*Official Schiit Magni/Modi 2 ( Uber ) Thread*

[oletuv]

  The Modi selector button is a floating metal disc, I'll bet that the switch behind it is solid.
You should really try the grounding experiment that I outlined. It is simple and quick to do.

Stan,
 
I´m sure your solution will take care of the hum issue and I am thankful for your kind effort and suggestions to eliminate the hum. Frankly, I don´t want to do modifications to the Magni to correct design/build flaws, that I leave to Schiit.

 

[rovopio]

 
Jason, while I do appreciate your contribution to the discussion concerning quality problems with Schiit products, I really have to say that I´m not very impressed with your solution: "Don´t hang on the volume knob all the time". This is exactly the same answer as Nick gave me when I sent him an email about the issue. I know that I don´t have to hang on the volume knob all the time, but to me it is a quality issue, I know it is there and therefore tend to touch the noisy knob. Minor issue or not, it looks like a design flaw and as I´ve said previously, if I had known about it I would not have bought the Magni, not the Modi either because of the flimsy selector knob.

 
you're the first person who brought this up since my own readings starting end of December. So i guess there's little way you would've known.
But on the bright side, you have the option to just return the products.
 
That's more than i can say about some other manufacturers.

 

[oletuv]

  Please let us know if the Wyrd fixes the noise problems. If it does I would pick one up.

I received the Wyrd today and plugged it into my MM2U chain. It has no influence on the hum, which is still there. I´m very happy with the sound quality though, not sure if the Wyrd makes any difference, but at least I have a clean USB path which is also working with my iPhone 6.

 

[oletuv]

  How's the soundstage with the Wyrd ?
 
Ok I'm just kidding.
 
Curious to hear your comments on some of the messages posted recently. Is there a single element of your audio chain that is grounded ?

No, none of the components are grounded. Schiit Audio has confirmed that the hum is normal.
 
I posted my impressions of the Wyrd in the Wyrd thread

 

[Gerafone]

I've never experienced this hum, I use a power filtering surge protector and used the little rubber feet on the bottom of the Schiit; Do you think that might have something to do with it?
Also my Schiit is like two feet away from my wireless modem and still no hum at all.
Using HD 598.

 

[rovopio]

yeah, thankfully, me neither.
also uses the rubber feet, if that information helps in any way.

 

[oletuv]

I've never experienced this hum, I use a power filtering surge protector and used the little rubber feet on the bottom of the Schiit; Do you think that might have something to do with it?

 
I have put the rubber feet on all three components, so no.
 
Anyhow, I don´t bother much about the hum any longer. I know it is there, but I don´t touch the volume knob very often, and I am enjoying very nice sound from the MM2U+Wyrd stack.

 

[nv88]

Can anyone confirm if the hum is on the Magni 2 Uber only, or does this also occur on the Magni 2? 
 
I would love to hear more comments on the standard Magni 2.

 

[oletuv]

I enjoy the sound from my MM2U stack + B&W P7 headphones a lot better than my Sony MDR-1ADAC with built-in DAC, both USB connected through my Wyrd to a MacBook Air (2012) and fed 16/44 and 24/192 flac tracks by Audirvana Plus. I find the MM2U combo to produce a clearer sound with more punch, much better treble. The MDR-1ADAC sounds darker with less details to my aging ears. I bought the MDR-1ADAC as a portable HP to take with me when I´m on the move, and I enjoy using it on the plane when I´m flying between Norway and Spain.
 
Now that I have a good sounding desktop HP rig in my Spanish home and already am mostly listening to music with cans, I want to buy another stack for my Norwegian home. I was originally thinking of buying an Asgard 2/Bifrost Uber combo, but I feel I need to do more research regarding the build quality. Particularly, I would like to know how the buttons on these components feel to touch and operate. The volume knob on the Magni 2U is small and the hole is cut too large, it simply does not look good IMO. I see from pictures that the volume knob on the A2 is bigger and the hole around the knob is a lot tighter. Do A2 users feel the volume knob is smooth to operate? The selector button on the Modi 2U is very flimsy and seems to be made of very thin aluminum. It rattles when touching the button or moving the box. I would appreciate to hear from Bifrost users how they perceive the quality of the selector button on this more expensive unit. After having been listening to my MM2U stack for a few days, I´m not concerned about the sound quality, I´m confident the A2/Bifrost combo sounds good.

