[audiobomber]

The problem isn't the Burr-Brown. The problem is it's a $200 iFi product. Maybe that's what you're implying based on how the thread has been developing.

I own several iFi products that I quite like (though not another DAC). I find the iOne disappointing compared to Schiit offerings in this price range.

As I said above, a chip is only a starting point. The final sound is far more dependent on ancillaries (power supply, clock, shielding, error correction, etc.) than a DAC chip. Choosing based on a particular DAC chip is misguided, yet that is what some people do.

I have an exaSound e32 with ESS chip. It is by far the best DAC I've had in-house. The Topping D50S I owned for a week uses an ESS chip (not the same one) and it sounds awful; very poor PRaT, makes music boring.

 

[iFi audio]

The final sound is far more dependent on ancillaries (power supply, clock, shielding, error correction, etc.) than a DAC chip. Choosing based on a particular DAC chip is misguided, yet that is what some people do.

I can easily agree with this. DAC chips matter, but so deos everything else.

 

[audiobomber]

I've had the Modius for 11 days now. It replaced an Audiolab 8200CD in my headphone system. The Audiolab was truly great (at five times the cost of the Modius) and I would have loved to keep it, but I'm adding loudspeakers to my desktop, no room for the full-sized 8200.

Initially, the Modius was rough; bass was thin, highs were a bit grainy. I had to tweak the system and get past the break-in period to get good sound. Still not quite as good as the 8200, but I am happy with the way it sounds, especially at this price. Good PRaT, detail and tonal balance, I am listening to the music, not the DAC. Honestly I'm not missing the 8200, the Modius is doing everything I need it to do. The only thing I miss is a remote, but that's a minor inconvenience.

The Modius is fed via USB from a NAS and sMS-200 renderer with LPS, and via coax from a laptop and Eitr. The Eitr is bolstered by an iFi iPurifier2 and iPower 5V. XLR out goes to a Hafler HA15 headphone amp with premium pro cables, RCA goes to an Asgard 2 via Cardas Neutral Ref interconnects. I primarily use Grado GH4 headphones in this system, through the Hafler. The Asgard will act as a preamp and occasionally as a second headphone amp. The power amp is a Meitner STR50 Plus, speakers are still being built (Jordan JX92S full-range drivers in sealed Parts Express 7L curved boxes). I may add a sub later.

 

[audiobomber]

Oops, I had to move the Modius from my desktop system. I still believe it is a great DAC for the price, this was simply a case of poor synergy. My headphone system benefits from a warmer sounding DAC. I have moved it to a secondary speaker system upstairs (RPi 3B+, Modius, Magni 3 preamp, Meitner STR-50 Plus, Raw-1F single-driver speakers). The Modius replaced a Modi 3 in this system, the Modi went to my "whole house" system connected via Toslink to a Chromecast Audio streamer. So both my speaker system and Chromecast systems benefitted from this change.

I am currently using the iOne in my main headphone system, where it is performing as it never has before. Previously, I had driven the iOne from a Raspberry Pi or a laptop, with auxiliary power from a wall wart. Powering it from a linear power supply via the sMS-200's very clean USB port, along with a couple of cable tweaks made all the difference. I believe the iOne benefitted more from the clean power than the Modius because of the way the Modius is designed. In the Modius FAQ, they say this:

Well, I’m gonna get me a fancy-shmantzy linear power supply, what do you think about that?
We think you’re a little strange, because the output of that fancy power supply is going into a switcher, anyway. But if it makes you happy, we’re not going to stop you. Nor will we try to sell you such a power supply.

The Modius sound did not change, whether I used the supplied wall wart or USB power from the sms. The iOne changed a great deal. My Raspberry Pi 3B+ and Dell Inspiron laptop both have awful USB power. Because the Modius (and Modi) use power from the wall wart when it is connected, the dirty power from the upstream computer is bypassed. This is an advantage in some systems, but negates the value of a super clean source like the sMS/LPS combo.

