[Mightygrey]

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?

Detail - not really. You're missing out on a more 'stackable' form-factor, and a slightly newer chip in the AK4493. I doubt it'll sound markedly better.

 

[cdacosta]

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

I have the Modius and Asgard 3 combo. I like the match, although will be single ended only if that matters to you. After tweaking both the Modius and Asgard 3 I think for the money is an incredible deal. Sonically the pair is a hair on the warmer side of neutral. For what it is worth I mod all my gear to some extent. After dampening the caps inside the Asgard 3 and shielding the power supply, sonically reminds me of my Proceed AMP2 power amplifiers. Very organic sounding with a lot of reserve power. For $200 I am extremely happy with the amp and combo.

 

[Mightygrey]

I have the Modius and Asgard 3 combo. I like the match, although will be single ended only if that matters to you. After tweaking both the Modius and Asgard 3 I think for the money is an incredible deal. Sonically the pair is a hair on the warmer side of neutral. For what it is worth I mod all my gear to some extent. After dampening the caps inside the Asgard 3 and shielding the power supply, sonically reminds me of my Proceed AMP2 power amplifiers. Very organic sounding with a lot of reserve power. For $200 I am extremely happy with the amp and combo.

Would you mind telling me about the 'dampening' mod you did for your Asgard? What is it intended to improve, and how has it helped?

 

[caracara08]

Hey all. Just got a Modius used but without the USB cable. I’m trying to use my iPad as my source and bought the Apple camera adapter 3 as people state is needed but I’m still not getting sound to my amp, just playing out of my iPad. Anyone with some insight into what I’m doing wrong ?

 

[cdacosta]

Would you mind telling me about the 'dampening' mod you did for your Asgard? What is it intended to improve, and how has it helped?

The dampening mod is using the best vibration material I know of for audio which is f.o.Q T-102 (and T-32 for applications like cables or curved surfaces) inside the gear. This dampening material is hands down without question, the best bang for the buck tweak or mod to enhance audio reproduction for any piece of gear in an audio chain I have tried in over 25 years in this hobby.

DISCLAIMER: I do not work for, sell or have any financial interest in f.o.Q company or their products, I just use their products. The information provided below is for educational purposes. If you decide to try what I describe below I am not responsible for anything you do to yourself or your gear.

I mod or tweak all my audio gear, this was the first dedicated headphone setup I have ever really put together. My main setup downstairs is comprised of Proceed, Lexicon and Mark Levinson gear, which all have gotten the treatment I am about to describe. My Modius and Asgard 3 right now is packed up because I am selling my home, but I did take a pic of the inside of the Modius and what I did with the f.o.Q T-102 material. I applied the same treatment to the Asgard 3. As an aside, the f.o.Q material was originally designed to be used in Japanese aerospace industry and was tweaked for audio use. A package of the T-102 costs about $60, which I now purchase through eBay. I have also recently been told by someone I have shown the different uses within an audio system that f.o.Q T-102 and T-32 can be purchased from amazon.co.jp. The T-102 is a 2mm thick piece of dampening material with an adhesive backing. Inside a package there is enough to treat an entire headphone system, including headphones.

WHAT I DID: In the picture you see a single small, about 3/16" diameter piece of the T-102 on top of each cap. On the PC board where there are no conductive traces I placed pieces to dampen the board. Eventually I also placed pieces on areas of the chassis that I found to ring and near connectors. On the Asgard 3 I also used the T-102 on the Alps volume pot and IEC connector. In the Asgard I was lazy and just used scissors to cut approx. 1/4" squares and placed them on top of the caps vs punching small circles like in the picture with a leather punch.

WHAT IS IT INTENDED TO DO: remove vibration

HOW HAS IT HELPED: On each piece of gear, which is Modius and Asgard 3 for this discussion you will audibly hear the lowering of the noise floor. Like veils have been removed so more can be heard and felt into the music. To me easily 2-3 layers of noise floor for "each" piece of gear. I started with the Modius because it is so easy to open up. After treating the Modius with the T-102 dampening material I got a slightly wider and deeper sound stage, a bit more organic presentation (more like a ladder DAC then chip based), more micro and macro detail across the frequency spectrum, more nuance to all sounds. After treating the Asgard 3 I got the same results, now the combo has IMHO better PRAT. This will seem far fetched but after each piece of gear was treated it was obviously sonically superior then before treatment. The change is by a large enough margin that it would pass a blind A/B test. In another words treating each piece of gear is like getting a upgraded version.

There are a lot of uses or places within an audio system that T-102 or T-32 can be applied to improve sonics. Each application depending where applied will very from wow to that is an improvement kind of response. But it is all accumulative. Before I tried the f.o.Q products mentioned above in an inexpensive (or modestly priced) system, I thought the T-102 and T-32 will only be effective with more resolving gear, I have been proved wrong. Now the Modius and Asgard 3 combo sonically to me sounds much more refined then the $470 I paid for them (including tax and shipping), by a large margin actually.

