[scizzro]

  Connected to my Alienware laptop, the Modi 2 stays on when I turn the computer off, so I disconnect the USB cable; connected to my Sony VAIO laptop, it turns off.
 
Any similar experiences?

Your gaming laptop probably doesn't disable usb power in sleep mode. There's probably a bios setting or windows setting somewhere that would change that. 
 
edit: read it again and you said when you shut it down. Still, the modi can't stay on without power. Do your other usb devices stay powered on, too?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Your gaming laptop probably doesn't disable usb power in sleep mode. There's probably a bios setting or windows setting somewhere that would change that. 
 
edit: read it again and you said when you shut it down. Still, the modi can't stay on without power. Do your other usb devices stay powered on, too?

 
Actually, I may have simply put it on hibernate (like I usually do) instead of shutting down. That must be it.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I've noticed a good number of beyerdynamic owners in this thread.
 
To those who would know: should I take the manufacturer descriptions at face value when the DT 880 is described as "neutral and linear" and the DT 990 is described as having "strong bass and treble"? Is the latter less accurate?
 
I'm assuming the 600 ohm versions would be fine with the Magni 2 Uber.

 

[RickB]

  I've noticed a good number of beyerdynamic owners in this thread.
 
To those who would know: should I take the manufacturer descriptions at face value when the DT 880 is described as "neutral and linear" and the DT 990 is described as having "strong bass and treble"? Is the latter less accurate?
 
I'm assuming the 600 ohm versions would be fine with the Magni 2 Uber.

I have a DT990 250ohm. Compared to my HD600, it has very sharp treble. I would say it only has slightly more bass. I consider the HD600 to be vastly superior.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I have a DT990 250ohm. Compared to my HD600, it has very sharp treble. I would say it only has slightly more bass. I consider the HD600 to be vastly superior.

 
That's what I would have expected, but I'm looking for impressions between the two beyers.
 
I plan on getting the Focal Spirit Professional before expanding to the DT 880 / DT 990 / HD 600, etc.
 
Oh, and I was referring to the DT 990 Edition (aka Premium), not the Pro, which is hundreds of dollars cheaper.

 

[Music Alchemist]

I've been trying to ascertain whether there is a difference between the sound quality of high and low gain on the Magni 2 Uber. It seems to sound slightly more smooth and refined on low gain. On the other hand, high gain seems to sound slightly more dynamic and punchy. Does high gain produce more distortion? Does low gain muffle the sound somewhat? Or are these impressions simply my imagination playing tricks on me? I don't have the resources to conduct a real test, unfortunately.

 

[TWerk]

Yes, just shows us how subjective it all is.

 
It's subjective and there are often only small differences often that are very hard to pick up on. 
 
I think reviews confuse the average person more than anything else. They overemphasize differences. Saying how detailed this amp is and how warm that DAC is...
 
Unless their headphones are just that much better than mine and able to pick up the subtle differences better? Well, we aren't all listening with HD800's, where everything in the chain is heard. 
 
Maybe that's the problem. Unless the headphones are extremely revealing, it just doesn't really matter so much. Or maybe it's my ears?
 
Whatever the case, it's good for poor audiophiles (like many of us) to be able to buy equipment on the cheap that isn't vastly outperformed by better gear.
 
It would be far worse if the differences were much bigger and you had to spent thousands to get there! So I'm not complaining!

 

[madwolfa]

  Connected to my Alienware laptop, the Modi 2 stays on when I turn the computer off, so I disconnect the USB cable; connected to my Sony VAIO laptop, it turns off.
 
Any similar experiences?

 
USB stays powered after computer shut down (possibly for charging, etc..). Check the BIOS settings. Also check Windows "USB selective suspend".

 

[Music Alchemist]

To anyone who wants to compare high and low gain, here is a somewhat effective strategy: play a song with repetitive beats (such as trance or dance) and move the volume up and down across the spectrum of your threshold of comfort (not painfully loud) while alternating between the gain settings.
 
Using this method, I have noticed that low gain seems to have less distortion.

 

[madwolfa]

  Using this method, I have noticed that low gain seems to have less distortion.

 
So you have noticed the difference between something like 0.005% and 0.002% THD given that audible threshold is somewhere around 0.5-1%?
 
Alchemist indeed!

 

[Music Alchemist]

  So you have noticed the difference between something like 0.005% and 0.002% THD given that audible threshold is somewhere around 0.5-1%?
 
Alchemist indeed!

 
It's either almost exactly the same or identical. Obviously the latter is more likely, but I can only report on my perceptions, as others have.
 
My case is less extreme than others who (for whatever reason) recently perceived more significant differences.
 
Where did you get those THD figures for the two gain settings?
 
By the way, Opeth is awesome!

 

[StanD]

   
It's either almost exactly the same or identical. Obviously the latter is more likely, but I can only report on my perceptions, as others have.
 
My case is less extreme than others who (for whatever reason) recently perceived more significant differences.
 
Where did you get those THD figures for the two gain settings?
 
By the way, Opeth is awesome!

IMO Imagination aside, to a human being it is exacty the same. To test equipment more sensitive than us carbon units it may not be the same.
I've been comparing my Modi 2 Uber and Bifrost Uber USB2. I plugged both into my laptop at the same time and used the Windoze Control Panel Sound applet to switch the default playback device between both DACs, Between that and switching audio jacks it still takes a few seconds which circumvents a proper A/B comparison but gets closer.
So far, if you ask me, good luck picking them apart in a proper blind comparison. I'd say that other than bragging rights and so on, most people should be happy with a Modi 2 Uber and a Magni 2 Uber. I'm still keeping my Bifrost and Asgard 2 as well as the Modi 2 Uber and Magni 1. I now have two Schiit piles.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  IMO Imagination aside, to a human being it is exacty the same. To test equipment more sensitive than us carbon units it may not be the same.

 
I think what accounts for differences in perception here is related to the fact that on high gain, you can barely move the volume knob before getting to high volume, whereas on low gain, you can move it much more and experience a smoother transition, producing the illusion of a smoother sound.

 

[StanD]

   
I think what accounts for differences in perception here is related to the fact that on high gain, you can barely move the volume knob before getting to high volume, whereas on low gain, you can move it much more and experience a smoother transition, producing the illusion of a smoother sound.

Plus expectation bias, We are easily fooled by ourselves and in many cases it is hard for us to reconcile,

 

[lekoross]

That is actually an interesting hypothesis. You may be onto something here. BTW, how do you box the text that you are responding to??