• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Schiit Modius Balanced DAC Review

TabCam

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
192
Likes
162
Can anyone seriously hear the difference between the top 10-20 DACs on ASR? Sure the M400 is measurably a bit superior and a hell lot more expensive but can anyone seriously hear the difference in a blind test?

Anyway, I think this is priced very reasonably. Any comments or pictures of the guts would be welcome.
Compared an S.M.S.L. M500 with an Topping D90 and RME Adi-2 FS and somehow the other two were quite equal and the M500 inferior. As the M500 had multiple other problems, plops, clicks when turning off, incorrect volumeunde MacOS, unsecure spdif connections, it went back and I did not investigate the issue further.
 

ShiZo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
835
Likes
555
I didnt think it was possible but i felt like the m400 was and upgrade over my rme, but maybe my mind is playing games with me. I swear i can hear a difference.
 

polmuaddib

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 1, 2020
Messages
479
Likes
852
No DSD, though, if you care about that. Just PCM. I know it's enough and that PCM is in theory better, but I like playing files in native format... Even though I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between native DSD and DSD to PCM conversion.
 

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,494
The quality Toslink supply of parts has dried up it seems lol (a bit of humor coming from the M400 review).

Man, Schiit has been killing it lately. Didn't think SONCOZ would have any competition so soon in this category.
 

Music1969

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
4,636
Likes
2,809

Music1969

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
4,636
Likes
2,809
Sabre ASRC and jitter reduction is how that's achieved :)

Not all ESS based DACs measure like this with TOSlink input... despite all having Sabre ASRC and jitter reduction...
 

Koeitje

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 10, 2019
Messages
2,292
Likes
3,880
This is good to see, shows that a company can offer a high performance product line together with euphonic products (tubes, multibit) without issues. Smart move, because that means your brand will always show up in some positive way when people are asked for recommendations. "I like tubes/multibit". "Ok, then buy this Schiit". "I don't like tubes/multibit and just want the best measurable performance." "Well, then you buy this Schiit". Clever.
 

mslim

Active Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
144
Likes
120
Using my Mac / PC as source, the advantage of Optical/Toslink is the absence of any pop sounds. How about the Coaxial output? Is that ever tested? I can't hear the jitter with my rig. I can't hear the difference between USB and Toslink in terms of SQ.
 

VintageFlanker

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
4,940
Likes
19,692
Location
Paris
I didnt think it was possible but i felt like the m400 was and upgrade over my rme, but maybe my mind is playing games with me. I swear i can hear a difference.
Come ooooooon, @ShiZo, did you missed the opportunity to blind test/level matched the M400 Vs ADI-2? (using your HPA-4) Again?! :mad:
 

ShiZo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
835
Likes
555
Yep, still planning on it. Should i match voltage and everything?

@amirm said I'd be famous if i could do it :p.
 

Music1969

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
4,636
Likes
2,809
Implementation is always key, though :)

This is stating the obvious... that's the whole point of me showing Matrix measurement and me writing: "Matrix Audio seem to have TOSlink input jitter rejection figured out"

i.e. (if it wasn't obvious already) the Matrix team have implemented jitter rejection well ;-)
 

VintageFlanker

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
4,940
Likes
19,692
Location
Paris
Should i match voltage and everything?
Matched voltage and without knowing which unit is playing!
If both XLR:
-M400 output is about 5,40V at max (80 volume), according to @amirm review.
- With the ADI-2 DAC V2, lock the Ref Level at +13dBu, then -2db (So 11dBu, (+6 using XLR) = 17dBu = 5,48V!)
 

ShiZo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 7, 2018
Messages
835
Likes
555
I think if i listened to both with certain songs over and over to get the sound and then went blind, id be more successful. But just jumping into listening to random songs without prior critical listening i know id have no chance.
 
Top Bottom