[FieldEffect]

Are the modi or modi multibit good options for a DAC for a laptop? They're $100 and $250 respectively. Not sure what else is out there that might be a better value.

 

[ahmadfaizadnan]

Only hear good thing about modi multibit

What's your budget?

 

[Mr Rick]

Are the modi or modi multibit good options for a DAC for a laptop? They're $100 and $250 respectively. Not sure what else is out there that might be a better value.

If you are just starting out the basic Modi will suit you just fine. Once you decide to upgrade the Modi Multibit would be a good choice.

Hard to beat the value of Schiit equipment.

 

[FieldEffect]

I've never been good with budgets. My budget is $100 if $100 will do the job well. But if $100 won't do the job well and $250 will, then my budget is $250.

I don't have any frame of reference to understand how a multibit DAC will sound compared to a single bit, so that makes the decision somewhat amorphous.

 

[ahmadfaizadnan]

I've never been good with budgets. My budget is $100 if $100 will do the job well. But if $100 won't do the job well and $250 will, then my budget is $250.

I don't have any frame of reference to understand how a multibit DAC will sound compared to a single bit, so that makes the decision somewhat amorphous.

In that case, modi 2 could be a good start but if you get the multibit, you'll never regret it. Here's a comparison of both

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/schiit-audio-modi-multibit-aka-mimby.22405/reviews

 

[amirm]

In all the DACs that I have measured, the Schiit Modi 2 is by far the worst. It is highly sensitive to incoming power and USB quality. It readily underperforms the internal DAC in my laptop.

It is also the only DAC I have found whose measured output changes with computer output. This lack of isolation in this day and age simply is not acceptable.

There are tons of other DACs that don't suffer from such problems. The Behringer UMC204HD is cheaper and has none of these problems.

Amir

 

[Music Alchemist]

I think the Modi Multibit is quite a bit better than the Modi 2.

If you wanted to get a starter DAC in the meantime, I'd recommend something like a $30 Behringer UCA202 audio interface instead of the Modi 2, because the Modi 2 didn't sound any better than my laptop's onboard DAC, and I noticed that DACs under $200 in general don't differ all that much. Plus the UCA202 can do other things, such as analog to digital conversion (like recording instruments or vinyl) and digital to digital conversion (for outputting optical TOSLINK to another DAC, which can electrically isolate it). I used to have a Chord 2Qute (originally $1,795 in the US and the best DAC I've owned so far) and am not missing a whole lot with the UCA202. (Its headphone amp is no good, though, but it's just a bonus.)

 

[Mr Rick]

In all the DACs that I have measured, the Schiit Modi 2 is by far the worst. It is highly sensitive to incoming power and USB quality. It readily underperforms the internal DAC in my laptop.

It is also the only DAC I have found whose measured output changes with computer output. This lack of isolation in this day and age simply is not acceptable.

There are tons of other DACs that don't suffer from such problems. The Behringer UMC204HD is cheaper and has none of these problems.

Amir

Welcome to Head-Fi. Thanks for your opinion.

 

[amirm]

Welcome to Head-Fi. Thanks for your opinion.

Thank you very much. I expected flogging with my first post. So good to see this instead.

 

[amirm]

I think the Modi Multibit is quite a bit better than the Modi 2.

I have heard that but if its attention to USB isolation and power is the same as Modi 2, I am afraid the same problems remain. I may get a Multibit to measure one of these days when my budget is not busted from buying the dozen or more DACs I have purchased already.

If anyone has one and wants me to measure it for free (I even pay the return shipping), please PM me.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I have heard that but if its attention to USB isolation and power is the same as Modi 2, I am afraid the same problems remain. I may get a Multibit to measure one of these days when my budget is not busted from buying the dozen or more DACs I have purchased already.

If anyone has one and wants me to measure it for free (I even pay the return shipping), please PM me.

You can always use the coaxial or optical inputs instead. But I had no problems with the sound quality via USB. I did, however, get mysterious crackling/popping noise (most often at the end of tracks) that the manufacturer could not replicate for either unit I owned. It didn't happen with any other DAC. No idea what caused it. A few other owners had similar issues, but most did not.

FYI, the Modi Multibit has an external linear power supply whereas the Modi 2 is USB-powered.

 

[NHSkier]

In all the DACs that I have measured, the Schiit Modi 2 is by far the worst. It is highly sensitive to incoming power and USB quality. It readily underperforms the internal DAC in my laptop.

It is also the only DAC I have found whose measured output changes with computer output. This lack of isolation in this day and age simply is not acceptable.

There are tons of other DACs that don't suffer from such problems. The Behringer UMC204HD is cheaper and has none of these problems.

Amir

I second this statement. I had a lot of problems getting clean sound out of the Modi 2 when used with my workstation desktop.

 

[bixby]

The Behringer UCA 202 is pretty darn good value, but once you pit against something that is closer to $80 or higher it is pretty mundane, regardless of how good it measures. Same for low level Schiit dacs!

 

[theveterans]

There's always the adage that you get what you pay for. So cheap will sound cheap and expensive will sound generally (not always) better than cheap. Just get Yggdrasil and you get what you pay for that if you insist on a Schiit DAC

 

[veeceeem]

Bifrost Multibit if your budget allows, and Yggdrasil if possible
Why no Modi Multibit? Because you will learn that Bifrost Multibit is so cheap for the money vs Modi Multibit. My recommendation is to go straight for Bimby instead of buying Mimby. Just buy it, tbh