I think this is one of the most natural sounding DACs there is. Doesn't seem to be adding anything that shouldn't be there.
I've been listening to my new Headroom Micro DAC which was around $350 a year ago and the Modi isn't really any worse.
The Micro is a little more revealing/detailed but that's about it. The Micro DAC is better for making more of my music collection sound like garbage.
It really sounds like it's putting my music under a microscope. The ODAC or Modi is not like this at all IMO.
I can finally hear a difference between them but it required a T90 and my DJ100
With my other headphones that was a fail.
I can't hear any warmth coming from the Modi unless it's on those and I think I may be hearing things. Some music sounds slightly thinner on the Micro DAC (that uses a CS4398 chipset).
Modi sounds more musical and smoother than my Micro DAC and I don't mean more colored.
It seems to be hard to believe but try the Modi on a treble happy headphone like the T90 or a DT-990.
On the T90 I liked the Modi more than my Micro DAC. Sounded much smoother. I don't really like the T90 though.
The Modi does seem a little forgiving but most people won't notice that.
Since the Bifrost has an AKM chipset I bet if I loved the Modi i'd like the Bifrost..or not.