Modi Multibit: Multibit for the masses.

Use whichever sounds best to you.

 

So I'm looking for someone to drop some knowledge. I'll admit I bought into the hype behind this product (gladly so). Reading about it pushed me to go for the multibit version over the regular one. I've noticed that DACs, expensive ones in particular, seem to trigger a lot of people (e.g. snake oil comments etc.). I also see people talk about how multibit is an old technology that has made a resurgence.

Could someone speak to the merits of multibit versus delta sigma? How does the modi MB compare to the regular version? It can be hard to decipher what's true and not when it's so easy for people to fall into a hive mind about certain things. Apologies if this has been discussed at length before.

 

I don't use my mac as a source much. I think I've used it literally 2 or 3 times. I'm going to try and use it a little more. I hooked it up earlier out of curiosity. I want to try some software with it. Right now I just have crapples iTunes, which I don't care for.

 

It has been discussed at length, although mostly in the context of other discussions. See here for a fairly recent discussion: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...gdrasil-stereophile-review-measurements.3762/

As far as Modi Multibit vs. the Modi2U; the multibit has better instrument timbre, sense of stage and space, imaging, and more articulate/clearly defined bass. The Uber will punch harder in the bass and perhaps carry better extension, but bass notes are bloomier and more smeared overall. It is also U-shaped in overall tonality whereas the Modibit is a bit mid-centric and darker up top.

 

So here's something I've been wondering about. The Modi Multibit has a measured resolution of 16 bits. So if this is the case, what is the point of using 24 bit recordings? If your DAC can only resolve 16 bits, can you actually hear the difference between a 16/44 recording and a 24/96 recording? I've read that the real world resolution cap of DACs is around 20bits.

 

So I've been testing out MQA with Tidal and comparing it to my CD's and I definitely hear a difference. At first I thought that difference was better but now I'm not so sure. It just sounds "different" which leads me to believe I'm hearing different mastering rather than better mastering, if that makes any sense. If your DAC can't resolve more than 16 bits, I fail to see the point of paying for higher resolution recordings. The sampling rate increase could be a benefit though. I think for now I'm gonna stick with CD. I don't have to worry about chaining up USB decrapifiers and it is still the cheapest source of 16bit recordings you actually own.

 

I've read some discussions on HF that mention the MQA content is generally remastered.

 

I pretty much just buy CDs now myself. Now that my system has a Modi Multibit, MP3 just does not cut it. I FLAC them and I have the CD for my cars. Still the best sound I can get in my car is CD and I am very happy with the FLAC files. Maybe there is something better files.... but you would have to buy the Yiggy and that is 10 times more. I really think that if you can find artists that have CDs worth buying, that it is the best way to go right now. I'm not an authority on buying single hi-res files at all. I'm sure that I could be schooled on it. But I'm going to spend about $300 and I have a list of CDs that I want to buy and convert to FLAC.

 

As long as my mp3s are 320, I don't hear a difference. I still buy the highest resolution I can find, but I don't remember a time that I heard a difference between flac and high res, or 320kb and high resolution. I haven't tried MQA yet, but I am sure I won't hear a difference.

 

Too much is unknown about MQA. If you really want to test it, take a hi-res file, make a copy, and convert that copy down to 16/44. Then A/B and see if you can hear a difference.

 

I think it depends on how the conversion is done. Don't dacs have to convert from 24 bits since they don't resolve 24 bits? And there are different ideas about how to do the conversion.

i think that part of the idea with hi-res is similar to why dacs over sample. You move a lot of the digititus to frequencies that aren't as audible and filter. Then the filtering is less noticeable. So in theory, the modi MB operating in NOS could be ok on hi-res. But nowadays most DACS still do filtering on hi-res. And of course you don't get the closed-form filter benefits of a Schiit MB in this case. So I wouldn't be surprised to find out that redbook sounds better on modi MB than the same recording (w/same mastering etc.) on hi-res.

Has anyone tried that?

 

What CD player are you using?

 

Tascam CD200 with some dynamat inside on bare metal surfaces.

 

I think that's right, the marketing says 32-bit but internally they don't work like that. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-sigma_modulation

Iirc the reason for high-res is more because people don't think redbook allows for enough dynamic range, which for the most part (and especially on super compressed modern recordings) for the end user that isn't true. Internally dacs usually convert the bitstream to a higher resolution to make things easier for their filters and it's thought by many that a good conversion done on your pc is better than that done by most dacs which don't have the processing power. I don't think that applies to Schiit products with their closed form filter.

Therein lies the rub as the last thing the people trying to get you to buy yet another copy of the album want you to do is not easily hear a difference so they all have different mastering.

That said there's nothing wrong with high-res files and all things being equal (which usually isn't the case but...) you may as well get the version you know has the greatest resolution just in case some day you develop bat hearing or something.

 

This is going to sound like an extremely stupid question but bear with me, I suffer from a severe case of tech nervosa. So I was rearranging my gear and when I went to plug everything back in, I realized that I had accidentally mixed up my Modi Multibit's AC wall wart with my amps DC wall wart. Neither the amp nor the Modi Multibit was ever turned on but they were both plugged into a live power strip. I tested the gear after I fixed the mistake without any noticeable problems but for future reference, is it possible to damage a component by plugging in the wrong power source (DC instead of AC) even if you don't flip on the ON switch? For the Modi Multibit in particular, is any power going to the board when its turned off? I know many electronics draw power even when they are turned off but still plugged in.

 

@TheIceman93 , I'm not tech oriented by any stretch, but for what it's worth, I've done the same thing a few times and none of my equipment has ever shown symptoms of damage.

 

No commercially released recording has ever come close to the full dynamic range of red book audio for what it's worth:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/dr/desc

 

It depends entirely on the design of the equipment. Both yes and no are possible answers. On some designs the power is always on to the board and the switch is just a "standby" switch. In other cases the switch physically isolates the circuitry.

It is also possible that mixing AC and DC adapters will do no immediate damage, again dependent upon design. It depends on maximum voltage limits and protection in the design.

 

I believe @Torq might have something on this "soon". In any case, most Tidal MQA releases seem to be remasters. However, 2L provides test tracks (redbook, high-res, MQA, etc.) that should be from the same master:
http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html