[DarknightDK]

Looks like a great product at extremely attractive prices. 
 
This is going to be very popular.

 

[FraGGleR]

Quote:

The modi is; "USB Powered, No Drivers Modi plugs into virtually any computer—Windows or Mac—and requires no drivers to deliver great sound, up to 24/96 sampling rates. It features asynchronous transfer with individual crystal oscillators for the 44.1 and 48k sampling rates, and uses the USB Audio 1.0 standard over USB 2.0, and is powered by the USB port."
 
Sub optimal in my opinion. PC power is flaky and dirty and better results are usually obtained by a dac that has it's own power supply. If you use this I would at least use an external powered USB hub instead of plugging it straight into a computer. That makes a night and day difference for my HRT MSII.

 
I think you will find opinions that differ quite a bit from yours.  A DAC that has been carefully designed around USB power can be quite good.  I didn't notice any differences in using my ODAC with a powered hub or directly into my computer.  The Modi is only supposed to draw 120ma so enough power shouldn't be a problem unless you have too many peripherals coming from a single port or subsystem.  I plug my stuff into a USB3.0 port that has much more power on tap which might explain why I don't hear a difference.  
 
One thing to consider is a USB isolator.  It was recommended to me by the co-developer of the ODAC as something to consider if I was having ground loop or other problems.   Many run off of external power.  There are threads on them and might be better than an unregulated and unfiltered hub if true USB audiophilia is your concern.
 
I won't contest whether or not using a hub helped your system, just want to balance out the "night and day" differences with something a little less dramatic for people just stepping into this area.

 

[adydula]

Wow!!
 
great price...hope it performs well...
 
Alex

 

[DanTGG]

I was thinking about buying the O2+ODAC. Now I have to wait for comparisons. But the Schiit does look a lot better than the O2.

 

[Barry S]

I was also thinking about the O2/ODAC, but I really dislike the use of all mini-jacks--the 3.5mm in/out and the mini-USB.  Small jacks and connectors seem to be a lot more prone to problems--breakage, pulling out, bad connections, etc.  It's great to have some choice for the reasonably-priced products.
 
Quote:

I was thinking about buying the O2+ODAC. Now I have to wait for comparisons. But the Schiit does look a lot better than the O2.

 

[FraGGleR]

Quote:

I was also thinking about the O2/ODAC, but I really dislike the use of all mini-jacks--the 3.5mm in/out and the mini-USB.  Small jacks and connectors seem to be a lot more prone to problems--breakage, pulling out, bad connections, etc.  It's great to have some choice for the reasonably-priced products.
 

 
DIY to the rescue!
 
 

 

[Barry S]

Wow--that's outstanding work!  An O2/ODAC for grownups.  And yet, you've already ordered the Modi.

 
Quote:

 
DIY to the rescue!
 

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

 
DIY to the rescue!
 

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 
 
 

 

 

 
What I would give for an ODAC with the usb port on the back. Having it in the front is a real hassle!

 

[Hooster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraGGleR /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
I plug my stuff into a USB3.0 port that has much more power on tap which might explain why I don't hear a difference.  
 
One thing to consider is a USB isolator.  It was recommended to me by the co-developer of the ODAC as something to consider if I was having ground loop or other problems.   Many run off of external power.  There are threads on them and might be better than an unregulated and unfiltered hub if true USB audiophilia is your concern.
 
I won't contest whether or not using a hub helped your system, just want to balance out the "night and day" differences with something a little less dramatic for people just stepping into this area.

 
Indeed. Audiophilia is my concern and that is why I am saving for a new DAC. A usb hub can be had for less than $20 so there is no harm in giving this a try, or other solutions, even if you are just stepping into this area.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
Indeed. Audiophilia is my concern and that is why I am saving for a new DAC. A usb hub can be had for less than $20 so there is no harm in giving this a try, or other solutions, even if you are just stepping into this area.

What DACs you have in mind?

 

[miceblue]

Quote:

I was thinking about buying the O2+ODAC. Now I have to wait for comparisons. But the Schiit does look a lot better than the O2.

No Schiit! Sorry I just had to. XD
 
I agree, I own an O2/ODAC right now and I'm curious about the performance of the Magni...it certainly looks 9001 times better than the O2 in my honest opinion, but it's also larger in size. It would most definitely look very nice with the MacBook I have.
 
I know this announcement was just released yesterday, but does anyone know if these amps will heat up as much as previous Schiit products? That's the only reason why I don't own any at the time....I don't want my house to burn down (though that's an over-exaggeration of course).
 
This might be redundant, but would the Magni have enough power to properly drive a K 701? I'm skeptical when a manufactuer says their amp "can drive nearly any headphone" as a lot of tube amps have that claim yet don't sound optimal with low-impedance headphones.

 

[compoopers]

Hooster, could you explain why having a USB hub is beneficial?

I don't see why going from dac->usb hub->usb port on computer is any better than dac->usbport directly

 

[Battou62]

It's funny to see everyone talking about the O2/Odac in this thread. I am going to reserve judgement until I see some measurements and reviews. As long as it decent in performance it should be a big hit. I really like the thorough documentation and measurements on the O2/Odac though. 

 

[Barry S]

If I already owned an O2/ODAC  and was happy with it, I don't think I'd be rushing to sell it, unless it was for a significant upgrade.  I think we'll have 5-10 comparisons posted in the next couple of weeks, so we'll see if there's a consensus.  The Magni isn't a Class A amp, so it should be (a lot) cooler than the Asgard.  As for driving headphones, Jason has tested a bunch and you can email him to ask, but he's been nothing but truthful in my experience.

 

[Hooster]

Quote:

What DACs you have in mind?

I am thinking about it. There are a lot of dacs out there...