Schiit Modius E DAC Review

[asrUser]

I have vivid memories of bringing that beast up from the basement when preparing to change houses.

That sounds like back pain.

 

[Entropy]

Matches the SMSL DO100 in price but not in performance. That sucks!

Not really imo, none of the improvements should be audible.
E.g, If you were shopping for a new car, would you care that a Carolla does 117mph and a Civic does 137?
They both have pros and cons... The do100 has a display of questionable efficacy, Bluetooth, and a pot+remote control, but the schiit comes out of 'Murica, Has Unison USB (electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation), and comes with a better warranty.

 

[audiotron]

Not really imo, none of the improvements should be audible.
E.g, If you were shopping for a new car, would you care that a Carolla does 117mph and a Civic does 137?
They both have pros and cons... The do100 has a display of questionable efficacy, Bluetooth, and a pot+remote control, but the schiit comes out of 'Murica, Has Unison USB (electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation), and comes with a better warranty.

If I'm looking for performace I'll go for the Civic. Same thing with the DAC If I'm paying over $200 for a DAC why not buy one that measures better and has more features? I also have some Schiit products myself a phono preamp and a Sys.

 

[Shazb0t]

Balanced DAC with audibly transparent results made in America at the lowest price point available. There is nothing to complain about here. Voted "Great".

 

[Jimster480]

Is Schiit Europe a new thing? When I was looking for an amp few years ago, Schiit availability in Europe was non existent. Had to import if you wanted one.

Probably still something to avoid. Schiit is a terrible company in the USA with dogshit tier support. You can replace their shoddily built products once with more shoddily built products, when you have problems with those the problem becomes YOU and not their lack of QC, lack of care on design and lack of engineering talent.
Just avoid this dogshit brand at all costs. They tell you the kind of company they are, its literally in the name. "Shit".

Nice. They are getting better and better. I feel as though Schiit could currently make a really impressive DAC that is priced somewhere between the Modius E and the Bifrost 2/64.

Nah they aren't this is literally worse and worse. They are behind budget tier products from years ago, nevermind today.

Is this the most affordable currently selling transparent balanced DAC with North-American support on the market?

Basically.

I cannot confirm this.
I have now bought three devices from Schiit Europe, and am satisfied with the support.
Behind Schiit Europe is a Dutch company. These people are aloof and reserved by nature.
You can always turn to Schiit USA.
They are also happy to help. I have only positive things to report from there.

Cash your check fast. The company has a long record of just being generally terrible. They have had multiple disasters with products and quickly start blaming their users when things don't go their way. If you want to support American companies then just buy JDS Labs or Geshelli. Both are great people doing honest work. Unlike Schiit with their contractor built products for max profit margins.
With Schiit the more you dig the worse the company gets honestly. They literally pay off forum administrators to delete content that is not positive about their products and have silent moderator status on more than one major Hi-Fi forum.

 

[PeteL]

Probably still something to avoid. Schiit is a terrible company in the USA with dogshit tier support. You can replace their shoddily built products once with more shoddily built products, when you have problems with those the problem becomes YOU and not their lack of QC, lack of care on design and lack of engineering talent.
Just avoid this dogshit brand at all costs. They tell you the kind of company they are, its literally in the name. "Shit".

Nah they aren't this is literally worse and worse. They are behind budget tier products from years ago, nevermind today.

Basically.

Cash your check fast. The company has a long record of just being generally terrible. They have had multiple disasters with products and quickly start blaming their users when things don't go their way. If you want to support American companies then just buy JDS Labs or Geshelli. Both are great people doing honest work. Unlike Schiit with their contractor built products for max profit margins.
With Schiit the more you dig the worse the company gets honestly. They literally pay off forum administrators to delete content that is not positive about their products and have silent moderator status on more than one major Hi-Fi forum.

Sorry but this raging rant sound more like a personal Vendetta than nothing else. May you elaborate on what they did to you and what you base all this vitriol on? I have a couple Schiit products, no major problems, granted, but have always been quick and professionals on some interrogations I had. This sound, at first glance, a bit irrational and rage fused, with nothing to back it up. May I know what they did to you? May I know which Schiit products you own?

 

[Jimster480]

Sorry but this raging rant sound more like a personal Vendetta than nothing else. May you elaborate on what they did to you and what you base all this vitriol on? I have a couple Schiit products, no major problems, granted, but have always been quick and professionals on some interrogations I had. This sound, at first glance, a bit irrational and rage fused, with nothing to back it up. May I know what they did to you? May I know which Schiit products you own?

