# Happy as a Pig in Schiit: Introducing Modi Multibit



## Jason Stoddard

Hey everyone,
  
 Let’s start our product announcements this year with something _really low_…specifically, the lowest-cost advanced multibit DAC out there, by any manufacturer, from any country on the planet. Welcome to Modi Multibit. 
  
 At only $249, you’d expect a super stripped-down DAC, right? Definitely not with our proprietary closed-form digital filter, and definitely not with a modern (not NOS or “pull”) DAC.
  
 Well, we’re pleased to change your expectations. Modi Multibit runs a version of our own “comboburrito” filter on a powerful Analog Devices SHARC DSP, and couples it with an Analog Devices AD5547 D/A converter that’s spec’d down to 1/2 LSB. Together with three inputs—asynchronous USB 2.0, optical, and coax—it’s an extremely versatile DAC…and an extremely affordable way to try this whole “multibit thing” for yourself.
  
 Modi Multibit press release: http://schiit.com/news/news/introducing-modi-multibit
 Modi Multibit product page: http://schiit.com/products/modi-2
 Modi Multibit chapter from Schiit Happened: http://www.head-fi.org/t/701900/schiit-happened-the-story-of-the-worlds-most-improbable-start-up/11670#post_12745837
  
 The Modi Multibit is available now at schiit.com.
  
 Enjoy!
  
 Jason


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## CSdread

game changer, i cant wait to get one of these.


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## madwolfa

Finally a replacement for an ageing V-DAC II in my speaker system. Good job. Schiit is going to sell a truckload of those.


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## ejong7

The unicorn product is out!


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## mdkaler

Awesomesauce!


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## Dillan

Great job guys, I respect Schiit more than any other company out there. You guys are the anti-overpriced audiophile snake oil that pollutes this hobby. Thank you thank you thank you.. please keep doing what you're doing and advancing the technology and research in the industry. I have nothing but respect for you and love these incredible value for the dollar products.


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## Eric510

Dang... Just bought a Modi 2 Uber last week. :/
Totally stoked to see Schiit continue to trickle down the Multibit stuff tho. Very cool.


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## XERO1

Sweetness!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I love that it has a full 2V of output (Modi 2/Modi 2 Uber only have 1.5V), just like all of the other big boy DACs!


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## amigastar

Hmm, although i have a Concero HD would love to try me some Multibit goodness, maybe for my dad.
  
 Love the fact that Schiit is trying to win new people to get interested in the Audioworld, i like that it's Schiit because they clearly love what they are doing.


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## glassmonkey

xero1 said:


> Sweetness!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Definitely brings up the use case. I'm excited to hear one of these. Will anybody be showing these off at CanJam London?


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## supabayes

Ordered online. Woohoo a Schiit multibit for my office setup.


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## thatonenoob

Well this certainly is exciting!


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## CFGamescape

Wow, great job! Can we assume that no Windows drivers are required for this version, too?


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## dmhenley

Very cool - look forward to future announcements too.


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## supabayes

cfgamescape said:


> Wow, great job! Can we assume that no Windows drivers are required for this version, too?


 
  
 Not needed for standard mode. Check Schiit website:
Modi 2 plugs into virtually any computer—Windows, Mac, popular Linux distros, Intel Chromebooks, as well as iPhones and iPads. Just connect via USB and go with no drivers in Standard Mode, up to 24/96 output. Switch to Expert Mode (and install Windows drivers) for extended high-res capabilities to 24/192.


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## supabayes

Happy as a pig - multibit DAC for about 1/10 price of Yggy! Looking forward to receiving it


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## bigro

supabayes said:


> Not needed for standard mode. Check Schiit website:
> Modi 2 plugs into virtually any computer—Windows, Mac, popular Linux distros, Intel Chromebooks, as well as iPhones and iPads. Just connect via USB and go with no drivers in Standard Mode, up to 24/96 output. Switch to Expert Mode (and install Windows drivers) for extended high-res capabilities to 24/192.


 
 The Modi 2 Uber requires drivers for windows. I would expect the Modi MB to require them as well, There is no switched Mode on the Uber and MB


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## sheldaze

cfgamescape said:


> Wow, great job! Can we assume that no Windows drivers are required for this version, too?


 


supabayes said:


> Not needed for standard mode. Check Schiit website:
> Modi 2 plugs into virtually any computer—Windows, Mac, popular Linux distros, Intel Chromebooks, as well as iPhones and iPads. Just connect via USB and go with no drivers in Standard Mode, up to 24/96 output. Switch to Expert Mode (and install Windows drivers) for extended high-res capabilities to 24/192.


 
 I think you need to take the FAQ piece by piece to understand. First there is a product called the Modi 2, which is not the Modi 2 Uber or the Modi Multibit. The Modi 2 has a switch on the back. This switch allows you to choose two modes - Expert and Standard. The Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit do not have this switch. Now I'll follow along with the text from the FAQ.
  


> In Standard Mode, Modi 2 can be used with virtually any Windows or Mac computer instantly recognizes Modi USB and requires no drivers.


 
  That is, for the Modi 2 (not the Uber or Multibit), you can select Standard mode. And in this mode, you do not need drivers. The Modi 2 will be recognized and operate.
  
 Quote:


> In Expert Mode, you’ll need to install drivers on Windows.


 
  That is, again for the Modi 2, when selecting Expert mode it will require drivers.
  
 Quote:


> Same goes for the Modi 2 Uber.


 
 This is the part that might be confusing. The Modi 2 Uber operates in Expert mode all the time. The Modi Multibit will also operate in Expert mode all the time. Thus this product will require drivers, all the time. There is not a Standard mode option for any product other than the Modi 2.


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## luckyeights

I do apologize but what is multibit and what does it do to the sound or sound quality?


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## Jason Stoddard

eric510 said:


> Dang... Just bought a Modi 2 Uber last week. :/
> Totally stoked to see Schiit continue to trickle down the Multibit stuff tho. Very cool.


 

 Contact orders@schiit.com if you bought a Modi 2 or Uber within the last month and are interested in moving up. We'll take care of you.


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## kstuart

eric510 said:


> Dang... Just bought a Modi 2 Uber last week. :/
> Totally stoked to see Schiit continue to trickle down the Multibit stuff tho. Very cool.


 
 Nevermind, Jason handled it.


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## robm321

.


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## franzdom

This is why I love the Schiit!!!
  


jason stoddard said:


> Contact orders@schiit.com if you bought a Modi 2 or Uber within the last month and are interested in moving up. We'll take care of you.


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## CFGamescape

sheldaze said:


> I think you need to take the FAQ piece by piece to understand. First there is a product called the Modi 2, which is not the Modi 2 Uber or the Modi Multibit. The Modi 2 has a switch on the back. This switch allows you to choose two modes - Expert and Standard. The Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit do not have this switch. Now I'll follow along with the text from the FAQ.
> 
> This is the part that might be confusing. The Modi 2 Uber operates in Expert mode all the time. The Modi Multibit will also operate in Expert mode all the time. Thus this product will require drivers, all the time. There is not a Standard mode option for any product other than the Modi 2.


 
 Thanks for parsing all the information. Yes, it seems as though you'll need drivers. Which isn't a problem for 99% of people, but if I were to get this, I'd get it for work, where our insanely overbearing corporate IT security team won't allow any third-party applications to be installed on our computers.


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## siwolfman

Thanks Jason and Schiit!
  
 However, since this is the "start our product announcements this year", will we be seeing changes to the Gungnir and Yggdrasil at some point?


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## mdkaler

sheldaze said:


> I think you need to take the FAQ piece by piece to understand. First there is a product called the Modi 2, which is not the Modi 2 Uber or the Modi Multibit. The Modi 2 has a switch on the back. This switch allows you to choose two modes - Expert and Standard. The Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit do not have this switch. Now I'll follow along with the text from the FAQ.
> 
> This is the part that might be confusing. The Modi 2 Uber operates in Expert mode all the time. The Modi Multibit will also operate in Expert mode all the time. Thus this product will require drivers, all the time. There is not a Standard mode option for any product other than the Modi 2.


 
  


cfgamescape said:


> Thanks for parsing all the information. Yes, it seems as though you'll need drivers. Which isn't a problem for 99% of people, but if I were to get this, I'd get it for work, where our insanely overbearing corporate IT security team won't allow any third-party applications to be installed on our computers.


 

 Very good answers!
 However, I suggest simply go download the Modi Multibit user manual for the official wordings. I am copying the relevant part here:
  
 "For USB, select “Schiit Modi” as the audio output device in Control Panel (Windows) or System
 Preferences (Mac.) For Windows users, you’ll have to install drivers from schiit.com/drivers."


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## bigro

cfgamescape said:


> Thanks for parsing all the information. Yes, it seems as though you'll need drivers. Which isn't a problem for 99% of people, but if I were to get this, I'd get it for work, where our insanely overbearing corporate IT security team won't allow any third-party applications to be installed on our computers.


 
 I had the ability to use drivers for years... until about 2 months ago. I have access to systems that will literally bring the company to a grinding halt but they still have the no USB for You Policy. I experimented with a Raspberry Pi and a Hifi berry Digi+ for a home music server (using the SPDIF /COAX to Bimby). I am Utterly Impressed with it for Less than $150 including a case It may be my workaround for this Draconion rules they have. and Even Bryston is making a Music Server based on this setup. I have a Modi 2 U now and while tempted I will wait for a while to see what transpires ont he 2 Channel front.


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## mdkaler

cfgamescape said:


> Thanks for parsing all the information. Yes, it seems as though you'll need drivers. Which isn't a problem for 99% of people, but if I were to get this, I'd get it for work, where our insanely overbearing corporate IT security team won't allow any third-party applications to be installed on our computers.


 

 Yeah same here, can't install any programs on my work rig. Now part of me want to keep the Modi 2...


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## llcook51

Where do I download the drivers?
 Thanks.


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## trellus

So... just to clarify, since there is no "Standard" mode, there is NO way to use the Modi 2 Multibit on Mac OS X, correct?


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## Jason Stoddard

trellus said:


> So... just to clarify, since there is no "Standard" mode, there is NO way to use the Modi 2 Multibit on Mac OS X, correct?


 

 Modi Multibit, like all of our DACs, just plugs into Macs and Linux distros that support USB Audio Class 2 and works with no drivers.
  
 Only Windows is lame enough NOT to support USB Audio Class 2.
  
 Hell, even Android 5 and up supports UAC 2.


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## Foofoobanana

luckyeights said:


> I do apologize but what is multibit and what does it do to the sound or sound quality?


 
 Depends on who you ask  =)
  
 Some people swear it sounds much better. Others say no difference. 
  
 My opinion wont get in the way of the hype train  anyway hehe  =)


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## thefitz

Is there a chance that the Modi Multibit would sound better than the old Bifrost Uber through digital coax?


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## supabayes

I am happy as a pig now as I have ordered one after Jason has made the announcement. 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit
 
 
*Modi Multibit: Unique Multibit Architecture and Digital Filter*
Modi Multibit is the most affordable multibit DAC with a modern architecture—from any manufacturer, from any country in the world. Featuring Schiit’s unique closed-form digital filter, and using the same Analog Devices AD5547 multibit DAC as Bifrost, Modi Multibit smashes the high-price barrier in multibit DACs. 
 

 
 
Since getting my Yggy in March, I have been yearning for a multibit DAC for my office desk. The Biforst multibit has been very tempting but I needed something with smaller footprint. This is a Modi multibit DAC fits the bill with its tiny footprint. Now waiting for Fedex delivery. Please post your impression and discussion here if you get your set earlier in the USA. 


Edit: For brevity, let's refer to the new dac as "Mimby" as Mike Moffat (Baldr) calls it in another thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/60#post_12747615 
Bimby = Bifrost Multibit
Gumby = Gungnir Multibit
Yggy = Yggdrasil
Mimby = Modi Multibit.


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## trellus

jason stoddard said:


> Modi Multibit, like all of our DACs, just plugs into Macs and Linux distros that support USB Audio Class 2 and works with no drivers.
> 
> Only Windows is lame enough NOT to support USB Audio Class 2.
> 
> Hell, even Android 5 and up supports UAC 2.


 
  
 Okay, thanks, that's what I suspected, but what I was reading in the thread confused me slightly so I wanted that clarification... I have never considered getting a multibit DAC before because I couldn't justify the price... but goodness, I think you have me sold!  Can't wait to try this out on my Mac!


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## i20bot

awww Schiit, now my wallet is itching.


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## droopy1592

I bit. Wondering when it's gonna ship. Bought the stack. Been waiting for this.


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## AviP

droopy1592 said:


> I bit. Wondering when it's gonna ship. Bought the stack. Been waiting for this.


 
I bought it 4 hours ago and it already shipped


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## droopy1592

avip said:


> I bought it 4 hours ago and it already shipped




Holy Schiit that's fast


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## bigro

bosiemoncrieff said:


> presumably you can still return and upgrade...they're pretty accommodating about upgrades like that.


 

 Already addressed.
  


jason stoddard said:


> Contact orders@schiit.com if you bought a Modi 2 or Uber within the last month and are interested in moving up. We'll take care of you.


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## kstuart

thefitz said:


> Is there a chance that the Modi Multibit would sound better than the old Bifrost Uber through digital coax?


 
 You can upgrade your Bifrost Uber to Multibit for $250, which then has these advantages over Modi Multibit:
  
 * Better power supply
 * Can be upgraded in the future.


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## Vartan

R2R?


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## droopy1592

vartan said:


> R2R?




Yep. Says so in the announcement.






> Multibit DACs differ from the vast majority of DACs in that they use true 16-20 bit D/A converters that can reproduce the exact level of every digital audio sample. Most DACs use inexpensive delta-sigma technology with a bit depth of only 1-5 bits to approximate the level of every digital audio sample, based on the values of the samples that precede and follow it.


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## Ttenu

> Thank you for your order! Your order number is 51***. Please check your email for a copy of this order.


 
  
 Today, I visited schiit.com to pull the trigger on a Modi 2 Uber for my 2ch TV setup. I did not see the multibit announcement.
  
 To my delight, Modi Multibit was an option on the Modi 2 product page! Please, take my Schiitty $100 in exchange for multibit glory.
  
 I'm spoiled by the Yggdrasil at my work desk (headphone/nearfield) but couldn't justify $600 Bifrost Multibit for TV/movies.
  
 Enter Modi Multibit at less than half the cost.
  
 /happy


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## TTNK

My jaw is on the floor. $250 multibit dac?? Amazing.


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## willowbrook

This has to be a game changer...very tempting to ditch portable setup.


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## Bob A (SD)

Dayum!  And I just added a Wyrd to my Modi 2.....


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## xuan87

Now, all we have to wait for is the Fulla Schiit Multibit!

But joking aside, Jason, will you suggest us getting a better power supply and do you have any to suggest?


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## leobigfield

Woaaa now I'm pumped up to get a multishiit stack!


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## Matro5

So, I have an Apple TV pulling Tidal off my Macbook or iPhone and Apple Lossless off my iMac. Just typing that makes me realize how preposterous I am, but forgive me for being an Apple fan boy for a second....but, do I benefit at all from going Multibit?
  
 I have a Modi 2 Uber in there already, but need a new DAC and would move the Modi 2 Uber to the office.


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## bigro

xuan87 said:


> Now, all we have to wait for is the Fulla Schiit Multibit!
> 
> But joking aside, Jason, will you suggest us getting a better power supply and do you have any to suggest?


 
  
  
 From the Modi 2 Product page
  
 "*Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: *Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"
  
 If you have schitty power in your house Get a good power conditioner if you think you need it, but a linear PS out of the box means there is not much more you need to do on that end.


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## ph0n6

So can the modi multibit be usb powered? Also no way to change it to simple mode I presume?


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## bigro

ph0n6 said:


> So can the modi multibit be usb powered? Also no way to change it to simple mode I presume?


 

 No Not USB powered. USB powered is not exactly the best power source and while for some it may be fine for others it can be noisy, which is why one of the big improvements of the Modi 2 Uber and now the MB over the Regular Modi is the addition of the Linear Power supply. Simple Mode is only an issue if you have a Windows machine and are using USB. Linux and Mac OS do not need drivers.


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## sheldaze

matro5 said:


> So, I have an Apple TV pulling Tidal off my Macbook or iPhone and Apple Lossless off my iMac. Just typing that makes me realize how preposterous I am, but forgive me for being an Apple fan boy for a second....but, do I benefit at all from going Multibit?
> 
> I have a Modi 2 Uber in there already, but need a new DAC and would move the Modi 2 Uber to the office.


 
 I have not heard the Modi Multibit. But like you, I do own the Modi 2 Uber. I bought the Modi Multibit in the blind. Why?
  
 I have owned the Bimby, Gumby, and Yggy - I sold the Bimby, because I did not have a use-case for it. It was not as good as the Gumby, nor was it balanced for those rare opportunities I have to connect to something balanced. But each of these closed-form digital filter and R2R implementations has sounded fantastic, to my ears.
  
 I would love to be able to share that fantastic sound at a meet in the more transportable form factor that the Modi Multibit provides. That is why I bought it in the blind.
  
 For you, however, I'd ask a few questions - what do you think of CD-quality audio? Are you happy with it or happier with high resolution audio? Does $100 seem too much of a gamble to find out? Can you wait a couple days for impressions to start to roll in?
  
 I thought CD-quality audio was kind of junk from first hearing it in the late 80s until around 2000. Then as my audio equipment got better CD quality simply got worse. It was cool in that I could skip tracks and there were no longer the pops from records or the warped sound from cassette. But it truly was just a commodity sound, meant to be played back at low volume. Regardless of the quality of the equipment I used for playback, it just left a edge or etched sound in my mind. I certainly was more happy with high resolution audio, which I got into into the mid-2000s. But even that depended greatly on quality of the recording on the disc. Some DVD-Audio discs were good, and some SACD discs were good. But I kept coming back to my CD collection with great unhappiness. Gumby was the first R2R I heard, followed a few days later by Yggdrasil at a local meet. The depth of information and the ease of listening to CD-quality audio was surprising.
  
 That is _my_ experience. I would say that if you are impatient, and the $100 gamble is not too much to bare, you can get the Modi Multibit today. Otherwise, I would recommend a wait and see attitude to let a few ears have their listen and to report back impressions.


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## ph0n6

bigro said:


> No Not USB powered. USB powered is not exactly the best power source and while for some it may be fine for others it can be noisy, which is why one of the big improvements of the Modi 2 Uber and now the MB over the Regular Modi is the addition of the Linear Power supply. Simple Mode is only an issue if you have a Windows machine and are using USB. Linux and Mac OS do not need drivers.


 
 Yes USB powered is problematic source but still they are convenient, I'm just asking if it's even an option? I found on reddit that the uber can be usb powered so I'm just asking if it's the same for the mimby.


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## koven

matro5 said:


> I have a Modi 2 Uber in there already, but need a new DAC and would move the Modi 2 Uber to the office.


 
  
 this is exactly what im doing.. just placed the order for multibit and moving modi 2 uber to office


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## 9dlewild

jason stoddard said:


> Contact orders@schiit.com if you bought a Modi 2 or Uber within the last month and are interested in moving up. We'll take care of you.


 
  
 This is indeed generous of the company.
  
 I gingerly checked to see if my (shipped June 1st) Modi 2-B can be taken care of. Not only am I firmly outside the 30-day limit (understandable), B-stock units do not qualify for this offer as the company does not accept such returns. Peeps with B-stock units, your best bet is to sell and upgrade.
  
 Would have been awesome to be able to return B-stocks (only when upgrading), even for a small re-stocking fee, just to avoid the hassle of selling to recoup some of the cash.These are, after all, products aimed at college student-audiophiles


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## bigro

ph0n6 said:


> Yes USB powered is problematic source but still they are convenient, I'm just asking if it's even an option? I found on reddit that the uber can be usb powered so I'm just asking if it's the same for the mimby.


 

 I agree USB powered is convenient, If its possible to use with straight usb power, I Don't not think you will get a Confirmation from Schiit. An electronic device designed for 16 Volts running on 5v prolonged does not seem like it would lend it self to proper operation and more importantly could affect the longevity . The Modi and the Uber variant probably have more in common with their design than with the MB so its not entirely a suprise the uber can be made to work sans power supply,. You have the DSP an Entirely Different DAC etc in the Multibit Modi, from reading the Post from Jason about the Multibit prototype running hot because it required more power i would say trying to run straigh usb may be an issue.
  
 "Regulator got too hot," Dave said. "We needed a second one."
  
Mike and I nodded. That wasn't surprising. The DSP and the industrial-strength D/A converter use more power than the consumer-grade chips they replaced."


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## XERO1

ph0n6 said:


> So can the modi multibit be usb powered? Also no way to change it to simple mode I presume?


 
  
 Quote:


bigro said:


> No Not USB powered. USB powered is not exactly the best power source and while for some it may be fine for others it can be noisy, which is why one of the big improvements of the Modi 2 Uber and now the MB over the Regular Modi is the addition of the Linear Power supply. Simple Mode is only an issue if you have a Windows machine and are using USB. Linux and Mac OS do not need drivers.


 
  
  
 The Modi 2 Uber's USB input (and possibly its DAC section) are still bus-powered by the PC.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/240#post_11381710
  
 I'm pretty sure the external PS is only used to power the coax and optical sections of the Modi 2U.  I don't know if the Modi MB is configured the same way.


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## caenlenfromOCN

Does this new DAC 5xxx chip sound harsh like the MOdi 2 DAC chip? I can't stand the harshness of my Schiit Stack v2 compared to my Dragonfly Black/Jitterbug combo.


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## rmoody

cfgamescape said:


> Thanks for parsing all the information. Yes, it seems as though you'll need drivers. Which isn't a problem for 99% of people, but if I were to get this, I'd get it for work, where our insanely overbearing corporate IT security team won't allow any third-party applications to be installed on our computers.


 

 This.
 Ugh, the way the Schiit drivers install uses a packaged exe installer and leaves an uninstaller in the Control Panel. I rather wish they just provided the inf files to install it manually. Due to the installer, it was targeted as "un-approved software" and removed from my and bigro's systems. Before I changed positions, wasn't an issue as I had domain admin rights, sigh, no longer. Even bigro gave in. I've been trying to figure out how to get my Schiit fix ever since which has been made more complicated because I'm not in an access controlled area now, I'm out in "general population" and I'm concerned that my Schiit may walk out the door if someone see it and goes "ohh, shiny". I have a laptop I can take and use just for music with a portable 4TB drive. If the Schiit chassis had a k-lock slot, I'd be set. I can get k-locks all day long. First world problems huh?


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## reddog

I am too happy this plunky little Multibit Modi seems a perfect compliment for the Liquid Carbon, especially one is traveling. I can use my Questyle QP1R to the Multibit Modi to the Cavalli liquid carbon, for a nice semi portable system, for the traveling Audophile. Thanks Jason for putting a big old smile on my face.


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## earnmyturns

reddog said:


> I am too happy this plunky little Multibit Modi seems a perfect compliment for the Liquid Carbon, especially one is traveling. I can use my Questyle QP1R to the Multibit Modi to the Cavalli liquid carbon, for a nice semi portable system, for the traveling Audophile. Thanks Jason for putting a big old smile on my face.


 
 Hum... I have Ether C Flows and a LC on order for my first balanced headphone rig, and an iBasso DX90, so with a Modi MB, more musical travel ... I like the idea


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## lukeap69

I am thinking of RPi3 with Digi+ > Moby >Lyr 2 for my second listening setup...


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## Letmebefrank

Ordered my Moby about 6 hours ago, can't wait to hear it!


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## KLJTech

*You really have to love and respect the way these guys do business!*
  
 For several years now whenever a new issue of Stereophile or TAS arrives in my mailbox I'll flip through the pages and I'm almost always left with the feeling that "audiophile gear" is being priced out of reach of most people. It's a shame, we need/want young people to join us in the realization that they can get more enjoyment out of their music collection, but it's a tough sell when you see some of the outrageous prices for better sounding components these days. 
  
 I admire the fact that Schiit Audio did such an incredible job on designing their cases so as to not only save money but use them as heatsinks. I have to think that the most expensive component in a lot of gear today is the fancy milled case. I love that Jason and Mike offer upgradeable components and THEN actually make upgrades available! That may sound like a silly statement, but for years "some" (not all) companies would claim that their new product was upgradeable but upgrades never came to pass yet the next "version" of said product would come out and your only option was to stay put or sell yours and buy the new one. 
  
 My hope is that the new Modi Multibit takes the industry by storm and opens a lot of eyes to what is possible if you care enough about your customers and have the talent to make it happen. My hats off to you guys, you already have me as a customer and frankly, you've removed any desire to look elsewhere when the "upgrade audio-bug bites" and I have the urge to buy something new.  
 Thanks so much for all you've done! I can't wait to see what you come up with next.


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## estreeter

Excellent - I can finally offload this _Berkeley Alpha_ onto some unsuspecting chump Head-Fier and get me some of that Schiit goodness for myself. People are finally gonna start taking me seriously around here.
  

  
 I hope the Moby comes in Lime Green - that would be sweet.


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## estreeter

jason stoddard said:


> Modi Multibit, like all of our DACs, just plugs into Macs and Linux distros that support USB Audio Class 2 and works with no drivers.
> 
> Only Windows is lame enough NOT to support USB Audio Class 2.
> 
> Hell, even Android 5 and up supports UAC 2.


 
  
 I take your point, but _USB Audio on Android_ isnt something you'd want to be staking your DAC's future sales on Jason .....  the horror, the sheer unmitigated horror


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## masterfuu

Congratulations. Just want to say something important. And it has nothing to do with the fact that I'm drunk in a sushi bar. Sipping on sake. I never know how amazing the schiit dac are until I had the bifrost Uber. It's the best dac I ever heard. Beats my grace m920. Absolutely spectacular sound. So good job Uber. You rock. My world. Always. Love you. Over and out


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## theveterans

Need someone to compare this to Bifrost Multibit or even Chord Mojo. No need to compare it to Gumby since Gumby is on another league.


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## mtoc

Bimby is using the same AD5547 chip, I guess?


----------



## Baldr

mtoc said:


> Bimby is using the same AD5547 chip, I guess?


 

 Yup


----------



## blinsc

xero1 said:


> The Modi 2 Uber's USB input (and possibly its DAC section) are still bus-powered by the PC.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/240#post_11381710
> 
> I'm pretty sure the external PS is only used to power the coax and optical sections of the Modi 2U.  I don't know if the Modi MB is configured the same way.


 

 The external power supply definitely powers the DAC as I am using a Modi 2 Uber with only coax connected (no USB cable connected) and it works.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

mtoc said:


> Bimby is using the same AD5547 chip, I guess?


 
  
 What does Bimby mean? Is this a more expensive DAC than the MOdi Multi? If so can you comment if it is a warm or cold DAC?


----------



## Baldr

caenlenfromocn said:


> What does Bimby mean? Is this a more expensive DAC than the MOdi Multi? If so can you comment if it is a warm or cold DAC?


 
  
 Bimby = Bifrost Multibit
 Gumby = Gungnir Multibit
 Yggy = Yggdrasil
 Mimby = Modi Multibit.


----------



## AviP

baldr said:


> Bimby = Bifrost Multibit
> Gumby = Gungnir Multibit
> Yggy = Yggdrasil
> Mimby = Modi Multibit.


 
 Shouldn't it be Momby?
 The way I see it, the names were created from the shortened versions, BiMB and GuMB, so logically it should be  MoMB or Momby...


----------



## AviP

This what I think of whenever bimby is mentioned (0:19-0:26)


----------



## Keirapc

Mark this thread to get more infomation about this R2R DAC with affordable price


----------



## catspaw

I already have a bimby and asgard 1 at my home setup. The only problem I had was that I could not carry them with me when I took my laptop somewhere.
 I gotta check how to order that to Poland, will allow me to carry the games and the sounds with me. Good Schiit.


----------



## supabayes

avip said:


> Shouldn't it be Momby?
> 
> The way I see it, the names were created from the shortened versions, BiMB and GuMB, so logically it should be  MoMB or Momby...




Because Mike said so ... heheheh. Mimby is catchy. I like it and have updated it at Modi Multibit DAC discussion thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815397/schiit-modi-multibit-dac


----------



## Noldir

estreeter said:


> I take your point, but _USB Audio on Android_ isnt something you'd want to be staking your DAC's future sales on Jason .....  the horror, the sheer unmitigated horror




Over all my devices, in all years using it like this never had trouble. What is this horror you speak of?


----------



## bigro

Quote:


xero1 said:


> The Modi 2 Uber's USB input (and possibly its DAC section) are still bus-powered by the PC.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/240#post_11381710
> 
> I'm pretty sure the external PS is only used to power the coax and optical sections of the Modi 2U.  I don't know if the Modi MB is configured the same way.


  
 Quote:


blinsc said:


> The external power supply definitely powers the DAC as I am using a Modi 2 Uber with only coax connected (no USB cable connected) and it works.


 

 .xero1, From what I gathered from that post they needed a Wyrd or powered USB hub for his phone to see the M2U, and you still need the Wallwart to power the other portions.My Modi 2 U does not Even show up Under Device Management on my Windows Desktop unless I hit the power switch and that's with a Wyrd inline it seems like its a lot easier to just plug it in and be done.   If you don't want to or cant use the a wallwart why not just go for the standard Modi 2?


----------



## Shogster

Modi Multibit sounds awesome, but is it going to be in stock soon at Schiit-EU site?


----------



## alazhaarp

shogster said:


> Modi Multibit sounds awesome, but is it going to be in stock soon at Schiit-EU site?


 

 Maybe they'll update the website after their summer holiday (until July 29th).


----------



## sheldaze

theveterans said:


> Need someone to compare this to Bifrost Multibit or even Chord Mojo. No need to compare it to Gumby since Gumby is on another league.


 
 If that post was for me, I have no intention to compare Modi Multibit to Gumby. I would be comparing Modi Multibit against the Modi 2 Uber.
  
 I will be doing a completely unrelated presentation of a Grace Design m9xx and Chord Mojo this coming weekend - the related part is the person interested in listening to these two products also owns the Bifrost Multibit. Certainly a non-issue for me to bring the small Modi Multibit along with, and ask his impression of it - his impression simply because he's more familiar with the Bimby sound. It has been a long while since I've heard it.
  
 Interesting that you would ask about the Chord Mojo - there should have been multiple impressions of it by now, against the Bimby. I'd prefer not to muddy the waters by adding a direct comparison against Modi Multibit. Moby against Bimby should give you enough information I think.
  
 And if you want my opinion of Mojo versus Bimby, from when I did own the two, my answer is two-fold. Until you can take a Bimby with you, while plugged into a battery for power, I'm not sure there really sure there should be a comparison. The two products do different things. The way I use my Mojo is always directly plugged into a headphone, and for travel (or as a small DAC, that requires no warm-up, when I'm going to a meet and already have too much stuff to carry my Gumby and UPS power source). And second, they are so vastly different in how they process sound, it is a very personal thing, if you will like the Chord "house" sound or not. I obviously like the Chord Mojo, yet it does not replace my main desktop system, which will remain Gumby (and I see no issue, had I not owned Gumby, in using the Bimby). The sound, Chord versus Schiit, is so different, I do not think words can truly capture the sonic difference between Mojo and Bimby. I brought my Mojo to a meet last year, and one of the local members preferred the Schiit Fulla over the Chord Mojo. That's how different the two sound. It is definitely something you should hear for yourself.


----------



## conquerator2

I've never been that big a fan of the Yggy / Gumby. I am more of warm R2R guy, so PCM1704 goodness. That said, I am tipping my head at this and will be joining the stable when it eventually reaches the EU website.
This is a spectacularly awesome achievement!


----------



## conquerator2

Sup sub


----------



## jeffri

Okay, I'm tempted and just ordered one


----------



## HAWKEYE7

Hmmm my birthday is in October. If I don't get it as a gift I have it down for my next purchase.


----------



## vladpetric

The cost of a Bifrost Uber (which I'm a happy owner of) -> Bifrost Multibit upgrade is similar to the cost of a new Modi Multibit.
  
 What would be the pros of performing the above upgrade as opposed to just getting a Modi Multibit?
  
 I would imagine that the power supply in the Bifrost is better ... What else ?
  
 Thank you!


----------



## ejong7

vladpetric said:


> The cost of a Bifrost Uber (which I'm a happy owner of) -> Bifrost Multibit upgrade is similar to the cost of a new Modi Multibit.
> 
> What would be the pros of performing the above upgrade as opposed to just getting a Modi Multibit?
> 
> ...


 

 Potential to upgrade the components. In the Bifrost you could still do that. With the Modi, no chance.


----------



## Tuneslover

I was looking at and comparing the Bifrost MB and the new Modi MB boards on the Schiit website and besides the obvious size differences between these 2 components, there's one heck of a lot more "electronics" in the Bifrost. If size matters, one would have to think that the Bifrost MB is significantly more DAC than the Modi MB. I'm very curious to hear fair comparative impressions from owners of both.


----------



## XERO1

xero1 said:


> The Modi 2 Uber's USB input (and possibly its DAC section) are still bus-powered by the PC.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/748067/official-schiit-magni-modi-2-uber-thread/240#post_11381710
> 
> I'm pretty sure the external PS is only used to power the coax and optical sections of the Modi 2U.  I don't know if the Modi MB is configured the same way.


 
  


bigro said:


> .xero1, From what I gathered from that post they needed a Wyrd or powered USB hub for his phone to see the M2U, and you still need the Wallwart to power the other portions.My Modi 2 U does not Even show up Under Device Management on my Windows Desktop unless I hit the power switch and that's with a Wyrd inline....


 
  
 I stand corrected.  It looks like the Modi 2U is completely powered by its PS (and I would assume that the Modi MB is the same).  Thanks for the info.


----------



## jamor

tuneslover said:


> I was looking at and comparing the Bifrost MB and the new Modi MB boards on the Schiit website and besides the obvious size differences between these 2 components, there's one heck of a lot more "electronics" in the Bifrost. If size matters, one would have to think that the Bifrost MB is significantly more DAC than the Modi MB. I'm very curious to hear fair comparative impressions from owners of both.


 
  
 I think the extra stuff you see is because it is modular/upgradeable.  They are both Schiit Multibit2 Platform, 4x Closed-form Filter, AD5547CRUZ.


----------



## srisaikat

tuneslover said:


> I was looking at and comparing the Bifrost MB and the new Modi MB boards on the Schiit website and besides the obvious size differences between these 2 components, there's one heck of a lot more "electronics" in the Bifrost. If size matters, one would have to think that the Bifrost MB is significantly more DAC than the Modi MB. I'm very curious to hear fair comparative impressions from owners of both.


 
 Bifrost Multibit have on board power supply where as Modi MB do not. So I can guess the reason of lot more electronics. Now we have to concentrate on analog side, are there significant extra components on Bimby compared to Modi MB? I guess it might have, as the SNR is 109 compared to 104 of Modi MB, also I do not think they have posted the inside real picture of Modi MB yet.


----------



## jfoxvol

srisaikat said:


> Bifrost Multibit have on board power supply where as Modi MB do not. So I can guess the reason of lot more electronics. Now we have to concentrate on analog side, are there significant extra components on Bimby compared to Modi MB? I guess it might have, as the SNR is 109 compared to 104 of Modi MB, also I do not think they have posted the inside real picture of Modi MB yet.


 
 The inside pics are up on the site now.  It's packed pretty tight on top and bottom.


----------



## Pahani

Just ordered one


----------



## supabayes

My set is shipped. Fedex Priority will deliver by Friday evening. Schiit has posted pictures of the PCB on its website. 
  
 Top

  
 Bottom


----------



## Xacxac

Wow, interesting stuff. Multibit for $250, how amazing that is!

But I'll wait until someone does comaprison between ModiU-ModiMB-Bitfrost-BitfrostMB.


----------



## AviP

jamor said:


> They already have, on a site that shall not be named.



What site might that be? If love to see that comparison...


----------



## MothAudio

Ordered Monday [release date]. Shipped 24 hours later.


----------



## enlight10ment

avip said:


> Shouldn't it be Momby?
> The way I see it, the names were created from the shortened versions, BiMB and GuMB, so logically it should be  MoMB or Momby...


 
  
 I was going to say it should be Moby, think I saw at least one other person call it that as well. Mimby kinda fails as an abbreviation when it's longer than the original "modi" name sake...  We need an official statement from schitt to settle these polarizing community issues.


----------



## lenroot77

enlight10ment said:


> I was going to say it should be Moby, think I saw at least one other person call it that as well. Mimby kinda fails as an abbreviation when it's longer than the original "modi" name sake...  We need an official statement from schitt to settle these polarizing community issues.




+1 for Moby


----------



## reginalb

What is the actual practical difference in sound between a multibit and not mulitbit DAC? I know that nobody here has yet heard the Modi, so the Bifrost. Can someone _concretely _describe how the Bifrost multibit sounds different than the Bifrost?


----------



## landroni

reginalb said:


> What is the actual practical difference in sound between a multibit and not mulitbit DAC? I know that nobody here has yet heard the Modi, so the Bifrost. Can someone _concretely _describe how the Bifrost multibit sounds different than the Bifrost?


 

 You'll see much controversy around "concrete" assessments (these things are very personal, different people have different sensitivities, etc.), but the gist of it is that many find Schiit R2R DACs to sound more "natural" or "realistic", with less "listening fatigue" and without "digital glare". I find such assessments especially convincing when coming from people with experience with live unamplified music or actual studio recordings (and who can compare the recording to the live performance they've assisted to), and/or have access to various DACs of ludicrous price tags yet still prefer the Schiit R2R presentation.
  
 For instance see:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/785369/yggdrasil-gungnir-mb-bifrost-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/804153/life-after-yggdrasil


----------



## JazzVinyl

Opened wallet, ordered Bimby


----------



## estreeter

I dont care what Mike or Jason are calling it - to me it's *'Moby*'. The other names are silly enough - it doesnt need an 'm' for people to what people are referring to.


----------



## Ttenu

estreeter said:


> I dont care what Mike or Jason are calling it - to me it's *'Moby*'. The other names are silly enough - it doesnt need an 'm' for people to what people are referring to.


 
 +1 for Moby.
  
 Though, I like the spelling Mobi. Makes me want to add a 'T' to finish off the bit in multibit: *Mobit*


----------



## Wil

Ordered! 
  
 *rubs hands in anticipation*


----------



## Baldr

estreeter said:


> I dont care what Mike or Jason are calling it - to me it's *'Moby*'. The other names are silly enough - it doesnt need an 'm' for people to what people are referring to.


 

 I call it Mimby - no right or wrong.  Call it What you want.  No bad feelings taken.


----------



## svetlyo

shogster said:


> Modi Multibit sounds awesome, but is it going to be in stock soon at Schiit-EU site?


 
 You mean on this Schiit-Eu site - http://schiit.eu.com/dacs/modi-multibit or on schiit-europe.com?


----------



## Rowethren

svetlyo said:


> You mean on this Schiit-Eu site - http://schiit.eu.com/dacs/modi-multibit or on schiit-europe.com?




As far as I am aware schiit.eu.com is the offical seller for Schiit in Europe, it is run by Mark who is the UK Schiit dealer.


----------



## conquerator2

schiit-europe.com is also. That one is run by Sonority, likewise an official dealer


----------



## jamor

I'm returning my modi 2 uber and just bought the modi multibit.  I'm such a sucker for hype.


----------



## ejong7

Hi guys. I just finished up a post in regards to a factory tour that I was on at Schiit Audio a couple of weeks ago. There are no impressions, but if you are interested in seeing the inner working of Schiit, you can go there.


----------



## ScottFree

ejong7 said:


> Hi guys. I just finished up a post in regards to a factory tour that I was on at Schiit Audio a couple of weeks ago. There are no impressions, but if you are interested in seeing the inner working of Schiit, you can go there.




Great post ejong. Always interested to hear more Schiit about Schiit. Though reading about Jason's highly trained ninjas makes me wonder. Does he hire them or does he have his own personal henchman training camp like any good Bond villain. 

https://youtu.be/mFmLAqdPdsY


----------



## Shogster

svetlyo said:


> You mean on this Schiit-Eu site - http://schiit.eu.com/dacs/modi-multibit or on schiit-europe.com?


 
  
 Did not know about this one.Was talking about the schiit-europe site yeah.Not sure if i can buy in euro from the schiit-eu though,so i think i will try my luck at schiit--europe.


----------



## luckyeights

So since this thing has what looks to be the same basic setup as the Bifrost multi bit will it have similar sound quality but just without upgradeability and without an internal power supply? 

 Also how do you feel this would compare to a Grace M9xx? A Modi multibit with the magni uber would be $400 while the grace is $500.


----------



## luckyeights

Oh boy my head is spinning, googled multibit dac and it went into resistors and numbers and all sorts of crazy stuff.  But it seems like there are a number of issues that multibit has, linearity problems, zero crossing problems and changes in performance when temperatures change.
  
 Not sure what that all means though the temperature issue intrigues me though as the room i listen to can get pretty warm at times....damned high end pc =P


----------



## vladpetric

luckyeights said:


> Oh boy my head is spinning, googled multibit dac and it went into resistors and numbers and all sorts of crazy stuff.  But it seems like there are a number of issues that multibit has, linearity problems, zero crossing problems and changes in performance when temperatures change.
> 
> Not sure what that all means though the temperature issue intrigues me though as the room i listen to can get pretty warm at times....damned high end pc =P




The solution for temperature is rather straightforward - run the DAC continuously, and the temperature will be super-stable.

As for resistor precision - that is what makes the R2R DAC chips really expensive


----------



## jamor

luckyeights said:


> Oh boy my head is spinning, googled multibit dac and it went into resistors and numbers and all sorts of crazy stuff.  But it seems like there are a number of issues that multibit has, linearity problems, zero crossing problems and changes in performance when temperatures change.
> 
> Not sure what that all means though the temperature issue intrigues me though as the room i listen to can get pretty warm at times....damned high end pc =P


 
  
 I just leave a bag of frozen peas on mine and it seems to work fine.


----------



## luckyeights

Bonus your Peas are steamed when your done listening to your music....


----------



## goodyfresh

Want want want want want want WANT!
  
 Added to wishlist.  Haha.

 I've always wanted to introduce myself to good multibit sound since people rave about it so much, but the prices for such DAC's were always somewhat out of reach for me.  This product changes everything!


----------



## franzdom

goodyfresh said:


> Want want want want want want WANT!
> 
> *Added to Schiitlist.  Haha.*
> 
> I've always wanted to introduce myself to good multibit sound since people rave about it so much, but the prices for such DAC's were always somewhat out of reach for me.  This product changes everything!


 
  
 FTFY


----------



## Melodic

Mine is scheduled for delivery today!
  
 I'm replacing an original Modi.


----------



## MothAudio

^^ Nice.
 
Mine should be here Friday. I took delivery of the Modi 2 Uber a few weeks ago and returned after the Modi Multibit release. I was burning it in on my home theatre and never got the opportunity to hook it up to my 2 channel. Since the Denon AVR re-samples the signal from the Modi I unfortunately won't be able to compare/contrast the two


----------



## sheldaze

Guys and gals, I'm not sure what to tell you. Only the magic is there for me with the Modi Multibit, just as it was for the three previous incarnations I have heard. At the moment, listening to Natural Elements by Acoustic Alchemy - the track is Drake's Drum. There is lots of "acoustic" in this album. Through the 4490, it sounds less real. The decay to each strum of the guitar, the cymbals, some sort of what I would describe as a salt shaker, it is all more difficult for me to "bite" into. Switch back to the Multibit, and I can immediately associate what I hear with reality. Even that salt shaker became less of a one-note instrument and more of a person striking a metallic object, with a swishing motion. There was more enunciation and rhythm to what they were doing - definitely not a salt shaker. There is also nice decay to the cymbals and drums. There is more technique in how the strings are strummed on the guitar.


----------



## JazzVinyl

sheldaze said:


> Guys and gals, I'm not sure what to tell you. Only the magic is there for me with the Modi Multibit, just as it was for the three previous incarnations I have heard. At the moment, listening to Natural Elements by Acoustic Alchemy - the track is Drake's Drum. There is lots of "acoustic" in this album. Through the 4490, it sounds less real. The decay to each strum of the guitar, the cymbals, some sort of what I would describe as a salt shaker, it is all more difficult for me to "bite" into. Switch back to the Multibit, and I can immediately associate what I hear with reality. Even that salt shaker became less of a one-note instrument and more of a person striking a metallic object, with a swishing motion. There was more enunciation and rhythm to what they were doing - definitely not a salt shaker. There is also nice decay to the cymbals and drums. There is more technique in how the strings are strummed on the guitar.




Very nice description! Love Acoustic Alchemy, their recording technique is second to none, great pick!!

Can't wait for my Mimby to arrive!


----------



## luckyeights

So m9xx or this and a magni 2 uber. Thoughts?


----------



## goodyfresh

franzdom said:


> FTFY


 

 Hahaha, thanks for that.
  
 I had an Asgard 2 on loan for five or six months before along with a pair of Mr. Speakers Alpha Dogs.  Used my Fiio X3ii as a DAC (pretty good, has a CS4398 chip in a fairly-good implementation).  The Alpha Dogs sounded oh-so-sweet from that setup, and it's a real cheap one too 

 I think I'd like to get a good Stack of Schiit to drive my eventual endgame (maybe the Ether C Flow from what I've been seeing lately).  If I can audition it to see what I think of the multibit sound, and decide I love it, I'll probably get the Modi Multibit as the first part of that stack.
  
 I've asked this before about multibit stuff but how does it change the sound, exactly?  Like, how does the Bifrost Multibit actually improve on the sound of the Bifrost, for example?  What will be the difference between the sound of this and the standard Modi?


----------



## luckyeights

I wonder that myself.  I have heard that supposedly multibit makes it sound more natural while delta sigma (your average dac)  makes things sound more digital.  What this translates to im not sure maybe multibit sounds more intimate or lush im not sure.


----------



## ohcrapgorillas

Impatiently awaiting reviews


----------



## robm321

^ Me too.


----------



## sheldaze

I'm a little more specific - I'd like to hear from people who are using the Magni 2 Uber and this DAC.
  
 I'm using an original Magni and Vali. The sound was quite instantly recognizable through the Vali. Trailing edges of sounds decayed in a way I found more natural, which is compared against the Modi 2 Uber (4490). Things like the brush strokes against cymbals was no longer noise, but a recognizable artist's technique. Guitar plucks were less thump-thump and more pluck-pluck with meaning - some loud and others soft. But I haven't listened to a lot. I was starting to get lost in the sound, before I switched to the Magni. Again - an original Magni. Not Magni 2 or Magni 2 Uber. I'm quite curious what people think of the sound through the newest Magni 2 Uber.


----------



## estreeter

goodyfresh said:


> ......
> 
> I've asked this before about multibit stuff but how does it change the sound, exactly?  Like, how does the Bifrost Multibit actually improve on the sound of the Bifrost, for example?  What will be the difference between the sound of this and the standard Modi?


 
  
 I assume you weren't here for the extensive rants from  @purrin , @Baldr and others re the utter superiority of multibit DACs over delta-sigma designs ? Probably best to cut to the chase and read a few Yggy impressions from other Head-Fiers - this thread is only 197 pages long. I think the first thread was somewhere in excess of 500 pages before the Yggy even made it into a FedEx truck.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/766347/schiit-yggdrasil-impressions-thread
  
 If you want something a little more polished and concise, it seems Jason caved on his usual 'no review samples' and let Darko loose on a Gumby :
  
 http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/01/zesty-and-sweet-the-stunning-schiit-gungnir-multibit-dac/
  
 So now we have the Yggy, Gumby, Bimby and Mimby - like Pokemon, apparently the aim is to get 'em all


----------



## earnmyturns

goodyfresh said:


> Hahaha, thanks for that.
> 
> I had an Asgard 2 on loan for five or six months before along with a pair of Mr. Speakers Alpha Dogs.  Used my Fiio X3ii as a DAC (pretty good, has a CS4398 chip in a fairly-good implementation).  The Alpha Dogs sounded oh-so-sweet from that setup, and it's a real cheap one too
> 
> ...


 
 I had Bifrost>Asgard 2>Alpha Prime, upgraded to the Bifrost to Multibit when that upgrade came out. I listen mostly to modern jazz and jazz-related music, West Africa, Middle East, early music, baroque, and modern classical. Wins from the upgrade: crisper attacks (percussion, guitar, piano), more sustained decays (guitar, piano, bass), clearer upper midrange (piano), better separation between instruments. Overall closer to live performances by the same musicians (I attend live shows pretty often).


----------



## goodyfresh

earnmyturns said:


> I had Bifrost>Asgard 2>Alpha Prime, upgraded to the Bifrost to Multibit when that upgrade came out. I listen mostly to modern jazz and jazz-related music, West Africa, Middle East, early music, baroque, and modern classical. Wins from the upgrade: crisper attacks (percussion, guitar, piano), more sustained decays (guitar, piano, bass), clearer upper midrange (piano), better separation between instruments. Overall closer to live performances by the same musicians (I attend live shows pretty often).


 

 I wasn't saying Mr. Speakers headphones did their absolute best with the X3ii into Asgard 2 setup.  But it came shockingly close to the best performance of a headphone like the Alpha Dog for the price of such a stack combined with the fact one of the components was a portable player, haha.


----------



## luckyeights

Would the magni 2 uber be a good pair with this dac or would the asgard be a better choice?


----------



## XERO1

Just remember when comparing the Modi 2U to the Modi MB, the Modi 2U has 1.5V of output and the Modi MB has 2V of output.  That's a 25% increase in volume level over the Modi 2U and it will need to be compensated for when doing an A-B shootout between them.


----------



## franzdom

xero1 said:


> Just remember when comparing the Modi 2U to the Modi MB, the Modi 2U has 1.5V of output and the Modi MB has 2V of output.  That's a 25% increase in volume level over the Modi 2U and it will need to be compensated for when doing an A-B shootout between them.


 
  
 Wouldn't that be a 33% increase?


----------



## XERO1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *franzdom* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> 
> Wouldn't that be a 33% increase?


  
  
 Good question!  Anyone have a definitive answer?!


----------



## bosiemoncrieff

Magni and Asgard are basically the same amp. I'd go for the stackable option, but frankly opt for Vali 2 above Magni 2, because you can swap a tube out for LISST as you like.
  
 Any comparisons of Magni 2 Uber vs Vali 2 w/ LISST?


----------



## madwolfa

bosiemoncrieff said:


> Magni and Asgard are basically the same amp.


 
  
 As in they are both solid-state? That's about the only thing common in them.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I cant wait to hear this amazing 24-96 vinyl rip of Dark Side on a multibit DAC. Right now on my modi2Uber and Vali 2 (jj e88cc gp) it sounds fantastic, I can only imagine the multibit-analog love thats going to happen.


----------



## bosiemoncrieff

madwolfa said:


> As in they are both solid-state? That's about the only thing common in them.


 

 And they both (magni2uber)  have a lot of power, sound bright paired with HD800...


----------



## madwolfa

bosiemoncrieff said:


> And they both (magni2uber)  have a lot of power, sound bright paired with HD800...


 
  
 *shrugs* HD800 _is_ a bright headphone.


----------



## Psalmanazar

Any impressions vs Bifrost multi-bit?


----------



## bosiemoncrieff

With Mjolnir 2 and LISST lossless recordings sound great


----------



## jimmers

xero1 said:


>





> Good question!  Anyone have a definitive answer?


 
 + 2.5dB


----------



## slex

I wonder if I add the xmos XU208 F1 to link with coax input of this modi multibit will it bettered the m9xx I have now!!!?? Or a regular gumby without F1.


----------



## slex

slex said:


> I wonder if I add the xmos XU208 F1 to link with coax input of this modi multibit will it bettered the m9xx I have now!!!?? Or a regular gumby without F1.




Nevermind just bought both today, will find out myself


----------



## luckyeights

Well i joined the modi multibit hype train and order one and a magni 2 to go with it.  Lets see how it compares to my sound blaster zxr.


----------



## llcook51

Just got my Modi MB in the mail today (ordered last Saturday). Great service, as usual. Will plug it in this evening.


----------



## Defiant00

franzdom said:


> Wouldn't that be a 33% increase?


 
  
  


xero1 said:


>


 
  
 1.5 to 2 is a 33% increase (difference / initial value) = (0.5 / 1.5) = 0.33 = 33%


----------



## Letmebefrank

llcook51 said:


> Just got my Modi MB in the mail today (ordered last Saturday). Great service, as usual. Will plug it in this evening.


 
How did you order it on Saturday? Didn't it just release Monday?


----------



## svetlyo

Sonority Audio already offer it in EU - http://www.schiit-europe.com/index.php/producten/dacs/modi-multibit.html  (*€259, *expected delivery between 5-15 august)


----------



## jeffri

Too bad my order was cancelled as they thought it was flaudulent, can't blame them though, I was ordering with my Indonesian credit card and send it to my US Shipito address. Not sure to be sad or happy about it, as that made me rethinking of the purchase a bit (sort of impulse clicking that time). I guess I'll wait to read for some review before reordering again, this time straight to my address.


----------



## rmoody

jeffri said:


> Too bad my order was cancelled as they thought it was flaudulent, can't blame them though, I was ordering with my Indonesian credit card and send it to my US Shipito address. Not sure to be sad or happy about it, as that made me rethinking of the purchase a bit (sort of impulse clicking that time). I guess I'll wait to read for some review before reordering again, this time straight to my address.


 

 In situations like yours, I seem to recall Jason saying that if you use PayPal it reduces their risk, but I could be remembering wrong.


----------



## jeffri

rmoody said:


> In situations like yours, I seem to recall Jason saying that if you use PayPal it reduces their risk, but I could be remembering wrong.




Yeah, they recommend using Paypal on my next order. The only thing with Paypal is I can't send it to my Shipito address, to which I could combine my other purchase to single package and save overall shipping cost with multiple items. Anyway, I think I'll order again later, holding off for now to read some more reviews.


----------



## XERO1

defiant00 said:


> 1.5 to 2 is a 33% increase (difference / initial value) = (0.5 / 1.5) = 0.33 = 33%


 
  
 OK.  Difference / _*initial*_ value.  Got it.  Thanks!


----------



## JazzVinyl

Got my tracking number 

Giddy-up, Pony Express!


----------



## tafens

It would be interesting to know (has anyone had the time to test yet?) if the new Modi Multibit needs a lot of warm up time to sound its best?


----------



## Baldr

tafens said:


> It would be interesting to know (has anyone had the time to test yet?) if the new Modi Multibit needs a lot of warm up time to sound its best?


 

 Because it is smaller and 16 bit, it is relatively quick. (24 hours is most of the way.)


----------



## wonderbrah

Confession: ever since I got my Modi 2 uber 4490 last month, I haven't turned it off. I assume the electrical cost is negligible judging by how small and cool it runs but I actually haven't looked into it. It's nice not having to wait for it to warm up.


----------



## slex

The weakest link is the supplied power supply i guess, anyone thinking of alternatives power? Ifi DC ipurifier or just a r-core or toroidal transformer LPS that have EMI filter suppressing RFI noise?


----------



## theveterans

> The weakest link is the supplied power supply i guess, anyone thinking of alternatives power? Ifi DC ipurifier or just a r-core or toroidal transformer LPS that have EMI filter suppressing RFI noise?


 
  
 For the price of the DAC, I wouldn't spend more than that on a power purifier. DC iPurifier for both Modi and Wyrd should be sufficient IMO.


----------



## DonQuijote

Ordered on Monday - it was waiting for me after work today.   Happy..happy..happy!


----------



## slex

Yeah, im just sceptical about the supplied power that is " Made in China " where else mimby is USA made.


----------



## MothAudio

.


----------



## reginalb

xero1 said:


> OK.  Difference / _*initial*_ value.  Got it.  Thanks!


 
  
 You just have to look at your wording, you basically stated it incorrectly given the way you did the calculation.
  
 an increase from 1.5 to 2 is a 33% increase (you are going _from _1.5 _to _2) so you would calculate it the way that Defiant described. 
  
 The way that you did the math would be for describing a drop from 2 to 1.5. Which would be a 25% drop.


----------



## Vigrith

svetlyo said:


> Sonority Audio already offer it in EU - http://www.schiit-europe.com/index.php/producten/dacs/modi-multibit.html  (*€259, *expected delivery between 5-15 august)


 
  
 Did they up the price since your post? It's marked at 279€ for me now on their website. Not that it's a big difference but 20€ is a relatively relevant amount, it's the cost of shipping pretty much.


----------



## JazzVinyl

It appears the supplied Mimby Wall-Wart is supplying the unit with 16 volts of AC and the conversion to DC and the regulation of the DC all happens inside Mimby.

If that is correct, I think you have little to worry about from the supplied Wall-Wart...


----------



## JazzVinyl

From the product page:

"Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"


----------



## JazzVinyl

donquijote said:


> Ordered on Monday - it was waiting for me after work today.   Happy..happy..happy!




Congrats on your first post @DonQuijote....!

Tell us what you think of Mimby, please....

Cheers!


----------



## Melodic

M-Modi was on my porch yesterday when I got home from work!

Listened last night on the computer with headphones.

Impressed. 

Stayed up too late distracted by the music......

Today after it had been on for 24 hours I listened to it on the living room system. 

More impressed.

Cons: #poorproductivity


----------



## slex

jazzvinyl said:


> From the product page:
> 
> "Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"




Yes, and the voltage current is 0.5A


----------



## supabayes

Fedex just delivered my Schiit. Initial impression is unbelievable - warm R2R sound out of that tiny Modi chasis. Bass is punchy. Speed and timing are good. Compared Yggy, the immediate thing that stood out was the reduced resolution but hey for about 1/10 of the price, I grinned my approval for the Mimby at 0.1h. Best USD249 spent on Head-fi stuff for me in 2016! 
  
 Burning/warming up now. Will share impression when the set is warmed up at 12h.


----------



## slex

supabayes said:


> Fedex just delivered my Schiit. Initial impression is unbelievable - warm R2R sound out of that tiny Modi chasis. Bass is punchy. Speed and timing are good. Compared Yggy, the immediate thing that stood out was the reduced resolution but hey for about 1/10 of the price, I grinned my approval for the Mimby at 0.1h. Best USD249 spent on Head-fi stuff for me in 2016!
> 
> Burning/warming up now. Will share impression when the set is warmed up at 12h.
> 
> ...




pls share which digital input you using too.


----------



## supabayes

slex said:


> pls share which digital input you using too.


 

 Tried both Schiit PYST USB and also Toslink from my Macbook. Not much difference between them at initial hearing. Will add Wyrd later to see if any difference. So far the USB connection is stable. With my Yggy USB3 connection to Macbook tends to drop signal.


----------



## supabayes

jazzvinyl said:


> From the product page:
> 
> "Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"


 
  
  
 Here's a picture of my Mimby wall wart.


----------



## kaplas

vigrith said:


> Did they up the price since your post? It's marked at 279€ for me now on their website. Not that it's a big difference but 20€ is a relatively relevant amount, it's the cost of shipping pretty much.




I think they did it during the last 8 hours. It was 259 e when I went to bed thinking "I will order it in the morning". And it was 279 e when I woke up...


----------



## supabayes

I have just taken delivery of my Mimby. It is fantastic and can hold its fort vs my Yggy at the initial listen. The Mimby will be a big hit and send shockwave to the industry. Thank you Jason and everyone at Schiit for putting the R2R multibit sound in such a tiny footprint and at a crazy price.


----------



## slex

Hey schiit can i have your signature sign on my coming mimby?


----------



## MothAudio

I use a API Power Wedge 113 mk II PLC for home theatre and Shunyata Hydra PLC for 2 channel [avatar].


----------



## luckyeights

Ok you do realize you just made everyone start salivating while we wait to get ours right?  SO unfair =P.   I ordered the mimby and the magni 2, i was thinking of getting the asgard 2 hopefully the magni 2 is good enough. 
  
 Also could you give us a more detailed comparison of the two i am curious and i am sure everyone else is as to how close the mimby is to the yggy.


----------



## Vigrith

supabayes said:


> I have just taken delivery of my Mimby. It is fantastic and can hold its fort vs my Yggy at the initial listen. The Mimby will be a big hit and send shockwave to the industry. Thank you Jason and everyone at Schiit for putting the R2R multibit sound in such a tiny footprint and at a crazy price.


 
  
 Aw man, don't do us dirty like that................ Just ordered one. LOL


----------



## JazzVinyl

supabayes said:


>




Wow! That is quite a size difference between Mimby and Yggy!


----------



## JazzVinyl

supabayes said:


> Here's a picture of my Mimby wall wart.




Right but if all the linear DC power supply stuff is inside Mimby and all this is doing is stepping down 115 VAC to 16 VAC...


----------



## JazzVinyl

mothaudio said:


> I use a API Power Wedge 113 mk II PLC for home theatre and Shunyata Hydra PLC for 2 channel [avatar].




Do you have RFI problems if you don't use the conditioner @MothAudio?


----------



## sheldaze

supabayes said:


> Here's a picture of my Mimby wall wart.


 
 Just to clarify, because there seemed to be some concern over the quality of the wall wart. It is the standard wall wart for many of their products, and its quality is quite good. It is used for:
  

Magni
Magni 2
Vali
Modi 2 Uber
Modi Optical
Mani
  
 Things like the Vali 2 and Magni 2 Uber use a different wall wart. Apparently the Wyrd also does something slightly different.


----------



## bigro

luckyeights said:


> Ok you do realize you just made everyone start salivating while we wait to get ours right?  SO unfair =P.   I ordered the mimby and the magni 2, i was thinking of getting the asgard 2 hopefully the magni 2 is good enough.
> 
> Also could you give us a more detailed comparison of the two i am curious and i am sure everyone else is as to how close the mimby is to the yggy.


 

 Did you get the Magni or Magni 2 Uber? Size can be deceiving, the Magni 2 Uber is a great little Amp. It all depends on what kind of cans you are driving. The Asgard is Class A while the Magni 2's are Class A/B so there is difference in architecture and that huge power supply and Caps in the asgard which should help with power hungry cans . If you look at the Max power of both Magni's, Both Magni's can hold their own.


----------



## luckyeights

I got the magni 2 uber so i could hook up my desktop speakers.  Its not hte power i was concerned about but the magni's sound signature.  Is it neutral, warm or bright?   I would perfer a neutral or slightly warm as i dont like bright.  I was thinking of getting the asgard 2 because i have heard people say its warmer sounding.   Just afraid that the magni 2 might be bright for me but we will find out.  I dont like bright headphones or amps gives me headaches.


----------



## supabayes

sheldaze said:


> Just to clarify, because there seemed to be some concern over the quality of the wall wart. It is the standard wall wart for many of their products, and its quality is quite good. It is used for:
> 
> 
> Magni
> ...


 

 Here's a photo of my Wyrd wall wart.
  
  

  
 TBH, I have no concern over the quality or performance of the Mimby or Wyrd wall warts.They are totally silent and do their job well so far. 
  
 In contrast <and I am going off topic from Schiit to rant>, I have an iPOWER linear wall wart that causes buzzing to my iFi iCan Micro SE amp. It buzzes with both IEM and high impedance headphone like HD800S. It buzzes when I touch the bass/3D switches on the front panel of the amp. It buzzes so contagiously that my Violectric V181 picks up the buzzing when plugged to the same power strip as the iPOWER wart. And you know what? After I swap the iPOWER with a Western Digital external HDD power wart and the buzz disappears completely from the iCan Micro SE amp. <end of rant>


----------



## Tuneslover

luckyeights said:


> I got the magni 2 uber so i could hook up my desktop speakers.  Its not hte power i was concerned about but the magni's sound signature.  Is it neutral, warm or bright?   I would perfer a neutral or slightly warm as i dont like bright.  I was thinking of getting the asgard 2 because i have heard people say its warmer sounding.   Just afraid that the magni 2 might be bright for me but we will find out.  I dont like bright headphones or amps gives me headaches.




In my opinion my Magni 2Ü leans toward neutral/bright but less edgy sounding than the original Magni. I don't consider this a bad thing as I like detail. On the other hand I find the Vali 2 a little warmer than the Magni. I prefer the Vali 2 because it's more versatile in that you can tailor the sound by rolling tubes. Although the Magni 2Ü is a bit more powerful than the Vali 2, both have plenty of power and have no difficulty driving my HD650 and HE500.


----------



## luckyeights

well worst case scenario I might have to EQ it =/  but hopefully its fine.


----------



## luckyeights

Hey schiit would it be possible to make an amp with like a slider on the side starts of cold and analytical (treble head) then you slide it more to the right and it gets closer to neutral.  The middle area of the slider is neutral and then as you slide it more to the right it gets warmer.   Perfect idea right one amp could suite anyone's taste from cold and analytical to warm and inviting and neutral for everyone in-between.  
  
 Make it so Schiit =D


----------



## supabayes

luckyeights said:


> Ok you do realize you just made everyone start salivating while we wait to get ours right?  SO unfair =P.   I ordered the mimby and the magni 2, i was thinking of getting the asgard 2 hopefully the magni 2 is good enough.
> 
> Also could you give us a more detailed comparison of the two i am curious and i am sure everyone else is as to how close the mimby is to the yggy.


 

 Can't help it. This tiny footprint Mimby means more to me than all the other multibit releases. Sure, I will post some impressions at the mimby dac thread as I have more listening time with it. Still warming it up at 12.5h. 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815397/schiit-modi-multibit-dac


----------



## bigro

tuneslover said:


> In my opinion my Magni 2Ü leans toward neutral/bright but less edgy sounding than the original Magni. I don't consider this a bad thing as I like detail. On the other hand I find the Vali 2 a little warmer than the Magni. I prefer the Vali 2 because it's more versatile in that you can tailor the sound by rolling tubes. Although the Magni 2Ü is a bit more powerful than the Vali 2, both have plenty of power and have no difficulty driving my HD650 and HE500.


 
 Agreed. I used the Magni 2 U for a Preamp driving desktop speakers for a while and I have the same impressions. I do use a Vali 2 for Cans at work almost every day. I like em both, Prefer the Vali 2 though. I like the tube sound.


----------



## madwolfa

luckyeights said:


> Hey schiit would it be possible to make an amp with like a slider on the side starts of cold and analytical (treble head) then you slide it more to the right and it gets closer to neutral.  The middle area of the slider is neutral and then as you slide it more to the right it gets warmer.   Perfect idea right one amp could suite anyone's taste from cold and analytical to warm and inviting and neutral for everyone in-between.
> 
> Make it so Schiit =D


 
  
 Why not just grab a high quality software EQ with couple presets?


----------



## bigro

madwolfa said:


> Why not just grab a high quality software EQ with couple presets?


 

 +1
  
 Edit: or a tube amp allows you to change the character by swapping out tubes. The Vali 2 comes to mind again


----------



## MothAudio

jazzvinyl said:


> Do you have RFI problems if you don't use the conditioner @MothAudio?


 

 ​No.


----------



## yage

Quick put a quantum chip on that wall wart! It'll make your Mimby sound an Yggy!


----------



## luckyeights

I keep seeing warm up. Now does that mean you plug it in turn it on and let it sit for 12 hours or can you listen to it. But it will sound better once fully warmed up?


----------



## RickB

luckyeights said:


> I keep seeing warm up. Now does that mean you plug it in turn it on and let it sit for 12 hours or can you listen to it. But it will sound better once fully warmed up?


 
 Baldr (DAC designer) has said that warm up is 24 hours, after which it will sound its best. You can leave it on all the time.


----------



## franzdom

luckyeights said:


> I keep seeing warm up. Now does that mean you plug it in turn it on and let it sit for 12 hours or can you listen to it. But it will sound better once fully warmed up?


 
  
 The latter.


----------



## luckyeights

You could but hardware EQ is always better than software EQ.  Software EQ can add distortion while hardware typically does not.  I had thought about the vali 2 but I was afraid to purchase it first before having a solid state amp because i have heard tube amps tend to distort/blur the sound and make it warmer this is pleasant but you sort of loose the fine details.  if anyone can chime in and confirm ?


----------



## MothAudio

My MM was rescheduled for delivery on Monday. Looking forward to hearing from those of you that took delivery yesterday / today.


----------



## supabayes

Here’s my listening impression of Mimby at 13h:
  
 I love my Yggy. I read all the online reviews and audition it before buying. One of my favourite online reviews is on Headphone Guru by Paddy Carroll. It is also partially quoted on Schiit’s Yggy Review page. I am going to quote from Headphone Guru site so you see what Paddy wrote:
  
_"The Yggdrasil has an amazing way of reproducing the sound of three dimensional space. This quality is most evident in acoustic recordings such as the Belcea Quartets 2013 recording of Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets. This recording that is exceptionally well made and a perfect test for the Yggdrasil. Naturalness in tone is incredibly important for chamber music like this. The cello and violin were presented by the Yggdrasil in ways that I had never heard before. The speed and attack of Corina Belcea’s bowing on these pieces was astonishing! Every minute detail is displayed wonderfully – the contact of each bow on the string and the reverberations through the sound hole are perfectly captured. There are other elements to the recording that become far more apparent with the Yggdrasil. Breaths taking by the four musicians and movements of the arms and feet are all amplified creating a much more intimate listening experience. _
  
 My set up for listening tonight - Macbook > Schiit PYST USB cable > Mimby, Yggy > DH Lab RCA > Ragnarok > HD800S and HE1000.
  
 I must have gone over ten/twenty albums, skipping tracks and moving to favourite segments. I will just share my impression from listening to the Belcea Quartets _2013: The Complete String Quartets Track _and Amber Rubarth 2012 Album: Sessions From the 17th Ward, especially Track 3 Strive. 
  
   
  
  
 Since Mimby only has 4X Closed-Form Filter, single AD5547CRUZ processor compared to Yggy's 8X Closed-Form Filter, 4x AD5791BRUZ processors, it is not surprising that the Mimby delivers the multibit essence but not every minute detail as perfectly as the Yggy. Through the Mimby, the cello and violin were still pleasing and natural sounding with speed and attack of bowing, contact of each bow on the string and the reverberations perfectly captured much like on the Yggy. The string timbre and decay were comparable although the Yggy had more juicy texture/detail especially for cello. Soundstage wise, the Mimby width and 3 dimensionality are matching to the Yggy and I can still get a sense of the size of the concert hall and positioning of the instruments.
  
 After 10-15 minutes of serious A/B switching, I lost my interest to compare Mimby vs. Yggy. The Mimby’s less detailed presentation is equally captivating and I continued with the Mimby for song after song. It is relaxing and addictive DAC, perhaps a good choice for prolonged listening and also for relaxing and winding down on a Friday night. 
  
 More listening impression to be continued as my Mimby warm up continues.


----------



## supabayes

Just posted a listening impression here:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815397/schiit-modi-multibit-dac/45#post_12756133


----------



## Vigrith

Thank you for your comparison, I appreciate that highly. After reading up on what you said earlier on the other thread about it not being far behind your Yggy I went and ordered one from the European Schiit dealer, should have it within a week and a half or so, looking forward to it!


----------



## fjrabon

luckyeights said:


> You could but hardware EQ is always better than software EQ.  Software EQ can add distortion while hardware typically does not.  I had thought about the vali 2 but I was afraid to purchase it first before having a solid state amp because i have heard tube amps tend to distort/blur the sound and make it warmer this is pleasant but you sort of loose the fine details.  if anyone can chime in and confirm ?


 

 the modern high quality 64 bit software EQs don't have that problem.  They're not cheap though.  A lot of people who feel this way have this feeling because of freebie software EQ programs.


----------



## fjrabon

just ordered mine.  potentially replacing the AudioEngine D1 in my smaller home rig.  Will be fun to pit it against the m9XX and iDAC6 to see how the lowest end multibit DACs stand up to the higher end of delta sigma (or at least what I view as the highest end delta sigma).


----------



## JazzVinyl

Mine is due to arrive on Monday. 
I am a bit of a sound stage aficionado, so the preceding proclamation that it's close to Yggy in that regard, has me all the more anxious.





.


----------



## fjrabon

redundant.  oops.
  
 uh, to get back on topic, I'll definitely be doing a m9XX v MoMBy (or whatever we are calling it) once it comes in since I've seen a lot of questions about that.


----------



## Rodmunch

luckyeights said:


> Hey schiit would it be possible to make an amp with like a slider on the side starts of cold and analytical (treble head) then you slide it more to the right and it gets closer to neutral.  The middle area of the slider is neutral and then as you slide it more to the right it gets warmer.   Perfect idea right one amp could suite anyone's taste from cold and analytical to warm and inviting and neutral for everyone in-between.
> 
> Make it so Schiit =D


 
 So you want some schiity tone controls?


----------



## rmoody

bigro said:


> Agreed. I used the Magni 2 U for a Preamp driving desktop speakers for a while and I have the same impressions. I do use a Vali 2 for Cans at work almost every day. I like em both, Prefer the Vali 2 though. I like the tube sound.


 

 I do love that Vali 2. I shouldn't have returned that to you! I felt like it was more engaging and just fun than the Asgard 2. Certainly not as powerful, but very enjoyable to listen to.
  
 It's all good now, MJ2 is holding down all required duties. Just wish the thing muted the preamp outs when headphones were connected. Sigh.


----------



## estreeter

supabayes said:


> I have just taken delivery of my Mimby. It is fantastic and can hold its fort vs my Yggy at the initial listen. The Mimby will be a big hit and send shockwave to the industry. Thank you Jason and everyone at Schiit for putting the R2R multibit sound in such a tiny footprint and at a crazy price.


 

  
 What happened to the* mandatory 72-hour stabilisation phase* for multibit DACs or does that only apply to the Yggy ??? Purrin and Mike were very upfront about this, and it gels with my own experience with other DACs - straight out the box, I dont expect magic from anything.


----------



## luckyeights

Pleas do let us know how the m9xx compares.  I was going to order that...but then the modi muiltibit came out and i was like hmm..... I have several delta sigma dacs why not try a multibit this time.   Several minute latter modi multibit ordered.


----------



## bigro

luckyeights said:


> You could but hardware EQ is always better than software EQ.  Software EQ can add distortion while hardware typically does not.  I had thought about the vali 2 but I was afraid to purchase it first before having a solid state amp because i have heard tube amps tend to distort/blur the sound and make it warmer this is pleasant but you sort of loose the fine details.  if anyone can chime in and confirm ?


 
 Sounds like you got your info from people who never heard a good amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  See below
  


baldr said:


> Please excuse the brevity:
> 
> I generally prefer tubes, except when it is an impedance/current issue to drive cans directly.  <snipped>


 
  
 If you don't know who Baldr is the primary driving force of this Multibit Schiit Dacs and not to be a kiss ass or put words in his mouth but I would say he qualifies as an audio legend and really do you think schiit would build tube amps if they sounded like Schitt? 
  
 Quote:. 





rmoody said:


> I do love that Vali 2. I shouldn't have returned that to you! I felt like it was more engaging and just fun than the Asgard 2. Certainly not as powerful, but very enjoyable to listen to.
> 
> It's all good now, MJ2 is holding down all required duties. Just wish the thing muted the preamp outs when headphones were connected. Sigh.


 
 Yes, That Vali 2 was the Gateway drug to your MJ2. I was listening to the Vali 2 most of the day in the office thinking about what the Mimby/Vali2 Combo would sound like. Damn i'm going to go hide my wallet so when I am a few beers in I don't make a rash decision.


----------



## XERO1




----------



## murphythecat

very excited!


----------



## Tuneslover

bigro said:


> Sounds like you got your info from people who never heard a good amp :wink_face: .  See below
> 
> 
> If you don't know who Baldr is the primary driving force of this Multibit Schiit Dacs and not to be a kiss ass or put words in his mouth but I would say he qualifies as an audio legend and really do you think schiit would build tube amps if they sounded like Schitt?
> ...




Lots of detail plus a smidgen of tube goodness with my Bifrost MB and Vali 2. Heavenly.


----------



## droopy1592

estreeter said:


> What happened to the *mandatory 72-hour stabilisation phase* for multibit DACs or does that only apply to the Yggy ??? Purrin and Mike were very upfront about this, and it gels with my own experience with other DACs - straight out the box, I dont expect magic from anything.




Link to Mike saying this?


----------



## Argo Duck

estreeter said:


> What happened to the *mandatory 72-hour stabilisation phase* for multibit DACs or does that only apply to the Yggy ??? Purrin and Mike were very upfront about this, and it gels with my own experience with other DACs - straight out the box, I dont expect magic from anything.




Mike said 24 hours (somewhere around here). OTOH, my Yggy sounded great after two hours. True, it got better from there but...it shamed my BMC PureDAC - the best of the 5 DS dacs I've owned - right away.


----------



## Baldr

estreeter said:


> What happened to the* mandatory 72-hour stabilisation phase* for multibit DACs or does that only apply to the Yggy ??? Purrin and Mike were very upfront about this, and it gels with my own experience with other DACs - straight out the box, I dont expect magic from anything.


 

 Two factors: One is that it takes 32x less time to stabilize to 16 bit rather than 21 bit levels.  The second is that things heat up much faster in a teeny box.


----------



## rovopio

32x times less than 72-hour, that means Modi Multibit will stabilize at 135 minutes?


----------



## estreeter

baldr said:


> Two factors: One is that it takes 32x less time to stabilize to 16 bit rather than 21 bit levels.  The second is that things heat up much faster in a teeny box.


 
  
 Thanks Mike - good to get it from the horse's mouth. I'm not going to dredge through the old Yggy threads to find the shock and indignation that accompanied the news that Yggy needed 72 hours to sound its best, and I know you strongly recommend that owners keep their DACs powered up 24/7 where possible - power cuts would definitely be a bitch though.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/667711/new-schiit-ragnarok-and-yggdrasil/7200#post_11590435
  
 I firmly believe that all gear has a bedding-in period but that notion seems to be challenged on HF more often than it's accepted - such is life.


----------



## supabayes

estreeter said:


> What happened to the* mandatory 72-hour stabilisation phase* for multibit DACs or does that only apply to the Yggy ??? Purrin and Mike were very upfront about this, and it gels with my own experience with other DACs - straight out the box, I dont expect magic from anything.


 
  
 Agree that one shouldn't expect magic straight out of the box. But it doesn't mean that all impression should be suspended till after 72 hours of unboxing. The reality for me is that judging a DAC from cold cannot be avoided. Many a times for me at Can Jam and audio stores - the DACs were powered less than 4-8 hours from cold. Nonetheless, learning from my Yggy experience, I leave the Mimby on continuously and sharing my impression (in the other thread) as it clocks more hours.
  
 The Mimby manual was silent about warming up. Mike/Jason should clarify if keeping the Mimby on continuously is recommended. If yes, do consider adding a 5th line (in red) on page 3.


----------



## estreeter

It's not just DACs - all electronics benefit from being left powered on 24/7 - but clearly common sense has to prevail where heat is involved. I admit to being a little stunned by the howls of protest that accompany any such claim - walk through the average domicile at 3am and you'll find gadgets powered on all over the place - they might be on standby or whatever, but they are still powered on. I dont know what impact it would have on one's power bill to leave a source/DAC/amp powered up 24/7 for 3 months, but when you've already got a fridge, TV, AV receiver, water cooler, fans etc etc going 24 hours a day, is it really such a big deal ?


----------



## jamor

estreeter said:


> Thanks Mike - good to get it from the horse's mouth. I'm not going to dredge through the old Yggy threads to find the shock and indignation that accompanied the news that Yggy needed 72 hours to sound its best, and I know you strongly recommend that owners keep their DACs powered up 24/7 where possible - power cuts would definitely be a bitch though.
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/667711/new-schiit-ragnarok-and-yggdrasil/7200#post_11590435
> 
> I firmly believe that all gear has a bedding-in period but that notion seems to be challenged on HF more often than it's accepted - such is life.


 
  
 I don't think it's a problem as long as you're hooked into top of the line conditioners/surge protectors.   I always use Furman and Panamax.


----------



## conquerator2

If it was 70 all-year it wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, it ain't.


----------



## droopy1592

baldr said:


> I call it Mimby - no right or wrong.  Call it What you want.  No bad feelings taken.




Not that it matters but you guys called it MOMB on the FedEx shipping label (momby?)


----------



## cyclops214

Damn this bored is evil just placed my order my wallet hates you all.


----------



## JazzVinyl

My deliver date had been rescheduled for TODAY, instead of Monday


----------



## droopy1592

Alright just got mine in and connected. Initially I notice better soundstage than what I'm used to and very resolving but going to put some time in an A/B before I give an opinion. Also the horns and strings have quicker decay than what I'm used to.


----------



## luckyeights

I have no idea when mine is coming, I ordered on the 27th got the confirmation email but never any shipping notices =(


----------



## KoshNaranek

Got my Moby last night. Plugged it in and ran it all night. Been listening and comparing to PS Audio DL III and Bifrost Multibit.
  
 Test System:
 Vortexbox backend
 HiFiBerry Digi(first generation, no Digi+)
 Squeezebox touch
 Music Hall Mambo Amplifier
 Canton Ergo 70 Speakers
  
 When Comparing to the DL III, the Moby has much better bass and treble loses harshness. Very pleasant. Of course, imaging is much improved. Background Blackness(noise floor?) is not as good as the DL III or the Bimby. Overall it is much better than the DL III at providing a more musical experience. The difference between the Moby and Bimby is more subtle and may narrow over time.
  
 When using the Squeezebox touch, the DL III turns nasty in the high frequencies and grates on the nerves. Imaging is very poor. The Moby is still pleasant but loses some of the imaging focus.
  
 I do not think Jason et al should worry about cannibalizing sales. Moby is a gateway drug to Gumby and Yggy. If people are interested, I can try this test on a larger system.
  
 Thanks


----------



## droopy1592

Also noticing the warmer and cleaner sound the longer it stays on. Got the magni on top of it and it's helping to keep it warm.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I ordered mine on Monday, received shipping notification Thursday, and expected delivery is Monday, even though it got to Indianapolis yesterday evening. Hope it gets delivered today anyway!


----------



## Pahani

Yay, mine arrived!! Priority Mail (Saturday delivery) to the rescue 
  
 Straight out of the box, no warmup or burnin period....I'm impressed! But then, my Stax are finicky......some days are good days, some days are amazing days, and I haven't quite nailed down why.
  
 Expectation bias and all that, I'll reserve my impressions until more time is spent.


----------



## jamor

Received my multibit!
  
 Are these the best windows drivers?  They were automatically installed.


----------



## droopy1592

I posted this on reddit, just gonna leave this hear
  
 Seriously, thanks Schiit. I'm totally impressed. I haven't done Schiit all day other than listen to all of my music over again. I should be doing yard work and work related stuff. 


> My grado ps500e and sr325 sound great through the macbook pro. PM3 not so much. I was blaming the phones (because my other phones sounded great) and just thought others that had reviewed the pm3s were just happy they had some ok sounding Planar headphones on a budget. I couldn't understand the hype with the Oppos. I didn't know if it was because they were closed (hell, my Momentum 2s are closed and sound great) or just not a great sounding phone.
> 
> I had packed the PM3 up to sell because they just didn't float my boat. I tend to like a dark sound but with detailed/airy treble. There was something missing and I never really reached for them much at all except for very specific tracks.
> 
> ...


----------



## luckyeights

The number of processors does not really matter as the yggy only uses all of them in balanced mode.  The moderate difference is the processor itself is better but the big difference is the 4x burrito vs 8x megaburrito. I believe this is where the extra details are coming from.  Though i doubt the mimby is any slouch in detail compared to any other dac under $500.  But i guesss we will ahve to wait and see the big comparison im waiting for is the m9xx vs mimby.


----------



## bosiemoncrieff

koshnaranek said:


> I do not think Jason et al should worry about cannibalizing sales. Moby is a gateway drug to Gumby and Yggy.


 
 and more to the point, steve jobs reminds us that if we don't "cannibalize" ourselves, someone else will. I suspect that even if every Bimby customer were to get Moby instead, so many more will buy Moby that could not afford Bimby in the first place that it will be a net positive—even discounting the customer loyalty, goodwill, etc. that will bring customers to future purchases.


----------



## JazzVinyl

Mimby has arrived, and it works 

Going to let 'er burn in a bit, before commenting further.


----------



## MothAudio

koshnaranek said:


> I do not think Jason et al should worry about cannibalizing sales. *Moby is a gateway drug to Gumby and Yggy.* If people are interested, I can try this test on a larger system.
> 
> Thanks


 
  
 Speaking for myself I'm currently messing around with multi channel playback since my 2 channel is inactive. So far I'm surprised by the SQ of components far less revealing than my SET system. The Mimby will see service there and once I get the 2 channel up and running I may throw some cash into my front end and demo the Gumby as I'm very happy with the other pieces in my system.


----------



## koven

is anyones front button really loose? is it suppose to be like this?


----------



## MothAudio

The button on my Modi 2 Uber was not loose, worked flawlessly the short time I own it.


----------



## sheldaze

koven said:


> is anyones front button really loose? is it suppose to be like this?


 
 The button can be loose. It is not an issue.
  
 When comparing my Modi 2 Uber (4490) against a local member's original Modi 2 Uber (4396) he noted that my button was worse. Sorry, but I've not actually touched the button on my Modi Multibit to compare it against my Modi 2 Uber (4490). I'm just enjoying the music.


----------



## JazzVinyl

koven said:


> is anyones front button really loose? is it suppose to be like this?




Mine does not feel loose.


----------



## koven

jazzvinyl said:


> Mine does not feel loose.


 
  
 yeah, that is what i assumed. it almost rattles on touch. i am going to RMA it. thanks.


----------



## mysticstryk

koven said:


> yeah, that is what i assumed. it almost rattles on touch. i am going to RMA it. thanks.




It varies from unit to unit, but the loose button is normal.


----------



## DonQuijote

The Mimby replaced a Modi 2 in the chain.  I fed the USB from a Galaxy Tab (streaming the local classical station) via a Wyrd and fed the optical from a Marantz SA8004 (CDs and hybrid SACDs).  I will use the coax in with a FIIO X3 but I haven't tried that yet - 90% of the music on the FIIO is CD FLAC rips anyway.  The output of the Mimby/Modi 2 goes to a Little Dot MK III.  The Little Dot's pre-out goes to a pair of Monoprice studio monitors.  That's the most surprising thing I found - fed with a classical stream through the Mimby, those speakers never sounded so good.  The improvement was immediately noticeable.  The headphones plugged into the Little Dot are HD600s.  My personal music tastes run to classical, jazz and progressive rock, although I have been known to sample blues, metal, folk, ambient and electronika.  I am particularly fond of female vocals.  I tried the Chesky Ultimate Demonstration disc. This a pretty good test disc as it has female, male and group vocals plus jazz and classical ensembles.  I found the Mimby to be much more detailed - I could hear the wind players catch their breath (also the vocalists) and hear the pluck of the strings.   Going on to other recordings, I heard the keys strike in Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1.  Someone on one of the multibit threads mentioned a Dire Strait's 1986 CD for drums/percussion.  Since I don't have this CD, I improvised - went to YouTube and found a drum solo by Meytal Cohen.  The drums are much tighter with the Mimby with the attack and sustain of the cymbals more noticeable.  The drums on the Chesky disc were the same.  I am going to look for more acoustic music as well as some of my favorite symphonies to compare.  This review(?) took longer than I expected, so I'll leave now


----------



## Arthrumus

Impressions compared to the multibit Bifrost would be awesome if anyone ends up with both. As an existing Bifrost owner seeing that the multibit upgrade is the same price as the entire Modi Multibit dac it would be good to have an idea of what disadvantages come with the going the Modi route. Reading the specs on Schiit's site it looks like both the Modi Multibit and Bifrost Multibit use the same DAC chip and closed form filter.


----------



## estreeter

conquerator2 said:


> If it was 70 all-year it wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, it ain't.


 
  
 I hear ya, but isnt everyone in much the same boat for at least 3 months of any given year ?
  
 FWIW, I came up here to get away from southern Winters, and anything resembling 70 deg F is starting to get to the point where I need to wear socks to bed 
  
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin,_Northern_Territory#Climate
  
 For us, that '3 months' becomes 10 months, but I'm not moving to Hobart just to listen to a few tunes.


----------



## slex

I will bet adding DDC xmos F1-WC and ifi dc ipurifier to the chain will surpass the performance of bimby.And with the upcoming ifi s/pdif ipurifier.

All this add up is still cheaper than a regular bimby itself perhaps even a regular gumby for SQ i hope


----------



## JazzVinyl

After 8 hours running....I can only say:




Sounds great...details galore are presented in their own space. The stage, air, and seperation of instruments (not to mention, clarity) is exemplary!!

Well done....!!!!


----------



## supabayes

At 48h, my listening impression continues here after adding a Wyrd. 
  
 Holly Cole 1995: Temptation album is a Tom Waits songbook cover and one of my all time favourite album. 
  

  
 By track 9 _Little Boy Blue_ got my feet tapping with its opening bass riff, which is punchy and textured. The sax was smooth and soulful. Cole's sultry voice, accompanied by the extraordinaire bass ... And I had no idea which Schiit was playing! Imagine my delight to see the Mimby playing when my ears said Yggy. 
  
 I am sure in the days to come, many will entertain you with their impression of Mimby vs Bimby, Gumby, Mojo, M9xx ... I am Yggy fan and so I will repeat my impression relative to it.
  
 Drawing from Headmania's review of Yggy where some Pros were listed down, which I will borrow and amend below in red.
 https://headmania.org/2015/08/18/schiit-yggdrasil-dac-review/
  
*Pros (of Mimby)*

Good bass with great punch and body
Rich and detailed midrange
Good, well extended, natural treble
Very good, well textured and present voices
Good imaging, instrument separation and layering
Very good details
Good transients with strong attack
Natural, flowing and cursive sound
Excellent build quality and looks
Excellent Fantastic price performance ratio
  
 Enough said. This has been a most delightful weekend and I am done with impression of Mimby (vs Yggy). It's reporting to my office for desk duty tomorrow morning.


----------



## acguitar84

Dang, I think I'll get a mimby it can hold me over until I can snag a gumby or Yggy. It was cool to read comparisons of the mimby vs Yggy. I need a DAC for my bedside headphone rig now that the concero HD is being used on another rig. I have the WA7 fireflies but it's DAC just doesn't even begin to cut it. I tried to have a listening session just now and without the concero I shut down and gave up. I want to plug the mimby into it and live happily ever after.


----------



## Pahani

supabayes said:


> At 48h, my listening impression continues here after adding a Wyrd.
> 
> Holly Cole 1995: Temptation album is a Tom Waits songbook cover and one of my all time favourite album.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for that comparison! At roughly 1/10th the price of Yggy, that's a mighty strong showing  I'm very satisfied with my purchase.


----------



## acguitar84

Just ordered one (mimby) pretty excited!


----------



## sheldaze

This song highlights, for me, the delta between Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit:
  

  
 At the start of the song, the Modi 2 Uber does sufficiently well. One singer - one instrument - sounds okay. Then add some more instruments, and slowly add the dynamics. Electronic on top of acoustic. Drum. Bass. Brass. Cymbals. To my ears, it starts to become an indecipherable mess of noise, via the D/S. But via the R2R, I have no issues with the added volume as the song progresses nor do I lose focus on any of the additional instruments. They just seem to gel into a sound, which I think is closer or more representative of what the audience likely heard at the original concert. 
  
 BTW, I'm using the Magni 2 Uber - amazing how quickly Schiit ships!


----------



## Vigrith

sheldaze said:


> This song highlights, for me, the delta between Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit:


 
  
 That is a great song and a great post - I agree with what you say regarding (certain) D/S some times sounding a little too "messy" or congested with more complex ensembles, especially with louder/heavier music it is hard to discern what's going on and there's a lot of unnecessary noise which stems from instruments "fighting" for spots so to speak. Hard to describe, these technical terms are definitely not my forte. Glad to hear the R2R MB helps with that as I've just ordered a Modi MB a couple days ago, that's always been one of my qualms when it comes to digital sources, the Mimby will arrive a little before the microRendu I ordered too so I should be able to progressively notice the changes.


----------



## schneller

Many have compared GMB to Yiggy as offering a warmer presentation with 85-90% of the resolution. My brief experience with BMB was of a DAC that removed the balanced outputs and warmer presentation of the GMB but with similar resolution. Where does MBM now fit in this spectrum? Which of the four offers the highest bang/buck/value proposition? (Considering Yiggy competes with DACs costing 500% more.)


----------



## theveterans

schneller said:


> Many have compared GMB to Yiggy as offering a warmer presentation with 85-90% of the resolution. My brief experience with BMB was of a DAC that removed the balanced outputs and warmer presentation of the GMB but with similar resolution. Where does MBM now fit in this spectrum? Which of the four offers the highest bang/buck/value proposition? (Considering Yiggy competes with DACs costing 500% more.)


 
  
 IMO, in terms of warmness, from warmest to neutral flat presentation: BMB > GMB > MMB = YGGY


----------



## SwaroopKS

This is a very exciting news I had in recent past. Really looking forward for full review, impressions and comparison with other schiit multibit dacs.


----------



## schneller

So you're saying the MBM = Yiggy - X% resolution? What is "X" in your opinion?


----------



## Vigrith

supabayes said:


> Holly Cole 1995: Temptation album is a Tom Waits songbook cover and one of my all time favourite album.


 
  
 Undoubtedly one of my favourite albums. Holly Cole has always been a beautifully talented woman and you just cannot go wrong with Tom Waits' work (possibly my favourite artist ever). Thank you for using it as the basis of your comparison which has made me even more anxious to give the Modi MB a listen once it arrives at my home in (hopefully) a week's time.


----------



## droopy1592

A good flac of kool and the gang summer madness is rendered beautifully. Even the noise from the recording is clean.


----------



## Wil

I've just replaced (in my IEM setup at least), the Chord Mojo with the Modi MB. 
  
 The DAC section at least, is better in my system, than the Mojo.
  
 The Modi MB is (and this is straight from the box), more organic, dynamic and has more inner detail, there is a slightly glassiness in the upper registers at the moment, but i reckon with burn in it will get better. 
  
 A home run for the people at Schiit. 
  
 Awesome stuff.


----------



## cbl117

wil said:


> I've just replaced (in my IEM setup at least), the Chord Mojo with the Modi MB.
> 
> The DAC section at least, is better in my system, than the Mojo.
> 
> ...




What are you using as an amp?


----------



## Sonikku13

I'm assuming the Modi Multibit should sound close to the Bifrost Multibit, right? If so, I'm debating whether the Bifrost upgrades in the future will be more cost effective than buying new Modis every time a Modi comes out. Initially, the Bifrost Multibit is $217 more expensive (bought it on eBay used) compared to a new-in-box Modi Multibit. Should I return the Bifrost Multibit or keep it?


----------



## Netrum

sonikku13 said:


> I'm assuming the Modi Multibit should sound close to the Bifrost Multibit, right? If so, I'm debating whether the Bifrost upgrades in the future will be more cost effective than buying new Modis every time a Modi comes out. Initially, the Bifrost Multibit is $217 more expensive (bought it on eBay used) compared to a new-in-box Modi Multibit. Should I return the Bifrost Multibit or keep it?



Keep it.
Bifrost has a far better powersupply and analog out.
And it is upgradeable.
I am keeping mine.


----------



## acguitar84

It's nice to see all of the positive mimby reviews. I can't wait to get mine, and to see how it compares to the concero. I still plan on looking at the TOTL Yggy at some point but I hope mimby is able to tide me over for awhile.


----------



## fjrabon

cbl117 said:


> What are you using as an amp?


 
 my guess is he was using the Mojo in DAC fixed output mode


----------



## amigastar

acguitar84 said:


> It's nice to see all of the positive mimby reviews. I can't wait to get mine, and to see how it compares to the concero. I still plan on looking at the TOTL Yggy at some point but I hope mimby is able to tide me over for awhile.


 
 If you mean Concero HD (which i saw on your profile) so yeah, interested in that too, please.


----------



## Letmebefrank

If letting this DAC sit for 12 hours makes it sound any better then I will be so blown away I might cease to exist.
  
 I just plugged it in about an hour ago, and now that the top feels warm I've been listening to a 24/96 vinyl rip (original pressing, first play) of Dark side of the moon.
  
 Chain is as follows; W10-64bit Foobar2k > Modi Multibit > Vali 2 (JJ E88CC GP) > Impact audio infinity cable > Senn HD650s
  
 A/B with Modi 2 Uber (AK4396)
  
 The first thing that jumps out at me is the treble. Holy cow the cymbals sound SO MUCH BETTER. Seriously, its not even a question. A/Bing with the Modi2U, when I switch back to the delta sigma it sounds like I'm listening to 128kb mp3s again. The clocks in the beginning of Time are astoundingly clear. I swear drool started to come out from the corner of my mouth.
  
 Next up is the bass. This dac is much warmer than the Modi2U 4396. The low end has more impact, and allot more resolution. 
  
 Midrange is the same but with much more resolution. Excellent especially with the HD650s.
  
  
  
 This is only after 1-2 hours. If it gets better after a few hours of warm up then I dont even know what to say. I mean come on this thing is insane for $250.


----------



## supabayes

It is that good at 1-2h and it gets better. Enjoy!


----------



## luckyeights

Do you also have the magni 2 there in that stack?  if so how does it sound on it vs the vali 2.  I ordered a magni 2 with my mimby.  I was torn between the two but was a little afraid of going into tubes =/


----------



## cbl117

Just curious, but would a mimby and magni2 combo better an ifi micro iDSD or Chord Mojo? Does anyone have a idsd micro or mojo to compare?


----------



## Letmebefrank

luckyeights said:


> Do you also have the magni 2 there in that stack?  if so how does it sound on it vs the vali 2.  I ordered a magni 2 with my mimby.  I was torn between the two but was a little afraid of going into tubes =/


 
  
 The Magni 2 sounds great. I prefer the Vali 2 for music and the Magni 2 for gaming. With the Mimby it sounds great, a little more neutral, not as warm as the Vali 2.


----------



## landroni

cbl117 said:


> Just curious, but would a mimby and magni2 combo better an ifi micro iDSD or Chord Mojo? Does anyone have a idsd micro or mojo to compare?


 

 Here's an impression of Modi MB vs the DAC section of Mojo:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815397/schiit-modi-multibit-dac/75#post_12761637


----------



## commonhorse

Does the modi multibit sound noticeably different from the bifrost multibit? Although I'd like to save a couple hundred I'd also willingly go the extra mile if I could get something better if you know what I'm saying .


----------



## Tuneslover

I just finished replying to a post on the Vali 2 thread and then read your post here on the Modi MB thread.  I re-posted my reply below as this is precisely the question that I am interested hearing answers to as well.
  
 Quote:


commonhorse said:


> Does the modi multibit sound noticeably different from the bifrost multibit? Although I'd like to save a couple hundred I'd also willingly go the extra mile if I could get something better if you know what I'm saying .


 
 I don't know about the Modi MB but my Bifrost MB and Vali 2 are incredibly good together. I originally had the Bimby connected to my 2 channel speaker system and a short while back decided to try it with the Vali 2. I'm planning on keeping it right where it is. Along with HD650's this setup is incredible sounding. Excellent instrument separation along with a wide holographic soundscape makes music sound detailed and very live-like. Of course tube rolling takes these components to a whole other level.

 I too am interested in hearing people's impressions on how the Modi MB sounds with Vali 2. Additionally, I am curious to hear impressions on how close the Modi MB comes to the Bifrost MB. I also have the Bifrost Über, which I upgraded to 4490. I compared the 4490 with the Multibit on my 2 channel speaker setup and found that both of these 2 DAC's sounded very similar, deciding to put the MB with the speaker system and the 4490 with my headphone system. While the 4490 sounded excellent with my headphone setup, once I swapped the DAC's I truly appreciated how much superior the MB sounded. Originally I didn't perceive as noticeable of an audible difference when comparing these DAC's on the 2 channel speaker system, but on a headphone system the difference is quite dramatic.


----------



## Tuneslover

I am currently doing some work on my iMac and have my headphone system pumping SiriusXM music into my Beyerdynamic DT1350's which are being fed by a Modi original (my first ever Schiit purchase) and amplified by a Magni2Ü.  I'm grinning with glee just like the first time I connected these Schiit products to my computer.  This computer and components simply work very well together.  I have had absolutely no noise issues (I'm using an AudioQuest carbon USB cable).
  
 I upgraded to the Magni2Ü when it first came out and the difference between it and the original Magni was minimal but the sound is a little bit more authoritative and the bass has a bit more punch but without doubt the Modi is what elevates this computer system the most.  I'm very tempted to upgrade my Modi to the new Modi Multibit but having a tough time pulling the trigger when this system already sounds so damn good.


----------



## sheldaze

tuneslover said:


> I upgraded to the Magni2Ü when it first came out and the difference between it and the original Magni was minimal but the sound is a little bit more authoritative and the bass has a bit more punch but without doubt the Modi is what elevates this computer system the most.  I'm very tempted to upgrade my Modi to the new Modi Multibit but having a tough time pulling the trigger when this system already sounds so damn good.


 
 Similar but opposite upgrade path, I had to upgrade from Magni to the Magni2Ü, because the original Magni was not keeping up with the sound delta from the Modi2Ü to Mimby. After the amplifier upgrade, very happy with the Mimby sound.


----------



## fjrabon

tuneslover said:


> I am currently doing some work on my iMac and have my headphone system pumping SiriusXM music into my Beyerdynamic DT1350's which are being fed by a Modi original (my first ever Schiit purchase) and amplified by a Magni2Ü.  I'm grinning with glee just like the first time I connected these Schiit products to my computer.  This computer and components simply work very well together.  I have had absolutely no noise issues (I'm using an AudioQuest carbon USB cable).
> 
> I upgraded to the Magni2Ü when it first came out and the difference between it and the original Magni was minimal but the sound is a little bit more authoritative and the bass has a bit more punch but without doubt the Modi is what elevates this computer system the most.  I'm very tempted to upgrade my Modi to the new Modi Multibit but having a tough time pulling the trigger when this system already sounds so damn good.




Not to be elitist, but isn't siriusXM like 32 or 64kbPs?


----------



## Tuneslover

fjrabon said:


> Not to be elitist, but isn't siriusXM like 32 or 64kbPs?


 
 No idea.  It just sounds pretty darn good but then so does iTunes (AIFF 16/44.1).


----------



## luckyeights

My mimby and magni 2 are scheduled to arrive Friday......why cant we have teleporter tech already you know so i can get my instant music gratification


----------



## Tuneslover

luckyeights said:


> My mimby and magni 2 are scheduled to arrive Friday......why cant we have teleporter tech already you know so i can get my instant music gratification


 
 You vill like zit!


----------



## luckyeights

Hey when is that M9xx vs mimby comparison coming, and are you going to use a magni as the amp or a different amp?


----------



## Tuneslover

letmebefrank said:


> If letting this DAC sit for 12 hours makes it sound any better then I will be so blown away I might cease to exist.
> 
> I just plugged it in about an hour ago, and now that the top feels warm I've been listening to a 24/96 vinyl rip (original pressing, first play) of Dark side of the moon.
> 
> ...


 
 Just wondering, isn't the Modi2Über = AKM AK4490?  Like the Bifrost 4490.


----------



## fjrabon

tuneslover said:


> Just wondering, isn't the Modi2Über = AKM AK4490?  Like the Bifrost 4490.


 

 That was a very recent change, any M2U that's older than a couple of months would be the AKM 4396


----------



## Tuneslover

fjrabon said:


> That was a very recent change, any M2U that's older than a couple of months would be the AKM 4396


 
 I know but according to the Schiit website....


----------



## fjrabon

luckyeights said:


> Hey when is that M9xx vs mimby comparison coming, and are you going to use a magni as the amp or a different amp?


 

 whenever my MoMBy arrives I'll do one.  It shipped today.  No estimated delivery date yet.  Amps will be Torpedo III and HiFiMan EF2C.  TO give a rough idea the EF2C is roughly on par with the Vali, and the T3 is roughly on par with the Mjolnir


----------



## fjrabon

tuneslover said:


> I know but according to the Schiit website....


 

 sure, which is why the person you responded to specified which AKM chip their M2U had.


----------



## Tuneslover

fjrabon said:


> sure, which is why the person you responded to specified which AKM chip their M2U had.


 
 Ahhhh I see.


----------



## vladpetric

Unless something changed over the last couple of months (I doubt it honestly), the internet streaming version was obviously distorting, and the satellite version was making me cringe - I could not listen to it.
  
 Certain types of music work better than others, of course (Jazz was not nearly as bad as rock).


----------



## siwolfman

tuneslover said:


> No idea.  It just sounds pretty darn good but then so does iTunes (AIFF 16/44.1).


 

 If you want to blow your mind, try Tidal. Especially streamed through Audrivana.


----------



## fjrabon

vladpetric said:


> Unless something changed over the last couple of months (I doubt it honestly), the internet streaming version was obviously distorting, and the satellite version was making me cringe - I could not listen to it.
> 
> Certain types of music work better than others, of course (Jazz was not nearly as bad as rock).




Yeah, my girlfriend has it in her car and its "listenable" but I definitely cringe. Cymbals sound like a hard drive dying.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Yup just wanted it to be clear incase someone has the 4490 my impressions wouldn't be as accurate since the 4490 is said to be better and warmer than the 4396.


----------



## rovopio

wil said:


> I've just replaced (in my IEM setup at least), the Chord Mojo with the Modi MB.
> 
> The DAC section at least, is better in my system, than the Mojo.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Is it already available in Singapore or did you get one from Schiit?


----------



## Letmebefrank

Yep my girlfriend listens to Sirius in her Jeep and it sounds terrible. 320mp3s from the ipod sound great but the Sirius sounds worse than 128 for sure.


----------



## bigro

siwolfman said:


> If you want to blow your mind, try Tidal. Especially streamed through Audrivana.


 

 The Tidal streaming quality is impressive, at this point the only streaming service i care to bother with. Although Jay z and crew definitely have their mark on it . You can still find a lot of good music on it.


----------



## fjrabon

letmebefrank said:


> Yep my girlfriend listens to Sirius in her Jeep and it sounds terrible. 320mp3s from the ipod sound great but the Sirius sounds worse than 128 for sure.



I think I read somewhere that the different stations broadcast at different bitrates. Talk radio is something like 32 Kbps, pop at 64 Kbps and classical at 128kbps. Could be incorrect or outdated info though.


----------



## madwolfa

Digital radio sucks (Sirius, HD Radio). They cram too many streams into a single slot, which isn't too much bandwidth to begin with (64 or 128 kbps).
  
 Same thing with cable TV.


----------



## fjrabon

madwolfa said:


> Digital radio sucks (Sirius, HD Radio). They cram too many streams into a single slot, which isn't too much bandwidth to begin with (64 or 128 kbps).
> 
> Same thing with cable TV.




Yeah, thankfully I still have my original grandfathered att unlimited data plan, so I can stream basically as much as I want from tidal or Apple Music over LTE. I use something like 14GB per month of data on my phone.


----------



## Letmebefrank

fjrabon said:


> Yeah, thankfully I still have my original grandfathered att unlimited data plan, so I can stream basically as much as I want from tidal or Apple Music over LTE. I use something like 14GB per month of data on my phone.


 
 I just have a 128gb SD card in my GS5 and rotate about half of the music I have on there, the other half are staples and favorites. My LTE service is spotty, especially at work.


----------



## madwolfa

fjrabon said:


> Yeah, thankfully I still have my original grandfathered att unlimited data plan, so I can stream basically as much as I want from tidal or Apple Music over LTE. I use something like 14GB per month of data on my phone.


 
  
 Same thing here... Spotify Premium over unlimited LTE on my Sprint business phone. Hook it up to Bluetooth in my car and off we go..


----------



## Letmebefrank

I wish I could listen to bluetooth without going insane. Its either the phone or the radio but the treble sounds so grainy. I just fill my ipod up with ALAC and leave it in the car until I want to put different stuff on it. Once I get a GS7 in october hopefully it will be better.


----------



## fjrabon

Getting back on topic, I am somewhat interested in if a Multibit DAC makes low bitrate music sound better. I'd guess it could maybe cause it to sound smoother, but maybe lack some micro detail.


----------



## jimdandy

I'll be getting one soon. I just got a iDSD Micro so have to pay my card down some. I want to try a "Multibit" just to hear the music from it. Man this is getting a little expensive. This will be my last one? LOL Should be nice with my Vali 2 and 7dj8 tube.


----------



## Jay Sullivan

What I'm curious about is the multibit tech- I've always used the dac's in my audio interface for recording, currently a Focusrite pro 24 VRM. These are good, quasi-balanced dac's and have many more than 2 channels the play with. However, they are, like all recording I/O, delta sigma and very sterile. Now, it is my understanding a dac should be transparent, but I wonder what I may be able to add that I don't know is there with the multibit. That clarity factor has always been kinda fuzzy with me- cheapo dac's DO sound bad, but I can't imagine what more I can get after my recording equipment. 
 Anybody else come from an "industry standard" delta sigma dac to a dedicated "high-end/multibit" dac? Thoughts on this idea of clarity are appreciated. 

-Jay


----------



## Netrum

It never end's.
I just spent 700usd on a bifrost multibit.
And now i am going to spend 1000usd on the Focal Elear.
After that i am getting a Lyr 2.


----------



## bigro

fjrabon said:


> Getting back on topic, I am somewhat interested in if a Multibit DAC makes low bitrate music sound better. I'd guess it could maybe cause it to sound smoother, but maybe lack some micro detail.


 
 I have a Bimby and In my experience. if something sounds really good On a DS DAC it sounds far better on a MB DAC. on the other side of the coin if it sound like crap on a DS DAC, The Multibit does not seem to do anything for it. To me it makes it sound worst. 
  
 Remember how awesome HD TV's were when they came out and you saw them with a full HD signal. Then you switch to the standard def signal and it looked even worst than it did on your old TV. That's what its like to me. It was not a reason not to get an HDTV it meant get the HD signal and ditch the VHS tapes. The same applies here, if you are not starting off with CD quality files, it may be hit or miss.


----------



## sheldaze

I had an interesting experience, when once listening to my Gumby. On the hidden song Prague, middle song in the YouTube link below, I could hear through the intentional distortion. For the first time, I could pick out the lyrics sung, apart from the noise at the tail end of the song, just before he returns to a quieter end:
  

  
 I have not tried this directly from the YouTube video - perhaps I could try from Tidal, to see if the same lyrics are as clearly heard. And I suppose I should definitely try, one of these days, from Mimby.
  
 Inserted the lyrics, in case you don't know what part I'm talking about:
  
I could wait for you
Like that hole in your boot
Waiting to be fixed
I could wait for you
What good would that do
But to leave me pricked?


----------



## Matro5

netrum said:


> It never end's.
> I just spent 700usd on a bifrost multibit.
> And now i am going to spend 1000usd on the Focal Elear.
> After that i am getting a Lyr 2.


 
  
 Sounds like one heck of a system you're putting together. Those Elears sure are intriguing. Enjoy!


----------



## cbl117

jimdandy said:


> I'll be getting one soon. I just got a iDSD Micro so have to pay my card down some. I want to try a "Multibit" just to hear the music from it. Man this is getting a little expensive. This will be my last one? LOL Should be nice with my Vali 2 and 7dj8 tube.




I'm really curious about a comparison between iDSD micro and a mimby/magni2U stack. Portability differences aside.


----------



## Peti

Subscribed!
  
 I'm thinking to get one to replace my DAC-19 - Liquid Carbon combo, so I can make a very portable rig with Modi Multibit + LC! Anyone has a DAC-19 to compare by any chance?


----------



## RickB

I put my order in. Now the wait begins...


----------



## Peti

Also, I'm wondering if I buy one with US adapter, can I use the same unit in Europe with a European wallwart adapter later on?


----------



## RickB

peti said:


> Also, I'm wondering if I buy one with US adapter, can I use the same unit in Europe with a European wallwart adapter later on?


 
 I would ask Nick at tech@schiit.com, but I think the answer is yes.


----------



## Peti

rickb said:


> I would ask Nick at tech@schiit.com, but I think the answer is yes.


 

 Thank you!


----------



## jfoxvol

Mine shipped yesterday.  Office system about to get an upgrade.  Fulla -->Momb/Vali2/Wyrd.  Giggity


----------



## swmtnbiker

For some reason I'm always looking for something more "up-to-date" to replace my venerable (and *excellent*) Channel Islands Audio VDA-2/VAC-1 combo, so I thought I'd give this little multibit Schiit a try. I've owned the Modi 2 Uber/Magni 2 Uber combo before, along with various Schiit amps, so I'm no stranger to their low to midrange gear.
  
 My Mimby was just delivered yesterday, so I've only had a small amount of time with it. I obviously haven't had any time for critical listening sessions yet and the Mimby wasn't warmed up completely when I was auditioning it last night and this morning, but so far in this comparison the VDA-2 is still king of my mountain. It's connected to a Windows 10 system running JRiver Media Center feeding FLAC files to it via optical TOSLINK compared to the Mimby and it's USB in, which is plugged into a USB 3.0 port on the PC.
  
 Initial impressions - great detail presentation by the Mimby, perhaps slightly better than the VDA-2, but the CIAudio DAC has a deeper sense of space and more air around instruments. It also has more impactful bass and presence. Both DACs were feeding my Crack + Speedball which in turn was powering my HD 600. The Mimby is pretty darned sweet, especially at its price point, but unless burn-in opens it up a bit more I'll probably be hanging on to the VDA-2 and will continue my search for something in its price range that can best it.


----------



## RickB

jfoxvol said:


> Mine shipped yesterday.  Office system about to get an upgrade.  Fulla -->Momb/Vali2/Wyrd.  Giggity


 
 Can I ask how long ago you ordered?


----------



## jfoxvol

rickb said:


> Can I ask how long ago you ordered?


 
 Saturday


----------



## RickB

jfoxvol said:


> Saturday


 
 Thanks. So when they say "2-4 days" they really mean it.


----------



## RickB

rickb said:


> Thanks. So when they say "2-4 days" they really mean it.


 
 Spoke too soon, just got a shipping notice. They must be getting caught up.


----------



## landroni

peti said:


> rickb said:
> 
> 
> > I would ask Nick at tech@schiit.com, but I think the answer is yes.
> ...


 

 Be careful. For some products it's yes, for others it's no. Be sure to confirm with Schiit before purchasing.


----------



## yage

I received my Mimby yesterday. I was curious about multibit, seeing as how I've only ever listened to digital sources with delta-sigma chips. I've left it on for over 24 hours now and use a PC running Linux to push bits to the DAC via USB 3.0.
  
 So far, it's a fairly favorable impression. It certainly beats the Oppo BDP-103, which sounds rather thin and brittle by comparison. The bass is tight and impactful. The midrange is nicely fleshed out. There's a slight hardness to the sound that gives pop female vocals a bit of an 'edge' and makes some string / piano passages a little strident. I still prefer the music made by the Ayre C-5xeMP that serves as my main source in the stereo, which isn't that much of a surprise. Instrumental and vocal timbres seem to be more lifelike and the tonal balance more even.
  
 Still, this DAC is acquitting itself quite well in the speaker system, which can't be said for most inexpensive DAC's I've come across. I may have to try the Yggdrasil...


----------



## landroni

bigro said:


> I have a Bimby and In my experience. if something sounds really good On a DS DAC it sounds far better on a MB DAC. on the other side of the coin if it sound like crap on a DS DAC, The Multibit does not seem to do anything for it. To me it makes it sound worst.


 
 Are you suggesting that you can hear the difference between MP3 and FLAC? There are some who are adamant that high-bit MP3 is indistinguishable from redbook FLAC...


----------



## ScottFree

landroni said:


> Are you suggesting that you can hear the difference between MP3 and FLAC? There are some who are adamant that high-bit MP3 is indistinguishable from redbook FLAC...


 
  
 We're heading into very dangerous territory here, but the general rule is i would say what sounds good to you is the best for you. Personally I can hear a difference between lossy files and lossless files and occasionally I do test myself on that, but that's based on my ears, not everyone else's.


----------



## landroni

scottfree said:


> Personally I can hear a difference between lossy files and lossless files and occasionally I do test myself on that, but that's based on my ears, not everyone else's.


 
 For lossy files, how many kbps? And using which gear (source, DAC, amp, transducers)?

 PS If _you_ hear a difference between lossy and lossless (and the methodology holds, e.g. same levels for both files), then there is a good chance there is a subset of the population that will also hear a difference when using the same gear/set-up (barring huge genetic variations or personal training). Of course it is possible that some segment of the population won't hear a difference, which wouldn't be unexpected.
 If the results are negative, though, _then_ they are local: they may be dependent on the set-up, gear, ears/brain, and they may not hold any clues as to whether the "no diff" holds any general value or not.


----------



## ScottFree

landroni said:


> For lossy files, how many kbps?
> 
> PS If _you_ hear a difference between lossy and lossless (and the methodology holds, e.g. same levels for both files), then there is a good chance there is a subset of the population that will also hear a difference when using the same gear/set-up (barring huge genetic variations or personal training). Of course it is possible that some segment of the population won't hear a difference, which wouldn't be unexpected.
> If the results are negative, though, _then_ they are local: they may be dependent on the set-up, gear, ears/brain, and they may not hold any clues as to whether the "no diff" holds any general value or not.


 
  
 320kbps AAC CBR.


----------



## fjrabon

Yeah, I hope we don't get down this path. My original question was more aimed at very low bitrate files (for example 64kbps like satellite radio) and whether Multibit helps them. Not whether people can hear the difference between 320vbr, flac and DSD.


----------



## painted klown

yage said:


> There's a slight hardness to the sound that gives pop female vocals a bit of an 'edge' and makes some string / piano passages a little strident.


 
 Interesting observation.
  
 I have not heard any Schiit DACs, but I am under the impression that their multibit offerings are anything but sibilant. I find this report a bit troublesome, as I abhor sibilance second only to brick wall mastering jobs (the sibilance usually goes hand in hand with it, however). 
  
 I have not heard any of Schiit's DACs, however, I do own their Vali 2 amplifier, and love it, especially considering the cost. I have been enamored with the idea of one day owning a Yggy. The cost is the only reason I do not have one yet. I was considering a lower cost multibit DAC from Schiit, and when the Modi Miltibit popped up, it was like a dream come true. Here we have a "working mans" entry into the world of R2R DACs, and maybe just a bit the YGGYs sound signature inside the box. Wishful thinking, I know, but I was hoping it would allow me to see for myself if it was worth moving up the chain to the YGGY in the future.
  
 This sibilance has me scared....
  
 Sure, $250 isn't a huge layout to try for yourself, but for me it's certainly not something I have laying around...and I would venture to guess that others interested in this DAC for reasons beyond curiosity/comparison to their more expensive DACs would also have to save to get this DAC.
  
 There are a lot of things in the audiophile world that do not live up to the hype, and some things even surpass the hype I had in my head (Schiit Vali 2, Senn HD 650, Emotiva DC-1, Emotiva XSP-1, to name a few). I guesss what I am trying to say is that I sincerely hope this DAC can live up to the hype I have in my head for it. To be honest, I hope it will best my beloved Emotiva DC-1. It's not even that I find the DC-1 to be lacking....I just feel like a miltibit DAC may be able to add a level of resolution that surpasses what I am getting today.
  
  
 Please keep us informed on your opinion as you have more time with the Modi Multibit.
  
 To everyone else with these, will you also please keep the opinions and impressions coming. I feel like I am clamoring for more reviews on this DAC. In fact, it's this very DAC that has me actually logging into Head-Fi again! (as opposed to simply lurking).


----------



## bigro

landroni said:


> Are you suggesting that you can hear the difference between MP3 and FLAC? There are some who are adamant that high-bit MP3 is indistinguishable from redbook FLAC...


 
 I usually can tell. I was in college during the height of Napster. I was probably the only person on campus who continued to by CD's because I could not stand MP3's then.


scottfree said:


> We're heading into very dangerous territory here, but the general rule is i would say what sounds good to you is the best for you. Personally I can hear a difference between lossy files and lossless files and occasionally I do test myself on that, but that's based on my ears, not everyone else's.


 
 I do not see it as being dangerous. I do hear a difference. If some do not, I am fine with it, I wont lose any sleep. I had a friend who told me he does not believe there is a difference and after setting a non scientific test. We played his mp3.s versus lossless on the same rig through an original modi. The Result. He dumped all his MP3's and re ripped everything as wav. MP3 is now A curse word to him, but that's not exactly where I was going here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


fjrabon said:


> Yeah, I hope we don't get down this path. My original question was more aimed at very low bitrate files (for example 64kbps like satellite radio) and whether Multibit helps them. Not whether people can hear the difference between 320vbr, flac and DSD.


 
 In My experience there was not a noticeable improvement with the few lower bitrate files,  Your experience may differ. Where I was going  is what becomes apparent is albums that have poor mastering. even 16/44.1 flac ripped from a CD.On an MB the  poor mastering becomes even more transparent.
  
 I am curious are you using primarily lossy formats? if you are playing primarily Lossy formats, Why spend the Extra $$$ on the Multibit when it's main selling point is bit perfect? Some would say Save the cash and get a better set of Headphones but you seem to have that covered.


----------



## Argo Duck

^ I'm at the other end of the product chain - recent Yggy not Mimby owner - but would be very surprised if the hardless, edge and stridency stays for long as these are quite the opposite of how Yggy sounds. Nevertheless, Mimby _might_ be different...I look forward to yage's developing impressions too


----------



## fjrabon

bigro said:


> I am curious are you using primarily lossy formats? if you are playing primarily Lossy formats, Why spend the Extra $$$ on the Multibit when it's main selling point is bit perfect? Some would say Save the cash and get a better set of Headphones but you seem to have that covered.




The reason I was talking about it was because somebody else mentioned listening to satellite radio with MoMBy and it sounding good, satellite radio is anywhere from 16kbps to 64kbps. So that's what brought this up. 

Generally I buy my absolute favorite albums in lossless. So I probably have about 500 lossless albums. But I have another 8000 or so albums in lossy format (or rather saved for streaming through Apple Music). I listen to a LOT of music, so having it all in lossless would be insanely space and cost prohibitive. I'd say about 15% of my listening is lossless, 85% is 256kbps AAC.


----------



## Letmebefrank

No sibilance or hard edges with my Mimby + Vali 2 + hd650s


----------



## Letmebefrank

Cymbals and vocal "s" sounds are where the biggest difference is between lossless and lossy to my ears.


----------



## painted klown

letmebefrank said:


> No sibilance or hard edges with my Mimby + Vali 2 + hd650s


 

 Thanks for your input. Your system is similar to mine, but a different DAC & cables.
  
 I am running: Windows 10 running Foobar 2k wasapi event at 24 bit out via USB to Emotiva DC-1 (DAC) Monoprice RCA cables out to Schiit Vali 2 (stock tube) to Senn HD-650 (stock cable, no mods).


----------



## yage

painted klown said:


> This sibilance has me scared....


 
  
 There's a couple of things to keep in mind - this was on my speaker-based system. Sometimes DACs that work well on my headphone setups don't work too well in my stereo.
  
 I also just noticed a strange behavior listening to the HD 600 / Sonett 2 that may explain a few things too - when I unplugged the USB cable from my PC and then plugged it back in with the Mimby left powered up, I got a weird zingy metallic sound that followed the rise and fall of the audio signal. It went away after some more fiddling around but I'm going to try to reproduce it and see if that's what I heard over the speakers.


----------



## swmtnbiker

I'm not hearing any sibilance from Mimby with my headphone setup.


----------



## slex

supabayes said:


> It is that good at 1-2h and it gets better. Enjoy!




Hi, since you have the YGGY to compare, in your opinion , what's the percentag performance against the MIBBY? 80% 90% ?

Mine is arriving tomolo.


----------



## bigro

fjrabon said:


> The reason I was talking about it was because somebody else mentioned listening to satellite radio with MoMBy and it sounding good, satellite radio is anywhere from 16kbps to 64kbps. So that's what brought this up.
> 
> Generally I buy my absolute favorite albums in lossless. So I probably have about 500 lossless albums. But I have another 8000 or so albums in lossy format (or rather saved for streaming through Apple Music). I listen to a LOT of music, so having it all in lossless would be insanely space and cost prohibitive. I'd say about 15% of my listening is lossless, 85% is 256kbps AAC.


 
 Thinking about this more it is possible that the dac being used before a MB dac can effect is there if difference to the user or not. I used SAT radio years ago when I drove across multiple New States every week. I found it to be better than FM and easier than swapping CD's.I absolutely understand the cost factor. Its so easy for CD's to fall into an amazon shopping cart. At some point you have to eat.
  


letmebefrank said:


> Cymbals and vocal "s" sounds are where the biggest difference is between lossless and lossy to my ears.


 
 I find the difference to be more dramatic when using speakers in a 2 channel setup.Imaging is better and sound stage opens up, the lows are lower and the highs have more definition and clarity. I have found this to be true with different speakers amps dacs etc.


----------



## fjrabon

bigro said:


> Thinking about this more it is possible that the dac being used before a MB dac can effect is there if difference to the user or not. I used SAT radio years ago when I drove across multiple New States every week. I found it to be better than FM and easier than swapping CD's.I absolutely understand the cost factor. Its so easy for CD's to fall into an amazon shopping cart. At some point you have to eat




Yeah, though to me space and time are the bigger issue. I listen to probably 3-8 new albums per week. If they were physical CDs, just the process of getting them would be a burden. And then I have nowhere to store 10,000 CDs and I can't even imagine the system id need to make for organizing them for easy retrieval. If we are talking digital, that would be creating a multiple hard drive network, another expensive pain in the rear. And I just don't need s lot of that music to be lossless. I only really worry about lossless if it's an all-time favorite album that I know I'm going to listen dozens, if not hundreds of times in the future.


----------



## supabayes

Hi there, I think it is unfair to try to compare the two dac and casting a single number to say how far apart they are. Sound quality is subjective and dependent on the amp, HP, connection/cables, type of songs etc. Look at the specs on Schiit website if you love numbers. The only ones I am paying attention to are the prices. The ratio of about 1:10 of their flagship price is mind boogling for me. The same can be said about my other favorite dacs duo from Chord: Mojo & Dave. Mojo punches above its price and weight in terms of performance. The only mind boogling number for me is the price ratio of mojo to Dave 1:20. If you ask me, the Mojo is an even bigger bargain than Mimby. Now, will I be selling my mojo given the addition of Mimby to my stable? probably not. For two reasons, one it was a birthday gift from my wife, two, its musicality and resolution/detail is actually not far from Yggy imho. Chord's sound signature is different from the Schiit multibit but I find both to be enjoyable. 

Enjoy your Mimby. Don't worry about Yggy.


----------



## siwolfman

sheldaze said:


> I had an interesting experience, when once listening to my Gumby. On the hidden song Prague, middle song in the YouTube link below, I could hear through the intentional distortion. For the first time, I could pick out the lyrics sung, apart from the noise at the tail end of the song, just before he returns to a quieter end:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





@sheldaze  I listened to the song on my setup (Tidal -> Schiit Wyrd -> Schiit Gumby -> Eddie Current ZDS -> Sennheiser HD 600) and I could also make out the lyrics. However, I'm not sure if I would have been able to identify them had you not written out the lyrics. Pretty cool song.


----------



## conquerator2

letmebefrank said:


> Cymbals and vocal "s" sounds are where the biggest difference is between lossless and lossy to my ears.


 
 That is the biggest difference between Delta-Sigma and R2R IMO


----------



## Psalmanazar

Yeah spacing, imaging, cymbals, micro and macro detail are all killed by MP3 codecs due to how they were developed.

 R2R DACs are better at retaining phase, imaging, and treble while delta-sigma tend to be better at bass and lower mid tonality. Of course with really good R2R like the Yggdrasil, these flaws are negated and the Yggy even exaggerates tape hiss.


fjrabon said:


> Yeah, though to me space and time are the bigger issue. I listen to probably 3-8 new albums per week. If they were physical CDs, just the process of getting them would be a burden. And then I have nowhere to store 10,000 CDs and I can't even imagine the system id need to make for organizing them for easy retrieval. If we are talking digital, that would be creating a multiple hard drive network, another expensive pain in the rear. And I just don't need s lot of that music to be lossless. I only really worry about lossless if it's an all-time favorite album that I know I'm going to listen dozens, if not hundreds of times in the future.


 
 You're in musical junk food hell, not gear hell. Poorly composed and played musical junk food is junk food. A lot of this stuff from all genres and styles is just repetitive,  boring, and derivative and revolves around a single hook drawn out for 5 minutes and placed into an album of a couple of other hooks and filler that the human brain is willing to tolerate for a few listens before it gets annoying. This stuff is tossable as the music behind it is tossable and not worth preserving. For years, I used to buy everything on both LP and CD and keep which one sounded better but it got out of hand and I've gotten rid of the stuff I have no desire to listen to again. It's just a lose-lose situation to actually drop ten bucks to buy this junk. You might as well just have a couple beers that you were going to drink anyway to make it sound better instead of actually buying it and then only buy it if it survives the initial few rounds of listening.


----------



## nojwe

Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


----------



## Baldr

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


 

 Can't go wrong with Fritz/CSO!!


----------



## painted klown

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


 
 Thanks for your input. May I ask what DAC you were using prior to the Mimby?
  
 Your audio chain is "serious", to say the least...very nice!


----------



## nojwe

painted klown said:


> Thanks for your input. May I ask what DAC you were using prior to the Mimby?
> 
> Your audio chain is "serious", to say the least...very nice!


 
  
 Just the built in on the Woo. I had actually been saving up (slowly) for a Bimby.


----------



## Vigrith

nojwe said:


> Just the built in on the Woo. I had actually been saving up (slowly) for a Bimby.


 
  
 This information is very relevant to me as well as I also own the WA7 and HD800s (though they don't get much use compared to LCD-2s, for example, as I prefer a different sound signature) - glad to hear the Mimby is far and away better than the built in WA7 DAC, even though it's been a while since I actually used the DAC portion of the fireflies myself.


----------



## nojwe

Yes, it's no comparison. The Mimby is unequivocally better in every way that I can tell.


----------



## fjrabon

nojwe said:


> Yes, it's no comparison. The Mimby is unequivocally better in every way that I can tell.




Yeah, good to hear. I was NOT a fan of the WA7 DAC.


----------



## jimdandy

cbl117 said:


> jimdandy said:
> 
> 
> > I'll be getting one soon. I just got a iDSD Micro so have to pay my card down some. I want to try a "Multibit" just to hear the music from it. Man this is getting a little expensive. This will be my last one? LOL Should be nice with my Vali 2 and 7dj8 tube.
> ...


 

 I'm hoping to get the Mimby soon but it will take a while. Someone else may beat me to the punch and that is fine. I will say I have the Modi2 Uber and Magni 2 Uber. The sound is pretty close to the same. All have quality. iDSD Micro might have a little more detail,I'm using HE-400i, but I really have to be paying attention. I feel like you have to spend some money if you want to hear "differences". It has been said on here numerous times. The real differences come from different headphones. But after a certain price point it is all about personal enjoyment. I have a low budget but now I'm thinking I was a little careless. Maybe I should have went up to the higher "grades" to start with. Would have been less money. I might fore go the Mimby and just be satisfied. I feel one really needs to think if they have a low budget. Save and buy what you really want and don't spend a lot at the bottom. But technology changes so fast that is absolutely insane to keep up with. If I could sell some of what I have that would be cool. But that is easier said than done when the Mimby cost as little as it does. Not knocking anyone,just stating my feelings. oh the woes of not being rich. LOL


----------



## Vigrith

fjrabon said:


> Yeah, good to hear. I was NOT a fan of the WA7 DAC.


 
  
 Same here, good to hear indeed, though it is not surprising at all given the DAC inside the WA7 has always been fairly lacklustre.
  
 Wonder how the Mimby fares compared to the Bifrost Multibit, I've already ordered the mimby for my work setup so it's not particularly relevant to me any more but I'm still pretty curious.


----------



## acguitar84

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


 
 Cool to read this, my mimby is scheduled to arrive tomorrow! Excited!


----------



## fjrabon

vigrith said:


> Same here, good to hear indeed, though it is not surprising at all given the DAC inside the WA7 has always been fairly lacklustre.
> 
> Wonder how the Mimby fares compared to the Bifrost Multibit, I've already ordered the mimby for my work setup so it's not particularly relevant to me any more but I'm still pretty curious.




I'm *almost* worried about how good the MoMBy might be. I bought it for my smaller setup (EF2C) as I'm loving the way the iDAC6 works with my TIII. However, I'm starting to be scared the MoMBy might win out as my best overall DAC. if that happens I may just say screw it, sell the iDAC6 and go all in on a Yggy or maybe GuMBy. IDK. I do love the flexibility of the iDAC6 though. Truly a great sounding DAC that can also be a tonal shapeshifter because of its 5 filters and transistor/tube output buffer mode. But these early reviews for MoMBy have me salivating. Decisions. Nailing down the DAC is the last little piece for me. The TIII is truly my end game amp and the Hd800 (calibrated with sonarworks) is the endgame headphone.


----------



## fjrabon

psalmanazar said:


> Yeah spacing, imaging, cymbals, micro and macro detail are all killed by MP3 codecs due to how they were developed.
> 
> R2R DACs are better at retaining phase, imaging, and treble while delta-sigma tend to be better at bass and lower mid tonality. Of course with really good R2R like the Yggdrasil, these flaws are negated and the Yggy even exaggerates tape hiss.
> You're in musical junk food hell, not gear hell. Poorly composed and played musical junk food is junk food. A lot of this stuff from all genres and styles is just repetitive,  boring, and derivative and revolves around a single hook drawn out for 5 minutes and placed into an album of a couple of other hooks and filler that the human brain is willing to tolerate for a few listens before it gets annoying. This stuff is tossable as the music behind it is tossable and not worth preserving. For years, I used to buy everything on both LP and CD and keep which one sounded better but it got out of hand and I've gotten rid of the stuff I have no desire to listen to again. It's just a lose-lose situation to actually drop ten bucks to buy this junk. You might as well just have a couple beers that you were going to drink anyway to make it sound better instead of actually buying it and then only buy it if it survives the initial few rounds of listening.


 

 nah, I just like music.  All kinds of music, and I like a lot of variety.  I probably listen to about 100 hours of music per week.  People on here act like if every second isn't crazy critical listening of FLAC that you might as well burn the system to the ground.  It's also funny because even people who are GOOD at hearing the difference between mp3 and lossless don't correctly identify the track much more than about 75% of the time.  Yet they talk on here like it's completely unlistenable junk.  Not mp3 vs lossless, but it reminds me of a time I was at a meet and a guy was talking about how much better his 24/192 copy of kind of blue sounded.  He talked about how he could hear the spatial cues so much better, the air, etc.  He almost had me convinced, until I realized he had his output set at 16/44.  So if anything the downsampling was probably causing his high sample rate music to sound WORSE.  
  
 I mean I do find some benefit with lossless.  But high quality 256 AAC is fine with me for most listening.  The idea that it's junk food and that most music is junk food is silly elitism to me.  Not to say how you feel is wrong, but rather that I don't agree with or identify with what you're saying in the least.  It's sort of like that time you told me that AK4490 chips changed the pitch of drums because of their bass bleed or something.


----------



## yage

So I played around with the USB connection with the Mimby some more and can't reproduce the issue I encountered, so it must've been a one time fluke.
  
 In any case, today I hooked up the Mimby to my HeadAmp GS-1 and A/B'd it against the Ayre QB-9 DSD using a pair of Audeze LCD-XC's with the 2016 drivers. i used Blue Jeans' LC-1 between both DACs and the amp. What really struck me today was the clarity that the Mimby possessed. It was utterly transparent - very impressive. If you're into hearing details in a recording, this DAC is for you. Bass was incredibly tight and punchy. I don't think I've ever heard a DAC at this price that possessed this kind of eye-blinking impact. With the GS-1 + XC's, I felt that the tonal balance was a little on the cool side - kind of studio monitor-ish (if that makes any sense). Given that, I think you could sculpt the end result using different amps and headphones to suit your personal sonic taste quite easily.
  
 A few shortcomings are apparent only when directly comparing to the QB-9. Layering is decent, but at times I found it somewhat difficult to focus on different parts of a mix. In 'Al vaiven de mi carreta' from _Afrocubism_, the bongos and other hand drums are set back in the soundstage and get overrun at times by the guitars and vocals. Massed strings in 'Jupiter' from _The Planets_ sounded a touch dry and lacked the flow that the QB-9 exhibited. The surrounding acoustic also wasn't fully captured by the Mimby. Though the orchestra sounded bold and dynamic, it felt more like there were sections of instruments set up in an anechoic chamber rather than a cohesive set of musicians in a concert hall. I also still feel the QB-9 portrays vocals and instruments with more realistic timbre. However, in the grand scheme of things, these really are aspects that may not be all that important to you, so you pays your money (many multiples of the Mimby's asking price in the case of the QB-9) and etc., etc.


----------



## kstuart

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


 

 This is exactly the sort of recording which shows up the improvement of multibit and the Burrito Filter.  It is an outstanding recording that has all of the hall sound, as well as displaying all of the instruments in their specific positions.
  
 I use that recording every time I do a sound test.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I think the way it is ripped and the pc doing the ripping play a huge factor. I have old pirated mp3 files in 320 that are pretty bad, but then I rip my own copy of the album in 320 and it sounds almost indistinguishable from the Flac. I think allot of people run into this problem but don't bother to make their own copies. Some people add weird dsp effects and gain to rips that make the material sound worse than it should. I recently ripped a copy of the 4 disk led Zeppelin box set to flac, and it sounds much better than the old ALAC files Ive had for 5 years.


----------



## Aradea

Subbed as I'm interested to get one to compliment my Loki


----------



## slex

supabayes said:


> Hi there, I think it is unfair to try to compare the two dac and casting a single number to say how far apart they are. Sound quality is subjective and dependent on the amp, HP, connection/cables, type of songs etc. Look at the specs on Schiit website if you love numbers. The only ones I am paying attention to are the prices. The ratio of about 1:10 of their flagship price is mind boogling for me. The same can be said about my other favorite dacs duo from Chord: Mojo & Dave. Mojo punches above its price and weight in terms of performance. The only mind boogling number for me is the price ratio of mojo to Dave 1:20. If you ask me, the Mojo is an even bigger bargain than Mimby. Now, will I be selling my mojo given the addition of Mimby to my stable? probably not. For two reasons, one it was a birthday gift from my wife, two, its musicality and resolution/detail is actually not far from Yggy imho. Chord's sound signature is different from the Schiit multibit but I find both to be enjoyable.
> 
> Enjoy your Mimby. Don't worry about Yggy.




Ok thanks, mimby just arrived. I just read someone prefer this then mojo. Guess i will be designate the m9xx elsewhere. Now waiting for the Singxer X1 WC and a pure silver double headed usb cable to connect my chain from ifi iUSB3 nano.


----------



## jimmers

fjrabon said:


> ...I mean I do find some benefit with lossless.  But high quality 256 AAC is fine with me for most listening.  ...


 
 I agree with most of what you say, I definitely prefer a decent mp3 of a good original over a lossless of a bad remaster (but would rather have the lossless of a good original 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## KoshNaranek

letmebefrank said:


> I think the way it is ripped and the pc doing the ripping play a huge factor. I have old pirated mp3 files in 320 that are pretty bad, but then I rip my own copy of the album in 320 and it sounds almost indistinguishable from the Flac. I think allot of people run into this problem but don't bother to make their own copies. Some people add weird dsp effects and gain to rips that make the material sound worse than it should. I recently ripped a copy of the 4 disk led Zeppelin box set to flac, and it sounds much better than the old ALAC files Ive had for 5 years.




There are some caveats about ripping to mp3. I have been learning about the mathematics and specifics for about 14 years and here is what I have learned so farsome of it the hard way)

1. Plextor CD drives are the best at ripping. They have the fewest errors and handle scratched discs the best. I have both a Plextor DVD dive and CD drive on my ripper. The DVD drive handles scratches better but the CD seems to handle poorly manufactured discs better.

2. Use CDPARANOIA in Linux or BSD to avoid read errors. It is a backend app, you can use any front end app as the ripper (such as K3B)

3. Use LAME as your mp3 encoding algorithm. This is a floating point algorithm and is slow. Avoid integer algorithms for best sound.


----------



## vladpetric

You can actually mark playlists for offline use in the phone app - effectively, pre-download them.


----------



## slex

Ok some impression after 2 hrs. Oh yeah, dead on arrival on my power supply, have an identical one from old vali's and is working fine.

This my first foray into R2R, very smooth and musical against ds from my m9xx, both going into audiogd C2 11th SS amp. Connection is through USB with ifi iusb3 nano feeding it and itself fed by balance power supply.

Very accurate soundstaging against m9xx which is wider but not as musical.

Floor noise not as dark as m9xx. Guess must be the dedicated linear power supply im supplying to it.

Ok schiit, can you shrunk the raganok now? That's without speaker output!


----------



## fjrabon

slex said:


> Ok some impression after 2 hrs. Oh yeah, dead on arrival on my power supply, have an identical one from old vali's and is working fine.
> 
> This my first foray into R2R, very smooth and musical against ds from my m9xx, both going into audiogd C2 11th SS amp. Connection is through USB with ifi iusb3 nano feeding it and itself fed by balance power supply.
> 
> ...


 

 nice impressions.  Quick question, what do you mean by "musical soundstage"?  I've heard frequency responses and even impulse responses being called musical before, but never soundstage.


----------



## slex

fjrabon said:


> nice impressions.  Quick question, what do you mean by "musical soundstage"?  I've heard frequency responses and even impulse responses being called musical before, but never soundstage.




Is just more musical though it has a narower staging then m9xx. All instruments are smoothly insyn.


----------



## luckyeights

I think what he means is that the M9xx sound stage is artificially too large (too much space between instruments/locations of instruments and makes the music not sound "musical" or like you were actually there like a real believable stage?  Im just surmising here =D 
  
 So which sounds better the M9xx or the mimby =D


----------



## slex

luckyeights said:


> I think what he means is that the M9xx sound stage is artificially too large (too much space between instruments/locations of instruments and makes the music not sound "musical" or like you were actually there like a real believable stage?  Im just surmising here =D
> 
> So which sounds better the M9xx or the mimby =D




So far the mimby has the edge. Those acoustic guitar are top notch against m9xx.

Ok, any idea if its ok to leave the power on permenantly? This mimby needs substantial time to warm up to it's peak performance, i notice.


----------



## Vigrith

slex said:


> Ok, any idea if its ok to leave the power on permenantly? This mimby needs substantial time to warm up to it's peak performance, i notice.


 

 As per Mr. Moffat's advice all of Schiit's DACs can and should be left powered on permanently.


----------



## slex

vigrith said:


> As per Mr. Moffat's advice all of Schiit's DACs can and should be left powered on permanently.




Ok thanks, now comes the texture and imaging, all in spades against m9xx. Prat factor big time!!!


----------



## Psalmanazar

Just use Exact Audio Copy secure mode and always rip to .wav or .flac. All these lossy codecs sound terrible and once you realize (or hear) what they do, you can't go back. Why even upgrade your gear if you're going to feed it junk?


----------



## kehorton

Nice impressions. Can you comment on bass extension/texture/speed/slam? (high in my list on attributes that make or break listening experiences, e.g. Super evident as I get lost with Tool).

Thanks!


----------



## slex

kehorton said:


> Nice impressions. Can you comment on bass extension/texture/speed/slam? (high in my list on attributes that make or break listening experiences, e.g. Super evident as I get lost with Tool).
> 
> Thanks!




Speed goes to m9xx now. Might change to dynamic hp later ( TH-OXX) to get the feel against planar.


----------



## slex

Ok, those drums in hotel California slam right and lively.Live music is never so addictive. 

Listening to Robots in Motion by Philter. The bass extension and highs are in perfect harmony.

Way pass my bedtime now, this indeed a price/performance breakthrough for this dac concocted by schiit.

Whats next? Tube buffer into it? 
I think schiit should sell a dedicated LPS separately to compliment this proprietor dac, will you already?


----------



## fjrabon

psalmanazar said:


> Just use Exact Audio Copy secure mode and always rip to .wav or .flac. All these lossy codecs sound terrible and once you realize (or hear) what they do, you can't go back. Why even upgrade your gear if you're going to feed it junk?




I have plenty of music in 24 bit 192 hertz AIFF. I still enjoy well encoded mp3 too. Trained professionals only do about 25% better then guessing when trying to differentiate 256kbps AAC and lossless. The idea that "you can't go back" is silly. If the difference was as drastic as you seem to believe, I don't understand how everybody wouldn't be close to 100% in blind A/B. Now, I agree that blind A/B isn't the ultimate final word, but I think it does rule out that there's a very large difference when nobody does better than 75% in blind A/B. I pretty regularly hear some of the best setups in the world, and there's a much bigger difference between an end game rig and say a mid level Schiit rig feeding a HD650 than there is between well encoded AAC/MP3 and flac. 

Anyway, that's the last I'll say about this because I don't want to drag this thread into a lossless flame war or debate of blind A/B.


----------



## Psalmanazar

fjrabon said:


> I have plenty of music in 24 bit 192 hertz AIFF. I still enjoy well encoded mp3 too. Trained professionals only do about 25% better then guessing when trying to differentiate 256kbps AAC and lossless. The idea that "you can't go back" is silly. If the difference was as drastic as you seem to believe, I don't understand how everybody wouldn't be close to 100% in blind A/B. Now, I agree that blind A/B isn't the ultimate final word, but I think it does rule out that there's a very large difference when nobody does better than 75% in blind A/B. I pretty regularly hear some of the best setups in the world, and there's a much bigger difference between an end game rig and say a mid level Schiit rig feeding a HD650 than there is between well encoded AAC/MP3 and flac.
> 
> Anyway, that's the last I'll say about this because I don't want to drag this thread into a lossless flame war or debate of blind A/B.


 
 You don't have any idea what you're talking about. An MP3 file will always sound like an MP3 due to the way the codecs were developed listening to folk singer-songwriter rock on typical consumer systems. They  throw away tons of audible stuff: the depth is entirely gone, panning is smeared, the percussion has pre-echo screwing up the timing, treble always sizzles, and distortion and noise on the recording is "plasticized" for lack of a better word. I'm not even getting into the random clipping that can occur upon decoding.


----------



## madwolfa

psalmanazar said:


> You don't have any idea what you're talking about. An MP3 file will always sound like an MP3 due to the way the codecs were developed listening to folk singer-songwriter rock on typical consumer systems. They  throw away tons of audible stuff: the depth is entirely gone, panning is smeared, the percussion has pre-echo screwing up the timing, treble always sizzles, and distortion and noise on the recording is "plasticized" for lack of a better word. I'm not even getting into the random clipping that can occur upon decoding.


 
  
 That's not how any modern MP3 codec (like LAME) sounds at >=160 Kbps bitrates. So unless we're talking about <96 Kbps bitrates or extremely old (bad) implementations, everything you said is a load of crappola.


----------



## Psalmanazar

madwolfa said:


> That's not how any modern MP3 codec (like LAME) sounds at >=160 Kbps bitrates. So unless we're talking about <96 Kbps bitrates or extremely old (bad) implementations, everything you said is a load of crappola.


 
 LAME still sucks and is even worse with distortion than the older Fraunhofer codec.


----------



## madwolfa

psalmanazar said:


> LAME still sucks and is even worse with distortion than the older codecs.


 
  
 Throwing dogmatic assertions as such doesn't help your case.


----------



## Psalmanazar

I'm done arguing with the ignorant. If you want to buy a racehorse and feed it regurgitated cornflakes go ahead.


----------



## madwolfa

psalmanazar said:


> I'm done arguing with the ignorant. If you want to buy a racehorse and feed it regurgitated cornflakes go ahead.


 
  
 Being obnoxious doesn't help either...


----------



## fjrabon

No worries, play whatever music you want, next week when I'm listening to the original Orpheus I'll play some MP3 just for you my man.


----------



## Psalmanazar

fjrabon said:


> No worries, play whatever music you want, next week when I'm listening to the original Orpheus I'll play some MP3 just for you my man.


 
 Play 144p Youtube videos of MP3s made from bedroom recordings!


----------



## acguitar84

Is it ok to post mimby impressions in the mimby thread? lol. I have a few early impressions. First off, I can't believe this thing is only 250 bucks, shhhhhh right? It's a very good piece of equipment. I also have a concero HD, and I love it too, but I haven't had a chance to do a direct comparison yet. Anyway, I wish I had a better audiophile vocabulary to describe mimby. Out here on my work computer, I have an m audiophile 2496 soundcard still, and i did compare mimby to it, and mimby easily wiped the floor with it. No contest. 
  
