Schiit Modi Multibit 2 DAC

[Brubacca]

I'm the CD spinner in the crowd and today I switched from my Audioquest coax to my toslink cable, it's a nice glass cable. I use an Audiolab 6000CDT transport. Anyway, I've spent a lot of time with the mm2 and primarily use my Asgard 3 because it pairs up so well with the Asgard. Anyway, I swear I hear a difference in the music between the two cables. Of course with a CD any bandwidth restrictions isn't an issue. The toslink seems to have a little more treble and midrange clarity. I must be imagining this. I'll leave the toslink in for a week and then go back to the coax to see if I hear any differences. I'd think they'd sound the same.

I have always preferred coax over toslink. Feel that toslink is a little softer. Point being that I hear a difference too.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

I'm the CD spinner in the crowd and today I switched from my Audioquest coax to my toslink cable, it's a nice glass cable. I use an Audiolab 6000CDT transport. Anyway, I've spent a lot of time with the mm2 and primarily use my Asgard 3 because it pairs up so well with the Asgard. Anyway, I swear I hear a difference in the music between the two cables. Of course with a CD any bandwidth restrictions isn't an issue. The toslink seems to have a little more treble and midrange clarity. I must be imagining this. I'll leave the toslink in for a week and then go back to the coax to see if I hear any differences. I'd think they'd sound the same.

Hearing slight differences between coax and toslink (or USB for that matter) on the same DAC doesn't surprise me. I think your idea of using toslink for a week, then switching back to coax and seeing what difference, if any, you hear is a good idea. Make sure you keep us posted. I have only tried the USB on mine and won't be trying the others until I get a sizeable break at home in May so it would be nice to hear which connection(s) people think are best or if there are any common weaknesses in one or the other noticed by multiple owners. It seems like that could be useful information to have around in this thread.

 

[adydula]

Honestly IMO its not the cable, its more likely its the actual implementation of the electronic in the sending and receiving gear. How the chips /parts are put together and designed. This IMO is more important than most any decently built interconnect.

But human beings are funny creatures at times and I understand how you can think this...

Alex

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Honestly IMO its not the cable, its more likely its the actual implementation of the electronic in the sending and receiving gear. How the chips /parts are put together and designed. This IMO is more important than most any decently built interconnect.

This is what I would be thinking as well. Different pathways through different parts, etc.

 

[pavnobi]

Messing around with NOS mode. It’s fun analyzing the differences. I prefer mega burrito combo from what I’ve heard so far. NOS mode sounds a little sleepy. Only way I can think to describe it atm. It’s possible it sounds a little wider, as far as sound stage. I’ll test it on more tracks some time.

 

[adias]

I'm the CD spinner in the crowd and today I switched from my Audioquest coax to my toslink cable, it's a nice glass cable. I use an Audiolab 6000CDT transport. Anyway, I've spent a lot of time with the mm2 and primarily use my Asgard 3 because it pairs up so well with the Asgard. Anyway, I swear I hear a difference in the music between the two cables. Of course with a CD any bandwidth restrictions isn't an issue. The toslink seems to have a little more treble and midrange clarity. I must be imagining this. I'll leave the toslink in for a week and then go back to the coax to see if I hear any differences. I'd think they'd sound the same.

Something makes no sense at least to me. The coax is the direct output. Toslink goes from that direct output (same as the coax) to optical, and then another conversion back from photons to electrons on the other end... Do 2 conversions perform better than a direct connection?

 

[adydula]

oh gosh this gets into the weeds...

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Something makes no sense at least to me. The coax is the direct output. Toslink goes from that direct output (same as the coax) to optical, and then another conversion back from photons to electrons on the other end... Do 2 conversions perform better than a direct connection?

Simple answer? If you think Toslink sounds better on your DAC/rig then yes. The technical answer would involve many more variables that just those coversions for the actual process and wouldn't give you a simple yes or no answer. Also, I'm probably the wrong person to attempt to explain it, not being a technical wiz to begin with. There's a reason I switched my major from physics to philosphy and history of law.

 

[adias]

Simple answer? If you think Toslink sounds better on your DAC/rig then yes. The technical answer would involve many more variables that just those coversions for the actual process and wouldn't give you a simple yes or no answer. Also, I'm probably the wrong person to attempt to explain it, not being a technical wiz to begin with. There's a reason I switched my major from physics to philosphy and history of law.

The fact is that Toslink is a more contorted path for the signal - 2 signal conversions. Can Toslink sound good? Yes, but I do not see how toslink can be better (signal-wise) than the coax when it was twice manipulated from the coax output. You may prefer one over the other, and I do not argue that. What I state is that the coax output is the source of the digital stream - a fork with one path direct to a coax cable and another to a toslink converter. The latter is no doubt extra signal manipulation.

Note: my comment I purely technical from a signal path POV.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

The fact is that Toslink is a more contorted path for the signal - 2 signal conversions. Can Toslink sound good? Yes, but I do not see how toslink can be better (signal-wise) than the coax when it was twice manipulated from the coax output. You may prefer one over the other, and I do not argue that. What I state is that the coax output is the source of the digital stream - a fork with one path direct to a coax cable and another to a toslink converter. The latter is no doubt extra signal manipulation.

Note: my comment I purely technical from a signal path POV.

First off, I didn't state any opinion on coax versus toslink, just to be clear. I actually said that I haven't tried either on my MMB2. What I was getting at is that the design of a particular DAC and how that design processes or deals with each signal, coax and toslink, is likely to have a far greater impact on its quality to the listener than the process itself, IMO. I base this on the fact that in my experience I have owned and heard DACs that have better implementations of one or the other to the point that the weaker of the two inputs will often be audibly lower resolution, distorted, weaker, etc.

Aside from that thought, I really have no preference for one over the other. I have used both in the past and my choice to use either would largely depend on convinience and the quality of the implementation.

 

[caracara08]

Anyone have a coax recommendation. I e always used usb or optical.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Anyone have a coax recommendation. I e always used usb or optical.

Like a coax cable rec? Or what do you mean?

 

[caracara08]

Yeah. Cable Rec. or is it all just the same by searching on Amazon.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

The only reason that I have a toslink cable is that the coax input plug on my mm1 became loose and I couldn't use it. It's out of warranty and I never got it fixed because I had planned on buying the mm2. I always have used the coax with any DAC that I've owned.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

Yeah. Cable Rec. or is it all just the same by searching on Amazon.

I like the Audioquest Cinamon cable. I have a Morrow too but the Audioquest has a more open sound. Definitely a difference between the two.