[DarthFader]

   
Have you tried using MPB out to magni2u ? I'm currently using it and I would like to hear about any other impressions, mainly  vs modi2u. I'm really wondering if it's really worthy the deal =)
 
If you can do this, I would thank you. 

I'll have to dig up an 1/8 inch to RCA cable but I'm sure I've got some lying around somewhere so I don't see why not!

 

[liraop]

  I'll have to dig up an 1/8 inch to RCA cable but I'm sure I've got some lying around somewhere so I don't see why not!

Anxiously waiting for that. 

 

[DarthFader]

  Anxiously waiting for that. 

 
I found an adaptor! I can do a more detailed analysis with a few different headphones and types of music in the next few days. But for kicks, I thought I'd just have a quick comparison. First thoughts: thinner sound and less soundstage when going straight from the MBP headphone out as opposed to Modi 2 Uber.

 

[liraop]

   
I found an adaptor! I can do a more detailed analysis with a few different headphones and types of music in the next few days. But for kicks, I thought I'd just have a quick comparison. First thoughts: thinner sound and less soundstage when going straight from the MBP headphone out as opposed to Modi 2 Uber.

Imagined that. 
Are you using modi2u on 24/192 and MPB at 24/96 through mag2u ? 
I want more space and air. Details can be a plus. 

I guess I must go for modi2u =s 

 

[dorino]

Don't you run into double amping issues if you use just* a headphone amp?
 
*meaning using the soundcard as the DAC, and as a result using the soundcard's amp too - just is a little misleading, I guess.
 
If it wasn't a Macbook, I'd probably always say "no no no" because laptops tend to do pretty poorly. I certainly wouldn't use my Magni without the Modi, using the headphone out on the laptop instead. Ew.

 

[DarthFader]

  Imagined that. 
Are you using modi2u on 24/192 and MPB at 24/96 through mag2u ? 
I want more space and air. Details can be a plus. 

I guess I must go for modi2u =s 

Just now I ran both at 16/44 using the same FLAC file ripped from a CD.
 
 

  Don't you run into double amping issues if you use just* a headphone amp?
 
*meaning using the soundcard as the DAC, and as a result using the soundcard's amp too - just is a little misleading, I guess.
 
If it wasn't a Macbook, I'd probably always say "no no no" because laptops tend to do pretty poorly. I certainly wouldn't use my Magni without the Modi, using the headphone out on the laptop instead. Ew.

Yes, it is double amping. And I agree that laptops--heck, computer sound cards in general--don't have a good track record. I've been surprised at both the late model iPhones and at the Macbook Pro. They can get you to like 75-85% of what an entry level DAC/Amp can.

 

[liraop]

  Don't you run into double amping issues if you use just* a headphone amp?
 
*meaning using the soundcard as the DAC, and as a result using the soundcard's amp too - just is a little misleading, I guess.
 
If it wasn't a Macbook, I'd probably always say "no no no" because laptops tend to do pretty poorly. I certainly wouldn't use my Magni without the Modi, using the headphone out on the laptop instead. Ew.

I was on the same doubt but have a look on this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/390

last 3 posts ( it continues for a couple pages, I guess).
 
 
PS: I'm using now 100% of volume on mpb out. it is softer than the direct out of E10K on mag2u. It's a pleasant listening =)

 

[bgentry]

^ The 1/8" output on a Macbook Pro is a combo output.  It's a line level out.  It's a headphone level out.  It's an optical out (with the correct whacky cable).
 
There really isn't much of a concern over "double amping" here.  The MBP seems to output a line level signal in my experience.  I guess one very important thing to note here about the MBP output level:  Turned all the way up, with a signal that is full scale, it DOES NOT CLIP.  So it's a true preamp out in that sense.  I've tested this myself to verify.
 
Brian.

 

[liraop]

For to enrich our thread, take a look on dB here =)

 

[dorino]

  I was on the same doubt but have a look on this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/390

last 3 posts ( it continues for a couple pages, I guess).
 