 Comparisons aside, I really hear things clearly with mimby. I listened to dirty laundry by Don Henley, and when the phone rings in there, it had me looking around for a real phone. Everything sounds clear and defined. I really like this multibit technology so far. This makes me really wonder what the gungnir mb and yggy sound like. Wow is the word. Nicely done schiit, some good schiit as the saying goes. I'm going to take this home and listen to it on the headphone rig tonight. Gosh, it sounds so good I wonder if I even need to worry about gumby or yggy.


----------



## Larryp12

slex said:


> Ok, those drums in hotel California slam right and lively.Live music is never so addictive.
> 
> Listening to Robots in Motion by Philter. The bass extension and highs are in perfect harmony.
> 
> ...


 
 I received a Modi Multibit yesterday and let it warm-up for 6 hours before listening to jazz for 4 hours through my Lyr2 > HD 650 and AKG 712 headphones. I was so thoroughly impressed with the Modi Multibit that I woke up this morning and ordered a Bifrost Multibit. I really don’t expect the Bifrost MB to sound any better than the Modi MB. I just don’t like stacking the Modi on top of the Lyr and I do like the concept of an upgradeable DAC.


----------



## Matro5

larryp12 said:


> I received a Modi Multibit yesterday and let it warm-up for 6 hours before listening to jazz for 4 hours through my Lyr2 > HD 650 and AKG 712 headphones. I was so thoroughly impressed with the Modi Multibit that I woke up this morning and ordered a Bifrost Multibit. I really don’t expect the Bifrost MB to sound any better than the Modi MB. I just don’t like stacking the Modi on top of the Lyr and I do like the concept of an upgradeable DAC.


 
  
 I'm looking at the Lyr2 on my desk... and, as crazy as you might feel, I know exactly what you mean.  
  
 In fact, it's why I replaced my original Vali with a Lyr2. Just looked more solid and I could roll tubes!


----------



## Pahani

Okay, so far my perceived strengths of the Modi Multibit (vs my Modi 2 U) have played precisely into my perceived weaknesses of my Stax.
  
 I might be wrong, but I think soundstage width has very slightly increased. Just a touch. The imaging within the soundstage still retains its' laser-like focus.
  
 Bass volume seems to have increased by a fair amount. Again, with no perceived loss of the other strengths already there. In addition, the bass sounds somehow thicker and more textured on certain songs. Slight but noticeable.
  
 Soundstage width and bass quantity were the only 2 aspects I felt my baby Stax could use some improvement.
  
 I have a good bit of hearing loss, so I guarantee nothing as far as my listening impressions  If you were here in my computer room, you might well hear something entirely different. But as far as my ears are concerned, Mimby is a hit!
  
 *edit* Oh, yeah....my Stax have been a bit finicky in the 2 months I've owned them, having good days and great days  In the near-week I've been using Mimby, that finickiness has disappeared


----------



## Letmebefrank

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!







baldr said:


> Can't go wrong with Fritz/CSO!!




Ordered this album yesterday based on your recommendations. Looking forward to it!


----------



## slex

Just find you could easily mute it by going into any un-use input.Good for those who intend to leave in on permenantly.

As a personal analogy its like wearing glass lens from single vision lens to progressive lens- comfortable and clear. Those YGGY must be HD lens with transitions? )


----------



## kehorton

slex said:


> Ok, those drums in hotel California slam right and lively.Live music is never so addictive.
> 
> Listening to Robots in Motion by Philter. The bass extension and highs are in perfect harmony.
> 
> ...


 

 ​Thanks! Going back and forth between Modi and Bifrost. Upgradability is so appealing. Just trying to convince myself it's worth the extra $$


----------



## slex

kehorton said:


> ​Thanks! Going back and forth between Modi and Bifrost. Upgradability is so appealing. Just trying to convince myself it's worth the extra $$




I was intending to upgrade to audiogd DAC19 NOS which will set me around US$1000 inclu shipping and options matching the C2 amp i have now with acss connection.knowing that i will not be getting the latest xmos chip in it.

Mimby came along and with the well proven Xmos F1 XU208 USB bridge now with its own casing from singxer.

Doing the math i could save ar 1/2 K. This will channel the fund to upgrade to Elear if its suit me later.


----------



## RickB

droopy1592 said:


> i am finding that music I could enjoy listening to straight out of my mac's headphone port I can't enjoy anymore. SO yeah the reason is what was a great master before sounds even better with the modiMB and ruins my enjoyment of what I used to enjoy before, which was not-so-well-recorded music.
> 
> 
> So now I search for well recorded music more than anything.


 
 As a rock fan, I worry that the only people making interesting rock music anymore are indie musicians, and most of the albums (which might be very good music) are badly recorded.


----------



## amigastar

Yeah, i love me some Indie Rock music, my favourite genre in Rock besides Psychedelic Rock.


----------



## fjrabon

rickb said:


> As a rock fan, I worry that the only people making interesting rock music anymore are indie musicians, and most of the albums (which might be very good music) are badly recorded.


 

 check out plants and animals - Waltzed in from the Rumbling.  Interesting alt rock that is BRILLIANTLY mastered.  There's a lot of really well recorded and mastered indie and alt rock being made out there, but you do have to put some effort into finding it.


----------



## RickB

fjrabon said:


> check out plants and animals - Waltzed in from the Rumbling.  Interesting alt rock that is BRILLIANTLY mastered.  There's a lot of really well recorded and mastered indie and alt rock being made out there, but you do have to put some effort into finding it.


 
 I'll check it out, thanks.


----------



## fjrabon

I think we can all probably agree we aren't gonna change anybody's mind about MP3 at this point. Let's just refrain from calling people ignorant and move on. To bring this back, this all started with a question about how the MoMBy performed with lower bit rate music.


----------



## jeffjazz

slex said:


> I was intending to upgrade to audiogd DAC19 NOS which will set me around US$1000 inclu shipping and options matching the C2 amp i have now with acss connection.knowing that i will not be getting the latest xmos chip in it.
> 
> Mimby came along and with the well proven Xmos F1 XU208 USB bridge now with its own casing from singxer.
> 
> Doing the math i could save ar 1/2 K. This will channel the fund to upgrade to Elear if its suit me later.




Interesting. I have the Bifrost Uber and was considering upgrading to the Bimby. Reading about the Mimby, It sounds like the Mimby comes very close to the performance of the Bimby and is actually more neutral and betters it in the bass. I would think the Mimby / Xmos F1 XU208 combo may be the best combo on the market right now for the cheap and should better the Bimby when used solo. Let me know your thoughts on this combo and if you have compared the Mimby to any other dacs with the F1. I am leaning towards the same path you have chosen! Thanks!


----------



## slex

jeffjazz said:


> Interesting. I have the Bifrost Uber and was considering upgrading to the Bimby. Reading about the Mimby, It sounds like the Mimby comes very close to the performance of the Bimby and is actually more neutral and betters it in the bass. I would think the Mimby / Xmos F1 XU208 combo may be the best combo on the market right now for the cheap and should better the Bimby when used solo. Let me know your thoughts on this combo and if you have compared the Mimby to any other dacs with the F1. I am leaning towards the same path you have chosen! Thanks!



The bimby will still have a cleaner power thus a lower noise floor i guess. I will putting an ifi dc ipurifier to mimby later when i bring to my ifi dealer to test it out.

Mimby is non upgradable so having an external DDC USB bridge has an advantage to it.

The F1 will be ship after tomolo and will be expecting soon.

I dun have other dac to compare, it already dethrone the grace m9xx i had and for some extend the mojo by someone earlier. The only true comparison is against other NOS dac implementation. Hoping to hear the next generation DS dac pitching against the current NOS dac.


----------



## acguitar84

Ok, more mimby impressions. I finally got to have a shootout with the mimby vs concero HD. I hope stuff like this is ok, i don't really like to talk bad about someones product or anything, and in all fairness I've really enjoyed the concero HD, but (yeah that word had to appear) the mimby, at least in my opinion and in my sons opinion reins supreme. I don't know what it is. It must be the multibit technology? It just seems like the mimby makes all of the instruments sound cleaner, clearer, more like the real things.
  
 My son, we listened to slipknot and dimmu borgir, fist on the concero then the mimby and he loved the mimby. He said it "cleaned up the recordings" in his words. It's not like the concero sounds bad or anything, it's a good sounding DAC, and I've enjoyed a lot of hours on it. But I'm glad I'm moving on to multibit. For me, the way is clear now, I really want to hear gumby and/or yggy. If the mimby sounds this good, I can't even imagine what the yggy must sound like. Great stuff! And an incredible value for just 250 dollars! It's really cool of Schiit to release something like this at this price point. I wonder how many really expensive DACs this little giant could take down? I guess different people would want different sounds, and from posts I've read, some people aren't into a lot of "detail" from their DACs, but for me, detail is one of the main things I want from a DAC, and the mimby has got that going big time! (in my humble opinion of course)
  
 Well, it's time for some beer drinking and listening to tunes and chillin out for the rest of the evening.


----------



## Ttenu

I have had the Modi Multibit for 5 days now and have put it through the gamut.

I give it an A. Total winner.

Using it in a 2.1 "parlor" setup, fed by a Google Cast Audio, up through a Temple Bantam One, out a pair of B&W CM1's and matching subwoofer. These speakers have not sounded so eerily realistic and WARM from other sources I have used, from a lowly Denon HEOS to a supposedly audiophile grade Oppo BDP-105.

I will recommend this DAC to people who want to invest more in speakers or and budding audiophiles looking for a quality source for either headphones or speakers.

I am hearing so much realism and clarity. The sound is warm and addicting. I had been attempting to save up for a Bimby on this setup but could never justify the $600+. Thank you, Schiit!


----------



## painted klown

ttenu said:


> These speakers have not sounded so eerily realistic and WARM from other sources I have used, from a lowly Denon HEOS to a supposedly audiophile grade Oppo BDP-105.


 
 Just to be sure, are you saying the Mimby bests the Oppo 105?
  
 That's a beloved player among audiophiles (as I am sure you are well aware of) and that's a pretty bold statement.
  
 I'm really kind of hoping that IS the case, to be honest. I've always wanted an Oppo, but $1k on a BD player is a lot of outlay (IMO) and if a $250 DAC will best it for 2 channel listening, then I just saved $750!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Your post is of particular interest to me, as I am also using B&W's in my main system. 684 towers, to be exact, and have always fought with their bright sound signature. You mentioned that your speakers have never sounded so warm. Did you find that Mimby helped to tame the highs a bit?


----------



## Currawong

I've moved the MP3 discussion here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/816527/


----------



## slex

Testing my beaverface TH-X00 Mahagony now.

From mid to highs I still prefer my modded HE400S planar.

From lower mid to lows the planar can't match the TH-X00. Much better layered lows then m9xx. The treble is much soothing now against m9xx.

Staging on the TH-XO0 can't much the open planar as expected. The dynamic nature of this TH-X00 has faster linear sounding though.

Listening to Petra Magoni,Ferruccio Spinetti- i will survive. The lows of the cello and the highs of her voice are very clear in harmony.

Perfect Darkness by Fink sounded better on TH-X00.

Side note- after burning continously microdetails start to appear now never heard before on the m9xx.

Hmmm should i bring out my de-comission X2? Maybe later but definitly can't match both TH-X00 and HE400S in SQ on m9xx previously.
This 3 pairs of headphones add ups to 1 ELEAR---Hmmmmm tempting.Got a gut feeling it will surpass all due to the latest dynamic driver on Elear.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Is it just me or does this DAC have a smaller power switch than my Modi2Uber, Vali 2, and Magni 2?


----------



## slex

letmebefrank said:


> Is it just me or does this DAC have a smaller power switch than my Modi2Uber, Vali 2, and Magni 2?




If you've lost your wall-wart, or need another one, you can get it right here. We use four kinds of wall-warts for our products, so please make sure you get the right one.

16VAC, 500mA: For Magni, Magni 2, Vali, Modi 2 Uber, Modi Optical, and Mani
14VAC, 1500mA: for Magni 2 Uber. Can also be used on any product with a 16VAC wall-wart above.
6VAC, 1500mA: for Wyrd
24VAC/6VAC: for Vali 2

Cut and copy


----------



## Letmebefrank

slex said:


> If you've lost your wall-wart, or need another one, you can get it right here. We use four kinds of wall-warts for our products, so please make sure you get the right one.
> 
> 16VAC, 500mA: For Magni, Magni 2, Vali, Modi 2 Uber, Modi Optical, and Mani
> 14VAC, 1500mA: for Magni 2 Uber. Can also be used on any product with a 16VAC wall-wart above.
> ...




Thank you. However, I meant the actual on/off switch on the back is smaller than the ones on my other schiit items of this size.


----------



## slex

letmebefrank said:


> Thank you. However, I meant the actual on/off switch on the back is smaller than the ones on my other schiit items of this size.




Haha my bad, in that case no idea as i intend to power it up permernantly.


----------



## RickB

letmebefrank said:


> Is it just me or does this DAC have a smaller power switch than my Modi2Uber, Vali 2, and Magni 2?


 
 It does. I have it in a stack with Vali 2 and Wyrd, and I noticed the power switch is definitely smaller than the other two.


----------



## slex

slex said:


> Testing my beaverface TH-X00 Mahagony now.
> 
> From mid to highs I still prefer my modded HE400S planar.
> 
> ...


----------



## schneller

All of these comments make the Schiit decision even more difficult, trying to pin point the best source for my setup. Both MMB and BMB are a "no-brainer" purchase. GMB is a light stretch at the moment while Yiggy is a serious investment; my "one and done" option. 

I have A/B GMB and Yiggy fairly extensively, preferring Yiggy. Cons for me are price, footprint, no need for balanced output, and not available in black (usually). 

As someone who doesn't need balanced output, naturally the MMB and BMB come to mind as they also have nice and tiny footprints. 

Where do MMB and BMB fall with regards to sound signature AND resolution / detail retrieval vs. GMB and Yiggy? 

In order for BMB to be that much more appealing vs. MMB, Schiit really needs to give us more reason as to why the ability to upgrade is important. They need a USB4 option or perhaps a Wyrd2 that completely negates the need for all the BS add-ons like U2S, Regen, Intona, etc. That and / or a PS upgrade that also negates all the BS LPS discussions.


----------



## fjrabon

schneller said:


> All of these comments make the Schiit decision even more difficult, trying to pin point the best source for my setup. Both MMB and BMB are a "no-brainer" purchase. GMB is a light stretch at the moment while Yiggy is a serious investment; my "one and done" option.
> 
> I have A/B GMB and Yiggy fairly extensively, preferring Yiggy. Cons for me are price, footprint, no need for balanced output, and not available in black (usually).
> 
> ...




Yeah, the bifrost line no doubt needs an overhaul. Schiit has even basically acknowledged that. There are some benefits to BMB over MMB, but very few people are gonna find them worth the price difference. My gut tells me Schiit has something big up their sleeves for the bifrost line in the next few months though.


----------



## theveterans

I hope they can find a way to get a fully discrete SE analog stage on the Bimby instead of using integrated op-amps.


----------



## Ttenu

painted klown said:


> Just to be sure, are you saying the Mimby bests the Oppo 105?
> 
> That's a beloved player among audiophiles (as I am sure you are well aware of) and that's a pretty bold statement.
> 
> ...




Yes, it is a bold statement but I have personally always been disappointed by ESS Sabre 9018 DACs (with exception of exaSound e22 mkii). Always sounds digital to me, didn't live up to hype. This Mobit sounds warmer and more lifelike and found a sweet spot with my CM1 speakers. CM1's have the opposite problem compared to most B&W in that they are bass boomy and not bright. I can't speak of whether it tames bright B&W's. 

It isn't a surprise to me that the Modi Multibit would best an unmodded Oppo, as the Oppo us a multi purpose device with two 8 channel chips. This is a dedicated multibit 2ch DAC with the magic Moffatt filter.


----------



## conquerator2

I'd argue that every R2R or NOS DAC [if at least decently implemented] will beat the ESS Sabres in natural, musical and smooth attributes. It just sounds more like sound and less like digital something. The D/S can throw a huge soundstage and be uber detailed, but that to me means nothing when the resulting sound is harsh and sterile


----------



## slex

About this power supply, its "AC" type linear power supply. So ifi dc ipurifier is out of the question.

Any alternatives aftermarket AC linear power supply fot this mimby? I'm using the Vali V1 power supply now since the mimby stock PS was dead on arrival.
Checking the stats on the vali PS, it did not mention linear power. Just need comfirmation from schiit.


----------



## JazzVinyl

slex said:


> About this power supply, its "AC" type linear power supply. So ifi dc ipurifier is out of the question.
> 
> Any alternatives aftermarket AC linear power supply fot this mimby? I'm using the Vali V1 power supply now since the mimby stock PS was dead on arrival.
> Checking the stats on the vali PS, it did not mention linear power. Just need comfirmation from schiit.




I do believe your misunderstanding the "Linear" part of the power supply. The Wall Wart is likely nothing more than a step down transformer. Converting your 115VAC (USA) or 230VAC (Europe) wall voltage to 16VAC.

The "Linear" part of the power supply is happening inside the Modi, where it is being converted to DC and run through regulator IC's and capacitors are used to eliminate current "ripple".

If your Vali Wall Wart outputs 16VAC - you should be fine.

Surprised to hear it arrived with a dead Wall Wart, seems like an easy thing to check before you ship a unit out.



.


----------



## slex

jazzvinyl said:


> I do believe your misunderstanding the "Linear" part of the power supply. The Wall Wart is likely nothing more than a step down transformer. Converting your 115VAC (USA) or 230VAC (Europe) wall current to 16VAC.
> 
> The "Linear" part of the power supply is happening inside the Modi, where it is being converted to DC and run through regulator IC's and capacitors are used to eliminate current "ripple".
> 
> ...




Ok thank, that's clear things up. Thanks

I just found a custom PS with Noratel transformer rated 16VAC 1.5A for this mimby


----------



## fjrabon

So mine has been warming up for about 3-4 hours now. Interesting to compare it to my Grace m9XX and iDAC6. Amp used is the Torpedo III. 

First impression is this is a great DAC. It so insanely beats everything else at its price level that it's not funny. A true game changer in lower-mid-fi (price wise at least) DACs. Compared to the m9XX, I give the m9XX a large nod on versatility. This is obvious because the m9XX has more features (filters, crossfeed, DSD, ability to run off USB bus power or external power, etc). I'd give the MoMBy a moderate but noticeable nod on "naturalness" of presentation. I'd say they're about equal in detail and soundstage. They're both what might be called "warm" DACs. Which really I think is because they're both less harsh than most sabre based DACs. I'd give the MoMBy the slight edge overall on pure sound quality. The m9XX acquits itself well, and there are practical reasons somebody might choose m9XX over MoMBy, but it's hard to not come to the conclusion that MoMBy sounds a bit more natural and easy to listen to without giving up any ground in resolution. Resolution + naturalness = transparency and he MoMBy has that in spades. 

Switching gears to comparing the iDAC6, things get harder to make any sort of definitive conclusion. For those unfamiliar, the iDAC6 uses dual AKM4490 chips in a truly differential implementation. It also has both transistor and tube output buffer stages. It's a new product and retails around $900. 

Whereas the m9XX's selling point was feature robustness, the selling point of the iDAC6 is being able to be a tonal chameleon. Whereas the m9XX has 4 DAC filters, they're extremely subtly different and are designed to solve aliasing and intermodulation distortion issues more than they're designed to actually change the sound. The iDAC6 on the other hand has 5 filters that are fairly radically different and can fairly dramatically change the soundstage depth and transient response. Then when combined with the transistor vs tube output, the iDAC6 has 10 fairly distinct tonal flavors. That makes a direct comparison with any DAC very difficult, let alone a R2R DAC like MoMBy. 

I'd say the iDAC6 slightly edges the MoMBy in soundstage width. Both are very natural sound stages. Depth is more complicated because with the iDAC6's most upfront setting (super slow roll off, transistor output), the MoMBy is much deeper, while the iDAC6 is aggressive and in your face. However, going to the iDAC6's most laid back setting (sharp roll off, tube output), things switch, with iDAC6 being deeper and MoMBy being more upfront. In the middle setting for the iDAC6 (slow roll off, transistor output) they're more or less identical in soundstage depth. 

I'd say that if you're willing to tinker and match DAC settings to particular recordings, the iDAC6 is capable of beating the MoMBy a large portion of the time. However if you like your DAC to be set it and forget it, the MoMBy is as good, and maybe a bit better than the iDAC6 on its most "normal" setting. The iDAC6 will also do DSD if that matters to you. They're at the very least comparable in quality, it just comes down to if you want flexibility in your DAC or just one great set it and forget it sound. I think they both fit for me. And given how cheap MoMBy is, I don't have to feel very guilty about having an extra "unnecessary" DAC. 

The MoMBy will absolutely be my new "lower mid-fi" entry level DAC recommendation. It's the only DAC most people will need unless they're ready to go all in on an end game DAC. This product is absolutely going to put other manufacturers on notice. It's, in my opinion, the first truly market changing product in headphone audiophile land since the HD800. And the first in the budget conscious tier since, well, maybe ever.


----------



## RickB

^You're in for further surprises when your Mobi has been on for 24 hours, and again at about 48 hours.


----------



## acguitar84

I totally agree. Mimby is a sweet, sweet deal!


----------



## fjrabon

rickb said:


> ^You're in for further surprises when your Mobi has been on for 24 hours, and again at about 48 hours.


 

 I mean I sort of factored that in, though Mike has indicated MoMBy shouldn't take nearly as long as Yggy to hit its stride.  I actually misspoke as well, as it had been 3-4 hours, not 2-3.  The first hour was a fairly dramatic change, hour 2 was still noticeable.  Sound has seemed to mostly stabilize for me at least since then.  I'll keep an ear out for changes though.
  
 I'll wait for a week or so with it before I give ultimate conclusions though.


----------



## cbl117

Any comparisons with the Chord mojo? If you factor in an amp for the mimby there isn't much of a price difference. For a transportable setup, I see them as being competitors.


----------



## fjrabon

cbl117 said:


> Any comparisons with the Chord mojo? If you factor in an amp for the mimby there isn't much of a price difference. For a transportable setup, I see them as being competitors.


 

 If you don't care about small form factor, DSD and battery, I don't see any reason to buy a Mojo over the MoMBy.   I thought the m9XX was exactly equal to Mojo in sound quality, and the MoMBy beats the m9XX in pure sound quality.  MoMBy + Vali2 (or Magni2 Uber if you prefer solid state) will beat Mojo handily as a desktop setup.


----------



## cbl117

fjrabon said:


> If you don't care about small form factor, DSD and battery, I don't see any reason to buy a Mojo over the MoMBy.   I thought the m9XX was exactly equal to Mojo in sound quality, and the MoMBy beats the m9XX in pure sound quality.  MoMBy + Vali2 (or Magni2 Uber if you prefer solid state) will beat Mojo handily as a desktop setup.




Interesting. I'm looking for a transportable setup with SQ a priority, and plugging in two wallwarts is a non issue. I'd probably go with a magni2U for the lower output impedance, so it will pair with a wider array of headphones. Do you think the mojo's class A amp would beat the magni2U?


----------



## fjrabon

cbl117 said:


> Interesting. I'm looking for a transportable setup with SQ a priority, and plugging in two wallwarts is a non issue. I'd probably go with a magni2U for the lower output impedance, so it will pair with a wider array of headphones. Do you think the mojo's class A amp would beat the magni2U?


 

 pure amp alone is really hard to say, because it's impossible to use Mojo that way.  I don't think it would really be a large difference one way or the other.  I was never a fan of Magni2U personally, as I found it a bit harsh.


----------



## cbl117

fjrabon said:


> pure amp alone is really hard to say, because it's impossible to use Mojo that way.  I don't think it would really be a large difference one way or the other.  I was never a fan of Magni2U personally, as I found it a bit harsh.




How well would a vali2 handle a variety of headphone impedances? For example, my headphone line up ranges from 9ohm IEM to 300ohm dynamic drivers to 22ohm planars.


----------



## fjrabon

cbl117 said:


> How well would a vali2 handle a variety of headphone impedances? For example, my headphone line up ranges from 9ohm IEM to 300ohm dynamic drivers to 22ohm planars.


 

 not sure about the 9 ohm IEMs, but should be good with everything else.  I think the 1.2 ohm output on low gain should be fine with your IEMs, but I have no idea about noise floor.  I'd also suggest considering m9XX based on what you have said.


----------



## cbl117

fjrabon said:


> not sure about the 9 ohm IEMs, but should be good with everything else.  I think the 1.2 ohm output on low gain should be fine with your IEMs, but I have no idea about noise floor.  I'd also suggest considering m9XX based on what you have said.




Thanks, I'll look into m9xx. Any experience with iDSD micro, and how it would compare with these dacs?


----------



## fjrabon

Switching from classical music to more bass heavy genres, the m9XX and and iDAC6 do have more lower end power.  However, maybe this improves after the MoMBy is left on longer.  Though I haven't noticed any sound change over the last hour or so.  iDAC6 + short delay, sharp roll off + tube output + TIII slams like a beast while remaining tight.


----------



## fjrabon

cbl117 said:


> Thanks, I'll look into m9xx. Any experience with iDSD micro, and how it would compare with these dacs?


 

 been a while since I heard it.  I remember it as being comparable to, but a small step behind, m9XX and Mojo.


----------



## Tuneslover

I ordered a Modi Multibit today!


----------



## WayTooCrazy

I don't like this site anymore.


----------



## jfoxvol

Just came today. Soon to be new office setup. Compact awesomeness.


----------



## RickB

jfoxvol said:


> Just came today. Soon to be new office setup. Compact awesomeness.


 
 I'm using the exact same setup.


----------



## madwolfa

rickb said:


> I'm using the exact same setup.


 
  
 I think this is going to be a staple budget oriented setup for all the HD6x0 owners for a long time.


----------



## RickB

madwolfa said:


> I think this is going to be a staple budget oriented setup for all the HD6x0 owners for a long time.


 
 It's hard to beat without spending more money.


----------



## madwolfa

rickb said:


> It's hard to beat without spending more money.


 
  
 If I will finally get an office job (I work from home), this is what I'm going to get.


----------



## fjrabon

rickb said:


> It's hard to beat without spending more money.


 

 I think there are a couple of competitive amps that compete at the same basic price point as Vali2, but none that clearly beat it.  I actually slightly prefer the amp in the HiFiMan EF2C, simply because I prefer the EF95 family of tubes to the ones Vali2 uses, but again, it's not clearly better.  And for some headphones, things like the Magni2U may be better, but again, not an overall clear step up.  
  
 And yeah, nothing is coming close to MoMBy in the price range.


----------



## jfoxvol

I can't use open backs in current office. New place in October will have our own private offices. So for now the Denon 7ks or Ether C will pull duty. Nothing to complain about still. My HD600s do love this amp. A lot.


----------



## jnak00

I've had my Mimby running for around 90 minutes now, with my Magni 2 Uber.  I wasn't sure what to think of the comments that "it needs to warm up" but it certainly does sound better as it gets warm.  And it definitely runs warm - almost hot to the touch. Although the "M" logo on top is a nice touch, it seems a bit contrary to Schiit's philosophy of not putting their gear in prettied up cases.  Plus, my Magni sits on top of the Modi (I like the headphone jack sitting higher) so it's covered up.
  
 So far it sounds pretty good.  I wouldn't call it leaps and bounds better than the Modi 2 I was running prior, but it does seem more natural sounding.  If you sit and listen closely you can hear the differences; if you're not fully focused on the music, it's easy to miss the nuances that this unit brings to life.  I think that is more a compliment to the Modi 2 than a detriment on the Modi Multibit.
  
 For the Canadians out there, this unit cost me a bit over $400 once you factor in exchange (the big ouch), shipping, and GST and brokerage fees.  To get this and the Magni 2 Uber would run more than $600.  I think $600 is a lot to call "entry level" (my 7.2 channel Sony receiver cost $600), but the stack definitely has high value.  Our exchange rate just really blows right now.


----------



## cyclops214

waytoocrazy said:


> I don't like this site anymore.


 
 I know what you mean I already had the Uber dac but last week Reading these threads got to me and I ordered the Multibit. Now that I've had it for a week it is awesome can't really explain it better than that so now I just ordered the magni 2 uber to replace my magni 2 this website is it bad bad influence.


----------



## fjrabon

jnak00 said:


> I've had my Mimby running for around 90 minutes now, with my Magni 2 Uber.  I wasn't sure what to think of the comments that "it needs to warm up" but it certainly does sound better as it gets warm.  And it definitely runs warm - almost hot to the touch. Although the "M" logo on top is a nice touch, it seems a bit contrary to Schiit's philosophy of not putting their gear in prettied up cases.  Plus, my Magni sits on top of the Modi (I like the headphone jack sitting higher) so it's covered up.
> 
> So far it sounds pretty good.  I wouldn't call it leaps and bounds better than the Modi 2 I was running prior, but it does seem more natural sounding.  If you sit and listen closely you can hear the differences; if you're not fully focused on the music, it's easy to miss the nuances that this unit brings to life.  I think that is more a compliment to the Modi 2 than a detriment on the Modi Multibit.
> 
> For the Canadians out there, this unit cost me a bit over $400 once you factor in exchange (the big ouch), shipping, and GST and brokerage fees.  To get this and the Magni 2 Uber would run more than $600.  I think $600 is a lot to call "entry level" (my 7.2 channel Sony receiver cost $600), but the stack definitely has high value.  Our exchange rate just really blows right now.


 

 man, if you think MoMBy runs hot, you've never seen Yggy.  And the iDAC6 runs crazy hot.  like uncomfortable to keep your hand on for more than 10 seconds or so hot.  
  
 Also, give MoMBy about 3 hours, and it should run laps around Modi2.


----------



## jnak00

cyclops214 said:


> I know what you mean I already had the Uber dac but last week Reading these threads got to me and I ordered the Multibit. Now that I've had it for a week it is awesome can't really explain it better than that so now I just ordered the magni 2 uber to replace my magni 2 this website is it bad bad influence.


 

 I am glad I went with the Modi 2 B-stock.  I did so thinking the DAC would be the most likely upgrade.  I didn't think I would upgrade after only 2 months!
  
 Quote:


fjrabon said:


> man, if you think MoMBy runs hot, you've never seen Yggy.  And the iDAC6 runs crazy hot.  like uncomfortable to keep your hand on for more than 10 seconds or so hot.
> 
> Also, give MoMBy about 3 hours, and it should run laps around Modi2.


 
  
 No, I have never seen Yggy or any of Schiit's higher up products.  Probably a good thing


----------



## Argo Duck

fjrabon said:


> man, if you think MoMBy runs hot, you've never seen Yggy.




Are you sure you mean Yggy? Mine is warm to the touch. Not hot at all


----------



## mysticstryk

Hot schiit you say? Valhalla 2 and Asgard 2 say hello, haha. 

Good thing the entire chassis is one big heatsink.


----------



## supabayes

argo duck said:


> Are you sure you mean Yggy? Mine is warm to the touch. Not hot at all


 

 My Yggy is warm to touch, never hot. I felt that the Mimby was warmer than Yggy. The Ragnarok is too hot to touch, like the La Figaro 339 tube amp I picked up recently.


----------



## slex

fjrabon said:


> So mine has been warming up for about 3-4 hours now. Interesting to compare it to my Grace m9XX and iDAC6. Amp used is the Torpedo III.
> 
> First impression is this is a great DAC. It so insanely beats everything else at its price level that it's not funny. A true game changer in lower-mid-fi (price wise at least) DACs. Compared to the m9XX, I give the m9XX a large nod on versatility. This is obvious because the m9XX has more features (filters, crossfeed, DSD, ability to run off USB bus power or external power, etc). I'd give the MoMBy a moderate but noticeable nod on "naturalness" of presentation. I'd say they're about equal in detail and soundstage. They're both what might be called "warm" DACs. Which really I think is because they're both less harsh than most sabre based DACs. I'd give the MoMBy the slight edge overall on pure sound quality. The m9XX acquits itself well, and there are practical reasons somebody might choose m9XX over MoMBy, but it's hard to not come to the conclusion that MoMBy sounds a bit more natural and easy to listen to without giving up any ground in resolution. Resolution + naturalness = transparency and he MoMBy has that in spades.
> 
> ...




Nice write, one thing i like the mimby besides the amazing SQ of multibit against the m9xx is the COAX input. Great potential to expand further.


----------



## Tuneslover

@jnak00 For the Canadians out there, this unit cost me a bit over $400 once you factor in exchange (the big ouch), shipping, and GST and brokerage fees.  To get this and the Magni 2 Uber would run more than $600.  I think $600 is a lot to call "entry level" (my 7.2 channel Sony receiver cost $600), but the stack definitely has high value.  Our exchange rate just really blows right now.  
[/quote]

Yup, I hear ya the exchange rate and other costs makes it pretty much a no deal buying merchandise from the U.S. I ordered a Modi MB and having it shipped to the hotel that we're staying at when we go on vacation next week. I hope to bring it back duty free.


----------



## fjrabon

supabayes said:


> My Yggy is warm to touch, never hot. I felt that the Mimby was warmer than Yggy. The Ragnarok is too hot to touch, like the La Figaro 339 tube amp I picked up recently.




Yeah, meant Asgard, not Yggy. R2R too much on the brain, haha.


----------



## crazychile

My Yggy does not run hot at all. If I had to guess, the left side top case might be in the 90s deg F. range. And Bifrost MB runs barely above room temp.


----------



## slex

Schiit heard you.Next stop aerospace grade dac. That should run cooler


----------



## jnak00

tuneslover said:


> Yup, I hear ya the exchange rate and other costs makes it pretty much a no deal buying merchandise from the U.S. I ordered a Modi MB and having it shipped to the hotel that we're staying at when we go on vacation next week. I hope to bring it back duty free.




That's a good idea. I assume shipping would be cheaper to a US address, any you'll save on the GST and $10 brokerage charge. There was no duty to pay.


----------



## Tuneslover

jnak00 said:


> That's a good idea. I assume shipping would be cheaper to a US address, any you'll save on the GST and $10 brokerage charge. There was no duty to pay.




Yes shipping is $14 U.S. Total charge is $263 U.S.


----------



## Aradea

fjrabon said:


> So mine has been warming up for about 3-4 hours now. Interesting to compare it to my Grace m9XX and iDAC6. Amp used is the Torpedo III.
> 
> First impression is this is a great DAC. It so insanely beats everything else at its price level that it's not funny. A true game changer in lower-mid-fi (price wise at least) DACs. Compared to the m9XX, I give the m9XX a large nod on versatility. This is obvious because the m9XX has more features (filters, crossfeed, DSD, ability to run off USB bus power or external power, etc). I'd give the MoMBy a moderate but noticeable nod on "naturalness" of presentation. I'd say they're about equal in detail and soundstage. They're both what might be called "warm" DACs. Which really I think is because they're both less harsh than most sabre based DACs. I'd give the MoMBy the slight edge overall on pure sound quality. The m9XX acquits itself well, and there are practical reasons somebody might choose m9XX over MoMBy, but it's hard to not come to the conclusion that MoMBy sounds a bit more natural and easy to listen to without giving up any ground in resolution. Resolution + naturalness = transparency and he MoMBy has that in spades.
> 
> ...




Do you think that this will match well with a tube amp? Since perhaps this DAC is rather warm based on what I've read so far


----------



## Letmebefrank

aradea said:


> Do you think that this will match well with a tube amp? Since perhaps this DAC is rather warm based on what I've read so far




I think it's a great pairing with the Vali 2. Check out my initial impressions *here*.


----------



## fjrabon

aradea said:


> Do you think that this will match well with a tube amp? Since perhaps this DAC is rather warm based on what I've read so far




Depends more on the particular amp. I love it with my TIII and HiFiMan EF2C. I wouldn't pair it with a mushy, honky, overly warm tube amp though. I also wouldn't own a honky, mushy, overly warm tube amp in the first place.


----------



## pctazhp

letmebefrank said:


> I think it's a great pairing with the Vali 2. Check out my initial impressions *here*.


 
 Can't speak to the Mimby, but my Bimby coupled with my Feliks Audio Elise is a match made in heaven!!!!


----------



## jfoxvol

fjrabon said:


> I think there are a couple of competitive amps that compete at the same basic price point as Vali2, but none that clearly beat it.  I actually slightly prefer the amp in the HiFiMan EF2C, simply because I prefer the EF95 family of tubes to the ones Vali2 uses, but again, it's not clearly better.  And for some headphones, things like the Magni2U may be better, but again, not an overall clear step up.
> 
> And yeah, nothing is coming close to MoMBy in the price range.


 
 Yeah the stock tube was ok for me.  an EH Repro 6CG7 is pulling duties currently and a massive improvement.  I'm looking forward to testing it out.  I had the amp running into Bimby in my living room setup and it was just fantastic.  I anticipate this will be very very similar.


----------



## fjrabon

jfoxvol said:


> Yeah the stock tube was ok for me.  an EH Repro 6CG7 is pulling duties currently and a massive improvement.  I'm looking forward to testing it out.  I had the amp running into Bimby in my living room setup and it was just fantastic.  I anticipate this will be very very similar.




Yeah, it's not so much that I don't like the tube family the Vali2 uses, as much as I know the EF95 family inside and out, and the Voshkod 6ZH1P-EV is one of my favorite tubes of all time.


----------



## Aradea

fjrabon said:


> Depends more on the particular amp. I love it with my TIII and HiFiMan EF2C. I wouldn't pair it with a mushy, honky, overly warm tube amp though. I also wouldn't own a honky, mushy, overly warm tube amp in the first place.



I get your point


----------



## jnak00

My Mimby died overnight. I left in on and this morning it had no power. I'm not sure if it's the power supply or the unit itself.


----------



## officerdibble

Am very interested in this DAC. Currently I have my Mac Mini USB out into Schiit Wyrd to clean up jitter/noise, then into an M2 Tech Hi-Face to SPDIF in on my Quad Vena which has a CS4398 DAC chip out to Tannoy Revolution DC6 speakers or HD 650.
  
 Just not sure whether this would be an upgrade on the DAC in the Quad??


----------



## FatTeemo

jnak00 said:


> My Mimby died overnight. I left in on and this morning it had no power. I'm not sure if it's the power supply or the unit itself.


 
  
 This is the second case I have heard of the Mimby dying after only being used for a short time. I hope there isn't a defect because I'm getting mine soon. How many defects are normal?


----------



## crazychile

fatteemo said:


> jnak00 said:
> 
> 
> > My Mimby died overnight. I left in on and this morning it had no power. I'm not sure if it's the power supply or the unit itself.
> ...


 

 With Schiit it's pretty rare because they burn everything in and then test before shipping. The first run of the Fulla had issues but they discovered it right away and made it right.
  
 I don't know what normal is for defects in consumer electronics anymore. 25 years ago It was pretty common to keep it below 3% (DOA to 15 day failure), but I'd be surprised if Schiit has more than half that figure.


----------



## jnak00

Trying to find a 16 vac power supply is proving difficult. I just want to see if it's the power supply or not.


----------



## yage

jnak00 said:


> Trying to find a 16 vac power supply is proving difficult. I just want to see if it's the power supply or not.


 
  
 Why? Let Schiit do the troubleshooting for you. It says in the manual to not use the DAC with any other power supply except the one supplied.


----------



## jnak00

yage said:


> Why? Let Schiit do the troubleshooting for you. It says in the manual to not use the DAC with any other power supply except the one supplied.


 
  
 Because I don't want to pay another $40 to ship this thing back to Schiit only to find it was a $10 wall-wart that was the problem.


----------



## yage

jnak00 said:


> Because I don't want to pay another $40 to ship this thing back to Schiit only to find it was a $10 wall-wart that was the problem.


 
  
 I'd still give them a call first, if only to cover your bases. That way they can't claim that you used a different wall wart and broke your DAC if it doesn't power up. (Not saying Schiit would do that, but I like to err on the side of caution.) Who knows, maybe they'll send you a new wall wart to try out.


----------



## slex

Considerig the value of the wallwart is not worthwhile to ship if its indeed the wallwart is at fault.

Just create a RMA. It is also wary about " Don't use other power adapter " in the manual.

I'm using my old vali wallwart now but im getting permission to use linear type power supply custom to Mimmby spec.


----------



## fjrabon

Schitt will almost certainly ship you a new power supply free of charge if you contact them.


----------



## JazzVinyl

slex said:


> Considerig the value of the wallwart is not worthwhile to ship if its indeed the wallwart is at fault.
> 
> Just create a RMA. It is also wary about " Don't use other power adapter " in the manual.
> 
> I'm using my old vali wallwart now but im getting permission to use linear type power supply custom to Mimmby spec.




No volt meter? Have a friend with a meter?

If it works with your Vali supply and not the Mimby supply that was sent, it's the Mimby supply.

There is no "external linear Power Supply for Mimby" All the Mimby linear power supply guts are INSIDE the MIMBY.

It wants 16 volts of AC fed to the plug.


----------



## The Limey

First post.......Just got mine I have a hour on it and its all good here...no wobbly button too
  
 I,m on phones now but am looking forward to  hooking it up to my tubes later on.


----------



## slex

jazzvinyl said:


> No volt meter? Have a friend with a meter?
> 
> If it works with your Vali supply and not the Mimby supply that was sent, it's the Mimby supply.
> 
> ...




Correction. Just a step-down PS with better toirodal transformer.


----------



## jnak00

I contacted schiit this morning. That's the first thing I did when I realized something was wrong. They haven't replied yet. 

I haven't done anything else yet. As I said, I can't find a 16v power supply so I haven't been able to do anything else.


----------



## jnak00

Laura from Schiit emailed me to say they are sending me a new wall wart. Hopefully that fixes it.


----------



## ph0n6

Seeing many have it already, can someone confirm if it can run from usb power source?


----------



## franzdom

No.


----------



## fjrabon

ph0n6 said:


> Seeing many have it already, can someone confirm if it can run from usb power source?


 

 wall wart


----------



## fjrabon

After another day of listening, some further impressions: 

The transients are a bit softer than my other DACs. It's most noticeable on bass transients (hard kick drum sounds, electronic beats) but it's even there in the midrange and treble. The closest thing I can compare it to is actually a headphone, the HiFiMan HE1000. It's not quite as soft as the HE1K, but it's that sort of idea. A plus here is that it allows you to "see inside" the transients a little more clearly because your ear is less overwhelmed by the hardness of the edge. There are times when I wish for a bit more guttural kick with bass transients, but the sound has a very alluring quality to it on its own. It also makes for an extremely easy listen as well. It makes the system forgiving without losing detail. Oasis's first two albums have never sounded better. They're still poorly mastered, and you can hear the brick wall mastering still, but it's much less harsh and much more detail is extractable. 

Another good example is Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin and Paco De Lucia live in San Francisco. Al Di Meola plays a steel string acoustic, while Paco and McLaughlin play nylon strings (paco's may even be gut strung). So sometimes Al's tone is so much harder than the others that it can overwhelm the ear a bit. With MoMBy even when all three are playing everything stays smooth and well defined. Being able to distinctly keep three acoustic guitarists separated in the stereo image when they're literally playing the same exact parts at times in a live acoustic setting is quite a feat but MoMBy (and TIII + HD800) pull it off. 

Overall, this slight softness in the transients, to me is where Yggy slightly pulls ahead of MoMBy. Yggy gives a more true to life power in the transients while still maintaining the detail and smoothness. This leads Yggy to be a bit more transparent and image a bit better as well. 

That being said, I can see some listeners actually preferring the presentation MoMBy gives, even over Yggy. It's so liquid and natural. I think this lack of sharpness is where people get the impression that MoMBy is warm. It's perfectly dead flat neutral, it just has a little less pure quick sharp edge power in the transients, which is less grating in the ear, which can seem "warmer"

Soundstage depth is very interesting on MoMBy. On the one hand that lack of sharpness of edge would seem to put it further back depth wise. However, MoMBy also has incredible presence frequency detail that pulls it back forward a bit. It makes it really hard for me to get a great feel for the depth it presents. It almost seems to pull midrange instruments forward but push cymbals and bass instruments back, to my ears at least. 

Also if I haven't mentioned it, micro detail is jaw dropping at times. This is a very well matched DAC for HD800. Feeds it the detail it craves without the harshness that will rip your ear off of many other detailed DACs.


----------



## The Limey

Got a few hours on it now and my first impressions are the sound is slightly sterile and polite to me like all faders are set to the middle...very buttoned down..probably quite proper.....reminds me of a Linn system minus the prat..Everything is accurate and I,m receiving more detail in the music with nuances not heard before,if is engaging me more I dunno? I have to remind myself its $250 so can I hardly complain?
  
 My Musical Fidelity V Dac feels more musical like the faders are maxed up it wants to boogie,now admittedly my points of references are only 1 x dac and a few turntables but this is how it sounds to me and I feel on the first listening session.


----------



## fjrabon

the limey said:


> Got a few hours on it now and my first impressions are the sound is slightly sterile and polite to me like all faders are set to the middle...very buttoned down..probably quite proper.....reminds me of a Linn system minus the prat..Everything is accurate and I,m receiving more detail in the music with nuances not heard before,if is engaging me more I dunno? I have to remind myself its $250 so can I hardly complain?
> 
> My Musical Fidelity V Dac feels more musical like the faders are maxed up it wants to boogie,now admittedly my points of references are only 1 x dac and a few turntables but this is how it sounds to me and I feel on the first listening session.


 

 by "got a few hours on it" you mean you just turned it on a few hours ago?  I can definitely see polite, but sterile would be the last thing I'd call it unless it hadn't warmed up.


----------



## slex

My replacement wallwart is dispatch from schiit by Fedex with traking number. This shows the the company is dedicated to serving its customer!

Thumbs up for the service and a fabulous dac at its price point.


----------



## koven

aradea said:


> Do you think that this will match well with a tube amp?


 
  
 yes


----------



## JamesZzzzz

First post on Head-Fi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Bought a second-handed Bifrost Uber a few days ago, considering getting myself a multibit upgrade, but when I knew that Modi Multibit is out I started to consider selling the bifrost immediately and get myself a Mimby
 Can anyone stop me from doing this by telling me the advantages Bifrost has excluding upgradability and a better power supply, especially when mimby is cheaper than the second-handed Bifrost Uber...

 Hell me, feeling dumber than ever right now with my wallet empty and a sub-antique DAC in hand


----------



## slex

jameszzzzz said:


> First post on Head-Fi
> 
> Bought a second-handed Bifrost Uber a few days ago, considering getting myself a multibit upgrade, but when I knew that Modi Multibit is out I started to consider selling the bifrost immediately and get myself a Mimby
> 
> ...




Keep if it a rare black bilfrost


----------



## JamesZzzzz

slex said:


> Keep if it a rare black bilfrost


 
 Unfortunately it isn't. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, I haven't seen any _real_ comparison between the Bimby and the Mimby yet
 Hope someone with both of them can post some thoughts for all Bifrost owners including me


----------



## vjack

the limey said:


> Got a few hours on it now and my first impressions are the sound is slightly sterile and polite to me like all faders are set to the middle...very buttoned down..probably quite proper.....reminds me of a Linn system minus the prat..Everything is accurate and I,m receiving more detail in the music with nuances not heard before,if is engaging me more I dunno? I have to remind myself its $250 so can I hardly complain?
> 
> My Musical Fidelity V Dac feels more musical like the faders are maxed up it wants to boogie,now admittedly my points of references are only 1 x dac and a few turntables but this is how it sounds to me and I feel on the first listening session.


 

 I'll be very interested to hear more about this specific comparison. I have an old Musical Fidelity V-DAC too, and I've been wondering if it is time to replace it. The Modi Multibit has caught my eye, so I'll be interested to see if you think it is a clear upgrade or just something with a bit of a different sound.


----------



## jcwc

Hi, I'm planning on getting the Modi Multibit for my desktop rig to feed my active speakers. Can I just connect the Modi Multibit to my active speakers without any preamp in between?


----------



## fjrabon

jcwc said:


> Hi, I'm planning on getting the Modi Multibit for my desktop rig to feed my active speakers. Can I just connect the Modi Multibit to my active speakers without any preamp in between?




Yes.


----------



## jfoxvol

Tube rolling on my lunch break. I'm not getting much done today. The Oppo PM3 previously used with the Fulla is working just fine with this setup. It sounds great.

In case anyone is wondering, I'm swapping between the stock tube and an EH 6CG7 repro. I do like the latter better. Both are great.


----------



## Rodmunch

jfoxvol said:


> Tube rolling on my lunch break. I'm not getting much done today. The Oppo PM3 previously used with the Fulla is working just fine with this setup. It sounds great.
> 
> In case anyone is wondering, I'm swapping between the stock tube and an EH 6CG7 repro. I do like the latter better. Both are great.


 
 Do your coworkers constantly bug you about your Schiit stack?  I had a Magni/Modi V1 setup for a while and my coworkers wouldn't stop poking fun at my crazy audio hobby.  Not that it really bothered me, but then my boss thought it was causing too much distraction so I downsized my setup to a DACPort Slim and now to a Little Ego.


----------



## jfoxvol

rodmunch said:


> Do your coworkers constantly bug you about your Schiit stack?  I had a Magni/Modi V1 setup for a while and my coworkers wouldn't stop poking fun at my crazy audio hobby.  Not that it really bothered me, but then my boss thought it was causing too much distraction so I downsized my setup to a DACPort Slim and now to a Little Ego.


 
 One coworker has a Fulla and he just bought some of my older gear for home use.  We did have a quick mini listening session.  This is a really good little setup.  I think he'll end up with similar stack on his office desk.
  
 At my old office, I had a full Valhalla2/Bifrost stack with HD600s.  But we had more room and doors.


----------



## AviP

rodmunch said:


> Do your coworkers constantly bug you about your Schiit stack?  I had a Magni/Modi V1 setup for a while and my coworkers wouldn't stop poking fun at my crazy audio hobby.  Not that it really bothered me, but then my boss thought it was causing too much distraction so I downsized my setup to a DACPort Slim and now to a Little Ego.



At work I have a Vali2 with a Modi2 (I'm replacing it with a Modi Multibit on next week) and nobody has given me any problems. Some people are curious, but they just want to listen then they move on, no big distraction or anything.


----------



## luckyeights

jcwc said:


> Hi, I'm planning on getting the Modi Multibit for my desktop rig to feed my active speakers. Can I just connect the Modi Multibit to my active speakers without any preamp in between?




Yes, but for my desktop speakers the output was too much and caused crackling and pops. I believe this is called clipping? Anyway had to go through my magni uber and then turn the volume down by a quarter.


----------



## Tuneslover

jameszzzzz said:


> Unfortunately it isn't.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I have a Bifrost MB and Bifrost 4490.  Yesterday I ordered the Modi MB.  I live in Canada but I'm leaving for vacation to the U.S. on Friday so I'm having it shipped to the hotel we're staying at toward the end of our vacation.  Will be back in about 2 weeks and then I will let it burn in for a few days before I do any comparisons.  So probably 3 weeks from now.  Hopefully someone else will have posted Bifrost vs Modi Multibit comparisons before then.


----------



## Melange

tuneslover said:


> I have a Bifrost MB and Bifrost 4490.  Yesterday I ordered the Modi MB.  I live in Canada but I'm leaving for vacation to the U.S. on Friday so I'm having it shipped to the hotel we're staying at toward the end of our vacation.  Will be back in about 2 weeks and then I will let it burn in for a few days before I do any comparisons.  So probably 3 weeks from now.  Hopefully someone else will have posted Bifrost vs Modi Multibit comparisons before then.


 

 Whether or not someone else has posted any comparisons, I do hope you post yours when you get a chance. My current setup is Wyrd -> Modi 1 ->Valhalla 2 -> HD650, I'm considering a new DAC and just can't decide between the Modi Multibit and the Bifrost 4490.


----------



## RickB

melange said:


> Whether or not someone else has posted any comparisons, I do hope you post yours when you get a chance. My current setup is Wyrd -> Modi 1 ->Valhalla 2 -> HD650, I'm considering a new DAC and just can't decide between the Modi Multibit and the Bifrost 4490.


 
 I own the Bifrost 4490 and the Modi Multibit. I prefer the Mobi. It's smoother and the imaging is much better.


----------



## Melange

rickb said:


> I own the Bifrost 4490 and the Modi Multibit. I prefer the Mobi. It's smoother and the imaging is much better.


 

 That's interesting. Thanks for the feedback.
  
 How's the bass extension on the Modi Multibit vs the Bifrost 4490? The bass extension on the Modi 1 is something I'm a little dissatisfied with, and it's something I'd like to see an improvement in with any upgrade.


----------



## RickB

melange said:


> That's interesting. Thanks for the feedback.
> 
> How's the bass extension on the Modi Multibit vs the Bifrost 4490? The bass extension on the Modi 1 is something I'm a little dissatisfied with, and it's something I'd like to see an improvement in with any upgrade.


 
 I notice more bass on the 4490. It's both stronger and seems to go a little lower.  It's not enough of a negative to outweigh the things the Mobi does better.


----------



## JamesZzzzz

tuneslover said:


> I have a Bifrost MB and Bifrost 4490.  Yesterday I ordered the Modi MB.  I live in Canada but I'm leaving for vacation to the U.S. on Friday so I'm having it shipped to the hotel we're staying at toward the end of our vacation.  Will be back in about 2 weeks and then I will let it burn in for a few days before I do any comparisons.  So probably 3 weeks from now.  Hopefully someone else will have posted Bifrost vs Modi Multibit comparisons before then.


 
 I'd really appreciate it if you could post your feedback since i'm not in a hurry to get rid of my bifrost and your setup looks ideal to give a detailed comparison
  


rickb said:


> I notice more bass on the 4490. It's both stronger and seems to go a little lower.  It's not enough of a negative to outweigh the things the Mobi does better.


 

 I thought that the Mimby should have more bass(at least that's what I've heard from others), pretty interesting.
 since that I prefer more treble than bass, it's gonna get into my concerns
 thanks for the feedback!


----------



## claud W

Got my Modi Multibit today. Modi 2 Uber up for sale. Old Modi 2 Uber and Vali 2 with right tube sounded better than my old Lyr and Bitfrost Uber. Schiit has come a long way, Baby in a short time!!


----------



## jcwc

luckyeights said:


> Yes, but for my desktop speakers the output was too much and caused crackling and pops. I believe this is called clipping? Anyway had to go through my magni uber and then turn the volume down by a quarter.


 
  
 Thanks for that info. Will turning down the volume (via say foobar) help to eliminate the crackling/pops?


----------



## cbl117

jameszzzzz said:


> I thought that the Mimby should have more bass(at least that's what I've heard from others), pretty interesting.
> since that I prefer more treble than bass, it's gonna get into my concerns
> 
> thanks for the feedback!




Bimby had the larger, stronger power supply.


----------



## fjrabon

jcwc said:


> Thanks for that info. Will turning down the volume (via say foobar) help to eliminate the crackling/pops?




It shouldn't be an issue with most powered speakers.


----------



## slex

I believe the bilfrost 4490 has more bass quantity. But less quality against bilfrost multibit.

The creator of this mimby already has pointed out that mimby has more quantity then bimby. Not sure about quality though.

Just received my replacement PS from schiit by fedex. Along with a dedicated one.


----------



## AviP

slex said:


> I believe the bilfrost 4490 has more bass quantity. But less quality against bilfrost multibit.
> 
> The creator of this mimby already has pointed out that mimby has more quantity then bimby. Not sure about quality though.
> 
> Just received my replacement PS from schiit by fedex. Along with a dedicated one.



What dedicated one are you referring to?


----------



## slex

avip said:


> What dedicated one are you referring to?




Check your PM


----------



## Pahani

Hmm, it might just be my PC.....but the recent (large) Win 10 update apparently messed with my audio settings.
  
 I noticed my Mimby not performing quite like it had been......went into the audio properties of my Playback Devices, and found that "Disable All Enhancements" had mysteriously become un-checked!
  
 I fixed it, and back to the performance I expect.
  
 Might just be my PC, but something to look out for.


----------



## JamesZzzzz

cbl117 said:


> Bimby had the larger, stronger power supply.


 
 Well, the price between the Bimby and the Mimby can get me a nice big custom-built low-noise transformer with siltech cables and few dinners in restaurants downtown


----------



## jimmers

jameszzzzz said:


> Well, the price between the Bimby and the Mimby can get me a nice big custom-built low-noise transformer with siltech cables and few dinners in restaurants downtown


 
 Or an Asgard 2, that has the larger case like the Bimby, a power supply inside and $100 in your pocket (and a headphone amp) makes one wonder about Schiit's cost + margin pricing for the Bimby (as opposed to what the market will bear).


----------



## jcwc

Regarding samples rates, it says on the website: "*Modi 2 Multibit: *16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB. 16/44.1 to 24/192 via Toslink* and Coax, with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)"
  
 The non-oversampled part only applies to 24/176 and 24/192 over Toslink and Coax right? Doesn't apply to 24/176 and 24/192 over USB?


----------



## Baldr

jimmers said:


> Or an Asgard 2, that has the larger case like the Bimby, a power supply inside and $100 in your pocket (and a headphone amp) makes one wonder about Schiit's cost + margin pricing for the Bimby (as opposed to what the market will bear).


 

 Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


----------



## mperdue63

I agree! But when will gumby be back in stock?


----------



## slex

*Note: many optical transmitters cannot output 24/176 and 24/192 reliably.*

Still think the coax is much superior input against optical and C-Media USB receiver being buggy with driver?


----------



## JamesZzzzz

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 
 No offence, really. Mimby is a fantastic piece of hardware and I seriously wanted both Bimby and Mimby in hand. It's just the tight budget a student can handle which prevents me from doing so
 (And actually, the audiophile community here in Taiwan sucks by fully ignoring Cost-Performance ratio, so I don't have many choices)
 In this case, I had to be more careful on money I spend. Anyway, you guys make fantastic Schiit which is no doubt to me. And I believe that there will be some Bimbitastic-Schiit showing up at the SchiitShow.
 Fingers crossed and wallet ready 
  


jimmers said:


> Or an Asgard 2, that has the larger case like the Bimby, a power supply inside and $100 in your pocket (and a headphone amp) makes one wonder about Schiit's cost + margin pricing for the Bimby (as opposed to what the market will bear).


 
 Quick but pretty much useless fact: I already own the Asgard 2 and that's why I prefer the Bimby
 Stacking things similar in size is actually really pleasing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 

 And sorry for my bad english


----------



## RickB

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 
 Some of us (most of us?) do appreciate the effort you put into making great sound affordable, Mike. Thank you.


----------



## slex

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.




Dear Sir, thank you with your astonishing achievment for this mimby.

Although it is the cheapest MBits Dac, it is also expandable. I already explore the weakest link


----------



## franzdom

Amidst all this love for Mimby it seems now is the time to point out just how lovely the Bimby is, so it doesn't get short changed.
 I absolutely adore the Bimby and think it is a very good value as well. The Asgard is as well.
 A/B I have staacked my Schiit to the perfect height.


----------



## svetlyo

jcwc said:


> Regarding samples rates, it says on the website: "*Modi 2 Multibit: *16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB. 16/44.1 to 24/192 via Toslink* and Coax, with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)"
> 
> The non-oversampled part only applies to 24/176 and 24/192 over Toslink and Coax right? Doesn't apply to 24/176 and 24/192 over USB?


 
 It applies to all inputs as long as the sampling rate is 176 or 192.
 From the Bifrost FAQ:
  


> What’s this about a non-oversampling (NOS) mode?
> For 176.4kHz and 192kHz input sample rates, Bifrost Multibit passes the music right along—no digital filter, no oversampling. Have fun! Upsample lower-rate music with another algorithm, and compare to our “comboburrito” filter.


 
  
 They don't mention input types, just sample rates. I don't think the digital signal is treated any differently based on the input type in all aspects of the D/A conversion.


----------



## pctazhp

franzdom said:


> Amidst all this love for Mimby it seems now is the time to point out just how lovely the Bimby is, so it doesn't get short changed.
> I absolutely adore the Bimby and think it is a very good value as well. The Asgard is as well.
> A/B I have staacked my Schiit to the perfect height.


 
 I certainly agree with you about the Bimby. I haven't heard the Asgard.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Mike, I ordered Mimby on day 1 and I have to say it's a fantastic DAC. You guys at Schiit are responsible for a whole new generation of audiophiles. With how affordable your USA made products are, not to mention the fantastic quality, it's hard to consider any other manufacturers if you are on a budget. I bought the Magni 2 on a recommendation early last year. I read allot of Jason's blog and it made me really respect you guys and what you do for the community much more. Then I purchased the Modi 2 Uber later last year. When the Vali 2 was announced I couldn't wait to get into tubes. Now that I have the Mimby I feel like my headphone setup is finally complete. So thanks again for all that you guys do. Looking forward to a speaker amp from you guys!


----------



## pureangus62

letmebefrank said:


> Mike, I ordered Mimby on day 1 and I have to say it's a fantastic DAC. You guys at Schiit are responsible for a whole new generation of audiophiles. With how affordable your USA made products are, not to mention the fantastic quality, it's hard to consider any other manufacturers if you are on a budget. I bought the Magni 2 on a recommendation early last year. I read allot of Jason's blog and it made me really respect you guys and what you do for the community much more. Then I purchased the Modi 2 Uber later last year. When the Vali 2 was announced I couldn't wait to get into tubes. Now that I have the Mimby I feel like *my headphone setup is finally complete*. So thanks again for all that you guys do. Looking forward to a speaker amp from you guys!


 
 I agree with everything minus what I bolded


----------



## acguitar84

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 
 I for one appreciate your efforts to make the multibit affordable! I just love this mimby. We had a "music night" last saturday (where we all pick tunes and listen and have fun), and we all loved the mimby, it sounds incredible! Thanks from all of us (my family) for your outstanding work!


----------



## luckyeights

Yeah dont worry about it, i think my system was just being temperamental.  It only happened on high frequencies for me, but I tried it again today just to test to let you know and it didnt seem to have an issue.  But then again i didnt have an issue before until after few hours of play back so I cant say for sure where the issue is i know its been fine since it been through the magni with the volume pot turned down.  I dont think it will be a problem with most speakers.


----------



## Xacxac

I'm thinking to get Mimby soon. Does Mimby perform similar to Bimby without ability to upgrade?


----------



## painted klown

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 

 Mike,
  
 My first Schiit purchase was the Vali 2 and I absolutely love it!
  
 You brought high quality tubes to the working man, and I appreciate it sincerely.
  
 My next purchase will be the Schiit Modi Multibit. While I would love to make the jump to the Yggy, I simply cannot afford it. However, with a bit of saving and watching my spending, I will be able to get the Mimby.
  
 You are not only getting a whole new generation of music fans into audiophile gear, you are also providing us older family guys (with a lot of financial responsibility) an upgrade path that simply would not be attainable without your work.
  
 Please do not get discouraged and know that your hard work is not only appreciated, but necessary for some of us to achieve our audio dreams.
  
 Keep up the great work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 -Dave


----------



## D Smith

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 

 Baldr, please don't get upset.  Schiit Audio was the vendor of choice when I decided to upgrade my listening experience and I for one appreciate all the fine work you've put into your products.  A Mimby or Bimby (if you get some more black ones) is definitely on my horizon now.


----------



## MothAudio

Quick question. I've read comments the burn in process was less with the Schiit multibit dacs. Has that been the case with the Modi? Unlike the Modi 2 Uber I didn't keep track of the hours but after taking delivery August 1st it seems to have really woken up these past few days.


----------



## Ttenu

I play a 1 hr long ocean wave track at night on repeat as a household sound machine (centrally located). My previous D/S dacs sounded like static fuzz. Modi Multibit is entirely different, I urge owners to try ocean sounds. It is realistic as if I am camping at the beach. Amazing little workhorse!


----------



## The Limey

vjack said:


> I'll be very interested to hear more about this specific comparison. I have an old Musical Fidelity V-DAC too, and I've been wondering if it is time to replace it. The Modi Multibit has caught my eye, so I'll be interested to see if you think it is a clear upgrade or just something with a bit of a different sound.


 
 On the second day mine opened up a bit,It had about 30 hours on it and was more cohesive and enjoyable.
  
 I,m running a Rouge amp with tubes and it was edging out the V Dac 11 by some margin.
  
 I,m wondering if it gets better still?


----------



## slex

So mimby SQ is superior then: 
1) Mojo
2)m9xx
3)V dac 11
What did i miss?


----------



## Nitrile

It seems that the drivers default to 48K Hz in the playback settings for Mimby?
 Anyone else have this problem?


----------



## AviP

nitrile said:


> It seems that the drivers default to 48K Hz in the playback settings for Mimby?
> Anyone else have this problem?



Mine was 16 bit 44.1khz by default when I plugged it in for the first time.


----------



## supabayes

slex said:


> So mimby SQ is superior then:
> 1) Mojo
> 2)m9xx
> 3)V dac 11
> What did i miss?


 

 I like the Mimby a lot if you see my earlier impression of it. However, I don't consider Mimby SQ to be superior to mojo. Imho, Mojo has more resolution and detail than the Mimby. In fact, there are days when I thought that the mojo resolution and details are just a notch behind Yggy. The mojo is musical and delightful to listen in its own way. if the Mimby is your first multibit dac, then you could be enjoying the multibit SQ much that you think the Mimby trashes the Mojo. If you have the chance to listen to Mimby, Mojo and Yggy side by side, you will understand what I mean. The Mojo is a gem just like the Mimby and both punch above their weight and price range. I am not the only Yggy fan who thinks highly of the Mojo, read Torq's impression of many DACs in the thread "Life after Yggy" 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/804153/life-after-yggdrasil
  
  
 Just my views.


----------



## fjrabon

supabayes said:


> I like the Mimby a lot if you see my earlier impression of it. However, I don't consider Mimby SQ to be superior to mojo. Imho, Mojo has more resolution and detail than the Mimby. In fact, there are days when I thought that the mojo resolution and details are just a notch behind Yggy. The mojo is musical and delightful to listen in its own way. if the Mimby is your first multibit dac, then you could be enjoying the multibit SQ much that you think the Mimby trashes the Mojo. If you have the chance to listen to Mimby, Mojo and Yggy side by side, you will understand what I mean. The Mojo is a gem just like the Mimby and both punch above their weight and price range. I am not the only Yggy fan who thinks highly of the Mojo, read Torq's impression of many DACs in the thread "Life after Yggy"
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/804153/life-after-yggdrasil
> 
> 
> Just my views.




Yeah, I think there is room to prefer Mojo and m9XX over MoMBy if you place a higher value on certain traits. I'd say for most people the MoMBy beats the Mojo, but it's not a clear cut whipping in all aspects. 

Plus the Mojo isnt even the same type of product anyway. The Mojo is obviously the superior product if you want an amp too, lol.


----------



## bobsherman

baldr said:


> Oh, come on guys!  You ask this in the context on $10,000 and up DACs??  What are you thinking??  For the record, the margins are less than 2% different.  If you want a better performing,  upgradable unit, get a Bimby.  If you want a multibit contender with cheaper parts and a way cheaper power supply, get a Mimby.  It's assertions like this that make me wonder why I bust ass to make multibit affordable.


 
 I wonder why also?  Why would a couple of Schiit heads go to the trouble of making such great stuff for a bunch of lunatics? I for one am glad though you've done this, this little guy is really something special. For the longest time I've been wanting to get a Yaggi but I have a lot of good audio stuff already, and teenagers lol... So sitting up late at night ready to pull the trigger I've actually thought better of it and put it off a bit longer. When you introduce this little guy I really could not let this one pass and I picked one up.  Got a couple days ago, and I really must say it is a phenomenal DAC. I will be getting a Yaggi eventually but all I can say is this is really a very special item and anybody who is looking for great sound, at a price or really just great sound should pick one up. This definitely reaches well above its price point, and anybody who denies this is totally nuts. I have listened to many excellent DAC, own a few pretty decent ones also, and this little guy is just so musical and natural, it is truly amazing. There's just something different about the multibit that really stands out. I got to say thanks Mike, and keep up the amazing work.
  
 Regards
 Bob


----------



## FatTeemo

So I knew that it was going to sound better than my Dragonfly 1.2 that I bought used. I just wasn't expecting it to blow it completely out of the water. It's like the music came alive for the first time! Way more natural sounding, better detail, better everything. I have it connected to my O2 right now and I wonder how much better it is going to sound with my project polaris which will arrive soon.


----------



## theveterans

> So I knew that it was going to sound better than my Dragonfly 1.2 that I bought used. I just wasn't expecting it to blow it completely out of the water. It's like the music came alive for the first time! Way more natural sounding, better detail, better everything. I have it connected to my O2 right now and I wonder how much better it is going to sound with my project polaris which will arrive soon.


 
  
 That's the magic of R2R and custom in-house digital filter for you.


----------



## slex

Those are adventurous can slap on an alternative power supply. It's on another level on SQ. Darker noise floor.

I have tested 48 hrs, soundstage open up wider. Highs are smoother as ever.Runs cooler then supplied wallwart
Ok schiit you caught me Doesn't matter, im willing to forfeit my warranty if indeed any fault in the future has to do with it.

Such a splendid dac deserved a matching PS.


----------



## FatTeemo

slex said:


> Those are adventurous can slap on an alternative power supply. It's on another level on SQ. Darker noise floor.
> 
> I have tested 48 hrs, soundstage open up wider. Highs are smoother as ever.Runs cooler then supplied wallwart
> Ok schiit you caught me Doesn't matter, im willing to forfeit my warranty if indeed any fault in the future has to do with it.
> ...


 
  
 i don't think I am so adventurous, but which power supply are you using with it?


----------



## jnak00

jcwc said:


> Regarding samples rates, it says on the website: "*Modi 2 Multibit: *16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB. 16/44.1 to 24/192 via Toslink* and Coax, with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)"
> 
> The non-oversampled part only applies to 24/176 and 24/192 over Toslink and Coax right? Doesn't apply to 24/176 and 24/192 over USB?


 
  
 Forgive my ignorance - what is the advantage of non-oversampling?  The vast majority of my music is 16/44.1; does this mean I wouldn't be getting the full benefit of the burrito filter?


----------



## slex

Not made in China  Using custom UK Noratel transformer for Audio.

Brand is Plixir. I have already have 2 X balanced power supply from Plixir. One for digital and one for analog. All did improve my setup substacially.



http://www.xtremeplace.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=217708.msg1106425#msg1106425


----------



## painted klown

Stupid question here regarding power for the Mimby.
  
 Instead of swapping power supplies, would using a power conditioner net you positive results as well?
  
 I know this is highly debatable, but I figured I would ask anyway.
  
 I have never used any power conditioners in the past, but have considered trying a Cyber Power one in the past. I am not sure it will make a difference in the SQ, but if it helps to protect my gear and doesn't hurt anything, then I don't see why not.


----------



## slex

painted klown said:


> Stupid question here regarding power for the Mimby.
> 
> Instead of swapping power supplies, would using a power conditioner net you positive results as well?
> 
> I know this is highly debatable, but I figured I would ask anyway.




The original wallwart was plug into my balanced digital power supply. I did not know of improvement until i replaced it with the new AC 16VAC PS.


----------



## painted klown

slex said:


> The original wallwart was plug into my balanced digital power supply. I did not know of improvement until i replaced it with the new AC 16VAC PS.


 

 Thanks for the input. That was exactly the type of feedback I was looking for!


----------



## slex

painted klown said:


> Thanks for the input. That was exactly the type of feedback I was looking for!




Yr welcome, i am very particular in my power supply chain.i think it defeat the purpose of having a USB isolation if your power supply is good enough. Even so,having a grounding box connected to my balanced PS improve further.


----------



## jimmers

jnak00 said:


> Forgive my ignorance - what is the advantage of non-oversampling?  The vast majority of my music is 16/44.1; does this mean I wouldn't be getting the full benefit of the burrito filter?


 
 16/44.1  means you get maximum benefit of the burrito filter, highest input rates (176/192) are NOS and bypass the burrito filter


----------



## zilch0md

slex said:


> Not made in China
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Apparently, it's no longer available - or not yet available:    http://www.mysoundaffairs.com/collections/power


----------



## EmiG310

Hi guys,
  
 Quick question here - How is it that the Analog Devices 5547 chip has overcome the cost and difficulty of the R2R ladder DAC design? IE, laser trimming the resistors to be exactly double the impedance in sequence and all that, it's supposed to be prohibitively expensive. How is it that the AD5547 can do this at the bulk price of ~$40/ea? I am really starting to hone in on the tonality of multi bit while listening to my M-Audio BX5a speakers at home that I've had forever (I am very familiar with their sound), I can really hear a richer/fuller more detailed sound with the mimby vs my previous M2U (4396) and even a "pro" grade firewire sound card. I have a bifrost 4490 that I bought just 2 months ago and now I'm debating replacing it with a mimby or sending it in for the multibit upgrade. Anyway if anyone has any insight on how it is that Analog Devices can make a R2R DAC chip so cheap? I know it's not just the chip, the Comboburrito filter is also part of the magic, but still interested in why this tech is so nascent right now.
  
 By the way - I use Vox on the mac to play back my HD Flac files, and I've had an issue now twice where the playback of the mimby gets out of phase or some sort of weird distortion, and I have to reboot the mimby to get it back to clean audio (using optical btw). I had my mac set to 32-bit float on the optical jack, and Vox has a feature where it can set the output of the mac to the matching sample rate of the file being played back. I've never had this problem with the M2U or the bifrost, is this something I should be concerned with? I've since turned the optical jack to 24-bit because I didn't see support listed for 32-bit on Schiit's site.


----------



## EmiG310

> I'm thinking to get Mimby soon. Does Mimby perform similar to Bimby without ability to upgrade?


 
  
 The Bifrost has a better analog stage, and a better power supply. It can also be upgraded later down the line because of it's modular design. It's also more aesthetically pleasing with an asgard, lyr, or valhalla.


----------



## Xacxac

emig310 said:


> The Bifrost has a better analog stage, and a better power supply. It can also be upgraded later down the line because of it's modular design. It's also more aesthetically pleasing with an asgard, lyr, or valhalla.


 

 Thanks. What do you think of Vox? I'm using Audirvana+. Tried Vox but the UI is very different than A+.
  
 As for Momby vs Bimby: I think Schiit did a great move. However, Momby is kinda unique. 90% performance (matching) for just 42% price (great value) of Bimby. But the Momby footprint is completely different. Momby can't be stacked with Valhalla 2. Personally, I'd rather see lower-priced Bifrost ($300) & Bimby ($500) than Momby.


----------



## madwolfa

emig310 said:


> The Bifrost has a better analog stage, and a better power supply. It can also be upgraded later down the line because of it's modular design. It's also more aesthetically pleasing with an asgard, lyr, or valhalla.


 
  
 The analog stage is the same, the only difference is power supply and modular design.


----------



## EmiG310

> The analog stage is the same, the only difference is power supply and modular design.


 
  
 Oh ok, thanks for pointing that out.


----------



## EmiG310

xacxac said:


> Thanks. What do you think of Vox? I'm using Audirvana+. Tried Vox but the UI is very different than A+.
> 
> As for Momby vs Bimby: I think Schiit did a great move. However, Momby is kinda unique. 90% performance (matching) for just 42% price (great value) of Bimby. But the Momby footprint is completely different. Momby can't be stacked with Valhalla 2. Personally, I'd rather see lower-priced Bifrost ($300) & Bimby ($500) than Momby.


 
  
 Vox has everything I need and I like two features in particular - "Try to load music files fully into memory" ( prevents playback issues if your computer is busy doing lots of other things) and "synchronize sample rate with player"  which automatically switches the output sample rate of the mac to the match the sample rate of the file. 
  
 I just ignore the radio features and all the other stuff it can do. I just drag my folder of flacs to the top left corner of the playback window and it clears the queue and plays that particular folder (album). I love this no-frills approach where I manage my playback by just dragging folder from the finder to the vox's "clear and play" button.


----------



## slex

zilch0md said:


> Apparently, it's no longer available - or not yet available:    http://www.mysoundaffairs.com/collections/power




You can try email him ( james) directly for your requirement.


----------



## Baldr

emig310 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Quick question here - How is it that the Analog Devices 5547 chip has overcome the cost and difficulty of the R2R ladder DAC design? IE, laser trimming the resistors to be exactly double the impedance in sequence and all that, it's supposed to be prohibitively expensive. How is it that the AD5547 can do this at the bulk price of ~$40/ea?


 
  It is a 16 bit part - accurate to 1 part in 65000ish as opposed to 20 bit which is 1 part in a millionish (Yggyx2/channel) or 18 bit - 1 part in 250000ish (Gungnir 2/channel).


----------



## Xacxac

baldr said:


> It is a 16 bit part - accurate to 1 part in 65000ish as opposed to 20 bit which is 1 part in a millionish (Yggyx2/channel) or 18 bit - 1 part in 250000ish (Gungnir 2/channel).




Does that mean 24-bit music files are overkill for 16-bit Momby?


----------



## Baldr

xacxac said:


> Does that mean 24-bit music files are overkill for 16-bit Momby?


 

 Because of the bragging rights often without substance common in digital audio specmanship, I only have a few comments to offer; one would be that twenty bits done with bad math math could be inferior to 16 bit done with good.  Another is that 32 bit resolution is unobtainium in the arena of digital audio.  As important as mathematical precision is, uniquely possible with multibit converters - the mastering is more important.  The mileage varies in all of the above recording by recording.  You are far better off not concerning yourself by higher bit number teases and judging for yourself which recordings you like.


----------



## XERO1

baldr said:


> As important as mathematical precision is, uniquely possible with multibit converters - the mastering is more important.


 
  
 The quality (or lack thereof) of the mastering of a recording is responsible for around 99% of its overall SQ.
  
 I'll take a well mastered 44.1/16 recording that preserves the recording's original dynamic range (which are unfortunately few and far between in popular music) _*any day of the week*_ over _any_ ultra-hi-res recording that has been poorly mastered.


----------



## earnmyturns

xacxac said:


> Does that mean 24-bit music files are overkill for 16-bit Momby?


 
  
  


xero1 said:


> The quality (or lack thereof) of the mastering of a recording is responsible for around 99% of its overall SQ.
> 
> I'll take a well mastered 44.1/16 recording that preserves the recording's original dynamic range (which are unfortunately few and far between in popular music) _*any day of the week*_ over _any_ ultra-hi-res recording that has been poorly mastered.


 
 Even in non-popular music, such as modern jazz, mastering quality varies widely. ECM, where Manfred Eicher has set high standards overall, doesn't manage to be as consistent as I'd like, for example. Some very small labels, like NYC's Pi Recordings, are really good even though their budgets are likely skimpy.


----------



## tomgrossi

Recognizing it is really new so the answer maybe no, has anyone tried any other mods out with the Modi Multibit yet? It was thinking that if it is a lot like the Bimby but with less expensive parts to keep the cost down, maybe modding it by upgrading a few signal caps or something like that would close the gap further.


----------



## Pahani

tomgrossi said:


> Recognizing it is really new so the answer maybe no, has anyone tried any other mods out with the Modi Multibit yet? It was thinking that if it is a lot like the Bimby but with less expensive parts to keep the cost down, maybe modding it by upgrading a few signal caps or something like that would close the gap further.


 
 Touch my Mimby and die!!!
  
Read: I'm a clueless, bumbling idiot when it comes to electronic internals and so my Mimby will forever remain stock.


----------



## acguitar84

I second! It's amazing as it is!


----------



## jimmers

tomgrossi said:


> ... It was thinking that if it is a lot like the Bimby but with less expensive parts to keep the cost down, maybe modding it by upgrading a few signal caps or something like that would close the gap further.


 
 I don't think Modi multi necessarily has cheaper parts, just smaller ones, if you look at the Bimby board you won't see any large "audiophile" film caps either.
 I doubt there's room inside the case for "upgraded parts", I would suggest you leave well alone unless you think you can do better than Schiit.


----------



## madwolfa

xero1 said:


> The quality (or lack thereof) of the mastering of a recording is responsible for around 99% of its overall SQ.
> 
> I'll take a well mastered 44.1/16 recording that preserves the recording's original dynamic range (which are unfortunately few and far between in popular music) _*any day of the week*_ over _any_ ultra-hi-res recording that has been poorly mastered.




This. I wish more people realized that.


----------



## pkcpga

xacxac said:


> Does that mean 24-bit music files are overkill for 16-bit Momby?



It means it can't play anything that is DSD or dxd or dvda.


----------



## madwolfa

pkcpga said:


> It means it can't play anything that is DSD or dxd or dvda.


 
  
 It can play DVD-A, it's just a high resolution LPCM, which can be fed to any Schiit DAC, either D/S or MB as long as it's native 2 channel or downmixed to stereo from 5.1.
  
 DSD is a whole different story. Nothing to do with the bits.


----------



## pkcpga

madwolfa said:


> It can play DVD-A, it's just a high resolution LPCM, which can be fed to any Schiit DAC, either D/S or MB as long as it's native 2 channel or downmixed to stereo from 5.1.
> 
> DSD is a whole different story. Nothing to do with the bits.




I tried the Yggdrasil with my Linn universal player and it would not play dvda only sacd and only response I got from schiit is dvda is recorded in 24bit format similar to DSD from Sony.


----------



## KoshNaranek

pkcpga said:


> I tried the Yggdrasil with my Linn universal player and it would not play dvda only sacd and only response I got from schiit is dvda is recorded in 24bit format similar to DSD from Sony.




When you are playing through the Linn. You are outputting 5 channels. Set the Linn to downmix to 2 channel or choose the stereo only tracks from the disc.


----------



## pkcpga

koshnaranek said:


> When you are playing through the Linn. You are outputting 5 channels. Set the Linn to downmix to 2 channel or choose the stereo only tracks from the disc.




It's an optical out didn't see any option, plays as two channel into my naim or chord DAC, I decided against the schiit because it didn't support a quarter of my music, DSD.


----------



## senorx12562

jimmers said:


> I don't think Modi multi necessarily has cheaper parts, just smaller ones, if you look at the Bimby board you won't see any large "audiophile" film caps either.
> I doubt there's room inside the case for "upgraded parts", I would suggest you leave well alone unless you think you can do better than Schiit.




+1


----------



## claud W

I thought finding the best tube was a great upgrade for my Vali2 & Modi 2 Uber stack was the ultimate, but The Modi Multibit is really an eyeopener. Just like my Super Schiit Stack, I have started to hear stuff in my music I have not heard before COOL!!!!!


----------



## Letmebefrank

Modi multibit plays my 4.1 tDSotM DVDA when down mixed to stereo in foobar2k. It still plays the left and right channels if left in 4.1.


----------



## fjrabon

pkcpga said:


> It's an optical out didn't see any option, plays as two channel into my naim or chord DAC, I decided against the schiit because it didn't support a quarter of my music, DSD.



1/4 of your music is DSD?!?!


----------



## pkcpga

fjrabon said:


> 1/4 of your music is DSD?!?!




Yeah Sony released about 10,000 titles now and I have utopia two channel speakers with Dave DAC and naim preamp with separate biamping per speaker(Two amps to each speaker). DSD sounds much better with this type of set up, remastered cd quality has noticably less separation. Before DSD I had a bunch of dvda and sacd which most are now stored in drive, dvda are stored to 24 bit for full file size.


----------



## Lohb

So as this is AC and not DC if I'm getting it right, this unit cannot be run off battery isolation for coffee shops etc or LPS units at home ? I WOULD be _happy as a pig in Schitt _if this thing is transportable and not tied to an outlet !


----------



## dtp1981

nojwe said:


> Wow. I have literally never heard one of my favorite recordings (Rimsky-Korsakav Scherezade, Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Fritz Reiner) sound as good as it does right now through the Mimby->WA7tp->HD800. Unbelievable imaging, soundstage, detail, and resolution. Everything sounds so much more realistic!


 
  
  


kstuart said:


> This is exactly the sort of recording which shows up the improvement of multibit and the Burrito Filter.  It is an outstanding recording that has all of the hall sound, as well as displaying all of the instruments in their specific positions.
> 
> I use that recording every time I do a sound test.


 
  
 Anywhere I can find a good lossless recording of this?


----------



## jnak00

slacker032 said:


> Anywhere I can find a good lossless recording of this?


 
  
 I am not sure if this is the recording they are referring to, but there is a match on Tidal:
  
 tidal.com/album/14082197


----------



## kstuart

baldr said:


> xacxac said:
> 
> 
> > Does that mean 24-bit music files are overkill for 16-bit Momby?
> ...


 
 I entirely agree, in the context of buying recordings of music for listening.  The Burrito filter corrects significant problems with previous 16-bit playback in DACs, making the mastering a far bigger factor.
  
 For many pre-1980 recordings, the first CD release is the best mastering due to subsequent wear and loss of magnetism in the master tapes.  Later high resolution masterings start with lesser quality tapes, and with the Burrito filter, the original CD will give you better sound quality.
  
 Unfortunately, there is no "rule" that can be applied without actually listening to the various available masterings.  In some cases, remasterings are done by discovering previously unused tapes, thereby avoiding wear and oxidation issues.  "Kind of Blue" is a good example of this (and in fact, comparing the unused tapes with the original ones led them to the discovery that the original LPs and CDs were done at the wrong pitch).
  
 Having said all that, recent recordings and recent masterings will have a slight sound quality improvement in the 24/192 release version over the 16/44.1 release version.  Since the actual recording was done at 24/192, there is no advantage to converting that to 16/44.1 and then back to 24/192 within the DAC, rather than just keeping it at 24/192 (other than disk space usage, of course).


----------



## kstuart

jnak00 said:


> slacker032 said:
> 
> 
> > Anywhere I can find a good lossless recording of this?
> ...


 

 That is not visible to those who are not tidal members, so it is impossible for us to verify (that would require cut-and-paste of conductor, orchestra, label, etc).
  
 However, you can get a good used copy for $3 or a new one for $6 from Amazon at:
  
 https://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Scheherazade-Fritz-Reiner/dp/B001BKGPNY
  
 For that release, they went back to the 3-channel master tape.
  
 If you find any of the XRCD releases of the Reiner Scheherazade, they are all done by Alan Yoshida, perhaps the best CD mastering engineer ever.  It's a tossup between the XRCD versions or the above-linked 2005 SACD release from the 3-channel tape.


----------



## fjrabon

kstuart said:


> That is not visible to those who are not tidal members, so it is impossible for us to verify (that would require cut-and-paste of conductor, orchestra, label, etc).
> 
> However, you can get a good used copy for $3 or a new one for $6 from Amazon at:
> 
> ...




It's also on HDTracks.com


----------



## dtp1981

Thanks guys.


----------



## duncan4791

Hi All, first post after being a member for years. I'd like to vent a little Schiit woes.
  
 Last Tuesday I finally ordered with enthusiastically and expectantly ordered, for the first time, a Schiit Modi Mulitbit and the Magni Uber. I should have known something might go wrong when the order confirmation email and the shipping email was only 30 minutes apart. Today the box arrives, on time from FedEx, only to contain a MODI UBER and the expected Magni Uber. The kind Laura Z at Schiit has RMAed an return/exchange and the Modi Uber goes back tomorrow.
 Has anyone else been sent or heard of this shipping mix up before?


----------



## RickB

duncan4791 said:


> Hi All, first post after being a member for years. I'd like to vent a little Schiit woes.
> 
> Last Tuesday I finally ordered with enthusiastically and expectantly ordered, for the first time, a Schiit Modi Mulitbit and the Magni Uber. I should have known something might go wrong when the order confirmation email and the shipping email was only 30 minutes apart. Today the box arrives, on time from FedEx, only to contain a MODI UBER and the expected Magni Uber. The kind Laura Z at Schiit has RMAed an return/exchange and the Modi Uber goes back tomorrow.
> Has anyone else been sent or heard of this shipping mix up before?


 
 Mistakes happen. Sucks that this happened to you. I hope you get the correct gear as quickly as possible.


----------



## Psalmanazar

DACs need to oversample to effectively filter; feeding them higher bit rates like 192 khz will negate the positive effects of oversampling and make the DAC sound worse, alike to your typical grainy and warmed over non-oversampling R2R DAC or some bad old CD player.

 Oversampling overcame the challenge of filtering Redbook sample rates, which cover the audible band but gave only a few khz of room to construct filters. Recording in 24-bit and with frequency rates that twice 44.1/48 khz (88.2 and 96khz) makes stuff easier to record and mix but there's little to no benefit for actually listening and you'll have to downsample those 192khz files anyway with a program like SoX to get the best performance from DACs and you wouldn't have to do that if you bought the commercially mastered CD that sounds the same. The whole "high resolution" audio consumer format thing is a lie. The recording industry bigwigs are using language from video formats but screen resolutions aren't the same as frequency rates. Super Audio CDs were actually lower fidelity than normal redbook CDs due to being converted from PCM and having to go through much more noise filtering than even your typical delta-sigma PCM DAC does! Old CD booklets used to say that 16-bit, 44.1khz Redbook audio was a high-fidelity format that exposed the limits of the original analog recording tapes and they were right! You can hear differing tape noise floors for the different recording tracks mixed together on many analog-recorded CDs.

@kstuart Yeah the highest fidelity mastering is totally up in the air with a lot of stuff. Some recordings have lost the original master tapes but the professionally done needle drop from a pristine LP is going to be sound much better than the typical used record you can dig up in a store or Discogs. You sometime have to hope it's a needle drop instead of the CD made from far off tape copy like the original mid 80s King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King and Led Zeppeelin CDs were but thankfully Robert Fripp found the original master tape this millennium and Jimmy Page supervised ADC conversion twice (in 1990 and again a couple of years ago as he wasn't happy with some of the screwups and premature cutoffs of hte original time) and those sound great. Old CDs are usually just the best versions unless they were bad with random clipping and they dumped the tapes again into better modern ADCs and didn't mess them too much like The Beatles, Zeppelin, King Crimson, and all the Earache "Full Dynamic Range" reissues made from the mix tapes which showed a lot of the random noise on the early CDs was just from poor or lazy mastering decisions and inter-generational tape issues.
  
 The problem is you get Steve Hoffman types who don't like how the recording actually sounds (they prefer the original Zeppelin LPs and early CDs despite the R2R version from the 70s sounding much closer to the new CDs than those) and want to warm it over to no end where Hoffman will take a record that sounds like an old heavy metal record (tinny, quiet, but everything instrument is fully audible and sounds sort of like how the band probably actually sounded) or 80s rock record that's all sparkly with no bass and EQ it into some muddy, thick, warmed over mess and people actually like it despite that you can't tell what's going on anymore. I remember Hoffman proclaiming "I MADE DIO SOUND 3D!" a few years back and the actual CD he supervised the mastering of sounded hilariously wrong. You get this a lot with 70s rock LPs printed onto recycled, almost flexi-disc oil crisis vinyl and people proclaiming they sound better than the CDs when even LP reissues direct metal mastered from the CDs sound better than the original LPs.


----------



## duncan4791

Thank you RickB, being an old guy and having done the first adopter thing, with varied results, years ago I'm not that blown out, just a bit sad. I'll have to wait a WHOLE week before the new multibit arrives.   Looking forward to hearing what everyone else has experienced.


----------



## zilch0md

kstuart said:


> [snip]
> 
> If you find any of the XRCD releases of the Reiner Scheherazade, they are all done by Alan Yoshida, perhaps the best CD mastering engineer ever.  It's a tossup between the XRCD versions or the above-linked 2005 SACD release from the 3-channel tape.


 
  
 https://www.discogs.com/artist/412827-Alan-Yoshida


----------



## slex

duncan4791 said:


> Thank you RickB, being an old guy and having done the first adopter thing, with varied results, years ago I'm not that blown out, just a bit sad. I'll have to wait a WHOLE week before the new multibit arrives.   Looking forward to hearing what everyone else has experienced.




It will be worth the wait, im surprised it haven been sold out.


----------



## kstuart

@Psalmanazar -
  
 DACs need to oversample IF they are starting with a 44.1khz source.  This is because the *analog* post-conversion filtering is much less audible if it is done at 192khz than at 44.1khz.
  
 If the source is already at 192khz, then there is no reason for oversampling or digital filtering.  The analog filtering is then safely at a frequency beyond hearing.
  
 The above is how it is done in Schiit DACs, anyway.


----------



## kstuart

fjrabon said:


> kstuart said:
> 
> 
> > That is not visible to those who are not tidal members, so it is impossible for us to verify (that would require cut-and-paste of conductor, orchestra, label, etc).
> ...


 

 Yes indeed at:
  
 http://www.hdtracks.com/rimsky-korsakov-scheherazade-314675
  
   The 88.2khz and 176.4khz sample rates indicate that it is from the same 2005 SACD, and they use the same cover image, which has the SACD logo.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

slex said:


> It will be worth the wait, im surprised it haven been sold out.


 
 I agree.  Suspect they anticipated high demand/interest and prepared accordingly. I'm late to the party by a few weeks and was pleasantly surprised I could pick one right up (shipped and delivered early, too).


----------



## Letmebefrank

Isn't the purpose of multibit r2r dacs so that you don't oversample? Isn't their burrito filter a 1-1 bit perfect deal?


----------



## senorx12562

duncan4791 said:


> Hi All, first post after being a member for years. I'd like to vent a little Schiit woes.
> 
> Last Tuesday I finally ordered with enthusiastically and expectantly ordered, for the first time, a Schiit Modi Mulitbit and the Magni Uber. I should have known something might go wrong when the order confirmation email and the shipping email was only 30 minutes apart. Today the box arrives, on time from FedEx, only to contain a MODI UBER and the expected Magni Uber. The kind Laura Z at Schiit has RMAed an return/exchange and the Modi Uber goes back tomorrow.
> Has anyone else been sent or heard of this shipping mix up before?




Got an original magni in place of my vali last year. Sticker on the box said vali though. Kinda hoped they would let me keep it and send a vali.


----------



## SSL443

letmebefrank said:


> Isn't the purpose of multibit r2r dacs so that you don't oversample? Isn't their burrito filter a 1-1 bit perfect deal?


 
  
 Negative. The burrito filter is for oversampling. But it's a "closed form" solution, so the original samples are preserved. A multibit DAC avoids the conversion from PCM that occurs in delta-sigma modulated DACs, which again ensures that original samples are preserved. That's my current understanding, anyway.


----------



## Baldr

ssl443 said:


> Negative. The burrito filter is for oversampling. But it's a "closed form" solution, so the original samples are preserved. A multibit DAC avoids the conversion from PCM that occurs in delta-sigma modulated DACs, which again ensures that original samples are preserved. That's my current understanding, anyway.


 

 Yup.......


----------



## i20bot

duncan4791 said:


> Hi All, first post after being a member for years. I'd like to vent a little Schiit woes.
> 
> Last Tuesday I finally ordered with enthusiastically and expectantly ordered, for the first time, a Schiit Modi Mulitbit and the Magni Uber. I should have known something might go wrong when the order confirmation email and the shipping email was only 30 minutes apart. Today the box arrives, on time from FedEx, only to contain a MODI UBER and the expected Magni Uber. The kind Laura Z at Schiit has RMAed an return/exchange and the Modi Uber goes back tomorrow.
> Has anyone else been sent or heard of this shipping mix up before?


 
 Schiit happens


----------



## jfoxvol

Yup to response


----------



## ScottFree

baldr said:


> ssl443 said:
> 
> 
> > Negative. The burrito filter is for oversampling. But it's a "closed form" solution, so the original samples are preserved. A multibit DAC avoids the conversion from PCM that occurs in delta-sigma modulated DACs, which again ensures that original samples are preserved. That's my current understanding, anyway.
> ...




[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/22-HSjMS3Ks[/VIDEO]


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


----------



## duncan4791

I earlier returned the Modi Uber via FedEx back to Schiit. Within 10 minutes of notifying Schiit I got back a shipping email. Should be here by next Monday or Tuesday, FedEx hasn't updated yet.


----------



## jrflanne

duncan4791 said:


> Hi All, first post after being a member for years. I'd like to vent a little Schiit woes.
> 
> Last Tuesday I finally ordered with enthusiastically and expectantly ordered, for the first time, a Schiit Modi Mulitbit and the Magni Uber. I should have known something might go wrong when the order confirmation email and the shipping email was only 30 minutes apart. Today the box arrives, on time from FedEx, only to contain a MODI UBER and the expected Magni Uber. The kind Laura Z at Schiit has RMAed an return/exchange and the Modi Uber goes back tomorrow.
> Has anyone else been sent or heard of this shipping mix up before?


 

 Had an address mixup. My address is 410 Pierce. They sent it to 410 W. Pierce. So I call them and Laura said she sent it to W. Pierce because that is what showed up on the magical computer address finder. So she sent me a new one (I forget what) and I go 1/2 mile down the road and find the box on a porch. So I sent it back. No harm. No foul. No worries.


----------



## sikki-six

Have you guys had a Modi stand on its side? I don't think I'll be able sit one on top of my Lyr 2 (with LISSTs) and my table is pretty crowded as is.
  
 Just ordered the ModiBit, or whatever it's called. Cheers!


----------



## atomicbob

duncan4791 said:


> I earlier returned the Modi Uber via FedEx back to Schiit. Within 10 minutes of notifying Schiit I got back a shipping email. Should be here by next Monday or Tuesday, FedEx hasn't updated yet.


 
 While you are waiting you can read some independent measurement details here:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
  
 Enjoy - AB


----------



## duncan4791

atomicbob said:


> While you are waiting you can read some independent measurement details here:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
> 
> Enjoy - AB


 
  
 Thanks, I'm reading now. I do have one question which hasn't been brought up as far as can find. The Modi Multibit is a 16bit dac which takes 24 bit data. How does it reduce a 24 bit file which say has 18 bits resolution down to only the 16 bits with out noticeable degradation?


----------



## r2muchstuff

I have recently re-installed the following in my bar:
  
 Pioneer SX 1250 - serviced
 Pioneer SG 9800 - serviced, not engaged at this time
 Airport Express optical to
 Modi 2 Uber 4490
 Boston Acoustic CR9 & Boston PV 600 sub
  
 Small room 9'x11'
  
 My Modi Multibit arrived last week.
  
 I thought that with the AE as source and the vintage Pioneer that any difference would get lost.
  
 Switched back and forth between the 4490 & MB.
  
 I was wrong.  In this less than state of the art or TOL system the difference is very obvious.  Bass is cleaner & deeper, mids are more present, and the treble is crisper, focused and clear.  Everything separates better and the overall sound is more pleasing.
  
 YMMV,
 r2


----------



## painted klown

Has anybody compared the Mimby to the Emotiva DC-1?
  
  
 I am currently using the DC-1, and I find nothing really lacking, but having a low cost multi-bit option makes me want to see what all the fuss is about. I am just not 100% convinced that I shouldn't save my pennies and step up to a Gumby or (preferably) a Yggy. However, either of these would be a LONG way off for me.
  
  
 Do you all think the Mimby would be an upgrade to the Emotiva DC-1, or equally good, but simply a different representation of the music?


----------



## slex

painted klown said:


> Has anybody compared the Mimby to the Emotiva DC-1?
> 
> 
> I am currently using the DC-1, and I find nothing really lacking, but having a low cost multi-bit option makes me want to see what all the fuss is about. I am just not 100% convinced that I shouldn't save my pennies and step up to a Gumby or (preferably) a Yggy. However, either of these would be a LONG way off for me.
> ...




I will stick to your emotiva if you are using DSD or any high bitrate music files.

Advantage or rather magic of mimby is it's transformation of 16/44.1 into thier accurate secret comboburitos.

It will be a plus for those using online music streaming service like me


----------



## XERO1

Quote:


duncan4791 said:


> Thanks, I'm reading now. I do have one question which hasn't been brought up as far as can find. The Modi Multibit is a 16bit dac which takes 24 bit data. How does it reduce a 24 bit file which say has 18 bits resolution down to only the 16 bits with out noticeable degradation?


 
  
 I may not be 100% correct on every little detail but I'm pretty sure it works like this:

 All of the Schiit multi-bit (R2R) DACs t̶r̶u̶n̶c̶a̶t̶e̶ round all the Least Significant Bits (LSB) of a 24-bit signal that they cannot natively process into the LSB that they can natively process. 
  
 Modi MB and Bifrost MB = 16th bit,    Mjolnir = 18th bit,    Yggy = 20th bit.
  
 But what you have to keep in mind is that anything below @-60dB (10 bits) of audible signal is just mainly noise floor and quantization noise and doesn't contain any real musically relevant signal at all.
  
 So by t̶r̶u̶n̶c̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ rounding a 24-bit signal down to even 16 bits, you really aren't loosing anything of any audible significance.
  
 For a really good and simple explanation of how bit depth and quantization noise effect sound quality, I recommend watching this video:
  
  
 
  
 Edit: Changed 'truncate' to 'round'.


----------



## jimmers

xero1 said:


> I may not be 100% correct on every little detail but I'm pretty sure it works like this:..


 
 I believe they round rather than truncate.


----------



## XERO1

jimmers said:


> I believe they round rather than truncate.


 
  
 Tomato, tamata.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I think you're right, though.  But I'm not exactly sure what the difference would be.


----------



## jimmers

xero1 said:


> Tomato, tamata.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Mike Moffat says:
 "The megaburrito filter's DSP chip runs at 32 bits - not that is any bragging right other than it puts the computational errors at least 12 bits below the rounded output of Yggy, 14 bits below the rounded output of Gumby, or 16 bits below the rounded output of Bimby."
  
 Truncating means the 16th bit stays the same, rounding means that if the 17th bit is 1 it would round up adding 1 to 16th bit position.(all counting from MSB of course 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
  
 Edit: I guess if you have hearing with a dynamic range >100dB it *could* make a difference 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 (some reckon to be able to hear the difference between 16 and 24 bit (?), so ... )


----------



## jcwc

slex said:


> I will stick to your emotiva if you are using DSD or any high bitrate music files.
> 
> Advantage or rather magic of mimby is it's transformation of 16/44.1 into thier accurate secret comboburitos.
> 
> It will be a plus for those using online music streaming service like me


 
  
 I've often read that Schiit's filter works best with 16/44.1 music (as you've mentioned above).
  
 I take it this means that the filter isn't so magical with high bitrate files or other non-Redbook music? So in the case of such files, how well does Mimby compare to other D-S DACs?


----------



## slex

jcwc said:


> I've often read that Schiit's filter works best with 16/44.1 music (as you've mentioned above).
> 
> I take it this means that the filter isn't so magical with high bitrate files or other non-Redbook music? So in the case of such files, how well does Mimby compare to other D-S DACs?




Accuracy against my now defunct m9xx. Micro and Macro are in spades against m9xx. 3D realism !


----------



## Baldr

jimmers said:


> I believe they round rather than truncate.


 

 Yup................


----------



## Letmebefrank

So oversampling is ok, it's just the high frequency switching of D/S dacs that make so much noise? If that noise is coming out of your headphones/speakers, even if you can't hear it, it has to have a negative impact on the rest of the sound that it's trying to reproduce. Do D/S dacs try to filter that noise out or do they just let it ride since it's higher than human hearing?


----------



## matthewpartrick

Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...

Short meaning (obviously) like six inches. This will be on my bedside table.

Thx in advance


----------



## bigro

matthewpartrick said:


> Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> 
> Short meaning (obviously) like six inches. This will be on my bedside table.
> 
> Thx in advance


 
 See the Pyst Interconnects from schiit. http://schiit.com/products/pyst-cables


----------



## Letmebefrank

matthewpartrick said:


> Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> 
> Short meaning (obviously) like six inches. This will be on my bedside table.
> 
> Thx in advance




@paladin79 made me some really nice 8" RCAs. Contact Tom @ cablesforless and they might be able to make more.


----------



## cishida

matthewpartrick said:


> Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> 
> Short meaning (obviously) like six inches. This will be on my bedside table.
> 
> Thx in advance


 
  
 Also check out the AQ bridges and falls series (tower, evergreen, golden gate, big sur, etc.)
 I know 0.6m is a bit longer than what you asked for but they are relatively flexible and do not get in the way.


----------



## matthewpartrick

Perfect, thx.


----------



## matthewpartrick

cishida said:


> Also check out the AQ bridges and falls series (tower, evergreen, golden gate, big sur, etc.)
> I know 0.6m is a bit longer than what you asked for but they are relatively flexible and do not get in the way.




Yes, I am a big Audioquest fan, but 0.6 m is just too much; I think the weight alone would pull the modi off the back of my dresser down into the Dante-esque pit of dust rodents back there.


----------



## jnak00

The Pyst cables are nice but on the stiff side. They may get in the way if you want your rig close to the back wall.


----------



## Noldir

matthewpartrick said:


> Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> 
> Short meaning (obviously) like six inches. This will be on my bedside table.
> 
> Thx in advance




Not 6 inch but still small enough for a bed stand (I know, I have them there) and incredible value for money are the cables from blue jeans.


----------



## XERO1

As long as it is integer oversampling (44.1 = 88.2, 176.4, etc  -  48 = 96, 192, etc), then there shouldn't be any degradation to the original samples.
  
 99.99% of all delta-sigma DACs natively run at 4-6 bits.  This (and a few other tricks) helps to greatly reduce the massive amount of quantization noise that a pure 1-bit DAC would otherwise generate (which is one of the reasons why DSD became so controversial).  And whatever noise does remain is removed with digital &/or analog filters, which have various impacts on the overall SQ.


----------



## cishida

The bridges and falls line is relatively thin and light. Much lighter and flexible than traditional AQ. I've used them with the modi / magni and they worked well. Not close to causing M / M stack to tip. Also won't prevent the stack from sitting flat like stiffer cables can.

Also, b/c they are so flexible they will not straight out 0.3 m, they can be tucked in relatively close to the back of the M / M.


----------



## matthewpartrick

Thx everyone for the responses. Will be setting this one up and trying a few plug/play Roon endpoints as well as some more DIY solutions like the nanopi neo. This and waiting for the new Ether Flows to arrive at the abode hopefully by the end of the month. Hoping to get The Roon lossless button to light up and flow through the Schiit and into the Flows. 

Edit to also say: with all the chit-chat around page 17 vis a vis signal:

(Full disclosure, have had hearing tested after a diving injury and I've lost about 3-4K high frequency on the right, and am -intimately- familiar with the physics of the inner ear as a physician trained in ear barotrauma)

I can clearly hear the difference with my reference headphones (Beyer T1 mods) and the bifrost multibit compared to my delta sigma dacs, like the dragonfly red (which I LOVE) or the Geek out V2. That is to say, I think there is something to this multibit shenanigans and I'm excited to try the modi with the new ether flows. 

I'm listening now to the HDTracks 192khz version of Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head." Specifically, with the Bifrost multibit I'm hearing, for the first time, the pitch of the kick drums and cymbals coming across as an actual pitch, which I think is in the key of A. I am guessing that the modi will be more of the same, and am very much looking forward to it.


----------



## painted klown

slex said:


> I will stick to your emotiva if you are using DSD or any high bitrate music files.
> 
> Advantage or rather magic of mimby is it's transformation of 16/44.1 into thier accurate secret comboburitos.
> 
> It will be a plus for those using online music streaming service like me


 
 The Emotiva does not do DSD either, but for me it's a moot point as I have zero DSD discs or files. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 The Emo does do higher bit rates though, and I have a handful of high res music. Literally, less than 5, so even that is not really a big deal to me. My main interest in getting a Mimby is to see what the burrito filter is all about, and to see if it is a higher resolution DAC vs my DC-1. By higher resolution, I mean more resolving of detail in the music...not more "bits", if that makes sense.


----------



## kstuart

jcwc said:


> slex said:
> 
> 
> > I will stick to your emotiva if you are using DSD or any high bitrate music files.
> ...


 

 First, unless the file is 192khz, the Burrito Filter will still be in play.
  
 But, even if the file is 24/192, there is still a significant difference between Multibit and Delta-Sigma DACs.  How much of a difference is dependent on the other DAC's performance, of course, so you can only really ascertain it by listening.
  
 I think that with 16-bit/44.1khz, the improvement over DACs is greatest, and most music is 16/44.1, so the Burrito Filter is a bigger factor.
  
 Remember that the Burrito Filter does *not do anything magical* - it does not add anything to the original data - it just uses more advanced math to avoid changing the original data.


----------



## blue350gt

matthewpartrick said:


> Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


I don't know if you have seen this bridge, should work for modi/vali 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RCA-Bridge-Rigid-Cross-Connect-for-the-Schiit-Magni-Modi-Stack-/112098432985?hash=item1a199657d9:g:ZZsAAOSwneRXRVH0

haven't tried it myself as I have a modi and a polaris amp, but looks cool


----------



## EmiG310

blue350gt said:


> matthewpartrick said:
> 
> 
> > Hey kids--what are people using as a good RCA interconnect that's short, would be combining the modi multibit with the vali...
> ...


 
  
 I've seen this bridge and I'm wondering, wouldn't this be unshielded and risk catching radio interference? I'm pretty sure most of the high quality cable options are shielded.


----------



## mbusby

I've had good results with these...
  
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NLOQRNG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## slex

kstuart said:


> First, unless the file is 192khz, the Burrito Filter will still be in play.
> 
> But, even if the file is 24/192, there is still a significant difference between Multibit and Delta-Sigma DACs.  How much of a difference is dependent on the other DAC's performance, of course, so you can only really ascertain it by listening.
> 
> ...




Ok schiit is a better mathematician at it, not magician


----------



## jimmers

> Originally Posted by *kstuart* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> ...- it does not add anything to the original data - it just uses more advanced math to avoid changing the original data.


 
 I think the "advanced maths" is there to do a (much) better job than linear interpolation - which would be a dead easy way of upsampling without losing the original data.


----------



## humblesquad

Is the back ground noise of Modi Multibit audible with headphones? It's an important factor for me.


----------



## Vigrith

humblesquad said:


> Is the back ground noise of Modi Multibit audible with headphones? It's an important factor for me.


 
  
 Considering that's an important factor for literally everyone else too and Schiit are very competent and aware of this fact I would say it isn't.


----------



## fjrabon

humblesquad said:


> Is the back ground noise of Modi Multibit audible with headphones? It's an important factor for me.


 

 as far as I can tell it is dead silent


----------



## iJimmy

I was just wondering, I have a Fostex TH-600 and a Schiit Vali without any DAC, would it be worth it going for the new Multibit? Or would the normal Modi suffice? Is there a (noticable) difference?


----------



## wiz2596

How does it compare with standard modi2?

Enviado desde mi GT-I9300 mediante Tapatalk


----------



## ScottFree

ijimmy said:


> I was just wondering, I have a Fostex TH-600 and a Schiit Vali without any DAC, would it be worth it going for the new Multibit? Or would the normal Modi suffice? Is there a (noticable) difference?




Depends on the music. What do you normally listen to?


----------



## iJimmy

scottfree said:


> Depends on the music. What do you normally listen to?


 
 Mostly Electronic or (K)Pop. Also use it for gaming!


----------



## schneller

Anyone here have Mimby, Gumby, and Yiggy who can compare in detailed fashion?


----------



## fjrabon

ijimmy said:


> I was just wondering, I have a Fostex TH-600 and a Schiit Vali without any DAC, would it be worth it going for the new Multibit? Or would the normal Modi suffice? Is there a (noticable) difference?


 

 yeah, I think given your music preferences and your TH600, the multibit is going to still have the great treble your music needs, but without it being as ice pick piercing.  That's the great benefit of the multibit, it doesn't have to roll off the treble to be smooth, you can have elevated treble AND have it not be fatiguing.


----------



## AviP

ijimmy said:


> I was just wondering, I have a Fostex TH-600 and a Schiit Vali without any DAC, would it be worth it going for the new Multibit? Or would the normal Modi suffice? Is there a (noticable) difference?



I use my TH-X00 with my Vali 2. Until 2 weeks ago it was hooked up to a Modi 2, then I got the Modi Multibit and the difference is very noticeable. The biggest differences I noticed were in the separation and the clarity.


----------



## AviP

wiz2596 said:


> How does it compare with standard modi2?
> 
> Enviado desde mi GT-I9300 mediante Tapatalk



I use my TH-X00 with my Vali 2. Until 2 weeks ago it was hooked up to a Modi 2, then I got the Modi Multibit and the difference is very noticeable. The biggest differences I noticed were in the separation and the clarity.


----------



## iJimmy

fjrabon said:


> yeah, I think given your music preferences and your TH600, the multibit is going to still have the great treble your music needs, but without it being as ice pick piercing.  That's the great benefit of the multibit, it doesn't have to roll off the treble to be smooth, you can have elevated treble AND have it not be fatiguing.


 
  


avip said:


> I use my TH-X00 with my Vali 2. Until 2 weeks ago it was hooked up to a Modi 2, then I got the Modi Multibit and the difference is very noticeable. The biggest differences I noticed were in the separation and the clarity.


 
 Sounds great! I'll have to wait until Schiit Europe (Sonority Audio, the dealer for the Netherlands) has one in stock... Seems like they expect one next week. Gives me some time to think about it too (although I think I've gone without a DAC for too long)...


----------



## jimmers

schneller said:


> Anyone here have Mimby, Gumby, and Yiggy who can compare in detailed fashion?


 
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/785369/yggdrasil-gungnir-mb-bifrost-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison#post_12012998


----------



## Peti

Been wondering about the accessories of the modi multibit? Such as USB cable, etc.?


----------



## Tuneslover

tuneslover said:


> I ordered a Modi Multibit today!




In Nashville today, on vacation, and my Modi Multibit was delivered and waiting for me at our hotel when we arrived. Loving our vacation but am looking forward to hearing it when we return back to Canada.


----------



## Pahani

peti said:


> Been wondering about the accessories of the modi multibit? Such as USB cable, etc.?


 
 Errm, none You supply your own USB and RCA.
  
 Per Schiit's specifications, USB must be USB 2.0 (NOT 3.0), and 2m or less.


----------



## Peti

Oh, I see. Thank you!


----------



## slex

Anyone have a bright HP ( highs emphasis ) hook up with multibits dac? Was wondering whether the smoothness of multibit go hand in hand with it compared to DS dac?


----------



## Argo Duck

slex said:


> Anyone have a bright HP ( highs emphasis ) hook up with multibits dac? Was wondering whether the smoothness of multibit go hand in hand with it compared to DS dac?




If I understand what you're asking...the HD 800 (original) is considered bright by some. And the Beyerdynamic T1 (original) can produce hard, almost shrill byproducts when driven hard (say above 83dBA - pink noise calibrated - with my pair and ears). Although I prefer my LCD2.1 and 3F for general listening, I appreciate the HD 800 for some material. There it can leave the 3F and 2.1 in the dust. As for the T1, I had given up on it...

I haven't listened much to the HD 800 since getting Yggdrasil but _Yggy's ability to replace shrill/tinny/screeching high notes with hearing-into-the-inner-detail_ plays superbly to the 800's strengths IMHO.

As for the T1...it sounds like a completely different hp. Yggy's bass speed and detail shows out really well - I know that's not what you're asking - _and the high-notes shrillness is pretty much gone_.

These observations are in comparison to several DS dacs on hand (e.g. BMC PureDAC, original Eastern Electric MiniMax). Yggy is the only MB type DAC I've heard, hence all this is FWIW, TME, BBQ etc


----------



## slex

argo duck said:


> If I understand what you're asking...the HD 800 (original) is considered bright by some. And the Beyerdynamic T1 (original) can produce hard, almost shrill byproducts when driven hard (say above 83dBA - pink noise calibrated - with my pair and ears). Although I prefer my LCD2.1 and 3F for general listening, I appreciate the HD 800 for some material. There it can leave the 3F and 2.1 in the dust. As for the T1, I had given up on it...
> 
> I haven't listened much to the HD 800 since getting Yggdrasil but _Yggy's ability to replace shrill/tinny/screeching high notes with hearing-into-the-inner-detail_ plays superbly to the 800's strengths IMHO.
> 
> ...




Great info, appreciated.


----------



## Peti

Just placed my order for one. Hope shipping won't be too long as I live like an hour away from their headquarters....


----------



## cyclops214

peti said:


> Just placed my order for one. Hope shipping won't be too long as I live like an hour away from their headquarters....


 
 I live in hour and a half away myself you will receive it the day after it ships. But knowing you can pick it up in an hour or so it Is hard to take waiting on the postman.


----------



## Peti

Well, most likely by Monday then, I will have it! Looking forward.


----------



## scottbrown5271

A bit about me:  Over 60, a fair amount of tinnitus, hearing rolls off at about 10k, misspent youth... I've been an aspiring audiophile since I was 8 years old.  Really!
  
 I've been listening to a Modi 2 uber through a Magni 2 uber for about a year. Headphones are AKG 702 and Sennheiser HD700.  Speakers for the moment are a couple of Tang Band W5-2143 in open baffles, near field.  I got my Modi Multibit about a week and a half ago.
  
 The best words I've found on the Internet to define my main complaint about DS dacs are "Digital Glare."  It is this sort of shimmering fuzz that seems to linger about all the sounds coming out of those things, and it turns out I'm very sensitive to that, my hearing issues notwithstanding.  What I hear from mimby is clean, precise, detailed, and a lot more like (Better Than!) vinyl without the scratches, pops, etc.  This dac is a revelation!  I wasn't sure I would be able to hear a difference, but the difference to me is huge!  The exact reason I can hear the difference is not clear because if I understand the math behind "digital glare" at all, it would tend to live in a frequency domain that I no longer hear.  And yet I hear it as plain as day.
  
 A word to Baldr:  There is a huge silent majority out there who appreciate the work you guys do!  When I first became aware of Yggdrasil and the math and science behind it, I was fascinated!  Then came Gumby, then Bimby.  All at price points that I couldn't justify to management, and I just KNEW you wouldn't be able to stand yourself until you got most of that multibit goodness stuffed into a Modi chassis.  I am so thankful that I was right about that!!  I am a customer of yours for life.  Now if you could lobby Jason for a ten watt class A desktop amp I would be eternally grateful.


----------



## duncan4791

scottbrown5271 said:


> A bit about me:  Over 60, a fair amount of tinnitus, hearing rolls off at about 10k, misspent youth... I've been an aspiring audiophile since I was 8 years old.  Really!


 
 I'm almost exactly the same, age, tinnitus causing some pretty bad masking, congestion in left ear, and lowered freq. response. Music appreciation started at 9 with first opera 78s. Just got the Magni 2 Uber and couldn't be happier over my cheap somewhat modified Sennheiser HD558s. (Good enough for now)
  
 Thank you for your evaluation of the Modi Mulitbit, mine arrives tomorrow. This dac will have to last for quite awhile and I'm glad that those who have burned them in find the sound an enhancement over the Uber and other similarly priced delta-sigma dacs.
  
 Best wishes and further enjoyment of your Schiit stack.


----------



## scottbrown5271

duncan4791 said:


> I'm almost exactly the same, age, tinnitus causing some pretty bad masking, congestion in left ear, and lowered freq. response. Just got the Magni 2 Uber and couldn't be happier over my cheap somewhat modified Sennheiser HD558s. (Good enough for now)
> 
> Thank you for your evaluation of the Modi Mulitbit, mine arrives tomorrow. This dac will have to last for quite awhile and I'm glad that those who have burned them in find the sound an enhancement over the Uber and other similarly priced delta-sigma dacs.
> 
> Best wishes and further enjoyment of your Schiit stack.


 
 I just knew there were a bunch of us out there:  Decidedly NOT Golden Eared Audiophiles!  But music lovers nonetheless.  I kept climbing the ladder of better gear, and I kept getting happier and happier with my music.  Mimby puts it over the top.
  
 Thanks for your kind words,
  
 Scott


----------



## duncan4791

I climbed the trail to high end in the 90's and ended up owning a Studer-Revox (Tuner, CD, Integrated Amp, Multiroom remote) stack and Magnepans, surround everything and cables, etc. to the point I spent too much money and too much time playing with the gear I didn't listen to much actual music. It almost drove me insane. Since retiring I dumped the lot and have since gone completely PC digital and small. I'm much happier with less(personal preference). However, I dumped to much and have done without any decent audio gear for years. This is my first purchase of dedicated equipment in a long time. Am looking forward to enjoying my collection.
  
 Thanks for the support, Duncan


----------



## Mechnutt

Has anyone compared the Mimby to the Emotiva Big Ego?  I am thinking about buying one to for my son to use in his 2ch rig  with a Parasound A21 amp and Pass B1 preamp.  He prefers a warmer sound.  He is currently using a Dragonfly 1.0 with a Jittebug which sounds remarkable good.
  
 Does anyone know if either of these are compatible with Bug Head Infinity Blade?
  
 Much Thanks,
  
 Larry


----------



## Pahani

duncan4791 said:


> I'm almost exactly the same, age, tinnitus causing some pretty bad masking, congestion in left ear, and lowered freq. response. Music appreciation started at 9 with first opera 78s. Just got the Magni 2 Uber and couldn't be happier over my cheap somewhat modified Sennheiser HD558s. (Good enough for now)
> 
> Thank you for your evaluation of the Modi Mulitbit, mine arrives tomorrow. This dac will have to last for quite awhile and I'm glad that those who have burned them in find the sound an enhancement over the Uber and other similarly priced delta-sigma dacs.
> 
> Best wishes and further enjoyment of your Schiit stack.


 
  
  


scottbrown5271 said:


> I just knew there were a bunch of us out there:  Decidedly NOT Golden Eared Audiophiles!  But music lovers nonetheless.  I kept climbing the ladder of better gear, and I kept getting happier and happier with my music.  Mimby puts it over the top.
> 
> Thanks for your kind words,
> 
> Scott


 
 I've had tinnitus from a pretty young age, probably in my teens. No idea what caused it, but I'm leaning towards too many (very painful!) cases of swimmer's ear.
  
 Further (documented) injury sustained in my 15-ish years in the military :/
  
 If you're new to tinnitus, I DO have good news! Your brain will eventually filter it out after awhile. By "awhile", I mean years, though :/ I no longer hear it, unless I think about it......and then it will start screaming at me.
  
 So, no, definitely no Golden Ears here!! But even *I'm* able to hear a difference between M2U and Mimby


----------



## Peti

Wow, I already got my tracking number for shipping! Great service indeed! Do I need any drivers to be installed in order to use this DAC with WIN10 or I just plug it in and go?


----------



## RickB

peti said:


> Wow, I already got my tracking number for shipping! Great service indeed! Do I need any drivers to be installed in order to use this DAC with WIN10 or I just plug it in and go?


 
  


> If you're going to use a Windows PC as a audio source via USB, Windows will have to install drivers when you first plug it in. This should be* a fully automatic process on Windows 10, 8, and 7, but it may take a long time to download and install. Be patient and follow any instructions Windows provides, including restarting the machine.


 
  

 http://schiit.com/drivers


----------



## sikki-six

These don't need drivers with Macs, right? 
  
 I should be getting my gadget next week from Schiit-Europe. We'll see how it works with my Lyr 2.


----------



## fjrabon

sikki-six said:


> These don't need drivers with Macs, right?
> 
> I should be getting my gadget next week from Schiit-Europe. We'll see how it works with my Lyr 2.



Correct. 100% plug and play on macs.


----------



## sikki-six

fjrabon said:


> Correct. 100% plug and play on macs.


 
 Cheers, that's what I assumed.


----------



## Baldr

scottbrown5271 said:


> A word to Baldr:  There is a huge silent majority out there who appreciate the work you guys do!  When I first became aware of Yggdrasil and the math and science behind it, I was fascinated!  Then came Gumby, then Bimby.  All at price points that I couldn't justify to management, and I just KNEW you wouldn't be able to stand yourself until you got most of that multibit goodness stuffed into a Modi chassis.  I am so thankful that I was right about that!!  I am a customer of yours for life.


 
  


scottbrown5271 said:


> I just knew there were a bunch of us out there:  Decidedly NOT Golden Eared Audiophiles!  But music lovers nonetheless.  I kept climbing the ladder of better gear, and I kept getting happier and happier with my music.  Mimby puts it over the top.


 
  OK, OK -- Heard and very much appreciated!!


----------



## akg fanboy

I find it ironic how multibit being an older technology that was replaced with delta sigma is now held as the superior approach to DACs. Although multibit might have superior resolution, I think it is similar to how DSD has no perceivable difference over CD quality.  Not sure if it actually makes a difference or just more audiophile nonsense, still sounds a bit tempting for the price point.


----------



## slex

akg fanboy said:


> I find it ironic how multibit being an older technology that was replaced with delta sigma is now held as the superior approach to DACs. Although multibit might have superior resolution, I think it is similar to how DSD has no perceivable difference over CD quality.  Not sure if it actually makes a difference or just more audiophile nonsense, still sounds a bit tempting for the price point.




They are using non audio grade military/medical dac with thier comboburitos design. Thats new tech to me. I wonder there will gradual improvement and upgrade of the comboburitoes in the days to come. Not to mention theres also an aerospace grade of dacs.


----------



## akg fanboy

slex said:


> They are using non audio grade military/medical dac with thier comboburitos design. Thats new tech to me. I wonder there will gradual improvement and upgrade of the comboburitoes in the days to come. Not to mention theres also an aerospace grade of dacs.


 
 Multibit is not a new technology, I think they are called r2r ladder. As far as I know, delta sigma is the newer and the more efficient approach. As far as the medical grade DAC goes, that is just marketing and I don't know too much about the comboburrito design


----------



## rmoody

tuneslover said:


> In Nashville today, on vacation, and my Modi Multibit was delivered and waiting for me at our hotel when we arrived. Loving our vacation but am looking forward to hearing it when we return back to Canada.


 

 How long are you in Nashville? I'm in Knoxville, which is WAY better, haha. Brother lives in Nashville when he's not in the sandpit at least. Busier place than Knoxville for sure!


----------



## Tuneslover

rmoody said:


> How long are you in Nashville? I'm in Knoxville, which is WAY better, haha. Brother lives in Nashville when he's not in the sandpit at least. Busier place than Knoxville for sure!




This is our second night...loving Nashville spent the day on Broadway, went to the Grand Ole Opry tonight. Tomorrow doing some shopping then back downtown to the Ryman to see Bill Maher. Heading out Sunday.


----------



## rmoody

tuneslover said:


> This is our second night...loving Nashville spent the day on Broadway, went to the Grand Ole Opry tonight. Tomorrow doing some shopping then back downtown to the Ryman to see Bill Maher. Heading out Sunday.


 

 Sounds like a great trip. Opry Mills mall is crazy now that it's recovered from the flood. Hope you have a safe trip back.


----------



## matthewpartrick

Hey Kids--Modi Multibit inbound should arrive on Monday, so will post my thoughts forthwith.  Also ordered the Vali 2 along with.  Anyone have this little bugger?  The webSchiit says the tube has to be a matched double triode for that amp.  Anyone have experience ordering anti-NOS tubes for tube-rolling on the Vali?  I'm intimately familiar with tube rolling from my Vinnie Rossi LIO as well as my little Marshall guitar amp but I have to admit I've never owned anything with a single matched triode.  Do I have to shake a gourd or dribble snake oil on it?
  
 Thx in advance for advice.


----------



## KoshNaranek

There is a Vali 2 tube rolling thread. You may wish to start there. 

My own experience with Lyr tube rolling found that getting away from stock tubes made the most difference. The gains in 6dj8 subtype was smaller gains.

Good luck 

PS: The only way you will know you have gone far enough is when you realize that you went too far.


----------



## Baldr

akg fanboy said:


> I find it ironic how multibit being an older technology that was replaced with delta sigma is now held as the superior approach to DACs. Although multibit might have superior resolution, I think it is similar to how DSD has no perceivable difference over CD quality.  Not sure if it actually makes a difference or just more audiophile nonsense, still sounds a bit tempting for the price point.


 

 I hold (as I have done since DS DACs were unleashed upon the world almost 30 years ago) multibit to be my tech of choice for superior audio quality when I build DACs for myself.  You may disagree.  I build DS as well - it is cheaper to implement and proper for lower priced converters.


akg fanboy said:


> Multibit is not a new technology, I think they are called r2r ladder. As far as I know, delta sigma is the newer and the more efficient approach. As far as the medical grade DAC goes, that is just marketing and I don't know too much about the comboburrito design


 

 It is the function of a DAC (16 bit in the case of Mimby) to convert 65,536 different numbers to the same number of unique, non-duplicated, analog signal levels.  The only DACs warranted to do so fall in the subsets of medical or weapons grade DACs.  In ADCs that spec is called no missing codes.  Audio grade DACs have no such guarantee.  It has absolutely NOTHING to do with marketing and everything to do with the precise recreation of a musical event.
  
 ANYTHING less is for when audio precision is not the senior priority.


----------



## painted klown

Are the same DAC chips used in all Schiit multi-bit DACs?
  
 I am under the impression that they all contain the same DAC chips but different implementations of the burrito filter. Is that correct?


----------



## akg fanboy

baldr said:


> I hold (as I have done since DS DACs were unleashed upon the world almost 30 years ago) multibit to be my tech of choice for superior audio quality when I build DACs for myself.  You may disagree.  I build DS as well - it is cheaper to implement and proper for lower priced converters.
> 
> 
> It is the function of a DAC (16 bit in the case of Mimby) to convert 65,536 different numbers to the same number of unique, non-duplicated, analog signal levels.  The only DACs warranted to do so fall in the subsets of medical or weapons grade DACs.  In ADCs that spec is called no missing codes.  Audio grade DACs have no such guarantee.  It has absolutely NOTHING to do with marketing and everything to do with the precise recreation of a musical event.
> ...




If it was so important to guarantee every last bit gets converted properly (not that delta sigma is unreliable), then in the same sense CD quality would not be good enough for audio, and we would all be using DSD for the maximum amount of bits being converted from the original analog source as our ears would be able to tell within each bit


----------



## matthewpartrick

koshnaranek said:


> There is a Vali 2 tube rolling thread. You may wish to start there.
> 
> My own experience with Lyr tube rolling found that getting away from stock tubes made the most difference. The gains in 6dj8 subtype was smaller gains.
> 
> ...


 
 Great thx, I'll search for the thread.
  
 Your postscript is very Churchill-ian, I might bogart it.


----------



## painted klown

akg fanboy said:


> If it was so important to guarantee every last bit gets converted properly (not that delta sigma is unreliable), then in the same sense CD quality would not be good enough for audio, and we would all be using DSD for the maximum amount of bits being converted from the original analog source as our ears would be able to tell within each bit


 
 Ummm...have you ever heard a well mastered CD being played back on a decent system? CD can sound great if the mastering job is done well.
  
 Some examples would include pretty much anything released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, Alice in Chains "Unplugged", Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" (Legacy Edition), Tool "Lateralus", Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Session",and a lot of classical music releases.


----------



## Currawong

Threads merged and moved to Dedicated Source Components.


----------



## akg fanboy

painted klown said:


> Ummm...have you ever heard a well mastered CD being played back on a decent system? CD can sound great if the mastering job is done well.
> 
> Some examples would include pretty much anything released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs, Alice in Chains "Unplugged", Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" (Legacy Edition), Tool "Lateralus", Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Session",and a lot of classical music releases.




You misread what I said, I was making a reference. I am a huge believer in the legacy of nwavguys work and I know that most humans if not all will not be capable of telling the difference between a good CD and DSD


----------



## akg fanboy

painted klown said:


> Are the same DAC chips used in all Schiit multi-bit DACs?
> 
> I am under the impression that they all contain the same DAC chips but different implementations of the burrito filter. Is that correct?




Only the modi and bifrost. The gungnir yggdrasil both use different DACs respectively.


----------



## painted klown

akg fanboy said:


> You misread what I said, I was making a reference. I am a huge believer in the legacy of nwavguys work and I know that most humans if not all will not be capable of telling the difference between a good CD and DSD


 
 Ah, gotcha. My bad! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Agreed, I think that in a blind test that most people would not hear a difference if both discs used the same mastering job.
  


akg fanboy said:


> Only the modi and bifrost. The gungnir yggdrasil both use different DACs respectively.


 
 Thanks! That's what I was curious to know.


----------



## KoshNaranek

matthewpartrick said:


> Great thx, I'll search for the thread.
> 
> Your postscript is very Churchill-ian, I might bogart it.




I use that line at work all the time.


----------



## jimmers

painted klown said:


> Are the same DAC chips used in all Schiit multi-bit DACs?
> 
> I am under the impression that they all contain the same DAC chips but different implementations of the burrito filter. Is that correct?


 
 Nope,
 Yggy and Gumby use DACs from the same family but different bit depths, Bimby, Mimby use a chip from a different family of AD DACs, 16 bit stereo parallel load as opposed to serial load mono chips in the Yggy and Gumby. The filter in Bimby, Mimby is basically the same but only upsamples to half the frequencies of Yggy and Gumby.


----------



## jimmers

akg fanboy said:


> If it was so important to guarantee every last bit gets converted properly (not that delta sigma is unreliable), then in the same sense CD quality would not be good enough for audio, and we would all be using DSD for the maximum amount of bits being converted from the original analog source as our ears would be able to tell within each bit


 
 Really don't find the logic in this


----------



## scottbrown5271

akg fanboy said:


> You misread what I said, I was making a reference. I am a huge believer in the legacy of nwavguys work and I know that most humans if not all will not be capable of telling the difference between a good CD and DSD


 
 The topic of this thread has to do with digital to analog converters that convert the vast majority of available digital music into analog signals.  The best possible result from a DAC is to return an _accurate_ voltage at the _right time_, and to remove any high frequency components left over from the conversion process.  Baldr's efforts have been to return an analog stream without any approximations or time distortions.  I've read this entire thread and I think the 99th percentile opinion of the participants is that Modi Multibit does a pretty good job of that and it does it at an unprecedented price point. Topic Of This Thread.
  
 Humans have amazing abilities and not everyone uses those abilities the same way.  We who care about sound and music are more likely to to be able to notice subtleties in sound reproduction, or even care about them.  We are a very small minority of the human race.  Given that, I agree that most humans won't hear subtle differences between one music reproduction technology or another, mostly because they don't want to and they don't care, and in some cases they actually can't hear the difference. You will find that the people who make up this forum do care, and can discern subtleties in sound reproduction to some extent, sometimes to a startling extent.
  
 Arguments over the virtues of CD or DSD are not the Topic Of This Thread.  My opinion is that we are bound by decisions that get made by the market as to which technology is "better."  iTunes MP3 streaming is successful.  Redbook CD is successful.  Tidal and the other streamers are successful.  Vinyl is successful, still, against all odds.  What this thread is about is how best to decode and reproduce Redbook digital music and get the most enjoyment we can out of what is an obviously non-perfect technology.  On a personal level, my purchasing decisions are informed by the market, and by reviews and discussions about devices that will help me to better enjoy the music I have, and the music I am likely to be able to get.  I'm not interested in tilting at windmills by trying to make the market adopt yet another imperfect technology.  That may happen, it may not.  I don't care, and I won't until WalMart starts stocking their shelves with the new product. 
  
 In the mean time I will continue to enjoy my music the way the market delivers it to me, using the best available equipment that I can afford to buy. That is what this thread is about.


----------



## madwolfa

akg fanboy said:


> I find it ironic how multibit being an older technology that was replaced with delta sigma is now held as the superior approach to DACs.


 
  
 Delta-Sigma wasn't ever held as a superior approach or a true successor to good old multibit. Just cheaper.


----------



## fjrabon

madwolfa said:


> Delta-Sigma wasn't ever held as a superior approach or a true successor to good old multibit. Just cheaper.



Yeah, that's the weirdest part of his argument. As far as I know R2R has ALWAYS been held as the gold standard for DACs. D/S have come a long way in closing that gap, some of the early D/S DACs were truly awful. Well, that and his bizarre equivocation that just because DSD might be a sham that somehow that also means DACs don't matter.


----------



## XERO1

akg fanboy said:


> You misread what I said, I was making a reference. I am a huge believer in the legacy of nwavguys work and I know that most humans if not all will not be capable of telling the difference between a good CD and DSD


 
  
 Yep.  The only time I ever buy a high-res release is if the mastering is audibly and measurably superior (having a higher DR &/or just having overall better fidelity) compared to the CD or AAC/MP3 versions. 
  
 http://dr.loudness-war.info/  is a great resource for this.
  
 Another way you can tell if the high-res version uses the same master as the standard-res version (which it usually does around 99% of the time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) is by just listening to the lossy streaming samples from HDTracks or SuperHiRez and audibly comparing them to the free iTunes streaming samples or the Spotify/iTunes Music/TIDAL versions.
  
 Also, always remember there can be many different masterings of the same album in standard-res and even in high-res.  Like this:
  
 http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/105710/Norah_Jones-Come_Away_With_Me-FLAC_192kHz24bit_Download   -  Universal Records mastering
  
 http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/93692/Norah_Jones-Come_Away_With_Me-DSD_Single_Rate_28MHz64fs_Download   -  Analogue Productions mastering
  
  
 Mastering _Uber Alles!_
  
 ____


----------



## akg fanboy

jimmers said:


> Really don't find the logic in this :blink:




The argument I received was that multibit has a guarantee that every last bit will get converted properly which may produce an audible difference. I was making an anology that in the same way some humans would be capable of telling between those insignificant amount of lost bits or data (comparing a good delta sigma to a good multibit implementation), then those same humans would be able to tell about the lost information when listening to a CD vs DSD (converting an original analog signal to the "limited" amount of bits we see in CD quality), since DSD is closer to the original analog sound.


----------



## akg fanboy

scottbrown5271 said:


> The topic of this thread has to do with digital to analog converters that convert the vast majority of available digital music into analog signals.  The best possible result from a DAC is to return an _accurate_ voltage at the _right time_, and to remove any high frequency components left over from the conversion process.  Baldr's efforts have been to return an analog stream without any approximations or time distortions.  I've read this entire thread and I think the 99th percentile opinion of the participants is that Modi Multibit does a pretty good job of that and it does it at an unprecedented price point. Topic Of This Thread.
> 
> Humans have amazing abilities and not everyone uses those abilities the same way.  We who care about sound and music are more likely to to be able to notice subtleties in sound reproduction, or even care about them.  We are a very small minority of the human race.  Given that, I agree that most humans won't hear subtle differences between one music reproduction technology or another, mostly because they don't want to and they don't care, and in some cases they actually can't hear the difference. You will find that the people who make up this forum do care, and can discern subtleties in sound reproduction to some extent, sometimes to a startling extent.
> 
> ...




In this thread, we cannot even make an analogy? If I mention DSD once then that becomes the primary subject of my argument?
I am not shaming anyone for enjoying multibit or DSD or whatever kind of "higher fidelity" audio equipment they have. I was only questioning the practical differences. If that's what you enjoy and makes you happy, then just know that I am not challenging your happiness and you are free to enjoy what you continue to enjoy


----------



## SSL443

akg fanboy said:


> In this thread, we cannot even make an analogy? If I mention DSD once then that becomes the primary subject of my argument?
> I am not shaming anyone for enjoying multibit or DSD or whatever kind of "higher fidelity" audio equipment they have. I was only questioning the practical differences. If that's what you enjoy and makes you happy, then just know that I am not challenging your happiness and you are free to enjoy what you continue to enjoy


 
  
 If you're feeling like questioning "practical" differences, then just get practical; try it for yourself.


----------



## akg fanboy

ssl443 said:


> If you're feeling like questioning "practical" differences, then just get practical; try it for yourself.


 
 I can easily hear up to 21khz and I have passed over 5 blind tests comparing mp3/aac to lossless with a 70-80% accuracy rating. That being said, I can not even tell a single difference between a cd lossless and a 24/96khz lossless. Even with a $100 amp/dac and $300 amp/dac there is very little differences I've heard and I'm sure most of us know about diminishing returns which we are hitting.


----------



## jimmers

akg fanboy said:


> I can easily hear up to 21khz and I have passed over 5 blind tests comparing mp3/aac to lossless with a 70-80% accuracy rating. That being said, I can not even tell a single difference between a cd lossless and a 24/96khz lossless. Even with a $100 amp/dac and $300 amp/dac there is very little differences I've heard and I'm sure most of us know about diminishing returns which we are hitting.


 
 But, have you tried a Schiit multibit, I think that is where the issue lies.
 to quote scottbrown5271
 "The best possible result from a DAC is to return an _accurate_ voltage at the _right time_"
  
 Given a level of accuracy to me the multibit difference lies in the timing.


----------



## fjrabon

akg fanboy said:


> I can easily hear up to 21khz and I have passed over 5 blind tests comparing mp3/aac to lossless with a 70-80% accuracy rating. That being said, I can not even tell a single difference between a cd lossless and a 24/96khz lossless. Even with a $100 amp/dac and $300 amp/dac there is very little differences I've heard and I'm sure most of us know about diminishing returns which we are hitting.



"My hearing is so good that I don't even have to actually listen to gear to critique its worth"


----------



## theveterans

> Yeah, that's the weirdest part of his argument. As far as I know R2R has ALWAYS been held as the gold standard for DACs.


 
  
 It used to be, but no R2R has beaten the best D/S as of this writing. However, R2R provides more musicality than most D/S at the same price range or less IMO.


----------



## madwolfa

theveterans said:


> It used to be, but no R2R has beaten the best D/S as of this writing. However, R2R provides more musicality than most D/S at the same price range or less IMO.


 
  
 Beaten in what? Specs? They don't tell the whole picture.


----------



## theveterans

Aside from specs, the best D/S implementation beats any current R2R implementation in sound quality (musicality, transparency etc.) *IMO*.
  
 That statement is where price isn't a factor.


----------



## ScottFree

akg fanboy said:


> ssl443 said:
> 
> 
> > If you're feeling like questioning "practical" differences, then just get practical; try it for yourself.
> ...




Having the best hearing in the world doesn't mean much if you don't know what to listen for.


----------



## madwolfa

theveterans said:


> Aside from specs, the best D/S implementation beats any current R2R implementation in sound quality (musicality, transparency etc.) *IMO*.
> 
> That statement is where price isn't a factor.


 
  
 Well, that's great. Go and buy yourself a D/S DAC then.


----------



## theveterans

> Well, that's great. Go and buy yourself a D/S DAC then.


 
  
 If I had the money to buy 22 Bimbys haha. I'm currently enjoying my only Bimby and its goodness.


----------



## earnmyturns

theveterans said:


> If I had the money to buy 22 Bimbys haha. I'm currently enjoying my only Bimby and its goodness.


 
 Wow, $13k for a single D/S DAC? I could buy 2.5 Metrum Pavanes for that much. I guess that if someone is convinced brainwashed that they need DSD for the highest quality, then they have no choice but to spend big waste their money, but there are such good PCM R2R DACs around for much less...


----------



## akg fanboy

fjrabon said:


> "My hearing is so good that I don't even have to actually listen to gear to critique its worth"




I don't understand where the perception of hate is coming from. I tend to be objective when it comes to audio and trust blind tests much more than initial impressions that may be biased. How was I bragging when I clearly stated, I cannot tell a single difference in 24/96khz music. Is my hearing capability just me bragging now? I was only proving that my hearing wasn't the bottleneck here, and if I did not know what to look for then I wouldn't have passed a lossy vs lossless blind test with consistency.

That said, I originally stated the modi multibit was tempting for the asking price point. On paper, multibit is no doubt the superior choice. Like I said, I was questioning the actual reflectance to the real world it has since I do not like to buy products I am not sure about.


----------



## theveterans

> Wow, $13k for a single D/S DAC? I could buy 2.5 Metrum Pavanes for that much. I guess that if someone is convinced brainwashed that they need DSD for the highest quality, then they have no choice but to spend big waste their money, but there are such good PCM R2R DACs around for much less...


 
  
 True. I wanted an Adiago myself (Pavane with preamp like DAVE) and save the rest of money since it's 1/2 of the Chord DAVE's price, but I need to see if that can reach the 95% of DAVE's sound quality with PCM. Then again, it's just my fantasy unless I won the lottery or something.


----------



## droopy1592

akg fanboy said:


> I don't understand where the perception of hate is coming from. I tend to be objective when it comes to audio and trust blind tests much more than initial impressions that may be biased. How was I bragging when I clearly stated, I cannot tell a single difference in 24/96khz music. Is my hearing capability just me bragging now? I was only proving that my hearing wasn't the bottleneck here, and if I did not know what to look for then I wouldn't have passed a lossy vs lossless blind test with consistency.
> 
> That said, I originally stated the modi multibit was tempting for the asking price point. On paper, multibit is no doubt the superior choice. Like I said, I was questioning the actual reflectance to the real world it has since I do not like to buy products I am not sure about.




No one else I know of has passed any thorough lossless vs 320kbps MP3/aac comparison. I'd like to see proof. Anyone can hear 21khz if it's loud enough, and usually if it's loud eough it's about to start hurting if it gets louder. It really doesn't mean anything.


----------



## akg fanboy

droopy1592 said:


> No one else I know of has passed any thorough lossless vs 320kbps MP3/aac comparison. I'd like to see proof. Anyone can hear 21khz if it's loud enough, and usually if it's loud eough it's about to start hurting if it gets louder. It really doesn't mean anything.


 
 I only stated mp3/aac vs flac, I don't know where you got the assumption I was talking about 320kbps, in fact, a lot of my music is 320kbps mp3 or 256 aac. I have used various blind testing sites such as tidal and various other sites I found online. I actually have taken screen shots although I will have to dig through my photos to find them (I will post them if I find them).
  
  
 EDIT:

  

  
 I stated "I can hear 21khz easily" as to indicate that 22khz is very difficult for me to hear, even when the volume is above my normal listening levels. 21khz however, can be heard slightly below my preferred music listening levels.


----------



## fjrabon

akg fanboy said:


> I don't understand where the perception of hate is coming from. I tend to be objective when it comes to audio and trust blind tests much more than initial impressions that may be biased. How was I bragging when I clearly stated, I cannot tell a single difference in 24/96khz music. Is my hearing capability just me bragging now? I was only proving that my hearing wasn't the bottleneck here, and if I did not know what to look for then I wouldn't have passed a lossy vs lossless blind test with consistency.
> 
> That said, I originally stated the modi multibit was tempting for the asking price point. On paper, multibit is no doubt the superior choice. Like I said, I was questioning the actual reflectance to the real world it has since I do not like to buy products I am not sure about.


 

 My point with the comment is you have no idea what you're talking about, since you haven't heard the gear in question.  If you'd heard the unit and said "eh, sounds no different to my ears than X other DAC" then fine, no problems with that at all.  But what you're doing is worse than biased listening, because you're creating preconceived notions that have no basis in reality, just slightly askew theories you have.  I have little patience for people who haven't even heard something speaking with some sort of authority on its ability.


----------



## akg fanboy

fjrabon said:


> My point with the comment is you have no idea what you're talking about, since you haven't heard the gear in question.  If you'd heard the unit and said "eh, sounds no different to my ears than X other DAC" then fine, no problems with that at all.  But what you're doing is worse than biased listening, because you're creating preconceived notions that have no basis in reality, just slightly askew theories you have.  I have little patience for people who haven't even heard something speaking with some sort of authority on its ability.


 
 Have you answered my claims to your original comment? I have nowhere stated how the the modi multibit actually sounds or would sound like, again I was questioning the differences as to whether or not it would be worth buying. What I'm getting from this is that I must purchase this product without a single given doubt to even remotely speak about this product in any fashion different from positive. I like what schiit stands for as a company but I will still reserve my uncertainties, that does not mean I will not purchase this product


----------



## KLJTech

*IF* I happened to be in the market for a DAC and had $250 to spend, it wouldn't take me long to decide to go with the true multibit DAC designed by Mike Moffat and Jason Stoddard. Simply look at their track record, or you could wait until Stereophile comes out with a stellar review of the Yggdrasil and then everyone will start wanting a multibit DAC.


----------



## fjrabon

akg fanboy said:


> Have you answered my claims to your original comment? I have nowhere stated how the the modi multibit actually sounds or would sound like, again I was questioning the differences as to whether or not it would be worth buying. What I'm getting from this is that I must purchase this product without a single given doubt to even remotely speak about this product in any fashion different from positive. I like what schiit stands for as a company but I will still reserve my uncertainties, that does not mean I will not purchase this product




Sure, and then when your question was answered you made a weird analogy to DSD, as some sort of refutation. you then brought up a weird point about D/S being newer tech than R2R, which as far as I can tell has nothing to do with anything. The answer is/was that R2R more faithfully preserves the encoded information from the source it's given. I think that somewhat undersells the quality of the combo burrito filter as well, which more fiairhfully fills in the gaps of lower sample rate music. If your response is "I doubt you can hear a difference" which is basically what you've been saying all along in one way or another, then there's really no response to your line of inquiry. The technical difference was given to you, it apparently wasn't good enough of an answer.


----------



## earnmyturns

theveterans said:


> True. I wanted an Adiago myself (Pavane with preamp like DAVE) and save the rest of money since it's 1/2 of the Chord DAVE's price, but I need to see if that can reach the 95% of DAVE's sound quality with PCM. Then again, it's just my fantasy unless I won the lottery or something.


