xkamran
Head-Fier
Interesting. Can you please tell what difference did you find to change your mind and what gear are you using with it? please
Schiit 'Magnius' - new $199 fully balanced headphone amp
- Thread starter Mightygrey
- Start date
Well #1 getting money back #2 the difference isn't huge, I believe the magnius/modius is very neutral vs a a90(tilted warmer with better bass extension and quantity) /modius #3 it's just a desktop unit for me I have my cayin HA-300/burl b2 bomber for serious listening my headphones are final audio d8000pro and focal elegia for now. Check out my profile if you want to see my previous gear etc..
adydula
Headphoneus Supremus
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They arrived! Excuse the fingerprints!
Testing with Focal Clears and HEDD headphones today.
Testing with Focal Clears and HEDD headphones today.
Last edited:
Randolf711
100+ Head-Fier
I would love to know how you like the focals with the Jot as well. I’m considering it with some Elex’s.
They arrived! Excuse the fingerprints!
Testing with Focal Clears and HEDD headphones today.
adydula
Headphoneus Supremus
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I am writing up a review....soon.
The Focal Clears work well with the Jot. I prefer the Clears with the Lyr 3. Again its a personal "taste" in the sound...
I have listened with the Clears with the new Magnius and they are a very nice match as well....
Alex
The Focal Clears work well with the Jot. I prefer the Clears with the Lyr 3. Again its a personal "taste" in the sound...
I have listened with the Clears with the new Magnius and they are a very nice match as well....
Alex
Randolf711
100+ Head-Fier
Same here with the Focals and Magnius. I felt it was a good match (I also used some HD650s- albeit without the balanced out). I also had a THX Amp with the Focals and felt the THX was better than the Magnius (although the Magnius was no slouch with the balanced out). In the end, I’ve decided to stick with the focals and Asgard 2 with an eye towards upgrading to a Asgard 3, Jot, or Lyr eventually.
adydula
Headphoneus Supremus
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Hello, after having the package from Schiit via Fedex becoming lost for a few days the new Schitt Modius and Magnius have arrived a few days late but intact, no damage and looking very nice.
After a few hints of an upcoming amp to match Modius I had to try this stack out and see what Schiit magic was cooking at the Schittr "plant". My main gear I use daily are the Schiit Bifrost 2 (after years with Bifrost 1) and a Schiit Lyr 3 and Schiit Jotenheim. I also have many other amps in house about half retail and half DIY experiments.
The Modius and Magnius are a great looking pair. Black, stark looking IMO...some have complained that they would like silver here...understand and Schiits comments were "nope, in keeping costs down this was their decision"....doesnt affect the sound at all.....One thing I do miss is some indication of it being on...no more front panel led etc...if its in a stack with something on it..its hard to tell if its on or not. There is a nice red led on the pcb that you can see thru the vents on the top...but if you put your Lyr 3 on top of it....
The Magnius is a wonderful amp. It shines. Whether is was being used in low or high gain it provided more than enough power to make the headphones I used play to very, very high levels. The volume knob is great, long enough to grasp nicely, firm, velvety smooth..and finally Schiit got this right!! They have a nice "visable" dot on the volume knob!! It appears to me a machine milled or drilled "dot" into the aluminum volume knob...ah its the small things!! Schiit has made a "big" thing about the pot in the Magnius, well its a really good Alps RK 27114 27mm Blue Velvet balanced potentiometer! Smooth and I had no low level tracking issues. Well done Schiit. Technology..sure....fully differential op-amps, current feedback, THD down to very, very low levels, and its Schiits best measuring amp if your into measurements. Its powered by the usual Schiit wall wort. But how does it sound or "not" sound...after all shouldnt an amp be a straight wire with gain and nothing more or less??
A great amp is only as good as its inputs? In this case it became very clear that the Magnius is a great amp. With inputs from Modius and Bifrost 2 the differences were stark IMO....very noticeable.
Which leads to the Modius connection.