I've written the story many times already on this site. You have been around long enough to go find them and read.
I owned a Fulla2, Modi Multibit, Magni 3 and the RCA switcher box. (forgot the name)
Part of how I found this site and the allure of the Topping products started with a huge drama surrounding me on HeadFi after I discovered bugs in their USB implementation literally 7 years ago now. The level of disgusting pathetic unprofessionalism from that company knows no bounds. Go find my full write ups and read about it. Not only do I have plenty to back it up, but there are plenty of other modern examples of them doing the same to other customers after issues were found in their products.
Considering the physically dangerous issues with a couple of their products that have been uncovered on this forum; it is already enough to avoid this company at all costs.
I could go on all day about the issues I have found and experienced with the company, but I've got better things to do then rehash an already old and many times rehashed subject again. Use the search function

 

[PeteL]

I've written the story many times already on this site. You have been around long enough to go find them and read.
I owned a Fulla2, Modi Multibit, Magni 3 and the RCA switcher box. (forgot the name)
Part of how I found this site and the allure of the Topping products started with a huge drama surrounding me on HeadFi after I discovered bugs in their USB implementation literally 7 years ago now. The level of disgusting pathetic unprofessionalism from that company knows no bounds. Go find my full write ups and read about it. Not only do I have plenty to back it up, but there are plenty of other modern examples of them doing the same to other customers after issues were found in their products.
Considering the physically dangerous issues with a couple of their products that have been uncovered on this forum; it is already enough to avoid this company at all costs.
I could go on all day about the issues I have found and experienced with the company, but I've got better things to do then rehash an already old and many times rehashed subject again. Use the search function

OK, but no sorry lol I do not have the time on my hand. To search trough 7 years of complaining over the world wide web. I feel your pain, it must have been very very evil what they did to you to reach this level of hate. I empathize really.

 

[Dougey_Jones]

I've always liked the sound of my original Modius with the AKM Velvet Sound chipset, will hang on to it as it's now an endangered species. I've been using the built in DAC in my MiniDSP Flex Balanced and it sounds great to me (also measured well) so I don't really have a use case for a separate DAC anymore.

 

[Jimster480]

I've always liked the sound of my original Modius with the AKM Velvet Sound chipset, will hang on to it as it's now an endangered species. I've been using the built in DAC in my MiniDSP Flex Balanced and it sounds great to me (also measured well) so I don't really have a use case for a separate DAC anymore.

Honestly its totally transparent so there is no real reason to upgrade.

 

[Deleted member 5641]

Balanced DAC with audibly transparent results made in America at the lowest price point available. There is nothing to complain about here. Voted "Great".

But with no advantage in running balanced

 

[Jimster480]

But with no advantage in running balanced

There isn't much of an advantage to balanced anyway, just helps to eliminate ground loops.

 

[Rottmannash]

There isn't much of an advantage to balanced anyway, just helps to eliminate ground loops.

and higher voltage?

 

[Deleted member 5641]

There isn't much of an advantage to balanced anyway, just helps to eliminate ground loops.

ha, fair

and higher voltage?

If noise isn't improved at higher voltage, does it matter?

 

[Rottmannash]

ha, fair



If noise isn't improved at higher voltage, does it matter?

Yes if one has low gain amplifiers and wants to drive them to full power.

 

[VladDracule]

oh wow, i just ordered a Modius based on reviews on this site and just realized its not even the same unit now! Kinda frustrating its not easy to tell on their website that something was different. Ill probably stick with it anyways...im not sure what else i could even consider. On that note a question below i posted on the old review thread.

Im trying to figure out what cable i need to buy. I have a Shiit DAC/AMP (Modius/Magnius) stack that i want to use with a PS5, but from what i understand the PS5 only supports UAC1, which the Modius DAC does not. I think i can use the G6 to passthrough audio INCLUDING tempest audio correct?

So the chain would be PS5-> (USB) G6 -> (Optical - this is the cable i need) Modius -> Magnius -> HD800s.

From what I can tell on bestbuy i cant get one locally unfortunately so i need to know a trusted brand i can find on amazon.

 

[staticV3]

So the chain would be PS5-> (USB) G6 -> (Optical - this is the cable i need) Modius -> Magnius -> HD800s.

From what I can tell on bestbuy i cant get one locally unfortunately so i need to know a trusted brand i can find on amazon.

Just search "Mini Toslink cable" on Amazon and buy one with the right connectors and good reviews.

 

[Room_101]

Disappointing to see it go back. This should make the AKM version more valuable in the used market.

If they're both audibly transparent, wouldn't this new version be the better choice since it has more reliable USB C sockets vs the micro USB on the original version?

 

[spede]

I think this dac is bit piece of Schiit.

- When skipping to different parts in Youtube video there is audible delay untill sound returns, with Apple Dongle and D10s there is no delay.
- Random relay clicks which are audible and annoying.

 

[Joe Smith]

oh wow, i just ordered a Modius based on reviews on this site and just realized its not even the same unit now! Kinda frustrating its not easy to tell on their website that something was different. Ill probably stick with it anyways...im not sure what else i could even consider. On that note a question below i posted on the old review thread.

Im trying to figure out what cable i need to buy. I have a Shiit DAC/AMP (Modius/Magnius) stack that i want to use with a PS5, but from what i understand the PS5 only supports UAC1, which the Modius DAC does not. I think i can use the G6 to passthrough audio INCLUDING tempest audio correct?

So the chain would be PS5-> (USB) G6 -> (Optical - this is the cable i need) Modius -> Magnius -> HD800s.

From what I can tell on bestbuy i cant get one locally unfortunately so i need to know a trusted brand i can find on amazon.

How did the Modius work out for you?