Schiit Modius DAC announced

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by JohnCarter17, Jun 2, 2020.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
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    Don’t know where you heard that. Bifrost 2 sounds good and equivalent from either SE or BAL. I would still use balanced outputs for balanced inputs. I think the point was that the Bifrost 2 SE outputs were not gimped, so folks with SE gear could enjoy without worry.
     
  2. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Think there's a misunderstanding somewhere here, but if not I'd like to think that part of the extra $500 (I forgot the BF2's MSRP earlier, I promise I know basic arithmetic) is a convenience fee for not needing to go out of your way to accomodate balanced.

    Enough pooposting from me, looking forward to heated discussion on how this is being overhyped in a few weeks :)

    Edit: dammit, got sniped (I think the word is). Yeah so definite misunderstanding, BF2 isn't "better" with SE outs.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
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    I should make a run of 1:1 XLR to SE boxes for SBAF members at nominal charge, Still won’t be cheap.
     
  4. Gazny

    Gazny MOT: ETA Audio

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    From a subject view where does the bifrost 2 stack up. while a different presentation. To me It seems relevant to the conversation for us who have been looking to pick up a bifrost 2 as a ballanced dac.

    What is the reason for this, the amps distortion numbers or something else?
     
  5. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    Wouldn't a Magni 3 THX ++++++++++++++ FU-T0PP1NG be called the Magnius?
     
  6. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    That wouldn't solve the hotness issue of XLR outputs, right?
     
  7. Inoculator

    Inoculator Friend

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    Gotcha, my mistake. I ran balanced when I owned one because the amps I were using sounded better balanced, and I thought it sounded great. Had read impressions outside of this community that suggested the SE out on the bifrost is superior, but it probably just comes down to what input sounds best on your amp.
     
  8. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

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    I think that sentiment could have been a result of Bifrost 2 being Single Ended in the D/A conversion stage and the Differential signal obtained at the output stage using OpAmps.
     
  9. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    Magnifficient.
     
  10. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    Bifrost 2 does not have true hard-way Balanced. It would need 4 AD~ARUZ chips... not enough space. It uses CAB* Balanced to at least electrically match it's SE perf. and let you hook it up to a balanced system.

    The Modius's AKM4493 has hard-way Balanced out of the chip**, you can see the 6 connections (R: +/-/g L: +/-/g) both on the datasheet and Schiit's board layout... that goes to a pair of LME49724 opamp's for BAL. They paralleled to another independent OPA1662 for SE. Soooo, here balanced is simply better, it's utilizing independent circuits, not a matter of gimping etc.

    ...wonder what a pair of OPA1662's for balanced would sound like (or single LME49724 for SE), would it be closer to SE, bet Schiit tried that. How much because, Balanced, and how much because, OPAMP circuit.

    *Cheap-Ass-Balanced --> a resistor/cap
     
  11. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    Magnificus Maximus? :D
     
  12. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

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    My prediction: this is going to be a hit product for Schiit. Good sounding, good measurements for those that care and balanced outputs for the THX /Jot and in a price that most can afford.
     
  13. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    New tag for @Poleepkwa : Schiity Nostradamus :p

    Btw, I agree with you.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
  14. neomax

    neomax RobS / hinterlander

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    its really a shame that schiit has caved into measurements approach.

    amir really wields that much of an influence? does schiit live or die by how its received on ASR?

    i truly hope they do not care about measurements if theres ever a yggdrasil 2
     
  15. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    I don't think either they (Schiit) or us 'don't care about measurements' or 'care only about measurements'. There's actually a good dose of thought involved on both sides.
     
  16. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

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    It’s not caving, it’s just smart business. Why would you allow ASR to degrade your potential market and make you look like you’re not competitive (to folks who don’t know any better) when you can still achieve great sound AND great measurements for excellent prices. WIN WIN.
     
  17. schiit

    schiit SchiitHead

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    To repeat the above sentiments: it's not caving. Our niche has always been fun, affordable products. There's no reason "fun, affordable" has to mean "only good-measuring" or "only bad-measuring."

    Expect more good-measuring products AND more bad-measuring (or, well, not-so-great-measuring) products from us.
     
  18. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    Will be fun to see the AES/RCA/TOS jitter charts once we test it with our best transports (Pi2AES/DigiONEsig) (and maybe a junk one) to see the influence. ASMR's look bad* compared to Unison, but what transport did he use etc (ie not important / should not make a diff, so they won't bother). Modius still using the AK4113 PLL circuit, unison has the added benefit of XO's lining up the data on top of simple one task USB PCM.

    My theory: The PLL is happily locking on and mirroring all the jitter fed into it, or thats as good as it can do in reducing it.

    *or, it's standard/typical... and unison is just so good + they focused on that, keep the other inputs bare bones.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
  19. neomax

    neomax RobS / hinterlander

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    ok fair enough.

    i see a problem with the power supply: Power Supply: USB powered with +/-5V switching rail generator

    you are hitting near rail voltage for the balanced outputs at 4V. +/- rails are half the rated (so 2.5V) since theres no boost converter. why not go with a dual rail switcher?
     
  20. Inoculator

    Inoculator Friend

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    This is why the Freya S is my favorite purchase of the last year. I used to headcase about all balanced or all SE components, now I mix and match whatever I want. Saved me from my "everything must be balanced" nervousa that had gripped me for far too long. Granted Nexus does have its own sound, but a worthwhile tradeoff.
     

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