 
 PCM got a bad rap in part because people are using horribly buggy, jittery, and electrically noisy PC>USB>DAC setups and then trying to fix them with a plethora of bandaids from HQPlayer to battery power supplies to Wyrd, Regen, and the like to magical cables. The few comparisons I've read between DSD and PCM with non-junk digital sources and top DACs, and the improvements I've got by cleaning up my digital feeds with better-designed sources make me think that PCM is not the problem.


----------



## akg fanboy

fjrabon said:


> Sure, and then when your question was answered you made a weird analogy to DSD, as some sort of refutation. you then brought up a weird point about D/S being newer tech than R2R, which as far as I can tell has nothing to do with anything. The answer is/was that R2R more faithfully preserves the encoded information from the source it's given. I think that somewhat undersells the quality of the combo burrito filter as well, which more fiairhfully fills in the gaps of lower sample rate music. If your response is "I doubt you can hear a difference" which is basically what you've been saying all along in one way or another, then there's really no response to your line of inquiry. The technical difference was given to you, it apparently wasn't good enough of an answer.




I'm pretty sure I stated that DS is newer than r2r before I made any anology to DSD... And yet it started out that way since I found it ironic, I was not even talking about the modi specifically, just r2r technology in general. I stated that there should be little difference between a good DS and R2R since I've seen a fair amount of people treat it like it changed the sound to a large extent which should not happen with any good properly implented DAC (DS or not) for that matter.


----------



## fjrabon

akg fanboy said:


> I'm pretty sure I stated that DS is newer than r2r before I made any anology to DSD... And yet it started out that way since I found it ironic, I was not even talking about the modi specifically, just r2r technology in general. I stated that there should be little difference between a good DS and R2R since I've seen a fair amount of people treat it like it changed the sound to a large extent which should not happen with any good properly implented DAC (DS or not) for that matter.


 
 I apologize for getting the order of your responses out of order.
  
 to my ears, the vast majority of D/S implementations have somewhat audible hash glare.  R2R lacks this.  Some D/S DACs cover this up with filters, colorings, etc.  The iDAC6 I have is one of the better D/S DACs I've heard, using dual AKM4490s and a very robust analog stage.  But there's a slight hint of has glare at moments when it isn't "covered up" by other aspects of the sound, especially when I use the non-linear stage filters on it.  Long tail pre and post echo in a linear stage filter can help this, but it never truly goes away with D/S and seems to be a basic quality of the technology.
  
 Well implemented R2R technology can sound both smooth and detailed, which with D/S that seems to be a tradeoff you have to make, either you get detailed but harsh, or smooth but blurry.  
  
 It is my belief that this is a result of the following:


> 3. The math involved in developing the filter and calculating has a closed form solution. It is not an approximation, as all other filters I have studied (most, if not all of them). Therefore, all of the original samples are output. This could be referred to fairly as bit perfect; what comes in goes out.
> 
> 4. Oversimplified, however essentially correct: The filter is also time domain optimized which means the phase info in the original samples are averaged in the time domain with the filter generated interpolated samples to for corrected minimum phase shift as a function of frequency from DC to the percentage of nyquist - in our case .968. Time domain is well defined at DC - the playback device behaves as a window fan at DC - it either blows (in phase) or sucks (out). It is our time domain optimization that gives the uncanny sonic hologram. (It also allows the filter to disappear. Has to be heard to understand.) Since lower frequency wavelengths are measured in tens of feet, placement in image gets increasingly wrong as a function of decreasing frequency in non time domain optimized recordings - these keep the listener's ability to hear the venue - not to mention the sum of all of the phase errors in the microphones, mixing boards, eq, etc on the record side. An absolute phase switch is of little to no value in a non time domain optimized, stochastic time domain replay system. It makes a huge difference with an Yggy.
> 
> 5. This is combined with a frequency domain optimization which does not otherwise affect the phase optimization. The 0.968 of Nyquist also gives us a small advantage that none of the off-the shelf FIR filters (0.907) provide: frequency response out to 21.344KHz, 42.688KHz, 85.3776KHz, and 170.5772KHz bandwidth for native 1,2,4, and 8x 44.1KHz SR multiple recordings - the 48KHz table is 23.232, 46.464, 92.868, and 185.856KHz respectively for 1,2,4, and 8x. This was the portion of the filter that had the divide by zero problem which John Lediaev worked out, to combine with #4 above AND retain the original samples.


----------



## Argo Duck

akg fanboy said:


> I'm pretty sure I stated that DS is newer than r2r before I made any anology to DSD... And yet it started out that way since I found it ironic, I was not even talking about the modi specifically, just r2r technology in general. I stated that there should be little difference between a good DS and R2R since I've seen a fair amount of people treat it like it changed the sound to a large extent which should not happen with any good properly implented DAC (DS or not) for that matter.




I certainly encourage you to try Schiit's MB tech. As you say, $250 is tempting - and you have 15 days right of return.

As you say, there 'should' be little difference between MB and D/S (both properly implemented) and yet...I - and my wife - are among those amazed by what Schiit has achieved. FWIW, we have had several good-sounding D/S dacs on hand in the last few years (including BMC PureDAC, Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC, Schiit Bifrost v1, Meier Corda StageDAC among others).

It is _possible_ you won't find a meaningful difference but my bet is you will :evil:


----------



## pkcpga

theveterans said:


> True. I wanted an Adiago myself (Pavane with preamp like DAVE) and save the rest of money since it's 1/2 of the Chord DAVE's price, but I need to see if that can reach the 95% of DAVE's sound quality with PCM. Then again, it's just my fantasy unless I won the lottery or something.




I love my Dave, it's definitely in a different league, but it's also a different price league. People that state they can't hear a difference from 320, MP3 and cd lossless of tidal and than to DSD shouldn't even bother buying anything more than a cheap DAC. Why bother if you can't hear the difference, with DSD if you listen for the better timing and separation it becomes very apparent, well remastered cd still have the gaps in timing and some smudging, although they still can sound amazing against a poor record or just up sampled DSD. So all depends on the original recording quality and who remastering it or if it was originally recorded at DSD or higher.


----------



## akg fanboy

fjrabon said:


> I apologize for getting the order of your responses out of order.
> 
> to my ears, the vast majority of D/S implementations have somewhat audible hash glare.  R2R lacks this.  Some D/S DACs cover this up with filters, colorings, etc.  The iDAC6 I have is one of the better D/S DACs I've heard, using dual AKM4490s and a very robust analog stage.  But there's a slight hint of has glare at moments when it isn't "covered up" by other aspects of the sound, especially when I use the non-linear stage filters on it.  Long tail pre and post echo in a linear stage filter can help this, but it never truly goes away with D/S and seems to be a basic quality of the technology.
> 
> ...


 
  


argo duck said:


> I certainly encourage you to try Schiit's MB tech. As you say, $250 is tempting - and you have 15 days right of return.
> 
> As you say, there 'should' be little difference between MB and D/S (both properly implemented) and yet...I - and my wife - are among those amazed by what Schiit has achieved. FWIW, we have had several good-sounding D/S dacs on hand in the last few years (including BMC PureDAC, Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC, Schiit Bifrost v1, Meier Corda StageDAC among others).
> 
> It is _possible_ you won't find a meaningful difference but my bet is you will


 
 This is more interesting, I will probably get a modi sometime after my new headphones. Not a big priority at the moment but I'll need another DAC soon


----------



## Fredoo

" I wanted an Adiago myself (Pavane with preamp like DAVE) and save the rest of money since it's 1/2 of the Chord DAVE's price... "

Beside the casework, the Adiago is more than a Pavane with pre amp/volume control. 

From Metrum:

" Since we have our new Adagio sometimes people do not understand the difference with our Pavane. From the outside it seems just a volume potmeter and a different type of remote but the inside tells more.
• As volume is controlled by changing the reference voltage of the dacs, max ref voltage is increased 3 times. This approach created a noise floor of - 155 dB ,extreme linearity and very low distortion!
• Instead of using our DAC ONE module as used in our Pavane, for the Adagio we used our DAC TWO. DAC TWO is using two R2R ladders on the inside which means that the Adagio is using 16 ladder dacs instead of 8 ladder dacs as used in the Pavane.
• The Adagio is running on double voltages compared to the Pavane.
• The Pavane is using 15 VA transformers for each channel, the Adagio is using 30VA for each channel.
• By using DAC TWO modules ( in fact every module contains a FPGA + two R2R ladders) there is no need to use the external FPGA anymore as used in the Pavane. This location on the digital input board can be used for future options
• As the Adagio is a digital preamp there is an option to control two power amps.
• As the Adagio can be connected to every type of power amp it has two possible output voltage "


----------



## Currawong

I've removed a few off-topic posts. If you want to argue about things that are not relevant to the modi multibit, please start a separate thread.


----------



## vrapan

baldr said:


> I hold (as I have done since DS DACs were unleashed upon the world almost 30 years ago) multibit to be my tech of choice for superior audio quality when I build DACs for myself.  You may disagree.  I build DS as well - it is cheaper to implement and proper for lower priced converters.
> 
> It is the function of a DAC (16 bit in the case of Mimby) to convert 65,536 different numbers to the same number of unique, non-duplicated, analog signal levels.  The only DACs warranted to do so fall in the subsets of medical or weapons grade DACs.  In ADCs that spec is called no missing codes.  Audio grade DACs have no such guarantee.  It has absolutely NOTHING to do with marketing and everything to do with the precise recreation of a musical event.
> 
> ANYTHING less is for when audio precision is not the senior priority.


 
 Hello there, any idea as to when the Modi is going to be in stock on the UK/EU schiit store?


----------



## Fredoo

I ordered from the EU-site, the Mobi was delivered in about 1,5 weeks.


----------



## AviP

I'm not sure I understand.
If I play a file which is 24bit 48khz, then what happens?
Is it downsampled to 16/44.1, 24/44.1, 16/48 or not at all?
Will the combo burrito filter not be used?


----------



## akg fanboy

avip said:


> I'm not sure I understand.
> If I play a file which is 24bit 48khz, then what happens?
> Is it downsampled to 16/44.1, 24/44.1, 16/48 or not at all?
> Will the combo burrito filter not be used?




I would like to know this as well


----------



## fjrabon

avip said:


> I'm not sure I understand.
> If I play a file which is 24bit 48khz, then what happens?
> Is it downsampled to 16/44.1, 24/44.1, 16/48 or not at all?
> Will the combo burrito filter not be used?


 

 It is rounded down to 16 bits, but still plays at 48kHz.  The Combo Burrito filter is applied; it is applied to anything up to 176kHz.


----------



## cishida

akg fanboy said:


> I would like to know this as well


 
  


avip said:


> I'm not sure I understand.
> If I play a file which is 24bit 48khz, then what happens?
> Is it downsampled to 16/44.1, 24/44.1, 16/48 or not at all?
> Will the combo burrito filter not be used?


 
  
 The DAC will see 16-bit and 192 KHz.
  
 The combo burrito filter operates in 32-bit. Samples are rounded to 16-bit before they are fed to the DAC.


----------



## akg fanboy

fjrabon said:


> It is rounded down to 16 bits, but still plays at 48kHz.  The Combo Burrito filter is applied; it is applied to anything up to 176kHz.




What does the comboburrito actually do and from my understanding it is only used in the multibit DACs?


----------



## cishida

fjrabon said:


> It is rounded down to 16 bits, but still plays at 48kHz.  The Combo Burrito filter is applied; it is applied to anything up to 176kHz.


 
 I don't think there is a way to prevent the schiit MB DACs from sampling 48 kHz. On bimby and mobi the multiplier would be 4, so  48 * 4 = 192. On gumby / yggy the multipler would be 8 for 48.


----------



## RickB

akg fanboy said:


> What does the comboburrito actually do and from my understanding it is only used in the multibit DACs?


 
 It preserves the original samples and it's only used in Schiit multibit DACs.


----------



## cishida

akg fanboy said:


> What does the comboburrito actually do and from my understanding it is only used in the multibit DACs?


 
 My understanding is that it is an oversampling digital filter that preserves the original samples. 
 Don't understand the deep details.
  
 From google:
  
o·ver·sam·pling
 ˌōvərˈsampliNG/
_noun_ ELECTRONICS

 

    the technique of increasing the apparent sampling frequency of a digital signal by repeating each digit a number of times, in order to facilitate the subsequent filtering of unwanted noise.


----------



## akg fanboy

cishida said:


> My understanding is that it is an oversampling digital filter that preserves the original samples.
> Don't understand the deep details.
> 
> From google:
> ...




I thought in order to preserve the original sample it had be be a non oversampling filter? How does the original sample get preserved if it is oversampled, kind of confused


----------



## cishida

akg fanboy said:


> I thought in order to preserve the original sample it had be be a non oversampling filter? How does the original sample get preserved if it is oversampled, kind of confused


 
 My guess is that Schiit would say the answer to your question is "proprietary".


----------



## cishida

Here is what Mike Moffat (baldr) wrote about the filter in another thread:
  
  


> An SOF (Schiit only feature) – The Schiit Footlong Mega Burrito Supersauce Digital Filter:
> 
> It is a digital filter/sample rate converter designed to convert all audio to 352.8 or 396KHz sample rates so that it may drive our DACs. You get it from us; it is our filter. It keeps all original samples; those samples contain rudimentary frequency and phase information which can be optimized not only in the time domain but in the frequency domain. We do precisely this in the Yggy with said filter; this is the reason that on good recordings through Yggy you can hear the hall, its dimensions, and the exact position of anyone coughing or farting in the room, the motions of guitars being hoisted in preparation of being played, sheet music pages being turned, etc. etc. This comes from our mega burrito filter. A friend of mine, Jonathan Horwich, sells analog master tapes in ½ track form – at least 15 IPS, and 30 (I believe) as well. On those analog masters, you can also hear the entire environment before the music starts – what is amazing there is that even if on accounts for hearing “down into” the analog noise, the S/N indicates a 14 bit performance at best for those tapes. 14 bit or not – those tapes, totally scratch my itch. If you want that, we got that and more in the Yggy.


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/thoughts-on-a-bunch-of-dacs-and-why-delta-sigma-kinda-sucks-just-to-get-you-to-think-about-stuff/1785#post_11022012


----------



## cishida

Another (colorful) baldr post on the subject:


> Digitally, it takes nothing away from the original information. Nothing, nada, ******-all. It then takes a weighted average of the original samples and adds frequency (read flat) and time (read image) extra info between the samples to convert the samples to 352.8/396KHz. All complete calculations – NO approximations. All info is a function of the original. Real math – hard science. Not psychology or social science. 2 + 2 = 4. Now and forever.
> 
> The result is a D/A converter that images like nothing I have ever digitally heard. The promise is that with better recordings (Cowboy Junkies, for example) you hear the entire environment. If you check it against photos of the original session (often available as part of the LP/CD documentation or online), you may be shocked.
> 
> That's what Yggy digitally does. Period! (Pardon the shouts) IT DOES NOT MAKE BAD RECORDINGS SOUND GOOD. If you let it warm up all the way, IT DOES NOT MAKE BAD RECORDINGS SOUND WORSE. If you are listening to a lot of bad recordings, you may try stamp collecting or another hobby. You do not have to believe in the tooth fairy, the easter bunny, or swing dead chickens around your head while dancing nude and covered with moose dung in the Alaskan tundra in February.  Flippin' science.


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/693798/thoughts-on-a-bunch-of-dacs-and-why-delta-sigma-kinda-sucks-just-to-get-you-to-think-about-stuff/1800#post_11023066


----------



## madwolfa

akg fanboy said:


> I thought in order to preserve the original sample it had be be a non oversampling filter? How does the original sample get preserved if it is oversampled, kind of confused


 
  
 It *had* to be non-oversampling because most oversampling filters destroy the original data, unlike comboburrito, while still being an oversampling filter, preserves the original data.


----------



## cishida

madwolfa said:


> It *had* to be non-oversampling because most oversampling filters destroy the original data, unlike comboburrito, which, while still an oversampling filter, preserves the original data.


 
 Yeah, baldr uses "digital filter/sample rate converter". Apologize for any incorrect information.


----------



## cishida

Also check out the Yggy FAQ for more information about the filter.
  
 http://schiit.com/products/yggdrasil


----------



## earnmyturns

akg fanboy said:


> I thought in order to preserve the original sample it had be be a non oversampling filter? How does the original sample get preserved if it is oversampled, kind of confused


 
 Think of if this way. The original samples are (x,y) points where x is the time axis and y the amplitude for the sample. Suppose now that that x0 and x4 are the times for two consecutive 48 kHz samples (meaning that x4 - x0 == 1/48000 of a second), with amplitudes y0 and y4. To oversample 4x, we need to add 3 new equally spaced synthetic samples (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3) with x4-x3 == x3-x2 == x2-x1 == x1-x0 == 1/192000 of a second. The Schiit filter computes y1, y2, and y3 so that the resulting waveform minimizes additional time and frequency distortion from an ideal waveform that would have produced the original samples. Most other oversampling setups are unable to do this without also adjusting y0 and y4, thus failing to preserve the original samples.


----------



## jbarrentine

So what's the actual difference that can be heard here? Is this a good upgrade to a music streamer II+ ?


----------



## iJimmy

I just got my Multibit in, but is it normal that the input is this far off center? https://www.dropbox.com/s/or4emk79hwjwm0c/20160823_142801.jpg?dl=0


----------



## RickB

ijimmy said:


> I just got my Multibit in, but is it normal that the input is this far off center? https://www.dropbox.com/s/or4emk79hwjwm0c/20160823_142801.jpg?dl=0


 
 If you shoot an email with that picture to Laura at orders@schiit.com, she can tell you if that's really off or not.


----------



## KLJTech

ijimmy said:


> I just got my Multibit in, but is it normal that the input is this far off center? https://www.dropbox.com/s/or4emk79hwjwm0c/20160823_142801.jpg?dl=0


 
  
 I have components that cost well over 2K that the connectors/jacks on the back of the case are not "perfectly" centered within the hole on the back of the case. It doesn't matter at all, the connectors/jacks are soldered to the board inside and can't always line up perfectly with the hole on the back of the case. No worries.
 Enjoy your music!


----------



## iJimmy

kljtech said:


> I have components that cost well over 2K that the connectors/jacks on the back of the case are not "perfectly" centered within the hole on the back of the case. It doesn't matter at all, the connectors/jacks are soldered to the board inside and can't always line up perfectly with the hole on the back of the case. No worries.
> Enjoy your music!


 
 All this time I was not using a DAC. I just plugged in the Modi Multibit, connected to my Vali and TH-600. Holy Schiit.


----------



## KLJTech

ijimmy said:


> All this time I was not using a DAC. I just plugged in the Modi Multibit, connected to my Vali and TH-600. Holy Schiit.


 
  
 Life is good, enjoy your music!


----------



## iJimmy

kljtech said:


> Life is good, enjoy your music!


 
 Will do! I think I know what I'm doing for the rest of the day... Does make me wonder if I'd notice the difference between the Multibit and the Modi 2 for example (never heard it).


----------



## KLJTech

Since you already have the multibit you don't have to worry about it, with headphones or good speakers I imagine you would indeed hear the difference. I've never heard either of those DAC's so I can't be sure...I wouldn't worry about it as I'd be too busy listening to my favorite music. Congratulations on your new DAC!


----------



## matthewpartrick

Modi and Vali descended today; setting up now and will post impressions here later.
  
 Thx!


----------



## srisaikat

ijimmy said:


> I just got my Multibit in, but is it normal that the input is this far off center? https://www.dropbox.com/s/or4emk79hwjwm0c/20160823_142801.jpg?dl=0


 
  
 I believe it is not quite normal, the insulation or plastic buffer (from body/chassis) around the coax input is either missing or misplaced. You should send picture and confirm from the Schiit itself.


----------



## iJimmy

srisaikat said:


> I believe it is not quite normal, the insulation or plastic buffer (from body/chassis) around the coax input is either missing or misplaced. You should send picture and confirm from the Schiit itself.


 
 They said it's correct!


----------



## jamor

ijimmy said:


> I just got my Multibit in, but is it normal that the input is this far off center? https://www.dropbox.com/s/or4emk79hwjwm0c/20160823_142801.jpg?dl=0


 
  
 They are probably all like that.  I've had 2 Modis now and both had it so I guess it's normal.


----------



## yage

earnmyturns said:


> Think of if this way. The original samples are (x,y) points where x is the time axis and y the amplitude for the sample. Suppose now that that x0 and x4 are the times for two consecutive 48 kHz samples (meaning that x4 - x0 == 1/48000 of a second), with amplitudes y0 and y4. To oversample 4x, we need to add 3 new equally spaced synthetic samples (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3) with x4-x3 == x3-x2 == x2-x1 == x1-x0 == 1/192000 of a second. The Schiit filter computes y1, y2, and y3 so that the resulting waveform minimizes additional time and frequency distortion from an ideal waveform that would have produced the original samples. Most other oversampling setups are unable to do this without also adjusting y0 and y4, thus failing to preserve the original samples.


 
  
 Are you sure this is what they do? y1 -> y3 would seem to be interpolated values then. Why wouldn't they just zero-pad the data?


----------



## earnmyturns

yage said:


> Are you sure this is what they do? y1 -> y3 would seem to be interpolated values then. Why wouldn't they just zero-pad the data?


 
 The R2R chips need to get a y for each target rate sample to produce a corresponding analog amplitude. The synthetic samples y1, ..., y3 need to be chosen to yield amplitudes that lead to minimal distortion from the ideal source waveform, meaning in particular that their relationship not only to y0, y4 but to the samples before y0 and after y4 -- both the original ones and the interpolated ones --must minimize spectral and phase distortions from the ideal source waveform. Thus you need a filter that ensures those relationships, not just a simple local interpolator. I'm not a digital filter expert, but I know a bit about interpolation from my day job.


----------



## jimmers

When I first read earnmyturns (_original_) explanation I didn't think it likely to help anyone who didn't already know what was happening
  
 Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yage* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Are you sure this is what they do? y1 -> y3 would seem to be interpolated values then. Why wouldn't they just zero-pad the data?


 
 I guess this supports the supposition, 
 The values y1->y3, as you put it, are interpolated - it's how the interpolation is calculated is the thing. 
  
 I don't understand what zero-padding the data has to do with it.
  
 edit. cross posted.


----------



## Tuneslover

I have been burning in my Modi MB during the night throughout our vacaction in Tennessee and North Carolina and have about 52 hours on it now. we are on our way home now and should be home by Wednesday night. I'll plug it in overnight when we get home and give it a comparative listen to my Modi original, as well as, my Bifrost 4490 and Bifrost MB the next day. Really missing my X5ii coaxial out > Bifrost MB > HD650 setup.


----------



## earnmyturns

jimmers said:


> When I first read earnmyturns (_original_) explanation I didn't think it likely to help anyone who didn't already know what was happening


 
 Fortunately I stopped working as a professor over 8 years ago, so no one is paying to be confused by me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I have this bad habit of expecting everyone to have learned and retained those wonderful Cartesian x's and y's from secondary school, and maybe a teeny bit of trig to visualize a waveform in Cartesian coordinates... I stand defeated.


----------



## slex

This just arrived. Gonna squeeze the juice out hella of this little mimby


----------



## yage

jimmers said:


> I guess this supports the supposition,
> The values y1->y3, as you put it, are interpolated - it's how the interpolation is calculated is the thing.
> 
> I don't understand what zero-padding the data has to do with it.
> ...


 
  
 Adding zero samples is, as I understand it, one way to increase sample rate given a base sample rate. What I don't get in this case is why values need to be interpolated which, to me, means that you're creating new values based on some function in between the actual sampled values. In the case of an R-2R DAC, I can see how repeating samples would make sense since that would reduce glitch energy from code transitions so perhaps that's what's happening in Schiit's implementation.


----------



## Defiant00

yage said:


> Adding zero samples is, as I understand it, one way to increase sample rate given a base sample rate. What I don't get in this case is why values need to be interpolated which, to me, means that you're creating new values based on some function in between the actual sampled values. In the case of an R-2R DAC, I can see how repeating samples would make sense since that would reduce glitch energy from code transitions so perhaps that's what's happening in Schiit's implementation.


 
  
 Zero samples would result in a completely wrong waveform. For example. instead of a sine wave, you'd have three 0 samples then a point on the sine, then three more zeroes, etc. This would likely sound quite unpleasant, and certainly not like the original sound.
  
 Repeating samples would be closer, but ideally those intermediate samples wouldn't all be the same. Making them all the same would effectively be forcing the DAC to create the (inaccurate) stairstep graphs that people sometimes use to explain digital audio.
  
 Schiit interpolates, and as previously stated, their solution is unique in that all the original samples are kept instead of being replaced during the oversampling phase.


----------



## yage

defiant00 said:


> Zero samples would result in a completely wrong waveform. For example. instead of a sine wave, you'd have three 0 samples then a point on the sine, then three more zeroes, etc. This would likely sound quite unpleasant, and certainly not like the original sound.
> 
> Repeating samples would be closer, but ideally those intermediate samples wouldn't all be the same. Making them all the same would effectively be forcing the DAC to create the (inaccurate) stairstep graphs that people sometimes use to explain digital audio.
> 
> Schiit interpolates, and as previously stated, their solution is unique in that all the original samples are kept instead of being replaced during the oversampling phase.


 
  
 Your post doesn't make any sense to me. The 'staircase' waveform is what the DAC outputs anyway without a low pass filter (i.e. sample and hold). Zero stuffing is a valid method for upsampling a signal (a Google search would show why this is so). If interpolation (the way I define it) is being used then additional data is being created that wasn't part of the original datastream, which I don't believe warrants the claim that the original samples are being preserved.
  
 I know I'm missing something here that perhaps @earnmyturns can help me understand. I think it might be semantic - that interpolation == upsampling (zero stuffing) + low pass filter in this case.
  
 And I think I found my answer - http://dspguru.com/dsp/faqs/multirate/interpolation


----------



## Defiant00

yage said:


> Your post doesn't make any sense to me. The 'staircase' waveform is what the DAC outputs anyway without a low pass filter (i.e. sample and hold). Zero stuffing is a valid method for upsampling a signal (a Google search would show why this is so). If interpolation (the way I define it) is being used then additional data is being created that wasn't part of the original datastream, which I don't believe warrants the claim that the original samples are being preserved.
> 
> I know I'm missing something here that perhaps @earnmyturns can help me understand. I think it might be semantic - that interpolation == upsampling (zero stuffing) + low pass filter in this case.
> 
> And I think I found my answer - http://dspguru.com/dsp/faqs/multirate/interpolation


 
  
 Yup, Google searches clearly show that I know way less about DSP than I thought I did, sorry about that.
  
 With that said, I don't entirely expect you to find an answer through Google when Schiit does make a pretty big deal out of how theirs isn't a standard oversampling filter, but best of luck.


----------



## yage

defiant00 said:


> With that said, I don't entirely expect you to find an answer through Google when Schiit does make a pretty big deal out of how theirs isn't a standard oversampling filter, but best of luck.


 
  
 I don't expect to find *the* answer either. I'm just looking for a small glimmer of understandable insight as to why the filter is so special. By that I mean the _ideal_ low pass filter (i.e. sinc function) can never be attained - its coefficients are infinite. My sense is that any digital filter designed either through direct calculation (closed form) or an iterative algorithm (Parks-McClellan) is an approximation and 'bit perfection' is ultimately an illusory quality.
  
 One curious thing that I've noticed is that closed form digital filters don't seem to be novel - there's a lot of academic literature devoted to this subject. And while the Analog Devices DACs in use might be spec'd for medical or military use, I've searched for anything relating filter design approaches to precision DACs. So far I haven't come across anything that makes the connection. Maybe it's par for the course or perhaps iterative approaches are good enough even for these 'mission-critical' applications.


----------



## earnmyturns

yage said:


> I know I'm missing something here that perhaps @earnmyturns can help me understand. I think it might be semantic - that interpolation == upsampling (zero stuffing) + low pass filter in this case.


 
 Zero-stuffing is for delta-sigma, not for multibit, where you need to keep the incoming bit pattern on over several cycles to have a constant analog output over those cycles (the bits gate which resistors are active in the ladder).


----------



## AndreYew

yage said:


> Adding zero samples is, as I understand it, one way to increase sample rate given a base sample rate. What I don't get in this case is why values need to be interpolated which, to me, means that you're creating new values based on some function in between the actual sampled values. In the case of an R-2R DAC, I can see how repeating samples would make sense since that would reduce glitch energy from code transitions so perhaps that's what's happening in Schiit's implementation.


 
 When you increase the sampling rate of a digital signal, you first need to low-pass filter it so that it doesn't cause aliasing at the higher rate. A stream of 44.1 kHz samples coming off your CD, FLAC file etc. has images (ie. copies) of the baseband signal at every integer multiple of 44.1 kHz, due to the point-sampled nature of the signal. You will find copies of the information at 10kHz also at 54.1 kHz, 98.2kHz, 142.3 kHz, 186.4 kHz, and so on all the way to infinity.
  
 If you want to upsample the 44.1 kHz signal to 96 kHz, you need to get rid of all signals at and above 48kHz before you do the upsampling to 96 kHz, because the Nyquist limit for 96 kHz is 48 kHz. If you don't, the images will overlap (ie. alias) and produce aliasing.
  
 So the interpolation in an oversampling/upsampling function is a low pass filter that performs the anti-imaging before the upsampling: it's the thing that does the 48 kHz lowpass filtering in the example above. Zero stuffing is an optimization so we don't have to perform multiplication for the samples we don't really care about.
  
 Schiit's Supercomboburrito filter is their name for their implementation of that interpolation/low-pass filter.


----------



## yage

andreyew said:


> If you want to upsample the 44.1 kHz signal to 96 kHz, you need to get rid of all signals at and above 48kHz before you do the upsampling to 96 kHz, because the Nyquist limit for 96 kHz is 48 kHz. If you don't, the images will overlap (ie. alias) and produce aliasing.


 
  
 Yes, that's true - but I think Schiit's filter upsamples to an integer multiple of the base sampling rate, so I think this step can be skipped.
  


earnmyturns said:


> Zero-stuffing is for delta-sigma, not for multibit, where you need to keep the incoming bit pattern on over several cycles to have a constant analog output over those cycles (the bits gate which resistors are active in the ladder).


 
  
 That point is not so clear. Maybe the low pass filter also performs decimation back down to the original sampling rate. Another point to make - the input bit clock is separate from the word clock and the input data itself is contained in a shift register. Given that, I don't think zero stuffing would present a big problem as the word clock could run at the base sampling rate. Of course this is all conjecture as I'm not a digital audio engineer. I suppose you could try to find someone who worked on the Texas Instruments DF1706 and get the real scoop. That was the companion 8x oversampling filter to the PCM1704 (a ladder DAC).


----------



## jimmers

yage said:


> Yes, that's true - but I think Schiit's filter upsamples to an integer multiple of the base sampling rate, ...


 
 Yes, and they retain the original samples. If I was doing this I would focus on the best way of creating the one, three or seven inter-sample values (not zeroes) to synthesize a higher rate data set.
 How best to do this? Maybe that's why the Theta "filter" took 5 years, only Mike and his compadres would know.


----------



## Lohb

Anyone using with any of the Fostex T50RP planar models/mods ?
  
 Does it take the edge off that 10-11k spike ?


----------



## ToddRaymond

This discussion sort of reminds me of this:


----------



## yage

jimmers said:


> Yes, and they retain the original samples. If I was doing this I would focus on the best way of creating the one, three or seven inter-sample values (not zeroes) to synthesize a higher rate data set.
> How best to do this? Maybe that's why the Theta "filter" took 5 years, only Mike and his compadres would know.


 
  
 I don't think you fully understand - the whole point of interpolation has nothing to do with creating 'intermediate' samples. Interpolation in the DSP realm simply means to increase the sampling rate by an integer factor. If you were to 'create' new 'inter-sample' values, then you have an entirely new waveform - not the original one. To preserve the original waveform you must use zero stuffing and I bet that's what Schiit does.


----------



## AndreYew

yage said:


> Yes, that's true - but I think Schiit's filter upsamples to an integer multiple of the base sampling rate, so I think this step can be skipped.


 
 You still have to low-pass filter any time you change sample rate, because the 44.1 kHz sample stream will always have images to infinity. Resampling to 88.2 just means your interpolation filter has to get rid of stuff above 44.1 kHz. I didn't use that as an example so the repeated use of 44.1 kHz numbers don't become confusing.
  
 Non-integer resampling can be done just as well as integer resampling if you have enough computational power. You just need to upsample to a rate which has same common factors as the two sampling rates, and then downsample to the new rate: all the conversions will be integer multiples. For example, I could upsample 44.1kHz to 4800*44.1kHz and then downsample by 2205 to get 96kHz with just integer resampling.


----------



## yage

andreyew said:


> You still have to low-pass filter any time you change sample rate, because the 44.1 kHz sample stream will always have images to infinity. Resampling to 88.2 just means your interpolation filter has to get rid of stuff above 44.1 kHz. I didn't use that as an example so the repeated use of 44.1 kHz numbers don't become confusing.
> 
> Non-integer resampling can be done just as well as integer resampling if you have enough computational power. You just need to upsample to a rate which has same common factors as the two sampling rates, and then downsample to the new rate: all the conversions will be integer multiples. For example, I could upsample 44.1kHz to 4800*44.1kHz and then downsample by 2205 to get 96kHz with just integer resampling.


 
  
 The first paragraph is how I understand it - no argument there - and explained by the link I provided in a previous post.
  
 For those interested in learning more about resampling, you can find information at http://dspguru.com/dsp/faqs/multirate/resampling
  
 As an aside, I don't mean to downplay Schiit's work. Clearly their engineering skill has resulted in great products. I just found it odd that an oversampling digital filter that 'preserved the original samples' was somehow a new thing that never dawned on engineers before and earnmyturns' post sparked my curiosity. Granted, Schiit's implementation is proprietary and seemingly highly optimized. By all the accounts I've read so far though, it seems all oversampling digital filters 'preserve the original samples' and a filter with a closed-form solution is still an approximation of a mathematical ideal.


----------



## goodvibes

I haven't read that many posts back but it seems word length and frequency might be crossing paths a bit here.


----------



## The Third

So... Does the Modi Multibit (MoMBy?) play complicated passages better than the Modi 2 Uber? Can the multibit edition handle more instruments at once more cleanly? I read through this thread but I have trouble finding clear impressions between the 2 uber and the Multibit brotha


----------



## Sajakhaki

the third said:


> So... Does the Modi Multibit (MoMBy?) play complicated passages better than the Modi 2 Uber? Can the multibit edition handle more instruments at once more cleanly? I read through this thread but I have trouble finding clear impressions between the 2 uber and the Multibit brotha


 
 it's really early in the process (just got it), but so far I think I like the Uber better.  The Multi seems to muddy it up.. at least in my opinion so far.  Anyone else notice this?


----------



## pkcpga

sajakhaki said:


> it's really early in the process (just got it), but so far I think I like the Uber better.  The Multi seems to muddy it up.. at least in my opinion so far.  Anyone else notice this?



I demod the Yggdrasil and thought it has a lot of impact with bass but muddy's up classic music. It was very hard to listen to particular instruments since in large hard impact times everything sort of mushes into one sound, cellos and trumpets combine, violins and wind instruments. Also piano keys sounded more like thumps than key strikes, just wasn't for me, everything sounded more congested and without space.


----------



## painted klown

pkcpga said:


> I demod the Yggdrasil and thought it has a lot of impact with bass but muddy's up classic music. It was very hard to listen to particular instruments since in large hard impact times everything sort of mushes into one sound, cellos and trumpets combine, violins and wind instruments. Also piano keys sounded more like thumps than key strikes, just wasn't for me, everything sounded more congested and without space.


 
 Are you meaning the Yggy sounds congested with classical vs your Dave or in general?


----------



## Sajakhaki

pkcpga said:


>


 
  
*Edit- Nevermind, just needed a few hours to warm up.  And it gets fairly warm... much more than Uber*


----------



## Vigrith

That makes no sense I'd say, I mean I've never auditioned the Yggdrasil and my Modi MB has not yet arrived but isn't one of Yggdrasil's strengths (and multibit in general) meant to be instrumental separation and detail? Sounds weird that any of Schiit's MB DACs would muddy up the sound or mush everything together.
  
 Wonder if something's wrong with your Modi MB or something else in your chain somehow.


----------



## pkcpga

painted klown said:


> Are you meaning the Yggy sounds congested with classical vs your Dave or in general?




To me it's sounds congested even verse my older naim DAC v1 which is about the same price as the Yggdrasil and the Yggdrasil sounds fuller in sound but more congested than even the mojo which is portable and much less money. I just was expecting more based on reviews and claims of the Yggdrasil being as good as 10k DACs but I find the Yggdrasil barely competitive at it's price point verse something like my Dave's price point. Which I mostly purchased for my home two channel system.


----------



## theveterans

vigrith said:


> That makes no sense I'd say, I mean I've never auditioned the Yggdrasil and my Modi MB has not yet arrived but isn't one of Yggdrasil's strengths (and multibit in general) meant to be instrumental separation and detail? Sounds weird that any of Schiit's MB DACs would muddy up the sound or mush everything together.
> 
> Wonder if something's wrong with your Modi MB or something else in your chain somehow.


 
  
 It's a component synergy issue. If you have good synergy, Yggy, Gumby, Bimby and Modi MB will sound very neutral with increasing imaging and macro-micro details as you go up Schiit's multibit chain. Soundstage between those DACs varies with transducers and amps though.


----------



## pkcpga

vigrith said:


> That makes no sense I'd say, I mean I've never auditioned the Yggdrasil and my Modi MB has not yet arrived but isn't one of Yggdrasil's strengths (and multibit in general) meant to be instrumental separation and detail? Sounds weird that any of Schiit's MB DACs would muddy up the sound or mush everything together.
> 
> Wonder if something's wrong with your Modi MB or something else in your chain somehow.




I have a very good chain, nordost Tyr 2 cables including power cables, naim preamp, biamped naim, nautilus speakers and now using the Dave dac before Linn DAC(was more money but I like the Dave better). For headphones hd800 with nordost cables, LCD 3, grado gs1000, shortly Utopias. The Yggdrasil produces a very full sound and very nice warm friendly sound but to my ears compresses or muddies up complicated music like classic music. Does very well with pop and jazz, I'm just a classical and jazz fan which I feel it doesn't shine in.


----------



## Vigrith

theveterans said:


> It's a component synergy issue. If you have good synergy, Yggy, Gumby, Bimby and Modi MB will sound very neutral with increasing imaging and macro-micro details as you go up Schiit's multibit chain. Soundstage between those DACs varies with transducers and amps though.


 
  


pkcpga said:


> I have a very good chain, nordost Tyr 2 cables including power cables, naim preamp, biamped naim, nautilus speakers and now using the Dave dac before Linn DAC(was more money but I like the Dave better). For headphones hd800 with nordost cables, LCD 3, grado gs1000, shortly Utopias. The Yggdrasil produces a very full sound and very nice warm friendly sound but to my ears compresses or muddies up complicated music like classic music. Does very well with pop and jazz, I'm just a classical and jazz fan which I feel it doesn't shine in.


 
  
 Interesting impressions, I was not trying to question anyone's audio chain of course - whilst I've never heard anyone call the Yggdrasil warm before that's good news for me, I don't like my music to be ultra detailed and cold granted I tend to not listen to much classical music at all. I guess everything is heavily dependant on the remainder of one's gear and more importantly their ears and personal taste.
  
 I can definitely see the Dave outperforming the Yggdrasil however, as it should, it's super expensive and Robb Watts/Chord's tream are incredibly intelligent and good at what they do.


----------



## Sajakhaki

vigrith said:


> That makes no sense I'd say, I mean I've never auditioned the Yggdrasil and my Modi MB has not yet arrived but isn't one of Yggdrasil's strengths (and multibit in general) meant to be instrumental separation and detail? Sounds weird that any of Schiit's MB DACs would muddy up the sound or mush everything together.
> 
> Wonder if something's wrong with your Modi MB or something else in your chain somehow.


 
 Now, I'm thoroughly confused.  On my FLAC files it sounds fine (not sure if there is a difference yet). Spotify is sounding better...Further testing needed apparently.  Maybe, needed time to warm up?  Seems weird to me that it would take a few hours to start sounding good.


----------



## Vigrith

Far as I'm aware all of Schiit's DACs perform at their best warm - Mike's advised they be left on 24/7 when possible I believe. That said, I've read something regarding Modi's warm-up time being much shorter than Yggdrasil's for obvious reasons but I cannot remember how long that was. Possibly a couple hours for the Modi?


----------



## KoshNaranek

pkcpga said:


> I have a very good chain, nordost Tyr 2 cables including power cables, naim preamp, biamped naim, nautilus speakers and now using the Dave dac before Linn DAC(was more money but I like the Dave better). For headphones hd800 with nordost cables, LCD 3, grado gs1000, shortly Utopias. The Yggdrasil produces a very full sound and very nice warm friendly sound but to my ears compresses or muddies up complicated music like classic music. Does very well with pop and jazz, I'm just a classical and jazz fan which I feel it doesn't shine in.




Which source and inputs are you using on each DAC?


----------



## Sajakhaki

vigrith said:


> Far as I'm aware all of Schiit's DACs perform at their best warm - Mike's advised they be left on 24/7 when possible I believe. That said, I've read something regarding Modi's warm-up time being much shorter than Yggdrasil's for obvious reasons but I cannot remember how long that was. Possibly a couple hours for the Modi?


 
 It's just weird because I've never noticed a huge change with the Modi Uber, being warmed up or not.  But the Multi seems to be getting much better... Actually starting to really like it now, when I thought I was going to have to send it back at first.  I've heard a few tracks that never sounded better.  Just such a huge change in a couple hours. 
  
*Anyone buying*  - let it warm up a few hours first!!!!  Literally, night and day difference.


----------



## ItWasGreat

Hello all, my first real post here but after all the lurking and researching on this forum the past couple months i pulled the trigger on a: 400i, Modi Multibit, and an Asgard 2. Just arrived a couple hours ago and plugged them all together. Have to say this is definitely an upgrade to my motherboard sound + gaming headphones. This really is the schiit!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Current chain is: Motherboard -> Blue Jeans Usb 2.0 (6ft) -> Modi Multibit -> Blue Jeans LCD-1 RCA Cables (1ft) -> Asgard 2 -> 400i -> Happy Listener


----------



## bigro

I went from a Modi 2 U to a Bimby In my 2 Channel setup. I had the opposite experience, The Modi 2 U  while still a  very good dac seemed to get a little muddy with complex passages and the imaging was no where as Nice as the Bimby. So much so,  I stare at my Modi 2 U every day at work and really just want to get a Modi Multi Bit, I have found that The Bimby will make things that are not mastered well or have low bitrate  tracks sound worse than with the Modi 2 U..On the flip side There are some albums I Play over and over because they sound sublime when coming through an MB Dac. My impression is if the details are there it will put  big grin on your face, if its not you will skip to the next track because it sounds like crap.
  
 I guess its a subjective thing. some like it some dont.
  
 On the toasty DAC subject there are many who have said they noticed improvements when plugged in and left to warm up. this is across the board for the MB Dacs.


----------



## Sajakhaki

bigro said:


> I went from a Modi 2 U to a Bimby In my 2 Channel setup. I had the opposite experience, The Modi 2 U  while still a  very good dac seemed to get a little muddy with complex passages and the imaging was no where as Nice as the Bimby. So much so,  I stare at my Modi 2 U every day at work and really just want to get a Modi Multi Bit, I have found that The Bimby will *make things that are not mastered well *or have low bitrate  tracks *sound worse than with the Modi 2 U*..*On the flip side There are some albums I Play over and over because they sound sublime when coming through an MB Da*c. My impression is if the details are there it will put  big grin on your face, if its not you will skip to the next track because it sounds like crap.
> 
> I guess its a subjective thing. some like it some dont.
> 
> On the toasty DAC subject there are many who have said they noticed improvements when plugged in and left to warm up. this is across the board for the MB Dacs.


 
 I agree with this so far.  I would say most of my Spotify tracks sound better, but I have found a few that were thrown off - guessing Modi 2 Uber handles bad masters better like you said.


----------



## pkcpga

koshnaranek said:


> Which source and inputs are you using on each DAC?




Two sources, Mac hard drive (DSD, converted sacd, dvda, other high res or lossless) with USB, bluesound optical or USB, all nordost cables. Bluesound for tidal hifi connection and wireless library, skipping it's DAC by optical out, but it has a great app and multi room capabilities.


----------



## earnmyturns

pkcpga said:


> Two sources, Mac hard drive (DSD, converted sacd, dvda, other high res or lossless) with USB, bluesound optical or USB, all nordost cables. Bluesound for tidal hifi connection and wireless library, skipping it's DAC by optical out, but it has a great app and multi room capabilities.


 
 Hum... never even tried to use a general-purpose computer as a digital source to any of my DACs, but given the improvements I heard from gear like an mLink USB>S/PDIF coax isolator/reclocker from a dedicated low-power Linux streamer, to a specialized microRendu renderer with a Teddy Pardo LPS, I'm a bit concerned that you are getting from your Yggy the jittery or electrically noisy mush you are feeding it.


----------



## pkcpga

earnmyturns said:


> Hum... never even tried to use a general-purpose computer as a digital source to any of my DACs, but given the improvements I heard from gear like an mLink USB>S/PDIF coax isolator/reclocker from a dedicated low-power Linux streamer, to a specialized microRendu renderer with a Teddy Pardo LPS, I'm a bit concerned that you are getting from your Yggy the jittery or electrically noisy mush you are feeding it.



Not sure, the Dave has no issues with it, nor does the naim DAC or the old Linn DAC or mojo. Only was an issue with the Yggdrasil so maybe it's more sensitive, the Mac was professionally set up by an audio store for audio use only in my listening room so it's not exactly a stock Mac.


----------



## earnmyturns

pkcpga said:


> Not sure, the Dave has no issues with it, nor does the naim DAC or the old Linn DAC or mojo. Only was an issue with the Yggdrasil so maybe it's more sensitive, the Mac was professionally set up by an audio store for audio use only in my listening room so it's not exactly a stock Mac.


 
 You mentioned DSD and SACD, how are you converting those to PCM for the Yggy?


----------



## pkcpga

earnmyturns said:


> You mentioned DSD and SACD, how are you converting those to PCM for the Yggy?



Couldn't use wouldn't play, Mqa wouldn't play either from my bluesound. Only able to use cd lossless or tidal hifi which is a big loss at its price range. Also used a universal player, Linn with cd's.


----------



## jbarrentine

Is the increased clarity worth the difference in losing some detail from a better dac?


----------



## blue350gt

anybody have trouble installing windows 10 drivers on the multibit?
I can't get it to install the windows 10 driver, when installing I get the "Please connect the CMEDIA...", can never get past this. I tried 3 PCs and 4 different USB cables.
However version 1.03 driver will install.
I have a Modi Uber 4490 and the windows 10 driver install just fine, I contacted Schiit and I am waiting for what they say.

Thanks


----------



## madwolfa

blue350gt said:


> anybody have trouble installing windows 10 drivers on the multibit?
> I can't get it to install the windows 10 driver, when installing I get the "Please connect the CMEDIA...", can never get past this. I tried 3 PCs and 4 different USB cables.
> However version 1.03 driver will install.
> I have a Modi Uber 4490 and the windows 10 driver install just fine, I contacted Schiit and I am waiting for what they say.
> ...


 
  
 Hmm. Windows 10 native driver should work just fine.


----------



## Lohb

jbarrentine said:


> Is the increased clarity worth the difference in losing some detail from a better dac?


 

 You mean imaging/positioning vs resolution level (?)  Am interested in this too....


----------



## ItWasGreat

blue350gt said:


> anybody have trouble installing windows 10 drivers on the multibit?
> I can't get it to install the windows 10 driver, when installing I get the "Please connect the CMEDIA...", can never get past this. I tried 3 PCs and 4 different USB cables.
> However version 1.03 driver will install.
> I have a Modi Uber 4490 and the windows 10 driver install just fine, I contacted Schiit and I am waiting for what they say.
> ...


 
 Actually i stopped attempting to go that route, what i did was unplug the usb cable connected to my motherboard (while still connected to my dac) and just unplugged it and replugged it in causing device manager to force itself to find the drivers for it subsequently getting the correct version. Extremely convoluted in my opinion but it works.


----------



## Argo Duck

Off topic for this thread but I'm surprised by impressions of Yggy as muddy. No problems at all in my case. To the contrary, all genres of music including classical show amazing separation, detail and texture. Some tracks - é.g. From Radiohead's King of Limbs album - reveal layers I never heard before. Overall, differences range from subtle to profound compared to other dacs I have to hand. 

I play classical piano and have never before heard piano reproduced so realistically and naturally. I found myself unconsciously moving the muscles of my fingers. *That* level of immersion never happened before. 

Disclaimer: I have not heard Dave. I suppose it's possible it is so much better than Yggy I *would* hear the latter as muddy.


----------



## nicoch46

better stay in topic with MODI2 MB ....or schiit stuff


----------



## KoshNaranek

pkcpga said:


> Two sources, Mac hard drive (DSD, converted sacd, dvda, other high res or lossless) with USB, bluesound optical or USB, all nordost cables. Bluesound for tidal hifi connection and wireless library, skipping it's DAC by optical out, but it has a great app and multi room capabilities.




I am not as impressed with USB on Schiit DACs. The Yggdrasil sounds much better via SPDIF. The drop in performance is really not subtle. I tried the same experiment with a Gustard x12 and the performance drop was minimal. Try a different source before comitting to an outboard USB to SPDIF converter. I suggest a DVD player you have lying around via SPDIF connection.


----------



## pkcpga

koshnaranek said:


> I am not as impressed with USB on Schiit DACs. The Yggdrasil sounds much better via SPDIF. The drop in performance is really not subtle. I tried the same experiment with a Gustard x12 and the performance drop was minimal. Try a different source before comitting to an outboard USB to SPDIF converter. I suggest a DVD player you have lying around via SPDIF connection.




I wish I would have known that when I had it. Most DACs only play high res through USB so I'm used to using it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to listen to it again through optical or spdif. How much of a difference does it make?


----------



## KoshNaranek

pkcpga said:


> I wish I would have known that when I had it. Most DACs only play high res through USB so I'm used to using it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to listen to it again through optical or spdif. How much of a difference does it make?




Obviously I am not a professional reviewer, but I can relate what I did and my reaction.

System:
Source: HiFiBerry Digi+ in SPDIF mode and USB mode. Running Picoreplayer 2.04 on Raspberry pi 2 B.
Backend: Vortexbox 2.3 on intel i7 (overkill, I know, but salvaged from broken laptop )
DAC: Yggdrasil
Preamp: Pass X1
Amp: Pass X150
Speakers: Martin Logan Vista 
Interconnect: Audquest Topaz XLR
Cables: Audioquest GR8

Played Kodo's Jang Gwara. This piece is complex, fast and high energy. If something is going to smear, this track will show it. It took about 30 seconds of each sample to determine that SPDIF was better at getting rid of the wall of sound and place the instruments where they belonged. The imaging was much better. The timbre was only slightly better. 

Hope that helps.


----------



## svetlyo

@Baldr - About the recommendation to keep Modi MB running - 'warming up' means that the SHARC processor is constantly running a numerical analysis method which is improving over time (in the case of Modi - it needs around 2 hours to 'stabilize') , i.e. it doesn't have something to do with actual temperature, right? Or I'm getting this all wrong?


----------



## acguitar84

argo duck said:


> Off topic for this thread but I'm surprised by impressions of Yggy as muddy. No problems at all in my case. To the contrary, all genres of music including classical show amazing separation, detail and texture. Some tracks - é.g. From Radiohead's King of Limbs album - reveal layers I never heard before. Overall, differences range from subtle to profound compared to other dacs I have to hand.
> 
> I play classical piano and have never before heard piano reproduced so realistically and naturally. I found myself unconsciously moving the muscles of my fingers. *That* level of immersion never happened before.
> 
> Disclaimer: I have not heard Dave. I suppose it's possible it is so much better than Yggy I *would* hear the latter as muddy.


 
 All I know is the modi multibit doesn't seem muddy at all. In fact, it's one of the things I like about it as opposed to the concero HD, is how it handles the bass. Makes a bass guitar sound like a bass guitar for one thing. Then again, I have a very limited background, I haven't heard bimby, gumby, yggy or dave. Just the modi multibit, and it's one great little unit in my opinion. So I would assume Yggy would do it better!


----------



## droopy1592

sajakhaki said:


> It's just weird because I've never noticed a huge change with the Modi Uber, being warmed up or not.  But the Multi seems to be getting much better... Actually starting to really like it now, when I thought I was going to have to send it back at first.  I've heard a few tracks that never sounded better.  Just such a huge change in a couple hours.
> 
> *Anyone buying*  - let it warm up a few hours first!!!!  Literally, night and day difference.


 
  
 d/s aren't as sensitive to temp as multibit r2r. I didn't believe it but I noticed that my dac sounded just a touch dull when i first powered it up, had to do some house work came back 3 hours later and there was quite a bit of improvement on the same song. Left it on overnight (was burning in some other phones) and plugged in my reference phones and the thing sounded beautiful... much of the improvement came after the 3 hours and just a bit more after a day or so.


----------



## painted klown

koshnaranek said:


> Obviously I am not a professional reviewer, but I can relate what I did and my reaction.
> 
> System:
> Source: HiFiBerry Digi+ in SPDIF mode and USB mode. Running Picoreplayer 2.04 on Raspberry pi 2 B.
> ...


 
 Do you think a device like the Wyrd would negate these differences, or do you find the sound quality issue to be linked to USB, with no way to overcome the negatives?


----------



## KoshNaranek

painted klown said:


> Do you think a device like the Wyrd would negate these differences, or do you find the sound quality issue to be linked to USB, with no way to overcome the negatives?




I have not tried Wyrd, but other DACs that I have tried do not seem as sensative to the USB vs SPDIF issue.


----------



## KoshNaranek

Please do not misunderstand, I love my Moby, Bimby and Yggdrasil. I just think you have toget away from USB to get the most out of them.


----------



## Argo Duck

Usb is Mike Moffat's least preferred for sure. Interestingly, my Yggy comments are with the coax spdif input. I haven't tried usb.

On another topic 24 hours is Mike's recommended warm-up time for modi mb iirc


----------



## theveterans

Most transports with USB interface are subpar compared to SPDIF. An excellent USB transport/source such as mRendu can sound just as good or better than ordinary transport/source with SPDIF coax output.


----------



## bigro

painted klown said:


> Do you think a device like the Wyrd would negate these differences, or do you find the sound quality issue to be linked to USB, with no way to overcome the negatives?


 
 I used USB for some time with a wyrd, in two different setups actually. I went Coax using a Similar RPI Digi+ setup as Koshnaranek.. I have two wyrds that are Idle now. Are the Wyrds bad? nope. I just found they made usb sound better but from my findings Mikes thoughts about USB audio is true, If I can avoid USB I will now. It works but SPDIF is better. Get a good Cable and that's it no special boxes or other wizardry.


----------



## painted klown

bigro said:


> I used USB for some time with a wyrd, in two different setups actually. I went Coax using a Similar RPI Digi+ setup as Koshnaranek.. I have two wyrds that are Idle now. Are the Wyrds bad? nope. I just found they made usb sound better but from my findings Mikes thoughts about USB audio is true, If I can avoid USB I will now. It works but SPDIF is better. Get a good Cable and that's it no special boxes or other wizardry.


 
 Thanks for the info.
  
 Just to clarify, is the SPDIF advantage also seen when coming off a PC motherboard, or is it only readily apparent when using a stand alone player?
  
 Sorry for the stupid questions.


----------



## Peti

painted klown said:


> Thanks for the info.
> 
> Just to clarify, is the SPDIF advantage also seen when coming off a PC motherboard, or is it only readily apparent when using a stand alone player?
> 
> Sorry for the stupid questions.




I was just thinking about that, too. Alas, my laptop does not have spdif output so I'm thinking to get a USB to spdif converter.


----------



## painted klown

peti said:


> I was just thinking about that, too. Alas, my laptop does not have spdif output so I'm thinking to get a USB to spdif converter.


 

 Mine doesn't either, so I am curious to know if doing such a thing will net you the same results.


----------



## Peti

I've been thinking about the peach tree X1 for my modi multibit. Mind you, I currently utilize a generic USB cable which I have borrowed from my external DVD drive and the sound I get is more than satisfactory.


----------



## bigro

painted klown said:


> Thanks for the info.
> 
> Just to clarify, is the SPDIF advantage also seen when coming off a PC motherboard, or is it only readily apparent when using a stand alone player?
> 
> Sorry for the stupid questions.


 
 My PC does not either. We are Using a Raspberry PI with a card called a Digi+. The DIgi + card has optical and Coax out. It has its own clocks to deal with the audio signal bypassing the ones on the rasp Pi.My reading  says This setup passes I2S audio from the R PI to the Digit+ and the Digi+ uses its clock for the audio. There are a few other companies out there that are starting to jump into this space but right now the DIgi+ is the most popular.
  
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-3-model-b/
https://www.hifiberry.com/digiplus/
  
 I don't want to take this Schiit thread to far off topic. I am still new to this Rasp Pi thing but PM me and I can get into more details for those interested.


----------



## Peti

This one sounds interesting as well:

https://darkimmortal.com/2012/12/how-to-get-bitstreamed-spdif-digital-audio-out-of-a-laptop-without-spending-a-fortune/

Perhaps I should directly address schiit audio, but I've noticed the modi multibit, however wall-wart powered, requires the 5V leg of the USB connection for the handshake. My question is if the 5V can be turned off after the handshake (with a two-headed USB cable) or it requires it all the way to operate the dac?


----------



## earnmyturns

koshnaranek said:


> Please do not misunderstand, I love my Moby, Bimby and Yggdrasil. I just think you have toget away from USB to get the most out of them.


 
 It depends on the USB source. For a while, I fed my Bimby with a SOtM sMS-100 or a Sonore Sonicorbiter SE, and for both, an mLink USB>S/PDIF converter (with isolation and reclocking) made a noticeable improvement. But then I got a Sonore microRendu (with a Teddy Pardo LPS), and direct USB from it is better than the previous setups. My belief from these experiences is that the Bimby can do very well with a superior USB source, but when in doubt, a good S/PDIF source is a better choice.


----------



## Aplle

Every once in a while when I'm playing music there will be a pause in the middle of a song, then the music will resume after a second. Any ideas on how to correct this? I'm connecting by USB out of a Windows 10 desktop.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Maybe consider the Singxer F-1 , or the X-1. For spdif conversion. Check out this thread. 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/803111/xmos-xu208-usb-bridges-the-latest-gen-has-arrived/3405#post_12816965


peti said:


> I've been thinking about the peach tree X1 for my modi multibit. Mind you, I currently utilize a generic USB cable which I have borrowed from my external DVD drive and the sound I get is more than satisfactory.


----------



## KoshNaranek

aplle said:


> Every once in a while when I'm playing music there will be a pause in the middle of a song, then the music will resume after a second. Any ideas on how to correct this? I'm connecting by USB out of a Windows 10 desktop.




It is most likely an OS issue. I wrote a long(for me) post in baldr's thread regarding this issue. Included is a reference to a University of Auckland paper if you are interested.


----------



## Peti

guidostrunk said:


> Maybe consider the Singxer F-1 , or the X-1. For spdif conversion. Check out this thread.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thank you very much indeed!


----------



## Guidostrunk

peti said:


> Thank you very much indeed!


----------



## henryk9

Received my Mimby a couple of days ago.
 Connected it to ASUS Vivo PC with Windows 10, it loaded drivers and played straight away via USB.
  
 I switched everything off, a few hours later I switched everything on, and everything seems to work, but no sound.
 I'm now running it off my heavily modified (JLTI Level4) BDP-95 Oppo, via SPDIF works great.
  
 I hate USB driving music servers and their constant USB problems, and prefer to use my remote to run the Oppo using my attached TV and USB! external HD using Samsung SSD via USB3 Curious cable.
  
 Now a quick initial comparison with $400AUD Bimby versus  my $4000AUD JLTI  L4 Oppo BDP-95.
  
 They sound incredibaly close, with Oppo sounding slightly clearer and slightly more dynamic.
 In isolation the Bimby sounds great and very natural, I'm currently listening to Eva Cassidy, fantastic !
  
 The differences could be down to cables, I'm running $900AUD Acoustic Zen silver cables from Oppo and $500AUD Townshend cables from Mimby, Mimby is connected by SPDIF using VDH original Carbon cable.
  
 I wish Schiit brought out a Dac similar to Oppo minus the optical player, so I can use it via remote and connected TV/Monitor to play music, and if possible direct SSD connectivity to bypass USB HD's. Maybe name it with a Norse word for hole.
  
 If you have brightness problems give Densen De Magic Demagnitiser CD a go.
 I tried it when my Oppo was at Level 1 mod stage and sounding bright, and using the Densen CD made a big difference in this case, taming the brightness.
 Please realise that I don't know what part of the chain was causing the brightness, it might not work in all cases, but at its small relative cost its worth a go, before spending heaps on upgrades.


----------



## pureangus62

So far Im really enjoying the SQ of my Mobi. The only issue is that sometimes I get a channel imbalance, or even a lack of audio into one channel altogether. The issue is fixed with a power cycle (I leave my mobi always on) but it still seems like a bit of an odd quirk. My cables are fine and my amp/headphones seem to be fine as well. The issue only presented itself when the Modi multibit was added.
  
 Not a huge deal since its easily corrected, but has anyone else experienced this issue?


----------



## jimmers

henryk9 said:


> ...
> Now a quick initial comparison with $400AUD Bimby ...


 
 I don't think so,  Mimby maybe?


----------



## henryk9

jimmers said:


> I don't think so,  Mimby maybe?


 
 Yes Mimby, my apologies.
 By the way It's working on my Windows 10 again, I couldn't work out why it didn't work previously.
 Havn't got it to work on my 2012R2 server, but saw on another forum someone got Gumby working on 2012R2 with ASIO4ALL, might have to give that a try.


----------



## KoshNaranek

henryk9 said:


> Yes Mimby, my apologies.
> By the way It's working on my Windows 10 again, I couldn't work out why it didn't work previously.
> Havn't got it to work on my 2012R2 server, but saw on another forum someone got Gumby working on 2012R2 with ASIO4ALL, might have to give that a try.




I am having trouble with Mimby/Moby USB via picoreplayer as well. Same issue. Works sometimes. I think it may have something to do with the auto port selection on it. Is there a way to force Moby to stick to the assigned port?


----------



## EmiG310

I will say I've owned 3 Schiit DACs Modi2U, Bifrost 4490, and a Modi MB, and every one of them has had some sort of issue via USB, using a Mac Pro, iMac, and a Macbook Air. I definitely stay away from USB, optical works the best for me. I have not tried putting a powered USB hub in the middle, I've read this will fix most of the issues.


----------



## KoshNaranek

emig310 said:


> I will say I've owned 3 Schiit DACs Modi2U, Bifrost 4490, and a Modi MB, and every one of them has had some sort of issue via USB, using a Mac Pro, iMac, and a Macbook Air. I definitely stay away from USB, optical works the best for me. I have not tried putting a powered USB hub in the middle, I've read this will fix most of the issues.




The Yggdrasil has no problem at all. I also stay away from USB in general. I was just playing with it.


----------



## Peti

My bughead emperor player won't recognize this dac but foobar does! Interesting.


----------



## theveterans

> I am having trouble with Mimby/Moby USB via picoreplayer as well. Same issue. Works sometimes. I think it may have something to do with the auto port selection on it. Is there a way to force Moby to stick to the assigned port?


 
  
 Use a USB to coax converter and Mimby will always be on coax input.


----------



## KoshNaranek

theveterans said:


> Use a USB to coax converter and Mimby will always be on coax input.




I do use on coax. I was just playing


----------



## pkcpga

It's strange because Robb watt from chord recommends USB connection, so does Linn, naim and meridian. They state USB is more isolated and uses the timing from the DAC so it more accurate. So I found it strange with schiit everyone recommends the opposite.


----------



## theveterans

> It's strange because Robb watt from chord recommends USB connection, so does Linn, naim and meridian. They state USB is more isolated and uses the timing from the DAC so it more accurate. So I found it strange with schiit everyone recommends the opposite.


 
  
 That's because Schiit's first USB module literally sounds inferior to the Coax input. However, this has been fixed with their USB Gen 2 and USB Gen 3 module. Also the USB tech before didn't have asynchronous and galvanic isolation leading to brittle sound compared the Coax's natural sound.
  
 Some users are nitpicky with the DAC input so the USB stigma is still very broad. IMO, today's USB implementation is just as good as Coax and maybe even more transparent than Coax. However, regardless of coax, optical or USB input, linear power supply, transport and cables to a lesser degree play a noticeable role in the system. A crappy transport will always result in suboptimal sound regardless if the input is AES/EBU, coax, USB or optical.


----------



## orphean

theveterans said:


> Also the USB tech before didn't have asynchronous and galvanic isolation




Does Schiit's USB Gen 3 have galvanic isolation though? I thought it didn't for some reason.


----------



## droopy1592

emig310 said:


> I will say I've owned 3 Schiit DACs Modi2U, Bifrost 4490, and a Modi MB, and every one of them has had some sort of issue via USB, using a Mac Pro, iMac, and a Macbook Air. I definitely stay away from USB, optical works the best for me. I have not tried putting a powered USB hub in the middle, I've read this will fix most of the issues.




And I've had modi 2u and went to mimby and had 0 problems with either. Not even one. 2014 MacBook Pro retina.


----------



## siwolfman

pkcpga said:


> It's strange because Robb watt from chord recommends USB connection, so does Linn, naim and meridian. They state USB is more isolated and uses the timing from the DAC so it more accurate. So I found it strange with schiit everyone recommends the opposite.


 

 Schiit also offers the Wyrd which offers USB "decrapification". It lowers the noise floor and has a linear power supply.


----------



## siwolfman

orphean said:


> Does Schiit's USB Gen 3 have galvanic isolation though? I thought it didn't for some reason.


 

 The PS Audio LANRover offers galvanic isolation.


----------



## orphean

Yeah I know other company's products do, I just didn't think Schiit USB implementations currently have it.


----------



## jamor

So you don't need a coaxial for your modi for better quality anymore?


----------



## pkcpga

siwolfman said:


> Schiit also offers the Wyrd which offers USB "decrapification". It lowers the noise floor and has a linear power supply.




USB is more isolated so it shouldn't have a niose floor, the niose would come from the DAC conversion or power supply on either end, does this just isolate the information from its power supply? Most better DACs would have that built into them. So I guess it's separate with schiit?


----------



## droopy1592

Ok I've been A/Bing the same songs with spdif vs usb for about four hours now and really can't tell the difference. If anything the optical sounds 0.01% smoother and that's really splicing atoms here.


----------



## fjrabon

pkcpga said:


> USB is more isolated so it shouldn't have a niose floor, the niose would come from the DAC conversion or power supply on either end, does this just isolate the information from its power supply? Most better DACs would have that built into them. So I guess it's separate with schiit?




The wyrd is more for the non-Uber magni, which is USB bus powered. It isn't really necessary for any of heir other products. That doesn't stop people from buying it for Schiit's other products, because you know audiophiles.


----------



## mentt

There is no reason to debate about PC or MAC. If you want to hear full potential of your DAC keep away from computers. Computers will never sound good and it is weakest link in your chain. Source component is the most important component of them all. If you want to hear what your DAC can sound like buy good streamer. Buy Sonore microRendu + Small Green Computer microJukebox and be done with that. DACs will come and go, but good source component will stay and you will never want to go back to PC or MAC for music reproduction.


----------



## rmoody

mentt said:


> There is no reason to debate about PC or MAC. If you want to hear full potential of your DAC keep away from computers. Computers will never sound good and it is weakest link in your chain. Source component is the most important component of them all. If you want to hear what your DAC can sound like buy good streamer. Buy Sonore microRendu + Small Green Computer microJukebox and be done with that. DACs will come and go, but good source component will stay and you will never want to go back to PC or MAC for music reproduction.


 
  
 Your advice is to keep away from computers yet use a computer. A Sonore microRendu is a computer. A "Small Green Computer microJukebox" is a NAS with a CD drive and software for ripping CDs. They are both special purpose computers with special purpose operating systems, but they are still computers.
  
 From the Sonore page:
 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
 The Sonore microRendu is an audiophile micro computer...
  
 From the SGC page:
 The microJukebox is a low power, Music Server NAS (Network Attached Storage)...


----------



## madwolfa

Nothing wrong with computers.


----------



## mentt

rmoody said:


> Your advice is to keep away from computers yet use a computer. A Sonore microRendu is a computer. A "Small Green Computer microJukebox" is a NAS with a CD drive and software for ripping CDs. They are both special purpose computers with special purpose operating systems, but they are still computers.
> 
> From the Sonore page:
> PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
> ...


 
  
 These products are designed for audio reproduction. Regular computer PC, MAC, notebook is not designed for audio reproduction. They are noisy and they are degrading the sound of your DAC.  You can just start with RASPBERRY PI 3 with HiFiBerry Digi+ and good linear power supply and you will get an idea how your DAC can sound like with good streamer.


----------



## Ancipital

fjrabon said:


> The wyrd is more for the non-Uber magni, which is USB bus powered. It isn't really necessary for any of heir other products. That doesn't stop people from buying it for Schiit's other products, because you know audiophiles.


 
  
 Confused, do you mean Modi?


----------



## fjrabon

ancipital said:


> Confused, do you mean Modi?




Yes, sorry.


----------



## droopy1592

mentt said:


> There is no reason to debate about PC or MAC. If you want to hear full potential of your DAC keep away from computers. Computers will never sound good and it is weakest link in your chain. Source component is the most important component of them all. If you want to hear what your DAC can sound like buy good streamer. Buy Sonore microRendu + Small Green Computer microJukebox and be done with that. DACs will come and go, but good source component will stay and you will never want to go back to PC or MAC for music reproduction.


 
 LOL this guy
  
 I'm not even wasting my energy or time debating this one


----------



## droopy1592

mentt said:


> These products are designed for audio reproduction. Regular computer PC, MAC, notebook is not designed for audio reproduction. They are noisy and they are degrading the sound of your DAC.  You can just start with RASPBERRY PI 3 with HiFiBerry Digi+ and good linear power supply and you will get an idea how your DAC can sound like with good streamer.


 
  
  
 A raspberry pi? Really? But stay away from computers? LOL

 I got my laugh for today you guys have fun...


----------



## jbarrentine

Channel imbalances, units not working, outputs comically off center against the casing. Yeah, sounds like Schiit product.


----------



## madwolfa

jbarrentine said:


> Channel imbalances, units not working, outputs comically off center against the casing. Yeah, sounds like Schiit product.


----------



## orphean

Well I guess I won't be expecting his review any time soon.


----------



## Baldr

jbarrentine said:


> Channel imbalances, units not working, outputs comically off center against the casing. Yeah, sounds like Schiit product.


 

 I seldom respond to the dyspeptic but I currently make an exception:
  
 I am so disappointed that your testimony failed to note the pungent stench of our products.  You are a (former) customer aren't you?
  
 To atone, I am having the production manager shot at dawn tomorrow after making sure you are refunded 10 times the price you paid.


----------



## jbarrentine

baldr said:


> I seldom respond to the dyspeptic but I currently make an exception:
> 
> I am so disappointed that your testimony failed to note the pungent stench of our products.  You are a (former) customer aren't you?
> 
> To atone, I am having the production manager shot at dawn tomorrow after making sure you are refunded 10 times the price you paid.


 
  
 Yeah, I'm a former customer. My Vali, like a lot of others had to be repaired. 
  
 But hey, at least that Schiit didn't kill my headphones. That would be irredeemable for such a company, right?


----------



## mbusby

jbarrentine said:


> Yeah, I'm a former customer. My Vali, like a lot of others had to be repaired.
> 
> But hey, at least that Schiit didn't kill my headphones. That would be irredeemable for such a company, right?


 
  
 Bummer dude....


----------



## Vigrith

jbarrentine said:


> Yeah, I'm a former customer. My Vali, like a lot of others had to be repaired.


 
  
 Damn. I once had an electronic that needed to be repaired back in my day, dark days indeed.


----------



## acguitar84

Gosh, right now I'm enjoying the mimby, best DAC I've heard yet. A good night of listening, needed it!


----------



## Baldr

acguitar84 said:


> Gosh, right now I'm enjoying the mimby, best DAC I've heard yet. A good night of listening, needed it!


 

 Thanks so much for returning us to topic!!


----------



## Keirapc

Can Anyone here review about Modi Multibit sound sign instead of technical issue?


----------



## svetlyo

[repost] 
@Baldr - About the recommendation to keep Modi MB running - 'warming up' means that the SHARC processor is constantly running a numerical analysis method which is improving over time (in the case of Modi - it needs around 2 hours to 'stabilize') , i.e. it doesn't have something to do with actual temperature, right? Or I'm getting this all wrong?


----------



## Lohb

Oh, I can see why there is no portable battery-powered option then, if it needs to be on all the time.
 Would love me some transportable Schiit multibit  ;-(


----------



## scottbrown5271

svetlyo said:


> [repost]
> 
> 
> @Baldr - About the recommendation to keep Modi MB running - 'warming up' means that the SHARC processor is constantly running a numerical analysis method which is improving over time (in the case of Modi - it needs around 2 hours to 'stabilize') , i.e. it doesn't have something to do with actual temperature, right? Or I'm getting this all wrong?



 


Hopefully the software running on the DSP isn't improving itself towards an AI singularity that will destroy all life on the planet!! Seriously though, the warm up time has to do with stabilizing the R2R DAC chips. There are a lot of critical-dimension elements in those chips that only come to their linearity specs when the chips are at their proper operating temperature. I would guess that medical and military devices using these chips require a certain operating temperature before they perform as designed. The DSP software is running from read-only memory that never changes in normal operation.

There has been a bit of discussion from Schiit about temperature controlled ovens for the DAC chips (not a practical solution given the target price of the devices), which is probably the way that these DAC chips are implemented in critical (life threatening, literally) applications. Schiit's simple answer for audio: Leave It Running.


----------



## svetlyo

scottbrown5271 said:


> svetlyo said:
> 
> 
> > [repost]
> ...


 
  
  
 Thanks for the explanation. The only thing that made me believe that we're not talking about simple warmup of the electronics was some
 post of @Baldr where he said that Yggie needs around 72 hours to enter "the zone", but because Modibit (and Bimby) are only 16 bit
 they'll need only a little more than 2 hours  - why this dependency on the bit depth? Sure 8 more bit means a lot more resistors in the ladder 
 (also Yggie has more R2-R chips, i.e. more IC surface area to warm up), but still - sound strange.


----------



## Baldr

svetlyo said:


> [repost]
> @Baldr - About the recommendation to keep Modi MB running - 'warming up' means that the SHARC processor is constantly running a numerical analysis method which is improving over time (in the case of Modi - it needs around 2 hours to 'stabilize') , i.e. it doesn't have something to do with actual temperature, right? Or I'm getting this all wrong?


 

 It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.


----------



## svetlyo

baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.


 
  
 Thanks. And no worries - just after posting my question I watched the Jotunheim introduction and after that - people's impressions of the Schiit Show 2 - I was quite distracted myself by that 
 I've just received my Modibit this Friday - one of the first ones in Europe! Enjoying it since then via the Vali 2. Now I just hope that you've made enough Jotunheims and they soon be available
 by Sonority audio (schiit-europe.com). 
 Just one more question - if I feed Jotunheim with my Modi MB via the SE input will I be able to use the balanced output?


----------



## AviP

baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.


 
 Sorry for the ignorance, but what do you mean by "settle into it's INL spec"?
 According to the AD5547 datasheet, the operating temperature is -40C  to +125C


----------



## scottbrown5271

svetlyo said:


> Thanks for the explanation. The only thing that made me believe that we're not talking about simple warmup of the electronics was some
> post of @Baldr where he said that Yggie needs around 72 hours to enter "the zone", but because Modibit (and Bimby) are only 16 bit
> they'll need only a little more than 2 hours  - why this dependency on the bit depth? Sure 8 more bit means a lot more resistors in the ladder
> (also Yggie has more R2-R chips, i.e. more IC surface area to warm up), but still - sound strange.


 
  
 I started to write this in the last post:  16 bits is 65,536 discrete voltage levels coming out of the decoder.  22 bits is 4,194,304 voltage levels.  More bits means more resolution.  That means that in order to operate in a linear manner, the temperature of the chip itself is more critical for more bits.  These chips aren't really simple resistor ladders, they do some sort of hocus-pocus internally with cascading sets of resistor ladders that I don't really (have to) understand. If you push that least significant bit out another six bits, as between Yggy and Mimby, that last bit has a much smaller value relative to the most significant bit and the components in the DAC chip are that much more sensitive to temperature.  I'm sure the guys at Analog Devices (or Baldr) could give you a much more detailed, scientific explanation of what is going on, but the above is my simple take on the subject.


----------



## pkcpga

scottbrown5271 said:


> svetlyo said:
> 
> 
> > [repost]
> ...




I can tell you in the medical field their are no chips used that require more than a couple seconds to be fully functional. My wife works as a physician in the surgical field with robotic surgery and she stated if an emergency happens all equipment needs to be able to be transported set up and turned on in a very short time so a chip that requires 2 hours to work properly would not be used. And it sounds more like the programming needs to run its course more than the chip and the complex programming verse equipment capability of running it, forces the DAC to get bogged down and requires time to be fully functional.


----------



## scottbrown5271

pkcpga said:


> I can tell you in the medical field their are no chips used that require more than a couple seconds to be fully functional. My wife works as a physician in the surgical field with robotic surgery and she stated if an emergency happens all equipment needs to be able to be transported set up and turned on in a very short time so a chip that requires 2 hours to work properly would not be used. And it sounds more like the programming needs to run its course more than the chip and the complex programming verse equipment capability of running it, forces the DAC to get bogged down and requires time to be fully functional.


 
 There are different classes of equipment.  A robot will operate correctly at startup just the same as a computer will (aside: DS DACS operate as accurately as they ever will at startup, no warm up required).  A piece of high precision, high accuracy diagnostic equipment depends on digital data processing, as well as precision digital to analog and analog to digital conversions.  There are a lot of diagnostic applications for precision conversions, and those probably take some time to come up to operating temperature.  Stuff that medical professionals rely on for triage and emergency work has to function correctly the instant it is turned on, and it does.  High precision diagnostic tools are used in a different environment.  Ask your wife to find out if the lab rats leave their equipment on all the time so it works correctly.
  
 The DSP software that comprises the megaburrito filter takes an input data word, compares it to the next word and interpolates between those to create intermediate values (upsampling).  The filter is made up of about 18,000 transforms, all of which are hard-coded and can't change.  The DSP chip takes input, runs the transforms, then give the result to the DAC chip(s).  It does it the same way every time.  When there is no input to the DSP it still sits there and interpolates zeros and passes them to the DAC chip(s). The analogy here is that the DSP is like the computer that runs the surgical robot:  It does its thing exactly the same from startup to shutdown.
  
 I tend to think about digital electronics as simple on-off devices, and they either work or they don't.  The only thermal effect that I think about in digital electronics is overheating, and that results in a non-functional, possibly ruined, device.  The actual transistors, resistors, capacitors, etc. in a digital processing chip are designed to function within a relatively large thermal envelope.  Non-linearities don't matter because on is on, and off is off.  Analog electronics are all about linearity, and temperature effects do matter.  When it comes time to set the bias on some output transistors they have to be at operating temperature to get it right, for example.  Analog audio stuff sounds different depending on the thermal state of the device.
  
 Tha DAC chips themselves will give a different output depending on the thermal state of the chips.  When I turned on my Mimby for the first time, sound came out as soon as it got done booting up.  The sound got better after it warmed up.  The difference in sound was because the DAC chip in Mimby was cold and did not put out accurate results.  When it got to operating temperature, it sounded better.


----------



## pkcpga

scottbrown5271 said:


> There are different classes of equipment.  A robot will operate correctly at startup just the same as a computer will (aside: DS DACS operate as accurately as they ever will at startup, no warm up required).  A piece of high precision, high accuracy diagnostic equipment depends on digital data processing, as well as precision digital to analog and analog to digital conversions.  There are a lot of diagnostic applications for precision conversions, and those probably take some time to come up to operating temperature.  Stuff that medical professionals rely on for triage and emergency work has to function correctly the instant it is turned on, and it does.  High precision diagnostic tools are used in a different environment.  Ask your wife to find out if the lab rats leave their equipment on all the time so it works correctly.




She states blood analysis machines are regularly rebooted to ensure proper functioning, older MRI machines they left running since they used to take time until they functioned properly but with newer technology they can be up and running in less than 3 minutes. Most equipment in hospitals are required to be turned off when not in use to conserve energy to follow new energy conservation laws. Only equipment left running are blood bank monitoring fridges and machines but they are technically in use since they constantly monitor or the hospitals main server but that's always in use as well. She has not heard of any equipment requiring long start ups or be constantly running for at least 7 years now, equipment like that has been replaced with newer more efficient technology. Robotic systems for surgery used to have some very long start up times since they are very complex and require very precise movement with lasers, vacuums, arms but technology today allows for the systems to start up the programs and run them fully in less than two minutes. My chord Dave runs the same from a minute after I turn it on or wether it has been running for hours so the technology is available in DACs as well.


----------



## scottbrown5271

pkcpga said:


> She states blood analysis machines are regularly rebooted to ensure proper functioning, older MRI machines they left running since they used to take time until they functioned properly but with newer technology they can be up and running in less than 3 minutes. Most equipment in hospitals are required to be turned off when not in use to conserve energy to follow new energy conservation laws. Only equipment left running are blood bank monitoring fridges and machines but they are technically in use since they constantly monitor or the hospitals main server but that's always in use as well. She has not heard of any equipment requiring long start ups or be constantly running for at least 7 years now, equipment like that has been replaced with newer more efficient technology. Robotic systems for surgery used to have some very long start up times since they are very complex and require very precise movement with lasers, vacuums, arms but technology today allows for the systems to start up the programs and run them fully in less than two minutes. My chord Dave runs the same from a minute after I turn it on or wether it has been running for hours so the technology is available in DACs as well.


 
 Very cool!!  I love these forums, I always get to learn something.  Thank you for that!!
  
 I'm not sure how they managed to engineer their way around thermal dependencies, but I would be willing to bet that it would not be cost effective to do so with audio equipment.  Of course there are people out there who cheerfully spend a half million or more on their audio equipment, and there really could be a market for that sort of optimization, albeit miniscule in comparison to the medical market.
  
 Dave is a delta/sigma device, and yes, it should run and sound exactly the same from startup to shutdown.  My Modi 2 Uber doesn't sound any different now than it did the first time I turned it on.   My Modi Multibit, on the other hand, requires a warm up period to sound best.  Its the nature of the beast.  I've seen comparisons of old Dave there with multibit DACs, and there really is no consensus from what I've read about which one sounds "better."  I happen to like the sound of multibit, your mileage may vary, these things are completely subjective.  I haven't heard Dave, so I don't have a personal frame of reference.  It is not out of the realm of possibility that I would like it better than Mimby.  Or not.  Don't know, can't afford to find out...


----------



## mentt

pkcpga said:


> She states blood analysis machines are regularly rebooted to ensure proper functioning, older MRI machines they left running since they used to take time until they functioned properly but with newer technology they can be up and running in less than 3 minutes. Most equipment in hospitals are required to be turned off when not in use to conserve energy to follow new energy conservation laws. Only equipment left running are blood bank monitoring fridges and machines but they are technically in use since they constantly monitor or the hospitals main server but that's always in use as well. She has not heard of any equipment requiring long start ups or be constantly running for at least 7 years now, equipment like that has been replaced with newer more efficient technology. Robotic systems for surgery used to have some very long start up times since they are very complex and require very precise movement with lasers, vacuums, arms but technology today allows for the systems to start up the programs and run them fully in less than two minutes. My chord Dave runs the same from a minute after I turn it on or wether it has been running for hours so the technology is available in DACs as well.


 
 There is no point for this discussion. Medical equipment will work right after it is turned on. Shiit DACs are working too right after they are turned on = generating sound. Only difference is that audio gear is sensitive to chip temperature(DAC sounds good or not as good  )  and Medical equipment is not.


----------



## Noldir

mentt said:


> There is no point for this discussion. Medical equipment will work right after it is turned on. Shiit DACs are working too right after they are turned on = generating sound. Only difference is that audio gear is sensitive to chip temperature(DAC sounds good or not as good  )  and Medical equipment is not.


 
 But doesn´t that imply that the DAC when "cold" is not generating the correct waveforms? That would mean that medical equipment also has slight errors in its analogue output.


----------



## scottbrown5271

mentt said:


> There is no point for this discussion. Medical equipment will work right after it is turned on. Shiit DACs are working too right after they are turned on = generating sound. Only difference is that audio gear is sensitive to chip temperature(DAC sounds good or not as good  )  and Medical equipment is not.


 
 Agreed.  I think pkcpga's point is that DS DACs don't need time to warm up, so why does multibit have to warm up.  On account of they do...


----------



## scottbrown5271

noldir said:


> But doesn´t that imply that the DAC when "cold" is not generating the correct waveforms? That would mean that medical equipment also has slight errors in its analogue output.


 
 It would appear as though they have that worked out.  We're  talking about audio electronics versus medical.  Big difference in the value of the relative markets, and HUGE difference in how much it matters


----------



## Noldir

scottbrown5271 said:


> It would appear as though they have that worked out.  We're  talking about audio electronics versus medical.  Big difference in the value of the relative markets, and HUGE difference in how much it matters


 
 Having spoken to some audiohpiles, I do wonder which one is which


----------



## scottbrown5271




----------



## KoshNaranek

Just for the record, even new MRI machines' magnets do not get shut down even if their analysis computer does.

Warming the magnet causes the liquid helium to vent and requires a service call to the manufacturer to get it restarted.


----------



## jnak00

If any Canadians want the Modi Multibit, I see Headphonebar has them for sale now.  With shipping and tax, it's about $50 less than what it cost me to buy direct from Schiit, so definitely a good deal.
  
 Hopefully this post isn't against the rules - I'm not associated with Headphonebar in any way and they are an authorized Schiit dealer.


----------



## bigro

As Much As I hate to Feed this, Does all medical Equipment that use a DAC have to use MB DACs or can they use other Variants of DAC's?
  
  


baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.


 
  
  
 Not that Mike needs any Backup from me and my limited Knowledge of DAC's. The 5547Cruz Datasheet states
  
  
  
_"REFERENCE SELECTION_
_When selecting a reference for use with the_
_AD5428/_
_AD5440_
_/AD5447 series of current output DACs, pay_
_attention to the reference’s output voltage temperature coefficient_
_specification. This parameter not only affects the full-scale error,_
_but can also affect the linearity (INL and DNL) performance. The_
_reference temperature coefficient should be consistent with the_
_system accuracy specifications."_
  
 See Page 20 Under Reference Selection  http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5428_5440_5447.pdf
  
 Clearly a longer version of what Mike Has stated. I will take my recommendations from someone who has been designing and building DAC's For as long as I have been on this earth and clearly is not trying to pull the wool over any ones eyes with unsubstantiated data or hear say. This is direct from the manufacturer.


----------



## madwolfa

bigro said:


> As Much As I hate to Feed this, Does all medical Equipment that use a DAC have to use MB DACs or can they use other Variants of DAC's?


 
  
 I guess it's all driven by the requirements. I'm sure there are certain medical/military applications where using D/S DACs is perfectly acceptable.


----------



## landroni

bigro said:


> As Much As I hate to Feed this, Does all medical Equipment that use a DAC have to use MB DACs or can they use other Variants of DAC's?


 

 Mike has mentioned on several occasions that DS isn't sufficiently accurate for medical/military applications, because it may generate 'missing codes'. Only R2R ladders can yield output with no missing codes. I recall Analog Devices told Mike that AD5791 (used in Yggdrasil) wasn't suited for audio because it was 'too precise' for the application...


----------



## ToddRaymond

So:  Happy Modi Multibit camper here.
  
 I previously had enjoyed the absolute Schiit out of a Gungnir Multibit regularly for about six months in a good, balanced two channel setup (primarily, but also wired to a somewhat nearby Asgard 2).  I wanted to take most the summer off (for the first time since 2002) from working, so I unfortunately had to sell a bunch of stuff to facilitate that.  For several weeks I was using the DAC in my CA home theatre receiver, as well as a Pono Player (single ended).  While the latter was doing a very decent job, I still very much missed the absolute magic the 'Gumby' brought.  (Okay, and the nice preamp I had.)  I recently picked up the Modi Multibit–which I plan to give to my dad this weekend as part of an office stereo system that I've been piecing together for his birthday–and my goodness!  It gives a solid taste of the magic that the Gumby produced; that non-digital-y, non delta-sigma-y, much more analogue-y sound.  It's so nice and holographic, detailed, yet smooth.
  
 I'm going to pick up one for myself to use in the living room, which I'll later use in a bedroom setup, once I can afford a Yggdrasil.  It's pretty wild how good this thing sounds.


----------



## bigro

turdski said:


> So:  Happy Modi Multibit camper here.
> 
> I previously had enjoyed the absolute Schiit out of a Gungnir Multibit regularly for about six months in a good, balanced two channel setup (primarily, but also wired to a somewhat nearby Asgard 2).  I wanted to take most the summer off (for the first time since 2002) from working, so I unfortunately had to sell a bunch of stuff to facilitate that.  For several weeks I was using the DAC in my CA home theatre receiver, as well as a Pono Player (single ended).  While the latter was doing a very decent job, I still very much missed the absolute magic the 'Gumby' brought.  (Okay, and the nice preamp I had.)  I recently picked up the Modi Multibit–which I plan to give to my dad this weekend as part of an office stereo system that I've been piecing together for his birthday–and my goodness!  It gives a solid taste of the magic that the Gumby produced; that non-digital-y, non delta-sigma-y, much more analogue-y sound.  It's so nice and holographic, detailed, yet smooth.
> 
> I'm going to pick up one for myself to use in the living room, which I'll later use in a bedroom setup, once I can afford a Yggdrasil.  It's pretty wild how good this thing sounds.


 

 You Are making it very difficult for me to keep my booger picker off the Buy Button.


----------



## Baldr

pkcpga said:


> I can tell you in the medical field their are no chips used that require more than a couple seconds to be fully functional. My wife works as a physician in the surgical field with robotic surgery and she stated if an emergency happens all equipment needs to be able to be transported set up and turned on in a very short time so a chip that requires 2 hours to work properly would not be used. And it sounds more like the programming needs to run its course more than the chip and the complex programming verse equipment capability of running it, forces the DAC to get bogged down and requires time to be fully functional.


 
  
 Indeed - any of the Schiit mb converters function (convert digits to analog) from the get go (after a brief stabilization mode - a few seconds).
  


pkcpga said:


> My chord Dave runs the same from a minute after I turn it on or wether it has been running for hours so the technology is available in DACs as well.


 
  
 As does the Modi Multibit.  (Last time I checked, the thread topic)  Now, if you check our website, you will realize that we make no binding statements with respect to how our equipment "sounds".  Any such statements are anecdotal and impossible to prove.  I am completely willing to reveal my experience with respect to sound, even a few generalizations.  These are only my opinions, however, and YMMV.  Here are a few:  The best sounding DACs, regardless of cost, are multibit.  The more bits in the mb, the longer it takes to sound at its best.  It takes heroic design in ds converter  design.  They inherently want to sound like ass.  The above is strictly my opinion, for emphasis.  YMMV, YMMV, and YMMV.  The next three sentences are fact:  The only advantage of ds is cost/performance at the low (i.e. cell phone) end stratum.  The designs are small, low power, and cheap.  That is why we design our lower-end stuff around ds. 
  
 My suggestion to @pkcpga would be that, since he apparently disagrees with anecdotal-based opinions, he may be happier in the Sound Science threads where his view that converters are immediately upon power-up proper to audition may be more universally accepted.  It also may be a far better venue for his USB design philosophies.


avip said:


> Sorry for the ignorance, but what do you mean by "settle into it's INL spec"?
> According to the AD5547 datasheet, the operating temperature is -40C  to +125C


 
  
 The INL referred to is integral non-linearity.  Google it and you will find a wiki which hopefully will be helpful.


----------



## acguitar84

baldr said:


> The best sounding DACs, regardless of cost, are multibit.


 
 From what I've heard so far, and that's just the mimby, is this is dead on. I love the multibit sound. The mimby makes the instruments sound like themselves, hard to put into words really. Last night I was listening and really enjoying the sounds, heck, things were sounding punchy, full of tone. I love multibit, and can't wait to hear a gumby and a yggy someday. We were having a music night last Saturday and we were wondering, if the mimby sounds this good, how much better can it get? How much better is the yggy? Can't wait to find out! Anyway, back to the mimby, it's a great piece of gear, and highly recommended, IMO.


----------



## jfoxvol

Nothing beats a precise AND accurate DAC for phase coherency, which tends to mean the phycoacoustic properties are optimized.  In other words, live music sounds way better.  Other stuff is more accurate but not as pronounced improvement (except perhaps just from coming from a cruddy DAC in other respects).  Multibit for life.


----------



## pkcpga

baldr said:


> Indeed - any of the Schiit mb converters function (convert digits to analog) from the get go (after a brief stabilization mode - a few seconds).
> 
> 
> As does the Modi Multibit.  (Last time I checked, the thread topic)  Now, if you check our website, you will realize that we make no binding statements with respect to how our equipment "sounds".  Any such statements are anecdotal and impossible to prove.  I am completely willing to reveal my experience with respect to sound, even a few generalizations.  These are only my opinions, however, and YMMV.  Here are a few:  The best sounding DACs, regardless of cost, are multibit.  The more bits in the mb, the longer it takes to sound at its best.  It takes heroic design in ds converter  design.  They inherently want to sound like ass.  The above is strictly my opinion, for emphasis.  YMMV, YMMV, and YMMV.  The next three sentences are fact:  The only advantage of ds is cost/performance at the low (i.e. cell phone) end stratum.  The designs are small, low power, and cheap.  That is why we design our lower-end stuff around ds.
> ...




My original question before people starting comparing medical equipment was how long does it take to properly warm up a schiit multi bit? I demod one and it did sound vinyl like which to me is just ok, it was making the music very analog sounding but it just seemed to condense too many instraments in classical music for me, the timing of instraments also seemed a bit off. I was looking to use it as a home office DAC to replace my naim DAC. A lot of people seem to love them so I wanted to try one since for myself they are very reasonably or cheaply priced, compared to my chord or Linn home listening room DAC. So I was wondering if I didn't have it on for long enough to properly determine if the DAC simply had less detail and different timing than my other DACs or if it needed a longer time on. I had it for two days but the longest it remained turned on was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Just trying to determine if it's worth another listen or if that was a long enough time.


----------



## Argo Duck

pkcpga said:


> So I was wondering if I didn't have it on for long enough to properly determine if the DAC simply had less detail and different timing than my other DACs or if it needed a longer time on. I had it for two days but the longest it remained turned on was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Just trying to determine if it's worth another listen or if that was a long enough time.




This is a pity. In Yggy's case most reported several days before the 'magic' began. Some found it distinctly grainy and rough prior to this point. Mike's advice - consistently - has been to allow a lengthy stabilzation period for the MB dacs and leave them turned on.

It may be you missed the best your demo unit had to offer. Based on my experience with Yggy I recommend another audition.


----------



## Tuneslover

jnak00 said:


> If any Canadians want the Modi Multibit, I see Headphonebar has them for sale now.  With shipping and tax, it's about $50 less than what it cost me to buy direct from Schiit, so definitely a good deal.
> 
> Hopefully this post isn't against the rules - I'm not associated with Headphonebar in any way and they are an authorized Schiit dealer.




Yes that is a good deal. I paid the equivalent of that when converted to Cdn $. I ordered and had it shipped to the hotel that we were staying at when we vacationed in the U.S. last week. Brought it back avoiding taxes and brokerage fees.


----------



## bobsherman

pkcpga said:


> My original question before people starting comparing medical equipment was how long does it take to properly warm up a schiit multi bit? I demod one and it did sound vinyl like which to me is just ok, it was making the music very analog sounding but it just seemed to condense too many instraments in classical music for me, the timing of instraments also seemed a bit off. I was looking to use it as a home office DAC to replace my naim DAC. A lot of people seem to love them so I wanted to try one since for myself they are very reasonably or cheaply priced, compared to my chord or Linn home listening room DAC. So I was wondering if I didn't have it on for long enough to properly determine if the DAC simply had less detail and different timing than my other DACs or if it needed a longer time on. I had it for two days but the longest it remained turned on was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Just trying to determine if it's worth another listen or if that was a long enough time.


 

 I have had the Modi MultiiBit for three weeks, and it has never been off yet. Break in is  real and as has already been explained takes time. What you are describing  is not what the DAC sounds like at all. Try 24 hours or more, if it still sounds like you are saying you have other issues with your system.


----------



## ToddRaymond

Yeah, don't ever turn off a Schiit Multibit DAC.  Just.  Don't.  Ever.  If that's going to be a problem, you'd better buy a different DAC.  It's 8 watts, in this case.


----------



## EmiG310

I let someone borrow my mimby for 2 days and I have it back now. While my mimby was out, in it's place I put in my Bifrost 4490 to fill in. I cannot believe how obvious the difference is to me now. It's like real instruments vs grainy empty **** (not Schiit). Needless to say, the Bifrost is now scheduled for a multibit upgrade even though I just got it 2 months ago. Live and learn. I love the way this sounds though, and that I've definitely learned.


----------



## earnmyturns

pkcpga said:


> My original question before people starting comparing medical equipment was how long does it take to properly warm up a schiit multi bit? I demod one and it did sound vinyl like which to me is just ok, it was making the music very analog sounding but it just seemed to condense too many instraments in classical music for me, the timing of instraments also seemed a bit off. I was looking to use it as a home office DAC to replace my naim DAC. A lot of people seem to love them so I wanted to try one since for myself they are very reasonably or cheaply priced, compared to my chord or Linn home listening room DAC. So I was wondering if I didn't have it on for long enough to properly determine if the DAC simply had less detail and different timing than my other DACs or if it needed a longer time on. I had it for two days but the longest it remained turned on was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Just trying to determine if it's worth another listen or if that was a long enough time.


 
 Look, everyone here, even the designer, tells you that they think these multibit DACs sound better after a period of temperature stabilization that is longer for the deeper bit depth models. You can choose to believe them or not. But arguing about why it might be so, or whether it is so for some medical instrumentation, seems to be wasteful of your time and ours. In my personal experience as the owner of a Bifrost Multibit (Bimby), it sounded quite a bit better after a day of warmup, and I never turn mine off unless I'm away for a substantial length of time. I listen to a lot of ensemble and orchestral recorded music through the Bimby, both classical and jazz, and I'm lucky to also listen to a lot of the same types of music and same compositions live, often played by the same artists. The Bimby gives me good instrument separation except in some poor recordings, and timing is as close to live performance as I can discern, so I can only imagine that the higher-end multibit models would improve this further (waiting for some fully balanced amplification for my two systems to consider upgrades to balanced Schiit DACs). But I follow the "keep it warm" rule, it costs me little and it gives me a lot of musical pleasure for a ridiculously low-priced DAC. If you don't like the warm-up rule, there are plenty of other DACs on the market that you can waste splurge your money on.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Keirapc

In the main website Modi Multibit said it using AD5547 dac chip similar to Bifrost Multibit, Today i received mine but in the manual it write AD5545 DAC. Now im confused. Can anyone explain?


----------



## jcwc

blue350gt said:


> anybody have trouble installing windows 10 drivers on the multibit?
> I can't get it to install the windows 10 driver, when installing I get the "Please connect the CMEDIA...", can never get past this. I tried 3 PCs and 4 different USB cables.
> However version 1.03 driver will install.
> I have a Modi Uber 4490 and the windows 10 driver install just fine, I contacted Schiit and I am waiting for what they say.
> ...


 
  
 Got my Mimby today and am facing driver installation problems on Win XP.
  
 I also get the "Please connect the CMEDIA USB2.0 Audio Device" message. Click the "OK" a few times, get the same message and finally the install will abort saying "CMEDIA USB2.0 Audio Device does not exist, the installation program will be terminated now."
  
 Any idea how to overcome this? I'm using the Pyst USB cable to connect my PC to the Mimby.


----------



## shutterbox

jcwc said:


> Got my Mimby today and am facing driver installation problems on Win XP.
> 
> I also get the "Please connect the CMEDIA USB2.0 Audio Device" message. Click the "OK" a few times, get the same message and finally the install will abort saying "CMEDIA USB2.0 Audio Device does not exist, the installation program will be terminated now."
> 
> Any idea how to overcome this? I'm using the Pyst USB cable to connect my PC to the Mimby.


 
 1) go the device manager, find your Schiit device, and manually update driver from there.
 2) indicate that you want to choose the location of the driver.
 3) go to \<Location of your driver>\Schiit_USB_Gen2_1_16\XP\SoftwareDriver\Driver. you should select CMAUCWO.inf.
 4) click a few Nexts to finish the driver update.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## AviP

nikonguy said:


> Great! waited 3 hours plugged in my headphones and all I get is the song with a loud static hiss, like a radio that has not been fully tuned in!
> 
> Tried both USB & Optical via my macbook and audirvana.
> 
> I have emailed Nick but has anybody also had this problem?


 
 Did you try power cycling it?
 It'll still stay warmed up if you just turn it off for 2 seconds


----------



## NikonGuy

...


----------



## pctazhp

nikonguy said:


> Just got my Magni 2 Uber & Modi Multibit to replace my Chord Mojo, leaving the DAC to warm 3 hours before first listen!
> 
> Has anyone tried the AudioQuest Jitterbug with this DAC?  Rob Watts was saying it helps a lot with USB mains noise on the Mojo & Dave?
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/3435#post_12681548


 
 I don't have any USB noise but I tried the Jitterbug with my Bimby to see if it would make a difference in SQ (not that I think it is missing anything as is). It did make a difference. It really sucked


----------



## Tuneslover

tuneslover said:


> I have been burning in my Modi MB during the night throughout our vacaction in Tennessee and North Carolina and have about 52 hours on it now. we are on our way home now and should be home by Wednesday night. I'll plug it in overnight when we get home and give it a comparative listen to my Modi original, as well as, my Bifrost 4490 and Bifrost MB the next day. Really missing my X5ii coaxial out > Bifrost MB > HD650 setup.




I have been home for a week now and have had a great time comparing the Mimby with the 4490 and Bimby.

The Mimby versus my original Modi comparison was a very clear illustration of how much DAC technology has improved over the last 3-4 years. Soundscape width and depth, as well as detail retrieval improvement over the original Modi was startling. Very live-like sounding. I should note that I took advantage of the Toslink connectivity provided by the Mimby which may have assisted in the improvement in sound quality. This iMac setup is amped by a Magni 2Über.

Next, I moved the Mimby to my second setup which consists of the Bifrost 4490 (I upgraded it from an Über) which is amped by a Lake People G109S. The comparison of DACS was much closer. My opinion of DS and MB comparison, that I made back in February (when I purchased the Bimby), still holds true. Again the 4490 hits a bit harder in the bass and the details have a more "troweled over" characteristic whereas the Mimby presents instrument separation and details better, again more live-like in nature. Being very familiar with how the Bimby sounds, I already recognized how close my next comparison was going to be.

Finally I moved the Mimby to my bedroom setup where I have the Bimby driven by a Vali 2. So I had a MB vs MB face-off. Cutting to the chase, I heard very little, if any difference between these 2 DACS. If anything I hazard to say that the Bimby was ever so slightly smoother and relaxed, as in effortless, sounding way. I absolutely love detail and spatial separation creating that amazing realistic sound of the instruments and ambience and these MB DACS achieve this very well indeed.

I'm impressed, plain and simple...Mike (you too Jason)! The Mimby presents such a tremendous value that most anyone can now get a taste of MB technology.

I love the DAC flexibility that I now have. I decided to move the 4490 to my iMac setup which has seen the biggest system improvement with the original Modi now sidelined. Since both MB DACS are so close in performance I decided to put the Mimby with the V2 which has converted the bedroom setup to a much more portable layout. The Bimby obviously went to the Lake People setup. I upgraded/replaced 1 of my DACS but all 3 of my systems have benefitted positively in one or another.


----------



## Ancipital

pctazhp said:


> I don't have any USB noise but I tried the Jitterbug with my Bimby to see if it would make a difference in SQ (not that I think it is missing anything as is). It did make a difference. It really sucked


 
  
 Hah, so it _does_ make a difference sometimes, even if that's harmful.
  
 That said, Rob Watts quite liked the effect that it had on the eyebleedingly pricey Chord DAVE:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/3435#post_12681548


----------



## pctazhp

ancipital said:


> Hah, so it _does_ make a difference sometimes, even if that's harmful.
> 
> That said, Rob Watts quite liked the effect that it had on the eyebleedingly pricey Chord DAVE:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/3435#post_12681548


 
 Yeah. Maybe it costs a lot to design and manufacture a DAC that needs the Jitterbug


----------



## EmiG310

nikonguy said:


> Great! waited 3 hours plugged in my headphones and all I get is the song with a loud static hiss, like a radio that has not been fully tuned in!
> 
> Tried both USB & Optical via my macbook and audirvana.
> 
> I have emailed Nick but has anybody also had this problem?


 
 I've had this problem. Hit the button on the front to switch inputs to cycle it and the sound should clear up. It appears to be a sample rate problem for me, if I switch sample rates a lot it will make this static white noise on top of the song. I don't mess with any cables I just push the button 3 times to cycle the inputs and that clears it up for me. I had this problem with both Optical and USB. One thing I noticed is that mine stopped doing it when I took the vali off from on top of it, perhaps the modi multibit is getting too hot?


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Lohb

pctazhp said:


> It did make a difference. It really sucked


 

 How exactly ?


----------



## pctazhp

lohb said:


> How exactly ?


 
 The best description is can give is sterile and metalic. Not enjoyable.


----------



## pkcpga

lohb said:


> How exactly ?




I tried the jitterbug also, found it gives a more relaxed and mono sound, kind of removes the impact, wasn't for me.


----------



## Lohb

pctazhp said:


> The best description is can give is sterile and metalic. Not enjoyable.


 
  
  


pkcpga said:


> I tried the jitterbug also, found it gives a more relaxed and mono sound, kind of removes the impact, wasn't for me.


 

 Hmmm, I felt Jitterbug gave more weight to things, but a bit less musical flow...so maybe not a good idea with Modi Multi unless anyone knows otherwise.


----------



## reddog

jbarrentine said:


> Yeah, I'm a former customer. My Vali, like a lot of others had to be repaired.
> 
> But hey, at least that Schiit didn't kill my headphones. That would be irredeemable for such a company, right?



I have had two of my many schiit products give up the ghost and the company has fixed said units, that are under warranty. Entropy claims all electronics eventually, so its great, that Schiit Audio honors their warranty. Schiit Audio rocks, and I am glad a new dac /amp combo has been added to product line.


----------



## reddog

jbarrentine said:


> Yeah, I'm a former customer. My Vali, like a lot of others had to be repaired.
> 
> But hey, at least that Schiit didn't kill my headphones. That would be irredeemable for such a company, right?



I have had two of my many schiit products give up the ghost and the company has fixed said units, that are under warranty. Entropy claims all electronics eventually, so its great, that Schiit Audio honors their warranty. Schiit Audio rocks, and I am glad a new dac /amp combo has been added to product line.


----------



## jcwc

shutterbox said:


> 1) go the device manager, find your Schiit device, and manually update driver from there.
> 2) indicate that you want to choose the location of the driver.
> 3) go to \<Location of your driver>\Schiit_USB_Gen2_1_16\XP\SoftwareDriver\Driver. you should select CMAUCWO.inf.
> 4) click a few Nexts to finish the driver update.


 
  
 Thanks for the suggestion. I followed your steps and located CMAUCWO.inf
  
 But when opening it I get the error message "The specified location does not contain information about your hardware". I read this thread some more and found this in post #61:
  


rmoody said:


> This.
> Ugh, the way the Schiit drivers install uses a packaged exe installer and leaves an uninstaller in the Control Panel. I rather wish they just provided the inf files to install it manually.


 
  
 Does the above have a bearing on why clicking on CMAUCWO.inf didn't work for me?


----------



## rmoody

jcwc said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. I followed your steps and located CMAUCWO.inf
> 
> But when opening it I get the error message "The specified location does not contain information about your hardware". I read this thread some more and found this in post #61:
> 
> ...


 

 I'm thinking so, I tried that as well, it was a no go. I really hope that Windows 10 gets USB Audio 2, that way when they upgrade me at work I won't need a driver.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## xuan87

nikonguy said:


> These are my first Schiit purchases, very unhappy with this brand, Modi Multibit REV A is obviously a public beta...
> 
> Should have waited for REV B...
> 
> ...


 
  
 I don't get what you mean by Rev A and Rev B. And what exactly are you unhappy about?


----------



## KLJTech

Schiit Audio doesn't do business that way, if the product wasn't ready to go and perform as advertised it would never hit the market. That isn't to say something can't be wrong with a particular unit as anything can happen during shipping or a part could go bad, but they wouldn't use their customers as unknowing beta testers.


----------



## shutterbox

jcwc said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. I followed your steps and located CMAUCWO.inf
> 
> But when opening it I get the error message "The specified location does not contain information about your hardware". I read this thread some more and found this in post #61:
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have used this method for both Win7 and Win10 without hiccups. I don't have a XP machine to try it out.
  
 The method i described, I used it after the installer did not work for me (for the same reason it happened to you, no device found).


----------



## earnmyturns

ancipital said:


> Hah, so it _does_ make a difference sometimes, even if that's harmful.
> 
> That said, Rob Watts quite liked the effect that it had on the eyebleedingly pricey Chord DAVE:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/766517/chord-electronics-dave/3435#post_12681548


 
 Oh, but oh why do people insist in using laptops as digital audio sources for high-end DACs? Laptops are designed for low-power computation, not for high-quality, low-noise digital audio output. Since I've been playing in the digital audio domain, and knowing a bit about hardware and software from many years of experience at my day job, I've been repeatedly baffled by the bull-headedness and aggressive ignorance of those who insist in using basically unsuitable sources to feed their prized audio systems, just because they somehow believe in the label "general-purpose" in "general-purpose computer." They may be general-purpose for munging bits (and not even that, but that's a whole different story), but that says nothing about their fitness for controlling delicate digital-and-analog circuitry. You don't use a backhoe for brain surgery.


----------



## jcwc

nikonguy said:


> These are my first Schiit purchases, very unhappy with this brand, Modi Multibit REV A is obviously a public beta...
> 
> Should have waited for REV B...
> 
> ...


 
  
 Looks like you may have a faulty Modi Multibit. These things happen (albeit rare) and that's why there is a manufacturer's warranty to back you up. In that regard, Schitt stands behind their warranty and I'm sure they will take care of you.
  
 I don't think it's fair to label Rev A as a public beta.


----------



## jcwc

shutterbox said:


> I have used this method for both Win7 and Win10 without hiccups. I don't have a XP machine to try it out.
> 
> The method i described, I used it after the installer did not work for me (for the same reason it happened to you, no device found).


 
  
 I'm puzzled why your method doesn't work in XP.
  
 Anyway, I managed to resolve it by getting Windows to search for the driver and it found it. Now my Mimby is working and shows up in the device manager.
  
 I'm now just curious if the driver that Windows found is the latest one (same as in Schiit's 1.16 package).
  
 Secondly, the driver supplied by Schiit - does it come with any control panel or special controls for the Mimby?


----------



## shutterbox

jcwc said:


> I'm puzzled why your method doesn't work in XP.
> 
> Anyway, I managed to resolve it by getting Windows to search for the driver and it found it. Now my Mimby is working and shows up in the device manager.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nope.
 the manual update of USB 2 driver does not come with any kinds of User Interface.
 If one is able to run the installer, I'm not sure if that'll come with some panel/control widget.
  
 After you let windows auto install drivers(which are probably windows ones) are you able to select select wasapi output devices in your audio player?


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> These are my first Schiit purchases, very unhappy with this brand, Modi Multibit REV A is obviously a public beta...
> 
> Should have waited for REV B...
> 
> ...


 
  
 It does sound like it's possible that you have a DOA unit- not impossible given that they sell a lot of kit. However, it does rather sound like you're ranting just a little about how 2+2=5 at this point, not very rational. There is a difference between an unfinished design and a production fault- might I suggest that you take a deep breath, and calm down?
  
 It's a shame that your unit is potentially faulty, and somewhat lame that they haven't got back to you, but you do seem to be going somewhat off-piste right now.


----------



## jcwc

shutterbox said:


> After you let windows auto install drivers(which are probably windows ones) are you able to select select wasapi output devices in your audio player?


 
  
 I use foobar2000 and these are the output options I get. Which one would be the wasapi output device (if there is one)?
  

  
 Update: did some reading. Seems that XP does not support wasapi (Vista and above only).


----------



## madwolfa

earnmyturns said:


> You don't use a backhoe for brain surgery.




With all respect, audio is pretty far from brain surgery.


----------



## Ancipital

earnmyturns said:


> Oh, but oh why do people insist in using laptops as digital audio sources for high-end DACs? Laptops are designed for low-power computation, not for high-quality, low-noise digital audio output. Since I've been playing in the digital audio domain, and knowing a bit about hardware and software from many years of experience at my day job, I've been repeatedly baffled by the bull-headedness and aggressive ignorance of those who insist in using basically unsuitable sources to feed their prized audio systems, just because they somehow believe in the label "general-purpose" in "general-purpose computer." They may be general-purpose for munging bits (and not even that, but that's a whole different story), but that says nothing about their fitness for controlling delicate digital-and-analog circuitry. You don't use a backhoe for brain surgery.


 
  
 Sigh.


----------



## shutterbox

jcwc said:


> I use foobar2000 and these are the output options I get. Which one would be the wasapi output device (if there is one)?
> 
> 
> 
> Update: did some reading. Seems that XP does not support wasapi (Vista and above only).


 
  
 Maybe you can write to Schiit for help?


----------



## Ancipital

jcwc said:


> Update: did some reading. Seems that XP does not support wasapi (Vista and above only).


 
  
 Although it's not as good an option as WASAPI, you can do direct bit-exact audio over USB under XP using the "kernel streaming" output component in Foobar:
  
 http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_ks
  
 That should work reasonably well for you, HTH!
  
 That said, you really shouldn't be using Windows XP at all any more- especially on a machine with any sort of network connection. It isn't getting regular security patches any more, and is unsupported as of 2014.


----------



## Guidostrunk




----------



## ColtMrFire

earnmyturns said:


> Oh, but oh why do people insist in using laptops as digital audio sources for high-end DACs? Laptops are designed for low-power computation, not for high-quality, low-noise digital audio output. Since I've been playing in the digital audio domain, and knowing a bit about hardware and software from many years of experience at my day job, I've been repeatedly baffled by the bull-headedness and aggressive ignorance of those who insist in using basically unsuitable sources to feed their prized audio systems, just because they somehow believe in the label "general-purpose" in "general-purpose computer." They may be general-purpose for munging bits (and not even that, but that's a whole different story), but that says nothing about their fitness for controlling delicate digital-and-analog circuitry. You don't use a backhoe for brain surgery.




Ordered the Mimby/Valhalla 2 and had been previously using nothing but USB for my hi-fi audio previously.

I added an Uptone Regen to the USB chain and that improved things. I was happy as a hog in Schiit. Until on a hunch, I pulled out a Sony DVDs player I had laying around and plugged in the digital coax to the Mimby. Now, I'd heard people bitch about USB audio before, and declare the superiority of SPDIF, but I ignored it. USB to SPDIF converters were too expensive and I loved the convenience and compartmentalization of computer based audio. I even got excellent results going from foobar to JRiver and finally to Bughead Emperor, the best computer audio program I'd ever heard, by a country mile.

But that Sony dvd player with digital coax into the Mimby smoked them all. I really didn't know just how good my equipment was until I popped in a CD and used digital coax from a CD player. I immediately sold my Regen and USB cable and have ditched computer audio entirely. Compared to coax, USB was was noisy, grainy, and veiled. Of course I wouldn't have said that when I was happily using USB but I didn't know what I was missing.


----------



## acguitar84

I haven't had much luck with JRiver 22 using the mimby. In fact I went back to Winamp, it sounded much better in comparison. Which is odd, lots of people use JRiver. I still haven't figured out why the abandoned Winamp beats it like it does on my systems. I've never heard of bug head emperor, hmm, might have to look into it.


----------



## Ancipital

acguitar84 said:


> I haven't had much luck with JRiver 22 using the mimby. In fact I went back to Winamp, it sounded much better in comparison. Which is odd, lots of people use JRiver. I still haven't figured out why the abandoned Winamp beats it like it does on my systems. I've never heard of bug head emperor, hmm, might have to look into it.


 
  
 Try Foobar2000 with WSAPI output, it's free, good and still maintained. It's clean and straightforward, and won't cost you anything to have a play with it.
  
 Bughead is no longer in active development, so any problems might never be fixed. If it works for you, then this isn't a worry, but it's worth knowing.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Check out the Singxer X-1 USB bridge for usb-spdif. Less than $70 shipped. 





coltmrfire said:


> Ordered the Mimby/Valhalla 2 and had been previously using nothing but USB for my hi-fi audio previously.
> 
> I added an Uptone Regen to the USB chain and that improved things. I was happy as a hog in Schiit. Until on a hunch, I pulled out a Sony DVDs player I had laying around and plugged in the digital coax to the Mimby. Now, I'd heard people bitch about USB audio before, and declare the superiority of SPDIF, but I ignored it. USB to SPDIF converters were too expensive and I loved the convenience and compartmentalization of computer based audio. I even got excellent results going from foobar to JRiver and finally to Bughead Emperor, the best computer audio program I'd ever heard, by a country mile.
> 
> But that Sony dvd player with digital coax into the Mimby smoked them all. I really didn't know just how good my equipment was until I popped in a CD and used digital coax from a CD player. I immediately sold my Regen and USB cable and have ditched computer audio entirely. Compared to coax, USB was was noisy, grainy, and veiled. Of course I wouldn't have said that when I was happily using USB but I didn't know what I was missing.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> Just to update, I sent my Modi Multibit back to schiit.eu.com and Mark confirmed that the unit was faulty and sent out a replacement the same day, great service from the EU distributor!
> 
> The problem was static but in a particular frequency band, could be a bad DAC chip who knows...


 
  
 Yay, glad they're taking care of you. Here's hoping that the replacement works as it should, and that you enjoy it, DOA units suck!


----------



## ColtMrFire

guidostrunk said:


> Check out the Singxer X-1 USB bridge for usb-spdif. Less than $70 shipped.




Why would I spend more money to get something that already comes with my DVD player? The Mimby is a $250 DAC, adding more money to it when (again) I can just use the SPDIF I already have. Wouldnt make a lot of sense to me.

Also, I am wanting to go back to CDs because I enjoy the tactile feel of handling my media rather than sticking it on a hard drive.

I also heard cost does matter for SQ with those converters and the cheaper ones are not worth the money in place of just going full SPDIF.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Ah I see. My impression is that you liked the convenience of a pc for music. Hence my post. But you're moving to cd's , so disregard the X-1. 

Cheers


coltmrfire said:


> Why would I spend more money to get something that already comes with my DVD player? The Mimby is a $250 DAC, adding more money to it when (again) I can just use the SPDIF I already have. Wouldnt make a lot of sense to me.
> 
> Also, I am wanting to go back to CDs because I enjoy the tactile feel of handling my media rather than sticking it on a hard drive.
> 
> I also heard cost does matter for SQ with those converters and the cheaper ones are not worth the money in place of just going full SPDIF.


----------



## droopy1592

coltmrfire said:


> Ordered the Mimby/Valhalla 2 and had been previously using nothing but USB for my hi-fi audio previously.
> 
> I added an Uptone Regen to the USB chain and that improved things. I was happy as a hog in Schiit. Until on a hunch, I pulled out a Sony DVDs player I had laying around and plugged in the digital coax to the Mimby. Now, I'd heard people bitch about USB audio before, and declare the superiority of SPDIF, but I ignored it. USB to SPDIF converters were too expensive and I loved the convenience and compartmentalization of computer based audio. I even got excellent results going from foobar to JRiver and finally to Bughead Emperor, the best computer audio program I'd ever heard, by a country mile.
> 
> But that Sony dvd player with digital coax into the Mimby smoked them all. I really didn't know just how good my equipment was until I popped in a CD and used digital coax from a CD player. I immediately sold my Regen and USB cable and have ditched computer audio entirely. Compared to coax, USB was was noisy, grainy, and veiled. Of course I wouldn't have said that when I was happily using USB but I didn't know what I was missing.


 
 i just posted a few pages back that I found no audible difference. And I a/bed for three other people. No difference. Either your USB output is severely noisy or you're a victim of the placebo effect. People always make these statements with little to no evidence. For every person that says spdif is superior you have another saying USB is and optical is messy. 

 There's no difference.


----------



## ColtMrFire

droopy1592 said:


> i just posted a few pages back that I found no audible difference. And I a/bed for three other people. No difference. Either your USB output is severely noisy or you're a victim of the placebo effect. People always make these statements with little to no evidence. For every person that says spdif is superior you have another saying USB is and optical is messy.
> 
> 
> There's no difference.




Nope, no difference. That's why people keep buying usb decrapifyers and USB to SPDIF converters. 

Because there's no difference.

Right.


----------



## mentt

coltmrfire said:


> Ordered the Mimby/Valhalla 2 and had been previously using nothing but USB for my hi-fi audio previously.
> 
> I added an Uptone Regen to the USB chain and that improved things. I was happy as a hog in Schiit. Until on a hunch, I pulled out a Sony DVDs player I had laying around and plugged in the digital coax to the Mimby. Now, I'd heard people bitch about USB audio before, and declare the superiority of SPDIF, but I ignored it. USB to SPDIF converters were too expensive and I loved the convenience and compartmentalization of computer based audio. I even got excellent results going from foobar to JRiver and finally to Bughead Emperor, the best computer audio program I'd ever heard, by a country mile.
> 
> But that Sony dvd player with digital coax into the Mimby smoked them all. I really didn't know just how good my equipment was until I popped in a CD and used digital coax from a CD player. I immediately sold my Regen and USB cable and have ditched computer audio entirely. Compared to coax, USB was was noisy, grainy, and veiled. Of course I wouldn't have said that when I was happily using USB but I didn't know what I was missing.




USB is fine, problem is that people are using PC , Mac, notebooks that were not designed for audio. Streamers(computers designed for audio) can sound on pair with Good CD players. Even if you add sound card with digi coax out to regular computer, It will still sound bad and you will never hear full potential of your DAC


----------



## pctazhp

Personally I stream USB Tidal HD directly from my fairly run of the mill Dell desktop to my Bimby and the results for me are highly satisfying. I agree that there are conflicting views on this issue all over the map, none of which I have seen are supported in any way through some form of blind comparisons.


----------



## ColtMrFire

There's only one important thing I've learned in this hobby...

Everything sounds good until you hear something better.


----------



## KoshNaranek

coltmrfire said:


> There's only one important thing I've learned in this hobby...
> 
> Everything sounds good until you hear something better.




That is true. 

Lets not get to hot on this discussion people. Do some experiments. Form your own opinions. Share them if you desire, but remember that they are opinions and not religious convictions.


----------



## bigro

koshnaranek said:


> That is true.
> 
> Lets not get to hot on this discussion people. Do some experiments. Form your own opinions. Share them if you desire, but remember that they are opinions and not religious convictions.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## acguitar84

I just read everything, and try to research it. Nobody needs to post their impressions and tips, but they do anyway, and I just try to learn from everything.


----------



## Peti

ancipital said:


> Try Foobar2000 with WSAPI output, it's free, good and still maintained. It's clean and straightforward, and won't cost you anything to have a play with it.
> 
> Bughead is no longer in active development, so any problems might never be fixed. If it works for you, then this isn't a worry, but it's worth knowing.


 

 7.49 got out two days ago for Bughead Emperor. Best player I've ever heard, period. JRiver 21 was a tiny little bit better than Foobar2k but this japanese miracle smokes all of them for me. What's best, it's free, so nothing's keeping you from giving it a run. The downside to me is the plethora of the options, that's literally, just overwhelming.
  
 Bughead - DAC-19 - Liquid Gold - HD800C the best combo I've heard to date. Absolutely non-fatiguing treble-wise; I could enjoy my poorly recorded/mixed/mastered NWOBHM discs without a problem. The Modi Multibit will be put to the same test (rig) hopefully soon.


----------



## mentt

peti said:


> 7.49 got out two days ago for Bughead Emperor. Best player I've ever heard, period. JRiver 21 was a tiny little bit better than Foobar2k but this japanese miracle smokes all of them for me. What's best, it's free, so nothing's keeping you from giving it a run. The downside to me is the plethora of the options, that's literally, just overwhelming.
> 
> Bughead - DAC-19 - Liquid Gold - HD800C the best combo I've heard to date. Absolutely non-fatiguing treble-wise; I could enjoy my poorly recorded/mixed/mastered NWOBHM discs without a problem. The Modi Multibit will be put to the same test (rig) hopefully soon.




If you need to stick with PC best results can be achive with Daphile


----------



## Peti

mentt said:


> If you need to stick with PC best results can be achive with Daphile


 

 But for that you'd need two computers/laptop, right?


----------



## mentt

peti said:


> But for that you'd need two computers/laptop, right?




No, just one
Music can be played from local disk or from NAS -> from NAS you will get better sound
You can control It from tablet, phone or Computer. There are apps or you can use web interface
You dont have to even install it. You can boot It from USB flash stick


----------



## Letmebefrank

mentt said:


> No, just one
> Music can be played from local disk or from NAS -> from NAS you will get better sound
> You can control It from tablet, phone or Computer. There are apps or you can use web interface
> You dont have to even install it. You can boot It from USB flash stick




Why would it sound better with a NAS than a local hdd?


----------



## jcwc

ancipital said:


> Although it's not as good an option as WASAPI, you can do direct bit-exact audio over USB under XP using the "kernel streaming" output component in Foobar:
> 
> http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_ks
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the tip about the kernel streaming component for Foobar. I've installed it.


----------



## rmoody

letmebefrank said:


> Why would it sound better with a NAS than a local hdd?


 

 It won't. Any more than it would sound better played through a $5000 network cable with arrows on it.


----------



## Letmebefrank

rmoody said:


> It won't. Any more than it would sound better played through a $5000 network cable with arrows on it.




I know, I just wanted to hear his reasoning on it.


----------



## bigro

rmoody said:


> It won't. Any more than it would sound better played through a $5000 network cable with arrows on it.


 

 The Arrows show the direction that the electrons are aligned. You don't want your electrons swimming upstream now, do you?


----------



## rmoody

bigro said:


> The Arrows show the direction that the electrons are aligned. You don't want your electrons swimming upstream now, do you?


 
  
 I still have badge access, I'll sneak in and reverse your cables you keep it up!


----------



## earnmyturns

madwolfa said:


> With all respect, audio is pretty far from brain surgery.


 
 Dunno, the pressure ratio between barely tolerable loud and minimum discernible is not too far from the ratio of backhoe precision to a micrometer


----------



## Ancipital

coltmrfire said:


> Nope, no difference. That's why people keep buying usb decrapifyers and USB to SPDIF converters.
> 
> Because there's no difference.
> 
> Right.


 
  
 "Audiophiles buy this stuff, therefore it must be valid" is one of the least compelling arguments that you could make, you're just undermining your own case. Audiophiles buy many things. There has to be a more useful argument available to you, surely?
  
  


jcwc said:


> Thanks for the tip about the kernel streaming component for Foobar. I've installed it.


 
  
 Great, I hope it's working for you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
  
  
  
  


peti said:


> 7.49 got out two days ago for Bughead Emperor. Best player I've ever heard, period. JRiver 21 was a tiny little bit better than Foobar2k but this japanese miracle smokes all of them for me. What's best, it's free, so nothing's keeping you from giving it a run. The downside to me is the plethora of the options, that's literally, just overwhelming.


 
  
 The UI is a bit bonkers, too!
  
 The thing that concerns me is that on the site, it says:
  


> STOP Bug head development for my mental health. All request dump and rejected.
> 開発は健康改善の為、休止しています。作者の体重が、80kgになったら再開します。


 
  
 I really hope I have the wrong end of the stick there. The Japanese part says that it will resume once the dev hits 80kg, so maybe it's not as doomed as all that, if he/she gets their health under control.


----------



## jcwc

ancipital said:


> Great, I hope it's working for you


 
   
Unfortunately, with KS I'm getting the occasional click/pop.

  
 I've now installed ASIO4ALL, which is working fine without the clicks/pops as long as I have sufficient buffer size.


----------



## Ancipital

jcwc said:


> Unfortunately, with KS I'm getting the occasional click/pop.
> 
> I've now installed ASIO4ALL, which is working fine without the clicks/pops as long as I have sufficient buffer size.


 
  
 Argh, such a hassle!


----------



## ColtMrFire

ancipital said:


> "Audiophiles buy this stuff, therefore it must be valid" is one of the least compelling arguments you could make.




My point was, many many people notice a difference between USB and SPDIF. And while audiophiles are susceptible to placebo and upgraditis, many of them are not. Mike Moffat himself does not care for USB for a bloody good reason. USB and SPDIF do the same thing but are different delivery systems, so there is a difference. Saying there is no difference between USB and SPDIF is like saying there's no difference between DACs because "they do the same thing".


----------



## Guidostrunk

One of the best posts I've read in a long time! 





koshnaranek said:


> That is true.
> 
> Lets not get to hot on this discussion people. Do some experiments. Form your own opinions. Share them if you desire, but remember that they are opinions and not religious convictions.


----------



## Letmebefrank

coltmrfire said:


> My point was, many many people notice a difference between USB and SPDIF. And while audiophiles are susceptible to placebo and upgraditis, many of them are not. Mike Moffat himself does not care for USB for a bloody good reason. USB and SPDIF do the same thing but are different delivery systems, so there is a difference. Saying there is no difference between USB and SPDIF is like saying there's no difference between DACs because "they do the same thing".




Compelling argument. Besides the clocks, which I believe the dac compensates for any issues there, and how much of a difference if any the clocks make is still up for debate, I believe the signal being sent is the same 0s and 1s before it goes into the filter. The only difference I can imagine between the three digital sources are; usb can control the dac directly and is susceptible to noise, coax does not control the DAC directly and is susceptible to noise, and optical does not control the dac and is not susceptible to noise. 

I have used both optical and usb for extended periods and have noticed no difference between the two. I have no coax output on my motherboard or sound card so I can't compare it directly.


----------



## droopy1592

coltmrfire said:


> Nope, no difference. That's why people keep buying usb decrapifyers and USB to SPDIF converters.
> 
> Because there's no difference.
> 
> Right.



People buy $46,000 dacs too. Does it mean it sounds better?

People buy a lot of things for psychological reasons. It's called the placebo effect.


----------



## madwolfa

droopy1592 said:


> People buy $46,000 dacs too. Does it mean it sounds better?
> 
> People buy a lot of things for psychological reasons. It's called the placebo effect.


 
  
 Speaking of alternative medicine....


----------



## Ancipital

coltmrfire said:


> My point was..


 
  
 Maybe it was, but you rather forgot to make it


----------



## landroni

droopy1592 said:


> People buy a lot of things for psychological reasons. It's called the placebo effect.


 

 The placebo effect is symmetrical:
 Just as you could expect (consciously or not) there to be a difference so you do hear a difference,
 so too you could expect (consciously or not) there _not_ to be a difference so you do _not_ hear a difference.
  
 Do you invoke the placebo effect every time you do not hear a difference as well?


----------



## ColtMrFire

landroni said:


> The placebo effect is symmetrical:
> Just as you could expect (consciously or not) there to be a difference so you do hear a difference,
> so too you could expect (consciously or not) there _not_ to be a difference so you do _not_ hear a difference.
> 
> Do you invoke the placebo effect every time you do not hear a difference as well?





Its also important to remember, more resolving gear is going to better detect differences.


----------



## oneway23

Respectfully, please save all this hot gah-bage for the sound sciences threads.  I'm interested in hearing about the experiences owners are having with their Modi Multi-bit...


----------



## Guidostrunk

oneway23 said:


> Respectfully, please save all this hot gah-bage for the sound sciences threads.  I'm interested in hearing about the experiences owners are having with their Modi Multi-bit...


----------



## Peti

Yeah, the thread has been going toward the objectivist vs. subjectivist direction


----------



## droopy1592

landroni said:


> The placebo effect is symmetrical:
> Just as you could expect (consciously or not) there to be a difference so you do hear a difference,
> so too you could expect (consciously or not) there _not_ to be a difference so you do _not_ hear a difference.
> 
> Do you invoke the placebo effect every time you do not hear a difference as well?


 
 Looked for one to improve my overall listening experience (listening to everyone here) and it didn't cost much to buy an extra cable, did blind a/b/x, found no difference. I'm not making statements based off of psychological reasons like many do on this forum and it's saddening. Think about how many peoples' money is wasted on placebo effect influenced conclusions.
  
 nothing to be found
  
 No story here. Don't make it more than it is. If you have clean USB then spdif is no better, and many have stated it as well.


----------



## NikonGuy

...


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> USB via MacBook (Audirvana) = Meeeh sound lacks dynamics and detail, was regretting selling my Mojo.
> Optical (Glass) via MacBook (Audirvana) = Here we go what a lovely dynamic smooth detailed open sound, glad I sold my now Mojo!


 
  
 I still have mine- it can now do what it was designed for- mobile/travel audio, to pimp my IEMs and my easier to drive open-backed cans 
  
 Glad your new unit works, btw. Enjoy. BTW, if you do find yourself having a ports embarrassment, needing to run the Modi over USB from your Macbook for some reason, try doing it with the Macbook on battery- you may be surprised.


----------



## mentt

letmebefrank said:


> Why would it sound better with a NAS than a local hdd?




It just does


----------



## NikonGuy

> .


----------



## ColtMrFire

nikonguy said:


> Missed your post but found the same thing, using a dedicated CD transport took the Modi Multibit to a new level.
> 
> Look out for a used Cyrus CD transport!




Glad to hear it!


----------



## ColtMrFire

nikonguy said:


> Received my replacement Modi Multibit and all seems to be working fine, some initial thoughts after 4 hours warm up:-
> 
> USB via MacBook (Audirvana) = Meeeh sound lacks dynamics and detail, was regretting selling my Mojo.
> 
> ...




The Mimby improved dramatically after being left on (with music playing) for 48 hours. Give it time. And Schiit's multibit DACs should be left on all the time anyway for best performance.


----------



## Currawong

*http://head-fi.org/a/posting-guidelines*


----------



## acguitar84

Back to topic, again, I'm really enjoying my Modi Multibit (mimby) especially with the Jotunheim! Over and Out I guess, lol


----------



## rmoody

acguitar84 said:


> Back to topic, again, I'm really enjoying my Modi Multibit (mimby) especially with the Jotunheim! Over and Out I guess, lol


 

 In the spirit of the previous discussion:
  
 It's just "Out". Not "Over and Out". "Out" implies "Over", therefore "Over" is not required. Over.
  
 Sorry, Army basic training. 
  
 I bet that pairing is fantastic. Did you have any amp previously to compare?
  
 I really want to hear the Modi Multibit. My wife currently has my Modi 2 Uber (you cannot fathom the joy when she one day stated how much her iPod sucked compared to the Modi/Magni stack). As my Gungnir is still a lowly Sigma Delta, until I upgrade, I don't think she will have any desire and if then, I have a Bifrost MultiBit she can use.
  
 I really do want her to switch, I've offered my Bifrost and Asgard 2 as they are gathering dust currently.
  
 Out.


----------



## Feynman

Long time no see, I browsed this forum a lot a couple of years ago, ended up with me buying a pair of HD800 and a Schiit Vali. Then I ran out of money.... Still using my old HRT musicstreamer 2 dac. Do you think it would be a significant update with the modi multibit? Seems like the best price/performance ratio dac out there. What do you think? 
 And really, what is this multi bit thingie, when I google it all I get is fairly advanced schematics comparing multibit dacs with sigma-delta dacs etc etc which frankly is way above my head. 
  
 Cheers!


----------



## ColtMrFire

You can't go wrong with Mimby. Best price/performance ratio in the hi-fi game. All you need to know is multibit makes everything sound more real. Just get it and be done with it.


----------



## Ancipital

feynman said:


> Long time no see, I browsed this forum a lot a couple of years ago, ended up with me buying a pair of HD800 and a Schiit Vali. Then I ran out of money.... Still using my old HRT musicstreamer 2 dac. Do you think it would be a significant update with the modi multibit? Seems like the best price/performance ratio dac out there. What do you think?
> And really, what is this multi bit thingie, when I google it all I get is fairly advanced schematics comparing multibit dacs with sigma-delta dacs etc etc which frankly is way above my head.
> 
> Cheers!


 
  
 They.. don't suck. You'd be hard pressed to find something nicer for the price. I know it can be a bit of an echo chamber around here, but I'd be amazed if you didn't agree that it was worth a listen, after you've heard one. Don't they have a 15 day return policy? I'd defy you to send it back after you've been listening for a fortnight- just you try 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 R2R DACs are.. more complex/expensive to build, but have some advantages (I dimly recall a lack of pre/post ringing?). Implemented well, they can sound fantastic. Hell, a decent Delta/Sigma can sound nice too, if well implemented, but they really run the gamut, as they tend to be cheaper devices. A lot seems to depend on the quality of the filtering used, too. However, it really seems like all things being equal, a lot of people stop looking when they get a decent R2R DAC.
  
 Fundamentally, the Modi Multibit is a really nice DAC, with really nice filters- and is better than you'd expect for the price. I suspect it's one of those "trickle down" things where the bulk of the R+D has already been paid for by more expensive products, and by designing a smaller, less expensive version with many of the advantages of their older flagship multibits, Schiit are making hay, and savvy buyers are getting a stonkingly good deal.
  
 If you want to be even more bewildered, here's a thread which shows the Mimby measuring very nicely indeed:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
  
 If I might be allowed to be a little hand-wavy and subjective for a moment, I'd like to say that mine sounds_ bloody lovely_; I had a little buyer's remorse initially, and then I did some serious listening... Depending on how good a critical listener you are, and how good your amp and headphones are, you might benefit even more from one of the pricier units- but the differences really will start to become slight between them as the amount of money that you hemorrhage increases. The Mimby is quite the price/performance sweet spot for many people. I'm fairly confident that it's a better DAC than your old HRT.
  
  
  
 There are a few good posts in this thread, if you're still curious about D/S vs RtoR:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/779572/r2r-multibit-vs-delta-sigma-is-there-a-measurable-scientific-difference-thats-audible


----------



## KoshNaranek

feynman said:


> Long time no see, I browsed this forum a lot a couple of years ago, ended up with me buying a pair of HD800 and a Schiit Vali. Then I ran out of money.... Still using my old HRT musicstreamer 2 dac. Do you think it would be a significant update with the modi multibit? Seems like the best price/performance ratio dac out there. What do you think?
> And really, what is this multi bit thingie, when I google it all I get is fairly advanced schematics comparing multibit dacs with sigma-delta dacs etc etc which frankly is way above my head.
> 
> Cheers!




My opinion is that the Modi multibit beats any non Schiit DAC for less than $1k unless you need XLR output. The Only delta sigma DACs left in my house are Squeezebox Transporters and the Gustard x12. The rest have been given away to relatives. My wife will not let me get rid of the Transporters. She likes the mellow British sound.


----------



## KoshNaranek

@Feynman, nice handle Richard


----------



## Keirapc

In my opinion, Mimby is a bang for the buck if u using a neutral/ detail or a little bit bright headphones. Such as HD800 or stax 407 507. The music is more realistic, and provide wonderful texture. 
But if u using a dark headphones. I think a delta sigma dac is a wiser option. Like hd650 or lcd2. The sound stage is so narrow. Some of my friends tell me that some 9018dac or ak4490 dac is better than the mimby. And their headphone have this same dark sound sign. Even me prefer an odac or an aune x1s to mimby when im plug in my dt880. Cuz its make sound stage seem too thin. Of course when compare to a HD800.


----------



## Ancipital

keirapc said:


> But if u using a dark headphones. I think a delta sigma dac is a wiser option. Like hd650 or lcd2. The sound stage is so narrow. Some of my friends tell me that some 9018dac or ak4490 dac is better than the mimby. And their headphone have this same dark sound sign. Even me prefer an odac or an aune x1


 
  
 Not sure I agree, I prefer the Mimby to D/S DACs on my HD650. Of course, newer revision adequately amped 650 are a lot less "dark" than many people remember. Heck, I find myself using the Mojo in the chain with the 650 a lot less now, too, even.


----------



## ColtMrFire

The amp is going to have alot more influence over "dark" headphones than a DAC. You want your DAC to be as realistic and neutral as possible. Mimby fits the bill in that regard.


----------



## yage

ancipital said:


> R2R DACs are.. more complex/expensive to build, but have some advantages (I dimly recall a lack of pre/post ringing?).


 
  
 Ringing has nothing to do with R-2R and everything to do with the digital filter. Schiit's filters are a linear phase design that exhibit both pre and post ringing. Whether that's audible is up for debate.


----------



## pctazhp

I feel so lonely. Will anyone ever buy a BiFrost MB ever again????


----------



## notfitforpublic

pctazhp said:


> I feel so lonely. Will anyone ever buy a BiFrost MB ever again????


 

 Indeed. Schiit's vendors in Canada seem to be ditching the Bifrosts for the MB Modi. So I can either send my 4490 Bifrost for an upgrade, losing it for weeks and paying around $450 CND, Buy a new Bifrost MB on sale for $650 CND getting warranty and USB (bought mine used) or just buy the MB Modi for the low price of around $350.... People seem to find very little, if any sonic difference between the MB Modi and the MB Bifrost, but stacking with Valhalla 2, better PS and being able to upgrade...
  
 Give the guys and gals at Schiit a ton of credit for doing what they do, but damn they've made it tough to make some choices. Certainly not complaining, but... damn


----------



## theveterans

pctazhp said:


> I feel so lonely. Will anyone ever buy a BiFrost MB ever again????  :eek:




Schiit better have a balanced design and keep everything the same for Bimby to be compelling at that price point.


----------



## Argo Duck

keirapc said:


> In my opinion, Mimby is a bang for the buck if u using a neutral/ detail or a little bit bright headphones. Such as HD800 or stax 407 507. The music is more realistic, and provide wonderful texture.
> *But if u using a dark headphones. I think a delta sigma dac is a wiser option. Like hd650 or lcd2. *The sound stage is so narrow. Some of my friends tell me that some 9018dac or ak4490 dac is better than the mimby. And their headphone have this same dark sound sign. Even me prefer an odac or an aune x1s to mimby when im plug in my dt880. Cuz its make sound stage seem too thin. Of course when compare to a HD800.




I agree with this, based on _one_ experience - my LCD2 rev 1. Hooked up to Yggy, it was disappointing compared to my other phones. Back into my office and D/S dac...lovely. Ironically, the dark LCD2r1 synergizes well with the sharpish treble edge from my PureDAC.

In another sense it's a pity, as indeed Schiit's multi-bit qualities of inner detail and texture, handling of transients, bass etc _eats_ all my other DACs with speakers and other phones which include LCD 3F, HD 800 and Beyerdynamic T1.


----------



## Ken57

How is the Yggy with the HE-560? Good match?


----------



## KLJTech

pctazhp said:


> I feel so lonely. Will anyone ever buy a BiFrost MB ever again????


 
  
 The Bifrost Multibit is upgradable, the Modi Multibit isn't, the Bifrost has the better/onboard power supply and if I'm not mistaken has a better analog section.
  
 Schiit Audio did an incredible job by bringing a true Multibit DAC to the masses at an unheard of price of $249 yet that doesn't diminish the overall sound quality and value of the Bifrost MB. If I owned a Bifrost Multibit I'd simply continue to enjoy my music and know that I can now recommend an even less expensive, great sounding DAC to my music-loving friends/family in the Modi MB.


----------



## Guidostrunk

I've been following this thread closely, waiting for someone to chime in that may have an old Theta that they were able to compare it too. I'm considering the mimby because of the form factor. The Theta is extremely big and takes up a lot of space.


----------



## KoshNaranek

guidostrunk said:


> I've been following this thread closely, waiting for someone to chime in that may have an old Theta that they were able to compare it too. I'm considering the mimby because of the form factor. The Theta is extremely big and takes up a lot of space.




I wish I had a Theta V! My search for one is what prompted me to buy an Yggdrasil as my FIRST Schiit purchase.


----------



## Keirapc

Anyone here left the dac on all the time? its so hot


----------



## beriguu

keirapc said:


> Anyone here left the dac on all the time? its so hot


 

 I have mine on all the time. It's warm to the touch. My Valhalla 2, on the other-hand, is hot to the point of painful when I accidentally touch it with my forearm reaching for Modi Multibit.


----------



## prosunza

Hi, I just received my first DAC from schiit . After It arrived I immediately plugged in to my PC with fresh windows 10 installed. Then I downloaded this driver "W10 Gen 2 Drivers for Modi 2, Modi 2 Uber, Bifrost, and Gungnir" . As usual I ran it as admin then click next . Unfortunately it appeared like this pic below. I tried different short length usb cable or even audioquest's usb cable , pc ,laptop with fresh windows 10 installed and tried to plug every single usb port. The problem still there. Please help !!! 

Ps. I tried to disable usb power saver and followed instructions on schiit's guide but it wont solve


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## vcmusik

prosunza said:


> Hi, I just received my first DAC from schiit . After It arrived I immediately plugged in to my PC with fresh windows 10 installed. Then I downloaded this driver "W10 Gen 2 Drivers for Modi 2, Modi 2 Uber, Bifrost, and Gungnir" . As usual I ran it as admin then click next . Unfortunately it appeared like this pic below. I tried different short length usb cable or even audioquest's usb cable , pc ,laptop with fresh windows 10 installed and tried to plug every single usb port. The problem still there. Please help !!!
> 
> Ps. I tried to disable usb power saver and followed instructions on schiit's guide but it wont solve
> 
> ...


 
 I don't see a photo...I think you forgot to attach. What happened to me when I switched out my Modi 2 Uber to Modi Multibit was, Windows defaulted my setup to use Realtek Digital Output as the default audio device, so naturally I wasn't getting any sound. I promptly switched it to "Speakers -Schiit USB Audio Gen" on the list and that did the trick. You can access the sound devices by right-clicking the volume icon on the Windows taskbar on the lower right corner, and select Playback Devices.


----------



## xuan87

Presently, I have the Mimby stacked on top of the Liquid Carbon (perfect fit dimension-wise) and both units got HOT to the point that I worry about shortened life span. I probably won't get burned by them (not as hot as tubes) but it will get uncomfortably hot after a few short seconds.
  
 So I bought a surprisingly power USB fan last night with the aim of improving airflow (see photo below) and presto! The Mimby quickly grew cool to the touch (same temp as if it was switched off) while the Liquid Carbon was only slightly warm.
  
 I think the reasons why my Mimby grew so hot were due to the LC heating it up from the bottom, the high ambient temperature of my room (28-30C), lack of air movement, and the natural heat output of the Mimby circuit.


----------



## earnmyturns

xuan87 said:


> Presently, I have the Mimby stacked on top of the Liquid Carbon (perfect fit dimension-wise) and both units got HOT to the point that I worry about shortened life span. I probably won't get burned by them (not as hot as tubes) but it will get uncomfortably hot after a few short seconds.


 
 Another possibility is to stack the LC on top of the Mimby, with separators and maybe an additional support for the LC (which I think is longer than the Mimby). Like this.


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## Keirapc

I think i should DIY some hole on the top to let the hot air out.
  
 What USB module using in Mimby? is it good? One of my friend selling his Gustard U10 transport for 70$. Should i buy it or stick with usb (I can afford a Wyrd)


----------



## xuan87

earnmyturns said:


> Another possibility is to stack the LC on top of the Mimby, with separators and maybe an additional support for the LC (which I think is longer than the Mimby). Like this.


 
  
 It looks weird to stack the LC on top of the Mimby as the former is alot longer than the latter, but it makes sense to expose the LC more since it's the warmer unit. 
  
 The separators are a great idea, but I'll likely be doing a complete reorganization of my desktop so I can fit in a Jodie, likely under one side of my speakers.


----------



## SAllison87

Hello Head Fi I read the boards often but am new to posting. I have both the Bifrost 4490 and Modi Multibit and would like to contribute my opinion on how they compare. I posted this in the 4490 Bifrost thread but feel it is appropriate here as well.
  
