Iām super curious how you feel it compares with the RME. Also how it pairs with the g111.
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Iāll post here once I feel I have enough time with it. Still donāt have enough time with the g111 to give my full impressions
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Would really be nice to have a matching amp for the Modius would it not?
:>)
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I think the intention is that it with stack with the asgard, jot, and lyr
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But it doesā¦
Perfect Pair with Asgard 3, Jotunheim, and Lyr 3
Modius has exactly the same footprint as our popular mid-sized amp series. If youāre looking for more connectivity than the internal cards provide, Modius is a perfect pair. Donāt have one of our amps? No worries, Modius works great with virtually anything!
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Bifrost is the same footprint as all of these or no?
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That is correct.
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Just thinnerā¦so IMO it would be nice to have a matching amp and something tells me this is just around the cornerā¦
:>)
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Ordered it like 10 minutes ago together with the Asgard 3.
Damn I am excited.
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At the moment Iām listening to this with my Tuba (stock tubes) and a Clear. Iām liking the combo, its a solid DAC that can output to both my amps.
So far I really do like this product, and we could have had it sooner based on Stoddardās updated story:
Back story on measurements vs Modi
āThatā great and all, but how does it measure?ā some are asking. āBetter than Modi 3?ā
Yes. Modius is our best-measuring DAC. We made sure of this.
And thatās a story in itself.Itās December 2019. Weāre getting ready to launch Modius in January. Everything is cool. Weāre ready to roll. We just need to confirm one last thingādoes this perform as we expect? So I have Dave drop by the latest version of the board, and run it on the AP.
Looks good! Looks really goodā¦
ā¦except, waitā¦
ā¦oh hellā¦
ā¦except not as good as Modi 3.
Yeah. Modius, the bigger better DAC using a better D/A converter and a more exotic output stage, couldnāt beat Modi 3.
ā¦
Mike and Dave and I had words. One point of view was, āWell, it sounds great, who cares?ā I put my foot down and said, āIf we cannot make it better than Modi 3, we failed.ā There was additional discussion about how making the datasheet numbers was difficult with a switching supply, cost constraints, etc. But I stood my ground.Dave and I reconvened. Was the balanced LME47924 a problem? The datasheet never showed an output stage like ours. We built their recommended output stage. No dice. Was it noise from the switching power supply? I added a bunch of filtering. The power rails got cleaner, but the measurements didnāt. Was it compensation? Nope. Output filtering? Again nope. We literally tore the dang DAC apart, and found nothing.
Until I noticed that Dave and I had different datasheets for the part, and the later datasheets had some specific recommendations that hadnāt appeared in the (yes, manufacturer-supplied, supposedly good-to-go datasheet).
So yeah, the January DAC became more like an April DAC, which is the time it would take us to do a new prototype and make sure it worked. Long story short, we did a new prototype, using the additional information from the later datasheet (and a couple of secret-sauce tricks) and it worked as expected. Whew.
And then COVID hit.
So the April DAC became the maybe-never DAC, until we made all the changes we needed to make in order to operate in a world where states were busy shutting down the scourge of domestic manufacturing, while direct-ship-from-China companies were allowed to operate freely. But I digress.
Another long story short, we made the changes, and the April DAC is now a May/June DAC, and hopefully you will like it a lot.
AKM4493 ramblings
āWell, thatās cool, butā¦why didnāt you use the AKM AK4499 instead of the AK4493?ā someone asks.
āYou try to convince Mike to use a $50 delta-sigma DAC,ā Iām tempted to say, flippantly.
But, to be frank, using the AK4499 would mean that Modius was a much higher priced product. Like, a LOT higher. Modius is intended to hit the sweet spot of DACs in the $199 price range. Itās not 100% about measurements or the latest must-have chip. If that isnāt for you, thatās totally cool. There are plenty of other options out there. Though, hmm, none made in USA.
āSo why not two AK4493?ā someone else might ask.
āBecause it didnāt really make any difference,ā we say. Yep, the measurements might be a bit better, but in the end, itās the unique output stage that probably makes the most difference.
So letās talk about that.
As far as I know, Modius is the only DAC that has two separate output stages, one for balanced and one for SE. The balanced output stage is built specifically to the strengths of balancedāit uses the very good-sounding LME47924 balanced, differential op-amp, plus film caps and 0.5% precision thin-film resistors, and is DC-coupled. The AK4493 is inherently balanced output, so itās balanced from start to finish.
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Andā¦ mine has an issue with USB on my work machine. Rough start but Iāll switch it over to testing it against my Bifrost 2 using my GS-X Mini and Diana Phiāsā¦ Iām sure to hear a difference.