Which can be had in either silver or black! It has the AKM 4493 d/a convertor and has both SE and fully balanced outputs to feed the Magnius or any other amp. DC coupled output....to some this is important. Very versatile with optical, coax, usb (Unison) and even AES sources. It pairs nicely with the Magnius physically. The analog stage is based on LME 49724 for the balanced outputs, an OPA 1662 for the SE outputs. Both are independent. So you can use the SE outs to a Lyr 3 and balanced to a Magnius or Jotenheim...nice. Unlike the Magnius power can come from a simple USB cable if your using Modius only as a dac. If you use the other digital inputs and NOT using USB then you need to use the included USB wall wart. The cosmetics of the Modius are simple elegance. A single push button to rotate thru the various inputs. The nice thing using the Unison USB interface is it comes on when you turn on your PC and you know its on via the light for the input selection. Simple. Nice.
Going back and forth with SE and balanced (both from the Bifrost 2) there is no audible difference in the overall sound quality and what I was hearing. The only thing that changes is the volume level in your headphones. Some reviews state the SE part of the Magnius measures not as well as the balanced section....for me this is not an issue and your not going to have any real sonic degradation at all. When I compared the Magnius I compared it with the Schiit Lyr 3 and Jotenheim and it compares nicely...not going to try to explain with glittering generalities the "minute" differences. When level matched and doing fair AB testing its difficult to state in objective terms the differences, subjectively they are there. But realistically this amp provides more than enough power, is clean, open and transparent under varying loads. For me to keep an amp it has to perform and make my listening experience "really good" and this amp does that very well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Now for the surprising "to me" part:
Headphones that I used in this "experience" were Focal Clears, relatively easy "load" for most amps and the newer HEDD headphones a bit less efficient to drive. I listened via the Magnius with first the Modius for several sessions and then Bifrost 2. It was an immediate difference for me with both headphones.
One was more clear, less veiled and less closed in than the other...being a critical listener, I checked and rechecked cabling and tried several sets of xlr interconnects as well. I was not expecting the difference to be this well "different". I abandoned DS dacs years ago, so my Multibit dac ears are attuned to that r2r sound, especially from Schiits Bifrost 2. Modius has 4.0V RMS balanced and 2.0V single ended, and as does the Bifrost 2. So the Magnius was being driven with pretty much with the same voltages.
What I was hearing IMO was the difference between a "ds dac and a MB dac". Schitts implementaion of the AKM chip is a very good one. Some reviews have stated that the S/N ratio exceeds the actual chip spec sheet...some reference to Schiit has some secret sauce here. I did not come to the following conclusions after reading other peoples reviews or experiences...and mine do differ.
So what did I experience....with my demo list of tunes, ripped 44.1/16 bit stuff playing with Foobar 2000 and Jriver MC 24...I went back and forth between the Modius and Bifrost 2. In all cases the Bifrost 2 was cleaner, crisper, more open, more transparent, less veiled in sound. Amazingly so.
Regardless of SE or balanced or gain setting. I found myself cranking up the volume on the Magnius when connected to the Modius to get the Bifrost2 multi-bit sound. It just didnt happen for me. I used my trusty ole Radio Shack SPL meter to level set as well...same results...my brain kept telling me "hey the Modius is great, but the Bifrost 2 is like the "king" here"...
So thats in a nutshell here. If I hadnt have had a multibit dac for years my experience might have been different. If I used headphones that are less resolving my experience might have been different. It is what it is.
I would recommend the Modius/Magnius to someone that wants a fully balanced setup stack and is on a budget....for the $398 combination price this is a great deal. Schitt has many good choices in its products. As always YMMV and your experience may very well be different from mine.
All the best!!
Alex
After a few hints of an upcoming amp to match Modius I had to try this stack out and see what Schiit magic was cooking at the Schittr "plant". My main gear I use daily are the Schiit Bifrost 2 (after years with Bifrost 1) and a Schiit Lyr 3 and Schiit Jotenheim. I also have many other amps in house about half retail and half DIY experiments.
The Modius and Magnius are a great looking pair. Black, stark looking IMO...some have complained that they would like silver here...understand and Schiits comments were "nope, in keeping costs down this was their decision"....doesnt affect the sound at all.....One thing I do miss is some indication of it being on...no more front panel led etc...if its in a stack with something on it..its hard to tell if its on or not. There is a nice red led on the pcb that you can see thru the vents on the top...but if you put your Lyr 3 on top of it....
