[GrussGott]

I got my Modius! I've played for a few hours with this chain: Tidal > eitr+Mimbyv2 / Modius (USB) > Jot (bal) / CTH (SE) > Eikon / Atticus
Initial reactions:

* TBH, I couldn't hear much of difference between the Eitr/Mimbyv2 and the Modius though either amp
* The differences I *may* have heard were curious: slightly more transparency / clarity on the Modius

I say slightly more clarity because over and over as I was switching back and forth (dual output from my MBP), I'd hear something on the Modius first and then go back and confirm it was there on the Mimby. After I had hear it in both places, I couldn't quite tell if it was more apparent on the Modius or not ... but I consistently heard things there first (and I switched up which DAC I would use for a track first).

For example, I'd hear a cymbal line on the Modius I hadn't heard on the Mimby - then I'd go back and it was there on the Mimby too, but I hadn't noticed it there first. Or I'd notice a background vocal on the Modius, then go back to the Mimby and it was there, but I hadn't noticed it before.

Kinda went like that over and over with both HPs and both amps. If I had to make a judgement I'd say Eitr/Mimbyv2 is slightly softer in it's presentation whereas the Modius has more clarity, but these are very subtle differences - as in, I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to get a Modius as an upgrade to an Eitr/Mimbyv2, but if you do need a DAC and/or the extra functionality the Modius has (unison, coax, balanced, etc) how can you go wrong for $199??? It's an excellent DAC for that price and could be end-game for many people / many uses.

A Modius/CTH stack is < $500 and will get you pretty damn far, especially if you have, say, the Atticus and want great synergy for low $$

These are purely initial thoughts though - many many more hours to go!

 

[emilsal]

you were on high gain on the 789 at 12 oclock with an Arya? that sounds really loud. Probably because feeding it through the jot cut the volume. This is not really ideal as most amps expect line level inputs. Thats probably the difference youre hearding.

as far as the difference between the modius and the bf2, I keep both on my desk. BF2 for music, and modius for gaming. The modius for me is a perfect gaming dac as it rolls but preserves the highs in just the right way where I can hear everything without feeling like I have to go to deafening volume. The Modius is honestly a great DAC. I woudlnt recommend the Bifrost unless you really want that bit more detail, space, and it maybe has better extension high and low but I would be hard pressed to really call that out.

Yes I had to be on high gain and 12 o'clock to get it to my listening level. With the Modius I'm on gain 2 at about 9 to get to the same level. Thanks for the insight. I figured it wasn't the ideal set up but its all i had at the time while I waited for the modius to arrive.

I'm local to the Schitt'r so I think ill just take a listen to the BF2 since they have it on demo. They said I can bring my modius and 789 and switch between them. Really cool guys.

 

[hiImGrant]

Yes I had to be on high gain and 12 o'clock to get it to my listening level. With the Modius I'm on gain 2 at about 9 to get to the same level. Thanks for the insight. I figured it wasn't the ideal set up but its all i had at the time while I waited for the modius to arrive.

I'm local to the Schitt'r so I think ill just take a listen to the BF2 since they have it on demo. They said I can bring my modius and 789 and switch between them. Really cool guys.

Oh that’s cool, I’ve been meaning to take a trip up there one of these days as I’m also in Southern California

 

[emilsal]

Oh that’s cool, I’ve been meaning to take a trip up there one of these days as I’m also in Southern California

Yeah its definitely worth it. You get to listen to most of their offering including the speaker amps and dacs. I imagine the SOL turntable as well. Last time I went they let you use any of their headphones but I imagine they don't anymore with the COVID deal. They specifically said bring your headphone/s.

 

[394216]

So I tried the Modius balanced out to Liquid Carbon 2.0. Sounded cleaner, airier, more transparent (very picky with tracks) BUT I can hear some sibilance with T1.2. Seems like I returned back to iDSD Micro with this setup. Let me see if there is a burn-in period for this. I only have ~20 hours listeing time with balanced out. Right now I prefer the SE out due to it having more body and more analog sound.

I am waiting on a balanced cable for LCD-2F, maybe it could also be a bad synergy with T1.2 for the balanced setup.

 

[emilsal]

So I tried the Modius balanced out to Liquid Carbon 2.0. Sounded cleaner, airier, more transparent (very picky with tracks) BUT I can hear some sibilance with T1.2. Seems like I returned back to iDSD Micro with this setup. Let me see if there is a burn-in period for this. I only have ~20 hours listeing time with balanced out. Right now I prefer the SE out due to it having more body and more analog sound.

I am waiting on a balanced cable for LCD-2F, maybe it could also be a bad synergy with T1.2 for the balanced setup.

That might be a synergy thing. I do find the Modius slightly more intense on the highs than my jot with multibit. The t1.2 was also very bright from what I remember so I imagine the Modius only accentuated that even more.

