I currently have a Jot1, a Jot2, 4490 and MB cards, a ModiMB, a Modi3, and a Modius. As far as the cards go, with both a Senn HD-6xx and a Sundara, I actually prefer the 4490 card in the Jot1. I like both cards in the Jot2 though they do sound slightly different. The MB card seems a bit more "focussed" and detailed in the midrange - vocals, sax, piano, guitar, etc. But in the Jot1 there is noticeably less mid and lower bass on the MB cards (I actually own and tried 2 different MB cards). For classic rock and jazz, the 4490 card was just a bit more "lively" and dynamic. Not really what I expected but what I heard - albeit somewhat subtle.
In the Jot2 this differnce is much less noticeable and although there is a difference, I don't really have a preference. In the Asgard3, the winner for me is the MB card though. It just seems to have a more "natural" and even sound over the 4490.
So my Jot1 sports a 4490 card and is used as my bedroom/"portable" all in one system. Currently my Jot2 is driven by a Modius via balanced cables with a Lokius in between. The MB card is still in the Jot2 and I've attempted to do some A-B with it. However, it is difficult to level match them since the Modius output is way higher/louder - it is very difficult to really hear the differences. In the end, the addition of the Lokius gives me the flexibility to accommodate different headphones and recordings so the Modius stays.
I never connected the Modi MB or the Modi3 to either Jot so I can't comment. What I can do though is echo the sentiment above - "Its hard to beat the Schiit MB sound" and add - any differences you detect in critical listening will likely be very slight/subtle and may change with different types of music and recordings. The resulting system configurations that I currently employ are more driven by the input/output and flexibility of the Modius/Lokius than the preference of internal cards vs external DACs. In the end they all sound fantastic to me.
I wanted to add that I have an Asgard3 with a MB card connected to a speaker system and it sounds wonderful.
In the Jot2 this differnce is much less noticeable and although there is a difference, I don't really have a preference. In the Asgard3, the winner for me is the MB card though. It just seems to have a more "natural" and even sound over the 4490.
So my Jot1 sports a 4490 card and is used as my bedroom/"portable" all in one system. Currently my Jot2 is driven by a Modius via balanced cables with a Lokius in between. The MB card is still in the Jot2 and I've attempted to do some A-B with it. However, it is difficult to level match them since the Modius output is way higher/louder - it is very difficult to really hear the differences. In the end, the addition of the Lokius gives me the flexibility to accommodate different headphones and recordings so the Modius stays.
I never connected the Modi MB or the Modi3 to either Jot so I can't comment. What I can do though is echo the sentiment above - "Its hard to beat the Schiit MB sound" and add - any differences you detect in critical listening will likely be very slight/subtle and may change with different types of music and recordings. The resulting system configurations that I currently employ are more driven by the input/output and flexibility of the Modius/Lokius than the preference of internal cards vs external DACs. In the end they all sound fantastic to me.
I wanted to add that I have an Asgard3 with a MB card connected to a speaker system and it sounds wonderful.
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Hopefully that will happen this weekend.