 I prefer the sound of the 4490 Bifrost. The Bifrost sounds cleaner, more expansive, wider, smoother. But even if the Modi Multibit is grainier and more closed in, it does best the Bifrost in one area: the bass feels growlier, the treble attacks harder, the sound has more "impact." But, the 4490 Bifrost is so smooth, so wide, so easy to listen to that even if the edges of the music can sound a touch glossed over when compared to the Modi Multibit, I would still consider it the better DAC.
  
 However, to the people reading this seeking guidance on which to buy, here is my advice to you: the Modi Multibit is a phenomenal DAC that will leave you wanting for nothing. I think, if your budget will not allow for a bifrost/asgard (or valhalla or lyr) combo, buy a Modi Multibit with a Magni or Vali and don't think twice.


----------



## prosunza

vcmusik said:


> I don't see a photo...I think you forgot to attach. What happened to me when I switched out my Modi 2 Uber to Modi Multibit was, Windows defaulted my setup to use Realtek Digital Output as the default audio device, so naturally I wasn't getting any sound. I promptly switched it to "Speakers -Schiit USB Audio Gen" on the list and that did the trick. You can access the sound devices by right-clicking the volume icon on the Windows taskbar on the lower right corner, and select Playback Devices.


 
 
 This is what it shown. It doesn't even on the playback devices list . Then I checked device manager, Schiit USB GEN2 still there with yellow caution sign.
  


xuan87 said:


> Presently, I have the Mimby stacked on top of the Liquid Carbon (perfect fit dimension-wise) and both units got HOT to the point that I worry about shortened life span. I probably won't get burned by them (not as hot as tubes) but it will get uncomfortably hot after a few short seconds.
> 
> So I bought a surprisingly power USB fan last night with the aim of improving airflow (see photo below) and presto! The Mimby quickly grew cool to the touch (same temp as if it was switched off) while the Liquid Carbon was only slightly warm.
> 
> I think the reasons why my Mimby grew so hot were due to the LC heating it up from the bottom, the high ambient temperature of my room (28-30C), lack of air movement, and the natural heat output of the Mimby circuit.


 
 my mimby also got HOT caz im living in high temperature ambient (32-35C) and i concern about long period usage too


----------



## xuan87

prosunza said:


> This is what it shown. It doesn't even on the playback devices list . Then I checked device manager, Schiit USB GEN2 still there with yellow caution sign.
> 
> my mimby also got HOT caz im living in high temperature ambient (32-35C) and i concern about long period usage too


 
  
 I think something as cheap as a computer case fan should be able to cool it down to a lukewarm temperature.


----------



## prosunza

Thanks for your advice , might need some cheap fan to cool it down  but recently windows just automatically update schiit mimby driver . not sure is this the correct version or not.


----------



## NikonGuy

.


----------



## Floss99

Probably a stretch, but has anyone had the chance to compare the mimby (or any other schiit multibit dacs) to the meier corda daccord?


----------



## ColtMrFire

sallison87 said:


> I prefer the sound of the 4490 Bifrost. The Bifrost sounds cleaner, more expansive, wider, smoother. But even if the Modi Multibit is grainier and more closed in




I'd describe the sound of the Mimby as anything BUT "grainy and closed in". It is nothing like you've described. I've had the Bifrost 4490 and the Mimby easily smokes it in just about every area except impact (the 4490 hits harder). It is clearer, smoother, less grainy and etched, more realistic and natural with better transients and a far more holographic, coherent soundstage. Instrument separation and layering are also better. Other people who've compared the two came to the same conclusions. The 4490 is an excellent delta sigma DAC but cannot compare to multibit Mimby for natural, life like sound reproduction.


----------



## Argo Duck

floss99 said:


> Probably a stretch, but has anyone had the chance to compare the mimby (or any other schiit multibit dacs) to the meier corda daccord?




I have Yggy and Meier's stagedac, the daccord predecessor. Haven't compared yet. What aspects do you want compared?


----------



## Floss99

argo duck said:


> I have Yggy and Meier's stagedac, the daccord predecessor. Haven't compared yet. What aspects do you want compared?


 
 Would love to hear how the soundstage/ imaging compares, as well as impact and general tonality of the two.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Argo Duck

floss99 said:


> Would love to hear how the soundstage/ imaging compares, as well as impact and general tonality of the two.
> 
> Thanks!




Will be a few days before I can set this up.

I strongly like the stagedac. It 'won' an intensive, 3-way comparison I did in 2011, level-matched. Qualities I appreciate are that it's neutral, uncolored and gets out of the way of the music. Fairly typical of well-implemented wolfson circuits it tracks subtle vocal dynamics very well.

However, given that Yggy is a completely different experience from any other dac I've heard, I suspect stagedac will be significantly outclassed on the aspects you mention. We shall see...


----------



## Keirapc

sallison87 said:


> Hello Head Fi I read the boards often but am new to posting. I have both the Bifrost 4490 and Modi Multibit and would like to contribute my opinion on how they compare. I posted this in the 4490 Bifrost thread but feel it is appropriate here as well.
> 
> I prefer the sound of the 4490 Bifrost. The Bifrost sounds cleaner, more expansive, wider, smoother. But even if the Modi Multibit is grainier and more closed in, it does best the Bifrost in one area: the bass feels growlier, the treble attacks harder, the sound has more "impact." But, the 4490 Bifrost is so smooth, so wide, so easy to listen to that even if the edges of the music can sound a touch glossed over when compared to the Modi Multibit, I would still consider it the better DAC.
> 
> However, to the people reading this seeking guidance on which to buy, here is my advice to you: the Modi Multibit is a phenomenal DAC that will leave you wanting for nothing. I think, if your budget will not allow for a bifrost/asgard (or valhalla or lyr) combo, buy a Modi Multibit with a Magni or Vali and don't think twice.




What amp and headphones u using. Its weird cuz ur impression seem reverse with many people here


----------



## jcwc

prosunza said:


> This is what it shown. It doesn't even on the playback devices list . Then I checked device manager, Schiit USB GEN2 still there with yellow caution sign.


 
  
 I, and a few other users, also faced this problem. Anyway, I managed to solve it - in the device manager, go and update the driver for it and then get Windows to search for the driver. In my case Windows found a driver and installed it.


----------



## jcwc

nikonguy said:


> My new unit is just warm to the touch, the faulty unit I had before was very hot...


 
  
 I used an IR thermometer to measure the top of my Mimby. It was 43C. Ambient temp is about 29C.


----------



## AviP

jcwc said:


> I used an IR thermometer to measure the top of my Mimby. It was 43C. Ambient temp is about 29C.


 
 I just measured mine too, room temp is 24.5C, the top on the Modi MB is 35.5C, that's a delta of 11C as opposed to your 14C, so it seems like that's a reasonable delta.
 Obviously the chips inside are much hotter...
 If anybody get's a smaller delta, I'd be curious to hear what they got.

 I used to leave my Modi MB on all the time until a couple weeks ago when I came in to work one morning as the office was just opening and it was very hot because the AC is off at night and the Modi was uncomfortably hot, so I started turning it off at night and "suffering" for the first hour or two until it warmed up, but today I brought a timer to work which will turn it on about 3 hours before I get in, so it'll be nice and warmed up once I get in to work.


----------



## EmiG310

sallison87 said:


> Hello Head Fi I read the boards often but am new to posting. I have both the Bifrost 4490 and Modi Multibit and would like to contribute my opinion on how they compare. I posted this in the 4490 Bifrost thread but feel it is appropriate here as well.
> 
> I prefer the sound of the 4490 Bifrost. The Bifrost sounds cleaner, more expansive, wider, smoother. But even if the Modi Multibit is grainier and more closed in, it does best the Bifrost in one area: the bass feels growlier, the treble attacks harder, the sound has more "impact." But, the 4490 Bifrost is so smooth, so wide, so easy to listen to that even if the edges of the music can sound a touch glossed over when compared to the Modi Multibit, I would still consider it the better DAC.
> 
> However, to the people reading this seeking guidance on which to buy, here is my advice to you: the Modi Multibit is a phenomenal DAC that will leave you wanting for nothing. I think, if your budget will not allow for a bifrost/asgard (or valhalla or lyr) combo, buy a Modi Multibit with a Magni or Vali and don't think twice.


 
  
 Interesting thoughts. I have both the 4490 and the Mimby and I listened to both on my near-field studio monitor speakers, going through just a passive volume control (JBL Nano Patch). I found that the sound stage has a big hole in the center with the 4490. It's a very 2 dimensional sound stage compared to the Mimby. The other thing I noticed is that instruments sound more whole and full, instead of lacking filling with the 4490. I've also found that the cymbals and brushes sound more grainy on the 4490 than the Mimby, and this could be because the 4490 has higher "resolution" of the audio, but to me the Mimby sounds way more realistic like I'm sitting across from real instruments not digital audio. That's the best way I can summarize it is that the multibit sounds more realistic. I don't know how much of this is due to the pure multibit because my hunch is that this has a lot to do with Schiit's advanced time-domain burrito filter. Either way, to me the Mimby was a clear winner and I ended up scheduling to upgrade my 4490 to multibit which I've already shipped in. Crazy Schiit! 
  
 Btw - for me the difference is much more perceivable on speakers than headphones.


----------



## EmiG310

keirapc said:


> Anyone here left the dac on all the time? its so hot


 
  
 I used to put my Mimby under a Vali 2 and it was getting very hot. I was also having audio issues with weird static and ringing noises periodically. I have since sold my Vali 2 and it no longer runs hot and also does not have any audio white-noise or ringing anymore. I would highly recommend that if your mimby is hot to the touch you relocate it. I don't think a fan is necessary but it seems to absorb any heat that is generated nearby, and this could be causing audio issues. I now leave the Mimby on 24/7 and it's barely warm to the touch.


----------



## shutterbox

emig310 said:


> I used to put my Mimby under a Vali 2 and it was getting very hot. I was also having audio issues with weird static and ringing noises periodically. I have since sold my Vali 2 and it no longer runs hot and also does not have any audio white-noise or ringing anymore. I would highly recommend that if your mimby is hot to the touch you relocate it. I don't think a fan is necessary but it seems to absorb any heat that is generated nearby, and this could be causing audio issues. I now leave the Mimby on 24/7 and it's barely warm to the touch.


 
  
 My Mimby runs really warm. 
 Hot, I'd say.
  
 feels like 45-50degC, in a room of ambient temp 30deg. I'm not sure if that's a safe operating range.


----------



## theveterans

Bimby doesn't even get above room temperature despite sharing the same DAC board as Mimby (not the transformers, USB module, etc of course). I guess the Bimby's heatsink is plenty enough to cool the DAC board inside whereas there's not enough surface area to cool Mimby to its "safe" operating temp. IMO, DAC shouldn't get close to very warm temperature since it'll wear out the components quicker due to hotter temps. Just look at the first gen Audioengine speakers where the amp just dies after a while due to excessive heat.


----------



## Tuneslover

emig310 said:


> I used to put my Mimby under a Vali 2 and it was getting very hot. I was also having audio issues with weird static and ringing noises periodically. I have since sold my Vali 2 and it no longer runs hot and also does not have any audio white-noise or ringing anymore. I would highly recommend that if your mimby is hot to the touch you relocate it. I don't think a fan is necessary but it seems to absorb any heat that is generated nearby, and this could be causing audio issues. I now leave the Mimby on 24/7 and it's barely warm to the touch.



My Mimby gets fairly warm under my V2 too. I just have them sitting beside each other and that seems to keep it much more reasonable in temperature but still mildly warm.


----------



## earnmyturns

tuneslover said:


> My Mimby gets fairly warm under my V2 too. I just have them sitting beside each other and that seems to keep it much more reasonable in temperature but still mildly warm.


 
 Separators are your friends. I use these, but you probably can use anything convenient you may have around. They are enough to keep my Bimby at barely above room temperature even though the super-hot Asgard 2 is stacked above it.


----------



## SAllison87

Hey guys! Wow I didn't think my opinion would be such heresy!  

I'm using an original Lyr with 6N1P tubes. Both DACs hooked up to a SYS. Listening with Senn HD650 and Hifiman HE400i.

I listened again and stick with what I said, except now I think I am warming up to the Modi's sound! The 4490 Bifrost sounds smoother and wider, while the Modi Multibit sounds more impactful with growlier bass, more shimmery tighter highs yet grainer vocals. If I were to make an analogy, the 4490 Bifrost sounds like a classic film with dynamic noise reduction applied. Like, everything looks cleaner and smoother, but the film looks a bit glossy while the Modi Multibit may look grainier but also more natural. I hope that makes sense! Both are fantastic DACs, and I am completely floored with how good the Modi Multibit is considering its price and size.

I think that the best thing to do if you're considering to buy one or the other, is to buy both and take advantage of Schiit's 15 day return policy. Spend a couple weeks with a DS and a R2R DAC and decide for yourself what suits you best. Both are great technologies with different sounds. Your "audio palate" is your own and you won't know what you like best until you hear for yourself.


----------



## ColtMrFire

sallison87 said:


> Hey guys! Wow I didn't think my opinion would be such heresy!
> 
> I'm using an original Lyr with 6N1P tubes. Both DACs hooked up to a SYS. Listening with Senn HD650 and Hifiman HE400i.
> 
> ...




How long have you been playing music through the Modi multibit?


----------



## Psalmanazar

emig310 said:


> Interesting thoughts. I have both the 4490 and the Mimby and I listened to both on my near-field studio monitor speakers, going through just a passive volume control (JBL Nano Patch). I found that the sound stage has a big hole in the center with the 4490. It's a very 2 dimensional sound stage compared to the Mimby. The other thing I noticed is that instruments sound more whole and full, instead of lacking filling with the 4490. I've also found that the cymbals and brushes sound more grainy on the 4490 than the Mimby, and this could be because the 4490 has higher "resolution" of the audio, but to me the Mimby sounds way more realistic like I'm sitting across from real instruments not digital audio. That's the best way I can summarize it is that the multibit sounds more realistic. I don't know how much of this is due to the pure multibit because my hunch is that this has a lot to do with Schiit's advanced time-domain burrito filter. Either way, to me the Mimby was a clear winner and I ended up scheduling to upgrade my 4490 to multibit which I've already shipped in. Crazy Schiit!
> 
> Btw - for me the difference is much more perceivable on speakers than headphones.


 
 Yep Bifrost 4490 is artificially wide with lots of bloom and weird treble. Japanese treble meets Chinese bass on the colored AK4490 chip. It's the AKG K712/K7XX of DACs

 Yeah speakers (even cheap powered near fields as long as their internal amps aren't hyper-compressed) pick out DAC flaws much more easily. If you use some planar or electrostat headphone that always sounds compressed, then DACs do not really matter nearly as much as on good dynamic headphones or speakers.


----------



## Tuneslover

earnmyturns said:


> Separators are your friends. I use these, but you probably can use anything convenient you may have around. They are enough to keep my Bimby at barely above room temperature even though the super-hot Asgard 2 is stacked above it.




 I tried a couple of wooden strips between the Modi MB and my V2 but due to the light weight of the Vali2 and all of the cabling going into and out of it makes it kind of unstable on top of the Modi. I'm okay with the more secure side by side setup. I do appreciate your input though, thanks.


----------



## yage

sallison87 said:


> ... the Modi Multibit sounds more impactful with growlier bass, more shimmery tighter highs yet grainer vocals...


 
  
 I don't own the Bifrost 4490, but I do generally agree with what you're hearing from the Mimby. Bass is indeed tight, though I find it to be lacking a little body compared to some of the other sources I have on hand. I also feel there's a slight push to the upper midrange / treble that makes the tonal balance a bit more forward - as if someone nudged a 'vibrancy' control up a bit. It's not quite gelling with me on music, but it seems to work well with movies on my speaker setup, so that's where I've had it for the past couple of days.


----------



## SAllison87

Yage, funny you say that because the Mimby is currently in my living room home theater system and the 4490 Bifrost is in my bedroom system


----------



## SAllison87

Ok guys, I tried another experiment tonight that I think you will all find fascinating. My conclusion of this experiment will go against the grain here, but all I can say is, this is what I did and what I heard. First a little about myself and why I bought these DACs in the first place.
  
 I am a vinyl collector. I do most of my listening on turntables, and my hunt for a DAC stems from a desire to get my digital set up to sound as good as my vinyl. Due to the crappy way digital music is mastered these days I believe that if you really want the best sound you have to forget all this DAC stuff and get yourself a turntable; the best mastering jobs are found on vinyl. However, there are some great sounding CDs out there, mostly from the early days of CDs and from audiophile mastering companies like Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. Plus all of the _wonderful_ sounding vinyl rips that can be found on the net. I want these files on my computer to sound as enthralling as listening to a record and when I bought my Bifrost 4490 I felt like I had achieved that. But I also read about Schiit's R2R tech and was really curious about it, so I bought the Modi Multibit to see how it compares.
  
 Since my goal here is to reproduce my well-mastered digital files in the same quality as my turntable, I tried something: I hooked my computer up to my turntable and ripped one of my records. Then I put the needle back to the start of the record, hooked up the turntable and 4490 Bifrost to my SYS and synched my vinyl rip with the actual record. What I heard was what sounded to me like the same thing. The 4490 Bifrost reproduces what was playing on my turntable accurately.
  
 Then I removed the 4490 bifrost from the SYS and plugged the Mimby in. Again, synched the vinyl rip with the turntable. What I heard was not the same. Compared to the vinyl spinning on the turntable, the Mimby sounded sharper, more impactful, basically what I described before.
  
 So, my conclusion is that the 4490 Bifrost is providing me an accurate representation of the recording, while the Mimby is coloring the sound, albeit in an exciting way. I think both of these DACs sound incredible and am happy to own them both!


----------



## Floss99

argo duck said:


> Will be a few days before I can set this up.
> 
> I strongly like the stagedac. It 'won' an intensive, 3-way comparison I did in 2011, level-matched. Qualities I appreciate are that it's neutral, uncolored and gets out of the way of the music. Fairly typical of well-implemented wolfson circuits it tracks subtle vocal dynamics very well.
> 
> However, given that Yggy is a completely different experience from any other dac I've heard, I suspect stagedac will be significantly outclassed on the aspects you mention. We shall see...


 
 Thats intersting, look forward to hearing your impressions!


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## Keirapc

sallison87 said:


> Hey guys! Wow I didn't think my opinion would be such heresy!
> 
> I'm using an original Lyr with 6N1P tubes. Both DACs hooked up to a SYS. Listening with Senn HD650 and Hifiman HE400i.
> 
> ...




I think the hd650 explained many things. U cant know how Delta Sigma perform grainy and digital glare on a HD650. Of course Bifrost is smooth when using with hd650. By the way turn table is not a reliable source, unless it worth at least 10k$


----------



## Tuneslover

sallison87 said:


> Ok guys, I tried another experiment tonight that I think you will all find fascinating. My conclusion of this experiment will go against the grain here, but all I can say is, this is what I did and what I heard. First a little about myself and why I bought these DACs in the first place.
> 
> I am a vinyl collector. I do most of my listening on turntables, and my hunt for a DAC stems from a desire to get my digital set up to sound as good as my vinyl. Due to the crappy way digital music is mastered these days I believe that if you really want the best sound you have to forget all this DAC stuff and get yourself a turntable; the best mastering jobs are found on vinyl. However, there are some great sounding CDs out there, mostly from the early days of CDs and from audiophile mastering companies like Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. Plus all of the _wonderful_ sounding vinyl rips that can be found on the net. I want these files on my computer to sound as enthralling as listening to a record and when I bought my Bifrost 4490 I felt like I had achieved that. But I also read about Schiit's R2R tech and was really curious about it, so I bought the Modi Multibit to see how it compares.
> 
> ...




Very interesting experiment and findings. I too am a vinyl enthusiast and I couldn't agree more that the 4490 has that more analog sound.


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## svetlyo

prosunza said:


> Thanks for your advice , might need some cheap fan to cool it down  but recently windows just automatically update schiit mimby driver . not sure is this the correct version or not.


 
 Don't do that - to sounds best Mimby need temperature stability - not that it needs to be hot, its temperature should not fluctuate. If you put a fan you'll have it at permanent unstable state - the working electronics will heat it up, the fan will try to cool it down, the temperature constantly changing - the worst possible mode for its R-2R DAC chips to operate.


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## yage

sallison87 said:


> So, my conclusion is that the 4490 Bifrost is providing me an accurate representation of the recording, while the Mimby is coloring the sound, albeit in an exciting way.


 
  
 Interesting results. One word of caution - the output level of my Mimby is a little hot - about 1.5 dB higher than spec'd. I'm not sure if this goes for all Mimby's. You might have to adjust the volume in order to make a comparison against your Bifrost more fair. In my case, it didn't change any of my conclusions, but YMMV, etc.
   
The Mimby is a good DAC for the money, but I can definitely see how it can be bested - even by something based off of a sigma-delta converter.


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## prosunza

Oh thanks for information , btw in the middle of the day mimby run real hot i mean seriously hot I barely touch it . Ambient around34-36 C. im a bit worry about durability when i use for long time. Will it degrade performance if i continue using under uncomfortable temperature ?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ColtMrFire

sallison87 said:


> Ok guys, I tried another experiment tonight that I think you will all find fascinating. My conclusion of this experiment will go against the grain here, but all I can say is, this is what I did and what I heard. First a little about myself and why I bought these DACs in the first place.
> 
> I am a vinyl collector. I do most of my listening on turntables, and my hunt for a DAC stems from a desire to get my digital set up to sound as good as my vinyl. Due to the crappy way digital music is mastered these days I believe that if you really want the best sound you have to forget all this DAC stuff and get yourself a turntable; the best mastering jobs are found on vinyl. However, there are some great sounding CDs out there, mostly from the early days of CDs and from audiophile mastering companies like Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. Plus all of the _wonderful_ sounding vinyl rips that can be found on the net. I want these files on my computer to sound as enthralling as listening to a record and when I bought my Bifrost 4490 I felt like I had achieved that. But I also read about Schiit's R2R tech and was really curious about it, so I bought the Modi Multibit to see how it compares.
> 
> ...




Multibit R2R DACs reproduce music more accurately than delta sigma DACs. It's why they're more expensive and delta sigma is cheaper. It is easier and cheaper to mass produce delta sigma DACs, and hence make more money.

Most people are used to the colorization of delta sigma DACs, and most people are not used to hearing multibit R2R DACs, which in my experience sound fat closer to how real instruments and voices sound. I've owned the Bifrost 4490. It sounds bloomy and colored compared to the Mimby, which sounds far more natural and accurate to how music actually sounds in real life. I have never had more realistic sounding music than after I got the Mimby.

Delta sigma DACs reinterpret the bits coming from the digital signal, so you are not actually hearing 100% of what is on the recording, you're hearing an approximation. Schiit multibit R2R DACs keep all the original samples, so you are hearing exactly what is on the recording. The basic math cannot be disputed. It is why serious audiophiles tend to seek out R2R DACs over delta sigma DACs.

That said, your findings are interesting. But I feel like they are inconclusive. What turntable did you use? What record? What source were you using for the DACs, were they the same? Did you blind A/B test (extremely important to counteract any bias toward one DAC, because placebo and confirmation bias is going to be a factor, especially since you are already a fan of 4490 and very used to its sound signature and are not used to Schiit R2R). And I wonder if both DACs have the same output specifications...the Mimby does not sound "colored" to me at all, in fact it sounds almost completely transparent. The 4490frost sounded bloomy, velvety, and very colored compared to Mimby (which has a smoothness and naturalness the 4490frost lacks), and I've seen many similar findings from other people who have done comparisons.


----------



## SAllison87

I admit I hate arguing on the internet because the one thing I am sure of, is that we are not going to convince each other of our opinions. But ColtMrFire, I'm going to have to disagree with you. R2R is not perfect technology and has problems that DS solved, such as linearity of the resistors. But DS introduces its own set of problems. So neither one is strictly better than the other, they have their own strengths and weaknesses. And I don't believe that R2R is more expensive because it is better. An R2R DAC is more expensive because the technology is more expensive to properly implement.

All else I can say is, I did my experiment and believe what I heard. It certainly wasn't a scientific approach (heck I did in in my bedroom in a bathrobe, not in a labcoat  ) so if this invalidates my finding to you then I understand. Personally, I believe the 4490 Bifrost is giving me a more accurate reproduction of the signal when compared to the Mimby, however I do find the sound of the Mimby very pleasing and love both DACs to pieces. They each play a role in my home and I feel privileged to own great examples of both decoding technologies.


----------



## yage

coltmrfire said:


> Most people are used to the colorization of delta sigma DACs...


 
  
 I think it's a little unfair to lump all sigma-delta DACs under one banner. I wouldn't say, "Well, it's a dynamic driver headphone so it should sound this way..." Let's also think about this for a second. Virtually all music recorded, engineered, and mastered in the digital domain utilizes multiple sigma-delta ADCs during the process. So if the recording professional is mixing and mastering under a supposed 'sigma-delta' coloration, then wouldn't it make sense that to get closest to what the artist intended, you should use a sigma-delta DAC?
  


coltmrfire said:


> Delta sigma DACs reinterpret the bits coming from the digital signal, so you are not actually hearing 100% of what is on the recording, you're hearing an approximation. Schiit multibit R2R DACs keep all the original samples, so you are hearing exactly what is on the recording. The basic math cannot be disputed. It is why serious audiophiles tend to seek out R2R DACs over delta sigma DACs.


 
  
 I hope you understand that 'preserving' the original samples is an illusion. In practical terms, if you downloaded a high-res 192 kHz / 24 bit file from HDTracks or passed along the full-res de-embedded audio track from a Blu-ray movie, the Mimby and Bimby are 'throwing away' eight bits out of every sample you paid for. For the Gumby it's six, and the Yggy it's four. That's the basic math based on the DAC chips that are being used. But what about the digital filter? All digital filters are approximations of an ideal - the sinc function. Why? Because the sinc extends out to infinity and computers tend to run out of memory when that happens. Also, computers represent floating point numbers (used in the calculations when applying the coefficients of said filter) inexactly, as opposed to integers. So please, 'original samples'? C'mon now.
  
 In my view, dividing DACs along R-2R / sigma-delta lines is not only counterproductive, but also tends to minimize the contribution of the people who designed the circuitry surrounding the DAC chip.
  


sallison87 said:


> R2R is not perfect technology and has problems that DS solved, such as linearity of the resistors. But DS introduces its own set of problems. So neither one is strictly better than the other, they have their own strengths and weaknesses. And R2R is certainly not more expensive because it is better. An R2R DAC is more expensive because the technology is more complicated and expensive to properly implement.


 
  
 Well said.


----------



## ColtMrFire

No one said R2R was perfect, but there are clear advantages of the R2R technology over D/S.  There's a reason many serious audiophiles don't go back to D/S after hearing R2R.
  
 As far as modern mastering, those kinds of albums are going to be mixed electronically anyway with lots of filters, etc, and hence already contain a kind of artificiality that D/S _may_ be better for.  
  
 R2R seems very well suited for live instrumentation recordings and vocals...anything that necessitates the playback of real instruments and voices.  But I find it works just as well for modern mastered recordings, a more pleasing, smoother sound, with way less harshness and sibilance.  Also, just because modern mixing technicians mix with D/S tech, does not mean D/S is best for that kind of playback... they also brickwall the vast majority of recordings with ridiculous dynamic range compression and sibilance galore because they are targeting the mass public with inferior playback equipment, it is the very reason to use D/S in the first place, R2R tech would be wasted on your average fan of Beats headphones and mp3/iPods... I find that R2R goes a long way toward remedying those brickwalled recordings, for my ears at least.
  
 I was never suggesting anyone should change what sounds best to their ears.  If D/S sounds better to you, then by all means, go for it.


----------



## SAllison87

Hey yage, that's good to know about the Mimby's output. To me, they sounded the same and it's another one of the reasons I bought the Mimby over the Modi2Uber (2.0 v rms output same as bifrost vs 1.5 of M2U)


----------



## madwolfa

yage said:


> I hope you understand that 'preserving' the original samples is an illusion. In practical terms, if you downloaded a high-res 192 kHz / 24 bit file from HDTracks or passed along the full-res de-embedded audio track from a Blu-ray movie, the Mimby and Bimby are 'throwing away' eight bits out of every sample you paid for. For the Gumby it's six, and the Yggy it's four.


 
  
 In practical terms, I couldn't care less about all the high-res music out there. Redbook 44/16 is more than enough (for me). Having said that, throwing away something that lies deep beneath the noise floor is not much of a problem either.


----------



## yage

coltmrfire said:


> As far as modern mastering, those kinds of albums are going to be mixed electronically anyway with lots of filters, etc, and hence already contain a kind of artificiality that D/S _may_ be better for.


 
  
 I think the recording engineers at the (defunct) classical / jazz label Telarc (one of the first if not _the first_ to use an all digital recording / mastering chain) would take umbrage at that statement. Not to mention some prominent audiophile labels (Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs GAIN 2 - yep, DSD-based).
  
 Honestly, the more you read about DSP and digital conversion, the more you realize that these kinds of 'debates' ring hollow. As you say, whatever sounds best to your ears.
  
 Quote:


madwolfa said:


> In practical terms, I couldn't care less about all the high-res music out there... Having said that, throwing away something that lies deep beneath the noise floor is not much of a problem either.


 
  
 Yeah, I couldn't either. But all this talk about 'preserving original samples' is also pretty silly.


----------



## madwolfa

yage said:


> Yeah, I couldn't either. But all this talk about 'preserving original samples' is also pretty silly.


 
  
 It's been always said in a context of traditional Redbook 44/16 audio where it still applies.


----------



## ColtMrFire

yage said:


> I think the recording engineers at the (defunct) classical / jazz label Telarc (one of the first if not _the first_ to use an all digital recording / mastering chain) would take umbrage at that statement. Not to mention some prominent audiophile labels (Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs GAIN 2 - yep, DSD-based).
> 
> Honestly, the more you read about DSP and digital conversion, the more you realize that these kinds of 'debates' ring hollow. As you say, whatever sounds best to your ears.


 
  
 I was talking about mostly modern pop music.


----------



## Ancipital

sallison87 said:


> All else I can say is, I did my experiment and believe what I heard. It certainly wasn't a scientific approach


 
  
 No, a sighted test with vinyl as a "reference" of authenticity doesn't seem terribly.. pragmatic, or useful; I'll give you that.


----------



## StudentofLife

Hi all,
  
 New to head-fi but I've been lurking on this thread for a while. 
  
 I received my modi multi and I thought I could add some impressions for any potential buyers out.
  
 Coming from the DS DACs I've recently used (Audiophile 2496 - acceptably flat but congested/Audioengine D1 - harsh highs/Micca Origen+ - too warm)  this R2R dac is great.
  
 Really this thing is what I've been looking for.  First off response is flat not shrill as I've seen other reviewers claim.  I actually believe the R2R has some extended effects on the perceived evenness of the signal.  A few things I've noticed - instruments are very stable positionally speaking.  They really seem nailed in place, in a good way.  By comparison the DS DACs sound a bit floaty and unreal.  Whereas with the DS DACs I would think my speakers are playing the recorded sound of a guitar, with the Mimby my speaker is now a guitar.  It is now a drum.  It is now a violin etc.
  
 Whereas DS DAC starts from a place of noise and then meddles with it to produce acceptable sound this R2R start from a place of accuracy and precision and I believe that is the right way around.
  
 Curious to read more opinions from all of you.  Cheers.


----------



## acguitar84

studentoflife said:


> Audiophile 2496 - acceptably flat but congested


 
 M audiophile 2496 soundcard? I agree completely, the Mimby is a few or more stairs up looking back down at the 2496 that's for sure. Gosh, I remember when I considered (the 2496) it to be an "endgame" solution. Enjoy your Mimby!


----------



## pkcpga

coltmrfire said:


> No one said R2R was perfect, but there are clear advantages of the R2R technology over D/S.  There's a reason many serious audiophiles don't go back to D/S after hearing R2R.
> 
> As far as modern mastering, those kinds of albums are going to be mixed electronically anyway with lots of filters, etc, and hence already contain a kind of artificiality that D/S _may_ be better for.
> 
> ...




Definitely agree everyone has a sound quality they mesh with better, I wondering if something like the Yggdrasil sounds smoother because it has only about 18,000 taps verse even a less expensive chord mojo have 26,000 taps. I wonder if the extra info is over analyzing for some people's ears or if the extra taps require higher res music to sound transparent. I'm hoping to give a Yggdrasil or multi bit another listen soon but leaving it running for a half day first.


----------



## madwolfa

acguitar84 said:


> M audiophile 2496 soundcard? I agree completely, the Mimby is a few or more stairs up looking back down at the 2496 that's for sure. Gosh, I remember when I considered (the 2496) it to be an "endgame" solution. Enjoy your Mimby!


 
  
 2496 has a great coaxial digital output, though. I had this card years ago and loved it.


----------



## Defiant00

pkcpga said:


> Definitely agree everyone has a sound quality they mesh with better, I wondering if something like the Yggdrasil sounds smoother because it has only about 18,000 taps verse even a less expensive chord mojo have 26,000 taps. I wonder if the extra info is over analyzing for some people's ears or if the extra taps require higher res music to sound transparent. I'm hoping to give a Yggdrasil or multi bit another listen soon but leaving it running for a half day first.


 
  
 From my understanding taps is like lines of code in a traditional program; number of taps basically means nothing, except in the express instance where the designer has indicated that a larger number allows greater accuracy (eg, Chord).
  
 So, unless Yggdrasil and Chord were running the exact same algorithm (obviously not the case), the number of taps is a meaningless comparison.


----------



## Vigrith

studentoflife said:


> Hi all,
> 
> New to head-fi but I've been lurking on this thread for a while.


 
  
 Hi, I hope you have a good time here! Thank you for your impressions, I'm really fond of the way you described the sound per your speaker turning into a guitar/drum, that's an excellent way to put it in my opinion and having only spent a little bit of time with the Mimby so far, I definitely agree.


----------



## theveterans

> I admit I hate arguing on the internet because the one thing I am sure of, is that we are not going to convince each other of our opinions. But ColtMrFire, I'm going to have to disagree with you. R2R is not perfect technology and has problems that DS solved, such as linearity of the resistors. But DS introduces its own set of problems. So neither one is strictly better than the other, they have their own strengths and weaknesses. And I don't believe that R2R is more expensive because it is better. An R2R DAC is more expensive because the technology is more expensive to properly implement.
> 
> All else I can say is, I did my experiment and believe what I heard. It certainly wasn't a scientific approach (heck I did in in my bedroom in a bathrobe, not in a labcoat
> 
> ...


 
  
 Agree. All Schiit multibit DACs require oversampling digital filtering, hence the comburrito filter, for them to sound euphonic (whether that's more accurate is a subjective matter). If you need to know how ladder DAC inside Schiit sounds without the magic burrito filter, just bypass Schiit's filter using HQ Player or equivalent so that you're using NOS mode.
  
 IMO, the most expensive form of the R2R DAC technology is a NOS DAC. You need ultra precise resistors and components in order to "accurately" convert the signals to analog. Obviously, the higher the bits, the less precise you get, but less bits means you don't get the full information in the digital signals hence less accurate sound.


----------



## rmoody

pkcpga said:


> Definitely agree everyone has a sound quality they mesh with better, I wondering if something like the Yggdrasil sounds smoother because it has only about 18,000 taps verse even a less expensive chord mojo have 26,000 taps. I wonder if the extra info is over analyzing for some people's ears or if the extra taps require higher res music to sound transparent. I'm hoping to give a Yggdrasil or multi bit another listen soon but leaving it running for a half day first.


 

 The Mojo uses a FPGA, not a DAC chip. Much different topology.


----------



## theveterans

> The Mojo uses a FPGA, not a DAC chip. Much different topology.


 
  
 It uses a custom Pulse Array DAC chip that is field programmable. You still need a chip to convert digital to analog, but the implementation is different


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Regarding the comparison between a self-ripped vinyl recording vs. actual analog vinyl posted a couple pages back:
  
 This may seem standardized but it's important to note that analog -> digital (ADC) is at least as hard to do well as digital -> analog (DAC). It wasn't stated exactly how the ADC was done, but the ADC could easily account for the actual discrepancies noted.


----------



## SAllison87

I hooked up the turntable system to my laptop's on board sound card and did the recording with Audacity using WASAPI drivers in 16/44 resolution. That's true that ADC conversion could cause a degredation in sound silver trumpet, but it was the same file that played back through both the Bifrost and Mimby. So if something was lost in the conversion, that degredation was reproduced by both DACs.


----------



## Baldr

theveterans said:


> Agree. All Schiit multibit DACs require oversampling digital filtering, hence the comburrito filter, for them to sound euphonic (whether that's more accurate is a subjective matter). If you need to know how ladder DAC inside Schiit sounds without the magic burrito filter, just bypass Schiit's filter using HQ Player or equivalent so that you're using NOS mode.
> 
> IMO, the most expensive form of the R2R DAC technology is a NOS DAC. You need ultra precise resistors and components in order to "accurately" convert the signals to analog. Obviously, the higher the bits, the less precise you get, but less bits means you don't get the full information in the digital signals hence less accurate sound.


 

 Euphonic?  I never thought I was producing euphonies.  As I have written in my own thread, a true audio pioneer, Mr Peter Walker told me 40 some years ago at the beginning of this road for me that it was my duty to reproduce music, not to alter it.  I still have a set of his original Quad Loudspeakers today.  Your statement about bypassing the filter puzzles me - if you have a mb Schiit DAC, the filter is always there, yup, no way to get rid of it.  
  
 I am also puzzled by your NOS DAC statement.  "New-old-stock"?  "Non-oversampling"?  Precise resistors?  Like the automobile priced DACs who construct their own DAC chip equivalents whose fragile linearity varies with farts in the room?
  


yage said:


> Yeah, I couldn't either. But all this talk about 'preserving original samples' is also pretty silly.


 
  
 Now I take great umbrage at this statement.  It is very easy to set up a test station to clearly demonstrate that Bimby - Mimby will output all original samples unchanged up to 192KHz sr, and Gumby-Yggy will do the same up to 396KHz sr.  You may dispute the sonic value of that capability, but the fact remains that the original samples *are* preserved.  The only family of DACs which also are guaranteed to output the original samples are non-oversampling DACs.  The problem with those is they raise real problems when playing back 44.1 or 48KHz sr material.  They require an analog reconstruction which is guaranteed to ring like a doorbell.  The less than prudent sometimes remove them which can have real explosive consequences with some amps.  Kinda like having a pet badger or cobra.  Maybe OK much of the time, but when it blows, it blows.
  
 Now I personally believe in the value of preserved samples as being best by far for performance.   They are the only DACs that really scratch my itch.  This works for me - you may disagree.   Thirty years ago, the only DACs available were mb.  Then ds DACs were foisted upon us, and they sounded so much like ass, I made home theater decoders for a while (they got better, but still don't get it over the top for me).  Now all of these years later, I am doing my best to make available mb DACs to almost anyone.
  
 Everybody has a right to what they like, and everyone's preference will not line up with mine.  The fact remains that all who buy any products, mine or someone else's, used or new, keeps this hobby going.  It is waaaaaaaay too much fun to let go.
  
 Abbreviation glossary
 mb - multibit
 ds - delta-sigma
 sr - sample rate


----------



## SAllison87

So had my girlfriend over tonight & we listened to the two DACs blind. My GF listened to three songs, and preferred the 4490 bifrost two out of the three. We then switched and I preferred the bifrost all three times.
  
*Edit:* Interestingly, the first song I played for my GF had vocals, and she prefered the 4490 Bifrost because she said the vocals sounded fuller. So the next song I played was an instrumental jazz track, and this time she preferred the Mimby. Next I played a vocal reggae track and her preference went back to the 4490 Bifrost.
  
 For myself, two of the tracks my reaction was like "oh yeah this is _easy _I clearly like this one over that one" with 'this one' revealed as the 4490 bifrost. Those two songs were vinyl rips with big dynamic range, no brickwalled mastering. One track I was like "Hmm, switch back? Ok now switch back again? Uhhh, its really really close but I think I like this one over that one just a touch. But really they're kinda the same." That time the recording was a pretty hotly mastered Dubstep track sourced from a CD (Aeriel by 2562, some damn fine dubstep 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Argo Duck

^ levels were matched?


----------



## SAllison87

Not 100% sure since I don't have an SPL meter, but schiit specs the output of both models as the same.


----------



## Stormfriend

baldr said:


> The fact remains that all who buy any products, mine or someone else's, used or new, keeps this hobby going.  It is waaaaaaaay too much fun to let go.


 
  
 I've been buying a lot of vintage kit recently, mostly gear I couldn't afford when it came out 20+ years ago but is now someone's hand-me-down. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  I've therefore ended up with a Theta DS Pro Progeny and a Chroma 396 (non-HDCD), amongst others.  Apart from age and the output level on the Progeny, what differences could I expect between those and the Mimby?


----------



## ColtMrFire

sallison87 said:


> So had my girlfriend over tonight & we listened to the two DACs blind. My GF listened to three songs, and preferred the 4490 bifrost two out of the three. We then switched and I preferred the bifrost all three times.


 
  
 Some people prefer "velvety" sound.  Nothing wrong with that.


----------



## madwolfa

baldr said:


> Now I take great umbrage at this statement.  It is very easy to set up a test station to clearly demonstrate that Bimby - Mimby will output all original samples unchanged up to 192KHz sr, and Gumby-Yggy will do the same up to 396KHz sr.  You may dispute the sonic value of that capability, but the fact remains that the original samples *are* preserved.


 
  
 Sample rate is non-issue. I think what he meant is playing back the files with higher than DAC's native bit-depth resolution. What happens internally with 24 bit files?


----------



## Peti

sallison87 said:


> So had my girlfriend over tonight & we listened to the two DACs blind. My GF listened to three songs, and preferred the 4490 bifrost two out of the three. We then switched and I preferred the bifrost all three times.


 

 I wish I could do that with my girlfriend!


----------



## pkcpga

madwolfa said:


> Sample rate is non-issue. I think what he meant is playing back the files with higher than DAC's native bit-depth resolution. What happens internally with 24 bit files?



Only true 24 bit files I know are DSD and no schiit product plays DSD or higher than 20 bit, so the DAC does not play or recognize the song.


----------



## rmoody

pkcpga said:


> Only true 24 bit files I know are DSD and no schiit product plays DSD or higher than 20 bit, so the DAC does not play or recognize the song.


 

 DSD is 1 bit, the interwebz says so: The signal is stored as delta-sigma modulated digital audio; a sequence of single-bit values at a sampling rate of 2.8224 MHz.
  
 Somewhere Mike/Jason commented on what happens if (and that's a big if) a 24 bit signal is sent, something about it doesn't process those bits. They also stated that it's highly unlikely that any audio you find will actually use all 24 bits.


----------



## madwolfa

rmoody said:


> Somewhere Mike/Jason commented on what happens if (and that's a big if) a 24 bit signal is sent, something about it doesn't process those bits. They also stated that it's highly unlikely that any audio you find will actually use all 24 bits.


 
  
 That's true, but some math is still involved to truncate those extra bits down to 16 and maybe some form of dithering is required to deal with quantization errors... So in this case the original samples are probably not there anymore?


----------



## ColtMrFire

So let me get this straight.  The guy who developed, designed and built the DACs in question says the original samples are preserved, and yet random nobodies on this forum (who've probably never built a circuit board let alone a DAC) keep insisting he's full of schiit and doesn't know what he's talking about, regarding his own invention.
  
 This place never ceases to amaze me.
  
 Keep fighting the good fight @Baldr


----------



## madwolfa

In my case I'm just genuinely curious. As I said earlier, I couldn't care less about the high-res formats. Redbook 44/16 audio plus Schiit's Multibit technology is all I'd ever need for my listening.


----------



## yage

coltmrfire said:


> So let me get this straight.  The guy who developed, designed and built the DACs in question says the original samples are preserved, and yet random nobodies on this forum (who've probably never built a circuit board let alone a DAC) keep insisting he's full of schiit and doesn't know what he's talking about, regarding his own invention.
> 
> This place never ceases to amaze me.
> 
> Keep fighting the good fight @Baldr


 
  
 Hey at least this random nobody is trying to understand the theory and concepts behind the marketing instead of using ad copy to try to shout down another poster's valid experiences.


----------



## Defiant00

madwolfa said:


> In my case I'm just genuinely curious. As I said earlier, I couldn't care less about the high-res formats. Redbook 44/16 audio plus Schiit's Multibit technology is all I'd ever need for my listening.


 
  
 I believe @Baldr said previously that 24-bit samples are rounded down to whatever bit depth the DAC supports. So you're right, not the original samples when dealing with high-res.


----------



## yage

madwolfa said:


> That's true, but some math is still involved to truncate those extra bits down to 16 and maybe some form of dithering is required to deal with quantization errors... So in this case the original samples are probably not there anymore?


 
  
 Well, Wikipedia has this to say about dither:
  


> Dither should be added to any low-amplitude or highly periodic signal before any quantization or re-quantization process, in order to de-correlate the quantization noise from the input signal and to prevent non-linear behavior (distortion); the lesser the bit depth, the greater the dither must be. The result of the process still yields distortion, but the distortion is of a random nature so the resulting noise is, effectively, de-correlated from the intended signal. Any bit-reduction process should add dither to the waveform before the reduction is performed.


 
  


defiant00 said:


> I believe @Baldr said previously that 24-bit samples are rounded down to whatever bit depth the DAC supports. So you're right, not the original samples when dealing with high-res.


 
  
 I haven't heard anything untoward when decoding bits via SPDIF from my Oppo BDP-103 (48 kHz / 24 bit) - but maybe that's because the dynamic range of the Mimby is ~94 dB.


----------



## jimmers

madwolfa said:


> Sample rate is non-issue. I think what he meant is playing back the files with higher than DAC's native bit-depth resolution. What happens internally with 24 bit files?


 
  
 previously  ...
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/615#post_12795039


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

Dither is something you do in ADC. The quote tells you exactly when and why. DACs do not need to do this, nor should they. If you pass extra information, the most significant 16-20 bits get used. It's not more complicated than that. Discussing truncation vs. rounding (IEEE correct or not) doesn't matter, because the difference is elementary below 14 real bits of loudness.

Most people clearly don't have a strong grasp on DSP theory, and why doing what Shiit has pulled off is so impressive.


----------



## madwolfa

jimmers said:


> previously  ...
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/615#post_12795039


 
  
 Thanks, missed it somehow.


----------



## theveterans

> Euphonic?  I never thought I was producing euphonies.  As I have written in my own thread, a true audio pioneer, Mr Peter Walker told me 40 some years ago at the beginning of this road for me that it was my duty to reproduce music, not to alter it.  I still have a set of his original Quad Loudspeakers today.  Your statement about bypassing the filter puzzles me - if you have a mb Schiit DAC, the filter is always there, yup, no way to get rid of it.


 
  
 Pardon my ambiguous statement sir.
  
 I meant, you upsample the Mimby/Bimby to 192 KHz on the software rather than the DAC oversampling it.
  
 Euphonic sounding to me is very pleasing sound that puts a smile on my face despite the dead-on neutral sound signature of your multibit DAC.
  
 NOS I mean non-oversampling where the samples aren't oversampled and filtered, it goes straight to DAC (Eg. NOS DIY PCM 1704 R2R DAC). Whether the sound those NOS R2R DACs make is accurate to the source (since there is literally no processing of the digital samples before it goes to the DAC) is up to your ears to decide.


----------



## Baldr

madwolfa said:


> Sample rate is non-issue. I think what he meant is playing back the files with higher than DAC's native bit-depth resolution. What happens internally with 24 bit files?


 
 files are input at native bit width processed in a 32 bit processor, then rounded to the DAC chip native resolution before output.


----------



## NikonGuy

.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## SAllison87

The bedroom system:

Technics 1200 MK2 turntable, Denon 301 MK2 cartridge, Denon AU 300LC step up transformer, Project Tube Box SEII phono stage, Schiit Lyr, Audioengine A5+ speakers. Main headphones are Senn HD650 and Hifiman HE400i.

Have the 4490 Bifrost hooked up to the Lyr via the SYS. Nice to switch between digital and vinyl listening.


In the living room I have the TV hooked up to the Mimby, Mimby outputting to Music Hall a15.2 amp and Magni 2 Uber, HSU HB-1 MK2 speakers and HSU VTF-1 sub.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> I now have 50 hours on the Modi Multibit and it's getting better and better.
> 
> The main thing I am noticing is the tight and detailed bass, I can actually follow bass guitar lines in detail that I could not do so easily on the Mojo. Listening to G&R's Paradise City, Duff's bass line just pop's out at you, each note clearly defined like no other desktop dac I have listened to.
> 
> Roll on 100 hours!




Your brain is getting better and better at listening to it, I suspect. It was probably well settled into its INL spec a while ago.

Anyway, that aside, I'm inclined to agree with you, I am enjoying my Mimby more than my Mojo via my desktop amp. It seems richer and more detailed.

The Mojo shutting down in the heat while playing and charging is what actually annoyed me enough to get an actual desktop DAC. I did suffer a little buyer's remorse- as while Mimby's stunningly good value for a multibit DAC, it felt like an additional extravagance. Boy, have I ever changed my mind since then. It's a lovely bit of kit- clean and detailed sound, reproducing detail rather than emphasising it, if that makes sense. It's a surprisingly easy and relaxed listen for something so detailed.

I started out being somewhat uncomfortable with my Mimby, but it has won me over by doing exactly what it said on the tin- at a surprisingly sane price. Sometimes all the fuss about certain Schiit units is actually justified. Bastards


----------



## ColtMrFire

Like the other Schiit multibit DACs. the mimby definitely changes fairly dramatically after a few days of continuous use.


----------



## wiz2596

peti said:


> I wish I could do that with my girlfriend!




I wish I could have a girlfriend:frown:


----------



## franzdom

wiz2596 said:


> I wish I could have a girlfriend:frown:




Why, are you married?


----------



## Peti

franzdom said:


> Why, are you married?


 

 No, maybe just smarter/wiser than me...!


----------



## Peti

wiz2596 said:


> I wish I could have a girlfriend:frown:


 

 Try to see the positive side of it: This way you can DEFINITELY spend more on your audio hobby! I'm talking from experience.


----------



## SAllison87

Sounds like the sound of the mimby will change as it is used. Can I simply leave it on or should I have audio playing through it?
  
 I'd like to try another listening test once it has more hours on it. I did my blind comparison after the mimby was powered on for about 4 days, with maybe a half dozen hours of audio playing through it.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

sallison87 said:


> Sounds like the sound of the mimby will change as it is used. Can I simply leave it on or should I have audio playing through it?
> 
> I'd like to try another listening test once it has more hours on it. I did my blind comparison after the mimby was powered on for about 4 days, with maybe a half dozen hours of audio playing through it.


 
 It's a thermal thing for stability in the R2R resistor ladder, nothing to do with audio playing through. Just keep it on.


----------



## NikonGuy

,,


----------



## wiz2596

nikonguy said:


> Just had a look around the back of my main PC and noticed it has a full size Toslink out (Asus Hero VII motherboard), hooked this up to my Multibit and played a few FLAC's via HQPlayer.
> 
> Wow! Even better hard hitting tight bass and more detail and separation in the treble compared to my initial MacBook Pro / Audirvana+ setup!
> 
> ...


 
 but you would be using the onboard audio by doing this or am I wrong? is the digital signal bypassing the onboard audio by s/pdif?


----------



## Letmebefrank

wiz2596 said:


> but you would be using the onboard audio by doing this or am I wrong? is the digital signal bypassing the onboard audio by s/pdif?




As long as you turn off any effects or dsps it should be sending the bits over unchanged.


----------



## Ancipital

letmebefrank said:


> As long as you turn off any effects or dsps it should be sending the bits over unchanged.


 
  
 Once you do, it's worth sticking some tone sweeps through, just to check that everything's set correctly.


----------



## mourip

I just received my new Modi multibit. I am running Windows 10 and so tried to install the drivers provided on the Schiit web site. I could not get them to install, at least I thought so, but oddly I eventually found them installed. I also tried installing the Schiit ASIO drivers but got an error that the install did not support my OS. Same thing happened however. In JMRC I found an entry for "ASIO for Generic USB Device".
  
On my office PC I am using JMRC to play 24/96 and 24/192 files to a 24/192 capable DAC via USB. I am using ASIO in JRMC.  I am seeing this "error"-"Not using enough bits to output the input directly" and it says that my 24/96 file is playing at 16/96. 

WASAPI does not get this error but I like the sound of ASIO more. Any ideas?


----------



## pkcpga

mourip said:


> I just received my new Modi multibit. I am running Windows 10 and so tried to install the drivers provided on the Schiit web site. I could not get them to install, at least I thought so, but oddly I eventually found them installed. I also tried installing the Schiit ASIO drivers but got an error that the install did not support my OS. Same thing happened however. In JMRC I found an entry for "ASIO for Generic USB Device".
> 
> [COLOR=333333]On my office PC I am using JMRC to play 24/96 and 24/192 files to a 24/192 capable [/COLOR]DAC[COLOR=333333] via [/COLOR]USB[COLOR=333333]. I am using ASIO in JRMC.  [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]I am seeing this "error"-"Not using enough bits to output the input directly" and it says that my 24/96 file is playing at 16/96. [/COLOR]
> [COLOR=333333]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=333333]WASAPI does not get this error but I like the sound of ASIO more. Any ideas?[/COLOR]




The DAC is only 16 bit so it does not play 24 bit no schiit DAC plays at 24 bit. Read previous posts, plenty of people explain how schiit down samples the files or "filters the files".


----------



## theveterans

> The DAC is only 16 bit so it does not play 24 bit no schiit DAC plays at 24 bit. Read previous posts, plenty of people explain how schiit down samples the files or "filters the files".


 
  
 Schiit plays any 24-bit 192 KHz file out there, without oversampling to boot! except for Yggy which oversamples to 384 KHz. Heck Schiit's burrito oversamples the bitrate to 32 bits before filtering.


----------



## mourip

theveterans said:


> Schiit plays any 24-bit 192 KHz file out there, without oversampling to boot! except for Yggy which oversamples to 384 KHz. Heck Schiit's burrito oversamples the bitrate to 32 bits before filtering.


 
  
 Agreed but I am still confused as to why JMRC seems to be putting out 16 bit. Perhaps we are talking about two different ideas?
  
 From their web site...
  
 "Modi 2 Multibit: 16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB. 16/44.1 to 24/192 via Toslink* and Coax, with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)"


----------



## NikonGuy

,,


----------



## jnak00

I've read a few times that in order to get the best sound quality out of an outboard DAC, one should turn the system and application volume all the way.  If I do this, I can't turn my Magni volume low enough - I hit the channel imbalance zone at the very bottom of the dial.  Is it necessary to turn the software volumes all the way up?  If it is, I might have to get a SYS to temper the volume before it hits the Magni....which seems like a strange compromise.


----------



## Letmebefrank

jnak00 said:


> I've read a few times that in order to get the best sound quality out of an outboard DAC, one should turn the system and application volume all the way.  If I do this, I can't turn my Magni volume low enough - I hit the channel imbalance zone at the very bottom of the dial.  Is it necessary to turn the software volumes all the way up?  If it is, I might have to get a SYS to temper the volume before it hits the Magni....which seems like a strange compromise.




Check out *this article*. It explains that even at -48 dB you are only losing 8 bits of dynamic range, meaning when you have a 32 bit sound processor like foobar2k, you still get all 24 bits of audio to send to the dac, just with a higher noise floor.


----------



## jnak00

letmebefrank said:


> Check out *this article*. It explains that even at -48 dB you are only losing 8 bits of dynamic range, meaning when you have a 32 bit sound processor like foobar2k, you still get all 24 bits of audio to send to the dac, just with a higher noise floor.


 

 Thanks for the article.  I mainly use Tidal lossless, which I assume is 16 bit, so -48 dB would be losing half the audio?


----------



## Letmebefrank

jnak00 said:


> Thanks for the article.  I mainly use Tidal lossless, which I assume is 16 bit, so -48 dB would be losing half the audio?




It depends on your dac, with the modi multibit it's a 24 bit dac, so you would still have all 16 bits after the -48dB. I think foobar volume control only goes to -30dB, and that's 5 bits of dynamic range, since each bit is 6dB.


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> Good point, what would be the best way of doing this?


 
  
 I don't know about best way, but a cheap and easy way for Windows users is to use Foobar2000's internal tone generator. Beware that the tone generator has its own sample rate configuration option, so you need to check that is correct, too.
  
 To use it, go to the playlist in Foobar, do "add location" and add something like:
  


> sweep://20,20000,60


 
  
 which is a 20-20kHz sweep over a minute- you may prefer something slower, over less frequency, perhaps- but you get the idea. Remember that you can right-click on entries on the playlist and choose to convert it- so you could write any of those entries out as a FLAC/WAV etc. if you want to play it on another device.
  
 Alternatively, you can wait until later, when I get home- I'm pretty sure that I have a playlist with some tones and sweeps already set up, which I could post.
  
 Generally, if there's something in the chain doing sample rate conversion, you'll probably hear some funny aliasing as it sweeps.
  
 Edit: Here you go, a simple playlist with some tones and a couple of sweeps:


----------



## duncan4791

mourip said:


> I just received my new Modi multibit. I am running Windows 10 and so tried to install the drivers provided on the Schiit web site. I could not get them to install, at least I thought so, but oddly I eventually found them installed. I also tried installing the Schiit ASIO drivers but got an error that the install did not support my OS. Same thing happened however. In JMRC I found an entry for "ASIO for Generic USB Device".
> 
> On my office PC I am using JMRC to play 24/96 and 24/192 files to a 24/192 capable DAC via USB. I am using ASIO in JRMC.  I am seeing this "error"-"Not using enough bits to output the input directly" and it says that my 24/96 file is playing at 16/96.
> 
> WASAPI does not get this error but I like the sound of ASIO more. Any ideas?


 
  
 Go to the JRMC Playback Options/Audio Device/Device Settings/ASIO for Generic USB Device [ASIO] Panel and press "Open Driver Control Panel" in the lower right Output block. This pops up the ASIO Control Panel where you can set the bit depth and latency. Set it to 24 bit and save. The audio path will now report 24 bits out over ASIO.
  
 This sets the ASIO driver for foobar as well.


----------



## ColtMrFire

letmebefrank said:


> It depends on your dac, with the modi multibit it's a 24 bit dac, so you would still have all 16 bits after the -48dB. I think foobar volume control only goes to -30dB, and that's 5 bits of dynamic range, since each bit is 6dB.




From what I hear, no dac uses 24 actual bits of information. I'm not sure how that impacts digital volume control though and maybe someone can set the record straight. Jnak00 is probably better off just emailing Schiit for a straight answer.


----------



## mourip

duncan4791 said:


> Go to the JRMC Playback Options/Audio Device/Device Settings/ASIO for Generic USB Device [ASIO] Panel and press "Open Driver Control Panel" in the lower right Output block. This pops up the ASIO Control Panel where you can set the bit depth and latency. Set it to 24 bit and save. The audio path will now report 24 bits out over ASIO.
> 
> This sets the ASIO driver for foobar as well.


 
  
 Bingo! Thanks so much...


----------



## duncan4791

mourip said:


> Bingo! Thanks so much...


 
  
 You're welcome. I had the same issue and was confused for awhile. Eventually I poked around in Foobar and found the config menu. JRiver keeps adding more menus and switch options, I've given up try to keep track and stick with the defaults on JRMC 22.


----------



## mourip

duncan4791 said:


> You're welcome. I had the same issue and was confused for awhile. Eventually I poked around in Foobar and found the config menu. JRiver keeps adding more menus and switch options, I've given up try to keep track and stick with the defaults on JRMC 22.


 
  
 I mostly use the defaults also except for memory play and now SoX.
  
 Best,
  
 Paul


----------



## oneway23

Just bought myself a Mimby to replace an ailing Bifrost Uber USB v.2.  Also nabbed myself a Sys for my Focals and some Pyst RCAs to tie it all together....Didn't have the funds at present to hit my target of a Gumby, but, I'm jazzed to get in on the multibit action...Very excited to hear the improvement offered by going multibit!


----------



## Guidostrunk

Just curious why you didn't send your Uber in for the multibit upgrade? 





oneway23 said:


> Just bought myself a Mimby to replace an ailing Bifrost Uber USB v.2.  Also nabbed myself a Sys for my Focals and some Pyst RCAs to tie it all together....Didn't have the funds at present to hit my target of a Gumby, but, I'm jazzed to get in on the multibit action...Very excited to hear the improvement offered by going multibit!


----------



## oneway23

guidostrunk said:


> Just curious why you didn't send your Uber in for the multibit upgrade?


 
  
 Knew that might be coming...A fair question...the answer is that my Bifrost currently has a non-working USB port.  Having to pay to ship, plus the cost of both the repair and upgrade, I figured I may as well upgrade to multibit technology, while at the same time minimizing the footprint on my desk.  Not as much of a consideration, as we're extremely independent, but, me and my wife are both disabled and in motorized chairs, and neither one of us drives.  Sometimes dealing with the packing of the item and rolling to visit to the UPS store while attempting to carry a box just isn't worth the schlep...


----------



## Guidostrunk

Yikes. I'm very sorry to hear that.  
I assumed it was probably the form , factor. 

I'm kinda in the same predicament regarding form factor. The mimby/mobit/momby..... lol. Is approximately 1/8 the size of my theta dac. I'm hoping someone pops in that may have done some comparisons with some old thetas. 

Cheers


oneway23 said:


> Knew that might be coming...A fair question...the answer is that my Bifrost currently has a non-working USB port.  Having to pay to ship, plus the cost of repair and upgrade, I figured I may as well upgrade to multibit technology, while at the same time minimizing the footprint on my desk.  Not as much of a consideration, as we're extremely independent, but, me and my wife are both disabled and in motorized chairs, and neither one of us drives.  Sometimes dealing with the packing of the item and rolling to visit to the UPS store while attempting to carry a box just isn't worth the schlep...


----------



## oneway23

guidostrunk said:


> Yikes. I'm very sorry to hear that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 No need to be sorry...We all live our lives and do what we can.  The Mrs. and I have things down to a science!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Theta dac, eh?  Very cool!  I'd love to see those comparisons myself.  Hope someone jumps in soon!


----------



## mourip

I finally got my Modi Multibit set up on my office rig. I am just using JRMC with ASIO via USB to a Gustard H10 and some recabled Grado SR60s with anti-resonance materials added to the drivers.
  
 The sound is truly remarkable not just for the price but in absolute terms. What a great deal. I have two Yggys, one in my speaker rig and the other in my headphone rig. There is much of the Yggy sound in the Modi Multibit. Very clear and tonaly accurate.
  
 Well done...


----------



## NikonGuy

,,


----------



## NikonGuy

,


----------



## acguitar84

mourip said:


> I finally got my Modi Multibit set up on my office rig. I am just using JRMC with ASIO via USB to a Gustard H10 and some recabled Grado SR60s with anti-resonance materials added to the drivers.
> 
> The sound is truly remarkable not just for the price but in absolute terms. What a great deal. I have two Yggys, one in my speaker rig and the other in my headphone rig. There is much of the Yggy sound in the Modi Multibit. Very clear and tonaly accurate.
> 
> Well done...


 
 How much better are the yggy(s) though? I have a mimby and I love it, but I'm looking forward to "moving up" to yggdrasil, in both of my speaker systems and in the headphone rig. Gosh, makes me think gumby would be good enough in the office rig. I wish I could plug them all in and hear them in my rig.


----------



## mourip

acguitar84 said:


> How much better are the yggy(s) though? I have a mimby and I love it, but I'm looking forward to "moving up" to yggdrasil, in both of my speaker systems and in the headphone rig. Gosh, makes me think gumby would be good enough in the office rig. I wish I could plug them all in and hear them in my rig.


 
  
 Funny. Someone just PM's me with that same question about comparing the Modi MB to the Yggy. I will repeat my answer here.
  
 It is a little hard to say since the equipment I have surrounding both is very different i.e. cables, HP's, interface to DAC etc.
  
 I would say that the Modi really surprised me at how good it sounded. It is not at the same level of quality or performance as the Yggy but shares the same family of positive attributes...just quantitatively less of each. Very good tonality, non-fatiguing, and engaging. When I get a chance I will try the Modi with some of my better HP's.
  
 For an all-out system you cannot go wrong with the Yggy. I had an Auralic Vega and a Wyred4Sound DAC2 SE DSD before that. I prefer the Yggy and it only goes to 24/192. In fact I prefer Redbook on the Yggy to DSD on those Saber based DACs. Yggy really shows what Redbook can do.


----------



## acguitar84

mourip said:


> Funny. Someone just PM's me with that same question about comparing the Modi MB to the Yggy. I will repeat my answer here.
> 
> It is a little hard to say since the equipment I have surrounding both is very different i.e. cables, HP's, interface to DAC etc.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for the reply. I think my next move will be to buy a Yggy, and then compare it with the internal DAC of the Jotunheim, and the mimby at each station, and go from there. Maybe gumby will be good enough out here at the office, then switch mimby and yggy around at home between headphone rig and the other speaker system. Lots of great choices to be sure.


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> My Modi Multibit is making me want to add a Yggdrasil to my main system, the problem in the UK is we have no way of auditioning or have access to to the Schiit 15 day trial via the UK agent so it wont be purchased.
> 
> Schiit USA needs to work with there international agents to mitigate potential lost sales...


 
  
 You do realise that you have an automatic right to return goods bought online for a full refund within 14 days, as part of consumer protection law, right? In the unlikely event that you don't love the Yggy, you could still send it back for a full refund.
  
 http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations
  
 That said, have you tried dropping the people at electromod a line, to see if there's some way you could audition a Yggy? They're quite friendly and helpful.


----------



## franzdom

Is it a Yggy or an Yggy?


----------



## Keirapc

Its sad looking at people sending bifrost to the manufacture for upgrading. In my country the local seller charge me about 450$ for upgrading Bifrost ak4490 to Multibit


----------



## Ancipital

franzdom said:


> Is it a Yggy or an Yggy?


 
  
 You could make a case for either, if you cared enough. However, if you did, you might get beaten about the head and neck by Steven Pinker.
  
 (There's an increasingly powerful movement amongst academic linguists against certain forms of prescription, and going with what seems most appropriate, even what_ sounds good_, sometimes.. I know, shocking, right?)


----------



## AviP

franzdom said:


> Is it a Yggy or an Yggy?


 
 According to this, "USE 6" it would be an Yggy


----------



## Sam Lord

sallison87 said:


> Sounds like the sound of the mimby will change as it is used. Can I simply leave it on or should I have audio playing through it?
> 
> I'd like to try another listening test once it has more hours on it. I did my blind comparison after the mimby was powered on for about 4 days, with maybe a half dozen hours of audio playing through it.


 
  
  


silvertrumpet999 said:


> It's a thermal thing for stability in the R2R resistor ladder, nothing to do with audio playing through. Just keep it on.


 
  
 I STRONGLY disagree.  These devices change with current applied, so *play music* or something through the unit continuously for at least a month.  Doesn't cost any more, just do it.  No, I haven't measured the changes.  But the sound improves a hell of a lot in the first month, while thermal stability happens in a few hours.


----------



## Sam Lord

franzdom said:


> Is it a Yggy or an Yggy?


 

 Without question.


----------



## NikonGuy

> ,,


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> "The extent to which you can handle the goods is the same as it would be if you were assessing them in a shop."
> 
> It is open to a lot of interpretation but I get your point, I will email Mark @ electromod and see what he has to say.


 
  
 Obviously, don't mail him and be all distance selling up in the matriphile- see if he's willing to help without threats or hassle.
  
 (I'm sure you weren't going to, but it's worth saying anyway)


----------



## Xaborus

I just wanted to chime In and let people know that you really should be using TOSLINK with Modi MB. I'm not blowing smoke on unsubstantiated claims. Here are measurements made. The difference between USB and TOSLINK is extreme in some measurements, including jitter; not to mention free galvanic isolation. 

Also note that the measurements were made with a decent USB cable (better than freebies) and the TOSLINK measurements were made with a freebie cable. Using an audiophile quality TOSLINK such as Lifatec will only improve things. No I'm not paid or backed by Lifatec or any other optical manufacturers, I was just looking for the best way to send data to my Modi MB and wanted to share it with others because the differences are equivalent to different DACS.

Head-if will not allow the link. I'll post the raw numbers later

*USE TOSLINK.*


----------



## theveterans

xaborus said:


> I just wanted to chime In and let people know that you really should be using TOSLINK with Modi MB. I'm not blowing smoke on unsubstantiated claims. Here are measurements made. The difference between USB and TOSLINK is extreme in some measurements, including jitter; not to mention free galvanic isolation.
> 
> Also note that the measurements were made with a decent USB cable (better than freebies) and the TOSLINK measurements were made with a freebie cable. Using an audiophile quality TOSLINK such as Lifatec will only improve things. No I'm not paid or backed by Lifatec or any other optical manufacturers, I was just looking for the best way to send data to my Modi MB and wanted to share it with others because the differences are equivalent to different DACS.
> 
> *USE TOSLINK.*


 
  
 I prefer COAX than TOSLINK, but both are better than USB IMO.


----------



## masterfuu

Optical anytime any day. Since I went optical never went back. Pitch black no noise clean pure sound.


----------



## Vigrith

franzdom said:


> Is it a Yggy or an Yggy?


 
  
 I personally try refer to Schiit's devices as "the" - the Yggdrasil, the Modi, the Gungnir. Feels weird saying "a Mjolnir" as if we're talking about peaches or something LOL, I feel use of the definite article to be warranted.


----------



## wiz2596

xaborus said:


> I just wanted to chime In and let people know that you really should be using TOSLINK with Modi MB. I'm not blowing smoke on unsubstantiated claims. Here are measurements made. The difference between USB and TOSLINK is extreme in some measurements, including jitter; not to mention free galvanic isolation.
> 
> Also note that the measurements were made with a decent USB cable (better than freebies) and the TOSLINK measurements were made with a freebie cable. Using an audiophile quality TOSLINK such as Lifatec will only improve things. No I'm not paid or backed by Lifatec or any other optical manufacturers, I was just looking for the best way to send data to my Modi MB and wanted to share it with others because the differences are equivalent to different DACS.
> 
> *USE TOSLINK.*


 
 What is your source? a pc with s/pdif out? if so, how do you configure the s/pdif to bypass the onboard sound? I've got an asus mobo with s/pdif port and I'm planning to buy a modi multibit but not sure how to pair it up with the modi, I'm kinda newbie in s/pdif connection


----------



## Xaborus

wiz2596 said:


> What is your source? a pc with s/pdif out? if so, how do you configure the s/pdif to bypass the onboard sound? I've got an asus mobo with s/pdif port and I'm planning to buy a modi multibit but not sure how to pair it up with the modi, I'm kinda newbie in s/pdif connection




You won't have to do anything other than set the audio output in your PC to SPDIF/TOSLINK out. Nothing is being converted in the onboard dac. The digital music signal/bits gets "written" into digital optical bits, and is sent through the fiber optic cable where it is received and "read" and then processed by the dac. This is very simplified but gets the general concept across.

I'm no electrical engineer, but I believe any digital audio bits originate with what's called an I2S. To my knowledge both TOSLINK and USB are just converting I2S signals to their version of data streams (USB, TOSLINK). Point being is, no matter your connection type the digital bits all originate at the same point. TOSLINK is just inherently immune to RFI/EMI and has the additional benefit of galvanic isolation. 

I could be all wrong though


----------



## NikonGuy

,


----------



## NikonGuy

,,


----------



## jcwc

wiz2596 said:


> What is your source? a pc with s/pdif out? if so, how do you configure the s/pdif to bypass the onboard sound? I've got an asus mobo with s/pdif port and I'm planning to buy a modi multibit but not sure how to pair it up with the modi, I'm kinda newbie in s/pdif connection


 
  
 I have an older Asus P7P55D mobo, which has a SPDIF output. This uses the VIA HD audio chipset.
  
 I needed to enable the SPDIF output using the VIA HD Audio Deck utility. Once enabled the SPDIF output is concurrent with the regular 3.5mm audio jack in the rear panel and front panel. In this sense I'm not sure if the SPDIF output bypasses the onboard VIA sound chip or not. I also note that the SPDIF output was fixed at either 48kHz or 96kHz (these are the only 2 options given in the utility).


----------



## nicoch46

the spdf must have small transformer like this


----------



## mentt

xaborus said:


> I just wanted to chime In and let people know that you really should be using TOSLINK with Modi MB. I'm not blowing smoke on unsubstantiated claims. Here are measurements made. The difference between USB and TOSLINK is extreme in some measurements, including jitter; not to mention free galvanic isolation.
> 
> Also note that the measurements were made with a decent USB cable (better than freebies) and the TOSLINK measurements were made with a freebie cable. Using an audiophile quality TOSLINK such as Lifatec will only improve things. No I'm not paid or backed by Lifatec or any other optical manufacturers, I was just looking for the best way to send data to my Modi MB and wanted to share it with others because the differences are equivalent to different DACS.
> 
> *USE TOSLINK.*




Interesting would be if somebody could compare USB vs Toslink\coax on good streamer like "Full" Aries. Comparing it on PC/Mac is not very good idea as PC/Mac is very noisy source component and it is in general not good idea to use it for audio reproduction


----------



## ColtMrFire

A computer is the worst thing you can use to run audio. They are very noisy. Noise is generally not even apparent until you hear a clean source.


----------



## Xaborus

mentt said:


> Interesting would be if somebody could compare USB vs Toslink\coax on good streamer like "Full" Aries. Comparing it on PC/Mac is not very good idea as PC/Mac is very noisy source component and it is in general not good idea to use it for audio reproduction




Only if you're talking about USB. TOSLINK and COAX are virtually identical regardless of source- *aslong as output is bit perfect*. 

It's also awesome that TOSLINK and COAX from the same source will measure 99.9% the same, regardless of cable quality. Minor differences do exist, but they are so small audibility is extremely questionable- and I'm a believer that analog cables do make a difference. 

I just choose TOSLINK for galvanic isolation, and I don't have to worry about EMI, RFI, "stranded wire" distortion, dielectric absorption, silver vs copper (and grain boundaries), solder connections, skin effect.... Ect ect. 

Some people get scared by the hypothesis that TOSLINK can self induce jitter, yet jitter always measures the same or slightly lower than COAX.


----------



## madwolfa

coltmrfire said:


> A computer is the worst thing you can use to run audio. They are very noisy. Noise is generally not even apparent until you hear a clean source.


 
  
 Using computer as a *digital* source is just fine.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Its fine if you like noise.

I encourage people to try the difference between USB and SPDIF themselves. For me the difference was quite dramatic.


----------



## madwolfa

coltmrfire said:


> Its fine if you like noise.
> 
> I encourage people to try the difference between USB and SPDIF themselves. For me the difference was quite dramatic.


 
  
 But I don't have any noise.
  
 I've used Coax, Optical S/PDIF and most recently USB for many years now. Used to have standalone source as well. Had plenty of opportunities to detect any said differences.
  
 Sometimes you'd get a ground loop (hum) with the USB connection, that's where using optical helps for galvanic isolation (it happened to me once). Otherwise it's all moot.


----------



## mentt

Demo good streamer like aurender, Aries or microRendu for one week and go back to PC\Mac. I dare you!!!


----------



## madwolfa

mentt said:


> Demo good streamer like aurender, Aries or microRendu for one week and go back to PC\Mac. I dare you!!!


 
  
 What's the point? Those are all basically PCs inside.


----------



## ColtMrFire

madwolfa said:


> But I don't have any noise.
> 
> I've used Coax, Optical S/PDIF and most recently USB for many years now. Used to have standalone source as well. Had plenty of opportunities to detect any said differences.
> 
> Sometimes you'd get a ground loop (hum) with the USB connection, that's where using optical helps for galvanic isolation (it happened to me once). Otherwise it's all moot.


 
  
 Great.  Doesn't really change my point though.  Everyone should do their own comparisons and pick which sounds better to them.  Plenty of folks online have come to the same conclusion I did.  There's a reason so many people use USB decrapifyers/converters now and notate (sometimes) major differences.


----------



## madwolfa

coltmrfire said:


> Plenty of folks online have come to the same conclusion I did.


 
  
 Plenty of folks online believe in a Flying Spaghetti Monster for that matter. There are also flat earther societies out there and bunch of other things.
  
 Basically, if there's certain belief, one can be sure there is a group of people somewhere that is fully into it.
  
 *shrug*


----------



## Vigrith

madwolfa said:


> What's the point? Those are all basically PCs inside.


 
  
 I'm nowhere near an engineer or even knowledgeable about that sorta stuff but I know many (not just 2 or 3, for real) good people who I respect and hold in the highest regard that swear by the benefits of a good streamer - especially the mRendu. I guess the different is exacerbated by the fact most people's USB is noise and dirty, this is not the case with me as I bought a specific motherboard that has proper USB/coax/optical ports; that said, I have had a microRendu on order for a while now as I would like to see what it's all about, hopefully it is ready to ship soon - if I really cannot tell a difference I'll probably just send it back, their customer support was kind and said I could do so if I felt it warranted a return.


----------



## madwolfa

vigrith said:


> I'm nowhere near an engineer or even knowledgeable about that sorta stuff but I know many (not just 2 or 3, for real) good people who I respect and hold in the highest regard that swear by the benefits of a good streamer - especially the mRendu. I guess the different is exacerbated by the fact most people's USB is noise and dirty, this is not the case with me as I bought a specific motherboard that has proper USB/coax/optical ports; that said, I have had a microRendu on order for a while now as I would like to see what it's all about, hopefully it is ready to ship soon - if I really cannot tell a difference I'll probably just send it back, their customer support was kind and said I could do so if I felt it warranted a return.


 
  
 I'm all for quality hardware and I always try to buy the best myself (as long as it's reasonably priced), I just think that the "night-and-day difference" claims are a bit overboard, as usual in this hobby...


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## ColtMrFire

madwolfa said:


> Plenty of folks online believe in a Flying Spaghetti Monster for that matter. There are also flat earther societies out there and bunch of other things.
> 
> Basically, if there's certain belief, one can be sure there is a group of people somewhere that is fully into it.
> 
> *shrug*




The door swings both ways my friend.


----------



## Vigrith

madwolfa said:


> I'm all for quality hardware and I always try to buy the best myself (as long as it's reasonably priced), I just think that the "night-and-day difference" claims are a bit overboard, as usual in this hobby...


 
  
 Absolutely, I'm not holding my expectations very high but I can definitely how some of the things they explain on their website may have merit to them (better isolation, less jitter, dedicated components, the likes) - most people I talked to did not describe it as being "night and day" to oversell it which was the main reason I was actually interested, will have to see how it turns out. I'd been wanting to try a ethernet based device regardless so figure it was a good opportunity to do that, price tag is hefty but definitely tame compared to most other "highly rated" servers à la Aries, Aurander, etc.


----------



## madwolfa

coltmrfire said:


> The door swings both ways my friend.


 
  
 I agree, but there's too much FUD being spread online nowadays (some of it deliberate, some not). I'd rather be overly skeptical.


----------



## ColtMrFire

madwolfa said:


> I agree, but there's too much FUD being spread online nowadays (some of it deliberate, some not). I'd rather be overly skeptical.




Thats from people just accepting what they hear and spreading it. Which is why I encouraged people to make up their own mind instead of just accepting there is nothing wrong with their setup. They could be pleasantly surprised (or not).


----------



## Letmebefrank

I have a nice motherboard (ASUS Sabertooth Z97 MK1) and power supply (Corsair RM850) and I have no noise over USB. USB and Toslink sound the same to me, the only benefit I have either way is with USB ASIO and WASAPI work allot better. If you have a quality motherboard, with a quality power supply, you shouldnt be getting any noise over USB. 
  
 I purchased a HiFIBerry Digi+ for my raspberry pi 3 running OSMC, hooked up to my Moby with coax, streaming files from my main rig over the network. To me it sounded exactly the same as my main rig. So obviously the HiFiberry Digi+ + Raspberry Pi 3 is allot cheaper than my $2000 Dekstop PC, so if you just want to build a media streamer its one hell of a bang for your buck. Since I do all of my listening in my office on my desktop, I'll keep the HiFiBerry in a drawer until I need a smaller listening station.


----------



## Xaborus

letmebefrank said:


> I have a nice motherboard (ASUS Sabertooth Z97 MK1) and power supply (Corsair RM850) and I have no noise over USB. USB and Toslink sound the same to me, the only benefit I have either way is with USB ASIO and WASAPI work allot better. If you have a quality motherboard, with a quality power supply, you shouldnt be getting any noise over USB.
> 
> I purchased a HiFIBerry Digi+ for my raspberry pi 3 running OSMC, hooked up to my Moby with coax, streaming files from my main rig over the network. To me it sounded exactly the same as my main rig. So obviously the HiFiberry Digi+ + Raspberry Pi 3 is allot cheaper than my $2000 Dekstop PC, so if you just want to build a media streamer its one hell of a bang for your buck. Since I do all of my listening in my office on my desktop, I'll keep the HiFiBerry in a drawer until I need a smaller listening station.




It's funny you mention this because I was also looking at buying a Raspberry Pi3 with a HiFiBerry + to use TOSLINK out with Tidal.


----------



## mixolyd

Is anyone finding the Moby almost excessively clean and clear sounding?

Mine has been through the first 48 hours of warmup and sounds great but the "clean and clear" signature is a little distracting with music and very distracting with a/v. 

 Last night I tried watching some cable tv dramas using it and it was like listening with a magnifying glass. I could hear the separate audio tracks in many scenes: dialogue, room & background and could hear them being mixed. I could even hear the "pumping" where they were probably running two or three tracks under a shared limiting plugin. Too much info!

In the plus side the location info is great on live music recordings and it has opened up the soundstage on my hd600's a bit.


----------



## Baldr

Well, it seems there are some users out there who still prefer other far more expensive DACs over Schiit Multibit DACs. (How dare they!) There are those who prefer the Spicy Chingadera offering from Rio Grande 3D Labs, others who prefer the pricey Western Swiss Made Symphonic Waterfall Flow Job from Garlic Snail Electronics, Ltd., and still others prefer the Mortimer Apex from Dissonance Dyspepsia. Choices, choices.
  
 Some of this may be explained away by listening ability. For example, there are many who are tone and/or pitch deaf. In my side career directing stage shows there are many who even though they may have a beautiful voice cannot sing at all, most because they cannot differentiate notes and pitch. Also, a signature ability of the Schiit mb DACs is an uncanny time domain ability to recreate the positions of instruments, voices, squeeking chairs, and stomach growls in space. (Especially the Yggy.) There are many who cannot hear this phenomenon.
  
 Another explanation may be that there are users whose system impairs or prevents them from differentiating the differences above.
  
 A more likely explanation is that (the horror) different people may have different preferences. What a shock. I guess that no matter how right I am, and even after God himself appeared to me and led me to the cave where his secret DAC recipe was hidden below 7 layers of bat guano -- gasp – there are those who may prefer other equipment.
  
 I guess you can't please 'em all.  But for two and a half or so Ben Franklins or so, the mb modi Mimby (subject of this thread last I remember) is pretty friggin’ good. So there!


----------



## mbusby

baldr said:


> Well, it seems there are some users out there who still prefer other far more expensive DACs over Schiit Multibit DACs. (How dare they!) There are those who prefer the Spicy Chingadera offering from Rio Grande 3D Labs, others who prefer the pricey Western Swiss Made Symphonic Waterfall Flow Job from Garlic Snail Electronics, Ltd., and still others prefer the Mortimer Apex from Dissonance Dyspepsia. Choices, choices.
> 
> Some of this may be explained away by listening ability. For example, there are many who are tone and/or pitch deaf. In my side career directing stage shows there are many who even though they may have a beautiful voice cannot sing at all, most because they cannot differentiate notes and pitch. Also, a signature ability of the Schiit mb DACs is an uncanny time domain ability to recreate the positions of instruments, voices, squeeking chairs, and stomach growls in space. (Especially the Yggy.) There are many who cannot hear this phenomenon.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yea verily....


----------



## earnmyturns

madwolfa said:


> I'm all for quality hardware and I always try to buy the best myself (as long as it's reasonably priced), I just think that the "night-and-day difference" claims are a bit overboard, as usual in this hobby...


 
 I started in digital audio with a Naim UnitiQute getting FLAC from a NAS over Ethernet, and I've never used a PC or Mac as a DAC source, always some kind of Ethernet-based source. The differences between the very cheapest of those I've used (a CuBox-i2eX with Volumio, ~$100) and the most expensive (microRendu+Teddy Pardo LPS, ~$1000) sounded pretty real to me but by no means "night-and-day". From my experiences, I believe that USB with a decent source can be as good as S/PDIF. I have the advantage of a somewhat less biased tester in that my wife is very musical, but doesn't know or care about the different kinds of gear, and she has volunteered when things sounded better to her. 
  
 Having read a lot of stuff about digital sources here and in other fora, I can't resist the feeling that some (many?) of the alleged large differences have nothing to do with specific pieces of hardware but instead are the result of user error or configuration difficulties: wrong drivers or audio out settings, source computers too busy with other processes instead of pushing music bits, misguided attempts to "improve" SQ with DSP apps, overloaded USB ports, random USB cables that used to be cat toys, ground loops, and likely many other glitches, confusions, and sundry magical thoughts.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Lohb

Anyone using this with planars after moving off a delta-sigma DAC....impressions ?


----------



## mentt

madwolfa said:


> I agree, but there's too much FUD being spread online nowadays (some of it deliberate, some not). I'd rather be overly skeptical.




Yes, too much FUD. Don't believe what you read on the internet. Just demo it for your self and decide. Only thing that matters is what your ears are telling you


----------



## mentt

baldr said:


> Well, it seems there are some users out there who still prefer other far more expensive DACs over Schiit Multibit DACs. (How dare they!) There are those who prefer the Spicy Chingadera offering from Rio Grande 3D Labs, others who prefer the pricey Western Swiss Made Symphonic Waterfall Flow Job from Garlic Snail Electronics, Ltd., and still others prefer the Mortimer Apex from Dissonance Dyspepsia. Choices, choices.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Yes, for this kind of money what you get it is unbelievable. I personally prefer Mimby over my Chord Hugo DAC


----------



## Brooko

[Mod Comment]
  
 For the few that keep trying to get into a debate about the Yggy - this is the Modi Multi-bit thread.  Please stop going O/T.


----------



## oneway23

Alright, I'll bring things back into focus...
  
 I'm not one for hyperbole...Frankly, in fact, I'm quite often the first cynic in line to hand-wave....However.... 
  
 I took delivery of my brand new Mimby yesterday, and, sweet jeebus, what a revelation!
  
 This piece is an engineering marvel...It absolutely blows away the original Bifrost Uber I eventually put $550 into from only three years ago, and, it's literally one-third the size. Incredible...
  
 One of those rare upgrades that actually costs less, creates a smaller footprint on the desk, and yet, makes a huge difference.
  
 True cliches incoming: "This thing sounds so good, it makes you want to go back and listen to your entire collection." Holy Schiit, it really, really does, though!
 "I'm hearing production flourishes and background instrumentation separated so well, catching things in songs I've been hearing for over twenty five years." I really am, though!
  
 Seriously awesome.  
  
 I keep trying to convince myself of some form of expectation bias...."Just spent money, it's gonna be great!"  
 Perhaps I've come down with a bout of "new toy" syndrome?  "$250 cannot possibly sound this good...can it?"
  
 Not expectation bias, not "new toy" syndrome.  
  
 I'm a disabled man who works from home, oftentimes in front of a computer for 14-16 hours a day, many of those hours spent listening intensely to music (during those hours in which the Mrs. is not also working from home).  I've spent the past three years _listening_ to the Bifrost.  I know it well. Granted, it's not the 4490, so I can't speak to how that compares...Regardless, I would be stunned if presented a device with this much performance for the dollar value.  I realize many others have stated the same.  This is my experience.
  
 Here's one, final cliche for the head-fi faithful that rings true:
  
 "You'd honestly have to spend significantly more (xy multiples) to do better."
  
 Thanks, Schiitheads....You two keep on smoking whatever it is you fellas are smoking that emboldens you to engineer this type of mad-scientist gear, at this price point, while keeping the lights on.


----------



## Currawong

Brand fights are stupid. We live in a day and age when some of the most incredibly talented people are using the best of their ability to make great-sounding digital gear at a price that is highly affordable, and we can store our music on our phones. We should be incredibly grateful more than anything.


----------



## ColtMrFire

oneway23 said:


> Granted, it's not the 4490, so I can't speak to how that compares..


 
  
 I went from 4490frost to Mimby.  Was an amazing upgrade.


----------



## oneway23

coltmrfire said:


> I went from 4490frost to Mimby.  Was an amazing upgrade.


 
  
 Thanks, Colt...Good to know!  Glad you're enjoying your gear...


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Guidostrunk

Between the 2. The Valhalla, will give you a smooth, liquid, holographic presentation. The Lyr, has better dynamics,more treble energy, and more bass impact. Soundstage wise, I give the edge to the Lyr, but to my ears it lacks the depth/3D of the Valhalla. 

All subjective to my ears though.

Cheers

Edit: I'm not using the mimby. I have a theta r2r dac


nikonguy said:


> I am up to 150 hours on my Multibit, I have solely used my HD800S for that time, I plugged in my usual daily drivers yesterday the K702's eek a lifeless flat sound and that bright treble took my head off!
> 
> Safe to say the K702's do not pair well the Magni 2 Uber / Multibit stack, so I got a pair of HD650's in and what a difference a nice full bodied smooth headphone and I hope after burn in a good compliment to my HD800S.
> 
> I think however I need to upgrade my amp to get the most from them, anyone using HD650's & Multibit with the Valhalla 2 or Lyr 2?


----------



## ToddRaymond

coltmrfire said:


> I went from 4490frost to Mimby.  Was an amazing upgrade.


 

 You were asking in the other thread about Mimby versus Gumby... well, that of course depends on this and that, your equipment, your ears; how much you'd care about the possible perceived differences for that much more money, whatnot.  I'm tempted to say, Ho Lee Schiit, you should just _reeeaaally_ just get a Gumby already (if you can), as it IS quite a bit better.  To me.  In the grand scheme of things, the Mimby is still exceptionally good.  I mean, for the money, I'd say it's definitely better.  But I feel the Gumby is simply much better than the Mimby.  I very much miss it.  The Gungnir Multibit was so good that my fiancée and I shed some tears listening to stuff we have heard many times over the years, on a few occasions.  Shortly thereafter, I became mighty curious as to what added magic the Yggdrasil would bring.  (My current, lousier than usual employment trajectory led me to wanting to quit working for the summer, so I sadly parted with the Gumby and so forth.)  Having said all that, the Modi Multibit is damn good in and of itself.  It really is doing a good job of assuaging my otherwise insatiable hunger for that higher-up-the-line Schiit Multibit goodness, in the meantime.

 I guess I failed to go on to discuss my opinions using all of the typical audiophile phraseology.  The Gumby just does everything better.  Soundstaging width and depth, instrument timbre and separation, resolution.  It keeps it together better during busier, more complex passages (especially with recordings that have a large dynamic range, which I have a lot of).  If you're not going all balanced though, I would say you might lose *roughly* half of the jump in added epicness between the two.
  
 Not sure any of that helped or not, but that's my two cents anyhow.  Giant grain of salt, your mileage may vary, yadda.


----------



## ColtMrFire

nikonguy said:


> I am up to 150 hours on my Multibit, I have solely used my HD800S for that time, I plugged in my usual daily drivers yesterday the K702's eek a lifeless flat sound and that bright treble took my head off!
> 
> Safe to say the K702's do not pair well the Magni 2 Uber / Multibit stack, so I got a pair of HD650's in and what a difference a nice full bodied smooth headphone and I hope after burn in a good compliment to my HD800S.
> 
> I think however I need to upgrade my amp to get the most from them, anyone using HD650's & Multibit with the Valhalla 2 or Lyr 2?




Magni is definitely holding your system back. HD800/Mimby need at least Vali 1 or 2.

My Mimby/Valhalla 2 is sublime. I had the Magni 2 at one point, just not a good enough amp. I do not have HD650 yet but Valhalla 2 is supposed to pair great with it like HD800.


----------



## ColtMrFire

turdski said:


> You were asking in the other thread about Mimby versus Gumby... well, that of course depends on this and that, your equipment, your ears; how much you'd care about the possible perceived differences for that much more money, whatnot.  I'm tempted to say, Ho Lee Schiit, you should just _reeeaaally_ just get a Gumby already (if you can), as it IS quite a bit better.  To me.  In the grand scheme of things, the Mimby is still exceptionally good.  I mean, for the money, I'd say it's definitely better.  But I feel the Gumby is simply much better than the Mimby.  I very much miss it.  The Gungnir Multibit was so good that my fiancée and I shed some tears listening to stuff we have heard many times over the years, on a few occasions.  Shortly thereafter, I became mighty curious as to what added magic the Yggdrasil would bring.  (My current, lousier than usual employment trajectory led me to wanting to quit working for the summer, so I sadly parted with the Gumby and so forth.)  Having said all that, the Modi Multibit is damn good in and of itself.  It really is doing a good job of assuaging my otherwise insatiable hunger for that higher-up-the-line Schiit Multibit goodness, in the meantime.
> 
> 
> I guess I failed to go on to discuss my opinions using all of the typical audiophile phraseology.  The Gumby just does everything better.  Soundstaging width and depth, instrument timbre and separation, resolution.  It keeps it together better during busier, more complex passages (especially with recordings that have a large dynamic range, which I have a lot of).  If you're not going all balanced though, I would say you might lose *roughly* half of the jump in added epicness between the two.
> ...




Wow. Yeah super interested in Gumby. I can probably snag a used one for $900.


----------



## Letmebefrank

nikonguy said:


> I am up to 150 hours on my Multibit, I have solely used my HD800S for that time, I plugged in my usual daily drivers yesterday the K702's eek a lifeless flat sound and that bright treble took my head off!
> 
> Safe to say the K702's do not pair well the Magni 2 Uber / Multibit stack, so I got a pair of HD650's in and what a difference a nice full bodied smooth headphone and I hope after burn in a good compliment to my HD800S.
> 
> I think however I need to upgrade my amp to get the most from them, anyone using HD650's & Multibit with the Valhalla 2 or Lyr 2?




I'm using my Moby with the new Schiit Jotunheim amp, to balanced hd650s. I have to say it is completely mind blowing how good that combination sounds. Much better then my Vali 2, and worlds better than my Magni 2.


----------



## Ancipital

letmebefrank said:


> I'm using my Moby with the new Schiit Jotunheim amp, to balanced hd650s. I have to say it is completely mind blowing how good that combination sounds. Much better then my Vali 2, and worlds better than my Magni 2.


 
  
 It really is the new budget hifi hawtness, that combo- it really has switched things up at the price. I wonder how people who have been selling mediocre balanced amps for fanciful prices will respond


----------



## mourip

Modi MD rattle.
  
 When I first unboxed my Modi MB and handled it there was a rattle inside the case so pronounced that I was convinced that it had become damaged in transit. In order to confirm my theory I removed the 4 case screws to look inside. What I found was that the aluminum selector button sits rather freely in a hole in the front panel and when depressed actuates a momentary switch. The issue is that the button sits metal to metal and there is a gap between the back of the button and the switch face. This allows the button to rattle like a champ.
  
 The good news is that the Modi MB is a remarkable achievement sound quality wise.
  
 The rattling button just detracts from the feeling of build quality. Is this nit picking? Probably, however it might work to place a thin piece of adhesive backed rubber or plastic on the back side of the button to help secure it lightly against the switch?
  
 OK. Back to listening to music...


----------



## Tuneslover

mourip said:


> Modi MD rattle.
> 
> When I first unboxed my Modi MB and handled it there was a rattle inside the case so pronounced that I was convinced that it had become damaged in transit. In order to confirm my theory I removed the 4 case screws to look inside. What I found was that the aluminum selector button sits rather freely in a hole in the front panel and when depressed actuates a momentary switch. The issue is that the button sits metal to metal and there is a gap between the back of the button and the switch face. This allows the button to rattle like a champ.
> 
> ...




This was a common complaint with the Bifrost too (I have a 4490 &MB) but I thought that this apparent "issue" must have been resolved because my Modi MB button has a nice snug fit and is rattle free.


----------



## joejoejoe

I've been reading this thread for some time now trying to convince myself the Mimby is worth the upgrade from the Modi 2U 4490 version, and I think I'm finally convinced to go for it. Should be able to get decent value for the Modi.
  
 That said, I also think I've been convinced to upgrade the Magni 2U as well...


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## Ancipital

nikonguy said:


> What amps are you looking at? I am in the same boat!


 
  
 You have HD650. I think you know the answer, secretly..
  

  
 *duck*
  
 (..though you also have HD800S, which is a mixed signal, maybe your tastes are really more extravagant? Lyr 2? Vahlhalla 2? )


----------



## joejoejoe

nikonguy said:


> What amps are you looking at? I am in the same boat!


 
  
 Good question. More than likely the Valhalla 2 or the Lyr 2. I need to do some more research and see which would be the better fit. I'm already indecisive enough about a DAC, let alone a new amp.
  
 I may have a bigger issue though, as I am a very new HD800 owner and am still adjusting to the sound, come up from the HD600. I do have the SDR mod installed, but in one ear things are often still too bright. 
  
 Regardless, I don't see myself deviating from the Schiit brand anytime soon. I'm not in a position where I can sample and return things over and over until I find something totally perfect, but Schiit comes pretty damn close and threads like this help me know what I'm getting into.


----------



## ColtMrFire

joejoejoe said:


> Good question. More than likely the Valhalla 2 or the Lyr 2. I need to do some more research and see which would be the better fit. I'm already indecisive enough about a DAC, let alone a new amp.
> 
> I may have a bigger issue though, as I am a very new HD800 owner and am still adjusting to the sound, come up from the HD600. I do have the SDR mod installed, but in one ear things are often still too bright.
> 
> Regardless, I don't see myself deviating from the Schiit brand anytime soon. I'm not in a position where I can sample and return things over and over until I find something totally perfect, but Schiit comes pretty damn close and threads like this help me know what I'm getting into.




Valhalla 2 is supposed to be better for high z Senns. HD800 loves OTL amps (Val2).


----------



## KoshNaranek

joejoejoe said:


> Good question. More than likely the Valhalla 2 or the Lyr 2. I need to do some more research and see which would be the better fit. I'm already indecisive enough about a DAC, let alone a new amp.
> 
> I may have a bigger issue though, as I am a very new HD800 owner and am still adjusting to the sound, come up from the HD600. I do have the SDR mod installed, but in one ear things are often still too bright.
> 
> Regardless, I don't see myself deviating from the Schiit brand anytime soon. I'm not in a position where I can sample and return things over and over until I find something totally perfect, but Schiit comes pretty damn close and threads like this help me know what I'm getting into.




If you want to wait, I have HD800 and Valhalla 2 pair now. My Lyr2 has been delivered to my office and I will bring it home Monday. I can give you my impressions if you like.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## joejoejoe

koshnaranek said:


> If you want to wait, I have HD800 and Valhalla 2 pair now. My Lyr2 has been delivered to my office and I will bring it home Monday. I can give you my impressions if you like.


 
  
 That would be great, thanks. Are you using the HD800 as stock or with any mods/equalizer?
  
 I wouldn't expect Mimby to do too much for the brightness/sharpness I still feel, but I could be wrong.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Mimby was much less bright/harsh for my T90 which has worse treble than HD800.


----------



## wiz2596

nikonguy said:


> I use the Asus Hero VII MB, there are a couple of things you need to do, I will make a post with screen shots later to help you out.


 
 hi dude, can you share your settings with me


----------



## mentt

wiz2596 said:


> hi dude, can you share your settings with me




If you will be using PC as a source component go with Daphile OS. You can run it from USB stick or you can install it. 

Still much better results can be achieved with Raspberry pi 3\Digi out board, Max2play OS, USB power bank as a power supply, on your PC\mac you will install NAS software LMS from Logitech and all music files will be stored on the PC\mac or NAS. Pi3 set up is cheap enough for everybody and result sound will be on pair with Aries mini streamer and similar


----------



## sikki-six

I was a big skeptic of substantial changes between basic, good quality DACs. But, the Modibits price and good reviews got me curious. I guess I'm not a skeptic anymore - there is a real difference between the Schiit and my Apogee Duet (a DS dac I'd think).

 Modibit has much clearer instrument separation and seems to widen the sound-stage with many of my headphones. Highs are more upfront and fuzzy on the Apogee. My biggest surprise is that the Schiit actually sounds quite different frequency range wise. They have more mids in vocal range of the mids and mid bass. The Apogee punches better in the sub-regions. Because of this "tilt" in the bass my TH-X00 PH's especially suffer for my tastes with the mid-bass prominence.

The ModiBit sounds a lot cleaner, spacious and engaging mids upward. It almost sounds like the files were of better quality than Apple Lossless... (Yeah, still not believing in files over redbook.) Too bad the Schiit doesn't quite have the subs / bass slam to make me completely ditch the Duet for hp-use.

Btw, I'm using a Lyr 2 with stock tubes or Lissts.


----------



## r2muchstuff

Tube rolling may be your answer to  "doesn't quite have the subs / bass slam" 
  
 YMMV,
 r2


----------



## sikki-six

r2muchstuff said:


> Tube rolling may be your answer to  "doesn't quite have the subs / bass slam"
> 
> YMMV,
> r2




Maybe so, but there seems to be a difference anyway with the same amp. More "subby" tubes would just bring back what the ModiBit lost - in the very best of cases.


----------



## r2muchstuff

More "subby" tubes would just bring back what the ModiBit lost - in the very best of cases.Quote: 





sikki-six said:


> Maybe so, but there seems to be a difference anyway with the same amp. More "subby" tubes would just bring back what the ModiBit lost - in the very best of cases.


 
  
 More "subby" tubes would just bring back what the ModiBit lost - in the very best of cases.
  
 Exactly.
  
 Back to the bass you enjoyed and with all the other improvements 
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## sikki-six

Any ideas what those sub-strong tubes might be?


----------



## ColtMrFire

Check the Lyr tube rolling thread.


----------



## joejoejoe

coltmrfire said:


> Mimby was much less bright/harsh for my T90 which has worse treble than HD800.


 
  
 I stand corrected! Good to hear. More than likely still going to do the cork mod on them, but I'll take whatever treble smoothing I can get. Currently I am not 100% set on keeping them.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Mullard Blackburn 4108/E88CC/6922 goldpins. Codes are important with these tubes. The second/bottom half of the code will begin with a "B". Anything with an "R" , is from Mitcham plant. They don't sound anywhere close to the Blackburns. I spent quite some time rolling tubes with the Lyr. Had every tube imaginable. Pm me if your curious about any other presentation regarding tubes. Sorry for the thread derail.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391553401194


sikki-six said:


> Any ideas what those sub-strong tubes might be?


----------



## r2muchstuff

I have been searching for tubes to pair with Sennheiser HD 605 driven by a Mjolnir 2 and Beyerdynamic T90 driven by a Valhalla 2.
  
 6N23P an 6N3P-E (with adapter) are doing a fine job with the HD 650.
  
 Still looking for the T90 paring.  Looking for bass and reduced treble, several have come close ( PCC88 SEL Lorenz - Falcon Logo - NOS 1969?, various years of 6N1P-EV Anode and various Amperex ), yet I feel better is available.  Hoping to try some Mullards.
  
 r2
  
 EDIT -
 Multibit for all amps.
 Vali 2 with adapters and 6SN7GTA or B nails it, now to find something close for the Valhalla 2.


----------



## claud W

I have a Vali 2 and a bunch of NOS 6SN7s. Where can I get an adapter???????


----------



## ColtMrFire

claud w said:


> I have a Vali 2 and a bunch of NOS 6SN7s. Where can I get an adapter???????




This is the modibit thread. Let's keep it that way. Check the Vali 2 thread. I'm sure they can help.


----------



## claud W

coltmrfire said:


> This is the modibit thread. Let's keep it that way. Check the Vali 2 thread. I'm sure they can help.


 
 Thank you for policing this thread. I am a Modibit owner, but also the owner of two Schiit Stacks, and any part of a Stack seems to be fair game. I just wanted a bit of important info. Sorry


----------



## Peti

Sure. Keep it in the dedicated thread. This is not the one.


----------



## VortexBlast

I just received my Modi Multibit today
  

  
 I upgraded from a cheap but good Sabre ES9023 DAC and from my first impressions, the difference is absolutely noticeable. The Sabre DAC sounded congested with poor imaging and an unnatural digital sound. The Mimby is just smooth, natural, musical and the imaging is so precise. For 279€, this thing is incredible for its price! Now I just need to let it burn in for the night.
  
 Btw, I read that the Mimby measures better using the coaxial input than the USB input. Does it sound really better through the coax input?


----------



## ColtMrFire

vortexblast said:


> I just received my Modi Multibit today
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I was using the Mimby with USB and was quite happy with the sound. 

On a lark I tried the coax from a CD player and the difference (in my system at least) was striking. Everything was subtlely but powerfully improved. I no longer use USB/computer audio and have gone back to CDs. Which I quite enjoy because it feels more authentic for lack of a better term.


----------



## VortexBlast

coltmrfire said:


> I was using the Mimby with USB and was quite happy with the sound.
> 
> On a lark I tried the coax from a CD player and the difference (in my system at least) was striking. Everything was subtlely but powerfully improved. I no longer use USB/computer audio and have gone back to CDs. Which I quite enjoy because it feels more authentic for lack of a better term.


 
  
 So if I want to use it to its full potential, I need to buy a USB to SPDIF converter then. Are they different from one brand to another or are they relatively similar?


----------



## ColtMrFire

vortexblast said:


> So if I want to use it to its full potential, I need to buy a USB to SPDIF converter then. Are they different from one brand to another or are they relatively similar?




Someone on a forum did a USB/SPDIF converter shootout but I can't remember which. What I do remember is that the cheaper converters were not worth the money, but you'll have to look into it further. You could always burn your digital music to CDs and get a CD player/coax cable.


----------



## Defiant00

vortexblast said:


> So if I want to use it to its full potential, I need to buy a USB to SPDIF converter then. Are they different from one brand to another or are they relatively similar?


 
  
 There's no guarantee that an external USB to SPDIF converter will be better (or worse) than the built-in USB; you'll need to do research on specific models.
  
 (Sorry, I don't have recommendations, I stick with USB for convenience, as it sounds quite good to me)


----------



## Guidostrunk

That person would be [@]@rb2013[/@]
Anyone considering USB/SPDIF, check out the XMOS USB bridge thread. Two models that top the list are Singxer F-1($180), and what I'm currently using. The Singxer X-1($70). 

Hard to beat for $70.


----------



## VortexBlast

coltmrfire said:


> Someone on a forum did a USB/SPDIF converter shootout but I can't remember which. What I do remember is that the cheaper converters were not worth the money, but you'll have to look into it further. You could always burn your digital music to CDs and get a CD player/coax cable.


 
  


defiant00 said:


> There's no guarantee that an external USB to SPDIF converter will be better (or worse) than the built-in USB; you'll need to do research on specific models.
> 
> (Sorry, I don't have recommendations, I stick with USB for convenience, as it sounds quite good to me)


 
  
 I had an idea of building a Raspberry Pi 3 with a Hifiberry Digi+ SPDIF output board as my music player but I don't know if its worth the hassle.
  
 Through USB it already sounds mighty good so I might just stick with that for now.


----------



## ColtMrFire

guidostrunk said:


> That person would be [@]@rb2013[/@]
> Anyone considering USB/SPDIF, check out the XMOS USB bridge thread. Two models that top the list are Singxer F-1($180), and what I'm currently using. The Singxer X-1($70).
> 
> Hard to beat for $70.




I don't think the one I'm talking about was on head-fi but some google research is simple enough.


----------



## KoshNaranek

vortexblast said:


> I had an idea of building a Raspberry Pi 3 with a Hifiberry Digi+ SPDIF output board as my music player but I don't know if its worth the hassle.
> 
> Through USB it already sounds mighty good so I might just stick with that for now.




It is worth it. I have made 9 so far, Including 3 first generation ones.


----------



## Peti

I tried coax with my X3 . No difference compared to my generic USB cable. As someone said before, if your motherboard is properly built, USB is as good as it gets.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Everybody should do their own testing and come to their own conclusions.


----------



## franzdom

coltmrfire said:


> Everybody should do their own testing and come to their own conclusions.


 
  
 I guess you could say the same about everything?


----------



## jbarrentine

peti said:


> I tried coax with my X3 . No difference compared to my generic USB cable. As someone said before, if your motherboard is properly built, USB is as good as it gets.


 
  
 Completely disagree. USB is noisy vs toslink. I heard it immediately on getting the MMB. If others can't hear it then good for them, I guess they don't care. I personally can, and won't go back to usb unless I have to.


----------



## 12Jewelz

Has anyone compared this dac to lets say a Emotiva Stealth DC-1? Which one is better or how do they differ sonically? From what I've read I think the Mimby actually sounds better than the Bimby. (I'm I the only one that laughs everytime I see words Mimby, Bimby or Gumby lol)


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## madwolfa

jbarrentine said:


> Completely disagree. USB is noisy vs toslink. I heard it immediately on getting the MMB. If others can't hear it then good for them, I guess they don't care. I personally can, and won't go back to usb unless I have to.


 
  
 No, that only means that *your* USB is noisy. Mine isn't.


----------



## KoshNaranek

madwolfa said:


> No, that only means that *your* USB is noisy. Mine isn't.




Can we just agree to disagree? 

I think I am going to stop commenting on this subject.


----------



## jbarrentine

nikonguy said:


> But that is relative to your PC / Source, we should encourage new users to experiment and find what works for them.


 
  
 I believe in the relative failure of biological systems (hearing) more than anything else.


----------



## madwolfa

koshnaranek said:


> Can we just agree to disagree?
> 
> I think I am going to stop commenting on this subject.


 
  
 That would be the right thing to do...


----------



## Vigrith

jbarrentine said:


> Completely disagree. USB is noisy vs toslink. I heard it immediately on getting the MMB. If others can't hear it then good for them, I guess they don't care. I personally can, and won't go back to usb unless I have to.


 
  
 Or your USB connection sucks. Some multipurpose devices just have terrible outputs, USB and otherwise, but you cannot just bundle everything together and say that a microRendu's USB is noisy as opposed to toslink from a terrible gaming computer.

 The whole "YMMV" and "run your own tests" applies here because not everyone's hardware will be the same, your toslink is not the same as everyone's toslink same way my USB is not the same as yours. It's asinine to make such blanket statements.


----------



## jbarrentine

I'm assuming they don't even know they could be using a variety of controllers simply by switching ports on their board. I did. Including using an add in card and even swapping out to a secondary system. USB was noticeably hazy/fuzzy/inferior to toslink across the board. Do I believe (having experienced it) that the inherently more isolated/interference immune connection does actually offer better sound? Yes.


----------



## Ringneck

peti said:


> I tried coax with my X3 . No difference compared to my generic USB cable. As someone said before, if your motherboard is properly built, USB is as good as it gets.



I don't think you can do fiio x3»usb»dac. It is not a direct comparison to fiio x3»coaxial»»dac


----------



## Peti

ringneck said:


> I don't think you can do fiio x3»usb»dac. It is not a direct comparison to fiio x3»coaxial»»dac


----------



## madwolfa

I've been using all sorts of digital connections over the last 15 years- coaxial, optical and USB. I still do. I've never heard any noticeable difference between them, unless I was unfortunate enough to catch a ground loop hum - it usually happens when two connected devices are powered from different outlets (most often in different rooms). In such cases I'd fallback to using a Toslink as a countermeasure.


----------



## Currawong

*http://head-fi.org/a/posting-guidelines*


----------



## earnmyturns

vortexblast said:


> So if I want to use it to its full potential, I need to buy a USB to SPDIF converter then. Are they different from one brand to another or are they relatively similar?


 
 Not really, speaking for the case of the Bifrost Multibit, which is a the bigger brother of the Modi Multibit. A good converter may make a difference if your USB source is mediocre, but not for a good USB source. What @ColtMrFire experienced may not apply for your USB source. Only testing with your own setup will give you the answer. In my experience, a good converter (Bel Canto mLink) makes a bit of a difference for a dedicated but fairly cheap USB source (CuBox ARM Linux) and none for a higher-end USB source (microRendu). If your source is a Mac or a PC, there seem to be many variables from hardware to software that affect USB quality, to judge by the many discussions all over the relevant fora. That's why I've always used dedicated USB sources.


----------



## mixolyd

Toslink from the Echo Layla 3G interface on my PC beats USB easily for use with Mimby. Both the Chord and Schiit guys recommend SPDIF over USB because it picks up less of the noise that is inherent to multipurpose devices. You won't hear it as noise, more a loss of the subtle depth cues and microdetail. USB cleanup devices are a thriving industry for a reason.

I recently set up the Mimby with a Pi using USB and the loss of separation and timing info is obvious. Digi+ is incoming which will be replaced by the Speed board thing when it becomes available.


----------



## AviP

mixolyd said:


> Toslink from the Echo Layla 3G interface on my PC beats USB easily for use with Mimby. Both the Chord and Schiit guys recommend SPDIF over USB because it picks up less of the noise that is inherent to multipurpose devices. You won't hear it as noise, more a loss of the subtle depth cues and microdetail. USB cleanup devices are a thriving industry for a reason.
> 
> I recently set up the Mimby with a Pi using USB and the loss of separation and timing info is obvious. Digi+ is incoming which will be replaced by the Speed board thing when it becomes available.


 
 What is this speed board thing you speak of?


----------



## mentt

mixolyd said:


> Toslink from the Echo Layla 3G interface on my PC beats USB easily for use with Mimby. Both the Chord and Schiit guys recommend SPDIF over USB because it picks up less of the noise that is inherent to multipurpose devices. You won't hear it as noise, more a loss of the subtle depth cues and microdetail. USB cleanup devices are a thriving industry for a reason.
> 
> I recently set up the Mimby with a Pi using USB and the loss of separation and timing info is obvious. Digi+ is incoming which will be replaced by the Speed board thing when it becomes available.




Digi+ Is upgrade over USB out

Also make sure you use good custom linear power supply with Pi. Do not use regular one!!! It will degrade the sound


----------



## mentt

vortexblast said:


> I had an idea of building a Raspberry Pi 3 with a Hifiberry Digi+ SPDIF output board as my music player but I don't know if its worth the hassle.
> 
> Through USB it already sounds mighty good so I might just stick with that for now.




Pi with digi+ And good linear power supply is upgrade over any PC/Mac


----------



## rmoody

mentt said:


> Digi+ Is upgrade over USB out
> 
> Also make sure you use good custom linear power supply with Pi. Do not use regular one!!! It will degrade the sound


 

 What PSU are you using?


----------



## Noldir

mentt said:


> Digi+ Is upgrade over USB out
> 
> Also make sure you use good custom linear power supply with Pi. Do not use regular one!!! It will degrade the sound




Depends a lot on the design of the supply. Don't forget the linear ones have a tendency to insert 50/60 hz hum into the signal. All of it moot though, the pi supplies power to the digi+ and the gpio output is filtered. See also http://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/1617/how-do-i-supply-power-through-the-gpio

More importantly, make sure you have enough power to drive both the pi, assorted peripherals and the digi board. 

I just use a wallwart with good effect, the official raspberry pi supply is a good one.


----------



## ColtMrFire

mixolyd said:


> Toslink from the Echo Layla 3G interface on my PC beats USB easily for use with Mimby. Both the Chord and Schiit guys recommend SPDIF over USB because it picks up less of the noise that is inherent to multipurpose devices. You won't hear it as noise, more a loss of the subtle depth cues and microdetail. USB cleanup devices are a thriving industry for a reason.
> 
> I recently set up the Mimby with a Pi using USB and the loss of separation and timing info is obvious. Digi+ is incoming which will be replaced by the Speed board thing when it becomes available.




Yeap.


----------



## mentt

rmoody said:


> What PSU are you using?




I was using this one https://markgrant.co.uk/linear-power-supply/187-raspberry-pi-linear-power-supply-by-sbooster.html

But you can find cheeper ones on the eBay

This one is also good http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-ipower/

USB power bank can sound also very good

Now I am using only microRendu streamer


----------



## mixolyd

avip said:


> What is this speed board thing you speak of?




http://www.pi2design.com/coming-soon.html

"The 503SPD2, designed and manufactured by Pi2Media (a division of PI 2 Design), is a professional I/O Shield designed to bring Professional Studio Grade Audio to the Raspberry PI ® family of Single Board Computers. This low cost HAT converts the Raspberry Pi ® I2S Port to High Definition Digital Audio, Coax and Balanced XLR. " 

It's designed to be a better digi+, fixing the power/noise and clock issues. No need for a linear power supply with this one.


----------



## Xaborus

I'm going to contact Schiit and see if they'all take a recommendation at creating a super low jitter, super clean, ARM processor computer to create the digital signals for their DAC's. Seems like their is a lot of interest in low jitter, bit perfect computers and it would be a perfect spot to fill in their lineup to go with their DAC's. I'm thinking TOSLINK/USB/BNC (BNC can be adapted to COAX- but straight BNC is arguably the best digital output) out. 

Sorry to slightly derail. It is relevant though. 
Here are Atomicbob's Shiit Modi Multibit measurements through different inputs. If you examine by blowing up the picture really closely, you'll see that TOSLINK and COAX perform miles ahead of USB; TOSLINK having slightly better performance than COAX. 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements/0_100#post_12794943

Be sure to PM Atomicbob and thank him for his amazing work and contribution to our community. From what I understand he's not been in the best health recently, but he's still pulling through and giving our community amazing contributions.


----------



## ColtMrFire

So my ears weren't deceiving me.


----------



## jbarrentine

xaborus said:


> Here are Atomicbob's Shiit Modi Multibit measurements through different inputs. If you examine by blowing up the picture really closely, you'll see that TOSLINK and COAX perform miles ahead of USB


----------



## Noldir

mixolyd said:


> http://www.pi2design.com/coming-soon.html
> 
> "The 503SPD2, designed and manufactured by Pi2Media (a division of PI 2 Design), is a professional I/O Shield designed to bring Professional Studio Grade Audio to the Raspberry PI ® family of Single Board Computers. This low cost HAT converts the Raspberry Pi ® I2S Port to High Definition Digital Audio, Coax and Balanced XLR. "
> 
> It's designed to be a better digi+, fixing the power/noise and clock issues. No need for a linear power supply with this one.




Interesting! 

Do you also have a link to the power/noise and clock issues the digi+ has?


----------



## nicoch46

can we stay on topic?


----------



## Noldir

nicoch46 said:


> can we stay on topic?


 
 Apologies. Though for me it is relevant since I'm connecting the dac to the digi+ and if it has issues I'd like to know about them.


----------



## Lohb

xaborus said:


> I'm going to contact Schiit and see if they'all take a recommendation at creating a super low jitter, super clean, ARM processor computer to create the digital signals for their DAC's. Seems like their is a lot of interest in low jitter, bit perfect computers and it would be a perfect spot to fill in their lineup to go with their DAC's. I'm thinking TOSLINK/USB/BNC (BNC can be adapted to COAX- but straight BNC is arguably the best digital output) out.
> 
> Sorry to slightly derail. It is relevant though.
> Here are Atomicbob's Shiit Modi Multibit measurements through different inputs. If you examine by blowing up the picture really closely, you'll see that TOSLINK and COAX perform miles ahead of USB; TOSLINK having slightly better performance than COAX.
> ...


 

 Would iPurifier2 alleviate the USB performance gap ?


----------



## mixolyd

noldir said:


> Apologies. Though for me it is relevant since I'm connecting the dac to the digi+ and if it has issues I'd like to know about them.




Pm'd links as they would get deleted here, but basically the digi+ doesn't have correct clocks (introducing jitter) and doesn't have power regulation. The upcoming digi+PRO board will have the clocks but no regulator. The speed board will have both.


----------



## HOWIE13

Now that Schiit UK (Electromod) doesn't sell Schiit products anymore does anyone know how I purchase a Modi Multibit DAC with a UK 3 pin plug without the extra expense of purchasing from the USA or having to purchase a separate UK Wallmart from Schiit for $33, including postage? 
  
 I don't want to have a European type plug and use an adapter as I think it could degrade the sound, or introduce interference, hum etc etc.
  
 Really annoying for a UK customer.
  
 Thanks for any help.


----------



## NikonGuy

..


----------



## HOWIE13

nikonguy said:


> Yes they do, and they have stock:-
> 
> http://schiit.eu.com/dacs
> 
> Just ordered my Jot from them today, talk with Mark he is very helpful.


 
  
 Great, that's a website I didn't find before. Their other site says they only provide EU plugs and adapters, and there is apparently no UK distributor anymore.
  
 http://www.schiit-europe.com/index.php/frequently-asked-questions.html
  
 Very much appreciate your help.


----------



## franzdom

I am not involved but I think the difference is between an UK distributor and a Netherlands distributor. They have a gentleman's agreement on territory IIRC.


----------



## mixolyd

Got my digi+ today and hooked up to Modi via toslink. After several days of listening via USB it's great to have the real sound of Multibit again! Toslink from Pi sounds very similar to toslink from my outboard PC audio interface: gone is the fuzziness of USB to be replaced by the clear top end that feels like cool, pure flowing water.


----------



## HOWIE13

franzdom said:


> I am not involved but I think the difference is between an UK distributor and a Netherlands distributor. They have a gentleman's agreement on territory IIRC.


 
  
 Yes, as far as I can now make out there appear to be two different European distributors: one trading as Schiit-europe.com, in the Netherlands, and one as Schiit.eu.com in the UK.  The latter offers EU and UK plugs; europe.com only offers EU plugs. Hope I've understood this correctly now!


----------



## nicoch46

mixolyd said:


> Got my digi+ today and hooked up to Modi via toslink. After several days of listening via USB it's great to have the real sound of Multibit again! Toslink from Pi sounds very similar to toslink from my outboard PC audio interface: gone is the fuzziness of USB to be replaced by the clear top end that feels like cool, pure flowing water.


 

 HI, you got the Version with output transformer ?


----------



## mixolyd

nicoch46 said:


> HI, you got the Version with output transformer ?


 
 No, I use toslink and dont plan to use the coax so no need for it, especially since it's just a temporary solution until the Speed board (http://www.pi2design.com/coming-soon.html) is available.  Maybe the the transformer version with a coax cable would sound better I don't knkow, but this first gen of boards isn't all that great anyway so I'm not going to split hairs over it.


----------



## duncan4791

mixolyd said:


> No, I use toslink and don't plan to use the coax so no need for it, especially since it's just a temporary solution until the Speed board is available.  Maybe the the transformer version with a coax cable would sound better I don't know, but this first gen of boards isn't all that great anyway so I'm not going to split hairs over it.


 
 I've just done the same, but useing the 7"in. Official Display plus Smartipi Touch case, running Jriver Media Center. Don't give up on HiFiBerry just yet, they are offering an new Digi+ Pro beta board with separate crystals for 44 and 48Khz, as well as, transformer coupling on coax. You can order the new Digi+ Pro at a reduced price of €29.90/US$34.90/GBP 26.90. Though the Pi2Design 503SPD2 looks great.
  
 On to  Modi Multibit questions:
  
 I am mounting the multibit upright using a stand from my D-Link DIR-655 router that coincidentally is the same width as the Modi. Should the dac be set with the power supply on top putting the dac chip at the bottom or put the power supply on the bottom with the dac chip at the top?
 The dac chip is on the underside of the board and given that my unit is at 110F or higher the chip should be even hotter.
  
 The Modi Multibit's power brick is rated at 500ma. Would increasing the power rating to 1.0amp or 1.5amp improve the sound? Would getting a brick with a fatter power cord than the thin one from the current unit be better?
  
 Because of the Smartipi Touch case I need a right angle Toslink adapter. I ordered one of the cheap swiveling ubiquitous types from Amazon. Are these devices any good or will it severely reduce optical performance below coax?
  
 Thanks


----------



## Ancipital

duncan4791 said:


> The Modi Multibit's power brick is rated at 500ma. Would increasing the power rating to 1.0amp or 1.5amp improve the sound? Would getting a brick with a fatter power cord than the thin one from the current unit be better?
> 
> Because of the Smartipi Touch case I need a right angle Toslink adapter. I ordered one of the cheap swiveling ubiquitous types from Amazon. Are these devices any good or will it severely reduce optical performance below coax?
> 
> Thanks


 
  
  
 Be very careful trying to be a smarty pants, replacing Schiit bricks with something aftermarket. They aren't your basic DC out switch mode power supply, generally. If you plug some dubious audiophool supply in and blow your Modi up, Baldr probably won't be full of sympathy.
  
 It'd be a real shame to break your nice DAC, so please proceed with caution.


----------



## duncan4791

Thanks Ancipital, that's why I am asking. I am just curious about all the ways to get the most out of the modi/magni stack.


----------



## Ancipital

duncan4791 said:


> Thanks Ancipital, that's why I am asking. I am just curious about all the ways to get the most out of the modi/magni stack.


 
  
 No worries, just trying to save a nasty mess.
  
 For what it's worth, my suggestion would be:
  
 Let the Modi warm up for a couple of hours from cold to settle into its INL spec nicely (these damn R2R DACs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), and optimally feed it over TOSlink to avoid any electrical noise over USB- some devices are noisier than others. Own nice headphones and decent source material- and enjoy.
  
 The very last part is the most important.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

So I'm looking to move from a Teac UD301 DAC to the Schiit Modi Multibit and I'm looking the get the absolute best audio quality out of this unit. 
  
 I'm curious about the USB to SPDIF conversions that people are doing (which models of converters would you recommend) to squeeze more quality out of the Modi Multibit. I'd also like to see if a USB to SPDIF converter would be preferable to a USB decrapifier like the IFI Purifier 2 or Schiit Wyrd. Any thoughts?


----------



## ColtMrFire

I was using a USB decrapifyer (Uptone Regen) on the Mimby, but it was nothing compared to straight coax from a CD player. I imagine a USB/SPDIF converter might be a little better than usb decrapifyers but I'm not sure.


----------



## earnmyturns

andrew rieger said:


> So I'm looking to move from a Teac UD301 DAC to the Schiit Modi Multibit and I'm looking the get the absolute best audio quality out of this unit.
> 
> I'm curious about the USB to SPDIF conversions that people are doing (which models of converters would you recommend) to squeeze more quality out of the Modi Multibit. I'd also like to see if a USB to SPDIF converter would be preferable to a USB decrapifier like the IFI Purifier 2 or Schiit Wyrd. Any thoughts?


 
 Which digital source? WIth the Bifrost Multibit, which has a similar design, the difference between USB and S/PDIF can be significant with a lesser digital source, but none I can detect with the best source I use now (microRendu+Teddy Pardo LPS). from my experience, working knowledge of digital systems, and reading a lot of what people write about this on various fora, I'm inclined to conclude that most S/PDIF vs USB differences are  from 1) software configuration issues and bugs in source USB audio implementations; and 2) various forms of electrical noise traveling down the USB cable to the DAC. The only gadget I used between digital source and DAC is the (now discontinued) Bel Canto mLink, which has galvanic isolation and reclocks the signal in converting from USB to S/PDIF coax. As I said, it helped with less refined digital sources, but it was redundant with the microRendu.


----------



## ColtMrFire

At one point I put a thin sliver of tape over the power pin of my USB cable to block electrical noise and it made a noticeable difference (you can Google how to do this). But it still did not sound nearly as good as straight coax.


----------



## Peti

Here:
  

  
 It's worth a try and easily reversible. Mind you, with the MOdi Multibit I couldn't use this mod. It seems the 5V leg needed for the handshake. Tried to inquire about it a few pages back, in vain.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Yes, I did it using the Uptone Regen because it has its own power supply for the handshake.


----------



## Peti

coltmrfire said:


> Yes, I did it using the Uptone Regen because it has its own power supply for the handshake.


 

 I see. HAve you tried this with the Modi Multibit as well? Did it work for you?


----------



## ColtMrFire

Yes I did. Worked very well, the sound was clearer and less "dirty". But as I said, coax was much better. If you must use USB, the tape trick is definitely a must if you can.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Check out this thread. I currently have the Singxer X-1. These 2 USB/SPDIF , pretty much smoke the competition available atm.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/803111/xmos-xu208-usb-bridges-the-latest-gen-has-arrived



andrew rieger said:


> So I'm looking to move from a Teac UD301 DAC to the Schiit Modi Multibit and I'm looking the get the absolute best audio quality out of this unit.
> 
> I'm curious about the USB to SPDIF conversions that people are doing (which models of converters would you recommend) to squeeze more quality out of the Modi Multibit. I'd also like to see if a USB to SPDIF converter would be preferable to a USB decrapifier like the IFI Purifier 2 or Schiit Wyrd. Any thoughts?


----------



## mentt

earnmyturns said:


> Which digital source? WIth the Bifrost Multibit, which has a similar design, the difference between USB and S/PDIF can be significant with a lesser digital source, but none I can detect with the best source I use now (microRendu+Teddy Pardo LPS). from my experience, working knowledge of digital systems, and reading a lot of what people write about this on various fora, I'm inclined to conclude that most S/PDIF vs USB differences are  from 1) software configuration issues and bugs in source USB audio implementations; and 2) various forms of electrical noise traveling down the USB cable to the DAC. The only gadget I used between digital source and DAC is the (now discontinued) Bel Canto mLink, which has galvanic isolation and reclocks the signal in converting from USB to S/PDIF coax. As I said, it helped with less refined digital sources, but it was redundant with the microRendu.




I am also using microRendu. I have found that Audioquest jitterbug improved the sound when used with microRendu. That makes me think about USB to s/pdif converter. Will it improve the sound more than jitterbug?


----------



## jcwc

coltmrfire said:


> I was using a USB decrapifyer (Uptone Regen) on the Mimby, but it was nothing compared to straight coax from a CD player. I imagine a USB/SPDIF converter might be a little better than usb decrapifyers but I'm not sure.


 
  
 When you were using USB, was the source a PC/notebook?


----------



## ColtMrFire

mentt said:


> I am also using microRendu. I have found that Audioquest jitterbug improved the sound when used with microRendu. That makes me think about USB to s/pdif converter. Will it improve the sound more than jitterbug?




I had the jitterbug (two in fact) but changed my mind about them when I realized they roll off the high frequencies and I was actually losing audible information in the highs.


----------



## mentt

coltmrfire said:


> I had the jitterbug (two in fact) but changed my mind about them when I realized they roll off the high frequencies and I was actually losing audible information in the highs.




In my system(speakers) no roll off


----------



## ColtMrFire

mentt said:


> In my system(speakers) no roll off




It is subtle and therefore more obvious on headphones. I'm not the only one who's reached this conclusion either. I can't remember if it was this forum or somewhere else but there seemed to be a major backlash against the jitterbugs because people kept noticing the highs were being rolled off, giving the illusion that the sound was "cleaned up". If you have headphones it might be a good idea to check this yourself. I found the Uptone Regen not only didn't remove frequencies/audible information, it actually revealed more information and sounded better than jitterbug. But I encourage people to do their own comparisons. Classical seemed the best test because of subtle/delicate high frequency sounds/air.


----------



## fritobugger

coltmrfire said:


> It is subtle and therefore more obvious on headphones. I'm not the only one who's reached this conclusion either. I can't remember if it was this forum or somewhere else but there seemed to be a major backlash against the jitterbugs because people kept noticing the highs were being rolled off, giving the illusion that the sound was "cleaned up". If you have headphones it might be a good idea to check this yourself. I found the Uptone Regen not only didn't remove frequencies/audible information, it actually revealed more information and sounded better than jitterbug. But I encourage people to do their own comparisons. Classical seemed the best test because of subtle/delicate high frequency sounds/air.




Has anyone here compared the Schiit Wyrd or the Gustard U12 to the Uptone Regen?


----------



## sheldaze

fritobugger said:


> Has anyone here compared the Schiit Wyrd or the Gustard U12 to the Uptone Regen?


 
 I own all three - why not?
  
 I have not noticed any tremendous difference between the Wyrd and Regen (Amber). I'm using the Regen as I type this - why? It's quite small, and hides nicely behind my Black Gumby (yeah - colors match, which also helps) on the limited shelf space. I have, however, noticed some USB DAC/AMP respond a little better to one or the other. But in general, they both do the job.
  
 But when you use a Gustard U12, you're talking about something completely different. Then you're comparing the USB implementation in the DAC against the Gustard. I mean to say, regardless of how clean the USB feed is going to the DAC, you're limited by the USB implementation in the DAC. I have not heard anything better than the U12. But that's also about the limit, a price point beyond which I'm not willing to play around with higher cost USB solutions.
  
 Also, I agree with the above statements - the Jitterbug (I also own) simply changes the sound. I personally dislike the sonic changes.
  
 Now, I feel there is no way possible to tie this back into the original thread topic - the Mimby. I suggest someone who wants to discuss further open a new thread and point us to it, so we can get back to topic.


----------



## Vigrith

mentt said:


> I am also using microRendu. I have found that Audioquest jitterbug improved the sound when used with microRendu. That makes me think about USB to s/pdif converter. Will it improve the sound more than jitterbug?


 
  
 Really? That's strange, the mRendu's biggest selling point is literally the fact that it should be jitter immune and should reject all sorts of noise no matter how bad and dirty your ethernet/mains power is. If one has to spend like $700 on a dedicated music server that's regarded by a lot of knowledgeable people as outperforming others that cost several thousands of dollars and then still needs to think about all the nuisance that is improving form of connection then how's that worth it, it completely defeats the point in my opinion - I bought the mRendu (have not received it yet) to avoid that exact thing, I rather not have to think about USB apparatuses like the jitterbug/wyrd/intona, USB to coax or optical converters, direct S/PDIF over USB etc because it is a massive headache. The point is to have a near "perfect" source and not having to worry about needing to improve connection/get rid of noise any more.
  
 Edit: Woops, offtopic. For what it's worth I'm also using the Modi MB and I found my jitterbug was no longer necessary after I purchased a new computer a few months ago; wondering if I'll hear any notable difference when I get the microRendu, hoping I do but if not I'll have other uses for it (living room system or such) so no big deal.


----------



## mentt

vigrith said:


> Really? That's strange, the mRendu's biggest selling point is literally the fact that it should be jitter immune and should reject all sorts of noise no matter how bad and dirty your ethernet/mains power is. If one has to spend like $700 on a dedicated music server that's regarded by a lot of knowledgeable people as outperforming others that cost several thousands of dollars and then still needs to think about all the nuisance that is improving form of connection then how's that worth it, it completely defeats the point in my opinion - I bought the mRendu (have not received it yet) to avoid that exact thing, I rather not have to think about USB apparatuses like the jitterbug/wyrd/intona, USB to coax or optical converters, direct S/PDIF over USB etc because it is a massive headache. The point is to have a near "perfect" source and not having to worry about needing to improve connection/get rid of noise any more.
> 
> Edit: Woops, offtopic. For what it's worth I'm also using the Modi MB and I found my jitterbug was no longer necessary after I purchased a new computer a few months ago; wondering if I'll hear any notable difference when I get the microRendu, hoping I do but if not I'll have other uses for it (living room system or such) so no big deal.




Nothing is perfect. Even microRendu is not


----------



## mentt

There is new Ifi iPower 15v power supply. Can it be used with mimby?


----------



## slex

mentt said:


> There is new Ifi iPower 15v power supply. Can it be used with mimby?



Thats DC. No you cannot use that. Mimby is AC powered.


----------



## murphythecat

how do the modi multibit compares to chord mojo?


----------



## Peti

the Mojo is black. Joke aside, I'm having now both, the Mojo is insanely good to my ears with the HD800 but it sounds a little bit bright and digital sounding compared to the Modi Multibit. that said, the Mojo gave me the goose bumps when I listen to classical (especially organ music). It's the feeling I don't get too often and I cherish those moments. On the other hand, I like the Modi's more natural sounding with rock, metal and pop. And of course, this is strictly my private opinion. Both are keepers though.


----------



## madwolfa

peti said:


> Both are keepers though.


 
  
 One of them is not a looker, though.


----------



## Ancipital

murphythecat said:


> how do the modi multibit compares to chord mojo?


 
  
 I have both, and they both sound pretty good. I'd say that the Mojo sounds like the filter is tuned to be more "laid back", like it rolls off the highs gently before the nyquist cut. The Modi sounds slightly crisper, possibly a bit more detailed too. 
  
 I enjoy listening to both, for sure. However, I find the Mojo a lot more annoying as a desktop DAC. On a hot day, it can shut down if you're playing while it's plugged into the mains and charging. You can mitigate this a bit by taking it out of its protective case (if you bought that), and by balancing it precariously on its edge, to improve heat dissipation. I had issues this summer, when we were in the high twenties (celcius)- I found myself constantly on-edge, I couldn't relax and enjoy the music because I was waiting for it to cut out. 
  
 The rest of the time, the Mojo is fine, though I find that I use the Modi Multibit more. Partly, this is because it has a proper desktop form factor, so I can leave it hooked up, and partly because when I am at home, quietly listening rather than on the hoof with my IEMs, having a tad more detail is appreciated. That said, the Mojo does sound nice, and I love it as a mobile option- and it certainly doesn't embarrass itself as a DAC in a desktop setup.  I think it's down to personal taste, to an extent.


----------



## gr8soundz

Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit but a spec I need seems missing from Schiit's site.
  
 As the dac works best if left always on (I heard it needs at least 24hrs warm up for optimal performance), what is the Multibit's power consumption?


----------



## AviP

gr8soundz said:


> Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit but a spec I need seems missing from Schiit's site.
> 
> As the dac works best if left always on (I heard it needs at least 24hrs warm up for optimal performance), what is the Multibit's power consumption?


 
 The wall wart says 8w
 See pic here


----------



## episiarch

murphythecat said:


> how do the modi multibit compares to chord mojo?


 

 I have both and I enjoy both a lot.  Comparing Mojo to the Modi Multibit + Magni 2 Über stack, I feel Mojo gives a more lifelike sounding presentation, and it's especially noticeable with the ER-4S and ACS Evolve IEMs I sometimes use.  With Mojo I can hear deeper into the timbre of the instruments, and into the sonic image if it's the sort of recording that really captures an acoustic space. 
  
 But it's not a compelling enough difference to make me use Mojo all the time.  I keep the MM/MÜ stack at my desk, which in practice provides the bulk of my listening time, and I thoroughly enjoy it.


----------



## audiodave

I need some advice on choosing between the Modi 2 Uber and the Modi Multibit.
 I own a chromecast audio, which sounds rather unpleasant using the analog output. I was planning on just using the cca with a dac, but apparently the digital out of the cca is affected by loads of jitter. My budget allows for either
  
 a) The Modi 2 Uber and a cheap spdif reclocker like the new ifi ipurifier spdif
  
 or
  
 b) The Modi Multibit.
  
 What do you recommend? Thanks a lot for your help.

 Kind regards,
 David


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

audiodave said:


> I need some advice on choosing between the Modi 2 Uber and the Modi Multibit.
> I own a chromecast audio, which sounds rather unpleasant using the analog output. I was planning on just using the cca with a dac, but apparently the digital out of the cca is affected by loads of jitter. My budget allows for either
> 
> a) The Modi 2 Uber and a cheap spdif reclocker like the new ifi ipurifier spdif
> ...


 
 In my humble (but firm) opinion, the modi multibit is a better mousetrap.  Generally speaking, I'd always recommend getting the best base DAC you can, and then if you want to experiment with some of the other vodoo like USB -> SPDIF or USB reclocking, doing that later.  Because you may well find that by getting the better DAC you don't need it - and you save yourself the cash.  However, if you want, you'll be able to 'upgrade' for low cost later whereas the alternative leaves you no option but buying a more expensive DAC.


----------



## oryan_dunn

audiodave said:


> I need some advice on choosing between the Modi 2 Uber and the Modi Multibit.
> I own a chromecast audio, which sounds rather unpleasant using the analog output. I was planning on just using the cca with a dac, but *apparently the digital out of the cca is affected by loads of jitter*. My budget allows for either
> 
> a) The Modi 2 Uber and a cheap spdif reclocker like the new ifi ipurifier spdif
> ...


 
 Bold emphasis mine, but by loads, you mean, still inaudible?
  
 http://archimago.blogspot.com/2016/02/measurements-google-chromecast-audio_27.html
  


> Nonetheless, realize that 95dB is still a very big number and this is _not going to pose an issue_ despite claims by the most golden-eared audiophile!​


 
  
 For 16bit audio, it's well below the noise floor of the 16bit audio stream.  For 24bit audio, it's 95db down, so still quite low unless you have some crazy awesome speaker system capable of that sort of dynamic range.


----------



## jnak00

I use a Chromecast audio with a Modi Multibit. It sounds fine to me.


----------



## KoshNaranek

jnak00 said:


> I use a Chromecast audio with a Modi Multibit. It sounds fine to me.




As an owner of both Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit, I can unequivocally say: Modi multibit. The Modi multibit is less concerned with jitter than Modi 2U


----------



## episiarch

Another owner of both Über and Multibit here, and I find multibit to be a tremendous upgrade.  Admittedly it's the kind of upgrade that non Head-Fi'ers might very well not notice at all, but if you're a careful enough listener to be paying for a $150 DAC instead of something cheaper, then I think over time you'll find the extra $100 for multibit well spent.


----------



## Ancipital

audiodave said:


> I need some advice on choosing between the Modi 2 Uber and the Modi Multibit.
> I own a chromecast audio, which sounds rather unpleasant using the analog output. I was planning on just using the cca with a dac, but apparently the digital out of the cca is affected by loads of jitter. My budget allows for either
> 
> a) The Modi 2 Uber and a cheap spdif reclocker like the new ifi ipurifier spdif
> ...


 
  
 The Modi Multibit is a far nicer DAC. However, your Chromecast will be sample rate converting everything to 48KHz anyway, so you might find a quality bottleneck that happens before you hit the DAC. Thus, the real question might be different to (or more complicated than) the one that you asked.


----------



## RickB

ancipital said:


> The Modi Multibit is a far nicer DAC. However, your Chromecast will be sample rate converting everything to 48KHz anyway, so you might find a quality bottleneck that happens before you hit the DAC. Thus, the real question might be different to (or more complicated than) the one that you asked.


 
 Thanks for ruling out me ever buying a Chromecast.


----------



## jnak00

ancipital said:


> The Modi Multibit is a far nicer DAC. However, your Chromecast will be sample rate converting everything to 48KHz anyway, so you might find a quality bottleneck that happens before you hit the DAC. Thus, the real question might be different to (or more complicated than) the one that you asked.


 
  
 Chromecast Audio does 24 bit/96khz.
  
 I don't find the Chromecast to be that great for other reasons, but sound quality seems fine to me.


----------



## alynx

Im thoroughly enjoying my Objective stack, but god damn. I really want the Modi Multibit with the Vali 2.


----------



## Ancipital

jnak00 said:


> Chromecast Audio does 24 bit/96khz.
> 
> I don't find the Chromecast to be that great for other reasons, but sound quality seems fine to me.


 
  
 Max sample rate != default sample rate.
  
 That said, looks like they fixed this very long-standing bug in 1.17a, so it can actually do 44.1kHz again now, yay!


----------



## jnak00

ancipital said:


> Max sample rate != default sample rate.
> 
> That said, looks like they fixed this very long-standing bug in 1.17a, so it can actually do 44.1kHz again now, yay!


 
  
 Are you saying the Chromecast Audio does not actually output at 96 kHz?  I've never checked in to this, I just assumed it would output whatever the source file was.


----------



## Ancipital

jnak00 said:


> Are you saying the Chromecast Audio does not actually output at 96 kHz?  I've never checked in to this, I just assumed it would output whatever the source file was.


 
  
 No, that is not what I am saying, at all 
  
 It used to sample rate convert things to 48kHz by default, but it's allegedly fixed now.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Today I had the pleasure of hearing the Yggdrasil. While I did not have my Mimby on hand to directly A/B compare, I was able to get a very clear idea of the differences after several hours with the Yggy. 

The gentleman had several amps on deck (Black Widow, Ragnarok, Bottle Crack+Speedball, Bottlehead Mainline), I listened mostly through my Jotunheim.

First off it must be said that what Schiit has achieved with the Mimby is nothing short of astonishing. A $250 DAC that has 90% of the performance of the now legendary (and much larger in size) $2,200 Yggdrasil. It made me appreciate just how special and game changing the Mimby is.

Yes, the two DACs are remarkably close in performance. The biggest difference I'd say is that Yggy has a meatier sound to it. It has more meat on the bones so to speak. I also realized how dead neutral Mimby is. Yggy sounded ever so slightly warmer. That warmth makes Yggy a bit more engaging and more euphonic. 

On the subtler side of things, Yggy has a bit more resolution and detail but its a subtle difference. There is a bit more "snap" and pizazz to Yggy. Yggy also has a bit better sound stage presentation and placement of instruments/voices. These differences are so subtle, they are almost trivial and work in Mimby's favor since it is only $250. 

Yggy had a bit better bass and slam factor as well, but again, subtle.

I would almost tell people who are thinking about getting a Yggy to get a Mimnby instead and put the money they saved toward a much better headphone (Focal Utopia?) because it will make a much bigger difference.


----------



## jimmers

I see that Hi-Fi World will be reviewing the:
 "SHIITE MODI MULTI-BIT DAC" (sic)
 next issue (December)
  
  
(from Sunni California?)


----------



## Peti

Wow, I haven't seen such a brave nameless forum warrior for a while! as for MrColtFire, your feedbacks are much appreciated, keep up the good work. have you tried the yggy with the hd800?


----------



## ExtremeGamerBR

Should I get a MODI MB + Magni 2 Uber or a Jotinheim with balanced DAC (I don't care about the passive phono)?


----------



## ToddRaymond

I guess some comments were "[REDACTED]". All I saw at the bottom of the previous page was what looked like an incomplete ellipses, but then on this page I got a sense on this page of what transpired. That's too bad. Before we all pile on the shame train though, I feel personal reflection is ultimately far more constructive (ie., "when have I ever done or said something that resulted in someone feeling hurt or undermined in some way"). I happen to have noticed on another Schiit-related thread very recently, a much more subtle example of belittlement/projection, but there I go not following my own advice.

Back to the task at hand though, this DAC truly is unreal for the money. I feel joins the Vali 2 and (presumably) the Jotunheim in the trifecta of "holy crap this has gotta be among the best audio reproducin' stuff on the planet for the money". I do miss the Gungnir Multibit though. Now THAT was something.


----------



## ColtMrFire

peti said:


> Wow, I haven't seen such a brave nameless forum warrior for a while! as for MrColtFire, your feedbacks are much appreciated, keep up the good work. have you tried the yggy with the hd800?




Yes, we used my T90 and his HD800+800S.


----------



## ColtMrFire

By the way, I think the 800 is a great headphone IF YOU DONT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE. But once you start comparing it to other HPs its shortcomings become glaringly obvious. The 800S is proof that the 800 is flawed and needed fixing.


----------



## KoshNaranek

coltmrfire said:


> By the way, I think the 800 is a great headphone IF YOU DONT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE. But once you start comparing it to other HPs its shortcomings become glaringly obvious. The 800S is proof that the 800 is flawed and needed fixing.




I would be interested in greater elaboration of your opinion between 800 and 800S.


----------



## ColtMrFire

koshnaranek said:


> I would be interested in greater elaboration of your opinion between 800 and 800S.




Sure. Its interesting because I used to fantasize about owning the 800. I demoed them a while back and liked them alot. They were my dream can. And all the hype and reputation spoke for itself.

But everyone must understand hype is not your friend and you may not like a HP as much as you think you do.

The gentlemen who was kind enough to let me demo his gear (Yggy, Ragnarok, Black Widow, HD800+800S, HiFi Man HE-560) had a balanced and single ended cable for both 800s which was great because I got to hear them both at their full potential.

The 800 was not as great as I remember since I had gotten a Beyer T90 after I demoed them. When I demoed the 800 I had an HD600 so had never heard a high end TOTL can before, so I was a lot more naive and easily impressed. After owning the wonderful T90 for a while before I demoed the 800 again, I was not as impressed. I was even a little let down.

The 800 has a dip in the upper mids that was very distracting. This would not be a huge problem if it also didn't have a mid bass hump and peaky treble. This makes a rollercoaster ride frequency reponse that sounds weird to me. It is as if the potential of the 800 is being held back. Remember I am comparing to my T90 which is ultra clear and detailed, so switching back and forth between the two was eye opening. I would hear detail on the T90 that I had been missing on the 800. This was apparent in all the tracks I demoed (Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, Star Wars, Mozart's Requiem). The 800 was great at presenting an arresting soundstage that placed instruments and voices in a cool virtual space. It was almost like a magic trick. The 800 offers a ton of detail, it is just buried in the recessed mids and the mid bass hump slightly muddies up the tone. This was only glaringly obvious when I would switch back to the T90, which does not have these shortcomings. The T90s problem is its overeager treble but this is only a problem with brightly mastered pop music I find, and I don't listen to that much. But the T90 does not have the soundstage capabilities of the 800. When I used the balanced cable with the 800, these problems did not totally go away, but they were greatly reduced. If I were to get an 800, I would absolutely need a balanced cable for it.