 

[394216]

That might be a synergy thing. I do find the Modius slightly more intense on the highs than my jot with multibit. The t1.2 was also very bright from what I remember so I imagine the Modius only accentuated that even more.

Might be, because my T1.2 is an earlier SN silver color. I read that the black ones have lesser treble than this. Looks like a tube/tube hybrid is in my future. I will give the Modius more burn-in time in balanced mode and hear if anything changes.

Edit: OMG T1.2 and Modius balanced might be the best so far I heard for orchestral music.

 

[MarkSubsonik]

Hello,
Has someone tested it with an external Linear Power Suply? Any improvements?
I currently onw a SMSL Su-8, how does it compares with the Modius?
I am thinking to replace the SU-8 with the Modius, but I am afraid it would be a sideways move!!!!
Thanks

I've been using mine with a Topping P50 LPS since day one. I can't really tell a difference between that and usb powered honestly however, it does make me feel a tad bit better knowing the DAC isn't getting it's power from my laptop. =)

 

[MarkSubsonik]

I have an Element II and an Asgard 3/Modius stack. They sound very similar, pretty much transparent (the Asgard may be just slightly warmer than the 789, but this is debatable). I definitely can’t say one sounds better than the other. I’d suggest keeping your Element and enjoying it.

The Asgard 3 / Modius stack is a lovely combination indeed. I just added a new set of Sundara's to that combo and I'm a real happy camper! What cans are you using with your Asgard / Modius stack? So far, I've found great synergy with the T60RP's and the Hifiman Deva. My journey continues..

 

[MarkSubsonik]

Ime the sound signature is not that different between xlr and rca, when it’s time to upgrade you’ll be ready, but I wouldn’t worry you’re missing anything

I too, was curious if I was missing anything using RCA's only currently. I was thinking about grabbing a 789 but they sold out before I could. That said, it does sound great with the Asgard 3 via RCA.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

I too, was curious if I was missing anything using RCA's only currently. I was thinking about grabbing a 789 but they sold out before I could. That said, it does sound great with the Asgard 3 via RCA.

I have both RCA and XLR cables from the Modius to my Neve headphone amp. I can switch back and forth between the two while playing a CD. I think they both sound great. The balanced output might sound a tad fuller with my HD650's but if all I had to use were the RCA output I'd still be happy. In fact before I had the Neve I was using a Magni 3+ and it sounded very good with the Modius.

 

[GrussGott]

I have both RCA and XLR cables from the Modius to my Neve headphone amp. I can switch back and forth between the two while playing a CD. I think they both sound great. The balanced output might sound a tad fuller with my HD650's but if all I had to use were the RCA output I'd still be happy. In fact before I had the Neve I was using a Magni 3+ and it sounded very good with the Modius.

I agree with this - i've done a lot of switching with the Jot (volume matching as best as I can) between SE and Bal inputs and I do think there's a stitch more detail balanced, but it's very very subtle to my ears. I tried this across HD600s, eikon, and atticus and just couldn't hear a difference except with certain tracks with details like a snare brush - but even then it's just a stitch more detail (if at all TBH).

I'd certainly say the SE vs Bal is very overrated in general, and definitely with the Modius.

 

[NA Blur]

Can the next version remove the USB micro and add something more robust like USB C? I hate the ultra tiny and almost always bent micro connectors.

 

[NA Blur]

@GrussGott

Many DAC's will actually sound the same if you listen to them at matched output volumes thru your amp. What you may be hearing is the slight difference in output levels from each DAC.

Expecting a DAC to drastically change the sound is missing the point. I'm not saying this is what you expected, but I like to inform people that a DAC should simply pass the jitter-free signal, at ~ 2-4 v RMS, to the amp.
The fact that you barely hear a difference is a good thing. It attests to your honesty and it attests to the quality of both DAC's. Most of the higher order harmonics generated by filtering artifacts are either well outside the audible frequency band or so far below our threshold of hearing that you won't pick up on them.

 

[GrussGott]

What you may be hearing is the slight difference in output levels from each DAC

Just for clarity, it was the same DAC: Modius both SE & Bal outputs in to the Jot's inputs, and switching between inputs via the Jot's input switch ... balanced has a higher volume level than SE so you have to change the volume each time as well - which is easy to do by marking the spots on the pot. Granted i was volume matching by ear, not with equip. So, same DAC, different inputs, to test reports of the Modius' SE inputs being inferior ... in my very unscientific test little to no difference - though maybe - across a few genres and HPs. I also tested the coax input vs USB inputs via the schiit eitr - no hint of a difference there to my ears.

AUG 1 EDIT:
fyi, I'm powering my Modius via a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 lithium battery, if any believe that makes difference (given the internal switchers I don't think it does - or at least a LPS probably wouldn't), but maybe it's a factor in what I heard.