 
PS: I'm using now 100% of volume on mpb out. it is softer than the direct out of E10K on mag2u. It's a pleasant listening =)

"Safe" isn't the same as "good". If your soundcard is particularly poor, any distortion its probably poor amplifer introduces would be amplified by the Magni. Not ideal, at all.
 
I also question 80%, though I guess it depends on your source. I'd assume, almost always with headphone gear, 100% is good (given an external amp and DAC). I have never ran in to problems with clipping when using both an external amp and DAC, as long as they're not garbage. Unless the volume control is going through the DAC (which isn't widely supported), it's just going to introduce resampling. I may be mistaken. Regardless, this is only a real issue if you question the method behind the volume or are striving to be bit-perfect. Or, I guess, you find clipping or something. Never had that problem.
 

  ^ The 1/8" output on a Macbook Pro is a combo output.  It's a line level out.  It's a headphone level out.  It's an optical out (with the correct whacky cable).
 
There really isn't much of a concern over "double amping" here.  The MBP seems to output a line level signal in my experience.  I guess one very important thing to note here about the MBP output level:  Turned all the way up, with a signal that is full scale, it DOES NOT CLIP.  So it's a true preamp out in that sense.  I've tested this myself to verify.
 
Brian.

 
Awesome! Apple tends to do good with their stuff (minus those little earbuds, obviously!), so this seems to be no exception. I'd be interested to see something to back this besides "seems", but your word is worth more than my speculation.

 

[DarthFader]

  ^ The 1/8" output on a Macbook Pro is a combo output. … It's an optical out (with the correct whacky cable).
 

Interesting thing about that optical out...it seems to malfunction on my Macbook. And that's a shame, because I prefer to use the Toslink on the Modi 2 Uber. I also have a desktop Mac that I have connected to the Modi via Toslink. Playing the exact same files with the same sampling settings through Toslink, I notice a difference that I prefer.

 

[bgentry]

  Awesome! Apple tends to do good with their stuff (minus those little earbuds, obviously!), so this seems to be no exception. I'd be interested to see something to back this besides "seems", but your word is worth more than my speculation.

 
Ok, just for you, a few moments ago I tested it.  Audacity, playing a full scale 220Hz sine wave with Audacity's gain set to 0 dB (which is all the way up).  Audio MIDI volume on the built in output set all the way up (again 0 dB).
 
I measured the output with a meter and got 1.38 Volts RMS.  "Line Level" has several definitions but if you want a number you can look here (look at the table):
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level#Nominal_levels
 
+4 dBu is 1.228 Volts.  1.38 is roughly 1 dB higher than that, or +5 dBu.  So this particular Macbook Pro puts out a slightly hotter signal than the professional standard of +4 dBu.  Close enough for me. 
 
Brian.

 

[dorino]

I appreciate that. Good to know.
 
Listening to Alive 2007 again. Sounds as good as ever. I'm really loving my new gear. A big step up, and the only downsides I've found are a brighter-than-ideal LED (Magni), a slightly microphonic cable (Alpha Dog) and my headphones actually weighing something (coming from using the HD598 for years, I don't think anything wouldn't feel a little heavy).
 
All of this means I'm a happy guy.

 

[liraop]

   
Ok, just for you, a few moments ago I tested it.  Audacity, playing a full scale 220Hz sine wave with Audacity's gain set to 0 dB (which is all the way up).  Audio MIDI volume on the built in output set all the way up (again 0 dB).
 
I measured the output with a meter and got 1.38 Volts RMS.  "Line Level" has several definitions but if you want a number you can look here (look at the table):
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level#Nominal_levels
 
+4 dBu is 1.228 Volts.  1.38 is roughly 1 dB higher than that, or +5 dBu.  So this particular Macbook Pro puts out a slightly hotter signal than the professional standard of +4 dBu.  Close enough for me. 
 
Brian.

Which MBP model is it ? Mine is late 2014.

 

[bgentry]

Which MBP model is it ? Mine is late 2014.

 
The one I just tested is an MBP 8,2 which is an early 2011.  I suspect the built in sound has stayed very similar over the generations, but that's just speculation, as I haven't tested any others.
 
Brian.