Now the 800S was...interesting. It was a lot smoother sounding, with a warmer tone that fixed the slightly sterile nature of the 800 (I think people who call the 800 sterile, boring, cold, etc are slightly exaggerating). From what I remember the 800S did not seem to have the recessed mids and mid bass hump...at least that's not how it sounded. It sounded a lot more balanced and more "fun"...a more refined version of the 800. The 800S balanced was AMAZING...it was probably the best sound I'd ever heard. I walked away disappointed in the 800 but TOTALLY wanting an 800S. It was definitely worth the money. I just wish I could afford it at the moment. I will have to save for it.

These are just my opinions. YMMV.


----------



## mentt

Deleted


----------



## mentt

coltmrfire said:


> Today I had the pleasure of hearing the Yggdrasil. While I did not have my Mimby on hand to directly A/B compare, I was able to get a very clear idea of the differences after several hours with the Yggy.
> 
> The gentleman had several amps on deck (Black Widow, Ragnarok, Bottle Crack+Speedball, Bottlehead Mainline), I listened mostly through my Jotunheim.
> 
> ...





Yes, mimby is unbelievable DAC. I like it more than Chord Hugo DAC


----------



## ColtMrFire

Something weird has just happened in my system.


I am running a CD player into the Modi multibit via coax, which is feeding the Jotunheim.


Everything was fine until I put in a classical CD and when the music started there was a persistent ringing in the left channel.  The ringing would rise and fall depending on the loudness of the music, and it came mostly during higher pitched stuff.


Thinking it was my headphones, I plugged them into another source and played a variety of music and there was no ringing.  So it was not the headphones.


Trying to isolate the problem, I played some more CDs in the original setup and the ringing started happening mostly on classical CDs, but would occasionally be heard on a pop album.  So I disconnected the Modi from the CD player and plugged it into my laptop via USB cable.  Played some music from youtube and the ringing was still there, so I knew it wasn't my CD player.


Then I plugged Modi back into the CD player, then Modi into a different amp to see if it was the Jotunheim doing it.  I heard the same ringing in the second amp, so it was not the Jotunheim.  It had to be the Modi since it was the only thing that didn't change.


So I simply turned Mimby off and back on again.  No more ringing.  Has anyone else experienced this?


----------



## Tuneslover

coltmrfire said:


> Something weird has just happened in my system.
> 
> 
> I am running a CD player into the Modi multibit via coax, which is feeding the Jotunheim.
> ...




Nope. Good deductive reasoning. I guess resetting the Modi MB, or any DAC for that matter, periodically is a good idea.


----------



## sheldaze

coltmrfire said:


> So I simply turned Mimby off and back on again.  No more ringing.  Has anyone else experienced this?


 
 I have not.
 But I have definitely read of people having odd sound output from their DAC, which was fixed via restart.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Interesting.


----------



## mourip

coltmrfire said:


> Something weird has just happened in my system.
> .....
> 
> So I simply turned Mimby off and back on again.  No more ringing.  Has anyone else experienced this?


 
  
 Not yet.
  
 Sounds like oscillation. I would contact Schiit. It should not do that...


----------



## wiz2596

Quick question for foobar2000 users:
  
 Do you guys use ASIO driver for music playback or do you just leave the dac to deal with the windows sound mixer? as a good audiophile I am I like the idea of 'bit perfect audio' to try to get the best possible audio quality from my dac but I just found out this below sentence a little concerning about the ASIO component for foobar2000 and I thinking about it
  
 Besides low latency ASIO provides is there any other real benefit in terms of sound quality these days to use ASIO? do you use ASIO with your schiit dac?


----------



## theveterans

wiz2596 said:


> Quick question for foobar2000 users:
> 
> Do you guys use ASIO driver for music playback or do you just leave the dac to deal with the windows sound mixer? as a good audiophile I am I like the idea of 'bit perfect audio' to try to get the best possible audio quality from my dac but I just found out this below sentence a little concerning about the ASIO component for foobar2000 and I thinking about it
> 
> Besides low latency ASIO provides is there any other real benefit in terms of sound quality these days to use ASIO? do you use ASIO with your schiit dac?


 
  
 Yep. I use ASIO for my Spotify Streams


----------



## Ancipital

coltmrfire said:


> First off it must be said that what Schiit has achieved with the Mimby is nothing short of astonishing. A $250 DAC that has 90% of the performance of the now legendary (and much larger in size) $2,200 Yggdrasil. It made me appreciate just how special and game changing the Mimby is.


 
  
 It really is a very nice unit for the money. People in the market for a desktop DAC, who aren't looking at spending big money should absolutely tear their arm off. It's a small, modest-looking DAC for a modest price, but packs a hell of a lot of performance in.. Yes, the button can sometimes rattle. Yes, it's a bit of bent aluminium on the outside.. but frankly, look at where the money has gone- it's reliable and sounds great.
  
 Putting it in a huge audiophool case and charging four times the price wouldn't make it sound any better- I love the way Schiit segment and price their stuff based on actual spec and capability.
  
 (That's not to say that I wouldn't accept a free Yggy if someone else is paying!)


----------



## mentt

coltmrfire said:


> Something weird has just happened in my system.
> 
> 
> I am running a CD player into the Modi multibit via coax, which is feeding the Jotunheim.
> ...




Had similar issue when I have changed USB source on the go. Turn it off and on resolved the issue


----------



## ColtMrFire

mentt said:


> Had similar issue when I have changed USB source on the go. Turn it off and on resolved the issue




Interesting. I actually did disconnect the coax cable to take my CD player to the guys house to demo his Yggy and other gear, and the next day is when it had the issue. So maybe disconnecting and reconnecting has something to do with it?


----------



## madwolfa

wiz2596 said:


> Quick question for foobar2000 users:
> 
> Do you guys use ASIO driver for music playback or do you just leave the dac to deal with the windows sound mixer? as a good audiophile I am I like the idea of 'bit perfect audio' to try to get the best possible audio quality from my dac but I just found out this below sentence a little concerning about the ASIO component for foobar2000 and I thinking about it
> 
> Besides low latency ASIO provides is there any other real benefit in terms of sound quality these days to use ASIO? do you use ASIO with your schiit dac?


 
  
 WASAPI is the way to go.
  
 http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi


----------



## Lohb

ancipital said:


> Putting it in a huge audiophool case and charging four times the price wouldn't make it sound any better.


 
 Don't be to sure about that ! I don't mean Schitt doing that, I just mean expectation bias....


----------



## KoshNaranek

lohb said:


> Don't be to sure about that ! I don't mean Schitt doing that, I just mean expectation bias....





I am afraid that I am guilty of expectation bias if the DAC says Schiit Multibit on it.


----------



## landroni

koshnaranek said:


> I am afraid that I am guilty of expectation bias if the DAC says Schiit Multibit on it.


 

 By the same token, I would be afraid of expectation bias if the DAC doesn't say Schiit MB on it and I'm fooled into not hearing a difference, when an audible difference _is_ there...


----------



## franzdom

landroni said:


> By the same token, I would be afraid of expectation bias if the DAC doesn't say Schiit MB on it and I'm fooled into not hearing a difference, when an audible difference _is_ there...


----------



## fate64

Is schiit bringing Modi to rmaf?


----------



## Pacifica

fate64 said:


> Is schiit bringing Modi to rmaf?




They are! Along with the Jotunheim.


----------



## starence

I'm curious, will this dac work with a usb cable that has had the power pin removed?


----------



## sheldaze

starence said:


> I'm curious, will this dac work with a usb cable that has had the power pin removed?


 
 No.
 I believe the Modi 4490 is the only Schiit DAC that does not draw power from the USB source. The power from the USB source is used to power the input receiver.


----------



## ColtMrFire

starence said:


> I'm curious, will this dac work with a usb cable that has had the power pin removed?




Only if you use a USB decrapifyer with its own power supply (such as the Uptone Regen).


----------



## Xaborus

Something interesting- my batteries died in my JDS Labs Cmoy, and I happened to have a RCA to 3.5mm Female adapter cable on hand.
  
 I plugged my Meze Audio 99 Classic Headphones directly into the DAC, and the DAC alone easily drives the headphones to louder levels that I never use!


----------



## mbusby

xaborus said:


> Something interesting- my batteries died in my JDS Labs Cmoy, and I happened to have a RCA to 3.5mm Female adapter cable on hand.
> 
> I plugged my Meze Audio 99 Classic Headphones directly into the DAC, and the DAC alone easily drives the headphones to louder levels that I never use!


 
  
 Careful. The DAC output is probably not meant to drive a low impedance load.


----------



## tunes

Where is the best on line distributer to purchase a Shiit Jot and Mimby for the best price? What cable goes from the Mimby to the Jot? Is it all balanced? Unfortunately, my Aurender server does not have optical out only USB. However, it is designed for the lowest noise USB implementation.


----------



## Vigrith

tunes said:


> Where is the best on line distributer to purchase a Shiit Jot and Mimby for the best price? What cable goes from the Mimby to the Jot? Is it all balanced? Unfortunately, my Aurender server does not have optical out only USB. However, it is designed for the lowest noise USB implementation.


 
  
 Schiit.com and Schiit-europe (or schiit.eu for the UK). There is no myriad of online distributors with Schiit, the "best price" is the only price, which is the price they sell their products for. RCAs from Mimby to Jotunheim so not balanced. USB is fine in my opinion (and many others').


----------



## tunes

Forgot to confirm
That Mimby= Modi 2 multibit DAC


----------



## Defiant00

tunes said:


> Forgot to confirm
> That Mimby= Modi 2 multibit DAC


 
  
 Yes, that is correct.


----------



## Ancipital

landroni said:


> By the same token, I would be afraid of expectation bias if the DAC doesn't say Schiit MB on it and I'm fooled into not hearing a difference, when an audible difference _is_ there...


 
  
 Hah, I had negative expectation bias, due to suffering some serious buyer's remorse.. Despite that, the damn thing won me over by being well-behaved and sounding really nice for the money.


----------



## svetlyo

coltmrfire said:


> Something weird has just happened in my system.
> 
> 
> I am running a CD player into the Modi multibit via coax, which is feeding the Jotunheim.
> ...


 
 I think I experienced something very similar - it was only in one channel, I don't know if I call it ringing, more like constant "wuuuuuu...". I first thought it was my Vali 2 (the tube going bad most probably). I'll try to restart Modi (I was keeping it up and running for days (weeks?) ) and report back.


----------



## ColtMrFire

svetlyo said:


> I think I experienced something very similar - it was only in one channel, I don't know if I call it ringing, more like constant "wuuuuuu...". I first thought it was my Vali 2 (the tube going bad most probably). I'll try to restart Modi (I was keeping it up and running for days (weeks?) ) and report back.




Initially it started in only one channel. And ebbed and flowed with higher pitched notes in the music (wasn't constant).


----------



## JoeKickass

Modi Multibit is a revolution.
  
 The sound is addicting, and if it's true that you can't get this performance at this price anywhere else I feel the sudden need to implement a mimby for every audio source in my life!
  
 1 for the laptop, 1 for the gaming computer, 1 for the TV... but what if you could put a sine wave inverter in the car and get mimby on the road... and you could even make a battery + inverter + mimby backpack for portable use!
  
 Has anyone tried powering the Modi Multibit with noisy power sources? (Like a 12v inverter)
 Does power line noise show up on the audio output?


----------



## nicoch46

just add a 12v battery in series....


----------



## JoeKickass

nicoch46 said:


> just add a 12v battery in series....


 
 Do you mean power the Modi direct from a 12v source? Unfortunately that won't work because the Modi needs 16v *AC *(not DC like all batteries)
  
 From Schiit: "Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"
  
 But actually reading it again, the fact that it has a "100% linear power supply" means it should be able to produce a constant output even if the power supply is fluctuating!
 I want to try it but I think I'll email Schiit before toying with $250...


----------



## i20bot

joekickass said:


> Modi Multibit is a revolution.
> 
> The sound is addicting, and if it's true that you can't get this performance at this price anywhere else I feel the sudden need to implement a mimby for every audio source in my life!
> 
> ...


 
 Dang, been putting the Mimby in the cart these past couple days but haven't checked out yet.  Might finally check out the cart now.


----------



## nicoch46

joekickass said:


> Do you mean power the Modi direct from a 12v source? Unfortunately that won't work because the Modi needs 16v *AC *(not DC like all batteries)
> 
> From Schiit: "Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply"
> 
> ...


 

 Yes you can !  16ac(10% +/- from wall) mean that work 16x1.41= 22.5 Vdc (10%)   ,you can feed direct the Ac input  with dc   24Vdc you will lose only one volt because you have the extra diode in the psu that's all...
 that 24Vdc can be a separate battery or you can in series a 12V ones with 12v of you car and recharge separately...


----------



## jimmers

nicoch46 said:


> Yes you can !  16ac(10% +/- from wall) mean that work 16x1.41= 22.5 Vdc (10%)   ,you can feed direct the Ac input  with dc   24Vdc you will lose only one volt because you have the extra diode in the psu that's all...
> that 24Vdc can be a separate battery or you can in series a 12V ones with 12v of you car and recharge separately...


 
 Usually with Schiit with wallwarts the AC input is converted into +/- voltages which are regulated to +/- 15v or similar (7812/7912 for +/- 12V for Mimby's op amps) so DC in won't work, if no protection will give just one voltage rail not two - how bad that would be depends on the circuit design, but certainly wouldn't work anything like correctly.


----------



## nicoch46

work ! learn some electronic please


----------



## bigro

AC= Alternating Current. Your Positive and Negative reverse or alternate.
 DC= Direct Current, Positive and negative never change.
  
 They are fundamentally different,This is not just a difference in voltage. Please do not try to run any AC Product hooked directly up to a DC source.
  
 If you feel inclined to go down this path do not skimp on the inverter. Most cheap ones are Modified Sine wave inverters you want a pure sine wave inverter. If your inverter is good line noise may not be an issue.
 Coming from a Mobile Electronics background I will say I suspect this may be an effort in futility. I do not think you will experience the MB magic the way you do at home. in cars, speakers are in awkward places like aimed at your knee caps and use crap class d amps.


----------



## Mercilesslord

What cables are needed to connect this to the jotunheim? First time dwelling into the audiophile world and quite unsure. Thanks


----------



## RickB

mercilesslord said:


> What cables are needed to connect this to the jotunheim? First time dwelling into the audiophile world and quite unsure. Thanks


 
 RCA cable, as short as possible is better.


----------



## Mercilesslord

rickb said:


> RCA cable, as short as possible is better.



So its connect usb from conputer to mimby rca to the jotunheim to my headphones?


----------



## RickB

mercilesslord said:


> So its connect usb from conputer to mimby rca to the jotunheim to my headphones?


 
 Yes, that's correct.


----------



## Mercilesslord

rickb said:


> Yes, that's correct.



So if i only have my jotunheim now and am still waiting a week for my mimby to arrive across the globe, which cable do i need to connect the computer to the amp alone to my headphones? Thanks!


----------



## RickB

mercilesslord said:


> So if i only have my jotunheim now and am still waiting a week for my mimby to arrive across the globe, which cable do i need to connect the computer to the amp alone to my headphones? Thanks!


 
 If your computer has a line out or headphone out jack, it is most likely a 3.5mm to RCA cable that you would need.


----------



## JoeKickass

bigro said:


> AC= Alternating Current. Your Positive and Negative reverse or alternate.
> DC= Direct Current, Positive and negative never change.
> 
> They are fundamentally different,This is not just a difference in voltage. Please do not try to run any AC Product hooked directly up to a DC source.
> ...


 
 Thanks for all the info, hopefully Schiit get back to me soon, I specifically asked if it would cause damage to try powering it from a modified sine inverter and about line noise from a sine wave inverter.
  
 It will be interesting to compare it to my current receiver, it's one of those that uses a microphone to tune the eq and timing for the interior of the car. I found it made the sound very clear, with the sound clearly in front of you, and not from the 4 separate speakers. But I'm not won over by the eq/sound quality, I have a sneaking suspicion the Modi will give more detail and dynamics even if it isn't tuned for the car.


----------



## nicoch46

[attach]1672203[/attach] 
 bigro   as there *isn't* a transformer (that work only with AC )in the bimby  you CAN feed the DC as the diode at is input don't have a problem .....basic elettronic


----------



## i20bot

i20bot said:


> Dang, been putting the Mimby in the cart these past couple days but haven't checked out yet.  Might finally check out the cart now.


 
 Alright, I checked out the cart.  Mimby and SYS, should get it by Saturday.  Now to find an amp.


----------



## bigro

nicoch46 said:


> [attach]1672203[/attach]
> bigro   as there *isn't* a transformer (that work only with AC )in the bimby  you CAN feed the DC as the diode at is input don't have a problem .....basic elettronic


 

  If said person does not know what a diode is or that orientation of the diode relative to the polarity dictates which works and which does not is leading that person who does not have experience with Electronics down a rabbit hole which can be dangerous and they could royally mess something up.  Basic Common sense. If you are willing to do this yourself and create a how to go for it, telling someone with no experience this path will work without any details or safety precautions is irresponsible.


----------



## jimmers (Sep 5, 2017)

nicoch46 said:


> bigro   as there *isn't* a transformer (that work only with AC )in the bimby  you CAN feed the DC as the diode at is input don't have a problem .....basic elettronic


 






 Quite probably like this but fewer capacitors, the AC plug pack would be 16V AC for Mimby.
Typical AC plug pack powered dual rail PSU.

"basic elettronic" (sic)

edit: there is a lower voltage, higher current +ve supply as well, (probably 3.3V) for SHARC DSP and AD5547
not relevant to the AC/DC discussion


----------



## adg4

I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on changing my headphone/desktop speaker setup:
  
 Modi 2 Uber > Bottlehead Crack + Speedball > HD 650
                      > Emotiva Fusion Flex (50 watt amplifier) > Emotiva Airmotiv B1 (http://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1)
  
 I am using two RCA Y-adapters on the back of the Modi 2 Uber to send audio to my Bottlehead and Emotiva amps.
  
 I bought my Emotiva speakers a few weeks ago, and I've been mostly listening to my speakers and not my headphones. That said, I'm noticing that music just seems too sharp or forward, although I'm not sure that's an accurate description of what I'm not liking. I like audiophile equipment and listening to music, but I don't have a sophisticated audio palate yet. I can't say for sure what I don't like, but I just don't love how things sound. Maybe I'm looking for warmer or more euphonic sound. Also, it's possible my speakers just need more time to break in. I've heard it takes about 100 hours.
  
 When I switch to my HD 650's, things sound nice, but I still feel some of the tonal qualities present with the speakers are present with the headphones.
  
 I play mostly Apple Lossless music through Jriver Media Center using WASAPI, so I think the only things affecting my sound quality are in my hardware audio chain.
  
 So, this brings me to the question about my setup. Is it possible that changing my DAC would give me some kind of different results? I ordered my Modi 2 Uber in January 2016, which seems to be before Schiit started using a different chip in the unit Uber. Would going to a Mimby potentially give me a noticeably different or improved sound? I'm happy to list my Uber 2 for sale and pay the difference for a Mimby, but I don't want to do it if it won't make much of a difference.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## theveterans

Get a preamp between your Modi 2 and emotiva which should have a bigger difference than upgrading your DAC IMO.


----------



## adg4

theveterans said:


> Get a preamp between your Modi 2 and emotiva which should have a bigger difference than upgrading your DAC IMO.


 
  
 The Emotiva Flex Fusion is an integrated amplifier. What would adding a preamp do? Also, I use an Emotiva Control Freak passive preamp (It's basically just a massive volume knob) between my Modi 2 and Amp, which allows me to set the amp at a specific volume control, and then control my volume from the separate knob. All of this happens after the Y-adapter coming from Modi, so none of that affects my headphone listening experience.


----------



## JoeKickass

I heard back from Schiit, they gave the OK on powering the Modi with an inverter, but it sounds like the modified sine inverter might cause noise:
  
 Quote:


			
				Schiit said:
			
		

> The inverter shouldn’t damage the Modi but with the relatively small power supply in the Modi it may not filter out all the noise, you may hear that in the audio output. Really can’t say for sure.
> 
> Otherwise it should be fine. If you are in a region where internal temps can reach 140F it would be better off.


----------



## Letmebefrank

adg4 said:


> I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on changing my headphone/desktop speaker setup:
> 
> Modi 2 Uber > Bottlehead Crack + Speedball > HD 650
> > Emotiva Fusion Flex (50 watt amplifier) > Emotiva Airmotiv B1 (http://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1)
> ...


 
  
 I upgraded from the same Modi 2 Uber as you (pre-AK4490) to the Modi Multibit. It is a noticeable upgrade, and should be very apparent with your emotiva speakers / HD650s. Slightly warmer sound, much more detail. The old Modi2Uber is very lean in comparison.


----------



## nicoch46

bigro said:


> If said person does not know what a diode is or that orientation of the diode relative to the polarity dictates which works and which does not is leading that person who does not have experience with Electronics down a rabbit hole which can be dangerous and they could royally mess something up.  Basic Common sense. If you are willing to do this yourself and create a how to go for it, telling someone with no experience this path will work without any details or safety precautions is irresponsible.


 

 well now you know that can be done ... if not just google  "feed dc into bridge rectifier"


----------



## nicoch46

jimmers said:


> the transformer is the AC plug pack, i.e. the AC input connects to ground and where the diodes connect to each other, typical AC plug pack powered dual rail PSU.
> 
> basic elettronic


 
 sorry but is wrong, don't confuse psu ground with safety ground ,that arent in wall AC plug pack .


----------



## ColtMrFire

letmebefrank said:


> I upgraded from the same Modi 2 Uber as you (pre-AK4490) to the Modi Multibit. It is a noticeable upgrade, and should be very apparent with your emotiva speakers / HD650s. Slightly warmer sound, much more detail. The old Modi2Uber is very lean in comparison.




What he said.


----------



## nojwe

coltmrfire said:


> Initially it started in only one channel. And ebbed and flowed with higher pitched notes in the music (wasn't constant).


 
  
 I just had the same thing happen to me. USB Mimby -> Wa7. Ringing/buzzing sound in the left channel that got louder and softer with the music.Tried changing tubes, flipping cables, tried a different set of cans. Restarting the Mimby did the trick.


----------



## bigro

nicoch46 said:


> well now you know that can be done ... if not just google  "feed dc into bridge rectifier"


 
 Again if you know electronics and decide to experiment sure. No need to Google anything The OP did not seem to have very big understanding of electronics. Again short Vague posts are not helping. If you are willing to go into detail please do but telling some one to run something in a method it is not designed to with out any details is irresponsible.


----------



## bigro

adg4 said:


> I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on changing my headphone/desktop speaker setup:
> 
> Modi 2 Uber > Bottlehead Crack + Speedball > HD 650
> > Emotiva Fusion Flex (50 watt amplifier) > Emotiva Airmotiv B1 (http://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1)
> ...


 

 I have a Fusion FLex I use it with a Valhalla 2 as a preamp and on the second Input with no preamp. It is way better with a preamp. I use it with out preamp when I don't want to turn on the Valhalla.  With the Valhalla, Bass has more impact, Mids have more body and highs don't sound as veiled. Sure the tube may cause some of this but the main thin is I can play way louder with a preamp.
  
 On Speakers. Placement relative to your seating area is key. Also generally the tweeter and Midrange should have line up to your ears. You may need to space them out some if the sound to sharp or forward.
  
 This explains the basics but there are more comprehensive articles out there.
http://www.audiogurus.com/learn/speakers/speaker-placement/100


----------



## ColtMrFire

nojwe said:


> I just had the same thing happen to me. USB Mimby -> Wa7. Ringing/buzzing sound in the left channel that got louder and softer with the music.Tried changing tubes, flipping cables, tried a different set of cans. Restarting the Mimby did the trick.




Had you disconnected/reconnected a cable from Mimby prior to this? Me and the other guy it happened to did just that.


----------



## nojwe

coltmrfire said:


> Had you disconnected/reconnected a cable from Mimby prior to this? Me and the other guy it happened to did just that.


 
  
 I had swapped in a new set of tubes to the Wa7TP, but no other changes.


----------



## senorx12562

adg4 said:


> I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on changing my headphone/desktop speaker setup:
> 
> Modi 2 Uber > Bottlehead Crack + Speedball > HD 650
> > Emotiva Fusion Flex (50 watt amplifier) > Emotiva Airmotiv B1 (http://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1)
> ...




This is kind of weird for a few reasons. I've never heard the emotiva pieces, but am very familiar with the others, and the hd650s and bottlehead are among the least likely components to come across as too forward or sharp (fatiguing, maybe? Just trying to understand what you are hearing.) Both are commonly thought of as pretty smooth and laid back, especially the hd650. It is possible that the speakers will get better with time, but that kind of change is usually pretty subtle/incremental, whereas it sounds like you are wishing for a more substantial change. The modi multibit is a pretty noticeable and substantial change from the 4396 uber, especially for different versions of the same model, but differences between dacs are always pretty subtle. Definitely much better to my ears though. Just don't know if it will fix what you are unhappy with though. When you say you are using "2 y adapters" to connect the modi to your amps, what does this mean? It should not take adapters of any kind to connect them, just an rca cable from the analog outs of the modi to the input of whatever amp you are using. Maybe you just are using different terms? Also curious as to what the speakers, Fusion, and Modi replaced, thinking maybe just a very different sound signature requiring a big adjustment? Aside from all of that though, I absolutely love my Mimby, best $250 I have ever spent.


----------



## BarDash

I have a connection question. I currently own the Jotunheim and just purchased the Modi Multibit and am awaiting delivery on Friday. I use windows 10 & Jriver.
 I want to continue using the balanced output on the Jot for my headphones. I know I use RCA cables to connect the Jot & Modi Multi? Which USB output to my computer do I use, The Jots or the Modi Multi or do I need to use 2 usb cables? One out of the Jot to my computer and one out of the Modi Multi to my computer? Also do I need to download different drivers for the Modi?
 Thanks in advance and excuse my noobiness.


----------



## Baldr

Random electrostatic pulses, minor line brownouts, and even minor emps into poorly shielded cables can cause the DSP processor in the Mimby to slip a bit and exhibit odd sounds.  In that case, a quick reset by cycling power will clear all up.  No worries.


----------



## Vigrith

bardash said:


> I have a connection question. I currently own the Jotunheim and just purchased the Modi Multibit and am awaiting delivery on Friday. I use windows 10 & Jriver.
> I want to continue using the balanced output on the Jot for my headphones. I know I use RCA cables to connect the Jot & Modi Multi? Which USB output to my computer do I use, The Jots or the Modi Multi or do I need to use 2 usb cables? One out of the Jot to my computer and one out of the Modi Multi to my computer? Also do I need to download different drivers for the Modi?
> Thanks in advance and excuse my noobiness.


 
  
 USB from computer to Modi MB, RCAs from Modi MB to Jotunheim, balanced headphone out to balanced headphone wire to your headphones.


----------



## BarDash

vigrith said:


> USB from computer to Modi MB, RCAs from Modi MB to Jotunheim, balanced headphone out to balanced headphone wire to your headphones.


 

 Thank you...


----------



## Ancipital

joekickass said:


> Modi Multibit is a revolution.
> 
> The sound is addicting, and if it's true that you can't get this performance at this price anywhere else I feel the sudden need to implement a mimby for every audio source in my life!
> 
> ...


 
  
 Trouble is, the Mimby won't be settled into its INL spec (i.e. at its most accurate) unless it has been powered on for a couple of hours and is up to temperature.. so that'd kinda suck for mobile use. A Chord Mojo might be easier for mobile use.


----------



## KoshNaranek

baldr said:


> Random electrostatic pulses, minor line brownouts, and even minor emps into poorly shielded cables can cause the DSP processor in the Mimby to slip a bit and exhibit odd sounds.  In that case, a quick reset by cycling power will clear all up.  No worries.




Thank you for clearing this up. I had PMed Jason about it earlier.


----------



## Mercilesslord

Hi guys, do guys leave ur mimby switched on 24/7 everyday? Is it safe to leave it running warm when no ones home?How do u guys keep it cool?


----------



## Letmebefrank

mercilesslord said:


> Hi guys, do guys leave ur mimby switched on 24/7 everyday? Is it safe to leave it running warm when no ones home?How do u guys keep it cool?


 
  
 I leave mine on 24/7 unless I'm going to be out of town. It doesn't get more than warm to the touch. I keep my apartment at 72f.


----------



## swmtnbiker

Same here. Mine is on all of the time unless I'm going to be away from home for more than a day, and it's only warm to the touch.


----------



## senorx12562

I keep mine kool with a vali roasting on top of it.


----------



## madwolfa

mercilesslord said:


> Hi guys, do guys leave ur mimby switched on 24/7 everyday? Is it safe to leave it running warm when no ones home?How do u guys keep it cool?


 
  
 24x7.


----------



## Tuneslover

madwolfa said:


> 24x7.



So do I. The only time I turn off the power is when I do some component switching (I have 3 amps & 3 DACs). My phono preamp on my turntable system has been on for years. I know it doesn't have an on/off switch but that's the point, so that it is primed to go.


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

It should be noted that, like all multibit/R2R ladder DACs, the very last thing you want to do with this is cool it.  Or really, deliberately do anything to significantly change the temperature of the DAC.  Stabililty is the name of the game.
  
 The heat is part of the design.  It will get warm, as expected.  What matters is temperature stability.  Blow a fan across it and you'll most likely have less thermal stability than leaving it alone.
  
 So you should both leave it on 24/7, and also leave it be.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Would that apply to stacking an amp on the dac as well? Just curious if the extra heat would create the same instability.
Cheers 





silvertrumpet999 said:


> It should be noted that, like all multibit/R2R ladder DACs, the very last thing you want to do with this is cool it.  Or really, deliberately do anything to significantly change the temperature of the DAC.  Stabililty is the name of the game.
> 
> The heat is part of the design.  It will get warm, as expected.  What matters is temperature stability.  Blow a fan across it and you'll most likely have less thermal stability than leaving it alone.
> 
> So you should both leave it on 24/7, and also leave it be.


----------



## senorx12562

You guys are mindscrewing this way too much. Turn on, leave on, music, voila!


----------



## SilverTrumpet999

guidostrunk said:


> Would that apply to stacking an amp on the dac as well? Just curious if the extra heat would create the same instability.
> Cheers


 
  
 The Mimby takes at least a couple hours to hit maximal thermal stability after a significant change.  So this would only matter if the amp is both one which produces a notable amount of heat and the heat varies significantly either with the musical program or via power cycling.


----------



## earnmyturns

guidostrunk said:


> Would that apply to stacking an amp on the dac as well? Just curious if the extra heat would create the same instability.
> Cheers


 
 It may depend on the amp. The Asgard 2 I used to stack on top of my Bifrost Multibit was always hot (being class A), so overall stack temperature was fairly constant. Nevertheless, I placed separators between the two to keep the Bifrost better ventilated. I could imagine a different situation with an amp with highly variable dissipation. I've since replaced the Asgard 2 with a Jotunheim, which runs much cooler, but kept the separators. The Bifrost feels hardly any warmer than if it did not have anything stacked on it. But again, pretty constant temperature from always-on and sufficient ventilation.


----------



## TheGame21x

So...I bought myself a Modi Multibit last week, got it yesterday, plugged it in after work and got about 20 minutes of listening pleasure from my music collection and then it...died. I'm guessing it's the wallwart since the DAC still shows up under my USB devices but there's no output and I tried it on my old O2 since it has a similar rating to my current one and no go. 
  
 Funny thing, I bought a Magni and Modi set a couple years back before I got the O2 and it worked for a day before the wallwart went kaput. I'm starting to feel like Schiit doesn't like me.


----------



## senorx12562

I'm surprised it would show up without power. Source lights on the front dark?


----------



## TheGame21x

senorx12562 said:


> I'm surprised it would show up without power. Source lights on the front dark?


 
 Yep. I'm hoping it's just the wallwart but I won't be able to tell for sure until I get a replacement in.


----------



## senorx12562

Good luck. Share the result if you don't mind.


----------



## rmoody

senorx12562 said:


> I'm surprised it would show up without power. Source lights on the front dark?


 

 The USB sections are powered by USB, even the Yggi is this way. The DAC is what's powered by AC line power. At least that's my understanding.


----------



## cishida

rmoody said:


> The USB sections are powered by USB, even the Yggi is this way. The DAC is what's powered by AC line power. At least that's my understanding.


 
 I think the most recent versions of the modi uber are self powered (don't show up when the DAC is not powered). Not sure about the Modi MB.


----------



## jnak00

I had one do the same thing. I think mine was a faulty power switch. schitt sent me a new wall wart first, and that didn't fix it. They ended up exchanging the whole thing for a new one.


----------



## sheldaze

cishida said:


> I think the most recent versions of the modi uber are self powered (don't show up when the DAC is not powered). Not sure about the Modi MB.


 
 This is correct. The Modi 2 Uber with the 4490 chipset is self-powered. And the Modi Multibit is not - the USB "receiver" is powered from the USB source, just like the earlier Modi 2 Uber and all other Schiit DACs.


----------



## senorx12562

Shazzam. Learn something new every day.


----------



## adg4

senorx12562 said:


> This is kind of weird for a few reasons. I've never heard the emotiva pieces, but am very familiar with the others, and the hd650s and bottlehead are among the least likely components to come across as too forward or sharp (fatiguing, maybe? Just trying to understand what you are hearing.) Both are commonly thought of as pretty smooth and laid back, especially the hd650. It is possible that the speakers will get better with time, but that kind of change is usually pretty subtle/incremental, whereas it sounds like you are wishing for a more substantial change. The modi multibit is a pretty noticeable and substantial change from the 4396 uber, especially for different versions of the same model, but differences between dacs are always pretty subtle. Definitely much better to my ears though. Just don't know if it will fix what you are unhappy with though. When you say you are using "2 y adapters" to connect the modi to your amps, what does this mean? It should not take adapters of any kind to connect them, just an rca cable from the analog outs of the modi to the input of whatever amp you are using. Maybe you just are using different terms? Also curious as to what the speakers, Fusion, and Modi replaced, thinking maybe just a very different sound signature requiring a big adjustment? Aside from all of that though, I absolutely love my Mimby, best $250 I have ever spent.


 
  
 Thanks for all the replies. I ended up returning my Emotiva B1 speakers and put my KEF q100s back into my desktop speaker setup. The KEFs don't have folded ribbon tweeters–which I might have found fatiguing–and sound just as good to my ears. I also ordered a Mimby last week and it is being delivered tomorrow. I will list my Uber 4396 on Head-Fi once the Mimby is set up.
  
 I think you are right that maybe what I'm describing is that the sound is fatiguing. Can an audio setup sound fatiguing very soon after a listening session, or is fatigue in an audio sense usually related to longer listening sessions? Maybe some of this has to do with me sitting a few feet away from my speakers. I guess I'll reevaluate and report back once I have the Mimby in my setup.
  
 As for the Y-adapters, I'm using Y-adapters from the stereo out of the Modi 2 in order to send the output to both a stereo speaker amplifier and also my Bottlehead Crack. I have two sets of RCA cables leaving my Modi.


----------



## jbarrentine

> Can an audio setup sound fatiguing very soon after a listening session, or is fatigue in an audio sense usually related to longer listening sessions?
  
 If you feel like you're being beat up listening to anything it's fatigue. I felt this way with my Beyer T90s. The wow factor of clarity (which was substantial, I won't lie) was eventually replaced with a feeling of distaste for the virtual beating I received listening to just about anything. I've found that bluegrass music is particularly good for determining if you're going to feel fatigue. If you cue up some and immediately find it grating then something is wrong with your chain. Even if bluegrass isn't to your taste you shouldn't find the sound harsh/grating. What was intolerable on Beyer T90 is joyful on Senns HD600.


----------



## ColtMrFire

jbarrentine said:


> > Can an audio setup sound fatiguing very soon after a listening session, or is fatigue in an audio sense usually related to longer listening sessions?
> 
> If you feel like you're being beat up listening to anything it's fatigue. I felt this way with my Beyer T90s. The wow factor of clarity (which was substantial, I won't lie) was eventually replaced with a feeling of distaste for the virtual beating I received listening to just about anything. I've found that bluegrass music is particularly good for determining if you're going to feel fatigue. If you cue up some and immediately find it grating then something is wrong with your chain. Even if bluegrass isn't to your taste you shouldn't find the sound harsh/grating. What was intolerable on Beyer T90 is joyful on Senns HD600.


 
  
 I've had the T90 for a few months and know exactly what you mean.  They can be punishing mostly with pop music, but every genre tends to be brighter than normal because of the elevated treble, and this can punish the ears...but of course, everyone's ear canals are different and what is intolerable to some may be fine to others. 
  
 But I recently modded them and am no longer bothered by fatigue, in fact I can listen almost all day without feeling fatigue.  You can check the T90 thread for what I did.  I was close to selling them until I did the mod.  Also, your amp and DAC play a large part in this as well... brighter chains are going to exacerbate the T90's treble emphasis.  They are best paired with darker or neutral gear, which is why they are brilliant with my Mimby and Jotunheim. 
  
 I had the HD600 before the T90 and it is indeed a special HP.  But it did not resolve complex classical orchestral music the way I wanted (smeared complex sections), and the T90 fixed this, and I mostly listen to classical so obviously it was a priority.  I sold the 600 but may buy them back and use them for vocal stuff.


----------



## JoeKickass

coltmrfire said:


> I had the HD600 before the T90 and it is indeed a special HP.  But it did not resolve complex classical orchestral music the way I wanted (smeared complex sections), and the T90 fixed this, and I mostly listen to classical so obviously it was a priority.  I sold the 600 but may buy them back and use them for vocal stuff.


 
  
 That's funny, I recently got the HD600 and it's the best headphone I've ever heard, and I really do like them, so maybe I should just stop here so I don't know what I'm missing?
  
 Ignorance is truly bliss... ah but now I know about it! I'll have to try some memory repression...


----------



## theveterans

joekickass said:


> That's funny, I recently got the HD600 and it's the best headphone I've ever heard, and I really do like them, so maybe I should just stop here so I don't know what I'm missing?
> 
> Ignorance is truly bliss... ah but know about it! I'll have to try some memory repression...


 
  
 If you hear "fast sounding" speakers, especially those with ribbon tweeters, you'll realize what he meant.


----------



## Ancipital

joekickass said:


> That's funny, I recently got the HD600 and it's the best headphone I've ever heard, and I really do like them, so maybe I should just stop here so I don't know what I'm missing?
> 
> Ignorance is truly bliss... ah but now I know about it! I'll have to try some memory repression...


 
  
 Don't worry, like everything else, it's all tradeoffs. Fast transducers also sometimes drive people mad over the characteristics of minor details of the sound, especially the decay. Hell, go to planars or even stats, and you might find yourself missing aspects of dynamic driver bass too. 
  
 Essentially, you will always have the sneaking suspicion that something that could sound better is out there somewhere, whatever you have. Recognising that what you have is "good enough" for now, and being at peace with it is the elusive trick. Avoid sidegrades of dubious value, mix and match the transducers and amps that you do own to fit your mood and what you're listening to. Use sunscreen.


----------



## Lohb

ancipital said:


> Don't worry, like everything else, it's all tradeoffs. Fast transducers also sometimes drive people mad over the characteristics of minor details of the sound, especially the decay.


 
 That's right, sometimes too fast can just be truncated decay. And decay can be part of the musical blend of the next part of the music.


----------



## tamleo

If i want a more mellow and natural sound, which one is better to buy? The Asgard 2 amplifier or the Modi Multibit dac? My stack is now Modi2u/Magni2u. According to my memory, my old Asgard 1 had a mellow and natural sound that i loved very much. 
Thanks,


----------



## Ancipital

tamleo said:


> If i want a more mellow and natural sound, which one is better to buy? The Asgard 2 amplifier or the Modi Multibit dac? My stack is now Modi2u/Magni2u. According to my memory, my old Asgard 1 had a mellow and natural sound that i loved very much.
> Thanks,


 
  
 If I may make a slightly different suggestion.. if you're after a natural and mellow sound, you might really enjoy a Vali 2 with an EH 6CG7 dropped in there_. _Don't fret that it's a tube amp, it doesn't need babying, and that tube is is cheap, and will last you about 5000 hours and cost about $20. You'll get a really pleasant sound, with a lovely airy and relaxed sound- and enough power to drive things like the inevitable HD650 without embarassing itself (see also the rather wet fart bass that the Magni 2U gives the HD650).
  
 It's small, cheap and also looks really cute stacked with your Modi Multibit. The only danger is that you can lose track of the time listening to it, it's such a friendly and asbsorbing combo.


----------



## franzdom

ancipital said:


> If I may make a slightly different suggestion.. if you're after a natural and mellow sound, you might really enjoy a Vali 2 with an EH 6CG7 dropped in there_. _Don't fret that it's a tube amp, it doesn't need babying, and that tube is is cheap, and will last you about 5000 hours and cost about $20. You'll get a really pleasant sound, with a lovely airy and relaxed sound- and enough power to drive things like the inevitable HD650 without embarassing itself (see also the rather wet fart bass that the Magni 2U gives the HD650).
> 
> It's small, cheap and also looks really cute stacked with your Modi Multibit. The only danger is that you can lose track of the time listening to it, it's such a friendly and asbsorbing combo.


 
  
 Wait, you're recommending a tube amp? Did I wake up in a parallel universe?


----------



## Ancipital

franzdom said:


> Wait, you're recommending a tube amp? Did I wake up in a parallel universe?


 
  
 Yes, in this universe, we only wear a single trouser at once, and believe in milk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Nope, for the money, it's hard to find a solid state amp that would do what was requested. If you're paying, I'd still much rather have a Black Widow 2 or something, but someone with a Mimby, who wants a "a more mellow and natural sound" on a budget would be hard pressed to beat it, with a decent tube. Solid state amps that sound smooth and mellow without being blurpy/smeary tend to be rather pricey (if awesome). If you know of a $165 solid state amp that fits the bill, then I'm mostly ears.
  
 Plus, it's not very tubey.. it has a solid state output stage and one tiny tube- so you could deny everything. Oh, and it's cute. It looks like some sort of tiny kawaii steampunk robot that is _really_ pleased to see you. Oh, and it'd make a very tidy stack.
  
 (Yeah, I did ask people what the point of tubes was, and didn't get very good answers, which reinforced my prejudices. If someone had _told_ me about the glorious freedom from crossover distortion and complex negative feedback etc., I would have been more impressed. Still, you have to be really careful about things like high OI with some OTL designs, and distortion with bad transformer-coupled units- there is still a massive minefield. Oh, and there's the terrible tossy "tube rolling" obsessives, who are dead annoying.
  
 I went away, and asked some nice, well-informed people, read some ieee and similar articles etc., it was quite a rabbit hole. I still listen to SS amps more often than not, though!)


----------



## rmoody

franzdom said:


> Wait, you're recommending a tube amp? Did I wake up in a parallel universe?


 

 He's right, and beat me to it. I was going to recommend the exact same. Vali 2 is a really fun little amp.


----------



## TheGame21x

Welp, I ended up having to send the entire unit back after I got the replacement power supply but Schiit customer service was quick and extremely understanding and helpful and I got my replacement this evening. Everything's running great so far! and I'm loving the sound the Modi Multibit is putting out.


----------



## r2muchstuff

New duty for a Modi Multibit:
  

  
 iPod with Apple Losless > Onkyo ND-S1> optical> Modi Multibit> RCA cable>
 Pioneer Spec 3 Pre amp> RCA cable> Pioneer Exclusive M3 Amp > speakers
 {OR}                          > RCA cable> Pioneer M73 Amp> headphones
  
  
 r2


----------



## tamleo

ancipital said:


> If I may make a slightly different suggestion.. if you're after a natural and mellow sound, you might really enjoy a Vali 2 with an EH 6CG7 dropped in there_. _Don't fret that it's a tube amp, it doesn't need babying, and that tube is is cheap, and will last you about 5000 hours and cost about $20. You'll get a really pleasant sound, with a lovely airy and relaxed sound- and enough power to drive things like the inevitable HD650 without embarassing itself (see also the rather wet fart bass that the Magni 2U gives the HD650).
> 
> It's small, cheap and also looks really cute stacked with your Modi Multibit. The only danger is that you can lose track of the time listening to it, it's such a friendly and asbsorbing combo.


 
 Thank you,
 I am reading about the vali now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have always thought of tubes as an expensive and complex hobby


----------



## Ancipital

tamleo said:


> Thank you,
> I am reading about the vali now
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yes, the awful chin-stroking "tube rolling" threads are enough to put anyone off!
  
 The Vali 2 is the same size as the Mimby/Magni (so makes a tidy stack with the Mimby), and barely costs more than a Magni 2u. It only takes one tube, so that's really easy. Here's a solid upgrade to the stock tube with an airy, mellow sound:
  
 https://www.tubedepot.com/products/electro-harmonix-6cg7-6fq7-eh-preamp-vacuum-tube
  
 The 6CG7EH are nice and cheap, so you may as well get a couple at once, so you have a spare for the future. 
  
 You can use it like any other amp- and expect the tube to last about 5000 hours. Schiit suggest turning it off if you're not going to use it for an hour, and I'd suggest giving it ten minutes after switching on to warm up. That's about the extent of the complexity with this amp, I'm afraid. There's nothing mysterious to know- it's a nice little amp, and hard to beat for the price. You can more or less forget that it's a tube amp, and just enjoy your listening time


----------



## rmoody

ancipital said:


> Yes, the awful chin-stroking "tube rolling" threads are enough to put anyone off!
> 
> The Vali 2 is the same size as the Mimby/Magni (so makes a tidy stack with the Mimby), and barely costs more than a Magni 2u. It only takes one tube, so that's really easy. Here's a solid upgrade to the stock tube with an airy, mellow sound:
> 
> ...


 

 What he said. There are some really expensive tubes, and there are some gems that are really cheap. Like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/391549391627?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
  
 You just need an adapter to run it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pc-Gold-plated-ECC88-6922-6DJ8-adapter-top-to-6N3-5670-tube-converter-adapter-/201274682953?hash=item2edce7ee49:g:lKAAAOSwOVpXV4q0
  
 With only one tube, you can roll for half the price. Or get two and have a spare.


----------



## Ancipital

Don't complicate matters, you'll scare him off!


----------



## KoshNaranek

The 6cg7 requires 600 milliamps heater current. I believe that exceeds the regulated DC heater supply rating on the Vali 2. I would confirm this with Schiit before purchase. It should work fine in the Valhalla 2 and Lyr 1.
  
 Edit: My mistake, it will work. Maximum current is 600 miliamps. I was under the impression it was 400, like the Lyr 2
  
 Edit Edit: Does this mean we can put a 616P into the Vali 2?


----------



## Ancipital

koshnaranek said:


> The 6cg7 requires 600 milliamps heater current. I believe that exceeds the regulated DC heater supply rating on the Vali 2. I would confirm this with Schiit before purchase. It should work fine in the Valhalla 2 and Lyr 1.


 
   
 Mike Moffat rather likes 6CG7 in the Vali 2, actually. They work fine; don't worry.
  
  
 Quote:


jason stoddard said:


> To throw some more fuel on the rolling opportunities, Mike Moffat has told me he likes 6CG7s in the Vali 2. While this tube isn't on the "official" tube list (and it does look extra silly--it's a big tube) it does highlight the fact that you can use tubes up to 600mA heater current with Vali 2.
> 
> So, if it has 6DJ8 pinout, 6V heater, and 600mA heater current or under, it's good to go with Vali 2. In addition to the 6CG7s, this opens up the 6N1P as well.
> 
> Happy rolling! (And don't go too crazy with it--you can easily eclipse the price of the Vali 2 in tubes.)


 
  
 ..though my EH6CG7 doesn't look any bigger than the stock tube to me- maybe some older ones were taller?
  
  
 Anyway, all these interjections are kinda unhelpful. We were trying to reassure someone that using a simple and straightforward Vali 2 didn't need to be an operatic production number (hint- it doesn't). The usual circular Head-Fi tube onanist flapping won't help there. Is it any wonder that people stick with unimpressive low-end SS amps just to have a quiet life?


----------



## KoshNaranek

I was not trying to scare anyone off. My mistake was genuine and I corrected it.

I can put my foot in my mouth up to my knee anytime I want!


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

I just got the Modi Multibit and a Gustard H10 (my first high end gear in my life)  any advice what cans will pair well with it? So far all I have is TH-X00 purpleheats and fostex t50rp mk3.  Should I am for something like the HE-560? what will benefit the most from a high end  combo like this?


----------



## rnros

ancipital said:


> _clip_ ...There's nothing mysterious to know- it's a nice little amp, and hard to beat for the price. You can more or less forget that it's a tube amp, and just enjoy your listening time


 
 True this. Easy and inexpensive way to explore and enjoy the benefits of tube sound. I would emphasize: great amp, great sound, great value and about as easy as it gets.
 Not familiar with the tube that @Ancipital is recommending but I wouldn't hesitate to try it.
  
  


rmoody said:


> What he said. There are some really expensive tubes, and there are some gems that are really cheap. Like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/391549391627?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
> 
> You just need an adapter to run it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pc-Gold-plated-ECC88-6922-6DJ8-adapter-top-to-6N3-5670-tube-converter-adapter-/201274682953?hash=item2edce7ee49:g:lKAAAOSwOVpXV4q0
> 
> With only one tube, you can roll for half the price. Or get two and have a spare.


 
 Also true. 100% agree with @rmoody.
 Really a gem. Using this tube in all my amps in lieu of my expensive 'trophy tubes' that cost hundreds of dollars per pair... and, yes, because of the SQ.
 Absolutely true and as easy as it gets. Referenced tube seller is reliable, honest and super easy to deal with. Many transactions with him, couldn't be better.
 Not complicated at all. (Honest opinion and experience but it's only my own.)
  
 Vali2 comes with a stock tube so you can check that out first. If you like the stock setup then you can pick up one of the recommended tubes for substantially improved sound!


----------



## 2bxfile

Hello:
 I'm looking to buy a Mimby and at the same time was looking at the Singxer F-1 or SU-1  (which is a stand alone DDC) to accompany it.  I will be having a laptop starting off my chain with USB to F-1 or SU-1 to Mimby to integrated.  Below is a piece of "project86's" (a poster here at Head-Fi) review of the Singxer SU-1. 
 What I wanted to ask you all, is after reading the below, would a Schiit Multibit DAC be a good candidate for this DDC piece of kit?  Would it marry well given the below points?
  
So far, so good right? The Singxer SU-1 is a killer value with superb sound quality. Should everyone rush to place their order? Not quite.  As with all other DDCs, it really depends on your DAC. The main problem as I see it is with the SPDIF implementation. All the fancy digital to digital conversion in the world won't do you much good when passed through a CS8416 DIR with its high intrinsic jitter. Which means some DACs just aren't good candidates for this type of improvement. Also, some DACs (the Anedio D2 for example) essentially have an internal DDC where all signals end up taking the same path, while others pass USB data directly to the DAC. Meaning potentially a shorter and more pure signal path compared to even the finest DDC. Do you know what your DAC does and what that translates to in terms of upgrade potential with a DDC? If not, you might want to find out before making a purchase. Granted a $399 device like the SU-1 is a smaller risk than a nearly $2K Alpha USB, but it's still good to be well informed before spending any amount of money.
  
  Thanks so much fellas for any help you can offer


----------



## Defiant00

2bxfile said:


> Hello:
> I'm looking to buy a Mimby and at the same time was looking at the Singxer F-1 or SU-1  (which is a stand alone DDC) to accompany it.  I will be having a laptop starting off my chain with USB to F-1 or SU-1 to Mimby to integrated.  Below is a piece of "project86's" (a poster here at Head-Fi) review of the Singxer SU-1.
> What I wanted to ask you all, is after reading the below, would a Schiit Multibit DAC be a good candidate for this DDC piece of kit?  Would it marry well given the below points?
> 
> ...


 
  
 Any reason you don't just go for the Mimby first and see what you think of it with the built-in USB for a while? That way, if you decide to try one of these DDCs later, you'll have a better point of reference to compare it to.
  
 Personally I find Schiit's USB implementation sounds fine. I can believe a different DDC might sound different/better, but for more than the cost of the DAC itself, to me that seems a bit out of order on amount of money spent. Still, it's your money, so if that's what makes you happy then go for it


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

defiant00 said:


> Any reason you don't just go for the Mimby first and see what you think of it with the built-in USB for a while? That way, if you decide to try one of these DDCs later, you'll have a better point of reference to compare it to.
> 
> Personally I find Schiit's USB implementation sounds fine. I can believe a different DDC might sound different/better, but for more than the cost of the DAC itself, to me that seems a bit out of order on amount of money spent. Still, it's your money, so if that's what makes you happy then go for it


 
  
 I can use USB or TOSLINK with my Mimby, since my PC motherboard accepts both, which would you recommend I use if I am just using Spotify Premium for my music?


----------



## Defiant00

caenlenfromocn said:


> I can use USB or TOSLINK with my Mimby, since my PC motherboard accepts both, which would you recommend I use if I am just using Spotify Premium for my music?


 
  
 TOSLINK is electrically isolated, but has theoretically higher jitter. If you get static / computer noise over USB then that would probably fix that specific issue. Personally, I've never heard any difference between TOSLINK and USB with my Bifrost, but I know some others have reported preferring TOSLINK.
  
 Outside of that, it probably depends on your computer and a variety of other factors (power quality, ground loops, etc). If you've got both cable types lying around I'd just give both a try, it's certainly possible your ears are better than mine.
  
 Also, just as an aside, but regardless of source (Spotify, 128kbps mp3s, whatever), I'd say you should pick whichever input sounds better to you.


----------



## 2bxfile

defiant00 said:


> Any reason you don't just go for the Mimby first and see what you think of it with the built-in USB for a while? That way, if you decide to try one of these DDCs later, you'll have a better point of reference to compare it to.
> 
> Personally I find Schiit's USB implementation sounds fine. I can believe a different DDC might sound different/better, but for more than the cost of the DAC itself, to me that seems a bit out of order on amount of money spent. Still, it's your money, so if that's what makes you happy then go for it


 
 Since I was interested in the SU-1, I wanted to find out if the Mimby was compatible before I purchased said Mimby so that if I wanted to incorporate the Singxer later, I would know that it would marry well.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Do I plug my powered studio monitor speakers into my Mimby directly, or do I plug them into my Gustard H10 amp?


----------



## franzdom

Directly is good, or if there is a preamp out or line out you could use that. I go DAC > Sys >powered speakers with Sys also getting a phono input.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Thanks, I will do directly   What is a phono, and why do I need one?


----------



## franzdom

It's a phonograph or record player indicating I am either a hipster or an old codger. You don't need one.
 I was merely trying to indicate why I needed a switch between DAC & speakers.
 My DAC & phono preamp also go directly to the HP amp which has it's own input switch.


----------



## Defiant00

2bxfile said:


> Since I was interested in the SU-1, I wanted to find out if the Mimby was compatible before I purchased said Mimby so that if I wanted to incorporate the Singxer later, I would know that it would marry well.


 
  
 Well, I hope you don't think I was trying to stop you from asking, as that's exactly what the forum is for. I kind of doubt you'll get much response, since it's unlikely many here are pairing a $250 DAC with a $400 DDC, but I'll step out now as I haven't heard the Singxer.
  
 If you do go that route, I'm sure many here would be interested in your impressions.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

franzdom said:


> It's a phonograph or record player indicating I am either a hipster or an old codger. You don't need one.
> I was merely trying to indicate why I needed a switch between DAC & speakers.
> My DAC & phono preamp also go directly to the HP amp which has it's own input switch.


 
  
 Oh I see, yeah I don't need that at all, though to be fair I think that would be neat to own a record player someday.


----------



## 2bxfile

defiant00 said:


> Well, I hope you don't think I was trying to stop you from asking, as that's exactly what the forum is for. I kind of doubt you'll get much response, since it's unlikely many here are pairing a $250 DAC with a $400 DDC, but I'll step out now as I haven't heard the Singxer.
> 
> If you do go that route, I'm sure many here would be interested in your impressions.


 

 Thanks Defiant


----------



## fenstr

This year I purchased a pair of HD598's, a Ragnarok amp, the Elac unifi UB5 speakers, and a modi multibit dac. My purchase of the Mimby was largely due to reviews such as those in this forum so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts. 

I've left the Mimby switched on since I got it - the sound quality got better and better over the first 2-3 days. 

Previous to the Mimby>Ragnarok I'd been using the PS Audio sprout. The easiest way for me to compare the 2 setups is to say that the Mimby>Ragnarok>HD598 combo made the PS Audio sprout>HD598 setup sound like a low quality mp3 version of music. Having said that, the PS Audio sprout really is amazing value for money and a significantly cheaper setup. But the Mimby>Ragnarok blows it out of the water and is worth the investment. 

When I purchased my Ragnarok amp I got to test it on what I'd consider to be a fairly top of the line setup - Yggdrasil > Ragnarok > HD800S using balanced cables. This gave me a benchmark for the best quality audio I've ever heard. 

I've since upgraded my standard HD598 cable for a balanced cable to utilise the balanced output on the Ragnarok and I think it was well worth it. 

So how does Mimby>Ragnarok>HD598 stack up against Yggdrasil>Ragnarok>HD800S? Firstly the HD800S made my HD598 headphones look like a cheap toy, and I love my HD598's. However, I'm blown away by just how good the Mimby>Rag>Hd598 sounds - it sounds so AMAZING that I've concluded that for me personally, the jump in quality and price when you substitute Yggi for Mimby and HD800S for HD598 simply is not worth it at this point in time. For thousands of dollars more you can reach that higher level but the value for money of the Modi Multibit and HD598's is, in my honest opinion, absolutely incredible. The high level of detail, wide soundstage, separation of instruments, lovely sounding bass and natural sounding instruments is simply captivating. 

I'm pretty sure the key to my setup is that I invested in the Ragnarok and it is perfect for powering both my headphones and speakers. 

So to conclude I think that the Mimby, Ragnarok and HD598's are great value for money and I'm very happy with my purchases.


----------



## senorx12562

caenlenfromocn said:


> Thanks, I will do directly   What is a phono, and why do I need one?




Not to be critical of you as you just didn't know, but anyone so inclined can just shoot me now, as i've clearly outlived my usefulness.


----------



## Tuneslover

fenstr said:


> This year I purchased a pair of HD598's, a Ragnarok amp, the Elac unifi UB5 speakers, and a modi multibit dac. My purchase of the Mimby was largely due to reviews such as those in this forum so I thought I'd share some of my thoughts.
> 
> I've left the Mimby switched on since I got it - the sound quality got better and better over the first 2-3 days.
> 
> ...




Great that you're enjoying your rig. I too have the Mimby and 598's but I'm currently amping with the Lake People G109S. A very good sounding combo. I also love using the Beyerdynamics DT1350 with this setup.


----------



## fenstr

tuneslover said:


> Great that you're enjoying your rig. I too have the Mimby and 598's but I'm currently amping with the Lake People G109S. A very good sounding combo. I also love using the Beyerdynamics DT1350 with this setup.


 
 Yeah the way I see it I have two things that work in my favour with me being happy with my current setup - lack of funds and lack of high quality audio experience


----------



## starcraft2

Hi guys,
  
 Can we connect this DAC RCA directly to amp or does it need the Schiit Sys?


----------



## franzdom

starcraft2 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Can we connect this DAC RCA directly to amp or does it need the Schiit Sys?


 
  
 Directly to the amp is good if you have volume control on your amp.


----------



## KLJTech

No, you'd need a way to adjust the volume between DAC and amp. Unless of course, like mentioned above you happen to have an integrated amp with a built-in volume control.


----------



## starcraft2

kljtech said:


> No, you'd need a way to adjust the volume between DAC and amp. Unless of course, like mentioned above you happen to have an integrated amp with a built-in volume control.




I think I have an integrated amp. Audiolab 8000.


----------



## VeipaCray

starcraft2 said:


> I think I have an integrated amp. Audiolab 8000.


 
 Audiolab 8000 is definitely an integrated amp with a volume control.


----------



## duncan4791

Hi, is anyone using a raspberry pi 3 and the hifiberry digi+ PRO card with the schiit multibit? I'm using the latest Raspian Pixel Linux and JRiver 36.
 I just got one and it sounds terrible, I'm not sure if it is the card  or the multibit. The regular digi+ sounds OK. The thing is thin and hollow sounding. Violins have an scratchy exaggerated mylar sound. High frequencies are shrill. It's as though there is no midrange. It's hard for me to describe but there is a lack of body to the sound. Any experience with this card would be appreciated.
  
 Duncan


----------



## bigro

duncan4791 said:


> Hi, is anyone using a raspberry pi 3 and the hifiberry digi+ PRO card with the schiit multibit? I'm using the latest Raspian Pixel Linux and JRiver 36.
> I just got one and it sounds terrible, I'm not sure if it is the card  or the multibit. The regular digi+ sounds OK. The thing is thin and hollow sounding. Violins have an scratchy exaggerated mylar sound. High frequencies are shrill. It's as though there is no midrange. It's hard for me to describe but there is a lack of body to the sound. Any experience with this card would be appreciated.
> 
> Duncan


 

 Are those Digi+ Pro's Even for sale yet?


----------



## KoshNaranek

bigro said:


> Are those Digi+ Pro's Even for sale yet?




I picked up a prototype. Software support is not yet available unless you are much more knowledgeable than I. All the prototypes have been sold and will not be available until kernel support is available.


----------



## duncan4791

Hifiberry has a new website design, apparently they have hidden to news post about the pro. Just this morning the news article announcing the pro which sent you to an order page that displayed the price and quantity available was there, now its gone. If hit the Buy button they display a "Developers Store not for End Users" warning at the top of the page. I couldn't find the Developers Store on the new website. I bought mine a 1 week ago at the suggested list price. I don't know when the Beta test period will be over.
  
 The drivers are in the linux 4.4.19 kernel and the latest Raspian Pixel release has full support. No other audio streamer, Volumio, Rune, etc. have the updates.


----------



## starcraft2

duncan4791 said:


> Hi, is anyone using a raspberry pi 3 and the hifiberry digi+ PRO card with the schiit multibit? I'm using the latest Raspian Pixel Linux and JRiver 36.
> I just got one and it sounds terrible, I'm not sure if it is the card  or the multibit. The regular digi+ sounds OK. The thing is thin and hollow sounding. Violins have an scratchy exaggerated mylar sound. High frequencies are shrill. It's as though there is no midrange. It's hard for me to describe but there is a lack of body to the sound. Any experience with this card would be appreciated.
> 
> Duncan




Just really wondering if raspbery digi + and modi multibit were a good match. 

Are you using the optical connection?


----------



## claud W

What are you guys using for a USB cable connecting Mimby to your computer? I have been using Audioquest Forrest, but have a Wywires USB coming. You need a good USB to get the most goodness out of your DAC. I also have some of Alex's Silver interconnects coming to connect Modimultibit and Vali 2.


----------



## franzdom

PYST from Schiit is a good bet.


----------



## bigro

starcraft2 said:


> Just really wondering if raspbery digi + and modi multibit were a good match.
> 
> Are you using the optical connection?


 
 I Cannot speak for a Mimby, But I use one with a Bimby Via Coax and Have tried it with a Modi2Uber. It works well on both accounts I like it far better than USB.


----------



## KoshNaranek

bigro said:


> I Cannot speak for a Mimby, But I use one with a Bimby Via Coax and Have tried it with a Modi2Uber. It works well on both accounts I like it far better than USB.




Bigro, I want to share a fancy wire story with you. A friend of mine was using some $250 battery biased Audioquest cable between a HiFiBerry I made for him and an Esoteric Audio K-07. He had skips in the playback and the Esoteric would lose lock. He blamed the HiFiBerry, his network or his K-07. Switching to a Belkin cable solved the problem. 

Fast forward to my aquiring an Yggdrasil. I used a solid silver conductor Audioquest cable between the HiFiBerry and the Yggy. Got skips in the playback. Most of these resolved by switching to a medical grade power supply for the HiFiBerry. They only completely resolved when I switched to and cheap Acoustic Research cable from abc appliance mart.

It is Blue Jeans Cables for me.


----------



## BarDash

claud w said:


> What are you guys using for a USB cable connecting Mimby to your computer? I have been using Audioquest Forrest, but have a Wywires USB coming. You need a good USB to get the most goodness out of your DAC. I also have some of Alex's Silver interconnects coming to connect Modimultibit and Vali 2.


 
 Audioquest Forrest as well, which has worked perfectly.  Not the least expensive cable but definitely not even close to the top.


----------



## duncan4791

starcraft2 said:


> Just really wondering if raspbery digi + and modi multibit were a good match.
> 
> Are you using the optical connection?


 
 Yes, I tried both coax and optical for the digi+Pro, both sound the same. While using the original digi+ with Jriver IdPi software I use optical.
 This is why I'm asking about the multibit, I had a bad feeling there was a synergy problem. My multibit is strident in the highs and a bit lean played through the Magni Uber, into ether computer speakers(crappy) or the HD650. The digi+ has a leaner sound, more mylar sounding, then USB from my computer. It gets even worse with the PRO, soundstage widens but instruments become tinny and hollow in the middle like a table radio.
  
 Duncan


----------



## senorx12562

koshnaranek said:


> Bigro, I want to share a fancy wire story with you. A friend of mine was using some $250 battery biased Audioquest cable between a HiFiBerry I made for him and an Esoteric Audio K-07. He had skips in the playback and the Esoteric would lose lock. He blamed the HiFiBerry, his network or his K-07. Switching to a Belkin cable solved the problem.
> 
> Fast forward to my aquiring an Yggdrasil. I used a solid silver conductor Audioquest cable between the HiFiBerry and the Yggy. Got skips in the playback. Most of these resolved by switching to a medical grade power supply for the HiFiBerry. They only completely resolved when I switched to and cheap Acoustic Research cable from abc appliance mart.
> 
> It is Blue Jeans Cables for me.




+1


----------



## bigro

koshnaranek said:


> Bigro, I want to share a fancy wire story with you. A friend of mine was using some $250 battery biased Audioquest cable between a HiFiBerry I made for him and an Esoteric Audio K-07. He had skips in the playback and the Esoteric would lose lock. He blamed the HiFiBerry, his network or his K-07. Switching to a Belkin cable solved the problem.
> 
> Fast forward to my aquiring an Yggdrasil. I used a solid silver conductor Audioquest cable between the HiFiBerry and the Yggy. Got skips in the playback. Most of these resolved by switching to a medical grade power supply for the HiFiBerry. They only completely resolved when I switched to and cheap Acoustic Research cable from abc appliance mart.
> 
> It is Blue Jeans Cables for me.


 

 I am a big Fan of Blue Jeans Cable. Blue Jeans and Straight wire( or the Schiit Pyst because they are nice and short) is pretty much what I run  for Coax and Interconnects. The Bluejeans are built like tanks but they do not do well in tighter spaces so the "low" end straight wires cables work well their .For USB I use the Basic Pangea cables and The Pyst/Straightwire . What Power supply do you use for the Rasp Pi? I am looking at ditching the switching one.


----------



## JoeKickass

claud w said:


> What are you guys using for a USB cable connecting Mimby to your computer? I have been using Audioquest Forrest, but have a Wywires USB coming. You need a good USB to get the most goodness out of your DAC. I also have some of Alex's Silver interconnects coming to connect Modimultibit and Vali 2.


 
  
 Take my advice with a pinch of salt, I'm far from the best critical listener, but I am an EE:
  
 IMO, premium cables are one of the biggest "goldmines" of the audio industry, and while there is at least an argument for perfecting cables that carry an analog signal (Line Level, RCA, Balanced, Speaker Out) the same can't be said for cables carrying a digital signal (USB, Optical, S/PDIF)
  
 For a digital signal, you are just transmitting 0's and 1's, on and off, and those two values have big voltage margins/windows to account for non-perfect connections and long transmission distances. Unless your cable is physically damaged, or otherwise out of spec for the data protocol, there will be no change in the signal. Any shielded USB or S/PDIF in proper working order should perform identically, and optical too.* For digital, if it works it should be perfect and if something is wrong it should be very noticeable. *(Think about how Digital TV signals don't go fuzzy like the old days, they just cut in and out when they get bad)
  
 For analog, everything they say about cable quality and signal interference is true, you just have to decide how badly you want to get that 99.99999999% perfect signal. To me, basic shielded RCA's for line level and standard speaker wire sound perfect and should be all that's needed unless you have long cable runs or live next to radio broadcasts.
  
 For what it's worth, I use and recommend Monoprice cables for everything, even analog. I can't tell the difference.
 I've tested every cable I've got from them and had no no problems in the dozens I've ordered.
  
 IME it's best to save the hard earned $$$ for where it makes the biggest difference!


----------



## KoshNaranek

bigro said:


> I am a big Fan of Blue Jeans Cable. Blue Jeans and Straight wire( or the Schiit Pyst because they are nice and short) is pretty much what I run  for Coax and Interconnects. The Bluejeans are built like tanks but they do not do well in tighter spaces so the "low" end straight wires cables work well their .For USB I use the Basic Pangea cables and The Pyst/Straightwire . What Power supply do you use for the Rasp Pi? I am looking at ditching the switching one.




Right now I am using a medical grade switching psu, Jameco part number 2189724. I got the barrel to micro USB converter from amazon for $3

I want try this one though:

http://www.myhifishop.de/Devices/Low-Noise-Power-Supply-5V-1A-Raspberry-DAC-Mini-USB-Micro-USB::66.html

PS I really wish Schiit would make a Wyrd Uber with a 2 amp regulated 5V USB tap on it.


----------



## Defiant00

duncan4791 said:


> Yes, I tried both coax and optical for the digi+Pro, both sound the same. While using the original digi+ with Jriver IdPi software I use optical.
> This is why I'm asking about the multibit, I had a bad feeling there was a synergy problem. My multibit is strident in the highs and a bit lean played through the Magni Uber, into ether computer speakers(crappy) or the HD650. The digi+ has a leaner sound, more mylar sounding, then USB from my computer. It gets even worse with the PRO, soundstage widens but instruments become tinny and hollow in the middle like a table radio.
> 
> Duncan


 
  
 Source / DAC synergy might have some slight effect, but your description sounds like something is wrong with either your source or the Mimby. If I'm reading this correctly you've tried digi+, digi+Pro and USB from your PC; if they all sound similarly bad then it sounds like something weird is going on with your Mimby.
  
 Do you have another DAC that you can test with to further narrow it down?


----------



## bigro

I have used monoprice Interconnects but was getting some noise through my speakers. In my effort to eliminate it I ended up trying Bluejeans cables which helped a lot and once seeing the build quality that's what I went with for most everything. They are not super pricey and extremely well built. Most of their Raw Cable is Made By Belden. As far as digital I agree. I work In the Storage Area Network world where we use a lot of Fiber.  Without getting into the weeds It is lossless, meaning packet drops are not acceptable. The cables used are nothing special. Typical OM3 with LC connectors. If Packets were dropped performance would tank and data could be compromised and they are used every where. I have Had no issues with monoprice Coax or Fiber however USB seems to be a different story, however I don't think this is cable related probably port power management.


----------



## madwolfa

BJC is the schiit.


----------



## oryan_dunn

bigro said:


> I am a big Fan of Blue Jeans Cable. Blue Jeans and Straight wire( or the Schiit Pyst because they are nice and short) is pretty much what I run  for Coax and Interconnects. The Bluejeans are built like tanks but they do not do well in tighter spaces so the "low" end straight wires cables work well their .For USB I use the Basic Pangea cables and The Pyst/Straightwire . What Power supply do you use for the Rasp Pi? I am looking at ditching the switching one.


 
 Where do you buy your Straight Wire cable?


----------



## bigro

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007I80WAK/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=
http://aloaudio.deals/shop/straight-wire-musicable-ii/
  
 Not as Cheap as MonoPrice but more Bendable than the BJC.


----------



## duncan4791

To all:
  
 After putting the Digi+Pro in the Pi3, swapping it out for the old Digi+, trying again updated everything with no luck, switching back, using my JRiver IdPi server with the old card and pretty much giving up on the new one. Today, being a glutton for punishment and hoping that magic would happen, It Did! Stick the Pro card back in and it works perfectly. It sounds better than the old card and as far as I can tell the same as USB from my Dell computer. 
  
 The Linux Gods must have took notice and bestowed some compassionate overnight help. I don't know what is different between the last time I tried it and now.
  
 Anyway, Thank You All and I apologize for wasting your time and screen space.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

I'm loving my Momby but I am wondering if there is any more sound quality that can be squeezed out of this thing.
  
 Any recommendations for a Sub $150 usb to spdif converter or a usb decrapifier?
  
 I'm just using a usb cable straight from my macbook air to the Momby.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

As far as the cable discussion, I'm using a standard Belkin Gold USB, seems to work fine for my needs.
  
 I'm using these for my RCA's and I'm very pleased with the performance for the price. Belen 1505 cables, high quality silver connectors and Viable sleeving. Made here in the States as well. Blue Jeans is also highly recommended around here. My buddy has some from them and I can confirm they are quality. 
  
*Link: *https://www.ramelectronics.net/RAMFLEXSA.aspx


----------



## hrbngr

Ancipital,
  
 Have you listened to a HD650 using the mimby w/the Vali 2...is the combo sufficient?  With the upcoming Massdrop on the HD6XX, I will need an dac/amp combo that can drive this headphone. I was going to go w/the Jotunheim, but since the headphones won't come in for some time after I order them, I am hoping to find a used Vali 2 or other SS amp here @ HeadFi and then get a nice DAC like the modi to use this with my PC while saving a few bucks in the process.


----------



## Letmebefrank

hrbngr said:


> Ancipital,
> 
> Have you listened to a HD650 using the mimby w/the Vali 2...is the combo sufficient?  With the upcoming Massdrop on the HD6XX, I will need an dac/amp combo that can drive this headphone. I was going to go w/the Jotunheim, but since the headphones won't come in for some time after I order them, I am hoping to find a used Vali 2 or other SS amp here @ HeadFi and then get a nice DAC like the modi to use this with my PC while saving a few bucks in the process.


 
  
 I bought the Vali 2 the week it came out and used it until I got my Jotunheim.
  
 For my HD650s I used the Vali 2 + Modi 2 Uber until the Mimby came out, then used Vali 2 + Mimby until Jotunheim came out, and now I use Jot + Mimby + Balanced HD650. The Vali 2 is no slouch and sounds fantastic. I recommend the Vali 2 any day. I'm keeping mine in the closet for when I get the tube itch again. However, I love high detail but hate bright headphones / emphasized treble, so the 650 + jot/mimby is my ideal combination.


----------



## waynes world

letmebefrank said:


> I bought the Vali 2 the week it came out and used it until I got my Jotunheim.
> 
> For my HD650s I used the Vali 2 + Modi 2 Uber until the Mimby came out, then used Vali 2 + Mimby until Jotunheim came out, and now I use Jot + Mimby + Balanced HD650. The Vali 2 is no slouch and sounds fantastic. I recommend the Vali 2 any day. I'm keeping mine in the closet for when I get the tube itch again. However, I love high detail but hate bright headphones / emphasized treble, so the 650 + jot/mimby is my ideal combination.




Sounds like getting into Schiit results in serious upgradeitis lol!

I'm interested in the mimby/jot combo mainly for my Nighthawks. Tempting!


----------



## almarti

jason stoddard said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> Let’s start our product announcements this year with something _really low_…specifically, the lowest-cost advanced multibit DAC out there, by any manufacturer, from any country on the planet. Welcome to Modi Multibit.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi Jason at all,
  
 sure my question is not new and been answered but I don't find it. I am the owner of a Modi 2 + Asgard 2 for my desktop setup around Windows 10 and mainly Tidal 16/44.1 and ocasionally FLAC 24/96. Now I want to replace my old Zhaolu D3 DAC connected to stereo amp Marantz PM17 KI Series and to Chario Lynn speakers, and looking for at least USB and optical (TOSLINK) inputs and RCA output. Both Modi Multibit and Bifrost Multibit are good options for me but not sure what I will receive for the $300 gap price of them.
  
 I will be using same audio quality of Tidal 16/44.1 and FLAC 24/96 and mainly rock and jazz.
 Could you please me help on which of two I should purchase? This DAC will not be connected to headphone amp, only to a stereo amp.
  
 Thanks a lot.


----------



## tunes

I want to use my PQ1R as a server for an external DAC when at home (Schiit Mobi multibit DAC). I bought the cable shown below but not sure if it will work. I also don't know how to make the external DAC communicate with the QP1R via TOSLINK digital. Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## tafens

scottbrown5271 said:


> Tha DAC chips themselves will give a different output depending on the thermal state of the chips.  When I turned on my Mimby for the first time, sound came out as soon as it got done booting up.  The sound got better after it warmed up.  The difference in sound was because the DAC chip in Mimby was cold and did not put out accurate results.  When it got to operating temperature, it sounded better.




Suggestion for next update of Schiit's multibit DACs:
A warm-up indicator light


----------



## franzdom

tafens said:


> Suggestion for next update of Schiit's multibit DACs:
> A warm-up indicator light


 
  
 Problem is as soon as the light comes on there will be minute temperature gradients introduced and you will have to start all over again


----------



## franzdom

almarti said:


> Hi Jason at all,
> 
> sure my question is not new and been answered but I don't find it. I am the owner of a Modi 2 + Asgard 2 for my desktop setup around Windows 10 and mainly Tidal 16/44.1 and ocasionally FLAC 24/96. Now I want to replace my old Zhaolu D3 DAC connected to stereo amp Marantz PM17 KI Series and to Chario Lynn speakers, and looking for at least USB and optical (TOSLINK) inputs and RCA output. Both Modi Multibit and Bifrost Multibit are good options for me but not sure what I will receive for the $300 gap price of them.
> 
> ...


 
  
 They are supposedly the same sound signatures. The difference is length of guarantee (5 yr vs 2 yr), no need to have a wall-wart on the Bimby, and the Bimby is upgradable while the Mimby is not. Some say there is a sound difference but Jason said there is not supposed to be.


----------



## JoeKickass

Here's a great quote I found from the Jotunheim thread, most Jot owners like to bypass the built in dac for a multibit and the Mimby/Modi Multibit is the top pick:
  


coltmrfire said:


> Have not heard the Bimby but I did demo the Yggy and the difference between the
> Mimby and Yggy was not huge, which says it all considering there is a $2,000 difference between the two. Mimby is amazing for the money.


  

 I liked to joke to myself that I had a mini Yggdrasil with the multibit Mimby, but to hear it can hold its own in a direct comparison is epic! $2,000 epic.


----------



## leeperry

If anyone wants to get rid of his multibit POC, I'm buying. Whatever in the EU or US, please advise ^^


----------



## Andrew Rieger

So I'm really enjoying my Modi Multibit but I have encountered a strange electrical anomaly. When the unit is plugged into the wall in my house, it operates perfectly but it does get a little warm. When I moved the unit over to my office, I have noticed that the unit gets much warmer much more quickly but the weirder thing it that I can feel a very strange buzz/vibration/tingle when I run my hand over the unit. This feeling was not present at my house.
  
 So what could be causing this? There doesn't seem to be a negative effect on sound quality. This seems to be some kind of power related thing. I'm not sure if its harmful to the unit but it is cause for concern regardless. Could this be a ground loop of some kind? Very strange, I have never felt anything like it before. My thought it that the brushed aluminum of the case is involved in some way. The reason for this is because I feel nothing when my hand is held in place on top of the case, I only feel this buzz when I move my hand but again, not every power outlet has this effect. The effect remains even when I unplug the Modi from its power source and it doesn't go away until the RCA's have been unplugged.
  
 Very strange. I have asked Schiit about this, I'll see what they say.  
  
 Also, does anyone else notice that their Modi Multibit gets really really hot? After about 10 min of use, the Modi gets about as hot as my old Magni Uber amp used to get. The old Modi Uber barely got warm after hours of use. I hear people talking about leaving the Momby on at all times but I don't think I would be comfortable with that given the temps.


----------



## Cardiiiii

andrew rieger said:


> I'm loving my Momby but I am wondering if there is any more sound quality that can be squeezed out of this thing.
> 
> Any recommendations for a Sub $150 usb to spdif converter or a usb decrapifier?
> 
> I'm just using a usb cable straight from my macbook air to the Momby.


 
 It sits nicely on top of the Schiit Wyred.


----------



## JoeKickass

andrew rieger said:


> ...When the unit is plugged into the wall in my house, it operates perfectly but it does get a little warm. When I moved the unit over to my office, I have noticed that the unit gets much warmer much more quickly but the weirder thing it that I can feel a very strange buzz/vibration/tingle when I run my hand over the unit. This feeling was not present at my house.
> 
> So what could be causing this? There doesn't seem to be a negative effect on sound quality. This seems to be some kind of power related thing. I'm not sure if its harmful to the unit but it is cause for concern regardless. Could this be a ground loop of some kind? Very strange, I have never felt anything like it before. My thought it that the brushed aluminum of the case is involved in some way. The reason for this is because I feel nothing when my hand is held in place on top of the case, I only feel this buzz when I move my hand but again, not every power outlet has this effect. The effect remains even when I unplug the Modi from its power source and it doesn't go away until the RCA's have been unplugged.


 
  
 Warmth and physical buzzing can come from poor quality wall power affecting the power supply of the Mimby. Your office probably has heavy machinery on the same power circuit, anything with a big motor will distort the nice sine wave. It shouldn't hurt the Mimby if they designed it with enough filtering and you say there isn't any impact on sound quality so that's a good sign. As for only feeling it when you move your hand maybe it's a very small vibration and it's just easier to feel that way (but it should be a constant vibration).
  
 The other possibility is it could be leaking AC, high voltage feels "tingly" like that if you don't have a good ground... and hurts when you do. I don't measure any voltage on the case of my Mimby or other Schiit and if you have a multimeter you can check too:
 Set it to AC and touch one probe to the Mimby and the other to any bare metal on your computer chassis (ground), it should read less than 1V. You can check the quality of your ground by probing the wall outlet (small side), you won't read the full 120V unless you have a good ground. Also, you mentioned the tingling remained until the RCA's were removed so you might as well check the RCA contacts for voltage too.
  
 I remember reaching in my fishtank as a kid for years feeling a weird tingle, then after learning a bit more one day I measured and found the fluorescent lights were leaking a cool 40V!
  


andrew rieger said:


> Also, does anyone else notice that their Modi Multibit gets really really hot? After about 10 min of use, the Modi gets about as hot as my old Magni Uber amp used to get.


 
 Yup, that part is normal, warmer than the old Modi 2U for sure. But for best sound you really want to leave it on 24/7 or let it warm up 3hr before use.


----------



## VeipaCray

tunes said:


> I want to use my PQ1R as a server for an external DAC when at home (Schiit Mobi multibit DAC). I bought the cable shown below but not sure if it will work. I also don't know how to make the external DAC communicate with the QP1R via TOSLINK digital. Any help would be appreciated.


 
  
 Not familiar with the QP1R but a google search and their website says   "Output: 3.5MM headphone output, 3.5MM line out and optical output"
  
 Seems like you have the correct cable in that picture to bypass the QP1R's internal DAC and send digital output directly to the Modi Multibit or Mimby.


----------



## Tuneslover

My Modi and Lake People that provides me with relaxing music before shut eye.


----------



## Ghyl

Hello Everyone!
  
 After reading this and some other threads I decided to buy the Schiit Modi Multibit as my first quality DAC. I've got a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm headphone recently and would like to know your input about the amp I should get for this chain: Should I go with Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2? Not sure which one would pair well with the Beyer.


----------



## RickB

ghyl said:


> Hello Everyone!
> 
> After reading this and some other threads I decided to buy the Schiit Modi Multibit as my first quality DAC. I've got a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm headphone recently and would like to know your input about the amp I should get for this chain: Should I go with Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2? Not sure which one would pair well with the Beyer.


 
 I recommend the Vali 2 to smooth out that Beyer treble.


----------



## r2muchstuff

ghyl said:


> Hello Everyone!
> 
> After reading this and some other threads I decided to buy the Schiit Modi Multibit as my first quality DAC. I've got a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 Ohm headphone recently and would like to know your input about the amp I should get for this chain: Should I go with Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2? Not sure which one would pair well with the Beyer.


 
  
  


rickb said:


> I recommend the Vali 2 to smooth out that Beyer treble.


 

 Yes the Vali 2.  I have both amps and Beyerdynamic DT 770 250Ohm, DT 990 250Ohm, DT 1770 & T90,  OK with Magni 2 Uber but much better with Vali 2.  A bit of tube rolling = good synergy.  DT770/990 are a great match.
  
 r2


----------



## Ghyl

*r2muchstuff and RickB:* Thank you for the help, Gentlemen.


----------



## hrbngr

Ok,
  
 Starting to save for my Mimby, not much of an issue since the Massdrop HD650s wont show up until Xmas, most likely. So, for now I will buy the Vali 2--or try to find a used one, but I want to pair it w/my Audioquest Dragonfly Black 1.5.  Would a 3.5mm to RCA cable from the Dragonfly to the  L/R input on the Vali 2 do the trick?   Has anyone tried this combination, with either the Dragonfly Red or Black?


----------



## Defiant00

hrbngr said:


> Ok,
> 
> Starting to save for my Mimby, not much of an issue since the Massdrop HD650s wont show up until Xmas, most likely. So, for now I will buy the Vali 2--or try to find a used one, but I want to pair it w/my Audioquest Dragonfly Black 1.5.  Would a 3.5mm to RCA cable from the Dragonfly to the  L/R input on the Vali 2 do the trick?   Has anyone tried this combination, with either the Dragonfly Red or Black?


 
  
 Yes, that would work, but no, I haven't personally tried the Dragonfly.
  
 I have used similar adapters to directly hook my phone up to my amp and such before though; works fine.


----------



## wiz2596

hi guys, finally I got my modi multibit through optical connection, Im very impressed with sound quality, but I have a little concern, is that normal this thing gets hot? should I turn it off by nights?


----------



## RickB

wiz2596 said:


> hi guys, finally I got my modi multibit through optical connection, Im very impressed with sound quality, but I have a little concern, is that normal this thing gets hot? should I turn it off by nights?


 
 Yes, it's normal for it to get very warm. It sounds its best when warmed up, so most people leave it on all the time. Might be a good idea to turn it off if you go away for an extended period like a vacation, though.


----------



## Cardiiiii

rickb said:


> Yes, it's normal for it to get very warm. It sounds its best when warmed up, so most people leave it on all the time. Might be a good idea to turn it off if you go away for an extended period like a vacation, though.


 
 Does the Wyrd improve the Modi?


----------



## RickB

cardiiiii said:


> Does the Wyrd improve the Modi?


 
 In a subtle way (I don't even remember what it sounds like without it anymore.). I use it more for peace of mind, that the USB connection is better than it would be without it, with fewer hiccups and glitches.


----------



## Cardiiiii

So I got myself a multibit, and it does not show up on the system preferences. On a Mac running MacOS Sierra. Its connected via USB to a Wyrd and then to the Modi. Any advice?


----------



## sheldaze

cardiiiii said:


> So I got myself a multibit, and it does not show up on the system preferences. On a Mac running MacOS Sierra. Its connected via USB to a Wyrd and then to the Modi. Any advice?


 
 Are both lights on the Wyrd on?
  
 It has been a while since I used my Wyrd. But as I recall, such as with my Meridian DAC that was entirely powered by the Wyrd, the lights would not come on until my DAC was connected to USB for audio. The Meridian could use USB or S/PDIF and the lights indicated to me which source I had selected. The lights on the Wyrd were helpful to debug.


----------



## Cardiiiii

sheldaze said:


> Are both lights on the Wyrd on?
> 
> It has been a while since I used my Wyrd. But as I recall, such as with my Meridian DAC that was entirely powered by the Wyrd, the lights would not come on until my DAC was connected to USB for audio. The Meridian could use USB or S/PDIF and the lights indicated to me which source I had selected. The lights on the Wyrd were helpful to debug.


 
  
  
 Both lights are on on the Wyrd. It recognised the Modi for a few minutes and then it went off. I tried connecting via USB directly and through the Wyrd, still no luck. I was thinking maybe its a USB power issue. I've got an 2011 iMac that has 4 USB 2 ports and they are all in use. 1 uses a wall powered USB hard drive, another uses a USB powered back up hard drive, the third i usually use for my DAC and the 4th is my printer/scanner. Tried various ports as well. What do the 2 lights on the Wyrd mean anyway?


----------



## sheldaze

cardiiiii said:


> Both lights are on on the Wyrd. It recognised the Modi for a few minutes and then it went off. I tried connecting via USB directly and through the Wyrd, still no luck. I was thinking maybe its a USB power issue. I've got an 2011 iMac that has 4 USB 2 ports and they are all in use. 1 uses a wall powered USB hard drive, another uses a USB powered back up hard drive, the third i usually use for my DAC and the 4th is my printer/scanner. Tried various ports as well. What do the 2 lights on the Wyrd mean anyway?


 
 According to the manual, the left light indicates the Wyrd is on. The right light indicates it sees the DAC.
  
 The Wyrd definitely should have solved any USB power issues - read about other people solving issues (and noise) via Wyrd. Can you try to unplug all your other devices and use just the Modi directly from your Mac computer, while nothing else is on the USB?


----------



## Cardiiiii

sheldaze said:


> According to the manual, the left light indicates the Wyrd is on. The right light indicates it sees the DAC.
> 
> The Wyrd definitely should have solved any USB power issues - read about other people solving issues (and noise) via Wyrd. Can you try to unplug all your other devices and use just the Modi directly from your Mac computer, while nothing else is on the USB?


 
  
 So I unplugged everything else and restarted, and it now sees the Modi. Will report back if I have any issues. Thank you so much for the real-time trouble shooting haha!


----------



## Cardiiiii

If I'm listening to Tidal Hifi, what should I have the output sample rate to, right now I have it at 44.1KHz, I do get the occasional skip when I play back. Any advice?


----------



## ScottFree

cardiiiii said:


> If I'm listening to Tidal Hifi, what should I have the output sample rate to, right now I have it at 44.1KHz, I do get the occasional skip when I play back. Any advice?




That's fine for the sample rate. 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## JoeKickass

cardiiiii said:


> If I'm listening to Tidal Hifi, what should I have the output sample rate to, right now I have it at 44.1KHz, I do get the occasional skip when I play back. Any advice?


 
  
 Sounds USB/power related, especially given that you noticed when you plugged in more USB devices the Mac couldn't see the Modi.
 Even though the Modi has a power supply, the USB part is USB powered. When you unplug or turn off the Modi the computer will still see it.
  
 I would try direct connection from Mac to Modi with no Wyrd and no other USB ports in use, if you don't get any skips than I'd suspect the Wyrd isn't giving enough power.
 If it still skips than it's the Mac, either something with the USB ports or the CPU is too busy and skips the output. (Don't have lots of other windows/apps open)
  
 EDIT: Of course Tidal adds the possibility of it being connection-related, here's some reading:
 http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f22-networking-networked-audio-and-streaming/official-tidal-hifi-streaming-issues-thread-22260/
 I would try some FLAC files too just to make sure the skips aren't coming from Tidal.


----------



## reginalb

rickb said:


> I recommend the Vali 2 to smooth out that Beyer treble.


 
  
 Alternatively, if treble is what you're worried about, you could save $70 and use EQ. 
  
 Get the Vali if you think tubes look $70 cooler (and I'm not making fun, I think tubes are really cool so I took a good deal on a Valhalla 2 for my desk.)


----------



## schneller

Is anyone using a USB cleaner (Intona, Regen, U2S, etc.) with their Modi2 MB? If yes, which one? Similarly, is anyone using power filtering? If so, which brand? Is anyone using semi-exotic USB cables? If so, which ones?


----------



## Cardiiiii

schneller said:


> Is anyone using a USB cleaner (Intona, Regen, U2S, etc.) with their Modi2 MB? If yes, which one? Similarly, is anyone using power filtering? If so, which brand? Is anyone using semi-exotic USB cables? If so, which ones?


 
 Using a Wyrd, it stacks nicely on top of the MM, no power filtering and my Curious USB cables should be here any day!


----------



## Pacifica

schneller said:


> Is anyone using a USB cleaner (Intona, Regen, U2S, etc.) with their Modi2 MB? If yes, which one? Similarly, is anyone using power filtering? If so, which brand? Is anyone using semi-exotic USB cables? If so, which ones?




I had a ifi iPurifier but actually thought it sounded better without. For power filtering I'm using a Tripp-Lite IS250. I primarily got it for the surge protection with the added bonus of correcting any bad power.


----------



## claud W

schneller said:


> Is anyone using a USB cleaner (Intona, Regen, U2S, etc.) with their Modi2 MB? If yes, which one? Similarly, is anyone using power filtering? If so, which brand? Is anyone using semi-exotic USB cables? If so, which ones?


 

 No USB cleaner here either. At the moment, I am using an Audioquest Carbon USB cable, Schiit ICs and a Furman Power conditioning strip I got from Amazon. Today or tomorrow I will receive a pair of Wywires Silver ICs and a Wywires USB cable for my Vali 2 and Modimultibit computer music system.


----------



## schneller

I have the same Furman power strip.

I'm curious about no one using a USB cleaner / U2S or similar device.

Thanks for the replies.


----------



## Headphone4Life

I'm trying to decide between the Modi 2 Multibit/Magni 2 Uber and the Jotunheim. I was wondering if the Modi Multibit would be as good or even better than the balanced Jotunheim with dac? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## JoeKickass

headphone4life said:


> I'm trying to decide between the Modi 2 Multibit/Magni 2 Uber and the Jotunheim. I was wondering if the Modi Multibit would be as good or even better than the balanced Jotunheim with dac? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.


 
  
 Search the Jotenheim thread for "multibit" and you will see lots of people choosing their Modi Multibit over the Jot's internal dac.
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/818323/schiit-jotunheim-review-preview-head-fi-tv
  
 For $100 the internal dac can't be beat, but the $250 Modi Multibit is close to the $2300 Yggdrasil, so most people find it is noticeably better.


----------



## Defiant00

headphone4life said:


> I'm trying to decide between the Modi 2 Multibit/Magni 2 Uber and the Jotunheim. I was wondering if the Modi Multibit would be as good or even better than the balanced Jotunheim with dac? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.


 
  
 General opinion seems to be that the Modi Multibit is better than the Jotunheim's DAC, but Jotunheim is a better amp than Magni 2. An idea combo would be Modi Multibit + Jotunheim, but if that doesn't work for you (or you want to prioritize fewer boxes) I'd probably recommend going with Jotunheim if you plan on using it balanced, the built-in DAC isn't bad, it just isn't as special as the multibit offerings.


----------



## Headphone4Life

I think I'd rather get the Modi Multibit with some other amp besides the Magni. I was also looking at the Vali 2. I don't want to spend more than around $500 all together. I also thought about the Supreme Sound Lycan, I like the fact you can opamp roll.


----------



## claud W

Listening to Dubstep on my Vali 2/Modimultibit hot rodded computer system. Installed Wywires Silver ICs and Platinum USB cable. I know I need to give Alex's wires at least 100 hours of break in. Hooked up my old HD600s with Toxic Silver Poison cable. Selected Jango on Mac mini and decided Dubstep would be a great place to start breakin. Just never thought the 600s did bass so great!! Must be the wires!!


----------



## kenman345

I might be late but I've been away for a while. Does anyone have a recommendation for a third party power supply for the Modi Uber and Multibit that is more power outlet friendly? I am interested in getting one of the units but, that's my only issue. The damn power supply.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## MrFranc

kenman345 said:


> I might be late but I've been away for a while. Does anyone have a recommendation for a third party power supply for the Modi Uber and Multibit that is more power outlet friendly? I am interested in getting one of the units but, that's my only issue. The damn power supply.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


 

 Maybe this will help!
  
 https://smile.amazon.com/Etekcity-Extension-16AWG-13A-Upgraded-Version/dp/B00CEJW0WQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1479355551&sr=1-1&keywords=power+cords&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A2798252011%2C4876337011%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_two_browse-bin%3A7065059011


----------



## kenman345

mrfranc said:


> kenman345 said:
> 
> 
> > I might be late but I've been away for a while. Does anyone have a recommendation for a third party power supply for the Modi Uber and Multibit that is more power outlet friendly? I am interested in getting one of the units but, that's my only issue. The damn power supply.
> ...




Doesn't really solve the problem elegantly. Just moved the problem 12"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Cardiiiii

Maybe one of those Teradak linear power supplies if they are compatible.


----------



## Headphone4Life

claud w said:


> No USB cleaner here either. At the moment, I am using an Audioquest Carbon USB cable, Schiit ICs and a Furman Power conditioning strip I got from Amazon. Today or tomorrow I will receive a pair of Wywires Silver ICs and a Wywires USB cable for my Vali 2 and Modimultibit computer music system.




How do you like the Vali 2 & Modi Multibit setup? That's what I'm thinking of getting to use with my Elear and Nighthawk.


----------



## Ancipital

kenman345 said:


> I might be late but I've been away for a while. Does anyone have a recommendation for a third party power supply for the Modi Uber and Multibit that is more power outlet friendly? I am interested in getting one of the units but, that's my only issue. The damn power supply.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


 
  
 No. Do not to add third party PSUs to these units. They may come with wall warts, but they aren't simple DC SMPS. Messing with them will make things worse. Plug the warts into a conditioned AC supply if you wish, but leave it at that.


----------



## senorx12562

What exactly is "power outlet friendly?"


----------



## Tuneslover

I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.

However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.

I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?


----------



## Ancipital

tuneslover said:


> I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.
> 
> However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.
> 
> I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?


 
  
 You know that the multibit DACs don't sound as good when they're cold, right?


----------



## Tuneslover

ancipital said:


> You know that the multibit DACs don't sound as good when they're cold, right?




Yes I do know this. I don't ever turn them off.


----------



## Ancipital

tuneslover said:


> Yes I do know this. I don't ever turn them off.


 
  
 Good, just checking. Now let the audiophool bunkem explanations flow and overwhelm you


----------



## JoeKickass

tuneslover said:


> Yes I do know this. I don't ever turn them off.


 
  
 Very strange, if it is changing the sound so much as to be immediately noticeable to you I would suspect something is wrong.
  
 Maybe a component has a bad connection and the resistance changes randomly or something because I find even going from cold Mimby to hot Mimby isn't quite a "revelatory experience" just a decent improvement.


----------



## Tuneslover

joekickass said:


> Very strange, if it is changing the sound so much as to be immediately noticeable to you I would suspect something is wrong.
> 
> Maybe a component has a bad connection and the resistance changes randomly or something because I find even going from cold Mimby to hot Mimby isn't quite a "revelatory experience" just a decent improvement.



Yeah I don't get it either so I have contacted Schiit to get their thought process.


----------



## Headphone4Life

I'm going to go ahead and get a Modi Multibit now and a new amp later. Sounds like the X5II and the M2M go together pretty good. Just using my X5II and S.M.S.L. sAp III amp my Elear sounds really good so I can't wait to hear it using the Multibit.


----------



## Ancipital

headphone4life said:


> I'm going to go ahead and get a Modi Multibit now and a new amp later. Sounds like the X5II and the M2M go together pretty good. Just using my X5II and S.M.S.L. sAp III amp my Elear sounds really good so I can't wait to hear it using the Multibit.


 
  
 It's a lovely little unit for a great price, I don't see how you could regret it, no sarcasm intended at all. Killer value right there.


----------



## Tuneslover

headphone4life said:


> I'm going to go ahead and get a Modi Multibit now and a new amp later. Sounds like the X5II and the M2M go together pretty good. Just using my X5II and S.M.S.L. sAp III amp my Elear sounds really good so I can't wait to hear it using the Multibit.




Let me know how your Modi MB and X5ii work together. I assume you will be using the FiiO coaxial adaptor cable that came with the unit. Please refer to my Post #1536. This combo is mind blowing good when you find the "awesome ON" button.


----------



## Clemmaster

tuneslover said:


> I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.
> 
> However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.
> 
> I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?


 
  
 That's the power of the super moon.
  
 Or alcohol.
  
 Also, your neighbor stopped using their appliances and you experience clean power.


----------



## RickB

tuneslover said:


> I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.
> 
> However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.
> 
> I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?


 
 One thing I've noticed is that the sound on my unit is much more holographic for awhile if I power cycle it for about 10 seconds.


----------



## MGbert

tuneslover said:


> I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.
> 
> However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.
> 
> I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?


 
 Hmmm... is this the first time you played the particular selections through that system?  Could be that the recording(s) have particular synergy with the system.
  
 Or it could just be that the one hour deadline for listening time made the sound that much more delectable.  Although the possibility Clemmaster brings up of cleaner power rings true as well.


----------



## Tuneslover

rickb said:


> One thing I've noticed is that the sound on my unit is much more holographic for awhile if I power cycle it for about 10 seconds.



Thanks I'll give that a try if it reverts back to "ordinary" mode.


----------



## mordicai

My system ALWAYS sounds better in the evening, and usually sounds not so great first thing in the morning. My DAC and Bridge stay on 24/7, MY computer and tube amp go on about 6am ( however they always warm up for at least 30 minute before I listen). My conclusion is that it's my hearing. I think it takes most of the day for my ears to warm up!
  
 Downloaded tracks usually sound not so hot the first time I listen to them, but sound better with a few plays.I think the Digital Files have to warm up. Hey, I kid you not!!


----------



## franzdom

mordicai said:


> My system ALWAYS sounds better in the evening, and usually sounds not so great first thing in the morning. My DAC and Bridge stay on 24/7, MY computer and tube amp go on about 6am ( however they always warm up for at least 30 minute before I listen). My conclusion is that it's my hearing. I think it takes most of the day for my ears to warm up!
> 
> Downloaded tracks usually sound not so hot the first time I listen to them, but sound better with a few plays.I think the Digital Files have to warm up. Hey, I kid you not!!


 
  
 Everybody knows you have to burn in the downloaded files to make them less fatiguing


----------



## mordicai

Thats why its important not to overplay your downloads. Eventually they will get really boring?


----------



## Argo Duck

Our listening is not a constant. Mood, brain alertness versus fatigue, state of relaxation and associated attention, etc. A headfier - forget who but maybe SP Wild - years ago stated our ears vary in hearing acuity through the month. A peak listening experience needs all these things to come together. It's not just the gear.

And concerning the evening, I noted several years ago my gear got louder at a given point on the dial (measured with pink noise and an SPL meter in the course of a DAC shootout).


----------



## Baldr

There are too many anecdotal mentions of the "aha" listening experience to dismiss it out of hand as hallucination.  As I have mentioned on my own blog on this forum, the newest member of our R&D staff spent much time researching musical mood derivations.  She was hired to initially write algorithms for our Manhattan Project, so named because it is a completely new tool for the enjoyment of music.


----------



## earnmyturns

baldr said:


> There are too many anecdotal mentions of the "aha" listening experience to dismiss it out of hand as hallucination.  As I have mentioned on my own blog on this forum, the newest member of our R&D staff spent much time researching musical mood derivations.  She was hired to initially write algorithms for our Manhattan Project, so named because it is a completely new tool for the enjoyment of music.


 
 I just had one of those moments hearing the beginning of Gonzalo Rubalcaba's "Faith" album through Yggdrasil>Hegel H360>KEF Reference 1s. Had just got home after a very long work day, close to exhausted and starving, big headache, chose that album at random, and the initial piano chords shimmered like never before. This is the moment when the Yggy>H360 combo went from excellent to magical. I've heard Rubalcaba live quite a few times (what a treat!), this is the first time that the glow of his playing came fully through at home. Electrochemical (in)balance inside my skull? Yggy and H360 burn-in accomplished? Cleaner evening power? Who knows, magical nonetheless.


----------



## theveterans

earnmyturns said:


> I just had one of those moments hearing the beginning of Gonzalo Rubalcaba's "Faith" album through Yggdrasil>Hegel H360>KEF Reference 1s. Had just got home after a very long work day, close to exhausted and starving, big headache, chose that album at random, and the initial piano chords shimmered like never before. This is the moment when the Yggy>H360 combo went from excellent to magical. I've heard Rubalcaba live quite a few times (what a treat!), this is the first time that the glow of his playing came fully through at home. Electrochemical (in)balance inside my skull? Yggy and H360 burn-in accomplished? Cleaner evening power? Who knows, magical nonetheless.


 
  
 It's the cleaner evening power where the majority of major megapower consuming commerce/businesses are off the grid. Bimby sounds magical too only during evenings for me as well. Tonality just sounded like you're listening to another higher dimension DAC when 6 - 7pm comes.


----------



## JoeKickass

baldr said:


> ...our Manhattan Project, so named because it is *a completely new tool for the enjoyment of music.*


 
  
 The mind boggles! What crazy innovation have they got in mind?!
  
 Amp wired direct into the skull? Bionic eardrums? Anal probe subwoofer?
  
 I am excited but a little afraid!


----------



## earnmyturns

theveterans said:


> It's the cleaner evening power where the majority of major megapower consuming commerce/businesses are off the grid. Bimby sounds magical too only during evenings for me as well. Tonality just sounded like you're listening to another higher dimension DAC when 6 - 7pm comes.


 
 I'm slightly skeptical because microRendu+Teddy Pardo>Yggy>H360 all have top notch power supplies and my neighborhood is mostly residential. I find it more likely that I'm more susceptible to the sound when I'm starting to relax after getting home. But I could be convinced otherwise, if only I had the time, patience, and skill to measure my power sources.


----------



## senorx12562

I find it far more likely that change (s) in one, or more, of the innumerable and unmeasureable variables within us is responsible for these type of phenomena than that something was suddenly different (and magically changed back before the next listening session) in a piece of gear. Just sayin'.


----------



## Tuneslover

Well personally I appreciate hearing everyone's opinions about my post if for no other reason but to confirm that these listening experiences are more common than I realized. Also I think it's safe to say that there most likely isn't an issue with my equipment, which initially I was concerned about. While this phenomenon isn't completely unknown to me (many years of 2 channel speaker system listening sessions), headphone listening ratchets up the intimacy as well as the intensity. Going forward I will just continue to enjoy my listening sessions and cherish any of those random a-ha moments. Enjoy the music.


----------



## Porteroso

Unless you have the emotions, mental state, and physical makeup of a brick, then you will change, and your perception of reality will change throughout the day, in a somewhat predictable fashion. It's not surprising that you might find music more enjoyable at one time or another. You probably find naps more enjoyable at one time or another, math is easier in the morning, musical practice is often best done later at night, etc.
  
 Just the basic human condition.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

porteroso said:


> math is easier in the morning


 
  
 So that was the real problem...


----------



## Guidostrunk

I get those same "ah-ha" moments recently described in the thread. I attribute it to state of mind , at that moment. 

For me, in a completely relaxed mood(a few drinks &...), it's easier for a better mental connection to the music giving me them "HOLY FEK" moments. 

I do believe that the brain has a huge role to play in our audio experiences. Some days are better connected, some not so much. 

Just my $0.02


----------



## Wyd4

LOL I come here for some information, just thought I would start with the last couple of pages, didnt get a whole lot of info, but I did get a good laugh


----------



## Argo Duck

Yep. We post, so you can be amused


----------



## Wyd4

Hehe. And I thank you all


----------



## CarlosUnchained

Does anybody have an Apple TV?
  
 I'd like to know if you can use airplay with the optical out into the Mimby.


----------



## bigro

carlosunchained said:


> Does anybody have an Apple TV?
> 
> I'd like to know if you can use airplay with the optical out into the Mimby.


 

 I have Had Success with the Optical Out on a Modi 2 U. I may Be wrong but I do not think the S/PDIF portion differs much The Schiit Website has them listed as the same.
  
*Input Receiver: *
*USB:* C-Media CM6631A
*SPDIF:* AKM 4113


----------



## CarlosUnchained

bigro said:


> I have Had Success with the Optical Out on a Modi 2 U. I may Be wrong but I do not think the S/PDIF portion differs much The Schiit Website has them listed as the same.


 
  
 So no fancy stuff, just a toslink wire between the two, right?
  
 What about the bitrate? Does airplay keep the original bitrate?


----------



## 2bxfile

Hello: 
  
 Looking to buy a Mimby soon.  Noticed in the thread that some owners were concerned that their units ran "hot" while others said that theirs just ran warm. 
  
 Can someone tell me why the divergence in experience with the same model? 
  
 Can these units vary greatly in their operating temperatures one from another with all things being equal?
  
 Do the Bimby; Yiggy and the other one run hot as well?
  
 Also, it was my understanding that electronics as it regards longevity, despise heat.   Could this limit life expectancy?
  
 Thanks


----------



## Defiant00

2bxfile said:


> Hello:
> 
> Looking to buy a Mimby soon.  Noticed in the thread that some owners were concerned that their units ran "hot" while others said that theirs just ran warm.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I suspect it depends on your point of reference and how hot/cool you keep your room. My point of reference for "hot" is my Asgard 2, and I keep my room fairly cool, so all the other Schiit I've ever tried (including my Bimby and the Jotunheim I tried) have never gone beyond a bit warm.
  
 Electronics dislike high heat, but apparently (I'm no engineer) even the hot-running Asgard 2 is well within thermal tolerances for its various parts, which is why it's got a 5 year warranty and apparently minuscule failure rate (I don't remember the number, but I think Jason has said it has their lowest failure rate). So, if their hottest-running amp has the lowest failure rate then I'd say that heat is probably not a big concern for their other cooler-running stuff.
  
 Anyways, I realize that's no real specifics or numbers, but hopefully it helps. Their stuff is well-engineered, and unless you plan on putting it in an oven you're probably fine.


----------



## bigro

carlosunchained said:


> So no fancy stuff, just a toslink wire between the two, right?
> 
> What about the bitrate? Does airplay keep the original bitrate?


 
 I may have had to go into audio setting and switch the output settings to point to optical and that it is set to PCM and not Dolby . It's been a while since I set it up, I will have to take a quick Look When I get home. But other than that yes, its just a toslink cable. I never checked the Bitrate, as it was used for a secondary TV that I wanted better audio from.


----------



## 2bxfile

Thanks Defiant00. Your feed back has helped.


----------



## 2bxfile

I've heard some posters mention that the Mimby's external power supply isn't the best.  Can someone give me a couple of suggestions that would better the one its comes with?
  
 Thanks


----------



## bigro

2bxfile said:


> I've heard some posters mention that the Mimby's external power supply isn't the best.  Can someone give me a couple of suggestions that would better the one its comes with?
> 
> Thanks


 
 From the Modi Product Page:
*Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: *Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power supply
  
  
 Without spending some a lot more$$ I don't know how much better you can get.


----------



## 2bxfile

Thank you:
  
 Maybe Schiit upgraded or poster's concerns were unwarranted when they voiced their thoughts.  Either way, if you believe it to be of good quality that helps.


----------



## bigro

2bxfile said:


> Thank you:
> 
> Maybe Schiit upgraded or poster's concerns were unwarranted when they voiced their thoughts.  Either way, if you believe it to be of good quality that helps.


 
 I don't know what Post(s) you are referring to or what difference they heard but a typical Upgrade for most gear is to go from a switching PS to a Linear Power supply but you already have one.  A Chinese Made Linear PS from Flea bay can run $100 USD +. As I said I don't Know how much better it can get. I wanted to point out that they are not typical DC Switching Supplies. In actuality it is another point to the Value you get from Schiit.


----------



## jimmers

2bxfile said:


> I've heard some posters mention that the Mimby's external power supply isn't the best....


 
 Mimby's external power supply is basically just a step down transformer, all the filtering and regulation is done inside Mimby; so unless you can get a "better" step down transformer you can't improve the power supply without ripping Mimby apart, not recommended 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  
 Unfortunately there will always be posts from people who read something somewhere and think it applies everywhere without understanding - like replacing wall warts - it can be worthwhile replacing cheap DC supplies, this does not apply to Mimby.


----------



## 2bxfile

Thank you Jimmers:
  
 I hope we can still be friends
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




you too bigro.


----------



## SirRealist

I've been reading about how you should leave a multibit DAC on 24/7 and was concerned about power usage over the course of a month, so I wrote to Schiit asking about how much kWh the Mimby would pull after being on and idle for about 24 hours and got the following reply: "It would be in the vicinity of 0.192kWh"
  
 Nice.


----------



## jimmers

> Originally Posted by *SirRealist* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> ... "It would be in the vicinity of 0.192kWh"


 
 That's what I like to see, an approximation to 3 significant figures.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Edit: Doesn't it depend on *which* multibit DAC? I think Yggy might use more ...


----------



## Baldr

jimmers said:


> That's what I like to see, an approximation to 3 significant figures.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, it does, but the question was specifically about the Mimby.


----------



## earnmyturns

2bxfile said:


> Do the Bimby; Yiggy and the other one run hot as well?


 
 Bimby: lukewarm. Yggy: cool, running my hand over the top and sides only a bit above room temperature in some spots. Room temperature is 68F/20C. I leave Bimby (home office headphone system) and Yggy (living room speaker system) on all the time, except when I'm traveling.


----------



## 2bxfile

Thanks Earnmyturns:
  
 If my intentions are to use the Mimby in a laptop set-up for two channel listening, do you believe that a Wyrd between the two would make the sound cleaner and therefore more enjoyable? Or does the Mimby itself have these abilities inherent?


----------



## Dana Reed

Hi All,

I just got a mimby to compare to my modi 2 uber, and the rig pictured below is the best way I could figure to do A/B testing. I used the SYS to bring down the output level of the mimby so it's the same as the uber. Is there a better way to do that? So far I think they both sound great with my magni2uber or vali2 with grado sr325 or sennheiser hd600. What type of source material do people find the most advantaged by multibit?


----------



## CarlosUnchained

dana reed said:


>


 
  
 There's a problem with your stack. You should have a Vali 2 on top, It'd be finished that way


----------



## Dana Reed

carlosunchained said:


> There's a problem with your stack. You should have a Vali 2 on top, It'd be finished that way



I had one but I kept breaking tubes trying to put it in the middle of the stack


----------



## fritobugger

dana reed said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just got a mimby to compare to my modi 2 uber, and the rig pictured below is the best way I could figure to do A/B testing. I used the SYS to bring down the output level of the mimby so it's the same as the uber. Is there a better way to do that? So far I think they both sound great with my magni2uber or vali2 with grado sr325 or sennheiser hd600. What type of source material do people find the most advantaged by multibit?


 
  
  
 Jenga?


----------



## Andrew Rieger

Anyone else notice that their Modi Multi fluctuates a lot in terms of case heat? Sometimes it gives off no heat whatsoever and other times it is really warm. The amount of time its on seems to have no effect on the heat level either. When I first got it, it warmed up fast and stayed warm but now it runs much cooler and only occasionally gets hot. I'm wondering if there are fluctuations in the power. I'm running the unit straight into the wall.


----------



## Headphone4Life

I went ahead and bought a mimby and this will be my first solo Dac as I've mainly used daps and the USB dac function of the dap. I'm looking forward to hearing it with my Elear. 

I'm looking at a few amps to go with the mimby but for now my S.M.S.L. sAp III will do.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

Anyone try the iFi DC iPurifier with the multi modi? I'm trying to squeeze out every possible once of sound quality from this thing and I'm wondering if there are any gains to be made in the power department. 
  
 Link: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-dcipurifier/
  
 EDIT: Never mind, the Modi uses an AC power supply so it would be compatible with the DC purifier.


----------



## Cardiiiii

andrew rieger said:


> Anyone try the iFi DC iPurifier with the multi modi? I'm trying to squeeze out every possible once of sound quality from this thing and I'm wondering if there are any gains to be made in the power department.
> 
> Link: http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-dcipurifier/
> 
> EDIT: Never mind, the Modi uses an AC power supply so it would be compatible with the DC purifier.


 
  
 I use a Wyrd. Other than the fact that they stack nicely, the Wyrd takes the Mimby up a level and definitely worth it.


----------



## bigro

carlosunchained said:


> So no fancy stuff, just a toslink wire between the two, right?
> 
> What about the bitrate? Does airplay keep the original bitrate?


 
 I checked . I have the Settings for Audio output to Auto and Turned off Dolby Digital. Thats it


----------



## JoeKickass

cardiiiii said:


> I use a Wyrd. Other than the fact that they stack nicely, the Wyrd takes the Mimby up a level and definitely worth it.


 
  
 I actually just noticed a "hum" in my noise floor last night when I was playing a very quiet movie, it sounded a lot like the 60hz mains hum. After some diagnostics and moving all signal wires well away from power lines, I realized it wasn't external noise. 
  
 Then I moved the Mimby usb from the hub to directly into my laptop's side port. Bingo! No more noise.
  
 Turns out my Razer gaming mouse and keyboard aren't very well designed from a noise standpoint, both will pollute the Mimby's usb with a buzzing hum if either is plugged into the same USB hub...
  
 I bet if I get a Wyrd it will be fine to use the hub, this is exactly the kind of noise it's designed to get rid of!


----------



## Andrew Rieger

cardiiiii said:


> I use a Wyrd. Other than the fact that they stack nicely, the Wyrd takes the Mimby up a level and definitely worth it.




The Wyrd is a USB purifier while the DC ifi is a power purifier. I'm using a CD player connected via coax so I don't have to worry about USB flaws. I'm mostly wondering if their are any gains to be made in the power department. I already found that a spike strip dulls the sound ever so slightly so I'm now looking at power conditioners but the ifi also caught me eye, however it's for DC wall warts and the Mimby uses and AC wart so not compatible.


----------



## bigro

joekickass said:


> I actually just noticed a "hum" in my noise floor last night when I was playing a very quiet movie, it sounded a lot like the 60hz mains hum. After some diagnostics and moving all signal wires well away from power lines, I realized it wasn't external noise.
> 
> Then I moved the Mimby usb from the hub to directly into my laptop's side port. Bingo! No more noise.
> 
> ...


 
 In Mike's Thread He recently posted about this. Years ago Computers where kept away from audio gear for fear of noise now it's the norm. This then means we have alot more to worry about than keeping Mains Wires away from signal wires. The Devices that are kept around the computers and even cell phones can be offenders.


----------



## duncan4791

I haven't read any problems installing the Schiit Win10 drivers on any of the recent posts. My multibit still will not install using the win10 1.01 driver.
 Today I learned two things:
 1. Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview build 14965.rs will install the new Windows USB 2.0 driver instead of downloading the Cmedia default driver, sans ASIO.
 2. Why the Schiit Win10 driver will not install.
  
 The device descriptor returned by my Schiit Multibit is: Device USB\VID_0D8C&*PID_0004*&MI_00\6&1796ec34&1&0000.
 The CMAUACWO.inf file in the "Schiit_USB_Gen2_W10_1_01\Schiit_USB_Gen2_W10_1_01\WIN10\SoftwareDriver\Driver" directory does not contain an entry for this device.
 I added the entry "%CMUACWO.DeviceDesc%=CMUACWO,USB\VID_0D8C&PID_0004&MI_00" to the file (or just change the PID of one) and the driver installed.
  
 One change is that the ASIO for Generic USB Device is changed to ASIO for USB device. There is also not separately installed file for the ASIO.
  
 I hope this helps somebody.
 Duncan.


----------



## 2bxfile

Looking for opinions of ranking the below USB signal reclockers/cleaners for quality and purity of signal achieved for my future Mimby to be:
  
 USB Regen
 Recovery USB Reclocker
 Schiit Wyrd
  
 Thanks


----------



## jeffjazz

I'm also curious as to which reclockers, cleaners, etc would benefit my Mimby. I am using USB directly from my Dell Xeon computer that's built like a tank (I pull out if the trash!) Also curios if a USB to Spdif convertor would be a good bet. The Xu208 Xmos chip used in the Singxer products appear to do a great job. My computer has firewire so maybe a firewire to spdif convertor. Some of the pro audio firewire interfaces that use the Dice chips are supposed to be really good at reducing jitter. Obviously don't want to spend big bucks on one of these devices. The Mimby seems to be the best bang for buck convertor on the planet. Can't go crazy with the add on devices


----------



## theveterans

jeffjazz said:


> I'm also curious as to which reclockers, cleaners, etc would benefit my Mimby. I am using USB directly from my Dell Xeon computer that's built like a tank (I pull out if the trash!) Also curios if a USB to Spdif convertor would be a good bet. The Xu208 Xmos chip used in the Singxer products appear to do a great job. My computer has firewire so maybe a firewire to spdif convertor. Some of the pro audio firewire interfaces that use the Dice chips are supposed to be really good at reducing jitter. Obviously don't want to spend big bucks on one of these devices. The Mimby seems to be the best bang for buck convertor on the planet. Can't go crazy with the add on devices


 
  
 Wyred 4 Sound uLink that I use does a good job of reclocking the USB to SPDIF Coax, BNC, optical IMO.


----------



## SirRealist

bigro said:


> In Mike's Thread




Can you please link to said thread? I have a feeling I know which one but I don't want to assume. Thanks!


----------



## jimmers

sirrealist said:


> Can you please link to said thread? I have a feeling I know which one but I don't want to assume. Thanks!


 
 I think that would be
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/784471/what-a-long-strange-trip-its-been-robert-hunter/1320#post_13030471


----------



## Cardiiiii

andrew rieger said:


> The Wyrd is a USB purifier while the DC ifi is a power purifier. I'm using a CD player connected via coax so I don't have to worry about USB flaws. I'm mostly wondering if their are any gains to be made in the power department. I already found that a spike strip dulls the sound ever so slightly so I'm now looking at power conditioners but the ifi also caught me eye, however it's for DC wall warts and the Mimby uses and AC wart so not compatible.


 
 PS Audio detect power center


----------



## Andrew Rieger

cardiiiii said:


> PS Audio detect power center


 

 Way out of my price range but cool none the less. I can't really tell how good the power is in my house is but I might go with one of the Furman strips just to try out power conditioning.


----------



## theveterans

andrew rieger said:


> Way out of my price range but cool none the less. I can't really tell how good the power is in my house is but I might go with one of the Furman strips just to try out power conditioning.


 
  
 Furman PL 8C that I use for about $120 or less does a good job IMO without degrading transparency or making the overall sound too polite/dull.


----------



## notfitforpublic

andrew rieger said:


> Way out of my price range but cool none the less. I can't really tell how good the power is in my house is but I might go with one of the Furman strips just to try out power conditioning.


 

 If you're looking just for a strip, I use these on both my computer and TV setup:
Power Bar Furman PST-2+6 8 Outlet 15A w/Surge Suppression
 ​Can't comment on their "Power Conditioning" qualities but great power bars at a decent price. Though I noticed they've shot up in price since I bought mine (in Canada)


----------



## 2bxfile

2bxfile said:


> Looking for opinions of ranking the below USB signal reclockers/cleaners for quality and purity of signal achieved for my future Mimby to be:
> 
> USB Regen
> Recovery USB Reclocker
> ...


 

 I guess they are all just as equally good judging by the overflowing spillage of responses this query is receiving.
  
 Thanks so much.


----------



## Letmebefrank

andrew rieger said:


> Way out of my price range but cool none the less. I can't really tell how good the power is in my house is but I might go with one of the Furman strips just to try out power conditioning.


 
  
 I also use a Furman, but I have the *PST-8D*. its a beastly large heavy thing but I have it mounted under my desk so you don't see it. I had a bad hum from the pre-amp outs of my Jotunheim when it was off, but none when on.... so strange. Anyway the Furman cleared that right up along with all other noise in my system. I can turn the Jot volume knob to max (PC muted of course) and its dead silent on my balanced HD650s.


----------



## claud W

PST-8D is the same one I use on my Mimby & Vali2 computer sound system. Cheap for what it does. About $107 at Amazon


----------



## peepr

Ordered one to replace my original first gen Modi. Should be a good upgrade. As a lot of people are in my boat (total system budget of $1500 or less), I will be doing a comprehensive review of my whole system and various configurations. Massdrop HD6XX are on the way as well. 
  
 Below will be tested and reviewed. 
  
 Headphones
 HE-560
 D2000 (modded)
 HD598
 HD6XX
  
 Amps
 Vintage Receiver Superscope R-330 
 Emotiva Mini-A 100
 Schiit Magni
  
 I did a lot of testing b/w my receiver and the Emotiva and found almost no difference in quality and I am personally not a believer in spending big $$ on an amp as long as it has enough juice to provide dynamic range and control. For me this means the D2000 sounds the same whether I use the Magni or the R-330 whereas the HE-560 thrives on the R-330/Emotiva but the Magni does not allow the 560 to reach full potential.
  
 For a simpler comparison, I believe 100% that my 560's would sound better run out of the balanced output on the Jotunheim compared to the SE simply due to the increased power (3 watts vs 800mW @ 50 ohms). I believe my HD6XX would also sound better whereas the D2000 would not benefit as it would be getting enough power from SE to shine. If anyone wants to send me a Jotunheim to test this... 
  
 Since there has been a lot of discussion in here about optical vs usb I will try to provide clarity as well by listening via USB output on my raspberry pi w/ picoreplayer and then physical CD run from my bluray player via optical.
  
 Will provide initial multibit impressions this friday when it arrives followed by full write up when i get the HD6XX in at end of the month.


----------



## SirRealist

peepr said:


> Ordered one to replace my original first gen Modi. Should be a good upgrade. As a lot of people are in my boat (total system budget of $1500 or less), I will be doing a comprehensive review of my whole system and various configurations. Massdrop HD6XX are on the way as well.
> 
> Below will be tested and reviewed.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Looking forward to it!


----------



## Porteroso

I'm another about to convert over to my first schiit product, the modi multibit. I need to sell a SMSL M8 first, and my old Fiio E10. The SMSL was such a huge upgrade from the Fiio, I'm really looking forward to having the multibit though. I wish I could have both at the same time to really directly compare, but oh well. I've listened to the M8 for over a year, I think I will be able to spot the major differences.
  
 Listening on a Woo WA6 and PS500, so any sort of smoothness or accuracy in the highs should show up very easily. Hoping this will take the system about as far as it can be taken. I had been eyeing a yggy, but the cost was so prohibitive that I just assumed it would be 5 or 10 years before I could get it. Now, maybe I won't have to. Read a lot of favorable impressions of the modi multibit, so as long as it's better than the M8, I think I'll be happy.


----------



## KoshNaranek

porteroso said:


> I'm another about to convert over to my first schiit product, the modi multibit. I need to sell a SMSL M8 first, and my old Fiio E10. The SMSL was such a huge upgrade from the Fiio, I'm really looking forward to having the multibit though. I wish I could have both at the same time to really directly compare, but oh well. I've listened to the M8 for over a year, I think I will be able to spot the major differences.
> 
> Listening on a Woo WA6 and PS500, so any sort of smoothness or accuracy in the highs should show up very easily. Hoping this will take the system about as far as it can be taken. I had been eyeing a yggy, but the cost was so prohibitive that I just assumed it would be 5 or 10 years before I could get it. Now, maybe I won't have to. Read a lot of favorable impressions of the modi multibit, so as long as it's better than the M8, I think I'll be happy.




I had an M8. Was so disappointed that I gave it to someone fresh out of college. I felt guilty asking for money. You will love the Modi multibit. It is a substantial upgrade


----------



## dwaleke

koshnaranek said:


> I had an M8. Was so disappointed that I gave it to someone fresh out of college. I felt guilty asking for money. You will love the Modi multibit. It is a substantial upgrade


 
 That's good to read.    I also have an M8.  It's a great little device.   I like it paired with my JBL LSR308s, but not so much with my Revel M106s.
  
 I also think it sounds better when sending my 16/44.1 music converted to DSD128 with Jriver vs sending it natively and having the M8 do the upsampling.
  
 My Modi multibit will be here Friday.


----------



## AzureSerenity

Hey you all, I'm not quiet familiar with the whole R2R multibit thing, so some questions here. As listed by the Schiit website, Mimby and Bimby are built around AD5547, which is a 16bit dac, but they are both listed as capable of dealing with 24 bit input. Is there any special sampling schematic? I think Schiit is not using multipe chips for more bit depth, right? So is the Mimby basically a 16 bit DAC?


----------



## EvenR

So should we set windows and foobar2000 or whatever else to 16 bit, or can this still run at 24?


----------



## jimmers

azureserenity said:


> Hey you all, I'm not quiet familiar with the whole R2R multibit thing, so some questions here. As listed by the Schiit website, Mimby and Bimby are built around AD5547, which is a 16bit dac, but they are both listed as capable of dealing with 24 bit input. Is there any special sampling schematic? I think Schiit is not using multipe chips for more bit depth, right? So is the Mimby basically a 16 bit DAC?


 
 The filter is 32 bit the result is rounded to 16 bits


----------



## fritobugger

porteroso said:


> I'm another about to convert over to my first schiit product, the modi multibit. I need to sell a SMSL M8 first, and my old Fiio E10. The SMSL was such a huge upgrade from the Fiio, I'm really looking forward to having the multibit though. I wish I could have both at the same time to really directly compare, but oh well. I've listened to the M8 for over a year, I think I will be able to spot the major differences.
> 
> Listening on a Woo WA6 and PS500, so any sort of smoothness or accuracy in the highs should show up very easily. Hoping this will take the system about as far as it can be taken. I had been eyeing a yggy, but the cost was so prohibitive that I just assumed it would be 5 or 10 years before I could get it. Now, maybe I won't have to. Read a lot of favorable impressions of the modi multibit, so as long as it's better than the M8, I think I'll be happy.


 
  
  
 I have both currently but not on the same system.  I use the M8 with my slightly warm headphone amp and find that they work together very well.  I use the Modibit with my slightly bright speaker system and find it also works together very well to smooth out the highs.  Other than the slight difference in slightly warm versus slightly bright, I don't think you will find a huge difference.


----------



## EvenR

jimmers said:


> The filter is 32 bit the result is rounded to 16 bits


 
 So what should settings be in windows and media players? does it matter? Thanks


----------



## Cardiiiii

evenr said:


> So what should settings be in windows and media players? does it matter? Thanks


 
  
 I posted that earlier and was told it doesn't. I use 44.1Khz/16 bit FYI.


----------



## KoshNaranek

fritobugger said:


> I have both currently but not on the same system.  I use the M8 with my slightly warm headphone amp and find that they work together very well.  I use the Modibit with my slightly bright speaker system and find it also works together very well to smooth out the highs.  Other than the slight difference in slightly warm versus slightly bright, I don't think you will find a huge difference.




My paired poorly with Canton Ergo 70 speakers. I figured it would do fine driving Audioengine A5 speakers. They have silk dome tweeters and are warm. So, I agree with you.


----------



## theveterans

evenr said:


> So what should settings be in windows and media players? does it matter? Thanks



For direct sound, 44.1, use WASAPI or ASIO as much as possible for best use of the burrito filter


----------



## EvenR

theveterans said:


> For direct sound, 44.1, use WASAPI or ASIO as much as possible for best use of the burrito filter


 
 I always use WASAPI. I assume still just set it at 16/44.1 and let the dac upsample by itself, which is what i assume the multibit dac's do if i'm not mistaken.


----------



## Ancipital

evenr said:


> I always use WASAPI. I assume still just set it at 16/44.1 and let the dac upsample by itself, which is what i assume the multibit dac's do if i'm not mistaken.


 
 You might be thinking more "oversampling" than "multibit". It is also "oversampling", though


----------



## EvenR

Aha! Thanks.


----------



## RickB

I have a Modi Multibit and have it set in Windows to 24/192 (which is the max the Modi will accept as input, I believe). Then I use J. River in exclusive mode WASAPI without altering anything. Works for me. Most of my music is 16/44.1 though.


----------



## jimmers

rickb said:


> I have a Modi Multibit and have it set in Windows to 24/192 (which is the max the Modi will accept as input, I believe). Then I use J. River in exclusive mode WASAPI without altering anything. Works for me. Most of my music is 16/44.1 though.


 
 I think that would mean JRiver will be doing your oversampling (and/or upsampling) rather than letting Schiit's "proprietary, closed-form digital filter" do the oversampling, which I believe is at least part of their multibit goodness.


----------



## RickB

jimmers said:


> I think that would mean JRiver will be doing your oversampling rather than letting Schiit's "proprietary, closed-form digital filter" do it, which I believe is at least part of their multibit goodness.


 
 No. J. River reports that the output is not being altered in any way. I don't have J. River doing any upsampling or oversampling. If the music is 16/44.1, it reports that bit rate and sample rate. If the music is 24/96, it reports that. I don't actually have any music greater than 24/96.


----------



## Defiant00

jimmers said:


> I think that would mean JRiver will be doing your oversampling (and/or upsampling) rather than letting Schiit's "proprietary, closed-form digital filter" do the oversampling, which I believe is at least part of their multibit goodness.


 
  


rickb said:


> No. J. River reports that the output is not being altered in any way. I don't have J. River doing any upsampling or oversampling. If the music is 16/44.1, it reports that bit rate and sample rate. If the music is 24/96, it reports that. I don't actually have any music greater than 24/96.


 
  
 I believe you're correct RickB that, since you're using WASAPI, JRiver should be sending the correct bitperfect data (since it then bypasses Windows' settings entirely).


----------



## droopy1592

I love this thing. Matched with Jot it does serious work.


----------



## Ancipital

droopy1592 said:


> I love this thing. Matched with Jot it does serious work.


 
  
 It's a stupid amount of nice sound for the price, isn't it? With all the hype-fi around, it's a bit of a shock to pay that little for something so plain, honest and kick-ass.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

My quest to improve my Modi Multibit continues. I'm very pleased with the sound but I want to see if I can squeeze anymore out of it. I'm running coax into a CD player so I don't need a USB scrubber so the only other upgrade is the power supply. 
  
 I came across this and I'm curious to see if such an upgrade could have any audible improvements over the stock wall wart: http://www.russandrews.com/us/russ-andrews-ac16-1000-115v/
  
 Any thoughts?


----------



## KoshNaranek

andrew rieger said:


> My quest to improve my Modi Multibit continues. I'm very pleased with the sound but I want to see if I can squeeze anymore out of it. I'm running coax into a CD player so I don't need a USB scrubber so the only other upgrade is the power supply.
> 
> I came across this and I'm curious to see if such an upgrade could have any audible improvements over the stock wall wart: http://www.russandrews.com/us/russ-andrews-ac16-1000-115v/
> 
> Any thoughts?




The PSU in Mimby is excellent. You will more than likely INCREASE PSU noise with an aftermarket supply.

Only suggestions I can give you is an input choke and better cables.


----------



## starence

Can anyone recommend a good quality, affordable coax cable to use with this dac?


----------



## franzdom

Blue Jeans are Very good quality and Very reasonable!
  
 http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm


----------



## mentt

jeffjazz said:


> I'm also curious as to which reclockers, cleaners, etc would benefit my Mimby. I am using USB directly from my Dell Xeon computer that's built like a tank (I pull out if the trash!) Also curios if a USB to Spdif convertor would be a good bet. The Xu208 Xmos chip used in the Singxer products appear to do a great job. My computer has firewire so maybe a firewire to spdif convertor. Some of the pro audio firewire interfaces that use the Dice chips are supposed to be really good at reducing jitter. Obviously don't want to spend big bucks on one of these devices. The Mimby seems to be the best bang for buck convertor on the planet. Can't go crazy with the add on devices




I would go for raspberry pi 3/hifi berry digi+/USB power bank combo. It would cost less and sound quality will be on another level compared to Dell/USB toSpdif convertor combo

Dell server you can use as NAS server for raspberry pi streamer


----------



## Andrew Rieger

koshnaranek said:


> The PSU in Mimby is excellent. You will more than likely INCREASE PSU noise with an aftermarket supply.
> 
> Only suggestions I can give you is an input choke and better cables.


 

 I'm not sure why this would be the case. How could a higher quality PSU add more noise to the Mimby? I guess a better question would be how much power quality affects the performance of a DAC vs an amp. Im guessing a DAC would be the component least likely to benefit from an upgraded power supply. Thoughts?


----------



## mentt

andrew rieger said:


> I'm not sure why this would be the case. How could a higher quality PSU add more noise to the Mimby? I guess a better question would be how much power quality affects the performance of a DAC vs an amp. Im guessing a DAC would be the component least likely to benefit from an upgraded power supply. Thoughts?




DACs in general hugely benefit from quality of power supply as any other component(streamer, amp ext.)

As mimby has build in linear power supply it is hard to say if there will be increase of sound quality in this case...


----------



## KoshNaranek

andrew rieger said:


> I'm not sure why this would be the case. How could a higher quality PSU add more noise to the Mimby? I guess a better question would be how much power quality affects the performance of a DAC vs an amp. Im guessing a DAC would be the component least likely to benefit from an upgraded power supply. Thoughts?




Regulation in the Mimby is done internally. Optimal ripple filtering is for 60Hz. If you use a DC PSU that is reasonably well regulated but introduces a ripple at a different frequency, that ripple may pass through the Mimby PSU into the DAC.


----------



## jimmers

koshnaranek said:


> If you use a DC PSU that is reasonably well regulated ...


 
 Has to be an AC supply to the Mimby, the one linked was AC - the frequency out would be the same as the frequency in


----------



## Ancipital

andrew rieger said:


> I'm not sure why this would be the case. How could a higher quality PSU add more noise to the Mimby? I guess a better question would be how much power quality affects the performance of a DAC vs an amp. Im guessing a DAC would be the component least likely to benefit from an upgraded power supply. Thoughts?


 
  
 Don't attempt to replace the PSU. Plug it into conditioned power, if you want, but really don't futz with third party PSUs in this case- it's a decent quality AC supply already.


----------



## KoshNaranek

jimmers said:


> Has to be an AC supply to the Mimby, the one linked was AC - the frequency out would be the same as the frequency in :confused_face_2:




Oops! Thought it was DC


----------



## Andrew Rieger

ancipital said:


> Don't attempt to replace the PSU. Plug it into conditioned power, if you want, but really don't futz with third party PSUs in this case- it's a decent quality AC supply already.


 

 I have the stock PSU plugged into a Panamax MR4000 surge protector/conditioner that I'm demoing at the moment. I'm trying to make up my mind on the effect its having on the sound vs the unconditioned wall outlet. 
  
 The sound is a little different, its hard to describe, bass seems a tad deeper (maybe) but the treble is rolled off a bit. The Modi doesn't sound quite as crisp as it did before. I could be crazy, maybe its the placebo effect. The jury is out on the effects of power conditioners. Are there any affordable conditioners that lack surge protection? The surge protection seems to be frequently blamed for having a negative effect on DAC's.


----------



## Ancipital

andrew rieger said:


> I have the stock PSU plugged into a Panamax MR4000 surge protector/conditioner that I'm demoing at the moment. I'm trying to make up my mind on the effect its having on the sound vs the unconditioned wall outlet.
> 
> The sound is a little different, its hard to describe, bass seems a tad deeper (maybe) but the treble is rolled off a bit. The Modi doesn't sound quite as crisp as it did before. I could be crazy, maybe its the placebo effect. The jury is out on the effects of power conditioners. Are there any affordable conditioners that lack surge protection? The surge protection seems to be frequently blamed for having a negative effect on DAC's.


 
  
 This is going to be an unpopular opinion with the blindly tinkering audiophools, but please bear with me..
  
 I really wouldn't worry unduly about power supply nervosa. It's part of the last percent or two of quality to be eked from your system. Same basic filtering like you're trying (or the popular Furman AC210) isn't a bad idea, and surge protection is actively good if you have a few thousands worth of amp, cans and so forth plugged in. I wouldn't try to sweat any potentially imaginary details right now, though.
  
 Are your headphones your "endgame" pair? Transducers are the biggest single upgrade. How about your amp(s)- are they as high as you intend to go? Amps are your second biggest upgrade. Your DAC, while brilliant value and good quality, will still be a bigger quality bottleneck than your power now, I suspect. There are easy upgrades to be had there too- Gumby or Yggy are measurably better.
  
 While I'm not suggesting that you instantly spend a fortune on any of those things, I'd avoid tinkering semi-blindly with a chain that has bigger quality bottlenecks. A little light power conditioning is fine, but don't lose sleep over it. Equally, don't go nuts on boutique connects- that should be the absolute last thing you fret over, when you have run out of other things to twiddle. You won't be able to hear fine details of any actual improvements from higher-end tweaks while your chain isn't super-revealing.
  
 It's better (and cheaper) to plan and be methodical, rather than just sawn-off shopping


----------



## Andrew Rieger

ancipital said:


> This is going to be an unpopular opinion with the blindly tinkering audiophools, but please bear with me..
> 
> I really wouldn't worry unduly about power supply nervosa. It's part of the last percent or two of quality to be eked from your system. Same basic filtering like you're trying (or the popular Furman AC210) isn't a bad idea, and surge protection is actively good if you have a few thousands worth of amp, cans and so forth plugged in. I wouldn't try to sweat any potentially imaginary details right now, though.
> 
> ...




The setup as it stands is a Tascam CD200 via coax into the Mimby which feeds a Neve RNHP amp. My best headphones currently are the new Beyer DT1990's. This is not an endgame setup by any means but it is getting pretty close to the limit of what I'm willing to spend. But I agree with you, this hobby brings out the worst of my "what if?" Tinkering tendencies. This headfirst pluge down the rabbit hole started a year and a half ago when I Googled "best headphones under $200". I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know there was such a thing as open backed phones, hell, I didn't know they made dedicated amps for headphones. And now I'm obsessing over the power quality in my home, and learning how to make custom cables. I've gone full retard. I just wanted to listen to some tunes on my iPhone. Now I'm buying CD's for the first time in my life. Thanks for the moment of clarity.


----------



## westom

If power quality is so much a concern, then look at the only thing that matters - cleanliness of each DC voltage.  Does not matter how clean or dirty AC power is.  What only matters is those DC voltages.
  
 Magic AC power cleaners (line conditioners, surge protectors) do what? Does not matter.  First thing a power supply does is make power many times 'dirtier'.  Just as 'dirty' with or without those magic boxes.
  
 First power is filtered.  Then converted to well over 300 volt DC.  Then converted to high voltage radio frequency spikes.  Does not matter what 'cleaners' existed on AC.  Because power is now 'dirtiest' - irregardless of what was incoming on AC.
  
 Then superior filters, regulators, and galvanic isolation 'clean' what is obviously THE 'dirtiest' power.  Dirtiest power exists no matter what magic box exists on AC mains.
  
 So again, what makes best sound?  'Cleanest' DC power - not AC power.  Even 60 Hz ripple voltages are no longer relevant - as made obvious by the above paragraphs.  Legacy fears only traceable to obsolete technologies from 50 years ago.
  
 Best sound is determined by 'clean' DC voltages.  Nothing on AC mains is relevant to what matters - when equipment (and power supply) is properly designed.  Want better sound?  Buy magic boxes to clean those DC voltages.  Or in some cases, spend less money for a better quality PSU.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Is it weird if I prefer my Modi 2 Uber over the Modi Multibit? I have both, and I just feel like the vocals are better on Modi 2 Uber.  Everything is stock, I didn't change PSU for either one or anything. 
  
 Am I weird, or what? Cause a $250 DAC should sound better right?  >.>  I am so confused


----------



## Guidostrunk

Not at all. This hobby is all subjective , and boils down to preference, and synergy. 

Not sure how long you've had your mimby, but from what I've read, there's a "burn time?" Of a few days or so for optimal performance. I'll let the "pros" weigh in on it. 


Cheers


caenlenfromocn said:


> Is it weird if I prefer my Modi 2 Uber over the Modi Multibit? I have both, and I just feel like the vocals are better on Modi 2 Uber.  Everything is stock, I didn't change PSU for either one or anything.
> 
> Am I weird, or what? Cause a $250 DAC should sound better right?  >.>  I am so confused


----------



## jimmers

westom said:


> First power is filtered.  Then converted to well over 300 volt DC.  Then converted to high voltage radio frequency spikes.  Does not matter what 'cleaners' existed on AC.  Because power is now 'dirtiest' - irregardless of what was incoming on AC.


 
 I thought, in the case of Mimby especially, that we were talking about Linear power supplies - not SMPS. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Normal linear power supplies are "dirty" too, as rectifier diodes only conduct when their potential output voltage exceeds the voltage on the smoothing capacitors, so there will normally be current spikes at 120Hz (or 2x60Hz), [or 100Hz(or 2x50Hz) ].


----------



## Andrew Rieger

This power stuff is too confusing. I'm just stick with the stock AC PSU and the Panamax conditioner and call it a day.


----------



## lenroot77

caenlenfromocn said:


> Is it weird if I prefer my Modi 2 Uber over the Modi Multibit? I have both, and I just feel like the vocals are better on Modi 2 Uber.  Everything is stock, I didn't change PSU for either one or anything.
> 
> Am I weird, or what? Cause a $250 DAC should sound better right?  >.>  I am so confused




Not everyone prefers the multi bit sound. I recall reading a few people preferring the bifrost over the bimby.


----------



## BarDash

I enjoy the MM with the IFI Pro ICan although I've only had the IFi a couple of days I feel like it takes "the edge" off for me IMHO compared to when I was using the MM with the Jot. Especially when I put it on tube setting.


----------



## MothAudio

I have my Modi PS plugged into a PS Audio Ultimate Outlet and the UO plugged into the Shunyata Hydra PLC. Shunyata Sidewinder PC on the Hydra and BMI Whale PC on the UO. The UO added a bit more weight, richness to the presentation but the biggest improvement IMS daisy-chaining these two PS components is the extremely low noise floor.
 
You're able to pick up the most discrete sounds that appear out of nowhere - spooky. Admittedly, some of these are unintended like when you can hear the bus passing outside of the church on The Trinity Sessions CD by the Cowboy Junkies. Chairs creaking, conversations between musicians, foot steps. Unreal. With my Moth Audio SET amp and Silverline Sonatina speakers much of this was in play before the acquisition of the Modi but it does take it to a higher level.


----------



## droopy1592

andrew rieger said:


> My quest to improve my Modi Multibit continues. I'm very pleased with the sound but I want to see if I can squeeze anymore out of it. I'm running coax into a CD player so I don't need a USB scrubber so the only other upgrade is the power supply.
> 
> I came across this and I'm curious to see if such an upgrade could have any audible improvements over the stock wall wart: http://www.russandrews.com/us/russ-andrews-ac16-1000-115v/
> 
> Any thoughts?




The cleanest sound I've seen measured was a USB to spdif converter to toslink to modimultibit. I'm using the turtle beach USB to spdif then toslink to mb to a Jotunheim. Insanely clean.


----------



## AviP

droopy1592 said:


> The cleanest sound I've seen measured was a USB to spdif converter to toslink to modimultibit. I'm using the turtle beach USB to spdif then toslink to mb to a Jotunheim. Insanely clean.



What's the model number of the the turtle Beach?


----------



## peepr

sirrealist said:


> Looking forward to it!


 
 Initial impressions are WOW!!. Most noticeable improvement over original Modi is increased clarity and detail. Everything just sounds cleaner. Better soundstage, instrument separation. I wouldn't say bass impact is bigger or better but everything is tighter, transparent perhaps? Like the mimby is lifting a layer of "dust" off every aspect of the sound. Analytical without being bright or fatiguing at all.
  
 To my ears, also smoother to listen to. Overall, well worth the $$ over the original Modi. I am running this out of my raspberry pi via USB using piCorePlayer. 
  
 To those wondering about USB/Optical, I played a CD on my panasonic blu ray player via optical and played it in sync with the same song via raspberry pi. I used the input button on the Mimby to switch mid song and could tell no difference in quality. Certainly not worth it to me to upgrade to a rpi3 with hifiberry digi+. I did not test optical/usb output from my PC as I don't listen to music much on that. USB could be "noisier" in that scenario. 
  
 Will do a full review/comparo when the HD6XX arrives end of month.


----------



## thesebastian

Help me decide...
  
*< 200€ for Modi 2 Uber or 305€ for Modi Multibit? (Shipping/VAT included) >*

 Currently I have a "nuforce udac-2" (the thing I'd like to upgrade) and a pair of studio monitors KRK RP6G3.
 I listen to some FLACs, but mostly 320Kbps Mp3 files (Spotify Premium, etc). 
  
 I plan to use SPDIF after the upgrade (Optical; Realtek's onboard). But could also use USB (like I'm using now with 24/96Khz).  
  
 Maybe the Modi Multibit is too much for my speakers (I've paid the same for the speakers)...but who knows...
  
 Thanks!


----------



## RickB

thesebastian said:


> Help me decide...
> 
> *< 200€ for Modi 2 Uber or 305€ for Modi Multibit? (Shipping/VAT included) >*
> 
> ...