Update: Starting with the least impactful equipment to shuffle is Modius moved to a side table hooked up to my THX 887 powering my Diana Phi balanced. Initials impressions is that this DAC is sounding surprising. Itās not as resolving as the Bifrost 2 but is much smoother and warmer. Everything I have hooked up to the DAC is screaming give the details and the Modius gives most of the details, but had I not known what the Bifrost 2 sounded like I would be VERY happy with the Modius.
Iām sure enough people have seen that my relationship with my THX 887 went south a bit after picking up my LCD X. I do have to say, if you have a THX amp the Modius is a nice warm and smooth DAC with quite a nice subtle kick in the bass. Iāll be listening to the this setup some more for a few days ONLY if I can get it working on my work computer before switching the the RNHP.
Update: Out of curiousity and lazyness, I plugged in the Modius back to the GS-X mini on my work machineā¦ Windows found the DAC this time! Doing an A/B test of the Modius between the single ended and balanced on the mini (where on the Bifrost 2 the mini sounded the same)ā¦ Wowā¦ the Modius is actually 2 different sound signatures in one.
So first off, the RCA has a slightly lower output compared to the XLR. I am reluctant to say the RCA is more mid forward where I can center focus better and anything from center isnāt as pronounced but sounds more holographic. REALLY cool. Flipping my switch to XLR and the dynamics and soundstage drop a bit but the pronounced bass and treble comes in sounding absolutely wonderful. While in an ideal world one MAY wish to have RCA and XLR sound the sameā¦ but when you have both you get 2 sound signatures that are both awesome soā¦ get an amp with both.
Not going to lie, before receiving the unit I had low expectations for this DAC and was planning on selling it after a week. Nowā¦ I think I may have to keep this DAC. Is it better than my Bifrost 2? No. But does it make my THX tolerable and dare I say sound good? Yes. If your amp and headphones arenāt up to snuff for super ultra high resolving planars and electrostatics, I would be hard pressed to recommend the Bifrost 2 over the Modius.
And Modius? Really? Iām going correct a naming mess up by Schiit. Getting with 2020 and outside of the Freya and Fulla for female recognition I dub this DAC Thrud. Pretty decently resolving while gently warm for some of the harshest of amps (that I have here). Nicely featured and strong analog performanceā¦ the name Thrud fits as a daughter of Thor (sister to Modi and Magni). That naming convention alone places this DAC by name a great pairing with an Asgard. Schiit, you missed marketing opportunity that pretty much wrote itself and Iām placing that blame squarely on difficulties bringing this DAC to market + Pandemic + world on fire.
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Just plugged in the Modius for a first listen. Listening to Sundaras through the Asgard 3.
Going back and forth from the E30 to the Modius, I can hear more of a difference than I did going from the D30 to the E30.
Iād say that the Modius is just a bit smoother and a little more relaxed. It feels ever so slightly wider. Maybe a little more sub-bass? I want to say that Iām able to pick up just a tiny bit more detail on the Modiusā¦
I wouldnāt swear to any of that, and in a blind test I still doubt Iād be able to correctly pick out each DAC.
Hard to argue with the looks of that stack though! Plus, Iām happy to have room to use an additional amp and to be able to experiment with balanced in the future if I so choose.
All the differences (if they arenāt just in my head) are very slight.
I would say that I am just a little disappointed with the build of the Modius. I was hoping for an Asgard level of build. Iād say itās closer to Modi/Magni in build quality.
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When you have to strain to hear stuff for differences that should tell you something :>)
Most of the stuff from Schiit and others is pretty good etcā¦and differences are usually small for the most part.
$199ā¦balanced dac, you want better build quality its there but it will cost more for sure.
Enjoy your stuff it looks really nice and the differences in the two actually looks very nice IMO
Alex
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I donāt know about your experience but I think the build quality is just fine on my unit.
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Yeah I donāt see an issue with the build quality on the Modius
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I made this post on another site:
An amp to match the new thin, slim Modiusā¦wouldnt that be Hersey!!! ha!
I am sure Schitt is listeningā¦
:>)
ā¦and I got a ālikeā from Jason Stoddardā¦stay tuned!
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Well, Jason Stoddard is allowed to talk Schiit. 
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Iām not saying anything that there are āissuesā with the build. It just doesnāt feel as robust as the Asgard 3, which is what I was hoping for. I believe someone else mentioned the thinner shell and the sloppy button. The Asgard 3 was shockingly solid when I pulled it outāthe Modius is not that way. Maybe my expectations were just too high.
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Hi,
actually it looks reasonable, I find the USB Mini B port unfortunate.
Things are so sensitive.
It would be better if there was a kind of fixing port so that it was neat.
Similar to the Nacon revolution 2 controller for the Ps 4, it would be interesting for me.
If you do not pay attention, the good cable or the socket is worn out.
Do you know that when the smartphone falls down exactly when it loads? 
And if you have little space or are constantly hitting something, it can be a short pleasure.
Otherwise it does not look bad at all, apparently the coax input did not work so well, if you can do without it, you are certainly well served.
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