The Magnius is a wonderful amp. It shines. Whether is was being used in low or high gain it provided more than enough power to make the headphones I used play to very, very high levels. The volume knob is great, long enough to grasp nicely, firm, velvety smooth..and finally Schiit got this right!! They have a nice "visable" dot on the volume knob!! It appears to me a machine milled or drilled "dot" into the aluminum volume knob...ah its the small things!! Schiit has made a "big" thing about the pot in the Magnius, well its a really good Alps RK 27114 27mm Blue Velvet balanced potentiometer! Smooth and I had no low level tracking issues. Well done Schiit. Technology..sure....fully differential op-amps, current feedback, THD down to very, very low levels, and its Schiits best measuring amp if your into measurements. Its powered by the usual Schiit wall wort. But how does it sound or "not" sound...after all shouldnt an amp be a straight wire with gain and nothing more or less??
A great amp is only as good as its inputs? In this case it became very clear that the Magnius is a great amp. With inputs from Modius and Bifrost 2 the differences were stark IMO....very noticeable.
Which leads to the Modius connection.
Which can be had in either silver or black! It has the AKM 4493 d/a convertor and has both SE and fully balanced outputs to feed the Magnius or any other amp. DC coupled output....to some this is important. Very versatile with optical, coax, usb (Unison) and even AES sources. It pairs nicely with the Magnius physically. The analog stage is based on LME 49724 for the balanced outputs, an OPA 1662 for the SE outputs. Both are independent. So you can use the SE outs to a Lyr 3 and balanced to a Magnius or Jotenheim...nice. Unlike the Magnius power can come from a simple USB cable if your using Modius only as a dac. If you use the other digital inputs and NOT using USB then you need to use the included USB wall wart. The cosmetics of the Modius are simple elegance. A single push button to rotate thru the various inputs. The nice thing using the Unison USB interface is it comes on when you turn on your PC and you know its on via the light for the input selection. Simple. Nice.
Going back and forth with SE and balanced (both from the Bifrost 2) there is no audible difference in the overall sound quality and what I was hearing. The only thing that changes is the volume level in your headphones. Some reviews state the SE part of the Magnius measures not as well as the balanced section....for me this is not an issue and your not going to have any real sonic degradation at all. When I compared the Magnius I compared it with the Schiit Lyr 3 and Jotenheim and it compares nicely...not going to try to explain with glittering generalities the "minute" differences. When level matched and doing fair AB testing its difficult to state in objective terms the differences, subjectively they are there. But realistically this amp provides more than enough power, is clean, open and transparent under varying loads. For me to keep an amp it has to perform and make my listening experience "really good" and this amp does that very well. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Now for the surprising "to me" part:
Headphones that I used in this "experience" were Focal Clears, relatively easy "load" for most amps and the newer HEDD headphones a bit less efficient to drive. I listened via the Magnius with first the Modius for several sessions and then Bifrost 2. It was an immediate difference for me with both headphones.
One was more clear, less veiled and less closed in than the other...being a critical listener, I checked and rechecked cabling and tried several sets of xlr interconnects as well. I was not expecting the difference to be this well "different". I abandoned DS dacs years ago, so my Multibit dac ears are attuned to that r2r sound, especially from Schiits Bifrost 2. Modius has 4.0V RMS balanced and 2.0V single ended, and as does the Bifrost 2. So the Magnius was being driven with pretty much with the same voltages.
What I was hearing IMO was the difference between a "ds dac and a MB dac". Schitts implementaion of the AKM chip is a very good one. Some reviews have stated that the S/N ratio exceeds the actual chip spec sheet...some reference to Schiit has some secret sauce here. I did not come to the following conclusions after reading other peoples reviews or experiences...and mine do differ.
So what did I experience....with my demo list of tunes, ripped 44.1/16 bit stuff playing with Foobar 2000 and Jriver MC 24...I went back and forth between the Modius and Bifrost 2. In all cases the Bifrost 2 was cleaner, crisper, more open, more transparent, less veiled in sound. Amazingly so.
Regardless of SE or balanced or gain setting. I found myself cranking up the volume on the Magnius when connected to the Modius to get the Bifrost2 multi-bit sound. It just didnt happen for me. I used my trusty ole Radio Shack SPL meter to level set as well...same results...my brain kept telling me "hey the Modius is great, but the Bifrost 2 is like the "king" here"...
So thats in a nutshell here. If I hadnt have had a multibit dac for years my experience might have been different. If I used headphones that are less resolving my experience might have been different. It is what it is.