 
 I suggest you go for the Multibit. If not, you'll always wonder. General consensus is it sounds considerably better then the Delta Sigma Modi and is the best value in the Schiit DAC lineup.


----------



## MrFranc

rickb said:


> I suggest you go for the Multibit. If not, you'll always wonder. General consensus is it sounds considerably better then the Delta Sigma Modi and is the best value in the Schiit DAC lineup.


 

 I agree with RickB!


----------



## thesebastian

mrfranc said:


> I agree with RickB!


 


rickb said:


> I suggest you go for the Multibit. If not, you'll always wonder. General consensus is it sounds considerably better then the Delta Sigma Modi and is the best value in the Schiit DAC lineup.


 
  
 Thanks, I'm going for Multibit then!
  
 I have one more question before pulling the trigger: Anyone using *Optical *(Realtek's optical output more precisely) can digital control the volume level via windows shortcuts/windows general volume mixer?
*I've never used optical* and I'll probably use it with this DAC.
  
 The explanation of this question is:
 My setup would be: *[ PC (USB or Realtek's OPTICAL output) --> Modi Multibit --> RP6G3 monitors and currently the volume is near the min level: -30dB ]. *To control the volume level I use my PC's keyboard shortcuts. (As well as a remote control with the same shortcuts, etc). 
 But yesterday I've learned that you can't control the volume using USB input in this DAC: (Schiit's support said to me: _USB is usually fixed level on our DACs_). If this means that I can't control Windows volume, I'd like to know if you can do that finely using the Optical output.
  
 In other words: I want to be sure that I can decrease the volume with this via optical cable:

  
  
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Letmebefrank

thesebastian said:


> Thanks, I'm going for Multibit then!
> 
> I have one more question before pulling the trigger: Anyone using *Optical* (Realtek's optical output more precisely) can digital control the volume level via windows shortcuts/windows general volume mixer?
> *I've never used optical* and I'll probably use it with this DAC.
> ...




I am able to control the volume of both optical and USB on my Modi MB through Windows and any other application.


----------



## Noldir

thesebastian said:


> Thanks, I'm going for Multibit then!
> 
> I have one more question before pulling the trigger: Anyone using *Optical *(Realtek's optical output more precisely) can digital control the volume level via windows shortcuts/windows general volume mixer?
> *I've never used optical* and I'll probably use it with this DAC.
> ...


 
 Actually, I think you should try to attenuate as late in the chain as possible. When attenuating the signal in the digital domain you will lose dynamic range ( https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/1103650-analog-digital-level-attenuation.html).
 Basically it means that when you can't control the volume that you're using the most direct signal path possible. When you can change it, in the case of this dac which doesn't seem to have hardware level volume control, you're actually changing the signal in windows before it reaches the dac.


----------



## franzdom

This is confusing, I can control level from the computer using digital or USB through Schiit DAC. I usually leave it on 100% but I know it works if you want it to.


----------



## thesebastian

letmebefrank said:


> I am able to control the volume of both optical and USB on my Modi MB through Windows and any other application.


 
  
 Ok! Then I think that with "USB is usually fixed level" he was referring to the DAC without volume knob or something like that.
  
 Good to know that Optical volume can be changed too. 


noldir said:


> Actually, I think you should try to attenuate as late in the chain as possible. When attenuating the signal in the digital domain you will lose dynamic range ( https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mastering-forum/1103650-analog-digital-level-attenuation.html).
> Basically it means that when you can't control the volume that you're using the most direct signal path possible. When you can change it, in the case of this dac which doesn't seem to have hardware level volume control, you're actually changing the signal in windows before it reaches the dac.


 
 Good to know too...
 I don't know if this happens just changing from 100% to 99% the digital playback device volume...But I'll try to keep it from 50%-100% rather than 0%-50%.


----------



## theveterans

franzdom said:


> This is confusing, I can control level from the computer using digital or USB through Schiit DAC. I usually leave it on 100% but I know it works if you want it to.




Unless you use ASIO or WASAPI Exclusive, directsound allows digital volume control


----------



## Noldir

franzdom said:


> This is confusing, I can control level from the computer using digital or USB through Schiit DAC. I usually leave it on 100% but I know it works if you want it to.


 
 As per the Schiit reply: I don't think the DAC has hardware level volume control (needs to be in the DAC chip itself). So if you're controlling volume that will be on the OS side of things and that depends a lot on implementation. If you use ASIO4ALL for instance I don't think you can use the volume control anymore.


----------



## Noldir

theveterans said:


> Unless you use ASIO or WASAPI Exclusive, directsound allows digital volume control


 
 As far as I'm concerned DirectSound is the tool of the devil. Short story: DirectSound always goes through a mixer and it will probably mess with your data in not so good ways (https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,94411.0.html and https://hardforum.com/threads/directsound-vs-wasapi-vs-asio.1823604/#post-1040912501)


----------



## dwaleke

You can control volume even in wasapi exclusive mode (well at least with foobar and jriver).

But I agree it's best to use an analog volume control post dac before amplification.


----------



## theveterans

noldir said:


> As far as I'm concerned DirectSound is the tool of the devil. Short story: DirectSound always goes through a mixer and it will probably mess with your data in not so good ways (https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,94411.0.html and https://hardforum.com/threads/directsound-vs-wasapi-vs-asio.1823604/#post-1040912501)




IMO, directsound isn't as bad on Windows 10 as it was prior. I hear amazing sound quality on some videos despite the multiple conversions and directsound to boot.


----------



## thesebastian

Just to understand the impact of this: The potential "quality mess up" caused by using the digital volume control (Windows 10 volume level) is so noticeable? Or we're just discussing a good "final touch" to the, already impressive sound quality this dac gives? 
  
 I'm planning an upgrade from a udac-2 (ESS Sabre 9022 DAC chip) to the Modi Multibit. Now I'm using USB input and digital volume level control (udac-2's volume knob sucks btw, so I leave it at 80% always). 
And I'll be using Realtek's Optical and, still using Digital volume level control with the Multibit


----------



## franzdom

I find the issue to be theoretical, not noticeable.


----------



## Noldir

dwaleke said:


> You can control volume even in wasapi exclusive mode (well at least with foobar and jriver).
> 
> But I agree it's best to use an analog volume control post dac before amplification.


 
 Can you control volume from Foobar as well as Windows? I understand that Foobar has it's own volume control implementation.
  
 As a side note: this is why I run Volumio with a HifiBerry (or IQaudio) DAC


----------



## Noldir

franzdom said:


> I find the issue to be theoretical, not noticeable.


 
 Agreed, although there is loss of resolution I haven't noticed it before. I also couldn't be bothered with a side-by-side comparison because I didn't perceive anything different.


theveterans said:


> IMO, directsound isn't as bad on Windows 10 as it was prior. I hear amazing sound quality on some videos despite the multiple conversions and directsound to boot.


 
  
 Good to hear!
  
 In Windows 7 and prior though it's *very* noticeable if you use directsound and I would really recommend against it.
  
 Having said that, I really like my signal-path to stay intact as long as possible so I only use Wasapi as a rule when on Windows.


----------



## franzdom

Apparently directsound hasn't been seen on windows for a very long time.


----------



## Letmebefrank

The modi multibit has a 32-bit filter. You can send 32-bit signals to it. so theoretically if you have a 32-bit volume control, you can (theoretically) reduce the volume by 48db (8-bits) without losing any data on your high res tracks. I don't notice any difference between 100% system volume and lower amp volume VS 18% system volume (-15db / 2.5-bits) and higher amp volume.


----------



## MothAudio

audiodave said:


> I need some advice on choosing between the Modi 2 Uber and the Modi Multibit.
> I own a chromecast audio, which sounds rather unpleasant using the analog output. I was planning on just using the cca with a dac, but apparently the digital out of the cca is affected by loads of jitter. My budget allows for either
> 
> a) The Modi 2 Uber and a cheap spdif reclocker like the new ifi ipurifier spdif
> ...


 

 ​The 15 day trial period just ended for my Modi 2 Uber when the Multibit was released. So I never was able to A/B the two. That said, I'm very happy with my Multibit. I just ordered the *iFi spdif iPurifier* to demo with the Chromecast Audio puck.


----------



## droopy1592

avip said:


> What's the model number of the the turtle Beach?


 
 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036VO4X4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
 If mods delete it for some reason cuz its a thing 
 Turtle beach micro advantage II
TBS-1150-01


----------



## droopy1592

mothaudio said:


> ​The 15 day trial period just ended for my Modi 2 Uber when the Multibit was released. So I never was able to A/B the two. That said, I'm very happy with my Multibit. I just ordered the *iFi spdif iPurifier* to demo with the Chromecast Audio puck.


 
 I a/bed and the MB is considerably more natural sounding and less plastic/artificial. It's not so much that it's better it's just a more natural sound. It's hard to make sense of until you hear both. i feel the high end on the d/s is where you hear most of the difference.


----------



## thesebastian

Is anyone using 24/192Khz via Optical?

 I'm looking for a 1 meter optical cable to try to output 24/192, so far I'm buying this one:
  
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/IBRA%C2%AE-1M-Muzil-Digital-Optical/dp/B002U3P50U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481125253&sr=8-1&keywords=B002U3P50U
  
 (The multibit will come later this month, no stock at the moment in €'s reseller. But I'm 100% convinced I'll get this DAC over the Uber or the SMSL M8).


----------



## droopy1592

thesebastian said:


> Is anyone using 24/192Khz via Optical?
> 
> I'm looking for a 1 meter optical cable to try to output 24/192, so far I'm buying this one:
> 
> ...


 
 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D1A8KM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 get one with glass


----------



## fjrabon

Been A/Bing optical directly into ModiMultibit vs. USB run through Wyrd.  Both are out of my macbook pro.  I have it setup so I can quickly just tap the selection button on mimby to change between inputs (no coaxial for now).  Not the gigantic difference a few made it out to be, but optical did seem to have a touch blacker background.  It overall felt maybe a bit crisper, like the start of a musical event was a tiny bit clearer and better defined.  However while I could hear this difference in comparison, I am also confident that if you just put headphones on me and asked me to identify if it was the USB/Wyrd or optical without being able to go back and forth, I couldn't really tell you which was which.  Essentially optical was a differentiable improvement, but not significant by any means.  
  
 I'll probably be shifting the Wyrd over to my secondary setup (iDAC6 -> EF2C) and going optical for the modimultibit -> TorpedoIII.  Optical vs Wyrd made no discernable difference for the iDAC6.


----------



## thesebastian

@fjrabon Good to know! I'm going to use Optical, but the first days I'll have USB only. 
 @droopy1592 I couldn't find a good priced "glass" toslink in Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.es so I'm trying the IBRA cable I posted. Some Amazon customers told me it can do 24/192. If it doesn't work (I suppose I'll hear the music with interference, delay or something) I'll return it and try another one. 
  
 Regarding my Multibit DAC purchase:
 Schiit-europe: Best price in Europe (300€ with 2-day shipping) but no stock. (first was going to be available last week, then it was pushed to December 18th, and now end of December). 
 Schiit-eu: Not very good price, especially after the £ to € conversion. like 345-355€ (with PayPal and I think 3-5 days shipping). 
Schiit.com: Probably more expensive than Schiit-eu after adding the custom (294 USD with 2 day shipping, probably 360 USD with custom taxes), but only 2 days FeDex shipping and I was buying directly to Schiit so I went for this option yesterday I think I'll get it on Monday!


----------



## MothAudio

*Four month update*: Really couldn't be more pleased with the performance and bang for buck value the Schiit Modi Multibit provides IMS. Since the acquisition of the Multibit I've made a number of system upgrades; PS Audio Ultimate Outlet, JJ 2A3 power tubes, Sys. Concepts digital cable and iFi S/PDIF iPurifier reclocker/jitter filter.

 The iFi was only received yesterday. Until it stabilizes the full benefit won't be realized but straight out of the box I was making unexpected discoveries from familiar source [pleasant discoveries]. For my 9k system it was easy to appreciate where the extra $800 [total cost of all 5 upgrades] went. At this very early stage I'm unable to measure the value of the iFi but thus far IMS it's not a component I would suggest is critical to the performance of the Multibit.

 The iFi reduces the noise floor even further, something that wasn't lacking in my system previously. While sibilance wasn't minimized to the level I was hoping it was reduced. Overall there was a greater cohesiveness to the presentation that made you rely less on the suspension of disbelief to lose yourself into the music. The supplied PS is plugged into the Hydra PLC.
 
Speaking of line conditioners, the Multibit PS is plugged into the PS Audio PLC which in turn is daisy-chained into the Shunyata Hydra PLC. The only other component in the chain [tube amp] is plugged straight into the Michael Brinkman Acme Audio 15amp silver-plated 'Cryo-treated' duplex [along with the Hydra].







 Here's a photo of the iFi S/PDIF iPurifier [Bifrost DAC]. The Multibit is configured in a similar way; coaxial in / toslink out.


----------



## fjrabon

thesebastian said:


> @fjrabon Good to know! I'm going to use Optical, but the first days I'll have USB only.
> @droopy1592 I couldn't find a good priced "glass" toslink in Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.es so I'm trying the IBRA cable I posted. Some Amazon customers told me it can do 24/192. If it doesn't work (I suppose I'll hear the music with interference, delay or something) I'll return it and try another one.
> 
> Regarding my Multibit DAC purchase:
> ...


 

 FWIW, i have this and like it quite a bit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8HWV62/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 It has had no problem whatsoever with 24/192.


----------



## MothAudio

Here's what I use: Sys. Concepts [mini-toslink] cable.


----------



## MothAudio

coltmrfire said:


> Its also important to remember, more resolving gear is going to better detect differences.


 

 +1


----------



## thesebastian

Multibit arrived today!
 Incredible improvement over the nuForce uDAC-2...the high frequency is much more detailed, etc.
 But the Low-End.....wow...is completely different, entirely. Bass is much more defined than before. 

 I'm using my old DAC's USB cable, this week I'll receive a toslink cable and I'll replace the USB with optical.Here are some photos of the setup:
  
 http://imgur.com/a/NgFV8
  
 Thanks all!


----------



## EvenR

It's generally thought that spdif is better for audio than usb, but which of the Modi Multibit's 3 options is the best one, if anyone have tried and compared them?


----------



## fjrabon

evenr said:


> It's generally thought that spdif is better for audio than usb, but which of the Modi Multibit's 3 options is the best one, if anyone have tried and compared them?




I think I saw some tests that show the MM is best with coaxial with optical a tiny amount behind and then a pretty big gap to USB. However some of that goes away with something like wyrd. With Wyrd USB is only a tiny bit behind (optical and coaxial have a slightly blacker backto and a bit more dynamic range).


----------



## EvenR

fjrabon said:


> I think I saw some tests that show the MM is best with coaxial with optical a tiny amount behind and then a pretty big gap to USB. However some of that goes away with something like wyrd. With Wyrd USB is only a tiny bit behind (optical and coaxial have a slightly blacker backto and a bit more dynamic range).


 
 Thanks! I still have an Audiophilleo2+PurePower which will connect via coax, so it seems i'll get the most out of it.


----------



## MothAudio

fjrabon said:


> I think I saw some tests that show the MM is best with coaxial with optical a tiny amount behind and then a pretty big gap to USB. However some of that goes away with something like wyrd.* With Wyrd USB is only a tiny bit behind (optical and coaxial have a slightly blacker backto and a bit more dynamic range).*


 
  
 And with the microRendu ?


----------



## Ancipital

evenr said:


> It's generally thought that spdif is better for audio than usb, but which of the Modi Multibit's 3 options is the best one, if anyone have tried and compared them?


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
  
 Essentially, "it depends". If your SPDIF output is good, then it will be better. However, a lot of poorly-implemented SPDIF outputs suffer horrid jitter (Macbooks spring to mind here). It boils down to that- if your SPDIF is good, use it.
  
 If not, you could try a USB decrapifier (the Wyrd is good for cleaning up interference on a dirty VBUS)- or better yet, something like a properly-clocked SPDIF source, e.g. a good quality digital audio hat from a Raspberry Pi. That's often a good and affordable option (running MPD on the Pi is apparently quite a good experience). 
  
 I'm lucky, my ancient motherboard has pretty stable TOSlink out, possibly not driven by tossy clock dividers, so it's just fine with my Mimby. It can be a bit of a crapshoot, though.
  
 It's worth saying that unless you have really obvious problems that are easily _audible_, it's often not worth spending a lot of time or money on transport nervosa while playing at the Mimby level. If your amp and transducers are similarly modest, you may find that looking at those first may yield bigger improvements. After all, chasing down and fixing ever more subtle problems is only practically possible or sensible on a very resolving chain with very little low-hanging fruit remaining, lest ye slip into the realms of blind tinkering and audiophoolery.


----------



## Dana Reed

My nightstand setup. running 16/44 ALAC files streaming from my basement server to the airport express in my room, connected by optical out to the Mimby/Vali2.  Using my MDR-1A because they're more comfortable to lay down with than the DT770, and my wife doesn't appreciate the open headphones (HD600 or SR325e) keeping her awake.  
 I still struggle with any of these phones to find a huge difference between the m2u and mimby, but I love them both.  Before this I was exclusively using portable rigs like my PHA-1A and HA-2.  Can definitely hear more clarity in the Schiit stacks, while the HA-2 is still my favorite portable.


----------



## theveterans

dana reed said:


> My nightstand setup. running 16/44 ALAC files streaming from my basement server to the airport express in my room, connected by optical out to the Mimby/Vali2.  Using my MDR-1A because they're more comfortable to lay down with than the DT770, and my wife doesn't appreciate the open headphones (HD600 or SR325e) keeping her awake.
> I still struggle with any of these phones to find a huge difference between the m2u and mimby, but I love them both.  Before this I was exclusively using portable rigs like my PHA-1A and HA-2.  Can definitely hear more clarity in the Schiit stacks, while the HA-2 is still my favorite portable.


 
  
 I hear the difference between Mutibit and Delta Sigma a lot more pronounced using my Yamaha HS7 flat response bookshelf speakers than any of my headphones even with AKG K712. If you can use speakers, you should try it.


----------



## Dana Reed

theveterans said:


> I hear the difference between Mutibit and Delta Sigma a lot more pronounced using my Yamaha HS7 flat response bookshelf speakers than any of my headphones even with AKG K712. If you can use speakers, you should try it.



I plan to get some studio monitors at some point. Right now I have an older JVC AV amp and some decent loudspeakers I could try. 
Saving up for either a pair of HE560 or GS1000 before I jump into upgrades for my speaker setup


----------



## Noldir

ancipital said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
> 
> Essentially, "it depends". If your SPDIF output is good, then it will be better. However, a lot of poorly-implemented SPDIF outputs suffer horrid jitter (Macbooks spring to mind here). It boils down to that- if your SPDIF is good, use it.
> 
> ...


 
 Agreed!
  
 And I can vouch for running MPD on a Rasperry Pi. Having run both a custom OS with MPD and Volumio I would go for the latter, less hassle, same results


----------



## Jakob Volder

Hey guys!

 I am looking at the Modi Multibit as an option to pair with my soon-to-buy Jotunheim. How's the pairing? I have a pair of HD-650 that I wish to sound pretty darn good. Anyone with some experience with this pairing? 
  
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## AviP

jakob volder said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> I am looking at the Modi Multibit as an option to pair with my soon-to-buy Jotunheim. How's the pairing? I have a pair of HD-650 that I wish to sound pretty darn good. Anyone with some experience with this pairing?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
 Tons of people with that exact setup in the Jot thread, search there and you'll see a lot of positive experiences (Disclaimer: I've never heard this combo)


----------



## Ancipital

jakob volder said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> I am looking at the Modi Multibit as an option to pair with my soon-to-buy Jotunheim. How's the pairing? I have a pair of HD-650 that I wish to sound pretty darn good. Anyone with some experience with this pairing?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


 
  
 It's.. one of the best bargains in headphone audio today. It's a superb pairing- the fearless forward sound of the Jot bulldozes through the sleepy tendencies of the 650- you get a lot of detail and great driver control, but please do get a balanced headphone cable for that last bit of extra oomph (does give you a bit more detail and instrument separation, a worthwhile upgrade).
  
 The Modi 2 Multibit is fantastic, and a no-brainer. The three together is a ridiculously good deal, for the quality you get.


----------



## musickid

HELLO TO ALL,
  
 i don't like the idea of leaving the modi multibit on 24/7 even though some are saying this is the best way for max performance. is this totally true?
  
 if i did not leave it on 24/7 would 1-2 hours warm up be sufficient here, thanks


----------



## Ancipital

musickid said:


> HELLO TO ALL,
> 
> i don't like the idea of leaving the modi multibit on 24/7 even though some are saying this is the best way for max performance. is this totally true?
> 
> if i did not leave it on 24/7 would 1-2 hours warm up be sufficient here, thanks


 
  
 At least a couple of hours. It sips a tiny amount of power if left on, too- just switch the rest of the room off with remote sockets, the Mimby won't make much odds.


----------



## fjrabon

musickid said:


> HELLO TO ALL,
> 
> i don't like the idea of leaving the modi multibit on 24/7 even though some are saying this is the best way for max performance. is this totally true?
> 
> if i did not leave it on 24/7 would 1-2 hours warm up be sufficient here, thanks




I found it was about 3-4 hours until it was back at peak sound quality level. There may have been some improvement after that, but I couldn't be sure.


----------



## Letmebefrank

musickid said:


> HELLO TO ALL,
> 
> i don't like the idea of leaving the modi multibit on 24/7 even though some are saying this is the best way for max performance. is this totally true?
> 
> if i did not leave it on 24/7 would 1-2 hours warm up be sufficient here, thanks




Mine has been on since August (the last time I went out of town) and it's totally fine. Doesn't get too hot. Barely uses any power.


----------



## Tuneslover

jakob volder said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> 
> I am looking at the Modi Multibit as an option to pair with my soon-to-buy Jotunheim. How's the pairing? I have a pair of HD-650 that I wish to sound pretty darn good. Anyone with some experience with this pairing?
> ...



I have a Bimby paired with my Jot and it's a very very good pairing. I also have the Mimby in my bedroom setup. When I first got the Mimby I compared both of these MUltibit DACs and found that there was very little difference between them...translation Mimby is not only a bargain but also a terrific pairing with the Jot. This combo is tremendous with the HD650's in both SE and Balanced configurations.


----------



## thesebastian

letmebefrank said:


> Mine has been on since August (the last time I went out of town) and it's totally fine. Doesn't get too hot. Barely uses any power.


 
  
 I took some measures. My Modi Multibit consumes* 6.1W-6.3W* with USB input (both in idle and load). (Less than the expected 8W, so that's better). 
  
 While that's more than my Desktop PC in Sleep mode (*3,5W*), the KRK studio monitors in standby (0,2W each one so *0.4W*) and the Dell U2711 monitor in standby (*1,1W*), It is still "nothing"; so I always leave it ON.
  
 And compared to when I'm using my PC just for Music and browsing: PC (*44W*), Display 50% brightness (*105W*, not a LED one), KRK monitors normal usage (27W x2 = *54W*), it's less than nothing. (Not even mentioning when gaming...or just cooking...).


----------



## starence

musickid said:


> HELLO TO ALL,
> 
> i don't like the idea of leaving the modi multibit on 24/7 even though some are saying this is the best way for max performance. is this totally true?
> 
> if i did not leave it on 24/7 would 1-2 hours warm up be sufficient here, thanks


 
 Try testing it on your own. If it sounds good enough to you, that's all that matters.


----------



## gabrihamlincoln

Yep, that's the sad truth – this hobby is so subjective. Pretty much comes down to personal preference. Which is why so many of the "vs" comparisons/debates make me cringe.


----------



## Ancipital

thesebastian said:


> I took some measures. My Modi Multibit consumes* 6.1W-6.3W* with USB input (both in idle and load). (Less than the expected 8W, so that's better).
> 
> While that's more than my Desktop PC in Sleep mode (*3,5W*), the KRK studio monitors in standby (0,2W each one so *0.4W*) and the Dell U2711 monitor in standby (*1,1W*), It is still "nothing"; so I always leave it ON.
> 
> And compared to when I'm using my PC just for Music and browsing: PC (*44W*), Display 50% brightness (*105W*, not a LED one), KRK monitors normal usage (27W x2 = *54W*), it's less than nothing. (Not even mentioning when gaming...or just cooking...).


 
   
 Let me butt in with The Official Word (which was later tacitly authenticated in the thread by @Baldr):
  
 Quote:


sirrealist said:


> I've been reading about how you should leave a multibit DAC on 24/7 and was concerned about power usage over the course of a month, so I wrote to Schiit asking about how much kWh the Mimby would pull after being on and idle for about 24 hours and got the following reply: "It would be in the vicinity of 0.192kWh"
> 
> Nice.


 
  
 Hope that helps


----------



## Porteroso

Just got my modi multibit. Over the SMSL M8, I think it's got a lower noise floor, which seems to make things sound more dynamic. Seems to have better tonal accuracy. Just fuller in all ranges as well, though it shows up for me in the mids the most. I think of anything I've heard so far, it's the oboe that sticks out as being different, more lifelike.
  
 Not at all a mind blowing change, just small improvements, but improvements all across the board for sure.
  
 edit: Just to add on, small changes for sure, I think most dacs get most of the sound across. But just like I've read others say many times, this is giving new life to old recordings. It would be a lot of fun to experiment with other equipment, but I'm pretty happy with this right now. Just that little extra bit of distinction brings out things I've never heard before. Listened to the last movement of Dvorak 9 for probably the billionth time, got a little choked up at the end. Any product that does that for us all is a success.


----------



## brillo

mothaudio said:


> And with the microRendu ?


 

 I am getting GREAT sound from microRendu (powered by Uptone LPS-1) ---> Singxer F-1 ---> Modi Multibit S/PDIF input...


----------



## Oceanic 815

I am interested in upgrading my DAC and the Mimby is an intriguing product. I have been off head fi for a while and out of the loop. I have a Bottlehead Crack + HD650. I was looking at the Bifrost a few years ago but decided to get off the forums and enjoy listening. But I'm back now, looking to upgrade.

 Current DAC is a Nuforce Icon HD (retired product) that is a $200 DAC/Amp. It's a value product, I doubt anyone will have experience with it, but I am wondering if the Mimby is a big enough upgrade. I have no doubt it's better, but I do not plan on changing anything else in my system for a very long time after DAC upgrade. Should I be looking at a Bimby, or is the Mimby that good? Will multibit change my life? :-D So many positive remarks and thoughts in this thread... thanks in advance.


----------



## theveterans

oceanic 815 said:


> I am interested in upgrading my DAC and the Mimby is an intriguing product. I have been off head fi for a while and out of the loop. I have a Bottlehead Crack + HD650. I was looking at the Bifrost a few years ago but decided to get off the forums and enjoy listening. But I'm back now, looking to upgrade.
> 
> Current DAC is a Nuforce Icon HD (retired product) that is a $200 DAC/Amp. It's a value product, I doubt anyone will have experience with it, but I am wondering if the Mimby is a big enough upgrade. I have no doubt it's better, but I do not plan on changing anything else in my system for a very long time after DAC upgrade. Should I be looking at a Bimby, or is the Mimby that good? Will multibit change my life? :-D So many positive remarks and thoughts in this thread... thanks in advance.


 
  
 Multibit won't change your life lol. It's just another way of converting digital signal to analog. The key difference is the proprietary upsampling filters that the Schiit implemented on their multibit DACs instead of the default one from out of the shelf DAC chips. Many people prefer the more slam/attack/dynamism of the Schiit multibits (not multibit in general as Metrum multibit DACs sound very different than Schiit's e.g. Metrum does not use any upsampling filters and purely rely on the ladder resistors) compared to their delta sigma offerings.


----------



## RickB

oceanic 815 said:


> I am interested in upgrading my DAC and the Mimby is an intriguing product. I have been off head fi for a while and out of the loop. I have a Bottlehead Crack + HD650. I was looking at the Bifrost a few years ago but decided to get off the forums and enjoy listening. But I'm back now, looking to upgrade.
> 
> Current DAC is a Nuforce Icon HD (retired product) that is a $200 DAC/Amp. It's a value product, I doubt anyone will have experience with it, but I am wondering if the Mimby is a big enough upgrade. I have no doubt it's better, but I do not plan on changing anything else in my system for a very long time after DAC upgrade. Should I be looking at a Bimby, or is the Mimby that good? Will multibit change my life? :-D So many positive remarks and thoughts in this thread... thanks in advance.


 
 It's been stated by some that have heard both that there is very little difference between the Bimby and the Mimby, unless you are using speakers. I would save the money and just get Mimby.


----------



## leeperry

Feeding Wyrd with a twice beefier wallwart made a major improvement SQ-wise, did anyone try to use the 1.5A wallwart of Magni 2 Uber to feed Multibit? Big fellah fosho: http://www.head-fi.org/t/746128/the-schiitstorm-next-gen-magni-2-and-modi-2-family/660#post_11161497
  
 Please spare me the official blabering that all PSU's sound the same kthx ^^


----------



## almarti

theveterans said:


> Multibit won't change your life lol. It's just another way of converting digital signal to analog. The key difference is the proprietary upsampling filters that the Schiit implemented on their multibit DACs instead of the default one from out of the shelf DAC chips. Many people prefer the more slam/attack/dynamism of the Schiit multibits (not multibit in general as Metrum multibit DACs sound very different than Schiit's e.g. Metrum does not use any upsampling filters and purely rely on the ladder resistors) compared to their delta sigma offerings.




Hi, I am in the phase to replace an old Zhaolu DAC D3 paired with stereo amplifier Marantz PM17 KI Signature and Chario Lynx speakers by Modi Multibit. Do you think the $300+ of Bifrost Multibit is worth?


----------



## r2muchstuff

rickb said:


> It's been stated by some that have heard both that there is very little difference between the Bimby and the Mimby, unless you are using speakers. I would save the money and just get Mimby.


 
  
  


almarti said:


> Hi, I am in the phase to replace an old Zhaolu DAC D3 paired with stereo amplifier Marantz PM17 KI Signature and Chario Lynx speakers by Modi Multibit. Do you think the $300+ of Bifrost Multibit is worth?


 

 The difference buys a slight SQ change and the ability to upgrade.  If you can do the extra, I would suggest you seriously consider it.
  
 YMMV & JMTC,
 r2


----------



## Argo Duck

^ (edit: in reply to *almarti*) IIRC Mike Moffat stated the Bifrost has a better power supply and is upgradeable.

Otherwise the two are pretty similar on paper. _Disclaimer: please note I own Schiit's Yggdrasil but haven't heard either the Modi or Bifrost MB_.

The big VFM proposition here is Schiit's (Mike Moffat's) multibit and advanced 'exact solution' digital filter - which can be had for as little as the cost of a Modi MB.

That is, the largest difference is between MB and - market dominant - deltasigma-based dacs. For impressions and reviews of this difference see this and other threads about Schiit's MB dacs, and indeed head-fi threads about other - but mostly _very_ expensive - MB dacs.


----------



## r2muchstuff

The Bifrost is also, larger and heaver and, to me, a more solid piece.  I think the Bifrost Multibit is an often overlooked good value in the Multibit line.
  
 I really enjoy the Modi Multibit however, it is paired with more transportable kits.  The Bifrost is more at home with racks, stacks and desktops with both headphones and speakers. 
  
 Always,
  
 YMMV
  
 r2


----------



## amilo

this pairs excellently with tubes


----------



## MothAudio

amilo said:


> this pairs excellently with tubes


 





  
 Sure does.


----------



## senorx12562

leeperry said:


> Feeding Wyrd with a twice beefier wallwart made a major improvement SQ-wise, did anyone try to use the 1.5A wallwart of Magni 2 Uber to feed Multibit? Big fellah fosho: http://www.head-fi.org/t/746128/the-schiitstorm-next-gen-magni-2-and-modi-2-family/660#post_11161497
> 
> Please spare me the official blabering that all PSU's sound the same kthx ^^




Unofficially, to get the best results, a high-$ lps and 4 digit cables are required.


----------



## theveterans

almarti said:


> Hi, I am in the phase to replace an old Zhaolu DAC D3 paired with stereo amplifier Marantz PM17 KI Signature and Chario Lynx speakers by Modi Multibit. Do you think the $300+ of Bifrost Multibit is worth?


 
  
 If you don't mind having a wall wart and future upgrades, Modi Multibit over Bifrost Multibit, else, Bifrost is worth the extra for 5% sound, chassis (looks much better on a 2 channel setup than mimby) and no wall wart.


----------



## amilo

theveterans said:


> If you don't mind having a wall wart and future upgrades, Modi Multibit over Bifrost Multibit, else, Bifrost is worth the extra for 5% sound, chassis (looks much better on a 2 channel setup than mimby) and no wall wart.




I take it they have basically the same sound characteristics and the Bimby builds upon the Mimby? Basically just wondering if they both sound mostly the same and I assume you mean the Bimby is only like 5% better and its up to you if thats really worth the extra.


----------



## Ancipital

amilo said:


> I take it they have basically the same sound characteristics and the Bimby builds upon the Mimby? Basically just wondering if they both sound mostly the same and I assume you mean the Bimby is only like 5% better and its up to you if thats really worth the extra.


 
  
 Not even that much. According to @Baldr you'll only hear the difference on a monstrously powerful speaker setup- once which costs so much that you'd be very unlikely to be content with a mere Bimby. Given that it's more than twice the price of the nearly identical-sounding Mimby, it's a hard sell. Go big, or go Mimby, if buying new today.
  
 This is why we love Schiit, they're not afraid to undercut previous products when they work out how to do it better, cheaper, harder, faster, stronger etc..
  
 Of course proponents of willy-size-fi won't enjoy this answer, but 'twas ever thus


----------



## amilo

Schiit always does good work. Their service is pretty good too


----------



## Ancipital

amilo said:


> Schiit always does good work. Their service is pretty good too


 
  
 Nearly always. They screw up sometimes. However, if they were perfect, they'd be _really _annoying.


----------



## madwolfa

ancipital said:


> They screw up sometimes. However, if they were perfect, they'd be _really _annoying.


 
  
 They know it and they openly admit it.


----------



## amilo

That's true, haha. I can only imagine how cocky they'd be, lol


----------



## RickB

amilo said:


> That's true, haha. I can only imagine how cocky they'd be, lol


 
 They might have to relocate to Cupertino.


----------



## fjrabon

ancipital said:


> Not even that much. According to @Baldr you'll only hear the difference on a monstrously powerful speaker setup- once which costs so much that you'd be very unlikely to be content with a mere Bimby. Given that it's more than twice the price of the nearly identical-sounding Mimby, it's a hard sell. Go big, or go Mimby, if buying new today.
> 
> This is why we love Schiit, they're not afraid to undercut previous products when they work out how to do it better, cheaper, harder, faster, stronger etc..
> 
> Of course proponents of willy-size-fi won't enjoy this answer, but 'twas ever thus


 

 yeah, I agree with this.  It has created some weird parts of their lineup though.  Like I can't really understand very many people getting a modi/magni with the fulla2, Vali2 and Modi multibit.  The MiMBy doesn't, if we are being totally honest, make a whole lot of sense between the Modi multibit.  The Jotenheim as kind of made the mjolnir a little pointless (though I suppose if you're super commited to tube rolling, maybe not, but the Mjolnir is a hybrid anyway).  But yeah, the fact that Schitt doesn't really worry about cannibalizing sales is great.  I do think they're due for a great midrange product though.  Most of their most recent innovations has been to bring their bottom up.  Something mind blowing in the $1000 range would be nice.  I know they have a lot of special products planned for this year though.


----------



## madwolfa

fjrabon said:


> yeah, I agree with this.  It has created some weird parts of their lineup though.  Like I can't really understand very many people getting a modi/magni with the fulla2, Vali2 and Modi multibit.  The MiMBy doesn't, if we are being totally honest, make a whole lot of sense between the Modi multibit.  The Jotenheim as kind of made the mjolnir a little pointless (though I suppose if you're super commited to tube rolling, maybe not, but the Mjolnir is a hybrid anyway).  But yeah, the fact that Schitt doesn't really worry about cannibalizing sales is great.  I do think they're due for a great midrange product though.  Most of their most recent innovations has been to bring their bottom up.  Something mind blowing in the $1000 range would be nice.  I know they have a lot of special products planned for this year though.


 
  
 Bifrost Multibit makes total sense - it stacks nicely with Asgard, Valhalla and Lyr and has a beefy power supply. Does it make any difference? Well, for some people it does. And they're ready to pay more. If not, then there's Modi Multibit... Win-win.


----------



## PolarBehr

In addition to:
1) Upgradable 
2) Better chassis
3) Better power supply

The Bimby also has more board space that can provide a better layout. 

Can you hear the difference? Only your ears can tell, in you system played in you room or phones.

As a rule of thumb with Schiit, if you can afford more expensive schuuff it is worth it.


----------



## MothAudio

ancipital said:


> Don't attempt to replace the PSU. *Plug it into conditioned power*, if you want, but really don't futz with third party PSUs in this case- it's a decent quality AC supply already.


 
  
 I realized a benefit when I removed the iFi PS from the Shunyata Hydra PLC and coupled it to the PS Audio PLC [which in turn feeds the Hydra].


----------



## Ancipital

mothaudio said:


> I realized a benefit when I removed the iFi PS from the Shunyata Hydra PLC and coupled it to the PS Audio PLC [which in turn feeds the Hydra].


 
  
 That's nice, dear.


----------



## jimmers

fjrabon said:


> ... The MiMBy doesn't, if we are being totally honest, make a whole lot of sense between the Modi multibit. ...


 





 the Mimby is the Modi Multibit...
  
 If you meant Bimby I see your point.
 I bought a Bimby soon after release and was very happy until the Mimby was announced, 2 Mimbies and a Fulla 2 for the price of a Bimby! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But since I bought a Jot I'm happy again, seeing a Mimby perched on top of the Jot every day would be mildly offensive.
 If you amortise over their warranty periods the Bimby costs less 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, if you amortise both over Bimby warranty period Bimby < 20c a day more, to me ownership satisfaction is worth more.


----------



## fjrabon

jimmers said:


> the Mimby is the Modi Multibit...
> 
> If you meant Bimby I see your point.
> I bought a Bimby soon after release and was very happy until the Mimby was announced, 2 Mimbies and a Fulla 2 for the price of a Bimby!
> ...


 

 I've typed mimby so many times my iphone autocorrects BIMBY to MiMBy, haha.  
  
 I don't mean that BiMBy isn't good in its own right, and that it isn't better by some margin than the MiMBy, just that it's a hard sell right now, as most of the justification is that it's bigger and upgradeable.  Given that the multibit upgrades usually cost as much as the MiMBy on its own, that's a fairly hard sell.  Again, it's not bad, but I think we can all see the BiMBy is a bit of an awkward fit, and probably needs *something* to justify its premium in Schiit's line.  
  
 When BiMBy came out, its selling point was that it was the least expensive, and most compact form factor that gets you to a multibit system.  It no longer has that selling point.  That doesn't make it bad, it just makes it kind of awkward in the line, and the MiMBy absolutely cannibalizes its sales.  The thing I was praising is Schitt doesn't care about that.  They believe that sales cannibalized from BiMBy are made up by greater loyalty the the Schiit brand, and maybe even causing them to sell more GuMBys, Yggys, Ragos, etc.


----------



## Porteroso

The only thing that can really give the bimby a selling point is raising the price of the mimby. I think we should all enjoy what schiit is offering, and leave the headache of "how do I give bimby a role in my lineup" to them. I hope they don't fix it. I don't think they need to, but if I were guessing, I would guess that in the end, once they begin to chart their own course into the 2 channel territory, the problem will fix itself. I doubt they care about fixing that "inconsistency" right now.


----------



## fjrabon

porteroso said:


> The only thing that can really give the bimby a selling point is raising the price of the mimby. I think we should all enjoy what schiit is offering, and leave the headache of "how do I give bimby a role in my lineup" to them. I hope they don't fix it. I don't think they need to, but if I were guessing, I would guess that in the end, once they begin to chart their own course into the 2 channel territory, the problem will fix itself. I doubt they care about fixing that "inconsistency" right now.


 

 the impression I get is that the multiple huge products coming this year will shake things up enough that they will simply see where the cards are falling and then decide whatever they want to do with MiMBy, be keep it just like it is, refresh it (Like what the Lyr got with version 2), reinvent it (like what the Fulla got with version 2), or let it fade away.


----------



## jimmers

fjrabon said:


> the impression I get is that the multiple huge products coming this year will shake things up enough that they will simply see where the cards are falling and then decide whatever they want to do with *MiMBy*, be keep it just like it is, refresh it (Like what the Lyr got with version 2), reinvent it (like what the Fulla got with version 2), or let it fade away.


 
 Is it this again, Quote:


fjrabon said:


> I've typed mimby so many times my iphone autocorrects BIMBY to MiMBy, haha.


 
 I have autocorrect turned off 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 I think if Bimby was ~$150 more than Mimby it would be a viable alternative for people who wanted something with more (physical) presence, but $350 more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 - a hard sell


----------



## droopy1592

ancipital said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
> 
> Essentially, "it depends". If your SPDIF output is good, then it will be better. However, a lot of poorly-implemented SPDIF outputs suffer horrid jitter (Macbooks spring to mind here). It boils down to that- if your SPDIF is good, use it.
> 
> ...




That link shows the cleanest jitter free output was from a USB out to usb-to-spdif converter to spdif to the mimby. I'm using the turtle beach converter and its extremely clean.


----------



## fjrabon

jimmers said:


> Is it this again, Quote:
> I have autocorrect turned off
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ha, that may have just been user error.  I think I posted that from my computer.  Yeah, I agree.  BiMBy is a good product and worthy of *some* premium over MiMBy, but over double the price??? And I mean that isn't to say BiMBy isn't a good value, it's more that MiMBy is a stupid crazy value.  It's just that the line is a little *off* but again, I think it's a credit to Schiit that they don't worry about stuff like that.  They probably could have charged $400 for MiMBy and everybody would have been amazed at its value.  Schiit makes the best products they can, at the best price they can, and then lets the chips fall where they may, and then evaluates what needs adjustment.  We are very clearly in the middle of "the chips are falling, if not rainging, down" moment with Schiit.  A cool place to be, but it does make for a few awkward fit products.


----------



## Tuneslover

It's too bad that upgradability is so expensive, especially when you have to add shipping (even more so if you live outside of the U.S.). I liked the initial Bifrost upgrades to Uber and then to 4490 as the boards were reasonably priced and the upgrade was easy to do yourself. This made sense and I appreciated this unique upgradable marketing philosophy.

However what's confusing is when they introduced the Modi Multibit and priced it lower than the upgrade cost to the Bifrost Multibit (when considering that you HAVE to send your unit back to Schiit to be upgraded). So what's the point of upgrading now when you could simply buy the comparable performing Mimby? So great, I have an upgradable Bifrost that isn't financially viable to be upgraded. Leaves me feeling like I've been hung out to dry (aka...ripped off).


----------



## MWSVette

tuneslover said:


> It's too bad that upgradability is so expensive, especially when you have to add shipping (even more so if you live outside of the U.S.). I liked the initial Bifrost upgrades to Uber and then to 4490 as the boards were reasonably priced and the upgrade was easy to do yourself. This made sense and I appreciated this unique upgradable marketing philosophy.
> 
> However what's confusing is when they introduced the Modi Multibit and priced it lower than the upgrade cost to the Bifrost Multibit (when considering that you HAVE to send your unit back to Schiit to be upgraded). So what's the point of upgrading now when you could simply buy the comparable performing Mimby? So great, I have an upgradable Bifrost that isn't financially viable to be upgraded. Leaves me feeling like I've been hung out to dry (aka...ripped off).


 
  
 I completely disagree...


----------



## fjrabon

tuneslover said:


> It's too bad that upgradability is so expensive, especially when you have to add shipping (even more so if you live outside of the U.S.). I liked the initial Bifrost upgrades to Uber and then to 4490 as the boards were reasonably priced and the upgrade was easy to do yourself. This made sense and I appreciated this unique upgradable marketing philosophy.
> 
> However what's confusing is when they introduced the Modi Multibit and priced it lower than the upgrade cost to the Bifrost Multibit (when considering that you HAVE to send your unit back to Schiit to be upgraded). So what's the point of upgrading now when you could simply buy the comparable performing Mimby? So great, I have an upgradable Bifrost that isn't financially viable to be upgraded. Leaves me feeling like I've been hung out to dry (aka...ripped off).


 

 If there's one thing I trust schiit about, it's that they aren't ripping people off.  If we are being objective about it, the whole reason you feel "ripped off" is because they aren't "ripping people off" by charging more for Modi Multibit.  But yeah, "upgradeability" was always a weird sell to me for the Bifrost.  The Yggy and GuMBy it makes sense.  The Bifrost is at the level where significant upgrades are going to cost basically the price of a new unit anyway.  It's also why I have a hard time buying the selling point of "upgradeability" on the mid level Schiit products as a selling point.  Like, yeah, sure, in two years I could pay the price of an a new DAC to use the same housing I have, but why?  
  
 But at the same time, Schiit isn't making your Bifrost sound worse by making Modi Multibit so cheap.  It's the same great product it always was, and with any other company, you wouldn't even have to option of Modi Multibit at under $300.  Any other company almost certainly wouldn't price any of their multibit DACs below $999.  I honestly think if, say, Questyle came out with a DAC that sounded exactly like the Modi Multibit and charged $1400, people would talk about how accurately it was priced.


----------



## Ancipital

tuneslover said:


> It's too bad that upgradability is so expensive, especially when you have to add shipping (even more so if you live outside of the U.S.). I liked the initial Bifrost upgrades to Uber and then to 4490 as the boards were reasonably priced and the upgrade was easy to do yourself. This made sense and I appreciated this unique upgradable marketing philosophy.
> 
> However what's confusing is when they introduced the Modi Multibit and priced it lower than the upgrade cost to the Bifrost Multibit (when considering that you HAVE to send your unit back to Schiit to be upgraded). So what's the point of upgrading now when you could simply buy the comparable performing Mimby? So great, I have an upgradable Bifrost that isn't financially viable to be upgraded. Leaves me feeling like I've been hung out to dry (aka...ripped off).


 
  
 That may be how you feel, but you haven't actually been ripped off. Your DAC remains as good as it was when you bought it. It's still much better value and indeed quality than models costing many times the price from other manufacturers. The fact that the manufacturer found a way to cram the same chips into an even smaller, simpler box doesn't mean that yours suddenly has a reduced BOM.
  
 I can understand people being gutted when they foolishly bought an HEK, only to see the HEKv2 hot on its heels. Too soon, and not a great upgrade path. However, this isn't similar- your DAC still holds its own until you get into four digits.
  
 I don't know if there will be a AD5781BRUZ board for your Bimby any time soon, or other crazy upgrade. However, even without that, your DAC still sounds nicer than many boutique D/S things with Sabres or the like in them. You're still lookin' good. Sure, you might not buy the Bimby today, but then things do move on.
  
 Also, and incidentally, to prevent more people feeling this way, now may not be the time to grab a new DAC. @Baldr has been dropping broad hints around Them Interwebs about there being good digital things in the pipeline, on a timescale probably measured in months. If you're limping along with a Fiio portable, or have discovered that you don't like the sound of your Mojo through a recently upgraded amp, I'm sure grabbing a Mimby has few downsides (and will sell well used, even if something new and shiny comes out), but otherwise, possibly time to hang fire.


----------



## MWSVette

fjrabon said:


> If there's one thing I trust schiit about, it's that they aren't ripping people off.  If we are being objective about it, the whole reason you feel "ripped off" is because they aren't "ripping people off" by charging more for Modi Multibit.  But yeah, "upgradeability" was always a weird sell to me for the Bifrost.  The Yggy and GuMBy it makes sense.  The Bifrost is at the level where significant upgrades are going to cost basically the price of a new unit anyway.  It's also why I have a hard time buying the selling point of "upgradeability" on the mid level Schiit products as a selling point.  Like, yeah, sure, in two years I could pay the price of an a new DAC to use the same housing I have, but why?
> 
> But at the same time, Schiit isn't making your Bifrost sound worse by making Modi Multibit so cheap.  It's the same great product it always was, and with any other company, you wouldn't even have to option of Modi Multibit at under $300.  Any other company almost certainly wouldn't price any of their multibit DACs below $999.  I honestly think if, say, Questyle came out with an amp that sounded exactly like the Modi Multibit and charged $1400, people would talk about how accurately it was priced.


 
  
  


ancipital said:


> That may be how you feel, but you haven't actually been ripped off. Your DAC remains as good as it was when you bought it. It's still much better value and indeed quality than models costing many times the price from other manufacturers. The fact that the manufacturer found a way to cram the same chips into an even smaller, simpler box doesn't mean that yours suddenly has a reduced BOM.
> 
> I can understand people being gutted when they foolishly bought an HEK, only to see the HEKv2 hot on its heels. Too soon, and not a great upgrade path. However, this isn't similar- your DAC still holds its own until you get into four digits.
> 
> ...


 
 Well said...


----------



## fjrabon

ancipital said:


> Also, and incidentally, to prevent more people feeling this way, now may not be the time to grab a new DAC. @Baldr has been dropping broad hints around Them Interwebs about there being good digital things in the pipeline, on a timescale probably measured in months.


 
 yeah, these hints are the only reason I haven't bought a GuMBy or Yggy, haha.


----------



## Tuneslover

fjrabon said:


> But yeah, "upgradeability" was always a weird sell to me for the Bifrost.  The Yggy and GuMBy it makes sense.  The Bifrost is at the level where significant upgrades are going to cost basically the price of a new unit anyway.  It's also why I have a hard time buying the selling point of "upgradeability" on the mid level Schiit products as a selling point.  Like, yeah, sure, in two years I could pay the price of an a new DAC to use the same housing I have, but why?


 
 This guy *understands* where I'm coming from.  Not that difficult once you figure out that I'm *NOT* knocking Schiit products.


----------



## Ancipital

fjrabon said:


> yeah, these hints are the only reason I haven't bought a GuMBy or Yggy, haha.


 
  
 You and me both. Been seriously considering a DAC upgrade.


----------



## fjrabon

ancipital said:


> You and me both. Been seriously considering a DAC upgrade.


 

 I'm very happy with both Modi Multibit and iDAC6.  But yeah, I am ready to go all in on a multibit system for the HD800 rig.  I just wish he'd go ahead and tell us at least what level the upgrades are coming at.  If it's a BiMBy2 or whatever, then I'll just go ahead and grab a GuMBy or Yggy.  But there's the possibility of a Yggy2 level tho...  And I don't want to drop $2200 on Yggy, just to turn around and pay $1000 for the upgrade or whatever.  If that's what happens.


----------



## amilo

A lot of points to ponder here, but I think ultimately, i agree fjrabon and ancipital


----------



## Koneko349

I am wondering what the actual impact of temperature is on the multibit DACs…. I know that it has been discussed here but I want to understand what is going on technically; it looks like the actual impact should be negligible. Looking at the data sheets for the AD5547 & AD5791 there is a value called Full-Scale Temperature Coefficient which seemsto show the extent that temperature will affect the DACs ability to correctly output a desired value for a given temperature. Yggy/Gumby are .02ppm/C while Bimby/Mimby are 1ppm/C.
  
 So it appears (I am not an electrical engineer) that the Yggy/Gumby are less affected by temperature than the other two. What I really want to know is how 1ppm/C relates to actual changes in the output. 1ppm seems like a VERY small change on the order of microvolts, so while yes, temperature affects the multibit DACs, what does that actually translate to in the output?


----------



## 227qed

Should I get a new modi 2 multibit or used bifrost. Same price. Going to an ifi ican aND thx00. 

Thanks!


----------



## Koneko349

If the Bifrost is multibit I would go with that, I have both and they both sound great; Bifrost is upgrade-able too.


----------



## 227qed

koneko349 said:


> If the Bifrost is multibit I would go with that, I have both and they both sound great; Bifrost is upgrade-able too.




Right on, it's just a standard. I think I'll get the modi. Which is better out of mimby or bifrost though? Subjective thoughts are aok. I'm a subbass and soundstage junky if that helps. Smooth and musical also take priority over detailed and neutral for me as well.


----------



## Koneko349

I believe they were designed to be as identical as possible (minus the upgrading). I cant hear a difference but I use them each with different amps and different headphones.
  
 You can always get the Bifrost and send it in for upgrade too...


----------



## 227qed

koneko349 said:


> I believe they were designed to be as identical as possible (minus the upgrading). I cant hear a difference but I use them each with different amps and different headphones.
> 
> You can always get the Bifrost and send it in for upgrade too...




Well I'd they sound nearly identical, then it seems there is no clear winner. 

I was considering an idsd black label as well, but since I already have an ican I'd just be using it as a dac, and rarely as a portable. 

So...is there any consensus as to whether or not the mimby or bifrost dacs are superior to the idsd bl dac? I don't use any fancy formats yet, just stream "extreme" from spotify.


----------



## theveterans

227qed said:


> Right on, it's just a standard. I think I'll get the modi. Which is better out of mimby or bifrost though? Subjective thoughts are aok. I'm a subbass and soundstage junky if that helps. Smooth and musical also take priority over detailed and neutral for me as well.


 
  
 You should get Gumby based on your preference. Bimby, Mimby have inferior bass and soundstage compared to Gumby.


----------



## 227qed

theveterans said:


> You should get Gumby based on your preference. Bimby, Mimby have inferior bass and soundstage compared to Gumby.




That is great to know, but way out of budget right now. I'm working on getting a th900 as pseudo-endgame headphones, but after that I'll be in a really good spot to go gumby and/or upgrade amp. I'm currently gooddacless though (fiio d03k on tap) and am really missing that little extra layer of sound quality until my big upgrade.


----------



## 227qed

....okay, so I did it. Just ordered a modi 2 multibit. Curious to see how it compares to the modi 2 uber I just got rid of. Didn't really realize how much I missed it til it was gone. Thought I could get by with a fiio d03k for a while...but no. *downgrading does not seem to be possible in this hobby unless you're a bona-fide masochist*


----------



## slex

227qed said:


> ....okay, so I did it. Just ordered a modi 2 multibit. Curious to see how it compares to the modi 2 uber I just got rid of. Didn't really realize how much I missed it til it was gone. Thought I could get by with a fiio d03k for a while...but no. *downgrading does not seem to be possible in this hobby unless you're a bona-fide masochist*


 
The mimby deregulated my m9xx(AK4490 same as Modi Uber?) which cost twice.Think you will happy.


----------



## limelake

fjrabon said:


> If there's one thing I trust schiit about, it's that they aren't ripping people off.  If we are being objective about it, the whole reason you feel "ripped off" is because they aren't "ripping people off" by charging more for Modi Multibit.  But yeah, "upgradeability" was always a weird sell to me for the Bifrost.  The Yggy and GuMBy it makes sense.  The Bifrost is at the level where significant upgrades are going to cost basically the price of a new unit anyway.  It's also why I have a hard time buying the selling point of "upgradeability" on the mid level Schiit products as a selling point.  Like, yeah, sure, in two years I could pay the price of an a new DAC to use the same housing I have, but why?
> 
> But at the same time, Schiit isn't making your Bifrost sound worse by making Modi Multibit so cheap.  It's the same great product it always was, and with any other company, you wouldn't even have to option of Modi Multibit at under $300.  Any other company almost certainly wouldn't price any of their multibit DACs below $999.  I honestly think if, say, Questyle came out with a DAC that sounded exactly like the Modi Multibit and charged $1400, people would talk about how accurately it was priced.


 
 I have both the Bimby and Mimby....... I think the Bimby does sound better....Hands down. I gauge it like this Bimby is 25% better bass, mids about same, treble area maybe about 40 ish %. I believe the Bimby has a better optical  sound wise. I haven't compared the coaxial yet. Both are very very broken in. Both were left on for like 2 1/2 days before comparison, on the same cd player, same cables. Bimby only has the possibility to get better when upgrades are released. Mimby is what it is. Don't get me wrong I love my Mimby it blows away the ESS  Sabre DAC in my OPPO. I could live with it for good. Buy whatever you want. Both are awesome. If you buy the Mimby treat yourself to new HP or music or whatever with the extra money. If you buy the Bimby treat yourself when it gets an upgrade. People need to stop worrying about the difference, they are both amazing. Buy what you can afford and stop agonizing.


----------



## limelake

sorry...meant to multi-quote in my last post. no attacks meant towards anyone.


----------



## Ancipital

limelake said:


> I have both the Bimby and Mimby....... I think the Bimby does sound better....Hands down. I gauge it like this Bimby is 25% better bass, mids about same


 
  
 The designer of those DACs says differently. I'd bet your life that you're suffering confirmation bias here to validate your purchasing decisions, and wouldn't be able to reliably pick either out in an ABX, especially over headphones.


----------



## tamleo

Hi, I can understand it. 40% better treble means that while the Bimby is a very dark souding dac, the low-volume treble(compared to the volume of bass and mids section) has a very good quality. Just like the treble on my LCD-2 r2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
 Btw, I have just bought a Gumby. I wil compare it to my old Mumby via several SE amplifiers and will tell you guys my thought


----------



## CarlosUnchained

40% better treble? 25% better bass?
  
 That makes no sense at all.


----------



## theveterans

tamleo said:


> Hi, I can understand it. 40% better treble means that while the Bimby is a very dark souding dac, the low-volume treble(compared to the volume of bass and mids section) has a very good quality. Just like the treble on my LCD-2 r2


 
  
 Bimby = dark? It's your headphone. Bimby is 100% neutral to my ears.


----------



## limelake

ancipital said:


> The designer of those DACs says differently. I'd bet your life that you're suffering confirmation bias here to validate your purchasing decisions, and wouldn't be able to reliably pick either out in an ABX, especially over headphones.


 
 Ya I bet I could ! Suffering ABX ? Nope. Validating my purchase ? Nope...guarantee you I am not. Over HP ? Yep just did it. Over my speakers bigger difference.


----------



## limelake

carlosunchained said:


> 40% better treble? 25% better bass?
> 
> That makes no sense at all.


 
 No sense eh ? Why does it not make sense ?


----------



## oryan_dunn

carlosunchained said:


> 40% better treble? 25% better bass?
> 
> That makes no sense at all.


 

 ​85% of statistics are made up


----------



## 227qed

limelake said:


> Ya I bet I could ! Suffering ABX ? Nope. Validating my purchase ? Nope...guarantee you I am not. Over HP ? Yep just did it. Over my speakers bigger difference.




Well, I can back this up and say without a doubt, that the efficacy of a dac--just like an amp--is dependent on the headphones or speakers.


----------



## limelake

Do any of the people attacking my opinion (or so it seems), own both Mimby and Bimby ? I do. I checked a few profiles and don't see them listed ! This is ONLY AN OPINION  THAT I POSTED! I could come up with many suggestions as to why my Bimby sounds better to me....But it seems that it would only result in the same responses. I didn't want really want to post this but I feel I should in regards to the comment about justifying my purchase of the Bimby.....I have plenty of money. I could buy a yggy if I so desired, I could buy a much higher priced dac if so desired. So that comment doesn't fly. I have no desire to start a @*?!!! contest. So I am done with that.


----------



## VeerK

As long as people are volume-matching when they ABX, and possibly double-blind it, I think the resulting opinions would be interesting to share.


----------



## fjrabon

limelake said:


> Do any of the people attacking my opinion (or so it seems), own both Mimby and Bimby ? I do. I checked a few profiles and don't see them listed ! This is ONLY AN OPINION  THAT I POSTED! I could come up with many suggestions as to why my Bimby sounds better to me....But it seems that it would only result in the same responses. I didn't want really want to post this but I feel I should in regards to the comment about justifying my purchase of the Bimby.....I have plenty of money. I could buy a yggy if I so desired, I could buy a much higher priced dac if so desired. So that comment doesn't fly. I have no desire to start a @*?!!! contest. So I am done with that.




I think the big issues people had were your percentages. Granted "40% better" is completely meaningless. I think we all deep down know that. However, over the years those percentages came to have consensus meanings. "40% better" on head-fi came to mean "a gigantic difference" something like, say, the difference between a HD598 and HD800. Even a difference as drastic as from HD800 to HD650 would only be like 20%. And again, I know that's totally arbitrary. But when you threw out that "Bimby is 40% better than Mimby in the bass" that's in head-fi speak like saying the difference between the bimby and mimby in the bass is like the difference between an Abyss and a Grado SR125 in the bass. I don't think that's what you meant, but I think that's how most people took it. 

I've heard BiMBy and MiMBy, and while there's a difference, I also understand it's a difference that Schiit will have a very hard time selling to most people.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

limelake said:


> No sense eh ? Why does it not make sense ?


 
  
 Let's take a small range in the frequency spectrum. It has several qualities to measure that make that wave unique compared with other waves in the same range. You can't tell if changing one parameter 3% makes the sound "better" or "worse", it just sounds different, so it's a personal choice.
  
 Now take that to a bigger range, like the "treble". You are experiencing different changes on each parameter on an undefined range called "treble". Saying that overall you get a 40% better treble makes not sense at all. Each parameter has changed in different directions. You prefer that sound signature, but it's useless to say that it's 40% better.
  
 And let alone coming up with a numeric value without any other reference than your ears... 
  
 I'm not complaining about your opinion, I do complain about the method and the result you made up. People get the wrong idea if they take this numbers into any account.


----------



## limelake

carlosunchained said:


> Let's take a small range in the frequency spectrum. It has several qualities to measure that make that wave unique compared with other waves in the same range. You can't tell if changing one parameter 3% makes the sound "better" or "worse", it just sounds different, so it's a personal choice.
> 
> Now take that to a bigger range, like the "treble". You are experiencing different changes on each parameter on an undefined range called "treble". Saying that overall you get a 40% better treble makes not sense at all. Each parameter has changed in different directions. You prefer that sound signature, but it's useless to say that it's 40% better.
> 
> ...


 
 Okay I respect that. I do agree.


----------



## limelake

fjrabon said:


> I think the big issues people had were your percentages. Granted "40% better" is completely meaningless. I think we all deep down know that. However, over the years those percentages came to have consensus meanings. "40% better" on head-fi came to mean "a gigantic difference" something like, say, the difference between a HD598 and HD800. Even a difference as drastic as from HD800 to HD650 would only be like 20%. And again, I know that's totally arbitrary. But when you threw out that "Bimby is 40% better than Mimby in the bass" that's in head-fi speak like saying the difference between the bimby and mimby in the bass is like the difference between an Abyss and a Grado SR125 in the bass. I don't think that's what you meant, but I think that's how most people took it.
> 
> I've heard BiMBy and MiMBy, and while there's a difference, I also understand it's a difference that Schiit will have a very hard time selling to most people.


 
 I do agree. Bimby will be a hard sell anymore.


----------



## rnros

Well, perhaps this is a more 'accurate' description of the differences between the Bimby and Mimby... Actually, the entire Multibit lineup:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/785369/yggdrasil-gungnir-mb-bifrost-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison#post_12012998

Link was previously posted earlier in the thread but you may have missed it.


----------



## tamleo

Hello everybody,
 Tonight I listened to the Gumby and compared it to the Mumby. I want to share my thought.
 My amp is the Magni2U and my headphone is the Brainwavz B2. I listend mostly to Flac music (16bit, 44100kHz).
 I chose this headphone because it changes the sound very accurately​ to the slightest change from the source or EQ.
 The 2 Dacs don't sound very familiarly to my ear.
 Gumby's advantages over Mumby:
 ​+It has a wider soundstage.
 ​+It has more detail so that having a richer sounding. Especially in the treble range.
 Mumby's advantages over Gumby:
 ​+It does not have the Gumby's strange glare in the upper mids.
  
 ​Besides, the Mumby has a thicker sounding than the Gumby. Its bass is not hard, fast, lean and controlled as on the Gumby's. The Gumby performs instruments so greatly with full of musical nuances. I like these 2 multibit Dac than my old Modi2U because they sound more naturally and detailedly. Sorry for my English.


----------



## 227qed

tamleo said:


> Hello everybody,
> Tonight I listened to the Gumby and compared it to the Mumby. I want to share my thought.
> My amp is the Magni2U and my headphone is the Brainwavz B2. I listend mostly to Flac music (16bit, 44100kHz).
> I chose this headphone because it changes the sound very accurately​ to the slightest change from the source or EQ.
> ...




Thanks for that. I just ordered a mimby but will probably go for a gumby when funds allow. 

Is that giant piece of schiit the gumby? If so, it's much bigger than I'd have imagined!


----------



## franzdom

227qed said:


> Thanks for that. I just ordered a mimby but will probably go for a gumby when funds allow.
> 
> Is that giant piece of schiit the gumby? If so, it's much bigger than I'd have imagined!


 
  
 If you think that's big wait until you see an Yggdrasil, they are huge pieces of Schiit!


----------



## tamleo

227qed said:


> Thanks for that. I just ordered a mimby but will probably go for a gumby when funds allow.
> 
> Is that giant piece of schiit the gumby? If so, it's much bigger than I'd have imagined!


 
 Yeah it is the Gumby. It is not so big, just because the Mumby is so tiny .  Yes if you can, go to the Gumby. I don't say that for justifying my purchase because the Gumby is not mine. I will sell the Mumby because I can live with the Modi2U for economy but the Gumby is really on an other class.


----------



## rmoody

franzdom said:


> If you think that's big wait until you see an Yggdrasil, they are huge pieces of Schiit!


 

 This. The Yggi is just gigantic.
 Gungnir/Mjolnir is about as big as I can fit on my desk. I would love if the Yggi could be trimmed down in size.
 Really wanting to save up and upgrade mine to multibit soon.


----------



## Tuneslover

tuneslover said:


> I was wondering if anyone out there is experiencing a similar situation as I have been noticing with my Schiit Multibit DACs. I have both the Bifrost and Modi multibits. Unquestionably I find that both of my headphone systems listening experience has been enhanced with both of these DACs.
> 
> However, this is the thing, last night, at my bedside system (FiiO X5ii coaxial digital out > Modi Multibit > Lake People G109S > Senn HD 598SE) I decided to do an hour or so listening session before calling it a night. As it turns out I had one of those revelatory listening experiences (and no I hadn't partaken in anything). It was like the Modi MB kicked into another gear altogether. The soundscape was incredible. There was spectacular width, depth and height with mind blowing instrument separation. I could see an auditory image of the performance. Live tracks felt live because of the audience sounds at the start and end of the song. It was unreal how good my system sounded.
> 
> I have had those a-ha listening experiences before. Which sucks and begs the question why is this only an occasional experience? Why doesn't the Modi MB (& Bifrost MB on my other headphone system) sound like this 100% of the time?




Update:

I received a paperback novel as one of my Christmas gifts and after reading one evening I blindly set it down on my night stand on top of my Modi MB, switched off the lamp and went to sleep. The next morning I realized what I'd done and thought "OH NO"! I removed the paperback and felt the top of the Mimby and to my relief it was only slightly warmer than it normally is (normal being just ever so slightly warm)...no foul, no harm. As further reassurance I flipped on the amp and source and put my headphones onto my head and immediately noticed that gleeful "AHA moment" was back! That mind blowing holographic sound had returned.

Well it's been just over a week now that I've left a paperback on top of the Mimby and so far EVERY listening session has been stellar (evenings, afternoons...whenever). Being a little paranoid I constantly do a hand touch inspection of the Mimby case and it's no warmer than it was when I used to have my Vali 2 perched on top of it. It's actually not as warm/hot as it was with the Vali2 on it.

In the past those revelatory moments only happened maybe 25%-30% of the time, completely randomly. My wife and I prefer to keep our bedroom on the cooler side so who knows maybe in the past the Mimby couldn't reach a necessary optimum temperature. I don't know but all I know is that now it sounds incredible 100% of the time. So much so that I can't imagine that I'd need this system to sound any better. The Modi MB isn't upgradable but as far as I'm concerned, at this point...who cares.


----------



## fjrabon

tuneslover said:


> Update:
> 
> I received a paperback novel as one of my Christmas gifts and after reading one evening I blindly set it down on my night stand on top of my Modi MB, switched off the lamp and went to sleep. The next morning I realized what I'd done and thought "OH NO"! I removed the paperback and felt the top of the Mimby and to my relief it was only slightly warmer than it normally is (normal being just ever so slightly warm)...no foul, no harm. As further reassurance I flipped on the amp and source and put my headphones onto my head and immediately noticed that gleeful "AHA moment" was back! That mind blowing holographic sound had returned.
> 
> ...




Brings new meaning to the paper mod.


----------



## MWSVette

tuneslover said:


> Update:
> 
> I received a paperback novel as one of my Christmas gifts and after reading one evening I blindly set it down on my night stand on top of my Modi MB, switched off the lamp and went to sleep. The next morning I realized what I'd done and thought "OH NO"! I removed the paperback and felt the top of the Mimby and to my relief it was only slightly warmer than it normally is (normal being just ever so slightly warm)...no foul, no harm. As further reassurance I flipped on the amp and source and put my headphones onto my head and immediately noticed that gleeful "AHA moment" was back! That mind blowing holographic sound had returned.
> 
> ...


 
 It sounds even better if the book used is Schiit Happened: The story of the worlds most improbable startup paperback edition...


----------



## leeperry

tuneslover said:


> it's been just over a week now that I've left a paperback on top of the Mimby and so far EVERY listening session has been stellar


 
  
 Next stop? 
  
 Patrick82 was a strong mass damping believer too, I don't remember the whole story though but IIRC he put bricks on top of all his audio gear.


----------



## Tuneslover

leeperry said:


> Next stop?
> 
> 
> 
> Patrick82 was a strong mass damping believer too, I don't remember the whole story though but IIRC he put bricks on top of all his audio gear.




Whatever it takes to get the thermal innards just right. I've concluded that a 386 pager works best.


----------



## Porteroso

I mean if eating bits of gold makes your poo come out gold and that makes you happy, go for it! Whatever improves the sound to you, is what you should do. Life is about enjoyment and happiness, not measurements and graphs.


----------



## Ancipital

tuneslover said:


> Whatever it takes to get the thermal innards just right. I've concluded that a 386 pager works best.


 
  
 Old trick. You have to take care though- a careless choice can have weird consequences. I tried a certain Tolstoy epic and the staging became so bizarrely gigantic that it almost gave me vertigo. On another occasion, I left some Dan Brown on the top, and the Mimby started sounding more like my Mojo...


----------



## 227qed

Happy as a pig in schiit I am. Just got my multibit and I think it's sounds great out of the box. Maybe I'm crazy, maybe not. But I think there is better detail, fuller sound (i.e. not "thin"), larger dynamic range, bigger stage, and more bass impact than I had out of the uber. Better by a miniscule amount to be sure, but worth it I think. My system is really balanced now price and performance wise, which makes me happy.

Mimby-->iFi iCAN-->THX00

...And to top it all off they tightened up the input button. Score!


----------



## Faber65

Pulled the trigger for the Mimby.
I can get it by next Monday....


----------



## 227qed

faber65 said:


> Pulled the trigger for the Mimby.
> I can get it by next Monday....




Right on fellow human! I listened to some music out of my phone tonight (galaxy note 4).. what a pos the dac is in there! Hope you enjoy the new mimby as much as I have!


----------



## darkarn

I am planning to replace my Fiio Taishan D03K (and Audinst HUD-MX1) with Modi Multibit, but it is paired with an extremely basic tube amp.
  
 Will I be able to see any SQ improvement or should I focus on changing the amp first (I am eyeing one of the Garage1217's tube amps)?


----------



## fjrabon

darkarn said:


> I am planning to replace my Fiio Taishan D03K (and Audinst HUD-MX1) with Modi Multibit, but it is paired with an extremely basic tube amp.
> 
> Will I be able to see any SQ improvement or should I focus on changing the amp first (I am eyeing one of the Garage1217's tube amps)?



Hard to say without knowing the particular tube amp. It is possible that a particularly bad or mediocre tube amp could mask the increased detail and soundstage the MiMBy can give.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> Hard to say without knowing the particular tube amp. It is possible that a particularly bad or mediocre tube amp could mask the increased detail and soundstage the MiMBy can give.


 
  
 Thanks! I am using a DIY'ed Fred's tube amp. It's doing fine as long I do not go over the 12 o'clock mark as it would then distort the sound

 Worse come to worse, I can always just use the Mimby direct to my headphones (all of which are below 64 Ohms) or my powered speakers, I hope?


----------



## Defiant00

darkarn said:


> Thanks! I am using a DIY'ed Fred's tube amp. It's doing fine as long I do not go over the 12 o'clock mark as it would then distort the sound
> 
> Worse come to worse, I can always just use the Mimby direct to my headphones (all of which are below 64 Ohms) or my powered speakers, I hope?


 
  
 Direct to powered speakers, sure.
  
 Direct to headphones...technically you could get a cable that allows that, but it won't work well due to the Mimby's output impedance (75 Ohms) and you'd need to digitally attenuate a _lot_ to make sure you didn't blow up your cans.


----------



## darkarn

defiant00 said:


> Direct to powered speakers, sure.
> 
> Direct to headphones...technically you could get a cable that allows that, but it won't work well due to the Mimby's output impedance (75 Ohms) and you'd need to digitally attenuate a _lot_ to make sure you didn't blow up your cans.


 
  
 I have built an attenuator as detailed in this link: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/ and have the neccessary adapters ready (RCA male to 3.5mm female, 3.5mm male to 6.3mm female)
  
 Will that work too?


----------



## Defiant00

darkarn said:


> I have built an attenuator as detailed in this link: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/ and have the neccessary adapters ready (RCA male to 3.5mm female, 3.5mm male to 6.3mm female)
> 
> Will that work too?


 
  
 I am not an EE and don't know how to calculate what resistors you'd need in your attenuation adapter to make your relatively low-impedance headphones work connected directly to a DAC.
  
 If you want to try it out, I'd just recommend starting with your digital volume turned all the way down. As long as you're careful then it shouldn't cause any problems; but I do not know how to calculate what the resultant impedance with the adapters is, and whether that will affect your cans' frequency response.


----------



## darkarn

defiant00 said:


> I am not an EE and don't know how to calculate what resistors you'd need in your attenuation adapter to make your relatively low-impedance headphones work connected directly to a DAC.
> 
> If you want to try it out, I'd just recommend starting with your digital volume turned all the way down. As long as you're careful then it shouldn't cause any problems; but I do not know how to calculate what the resultant impedance with the adapters is, and whether that will affect your cans' frequency response.


 
  
 Thanks, good idea, I can always do that too. The resultant impendance is about 73 Ohms I think but definitely about 25 dB reduction


----------



## mbusby

defiant00 said:


> I am not an EE and don't know how to calculate what resistors you'd need in your attenuation adapter to make your relatively low-impedance headphones work connected directly to a DAC.
> 
> If you want to try it out, I'd just recommend starting with your digital volume turned all the way down. As long as you're careful then it shouldn't cause any problems; but I do not know how to calculate what the resultant impedance with the adapters is, and whether that will affect your cans' frequency response.


 
  
 The DAC output stage is designed for low power, high impedance loads. Hooking it up to a higher power low impedance load could damage the output stage.


----------



## darkarn

mbusby said:


> The DAC output stage is designed for low power, high impedance loads. Hooking it up to a higher power low impedance load could damage the output stage.


 
  
 Does this mean that I should stick with using the amp?


----------



## Faber65

darkarn said:


> mbusby said:
> 
> 
> > The DAC output stage is designed for low power, high impedance loads. Hooking it up to a higher power low impedance load could damage the output stage.
> ...




Absolutely!!!


----------



## darkarn

faber65 said:


> Absolutely!!!


 
  
 Thanks! Let's hope the SQ of the Mimby won't be too badly affected by my amp then


----------



## fjrabon

darkarn said:


> Thanks, good idea, I can always do that too. The resultant impendance is about 73 Ohms I think but definitely about 25 dB reduction




Depending on your headphones, 73 ohms output impedance is way too high and will potentially impact the frequency response and will
Almost definitely slow the decay on the impulse response due to lack of electrical damping.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> Depending on your headphones, 73 ohms output impedance is way too high and will potentially impact the frequency response and will
> Almost definitely slow the decay on the impulse response due to lack of electrical damping.


 
  
 I see, thanks! Looks like having an amp is better than none in this case


----------



## bozoskeletonz

Hey everyone! I'm more of a reader (you can tell by my # of posts compared to my time on head-if) but I thought I would share my setup, it's a little unique. 

Got a modi multibit last week, been on warming up for several days. Finally started listening, and have been super, super impressed. I know it's all the clichés, but things sound cleaner, more details, smoother, all the stuff from the standard gushing review. I have ADHD and can only listen to favorite songs before skipping to another, but this is so good and eye opening I'm listening to all songs in their entirety. It's been an upgrade from my last dac which costs as much as two mimbys. 

I have my iPhone 6 Plus feeding to a Nuforce Ido, feeding to the mimby via coax cable, feeding to a mjolnir (1st gen) feeding a pair of LCD 2.2's. 

It all sounds fantastic. I've used the cck cable setup several times but to my ears, it seems to degrade the sound quality when comparing to my pic setup. This setup using a coax sounds wonderful. 

I'm using the cheapest cables available. Never thought I would use rca's again, I was fully balanced for the last few years. I have some decent ones on the way.


----------



## bozoskeletonz

Here is one more with things cleaned up


----------



## CarlosUnchained

bozoskeletonz said:


> Here is one more with things cleaned up


 
  
 So the iDo in your setup is basically to obtain coax out from your iPhone, or does it have another purpose?


----------



## bozoskeletonz

That's it exactly, getting the iPhone to use coax. You can use it as a dac and it has a built in amp, but I don't use those features.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

I'm looking for the opposite, optical to usb converter. Is there anything like that and does it has any flaws for using it?


----------



## almarti

bozoskeletonz said:


> That's it exactly, getting the iPhone to use coax. You can use it as a dac and it has a built in amp, but I don't use those features.



Why not connect iPhone directly to Mimby thru USB (CCK)?


----------



## fjrabon

bozoskeletonz said:


> Here is one more with things cleaned up


 

 what's the point of the wyrd?  Just left there from when you were using USB?


----------



## 227qed

bozoskeletonz said:


> Hey everyone! I'm more of a reader (you can tell by my # of posts compared to my time on head-if) but I thought I would share my setup, it's a little unique.
> 
> Got a modi multibit last week, been on warming up for several days. Finally started listening, and have been super, super impressed. I know it's all the clichés, but things sound cleaner, more details, smoother, all the stuff from the standard gushing review. I have ADHD and can only listen to favorite songs before skipping to another, but this is so good and eye opening I'm listening to all songs in their entirety. It's been an upgrade from my last dac which costs as much as two mimbys.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Just curious, what was your last DAC?


----------



## djchup

My NFB-1AMP is arriving in a day or two and I'm getting ready to order a mimby, wanted to order a nice cable (sub-$100 nice, not head-fi nice) to go along with it.  What would be the best way to connect it to my motherboard, Optical or USB?  I have this motherboard.
  
 Edit: Or some sort of affordable usb-spdif converter?  Just trying to find out what my best option is.


----------



## fjrabon

djchup said:


> My NFB-1AMP is arriving in a day or two and I'm getting ready to order a mimby, wanted to order a nice cable (sub-$100 nice, not head-fi nice) to go along with it.  What would be the best way to connect it to my motherboard, Optical or USB?  I have this motherboard.
> 
> Edit: Or some sort of affordable usb-spdif converter?  Just trying to find out what my best option is.


 

 I've been perfectly happy with both optical and USB (cleaned up through Wyrd).  I have and like this cable a lot: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T8HWV62/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
 It has no trouble locking on to 192 kHz


----------



## ColtMrFire

Just discovered a faint hum coming from my power conditioner where I have the Modi MB, my amp and CD player hooked into.  When I unplug the Modi MB, the hum vanished.  Plugged the Modi into the wall to be sure it was the culprit and sure enough, there is a faint hum coming from the wall where it is plugged into.  I wonder if it is related to the severe sound irritation coming out of my HD800 lately (hard to describe, just a very uncomfortable feeling listening to music, can't listen for very long).
  
 I email Schiit about this.  Has this happened to anyone else?


----------



## fritobugger

coltmrfire said:


> Just discovered a faint hum coming from my power conditioner where I have the Modi MB, my amp and CD player hooked into.  When I unplug the Modi MB, the hum vanished.  Plugged the Modi into the wall to be sure it was the culprit and sure enough, there is a faint hum coming from the wall where it is plugged into.  I wonder if it is related to the severe sound irritation coming out of my HD800 lately (hard to describe, just a very uncomfortable feeling listening to music, can't listen for very long).
> 
> I email Schiit about this.  Has this happened to anyone else?


 
  
 No hum on my speaker system with the Modibit being fed USB from laptop or from optical from CD transport.


----------



## slex

coltmrfire said:


> Just discovered a faint hum coming from my power conditioner where I have the Modi MB, my amp and CD player hooked into.  When I unplug the Modi MB, the hum vanished.  Plugged the Modi into the wall to be sure it was the culprit and sure enough, there is a faint hum coming from the wall where it is plugged into.  I wonder if it is related to the severe sound irritation coming out of my HD800 lately (hard to describe, just a very uncomfortable feeling listening to music, can't listen for very long).
> 
> I email Schiit about this.  Has this happened to anyone else?



Do you have other schiit stuffs that uses the modi's wallwart?


----------



## fjrabon

coltmrfire said:


> Just discovered a faint hum coming from my power conditioner where I have the Modi MB, my amp and CD player hooked into.  When I unplug the Modi MB, the hum vanished.  Plugged the Modi into the wall to be sure it was the culprit and sure enough, there is a faint hum coming from the wall where it is plugged into.  I wonder if it is related to the severe sound irritation coming out of my HD800 lately (hard to describe, just a very uncomfortable feeling listening to music, can't listen for very long).
> 
> I email Schiit about this.  Has this happened to anyone else?




Sounds like maybe a faulty wall wart.


----------



## darkarn

Finally ordered a Mimby too! I wonder how much of an upgrade will it be compared to a Fiio Taishan D03K...


----------



## ColtMrFire

fjrabon said:


> Sounds like maybe a faulty wall wart.




Yup, they are shipping me a new one today.

I think this might have been what was causing me to have a bad listening experience recently with the HD800 since they are probably sensitive enough to pick stuff like that up.


----------



## Hofy

My MiMBy came in the mail Monday.  Hooked it up to my Vali 2 with the HE400i.  My listening just went to a whole other level!


----------



## 227qed

darkarn said:


> Finally ordered a Mimby too! I wonder how much of an upgrade will it be compared to a Fiio Taishan D03K...




Potentially huge upgrade depending on your headphones and amp. The d03k is great for the money, but if the rest of the chain is good, you'll be brought from a digital to musical presentation. The difference for some of my headphones has been drastic, but not as drastic as with others. Time is a really good judge though. Even if big improvements are not immediately apparent for you, I do think you start to pick up on them as you do a lot more listening. Quick a/b tests don't always work for judging sonic improvements.

But at the end of the day, I'll never go back to a d03k. Mimby has brought my system to the next level and is absolutely worth it over modi 2 uber even. 

Enjoy!


----------



## jbarrentine

2bxfile said:


> Looking for opinions of ranking the below USB signal reclockers/cleaners for quality and purity of signal achieved for my future Mimby to be:
> 
> USB Regen
> Recovery USB Reclocker
> ...




Use toslink for the cleanest sound. Glass preferably.


----------



## ColtMrFire

As my Mimby has been sidelined while I wait the replacement wall wart, I've had to hook up the bluray player to play CDs) in the living room to my headphone rig, and use its internal DAC.  I must say, it was easy for me to forget just how good the Modi MB is, having to make do with the DAC inside the bluray player.  The BluRay DAC is a bit like having music played into your ears, vs. the Mimby which is more like hearing recorded music in a real space.  The difference in treble is also striking... the Mimby is much smoother and closer to real life sounding.  Cymbal hits on the Bluray DAC sound almost like artificial computer noises in comparison, sharp, indistinct and fuzzy compared to the Mimby.  There is also a noticeable lack of depth and air to the soundscape with the Bluray DAC, which is crucial for classical and jazz recordings.  Needless to say, I am looking forward to plugging the Mimby back in and getting back to the business of hearing real music in real spaces.


----------



## slex

coltmrfire said:


> Yup, they are shipping me a new one today.
> 
> I think this might have been what was causing me to have a bad listening experience recently with the HD800 since they are probably sensitive enough to pick stuff like that up.



You might get lucky if they ship you more powerful version of wallwart 14VAC 1500mA


----------



## senorx12562

slex said:


> You might lucky if they ship you more powerful version of wallwart .




Likelihood of this happening-0%. Entertainment value of this post-priceless.


----------



## slex

senorx12562 said:


> Likelihood of this happening-0%. Entertainment value of this post-priceless.



Mine was replaced with that. Much heavier then original.


----------



## ColtMrFire

slex said:


> You might get lucky if they ship you more powerful version of wallwart 14VAC 1500mA


 
  
 What's the advantage?


----------



## maxh22

coltmrfire said:


> As my Mimby has been sidelined while I wait the replacement wall wart, I've had to hook up the bluray player to play CDs) in the living room to my headphone rig, and use its internal DAC.  I must say, it was easy for me to forget just how good the Modi MB is, having to make do with the DAC inside the bluray player.  The BluRay DAC is a bit like having music played into your ears, vs. the Mimby which is more like hearing recorded music in a real space.  The difference in treble is also striking... the Mimby is much smoother and closer to real life sounding.  Cymbal hits on the Bluray DAC sound almost like artificial computer noises in comparison, sharp, indistinct and fuzzy compared to the Mimby.  There is also a noticeable lack of depth and air to the soundscape with the Bluray DAC, which is crucial for classical and jazz recordings.  Needless to say, I am looking forward to plugging the Mimby back in and getting back to the business of hearing real music in real spaces.


 
  
 What bluray player are you using?


----------



## ColtMrFire

maxh22 said:


> What bluray player are you using?


 
  
 Samsung BDC5500


----------



## slex

coltmrfire said:


> What's the advantage?



Run much cooler


----------



## lenroot77

Anyone who's maybe upgrading and looking to sell one of these, please feel free to pm me. I'd love to hear one of these.


----------



## maxh22

coltmrfire said:


> Samsung BDC5500


 
  
 That would explain a lot haha. That blueray player is not an audiophile peice and it's not surprise that the Mimby is night and day better and more realistic.


----------



## senorx12562

slex said:


> Run much cooler




Heavier = cooler = better? I did not know that.


----------



## maxh22

Has anyone paired the Mimby with an O2? I'm thinking of doing just that since the Jot is out of stock for atleast another month and I don't presently have any balanced cables for my headphones.


----------



## darkarn

227qed said:


> Potentially huge upgrade depending on your headphones and amp. The d03k is great for the money, but if the rest of the chain is good, you'll be brought from a digital to musical presentation. The difference for some of my headphones has been drastic, but not as drastic as with others. Time is a really good judge though. Even if big improvements are not immediately apparent for you, I do think you start to pick up on them as you do a lot more listening. Quick a/b tests don't always work for judging sonic improvements.
> 
> But at the end of the day, I'll never go back to a d03k. Mimby has brought my system to the next level and is absolutely worth it over modi 2 uber even.
> 
> Enjoy!


 
  
 Thanks! I heard that I will need to keep the Mimby warm for at least 24 hours to see its full effects too. My audio chain is decent at least, just that the tube amp may bottle neck a bit... Either way, looks like I will be enjoying it once it reaches me next week!


----------



## Baldr

darkarn said:


> Thanks! I heard that I will need to keep the Mimby warm for at least 24 hours to see its full effects too. My audio chain is decent at least, just that the tube amp may bottle neck a bit... Either way, looks like I will be enjoying it once it reaches me next week!


 

 Multibit DACs are in particular happier sounding once warm.


----------



## ColtMrFire

maxh22 said:


> Has anyone paired the Mimby with an O2? I'm thinking of doing just that since the Jot is out of stock for atleast another month and I don't presently have any balanced cables for my headphones.




I have not heard the O2 but the Jotunheim is absolutely worth waiting a month for. It also has far more future flexibility than the O2.


----------



## ScottFree

baldr said:


> Multibit DACs are in particular happier sounding once warm.


 
  
 Isn't everyone


----------



## Tuneslover

baldr said:


> Multibit DACs are in particular happier sounding once warm.



What about Bimby? I've left mine on 24/7 for about a year now but it doesn't feel warm at all. Not like my Mimby which definitely is warm by comparison.


----------



## darkarn

baldr said:


> Multibit DACs are in particular happier sounding once warm.


 
  
 Thanks! Just wondering, will it be ok to directly stack a tube amp (e.g. Garage1217 Project Ember) on top of a Mimby and let the amp warm the Mimby? Or should I build/buy a simple audio rack for this purpose? (My table is running out of space, hence if I can stack, why not?)


----------



## aak57

Welp, Mimby is on the way.  Recently got one of the last Jots they had in stock, have enjoyed it so far and toyed around with the notion of getting a Mimby so I can sell my M9xx, and finally pulled the trigger.  Sometimes I really loathe this hobby, way to easy to spend money without really planning on it.


----------



## Ancipital

aak57 said:


> Welp, Mimby is on the way.  Recently got one of the last Jots they had in stock, have enjoyed it so far and toyed around with the notion of getting a Mimby so I can sell my M9xx, and finally pulled the trigger.  Sometimes I really loathe this hobby, way to easy to spend money without really planning on it.


 
  
 On the bright side, the Mimby/Jot combo is probably the best value deal in headphone audio, especially if you have a balanced HD650 to plug into it. The bang for buck really doesn't get much better. It's only senseless mid-fi sidegrades you need to watch out for.


----------



## Blotto80

aak57 said:


> Welp, Mimby is on the way.  Recently got one of the last Jots they had in stock, have enjoyed it so far and toyed around with the notion of getting a Mimby so I can sell my M9xx, and finally pulled the trigger.  Sometimes I really loathe this hobby, way to easy to spend money without really planning on it.


 
  
 I hear that. I was looking at a DAC upgrade last month and decided on the Mimby and posted a few wanted classifieds to see if a used one would pop up, I ended up buying a Micromega MyDAC and was pretty pleased with it but I forgot to close my ad and a few days later got offered a Mimby for a great price. Wasn't planning on that added expense but oh well.


----------



## ColtMrFire

ancipital said:


> On the bright side, the Mimby/Jot combo is probably the best value deal in headphone audio, especially if you have a balanced HD650 to plug into it. The bang for buck really doesn't get much better. It's only senseless mid-fi sidegrades you need to watch out for.


 
  
 I have this combo and can attest to its stunning performance. It easily competes with more expensive setups I've heard.  Great time to be an audiophile on a budget.


----------



## slex

senorx12562 said:


> Heavier = cooler = better? I did not know that.



Now you know


----------



## Baldr

tuneslover said:


> What about Bimby? I've left mine on 24/7 for about a year now but it doesn't feel warm at all. Not like my Mimby which definitely is warm by comparison.


 
  
 Mimby has a much smaller space that Bimby inside to heat - that's why the Bimby is cooler.


darkarn said:


> Thanks! Just wondering, will it be ok to directly stack a tube amp (e.g. Garage1217 Project Ember) on top of a Mimby and let the amp warm the Mimby? Or should I build/buy a simple audio rack for this purpose? (My table is running out of space, hence if I can stack, why not?)


 
  
 I wouldn't.  The Mimby is quite capable of warming itself.


----------



## darkarn

baldr said:


> I wouldn't.  The Mimby is quite capable of warming itself.


 
  
 Thanks, in this case I will see if my table can accomodate for them without stacking, or worse come to worse, just go ahead and build/buy a rack such that I can stack them but they won't physically touch each other


----------



## Baldr

darkarn said:


> Thanks, in this case I will see if my table can accomodate for them without stacking, or worse come to worse, just go ahead and build/buy a rack such that I can stack them but they won't physically touch each other


 

 Restate - I wouldn't stack them just to warm the Mimby - stacking is OK, although it is good practice to put the hottest (same footprint) box on top.  If the Mimby is smaller than the amp, you may get away with stacking if it doesn't block any ventilation holes or make the amp hotter.  We even have some Schiitsters turn their gear sideways to save space.


----------



## Ancipital

blotto80 said:


> I hear that. I was looking at a DAC upgrade last month and decided on the Mimby and posted a few wanted classifieds to see if a used one would pop up, I ended up buying a Micromega MyDAC and was pretty pleased with it but I forgot to close my ad and a few days later got offered a Mimby for a great price. Wasn't planning on that added expense but oh well.


 
  
 Without wishing to become a cracked record, I had a little buyer's remorse when I ordered my Mimby (simply because I was sick of my Mojo's inability to work on warm days, as well as the fact that it really doesn't sound good enough for a desktop component). I wondered if it was an extravagance to randomly buy a new DAC, when I already had one- but once it arrived and warmed up, it became obvious that it was probably the audio bargain of the year.
  
 I don't know what those guys at Schiit are smoking, but sticking to their guns and building something this good so inexpensively, and then not falsely inflating the price shows some sort of old school integrity that's almost unheard of in the world of hifi audio. They're not messing around.


----------



## tunes

Currently have HEK 1000 V2 and a QP1R DAP capable of storing over 400GB of flac files. I like the sound but not enough power to drive the HEK often requiring max volume on high gain setting and clips. So added a iFI micro ican SE. This is a transportable amp with amazing power for a small device and can drive the HEK to higher volumes and has a bass boost switch. Unfortunately, it needs a wall outlet
With no built in battery. This combo sounds good for now as a transportable set up while away or moving room to room on my home but wanting to hear what others have come up with as their best transportable stack, for these cans at any price? The Mojo DAC has rave reviews but not sure can drive the HEK to high enough volume without another amp. Much more expensive DAPS also seem limited with an additional amp further adding to a bulky stack for mobility. I also want to be able to stream the likes of TIDAL eventually when away from home on vacation. Please tell me what options are out there to really get the most out of the HEK. THANKS


----------



## Ancipital

tunes said:


> With no built in battery. This combo sounds good for now as a transportable set up while away or moving room to room on my home but wanting to hear what others have come up with as their best transportable stack, for these cans at any price? The Mojo DAC has rave reviews but not sure can drive the HEK to high enough volume without another amp. Much more expensive DAPS also seem limited with an additional amp further adding to a bulky stack for mobility. I also want to be able to stream the likes of TIDAL eventually when away from home on vacation. Please tell me what options are out there to really get the most out of the HEK. THANKS


 
  
 No, the Mojo won't cut it. To be honest, even the DAVE and HEKv2 pairing is deeply underwhelming, it's insipid and lacking in dynamics. Put an amp between them, and both sound so much better, it's untrue.
  
 I guess the question would be "how big is transportable"? Also, does it need to be self-powered? If I'm honest, the HEKv2 wouldn't be my first choice of a transportable headphone anyway- it's big and relatively fragile.. have you considered leaving the HEKv2 safely on a nice stand at home, and using a high quality IEM outside the home? You might like to give something like the Campfire Audio Andromeda a listen. It's sensitive to OI and also just plain sensitive, but with a suitable source, the tonal balance and resolution will rock your socks. It's very like the sound of a decent speaker setup, once you get your ears dialled in.
  
 Sorry, this is totally off-topic for the Modi, but maybe worth thinking about.


----------



## franzdom

baldr said:


> Restate - I wouldn't stack them just to warm the Mimby - stacking is OK, although it is good practice to put the hottest (same footprint) box on top.  If the Mimby is smaller than the amp, you may get away with stacking if it doesn't block any ventilation holes or make the amp hotter.  We even have some Schiitsters turn their gear sideways to save space.


 
  
 I don't turn them on their sides but I prefer to call myself a Schiithead


----------



## Tuneslover

baldr said:


> Mimby has a much smaller space that Bimby inside to heat - that's why the Bimby is cooler.


 
 Oh for sure, I totally get that.  What I meant was that I have found that the Mimby sounds consistently better when it IS warm.  Initially I stacked my Vali 2 on top of the Mimby but then wondered if the warmth coming off of the Mimby might be too much and could potentially be harmful so I decided to place the units beside one another.  Doing so certainly cooled down the Mimby (but it was still mildly warm), however my rig started to give me fairly inconsistent performance.  That nice holographic soundscape only appeared to happen once in a while instead of all of the time.  I accidentally placed a paperback novel on top of the Mimby one evening only discovering what I'd done the next morning.  The Mimby was slightly warmer (about the same as when I used to have the Vali 2 on top of it), however that wonderful holographic sound had returned.  I have since re-introduced the Vali2 back on top of the Mimby and I am now consistently getting superb sound performance from my system.
  
 I don't know, is it coincidence that the Mimby sounds better now that it is running slightly warmer with the Vali 2 on top of it?
  
  
 But here's where it gets interesting.  I also have a Bimby and it has a Jotunheim stacked on top of it.  The Bimby outer case does not radiate any heat whatsoever (unlike the Mimby).  Sound wise this setup is good but I wouldn't describe it as holographic sounding like my Mimby/Vali2.  Hence my earlier question, would the Bimby benefit sonically being slightly warmer too?


----------



## leeperry

ancipital said:


> No, the Mojo won't cut it. To be honest, even the DAVE and HEKv2 pairing is deeply underwhelming, it's insipid and lacking in dynamics. Put an amp between them, and both sound so much better, it's untrue.


 
  
 One very clear real-world fact is that classifieds are swamped with mojo's everywhere, constantly changing hands but nobody will say anything wrong coz they want their 400 bucks back lol
  
 It takes a lot of patience and luck to find a used Mimby and owners supposedly usually only sell to upgrade to Bimby, anyway I'm expecting a Mimby and I had to get a 1.5A M2U wall-wart coz I'm in a different part of the world......let's see what the hype is all about then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 The 16V 115V wallwart it came with actually read 20V so the 14V M2U should be a closer match to the 16V input spec of Mimby, possibly not getting as warm as well coz extra voltage has to be turned into heat by voltage regulators I think 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


baldr said:


> Mimby has a much smaller space that Bimby inside to heat - that's why the Bimby is cooler.


 
  
 It seems common sense to install it on big isolation feet so the underside would be allowed to cool down and possibly sticking a few extra heatsinks on its warmest IC's. FWIR the datasheet of those DAC chips claims that heat degrades specs as expected.


----------



## fjrabon

leeperry said:


> One very clear real-world fact is that classifieds are swamped with mojo's everywhere, constantly changing hands but nobody will say anything wrong coz they want their 400 bucks back lol
> 
> It takes a lot of patience and luck to find a used Mimby and owners supposedly usually only sell to upgrade to Bimby, anyway I'm expecting a Mimby and I had to get a 1.5A M2U wall-wart coz I'm in a different part of the world......let's see what the hype is all about then


 

 eh, I mean I do prefer my mimby to the mojo I demoed for a month, but this statement isn't really fair at all to the Mojo, which has simply been out longer.  We are, what, 4 months past the debut of MiMBy?  At 4 months into Mojo's debut you couldn't find one ANYWHERE.  I almost considered buying my review unit, so I could flip it on ebay, because at the time they were selling very close to full retail, even used.  Any piece of gear that was a FotM will flood the classifieds about 8-16 months later, as most people on here are simply addicted to getting new gear, regardless of what it sounds like.  You're starting to see lots of HD800S go up on the classifieds now after them being NOWHERE to be bought used for almost a year, those serial upgraders are getting their itch for an Ether flow, or a Utopia or whatever else. Mojo has been around for about a year and a couple of months now, which is prime time for compulsive "upgraders" to flood the market with last year's purchases.  This time next year, I expect we will see the used market flooded with MiMBies and Jotunheims.  And that's not a knock on those products, which are fantastic, but rather just the nature of people on head-fi.  Saying a product is crappy because it's being sold on head-fi a year after people bought it is like saying "dang, meth must make people's lives awesome because people sure do go through trouble to buy it."


----------



## djchup

Just ordered my Mimby.  Will be pairing it with Audio-GD NFB-1AMP and Senn HD 650.  I just got my NFB-1AMP in the mail yesterday and got impatient so went ahead and ordered the mimby.  Currently using my old audiogd NFB-12 as a dac (dual Wolfson 8741), and am hoping to hear a solid improvement with mimby.  btw NFB-1AMP is a lot bigger than NFB-12.  I would have gone for the Jotunheim like so many others here but I need all of the extra inputs/outputs offered on the NFB1, as well as the output switching.


----------



## Blotto80

I'd imagine you'll hear some change from the NFB-12. I had both the Mimby and the MyDAC (which should be at least on-par with the NFB-12) hooked up to different inputs on my Soloist and used jRiver to output to both simultaneously while I switched back and forth and while in the grand scale of things the differences weren't night and day, there was a definite improvement with the Mimby. 
  
 The soundstage was much more 3D and alive sounding. On things like the guitar solo in Fleetwood Mac - The Chain each note had just a little more to it, I don't know how to describe it really. The word I keep wanting to use is bright but not in the traditional audio sense of heightened treble, more like like visually like a solo in rockband or guitar hero where each note is a scrolling colour on a dark background, those notes seem to glow just a bit brighter and have a slightly more realistic decay. I hope that makes sense, it does in my brain but I did a lot of drugs in the 90s.


----------



## Alchemist007

Some impressions of the Modi MB vs the Jot DAC:
  
 1) Better instrument separation
 2) Slight bit more detail
 3) Darker background
 4) Somewhat harder hitting bass (the most surprising)
  
 Didn't notice much change in size of the soundstage.


----------



## RickB

blotto80 said:


> I'd imagine you'll hear some change from the NFB-12. I had both the Mimby and the MyDAC (which should be at least on-par with the NFB-12) hooked up to different inputs on my Soloist and used jRiver to output to both simultaneously while I switched back and forth and while in the grand scale of things the differences weren't night and day, there was a definite improvement with the Mimby.
> 
> The soundstage was much more 3D and alive sounding. On things like the guitar solo in Fleetwood Mac - The Chain each note had just a little more to it, I don't know how to describe it really. The word I keep wanting to use is bright but not in the traditional audio sense of heightened treble, more like like visually like a solo in rockband or guitar hero where each note is a scrolling colour on a dark background, those notes seem to glow just a bit brighter and have a slightly more realistic decay. I hope that makes sense, it does in my brain but I did a lot of drugs in the 90s.


 
 So you're saying the Mimby is more psychedelic? Gotcha.


----------



## ScottFree

rickb said:


> blotto80 said:
> 
> 
> > I'd imagine you'll hear some change from the NFB-12. I had both the Mimby and the MyDAC (which should be at least on-par with the NFB-12) hooked up to different inputs on my Soloist and used jRiver to output to both simultaneously while I switched back and forth and while in the grand scale of things the differences weren't night and day, there was a definite improvement with the Mimby.
> ...




[VIDEO]https://youtu.be/WANNqr-vcx0[/VIDEO]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## Baldr

tuneslover said:


> Oh for sure, I totally get that.  What I meant was that I have found that the Mimby sounds consistently better when it IS warm.  Initially I stacked my Vali 2 on top of the Mimby but then wondered if the warmth coming off of the Mimby might be too much and could potentially be harmful so I decided to place the units beside one another.  Doing so certainly cooled down the Mimby (but it was still mildly warm), however my rig started to give me fairly inconsistent performance.  That nice holographic soundscape only appeared to happen once in a while instead of all of the time.  I accidentally placed a paperback novel on top of the Mimby one evening only discovering what I'd done the next morning.  The Mimby was slightly warmer (about the same as when I used to have the Vali 2 on top of it), however that wonderful holographic sound had returned.  I have since re-introduced the Vali2 back on top of the Mimby and I am now consistently getting superb sound performance from my system.
> 
> I don't know, is it coincidence that the Mimby sounds better now that it is running slightly warmer with the Vali 2 on top of it?
> 
> ...


 

 Sounds like a good experiment.


----------



## Porteroso

baldr said:


> tuneslover said:
> 
> 
> > Oh for sure, I totally get that.  What I meant was that I have found that the Mimby sounds consistently better when it IS warm.  Initially I stacked my Vali 2 on top of the Mimby but then wondered if the warmth coming off of the Mimby might be too much and could potentially be harmful so I decided to place the units beside one another.  Doing so certainly cooled down the Mimby (but it was still mildly warm), however my rig started to give me fairly inconsistent performance.  That nice holographic soundscape only appeared to happen once in a while instead of all of the time.  I accidentally placed a paperback novel on top of the Mimby one evening only discovering what I'd done the next morning.  The Mimby was slightly warmer (about the same as when I used to have the Vali 2 on top of it), however that wonderful holographic sound had returned.  I have since re-introduced the Vali2 back on top of the Mimby and I am now consistently getting superb sound performance from my system.
> ...


 
 I just feel like someone should tell me the best material to warm my mimby. Is it a book? How many pages? We talking tolstoy or winnie the pooh? What about the paper? Thickness, material? Cotton maybe? And if it's metal, would it be aluminum? Copper? Steel? I can put a cast iron teapot on it if that is best.
  
 So many questions. But seriously, easy experiment for someone who has 2 mimbys. Not hard to a/b test it. But in no way do I trust someone's recollection of how something sounded hours or days apart.


----------



## darkarn

baldr said:


> Restate - I wouldn't stack them just to warm the Mimby - stacking is OK, although it is good practice to put the hottest (same footprint) box on top.  If the Mimby is smaller than the amp, you may get away with stacking if it doesn't block any ventilation holes or make the amp hotter.  We even have some Schiitsters turn their gear sideways to save space.


 
  
 Thanks for the clarification!
  
 Hmm, I see. The Mimby is not smaller per se; it's more about their (original) orientation. The Mimby is wider while the Project Ember is longer. Stacking them would mean that the Ember will rest on the Mimby directly rather than having its rubber feet resting on the Mimby.
  
 I am not worried about the cooling of either machine; the Ember is an open air design and it is using solid state output which is much cooler.


----------



## Dana Reed

hofy said:


> My MiMBy came in the mail Monday.  Hooked it up to my Vali 2 with the HE400i.  My listening just went to a whole other level!


 

 I've been listening to my Mimby with a Vali2 on my HD600 and SR325 for a while ( as well as MDR1a and DT770 for closed back).  Have you liked the HE400i a lot with this combo?  Considering adding these planars to my setup, or alternately saving up for HE560 (or GS1000e for a Grado endgame)


----------



## Hofy

dana reed said:


> I've been listening to my Mimby with a Vali2 on my HD600 and SR325 for a while ( as well as MDR1a and DT770 for closed back).  Have you liked the HE400i a lot with this combo?  Considering adding these planars to my setup, or alternately saving up for HE560 (or GS1000e for a Grado endgame)


 
 The HE400i are the only HP I have at the moment but it is such a great listening experience.


----------



## darkarn

Annnnnddddd it's in guys! On a Saturday somemore! Too bad that I have to leave my house to sort stuff out, will test later

I only saw it being referred to as "Revision A", what gives?


----------



## slex

Can i have the temperature when mimby is optimized with heat ?

How about upping the the VAC?


Heres mine.


----------



## Sam Lord

For heaven's sake, don't heat any electronics. Don't insulate them. If you want them to die young, sell them. And screw stacking. If you lack space and need to stack, at least space the components well, at least a vertical inch between them.

To get a sense of the thermal activity, start with the typical power dissipation of the unit which you can read or derive from from the back panel. Then the surface area of the chassis tells you the rest. Want all your Schiit to sound better? Keep the ambient environment of your gear very cold, with still, almost freezing air. Can't speak for the tubes though.


----------



## RickB

sam lord said:


> For heaven's sake, don't heat any electronics. Don't insulate them. If you want them to die young, sell them. And screw stacking. If you lack space and need to stack, at least space the components well, at least a vertical inch between them.
> 
> To get a sense of the thermal activity, start with the typical power dissipation of the unit which you can read or derive from from the back panel. Then the surface area of the chassis tells you the rest. Want all your Schiit to sound better? Keep the ambient environment of your gear very cold, with still, almost freezing air. Can't speak for the tubes though.


 
 Schiit has stated that their multibit DACs sound best warmed up.


----------



## MWSVette

I believe some folks are confusing Schiit stating they sound best at their normal operating temp and that they think the Mimby should be warmed to a level higher than its normal operating temp. 
  
 The Mimby will warm itself.  Just leave it on...


----------



## ColtMrFire

mwsvette said:


> I believe some folks are confusing Schiit stating they sound best at their normal operating temp and that they think the Mimby should be warmed to a level higher than its normal operating temp.
> 
> The Mimby will warm itself.  Just leave it on...


 
  
 No, stick it in the oven and it will sound like Yggy.


----------



## darkarn

coltmrfire said:


> No, stick it in the oven and it will sound like Yggy.


 
  
 I think microwave oven is even better!
  
 You can get one heck of a show too!


----------



## fjrabon

mwsvette said:


> I believe some folks are confusing Schiit stating they sound best at their normal operating temp and that they think the Mimby should be warmed to a level higher than its normal operating temp.
> 
> The Mimby will warm itself.  Just leave it on...




I ran a hair dryer directly on to mine for 6 hours yesterday and the micro-detail was FREAKING UNREAL, holographic make you wanna holler soundstage. Also laid some uranium pellets on top as well, transient response was KILLER.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> I ran a hair dryer directly on to mine for 6 hours yesterday and the micro-detail was FREAKING UNREAL, holographic make you wanna holler soundstage. Also laid some uranium pellets on top as well, transient response was KILLER.


 
  
 We need this one!


----------



## Nautrachkfriend

I actually find that submerging my Mimby into my hot tub gives a great liquid sound.


----------



## darkarn

And I am passed the 12 hour mark of using the Mimby. I am quite impressed but I will withhold my comments lest New Toy Syndrome™ creeps in
  
 Also, I need to ask Schiit something


----------



## leeperry

slex said:


> Can i have the temperature when mimby is optimized


 
 Trolling aside, all discrete stages need at the very least 30 mins to sound their best and ideally should be kept on 24/7 but temperature has nothing to do with it, it has to warm up indeed but not literally
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I know I'll put mine onto tall isolation feet so its underside will able to cool down more effectively, especially as this is where DAC IC's are located.


----------



## Ancipital

leeperry said:


> Trolling aside, all discrete stages need at the very least 30 mins to sound their best and ideally should be kept on 24/7 but temperature has nothing to do with it, it has to warm up indeed but not literally


 
  
 Yes, literally. The DAC only hits its INL spec within a certain temperature range.


----------



## Sam Lord

rickb said:


> Schiit has stated that their multibit DACs sound best warmed up.



What they MEANT was the device sounds best at its thermal equilibrium after it has heated *itself* to that point. If that happens in a cooler environment, assuming the circuit has fairly generous degeneration and margins, noise will drop, headroom will rise, and the sound might even become a bit _warmer_ for those reasons. I don't know what the ideal external temp is for any of their devices, but it is likely to be at much lower than typical room temperature. The same is true for most well-built devices.


----------



## Ancipital

sam lord said:


> What they MEANT was the device sounds best at its thermal equilibrium after it has heated *itself* to that point. If that happens in a cooler environment, assuming the circuit has fairly generous degeneration and margins, noise will drop, headroom will rise, and the sound might even become a bit _warmer_ for those reasons.


 
  
 No. Again, enough with the hand waving. The DAC used in that thing reaches maximum accuracy within a specified temperature range. I don't know why people are trying to re-interpret this stuff with psuedo-science, kremlinology and surmise. It's just a peculiarity of the DAC chip. Somewhere around here is a post where @Baldr explained it.
  
 Here, in this very thread, in fact:
  


baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.


----------



## franzdom

Temperature range is NOT the same thing as thermal stability.


----------



## Sam Lord

@Ancipital 
EDIT:
You thought I was talking about the DAC within the Schiit products, while I was speaking about the entire product. It is easy to cross meanings when the words part, device, product, and component all can have the same meaning in different conversations.

The DAC needs to reach the minimum of the temp spec to meet performance parameters. One person did like his Bimby when it was externally warmer, so Mike said okay, try it. The Bimby's DAC IC might be sitting at the low end of its temp spec, fair enough. The Bimby has lots of room and a nice case for lots of thermal margin. The Mimby might have less margin, its dissipation isn't listed. There was so much noise from the gallery that there was a legitimate worry that people would do stupid things. That's all I worry about. Not into pseudoscience idiocy, been fighting that crap longer than you.


----------



## musickid

Has anyone A/B'd the modimultibit against the mojo. i have the modi feeding an earmax pro tube amp and cannot decide whether to build a new mojo rig. if the sound is considerably different (not necessarily better) this would motivate me to get off my..........and start the new mojo rig for home use. my idea is to use an intona with b and o h6 cans. would a jitterbug do most of what the intona can do sonically speaking? thanks to all remember the modi is a multibit. the modi is fed from an intona industrial


----------



## musickid

intona industrial can't be beaten


----------



## darkarn

Alright guys, I think I will need a bit of help here:
  
 Apparently my Mimby won't take in any 192KHz signals at all from my laptop's Optical Out (Realtek) but it would do so when I am using another computer's Realtek Optical Out. This means I cannot play anything at all if I set the output format to 24/192 in Windows, and even I set it to 24/96, I cannot use ASIO4ALL as it would still try to play 24/192 content at 24/192 (i.e. no downsampling)
  
 I did not face such issues with my Fiio Taishan at all though, and I can clearly see that my laptop can transmit such signals when I play test tones in Windows Control Panel (moving green bar e.t.c.)
  
 Also, I noticed that my Mimby can be warm to touch at times but sometimes get very hot to touch despite other factors (e.g. weather, if air conditioner is used or not). I am unsure if this is normal or not.
  
 Anyone have faced similar issues too? (I have already emailed Schiit about this)


----------



## fjrabon

darkarn said:


> Alright guys, I think I will need a bit of help here:
> 
> Apparently my Mimby won't take in any 192KHz signals at all from my laptop's Optical Out (Realtek) but it would do so when I am using another computer's Realtek Optical Out. This means I cannot play anything at all if I set the output format to 24/192 in Windows, and even I set it to 24/96, I cannot use ASIO4ALL as it would still try to play 24/192 content at 24/192 (i.e. no downsampling)
> 
> ...




Usually optical for 24/192 has more to do with the cable and cleanliness of the sending port than the DAC when it comes to Schiit products.


----------



## Roscoeiii

fjrabon said:


> Usually optical for 24/192 has more to do with the cable and cleanliness of the sending port than the DAC when it comes to Schiit products.


 
 And 24/192 is  challenge for optical in general. You'll see that in many pieces of gear, optical is specified as only providing up 10 24/96. Not sure what solutions might be there for you? A higher quality cable? (would love recs) A signal booster?


----------



## fjrabon

roscoeiii said:


> And 24/192 is  challenge for optical in general. You'll see that in many pieces of gear, optical is specified as only providing up 10 24/96. Not sure what solutions might be there for you? A higher quality cable? (would love recs) A signal booster?




192 has never been officially supported by toslink, so most of the time when you see 96, it has nothing to do with whether the gear can do 192, but rather that they just blindly repeated the spec. 

I use this cable and have only had one brief instance where it wouldn't lock 192. Carefully wiped down the end with camera lens cleaning solution and it locked 192 fine again. 

FosPower (6 Feet) 24K Gold Plated Toslink to Mini Toslink Digital Optical S/PDIF Audio Cable with Metal Connectors & Strain-Relief PVC Jacket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8HWV62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JvpFybMQ7XD2A

MacBook Pro to that cable to MiMBy. They make "regular" connector versions as well that, if anything, should be better than the MacBook .375mm connector version.


----------



## Letmebefrank

My Modi Multibit receives 24/192 from my Asus Xonar DX just fine.


----------



## lenroot77

This mimby must be soooooo good! Been trying for almost 10 days now on the classifieds, have not had one response to my wanted add. That's very telling!


----------



## ColtMrFire

Mimby is the real deal.  Unfortunately mine is out of commission at the moment.


----------



## KoshNaranek

lenroot77 said:


> This mimby must be soooooo good! Been trying for almost 10 days now on the classifieds, have not had one response to my wanted add. That's very telling!




It is the best sounding DAC that I know of for less than $1K.


----------



## jbarrentine

coltmrfire said:


> Mimby is the real deal.  Unfortunately mine is out of commission at the moment.


 
  
 Sorry to hear it. Hope you're back up and running again soon.


----------



## jbarrentine

koshnaranek said:


> It is the best sounding DAC that I know of for less than $1K.


 
  
 I've never had anything up to a grand, but I tried several dacs in its price category and it handily beat all of them. Gotta run through toslink though. I really enjoy it.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> Usually optical for 24/192 has more to do with the cable and cleanliness of the sending port than the DAC when it comes to Schiit products.


 
  
 Thanks, I didn't think about the cleanliness of the port (the laptop is with me for close to 6 years!), now let me see what's going on there
  


roscoeiii said:


> And 24/192 is  challenge for optical in general. You'll see that in many pieces of gear, optical is specified as only providing up 10 24/96. Not sure what solutions might be there for you? A higher quality cable? (would love recs) A signal booster?


 
  
 Thanks, but, 24/192 is already confirmed to be working on my Fiio Taishan. So I don't think it's about my laptop onboard audio being not up to task. But you have a point on getting new cables; I am now using a Monster (don't laugh, it was cheap! 20 SGD for 1.5m. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Monster-THX-I100-FO-4-THX-Certified/dp/B004KPLGS6) cable that I am unsure if it is the "normal" cable or the "better" glass cable that I have been hearing about for years.
  


fjrabon said:


> 192 has never been officially supported by toslink, so most of the time when you see 96, it has nothing to do with whether the gear can do 192, but rather that they just blindly repeated the spec.
> 
> I use this cable and have only had one brief instance where it wouldn't lock 192. Carefully wiped down the end with camera lens cleaning solution and it locked 192 fine again.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hmm. My cable is similar to what you linked to, except I am using some normal Toslink to 3.5mm mini-Toslink adapter on the laptop (yes, I have attempted changing it with my other spares, issue still persist)
  
 Will either 96% Denatured Alcohol or DeoxIT D100L work?
  


letmebefrank said:


> My Modi Multibit receives 24/192 from my Asus Xonar DX just fine.


 
  
 Thanks for the confirm! As a sidenote, when I was testing on another computer (which worked using its Realtek Optical Out), I realised that the Creative Soundblaster Z can do only 24/96 for its Optical Out.


----------



## slex

koshnaranek said:


> It is the best sounding DAC that I know of for less than $1K.




Those less then 1k dac from MHDT can compete with mimby depending on your preference for music genre and dac types.


----------



## KoshNaranek

slex said:


> Those less then 1k dac from MHDT can compete with mimby depending on your preference for music genre and dac types.




I have not personally heard those. I did qualify my original statement.

Thank you for the referral. I will look into them.


----------



## jimmers

slex said:


> Those less then 1k dac from MHDT can compete with mimby depending on your preference for music genre and dac types.


 
 The less than $1K Bifrost Multibit can compete also


----------



## djchup

I received my Mimby yesterday, I started by connecting via optical to my motherboard.  It seemed to work fine with 24/192, but I noticed a popping sound when I started a song or when I skipped to different parts of the track.  Every time the audio started again there would be a pop/crackle.  I tried setting to 24/96 and the problem persisted.  I switched to USB, set to 24/192, and the problem was gone.  I'm guessing this is an issue with my motherboard's onboard optical (this is my motherboard) rather than an issue with the Mimby.  Just curious if anyone had experienced something similar.
  
 Unrelated question:  When I plugged mimby in via USB, Windows 10 installed it automatically as Schiit USB Audio Gen 2.  The manual said that I needed to install drivers from schiit.com/drivers, but when I tried the driver installer it just said "please connect cmedia usb device" and the installer would exit.  It seems to work fine, just checking to see what the actual setup procedure is.


----------



## musickid

Has anyone A/B'd the modimultibit against the mojo. i have the modi feeding an earmax pro tube amp and cannot decide whether to build a new mojo rig. if the sound is considerably different (not necessarily better) this would motivate me to get off my..........and start the new mojo rig for home use. my idea is to use an intona with b and o h6 cans. would a jitterbug do most of what the intona can do sonically speaking? thanks to all remember the modi is a multibit. the modi is fed from an intona industrial


----------



## wiz2596

djchup said:


> I received my Mimby yesterday, I started by connecting via optical to my motherboard.  It seemed to work fine with 24/192, but I noticed a popping sound when I started a song or when I skipped to different parts of the track.  Every time the audio started again there would be a pop/crackle.  I tried setting to 24/96 and the problem persisted.  I switched to USB, set to 24/192, and the problem was gone.  I'm guessing this is an issue with my motherboard's onboard optical (this is my motherboard) rather than an issue with the Mimby.  Just curious if anyone had experienced something similar.
> 
> Unrelated question:  When I plugged mimby in via USB, Windows 10 installed it automatically as Schiit USB Audio Gen 2.  The manual said that I needed to install drivers from schiit.com/drivers, but when I tried the driver installer it just said "please connect cmedia usb device" and the installer would exit.  It seems to work fine, just checking to see what the actual setup procedure is.


 
  
 I had the same issue when using ASIO in foobar, so I switched to wasapi event and no more popping sounds  I´m using optical input too
  
 Windows 10 has now included the usb modi driver so there is no need to install manually, just plug it in and it will be ready to go


----------



## djchup

wiz2596 said:


> I had the same issue when using ASIO in foobar, so I switched to wasapi event and no more popping sounds  I´m using optical input too
> 
> Windows 10 has now included the usb modi driver so there is no need to install manually, just plug it in and it will be ready to go


 
 Are you using asio4all?


----------



## wiz2596

djchup said:


> Are you using asio4all?


 

 yes, but not anymore
  
 As I said before, try WASAPI event instead, with WASAPI I have no crackle/popping sounds


----------



## almarti

wiz2596 said:


> yes, but not anymore
> 
> As I said before, try WASAPI event instead, with WASAPI I have no crackle/popping sounds


 
  
 Has someone paired Mimby with Chromecast Audio through optical? Any issues?
 I will be ordering Mimby this week and I will use as Tidal/DLNA-> Wifi ->CCA -> Mimby -> Marantz PM17 -> Loudspeakers


----------



## djchup

wiz2596 said:


> yes, but not anymore
> 
> As I said before, try WASAPI event instead, with WASAPI I have no crackle/popping sounds


 
 Thanks, I'll give it a shot when I get home from work.


----------



## Sam Lord

Yep no issues at all using CCA>toslink>Mimby, but haven't tried anything beyond 16/44.1. But others have said the CCA puts out good toslink, so I'm optimistic. Not at my house, set up a friend's system. I do love Tidal running through the CCA to toslink, what a cool low-cost combo!


----------



## Blotto80

For the popping and clicks under WASAPI, you can also try adjusting the latency for the device. I'm not sure the exact steps under foobar as I use jRiver. I had been using the Mimby via USB with a 10msec latency and all was well but I got a new sound card and switched to optical and it was pop city. I remembered that I had lowered the latency and set it back to 50msec and all was well.


----------



## djchup

blotto80 said:


> For the popping and clicks under WASAPI, you can also try adjusting the latency for the device. I'm not sure the exact steps under foobar as I use jRiver. I had been using the Mimby via USB with a 10msec latency and all was well but I got a new sound card and switched to optical and it was pop city. I remembered that I had lowered the latency and set it back to 50msec and all was well.


 
 I do most of my listening on Tidal right now, but I managed to solve my popping issue last night by installing VB-Audio ASIO bridge and asio4all, was then able to set latency in asio bridge.  No more popping


----------



## Oceanic 815

Decided to pull the trigger and order a Mimby. I Placed the order last night and it's shipping today. I haven't made any changes to my system in a few years, so I am excited. Mimby -> Crack -> HD650 for music listening, Mimby+Magni2 for movies/gaming. This will be my first Schiit gear. Now the agonizing wait for it to arrive!


----------



## MWSVette

oceanic 815 said:


> Decided to pull the trigger and order a Mimby. I Placed the order last night and it's shipping today. I haven't made any changes to my system in a few years, so I am excited. Mimby -> Crack -> HD650 for music listening, Mimby+Magni2 for movies/gaming. This will be my first Schiit gear. Now the agonizing wait for it to arrive!


 
 Nice first piece of Schiit.  Welcome to the club...


----------



## movax

I upgraded my Modi 2 Uber to the Multibit (interim while waiting for MJ2 to return in stock so I can get it + Gungnir Multibit) and it might be the first component change where I think I unequivocally could hear the difference. Went from PC -> Wyrd -> Modi 2 Uber -> Magni 2 Uber -> LCD-XC to PC -> Wyrd -> Modi 2 Multi -> Magni 2 Uber -> LCD-XC.
  
 It's hard to describe the difference in sound, but things sound more "open" with more detail. Mathematically, I feel as if I took a FFT or plotted a complex magnitude and phase plot, the largest difference will be in the phase behavior between the two DACs. I think instruments like percussion, or elements with sharp attack showcase the phase behavior of systems fairly well, and I could tell a difference between the two fairly easily. However, for me personally, when a more advanced / higher performance component showcases previously masked aspects in a song, my brain now knows what to look for, and I can pick it out with less-advanced components -- but that's because I know what to listen for.
  
 Also, the source selection button (which I literally never use) doesn't rattle around like it did on the Modi 2 Uber I received (Q4 2016)...but I never use it, so doesn't really matter to me.


----------



## 227qed

darkarn said:


> Alright guys, I think I will need a bit of help here:
> 
> Apparently my Mimby won't take in any 192KHz signals at all from my laptop's Optical Out (Realtek) but it would do so when I am using another computer's Realtek Optical Out. This means I cannot play anything at all if I set the output format to 24/192 in Windows, and even I set it to 24/96, I cannot use ASIO4ALL as it would still try to play 24/192 content at 24/192 (i.e. no downsampling)
> 
> ...




My cable has to be oriented slightly upward for it to work. Luckily, I have gravity on my side. It's very strange.


----------



## Mosauwer

I decided to go for MomBi. will gonna order soon. just want to know which will be a great amp selection for this little baby? though I want to add this with lyr 2. but please let me what do u think? I have a El8 laying around with me, a k7xx and few other stuffs. want an amp which not only have quality amplification but also offers great power . because will gonna end buying some hungry cans.
 i am open for suggestions

 thanks


----------



## Tuneslover

mosauwer said:


> I decided to go for MomBi. will gonna order soon. just want to know which will be a great amp selection for this little baby? though I want to add this with lyr 2. but please let me what do u think? I have a El8 laying around with me, a k7xx and few other stuffs. want an amp which not only have quality amplification but also offers great power . because will gonna end buying some hungry cans.
> i am open for suggestions.
> 
> thanks




Certainly can't go wrong with the Jotunheim.


----------



## Mosauwer




----------



## Mosauwer

Joty is always gonna be a good option, but its kinda pain for me to get an extra 4pin balanced cable for my headphones too.


----------



## Metrops

So at the end of all that, can you stack a Valhalla 2 on top of the Modi Multibit


----------



## Tuneslover

mosauwer said:


> Joty is always gonna be a good option, but its kinda pain for me to get an extra 4pin balanced cable for my headphones too.


 

  
 Just cut 8" - 12" off the end of your stock HD650 cable and terminate the cut ends with XLR's.  Gives you a balanced cable and an adaptor to listen Single Ended on your Jot or other amps.  I had a solder experienced friend do mine.


----------



## RickB

metrops said:


> So at the end of all that, can you stack a Valhalla 2 on top of the Modi Multibit


 
 Nope. The Modi Multibit is tiny, the Valhalla 2 is medium-sized. You could stack the Modi on top of the Val 2, but I would worry about it getting too much heat.


----------



## Tuneslover

rickb said:


> Nope. The Modi Multibit is tiny, the Valhalla 2 is medium-sized. You could stack the Modi on top of the Val 2, but I would worry about it getting too much heat.




Nope, not too hot. My Mimby is no worse for wear with a Vali2 on top of it, in fact sounds amazing.


----------



## RickB

tuneslover said:


> Nope, not too hot. My Mimby is no worse for wear with a Vali2 on top of it, in fact sounds amazing.


 
 I was referring to putting a Mimby on top of a Valhalla 2. The original question was whether a Valhalla 2 would fit on top of a Mimby, which of course it wouldn't. 
  
 I have a Wyrd/Mimby/Vali 2 stack myself.


----------



## Defiant00

mosauwer said:


> Joty is always gonna be a good option, but its kinda pain for me to get an extra 4pin balanced cable for my headphones too.


 
  
 The great thing about the Jot is that it sounds excellent through both SE and balanced, so if you don't upgrade your cables for a while you're still good.


----------



## MachineGunz

Hi,
  
 I just got a pair of LCD X's, I currently own the Gustard H10 and the Odac.
  
 How much of an improvement is the Mimby going to be?
  
 Does anyone have the LCD X / H10 with the Mimby?
  
 How much better is the Mimby than the Odac?
  
 Thanks,
  
 Daniel.


----------



## Metrops

rickb said:


> I was referring to putting a Mimby on top of a Valhalla 2. The original question was whether a Valhalla 2 would fit on top of a Mimby, which of course it wouldn't.
> 
> I have a Wyrd/Mimby/Vali 2 stack myself.


 
  
 Guess I will have to fit them next to each other, was hoping to stack them


----------



## darkarn

227qed said:


> My cable has to be oriented slightly upward for it to work. Luckily, I have gravity on my side. It's very strange.


 
  
 Come to think of it, my cable will not work in a certain orientation, whether on the Taishan or the Mimby.
  
 Looks like getting a proper mini-Toslink to square Toslink cable is a must


----------



## Mosauwer

defiant00 said:


> The great thing about the Jot is that it sounds excellent through both SE and balanced, so if you don't upgrade your cables for a while you're still good.




Thanks for ur opinion. With 120$ i can get a cardas cable for my el8 that will be a future upgrade


----------



## Mosauwer

Anyone here using mimby with project polaris?


----------



## darkarn

mosauwer said:


> Anyone here using mimby with project polaris?




I am planning to get a Project Ember with it, and I have heard of people using Project Sunrise with it.

You won't be disappointed based on what I have seen for Project Polaris


----------



## Mosauwer

darkarn said:


> I am planning to get a Project Ember with it, and I have heard of people using Project Sunrise with it.
> 
> You won't be disappointed based on what I have seen for Project Polaris





darkarn said:


> I am planning to get a Project Ember with it, and I have heard of people using Project Sunrise with it.
> 
> You won't be disappointed based on what I have seen for Project Polaris




I was utterly satisfied to hear the lyr 2. People are highly praising the joty for its verstile amping. I am on this point a bit confused what i should do. From inside, its saying to go for big (lyr 2+mimby) But wallet is hurting too. Thats why need help.


----------



## jcdreamer

aak57 said:


> Welp, Mimby is on the way.  Recently got one of the last Jots they had in stock, have enjoyed it so far and toyed around with the notion of getting a Mimby so I can sell my M9xx, and finally pulled the trigger.  Sometimes I really loathe this hobby, way to easy to spend money without really planning on it.


 

 I have a m9XX that hasn't been touched since I got my Jot/DAC. I've been itching to upgrade to a Mimby or Bimby, so I'm interested in hearing your opinion since adding the Mimby. I feel strange that I have no problem spending big on a HEK and the Focal Utopia, but have a great deal of difficulty in committing to any more amp and DAC purchases. Thanks in advance.


----------



## AUTigers2016

One comparison that I have not seen, and would be interested in seeing, is the Modi Multibit's improvement over the ORIGINAL Modi.


----------



## darkarn

mosauwer said:


> I was utterly satisfied to hear the lyr 2. People are highly praising the joty for its verstile amping. I am on this point a bit confused what i should do. From inside, its saying to go for big (lyr 2+mimby) But wallet is hurting too. Thats why need help.


 
  
  
 This dilemma is understandable (been there, done that  )
  
 What you need to do is to figure out the following:
  
 1. Budget
 2. Immediate needs (e.g. What speakers/headphones? What source?)
 3. Future needs (e.g. Will you be upgrading headphones soon?)
  
 Then, gather the info of these amps and the answer should be a bit more clearer.
  


autigers2016 said:


> One comparison that I have not seen, and would be interested in seeing, is the Modi Multibit's improvement over the ORIGINAL Modi.


 
  
 It will be leaps and bounds for sure if considering that the Bimby won over the other Bimbys


----------



## darkarn

darkarn said:


> Alright guys, I think I will need a bit of help here:
> 
> Apparently my Mimby won't take in any 192KHz signals at all from my laptop's Optical Out (Realtek) but it would do so when I am using another computer's Realtek Optical Out. This means I cannot play anything at all if I set the output format to 24/192 in Windows, and even I set it to 24/96, I cannot use ASIO4ALL as it would still try to play 24/192 content at 24/192 (i.e. no downsampling)
> 
> ...


 
  
  


darkarn said:


> Come to think of it, my cable will not work in a certain orientation, whether on the Taishan or the Mimby.
> 
> Looks like getting a proper mini-Toslink to square Toslink cable is a must


 
  
  
 And update to these two issues:
  
 I have gotten myself another cable, this time a proper mini-Toslink to square Toslink cable. The brand is relatively unknown so it can be safely assumed to be a "generic" cable.
  
 Good news is that it fixed the orientation issue. The cable felt much firmer inside the hole. No SQ change can be observed.
  
 Bad news is that 24/192 still cannot be played.
  
 Strange news is that I did recall being able to play 24/192 when I played around with the Windows settings, something about exclusive control and stuff. It was really brief; just the test tones and then nothing else. I suspect driver shenanigans.


----------



## fjrabon

darkarn said:


> And update to these two issues:
> 
> I have gotten myself another cable, this time a proper mini-Toslink to square Toslink cable. The brand is relatively unknown so it can be safely assumed to be a "generic" cable.
> 
> ...


 

 I posted this a few pages back in response to somebody else, but I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8HWV62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JvpFybMQ7XD2A and have no issues with 24/192.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> I posted this a few pages back in response to somebody else, but I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8HWV62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JvpFybMQ7XD2A and have no issues with 24/192.


 
  
 Erm, that person was me (and I did respond lol, see below)
  


darkarn said:


> Hmm. My cable is similar to what you linked to, except I am using some normal Toslink to 3.5mm mini-Toslink adapter on the laptop (yes, I have attempted changing it with my other spares, issue still persist)
> 
> Will either 96% Denatured Alcohol or DeoxIT D100L work?


 
  
 I did try ordering the cable that you used too but Amazon does not want to ship to Singapore


----------



## fjrabon

darkarn said:


> Erm, that person was me (and I did respond lol, see below)
> 
> 
> I did try ordering the cable that you used too but Amazon does not want to ship to Singapore


 

 ah ok, well, I hope you get it sorted.  Even though there's not really a major sonic benefit to 192 vs 96, it is frustrating when your equipment won't work like you want it to.


----------



## darkarn

fjrabon said:


> ah ok, well, I hope you get it sorted.  Even though there's not really a major sonic benefit to 192 vs 96, it is frustrating when your equipment won't work like you want it to.


 
  
 Thanks man, yeah, I am very surprised that the Taishan, a supposedly entry level DAC, does not have this issue while the Mimby has it. To quote Nick from Schiit (who has been great!), "The Optical receiver on the Modi is fairly picky." But if of any comfort, the 24/96 sounded pretty great already, even without ASIO.
  
 Let me see my options: Either I use a forwarder to get the cable (which means I should get this with a few other items to make it worthwhile), or go ahead and get a USB to Toslink/Coaxial converter like the Musiland 01 Monitor USD or even the M2Tech Hiface Two since these converters have their ASIO drivers while Realtek does not.
  
 Or I can just wait for my new laptop and see how it goes. It will be a long wait though.


----------



## Mosauwer

darkarn said:


> This dilemma is understandable (been there, done that  )
> 
> What you need to do is to figure out the following:
> 
> ...




Forget the budget issue, i can have anything upto lyr2 (obviuosly with mimby) 
And yes the head gear will be upgraded soon. May be a pair of lcd 3.


----------



## Defiant00

mosauwer said:


> Forget the budget issue, i can have anything upto lyr2 (obviuosly with mimby)
> And yes upgrading the head gear will be upgraded soon. May be a pair of lcd 3.


 
  
 My general Jot / Lyr2 recommendation would be if you want tubes, go with Lyr 2, otherwise I'd recommend the Jot (even for SE only).
  
 Even SE, the Jot had enough power in low gain for my various Sennheisers, and would have no problems with the Audezes either.


----------



## fjrabon

defiant00 said:


> My general Jot / Lyr2 recommendation would be if you want tubes, go with Lyr 2, otherwise I'd recommend the Jot (even for SE only).
> 
> Even SE, the Jot had enough power in low gain for my various Sennheisers, and would have no problems with the Audezes either.


 

 Lyr2 has enough power for anything Sennheiser and Audeze make.  
  
 The Lyr2 can drive both the LCD3 and HD800 to 125 dB.  The Lyr2 actually has more power at 50 ohms (audezes are 50 ohms) than the Jotunheim does, even balanced.  For Sennheisers, even balanced, the Jotunheim only has about 0.8 dB worth of more power than Lyr2.  
  
 You might have other reasons for prefering the Jot, but power differences shouldn't matter between the Lyr2 and Jot.


----------



## Mosauwer

fjrabon said:


> Lyr2 has enough power for anything Sennheiser and Audeze make.
> 
> The Lyr2 can drive both the LCD3 and HD800 to 125 dB.  The Lyr2 actually has more power at 50 ohms (audezes are 50 ohms) than the Jotunheim does, even balanced.  For Sennheisers, even balanced, the Jotunheim only has about 0.8 dB worth of more power than Lyr2.
> 
> You might have other reasons for prefering the Jot, but power differences shouldn't matter between the Lyr2 and Jot.




I agree with you brother. Lyr 2 offers such power in SE which jot dont offer at balanced. On my case if i want jot to shine its utmost, i need balanced cables for my most of the cans. But lyr will do it without investing in cables.
Jot is 50 bucks cheaper tho


----------



## ColtMrFire

Having my soul massaged this evening.  This is how good the Modi MB is... on Charles Mingus' "Mingus Ah Um", I can hear various textures and layer of spittle moving through the reed instruments on certain tracks.  I can FEEL the texture of the air being blown out of the instruments and how it interacts with the recording space.  If you have a superbly mastered album like this, you will get all the FEELS.  Especially with the HD800/Jotunheim, which are connected to Mimby.
  
 Good times.


----------



## KoshNaranek

coltmrfire said:


> Having my soul massaged this evening.  This is how good the Modi MB is... on Charles Mingus' "Mingus Ah Um", I can hear various textures and layer of spittle moving through the reed instruments on certain tracks.  I can FEEL the texture of the air being blown out of the instruments and how it interacts with the recording space.  If you have a superbly mastered album like this, you will get all the FEELS.  Especially with the HD800/Jotunheim, which are connected to Mimby.
> 
> Good times.




A Fine choice Monsieur!


----------



## stryker7314

Arrived today, great dac. I haven't been impressed with audio upgrades in a while, and though this would be another side-grade where I would just have to accept that there's nothing more to headphone audio. I'm glad I was wrong!
  
 Listened to some 24/96 and it was damn good. Also played some computer games not expecting much and whoah was I impressed. Done deal, can't see myself moving on for a while.
  
 Setup for now is currently: computer>toslink>mimby>lyr 2 w/ La Radiotechnique tubes>HE-4/DT990/T50RP
  
 Going to change in a week when I get a few things in, gonna be pc usb>Wyrd>MusicFidelityV-LinkII>BJCToslink(galvanic-iso)>FirestoneAudioBravo>BJC1694Acoax>mimby>BJCLC-1>Lyr2...
  
 Insane I know


----------



## ColtMrFire

stryker7314 said:


> Arrived today, great dac. I haven't been impressed with audio upgrades in a while, and though this would be another side-grade where I would just have to accept that there's nothing more to headphone audio. I'm glad I was wrong!
> 
> Listened to some 24/96 and it was damn good. Also played some computer games not expecting much and whoah was I impressed. Done deal, can't see myself moving on for a while.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Gets even better after a couple days of warm up.  Be sure to always leave it on.


----------



## lenroot77

Sooooooo who's going to sell me their Mimby today?!?!?


----------



## RickB

lenroot77 said:


> Sooooooo who's going to sell me their Mimby today?!?!?


 
  
 You might have some luck here:
  
 http://schiit.com/


----------



## lenroot77

rickb said:


> You might have some luck here:
> 
> http://schiit.com/




Yes yes... it's looking as if I'll have to place an order there soon. I'm really looking forward to hearing this little guy with the Jotunheim and hd650.


----------



## RickB

lenroot77 said:


> Yes yes... it's looking as if I'll have to place an order there soon. I'm really looking forward to hearing this little guy with the Jotunheim and hd650.


 
 You won't be disappointed.


----------



## Mosauwer

Mimby is such a wonder


----------



## lenroot77

mosauwer said:


> Mimby is such a wonder






A small wonder! :rofl:


----------



## Mosauwer

lenroot77 said:


> A small wonder! :rofl:




I am also thinking to get jot+mimby wanted to get lyr 2 but my place is not suitable for tube.


----------



## RickB

mosauwer said:


> I am also thinking to get jot+mimby wanted to get lyr 2 but my place is not suitable for tube.


 
 The Vali 2 doesn't get that hot, and I'm in Florida.


----------



## Mosauwer

rickb said:


> The Vali 2 doesn't get that hot, and I'm in Florida.




I am craving for bit more power. vali 2 is an option but balanced ended jot or lyr 2, a sexy powerful beast have my expected power output.


----------



## ColtMrFire

lenroot77 said:


> Yes yes... it's looking as if I'll have to place an order there soon. I'm really looking forward to hearing this little guy with the Jotunheim and hd650.


 
  
 Wont get anywhere near better than that for under $1K.  I'd argue Jot/Mimby is perfectly acceptable end game material for those who want TOTL performance without spending a ton of money.  I did not like the HD650, but it's supposed to be one of the best pairings with Jotun.


----------



## Metrops

Is there a comparison between the Modi Multibit and Bitfrost non-multibit


----------



## 227qed

metrops said:


> Is there a comparison between the Modi Multibit and Bitfrost non-multibit




That's a tough one. The specs don't give many clues since the DAC chips are nearly identical between modi and bifrost...and I never got a concrete answer when I was searching for the exact same.

But for what it's worth, I could've gotten a used bifrost or new mimby for the same price, and I went with the mimby after a lot of reading. I am confident I made the right choice. 

The general consensus among the threads i read was that there is no discernable difference between modi nonmb and bifrost nonmb. So I assumed mimby would be better than both and I can say without doubt that there is a noticeable improvement over modi nonmb. Definitely worth the extra money over nonmb to me. The multibit dac chip seems pretty special--more musical, smooth, and holographic for me vs nonmb modi.

...I have read however, in many places, that the Bimby is a good step up from mimby. 

My next dac will definitely be a gumby though. My Mimby will keep me happy for a long time until then. 

Hope that helps!


----------



## ColtMrFire

metrops said:


> Is there a comparison between the Modi Multibit and Bitfrost non-multibit


 
  
 Yes, I will PM you.


----------



## lenroot77

coltmrfire said:


> Yes, I will PM you.




Seeing as the mimby hangs with bimby, I can't see the DS bifrost competing with the mimby.


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> Is there a comparison between the Modi Multibit and Bitfrost non-multibit


 
  
 Based on what I have read:
  
 1. The Bimby with the latest USB module beat the other Bifrost configurations (old and new DS Bifrost, old and new USB modules)
 2. The Mimby and Bimby measure almost the same except the Bimby's USB is better by just a wee bit
  
 By inference, the Mimby is just as good as the Bimby and thus the Mimby is better than DS Bifrost. But note the following:
  
 1. It is non-upgradable
 2. It has only 2 year warranty (the Bimby has 5)
 3. Its USB output is just a little weaker; this may be amplified in the coming years as the USB module of the Bimby gets upgraded


----------



## darkarn

mosauwer said:


> I am also thinking to get jot+mimby wanted to get lyr 2 but my place is not suitable for tube.


 
  
 Good choice either way; the Jot will help you prepare for balanced headphones while the Lyr 2 lets you have a tube sound


----------



## maxh22

darkarn said:


> Based on what I have read:
> 
> 1. The Bimby with the latest USB module beat the other Bifrost configurations (old and new DS Bifrost, old and new USB modules)
> 2. The Mimby and Bimby measure almost the same except the Bimby's USB is better by just a wee bit
> ...


 
  
 Two year warranty actually.


----------



## darkarn

maxh22 said:


> Two year warranty actually.


 
  
 Thanks, I fixed it!


----------



## ColtMrFire

lenroot77 said:


> Seeing as the mimby hangs with bimby, I can't see the DS bifrost competing with the mimby.




It doesnt. I used to have Bifrost 4490.


----------



## sanvara

ancipital said:


> On the bright side, the Mimby/Jot combo is probably the best value deal in headphone audio, especially if you have a balanced HD650 to plug into it. The bang for buck really doesn't get much better. It's only senseless mid-fi sidegrades you need to watch out for


 
 How does Mimby/Jot stack up to Mimby/Bottlehead Crack w/speedball paired with HD650? Price seems to be about the same.


----------



## Mosauwer

I wish mimby has some amp(s) on par with itself, keeping synergy of size.


----------



## MWSVette

mosauwer said:


> I wish mimby has some amp(s) on par with itself, keeping synergy of size.


 
 They do the Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2
  
 http://schiit.com/products/magni-2
  
 http://schiit.com/products/vali-2


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> Based on what I have read:
> 
> 1. The Bimby with the latest USB module beat the other Bifrost configurations (old and new DS Bifrost, old and new USB modules)
> 2. The Mimby and Bimby measure almost the same except the Bimby's USB is better by just a wee bit
> ...


 
  
 The warranty is different for the UK store. The Mimby has a two year warranty and the Bimby only has a three year warranty. So really, I should just get the Mimby, although I cannot stack it under my Valhalla 2


----------



## wiz2596

Hi guys, I just got an rca audioquest cable but it fits too tight into the connectors of my dac and I'm afraid it could damage my equipment, is it supposed to be like this?


----------



## ScottFree

wiz2596 said:


> Hi guys, I just got an rca audioquest cable but it fits too tight into the connectors of my dac and I'm afraid it could damage my equipment, is it supposed to be like this?




The RCA connectors on the Schiit products are pretty solid so they should hold up. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> The warranty is different for the UK store. The Mimby has a two year warranty and the Bimby only has a three year warranty. So really, I should just get the Mimby, although I cannot stack it under my Valhalla 2


 
  
  
 Whoa that's a big difference between getting directly from Schiit...


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> Whoa that's a big difference between getting directly from Schiit...




That is in America though and will have to pay import fees, this is the official Schiit store, so I am not sure why it is different compared to the main store


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> That is in America though and will have to pay import fees, this is the official Schiit store, so I am not sure why it is different compared to the main store


 
  
 Maybe this is part of not buying direct from Schiit US; the UK store may not have ready stocks at all times and also cannot guarantee their existance after 3 years e.t.c.


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> Maybe this is part of not buying direct from Schiit US; the UK store may not have ready stocks at all times and also cannot guarantee their existance after 3 years e.t.c.


 
  
 What do you mean, it is Schiit EU. The business is owned by Schiit and is based within the UK, so it should have the same warranty


----------



## gzubeck

coltmrfire said:


> It doesnt. I used to have Bifrost 4490.


 
  When you say this you need to qualify. Is that when your only playing 16 bit 44.1 cd material. I use my dac as a two channel setup with my tv and when i stream netflix and watch blurays the sound is phenomenal with the bifrost 4490.


----------



## ColtMrFire

gzubeck said:


> When you say this you need to qualify. Is that when your only playing 16 bit 44.1 cd material. I use my dac as a two channel setup with my tv and when i stream netflix and watch blurays the sound is phenomenal with the bifrost 4490.


 
  
 It doesn't matter.  Mimby is a completely different (and superior) DAC.  The megacomboburrito filter in the Schiit multibit DACs is unique and is what gives them their sound.  That filter does not exist in the D/S versions of the Bifrost.  You can take it from me and every other person who has compared them.  I too thought the 4490 was phenomenal and didn't know how it could get any better.  4490 is a very good D/S DAC, but once Mimby entered the picture, the two weren't in the same league.


----------



## winders

I just received, unpacked, setup, and for a while listened to music using my Vali 2 and Modi Multibit.
  
*OH MY GOD!!!*
  
 I needn't have worried about the quality of signal coming from the pre-outs. I don't have my headphones (HD650) yet so I am listening to my music through my Swan MK200MKIII monitors. The speakers are new too and have may 20 hours on them. Heck, I didn't even wait for the Vali 2 to warmup. 
  