 

[audiobomber]

I've reinstated the Modius to my desktop system. I believe that what I was hearing was due to break-in, on the Modius but also my brand new speakers. The sound is noticeably smoother and warmer now, after about 40 hours of playing time.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

That's interesting. I've always thought my Modius sounded good out of the box. Now my Modi multibit was a different story.

 

[audiobomber]

That's interesting. I've always thought my Modius sounded good out of the box. Now my Modi multibit was a different story.

Ha-ha! Opposite for me. I liked the Modi right out of the box.
The Modius seemed like a no-brainer, a Modi with XLR outs, upgraded DAC chip, improved USB. I was shocked and mystified when it didn't immediately meet expectations.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

Ha-ha! Opposite for me. I liked the Modi right out of the box.
The Modius seemed like a no-brainer, a Modi with XLR outs, upgraded DAC chip, improved USB. I was shocked and mystified when it didn't immediately meet expectations.

I used both the XLR and SE outputs on the Modius and both sounded great. The XLR with a Neve headphone amp and the SE with my Asgard 3. I ended up selling the Neve and eventually the Modius. I'm a CD spinner and use an Audiolab trandport so I never used the USB. I still have a Modi 3 that I use occasionally just to change things up but the Modi multibit gets most of the use. A few years ago I owned a used Bifrost multibit and used Bifrost 4490 but to my ears there was really no discernible differences between the Bifrost multibit and Modi multibit or Bifrost 4490 and Modi 4490. In fact I remember liking the Modi multibit better than Bifrost multibit. One of these days I might pop for a Bifrost 2 but the Modi multibit keeps me happy. I tried a Topping D50s but sold it after two weeks.

 

[portalheadd]

Hey folks. Has anyone had a chance to try Gustard X16? If so how do they stack up against Modius sound wise? X16 is packed with features and I/Os but has a Sabre implementation. I hate metallic/digital sounding dacs. I will gladly sacrifice a little bit of resolution and detail to get more of a Musical less artificial sound. For the reference, I really dislike how Topping D90 sounds. Detailed but artificial. Regardless of the price Gap and features, just sound wise, how Modius and X16 stack up against each other? I dont care about volume control or pre amp section or BT etc... Just AS A DAC. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Suppa92]

what amp you would recommend with modius around $200? I really liked the magnius because of power output to drive planars but most of people say it is too analytical.
is there any solid state amp with balance(bit warm) sounding around $200 to pair with modius?

 

[cocolinho]

@Suppa92 I'm using a Cavalli Liquid Carbon X together with the Modius. Why? Because I'm using IEMs only and this amp is incredibly quiet with super sensitive IEMs (like Andromeda). Very affordable combo for a great sound!

 

[Suppa92]

@Suppa92 I'm using a Cavalli Liquid Carbon X together with the Modius. Why? Because I'm using IEMs only and this amp is incredibly quiet with super sensitive IEMs (like Andromeda). Very affordable combo for a great sound!

Thanks for the reply, but I bit concerned about cavalli carbon's output power is enough to drive planars like argons or verum 2.

 

[tafens]

what amp you would recommend with modius around $200? I really liked the magnius because of power output to drive planars but most of people say it is too analytical.
is there any solid state amp with balance(bit warm) sounding around $200 to pair with modius?

Based on what I’ve read, I would point you in the general direction of the Asgard3. It costs $199 and has been described as warm sounding.

 

[Mightygrey]

Based on what I’ve read, I would point you in the general direction of the Asgard3. It costs $199 and has been described as warm sounding.

This would be my recommendation too. A perfect fit for that description.

 

[Suppa92]

Based on what I’ve read, I would point you in the general direction of the Asgard3. It costs $199 and has been described as warm sounding.

This would be my recommendation too. A perfect fit for that description.

Nice.. I would definitely consider Asgard3. I also think that's the best match
BTW, since Asgard3 is single ended, do you think modius is overkill? Would I loose some details if I downgrade to some single ended dac like Modi?