 

[Mr Rick]

  I enjoy the sound from my MM2U stack + B&W P7 headphones a lot better than my Sony MDR-1ADAC with built-in DAC, both USB connected through my Wyrd to a MacBook Air (2012) and fed 16/44 and 24/192 flac tracks by Audirvana Plus. I find the MM2U combo to produce a clearer sound with more punch, much better treble. The MDR-1ADAC sounds darker with less details to my aging ears. I bought the MDR-1ADAC as a portable HP to take with me when I´m on the move, and I enjoy using it on the plane when I´m flying between Norway and Spain.
 
Now that I have a good sounding desktop HP rig in my Spanish home and already am mostly listening to music with cans, I want to buy another stack for my Norwegian home. I was originally thinking of buying an Asgard 2/Bifrost Uber combo, but I feel I need to do more research regarding the build quality. Particularly, I would like to know how the buttons on these components feel to touch and operate. The volume knob on the Magni 2U is small and the hole is cut too large, it simply does not look good IMO. I see from pictures that the volume knob on the A2 is bigger and the hole around the knob is a lot tighter. Do A2 users feel the volume knob is smooth to operate? The selector button on the Modi 2U is very flimsy and seems to be made of very thin aluminum. It rattles when touching the button or moving the box. I would appreciate to hear from Bifrost users how they perceive the quality of the selector button on this more expensive unit. After having been listening to my MM2U stack for a few days, I´m not concerned about the sound quality, I´m confident the A2/Bifrost combo sounds good.

Yes, the gain control on the A2 is very smooth. I would imagine the switch on the Bifrost is the same as on the Modi. I would expect no improvement on the feel of selector switch on the Bifrost.

 

[StanD]

  I enjoy the sound from my MM2U stack + B&W P7 headphones a lot better than my Sony MDR-1ADAC with built-in DAC, both USB connected through my Wyrd to a MacBook Air (2012) and fed 16/44 and 24/192 flac tracks by Audirvana Plus. I find the MM2U combo to produce a clearer sound with more punch, much better treble. The MDR-1ADAC sounds darker with less details to my aging ears. I bought the MDR-1ADAC as a portable HP to take with me when I´m on the move, and I enjoy using it on the plane when I´m flying between Norway and Spain.
 
Now that I have a good sounding desktop HP rig in my Spanish home and already am mostly listening to music with cans, I want to buy another stack for my Norwegian home. I was originally thinking of buying an Asgard 2/Bifrost Uber combo, but I feel I need to do more research regarding the build quality. Particularly, I would like to know how the buttons on these components feel to touch and operate. The volume knob on the Magni 2U is small and the hole is cut too large, it simply does not look good IMO. I see from pictures that the volume knob on the A2 is bigger and the hole around the knob is a lot tighter. Do A2 users feel the volume knob is smooth to operate? The selector button on the Modi 2U is very flimsy and seems to be made of very thin aluminum. It rattles when touching the button or moving the box. I would appreciate to hear from Bifrost users how they perceive the quality of the selector button on this more expensive unit. After having been listening to my MM2U stack for a few days, I´m not concerned about the sound quality, I´m confident the A2/Bifrost combo sounds good.

The rattling of the Modi 2 Uber button is because the button is a floating disc of metal. The switch behind it is solid. The Bifrost switch is similar, however the disc has better tolerances so it feels solid. The button on the Bifrost, rattles less, makes less noise when pressed, has less travel and is more flush with the front panel.
The Volume control on the Asgard 2 is larger, solid and smoother. Both of these products have the feel of better quality. The SQ is superb.
I have two desktop setups at home.

 

[Mr Rick]

  The rattling of the Modi 2 Uber button is because the button is a floating disc of metal. The switch behind it is solid. The Bifrost switch is similar, however the disc has better tolerances so it feels solid. The button on the Bifrost, rattles less, makes less noise when pressed, has less travel and is more flush with the front panel.
The Volume control on the Asgard 2 is larger, solid and smoother. Both of these products have the feel of better quality. The SQ is superb.
I have two desktop setups at home.

 
Just as a point of reference. The disc on my M2U does not rattle. I would imagine the tolerance between the disc and the switch is a hard one to maintain.  If the tolerances on the Bifrost can be held tighter than that is a good thing.

 

[oletuv]

Thank you guys, I appreciate your input regarding the A2/Bifrost build quality. I might order the stack when I´m back in Norway in the end of April.

 

[StanD]

   
Just as a point of reference. The disc on my M2U does not rattle. I would imagine the tolerance between the disc and the switch is a hard one to maintain.  If the tolerances on the Bifrost can be held tighter than that is a good thing.

Lightly touch the button with a side to side bias or motion and you'll probably get the same results. IMO this is nothing to be concerned about.

 

[Mr Rick]

  Lightly touch the button with a side to side bias or motion and you'll probably get the same results. IMO this is nothing to be concerned about.

I agree.