 Forgive my lack of familiarity with the terminology. Compared to using the headphone port on my 2016 MacBook Pro to drive the speakers, the first thing I noticed was the increase in the height, depth, and width of the soundstage. I went from being at the back of the room to being in the front row or maybe even being on stage.  The separation of the individual instruments and voices was much more pronounced. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard it that clearly before. Then the clarity of the sounds jumped out at me. The timbre of the drums and cymbals jumped out right away. Wow! Just wow!!! I am not afraid to admit that the sound brought a tear to my eyes. It was that moving!
  
 I don't know how much of this is the Mimby, but all I can say is that I love this combination! I can't wait to get my Sennheiser HD650 headphones to hear how they sound. I even have some pretty cool tubes on the way to try out after I get used to everything.


----------



## ColtMrFire

winders said:


> I just received, unpacked, setup, and for a while listened to music using my Vali 2 and Modi Multibit.
> 
> *OH MY GOD!!!*
> 
> ...


 
  
 It hasn't even warmed up yet.  I found the sound gradually got dramatically better after 48 hours.  Always leave it on.


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> What do you mean, it is Schiit EU. The business is owned by Schiit and is based within the UK, so it should have the same warranty


 
  
 Erm, Schiit EU is not exactly owned by Schiit US If I am not wrong; Schiit EU is a company that has the distribution and branding rights licensed from Schiit US


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> Erm, Schiit EU is not exactly owned by Schiit US If I am not wrong; Schiit EU is a company that has the distribution and branding rights licensed from Schiit US


 
  
 http://schiit.eu.com/about_us


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> http://schiit.eu.com/about_us


 
  
 Thanks for the link; that was where I inferred that from. (I can still be wrong though...)
  
 But either way, yeah, you win some, you lose some
  
 Buy from Schiit US

Need to pay import tax and currency conversion rate
Need to send back to the US for warranty/upgrades
Have full range of products
Have "full" warranty
  
 Buy from local distro

May not have full range of products
May not have "full" warranty
Cheaper as no need to pay import tax and currency conversion rate
Easier for warranty/upgrades since can just send it to local distro


----------



## winders

darken,
  
 You were right and I had your back!


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> darken,
> 
> You were right and I had your back!


 
  
 Ah I see, sorry cos I wasn't sure what you meant when you posted the link; let me change my wording a little


----------



## eysikal

Is it normal for the Mimby to sound a bit harsh? 
  
 Just picked one up on eBay. Relative to my normal setup, the Mimby definitely sounds more resolving and detailed to my ears...but with a certain harshness that would probably end up being fatiguing. I probably need to listen again tomorrow, but this has been my initial impression. 
  
 My setup: *iMac -> USB -> Mimby -> Violectric V200 -> HD600*.
 I'm comparing the Mimby to an add-in DAC card from Violectric: http://violectric-usa.com/accessories/usb-24-192-tenor


----------



## jcdreamer

Okay, alright! You've talked me into it. I have a Modi coming this afternoon, we'll see what all the shouting is about.


----------



## ColtMrFire

eysikal said:


> Is it normal for the Mimby to sound a bit harsh?
> 
> Just picked one up on eBay. Relative to my normal setup, the Mimby definitely sounds more resolving and detailed to my ears...but with a certain harshness that would probably end up being fatiguing. I probably need to listen again tomorrow, but this has been my initial impression.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The harshness goes away after a couple days of warm up, possibly even before that.  Mimby is definitely not a harsh DAC.


----------



## Porteroso

eysikal said:


> Is it normal for the Mimby to sound a bit harsh?
> 
> Just picked one up on eBay. Relative to my normal setup, the Mimby definitely sounds more resolving and detailed to my ears...but with a certain harshness that would probably end up being fatiguing. I probably need to listen again tomorrow, but this has been my initial impression.
> 
> ...


 
 I think I know what you're talking about. I listen to a lot of classical/romantic, so in the cymbals or brass, there is a definite pzzzz, a sharp sound. I think that overall, that it does a pretty good job of capturing the sound. I've read many people talk about the mimby (or stepladder or whatever) doing cymbals much better than other dacs. I'm not sure that's true, but I do think it does it well.
  
 In the end, cymbals are very forward to your ears, in real life. So they should be in recordings.


----------



## Metrops

winders said:


> http://schiit.eu.com/about_us


 
  
 It would be much cheaper than buying from the US store though


----------



## winders

metrops said:


> It would be much cheaper than buying from the US store though


 

 All I did was post a link to the Schiit Euro distributor which backed up what darkarn was saying about the distributor NOT being owned by Schiit Audio here in the USA. I made no comments, one or the other, about prices.


----------



## Metrops

winders said:


> All I did was post a link to the Schiit Euro distributor which backed up what darkarn was saying about the distributor NOT being owned by Schiit Audio here in the USA. I made no comments, one or the other, about prices.


 
  
 I know, I was thinking that it was owned by Schiit, although they must work closely together with Schiit US
  
 If they offer that selection like the US store, I am surprised that it does not come with the same warranty, as it is Schiit US who provides the warranty not Schiit UK, who is just the reseller that is dealing with the warranty between me and official Schiit. Is this correct?


----------



## winders

metrops said:


> I know, I was thinking that it was owned by Schiit, although they must work closely together with Schiit US
> 
> If they offer that selection like the US store, I am surprised that it does not come with the same warranty, as it is Schiit US who provides the warranty not Schiit UK, who is just the reseller that is dealing with the warranty between me and official Schiit. Is this correct?


 

 I have no insight to offer here. I would suggest calling the European distributor and asking them about it. It's not uncommon for companies to have differing warranty polices in various markets across the globe.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

Anyone have a chance to compare the Emotiva Stealth DC-1 DAC to the Mimby?


----------



## almarti

winders said:


> I have no insight to offer here. I would suggest calling the European distributor and asking them about it. It's not uncommon for companies to have differing warranty polices in various markets across the globe.



Have you tried schiit-europe.com? Cheaper than the site you are dealing.


----------



## jaxz

Mimby vs ODAC? Anyone?


----------



## Andrew Rieger

jaxz said:


> Mimby vs ODAC? Anyone?


 

 No contest. Mimby blows it out of the water. The Odac is also highly overrated. I think that there are only a handful of DACs sub $1K that can hang with the Mimby.
  
 Sub $300, I don't think there is anything even remotely close. Bumping up to $400-$500 gets you the well regarded Emotiva Stealth DC1. $200 more gets you the MDHT Canary. The Mimby is basically a slightly better Bimby for half the price.


----------



## gzubeck

andrew rieger said:


> No contest. Mimby blows it out of the water. The Odac is also highly overrated. I think that there are only a handful of DACs sub $1K that can hang with the Mimby.
> 
> Sub $300, I don't think there is anything even remotely close. Bumping up to $400-$500 gets you the well regarded Emotiva Stealth DC1. $200 more gets you the MDHT Canary. *The Mimby is basically a slightly better Bimby for half the price. *


 
 ?????? Well, they better improve the bimby to justify the price! Proud owner of the bifrost 4490....


----------



## Andrew Rieger

gzubeck said:


> ?????? Well, they better improve the bimby to justify the price! Proud owner of the bifrost 4490....


 

 I've spoken to a few owners of both the Bimby and the Mimby. One thought the Mimby was better, the other two thought they were near identical. All agreed the Mimby was the better buy. Word on the street is that there will be some kind of Bifrost multibit upgrade coming soon to justify the price hike.


----------



## theveterans

gzubeck said:


> ?????? Well, they better improve the bimby to justify the price! Proud owner of the bifrost 4490....


 
  
 Better buy compared to Bimby, but Bimby is still better in my ears (more resolving, more 3D soundstage, less harsh) than Mimby (5-10% better).


----------



## Dana Reed

andrew rieger said:


> I've spoken to a few owners of both the Bimby and the Mimby. One thought the Mimby was better, the other two thought they were near identical. All agreed the Mimby was the better buy. Word on the street is that there will be some kind of Bifrost multibit upgrade coming soon to justify the price hike.


 

 You mean this one?
 http://schiit.com/products/bifrost-multibit
 Or something fancier like a balanced bifrost multibit to pair with jotunheim?


----------



## winders

dana reed said:


> You mean this one?
> http://schiit.com/products/bifrost-multibit
> Or something fancier like a balanced bifrost multibit to pair with jotunheim?


 

 The Bifrost Multibit is called the "Bimby" while the Modi Multibit is called the "Mimby". So it would have to be something fancier. I wonder what it could be? Probably something that would offer more bits like the Gungnir Multibit.


----------



## darkarn

What USB to Coaxial converters are you all using with your Mimby (or other Multibit models)?

 I am thinking of getting one (maximum 200 SGD)


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> What USB to Coaxial converters are you all using with your Mimby (or other Multibit models)?
> 
> I am thinking of getting one (maximum 200 SGD)


 

 I am using USB now but may move to Toslink when I get a dock for my MacBook Pro. I have no plans to use coax.


----------



## theveterans

darkarn said:


> What USB to Coaxial converters are you all using with your Mimby (or other Multibit models)?
> 
> I am thinking of getting one (maximum 200 SGD)


 
  
 No need for USB/SPDIF converter. Just use something like W4S recovery and it should give great results.


----------



## MtnMan307

I'm really thinking of getting the Modi Multibit.  I have the AKG K7XX and Vali 2 with an Amperex Orange Label in it. 
  
 No DAC yet, other than onboard audio of course.  Any reason not to drop the $250 on it? I mostly listen to Apple Lossless or 320 MP3.  I have some 192k and what not but will have to upgrade some of my music if I get the MM.


----------



## theveterans

mtnman307 said:


> I'm really thinking of getting the Modi Multibit.  I have the AKG K7XX and Vali 2 with an Amperex Orange Label in it.
> 
> No DAC yet, other than onboard audio of course.  Any reason not to drop the $250 on it? I mostly listen to Apple Lossless or 320 MP3.  I have some 192k and what not but will have to upgrade some of my music if I get the MM.


 
  
 If your amp isn't on par, you won't be able to hear the extent of Mimby's abilities. I listen to mostly 160 - 320 Kbps OGG streams and it sounds like hi-res with Schiit DACs.


----------



## MtnMan307

I think the Vali 2 is a very good amp.  IMO a very good match with the K7.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

dana reed said:


> You mean this one?
> http://schiit.com/products/bifrost-multibit
> Or something fancier like a balanced bifrost multibit to pair with jotunheim?


 

 Who knows, Schiit is tight lipped as always. The Bifrost is supposed to be upgradeable. I have asked for a balanced Bifrost as well.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

winders said:


> The Bifrost Multibit is called the "Bimby" while the Modi Multibit is called the "Mimby". So it would have to be something fancier. I wonder what it could be? Probably something that would offer more bits like the Gungnir Multibit.


 

 Hopefully, it will go in the lineup between the Mimby and the Gumby. Schiit wasn't afraid to give us a slightly less fancy but similar sounding Bimby for half the price. I am hoping that Schiit does the same with the Gumby so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a DAC that stacks with the Jot but uses Schiit's Gumby topology for around $600 to $700.


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> I am using USB now but may move to Toslink when I get a dock for my MacBook Pro. I have no plans to use coax.


 
  
 I am using Toslink now, just that I can foresee that I will want to use Coax eventually (as the Toslink In of the Mimby will go to another computer)
  


theveterans said:


> No need for USB/SPDIF converter. Just use something like W4S recovery and it should give great results.


 
  
 I looked at that, it is way too costly. I just need to convert from USB to Coaxial so that I can use it on my laptop (which is also my main machine)
  


mtnman307 said:


> I'm really thinking of getting the Modi Multibit.  I have the AKG K7XX and Vali 2 with an Amperex Orange Label in it.
> 
> No DAC yet, other than onboard audio of course.  Any reason not to drop the $250 on it? I mostly listen to Apple Lossless or 320 MP3.  I have some 192k and what not but will have to upgrade some of my music if I get the MM.


 
  
 You don't have to upgrade your music (which is what Schiit is all about), just get the Mimby so as to complete your Schiit Stack and you are good to go!


----------



## slex

darkarn said:


> What USB to Coaxial converters are you all using with your Mimby (or other Multibit models)?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Undisputed Singxer F1.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

winders said:


> I am using USB now but may move to Toslink when I get a dock for my MacBook Pro. I have no plans to use coax.


 

 Good that my mid 2010 MacBook has Toslink out through the 3.5 mm


----------



## darkarn

slex said:


> Undisputed Singxer F1.


 
  
 Thanks! I can consider, but a bit more costly than the Hiface2 and Musiland 01 USD though. Let me see...


----------



## Hofy

My prediction is a Bifrost2. New case to look like the Jotunheim with balanced out. Price increase of $100-200 also.


----------



## djchup

slex said:


> Undisputed Singxer F1.


 
 I've been going back and forth between my motherboard's onboard optical and USB.  I want to try coax.  Would I be better off using a Singxer F1, or a Xonar Essence STX II pcie card with coax spdif? I would think the pcie card since I'd be cutting out the USB?


----------



## MtnMan307

darkarn said:


> You don't have to upgrade your music (which is what Schiit is all about), just get the Mimby so as to complete your Schiit Stack and you are good to go!




I placed the order today. At this point I hope the $200 K7XX will do really well with the $418 stack.


----------



## Tuneslover

hofy said:


> My prediction is a Bifrost2. New case to look like the Jotunheim with balanced out. Price increase of $100-200 also.



And what about the current Bifrost owners who bought their units because they've invested in Schiit's upgradability philosophy?


----------



## RickB

tuneslover said:


> And what about the current Bifrost owners who bought their units because they've invested in Schiit's upgradability philosophy?


 
 I think they would be more likely to offer a balanced board for the current unit.


----------



## Tuneslover

rickb said:


> I think they would be more likely to offer a balanced board for the current unit.



I tend to agree with you. I was actually responding to the post made by @hofy.


----------



## RickB

tuneslover said:


> I tend to agree with you. I was actually responding to the post made by @hofy.


 
 Understood.


----------



## Oceanic 815

Mimby just arrived! I'm not close to the 48 hour 'on time' that is supposed to bring it to it's best operating point, and already I am very impressed.

 Mimby + Crack + HD650. First R2R DAC I've heard. It's amazing what Schiit has crammed into such a small (affordable!) package. 
  
 I hear a little bit more sound stage, and a little more instrument separation. Not just a bit wider, but better placement front to back. Additionally I hear a little more 'resolution,' that is, that individual notes in complicated guitar riffs or long piano runs are easier to hear, more distinct.

 As a musician, I feel like the Mimby is bringing more detail. Drums especially sound more realistic, not necessarily more like an acoustic drum set, but like what live drums when using in ears sounds like. 

 I can't wait to get more hours with the Mimby. Truly an incredible little device. This is the first R2R DAC I've heard. I'm not sure how much of the differences I am hearing vs my old DAC are due to R2R or just that the Mimby is a dedicated DAC. Truth be told, I think my old setup still sounds good, but I am glad there are some subtle but noticeable differences I am hearing out of the gate. 
  
 I also have some music that isn't necessarily top quality recording, stuff that friend's have done, small indie projects, etc. The Crack + 650 is a more forgiving pairing, and the Mimby hasn't 'ruined' those recording for me. 

 It was after reading this thread that I decided to get the Mimby, it's hard to find anybody saying anything bad about it. For the price it's shocking how good it is. It may be small, but I feel like I've reached end game status here. The 650 isn't the best HP but it has qualities I like, and I find everything enjoyable to listen to with them. The Mimby just brought me solid SQ gains for a small investment. Thank you all for your recommendations and impressions, you haven't lead me astray


----------



## Guidostrunk

Singxer X-1 


darkarn said:


> Thanks! I can consider, but a bit more costly than the Hiface2 and Musiland 01 USD though. Let me see...


----------



## Andrew Rieger

So here's an interesting question. Has anyone heard a sub $1000 DAC they think sounds better than the Mimby? I was talking to another customer at my local hifi store about DACs and he claimed that there was no way that the Mimby could outperform DACs that cost $500 to $1000. I disagreed and told him he should hear mine but I haven't heard that many DACs honestly so I'm not sure, maybe I was overly confident. Besides the Bimby and the MDHT offerings, which other sub $1k DACs hang with or outperform the Mimby?


----------



## theveterans

Chord Mojo, iFi iDSD Micro Black, subjectively of course. I own the Mojo, and it's on par or better than Bimby in headphone setup. In 2-channel setup, Bimby wins for me.


----------



## lenroot77

I'd throw the Audio Gd Dac 19 (R2R) in the under 1k dacs. Fabulous sounding dac!


----------



## darkarn

mtnman307 said:


> I placed the order today. At this point I hope the $200 K7XX will do really well with the $418 stack.


 
  
 Have fun with it!
  


guidostrunk said:


> Singxer X-1


 
  
 Thanks! That looks good, but it does not have an external enclosure though


----------



## theveterans

Here:


----------



## AviP

theveterans said:


> Here:



The F-1 enclosure fits the X-1? Because on the shenzhenaudio site they say it doesn't fit.


----------



## darkarn

avip said:


> The F-1 enclosure fits the X-1? Because on the shenzhenaudio sure they say it doesn't fit.


 
  
 Yeah, I am wondering about this too...


----------



## djchup

I've had my mimby for around a week now, and I must say it pairs amazingly well with audio-gd nfb-1amp.  I listen to mostly dark electronic music, and the sound signature of this setup compliments it really well.  Out of character for me but I spent several hours this week listening to classical music; I'm blown away by the soundstage and separation.  I know what people mean now when they describe the mimby as providing a kind of 'holographic' soundstage.  I'm pretty happy with my recent purchases; I purchased everything in this photo in the past ~month.


----------



## Guidostrunk

You can get a diy case for less than $10, and mod it to fit. Or if you have any scrap wood , and some carpentry skills. Build a case 


darkarn said:


> Have fun with it!
> 
> 
> Thanks! That looks good, but it does not have an external enclosure though


----------



## Guidostrunk

Sweet setup! The 650's are some great cans! Especially for that music. 

I'm really digging 
"Groove Delight - Hang Out ( Gustavo Mota remix) , on my cans with the same model numbers as yours, but scrambled(HE560)



djchup said:


> I've had my mimby for around a week now, and I must say it pairs amazingly well with audio-gd nfb-1amp.  I listen to mostly dark electronic music, and the sound signature of this setup compliments it really well.  Out of character for me but I spent several hours this week listening to classical music; I'm blown away by the soundstage and separation.  I know what people mean now when they describe the mimby as providing a kind of 'holographic' soundstage.  I'm pretty happy with my recent purchases; I purchased everything in this photo in the past ~month.


----------



## bozoskeletonz

Are you listening to the mimby with a mjolnir 1? That's my setup. Any opinions if that's your setup too?


----------



## Guidostrunk

Close. Lol. I'm using one of Moffats , originals. Theta Pro Prime IIA. It totally smokes the bimby. The bass presence,holography, and soundstage are off the meter! 

Still jammin to 
Groove Delight- Megatron 

This might be the best recorded electronic I've ever heard. Lol

Edit: The Mjolnir 1 , is a beast of an amp! I'm totally digging it with the 560's. Phenomenal match!



bozoskeletonz said:


> Are you listening to the mimby with a mjolnir 1? That's my setup. Any opinions if that's your setup too?


----------



## Guidostrunk

Groove Delight- Phones & Calls 

Addictive stuff! Lol


----------



## slex

djchup said:


> I've had my mimby for around a week now, and I must say it pairs amazingly well with audio-gd nfb-1amp.  I listen to mostly dark electronic music, and the sound signature of this setup compliments it really well.  Out of character for me but I spent several hours this week listening to classical music; I'm blown away by the soundstage and separation.  I know what people mean now when they describe the mimby as providing a kind of 'holographic' soundstage.  I'm pretty happy with my recent purchases; I purchased everything in this photo in the past ~month.



Are you planing a balanced DAC soon? Seeing you using balanced amp.


----------



## stryker7314

I found that having toslink in the chain somewheres sounds much better. When I went usb to wyrd to mimby it was rough, then tried toslink direct to Mimby and it was much more fluid and refined. Couldn't say why, maybe it's that toslink is the only inherent and true galvanic isolation.

USB>Wyrd>USB>Gustard U12>Toslink>Firestone Bravo>Coax>Modi Multi-Bit DAC >Lyr 2> Hifiman HE-4


----------



## djchup

slex said:


> Are you planing a balanced DAC soon? Seeing you using balanced amp.


 
 Nope.  The gumby is more than I'd invest in a DAC.  If schiit ever did a multibit balanced bifrost for ~$750 or less I'd consider upgrading.  I just got a balanced amp because I needed balanced preamp outs for powered monitors.


----------



## ColtMrFire

stryker7314 said:


> I found that having toslink in the chain somewheres sounds much better. When I went usb to wyrd to mimby it was rough, then tried toslink direct to Mimby and it was much more fluid and refined. Couldn't say why, maybe it's that toslink is the only inherent and true galvanic isolation.
> 
> USB>Wyrd>USB>Gustard U12>Toslink>Firestone Bravo>Coax>Modi Multi-Bit DAC >Lyr 2> Hifiman HE-4


 
  
 SPDIF measures better than USB on the Mimby.  It is simply a superior connection with this particular DAC.


----------



## stryker7314

coltmrfire said:


> SPDIF measures better than USB on the Mimby.  It is simply a superior connection with this particular DAC.




Ahhhh, good to know! Glad I was able to hear the difference, and it wasn't placebo effect.


----------



## almarti

stryker7314 said:


> Ahhhh, good to know! Glad I was able to hear the difference, and it wasn't placebo effect.


 
  
 Hi All, Mimby arrived this morning, very few hours of listening but this tiny box is a MONSTER (now is on to get burn it asap).
 I can not believe how this small box can produce such balance in bass, treble, mids, space, I have distinguished instruments that previous 10-yr old DS DAC didn't know they exist (obviously is in sale).
  
 Tidal HIFI > Chromecast Audio > TOSLINK > Mimby > Integrated Amp Marant PM17 KI Signature > Chario Lynx Loudspeakers.
 Amazing, rock, jazz, ..., I cannot tell you how Hotel California sounds.
 Connect my HD600 to the headphone output of Marantz - impressive! (I have Mojo for a little little better SQ).
  
 Even Loewe TV > COAX > Mimby > Integrated Amp Marant PM17 KI Signature > Chario Lynx Loudspeaker change the atmosphere in the leaving room; now looking for concerts of national TV company to enjoy more.
  
 I really think to improve this (I can not imagine after burn) how many thousand of $ you have to spend.
 Now for my next improvement: Hifiman Edition X V2.


----------



## Alchemist007

almarti said:


> Now for my next improvement: Hifiman Edition X V2.


 
 What headphones are you using now?


----------



## bleechy

Hi Guys,
  
 Just some advise whether to go with Modi Uber / Modi Multibit / Bifrost / Bifrost Multibit.
 I want an upgrade to PC sound but the purchase is mainly to use with my Macbook. Currently I have an Asus card which to my ears isn't bad. Not sure how much I should spend!
 I currently have Asus Xonar Essence STX --> Asgard 2 --> Denon D7100 / B&O H6 (2nd Gen) / Sennheiser hd595
  
 Thanks


----------



## Andrew Rieger

Go with the Modi Multibit. You need to have really good ears to hear the difference between the Bimby and the Mimby and amongst those who can, there is a 50/50 split between those who prefer one over the other. Almost everyone agrees though that the Modi Multubit is a no brainer purchase for the price.

Sorry if that was confusingly worded. There are a number of people who own both the bifrost Multibit and the Modi multibit who prefer the sound of the cheaper Modi Multi.


----------



## KoshNaranek

andrew rieger said:


> Go with the Modi Multibit. You need to have really good ears to hear the difference between the Bimby and the Mimby and amongst those who can, there is a 50/50 split between those who prefer one over the other. Almost everyone agrees though that the Modi Multubit is a no brainer purchase for the price.




Yes


----------



## Andrew Rieger

Here's another interesting question, if the Mimby has a measured resolution of 16bits, is there any point to feeding it 24bit recordings? It's not resolving more than 16 bits so how could anyone hear more detail in a 24bit recording with this DAC? Just curious.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

andrew rieger said:


> Here's another interesting question, if the Mimby has a measured resolution of 16bits, is there any point to feeding it 24bit recordings? It's not resolving more than 16 bits so how could anyone hear more detail in a 24bit recording with this DAC? Just curious.


 

 "_Note that even though the DAC will accept PCM data up to 24 bits, it actually rounds off the last eight bits in practice. Usually dither is added to the signal before this step in order to reduce the quantization noise that is subsequently produced. However, if there was any to be heard, I couldn’t detect it_."


----------



## musickid

anyone compare mimby vs mojo/hugo dac only. also mimby vs gunjnir mb. thanks.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

carlosunchained said:


> "_Note that even though the DAC will accept PCM data up to 24 bits, it actually rounds off the last eight bits in practice. Usually dither is added to the signal before this step in order to reduce the quantization noise that is subsequently produced. However, if there was any to be heard, I couldn’t detect it_."


 

 So does this mean that 24 bit recordings are pointless with the Mimby? It sounds like it to me.


----------



## RickB

andrew rieger said:


> So does this mean that 24 bit recordings are pointless with the Mimby? It sounds like it to me.




Sometimes those recordings have better mastering, so they may still sound better.


----------



## musickid

how does mimby compare to gunj mb. detail appreciated thanks im thinking of upgrading


----------



## Odin412

andrew rieger said:


> So does this mean that 24 bit recordings are pointless with the Mimby? It sounds like it to me.


 
  
 If you believe you need/can hear all 24 bits then yes, you are correct. Modi and Bifrost Multibit both give you 16 bit resolution, Gungnir gives you 18 (actually 19 since it uses balanced DAC chips) and Yggdrasil gives you 20 (actually 21). Personally I don't care about anything above 16-bit (CD) resolution. Before I upgraded my Bifrost Uber to Multibit I experimented with downconverting some 24-bit tracks to 16-bit and I couldn't hear any differences. As always, YMMV.


----------



## stryker7314

odin412 said:


> If you believe you need/can hear all 24 bits then yes, you are correct. Modi and Bifrost Multibit both give you 16 bit resolution, Gungnir gives you 18 (actually 19 since it uses balanced DAC chips) and Yggdrasil gives you 20 (actually 21). Personally I don't care about anything above 16-bit (CD) resolution. Before I upgraded my Bifrost Uber to Multibit I experimented with downconverting some 24-bit tracks to 16-bit and I couldn't hear any differences. As always, YMMV.




Along those lines Delta Sigma dacs(read; anything not true multi-bit) can only resolve 4 to 5 bits no matter how much they are "audiophile" grade and they claim to do high bit rates. Maybe an engineer can put it into laymans terms why that is.


----------



## starcraft2

almarti said:


> stryker7314 said:
> 
> 
> > Ahhhh, good to know! Glad I was able to hear the difference, and it wasn't placebo effect.
> ...


 

 Do you think the mojo is not that much better?


----------



## musickid

can anyone compare gunj mb to modi mb. i use a german earmaxpro tube amp. small but high quality. is the effort to upgrade to gunj mb worth it. if it is i will be changing mb to fund gnj mb!!! also considering musette dac.


----------



## Alchemist007

Tried the spdif to compare to the usb input. Sounded exactly identical.


----------



## 227qed

alchemist007 said:


> Tried the spdif to compare to the usb input. Sounded exactly identical.




That's good to know. How long is your cord?

I have .02 to give here too. I run the spdif from my computer through a 12 ft. Toslink. This has been far cleaner to me than when I tried a long usb. Definitely picked up a lot of interference from my other gadgets with the usb.


----------



## Porteroso

I would bet that most of the audible difference in USB v spdif/optical is simply due to implementation. I really doubt that a perfect feed into the Modi multibit will result in much of a difference between inputs.
  
 For me, the coax input is horribly noisy. Sounds like I'm running the sound through distortion. Obviously that's not the modi, it's the motherboard.
  
 Anyways, no matter what anyone recommends here, everyone should try out all the inputs for themselves. Stick with what sounds best to you.


----------



## Alchemist007

227qed said:


> That's good to know. How long is your cord?
> 
> I have .02 to give here too. I run the spdif from my computer through a 12 ft. Toslink. This has been far cleaner to me than when I tried a long usb. Definitely picked up a lot of interference from my other gadgets with the usb.


 
 Just 6ft. Guess that makes sense, never had any interference related noise to begin with.


----------



## darkarn

I have officially reached the 14th day of using my Mimby!

I am quite impressed by it, generally as a whole the music feels more natural. While its level of detail can be said to be on par with some of the mid or high end DACs, the Mimby presents this in a way that I can find the details much easier. Caveat: I am unsure if this is due to the multibit tech or simply because I am entering mid-fi from entry level DACs like the Stoner Acoustics UD110, Audinst HUD MX-1 and Fiio Taishan.

I am also pleasantly surprised that using an iPad with it does not required a powered USB hub; the Mimby draws so little power from the USB port that allows iOS devices to operate without the "Too much power drawn" error.

Finally, remember that strange issue I had with my Optical In? While the issue exists, I realised that it is also a way to protect my ears from outright audio gibberish. Case in point: I was trying to get a Hackintosh to output audio using its Coaxial port. By right, it can only output 16 bits reliably; the 24 bit output being unreliable. The Mimby would automatically reject such unreliable signals while the Taishan would just pass it along, resulting in very harsh and unpleasant popping and crackling noises. So, in a way, the Mimby is indeed picky, but only because it wants to be 100% sure that the incoming signal is not noise before processing it. The Taishan would just pass the signal regardless of what it is, which can be a double-edged sword as in this case.

All in all, the Mimby is very worthwhile to get, I can find myself recommending this to new "audiophiles" too.


----------



## theveterans

^ It's not the multibit, but entry level multibit sounds better than delta sigma on mid-fi level. Once you get to the 4 digit price point, it doesn't matter if it's delta sigma or multibit as they all sound great. You just look for the one that gives the best synergy.


----------



## winders

Oh, I think it is the multibit. When you understand the differences between delta sigma and multibit, why would you buy a 4 figure delta sigma DAC?? The fact that the Modi Multibit is so close in performance to the BiFrost Multibit is significant when you consider how much DAC you are getting with the BiFrost Multibit.


----------



## theveterans

winders said:


> Oh, I think it is the multibit. When you understand the differences between delta sigma and multibit, why would you buy a 4 figure delta sigma DAC?? The fact that the Modi Multibit is so close in performance to the BiFrost Multibit is significant when you consider how much DAC you are getting with the BiFrost Multibit.




You haven't heard a good delta sigma implementation without using off the shelf DAC chips then IMO. They're every bit as good as Multibit DAC to my ears


----------



## winders

theveterans said:


> You haven't heard a good delta sigma implementation without using off the shelf DAC chips then IMO. They're every bit as good as Multibit DAC to my ears


 

 That's true, I haven't. But, I wouldn't spend 4 figures on a delta sigma DAC. Once I get over  $1,000 I am looking straight at the Gungnir Multibit but probably going straight to the Yggdrasil. I can't think of a good reason to go delta sigma when you can go multibit.


----------



## darkarn

theveterans said:


> ^ It's not the multibit, but entry level multibit sounds better than delta sigma on mid-fi level. Once you get to the 4 digit price point, it doesn't matter if it's delta sigma or multibit as they all sound great. You just look for the one that gives the best synergy.


 
  
 Hmm, something like multibit as a whole being more bang for buck than delta sigma?


----------



## maxh22

darkarn said:


> Hmm, something like multibit as a whole being more bang for buck than delta sigma?


 
  
 It's a good bang for the buck as a low profile desktop solution, but until it can fit in your pocket there are better solutions.


----------



## darkarn

maxh22 said:


> It's a good bang for the buck as a low profile desktop solution, but until it can fit in your pocket there are better solutions.


 
  
 Good point there, there's still the heat and complexity issue


----------



## Andrew Rieger

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 Mimby's AC wall wart with my amps DC wall wart. Neither the amp nor the Mimby 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 Mimby 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.


----------



## winders

With the Mimby switch in the off position there were no complete circuits so no electricy flowed. You're good to go!


----------



## almarti

alchemist007 said:


> What headphones are you using now?


 
 Senn HD600


----------



## almarti

starcraft2 said:


> Do you think the mojo is not that much bettter?


 
 Mojo is better, how much? Really don't know.
 What I wanted is to setups - one for commuting, travelling, my work room even living room to be used as mobile, here Mojo plays
 Other thought for stereo setup, to have it permanently connected to TV (COAX) and CCA (Toslink) to speakers - and here Mimby plays
 At my aficionado level I have got the setup I wanted.


----------



## theveterans

almarti said:


> Mojo is better, how much? Really don't know.
> What I wanted is to setups - one for commuting, travelling, my work room even living room to be used as mobile, here Mojo plays
> Other thought for stereo setup, to have it permanently connected to TV (COAX) and CCA (Toslink) to speakers - and here Mimby plays
> At my aficionado level I have got the setup I wanted.


 
  
 Got the same opinion as you. Schiit's multibit IMO shines in speakers while Mojo's sound shines in headphones/IEMs. I prefer the livelier sound of Schiit in speakers.


----------



## 227qed

maxh22 said:


> It's a good bang for the buck as a low profile desktop solution, but until it can fit in your pocket there are better solutions.


 
  
 https://www.amazon.com/K-TOR-Pocket-Socket-Generator-Portable/dp/B00658Z3UI
  
 This and some cargo shorts and you're good to go!  Need two hand though, gotta power the mimby with one and your amp with the other.  Gets a bit tiring at first, but things go easier as you get into rhythm and get your endurance up.  I wouldn't ever buy a portable system knowing that I can just power and carry a desktop setup with a good pair of cargo shorts and a go get 'em type attitude.


----------



## musickid

The metrum musette is a 1000 pound r2r dac made by a well known and reputable dutch company. after researching it with the aim of upgrading from mimby (gunjmb out of price range plus too big for my set up) i am convinced it is a major step up from mimby. on other forums it is compared to gunjmb. would you all agree here. it has shining reviews.
  
  
  
 finally the musette has an output impedence 100ohm and my earmax pro amp has these specs: Input Impedence: DC: >100kOhms, 100pF, AC: 47kOhms. can someone confirm using 10:1 rule this is a good match. new to this but trying to understand.
  
 any help here greatly received.


----------



## MtnMan307

I'm supposed to get my Mimby today. I will have to post my first impressions tonight.


----------



## Roscoeiii

mtnman307 said:


> I'm supposed to get my Mimby today. I will have to post my first impressions tonight.


 
  
 Mine was supposed to ship today. Sent payment for my a used Mimby on Saturday. On Sunday, the seller backs out. Funniest part: check out what he wrote when a buyer backed out on him: 

 "Also, don't be a dick and suddenly change your mind after money has already changed hands, it's a lame way to do business."
  
 I concur. A lame way to do business. If only he practiced what he preached.


----------



## musickid

thanks for feedback


----------



## lenroot77

musickid said:


> One mimby for sale funding for metrum musette. listed in classified. thanks




Pm'd a bit ago!


----------



## MtnMan307

Just got the Mimby in the mail and fired it up a few minutes ago.  
  
 The first song I'm listening to is Tool's Schism in Apple Lossless format.  
  
 I was very impressed when I got my Vali 2 almost a year ago, even when my K7XX hadn't come yet and I was using my M50x for the time being.  It's still one of the most enjoyable purchases I've made, audio or not.
  
 So far I am floored again.  My computer's onboard Realtek audio chip didn't deserve to stand with a Vali 2 and K7 headphones.  Everything sounds a lot more realistic now.  The treble in particular is a hell of a lot better but so are the mids and bass.  
  
 The K7XX almost sounds like a different headphone!  I was a little nervous about spending $250 on my first DAC but it was absolutely worth it.


----------



## MtnMan307




----------



## darkarn

guidostrunk said:


> You can get a diy case for less than $10, and mod it to fit. Or if you have any scrap wood , and some carpentry skills. Build a case


 
  
  
 This is an option for me too. Except I don't exactly have carpentry skills and tools, but I think I can do something with acrylic or craft foam 

 Now I just need to figure out why more people are preferring Singxer over Musiland nowadays
  


mtnman307 said:


> Just got the Mimby in the mail and fired it up a few minutes ago.
> 
> The first song I'm listening to is Tool's Schism in Apple Lossless format.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Have fun with your stack! It will be even better after a week
  
 I hope my Project Ember comes soon though; I think my amp is bottlenecking the performance of the Mimby


----------



## AviP

guidostrunk said:


> Singxer X-1



How do you like your Singer X-1?
Have you ever heard the F-1?
The only comparison between the 2 that I found was by rb2013 but he had like 5 different purifiers in the chain which makes me wonder if that affected the results.
I really want to know how they compare straight from the USB port on the computer to the spdif port on the mimby.


----------



## Metrops

Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit. Will run HD 700 to Vahalla 2, then to Modi Multibit then to PC. What cables will I need for this setup (Motherboard has Optical S/PDIF-Out) and what is the best option


----------



## MWSVette

metrops said:


> Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit. Will run HD 700 to Vahalla 2, then to Modi Multibit then to PC. What cables will I need for this setup (Motherboard has Optical S/PDIF-Out) and what is the best option


 

 PC>optical cable>Modi>RCA to RCA>Valhalla>HD700
  
 Like these,
  
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Straightwire-Tos-Link-3-meter-Digital-Optical-Toslink-cable-10-Digital-audio-/160855677953?hash=item2573bedc01:g:Z2cAAOxy4YdTVsCS
  
http://schiit.com/products/pyst-cables


----------



## CarlosUnchained

mwsvette said:


> PC>optical cable>Modi>RCA to RCA>Valhalla>HD700
> 
> Like these,
> 
> ...


 
  
 lol
  
 First time reading the description of USB PYST: This is the complete redefinition of USB cables. It actually, physically transports you* into an alternate universe where superbly-mastered, 24/192 music streams 24/7, free of charge to all listeners, for all genres. Supermodels in this alternate world are all deeply into high-end audio, and will beg to go out with you. Butterflies swirl in fantastic colors over clean-lined porcelain cityscapes, everyone is a millionaire, and flying cars run on air. It's a beautiful place to be! 
  
 Plus: In any case, you can get PYST, or you can save some money at Monoprice.
  
 Kudos Schiit


----------



## MWSVette

carlosunchained said:


> lol
> 
> First time reading the description of USB PYST: This is the complete redefinition of USB cables. It actually, physically transports you* into an alternate universe where superbly-mastered, 24/192 music streams 24/7, free of charge to all listeners, for all genres. Supermodels in this alternate world are all deeply into high-end audio, and will beg to go out with you. Butterflies swirl in fantastic colors over clean-lined porcelain cityscapes, everyone is a millionaire, and flying cars run on air. It's a beautiful place to be!
> 
> ...


 

 You should read them all.  Check out the FAQ's some of them are pretty funny...


----------



## Metrops

Just bought the Modi Multibit with the PSTY cables. I am pairing it with my Valhalla 2 and HD 700


----------



## Dana Reed

metrops said:


> Just bought the Modi Multibit with the PSTY cables. I am pairing it with my Valhalla 2 and HD 700



I love mine, my full home setup is done now 
Wyrd>Mimby>Vali2. Also a Mani in there and a Sys. And the Sys output is split to my receiver and the vali2


----------



## Alchemist007

metrops said:


> Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit. Will run HD 700 to Vahalla 2, then to Modi Multibit then to PC. What cables will I need for this setup (Motherboard has Optical S/PDIF-Out) and what is the best option



 

The only reason I would consider spdif is to free up a usb slot on my pc, it doesn't really make a difference otherwise to me audibly.


----------



## Metrops

alchemist007 said:


> metrops said:
> 
> 
> > Thinking about getting the Modi Multibit. Will run HD 700 to Vahalla 2, then to Modi Multibit then to PC. What cables will I need for this setup (Motherboard has Optical S/PDIF-Out) and what is the best option
> ...




There any advantage over one or the other from an audio view?


----------



## RickB

metrops said:


> There any advantage over one or the other from an audio view?


 
 If your USB port was noisy or prone to dropouts, S/PDIF might be a solution. Some people think it just sounds better.


----------



## Dana Reed

rickb said:


> If your USB port was noisy or prone to dropouts, S/PDIF might be a solution. Some people think it just sounds better.



I do notice noise and glitches on mine if I hook it by USB from my MacBook Air. Putting a Wyrd in there stopped them though. Perhaps any powered hub would do the same, just wouldn't stack as nicely.
Haven't been able to hear any difference between the inputs myself with a number of different sources...


----------



## winders

One key advantage to using optical is that the DAC is isolated from the computer so no electrical contamination can take place. Based on the money some guys around here spend to isolate USB signals, I would find optical an easy and relatively cheap fix to that issue.


----------



## Dana Reed

winders said:


> One key advantage to using optical is that the DAC is isolated from the computer so no electrical contamination can take place. Based on the money some guys around here spend to isolate USB signals, I would find optical an easy and relatively cheap fix to that issue.


 
 What would be the best USB->optical interface for use on a laptop that's in the price range of the Mimby itself or less.  I find some from Behringer, Soundblaster, etc.  Not sure how to find out how much better one is compared to the other with respect to jitter etc.  Right now the only things I use that have optical out are my TVs, appleTVs, and airport expresses.


----------



## maxh22

dana reed said:


> What would be the best USB->optical interface for use on a laptop that's in the price range of the Mimby itself or less.  I find some from Behringer, Soundblaster, etc.  Not sure how to find out how much better one is compared to the other with respect to jitter etc.  Right now the only things I use that have optical out are my TVs, appleTVs, and airport expresses.


 
  
 The Wyred 4 sound remedy and IFi iLink are good options. The iLink has a unique jitter solution.


----------



## lenroot77

Certainly someone here has a mimby they'd like to trade for a pair of Hd650's?


----------



## Faber65

mtnman307 said:


>




In the picture it looks like the Vali and the Mimby have two different shades of aluminum gray.
Am I correct if I say that the brushing finishing of the two enclosures is different?
I am asking so as I just received mine, and the enclosures finishing is very obviously not consistent.
So I was wandering if you had the same experience.


----------



## RickB

faber65 said:


> In the picture it looks like the Vali and the Mimby have two different shades of aluminum gray.
> Am I correct if I say that the brushing finishing of the two enclosures is different?
> I am asking so as I just received mine, and the enclosures finishing are very obviously not consistent.
> So I was wandering if you had the same experience.


 
 My Mimby looks lighter, too. Though I wondered if it was just a trick of the light/positioning.


----------



## winders

My Mimby and Vali 2 look the same.....


----------



## KoshNaranek

rickb said:


> My Mimby looks lighter, too. Though I wondered if it was just a trick of the light/positioning.




It is probably real. Doing tone matching on the anodizing process is going to REALLY increase the cost.

My Bimby snd Valhalla don't perfectly match either.


----------



## r2muchstuff

My Modi Multibit, Modi 2 Uber, Mangi 2 Uber & Vali 2 all are different.  Mimby and Vali 2 are the closest match, Modi 2 U is the furthest off (darker).
  
 r2


----------



## MtnMan307

It's close, but the Mimby is a little lighter than the Vali 2.  It also runs a little hotter than the Vali 2, although neither get very hot.


----------



## Guidostrunk

it's an awesome little bridge. It's way better than the v-link, and the XMOS U8 (breeze audio), that I previously owned. 
When I ordered the X-1. I also ordered the F-1. Which didn't make it in shipping. I never bothered to get another F-1 , because I was extremely happy with what I was hearing from the X-1. It totally blows away my previous bridges. The level of clarity, imaging, and bass reproduction is amazing. 





avip said:


> How do you like your Singer X-1?
> Have you ever heard the F-1?
> The only comparison between the 2 that I found was by rb2013 but he had like 5 different purifiers in the chain which makes me wonder if that affected the results.
> I really want to know how they compare straight from the USB port on the computer to the spdif port on the mimby.


----------



## AviP

guidostrunk said:


> it's an awesome little bridge. It's way better than the v-link, and the XMOS U8 (breeze audio), that I previously owned.
> When I ordered the X-1. I also ordered the F-1. Which didn't make it in shipping. I never bothered to get another F-1 , because I was extremely happy with what I was hearing from the X-1. It totally blows away my previous bridges. The level of clarity, imaging, and bass reproduction is amazing.



Is there anything else between your USB port and the X-1 (I.e. jitterbug, iPurifirer2 etc.) Or between the X-1 and your mimby?


----------



## darkarn

guidostrunk said:


> it's an awesome little bridge. It's way better than the v-link, and the XMOS U8 (breeze audio), that I previously owned.
> When I ordered the X-1. I also ordered the F-1. Which didn't make it in shipping. I never bothered to get another F-1 , because I was extremely happy with what I was hearing from the X-1. It totally blows away my previous bridges. The level of clarity, imaging, and bass reproduction is amazing.


 
  
 Sounds good; what enclosure are you using with the Singxer X-1?


----------



## Guidostrunk

Not yet , but I'm considering a regan.





avip said:


> Is there anything else between your USB port and the X-1 (I.e. jitterbug, iPurifirer2 etc.) Or between the X-1 and your mimby?


----------



## Guidostrunk

I made my own out of scrap wood. I'm a carpenter by trade. They do sell diy enclosures though


darkarn said:


> Sounds good; what enclosure are you using with the Singxer X-1?


----------



## darkarn

guidostrunk said:


> I made my own out of scrap wood. I'm a carpenter by trade. They do sell diy enclosures though


 
  
 Ah I see thanks! I feel a bit silly now though that I just realised I asked you the same question just a few days back.


----------



## Metrops

You think Schiit will support this in their current products by an update (if it does not support it now) the MQA codec?
  
 http://www.techhive.com/article/3155303/streaming-services/high-res-music-streaming-service-tidal-launches-mqa-codec-support-finally.html


----------



## jaxz

metrops said:


> You think Schiit will support this in their current products by an update (if it does not support it now) the MQA codec?
> 
> http://www.techhive.com/article/3155303/streaming-services/high-res-music-streaming-service-tidal-launches-mqa-codec-support-finally.html




No.

http://schiit.com/news/news/why-we-wont-be-supporting-mqa


----------



## Baldr

metrops said:


> You think Schiit will support this in their current products by an update (if it does not support it now) the MQA codec?
> 
> http://www.techhive.com/article/3155303/streaming-services/high-res-music-streaming-service-tidal-launches-mqa-codec-support-finally.html




No.  No downdates or support of marginal (non mainstream) technologies.  If/when this blatant attempt to hold the entire music industry hostage appears on amazon and apple channels, maybe; until then, not just no but hell no.  Oh, and did I say? No.


----------



## Metrops

jaxz said:


> No.
> 
> http://schiit.com/news/news/why-we-wont-be-supporting-mqa


 
  
 I have no idea what it is, so I just wanted to know, thanks


----------



## Marlowe

I'm pretty much a newbie at this, and I apologize if this is a dumb question. I'm planning to get a Mimby in a couple of weeks and understand that Schiit recommends leaving it on 24/7 so as to keep it properly warmed up for best sound.I have no problem with this, but I plan to use the Mimby on my laptop for music and gaming and from my TV's optical out for Blu-rays and streaming video; I'm currently using a Fulla 2 like this (line in from my TV's RCA output) and move it between the two several times a day. This would necessitate unplugging the Mimby for maybe 30 seconds (I have a small apartment). Would it remain warmed up even though unplugged very briefly a couple of times a day?
  
 Also, I want to get an amp to pair with the Mimby. I have a Fidelio X2 and a brand new 400i. I'm wavering between the Magni 2 (probably regular since it should have plenty of power for those two and I don't need the Uber's outputs) and a Vali 2. What differences in sound quality might I expect between those amps with those headphones?


----------



## winders

Unplugging your Mimby for a few minutes will not allow it to cool appreciably. Especially not the cores of the various components. You may want to buy a second power supply since they are clumsy to move around and relatively inexpensive. 
  
 When I first put my order in the shopping cart, I had it filled with a Magni 2 Uber. I wanted the Uber because I have powered speakers I wanted to control. I ended up changing out to the Vali 2 because I wanted a better amp for headphones and I wanted to do some tube rolling. So far, I am very happy with that decision. My HD 650 headphones sound great!


----------



## bigro

marlowe said:


> I'm pretty much a newbie at this, and I apologize if this is a dumb question. I'm planning to get a Mimby in a couple of weeks and understand that Schiit recommends leaving it on 24/7 so as to keep it properly warmed up for best sound.I have no problem with this, but I plan to use the Mimby on my laptop for music and gaming and from my TV's optical out for Blu-rays and streaming video; I'm currently using a Fulla 2 like this (line in from my TV's RCA output) and move it between the two several times a day. This would necessitate unplugging the Mimby for maybe 30 seconds (I have a small apartment). Would it remain warmed up even though unplugged very briefly a couple of times a day?
> 
> Also, I want to get an amp to pair with the Mimby. I have a Fidelio X2 and a brand new 400i. I'm wavering between the Magni 2 (probably regular since it should have plenty of power for those two and I don't need the Uber's outputs) and a Vali 2. What differences in sound quality might I expect between those amps with those headphones?


 
  
 FYI There seems to be someone convincing people that the only difference between the Magni 2 Uber and the Magni 2 is just the extra inputs and the pre outs. This is not true and I would hate for you or anyone else to be misled.  Just by looking at the Specs The Uber Has a greater power output, Less THD and a greater SNR and even different Power supplies. Then even in the topology description The Uber says  it has a complementary VAS drive which the Standard does not list. Even if you do not know what the things mean, it is clear they are not the same with one having more ports.  With that said I have the Magni 2 Uber and the Vali 2, I like them both but the Vali 2 Gets way more drive time. I have a preference for tubes so i am biased.


----------



## Erik-Holland

The Modi Multibit is amazing.
  
 It arrived yesterday, i hooked it up to check if it was working. (DOA check)
 I left it to warm up for 2 hours, then started listening ...
  
 It's great ! I love it !
 The soundstage is wide and deep, warm and friendly.
 It's difficult to explain what makes the Modi Multibit so good.
 But "Ëverything" comes close.
  
 I use a Squeezebox Duet to play my music.
 The Duet has a Wolfson DAC build in. I was under the impression it was ok.
 Well it wasn't. Not compared to the Modi Multibit. Not even close.
  
 I use the Modi Multibit on my main stereo; Final Audio ESL's and sub, Vincent amplifiers.
  
 Thank you people of Shiit, for this beautiful and affordable DAC.
  
 Greetings from Holland,
  
 Erik
  
  
  
  
 .
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 ,


----------



## MWSVette

erik-holland said:


> The Modi Multibit is amazing.
> 
> It arrived yesterday, i hooked it up to check if it was working. (DOA check)
> I left it to warm up for 2 hours, then started listening ...
> ...


 

 Welcome to the Schiit Multibit club...


----------



## KoshNaranek

erik-holland said:


> The Modi Multibit is amazing.
> 
> It arrived yesterday, i hooked it up to check if it was working. (DOA check)
> I left it to warm up for 2 hours, then started listening ...
> ...




I found a slight improvement in sound can be had from the duet by replacing the switching wall wart with a linear one.

http://www.jameco.com/z/GPU41090500WD00-4-5W-AC-to-DC-Regulated-Linear-Wall-Adapter-9-Volt-0-5-Amps_1953639.html

You will also need a small barrel power plug to replace the 2.1 mm one

Edit: sorry, just realized you will need a 220v version. You get the idea.


----------



## Marlowe

bigro said:


> FYI There seems to be someone convincing people that the only difference between the Magni 2 Uber and the Magni 2 is just the extra inputs and the pre outs. This is not true and I would hate for you or anyone else to be misled.  Just by looking at the Specs The Uber Has a greater power output, Less THD and a greater SNR and even different Power supplies. Then even in the topology description The Uber says  it has a complementary VAS drive which the Standard does not list. Even if you do not know what the things mean, it is clear they are not the same with one having more ports.  With that said I have the Magni 2 Uber and the Vali 2, I like them both but the Vali 2 Gets way more drive time. I have a preference for tubes so i am biased.


 
 I appreciate the response. I am aware that the Magni 2 Uber has somewhat more power than the base model along with other upgrades in addition to the preamp outs. I do an inordinate amount of research before any purchase, which is often more enjoyable than the actual purchase. (As Mr. Spock said in Amok Time: "having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.") It is just my impression that since the power of the base Magni 2 is more than sufficient for my headphones (Fidelio X2, Hifiman 400i), the power increase and other upgrades of the Uber are very unlikely to present any audible difference to my untrained ears and I have no need for the outputs. (I guess it's silly, but the main reason for me to consider the Uber is to get the upgraded finish to match the Mimby.)
  
 However, since the Vali 2 is a hybrid tube amp, it may well present some sonic difference even for a neophyte audiophile like me. Since for reasons of finance (I'm retired on a fixed income) and sanity I don't really want to get into tube rolling, I'm leaning to the base Magni atm. However, I won't be ordering for a couple of weeks since I am waiting on a check; undoubtedly, I'll go back and forth numerous times before I pull the trigger.


----------



## Erik-Holland

A linear power supply improves the soundquality of the Squeezebox. But its a small improvement. The Modi Multibit makes the spdif output of the Squeezebox sing. Still cant believe how much better everything sounds.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

The only things I don't like about my Mimby is that fact that you need to keep it on all the time to sound its best.

 I also wish the coax connection had a screw connecting it to the back of the chassis like the optical. The coax is just wired directly to the board. My coax feels kinda wobbly and my cable needs a ton of force to go on. I'm really worried I'm going to snap the damn thing off. The weight of the cable alone is causing it to flex. Any Ideas?

 I'm wondering if I can solder on a more durable connection.


----------



## Faber65

Had the Mimby for one week already and I used it for about 2 hours a day. 
I am really very much satisfied about the SQ. 
Thank you Schiit


----------



## almarti

faber65 said:


> Had the Mimby for one week already and I used it for about 2 hours a day.
> I am really very much satisfied about the SQ.
> Thank you Schiit




Me too, impressive, thanks Schiit


----------



## almarti

I know this question and its answer has been done but (sorry) I don't find it.
Could you suggest a good toslink/mini-tosklink short cable (10, 30 or 50cm as max) to connect Chromecast Audio to Mimby.
Happy if the URL of answers is provided.
Thanks


----------



## slex

almarti said:


> I know this question and its answer has been done but (sorry) I don't find it.
> Could you suggest a good toslink/mini-tosklink short cable (10, 30 or 50cm as max) to connect Chromecast Audio to Mimby.
> Happy if the URL of answers is provided.
> Thanks



http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html


----------



## almarti

Thanks, but any other option cheaper?


----------



## darkarn

Try this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8HWV62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JvpFybMQ7XD2A
  
 @fjrabon was using it the last time I recall


----------



## Porteroso

Just a quick question... I own a Modi Multibit, and am wanting to see if optical will give better sound (for me, obviously it means jack schiit for anyone else, just like all the other praise choir reviews you read), but this same optical cable linked over and effing over again is mini to optical. Does the modi have a mini optical out????
  
 It doesn't right? It's just someone spamming the rarity they happen to have?


----------



## TheGame21x

porteroso said:


> Just a quick question... I own a Modi Multibit, and am wanting to see if optical will give better sound (for me, obviously it means jack schiit for anyone else, just like all the other praise choir reviews you read), but this same optical cable linked over and effing over again is mini to optical. Does the modi have a mini optical out????
> 
> It doesn't right? It's just someone spamming the rarity they happen to have?


 
 No, it has a standard optical in jack.


----------



## KoshNaranek

porteroso said:


> Just a quick question... I own a Modi Multibit, and am wanting to see if optical will give better sound (for me, obviously it means jack schiit for anyone else, just like all the other praise choir reviews you read), but this same optical cable linked over and effing over again is mini to optical. Does the modi have a mini optical out????
> 
> It doesn't right? It's just someone spamming the rarity they happen to have?




The cable you are looking at is for connecting a mac laptop to Modi. Modi uses a standard TOSLINK connector. I use a $6 amazon cable to connect mine to the TV. Standard TOSLINK on both ends.


----------



## AviP

koshnaranek said:


> The cable you are looking at is for connecting a mac laptop to Modi. Modi uses a standard TOSLINK connector. I use a $6 amazon cable to connect mine to the TV. Standard TOSLINK on both ends.



Some other products which support this are the Mac Mini and the Chromecast audio, of course there are many other such products.
Also, be aware that the 2016 MacBook Pro dropped the optical output.


----------



## brillo

rickb said:


> If your USB port was noisy or prone to dropouts, S/PDIF might be a solution. Some people think it just sounds better.


 

 I'm using a Singxer F-1 USB to S/PDIF converter with the Modi Multibit, and to me it's significantly better (sonically) than straight USB.


----------



## AviP

brillo said:


> I'm using a Singxer F-1 USB to S/PDIF converter with the Modi Multibit, and to me it's significantly better (sonically) than straight USB.



Have you ever compared the Singxer F-1 to the Singxer X-1?


----------



## winders

I am going to buy a DXIO Pro3z.


----------



## brillo

avip said:


> Have you ever compared the Singxer F-1 to the Singxer X-1?


 

 I have never heard the X-1.  
  
 I do have a Singxer SU-1, and I prefer the F-1.  But that may be because I'm using a really good power supply (Uptone Audio LPS-1) to power my microRendu, which is feeding the F-1 (and providing really good/clean 5 volts of power).


----------



## Jimster480

How does this compare to the ODAC? Or the O2DAC/Amp Combo (with this DAC connected to a Magni 2)?


----------



## Faber65

jimster480 said:


> How does this compare to the ODAC? Or the O2DAC/Amp Combo (with this DAC connected to a Magni 2)?




Different league. In my humble opinion the ODAC cannot be compared with the Mimby.
The second offers better features (RCA SPDIF), and it is also more expensive. 
Regarding the SQ it depends on the personal taste. 
The match O2-Mimby sounds to me more luscious and yet rich in details.
The ODAC is a kinda of more neutral, a bit algid... 
But then, again, it depends on the headphones match and on the personal taste.


----------



## maxh22

I heard the Mimby yesterday at Canjam. Was very impressed with the Vali 2 and Mimby combo.


----------



## MWSVette

maxh22 said:


> I heard the Mimby yesterday at Canjam. Was very impressed with the Vali 2 and Mimby combo.


 

 For the money it is an amazing combo...


----------



## Faber65

mwsvette said:


> maxh22 said:
> 
> 
> > I heard the Mimby yesterday at Canjam. Was very impressed with the Vali 2 and Mimby combo.
> ...




Agree completely!!!


----------



## darkarn

I did a brief comparison with a loaned Denon DA-10 (not a fair fight I know), the difference between their capabilities as DACs is pretty startling


----------



## X-Calibar

I ran into a slightly concerning issue while switching inputs a whole bunch... A ghostly high pitch noise that seems to go away by restarting it, haven't tried to recreate it!
  
 I remembered reading online that the optical input on the modi multibit "might" be superior to the USB input.  So I spent some time today downloading a portable copy of Foobar2k and using WASAPI to optical and ASIO to USB from the PC, playing at the same time. (96k FLAC instrumental, then some vocal and some 88kHz optical 176kHz USB DSD->PCM files)  I kept switching between the inputs on the Mimby trying to detect any differences, but I couldn't note anything discernible ...
 But about 7 minutes into this A/Bing by pressing the input switch on the Mimby, quite often...  I noticed a weird subtle high pitch ghost ringing, noise that mocked the music being played focused on the left side, on both inputs.  I wondered if I had been playing the music too loud and broken something in my testing!  It did not go away until I decided to switch the Modi MB off for 10 seconds.  
  
 Whew.  Seems back to normal now.  But perhaps it's not a good idea to switch inputs too often without rebooting the Modi eventually?  Bought the Mimby in December.  
 ...perhaps it had something to do with a DSD->PCM file being played, with optical set at 88kHz and USB at 176kHz.  Because Schiit got real when it realized I was playing a DSD file.  lol
  
 Equipment:
 Foobar2kportable ASIO -> USB 2 port -> Plain ole short USB 2 cable from an external drive -> Modi Multibit -> PYST RCA -> Jotunheim -> SE -> Stock Cable HD 650
 Foobar2k WASAPI (event) -> optical port -> Radioshack 3' optical cable -> Modi Multibit -> PYST RCA -> Jotunheim -> SE -> Stock Cable HD 650
 *using the latest USB Mimby drivers were a hassle but finally got them working.


----------



## RickB

x-calibar said:


> I ran into a slightly concerning issue while switching inputs a whole bunch... A ghostly high pitch noise that seems to go away by restarting it, haven't tried to recreate it!
> 
> I remembered reading online that the optical input on the modi multibit "might" be superior to the USB input.  So I spent some time today downloading a portable copy of Foobar2k and using WASAPI to optical and ASIO to USB from the PC, playing at the same time. (96k FLAC instrumental, then some vocal and some 88kHz optical 176kHz USB DSD->PCM files)  I kept switching between the inputs on the Mimby trying to detect any differences, but I couldn't note anything discernible ...
> But about 7 minutes into this A/Bing by pressing the input switch on the Mimby, quite often...  I noticed a weird subtle high pitch ghost ringing, noise that mocked the music being played focused on the left side, on both inputs.  I wondered if I had been playing the music too loud and broken something in my testing!  It did not go away until I decided to switch the Modi MB off for 10 seconds.
> ...


 
 The Mimby does have a sample rate bug which occurs rarely when switching between different rates. Doing exactly what you did, turning it off and then on, makes it go away.


----------



## Jimster480

faber65 said:


> Different league. In my humble opinion the ODAC cannot be compared with the Mimby.
> The second offers better features (RCA SPDIF), and it is also more expensive.
> Regarding the SQ it depends on the personal taste.
> The match O2-Mimby sounds to me more luscious and yet rich in details.
> ...


 

 Thanks for the input!
 I know the Multibit here is more expensive since it doesn't include an amp too. But does it work well when paired with the $99 amp from Schiit? Or are there better amps for the price?


----------



## gvl2016

I don't think I have the stamina to go through almost 150 pages of this discussion, but did anyone here not like the mimby and if so why?


----------



## Alchemist007

jimster480 said:


> Thanks for the input!
> I know the Multibit here is more expensive since it doesn't include an amp too. But does it work well when paired with the $99 amp from Schiit? Or are there better amps for the price?


 
 Depends on how much you're willing to spend and how well it would pair with your headphones.


----------



## Faber65

jimster480 said:


> faber65 said:
> 
> 
> > Different league. In my humble opinion the ODAC cannot be compared with the Mimby.
> ...




I cannot reply to your answer as I don't have the Magni, but the Vali2. 
In any case I believe that at Schiit, they considered the synergy between the components.


----------



## Jimster480

alchemist007 said:


> Depends on how much you're willing to spend and how well it would pair with your headphones.


 

 I only have 1More Triple driver, and some Panasonic RP-HD10.
  
  
 Then I have a few cheap sets for workouts or talking in the car, etc.
  
 I don't really plan on buying anything else crazy, maybe another IEM in the future and maybe Oppo PM-3 later on.


----------



## darkarn

gvl2016 said:


> I don't think I have the stamina to go through almost 150 pages of this discussion, but did anyone here not like the mimby and if so why?


 
  
 The general consensus is that the Mimby is excellent for its price; even defeating higher-priced DACs. Hence you won't see much of such opinions.
  
 That said, the reason people give for going from Mimby to something else (e.g. Bimby, Gumby, Yggy or other brands) is the "glassy" sound for higher notes (main reason), "weaker" USB input (going to Bimby solves this), lack of upgradability and having to keep it on at all times for optimum performance (main issue with Schiit's R2R DACs)


----------



## Whittie

This could well be the wrong place, but has anyone compared the multibit to the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100?
  
 I am looking right at this price point and both can be had for $250, so I'm interested to hear from someone that has tried both. I have found a few reviews comparing the base BiFrost, but none on the much newer Mimby.
  
 I already have a DacMagic and I like it a lot, however I'm in need of a second DAC and I'm kind of interested in the Schiit if only so I don't have 2 of the same item...
  
 I'll be using it to power an extensively modified Silicon Chip Headphone Amp, http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/thread/3622/silicon-chip-headphone-amp-tweaks, and pushing Beyer DT250's and AKG K702's.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Alchemist007

jimster480 said:


> I only have 1More Triple driver, and some Panasonic RP-HD10.
> 
> 
> Then I have a few cheap sets for workouts or talking in the car, etc.
> ...


 

 Yeah I wouldn't go too crazy with dac/amps, my $10 buds sound kinda weird and bloated out of anything with higher than average power.


----------



## gvl2016

darkarn said:


> The general consensus is that the Mimby is excellent for its price; even defeating higher-priced DACs. Hence you won't see much of such opinions.
> 
> That said, the reason people give for going from Mimby to something else (e.g. Bimby, Gumby, Yggy or other brands) is the "glassy" sound for higher notes (main reason), "weaker" USB input (going to Bimby solves this), lack of upgradability and having to keep it on at all times for optimum performance (main issue with Schiit's R2R DACs)


 

 Thanks, exactly what I was looking for.


----------



## newtophones07

Is the modi multibit + basic Jotunheim-nodac/no phono stage a better option (due to what I assume is a better dac from the multibit--please correct me if I am wrong)

 than buying the

Jotunheim with the DAC included?

Also help me out, as I'm am thoroughly confused. I need a balanced headphone amp---does that mean I HAVE to buy the Jotunheim with the additional balanced dac card for the extra $100, or does it have the ability to run as a balanced amp in the default $399 configuration?

Thanks


----------



## Jimster480

alchemist007 said:


> Yeah I wouldn't go too crazy with dac/amps, my $10 buds sound kinda weird and bloated out of anything with higher than average power.


 

  I wouldn't use any $10 buds with a DAC/Amp.
  
 But for the Panasonic HD-10 and the 1More Triple driver only.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

newtophones07 said:


> Is the modi multibit + basic Jotunheim-nodac/no phono stage a better option (due to what I assume is a better dac from the multibit--please correct me if I am wrong)
> 
> than buying the
> 
> ...


 

 I don't have any, but the mainstream here is that the Mimby outperforms the balanced DAC on the Jot, the last being well worth the 100$ though.
  
 As for the balanced out, you just need a balanced amp. Better results going full balanced, but not night and day differences.


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> The general consensus is that the Mimby is excellent for its price; even defeating higher-priced DACs. Hence you won't see much of such opinions.
> 
> That said, the reason people give for going from Mimby to something else (e.g. Bimby, Gumby, Yggy or other brands) is the "glassy" sound for higher notes (main reason), "weaker" USB input (going to Bimby solves this), lack of upgradability and having to keep it on at all times for optimum performance (main issue with Schiit's R2R DACs)


 
  
 Wait, so I should not keep turning my Mimby off every night?


----------



## franzdom

metrops said:


> Wait, so I should not keep turning my Mimby off every night?


 
  
 Correct.


----------



## Metrops

franzdom said:


> Correct.


 
  
 Does it do any harm or just that you have to wait a long time for it to warm up and produce better sound?


----------



## darkarn

gvl2016 said:


> Thanks, exactly what I was looking for.


 
  
 No prob!
  


metrops said:


> Wait, so I should not keep turning my Mimby off every night?


 
  
 Yeah, just leave it on. It will not take up much electricity (should be on par with consumer grade wireless routers)


----------



## franzdom

metrops said:


> Does it do any harm or just that you have to wait a long time for it to warm up and produce better sound?


 
  
 The latter. My Yggy is said to sound best after a whole week of reaching thermal equilibrium.


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> No prob!
> 
> 
> Yeah, just leave it on. It will not take up much electricity (should be on par with consumer grade wireless routers)


 
  
 I am just used to turning everything off once I have finished with it. Guess I will leave it on then


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> Does it do any harm or just that you have to wait a long time for it to warm up and produce better sound?


 
  
 You will have to wait for a long time for it to warm up (approx 10 mins) and be its very best (2 hours to even weeks depending on how picky you are)


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> I am just used to turning everything off once I have finished with it. Guess I will leave it on then


 
  
 Don't worry, if you are using other stuff especially some tube amps, this is the correct way of keeping them in tip-top condition. For Schiit DACs, just leave it on!


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> Don't worry, if you are using other stuff especially some tube amps, this is the correct way of keeping them in tip-top condition. For Schiit DACs, just leave it on!


 
  
 Yeah, I got Valhalla 2 and Modi Multibit, they sound amazing together. Only had the setup for about a week/two weeks


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> Yeah, I got Valhalla 2 and Modi Multibit, they sound amazing together. Only had the setup for about a week/two weeks


 
  
 Ah no wonder you got the habit to switch off all the stuff since leaving the Valhalla will use up the tubes even when there is no audio playing. It's a very good combination based on what I am seeing, you will enjoy it more as the weeks pass by!


----------



## darkarn

franzdom said:


> The latter. My Yggy is said to sound best after a whole week of reaching thermal equilibrium.


 
  
 Whoa, that's long!


----------



## Metrops

darkarn said:


> Ah no wonder you got the habit to switch off all the stuff since leaving the Valhalla will use up the tubes even when there is no audio playing. It's a very good combination based on what I am seeing, you will enjoy it more as the weeks pass by!


 
  
 Yeah, I do plan on getting some new tubes, no idea what I want though


----------



## darkarn

metrops said:


> Yeah, I do plan on getting some new tubes, no idea what I want though


 
  
 Since you are just barely weeks into using the Valhalla, I suggest you get used to the sound first before deciding if you want to buy a different tube or not.


----------



## lenroot77

Just to confirm I can sit my Mimby on top of my Jotunheim (to the left side of Jot) and leave them both turned on at all times? 
Just wanted to ask again as the Mimby feels pretty warm at the moment.

Thanks!


----------



## Jimster480

So the real question to me is multibit worth it vs "standard".

 Is there an actual audible difference? There are many high end DAC's or DAC/Amp's using "standard" DAC chips and some that are considered reference grade.
 So is it just a more efficient rendering of audio from Digital to Analog or what is there to gain from it?

 I would imagine if it does make a difference then it would rely heavily on the actual recording and may make alot of the "cheaply made" music of today sound even worse than it already does.
  
 Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, I am just looking over what DAC or DAC/Amp combo to get after I close on my house and there are alot of options across the price spectrum and I am trying to find what is sonically the best for the money.
  
 From what I understand more than anything, the OPAmps & analog circuitry make much more of a difference than the DAC itself and that makes a great deal of sense.


----------



## RickB

jimster480 said:


> So the real question to me is multibit worth it vs "standard".
> 
> Is there an actual audible difference? There are many high end DAC's or DAC/Amp's using "standard" DAC chips and some that are considered reference grade.
> So is it just a more efficient rendering of audio from Digital to Analog or what is there to gain from it?
> ...


 
 In my experience, the Mimby makes everything sound better. No, it won't make a bad recording sound good, but it will make it a little more tolerable. 
  
 I haven't owned that many DACs, but it is the best DAC I've heard. I prefer it to the $400 Bifrost 4490.


----------



## Jimster480

rickb said:


> In my experience, the Mimby makes everything sound better. No, it won't make a bad recording sound good, but it will make it a little more tolerable.
> 
> I haven't owned that many DACs, but it is the best DAC I've heard. I prefer it to the $400 Bifrost 4490.


 
 Interesting information. I would expect that the better resolution of audio actually makes the audio sound worse. Which is what i have experienced as I upgrade my audio hardware.


----------



## RickB

jimster480 said:


> Interesting information. I would expect that the better resolution of audio actually makes the audio sound worse. Which is what i have experienced as I upgrade my audio hardware.


 
 The multibit actually manages to sound smoother than delta sigma, so harshness/glare in the recording is reduced. I'm not saying it's not accurate, something I can't fully assess with my level of experience, but it definitely doesn't make recordings sound worse like some other DACs I've heard do.


----------



## r2muchstuff

jimster480 said:


> ...   Is there an actual audible difference? There are many high end DAC's or DAC/Amp's using "standard" DAC chips and some that are considered reference grade.
> 
> I would imagine if it does make a difference then it would rely heavily on the actual recording and may make alot of the "cheaply made" music of today sound even worse than it already does.


 
  
  


rickb said:


> In my experience, the Mimby makes everything sound better. No, it won't make a bad recording sound good, but it will make it a little more tolerable.
> 
> I haven't owned that many DACs, but it is the best DAC I've heard. I prefer it to the $400 Bifrost 4490.


 
  
  
 Lossy files will sound like lossy files.  Clipped, over saturated, sibilant or poorly recorded/mastered files will sound like what they are.
  
 I agree with RickB about the multi bit.
  
 I find that better resolving systems get you closer to just hearing what is in the file.  I feel that a lot of older stuff that sounded poor, even when new, may be more listenable when you can hear into the recording.  For example; 1950s R&R is mostly better with the more resolving system and especially with Schiit Multibit 
  
 YMMV & JMTC,
 r2


----------



## Jimster480

r2muchstuff said:


> Lossy files will sound like lossy files.  Clipped, over saturated, sibilant or poorly recorded/mastered files will sound like what they are.
> 
> I agree with RickB about the multi bit.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks alot for the information.
  
 I think I'm leaning towards this when it comes to upgrading after closing on my house


----------



## Baldr

jimster480 said:


> Thanks alot for the information.
> 
> I think I'm leaning towards this when it comes to upgrading after closing on my house


 
  
 A wonderful sense of common-sense priorities.


----------



## Jimster480

baldr said:


> A wonderful sense of common-sense priorities.


 

 Yep!
 Family first, Business Second and Hobbies third!
  
 My K1 + RP-HD10's & 1More TD is enough for now its not like I'm going to die listening to it haha
  
 For the Modi Multibit is the Magni 2 good enough? I mean I imagine that the amp itself really depends more on headphones than anything else and I don't have any heavy ones.


----------



## darkarn

lenroot77 said:


> Just to confirm I can sit my Mimby on top of my Jotunheim (to the left side of Jot) and leave them both turned on at all times?
> Just wanted to ask again as the Mimby feels pretty warm at the moment.
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 The Mimby being warm is natural from what I heard from Schiit's tech support, there should be no problem stacking seeing that many have done so with their Schiit amps


----------



## Andrew Rieger

The heat varies from unit to unit based on my experience. I've owned two Mimby's. The first I sold to a friend. It would get super hot. The second I bought after missing the sound. This copy doesn't get nearly as hot for some reason. Both sounded fantastic though.


----------



## Baldr

jimster480 said:


> Yep!
> Family first, Business Second and Hobbies third!
> 
> My K1 + RP-HD10's & 1More TD is enough for now its not like I'm going to die listening to it haha
> ...


 

 In all fairness, I need to turn you over to the experience of others on this thread, who have more experience with more combinations of equipment than I do.


----------



## Jimster480

Okay so having read about R2R dac's for the past couple of hours things make alot more sense to me now.
  
 It seems that it would certainly have a difference unless its compared against a multi D/S solution? Maybe 2-6 D/S put together can come close.
  
 I have heard 24/192khz (my HTC 10 can record it) and it certainly sounds much different and lifelike even through cheap headphones or the HTC 10's speakers.
  
 So i can imagine that "true" 16 bit has to sound similar to these ultra high sampled 24-bit audio's.
  
  
 The one thing i don't understand is why do Gungnir and Yggdrasil have 4 of each DAC? If it can decode the entire audio stream by itself what do the other 3 do?

 And what is the real difference between Bifrost & Modi (multibits) if they are using the same DAC and the same quantity?


----------



## franzdom

jimster480 said:


> Okay so having read about R2R dac's for the past couple of hours things make alot more sense to me now.
> 
> It seems that it would certainly have a difference unless its compared against a multi D/S solution? Maybe 2-6 D/S put together can come close.
> 
> ...


 
  
 On the last question, they are sonically similar, the difference is in power supply quality and the ability or non-ability to upgrade.


----------



## theveterans

jimster480 said:


> Okay so having read about R2R dac's for the past couple of hours things make alot more sense to me now.
> 
> It seems that it would certainly have a difference unless its compared against a multi D/S solution? Maybe 2-6 D/S put together can come close.
> 
> ...


 
  
 There's always a BIAS in every DAC implementation. Good DS implementation exists and are sometimes preferred over R2R sound. 16-bit R2R can mean that there are 65536 voltage combinations that the DAC can produce. 24 bit audio maybe truncated to 16 bits or not (I think the latter is the right one due to the burrito filter), but there's no way the DAC can output more than 16 bits of audio. DS DAC OTOH, use noise shapers to produce high SNR to mimic the 24-bit or higher resolution. Custom DS implementations like on Chord DACs use proprietary noise shaping techniques that is supposed to reproduce all of the analog signals without missing information (same results as the burrito filter with Schiit).
  
 Gungnir and Yggy have 4 of them since Schiit allocated 1 DAC chip for each channel (2 channels for balanced and unbalanced which totals 4). The AD5547 inside the Bimby and Bimby are dual channel, dual current output so they only need 1 DAC for stereo audio.


----------



## slex

jimster480 said:


> Okay so having read about R2R dac's for the past couple of hours things make alot more sense to me now.
> 
> It seems that it would certainly have a difference unless its compared against a multi D/S solution? Maybe 2-6 D/S put together can come close.
> 
> ...



Balance output need more dacs


----------



## Jimster480

theveterans said:


> There's always a BIAS in every DAC implementation. Good DS implementation exists and are sometimes preferred over R2R sound. 16-bit R2R can mean that there are 65536 voltage combinations that the DAC can produce. 24 bit audio maybe truncated to 16 bits or not (I think the latter is the right one due to the burrito filter), but there's no way the DAC can output more than 16 bits of audio. DS DAC OTOH, use noise shapers to produce high SNR to mimic the 24-bit or higher resolution. Custom DS implementations like on Chord DACs use proprietary noise shaping techniques that is supposed to reproduce all of the analog signals without missing information (same results as the burrito filter with Schiit).
> 
> Gungnir and Yggy have 4 of them since Schiit allocated 1 DAC chip for each channel (2 channels for balanced and unbalanced which totals 4). The AD5547 inside the Bimby and Bimby are dual channel, dual current output so they only need 1 DAC for stereo audio.


 

 Ah okay I didn't realize the DACs in Gungnir and Yggy were single channel. That makes sense then.
 I thought they were all dual channel which is what was originally confusing.


----------



## Clemmaster

theveterans said:


> There's always a BIAS in every DAC implementation. Good DS implementation exists and are sometimes preferred over R2R sound. 16-bit R2R can mean that there are 65536 voltage combinations that the DAC can produce. 24 bit audio maybe truncated to 16 bits or not (I think the latter is the right one due to the burrito filter), but there's no way the DAC can output more than 16 bits of audio. DS DAC OTOH, use noise shapers to produce high SNR to mimic the 24-bit or higher resolution. Custom DS implementations like on Chord DACs use proprietary noise shaping techniques that is supposed to reproduce all of the analog signals without missing information (same results as the burrito filter with Schiit).




Apparently there is way, since the DS DACs do just that.


----------



## newtophones07

I may need to search...so please don't flame me,

But why do multibit DACs down sample 24/192 content? 

Also is there a comparable quality, comparable price DAC unit that pays 24/192 content WITHOUT down sampling?


----------



## Metrops

So how long you people left your Mimby on for without turning it off?


----------



## Jimster480

newtophones07 said:


> I may need to search...so please don't flame me,
> 
> But why do multibit DACs down sample 24/192 content?
> 
> Also is there a comparable quality, comparable price DAC unit that pays 24/192 content WITHOUT down sampling?


 

 Because there is no use for 24/192 content in the first place when 16/44.1 can already reproduce our entire tonal waveform. 24 bit only lowers noise floor and the insanely high sampling is only good for Delta-Sigma dac's to get more resolution to compare to true 16/44.1 that is discarded by most DAC's.
  
 You really have to spend hours reading up on the internal working of DAC's to understand this.


----------



## Dana Reed

newtophones07 said:


> I may need to search...so please don't flame me,
> 
> But why do multibit DACs down sample 24/192 content?
> 
> Also is there a comparable quality, comparable price DAC unit that pays 24/192 content WITHOUT down sampling?


 
 As far as I know, it does not downsample 192 kHz content.  It does round the 24-bit data to 16-bit, but the sample rate is 192 kHz.  44 or 48 kHz data is upsampled to 176.4 or 192 kHz using the megacomboburrito.  The yggy rounds 24-bit data to 21-bit...


----------



## Noldir

newtophones07 said:


> I may need to search...so please don't flame me,
> 
> But why do multibit DACs down sample 24/192 content?
> 
> Also is there a comparable quality, comparable price DAC unit that pays 24/192 content WITHOUT down sampling?




Good primer on it: http://www.head-fi.org/t/415361/24bit-vs-16bit-the-myth-exploded


----------



## Metrops

Getting many mixed messages, do you people put OS Volume at 100 percent and then adjust using your AMP or do you put a little less than 100 percent (like 80 percent) and then adjust on the AMP? Not sure if a tube AMP effects this at all. Just want to know what would be best with the Valhalla 2 and Mimby


----------



## jcn3

metrops said:


> Getting many mixed messages, do you people put OS Volume at 100 percent and then adjust using your AMP or do you put a little less than 100 percent (like 80 percent) and then adjust on the AMP? Not sure if a tube AMP effects this at all. Just want to know what would be best with the Valhalla 2 and Mimby


 
  
 put the os volume at one hundred percent and control the volume with the valhalla.  with this approach, the os is passing the music bit-perfect to the mimby and the volume is controlled in the analog domain on the valhalla.


----------



## Letmebefrank

newtophones07 said:


> I may need to search...so please don't flame me,
> 
> But why do multibit DACs down sample 24/192 content?
> 
> Also is there a comparable quality, comparable price DAC unit that pays 24/192 content WITHOUT down sampling?




Most DS dacs will play 24/192 or higher but anything over 16/44.1 only lowers the noise floor. 



metrops said:


> So how long you people left your Mimby on for without turning it off?




Mine has been on for months at a time with no problems. 



metrops said:


> Getting many mixed messages, do you people put OS Volume at 100 percent and then adjust using your AMP or do you put a little less than 100 percent (like 80 percent) and then adjust on the AMP? Not sure if a tube AMP effects this at all. Just want to know what would be best with the Valhalla 2 and Mimby




With Windows volume at 25%, that is a 12db reduction in volume. 12db=2 bits, so if you have a 32 bit volume control you basically reduce the noise floor by 12db and the rest of the data continues on to the dac. I recommend reading *this link* for more info. *Here is another good one. *


----------



## 227qed

metrops said:


> I am just used to turning everything off once I have finished with it. Guess I will leave it on then




I turn mine off every night, but adopted the book method to help it heat up a bit quicker haha. From a technical perspective though, there are pretty small variations in the material properties with the temperature ranges in a normal home. ...Unless you have all your gear in an unheated garage and listen first thing in the morning during winter haha. 

The whole idea here is pretty interesting though. Ifi advertises "C0G" capacitors in their products. There's nothing inherently special about this designation. It's just an industrial nomenclature standard that specifies how much variation in the capacitance that there is over a given temperature range at constant voltage. C0G cap vs temp is totally flat from -55 to 125 degrees C, so the performance of that part of their circuit is completely independent of whether or not the little guy is warmed up or not. 

Other materials show much less predictable behavior so there is definitely a sweet spot the schiit engineers worked out when designing their schiit.


----------



## leeperry

metrops said:


> a little less than 100 percent (like 80 percent) and then adjust on the AMP?


 
  
 http://www.musictech.net/2012/09/10mm-no211-inter-sample-peaks/


----------



## Metrops

leeperry said:


> http://www.musictech.net/2012/09/10mm-no211-inter-sample-peaks/


 
  
 Tried to understand some of that, yet it is very confusing. Only just got into audio, so still learning what half of the terms mean, especially when looking at a research paper


----------



## Tuneslover

metrops said:


> So how long you people left your Mimby on for without turning it off?



Mine has been on ever since I bought it about a year ago and it sounds terrific. I was told to leave my stand alone phono preamp on all the time too. It's been on since 2010 without issue too.


----------



## leeperry

metrops said:


> Tried to understand some of that, yet it is very confusing.


 
  
 Long story short 100% digital volume will clip on loudness war material.


----------



## henryk9

Well I've turned mine off, as the next three days we are having a heatwave here at the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
  
 The forecast for next three days is 44/45/41C or 111/113/106F max.
  
 I suppose some might say that the Mimby would really sing at these temps !,but would I be in a condition to enjoy it.
  
 I have a split system AC, but at these temps its battling to cool the whole house, let alone possible rolling blackouts that have been mentioned.


----------



## Baldr

henryk9 said:


> Well I've turned mine off, as the next three days we are having a heatwave here at the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.
> 
> The forecast for next three days is 44/45/41C or 111/113/106F max.
> 
> ...


 

 Ugh, we get that here at my abode in the summer as well.  Good luck!


----------



## Sam Lord

227qed said:


> The whole idea here is pretty interesting though. Ifi advertises "C0G" capacitors in their products. There's nothing inherently special about this designation. It's just an industrial nomenclature standard that specifies how much variation in the capacitance that there is over a given temperature range at constant voltage. C0G cap vs temp is totally flat from -55 to 125 degrees C, so the performance of that part of their circuit is completely independent of whether or not the little guy is warmed up or not.


 
  
 iFi is appealing only to veteran electronic designers here.  The temp performance of C0Gs is not important per se, but attaining that performance leads to very substantial audio gains.  C0Gs are absolutely superb in bypass or coupling, hideously expensive but worth every penny.  X7Rs are very good too, much cheaper, but nobody tries them because of fears of piezoelectric properties.  A shame because it's very rarely an issue in their use in audio.  It is important to avoid magnetic leads in all these monolithic ceramic caps, and you cannot trust the makers for correct information, you must test them with a strong magnet.


----------



## rydoggsc2

First post here but I have been a lurker for a couple years.  I received my Modi Multibit yesterday and thought I would share some initial impressions.  My current gear I have been using is Modi 2 Uber, Lyr 2, into a pair of HD600 and also a pair of Beyerdynamic T1.2 that I dislike and will be returning (that is another story though).  I listen with Foobar2000 in WASAPI mode with lossless only files.  I listen to primarily jazz, rock, and metal music.
  
 Installing the Mimby USB drivers was a pain in the butt on my Windows 10 machine.  Windows would not load drivers for it and the neither would the Schiit driver installer.  It would tell me that I did not have a device connected and cancel the installation.  In device manager it would just sit there and with the dreaded exclamation mark no matter what I tried.  I had to go in and manually install the driver that was already installed for the Modi 2 Uber.  I wish that Schiit would simply provide the drivers for their DACs rather than requiring a exe to install them.  Maybe I am just old fashioned that way.
  
 Now that the DAC was working it was time to do some comparisons with my Modi 2 Uber.  I was expecting some very obvious differences between the DACs but am so far really not hearing it.  They both sound great but incredibly similar.  The Mimby is louder but once volume matching is done to the Uber much of the perceived difference are eliminated.  After extensive AB comparisons for the next couple hours I can say I never preferred the Uber to the Mimby which may be meaningful or complete bias.  At times the Mimby seemed to offer a little more resolution to individual notes in piano pieces and maybe a little more air around the instruments in certain jazz albums.  Many times I would switch and notice no differences at all.  The differences I felt I heard at times between the Schiits could easily be attributed to confirmation bias...time will tell.
  
 A lot of the glowing reviews that I see for the Mimby in this thread are people coming from on board DACs and I have no doubt that the difference that they are experiencing is significant though if volume matching was done I also suspect would diminish some.  I am just not hearing very significant changes coming from a quality budget DAC.
  
 I look forward and will continue to do some critical listening over the weekend and see if I notice any changes.


----------



## 227qed

sam lord said:


> iFi is appealing only to veteran electronic designers here.  The temp performance of C0Gs is not important per se, but attaining that performance leads to very substantial audio gains.  C0Gs are absolutely superb in bypass or coupling, hideously expensive but worth every penny.  X7Rs are very good too, much cheaper, but nobody tries them because of fears of piezoelectric properties.  A shame because it's very rarely an issue in their use in audio.  It is important to avoid magnetic leads in all these monolithic ceramic caps, and you cannot trust the makers for correct information, you must test them with a strong magnet.


 

 Good info, thanks man.  I actually work at a company that sells ceramic capacitors and am always trying to learn more about their applications as a I am more or less just in sales and process engineering.  Our C0G and X7R caps are actually the same price though, so I'm curious what the other companies are doing. 
  
 Any way, I have a mind to understand how some of these audio gizmos can be in the 4 or 5 digit price range given that a *single multilayer cap can cost as much as a mimby *haha. 
  
 I mentioned the iFi advertising to my boss, but he didn't seem to interested in pursuing applications in the audio industry.  And he cut our headphone use policy to one ear only iem, so I'm pretty bummed about his lack of understanding how much it means to employees to have the freedom to jam while we work.  If it was a more welcoming environment I'd bring in a desktop setup but perhaps at my next job!


----------



## slex

rydoggsc2 said:


> First post here but I have been a lurker for a couple years.  I received my Modi Multibit yesterday and thought I would share some initial impressions.  My current gear I have been using is Modi 2 Uber, Lyr 2, into a pair of HD600 and also a pair of Beyerdynamic T1.2 that I dislike and will be returning (that is another story though).  I listen with Foobar2000 in WASAPI mode with lossless only files.  I listen to primarily jazz, rock, and metal music.
> 
> Installing the Mimby USB drivers was a pain in the butt on my Windows 10 machine.  Windows would not load drivers for it and the neither would the Schiit driver installer.  It would tell me that I did not have a device connected and cancel the installation.  In device manager it would just sit there and with the dreaded exclamation mark no matter what I tried.  I had to go in and manually install the driver that was already installed for the Modi 2 Uber.  I wish that Schiit would simply provide the drivers for their DACs rather than requiring a exe to install them.  Maybe I am just old fashioned that way.
> 
> ...



Give it more time and it will sing ! Im liking Modi compared to m9xx which is using same dac chip as Uber.


----------



## 227qed

rydoggsc2 said:


> First post here but I have been a lurker for a couple years.  I received my Modi Multibit yesterday and thought I would share some initial impressions.  My current gear I have been using is Modi 2 Uber, Lyr 2, into a pair of HD600 and also a pair of Beyerdynamic T1.2 that I dislike and will be returning (that is another story though).  I listen with Foobar2000 in WASAPI mode with lossless only files.  I listen to primarily jazz, rock, and metal music.
> 
> Installing the Mimby USB drivers was a pain in the butt on my Windows 10 machine.  Windows would not load drivers for it and the neither would the Schiit driver installer.  It would tell me that I did not have a device connected and cancel the installation.  In device manager it would just sit there and with the dreaded exclamation mark no matter what I tried.  I had to go in and manually install the driver that was already installed for the Modi 2 Uber.  I wish that Schiit would simply provide the drivers for their DACs rather than requiring a exe to install them.  Maybe I am just old fashioned that way.
> 
> ...


 

 Yeah I experienced the same thing as you.  My mimby isn't a necessarily a massive improvement over the modi 2 uber, but it definitely is over on board PC dacs or budget ones like the Fiio D03K.  It's definitely a scale thing to me though too.  I'm pretty confident that as I get better and better headphones and amps (more resolving, bigger stage, etc.) the merits of the mimby will become more apparent.  My mimby will be the last thing that I upgrade when I get into the next level.  And at that point, I'll probably go for a gumby as my DAC endgame.


----------



## Letmebefrank

rydoggsc2 said:


> First post here but I have been a lurker for a couple years.  I received my Modi Multibit yesterday and thought I would share some initial impressions.  My current gear I have been using is Modi 2 Uber, Lyr 2, into a pair of HD600 and also a pair of Beyerdynamic T1.2 that I dislike and will be returning (that is another story though).  I listen with Foobar2000 in WASAPI mode with lossless only files.  I listen to primarily jazz, rock, and metal music.
> 
> Installing the Mimby USB drivers was a pain in the butt on my Windows 10 machine.  Windows would not load drivers for it and the neither would the Schiit driver installer.  It would tell me that I did not have a device connected and cancel the installation.  In device manager it would just sit there and with the dreaded exclamation mark no matter what I tried.  I had to go in and manually install the driver that was already installed for the Modi 2 Uber.  I wish that Schiit would simply provide the drivers for their DACs rather than requiring a exe to install them.  Maybe I am just old fashioned that way.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 I personally found there to be a very noticeable difference between the Mimby and Modi 2 Uber. My modi 2 Uber was pre-ak4490, so take that into consideration as well. It is most noticeable in the cymbals. I am very sensitive to digital treble, not that it causes me pain, but I can very easily tell low-res vs high-res songs based purely on cymbals. Growing up I've had many friends who were drummers and I know exactly what cymbals should sound like. Bluetooth in my car is completely unlistenable for this reason. The cymbals sound like trash. 
  
 Cymbals with the Mimby sound as lifelike as I have ever heard, I would even say it sounds more natural than a vinyl LP. With the Modi 2 Uber, the cymbals weren't bad, but I could tell it was slightly off, even a bit digital sounding on some recordings. Rush is great for comparing cymbals as Neil Peart makes great use of them. Also the glass smashing on YYZ has a quality to it on the Mimby that just blows my mind every time I hear it.


----------



## lenroot77

For me it's very noticeable with drums and cymbals as well... maybe the difference is less noticeable depending on the music genre? Say something like EDM would not benefit as much?


----------



## winders

lenroot77 said:


> For me it's very noticeable with drums and cymbals as well... maybe the difference is less noticeable depending on the music genre? Say something like EDM would not benefit as much?


 

 The Mimby seems to excel at timbre clarity. I hear it with cymbals, drums, and especially woodwind instruments with reeds. I can hear the reed vibrate clearly.


----------



## winders

I want to make sure my Mimby is getting a good clean signal. Should I use USB out from my MacBook Pro and use something like the UpTone Audio REGEN or would I be better off using something like the DXIO PRO3Z and use the coax SPDIF input on my DAC. Or is optical SPDIF from a Thunderbolt 3 dock a better idea? Any of these options allow the same 24/196 max rate.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## gvl2016

Got my mmb yesterday, I don't have other modis to compare it with but the initial impression it's quite an achievement at its price point. The amount of detail and precision is the best I've heard, and it manages to render all of it without being harsh or annoying like some other DAC's I've been through. However it didn't score very high in the soundstage department when I ran it against my Arcam rDac through amp/speakers. With the rDac and eyes closed the speakers sort of disappear and the sound stage is wider than the speaker placement, not as much with the mimby which remains pretty focused to speakers, a bit disappointing. Need to do more listening, but so far it seems using it with closed back cans is where it really shines.
  
 PS: and yeah, installing drivers was a PITA as the newest couldn't detect the device, the only driver that worked was the earlier 1.03 version. Couldn't get the ASIO driver to install too.


----------



## slex

winders said:


> I want to make sure my Mimby is getting a good clean signal. Should I use USB out from my MacBook Pro and use something like the UpTone Audio REGEN or would I be better off using something like the DXIO PRO3Z and use the coax SPDIF input on my DAC. Or is optical SPDIF from a Thunderbolt 3 dock a better idea? Any of these options allow the same 24/196 max rate.
> 
> Thanks.



I have F1 DDC and ifi USB nano both are comparable with pro3z and regen. The pro3z will give a significant boost. But using both in chain is dwfinitely better.


----------



## rydoggsc2

> Originally Posted by *gvl2016* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> PS: and yeah, installing drivers was a PITA as the newest couldn't detect the device, the only driver that worked was the earlier 1.03 version. Couldn't get the ASIO driver to install too.


 
 That is very interesting.  Did you contact Schiit about your problem?  I did and so far in our back and forth no solutions have worked or been given that I had not already tried.


----------



## gvl2016

rydoggsc2 said:


> That is very interesting.  Did you contact Schiit about your problem?  I did and so far in our back and forth no solutions have worked or been given that I had not already tried.


 
  
 No, I got it working with the earlier version, so I'm ok for now. Native ASIO would be nice, but ASIO4ALL works too...


----------



## Letmebefrank

Windows 10 automatically installed the driver for my Modi Multibit. Native ASIO works fine. Not sure why it isn't working for you guys.


----------



## gvl2016

letmebefrank said:


> Windows 10 automatically installed the driver for my Modi Multibit. Native ASIO works fine. Not sure why it isn't working for you guys.


 
  
 I'm still on W7 and, well, XP. I was happy the driver worked at all on XP so no complaints here


----------



## rydoggsc2

I just brought a laptop home from work to test the install on a different Win 10 machine.  It installed with no issue at all with no extra drivers needed. Maybe there is some weird issue with the MSI Gaming 5 Z97 motherboard that I use in my two computers and the Mimby.  Whatever...at least I know it is working


----------



## 227qed

winders said:


> The Mimby seems to excel at timbre clarity. I hear it with cymbals, drums, and especially woodwind instruments with reeds. I can hear the reed vibrate clearly.




This. I agree 100%, good description. Out of the digital and into real life the mimby bring you.


----------



## 227qed

letmebefrank said:


> Windows 10 automatically installed the driver for my Modi Multibit. Native ASIO works fine. Not sure why it isn't working for you guys.




Mine too for the record. Plug n play made me very happy.


----------



## jcdreamer

Plug n play here as well.


----------



## darkarn

I needed drivers too (the one with lower version number) but I am on Windows 7
  
 Then I decided to go optical and will eventually go to Coaxial


----------



## AncientSw0rd

I had to load the older driver in my Windows 10 to get it working. I was not too happy about it not wanting to install at first. It took me a bit to figure it out. The older driver did work right away once I installed it.
  
 I think this has been a worthwhile upgrade over the Fulla2 I had.


----------



## fritobugger

I had to user the older driver set with my Windows 7 set up. Sounds fine though.


----------



## Jimster480

227qed said:


> Good info, thanks man.  I actually work at a company that sells ceramic capacitors and am always trying to learn more about their applications as a I am more or less just in sales and process engineering.  Our C0G and X7R caps are actually the same price though, so I'm curious what the other companies are doing.
> 
> Any way, I have a mind to understand how some of these audio gizmos can be in the 4 or 5 digit price range given that a *single multilayer cap can cost as much as a mimby *haha.
> 
> I mentioned the iFi advertising to my boss, but he didn't seem to interested in pursuing applications in the audio industry.  And he cut our headphone use policy to one ear only iem, so I'm pretty bummed about his lack of understanding how much it means to employees to have the freedom to jam while we work.  If it was a more welcoming environment I'd bring in a desktop setup but perhaps at my next job!


 

 Thats pretty harsh! A 1 ear only policy?????

 My god I always listened to music at work all day every day, here at home i usually listen to music all day every day too while working.


----------



## Jimster480

lenroot77 said:


> For me it's very noticeable with drums and cymbals as well... maybe the difference is less noticeable depending on the music genre? Say something like EDM would not benefit as much?


 

 In my experiences EDM types of music seem to not benefit as much as they are purely digital in the first place.
 Soundstage can come out but overall EDM works well with V-shaped signatures and cheap audio equipment, once you have "decent" stuff it seems unlikely for you to differentiate it more (I found that upgrading audio equipment actually made many songs irritating for me due to artifacts in the mixing or poor digital instrument renditions that were "covered up" by poor reproduction in the past) than you would with "cheap" but still above onboard level audio or even a good smartphone audio solution.


----------



## Porteroso

I also had to use old drivers for Windows 7. Was annoying, but not too big of a deal. You would think that they could figure out the driver situation though.


----------



## rydoggsc2

After a couple days and a tube change on my Lyr 2 I am confident the Mimby is a worthwhile upgrade over the Modi 2 Uber if you have the extra coin.  If $250 is a painful investment I think the money could be better spent elsewhere such as a new set of headphones. 
  
 It is not what I would call a night and day difference but I am noticing more in the finer details, especially in the high end.  Little details like the fret rattle on Alice in Chains Unplugged become more real sounding to me and each string strummed becomes more distinct from the piezo pickup.  It sounds more like real life experiences I have had playing guitar.  There is more air around each note and details in the cymbals and drum work are more noticeable and enjoyable in most recordings.  It feels like the recording is less flat for lack of a better word.
  
 Overall I am now happy as a pig in Schiit as the title says!


----------



## Letmebefrank

rydoggsc2 said:


> After a couple days and a tube change on my Lyr 2 I am confident the Mimby is a worthwhile upgrade over the Modi 2 Uber if you have the extra coin.  If $250 is a painful investment I think the money could be better spent elsewhere such as a new set of headphones.
> 
> It is not what I would call a night and day difference but I am noticing more in the finer details, especially in the high end.  Little details like the fret rattle on Alice in Chains Unplugged become more real sounding to me and each string strummed becomes more distinct from the piezo pickup.  It sounds more like real life experiences I have had playing guitar.  There is more air around each note and details in the cymbals and drum work are more noticeable and enjoyable in most recordings.  It feels like the recording is less flat for lack of a better word.
> 
> Overall I am now happy as a pig in Schiit as the title says!


 
  
 Alice in chains unplugged is a fantastic album, definitely my favorite live album. The recording is superb, as were all MTV unplugged albums back then. This album sounds fantastic through Mimby, like you are in the front row sitting next to James and Lars. Right now I'm listening to it through my desk speaker setup: FLAC>Foobar2k>ASIO>Mimby>SMSL-SA50>Dayton Sub-800>Micca MB42x. With the Miccas wall mounted 80" apart, 24" off the desk and angled slightly towards me the soundstage is immense.


----------



## Mosauwer

Guys which amp are you using?


----------



## winders

mosauwer said:


> Guys which amp are you using?


 

 I am using a Lyr 2. The Modi Multibit and Lyr 2 is a great combination. I used a Vali 2 with it for a couple of weeks and that worked well too.


----------



## AviP

mosauwer said:


> Guys which amp are you using?


 
 Vali 2


----------



## Mosauwer

winders said:


> I am using a Lyr 2. The Modi Multibit and Lyr 2 is a great combination. I used a Vali 2 with it for a couple of weeks and that worked well too.




Very interesting. I am also aiming to get this setup. Have you tried their lisst tubes? And please what headphones are currently are you using?


----------



## Mosauwer

avip said:


> Vali 2



Have u heard magni 2? If so can u make a comparisn?


----------



## winders

mosauwer said:


> Very interesting. I am also aiming to get this setup. Have you tried their lisst tubes? And please what headphones are currently are you using?


 
  
 Here is my setup:
  
  

  
 I am using Sennheiser HD 650 headphones.
  
 I have not tried the LISST "tubes". Real tubes sound awesome!


----------



## AviP

mosauwer said:


> Have u heard magni 2? If so can u make a comparisn?


 
  
 I have a Magni 2. The problem is that my Vali 2 is at work and my Magni 2 is at home, so I never really have the opportunity to compare them head to head (I also use different headphones at work and at home). If it helps, I like them both  Sorry I can't be a bigger help.


----------



## r2muchstuff

mosauwer said:


> Have u heard magni 2? If so can u make a comparisn?


 

 I have the Mangi 2 Uber and the Vali 2.  Both are connected to a Modi Multibit using a Y cable.
  
 The Mangi 2U is wonderful however, the Vale 2 is my preference.  I am able to fine tune the sound to my headphones and ears via tube selection.
  
 The Vale 2 with an adapter and a Western Electric 396A tube pairs great (for me) with the Senheiser HD 650; and with another adapter and a 6SN7 tube it pairs great (for me) with various Beyerdynamic phones and with a Grado 325e.
  
 YMMV & IMHO etc.,
 r2


----------



## Metrops

mosauwer said:


> Guys which amp are you using?


 
  
 Using the Valhalla 2 with the HD 700


----------



## floppiness

Which input is typically recommended? I keep switching between USB and Optical. I can hear a difference but it's subtle. I think I'm leaning toward Optical, but I don't know if it is a my mind imagining things.


----------



## AncientSw0rd

mosauwer said:


> Guys which amp are you using?




I'm using an Asgard with mine and Hifiman he-400 i


----------



## Baldr

floppiness said:


> Which input is typically recommended? I keep switching between USB and Optical. I can hear a difference but it's subtle. I think I'm leaning toward Optical, but I don't know if it is a my mind imagining things.


 

 Optical uses the S/PDIF protocol, which is an interface designed only for digital audio.  USB is universal, will work to transfer almost any kind of data, from printers to SSDs.  If I were to run, I would probably choose running shoes.


----------



## r2muchstuff

baldr said:


> ...     If I were to run, I would probably choose running shoes.


 
 LOL


----------



## leeperry

baldr said:


> Optical uses the S/PDIF protocol, which is an interface designed only for digital audio.  USB is universal, will work to transfer almost any kind of data, from printers to SSDs.  If I were to run, I would probably choose running shoes.


 
  
 Right, but how about these opinions please?
  
 https://www.gearslutz.com/board/1788545-post2.html
  
 -Hiface's designer said that due to the double light conversions using cheapo LED's, Toslink reached +1000ps jitter which is out the window.
  
 .Currawong provided a link where you can see why toslink appears to be a terrible idea, and why all coax outputs are not born equal: http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TRANSPORT/CD_transport_DIY.html
  
 And only the WM8804/5 S/PDIF receivers reclock AFAIK?
  
 I just don't see how anyone could recommend Toslink over async USB so I thought I'd ask


----------



## Baldr

leeperry said:


> Right, but how about these opinions please?
> 
> https://www.gearslutz.com/board/1788545-post2.html
> 
> ...


 

 OK, I will engage. 
  
 When I built my first audio DAC, the AES/EBU and SPDIF hardware examples were not yet available on the market.  The only way to connect the transport and DAC was direct bit/word/data connections, which without exotic hi-speed line drivers added jitter as poor as TOS is capable.  In those days, no one cared about jitter for digital audio except me, probably because there were no audio DAC components on the market.
  
 The biggest problem I faced in introducing audio DAC components was jitter performance of recovered clocks, after the availability of S/PDIF and AES/EBU pro audio interfaces became available.  Over the years, I have always used the same approach to control jitter.  There are measurements on this forum which bear that out. 
  
 Given the proliferation of "cookbook approach" assemble the chips engineering which prevails today, such jitter and clock recovery could become problematical in products designed incapables or those who do not bother.  This is why I could care less whether a given IC has clock recovery or not.  This "cookbook approach" may well be why the gearslutz poster opined as he did.
  
 I agree that TOS performance is far worse than coax; it is however, recoverable for those who take the trouble to do so.
  
 The ubiquitous USB forces the user to (in the case of Windows) to deal with layers (ASIO or WASAPI), excessive noise from the viewpoint of audio parasitic clocks, and the high background noise of computers.  This is not to mention dropouts, unreliability, particularly with the use of exclusive modes, were developed to avoid the consensus of less than ideal sound and poor reliability.


----------



## winders

baldr said:


> OK, I will engage.
> 
> When I built my first audio DAC, the AES/EBU and SPDIF hardware examples were not yet available on the market.  The only way to connect the transport and DAC was direct bit/word/data connections, which without exotic hi-speed line drivers added jitter as poor as TOS is capable.  In those days, no one cared about jitter for digital audio except me, probably because there were no audio DAC components on the market.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Mike,
  
 I want to make sure that I am getting the digital data as clean as is reasonably possible to my Modi Multibit DAC. I am currently using a 2016 MacBook Pro USB-C port with Apple USB-C to USB-A adaptor to a USB Cable you sell to the Mimby. Would a quality USB to S/PDIF Coax converter and a quality coax cable give the Mimby better data to work with than straight USB? I am not going to ask you if it would be noticeable or not. That is too subjective. I just  want to know if it is better from a technical perspective. Hoe does galvanic isolation come into play here? What about the quality of the power?
  
 Thanks!
  
 P.S. I love you products!


----------



## leeperry

baldr said:


> Given the proliferation of "cookbook approach" assemble the chips engineering which prevails today, such jitter and clock recovery could become problematical in products designed incapables or those who do not bother.  This is why I could care less whether a given IC has clock recovery or not.


 
  
 Fair enough, thanks! But Mimby is using AK4113 so how is that not a "cookbook approach"? This $2 IC takes care of the hit & miss clock recovery and feeds I²S to the DAC chip as far as I can tell?
  
 I entirely agree that not all USB ports are born equal but as far as I can see there's no "better" or "worse" in the S/PDIF world, just "different" because everything's out of specs to begin with and because it relies on clock recovery clocking becomes entirely dependent on the decoding chip so this seems to end up being a worst case scenario, especially compared to async USB.


----------



## Jimster480

baldr said:


> OK, I will engage.
> 
> When I built my first audio DAC, the AES/EBU and SPDIF hardware examples were not yet available on the market.  The only way to connect the transport and DAC was direct bit/word/data connections, which without exotic hi-speed line drivers added jitter as poor as TOS is capable.  In those days, no one cared about jitter for digital audio except me, probably because there were no audio DAC components on the market.
> 
> ...


 
  
 So you are saying that I shouldn't use SPDIF with my new set of speakers?
 I know this isn't on topic but I got some Klipsch reference powered monitors with USB, Aux, Phono, Optical.
 I connected them to my Sony 4K via Optical.

 So based on what you are saying I should use a different input? Should I use my headphone out on my TV and set the TV to Fixed/PreAmp and then do 3.5mm -> RCA Phono instead?
 I doubt my TV supports USB audio.


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> baldr said:
> 
> 
> > OK, I will engage.
> ...


 
 He is not saying to use USB. A SPDIF connection is much easier for schiit's hardware to manage than USB. With USB, which was designed for data, not audio, there are many variables that Schiit cannot control. Obviously their Wyrd is an attempt to do so, but using optical/coaxial SPDIF should be much better he is saying. Also he is saying that Coaxial will generally be better than optical. But even that depends heavily upon what optical or coaxial implementation is feeding the schiit.


----------



## winders

Oh hell, this is what I've decided to do:
  
 MacBook Pro -> iFi iDefender3.0 (with iFi iPower 5v DC ) -> iFi iPurifier2 -> Singxer F-1 (SPDIF Coax out) -> Mimby (SPDIF Coax in)
  
 This should really clean things up!


----------



## MWSVette

winders said:


> Oh hell, this is what I've decided to do:
> 
> MacBook Pro -> iFi iDefender3.0 (with iFi iPower 5v DC ) -> iFi iPurifier2 -> Singxer F-1 (SPDIF Coax out) -> Mimby (SPDIF Coax in)
> 
> This should really clean things up!


 
 Now the important part, enjoy the music....


----------



## winders

mwsvette said:


> Now the important part, enjoy the music....


 

 Oh I have been doing that!! I'm hearing all kinds of nuances in songs that I have never heard before. At least not with this much clarity and detail!
  
 The iFi stuff and the Singxer F-1 are the last step to getting the best possible signal into Mimby.


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> He is not saying to use USB. A SPDIF connection is much easier for schiit's hardware to manage than USB. With USB, which was designed for data, not audio, there are many variables that Schiit cannot control. Obviously their Wyrd is an attempt to do so, but using optical/coaxial SPDIF should be much better he is saying. Also he is saying that Coaxial will generally be better than optical. But even that depends heavily upon what optical or coaxial implementation is feeding the schiit.


 

 Well I'm not using any Schiit hardware in that stack (for now) its just Klipsch Powered Monitors w/ Optical from my Sony TV.
  
 Soon I'll get a Modi Multibit and test it in my office w/ headphones. If I like it I'll probably get a bifrost multibit or the even better one and then put the Modi Multibit in the TV setup to output to the Klipsch Phono in.


----------



## Dana Reed

winders said:


> Oh hell, this is what I've decided to do:
> 
> MacBook Pro -> iFi iDefender3.0 (with iFi iPower 5v DC ) -> iFi iPurifier2 -> Singxer F-1 (SPDIF Coax out) -> Mimby (SPDIF Coax in)
> 
> This should really clean things up!



How does the setup you are using compare to just say, the iFi micro iLink directly from the MacBook, or through a Wyrd?


----------



## winders

dana reed said:


> How does the setup you are using compare to just say, the iFi micro iLink directly from the MacBook, or through a Wyrd?


 

 I don't know. But, from everything I have read and been told, you want to:
  
 1. Break ground loops
 2. Get clean power on the USB bus
 3. Regenerate a near perfect USB signal
 4. Greatly reduce jitter
 5. Galvanically isolate the DAC from the PC
 6. Convert USB to SPDIF Coax
  
 The iDefender3.0 combined with the iPower do 1 and 2. The iPurifier2 does 3 and 4. The Singxer F-1 does 4, 5, and 6.
  
 I don't think the iLink does all 6 items in the list. Apparently the Singxer F-1, with all the other pieces above, is a superior solution.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I ordered an *Asus SPDIF output add on card* for my z97 Sabertooth MK1, which apparently has a SPDIF header that I never noticed before. We will see how it performs vs toslink and USB to Modi Multibit.


----------



## Tuneslover

winders said:


> Oh hell, this is what I've decided to do:
> 
> MacBook Pro -> iFi iDefender3.0 (with iFi iPower 5v DC ) -> iFi iPurifier2 -> Singxer F-1 (SPDIF Coax out) -> Mimby (SPDIF Coax in)
> 
> This should really clean things up!




Must be coal powered dirty energy in your neck of the woods .


----------



## winders

tuneslover said:


> Must be coal powered dirty energy in your neck of the woods .


 

 I live out in the country...you never know how good or bad the power might be!


----------



## Jimster480

tuneslover said:


> Must be coal powered dirty energy in your neck of the woods .


 

 lmao with all those filters you would think hes on wind power.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> lmao with all those filters you would think hes on wind power.


 

 You can laugh all you want, but each product does something different and each one is important for the desired end result.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> You can laugh all you want, but each product does something different and each one is important for the desired end result.


 

 IT just seems like complete overkill. I doubt you have that many issues.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> IT just seems like complete overkill. I doubt you have that many issues.


 

 Which of these is something you would not want to do if your goal was the best possible sound out of the equipment you have?
  
 1. Break ground loops
 2. Get clean power on the USB bus
 3. Regenerate a near perfect USB signal
 4. Greatly reduce jitter
 5. Galvanically isolate the DAC from the PC
 6. Convert USB to SPDIF Coax


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Which of these is something you would not want to do if your goal was the best possible sound out of the equipment you have?
> 
> 1. Break ground loops
> 2. Get clean power on the USB bus
> ...


 

 Personally I dont think that any of those things are actually real except for clean USB power.
 But the amp/dac doesn't run on USB power and that can be fixed with a good USB hub anyway.
  
 You realize that going from USB->Coax is the same thing as transmitting your audio via USB directly, except that its worse since you are passing through different sets of convertors on both sides, effectively adding more jitter or distortion or anything else of the sort.
  
 The only time I could see it being better is if you had a PCI->SPDIF adapter (usually they are in sound cards) and even then I doubt anyone would pass blind tests between USB audio and Coax/SPDIF audio.


----------



## leeperry

Wyrd needs to see +5V from the computer even though it's obviously not making any use of it, I'm not sure whether Mimby feeds its USB chip with it? A USB cable that had its +5V pin severed no workee but that doesn't prove anything as it would appear, maybe Baldr would be so kind as to confirm please?


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> winders said:
> 
> 
> > Which of these is something you would not want to do if your goal was the best possible sound out of the equipment you have?
> ...


 
 I've got both hooked up to my PC right now, USB and Coaxial. I think I can hear a pretty good amount of additional instrument separation, or maybe that's my perception and it's actually a lower noise floor. It would only take convincing the wife to switch back and forth and get some blind tests in. Perception bias is real, but the entire industry agrees that USB has issues that can definitely affect audio.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> You realize that going from USB->Coax is the same thing as transmitting your audio via USB directly, except that its worse since you are passing through different sets of convertors on both sides, effectively adding more jitter or distortion or anything else of the sort.
> 
> The only time I could see it being better is if you had a PCI->SPDIF adapter (usually they are in sound cards) and even then I doubt anyone would pass blind tests between USB audio and Coax/SPDIF audio.


 
  
 One case when it might not be true when a DAC's SPDIF interface is better than its USB interface, then a high-quality external USB->SPDIF converter may have a positive effect, at least in theory.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> One case when it might not be true when a DAC's SPDIF interface is better than its USB interface, then a high-quality external USB->SPDIF converter may have a positive effect, at least in theory.


 

 Yes that is true too. Because the USB audio converter chip makes a difference aswell.


----------



## Baldr

jimster480 said:


> So you are saying that I shouldn't use SPDIF with my new set of speakers?
> I know this isn't on topic but I got some Klipsch reference powered monitors with USB, Aux, Phono, Optical.
> I connected them to my Sony 4K via Optical.
> 
> ...


 

 Maybe I wasn't clear, but please DO use ANY digital over an analog one.  The coax and optical SHOULD BE better than the USB that you anyway do not have.


----------



## Jimster480

baldr said:


> Maybe I wasn't clear, but please DO use ANY digital over an analog one.  The coax and optical SHOULD BE better than the USB that you anyway do not have.


 
 Okay thanks, yea I have it connected via Optical and it sounds great especially with the reference sub I got too. I have the gain turned all the way down but it makes for a very good sound for TV/Movies.


----------



## Baldr

leeperry said:


> Fair enough, thanks! But Mimby is using AK4113 so how is that not a "cookbook approach"? This $2 IC takes care of the hit & miss clock recovery and feeds I²S to the DAC chip as far as I can tell?


 
 Taken as a single data point, the AK4113's clocks are not cleaned up until far later in the circuitry.  The cleanliness/timing of the clocks, and in particular the word clock is most critical at the DACs, where we use registers for that purpose.
  
 Good question!


----------



## leeperry

baldr said:


> Taken as a single data point, the AK4113's clocks are not cleaned up until far later in the circuitry.  The cleanliness/timing of the clocks, and in particular the word clock is most critical at the DACs, where we use registers for that purpose.


 
  
 OK thanks a lot for the reply, so long story short you extract the clock signal and reconstruct it all in AD5547? Via I²S?
  
 And is the USB chip of Mimby bus-powered?
  
 I must say that I'm also impressed that Mimby's USB drivers take 32int WASAPI so I can run all my VST plugins in 64fp and then output 32int, I guess it'll be dithered to 16int in the end eventually but at least Windows doesn't get a chance to skew my audio stream.


----------



## Faber65

winders said:


> dana reed said:
> 
> 
> > How does the setup you are using compare to just say, the iFi micro iLink directly from the MacBook, or through a Wyrd?
> ...




The combo iPurifier2 + micro iUSB covers from 1 to 5.
I am very much satisfied about this combination. 
Actually on my Mimby I also use the SPDIF Purifier on the optical port and it makes a clearly audible difference. 
Probably due to the fact that the source is not fantastic, I assume.


----------



## winders

faber65 said:


> The combo iPurifier2 + micro iUSB covers from 1 to 5.
> I am very much satisfied about this combination.
> Actually on my Mimby I also use the SPDIF Purifier on the optical port and it makes a clearly audible difference.
> Probably due to the fact that the source is not fantastic, I assume.


 

 You don't "Galvanically isolate the DAC from the PC" with that setup.


----------



## maxh22

winders said:


> You don't "Galvanically isolate the DAC from the PC" with that setup.




Actually you do, optical inherently galvanically isolates since it turns the usb signal into a stream of light. 

The OP is doing the right thing; he is cleaning up the signal before converting it to optical. This does result in a smoother, cleaner, more transparent sound.


----------



## Clemmaster

maxh22 said:


> Actually you do, optical inherently galvanically isolates since it turns the usb signal into a stream of light.
> 
> The OP is doing the right thing; he is cleaning up the signal before converting it to optical. This does result in a smoother, cleaner, more transparent sound.


 
  
 Where is the optical conversion taking place in the iPur2 + micro iUSB?


----------



## winders

clemmaster said:


> Where is the optical conversion taking place in the iPur2 + micro iUSB?


 

 Maybe they meant iPur2 + micro  iLink.


----------



## maxh22

clemmaster said:


> Where is the optical conversion taking place in the iPur2 + micro iUSB?




Mis-read your post. Thought you were saying his whole setup doesn't galvanicaly isolate the signal. Didn't realize you were referring to just those teo components.


----------



## hagenhays

Wondering if you take out price differential ($350) ....do people feel that the mimby can hang with the Bimby?from what I read they are basically similar except power supply?? But does that indeed affect the sound quality? I'm looking for good sound now, not chasing the rainbow farts of upgraditis...i love the hobby but would like to get some long time useage.
I currently have the modi uber and am looking to move it to room 2.
Mimby seems to get favorable reviews and is quoted as being quite a bit more detailed than its predecessor. Would I be missing out by not getting Bimby or reg. Bifrost? For $550 I could have the new oppo machine or that plus mimby for $800, seems like a good deal?

Any thoughts....[I just need the reassurance to pull the trigger on the mimby] Thanks.


----------



## theveterans

hagenhays said:


> Wondering if you take out price differential ($350) ....do people feel that the mimby can hang with the Bimby?
> I currently have the modi uber and am looking to move it to room 2.
> Mimby seems to get favorable reviews and is quoted as being quite a bit more detailed its predecessor. Would I be missing out by not getting Bimby or reg. Bifrost?


 
  
 Mimby is not upgradeable and only has 2 year warranty while Bimby has 5 year warranty and is upgradeable. Sound wise, they're almost the same.


----------



## hagenhays

Do i have a 2nd motion on sound quality being the same?
That's what I was hoping. Sending it back to be upgraded isn't something I am interested in.
Even if it was quantified at 90% of bimby...that would be great...there is always the point of diminishing returns, and im certainly looking for best sound:cost.


----------



## r2muchstuff

IMHO the Bifrost MB has better SQ than the Modi MB, is is $350 better?  Only you can decide.
  
 I bought a 2nd Bifrost MB, from the for sale forums, instead of another Modi MB for my "Upstairs Den System".  Future Proof, build quality and SQ won.
  
 JMTC & YMMV etc.,
 r2


----------



## Porteroso

hagenhays said:


> Do i have a 2nd motion on sound quality being the same?
> That's what I was hoping. Sending it back to be upgraded isn't something I am interested in.
> Even if it was quantified at 90% of bimby...that would be great...there is always the point of diminishing returns, and im certainly looking for best sound:cost.


 
 Everyone who has heard both says they are extremely similar. A few prefer one or the other, but I don't think anyone disagrees with buying the mimby.


----------



## hagenhays

Should you still get the 3- 5 year life expectancy out of the mimby?? My modi2U has been going strong. I'm just really curious with the r2r ladder dac and the detailed smoothness. I have nowhere to demo this, so I'm just going offloyal customer support- - love the midi and vali...great combination. Looking to had multibit to 2 channel marantz set up. 

Thank you for your comments. Mimby sounds like the real deal. Got the wife approval...going to drop some cash on the new oppo as well.
Cheers**


----------



## Porteroso

If I'm offering up pure conjecture, I think you will get a great life out of Schiit. However, I think that the only way they can price the mimby as it's priced, is to plan on making things so much better and greater that the consumer will feel the need to upgrade from the mimby. Which is why the bimby is a hilariously bad buy. Mimby will always have some sort of resell value. A product of that value can only fall so much in price. You will have the opportunity to recoup most of your money towards a mimby if Schiit comes out with (yet another) something you just have to have. Same cannot be said for a bimby. I don't think they would have any problem introducing a product that makes any other product obsolete. They would just tell you that they sold you a great product at a great price, and they're ready to sell you another even greater product at, you guessed it, a great price.
  
 Anyways, regardless of how much the bimby can be upgraded, from a business standpoint, it is a horrific buy, given the mimby.


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> If I'm offering up pure conjecture, I think you will get a great life out of Schiit. However, I think that the only way they can price the mimby as it's priced, is to plan on making things so much better and greater that the consumer will feel the need to upgrade from the mimby. Which is why the bimby is a hilariously bad buy. Mimby will always have some sort of resell value. A product of that value can only fall so much in price. You will have the opportunity to recoup most of your money towards a mimby if Schiit comes out with (yet another) something you just have to have. Same cannot be said for a bimby. I don't think they would have any problem introducing a product that makes any other product obsolete. They would just tell you that they sold you a great product at a great price, and they're ready to sell you another even greater product at, you guessed it, a great price.
> 
> Anyways, regardless of how much the bimby can be upgraded, from a business standpoint, it is a horrific buy, given the mimby.


 

 I was going to buy a Bimby but kind of arrived at the same conclusion. Because the price difference is so large I just don't see it at all being worth it because I doubt that they will be able to improve it enough to recoup that cost.
 I mean the Mimby is only $250, which is a really great value. Placing it into the catagory of the SMSL M8, and ODAC as "wonderful but budget" DAC's.
 From all the technical details I have read over the past weeks I believe that Mimby should be better than both ODAC and the SMSL M8. Whereas the Modi 2 Uber isn't as good as either (although it is cheaper) according to many peoples opinions.


----------



## Faber65

maxh22 said:


> clemmaster said:
> 
> 
> > Where is the optical conversion taking place in the iPur2 + micro iUSB?
> ...


 
  
 You are right, the only way to convert the USB to SPDIF is by using iLink.
 But at this point, being this a Schiit forum, I believe that we are off-topic and this conversation should be moved to the right tread on head-fi.
  
 Just a final note: to convert USB to SPDIF you may consider also the C-13 and C-14 of the Taiwanese DA&T.


----------



## episiarch

jimster480 said:


> I was going to buy a Bimby but kind of arrived at the same conclusion. Because the price difference is so large I just don't see it at all being worth it because I doubt that they will be able to improve it enough to recoup that cost.
> I mean the Mimby is only $250, which is a really great value. Placing it into the catagory of the SMSL M8, and ODAC as "wonderful but budget" DAC's.
> From all the technical details I have read over the past weeks I believe that Mimby should be better than both ODAC and the SMSL M8. Whereas the Modi 2 Uber isn't as good as either (although it is cheaper) according to many peoples opinions.


 

 I've had ODAC, Modi 2 Uber, and Modi Multibit.  For what it's worth I found ODAC hard to listen to, and fairly harsh and hard-sounding.  Some amps and/or headphones can tame that, of course.  The Modi 2 Uber sounds a lot better than ODAC to me, and on the whole I would call it really good with no real flaws. (Mine is from before the 4490 update I believe, so it may be better still at this point.)  But Modi Multibit is so much better, so audibly more right-sounding and real-sounding, that I really would suggest skipping directly to that.  But again, the M2U that I have is a slightly older version.


----------



## Metrops

jimster480 said:


> I was going to buy a Bimby but kind of arrived at the same conclusion. Because the price difference is so large I just don't see it at all being worth it because I doubt that they will be able to improve it enough to recoup that cost.
> I mean the Mimby is only $250, which is a really great value. Placing it into the catagory of the SMSL M8, and ODAC as "wonderful but budget" DAC's.
> From all the technical details I have read over the past weeks I believe that Mimby should be better than both ODAC and the SMSL M8. Whereas the Modi 2 Uber isn't as good as either (although it is cheaper) according to many peoples opinions.


 
  
 The Mimby is amazing with my Valhalla 2. It completely removed any noise coming from my two GPUs (using onboard DAC before, MSI X99 Godlike) it made everything more accurate and "realistic" (cannot think of the actual term) and it even added a little bass, which was needed.
  
 Overall, it was completely worth the £270 price. Although, I would like to now hear the Bimby, to see if there would be any noticeable difference, however it is an extra £350. Furthermore, we only get an extra year warranty on it, so 3 years instead of the two years on the Mimby, for the Schiit UK store.


----------



## Jimster480

metrops said:


> The Mimby is amazing with my Valhalla 2. It completely removed any noise coming from my two GPUs (using onboard DAC before, MSI X99 Godlike) it made everything more accurate and "realistic" (cannot think of the actual term) and it even added a little bass, which was needed.
> 
> Overall, it was completely worth the £270 price. Although, I would like to now hear the Bimby, to see if there would be any noticeable difference, however it is an extra £350. Furthermore, we only get an extra year warranty on it, so 3 years instead of the two years on the Mimby, for the Schiit UK store.


 
  
 Thanks alot for your input!

 Although I wouldn't get any tube amps.
 Tubes change the sound and that in my opinion would defeat the purpose of getting a ladder DAC in the first place.
 Some people argue its a form of "EQ" for specific headphones but if the whole goal is the most natural sound I don't see the point in either....

  


episiarch said:


> I've had ODAC, Modi 2 Uber, and Modi Multibit.  For what it's worth I found ODAC hard to listen to, and fairly harsh and hard-sounding.  Some amps and/or headphones can tame that, of course.  The Modi 2 Uber sounds a lot better than ODAC to me, and on the whole I would call it really good with no real flaws. (Mine is from before the 4490 update I believe, so it may be better still at this point.)  But Modi Multibit is so much better, so audibly more right-sounding and real-sounding, that I really would suggest skipping directly to that.  But again, the M2U that I have is a slightly older version.


 
  
 What about a Modi Multibit with a O2Amp?
 I was also thinking about an E18K for now and then the rest of the stack later, maybe even use the E18K as an Amp with the Modi Multibit at first.
  
 This all depends on the closing of my house which now might not happen at all considering the problems we have found.


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> porteroso said:
> 
> 
> > If I'm offering up pure conjecture, I think you will get a great life out of Schiit. However, I think that the only way they can price the mimby as it's priced, is to plan on making things so much better and greater that the consumer will feel the need to upgrade from the mimby. Which is why the bimby is a hilariously bad buy. Mimby will always have some sort of resell value. A product of that value can only fall so much in price. You will have the opportunity to recoup most of your money towards a mimby if Schiit comes out with (yet another) something you just have to have. Same cannot be said for a bimby. I don't think they would have any problem introducing a product that makes any other product obsolete. They would just tell you that they sold you a great product at a great price, and they're ready to sell you another even greater product at, you guessed it, a great price.
> ...


 
 I came from the SMSL M8, and the mimby is clearly superior. Not by a ton, but in all regards I think, simply better. Of course the M8 is not $250, so the mimby should be based upon price.


----------



## winders

porteroso said:


> I came from the SMSL M8, and the mimby is clearly superior. Not by a ton, but in all regards I think, simply better. Of course the M8 is not $250, so the mimby should be based upon price.


 

 The SMSL M8 is the same price as the Mimby.


----------



## hagenhays

jimster480 said:


> I was going to buy a Bimby but kind of arrived at the same conclusion. Because the price difference is so large I just don't see it at all being worth it because I doubt that they will be able to improve it enough to recoup that cost.
> I mean the Mimby is only $250, which is a really great value. Placing it into the catagory of the SMSL M8, and ODAC as "wonderful but budget" DAC's.
> 
> From all the technical details I have read over the past weeks I believe that Mimby should be better than both ODAC and the SMSL M8. Whereas the Modi 2 Uber isn't as good as either (although it is cheaper) according to many peoples opinions.




I was thinking the exact thing. $350 price difference is pretty major.
My email reply from schiit said "beefier power supply and upgradeable" which I know audiophiles love upgraditis...me, I'm more like research the hell out of it, and be happy in your choice for 10 years.
Sending something back this day and age when technology allows for cheaper and better seems counterintuitive to me.
Now...my 1974 rebuilt marantz was a different story.


----------



## lewdogg

Been living with my three Bifrosts for the last 9-10 months and I just HAD to visit the forum again. Looking seriously at the Mimby, both as an addition and replacement of at least one of the 4490s. Sounds like this thing is a huge hit.


----------



## fritobugger

winders said:


> The SMSL M8 is the same price as the Mimby.


 
 The M8 is frequently available in the $150 to $180 range.  I bought one almost 3 years ago for $180 and I recall it was on Massdrop last year for $150.


----------



## fritobugger

jimster480 said:


> Thanks alot for your input!
> 
> Although I wouldn't get any tube amps.
> Tubes change the sound and that in my opinion would defeat the purpose of getting a ladder DAC in the first place.
> ...


 
  
 The Modibit deserves a better amp than the O2.


----------



## Jimster480

fritobugger said:


> The Modibit deserves a better amp than the O2.


 

 Care to explain why you think the O2 isn't a good Amp?
 because from the research I have done its objectively one of the best possible Amps to have and has basically close to 0ohm output impedance making it perfect even for low impedance headphones.
 Mostly the only thing I found is that more expensive amp's are really just to drive more power hungry headphones, I don't really see the justification in expensive amps as long as they are engineered properly.


----------



## winders

fritobugger said:


> The M8 is frequently available in the $150 to $180 range.  I bought one almost 3 years ago for $180 and I recall it was on Massdrop last year for $150.


 

 They both retail for the same price, how is that??


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> They both retail for the same price, how is that??


 

 What do you mean by both? The M8 is highly regarded from what I have read.


----------



## winders

porteroso said:


> I came from the SMSL M8, and the mimby is clearly superior. Not by a ton, but in all regards I think, simply better. Of course the M8 is not $250, so the mimby should be based upon price.


 
  
  


winders said:


> The SMSL M8 is the same price as the Mimby.


 
  
  


fritobugger said:


> The M8 is frequently available in the $150 to $180 range.  I bought one almost 3 years ago for $180 and I recall it was on Massdrop last year for $150.


 
  
  


winders said:


> They both retail for the same price, how is that??


 
  
  


jimster480 said:


> What do you mean by both? The M8 is highly regarded from what I have read.


 

 I mean that both the Schiit Modi Multibit and SMSL M8 retail for ~$250. I made no statements regarding how the M8 is regarded nor do I make any judgments one way or the other. Why do you bring that up in reference to my post?


----------



## fritobugger

winders said:


> They both retail for the same price, how is that??


 
  
 Since Schiit doesn't discount and mainly sells direct, their retail price is the price you pay.
  
 SMSL doesn't sell direct, they sell through distributors to whom they give a "suggested retail price" but since they sell to the distributor at a significantly lower wholesale price, the distributor can set whatever price at retail they wish.


----------



## winders

fritobugger said:


> Since Schiit doesn't discount and mainly sells direct, their retail price is the price you pay.
> 
> SMSL doesn't sell direct, they sell through distributors to whom they give a "suggested retail price" but since they sell to the distributor at a significantly lower wholesale price, the distributor can set whatever price at retail they wish.


 

 Dude, what is your problem?
  
 If some everyday Joe buys a SMSL M8 from Amazon, what is he going to pay?
  
 https://www.amazon.com/SMSL-Optical-Coaxial-Asynchronous-decoder/dp/B00PS0WLX6
  
 That sure look like the same price as a Schiit Modi Multibit.
  
 Yes, you can often find the SMSL M8 for less. But my point was they both retail for the same amount regardless of whatever vendors choose to sell the M8 for at any given time. That's a simple fact.


----------



## fritobugger

jimster480 said:


> Care to explain why you think the O2 isn't a good Amp?
> because from the research I have done its objectively one of the best possible Amps to have and has basically close to 0ohm output impedance making it perfect even for low impedance headphones.
> Mostly the only thing I found is that more expensive amp's are really just to drive more power hungry headphones, I don't really see the justification in expensive amps as long as they are engineered properly.


 
  
 The O2 has fairly low power and is an ergonomic design trainwreck. Does it work? Sure.  Is it ok for low impedance and high sensitivity cans? Sure.  Is it a user friendly design?  Not really.  Is it over priced for what you get? Somewhat.
  
 For the money there are better options.


----------



## Tuneslover

porteroso said:


> If I'm offering up pure conjecture, I think you will get a great life out of Schiit. However, I think that the only way they can price the mimby as it's priced, is to plan on making things so much better and greater that the consumer will feel the need to upgrade from the mimby. Which is why the bimby is a hilariously bad buy. Mimby will always have some sort of resell value. A product of that value can only fall so much in price. You will have the opportunity to recoup most of your money towards a mimby if Schiit comes out with (yet another) something you just have to have. Same cannot be said for a bimby. I don't think they would have any problem introducing a product that makes any other product obsolete. They would just tell you that they sold you a great product at a great price, and they're ready to sell you another even greater product at, you guessed it, a great price.
> 
> Anyways, regardless of how much the bimby can be upgraded, from a business standpoint, it is a horrific buy, given the mimby.



Don't express this view on the Bimby thread because the Bimby fan boys will rip you a new one!


----------



## Metrops

Has anyone here compared both the Schiit Mimby and Bimby together, want to know if anyone noticed a sound difference?
  
 Is the upgradability a massive factor though, as surely something could come out (much better) that is not compatible


----------



## r2muchstuff

metrops said:


> Has anyone here compared both the Schiit Mimby and Bimby together, want to know if anyone noticed a sound difference?
> 
> Is the upgradability a massive factor though, as surely something could come out (much better) that is not compatible


 
  
 Quoting myself from 2 pages back:
  

 Quote: 





r2muchstuff said:


> IMHO the Bifrost MB has better SQ than the Modi MB, is is $350 better?  Only you can decide.
> 
> I bought a 2nd Bifrost MB, from the for sale forums, instead of another Modi MB for my "Upstairs Den System".  Future Proof, build quality and SQ won.
> 
> ...


 
 $600 is a big jump from $250 for a Modi MB however, used from the for sale forums the price was more acceptable and the price/performance for the Bifrost MB won.
  
 I do not know yet if upgradeability will be a factor.  Build quality, size/weight, power supply and yes, for my systems and ears, a better SQ is a factor.
  
 My systems are a mix of Silver Vintage Pioneer, Schiit MB DACs and Schiit HP Amps with analogue and digital sources (CD transport, DVD players as CD transports, Mac computer (ripped CDs to Apple Lossless), Airport wireless, iPods & FiiO DAPs as digital transports).  I hear the difference on speakers and headphones.  To put in some perspective, I hear a greater difference between the DS Modi 2 U and the Modi MB than the Modi MB and Bifrost MB.  The Gungnir MB is even better still   So ... it all comes down to your systems(s) and your ears and your money.
  
 YMMV & JMTC etc.,
 r2


----------



## Tuneslover

metrops said:


> Has anyone here compared both the Schiit Mimby and Bimby together, want to know if anyone noticed a sound difference?
> 
> Is the upgradability a massive factor though, as surely something could come out (much better) that is not compatible



Yes I have both and I can't hear much difference between them. The Bimby might be a smidgen smoother/refined sounding. Form-factor wise the Bimby pairs beautifully with my Jot though.


----------



## Metrops

r2muchstuff said:


> $600 is a big jump from $250 for a Modi MB however, used from the for sale forums the price was more acceptable and the price/performance for the Bifrost MB won.
> 
> I do not know yet if upgradeability will be a factor.  Build quality, size/weight, power supply and yes, for my systems and ears, a better SQ is a factor.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks, I rarely buy used items (due to warranty) so it would be the £350 price difference for me. I was tempted to get it, having it the same size as my Valhalla 2 would have been a massive benefit, along with the build quality and warranty. However, the warranty is two years less for the UK. I got a response from Schiit UK about this query, they said 
  
 "Company outside Schiit have to set there own warranties, and was either put the product prices up or lower the warranty. Being a audio engineer since 1994 we decided to lower the warranty as if it has been working for the warranty period then it normally would continue to work after this. We are responsible for the warranty set on are web site and this is nothing to do with Schiit as we are the seller."
  
I always thought you could either go through the manufacturer or the seller for warranty. Also strange how the price is more than the US version, yet it comes with a lesser warranty and they say "product prices up or lower warranty"
  
The Gungnir MB would be even further out of my price range, although I expect it is amazing.


----------



## r2muchstuff

No warranty is i big thing for me too ...  however, a 20% or greater discount for a used item generally overcomes the issue fro me, at least with under $1000 audio.
  
 JMTC,
 r2


----------



## Jimster480

fritobugger said:


> The O2 has fairly low power and is an ergonomic design trainwreck. Does it work? Sure.  Is it ok for low impedance and high sensitivity cans? Sure.  Is it a user friendly design?  Not really.  Is it over priced for what you get? Somewhat.
> 
> For the money there are better options.



What you mean by ergonomic design? We are talking about something which amplifies audio I don't really understand why you would need to touch it constantly. If there are better amps in the same price range that can actually drive low impedance headphones then please let me know. From what I have read in the O2 threads people do not have any problems driving headphones even of 600 ohm which I never plan to own anyways. This is not the first time in this thread that people have bashed on the O2 or the odac but don't seem to provide any information as to why they are bashing on it.

I am asking genuinely because I was originally going to get a magni 2 Uber but I have read multiple people talking about how it is a bad amp for low impedance cans.


----------



## Letmebefrank

letmebefrank said:


> I ordered an *Asus SPDIF output add on card* for my z97 Sabertooth MK1, which apparently has a SPDIF header that I never noticed before. We will see how it performs vs toslink and USB to Modi Multibit.




Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable. 







It was a tight fit, but thankfully the spdif header was right there at the bottom. 

The glorious natural sound coming from my Mimby right now... Just wow.


----------



## darkarn

letmebefrank said:


> Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice, I am thinking of getting this for my computers. What drivers do this need once you install this?


----------



## Jimster480

letmebefrank said:


> Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thats a pretty cool little board!


----------



## Metrops

Some Motherboards have SPDIF, my one does


----------



## gvl2016

My understanding some cheapo integrated mobo chipsets may do sample rate conversion before sending out SPDIF, watch out.


----------



## winders

Not all SPDIF implementations are equal. Just because it's there on a motherboard or a sound card does not mean you want to use it.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> What about a Modi Multibit with a O2Amp?


 
  
 I have both and I think it is a great combo. However, I spent a couple of hours going back and forth between that and Centrance DACPort Slim and the sound is awfully similar at a fraction of the cost... The O2 should be better for high-impedance headphones tho.


----------



## musickid

how does modi multi compare to gumby detail wise. also how good is usb gen2


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> Not all SPDIF implementations are equal. Just because it's there on a motherboard or a sound card does not mean you want to use it.


 
  
 Still better than USB though for the Mimby
  
 Also, there are times when USB cannot be used (e.g. lack of USB ports or special requirements)


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> Still better than USB though for the Mimby
> 
> Also, there are times when USB cannot be used (e.g. lack of USB ports or special requirements)


 

 You may very well have a good implementation. My point was to check out the quality and not that your SPDIF implementation was for certain not good!


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> You may very well have a good implementation. My point was to check out the quality and not that your SPDIF implementation was for certain not good!


 
  
 Good point; I was talking in the general sense seeing how the Mimby's USB input is not as good as SPDIF based on measurements only and how people (not just me) need to use SPDIF, whether the implementation is good or not, due to non-SQ reasons


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> Good point; I was talking in the general sense seeing how the Mimby's USB input is not as good as SPDIF based on measurements only and how people (not just me) need to use SPDIF, whether the implementation is good or not, due to non-SQ reasons


 

 I have a Singxer F-1 USB to SPDIF Coax DDC coming soon just to test that out!


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> I have a Singxer F-1 USB to SPDIF Coax DDC coming soon just to test that out!


 
  
 Awesome! Please keep us updated! Did you get it with the casing by the way?


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> Awesome! Please keep us updated! Did you get it with the casing by the way?


 

 I will!
  
 Yes, I got with the case. I ordered it on eBay from China. Who knows how long it will take to get here. I didn't want to spend a fortune on the SPDIF cable but I think I got a good one. I bought a 5 foot (1.5 meter) cable from Amplifier Surgery. I'll see how it works out!


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> I will!
> 
> Yes, I got with the case. I ordered it on eBay from China. Who knows how long it will take to get here. I didn't want to spend a fortune on the SPDIF cable but I think I got a good one. I bought a 5 foot (1.5 meter) cable from Amplifier Surgery. I'll see how it works out!


 
  
 Nice, does this mean that I need to explicitly order it with the casing, or the F-1 already comes with its case?


----------



## winders

darkarn said:


> Nice, does this mean that I need to explicitly order it with the casing, or the F-1 already comes with its case?


 

 It is sold both ways. I bought mine here:
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/262770839122?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
  
 I won't know if this was a good choice until I get the unit and see how it works. But the tracking number suggests it is on its way!


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I have both and I think it is a great combo. However, I spent a couple of hours going back and forth between that and Centrance DACPort Slim and the sound is awfully similar at a fraction of the cost... The O2 should be better for high-impedance headphones tho.


 

 Thanks alot!
 The O2 is also good with low impedance headphones from what I have read due to its low output impedence.
  
 The Magni2 also has low output impedance but some have said its bad with low impedance cans due to output power and the volume pot dropping off one of the channels since its a cheap POT.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Thanks alot!
> The O2 is also good with low impedance headphones from what I have read due to its low output impedence.
> 
> The Magni2 also has low output impedance but some have said its bad with low impedance cans due to output power and the volume pot dropping off one of the channels since its a cheap POT.


 
  
 Dacport has 1 Ohm OI so should have no problem driving low-impedance headphones, high impedance could be more problematic as it is USB powered, sure there is onboard voltage converter but given you only have 2.5W from the USB bus there are limits that are hard to overcome.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Dacport has 1 Ohm OI so should have no problem driving low-impedance headphones, high impedance could be more problematic as it is USB powered, sure there is onboard voltage converter but given you only have 2.5W from the USB bus there are limits that are hard to overcome.


 

 Yea I have a K1 with 1ohm OI and it works great with my low imped headphones.
  
 Which headphones do you have that you have tested your setup with?


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Yea I have a K1 with 1ohm OI and it works great with my low imped headphones.
> 
> Which headphones do you have that you have tested your setup with?


 
  
 NAD Viso HP50s, they are 32Ohm so no stress for any amp driving them. I also have Philips SHP9500s, they are very bright to begin with, and with mimby also being a tad bright IMO they were barely listenable with the O2, for my ears anyway.


----------



## Marlowe

I just got my Mimby today (kudos to Schiit --I ordered it and a Magni 2 Uber very early Wednesday morning EST,Schiit shipped it by 8:45 PST that same morning and I had it by noon Friday in New Jersey via USPS Priority). Since my computer skills are limited, I was very pleased when Windows 10 loaded the drivers automatically in under 30 seconds. It has only warmed up for a few hours, but it already sounds terrific with my HE-400i (I haven't tried my X2s yet). I am moving it between my laptop (music/gaming) and my TV (Blu-rays/steaming video) using an extension cord to keep the Mimby turned on 24/7 as recommended (not that hard since, although it is necessary to move it, I live in a small apartment so its pretty easy). I did have a couple of neophyte questions.
  
 First, the Mimby works great using USB from my laptop and optical from my TV. However, when I switched to the coaxial input direct from my Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S3500), I got an immediate ugly mechanical pulsing sound from my headphones which continued even when I played a disc (no other sound). Sound from the player is perfect when I listen through the optical output on my TV (and a noticeable upgrade from the sound through the TV's RCA outputs to my Fulla 2 as an amp only), so it is not a big deal. Any suggestions for this problem? Any chance it could be the cable, which is a cheap one I happened to have because it was bundled with a soundbar. I use HDMI-ARC on the rare occasions I use the soundbar, but I just checked and the direct coaxial connection between the player and soundbar works.
  
 Second, the Mimby drivers default to 16/44.1. My music source is Tidal HIFI, which is mostly 16/44.1, but is adding some material at 24/96, so I changed the settings to that value. When I try to change the settings, I get a message that the device is being used by another application which may stop working if I proceed. When I proceed, it does appear to accept the change. Is this normal or a problem? (I only ask since this does not happen when I change settings on my Fulla 2).
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Jimster480

Interesting, well all I have a a FiiO K1 and a HTC 10.
 The K1 isn't as good as the HTC 10, but that should be a given considering the superb audio quality the HTC 10 is capable of.
  
 I want to get a real desktop stack, but what you are saying is that you don't think its worth it at all basically.


----------



## cishida

marlowe said:


> First, the Mimby works great using USB from my laptop and optical from my TV. However, when I switched to the coaxial input direct from my Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S3500), I got an immediate ugly mechanical pulsing sound from my headphones which continued even when I played a disc (no other sound). Sound from the player is perfect when I listen through the optical output on my TV (and a noticeable upgrade from the sound through the TV's RCA outputs to my Fulla 2 as an amp only), so it is not a big deal. Any suggestions for this problem? Any chance it could be the cable, which is a cheap one I happened to have because it was bundled with a soundbar. I use HDMI-ARC on the rare occasions I use the soundbar, but I just checked and the direct coaxial connection between the player and soundbar works.


 
  
 Schiit DACs only accept PCM. My guess is your blu-ray player is outputing something other than PCM - say dolby digital or dolby digital plus or DTS. Some blu-ray players can be configured to output PCM only - I would read your blu-ray player's manual.


----------



## cishida

marlowe said:


> Second, the Mimby drivers default to 16/44.1. My music source is Tidal HIFI, which is mostly 16/44.1, but is adding some material at 24/96, so I changed the settings to that value. When I try to change the settings, I get a message that the device is being used by another application which may stop working if I proceed. When I proceed, it does appear to accept the change. Is this normal or a problem? (I only ask since this does not happen when I change settings on my Fulla 2).


 
  
 You shouldn't need to manually change your driver's bit depth or sample rate. It is best to leave the drive at 16/44.1.
  
 A player like Tidal should take exclusive control of the device and automatically handle switching sample rates. You should hear the clicking from the mimby as the sample rate changes.


----------



## Smithington

cishida said:


> Schiit DACs only accept PCM. My guess is your blu-ray player is outputing something other than PCM - say dolby digital or dolby digital plus or DTS. Some blu-ray players can be configured to output PCM only - I would read your blu-ray player's manual.




My thoughts exactly. Check that you are outputting 2 channel stereo from the bd-player and not 5.1 or similar.


