I know an USB OTG cable will work.
He tried both with 789. The difference is subtle.
Worth noting that I ended up selling the Modius and keeping the Bifrost 2. In A/B testing the superficial technical aspects of the two DACs were very close, but upon spending a stretch of time with just the Bifrost 2, switching back to the Modius sounded flatter and less engaging - nothing to do with whether or not it could retrieve the same level of detail. Rather, instruments just sound a little bit more like real instruments, bass is a little more impactful, and everything is slightly more absorbing. I then stepped up to a Holo Cyan which in turn made the Bifrost 2 sound less engaging to me, and so it goes on.
The Modius is a fantastic DAC, and these differences are so much more subtle than forum posts like this one make them seem.
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Iāve put one of these in my cart. To give me a way to turn off the Modius when away. Sort of like what I got from JDSL for my Atom DAC, but that was for barrel connectors.
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I have been trying both the Unison USB and the Optical inputs on the Modius looking to see if I can tell a difference. I am running a multi-dac setup (selectable via a switch into an Asgard 3) and the other dac is USB only so Iād like to run the Modius via optical as long as I am not missing out on anything. (I can run both dacās via USB thatās not an issue. Itās just that Iād prefer to use optical for the Modius)
Perhaps I need to run with each mode longer than a week at a time before switching back, but I have not really been able to tell a difference. Are there any advantages of using the Unison USB over optical, other than port convenience?
That is a very tricky question due to the subjective nature of it. However, I personally feel that Unison USB sounds better (fuller sounding and more dynamic).
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Out of curiosity I purchased a Modius a couple of weeks ago and I have to say that Iām pleasantly surprised.
Itās fairly neutral, with just a bit of warmth. The soundstage is decent in width, but lacks depth (forward soundstage), with the staging coming across as accurate. Thereās a very good amount of detail without coming off as harshness. Compared to the major Delta Sigma chip manufacturers I believe AKM falls in between Burr-Brown (Texas Instruments) being the warmest, and ESS Sabre being the brightest (implementation really being the biggest factor, imo). Itās a middle ground that some will appreciate and others will not.
What surprised me the most was how well it represents transients. It does so in a very natural way and I think this is due to the custom filter Schiit has implemented (based on information Iāve found on SBAF). They apparently are very good at coding filters.
What spurred the curiosity that led to the purchase was the Topping D90 that I had on loan. The D90 is loaded with features and overall has decent sound, but I was a bit underwhelmed given its $699 price. To my ears the Modius sounds better, even though Schiit went with the lower series 4493 chipset (D90 uses the AKM 4499). Again, I think this is due to the proprietary filter that Schiit uses.
Both DACs were used via AES connected to a Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 (Mogami Gold AES/EBU 110 ohm cable) fed by a 2011 Mac mini. I felt this combination provided the best sound in my system, though the Unison usb fell just short of AES (itās very good, even in micro usb form). Iām also using an ifi iPower X power supply since I went with AES which may or may not affect sound quality.
The primary amp I used was my trusty Rupert Neve Designs RNHP, both via balance and rca with balanced providing the best results on both units. I also used a custom Inverting O2, DIY Noir, and the Soundaware P1.
I wanted to try I2S from the D90, but unfortunately thereās no standard for I2S and Topping uses a different pin out than Matrix Audio.
Overall if someone is looking for a relatively neutral and balanced DAC, I can confidently recommend the Modius. The Unison USB is excellent, and the fact that Schiit provided AES is a bonus (their next DAC that has AES is the $2449 Yggdrasil - $1599 in GS form). To my ears it bested the Topping D90, and some even say that it sounds better than the very popular RME-adi2. I havenāt heard the RME but my experience with the Modius leaves me thinking thatās plausible. If youāre looking for a balanced DS DAC itās worth trying out, especially for the $199 price.
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Just of curiosity ordered modius, waiting it to the middle of January. Interesting modius + asgard 3 stack will be better than mojo. I will share my experience 
I was wowāed by mojo, but now i started to think that i want more bass slam:) Mojo is too balanced:) Somebody did the comparison between modi and mojo?
I currently own both (Modius/Mojo) and I prefer the Mojo (used as a DAC). It has a very organic, three-dimensional presentation, and Chord does an excellent job with transients. The Modius is very good, and offers balanced connections. I prefer the AES input, though the micro Unison USB is very good (better than the micro USB of the Mojo).
The Modius is a bit flat in staging, but has good width. Itās fairly warm as well, but overall has a pleasant, āmusicalā sound. I preferred it to the Topping D90.
Great deal for a balanced DAC.
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Thank you @ValentineLuke , this answer what i waited for, well i think i will own two setups, first modius + asgard 3, and second only mojo itself. Currently main headphones is dt 990 pro, but i want to try sundara next year, hope i like them
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Awesome, glad I could help. The Asgard is a very nice, warm amp. Should be a sweet pairing.
Cheers!
Did you try mojo->asgard 3? I actually prefer mojo without external amp:) 990 pro can sometimes be a little bit harsh with mojo, but with Asgard they are super good, but i didnāt like pairing mojo-Asgard 3. I think i will use modius + asgard 3 with 990 pro, and with mojo i will try different headphones.
In the end there will be nice stack modius + asgard 3 -> dt 990 pro, and mojo -> actually donāt know what to try next, i tried 880 600 ohm, but i hated them , too boring
I havenāt, only heard the A3 recently at the Schiitr via the Bifrost. I use the Mojo with an RNHP. Very good combo, imo.
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Bifrost with shipping rate and taxes will cost me 1000$, i canāt agree spend so much on the dac, i understand that there is a lot of headphones to try, looking for sundara, but, donāt know if i like them after 990 pro. From my point of view they should close their gap between 250 and 700 bucks, and release something very good for DS in 400-500 price range.
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Added to thread thanks
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Modius showed up today. Pictured here with the RNHP and the Nighthawks. Having some fun today. I also very much enjoyed the Elegia in my first listening session today. I feel like the Modius added in some weight and authority to the low end which was welcome on the Elegia. Itās the best those headphones have sounded so far which puts a smile on my face. Imaging, staging, and detail seem to be a step up from the other DACs Iāve tried so far too.
Edit: I also wanted to leave a note on the timbre. It has a really nice and lifelike sound to acoustic instruments and vocals. Enjoying that aspect a lot.
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Today I received a modius, I bought it for the sake of interest. I heard a lot of positive reviews about it, and to be honest, I did not like it at all, the sound field is flat, the width and height sound compressed, tonally a little colored, but if we compare the Aune 8 on the Modius with a linear power supply, there is a huge gap in the sound between them, I am very I regret that I sold the aune and the power supply to it, thinking of buying it again, because the sound was much better, or maybe will try allo revolution after modius sell.
What else you have in your setup?
Asgard 3 as an amp for comparisons, Supra usb cables, good rca interconnects, as reference dac - mojo. Headphone list changes often, in current version hifiman sundara, dt 990, dt 770. Regret about purchase, i hoped that it will be at least on par with aune x8, but no. I liked a lot x8 with linear power and muses op-amps, i think i will try allo revolution and order locally linear power supply from my friend engineer
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