Also important to mention, if you do try what I explained above use a Q-Tip and rubbing alcohol to clean the surface before applying the T-102 dampening tape. The tape takes about 5 days to fully cure but you will hear the majority of the sonic benefits immediately. If you like to tinker or want to upgrade the gear in your system, you should try what I described above. If you do, please post your experience so that others can benefit. Peace

 

[dougms3]

Would you mind telling me about the 'dampening' mod you did for your Asgard? What is it intended to improve, and how has it helped?

Listen to this man, he knows alot. You will be astounded with the improvements.

He's discovered the mother of all modding material in the fo.q tape. My whole system is transformed because of the info he's given me.

 

[audiobomber]

Detail - not really. You're missing out on a more 'stackable' form-factor, and a slightly newer chip in the AK4493. I doubt it'll sound markedly better.

The Asgard 3 stacks perfectly on top of a Modius, and has a warmer sound due to discrete components vs. the op amps used in the Magnius.

 

[MtnMan307]

Fired up my Modius tonight for the first time in quite a while. I still really enjoy this DAC even though I have a Bifrost 2.

 

[reznik6044]

Just got my Modius yesterday. I've been running a Modi 3+ as my first DAC and finally upgraded. My balanced cables aren't coming until next week, so running RCA and SE for now... but OMG, I did not expect to hear such a difference?!?!

A lot of people on the forums say a DAC won't make an audible difference... and that may be true above a certain point. But going from the Modi 3+ to the Modius was huge! I hear details in the music I didn't pick up before, the sound stage opened up and I'm not sure if it's just placebo, but it feels like the bass response improved. My Sundara's have never sounded so good.

I'm running through a THX 789, but have a Singxer SA-1 ordered... can't wait for them to come so I can hear how this combo sounds!!!

Only several hours of listening through Modius, but I didn't imagine a $200 investment would make such a big improvement - well worth the money!

 

[HumdrumPenguin]

Just got my Modius yesterday. I've been running a Modi 3+ as my first DAC and finally upgraded. My balanced cables aren't coming until next week, so running RCA and SE for now... but OMG, I did not expect to hear such a difference?!?!

A lot of people on the forums say a DAC won't make an audible difference... and that may be true above a certain point. But going from the Modi 3+ to the Modius was huge! I hear details in the music I didn't pick up before, the sound stage opened up and I'm not sure if it's just placebo, but it feels like the bass response improved. My Sundara's have never sounded so good.

I'm running through a THX 789, but have a Singxer SA-1 ordered... can't wait for them to come so I can hear how this combo sounds!!!

Only several hours of listening through Modius, but I didn't imagine a $200 investment would make such a big improvement - well worth the money!

Those who say different gear don’t make a difference, specially when having similar measurements, are normally (but not always) the ones who have never tried anything and just spit out what they read on forums, reviews, etc. Too many people like talking about what they have absolutely zero experience with. And fyi, DACs do make a difference in ANY price point. My advice is to never judge audio with your eyes, if you know what I mean.

 

[Runrunsmithfly]

I can tell the difference between the Modi 3+, Modi multibit, and Modius. I use an Audiolab transport, still spinning CDs, and change out my DACs to change up the sound of my headphone system. Each DAC brings something different to the table. The Asgard 3 and Focal Clear Pros stay the same so it's the different DACs changing the soundscape, for lack of a better word, of the music that I'm playing back.

 

[tafens]

A lot of people on the forums say a DAC won't make an audible difference... and that may be true above a certain point. But going from the Modi 3+ to the Modius was huge! I hear details in the music I didn't pick up before, the sound stage opened up and I'm not sure if it's just placebo, but it feels like the bass response improved. My Sundara's have never sounded so good.

DACs can absolutely make a difference. I experienced something much like you when I got the Bifrost2 instead of the internal multibit card in my Lyr3. Everything got better, bass, clarity, soundstage, and the difference was not at all subtle.

 

[cdacosta]

Just got my Modius yesterday. I've been running a Modi 3+ as my first DAC and finally upgraded. My balanced cables aren't coming until next week, so running RCA and SE for now... but OMG, I did not expect to hear such a difference?!?!

A lot of people on the forums say a DAC won't make an audible difference... and that may be true above a certain point. But going from the Modi 3+ to the Modius was huge! I hear details in the music I didn't pick up before, the sound stage opened up and I'm not sure if it's just placebo, but it feels like the bass response improved. My Sundara's have never sounded so good.

I'm running through a THX 789, but have a Singxer SA-1 ordered... can't wait for them to come so I can hear how this combo sounds!!!

Only several hours of listening through Modius, but I didn't imagine a $200 investment would make such a big improvement - well worth the money!

I have a Modius paired with Asgard 3. I have had this pair since the beginning of the year. Took approx. 200 hours with signal through them to fully open up/sound their best. After about 50 hours or so if memory serves me correctly they will start to open up.

 

[reznik6044]

the difference was not at all subtle

so true - I'm actually really surprised by how much of a difference it made... has me thinking if I should be looking at a Bifrost2 or D90... LOL

 

[reznik6044]

After about 50 hours or so if memory serves me correctly they will start to open up.

Very cool. Can't wait! To clarify, my DAC is always on (as my laptop is rarely turned off). Does it actually need to have music playing or is being connected enough?

I should have my new amp by Oct 1st - So I expect to have a lot of real 'ears-on' listening either way.