayin'.
I'm one of the people that obviously doesn't care about these measurements, and I'm an Electrical Engineer. lol

 

[wantan]

there are now offerings like the JDS Labs Atom and Khadas Tone Board (same price dac/amp combo as magni3/modi3) and have perfect "measurements"

I was talking about how they sound, not how they measure. For people who want measurements they can just look them up and buy the best SINAD they can get for their money if that makes them happy.
I'd say Modi 3 and Magni 3 measure pretty good though, no reason to worry.

 

[mmq2404]

Thank you all for useful infos
I'm not the guy who into those measurements, buying audio device even without actual listening but reading is meh.
I'm mostly listen to vocal centric (J-pop, Vocal Trance, 2000s, 90s pop) music.
That seems Schitt Stack 3 is a very good match to start with these kind of genres

 

[DavidA]

I'm still running the original modi and magini (version 1 for both) and I don't feel compelled to upgrade. I highly doubt you'd notice any difference going from the 2 to the 3, if that's what you're wanting to do (upgrade).

I'll have to disagree with you about not noticing a difference. I started with the original Modi/Mag combo and to me with some of my headphones than I had at the time (HE400, DT990 premium, HD700, SR225e, and HD598) it was a bit thin/dry sounding in comparison to my other DACs/amps (WA7d, Ember, Musette, Asgard2) that I had at the time so they were sold off. I currently have a Modi2uber that I tried with a friends Magni3 and its a bit warmer/fuller with the same headphones that I considered thin/dry sounding. While I think its easy to notice I have a few friends that are not into audio that can't hear any difference unless I point out want to listen to and then there are those that have decent / high-end gear that easily notice differences.

 

[tafens]

I went from the Magni2U+Modi2U (akm 4396) to the Magni3+ModiMB and think that that combo was a good upgrade. I’ve since moved on to the Lyr3 and don’t really recall the exact differences, just that it was better in just about every way.
Didn’t mix and match so I don’t know how much of the difference can be attributed to the Magni3 and the ModiMB respectively.

 

[mmq2404]

Just got these babies for few days:

My only headphones are the R70x, my previous DAC/Amp is TEAC HA-P50.
Very good synergy with my ATH R70x (470 ohms, 99dB).
At high gain the comfortable listening volume is 9 o'clock, 12-1 o'clock at low gain.
They exceed my expectation for a desktop DAC/Amp combo for 200$.

Tonality wise they're not sounding harsh at all with a little warm tilt.
Compared to my HA-P50 which is slightly warm amp, smooth uptop, the Schiit Stack 3 are just a tad brighter upper mid and treble, slightly forward sounding.
Bass is tighter, faster decay, slightly more impact.
Sound stage and imaging improved compared to HA-P50, not as wide as the tubey ones.
In short the Schiit Stack 3 improved the weaknesses of my HA-P50 but still keep the tonality.
Note that i'm connecting the stack by a pair of dirt cheap RCAs priced 5$, ordered a pair of SMSL W6 RCA cables and looking forward to the see how do they sound

 

[mmq2404]

SMSL W6 RCAs arrived and been hooked up for few days.
Well, the new RCAs deliver brighter treble as well as more detail compared to the cheaper 2 meters ones, my R70x's 12KHz is significantly emphasized.
Upper-highs now a bit fatiguing when listening to bright or bad recordings, may be this is the full potential/tonality of the Magni 3 as many have described.

Modi 3 DAC lineout itself is doing very good when being hooked up with my powered speaker Edifier R1800 TIII.
Using the preamp of the Magni 3 to feed my speakers, the sound is not as accurate and neutral as Modi 3 lineouts.
They sound a bit dirtorted, more weight in the bass and more brightness in the treble that made I turn the bass and treble on the speaker down a bit.
In short, I prefer the lineout of Modi 3 rather than Magni 3 preout when feeding my speakers

 

[Logistics]

Upper-highs now a bit fatiguing when listening to bright or bad recordings, may be this is the full potential/tonality of the Magni 3 as many have described

I get those fatiguing highs with my Modi 2 Uber as well. I hooked up a Presonus Audiobox USB, and the problem went away. Plus, it was just a better sounding DAC in every way (even though it's not marketed as a DAC, really it is by nature). As I stated previously, in this thread, the Magni 3 has not yet become a bottleneck for me.

Note: those Presonus units can be had for a mere $50, but you do have to tackle using RCA-to-1/4"-Mono-Phono plugs, and deal with having no power switch.

 

[dgozalie]

Hello

i found this site talk about the hum of the schiit magni 3 problem and how to fix it... very recommended... i follow it and it fixed my hum... maybe it could help others too...

https://orronoco.blogspot.com/2019/09/schiit-magni-3-hum-noise-problem-cures.html

cheap and easy and worthed to try...

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hello

i found this site talk about the hum of the schiit magni 3 problem and how to fix it... very recommended... i follow it and it fixed my hum... maybe it could help others too...

https://orronoco.blogspot.com/2019/09/schiit-magni-3-hum-noise-problem-cures.html

cheap and easy and worthed to try...

I’m sorry that you experienced hum, but a properly operating Magni 3 has no audible hum. Please see the APx555 tests available on our site, in the Specs tab. Even with IEMs, Magni 3 on low gain is quiet.

If anyone is experiencing hum with Magni 3, you should contact us so we can have a look at it and swap it out if necessary.

 

[dgozalie]

I’m sorry that you experienced hum, but a properly operating Magni 3 has no audible hum. Please see the APx555 tests available on our site, in the Specs tab. Even with IEMs, Magni 3 on low gain is quiet.

If anyone is experiencing hum with Magni 3, you should contact us so we can have a look at it and swap it out if necessary.

Hello Jason

Greeting from Jakarta, Indonesia....

thanks for your quick reply... really appreciate your offer for exchange... unfortunately, the cost for shipping the magni 3 to your office from indonesia could cost me a fortune, not mention the time and the hassle of the customs.. so i am searching for other alternate to fix it.. so far i follow the instruction from this website, it help stop the hum... yet...

anyway great product... and really appreciate your offer... !!

Donny

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hello Jason

Greeting from Jakarta, Indonesia....

thanks for your quick reply... really appreciate your offer for exchange... unfortunately, the cost for shipping the magni 3 to your office from indonesia could cost me a fortune, not mention the time and the hassle of the customs.. so i am searching for other alternate to fix it.. so far i follow the instruction from this website, it help stop the hum... yet...

anyway great product... and really appreciate your offer... !!

Donny

We have worked with customers who have customs or shipping costs to make sure they have a properly functioning product. Seriously, if you’re having trouble, contact us and I’m sure we can take care of you.

That goes for everyone with any one of our products.