I would recommend the Modius/Magnius to someone that wants a fully balanced setup stack and is on a budget....for the $398 combination price this is a great deal. Schitt has many good choices in its products. As always YMMV and your experience may very well be different from mine.
All the best!!
Alex
Last edited:
Donnyme
Head-Fier
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feedback with these components Alex. A great review that will be helpful for others I’m sure. I’m trying to decide if this is where I dip my toes in the “headphone world” waters or wait and see what others say about the pairings of the Magnius and Modius, or Jortonheim and Modius, or Bifrost 2 DAC. Trying to research headphone amps, DACs, and IEM’s in the Covid age is challenging. Since I cannot listen for myself without buying, I have to subjectivity rely on “others ears” and “experiences“ to help make decisions. I hope more information and experiences will be shared here so I can make a more confident choice in my purchases. I don’t have deep pockets and can’t afford to play the “order and return it” game if I’m dissatisfied. This Magnius / Modius pairing might be the perfect entry point for cost to performance for me. So I‘m going to pace and wonder a little while long until I get enough information, advice, and courage to pull the trigger. Keep the reviews and impressions coming head-fier’s!
Runrunsmithfly
Previously known as ssmith3046
As the past owner of a Modi 3, Modi multibit, Bifrost 4490, and a Bifrost multibit I think that the Modius is an excellent choice if you don't want to spend $700 for a DAC. If you're able to spend more then the Bifrost 2 might be the way to go. It certainly gets great reviews from its owners. I have not tried the Magnius yet but I was using the balanced output of the Modius with a Neve headphone amp and it sounded very good.
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adydula
Headphoneus Supremus
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Well welcome to the club!!
If your on a budget and can affort the $400 for the Modius ans Maximus you really will have a very nice setup that will work very well!!
A lot of us have been thru many permutations and have real hard to please listening criteria, objectivley and subjectively...splitting hairs at times.
The most important thing is to enjoy the music!!
All the best and again welcome!!
Alex
Last edited:
HumdrumPenguin
100+ Head-Fier
That sharpness and thin sound from the 789 goes away when you pair it with the Bifrost 2. You didn't try them both together, right? I didn't like the 789 until the day I paired with the B2.
Donnyme
Head-Fier
Thank you for the replies. It’s greatly appreciated that you can help guide us newbies towards some sonic bliss without being condescending and intimidating. With the constant flood of new and improved amps, DACs, and headphones it’s hard to take it all in. It’s like a game of whack-a-mole. I will continue to listen and evaluate and hopefully make an informed decision when I’m ready. Thanks again!
xkamran
Head-Fier
Hey Awesome ears,
I received my Asgard 3 and Modius amp. I have got a question.
My setup is Computer-> Modius Audioquest red river (RCA -> Asgard 3 via Audioquest red river (RCA) -> Audio quest (RCA to aus) KEF LSX Speakers.
The question is in regards to my powered monitors (KEF).
A, If I use modius directly with computer and kef speakers would it make any difference in audio quality versus the current setup?
B, Which settings should I keep with low gain or high gain for kef lsx.
regards
I received my Asgard 3 and Modius amp. I have got a question.
My setup is Computer-> Modius Audioquest red river (RCA -> Asgard 3 via Audioquest red river (RCA) -> Audio quest (RCA to aus) KEF LSX Speakers.
The question is in regards to my powered monitors (KEF).
A, If I use modius directly with computer and kef speakers would it make any difference in audio quality versus the current setup?
B, Which settings should I keep with low gain or high gain for kef lsx.
regards
taipan254
100+ Head-Fier
Does anyone else feel Magnius in SE mode is... flat? I've got some new HP and XLR cables on the way to see if it makes sense moving fully balanced or if I should be returning the unit and considering different amplification. Any guidance on burn-in? I'll keep the amp fed with music for a few days and revisit just to double check. Just frustrating because I have an old pair of SE Sennheisers (HD555) that I love and want to keep using on top of some other cans I have where a choice to swap cables.
That being said - Modius into my Periodic Audio Nickel (and using digital volume control via Audirvana) sounds excellent. Great DAC.
That being said - Modius into my Periodic Audio Nickel (and using digital volume control via Audirvana) sounds excellent. Great DAC.
adydula
Headphoneus Supremus
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In my experience I actually preferred the se over the balanced...with both Focal Clears and Hedds...
Not flat at all.
Alex
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