----------



## Marlowe

cishida said:


> Schiit DACs only accept PCM. My guess is your blu-ray player is outputing something other than PCM - say dolby digital or dolby digital plus or DTS. Some blu-ray players can be configured to output PCM only - I would read your blu-ray player's manual.


 
  
 LOL. I feel stupid. This was exactly the problem; I fixed it in settings in ten seconds and it's fine now. It's not a big deal, but some discussion in this thread indicated that coaxial is superior to optical (which is superior to USB), so I may as well use it when possible. I still need the optical for streaming video.
  
 I had already changed my TV's digital output from bitstream to PCM in anticipation of the Mimby (I'll need to switch it back if I ever use the soundbar which is a real, if low rent, 5.1 system with separate satellite speakers that decodes Dolby Digital and DTS), but didn't think to do it for the Blu-ray player Thanks to the several people who gave me the correct solution to my dumb mistake.


----------



## Dana Reed

marlowe said:


> LOL. I feel stupid. This was exactly the problem; I fixed it in settings in ten seconds and it's fine now. It's not a big deal, but some discussion in this thread indicated that coaxial is superior to optical (which is superior to USB), so I may as well use it when possible. I still need the optical for streaming video.
> 
> I had already changed my TV's digital output from bitstream to PCM in anticipation of the Mimby (I'll need to switch it back if I ever use the soundbar which is a real, if low rent, 5.1 system with separate satellite speakers that decodes Dolby Digital and DTS), but didn't think to do it for the Blu-ray player Thanks to the several people who gave me the correct solution to my dumb mistake.


 

 I had the same issue with my Sony BluRay.  settings to PCM fixed that.  It works great for playing CDs, but what I was hoping is that it would work for playing stuff streamed from DLNA or connected hard drive.  It does work for both, but will not play gapless tracks for either.  Does anyone know a good streaming/local HD connect box that will output a solid coax or optical signal and also play gapless albums.
 My two current ways to do this are an AppleTV, which upsamples everything to 48 kHz and an Airport Express which has a lot of jitter from the mini optical.


----------



## Letmebefrank

If your motherboard has a S/PDIF header then the option to use it will be in your on-board audio software. 
  
 The audio chipset (Realtek ALC1150) on my motherboard (Asus Z97 sabertooth MK1) is just fine for S/PDIF output.
  
 Quote from Realteks site on the ALC1150:


> Support for 16/20/24-bit SPDIF and I2S (Master mode) output with up to 192kHz sample rate offers easy connection of PCs to consumer electronic products such as digital decoders and speakers. The ALC1150 also features secondary SPDIF-OUT output and converter to transport digital audio output to a High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) transmitter..
> 
> 
> Primary 16/20/24-bit SPDIF-OUT supports 32k/44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/192kHz sample rate
> Secondary 16/20/24-bit SPDIF-OUT supports 32k/44.1k/48k/88.2k/96k/192kHz sample rate


----------



## Jimster480

letmebefrank said:


> If your motherboard has a S/PDIF header then the option to use it will be in your on-board audio software.
> 
> The audio chipset (Realtek ALC1150) on my motherboard (Asus Z97 sabertooth MK1) is just fine for S/PDIF output.
> 
> Quote from Realteks site on the ALC1150:


 

 many motherboards these days have them.
 Optical isn't going anywhere for sure


----------



## darkarn

winders said:


> It is sold both ways. I bought mine here:
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/262770839122?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
> 
> I won't know if this was a good choice until I get the unit and see how it works. But the tracking number suggests it is on its way!


 
  
 Thanks for the link, I will take a look there


----------



## Metrops

winders said:


> Not all SPDIF implementations are equal. Just because it's there on a motherboard or a sound card does not mean you want to use it.


 
  
 I'm sure the MSI X99 Godlike has a decent SPDIF on it.


----------



## winders

metrops said:


> I'm sure the MSI X99 Godlike has a decent SPDIF on it.


 

 That's just an assumption. I don't know either way...and neither do you. I'd much rather have coax than optical.


----------



## Metrops

winders said:


> That's just an assumption. I don't know either way...and neither do you. I'd much rather have coax than optical.


 
  
 Not sure a way to find out. Does it really make a massive difference though?
  
 There we go, think this was already posted
  
 "Support for 16/20/24-bit SPDIF and I2S (Master mode) output with up to 192kHz sample rate offers easy connection of PCs to consumer electronic products such as digital decoders and speakers. The ALC1150 also features secondary SPDIF-OUT output and converter to transport digital audio output to a High Definition Media Interface (HDMI) transmitter."


----------



## winders

metrops said:


> Not sure a way to find out. Does it really make a massive difference though?


 

 Does what make a difference? The quality of the SPDIF interface? Of course it does. Optical has more issues than coax. So yes, that makes a difference too.
  
 That's kind of like asking "Does the DAC make a massive difference?"


----------



## MWSVette

winders said:


> Does what make a difference? The quality of the SPDIF interface? Of course it does. Optical has more issues than coax. So yes, that makes a difference too.
> 
> That's kind of like asking "Does the DAC make a massive difference?"


 

 If you ask Schiit they would say coax is better...


----------



## Metrops

winders said:


> Does what make a difference? The quality of the SPDIF interface? Of course it does. Optical has more issues than coax. So yes, that makes a difference too.
> 
> That's kind of like asking "Does the DAC make a massive difference?"


 
  
 I meant the difference between Coax and Optical, is it a placebo or an actual noticeable difference that everyone could notice Just like some cannot notice a headphone cable change for some headphones


----------



## musickid

Can anyone compare mimby to gumby with detail interested to find out


----------



## nicdub

Recently acquired the Modi Multibit, been impressed so far.  Also really like hooking it up to the iPad.  A huge chunk of the music I listen to is streamed through Apple Music, and so whether using the Mac or the iPad wouldn't seem to make a difference quality wise.  Sound quality seems a bit more cohesive and natural than the internal DAC of the Jotunheim, which I also found to be really good.  However, I thought the internal DAC, despite being balanced, was a step behind the Dragonfly Red.


----------



## 227qed

letmebefrank said:


> Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




What exactly did you do and why? I might want to do something similar with my pc.


----------



## Baldr

mwsvette said:


> If you ask Schiit they would say coax is better...


 

 Yup!


----------



## jimbop54

Nicdub: How are you connecting the iPad to the Modi?


----------



## nicdub

jimbop54 said:


> Nicdub: How are you connecting the iPad to the Modi?




iPad camera connection cable to USB cable to Modi Multibit.


----------



## MattRG

oceanic 815 said:


> I am interested in upgrading my DAC and the Mimby is an intriguing product. I have been off head fi for a while and out of the loop. I have a Bottlehead Crack + HD650. I was looking at the Bifrost a few years ago but decided to get off the forums and enjoy listening. But I'm back now, looking to upgrade.
> 
> Current DAC is a Nuforce Icon HD (retired product) that is a $200 DAC/Amp. It's a value product, I doubt anyone will have experience with it, but I am wondering if the Mimby is a big enough upgrade. I have no doubt it's better, but I do not plan on changing anything else in my system for a very long time after DAC upgrade. Should I be looking at a Bimby, or is the Mimby that good? Will multibit change my life? :-D So many positive remarks and thoughts in this thread... thanks in advance.


 
 I just hooked my Mimby up tonight after the FedEx driver dropped it off today.  Even with just a smattering of songs across several different albums I can tell you that it is making my music sound fuller, deeper and more layered than I have ever heard it.  It's also done something to the soundstage that I haven't quite wrapped my head around yet in that it now feels like the music is all around me instead of coming out of a flat plane in front of me.  I'm honestly pretty blown away for $250.


----------



## jimbop54

Nicdub: You don't need a powered USB hub?


----------



## nicdub

You know what, I forget that I have it fed through the Schit Wyrd.  My fault for not mentioning this.  So, yes, I have it fed through a powered USB hub.  I haven't tried it without the Wyrd either, but thought I had read others saying it worked regardless.  But I could be totally wrong.


----------



## winders

baldr said:


> Yup!


 

 On Yggy, is AES the best to use? If yes, is it noticeably better than coax?


----------



## Letmebefrank

227qed said:


> What exactly did you do and why? I might want to do something similar with my pc.




I ordered an *Asus SPDIF output add on card*. Just install it in an empty pci slot in your case and plug the header cable into your motherboard. I put mine right below my bottom video card but you can put it anywhere as it doesn't plug directly into the motherboard like a normal add on card, it has a 6 inch cable.


----------



## 227qed

letmebefrank said:


> I ordered an *Asus SPDIF output add on card*. Just install it in an empty pci slot in your case and plug the header cable into your motherboard. I put mine right below my bottom video card but you can put it anywhere as it doesn't plug directly into the motherboard like a normal add on card, it has a 6 inch cable.




Ah, I see. That's what I thought but wanted to ask. My mobo has a built in spdif output that i use so I'm already good to go. Enjoy!


----------



## MattRG

While I am waiting on the arrival of the Singxer SU-1 DDC I am using the toslink connection out of my Asus Pro Gamer motherboard and I have to say it sounds pretty good.  I have a fairly thick 2m toslink cable that I am using but was still a little bit hesitant because of some of the negative things I have heard about the toslink connections on most PC motherboards.  So far I am pleasantly surprised and am now very curious about how the USB / SPDIF conversion of the SU-1 will compare to the onboard toslink.


----------



## Letmebefrank

mattrg said:


> While I am waiting on the arrival of the Singxer SU-1 DDC I am using the toslink connection out of my Asus Pro Gamer motherboard and I have to say it sounds pretty good.  I have a fairly thick 2m toslink cable that I am using but was still a little bit hesitant because of some of the negative things I have heard about the toslink connections on most PC motherboards.  So far I am pleasantly surprised and am now very curious about how the USB / SPDIF conversion of the SU-1 will compare to the onboard toslink.




What model motherboard do you have? Is it the Z97 pro-gamer? If so, you have a s/pdif header on your motherboard that will let you use coax s/pdif with the little $13 add on card I posted above. A comparison between your motherboard toslink and coax against the singxer would be great information.


----------



## Marlowe

Schiit has been pretty clear that it considers coaxial>optical>USB. I'm connecting the Mimby with coaxial from my Blu-ray player and optical from my TV for movies and TV, but my music source is Tidal HiFi on my laptop, which only has a USB output. My budget doesn't extend very far after a recent spending spree:  Mimby, Magni 2 Uber, Hifiman 400i, Sennheiser IE 80 iems, and a few associated cables. However, I see some pretty cheap devices (i.e. Behringer 202) that can take a USB input and output optical. Would this, at least theoretically, provide any improvement on a direct USB connection to the Mimby?


----------



## r2muchstuff

Try USB, it could/should be just fine for your situation.
  
  


marlowe said:


> Schiit has been pretty clear that it considers coaxial>optical>USB. I'm connecting the Mimby with coaxial from my Blu-ray player and optical from my TV for movies and TV, but my music source is Tidal HiFi on my laptop, which only has a USB output. My budget doesn't extend very far after a recent spending spree:  Mimby, Magni 2 Uber, Hifiman 400i, Sennheiser IE 80 iems, and a few associated cables. However, I see some pretty cheap devices (i.e. Behringer 202) that can take a USB input and output optical. Would this, at least theoretically, provide any improvement on a direct USB connection to the Mimby?


 
 Try USB, it could/should be just fine for your situation.
  
 Get use to that, then if you want to spend, sure this is head -Fi
  
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## gvl2016

marlowe said:


> However, I see some pretty cheap devices (i.e. Behringer 202) that can take a USB input and output optical. Would this, at least theoretically, provide any improvement on a direct USB connection to the Mimby?


 
  
 Very unlikely, as their own USB interface is about the same or worse than that in the Mimby. If your laptop has a PCMCIA slot you can try an add-on card with SPDIF output, there are a couple of options available for cheap on the used market.


----------



## MattRG

letmebefrank said:


> What model motherboard do you have? Is it the Z97 pro-gamer? If so, you have a s/pdif header on your motherboard that will let you use coax s/pdif with the little $13 add on card I posted above. A comparison between your motherboard toslink and coax against the singxer would be great information.


 
 Z170 Pro Gaming.  I actually opened up my PC today to install a new 2TB HDD and do some dust removal and was unable to locate a SPDIF header.  Either this model doesn't have the header or I just overlooked it.


----------



## hagenhays

Given the steep price difference with bimby....do you think we will see an updated Bimby this year with a smaller price tag...say $400 ??

Any thoughts....


----------



## Metrops

mattrg said:


> Z170 Pro Gaming.  I actually opened up my PC today to install a new 2TB HDD and do some dust removal and was unable to locate a SPDIF header.  Either this model doesn't have the header or I just overlooked it.


 
  
 It should have one. If you try it out, let us know if there is any noticeable difference to the audio quality, try not to make a placebo happen though


----------



## Letmebefrank

mattrg said:


> Z170 Pro Gaming.  I actually opened up my PC today to install a new 2TB HDD and do some dust removal and was unable to locate a SPDIF header.  Either this model doesn't have the header or I just overlooked it.




You are correct, on asus' website there is no S/PDIF header listed under "internal i/o"


----------



## Porteroso

winders said:


> I mean that both the Schiit Modi Multibit and SMSL M8 retail for ~$250. I made no statements regarding how the M8 is regarded nor do I make any judgments one way or the other. Why do you bring that up in reference to my post?


 
 It does have that retail price, but you can get it most days, brand new, for far under that. That is essentially its price. You cannot get the mimby any less than 250, brand new.
  
 Anyways, mimby beats M8. It was a good dac. I've read where people claim schiit dacs just destroy the M8, and they do not. They are, however, a little better in all regards, from what I can tell. I still have my M8 as it happens, so at some point it would be interesting to go back to it. I have no doubts of the winner, but I do wonder if the M8 has anything at all over the mimby. And I say that I wonder, and I do, but again, very little doubt that mimby is better. 
  
 I will say, as others have, that cymbals do not really have a lifelike sound, but that could be any number of things. Also the more I think about it, I just played a concert with cymbals directly behind me, and I doubt that anything can really reproduce that sound. Of course if it's the hearing damage aspect you're going for, I'm sure plenty of equipment can reproduce that just fine.


----------



## winders

porteroso said:


> It does have that retail price, but you can get it most days, brand new, for far under that. That is essentially its price. You cannot get the mimby any less than 250, brand new.
> 
> Anyways, mimby beats M8. It was a good dac. I've read where people claim schiit dacs just destroy the M8, and they do not. They are, however, a little better in all regards, from what I can tell. I still have my M8 as it happens, so at some point it would be interesting to go back to it. I have no doubts of the winner, but I do wonder if the M8 has anything at all over the mimby.


 

 Seriously? Can't you just let this go?
  
 If you can't, what happens to the poor soul who buys the SMSL M8 for retail and then wants to sell it later? He takes a huge loss because of the sometimes available discounted price.
  
 Where, by the way, can you buy the SMSL M8 new in the $150 to $180 range today?


----------



## Tuneslover

hagenhays said:


> Given the steep price difference with bimby....do you think we will see an updated Bimby this year with a smaller price tag...say $400 ??
> 
> Any thoughts....




I've been wondering about this too.


----------



## Porteroso

edit: not worth it. mimby still sounding great.


----------



## fritobugger

winders said:


> Seriously? Can't you just let this go?
> 
> If you can't, what happens to the poor soul who buys the SMSL M8 for retail and then wants to sell it later? He takes a huge loss because of the sometimes available discounted price.
> 
> Where, by the way, can you buy the SMSL M8 new in the $150 to $180 range today?


 
  
  
 Taobao has several sellers offering them at approximately $175.


----------



## ronnel0918

letmebefrank said:


> letmebefrank said:
> 
> 
> > I ordered an *Asus SPDIF output add on card* for my z97 Sabertooth MK1, which apparently has a SPDIF header that I never noticed before. We will see how it performs vs toslink and USB to Modi Multibit.
> ...




Nice! I was actually thinking of doing the same thing since my motherboard supports it (Gigabyte H97M-D3H).

Anyway, what coax spdif cable are you using to connect it to Mimby? Planning to order at Amazon also.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


----------



## winders

If going SPDIF coax, make sure the cable is at least 1.5 meters long. That length prevents signal reflection from being a problem.


----------



## Porteroso

Using Blue Jean Audio's coax cable, works very good. It will almost certainly outlast me.


----------



## ronnel0918

How about this cheap Monoprice cable from Amazon? I know this cable is cheaper when bought directly at Monoprice but I prefer to buy at Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003NMVG64/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

It says 3 ft. I assume that's okay?


----------



## Porteroso

ronnel0918 said:


> How about this cheap Monoprice cable from Amazon? I know this cable is cheaper when bought directly at Monoprice but I prefer to buy at Amazon.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003NMVG64/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
> 
> It says 3 ft. I assume that's okay?


 
 It almost certainly will work well. There needs to be some concern for shielding, and a robust enough cable that the actual wire won't be pinched, but all cables basically work the same for digital (also everything else but no need to argue).


----------



## winders

ronnel0918 said:


> It says 3 ft. I assume that's okay?


 
  
 Get a 5 foot or 1.5 meter coax cable for SPDIF.
  
 http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm


----------



## ronnel0918

porteroso said:


> It almost certainly will work well. There needs to be some concern for shielding, and a robust enough cable that the actual wire won't be pinched, but all cables basically work the same for digital (also everything else but no need to argue).


 
  


winders said:


> Get a 5 foot or 1.5 meter coax cable for SPDIF.
> 
> http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm


 
  
 Thank you for your inputs. Now that I've think about it, a 3 feet cable is actually kind of short.
  
 This Mediabridge ULTRA Series Digital Audio Coaxial Cable I found at Amazon has only 4 feet (they do have an 8 feet but I think that's unnecessarily long in my case).
  

  
 Sorry for the rather out of topic post.


----------



## winders

Get at least 1.5 meters or 5 feet.....


----------



## ronnel0918

winders said:


> Get at least 1.5 meters or 5 feet.....




I'll try to look for a cheaper but durable cable. So far the search yielded some unpopular brands without proper reviews that's why I can't consider it.

If I can't find anything, I'll just stick with the 8 feet.

Thanks again!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## winders

This one:
  
 https://www.amazon.com/Coaxial-Digital-Audio-Cable-Black/dp/B002872F0Q/ref=sr_1_8?s=aht&srs=9182265011&ie=UTF8&qid=1487633864&sr=1-8


----------



## Letmebefrank

No need to repeat the same thing over and over again. If the guy wants a short cable let him buy a short cable, as according to all the non-committal statements in that article it most likely won't effect him anyway. 

Here's a 4 foot cable if you don't want a super long cable hanging off your dac but you are worried that 3 ft might be sonically inferior to any other length. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FMZX5RI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m74QybMKGFXVK


----------



## Letmebefrank

Here is a quote from blue jeans cables on the subject in response to a question asked on their amazon listing for a 3ft coax cable:

"We have heard the notion of 1.5m being the optimal length for SPDIF, but cannot make heads or tails of the claim -- it simply doesn't make any sense at all from a technical perspective. 
When it comes to how long a cable should be, we always think of the story of Abraham Lincoln being asked by two men -- one rather long-legged and the other rather short-legged -- what the best length for a man's legs was. Lincoln replied, "long enough to reach the ground." In the same way, we think the optimal length for a cable, barring some technical constraint (e.g., maximum working length), is "long enough to reach from the one device to the other." Of course, it's never a bad thing to have an extra couple of feet so that the cable isn't under any physical strain when in place, and so that equipment can be moved without damage to cables."


----------



## winders

Whatever......
  
 You go ahead and recommend really short SPDIF coax cables. I will continue to use 1.5 meter cables.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I'm not recommending anything, I'm just offering options.


----------



## darkarn

letmebefrank said:


> I'm not recommending anything, I'm just offering options.


 
  
 Well, at least you are living up to your username here!


----------



## Jimster480

letmebefrank said:


> Here is a quote from blue jeans cables on the subject in response to a question asked on their amazon listing for a 3ft coax cable:
> 
> "We have heard the notion of 1.5m being the optimal length for SPDIF, but cannot make heads or tails of the claim -- it simply doesn't make any sense at all from a technical perspective.
> When it comes to how long a cable should be, we always think of the story of Abraham Lincoln being asked by two men -- one rather long-legged and the other rather short-legged -- what the best length for a man's legs was. Lincoln replied, "long enough to reach the ground." In the same way, we think the optimal length for a cable, barring some technical constraint (e.g., maximum working length), is "long enough to reach from the one device to the other." Of course, it's never a bad thing to have an extra couple of feet so that the cable isn't under any physical strain when in place, and so that equipment can be moved without damage to cables."


 
 Well it really does depend on the quality of the cable and the amplification at the source as any signal dissipates over distance and that distance is based on resistance.
  
 Now if it were optical it shouldn't matter the length as its fiber and doesn't really lose light across the distance of the cable.


----------



## thyname

To me, the only difference between Bifrost Multibit and Modi Multibit is the upgradabilty on the Bifrost. Just looking at the specs.

Is that true?

Price difference is huge.

Are there any other Multibit DACs out there but Schiit?


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Well it really does depend on the quality of the cable and the amplification at the source as any signal dissipates over distance and that distance is based on resistance.
> 
> Now if it were optical it shouldn't matter the length as its fiber and doesn't really lose light across the distance of the cable.


 
  
 Optical is not the preferred SPDIF option. Coax is. Yes, there are variables involved but getting a 1.5 meter or longer cable pretty much prevents problems with reflection. I don't know what the folks at Blue Jeans don't get. The article I posted a link to explains the issue so almost anyone can understand it.
  
 I was just trying to help someone out. I guess I should refrain from doing that!


----------



## gvl2016

thyname said:


> To me, the only difference between Bifrost Multibit and Modi Multibit is the upgradabilty on the Bifrost. Just looking at the specs.
> 
> Is that true?
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sure, Metrum Acoustics and Audio-gd come to mind. There is good a number of NOS DACs out there based on the vintage Philips chips TDA1541/43, which can sound nice but are in a slightly different league imo.


----------



## slex

letmebefrank said:


> No need to repeat the same thing over and over again. If the guy wants a short cable let him buy a short cable, as according to all the non-committal statements in that article it most likely won't effect him anyway.
> 
> Here's a 4 foot cable if you don't want a super long cable hanging off your dac but you are worried that 3 ft might be sonically inferior to any other length.
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FMZX5RI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m74QybMKGFXVK




I think my coax cable is around 15cm but i have a ifi spdif purifier to counter that.


----------



## winders

slex said:


> I think my coax cable is around 15cm but i have a ifi spdif purifier to counter that.


 

 I see you have a Singxer F-1 in there as your USB>SPDIF Coax DDC. How is that working out for you? Is the sound better than with USB? Did you add the spdif purifier because you had coax issues or as a precaution? Do you have anything between the Singxer F-1 and the PC?
  
 I have a Singxer F-1 coming in the next week or so. I am going to try it all by itself and see how that sounds.


----------



## slex

winders said:


> I see you have a Singxer F-1 in there as your USB>SPDIF Coax DDC. How is that working out for you? Is the sound better than with USB? Did you add the spdif purifier because you had coax issues or as a precaution? Do you have anything between the Singxer F-1 and the PC?
> 
> I have a Singxer F-1 coming in the next week or so. I am going to try it all by itself and see how that sounds.



F1 is a nifty DDC with a good clocking mechanism. I use it to avoid usb circuitry. I use ifi spdif purifier to avoid paying high price for top end coax cable Using Belden 1694A and true 75ohm BNC canare plug with matching canare rca adapter. I might try different true 75ohm cable from digital communication industries cable brand - on the cheapto hear any differences.

Yes. I have ifi purifier 2 input to F1. From PC i have idefender & isilence double linkage.


----------



## MattRG

thyname said:


> To me, the only difference between Bifrost Multibit and Modi Multibit is the upgradabilty on the Bifrost. Just looking at the specs.
> 
> Is that true?
> 
> ...


 
 MHDT Labs makes some good, decently priced R2R DAC's based on vintage chips.  I have heard good things about the Atlantis considering the price.  That being said, Modi Multibit is the standout in this category for it's unbeatable price to sound quality ratio.


----------



## thyname

thyname said:


> To me, the only difference between Bifrost Multibit and Modi Multibit is the upgradabilty on the Bifrost. Just looking at the specs.
> 
> Is that true?
> 
> Price difference is huge.


 
  
 Bump!
  
 Anybody could tell me whether paying $350 more for the Bifrost Multibit vs. Modi Multibit makes any sense?


----------



## gvl2016

thyname said:


> Bump!
> 
> Anybody could tell me whether paying $350 more for the Bifrost Multibit vs. Modi Multibit makes any sense?


 
  
 If you feel you'll be willing to spend even more $$$ on upgrades in the future then yes, otherwise no. My understanding they are very similar internally.


----------



## r2muchstuff

t


gvl2016 said:


> If you feel you'll be willing to spend even more $$$ on upgrades in the future then yes, otherwise no. My understanding they are very similar internally.


 

 This has been discussed on several threads.
  
 I have Modi Multibit, Bifrost MB, and Gungnir MB, to me each step up is a step up 
  
 Only you can determine what works best for you and your ears/budget.
  
 JMTC & IMHO,
 r2


----------



## r2muchstuff

I should add, the Modi MB is an incredible value/performance item.
  
 IMHO,
 r2


----------



## thyname

r2muchstuff said:


> t
> 
> This has been discussed on several threads.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks! Well said. I appreciate you sharing your actual experiences, although, having all three of them beats me


----------



## gvl2016

r2muchstuff said:


> t
> 
> This has been discussed on several threads.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Couldn't agree more. Safer to start small tho to see if you like it, of so you can always move up. For example I'm currently debating if I should keep my MMB, while do share the opinion that it is an unbeatable device at the price I find I like more relaxed sound, which mimby is not. Bitfrost MB likely has a similar sound signature, so not much point to go there for me.


----------



## Jimster480

mattrg said:


> MHDT Labs makes some good, decently priced R2R DAC's based on vintage chips.  I have heard good things about the Atlantis considering the price.  That being said, Modi Multibit is the standout in this category for it's unbeatable price to sound quality ratio.


 

 I checked into those and the prices are insane in comparison!
  
 I don't think anything else multibit even comes within $300 of the price of the Modi Multibit.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I checked into those and the prices are insane in comparison!
> 
> I don't think anything else multibit even comes within $300 of the price of the Modi Multibit.


 
  
 You can find some Philips TDA1543 units for under $200, there is a French guy who sells his TDA1543-based design on eBay. I happen to have one, while it is not really a contest against Schiit MB units it does push my buttons.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> You can find some Philips TDA1543 units for under $200, there is a French guy who sells his TDA1543-based design on eBay. I happen to have one, while it is not really a contest against Schiit MB units it does push my buttons.


 

 If you don't want to post it here can you PM me the sellers name/store?


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> If you don't want to post it here can you PM me the sellers name/store?


 
  
 There is a thread for it too 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/709720/starting-point-systems-portable-nos-dac


----------



## mks100

Placed my order for the Mimby today.  Let's do this.


----------



## MattRG

mks100 said:


> Placed my order for the Mimby today.  Let's do this.


 
 *internet high five*
  
 You will not be disappointed.  I just sat and listened to an hour and a half of wonderful lossless audio through the Mimby and into a Lyr 2 out to my Fostex TH-X00 and have been enjoying every minute of it.


----------



## thyname

So the question becomes: which one is better?
  
 1 - Bifrost 4490 (non-Multibit)
  
 2 - Modi 2 Multibit
  
 thoughts?


----------



## Porteroso

From what people have said, the bimby and the mimby are of equal stature. There is little difference, if any, between the 2. So naturally, something less than the bifrost multibit would be less than the mimby as well.
  
 Also to reiterate. Buy the mimby. Do not buy a bimby, unless spending more for the same sound is going to make you happy.


----------



## thyname

porteroso said:


> From what people have said, the bimby and the mimby are of equal stature. There is little difference, if any, between the 2. So naturally, something less than the bifrost multibit would be less than the mimby as well.
> 
> Also to reiterate. Buy the mimby. Do not buy a bimby, unless spending more for the same sound is going to make you happy.


 
 Thanks!
  
 To be clear, I have Bifrost 4490 (the non-multibit). Really want to try a Multibit DAC. So, in my situation, the question becomes:
  
 1 - Do I send the Bifrost 4490 to Schiit for upgrade to Multibit for $250 (plus shipping)? Or,
  
 2 - Do I sell the Bifrost 4490 and then buy the Modi 2 Multibit?
  
 For the latter, my cost is $0 (a wash after selling the Bifrost 4490 after shipping and fees, then buying a brand new Modi 2 Multibit directly from Schiit.
  
 Obviously for the first option, my cost is $250 plus shipping.
  
 Basically, since I really want to test Multibit, the choice becomes getting Modi 2 Multibit at $0 cost, vs. Bifrost Multibit at $250 plus shipping.
  
 Thoughts? (sorry for sounding redundant)


----------



## Jimster480

thyname said:


> Thanks!
> 
> To be clear, I have Bifrost 4490 (the non-multibit). Really want to try a Multibit DAC. So, in my situation, the question becomes:
> 
> ...


 

 Or if you just have the $250 you can buy a Modi Multibit and see if its worth it to replace your Bifrost


----------



## RickB

thyname said:


> So the question becomes: which one is better?
> 
> 1 - Bifrost 4490 (non-Multibit)
> 
> ...


 
 I owned both. I prefer the Modi Multibit. I sold the Bifrost.
  
 The Modi was just more natural and smooth sounding.


----------



## thyname

Thanks guys!
  
 This is what I just did:
  
 1 - I accepted an offer I had pending on my Bifrost 4490 on Audiogon. The guy paid me right away.
  
 2 - Ordered Modi 2 Multibit from Schiit.
  
 Done!
  
 P.S. I can always return it if I don't like it (compared to the Bifrost 4490, hopefully the memory remains, as I have to ship it tomorrow, and will not have them both at the same time).


----------



## darkarn

thyname said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> This is what I just did:
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yep, use the 15 days return period if you can. What I really like about Schiit is how they offer this for all customers, including *international *customers!


----------



## gvl2016

There is a 15% restocking fee on the Modi, so you out of $50-60 after you send your mimby back considering shipping both ways. Not saying it is bad or unfair, just something to be aware of, especially for international customers.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> There is a 15% restocking fee on the Modi, so you out of $50-60 after you send your mimby back considering shipping both ways. Not saying it is bad or unfair, just something to be aware of, especially for international customers.


 

 For international that shipping cost would be quite high I imagine.


----------



## MWSVette

thyname said:


> Thanks!
> 
> To be clear, I have Bifrost 4490 (the non-multibit). Really want to try a Multibit DAC. So, in my situation, the question becomes:
> 
> ...


 
 I would upgrade your Bifrost.  Baldr has stated that the Bifrost platform has at least 5 more years in the Schiit plan.
  
 The Mimby is disposable if Schiit comes out with USB 3 or Multibit 2.0 you might need to replace the Mimby instead of upgrading the Bifrost again.   If you spend $250.00 to upgrade the Bifrost its resale value will be higher also I have seen used Bimbys going for around $450.00 to $500.00.  Plus the Bifrost has a better power supply than the Mimby.
  
 IMHO, YMMY, yada yada yada


----------



## Alchemist007

mwsvette said:


> The Mimby is disposable if Schiit comes out with USB 3 or Multibit 2.0 you might need to replace the Mimby instead of upgrading the Bifrost again.


 
 Actually the Mimby as it is would remain unaffected. Unless someone from Schiit breaks into your house and takes a hammer to it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## RickB

alchemist007 said:


> Actually the Mimby as it is would remain unaffected. Unless someone from Schiit breaks into your house and takes a hammer to it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 This is Head-Fi. People have to buy the new shiny when it comes out.


----------



## MWSVette

alchemist007 said:


> Actually the Mimby as it is would remain unaffected. Unless someone from Schiit breaks into your house and takes a hammer to it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 True, just as his Bifrost is just as good and unaffected today as when he bought it.   But if someone is wanting today's new and shiny upgrade, I bet they would want tomorrows new and shiny upgrade even more...


----------



## thyname

mwsvette said:


> True, just as his Bifrost is just as good and unaffected today as when he bought it.   But if someone is wanting today's new and shiny upgrade, I bet they would want tomorrows new and shiny upgrade even more...


 
 I already pulled the trigger on the Modi 2 Multibit (and sold Bifrost 4490), but, for what is worth, if something new and shiny comes up later, at this price point on Modi2 MB, I can easily take 1/2 (or less) in loss if I sell it at that time, and buy the new stuff.
  
 I will deal with this then.


----------



## MWSVette

thyname said:


> I already pulled the trigger on the Modi 2 Multibit (and sold Bifrost 4490), but, for what is worth, if something new and shiny comes up later, at this price point on Modi2 MB, I can easily take 1/2 (or less) in loss if I sell it at that time, and buy the new stuff.
> 
> I will deal with this then.


 

 Congrats on your new toy...


----------



## ilcg1

mwsvette said:


> I would upgrade your Bifrost.  Baldr has stated that the Bifrost platform has at least 5 more years in the Schiit plan.
> 
> The Mimby is disposable if Schiit comes out with USB 3 or Multibit 2.0 you might need to replace the Mimby instead of upgrading the Bifrost again.   If you spend $250.00 to upgrade the Bifrost its resale value will be higher also I have seen used Bimbys going for around $450.00 to $500.00.  Plus the Bifrost has a better power supply than the Mimby.
> 
> IMHO, YMMY, yada yada yada






I had both Mimby and Bimby sitting at my desk for some time before I decided to sell Bimby. I don't think the price difference is justified between these two units. The cost was not an issue - it is just that to my ears Bimby is not an upgrade over Mimby - it is more of a side move.

In regards to its upgradability. Look at the original Bifrost owners who bought original Bifrost couple of years ago at $499, upgraded it later to USB 2 ($100) and UBER ($150). And later to Multibit for $250. Shipping for these two upgrades was probably $100 (CONUS). Basically their cost to date for Bifrost Multibit $1,100. When they sell it now even at $500 it is $600 loss (cost of use) over time.

Now take this $1,100 less Mimby of $250. There is $850 they could've used over the three years to spend on dacs (non-upgradable DS like Modi uber, Modi 2 uber - they still could've sold those for 50% of their original cost) with almost the same SQ and will still have he cash left.

I think the only thing that will save Bimby now is a balanced out to Jot, which looks like an expensive option if at all possible.

I'm still wondering how many Bimbys schiit sold after Mimbys release. Probably not many. These are just my $0.02.


----------



## slex

I will take a bimby with a tube buffer...possible?


----------



## Letmebefrank

If they release a Bifrost 2.0 with multibit and balanced outputs for $600-$700 I would be on board for sure. Right now the Modi Multibit sounds so good with S/PDIF I dont know that I would want an "upgrade" unless it was balanced.


----------



## Jimster480

mwsvette said:


> I would upgrade your Bifrost.  Baldr has stated that the Bifrost platform has at least 5 more years in the Schiit plan.
> 
> The Mimby is disposable if Schiit comes out with USB 3 or Multibit 2.0 you might need to replace the Mimby instead of upgrading the Bifrost again.   If you spend $250.00 to upgrade the Bifrost its resale value will be higher also I have seen used Bimbys going for around $450.00 to $500.00.  Plus the Bifrost has a better power supply than the Mimby.
> 
> IMHO, YMMY, yada yada yada


 

 Makes perfect sense


----------



## Dana Reed

letmebefrank said:


> If they release a Bifrost 2.0 with multibit and balanced outputs for $600-$700 I would be on board for sure. Right now the Modi Multibit sounds so good with S/PDIF I dont know that I would want an "upgrade" unless it was balanced.



I don't care so much about balanced, but a bimby with remote control hooked up to a saga would be nice


----------



## Indigo Bob

Hello,
  
 I am new here,
  
 I was wondering how the tube sound is on this gear...
  
 I read it was less warmth than typical tube sound and more transparency,
  
 Could you add more tube sound with tube rolling or is that sound it comes with basically what you get?


----------



## MtnMan307

Modi Multibit is a DAC with a solid state design. It doesn't have a tube in it. To get a tube with the Mimby you would need a tube amplifier like a Vali 2. I have this combo and really like it.


----------



## darkarn

gvl2016 said:


> There is a 15% restocking fee on the Modi, so you out of $50-60 after you send your mimby back considering shipping both ways. Not saying it is bad or unfair, just something to be aware of, especially for international customers.


 
  
  


jimster480 said:


> For international that shipping cost would be quite high I imagine.


 
  
 You guys are right, I forgot about this point!
  
 But my point about Schiit being awesome still stands though 
  
 And also, they are one of the very few companies willing to do this for international customers. Most of the shops here won't allow this (with good reason)


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> You guys are right, I forgot about this point!
> 
> But my point about Schiit being awesome still stands though
> 
> And also, they are one of the very few companies willing to do this for international customers. Most of the shops here won't allow this (with good reason)


 

 Exactly, I'm not faulting Schiit for this I'm just stating you are still in for some loss.


----------



## gvl2016

ilcg1 said:


> I'm still wondering how many Bimbys schiit sold after Mimbys release. Probably not many. These are just my $0.02.


 
  
 I'm wondering that too, quite possible they shot themselves in the foot by releasing the Mimby.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Exactly, I'm not faulting Schiit for this I'm just stating you are still in for some loss.


 
  
 Yeah that's true, just need to see if that loss is worthwhile compared to having to resell the stuff you don't want in the 2nd hand market for a possible greater loss


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> Yeah that's true, just need to see if that loss is worthwhile compared to having to resell the stuff you don't want in the 2nd hand market for a possible greater loss


 

 Well a quick check of ebay suggests that most things are going for close to the original prices unless they are really high end parts.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Well a quick check of ebay suggests that most things are going for close to the original prices unless they are really high end parts.


 
  
 Factor in 10% if not more in eBay and Paypal fees on sale price and shipping, and you may prefer to send it back to Schiit instead if still within the window.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Factor in 10% if not more in eBay and Paypal fees on sale price and shipping, and you may prefer to send it back to Schiit instead if still within the window.


 

 Yes you are right, its about 10% ebay fees and 2-3% paypal.
 But shipping could be a factor too depending.
  
 Either way you are going to lose some.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Well a quick check of ebay suggests that most things are going for close to the original prices unless they are really high end parts.


 
  
 In this case, if I am a potential buyer, I will buy straight from Schiit lol; their S&H prices are on par with eBay's


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Yes you are right, its about 10% ebay fees and 2-3% paypal.
> But shipping could be a factor too depending.
> 
> Either way you are going to lose some.


 
  
 This I agree; you will lose some no matter what. Best to have decided already before committing! (but still, having this 15 days return policy is a good back out option in case you ever need it. Also, this signals confidence on Schiit; something potential customers will like to see too)


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> This I agree; you will lose some no matter what. Best to have decided already before committing! (but still, having this 15 days return policy is a good back out option in case you ever need it. Also, this signals confidence on Schiit; something potential customers will like to see too)



I don't disagree and this is why I have ordered a fulla 2 now. 
This will be my first piece of Schiit  
I will be comparing it against my FiiO K1 which is about $40.
And then for fun I'll compare it against the HTC 10 as well.


----------



## MWSVette

If you return a purchase and move up in the Schiit product line they waive the restocking fee.  So then you are only out shipping....


----------



## RickB

gvl2016 said:


> I'm wondering that too, quite possible they shot themselves in the foot by releasing the Mimby.


 
 I don't think they see it as "shooting themselves in the foot." I think they see it as doing right by their customers, by providing the best possible product at the best possible price.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> I don't disagree and this is why I have ordered a fulla 2 now.
> This will be my first piece of Schiit
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Nice, let's us know how it turns out!
  


mwsvette said:


> If you return a purchase and move up in the Schiit product line they waive the restocking fee.  So then you are only out shipping....


 
  
 That's a better option too haha


----------



## bigro

ilcg1 said:


> I had both Mimby and Bimby sitting at my desk for some time before I decided to sell Bimby. I don't think the price difference is justified between these two units. The cost was not an issue - it is just that to my ears Bimby is not an upgrade over Mimby - it is more of a side move.
> 
> In regards to its upgradability. Look at the original Bifrost owners who bought original Bifrost couple of years ago at $499, upgraded it later to USB 2 ($100) and UBER ($150). And later to Multibit for $250. Shipping for these two upgrades was probably $100 (CONUS). Basically their cost to date for Bifrost Multibit $1,100. When they sell it now even at $500 it is $600 loss (cost of use) over time.
> 
> ...


 

 If Bifrost was not Upgradeable. $499 For Non USB 2.0 Bifrost Then Another $499 for USB 2.0, Then another 499 for Uber, then $650 for Bimby. It could be A more expensive path to stay current with out the upgrade option over $2K. So there Is Value there And If another Upgrade comes That Price Difference of Buying all new or Upgrading will spread even more.
  
 To be Fair However the first gen Modi and Modi 2 Uber was not a Bifrost Uber Killer with my comparisons.In Pre Mimby days if you compared both lines there was a very noticeable difference and Bimby was a Game changer. Mimby was no where on the horizon for months. I am Mimby curious though and wonder If I do pull the trigger if my findings will be similar to yours.


----------



## leeperry

jimster480 said:


> Shipping could be a factor too


 
  
 https://www.paypal.com/gr/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns


----------



## ilcg1

bigro said:


> If Bifrost was not Upgradeable. $499 For Non USB 2.0 Bifrost Then Another $499 for USB 2.0, Then another 499 for Uber, then $650 for Bimby. It could be A more expensive path to stay current with out the upgrade option over $2K. So there Is Value there And If another Upgrade comes That Price Difference of Buying all new or Upgrading will spread even more.
> 
> To be Fair However the first gen Modi and Modi 2 Uber was not a Bifrost Uber Killer with my comparisons.In Pre Mimby days if you compared both lines there was a very noticeable difference and Bimby was a Game changer. Mimby was no where on the horizon for months. I am Mimby curious though and wonder If I do pull the trigger if my findings will be similar to yours.




Yes and No at the same time - depending how you want to approach it. An owner always could've sold the previous Bifrost version at some loss (usually at 30-50%) and buy the next version. It will cost more than paying for an upgrade, but not dramatically more. That's why I'm not sold on Schiit's upgradability. As you can see below the difference is $50 only.



All I'm saying is that Bimby is a great value in DACs world, but not so in Schiit's DACs world with Mimby around. And I like that Schiit's products hold their value pretty well comparing to competition and that they don't do sales (even BF).


----------



## Baldr

rickb said:


> I don't think they see it as "shooting themselves in the foot." I think they see it as doing right by their customers, by providing the best possible product at the best possible price.


 
 Actually, there's a bit more to it than just that. All humility aside, we produce more multibit DACs than anyone else for this market. There is a smattering of entry level 1x NonOverSampling style stuff and a few used to new car priced high, high end entries. This leaves me no option but to compete with myself. Seriously. As a believer in free markets being the best for both buyer and seller, competition results in the best for the most. Keeps me on my toes. Resting on laurels makes the whole line go stale.
  
 Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. Oh, and someone posted a Bifrost would cost $1200 if bought when first offered and steadily upgraded. Hmm, $240 per year over the Bifrost's life. Ten bucks less than a Multi-Modi per year. Twenty bucks a month. How much is Tidal? How often does the average guy change DACs?
  
 So here's the bottom line: Modi Multis cater to those who want the best deal and want it right away. If you are willing to wait and willing to spend half to a fraction of what you spend on streaming or physical media on your DAC, a Bifrost will be a much better value over time.
  
 Have it your way!


----------



## Alchemist007

Sounds like you're comparing gear to subscription services; not exactly untrue for people who buy/upgrade _really often_.


----------



## MWSVette

baldr said:


> Actually, there's a bit more to it than just that. All humility aside, we produce more multibit DACs than anyone else for this market. There is a smattering of entry level 1x NonOverSampling style stuff and a few used to new car priced high, high end entries. This leaves me no option but to compete with myself. Seriously. As a believer in free markets being the best for both buyer and seller, competition results in the best for the most. Keeps me on my toes. Resting on laurels makes the whole line go stale.
> 
> Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. Oh, and someone posted a Bifrost would cost $1200 if bought when first offered and steadily upgraded. Hmm, $240 per year over the Bifrost's life. Ten bucks less than a Multi-Modi per year. Twenty bucks a month. How much is Tidal? How often does the average guy change DACs?
> 
> ...


 
  
 +1.  Thanks for the response.
  
 I love my Bimby and will be interested in any and all future upgrades.


----------



## Odin412

baldr said:


> I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet.


 
  
 Excellent! I started with the Bifrost Uber, then upgraded to Multibit. I look forward to upgrading again when the Bifrost Future Model becomes available.


----------



## ilcg1

baldr said:


> Actually, there's a bit more to it than just that. All humility aside, we produce more multibit DACs than anyone else for this market. There is a smattering of entry level 1x NonOverSampling style stuff and a few used to new car priced high, high end entries. This leaves me no option but to compete with myself. Seriously. As a believer in free markets being the best for both buyer and seller, competition results in the best for the most. Keeps me on my toes. Resting on laurels makes the whole line go stale.
> 
> Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. Oh, and someone posted a Bifrost would cost $1200 if bought when first offered and steadily upgraded. Hmm, $240 per year over the Bifrost's life. Ten bucks less than a Multi-Modi per year. Twenty bucks a month. How much is Tidal? How often does the average guy change DACs?
> 
> ...


 
  
 Couple of points:
  
 - Based on Modi MB vs Bifrost MB and their prices Bifrost loses in terms value for money/SQ. Bifrost MB however is a very good value comparing to the competition, but not so good in Shiit's own line-up after Modi MB was released.
  
 - Comparing Bifrost to Tidal. The same way one can compare Bifrost to Starbucks. How much much money do they spend on coffee per year? That's irrelevant in this conversation - it has nothing to do with DACs. Person who has a Tidal subscription will most likely not cancel it to buy/upgrade Schiit DAC.
  
 - Here is a quick comparison in $ of Bifrost MB + future hair raising Bifrost upgrade vs Modi MB + future hair raising Bifrost purchase. Assumption is that new hair raising Bifrost (Bifrost HR) will cost $750 and upgrade will cost $250 for existing owners.
  

  Modi MB  Bifrost MB  Sale  Bifrost HR Total       Non-upgrade Modi MB path             250.00                      -            (150.00)             750.00             850.00Bifrost MB upgrade path                      -               600.00                      -               250.00             850.00
  
 At the end of the day if one with Modi MB decides that Bifrost HR at $750 really worth it, they sell their Modi MB for $150 and purchase brand new with 5-year warranty Bifrost HR. At the end of the day, total cost will be the same.
  
 - $10 bucks more than Modi MB per year. I guess no one will be replacing Modi every year - just with new version release. Here is a quick comparison - hopefully it pastes OK from Excel.
  

  Purchases/upgrades   Sales     2012  2013  2014  2015  2016   2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  TotalModi UBER/Modi 2 UBER/MB             150.00                      -               150.00                      -               250.00                -                 -       (75.00)               -       (75.00)       400.00Bifrost/UBER/gen 2/MB             500.00                      -               300.00             300.00                      -                  -                 -                 -                 -                 -      1,100.00
  
 One can say that Bifrost is head and shoulder in SQ over Modi/Modi 2 UBER. I don't think that's the case.
  
*I'd like to repeat that I like Schiit DACs and amps (I have magni 2 uber - another great value for money) as I think they offer tremendous value for money and my comments are strictly on Bifrost vs Modi. Thanks*.
  
 EDIT: Forgot to mention Schiit's upgrade program. I think it should be different for long term customers, i.e. upgrade from UBER to MB should be less than from 4490 to MB for couple of reasons:
  
 - long term customers have already spent a lot to upgrade from orig. Bifrost to gen 2 and UBER;
 - customers who purchase 4490 had a choice to buy MB in first place.
  
 just my $0.02 Thanks.
  
 P.S. That's my modest setup at work.


----------



## saddleup

letmebefrank said:


> Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 This looks like a nice and neat solution.  Considering the quality of the wire they are using to the header it doesn't make much sense to go high end on the coax cable from circuit board to DAC.  Before I saw this devise I had been considering having Blue Jean Cables build a coax cable that would hook up directly to the MB header.  A high quality version of a cable like this.
 http://www.htomega.com/ca-1-cable.html
  
 EDIT: Just heard back from Blue Jeans cable.  Not able to supply a cable with the 2 pin end.  Going to order this Asus unit now.


----------



## Tuneslover

@ilcg1 Going the Bifrost upgrade path shouldn't you be including shipping TO & FROM Schiit (EVERY time you upgrade)?


----------



## ilcg1

tuneslover said:


> @ilcg1 Going the Bifrost upgrade path shouldn't you be including shipping TO & FROM Schiit (EVERY time you upgrade)?




That's why I've made upgrades $300 and not $250 - Assumed that shipping is $50 per upgrade.


----------



## MWSVette

ilcg1 said:


> Couple of points:
> 
> - Based on Modi MB vs Bifrost MB and their prices Bifrost loses in terms value for money/SQ. Bifrost MB however is a very good value comparing to the competition, but not so good in Shiit's own line-up after Modi MB was released.
> 
> ...


 
  
 And 5 years of the use of a great DAC, priceless...


----------



## Tuneslover

ilcg1 said:


> That's why I've made upgrades $300 and not $250 - Assumed that shipping is $50 per upgrade.



Sorry I was trying to read your charts on my Samsung phone and am having trouble getting the charting lined up. However I was referring to your Bifrost HR chart that doesnt show shipping costs...shows a wash at $850.


----------



## MWSVette

ilcg1 said:


> That's why I've made upgrades $300 and not $250 - Assumed that shipping is $50 per upgrade.


 
 That shipping is pretty steep.  As I understand it, shipping back from Schiit is included in the upgrade price.  FedEx shipping from here in Orlando to California is around $25.00.


----------



## ilcg1

tuneslover said:


> Sorry I was trying to read your charts on my Samsung phone and am having trouble getting the charting lined up. However I was referring to your Bifrost HR chart that doesnt show shipping costs...shows a wash at $850.




Let's assume that it is a wash - didn't want to complicate things. 
Modi' scenario - shipping when sold plus shipping when purchase new Bifrost HR.
Bifrost's scenario - shipping both ways when upgraded to HR.


----------



## ilcg1

mwsvette said:


> That shipping is pretty steep.  As I understand it, shipping back from Schiit is included in the upgrade price.  FedEx shipping from here in Orlando to California is around $25.00.




I think when upgrading customer pays shipping both ways. Thanks.


----------



## Baldr

ilcg1 said:


> - Comparing Bifrost to Tidal. The same way one can compare Bifrost to Starbucks. How much much money do they spend on coffee per year? That's irrelevant in this conversation - it has nothing to do with DACs. Person who has a Tidal subscription will most likely not cancel it to buy/upgrade Schiit DAC.


 
 Viewed in total cost of dollars -  both software and hardware.  Neither a Multi-Modi nor a Bifrost does not drink starbucks - it drinks software, either physical or streamed.  If one is willing to spend x$ on hardware, what is the relative x$ of software and the hobby as a whole.  Starbuck's is irrelevant - physical media and streamed media is NOT.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

leeperry said:


> https://www.paypal.com/gr/webapps/mpp/refunded-returns


 
*When can I use PayPal Refunded Returns service?*

Subject to the terms and conditions of these GCU, You may be reimbursed under the PayPal Refunded Returns service only if all of the following requirements are met:· You are registered with PayPal as an holder of a PayPal account resident in Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovenia, Croatia,    Latvia, Estonia, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal and your PayPal account is not suspended or limited

 

Looks like it's only for those countries.


----------



## ilcg1

baldr said:


> Viewed in total cost of dollars -  both software and hardware.  A Bifrost does not drink starbucks - it drinks software, either physical or streamed.  If one is willing to spend x$ on hardware, what is the relative x$ of software and the hobby as a whole.  Starbuck's is irrelevant - physical media and streamed media is NOT.




Software is irrelevant in this case. User has to have a source in any case (Tidal, Spotify, cds, pandora etc.), regardless of their DAC - Yggy, Gumby, Bimby etc.

There are tons of things relevant to the hobby and headphones are #1. 

My comments were not related to the entire chain of things in this hobby and were made ONLY to Modi vs Bifrost and upgradability. Thanks.


----------



## winders

I think Schiit is brilliant! The Modi Multibit was the bait that caused me to order an Yggdrasil! My Mimby has been a revelation as to what one can get with Schiit multibit IP.
  
 I don't know if Schiit looks at their lower end stuff as bait. But it is what got me to try their stuff in the first place. I started out looking for a nice not too expensive nearfield/headphone setup for my computer. I got that with Mimby and a Vali 2. The sound was so good I decided to upgrade to the Lyr 2. The Mimby was such a great performer I couldn't justify the jump to Bimby. The Mimby/Lyr 2 combination sounded spectacular and inspired me to start planning a nice 2 channel system. Yggdrasil is the root of that system!
  
 Schiit offers great value at every level within their product line. If they keep doing that, I will keep buying their products.


----------



## bigro

ilcg1 said:


> Yes and No at the same time - depending how you want to approach it. An owner always could've sold the previous Bifrost version at some loss (usually at 30-50%) and buy the next version. It will cost more than paying for an upgrade, but not dramatically more. That's why I'm not sold on Schiit's upgradability. As you can see below the difference is $50 only.
> 
> 
> 
> All I'm saying is that Bimby is a great value in DACs world, but not so in Schiit's DACs world with Mimby around. And I like that Schiit's products hold their value pretty well comparing to competition and that they don't do sales (even BF).


 

 They could sell the previous dac model but that number of return is hard to pin down depending on when and how it sold. Which is why I did not count that.
  
  
 I do not doubt that the Mimby sounds very close to the Bimby as they seem to be similar at least on the DAC portion. Until the Mimby came out every iteration of the Bifrost (Original, Uber and Bimby)  Bested the best available version of the Modi at that time. I found the difference were not as apparent in headphones as they were in a 2 channel setup. Comparing the Cost of Both Lines along the Lifespan of each does not take into account that there was never really a blurring of the lines between them until a few month ago. Almost 8 months after the Release of the Bimby the Mimby came along.  Mike just Made my heart skip a beat with the mention Of Bimby 2.0. Which more than likely will make those lines pretty clear again. I am not Mimby hating. In Fact I am very close to getting one to may replace the Modi 2 U on my desk at work but It seems when comparing both line in terms of how close they sound to each other that Window is very a small one, as in months in when you look at the grand scheme of things.


----------



## Baldr

ilcg1 said:


> Software is irrelevant in this case. User has to have a source in any case (Tidal, Spotify, cds, pandora etc.), regardless of their DAC - Yggy, Gumby, Bimby etc.
> 
> There are tons of things relevant to the hobby and headphones are #1.
> 
> My comments were not related to the entire chain of things in this hobby and were made ONLY to Modi vs Bifrost and upgradability. Thanks.


 

 You were right - I amended my statement to include Multi Modi and Bifrost BOTH require RELEVANT software which should be evaluated in the context of a total system cost.  Time for both of us to let this go.


----------



## Jimster480

baldr said:


> Actually, there's a bit more to it than just that. All humility aside, we produce more multibit DACs than anyone else for this market. There is a smattering of entry level 1x NonOverSampling style stuff and a few used to new car priced high, high end entries. This leaves me no option but to compete with myself. Seriously. As a believer in free markets being the best for both buyer and seller, competition results in the best for the most. Keeps me on my toes. Resting on laurels makes the whole line go stale.
> 
> Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. Oh, and someone posted a Bifrost would cost $1200 if bought when first offered and steadily upgraded. Hmm, $240 per year over the Bifrost's life. Ten bucks less than a Multi-Modi per year. Twenty bucks a month. How much is Tidal? How often does the average guy change DACs?
> 
> ...


 

 I can understand what you are saying, subscription services cost more than the hardware themselves.
 I spent more last year on Cable/Internet than I did on my Sony x850D, but I don't upgrade every year and I think many people will be looking for something that lasts from year to year.

 But you also have to factor in the cost of upgrades and how good the upgrades are.

 If I got a Modi Multibit today and then sold it in a year I could probably get $150 for it (considering the going rate for Modi 1 and Magni 1 and other original Schiit products on ebay) meaning that it only cost me $125 for the year to own it (assuming ebay fee + shipping).
 But my Xonar DG for example I bought 3+ years ago and used it every day in my office for years with my speakers (which btw I got in 2005 or 2004) so I tend to keep stuff for a really long time!
  
 I've had my Denon Heos 3 for 3 years now (I beta tested it when it came out) and I picked up another Heos 3 1st gen last year which now got moved to my kitchen when I bought these Klipsch reference speakers on a blowout sale a few weeks ago.
  
 If you are a person who keeps audio gear its best to invest in something that suits your needs now and you just keep using year after year.


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> Nice, let's us know how it turns out!
> 
> 
> That's a better option too haha


 

 Will do, I can't wait for it to come out now!


----------



## djchup

All this bimby-mimby comparison and I haven't seen a mention of the bimby's power supply.  That's the big selling point to me.  Although $599 was more than I was ready to invest in a DAC, hence I'm a mimby owner.  To quote Mr. Stoddard in 2016 Chapter 10 of the Schiit Book:


> Plus, the power supply in Bifrost Multibit was far and away better than the one in Modi, and always would be. (It's not possible to beat a custom transformer with multiple secondaries, plus many more stages of general and local regulation, plus the fact that the transformer alone was almost 3x the size.)


----------



## leeperry

Well, you can always go overkill on mimby's eh: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281988496071


----------



## Alchemist007

I got an uninterruptable power supply and called it a day.


----------



## bigro

leeperry said:


> Well, you can always go overkill on mimby's eh: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281988496071


 

 Why?
  From the schiit Website
  
  
*"Power Supply: *
*Modi 2: *USB bus powered, 120mA draw
*Modi 2 Uber and Modi Multibit: *Included 16VAC wall-wart with 100% linear power"
  
 It already has a Linear Power Supply.


----------



## Tuneslover

@Baldr

Many on this thread have pronounced the mb Bifrost either dead or a poor value. I have a non production engineered Bifrost future model running which is absolutely hair raising. This will (when tamed down) will be offered as upgrades – you bet. 


Hair Raising! My thinning cranium is all in!!!


----------



## Leigh

I have immensely enjoyed my original Bifrost, my Bifrost Uber, and, just recently, Bifrost Multibit. I've loved them all, really, and have experienced an increase in quality through these upgrades. I could probably live with the Bimby indefinitely. But now that I've had a taste of multibit I'm afraid I'm already mentally squirrelling $ away for a Yggy....
  
 I would actually be tickled pink if the consensus was that Mimby sounded as good as or better than Bimby. Your gain is not my loss. It's all good - you simply can't beat any of this performance at these prices IMO.
  
 My wife asked me if my new DAC was "schiitty enough for me" (although I think her spelling would have been different). I laughed and said, yes, yes it is 
  
 The idea of another Bifrost upgrade is intriguing. Even if it came out tomorrow I'd probably hold off for at least six months, I'm into the delayed gratification thing (which helps the wallet).


----------



## slex

Hair Raising Bifrost ! Any time frame?


----------



## Letmebefrank

saddleup said:


> This looks like a nice and neat solution.  Considering the quality of the wire they are using to the header it doesn't make much sense to go high end on the coax cable from circuit board to DAC.  Before I saw this devise I had been considering having Blue Jean Cables build a coax cable that would hook up directly to the MB header.  A high quality version of a cable like this.
> http://www.htomega.com/ca-1-cable.html
> 
> EDIT: Just heard back from Blue Jeans cable.  Not able to supply a cable with the 2 pin end.  Going to order this Asus unit now.




I'm not sure how it works but there are 3 pins and one is 5v, and there are parts on the board between the header and the coax output. My thought is that it has to create the signal that is ultimately sent to the dac using the raw data from the header. Or it could just be to power the toslink transmitter. I'm using a 6' blue jeans coax, mostly because the RCAs on bjc arent super tight and I don't want to break this little circuit board with stiff connectors.


----------



## MWSVette

ilcg1 said:


> I think when upgrading customer pays shipping both ways. Thanks.


 

 And you would be wrong.  According to Nick at Schiit, return shipping is included in the upgrade pricing.


----------



## Jimster480

mwsvette said:


> And you would be wrong.  According to Nick at Schiit, return shipping is included in the upgrade pricing.


 

 So you are saying that you won't pay for return shipping at all as long as you upgrade?

 thats not a bad deal then.


----------



## MWSVette

jimster480 said:


> So you are saying that you won't pay for return shipping at all as long as you upgrade?
> 
> thats not a bad deal then.


 

 Yep, you pay to ship to Schiit, they upgrade the unit and pay for return shipping...


----------



## Jimster480

mwsvette said:


> Yep, you pay to ship to Schiit, they upgrade the unit and pay for return shipping...


 

 That is pretty nice of them, it must have worked out for them so far or they probably would have discontinued it.


----------



## leeperry

bigro said:


> Why?
> From the schiit Website
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 A wallwart is just that, funnily Bimby doesn't run off a $2 wallwart as you noticed and yes I've done my homework fueling mimby off a way overkill 900g 2A 16VAC PSU. Ludicrous SQ improvement, rest assured that Mimby's utterly cripped by its el cheapo phone charger so comparing it to Bimby is as much of an apple/orange comparison as it gets as long as you run it off its stock wallwart IME.


----------



## ilcg1

mwsvette said:


> And you would be wrong.  According to Nick at Schiit, return shipping is included in the upgrade pricing.




Not sure who Nick at schiit is, but according to schiit's website, shipping is NOT included (maybe it's included in more expensive upgrades) - here it is Bifrost MB upgrade in my cart - CONUS shipping of course:


----------



## bigro

leeperry said:


> A wallwart is just that, funnily Bimby doesn't run off a $2 wallwart as you noticed and yes I've done my homework fueling mimby off a way overkill 900g 2A 16VAC PSU. Ludicrous SQ improvement, rest assured that Mimby's utterly cripped by its el cheapo phone charger so comparing it to Bimby is as much of an apple/orange comparison as it gets as long as you run it off its stock wallwart IME.


 

 I Have never tried another PSU with a Mimby . I don't have one yet, but there is possibly one about to be purchased to replace a Modi2U. I am Mulling a Used Bifrost Uber or a new Mimby. But your findings are very intriguing and somewhat entertaining that you did go that far, but I don't think I will go that far of the rails. I do it enough already. You point out one of the Most Obvious differences and one rarely considered in a Bifrost and Modi which ever versions you choose. Power supply. Good Power supplies can be a significant cost when compared to all the other individual components. Mimby is Mighty tempting regardless.


----------



## leeperry

I've tried the 1.5A M2U, same cheapo chinese OEM as stock one. We are listening to the PSU, don't underestimate it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I also run a 10cm dual-shielded USB cable to a highly pimped USB PCI-E controller fitted with a 1ppm clock and TOTL caps with the lowest ESR evar. Worst case scenario would be a super long toslink cable and stock PSU ^^
  
 The way I see it Mimby has plenty potential, our job to maximise it coz obviously Schiit don't wanna cannibalize on Bimby too much.


----------



## darkarn

I don't know, something tells me to worry about other parts of the chain first though (e.g. how I feed audio data into the Mimby, what I use to listen to the Mimby)


----------



## leeperry

You're only as strong as your weakest link, eventually what you feed Mimby on all inputs equally matters.


----------



## MWSVette

ilcg1 said:


> Not sure who Nick at schiit is, but according to schiit's website, shipping is NOT included (maybe it's included in more expensive upgrades) - here it is Bifrost MB upgrade in my cart - CONUS shipping of course:


 
 Here is the email from Schiit.  Nick is the guy who answers most of Schiit's emails.
  
  
  
 Yes, it is.
    Nick T.
Schiit Tech
 
tech@schiit.com
 

    





> On Feb 23, 2017, at 11:17 AM, mwsvette wrote:
> 
> Is return shipping included in the upgrade price?
> 
> ...


----------



## ilcg1

mwsvette said:


> Here is the email from Schiit.  Nick is the guy who answers most of Schiit's emails.
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...




What a relief - thank you. You too have a nice day.


----------



## Tuneslover

mwsvette said:


> Yep, you pay to ship to Schiit, they upgrade the unit and pay for return shipping...



Even outside the U.S.?


----------



## Jason Stoddard

Easy solution: email orders@schiit.com and ask.
  
 Nick is tech support. The people in charge of orders can answer definitively.


----------



## MWSVette

jason stoddard said:


> Easy solution: email orders@schiit.com and ask.
> 
> Nick is tech support. The people in charge of orders can answer definitively.


 
  
 I sent my question to info@schiit.com.  Would be the wrong place to ask that question.  I used that one as it was a general question and I had no order in which to refer.
  
 However since we have your attention.  Is return shipping included in the $250.00 Bifrost upgrade to multibit?
  
 Thanks


----------



## Jason Stoddard

mwsvette said:


> I sent my question to info@schiit.com.  Would be the wrong place to ask that question.  I used that one as it was a general question and I had no order in which to refer.
> 
> However since we have your attention.  Is return shipping included in the $250.00 Bifrost upgrade to multibit?
> 
> Thanks


 

 Actually, I don't know. That's why I suggested emailing orders@schiit.com


----------



## MWSVette

jason stoddard said:


> Actually, I don't know. That's why I suggested emailing orders@schiit.com


 
 OK, I did.  These are the responses,
  
  
 Hello,
  
 The cost of shipping is not included in the $250 price.  Shipping is charged during the checkout process for return shipping once the upgrade is completed.  In regards to shipping the Bifrost to us, we do not provide shipping for it to us.
  
 Laura Zeman
 Schiit Audio
 Customer Service
  
  
  
*From:* mwsvette
*Sent:* Friday, February 24, 2017 9:02 AM
*To:* orders@schiit.com
*Subject:* Fwd: Upgrades and shipping
  
Good morning,

 

Is return shipping include in the $250.00 Bifrost Multibit upgrade?

 

Jason said to ask here not at info@schiit.com...

 

Thanks

 

 

-----Original Message-----
 From: Schiit Tech <tech@schiit.com>
 To: mwsvette
 Sent: Thu, Feb 23, 2017 4:50 pm
 Subject: Re: Upgrades and shipping

Yes, it is. 
 
Nick T.

Schiit Tech

 

tech@schiit.com

 

 

 


> On Feb 23, 2017, at 11:17 AM, wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 




 While I love Schiit, I am the current owner of a Lyr, Bimby, Jot, 2 Wyrd's and a Sys.  This was more difficult than it should have been.
  
 I have now gotten my 3rd different answer to the same question.  Yes, I do not know and no.
  
 It was not a trick question.  The only reason I was even asking was in response to another Head-fier.
  
 Special thanks to Laura she responded very quickly.
  
  
  
  
  To @ilcg1, I apologize for giving you incorrect information...


----------



## Porteroso

baldr said:


> ilcg1 said:
> 
> 
> > - Comparing Bifrost to Tidal. The same way one can compare Bifrost to Starbucks. How much much money do they spend on coffee per year? That's irrelevant in this conversation - it has nothing to do with DACs. Person who has a Tidal subscription will most likely not cancel it to buy/upgrade Schiit DAC.
> ...


 
 You are essentially comparing a piece of hardware to a subscription service, which is not a like to like comparison. From that perspective, comparing Tidal to Starbucks is not a bad comparison. Very different things, but similar in the sense that both are consumables that must be purchased over and over again. Hardware is completely different.
  
 I understand that from your perspective, the dolby upgrades of the world have consumers upgrading their hardware on almost a subscription type basis anyways, so why not make that comparison? But when I watched a video of you talking about that, you weren't so hot on having to suck up to dolby, were you? But that's essentially what you're saying here. You want someone to buy a product and continually send it to you for upgrades ($). Of course nobody wants you to stop making products or upgrades, we all want bigger and better and faster!
  
 But the real reason that the bifrost makes sense from schiit's perspective, is that it keeps the money in house. If you buy a modi multibit and you sell it to later buy something else from schiit, some of the money changing hands hasn't been given to schiit. If you buy a bifrost and continually upgrade it, the only entity you give money to is schiit. The only benefit to schiit of going the modi route is that it's maybe another piece of schiit hardware in the hands of a consumer, improving brand recognition and loyalty.
  
 So I understand. And I understand that the bifrost will one day be capable of sound far better than the mimby. But not only is the mimby still a better buy for the consumer, but we as the consumer are not guaranteed a single penny of extra worth of the bifrost. You say you will come out with these upgrades, and you almost certainly will, but we are not guaranteed that. Again, strictly from a business perspective, you always have to evaluate your upgrade paths. You have to take all these things into consideration.
  
 So in my opinion, the only people that should buy bifrosts are people who will definitely want to upgrade later, do not plan on moving up to another schiit dac (gumby/yggy/future dac), and most importantly, are schiit fanboys who want to make sure that schiit makes as much money off of them as possible. Undoubtedly many will fall into this last category, but for most of us who like schiit purely on a value of their products basis, the mimby is such a better buy that the bifrost is entirely out of the question.


----------



## winders

This is the answer I expected. Why? Because it makes sense. Building shipping charges into the upgrade cost would make upgrades more expensive from some than they should be.


----------



## Leigh

mwsvette said:


> OK, I did.  These are the responses....


 
 For what it's worth, I just got the multibit upgrade (and usb2) on my Buber and my receipt looked like this:
  

 Name​Qty​Price​Item Total​


Bifrost Multibit1​$250.00​$250.00​

USB Gen 2 
Installation: Installed by Schiit
 1​$100.00​$100.00​ Subtotal​$350.00​ Shipping: FedEx Home Delivery​$19.75​ Total​$369.75​
 
  
 I'm pretty sure there wasn't an Amazon-like "Free shipping" option.


----------



## ilcg1

mwsvette said:


> @ilcg1
> , I apologize for giving you incorrect information...




Accepted.


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> A wallwart is just that, funnily Bimby doesn't run off a $2 wallwart as you noticed and yes I've done my homework fueling mimby off a way overkill 900g 2A 16VAC PSU. Ludicrous SQ improvement, rest assured that Mimby's utterly cripped by its el cheapo phone charger so comparing it to Bimby is as much of an apple/orange comparison as it gets as long as you run it off its stock wallwart IME.


 
  
 Mimby's adapter outputs AC, in other words it is just a transformer. If someone wants to shell out $$$ for thicker copper wire they can go ahead but you won't be able to bypass the built-in AC->DC conversion circuitry anyway. 8W rated power handling on the transformer seems awfully adequate for a device like mimby. I suppose you can try feeding mimby with DC, not sure if this is a good idea tho, perhaps the designers can comment.


----------



## bigro

porteroso said:


> You are essentially comparing a piece of hardware to a subscription service, which is not a like to like comparison. From that perspective, comparing Tidal to Starbucks is not a bad comparison. Very different things, but similar in the sense that both are consumables that must be purchased over and over again. Hardware is completely different.
> 
> I understand that from your perspective, the dolby upgrades of the world have consumers upgrading their hardware on almost a subscription type basis anyways, so why not make that comparison? But when I watched a video of you talking about that, you weren't so hot on having to suck up to dolby, were you? But that's essentially what you're saying here. You want someone to buy a product and continually send it to you for upgrades ($). Of course nobody wants you to stop making products or upgrades, we all want bigger and better and faster!
> 
> ...


 

 You can use an original Bifrost with a brand new Transport and Amp or a 25 year old Amp with a 10 year Old Transport while using the first Bifrost with no upgrades.Sorry I fail to see how this is the same as with Dolby. As something even 5 years old may or may not work with the latest and greatest butif it does you lose functionality or features of the new gear. Their track record speak for itself On the Upgrades,  They Don't have to but they say they will and they do. Tech gets better they learn more and they make stuff to sell. It's they way they keep food on the table and roofs over their heads and their employees. They are a Business, they make money, Who does not?   The Bifrost 4490 is cheaper that the previous Gen Uber because Production costs came down and they lowered the price. They also could have not released the Mimby and Kept making Money on the Bimby because at that point is was practically the Lowest Cost MB dac out there.
  
 Signed the Schiit Fan boy who would prefer to support the company that build great products, follows through on the promise to upgrade, honors warranties, supports their local businesses by sourcing from them, and support their neighbors by building stateside and employing them and passes production savings to the customer. Hmm I guess I may be An Obsolete Customer If I value those things.


----------



## leeperry

gvl2016 said:


> Mimby's adapter outputs AC, in other words it is just a transformer. If someone wants to shell out $$$ for thicker copper wire they can go ahead but you won't be able to bypass the built-in AC->DC conversion circuitry anyway. 8W rated power handling on the transformer seems awfully adequate for a device like mimby.


 
 In other words you are giving us a broscience lecture on audio gear you haven't heard yourself, hats off


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> In other words you are giving us a broscience lecture on audio gear you haven't heard yourself, hats off


 
  
 A bare transformer doesn't exactly qualify as audio gear, and you can't hear a transformer anyway, unless you're talking about its hum.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> In other words you are giving us a broscience lecture on audio gear you haven't heard yourself, hats off


 

 Not really,
 He is just explaining facts.
  
 AC->DC is done inside the unit


----------



## maxh22

bigro said:


> You can use an original Bifrost with a brand new Transport and Amp or a 25 year old Amp with a 10 year Old Transport while using the first Bifrost with no upgrades.Sorry I fail to see how this is the same as with Dolby. As something even 5 years old may or may not work with the latest and greatest butif it does you lose functionality or features of the new gear. Their track record speak for itself On the Upgrades,  They Don't have to but they say they will and they do. Tech gets better they learn more and they make stuff to sell. It's they way they keep food on the table and roofs over their heads and their employees. They are a Business, they make money, Who does not?  The Bifrost 4490 is cheaper that the previous Gen Uber because Production costs came down and they lowered the price. They also could have not released the Mimby and Kept making Money on the Bimby because at that point is was practically the Lowest Cost MB dac out there.
> 
> Signed the Schiit Fan boy who would prefer to support the company that build great products, follows through on the promise to upgrade, honors warranties, supports their local businesses by sourcing from them, and support their neighbors by building stateside and employing them and passes production savings to the customer. Hmm I guess I may be An Obsolete Customer If I value those things.




Schiit is making the audio world great again! I'm sure Donald would be very proud of Schiit, maybe someone should tell him about schiit so he could make a public endorsement as he did with other companies.


----------



## leeperry

so many EE's in here, I'm floored ^^
  
 breaking news, all AC trannies aren't born equal: https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/about-wave-distortion-of-an-ac-ac-adapter/1532/6
  
 Wyrd also drastically benefited from a twice bigger wallwart for that matter but Regen Amber still killed it, c'est la vie. It wasn't the smartest move to fuel its USB repeater chip off bus-power, Regen doesn't do that mistake.


----------



## Jimster480

bigro said:


> You can use an original Bifrost with a brand new Transport and Amp or a 25 year old Amp with a 10 year Old Transport while using the first Bifrost with no upgrades.Sorry I fail to see how this is the same as with Dolby. As something even 5 years old may or may not work with the latest and greatest butif it does you lose functionality or features of the new gear. Their track record speak for itself On the Upgrades,  They Don't have to but they say they will and they do. Tech gets better they learn more and they make stuff to sell. It's they way they keep food on the table and roofs over their heads and their employees. They are a Business, they make money, Who does not?  The Bifrost 4490 is cheaper that the previous Gen Uber because Production costs came down and they lowered the price. They also could have not released the Mimby and Kept making Money on the Bimby because at that point is was practically the Lowest Cost MB dac out there.
> 
> Signed the Schiit Fan boy who would prefer to support the company that build great products, follows through on the promise to upgrade, honors warranties, supports their local businesses by sourcing from them, and support their neighbors by building stateside and employing them and passes production savings to the customer. Hmm I guess I may be An Obsolete Customer If I value those things.


 

 I understand both points but I feel the same way as the first guy.
  
 I would rather sell my DAC later on (or add and just get another one) vs send my old one back for upgrades because I am essentially throwing away cash.
  
 It would make more sense even to sell your entire bifrost and buy a new one again with multibit considering the very good resale prices than to mail it back and upgrade it.
  
 I guess it really depends on how adept you are at selling things, for me I usually get most of my money back when I sell my stuff as I take impeccable care of it and understand how to market the stuff that I have to sell.


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> so many EE's in here, I'm floored ^^
> 
> breaking news, all AC trannies aren't born equal: https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/about-wave-distortion-of-an-ac-ac-adapter/1532/6


 
  
 Huh? Feeding a modified sine wave into a transformer? What does it have to do with this discussion? Unless of course you think powering a DAC from UPS is a good idea.


----------



## jimmers

leeperry said:


> so many EE's in here, I'm floored ^^
> 
> breaking news, all AC trannies aren't born equal: https://community.openenergymonitor.org/t/about-wave-distortion-of-an-ac-ac-adapter/1532/6


 
 Especially love this:
  
 "Interestingly, the transformer seems to be able to predict the future too! Note how the Red trace starts heading towards 0V before the Yellow trace."
  
 Truly inspirational, perhaps with the right transformer we will be able to pick winning lottery numbers.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 If I want to use the "100W 240V outlet in the boot of my Toyota" to power a Mimby I will revisit the post.


----------



## ilcg1

Deleted


----------



## Baldr

Audio is and has been a great pastime.


jimster480 said:


> I understand both points but I feel the same way as the first guy.
> 
> I would rather sell my DAC later on (or add and just get another one) vs send my old one back for upgrades because I am essentially throwing away cash.
> 
> ...


 
 Have it your way!
  


maxh22 said:


> Schiit is making the audio world great again! I'm sure Donald would be very proud of Schiit, maybe someone should tell him about schiit so he could make a public endorsement as he did with other companies.


 
 Audio is and has always been a great pastime!


----------



## mks100

I ordered the Mimby and some PYST Cables on Tuesday evening EST.  I discovered this morning that I fat fingered my Zip Code and inverted a couple of numbers (I inadvertently sent the package 182 Miles West of my location).  Once I discovered the error, I sent an email to Schiit and received a response shortly after 9am PST.  Laura was extremely helpful and called Fed Ex for me and corrected my error immediately.  I really appreciate the Customer Service.  Thank you Laura!


----------



## bigro

jimster480 said:


> I understand both points but I feel the same way as the first guy.
> 
> I would rather sell my DAC later on (or add and just get another one) vs send my old one back for upgrades because I am essentially throwing away cash.
> 
> ...


 

 And that's is perfectly fine and your right as is anyone else to do sell your dac and buy new. No one is debating that. And I agree, I have looked at many Used Bifrosts and Gungnirs but the resale value of them is so good that financially it may not make sense for some but it may to others. Having a high resale value is a result of a desired product driven by consumers. In any event the accusations surrounding that point he or she made are pretty much uncalled for and if they are such a Bad Company, We live in a Free Country the last I checked, I hear Meridian is looking for customers, their business model may be more acceptable.


----------



## henryk9

I saw this on the Schiit site:
  
If you've lost your wall-wart, or need another one, you can get it right here. We use four kinds of wall-warts for our products, so please make sure you get the right one.
16VAC, 500mA: For Magni, Magni 2, Vali, Modi 2 Uber, Modi Optical, and Mani
 14VAC, 1500mA: for Magni 2 Uber. Can also be used on any product with a 16VAC wall-wart above.
 6VAC, 1500mA: for Wyrd
 24VAC/6VAC: for Vali 2
 
Has anyone tried the 14VAC 1500mA wall-wart on a Mimby?, is this a viable upgrade ?


----------



## jcn3

henryk9 said:


> I saw this on the Schiit site:
> 
> If you've lost your wall-wart, or need another one, you can get it right here. We use four kinds of wall-warts for our products, so please make sure you get the right one.
> 16VAC, 500mA: For Magni, Magni 2, Vali, Modi 2 Uber, Modi Optical, and Mani
> ...


 
  
 I wouldn't do that - not enough voltage . The stock supply is 16vac - additional current capability isn't an upgrade if it isn't needed.


----------



## Jimster480

bigro said:


> And that's is perfectly fine and your right as is anyone else to do sell your dac and buy new. No one is debating that. And I agree, I have looked at many Used Bifrosts and Gungnirs but the resale value of them is so good that financially it may not make sense for some but it may to others. Having a high resale value is a result of a desired product driven by consumers. In any event the accusations surrounding that point he or she made are pretty much uncalled for and if they are such a Bad Company, We live in a Free Country the last I checked, I hear Meridian is looking for customers, their business model may be more acceptable.


 

 I don't really care either way haha.
 I'm just stating my opinion here.
  
 I'm planning on a Modi Multibit, I'm just not sure which AMP to buy as I have sensitive headphones / IEMs..


----------



## slex

henryk9 said:


> I saw this on the Schiit site:
> 
> [COLOR=8F8F8F]If you've lost your wall-wart, or need another one, you can get it right here. We use four kinds of wall-warts for our products, so please make sure you get the right one.[/COLOR]
> [COLOR=8F8F8F][COLOR=000000]16VAC, 500mA: For Magni, Magni 2, Vali, Modi 2 Uber, Modi Optical, and Mani
> ...



Im using the 14VAC 1500mA now..more horse power then stock and it was a replacement from schiit.

I did use a dedicated 16VAC transformer and find it no different. But the 16VAC 500mA wallwart runs hotter.

My 14VAC1500mA is getting its power from my balance transformer though.


----------



## henryk9

So SQ is unaffected ?
  
  I just thought a less stressed PS 21W v 8W,even with a 2V drop would be positive for SQ, then again I/m not an expert.
 By the way I'm very happy with my Mimby and I'm just looking for inexpensive ways to extract any improvements if possible.


----------



## slex

henryk9 said:


> So SQ is unaffected ?
> 
> I just thought a less stressed PS 21W v 8W,even with a 2V drop would be positive for SQ, then again I/m not an expert.
> By the way I'm very happy with my Mimby and I'm just looking for inexpensive ways to extract any improvements if possible.



Not affected. The 14VAC 1500mA is larger in size and heavier then stock also as i mention runs cooler.


----------



## jnak00

slex said:


> Im using the 14VAC 1500mA now..more horse power then stock and it was a replacement from schiit.
> 
> I did use a dedicated 16VAC transformer and find it no different. But the 16VAC 500mA wallwart runs hotter.
> 
> My 14VAC1500mA is getting its power from my balance transformer though.


 
  
 I've tried the 14VAC one on Mimby as well - same deal, replacement from Schiit.  I also noticed no sound difference between the two.


----------



## leeperry

What headamps/phones were you using? No tubes I hope? I heard Vali 1 and I can easily imagine that Mimby PSU rolling wouldn't make the slightest audible difference 





  
 Anyway, I never tried the stock PSU and only got to hear the 1.5A M2U....I did try like half a dozen PSU's and some sounded way worse than the 1.5A M2U such as the nasty sounding 0.6A RockPower and others sounded better and some much better. I'm in 230V land for that matter.
  
 I also read that SPC helps mimby's somewhat shy trebles so I pulled the trigger on this quad-shielded 50cm SPC RCA/RCA cable, ETA early next week: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005E6TSDA/


----------



## thyname

Got my Mimby today. It replaced Bifrost 4490 which I sold.

First, I was shocked by the size. Very small.

Played it non stop for about 5 hours. I do realize that needs more time to break in. Will leave it on overnight, playing Roon loop.

First impressions are good. To my ears, more details than 4490, better soundstage, and slightly more bass. Negative (still too early), sounds bit more "Digital ". Not sure how to explain.

More in the next few days.


----------



## theveterans

thyname said:


> Got my Mimby today. It replaced Bifrost 4490 which I sold.
> 
> First, I was shocked by the size. Very small.
> 
> ...


 
  
 If after 3 days of nonstop playing and it still sounds edgy, your power source is not clean enough. Try critically listening at 8-9 PM since that's when the cleanest power supply is being fed to mimby. You'll notice the vocals and instruments sound a lot less hard and more natural while soundstage and imaging expands even more.


----------



## Alchemist007

What.


----------



## Porteroso

bigro said:


> And that's is perfectly fine and your right as is anyone else to do sell your dac and buy new. No one is debating that. And I agree, I have looked at many Used Bifrosts and Gungnirs but the resale value of them is so good that financially it may not make sense for some but it may to others. Having a high resale value is a result of a desired product driven by consumers. In any event the accusations surrounding that point he or she made are pretty much uncalled for and if they are such a Bad Company, We live in a Free Country the last I checked, I hear Meridian is looking for customers, their business model may be more acceptable.


 
 This doesn't need to turn into a crusade for anyone. I have my opinion on the value of the bifrost, and offered up my observations on why it makes sense for schiit to still be selling the bifrost. This not a bad argument for schiit at all. We are just debating which of their products is best to buy. It's not like any other product from any other manufacturer can really enter the argument.
  
 I'm sure schiit is just tickled over people arguing over which dac is the best value, enter schiit product 1 and schiit product 2. Most manufacturers get scared when they see someone arguing about the value of their product, because their product is being evaluated against someone else's product.
  
 That said, the reason I stated this in the first place is because of the number of people asking which they should buy. There's not much of an argument for the value bifrost, and for people who don't have either, I think it is good for them to know that they don't lose out on anything other than locking themselves into paying for future bifrost upgrades or selling for a bigger loss by buying the mimby.


----------



## gvl2016

thyname said:


> Negative (still too early), sounds bit more "Digital ". Not sure how to explain.
> 
> More in the next few days.


 
  
 That's my impression too, and by that I don't mean glare as there is none, just sounds a tiny bit artificial and not as musical as some other DACs I heard. The effect is subtle but it is there.


----------



## henryk9

leeperry said:


> What headamps/phones were you using? No tubes I hope? I heard Vali 1 and I can easily imagine that Mimby PSU rolling wouldn't make the slightest audible difference
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I'm also from 230V land, and would be interested in what you consider to be better PSU's.


----------



## theveterans

gvl2016 said:


> That's my impression too, and by that I don't mean glare as there is none, just sounds a tiny bit artificial and not as musical as some other DACs I heard. The effect is subtle but it is there.


 
  
 It is the PSU in my case. Feed it with very clean power then that lingering artificial digital sound is gone.


----------



## thyname

theveterans said:


> It is the PSU in my case. Feed it with very clean power then that lingering artificial digital sound is gone.




Such as?

I would not think a power supply would make such a big difference, but then again, what do I know...


----------



## gvl2016

theveterans said:


> It is the PSU in my case. Feed it with very clean power then that lingering artificial digital sound is gone.




The PSU is just a transformer as stated earlier, can you please elaborate what constitutes "clean power" in your opinion considering rectification is all done inside the DAC?


----------



## Letmebefrank

After I picked up a Furman PST-8D it completely removed the buzzing from my Jotunheim, I didn't notice a difference with my Mimby since it always sounded perfect and smooth.


----------



## hagenhays

@baldr. Any sort of loose time frame for a new bifrost...within this calendar year?? I currently own the modi uber, which I love. 
Now just modi multibit or wait for a new bifrost.

Thanks.


----------



## bigro

porteroso said:


> This doesn't need to turn into a crusade for anyone. I have my opinion on the value of the bifrost, and offered up my observations on why it makes sense for schiit to still be selling the bifrost. This not a bad argument for schiit at all. We are just debating which of their products is best to buy. It's not like any other product from any other manufacturer can really enter the argument.
> 
> I'm sure schiit is just tickled over people arguing over which dac is the best value, enter schiit product 1 and schiit product 2. Most manufacturers get scared when they see someone arguing about the value of their product, because their product is being evaluated against someone else's product.
> 
> That said, the reason I stated this in the first place is because of the number of people asking which they should buy. There's not much of an argument for the value bifrost, and for people who don't have either, I think it is good for them to know that they don't lose out on anything other than locking themselves into paying for future bifrost upgrades or selling for a bigger loss by buying the mimby.


 
 I Agree with the DAC Portion of Mimby and Bimby being similar if that's all one was to look at sure the Bimby may seem like it is a waste.Without Going into Power supplies (Which are significantly different and add a big cost) and even the specs. However, When you make accusations such as"You want someone to buy a product and continually send it to you for upgrades ($)"  or    "But the real reason that the bifrost makes sense from schiit's perspective, is that it keeps the money in house." and "most importantly, are schiit fanboys who want to make sure that schiit makes as much money off of them as possible."  Does that Not Turn it into a crusade?  If there are new Schiit Customers considering one or the other why not present them with facts of what the differences are between the two products instead of the diatribe insulting both the company and their dedicated customers with no evidence to back it up your accusations? You can post as you like but I am not sure if it helps anyone decide if they should go for a Mimby or Bimby.
  
 Info like this maybe helpful to those considering any of the MB Lines,  Atomicbob does some great comparisons of all the MB lines and provides His technical measurements with Just enough comments to allow to form your own opinions.
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/817404/modi-mb-technical-measurements
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785367/bifrost-mb-technical-measurements
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785369/yggdrasil-gungnir-mb-bifrost-mb-a-terse-ribald-comparison


----------



## gvl2016

letmebefrank said:


> After I picked up a Furman PST-8D it completely removed the buzzing from my Jotunheim, I didn't notice a difference with my Mimby since it always sounded perfect and smooth.


 
  
 This may have something to do with the fact that Jotunheim is grounded and Mimby is not. I do get buzzing from a grounded laptop connected via USB to a DAC and finally grounded amp/speakers, but no buzzing when same DAC is connected to say O2/headphones even when O2 is not running on batteries, and the speaker amp doesn't buzz when it's disconnected from the DAC. There is likely some ground-loopish issue going on. I probably should also try a power-conditioner, it is conceivable it can help to suppress noise that gets through equipment ground.


----------



## Letmebefrank

gvl2016 said:


> This may have something to do with the fact that Jotunheim is grounded and Mimby is not. I do get buzzing from a grounded laptop connected via USB to a DAC and finally grounded amp/speakers, but no buzzing when same DAC is connected to say O2/headphones even when O2 is not running on batteries, and the speaker amp doesn't buzz when it's disconnected from the DAC. There is likely some ground-loopish issue going on. I probably should also try a power-conditioner, it is conceivable it can help to suppress noise that gets through equipment ground.




That makes sense. Also when I first got the Jotunheim home it had massive ground loop hum. I could hear it in low gain at 11 o'clock on the pot. Now with the furman I can turn the amp to the max in high gain and it's dead silent.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> This may have something to do with the fact that Jotunheim is grounded and Mimby is not. I do get buzzing from a grounded laptop connected via USB to a DAC and finally grounded amp/speakers, but no buzzing when same DAC is connected to say O2/headphones even when O2 is not running on batteries, and the speaker amp doesn't buzz when it's disconnected from the DAC. There is likely some ground-loopish issue going on. I probably should also try a power-conditioner, it is conceivable it can help to suppress noise that gets through equipment ground.


 

 What O2 configuration do you have? I am going to order an O2.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> What O2 configuration do you have? I am going to order an O2.


 
  
 Just a vanilla O2 from JDS Labs with rear power input.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Just a vanilla O2 from JDS Labs with rear power input.


 

 So you have then standard gain options then?

 Do you have sensitive headphones you power with it? This is what I am looking at, is the overall gain options since my headphones are all lower impedance / easier to drive.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> So you have then standard gain options then?
> 
> Do you have sensitive headphones you power with it? This is what I am looking at, is the overall gain options since my headphones are all lower impedance / easier to drive.


 
  
 I believe the gain options are standard, I got it second hand so to the best of my knowledge. My headphones are 32Ohm, easy to drive, NAD Viso HP50 and Phillips SHP9500, actually the Mimby's output is a tad too hot for my setup, 9 o'clock setting is already pretty loud.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I believe the gain options are standard, I got it second hand so to the best of my knowledge. My headphones are 32Ohm, easy to drive, NAD Viso HP50 and Phillips SHP9500, actually the Mimby's output is a tad too hot for my setup, 9 o'clock setting is already pretty loud.



Ya see this is what I'm afraid of. With my RP-HD10 the 9 o'clock setting is also pretty loud and the Fulla2 is just a 1.57db gain. 
I'm looking at doing a custom O2 with the 1db gain for standard and I believe 2.7x on the high gain. 

Thanks so much for your input!


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Ya see this is what I'm afraid of. With my RP-HD10 the 9 o'clock setting is also pretty loud and the Fulla2 is just a 1.57db gain.
> I'm looking at doing a custom O2 with the 1db gain for standard and I believe 2.7x on the high gain.
> 
> Thanks so much for your input!


 
  
 Sure thing, changing gain should be easy with the O2. I didn't bother, it is less than ideal but works for my purposes.


----------



## bigro

letmebefrank said:


> That makes sense. Also when I first got the Jotunheim home it had massive ground loop hum. I could hear it in low gain at 11 o'clock on the pot. Now with the furman I can turn the amp to the max in high gain and it's dead silent.


 

 I had a Similar experience With a Valhalla 2 and Modi 2 u the Bimby. I ended up getting a Larger. Monster Power - Power conditioner and an Emotiva CMX6 for My Main 2 Channel rig and My Desktop setup at work and and Home I use a Furman SS6B.  In My experience Power conditioners can't hurt but they have improved sound because they do decrease line noise. Its Nice not to hear my fridge and HVAC system through my speakers, Or my Neighbors appliances for that matter.


----------



## MattRG

Interesting.  I actually picked up a Furman PL8C not to long ago not for any noise issues but just because I found one for cheap and they (Furman) have a great reputation for providing steady, reliable power to audio equipment.  I have my Mimby and Lyr 2 plugged in and both work very well.


----------



## Jason Stoddard

For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart


----------



## Clemmaster

Oh, you found the shipment?


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Sure thing, changing gain should be easy with the O2. I didn't bother, it is less than ideal but works for my purposes.


 

 I'm going to order it with the custom gain settings from JDS Labs.
 Seems easy enough and they do custom B stock too so the price is $107 w/ power adapter and the gain settings I want!


----------



## maxh22

jason stoddard said:


> For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart




Good job!


----------



## gvl2016

jason stoddard said:


> For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart


 
  
 Brilliant! Now let's wait for someone to claim their welding transformer sounds better than this.


----------



## leeperry

Humm, Shirley Bassey sounds pretty What on Mimby


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I'm going to order it with the custom gain settings from JDS Labs.
> Seems easy enough and they do custom B stock too so the price is $107 w/ power adapter and the gain settings I want!


 
  
 Might want to wait one out on e-bay at half the price and see if the stock gain is acceptable for your headphones, same impedance doesn't mean the same sensitivity.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Might want to wait one out on e-bay at half the price and see if the stock gain is acceptable for your headphones, same impedance doesn't mean the same sensitivity.


 

 Well there is a chinese MassDrop O2 on ebay at the moment, but I mean based on the high level of sensitivity I wouldn't hold my breath hoping for lower gain to work.
 As it is right now my Fulla2 is at like 7:30 for my HD-10's especially because the Fulla 2 is a bit bright and the "s's" from artists can be harsh and fatiguing.
  
 This things max output is 550mw and the gain is 1.7 so with an even higher gain I will basically have to have the volume off, especially considering that the O2 is actually a bit stronger than the Fulla2.
  
 I'm also considering this :
  
 https://www.amazon.com/Topping-TPA6120-Headphones-Amplifier-Adapter/dp/B01MT7O7G5/
  
 A bit stronger again but has output aswell for passthrough (I plan to use some powered monitors too in the not too distant future) which saves me from having to buy a second device, and its silver which will match with the Modi Multibit & SMSL M8 (provided that Massdrop goes through).


----------



## gvl2016

Instead of changing the gain you could also try an impedance adapter or an attenuator between the amp and the headphones. It should bring the noise floor down too.


----------



## RickB

jason stoddard said:


> For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart


 
  
 So was that supposed to be Cthulhu?


----------



## Baldr

rickb said:


> So was that supposed to be Cthulhu?


 

 Yup!  All I warranted was ugly.


----------



## RickB

baldr said:


> Yup!  All I warranted was ugly.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Instead of changing the gain you could also try an impedance adapter or an attenuator between the amp and the headphones. It should bring the noise floor down too.


 

 Where are those sold? I haven't seen them before, but I have read here about people MAKING them which isn't something I have time for :/


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Where are those sold? I haven't seen them before, but I have read here about people MAKING them which isn't something I have time for :/


 
  
 Google is your friend here, search for "headphone impedance adapter" produces enough hits, you probably want to get one with as low as resistance as possible for low-impedance headphones (something like 10-50 Ohm). Or you can also use a line-level attenuator between your DAC and headphone amp. Either may change SQ or signature, you'll need to experiment with your equipment to see if it is noticeable.


----------



## ilcg1

jimster480 said:


> Where are those sold? I haven't seen them before, but I have read here about people MAKING them which isn't something I have time for :/




This is what I use with my IEMs - probably best $10 spent on audio.

http://pro.ultimateears.com/adjustable-ambient-filters-236


----------



## Jimster480

ilcg1 said:


> This is what I use with my IEMs - probably best $10 spent on audio.
> 
> http://pro.ultimateears.com/adjustable-ambient-filters-236


 

 Is there any place that has details on that cable?
 There is no description whatsoever....
 What does it do? Add impedance I guess? If so how much?


----------



## ilcg1

jimster480 said:


> Is there any place that has details on that cable?
> 
> There is no description whatsoever....
> 
> What does it do? Add impedance I guess? If so how much?




Not sure how much exactly of impedance it adds, but it provides jet black background and gives more volume range for my IEM.

If you google it, there are some reviews of IEM that mention it, however there are no separate reviews of this thing. Here is one that mentions it:

http://www.head-fi.org/products/ultimate-ears-in-ear-reference-monitors/reviews/14542

Anyway, it costs only $10 with free shipping and works perfectly in my case.


----------



## gvl2016

Given it is designed by UE for use with their 30 Ohm-ish IEMs it is probably a good match for other headphones of similar impedance, just a thought.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Given it is designed by UE for use with their 30 Ohm-ish IEMs it is probably a good match for other headphones of similar impedance, just a thought.


 

 Yea I think I will pick it up and try it with my RP-HD10's and see.
 The worst that can happen is that it sucks lol... its only $10


----------



## darkarn

I am using an attenuator made from this guide: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/


----------



## darkarn

jason stoddard said:


> For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart


 
 And that's Cthulu?! D'oh, why I never thought of this?
  
 (And also hoping for this to be in 220V for fellow Schiitheads in these regions!)


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> I am using an attenuator made from this guide: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/headphone-attenuation-adapter/


 

 Thats pretty cool but overall I have no time to make such a thing at this point in time.
  
 Just staying with a headphone amp that doesn't have that high of an output power seems fine for me.
  
 I have ordered the one from ultimate ears.
 Also I noticed that I can order the one that is talked about in your link from G1217, so I will see what happens with the ultimate Ears one first.
  
 Thanks alot for the link!


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Thats pretty cool but overall I have no time to make such a thing at this point in time.
> 
> Just staying with a headphone amp that doesn't have that high of an output power seems fine for me.
> 
> ...


 
  
 No prob, glad to have helped!


----------



## hagenhays

So..

Bifrost multibit 2.0 any time soon?


----------



## Jimster480

hagenhays said:


> So..
> 
> Bifrost multibit 2.0 any time soon?


 

 Baldr hinted at a Bifrost upgrade a few days ago but no ETA was given.


----------



## leeperry

Humm indeed SPC does help Mimby's shy trebles, this cable does sound quite good especially resolution-wise: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005E6TSDA/


----------



## Alchemist007

This worked well enough for me 
 Just for single coax.
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/230912530744?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


----------



## leeperry

SPC's increased resolution really does wonders on Frank Sinatra & Lou Rawls, perfect obsolete SQ for my obsolete tastes in music lol


----------



## slex

jason stoddard said:


> For all of our products that use wall-warts, we're proud to introduce a multi-outlet floor wart that might simplify your AC power needs: http://schiit.com/products/floor-wart




Its for wryd? That means its a linear power supply also? Spec in wryd says its using linear power ( not noisy switcher).


----------



## winders

slex said:


> Its for wryd? That means its a linear power supply also? Spec in wryd says its using linear power ( not noisy switcher).


 

 The Wryd has an internal linear power supply powered by a wall wart...or this floor wart


----------



## Jason Stoddard

slex said:


> Its for wryd? That means its a linear power supply also? Spec in wryd says its using linear power ( not noisy switcher).


 

 As noted before, literally every product we make has a linear supply, with the exception of Fulla 2. There is much more information in the design chapters, such as Why We Do What We Do.


----------



## cgkades

I have the modi 2 and was thinking of upgrading to the modi multibit. I THINK i read somewhere that schiit does upgrades, but i didn't see it on their site. Anyone know the details? Or should i just try to sell the modi 2 on ebay? I've had it for about 2+ weeks, so it's over the 15 day return policy.


----------



## Dana Reed

Can only upgrade bifrost and higher.



cgkades said:


> I have the modi 2 and was thinking of upgrading to the modi multibit. I THINK i read somewhere that schiit does upgrades, but i didn't see it on their site. Anyone know the details? Or should i just try to sell the modi 2 on ebay? I've had it for about 2+ weeks, so it's over the 15 day return policy.


----------



## Baldr

Check with Schiit, we generally give full credit for product upgrades (minus shipping)  within 15 days, but the slight time overage may be a factor. This is out of my purview, but it is worth an email.


----------



## cgkades

baldr said:


> Check with Schiit, we generally give full credit for product upgrades (minus shipping)  within 15 days, but the slight time overage may be a factor. This is out of my purview, but it is worth an email.


 
  
 Ok, thanks


----------



## Dana Reed

Or you could do what I did and bring the modi to work and have the mimby at home.



baldr said:


> Check with Schiit, we generally give full credit for product upgrades (minus shipping)  within 15 days, but the slight time overage may be a factor. This is out of my purview, but it is worth an email.


----------



## Jimster480

dana reed said:


> Or you could do what I did and bring the modi to work and have the mimby at home.


 

 That depends on what you do for work ;x


----------



## darkarn

Or where you work at
  
 If you work from home, it doesn't matter!


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> Or where you work at
> 
> If you work from home, it doesn't matter!


 

 Yep,
 I work from home! I have no rules here as to how I wear my headphones


----------



## darkarn

Nice! But why stop at headphones? There's always speakers and even bookshelf speakers!


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> Nice! But why stop at headphones? There's always speakers and even bookshelf speakers!


 

 I have those!
 I have 2x Denon Heos 3, and Klipsch R-15PM's w/ a R-100K (I think thats what it is) Klipsch Reference Sub.


----------



## Dana Reed

The modi 2 uber and vali 2 are at my desk. 
And since my portable setup for working in the lab might stretch the definition of portable, I could go a bit further and strap a fulla 2 to a battery pack and an iPod classic




jimster480 said:


> That depends on what you do for work ;x


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> I have those!
> I have 2x Denon Heos 3, and Klipsch R-15PM's w/ a R-100K (I think thats what it is) Klipsch Reference Sub.


 
  
 Impressive, I may get into bookshelf speakers some day but for now my Swans M10 suffice


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> Impressive, I may get into bookshelf speakers some day but for now my Swans M10 suffice


 

 IMHO Smartspeakers are better for your house typically


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> IMHO Smartspeakers are better for your house typically


 
  
 I guess not, I am not comfortable to let my speakers be part of the IoT; I don't want them to get too smart and tell me what they think about good music, let me decide!


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> I guess not, I am not comfortable to let my speakers be part of the IoT; I don't want them to get too smart and tell me what they think about good music, let me decide!


 

 Lol well I use Spotify/Amazon Music/TuneIn through mine all the time.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Lol well I use Spotify/Amazon Music/TuneIn through mine all the time.


 
  
 I prefer the good ol' CDs and FLACs


----------



## leeperry

Been spending a few weeks with Mimby so far and after rolling cables, PSU's(and opamps in my headamp) what I find the most impressive is sax, it just sounds so very real off this thing. The Sax + Hammond B3 combo is beyond words on this thing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0022ESM70
 This DAC was meant to eat the complete discographies of Grover Washington Jr & David Newman in loop in my book


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> I prefer the good ol' CDs and FLACs


 

 Well the quality is exactly the same, especially when using something like 320kbps OGGVBR


----------



## Noldir

jimster480 said:


> Well the quality is exactly the same, especially when using something like 320kbps OGGVBR




I can't really agree with that. I thought the same until I played the original CD versus the ogg version. At least for one track it had slight differences that the flac version didn't have. Also, with today's storage my flacs double as my CD backup storage


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Well the quality is exactly the same, especially when using something like 320kbps OGGVBR


 
  
 Not true. There are differences, admittedly subtle but their significance varies across tracks and/or material. If you can't hear them your equipment isn't resolving enough or you haven't spent enough time scrutinizing what you hear (not there is anything wrong with that).


----------



## leeperry

gvl2016 said:


> Not true. There are differences, admittedly subtle but their significance varies across tracks and/or material. If you can't hear them your equipment isn't resolving enough or you haven't spent enough time scrutinizing what you hear (not there is anything wrong with that).


 
  
 All cables, all PSU's, all opamps, all DAC's and lossy or lossless audio don't matter, they all sound the same lol, it's a classic here on headfi....still awaiting all headphones sound the same too, only a matter of time I guess.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> All cables, all PSU's, all opamps, all DAC's and lossy or lossless audio don't matter, they all sound the same lol, it's a classic here on headfi....still awaiting all headphones sound the same too, only a matter of time I guess.


 

 No but as far as OGG VBR, etc its been proven time and time again and can't be A/B tested where anyone was ever able to pick out FLAC.
  
 If you want to waste time with CD's or waste all of your HDD space or bandwidth streaming something you think is better, that's your choice.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> No but as far as OGG VBR, etc its been proven time and time again and can't be A/B tested where anyone was ever able to pick out FLAC.
> 
> If you want to waste time with CD's or waste all of your HDD space or bandwidth streaming something you think is better, that's your choice.


 
  
 I signed up for a free Tidal trial and compared it to Spotify 320kbps to which I'm a long time subscriber, Tidal does sound better. Spotify sounds more compressed but still good. Now I don't know if I would be able to pick one over the other in a blind test but the difference was unmistakable when A/B comparing, and it wasn't all in my head.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I signed up for a free Tidal trial and compared it to Spotify 320kbps to which I'm a long time subscriber, Tidal does sound better. Spotify sounds more compressed but still good. Now I don't know if I would be able to pick one over the other in a blind test but the difference was unmistakable when A/B comparing, and it wasn't all in my head.


 

 this I can understand aswell in some cases, because I have personally found that some of the more mainstream/popular albums on spotify are not of the best quality.
 Some of them are often called "Deluxe" or "special" editions and over my years of downloading music (many moons ago) It was quite obvious that those versions were usually the crappiest!


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> this I can understand aswell in some cases, because I have personally found that some of the more mainstream/popular albums on spotify are not of the best quality.
> Some of them are often called "Deluxe" or "special" editions and over my years of downloading music (many moons ago) It was quite obvious that those versions were usually the crappiest!


 
  
 In my tests I compared the same album which presumably originated from the same master source.


----------



## Pahani

jimster480 said:


> No but as far as OGG VBR, etc its been proven time and time again and can't be A/B tested where anyone was ever able to pick out FLAC.
> 
> If you want to waste time with CD's or waste all of your HDD space or bandwidth streaming something you think is better, that's your choice.


 
 In my particular case, I do both. I have Tidal HiFi, which I listen to 99% of the time. If I really, REALLY like an album however, I will absolutely purchase it in FLAC or CD. I actually prefer CD, as I am horrible at performing backups and a CD is it's own archive in case of system failure. Being a Homeowner and not an apartment dweller, I have space to store CDs and Blu-Rays.
  
 (Mechanical) HDDs are ridiculously cheap nowadays. Lack of space isn't really a good excuse, IMO....unless ALL you use in your computer is SSD's, in which case that sort of thinking can be forgiven as they're still expensive. I don't even use an expensive NAS.....I am simply handy with the interior of my PC since, well, I assembled it myself and chose every component myself. I could pop in a new HDD in 5 minutes if I needed to. 10 minutes if I needed to run cables ;p (I currently have 3 HDD slots in my case unused)
  
 I do NOT possess "Golden Ears", quite contrary....I have old-man ears. But as long as I *think* there's a difference between 320K and FLAC, I will continue to purchase my favorite music in the space-eating format. FOR OTHER THAN my favorite music however, streaming is certainly good enough.
  
 Now, when it comes to Home Theater (which I have very recently re-entered), the quality difference between Streaming and Blu-Ray is night and day. I only tested with a single movie which I own on both Blu-Ray and Amazon HD....but I was blown away with the difference, particularly with audio. I don't even own a 4K TV, I'm running a 73" 1080P, and the picture is markedly better. The 7.1 audio, however....my God, the Blu-Ray just destroyed the Streaming alternative! My receiver is a nice new Marantz, but my speakers are a hodgepodge of what I've had laying around for the last (up to) 20 years LOL. I imagine this would only improve dramatically with a much nicer speaker setup.
  
 So, yes, I'm a proponent of Lossless formats....CD, FLAC, Blu-Ray.


----------



## Jimster480

pahani said:


> In my particular case, I do both. I have Tidal HiFi, which I listen to 99% of the time. If I really, REALLY like an album however, I will absolutely purchase it in FLAC or CD. I actually prefer CD, as I am horrible at performing backups and a CD is it's own archive in case of system failure. Being a Homeowner and not an apartment dweller, I have space to store CDs and Blu-Rays.
> 
> (Mechanical) HDDs are ridiculously cheap nowadays. Lack of space isn't really a good excuse, IMO....unless ALL you use in your computer is SSD's, in which case that sort of thinking can be forgiven as they're still expensive. I don't even use an expensive NAS.....I am simply handy with the interior of my PC since, well, I assembled it myself and chose every component myself. I could pop in a new HDD in 5 minutes if I needed to. 10 minutes if I needed to run cables ;p (I currently have 3 HDD slots in my case unused)
> 
> ...


 

 Well when it comes to Blu-Ray audio vs streaming.... it really depends o the quality of the stream.
 Comparing Blu-Ray with Amazon HD really isn't fair as I have found the audio through Amazon to be lacking anyway.
 But some titles on Netflix have been pretty darn good, but even there it is hit and miss.
 So I will agree that when it comes to audio in shows/movies that streaming certainly takes a hit in the audio department.
 From the perspective of the consumer I can understand why, most people are watching these shows/movies on phones/laptops with crappy speakers or cheap headphones and as such the additional bandwidth is wasted, and they would rather put it into the video bitrate.
  
 If you are just listening on your PC then FLAC's are fine, HDD's are cheap and I build all my own Rigs anyway and have an 8TB NAS aswell running FreeNAS so I can stream it around my home.
 But for mobile I'd rather not try to waste space, and with the amount of streaming going on in my house all the time I wouldn't want to bog down my wifi further with huge FLAC files as I would burn through 50GB a day worth of bandwidth listening to music.
 As it is already I'm close to hitting the 1TB cap on Comcast with all the video streaming going on here combined with the almost 24/7 streaming of atleast 1 audio stream.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Well the quality is exactly the same, especially when using something like 320kbps OGGVBR


 
  
 Yeah, I can see where you are coming from. 320kbps can sound nearly the same as FLAC; some say it is "transparent"
  
 And guys, when I was making the comment, it is not because of the SQ of the formats (which I don't see much difference and anyway I think the hardware plays a much bigger part in this) but rather because of how I want to consume my music (e.g. not Internet dependent). Also, not many of my artists are on the streaming services yet but some do sell their FLACs online direct. In short, streaming services are good too but just not for me


----------



## Pahani

jimster480 said:


> Well when it comes to Blu-Ray audio vs streaming.... it really depends o the quality of the stream.
> Comparing Blu-Ray with Amazon HD really isn't fair as I have found the audio through Amazon to be lacking anyway.
> But some titles on Netflix have been pretty darn good, but even there it is hit and miss.
> So I will agree that when it comes to audio in shows/movies that streaming certainly takes a hit in the audio department.
> ...


 
 Ahh, I did not realize the discussion I wandered into was about Mobile. If it was, I sincerely apologize 
  
 And you bring up a good point about Bandwidth! I'm a Single guy, and oftentimes forget to imagine what it must be like to have 4-5 Streamers in the same household. I'm nowhere close to my 1TB limit at the 300MB tier from my ISP. With a full Household, that could and would change dramatically.


----------



## 227qed

Can anyone give a comparison of the mimby vs. resonessence herus?
  
 Thanks if so!


----------



## hagenhays

I finally pulled the trigger.
Ordered the mimby.

As long as it's an upgrade from the modi 2 I will be thrilled.


----------



## hagenhays

Anyone have a recommendation for a cheap decent cd player as a transport?
I currently have a Sub $100 samsung blue ray player.
I know this probably isn't the thread...but if anyone had a quick thought on this....
I was thinking onkyo 7030? Or an earlier model marantz. I have all of my cd flac ripped and streamed thru a server....but I still prefer physical media and enjoy cuing up a cd.
Budget is <$400.

Thanks In Advance.
Can't wait for my DAC!!!!


----------



## r2muchstuff

hagenhays said:


> Anyone have a recommendation for a cheap decent cd player as a transport?
> I currently have a Sub $100 samsung blue ray player.
> I know this probably isn't the thread...but if anyone had a quick thought on this....
> I was thinking onkyo 7030? Or an earlier model marantz. I have all of my cd flac ripped and streamed thru a server....but I still prefer physical media and enjoy cuing up a cd.
> ...


 
 I recently upgraded from a Pioneer DVD player as my transport to a Cambridge CXC CD Transport and am very happy with the upgrade.
  
 I bought a "Display Model" and the cost just hit the top of your budget.
  
 JMTC,
 r2


----------



## HondoMUC

Hi all,
  
 im looking for a new DAC and the modi multibit is one option.
 Still I have some other set-ups in mind and I hope you can help me figuring out what the best solution for me is.
  
*1) *I like the tubey sound of my Little Dot 1+ (chain: Laptop > Fiio X5 III DAC > LD 1+). I don't think that I would like to get a sound to clean and digital. The multibit is said to be a bit digital and sometimes to granular. I might miss the smotheness even going through my amp? What I do not like at all is harshness and ear-piercing highs.
 Btw, the modi multibit is out of stock at schiit EU. Will it be available again soon?
  
*2)* Jotunheim: Great combi from what I read. It uses an AKM 4490 same as the one in Fiio X5 III (well actually Fiioo has 2). I love the Fiio for portable use but I think that for a Desktop DAC there is still room for improvement in terms of SQ. Will the Jotunheim easily beat my setup of Fiio and Little Dot although it utilises the same chip?
  
*3) *The ifi iDAC2 is said to have a very analog like and smooth sound. Forgiving and unharsh. Still detailed. Will this be an option? 
  
*And last but not least.* What concernes any possible solution: in my current chain (Asus Zenbook/Tidal mostly > AQ cinnamon > Fiio X5 III in DAC mode > AQ Tower > Little Dot1+ > HP) I get some terrible interference. Strangely not all the time but sometimes very annoying. Will either solution be better in twithout further measures? Or should I get something like the Wyrd anyway?
  
*And: *Will the Wyrd allow to power the Fiio via USB? My understanding is that it seperates the pwer from the digital signal? So will the Wyrd work with battery driven DACS powering them? 
  
 Lot of questions 
 Thanks in advance!
  
 BR
 H


----------



## Jimster480

pahani said:


> Ahh, I did not realize the discussion I wandered into was about Mobile. If it was, I sincerely apologize
> 
> And you bring up a good point about Bandwidth! I'm a Single guy, and oftentimes forget to imagine what it must be like to have 4-5 Streamers in the same household. I'm nowhere close to my 1TB limit at the 300MB tier from my ISP. With a full Household, that could and would change dramatically.


 

 Yea I mean I'm just comparing from both sides!
 And yes with a full household its easy to burn through gobs of data.
 My son isn't even a toddler yet so I'm sure the data waste will be strong once he starts to watch some childrens shows too as kids like the watch the same things like 50x.


----------



## AviP

hondomuc said:


> *2)* Jotunheim: Great combi from what I read. It uses an AKM 4490 same as the one in Fiio X5 III (well actually Fiioo has 2).



Jot also has 2 4490's


----------



## HondoMUC

avip said:


> Jot also has 2 4490's


 
  
 Thx, of course.


----------



## RiflemanFirst

Anyone here using the Modi Multibit with a Vali 2 amp? Curious to see how well this combo would work together. I am currently using a Fulla 2 and Vali 2 on my desktop computer and want to get the Modi Multibit for the improved DAC as well as OCD appearance reasons. I'm still within my 15 day return period so I will most likely just return the Fulla 2 for a refund (minus restocking.)


----------



## MWSVette

riflemanfirst said:


> Anyone here using the Modi Multibit with a Vali 2 amp? Curious to see how well this combo would work together. I am currently using a Fulla 2 and Vali 2 on my desktop computer and want to get the Modi Multibit for the improved DAC as well as OCD appearance reasons. I'm still within my 15 day return period so I will most likely just return the Fulla 2 for a refund (minus restocking.)


 

 If you upgrade to the Mimby at the time of the return of your Fulla 2, they do not charge the restocking fee...


----------



## RiflemanFirst

mwsvette said:


> If you upgrade to the Mimby at the time of the return of your Fulla 2, they do not charge the restocking fee...


 
  
 Forgive my ignorance, but is Mimby just a nickname for the Modi Multibit? I'm still learning here.


----------



## MWSVette

riflemanfirst said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but is Mimby just a nickname for the Modi Multibit? I'm still learning here.


 

 Yep...


----------



## RiflemanFirst

Thanks for the quick replies. I submitted a return request on Schiit's website and will probably be a Mimby owner at some point this week.


----------



## mks100

riflemanfirst said:


> Anyone here using the Modi Multibit with a Vali 2 amp? Curious to see how well this combo would work together. I am currently using a Fulla 2 and Vali 2 on my desktop computer and want to get the Modi Multibit for the improved DAC as well as OCD appearance reasons. I'm still within my 15 day return period so I will most likely just return the Fulla 2 for a refund (minus restocking.)


 
 I started with a DragonFly Red/Black w/ an AudioQuest Forrest 3.5mm to RCA Cable and the Vali 2 w/ Stock Tube using Roon w/ Tidal.  I changed the Tube to an Electro Harmonix 6922 a few Weeks back.  I have owned the Modi previously (with the Vali 2 & Stock Tube) as well as the Geek Out V2. I received the Mimby last Week and have it connected with the requisite PYST Cables.  I have also spent time with both Fulla Versions.
 In my opinion, the Mimby is a significant upgrade and (aside from Tube Rolling) I believe I am at an end point.  I own 5 DSD Titles (converted to PCM @ 32/176.4 via Roon) and MQA can be decoded through Tidal (24/44.1 or 24/48 through Roon current state).  ALL of my Music sounds better through the Mimby.  I have been listening extensively over the Weekend through my various Headphones (see Signature) and the Mimby is simply the best DAC I have owned and one of the very few that I can tell a difference with (vs.various Sabre and AKM variants).
 The Jot was under consideration (and only $10 more once you account for the Cables and Tube).  I would prefer not to go down the Rabbit Hole of Balanced and like the fact I can tweak the sound with Tubes.  I would highly recommend the Vali 2 w/ Mimby.


----------



## Pahani

riflemanfirst said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but is Mimby just a nickname for the Modi Multibit? I'm still learning here.


 
 Mimby = Modi Multibit
 Bimby = Bifrost Multibit
 Gumby = Gungnir Multibit
 Yggy = Yggdrasil (Multibit-only to start with)


----------



## mks100




----------



## RiflemanFirst

mks100 said:


> I started with a DragonFly Red/Black w/ an AudioQuest Forrest 3.5mm to RCA Cable and the Vali 2 w/ Stock Tube using Roon w/ Tidal.  I changed the Tube to an Electro Harmonix 6922 a few Weeks back.  I have owned the Modi previously (with the Vali 2 & Stock Tube) as well as the Geek Out V2. I received the Mimby last Week and have it connected with the requisite PYST Cables.  I have also spent time with both Fulla Versions.
> In my opinion, the Mimby is a significant upgrade and (aside from Tube Rolling) I believe I am at an end point.  I own 5 DSD Titles (converted to PCM @ 32/176.4 via Roon) and MQA can be decoded through Tidal (24/44.1 or 24/48 through Roon current state).  ALL of my Music sounds better through the Mimby.  I have been listening extensively over the Weekend through my various Headphones (see Signature) and the Mimby is simply the best DAC I have owned and one of the very few that I can tell a difference with (vs.various Sabre and AKM variants).
> The Jot was under consideration (and only $10 more once you account for the Cables and Tube).  I would prefer not to go down the Rabbit Hole of Balanced and like the fact I can tweak the sound with Tubes.  I would highly recommend the Vali 2 w/ Mimby.


 
  
 Glad to hear the Multibit was a good upgrade with your Vali 2. I'm currently using a Gold Lion E88CC tube with my Vali 2 and found it to be better on my ears than the Schiit supplied 6BZ7. I also do plenty of Tidal HiFi listening so the hardware MQA decoding is another plus for sure.


----------



## mks100

Spent some time this afternoon looking at various Tubes from Upscale Audio (they have 2 minute Video reviews for nearly every 6922 variant they carry).  May try a few from < $50 Club.  At least I know my DAC won't be the weak link.  I think you're going to be pleased with the Mimby.  One of the few products that was actually properly hyped vs. over hyped by the community.


----------



## gvl2016

hondomuc said:


> *1) *I like the tubey sound of my Little Dot 1+ (chain: Laptop > Fiio X5 III DAC > LD 1+). I don't think that I would like to get a sound to clean and digital. The multibit is said to be a bit digital and sometimes to granular. I might miss the smotheness even going through my amp? What I do not like at all is harshness and ear-piercing highs.
> Btw, the modi multibit is out of stock at schiit EU. Will it be available again soon?


 
  
 I definitely find the mimby upfront with aggressive mids and highs, pushing details out, slightly mechanical, and I'm not too happy about it. It is entertaining on some music material and not so much on others. It is not terrible but if you're looking for a soft laid back and musical sound signature mimby would probably not be the best choice, however if your other gear is on the warm side of neutral it might work out well. My 2c.


----------



## claud W

gvl2016 said:


> I definitely find the mimby upfront with aggressive mids and highs, pushing details out, slightly mechanical, and I'm not too happy about it. It is entertaining on some music material and not so much on others. It is not terrible but if you're looking for a soft laid back and musical sound signature mimby would probably not be the best choice, however if your other gear is on the warm side of neutral it might work out well. My 2c.


 

 How many hours do you have on your Mimby? It doesen't sound like it is broken in yet. It also might be a cable issue if you have 200 hours or more on it. 
 My Schiit Vali 2 & Mimby stack is maxed out with Siemens CCa tube and Wywires Silver ICs and Platinum USB cable. Mimby sounds smooth and dynamic.


----------



## Tuneslover

riflemanfirst said:


> Anyone here using the Modi Multibit with a Vali 2 amp? Curious to see how well this combo would work together. I am currently using a Fulla 2 and Vali 2 on my desktop computer and want to get the Modi Multibit for the improved DAC as well as OCD appearance reasons. I'm still within my 15 day return period so I will most likely just return the Fulla 2 for a refund (minus restocking.)




I have the Vali2 and Modi MB as my bedside setup. I listen to this pairing for about an hour or so most evenings. These 2 pieces are a very good pairing that sound very enjoyable. The Mimby's performance is very close to the Bifrost MB (which I have paired with the Jotunheim in another listening setup).

Yesterday I decided to refresh my memory on how different these 2 DACs sound by bringing my Bimby to the Mimby/Vali2 setup and doing some DAC comparisons. Both DACs sound incredibly close in performance however the Bimby sounds a bit more effortless and deeper than the Mimby but I only picked up on that through serious scrutiny playing tracks back to back through each DAC. So yes the Mimby is an excellent DAC and will not disappoint paired with the Vali2.


----------



## gvl2016

claud w said:


> How many hours do you have on your Mimby? It doesen't sound like it is broken in yet. It also might be a cable issue if you have 200 hours or more on it.
> My Schiit Vali 2 & Mimby stack is maxed out with Siemens CCa tube and Wywires Silver ICs and Platinum USB cable. Mimby sounds smooth and dynamic.


 
  
 It should have 200 hrs on it. Cable could be, although I think it is unlikely as it sounds pretty clean just not my preferred sound. I was planning to pick a Pangea cable and also have an iPurifier on the way. We'll see. I ran it side by side with my Arcam rDAc and preferred the Arcam. It wasn't as good at emphasizing the details as the Mimby but it did sound more organic on my stereo system. Overall this review well matches my experience with the mimby: https://theclosetaudiophile.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/schiit-audio-modi-multibit/


----------



## RiflemanFirst

tuneslover said:


> I have the Vali2 and Modi MB as my bedside setup. I listen to this pairing for about an hour or so most evenings. These 2 pieces are a very good pairing that sound very enjoyable. The Mimby's performance is very close to the Bifrost MB (which I have paired with the Jotunheim in another listening setup).
> 
> Yesterday I decided to refresh my memory on how different these 2 DACs sound by bringing my Bimby to the Mimby/Vali2 setup and doing some DAC comparisons. Both DACs sound incredibly close in performance however the Bimby sounds a bit more effortless and deeper than the Mimby but I only picked up on that through serious scrutiny playing tracks back to back through each DAC. So yes the Mimby is an excellent DAC and will not disappoint paired with the Vali2.




Thanks for sharing! I doubt my ears are as discriminating as some of you seasoned audiophiles out there, so if it keeps up with the higher end DACs from Schiit, I'm sure I'll be happy with it.


----------



## leeperry

gvl2016 said:


> It should have 200 hrs on it. Cable could be, although I think it is unlikely as it sounds pretty clean just not my preferred sound. I was planning to pick a Pangea cable and also have an iPurifier on the way. We'll see. I ran it side by side with my Arcam rDAc and preferred the Arcam. It wasn't as good at emphasizing the details as the Mimby but it did sound more organic on my stereo system. Overall this review well matches my experience with the mimby: https://theclosetaudiophile.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/schiit-audio-modi-multibit/


 
  
 Stock wall-wart + a cheap and long USB cable connected to whatever mobo or laptop is prolly as much of a worst case scenario as it gets, besides I've never read anything about that 176.4/192kHz NOS story? Preferring WM8740 to Mimby seems ludicrous to me but then again I've done my homework whatever PSU-wise or USB controller-wise and I run a 10cm dual-shielded USB cable together with a SPC quad-shielded RCA cable, I think ppl should see Mimby as a diamond in the rough and if you can't be hassled improving it then Bimby is your next logical step I guess. You can't seriously expect Schiit to give you the full nine yards for 250 bucks.
  
 Quote:


tuneslover said:


> Yesterday I decided to refresh my memory on how different these 2 DACs sound by bringing my Bimby to the Mimby/Vali2 setup and doing some DAC comparisons. Both DACs sound incredibly close


 
  
 No offense but I suspect that Vali 2 kills a lot of resolution there so a non-tuby headamp might be more enlightening as far as A/B comparisons are concerned IMO.


----------



## Tuneslover

leeperry said:


> No offense but I suspect that Vali 2 kills a lot of resolution there so a non-tuby headamp might be more enlightening as far as A/B comparisons are concerned IMO.




I certainly wouldn't describe the Vali2 as tubey sounding, it is a hybrid tube amp after all. I do agree that my solid state Lake People amp is more resolving than the Vali2 is and my Jot is somewhere in the middle. Incidentally I have tried the Mimby with both of these amps and it sounds plenty good with either amp and competes admirably when compared with the Bimby.


----------



## leeperry

OK fair enough, I briefly owned Vali1 and this was a total downer to my ears. Modi 1 also was tbh, I must admit that my hopes towards Mimby were extremely low but for once hype was very very real huh.


----------



## maxh22

gvl2016 said:


> It should have 200 hrs on it. Cable could be, although I think it is unlikely as it sounds pretty clean just not my preferred sound. I was planning to pick a Pangea cable and also have an iPurifier on the way. We'll see. I ran it side by side with my Arcam rDAc and preferred the Arcam. It wasn't as good at emphasizing the details as the Mimby but it did sound more organic on my stereo system. Overall this review well matches my experience with the mimby: https://theclosetaudiophile.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/schiit-audio-modi-multibit/




How does one bypass Mimby's filter? Found it interesting that he preferred Mimby with the comboburrito filter bypassed. He mentioned a sense of ease , hmmmm.


----------



## Baldr

maxh22 said:


> How does one bypass Mimby's filter? Found it interesting that he preferred Mimby with the comboburrito filter bypassed. He mentioned a sense of ease , hmmmm.


 

 No can do.  The filter is always there.


----------



## Clemmaster

baldr said:


> No can do.  The filter is always there.



Not with input >96kHz, right?


----------



## winders

clemmaster said:


> Not with input >96kHz, right?


 

 According the Schiit web site information for Mimby:
  
 "...with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)"
  
 If the input is 24/176 or 24/192, the Mimby does not oversample it. I don't think that is the same thing as "no filters".


----------



## Baldr

clemmaster said:


> Not with input >96kHz, right?


 

 Ah, true....
 But it is physically and electrically always there, with no hooks to bypass - it is just that the only samples that remain are the originals at 4x.


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> Stock wall-wart + a cheap and long USB cable connected to whatever mobo or laptop is prolly as much of a worst case scenario as it gets, besides I've never read anything about that 176.4/192kHz NOS story? Preferring WM8740 to Mimby seems ludicrous to me but then again I've done my homework whatever PSU-wise or USB controller-wise and I run a 10cm dual-shielded USB cable together with a SPC quad-shielded RCA cable, I think ppl should see Mimby as a diamond in the rough and if you can't be hassled improving it then Bimby is your next logical step I guess. You can't seriously expect Schiit to give you the full nine yards for 250 bucks.


 
  
 There were several audiophile-worthy highly regarded units based on the Wolfson DAC, and comparing a chip by itself to a full product is nonsense anyway. It all comes down to personal preferences and equipment matching. To my ears and on my equipment the rDac sounds more analog with richer vocals but ultimately it is the subtle details and transitions in music that win in my book, the rDAC just sounds more engaging. Also with the rDac speakers sort of disappear and the sound stage extends beyond the speakers, not so much with the Mimby as the music never leaves the speakers. To be fair the rDac was a more expensive unit back in the day. Having said that I do think that the Mimby is an unbeatable value and can well be everything one ever needs.


----------



## maxh22

baldr said:


> No can do.  The filter is always there.


 
 Strange. What do you think the author of the article meant by bypassing the filter?


----------



## gvl2016

maxh22 said:


> Strange. What do you think the author of the article meant by bypassing the filter?


 
  
 Bypassing may not be the right word, pass-through is more appropriate. Apparently at 24/176 and 24/192 the filter has no effect.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> There were several audiophile-worthy highly regarded units based on the Wolfson DAC, and comparing a chip by itself to a full product is nonsense anyway. It all comes down to personal preferences and equipment matching. To my ears and on my equipment the rDac sounds more analog with richer vocals but ultimately it is the subtle details and transitions in music that win in my book, the rDAC just sounds more engaging. Also with the rDac speakers sort of disappear and the sound stage extends beyond the speakers, not so much with the Mimby as the music never leaves the speakers. To be fair the rDac was a more expensive unit back in the day. Having said that I do think that the Mimby is an unbeatable value and can well be everything one ever needs.


 

 Idk I personally was never too fond of the Wolfson sound from any of the Wolfson powered devices that I owned.
 Then again Wolfson = Cirrus Logic today right (I believe they bought Wolfson)?
  
 And I like the way many of those sound... so maybe itw as the models, maybe it was the implementation.... not really sure. But they always sounded muddy to me with too much bass and just not enough details overall.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Idk I personally was never too fond of the Wolfson sound from any of the Wolfson powered devices that I owned.
> Then again Wolfson = Cirrus Logic today right (I believe they bought Wolfson)?
> 
> And I like the way many of those sound... so maybe itw as the models, maybe it was the implementation.... not really sure. But they always sounded muddy to me with too much bass and just not enough details overall.


 
  
 Mimby does make the details pop, but ultimately I want to listen to music and not look at it through a magnifying glass. My impressions may well be due to pairing, In my living room system I'm running a vintage Yamaha MX-600U amp, the MX series are considered to be very clean if not bright, a tube pre-amp, and JBL L100 speakers which are also considered bright, it could be too bright for the Mimby but help to clear up the Wolfson.


----------



## Clemmaster

gvl2016 said:


> Bypassing may not be the right word, pass-through is more appropriate. Apparently at 24/176 and 24/192 the filter has no effect.



That is correct.
Mimby's and Bimby's filter up-samples everything to 176.4/192kHz.
Schiit's burrito filter has the property of preserving the original input samples while performing the up-sampling.
This means that for 176.4 and 192kHz inputs, the output of the filter is the original samples; the filter is still applied to the input, but its output are the original samples. Hence "pass-through".


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Mimby does make the details pop, but ultimately I want to listen to music and not look at it through a magnifying glass. My impressions may well be due to pairing, In my living room system I'm running a vintage Yamaha MX-600U amp, the MX series are considered to be very clean if not bright, a tube pre-amp, and JBL L100 speakers which are also considered bright, it could be too bright for the Mimby but help to clear up the Wolfson.




I feel like if you find the music hard to listen to then it's either poor sources or bad tuning/eq.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I feel like if you find the music hard to listen to then it's either poor sources or bad tuning/eq.


 
  
 It is everything, for example I also have an Adcom 2535 and it sounds very different from the Yamaha and I doubt any amount of EQ can make them sound the same.


----------



## winders

I really liked the sound I get out of my Mimby. I regularly listened to music all day through Mimby and had no issues with brightness or fatigue. It was certainly much more enjoyable to listen to than the DAC built in to the MacBook Pro!


----------



## darkarn

Hmm wait, about the non-oversampling of sound.
  
 If I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/192, all sound will be non-sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/96 or 16/44)?
  
 Or for the reverse, if I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/96, all sound will be sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/192)?


----------



## winders

With Mimby, I always found the music to sound its best if the signal is sent the DAC in its native format. In other words, let the DAC do the upsampling if any is required.


----------



## Baldr

winders said:


> With Mimby, I always found the music to sound its best if the signal is sent the DAC in its native format. In other words, let the DAC do the upsampling if any is required.


 

 Yup, recommended.


----------



## gvl2016

darkarn said:


> Hmm wait, about the non-oversampling of sound.
> 
> If I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/192, all sound will be non-sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/96 or 16/44)?
> 
> Or for the reverse, if I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/96, all sound will be sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/192)?


 
  
 What's the sample rate of your material? If it doesn't match your output setting in Windows the OS will resample it to the output, and it won't do a good job doing it. You really should be using ASIO or WASAPI to pass bit-accurate data to the device and let the burrito filter do what it does, chances are it works better than Windows resampler. But yes, you you set 24/192 in Windows burrito filter will just pass the samples onto the DAC chip as is, that's my understanding.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> What's the sample rate of your material? If it doesn't match your output setting in Windows the OS will resample it to the output, and it won't do a good job doing it. You really should be using ASIO or WASAPI and let the burrito filter do what it does, chances are it works better than Windows resampler.


 

 I am on a MacBook using Audirvana and I like what Mimby does with the source more than what the allegedly wonderful iZotope 64-bit SRC upsampling filter does. Most of my material is 16/44.1.


----------



## leeperry

baldr said:


> No can do.  The filter is always there.


 
  
 That figures coz I did my homework trying my luck with 88.2/96/176.4/192 upsampling and plain 44.1 always sounded tighter to my ears.
  
  
 Quote:


gvl2016 said:


> There were several audiophile-worthy highly regarded units based on the Wolfson DAC, and comparing a chip by itself to a full product is nonsense anyway. It all comes down to personal preferences and equipment matching. To my ears and on my equipment the rDac sounds more analog with richer vocals but ultimately it is the subtle details and transitions in music that win in my book, the rDAC just sounds more engaging. Also with the rDac speakers sort of disappear and the sound stage extends beyond the speakers, not so much with the Mimby as the music never leaves the speakers. To be fair the rDac was a more expensive unit back in the day. Having said that I do think that the Mimby is an unbeatable value and can well be everything one ever needs.


 
  
 So to your ears the D/S WM8741 sounds better than the R2R implementation in Mimby, IMO don't shoot the messenger as Mimby's stock wall-wart is as sub-par as it gets anyway IME but indeed I guess LME49722 in rDAC is good stuff and prolly explains why you like its SS better. I personally run LME49990 in my headamp and this does most wonderful things to Mimby's uncompromisingly detailed output, this is many ppl's favorite opamp for a good reason to my ears but yes it's extremely detailed so better do your homework or else it'll sound bright and shrill.
  
 Quote:


gvl2016 said:


> What's the sample rate of your material? If it doesn't match your output setting in Windows the OS will resample it to the output, and it won't do a good job doing it.


 
  
 And the really nice thing is that the WASAPI drivers of Mimby accept 32int so you can EQ your FLAC sources in 32fp and feed them as is to Mimby, no nasty rounding/resampling coming off the computer and I guess it'll be trimmed to 16int at the very last I²S stage coming off the USB chip.


----------



## darkarn

gvl2016 said:


> What's the sample rate of your material? If it doesn't match your output setting in Windows the OS will resample it to the output, and it won't do a good job doing it. You really should be using ASIO or WASAPI to pass bit-accurate data to the device and let the burrito filter do what it does, chances are it works better than Windows resampler. But yes, you you set 24/192 in Windows burrito filter will just pass the samples onto the DAC chip as is, that's my understanding.


 
  
 It's a mixed bag of 16/44.1, 24/96 and 24/192. ASIO won't work with my 24/192 content due to my Optical Out not being able to output stable enough 24/192 signal for the Mimby to take in. The USB In of the Mimby is used by my iPad so that option is ruled out.
  
 Time for me to get a Singxer F1 or X1 I guess?


----------



## gvl2016

darkarn said:


> It's a mixed bag of 16/44.1, 24/96 and 24/192. ASIO won't work with my 24/192 content due to my Optical Out not being able to output stable enough 24/192 signal for the Mimby to take in. The USB In of the Mimby is used by my iPad so that option is ruled out.
> 
> Time for me to get a Singxer F1 or X1 I guess?


 
  
 Is there a SPDIF header on the mobo for coax?


----------



## darkarn

gvl2016 said:


> Is there a SPDIF header on the mobo for coax?


 
  
 My main computer that I work on and listen to music from is actually a laptop (and I prefer it to be a laptop) so it does not have a SPDIF header


----------



## RiflemanFirst

Anyone here using a 6ft USB cable for their Mimby? I ordered a Mediabridge 6ft USB 2.0 A to B cable last night from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXLD4G) since it had a nice price and good reviews from other people using it with audio equipment. I understand that a shorter cable is always ideal, but I plan to re-do my computer desk setup soon and know that a 3 foot cable will be a bit too short. Hoping it won't cause any issues with the Mimby.
  
 I also ordered my Mimby and PYST RCA cables this morning after getting the RA approved for my Fulla 2.


----------



## Odin412

riflemanfirst said:


> Anyone here using a 6ft USB cable for their Mimby? I ordered a Mediabridge 6ft USB 2.0 A to B cable last night from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXLD4G) since it had a nice price and good reviews from other people using it with audio equipment. I understand that a shorter cable is always ideal, but I plan to re-do my computer desk setup soon and know that a 3 foot cable will be a bit too short. Hoping it won't cause any issues with the Mimby.


 
  
 Yes, I use a 6 ft USB cable from monoprice with no issues. I also use the same type of cable with my Bifrost Multibit with no issues.


----------



## RiflemanFirst

odin412 said:


> Yes, I use a 6 ft USB cable from monoprice with no issues. I also use the same type of cable with my Bifrost Multibit with no issues.


 
  
 Thanks for the reply. I figured the extra few feet wouldn't make a difference as long it's a quality built cable, but wanted to be sure I have something that will work as soon as my Mimby arrives.


----------



## AviP

riflemanfirst said:


> Anyone here using a 6ft USB cable for their Mimby? I ordered a Mediabridge 6ft USB 2.0 A to B cable last night from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MXLD4G) since it had a nice price and good reviews from other people using it with audio equipment. I understand that a shorter cable is always ideal, but I plan to re-do my computer desk setup soon and know that a 3 foot cable will be a bit too short. Hoping it won't cause any issues with the Mimby.
> 
> I also ordered my Mimby and PYST RCA cables this morning after getting the RA approved for my Fulla 2.



I use that exact same cable from Mediabridge with my Modi2U connected to an OTG cable which is then connected to my phone with no problems.


----------



## bigro

darkarn said:


> Hmm wait, about the non-oversampling of sound.
> 
> If I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/192, all sound will be non-sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/96 or 16/44)?
> 
> Or for the reverse, if I set in Windows for my optical output to be at 24/96, all sound will be sampled right (regardless if said sound is actually 24/192)?


 
  
Source http://blog.szynalski.com/2009/11/an-audiophiles-look-at-the-audio-stack-in-windows-vista-and-7/
  
 "
 So Windows Vista and Windows 7 upconvert all your samples to 32-bit floats and mix them with 32-bit precision into an output stream that, by default, has the highest bit depth that your hardware can handle. The output bit depth is customizable; you can change it in the properties of your audio device. If you change it e.g. to 16 bits, the audio engine _will still use 32-bit floats for internal processing_ — it will just downconvert the resulting stream to 16 bits before sending it to your device.
 Now, what about the sample rate? You can set the output sample rate in the audio device properties window, but is there also some internal sample rate that the Windows audio engine uses regardless of your setting? For example, does it upsample your 44.1 kHz songs to 96 or 128 kHz? Unlike the upconverting from 16-bit integers to 32-bit floats (which should be completely lossless), this could potentially introduce some distortion as going from 44.1 kHz to 96 or 128 kHz requires at least some interpolation.
 I couldn’t find the answer to this question anywhere, so I wrote to Larry Osterman, who developed the Vista and Win7 audio stacks at Microsoft. His answer was that the sample rate that the engine uses is the one that the user specifies in the Properties window. The default sample rate is chosen by the audio driver (44.1 kHz on most devices). So if your music has a sample rate of 44.1 kHz, you can choose that setting and no sample rate conversion will take place. (Of course, any 48 kHz and higher samples will then be downsampled to 44.1 kHz.)"


----------



## RickB

For shared mode, I have my Windows 10 set to 24 bit 96k. However, J.River uses exclusive mode for audio on my laptop, so it handles the whole thing for music listening. It does no sample rate conversion, but I see that the bit depth (which is set on auto, which it recommends for best sound quality) is upconverted to 32 bit.


----------



## darkarn

bigro said:


> Source http://blog.szynalski.com/2009/11/an-audiophiles-look-at-the-audio-stack-in-windows-vista-and-7/
> 
> "
> So Windows Vista and Windows 7 upconvert all your samples to 32-bit floats and mix them with 32-bit precision into an output stream that, by default, has the highest bit depth that your hardware can handle. The output bit depth is customizable; you can change it in the properties of your audio device. If you change it e.g. to 16 bits, the audio engine _will still use 32-bit floats for internal processing_ — it will just downconvert the resulting stream to 16 bits before sending it to your device.
> ...


 
  
 Thanks! I'll keep it at the highest possible rate then (which is 24/96)


----------



## yage

baldr said:


> No can do.  The filter is always there.


 
  
 What about the answer given in the Bimby FAQ? I thought the Mimby had the same NOS mode (according to the specs):
  


> *What’s this about a non-oversampling (NOS) mode?*
> 
> For 176.4kHz and 192kHz input sample rates, Bifrost Multibit passes the music right along—no digital filter, no oversampling. Have fun! Upsample lower-rate music with another algorithm, and compare to our “comboburrito” filter.


----------



## Lohb

Anyone currently using Project Starlight in front of Mimby ? Synergy good ?
 I know...it's like plonking strawberry on top of vanilla, but I like the tube dialing aspect on sound-stage bass/treble etc...


----------



## darkarn

lohb said:


> Anyone currently using Project Starlight in front of Mimby ? Synergy good ?
> I know...it's like plonking strawberry on top of vanilla, but I like the tube dialing aspect on sound-stage bass/treble etc...


 
  
 I am using the Project Ember (the Starlight's big brother) which I built a few days back with the Mimby, testing with various tubes
  
 I must say that this combination is sparkly but not sibilant. I won't comment more until more tests though


----------



## winders

yage said:


> What about the answer given in the Bimby FAQ? I thought the Mimby had the same NOS mode (according to the specs):


 

 See this post:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/2625#post_13316194
  
 The answer is there.


----------



## yage

winders said:


> See this post:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/2625#post_13316194
> 
> The answer is there.


 
  
 Thanks!


----------



## jaxz

darkarn said:


> I am using the Project Ember (the Starlight's big brother) which I built a few days back with the Mimby, testing with various tubes
> 
> I must say that this combination is sparkly but not sibilant. I won't comment more until more tests though




Very interested in your thoughts as I have the ember and eyeballing the mimby.


----------



## Koei

I'm eyeballing this DAC, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this DAC in a neutral speaker setup. I've got Scan Speak Reference Monitors which are pretty flat with a Marantz PM16 (reference line from the mid 90ties). Right now I'm running a simple 4x1543 NOS dac from Muse and am looking for more detail in the sound.


----------



## darkarn

jaxz said:


> Very interested in your thoughts as I have the ember and eyeballing the mimby.


 
  
 Give me some time for the burn in and stuff for fuller impressions, but I will say as initial impression that the combination is indeed sparkly in a good way


----------



## gvl2016

koei said:


> I'm eyeballing this DAC, but I wonder if anyone has experience with this DAC in a neutral speaker setup. I've got Scan Speak Reference Monitors which are pretty flat with a Marantz PM16 (reference line from the mid 90ties). Right now I'm running a simple 4x1543 NOS dac from Muse and am looking for more detail in the sound.


 
  
 If my experience with neutral sounding headphones is of any indication how it sounds with neutral speakers then it should pair well. It does sound very good with my NAD Viso HP50s powered by an O2, both are regarded as being neutral. I can't listen to the Mimby with Philips SHP9500s, eardrum piercing even with a 2mm felt pad, but they are a delight to listen to with a softer sounding TDA1543 NOS DAC I also have. Also not a big fan of the sound I get with it though my Klipsch RB-15s bookshelf speakers which are also bright, same goes for my main 2-channel system with a vintage Yamaha amp (class A-ish) and JBL L100 Centuries speakers which tends to be a bit bright as well. Based on this I tend to think Mimby works better with neutral or warmer gear, but sure there will be other opinions too.


----------



## HondoMUC

Hi all, will the mimby pair well with a tuned (Tubes, Opamp) little Dot 1+? HP are DT770 and Grado Se60. Having an eye on Fideli X2 or HD600/50. Maybe a Fostex tp50 or a Hifiman.
  
 The problem I have now ist that my Fiio X5 III is (whereas it's a nice DAP) not best as a DAC. It induces some bad interference when paired to a PC via USB. Sourcing the Little Dot with the DAP mode gives a nice (but still improvable)  sound.
  
 I mostly Listen to Tidal via PC or I listen to High-res via Foobar.


----------



## darkarn

hondomuc said:


> Hi all, will the mimby pair well with a tuned (Tubes, Opamp) little Dot 1+? HP are DT770 and Grado Se60. Having an eye on Fideli X2 or HD600/50. Maybe a Fostex tp50 or a Hifiman.
> 
> The problem I have now ist that my Fiio X5 III is (whereas it's a nice DAP) not best as a DAC. It induces some bad interference when paired to a PC via USB. Sourcing the Little Dot with the DAP mode gives a nice (but still improvable)  sound.
> 
> I mostly Listen to Tidal via PC or I listen to High-res via Foobar.


 
  
  
 Sounds like a bad USB port; have you tried other USB ports? Also, does your computer have SPDIF out (either Optical or RCA)?


----------



## hutt132

I'm currently using an ASUS Xonar Essence STX as a DAC for my M1060 headphones. Would the Modi Multibit actually make a big difference?


----------



## RiflemanFirst

Got my Mimby & PYST RCAs today and I've had it running with my Vali 2 and HD598 SE for a few hours now. A definite improvement over the Fulla 2's DAC out, and I honestly thought it sounded great. The Fulla 2 performed admirably until I got upgrade-itis within the return period and will be getting sent back to Schiit tomorrow. I plan to stick with this Mimby/Vali 2 stack for a while now though.
  
 I understand that the Mimby is supposed to run a bit warm based on what I've read from other posts, but I found it can practically function as a small desktop hand warmer when stacked with the Vali 2. Is this normal?
  
 Also, the manual says the Mimby requires drivers for Windows. Mine was detected by Windows and is running without issues and I haven't installed them. Are they actually necessary?


----------



## Vigrith

riflemanfirst said:


> I understand that the Mimby is supposed to run a bit warm based on what I've read from other posts, but I found it can practically function as a small desktop hand warmer when stacked with the Vali 2. Is this normal?


 
  
 Far as I'm aware that is perfectly normal yea - I have my Modi MB atop my Jotunheim (and another with my Mjolnir 2) and they both run very warm - warmer than when they're by themselves but not noticeably. It's meant to get toasty and I've heard of people having theirs be even too warm to touch at points and still not worry about it, though mine personally are not THAT hot, I can touch them just fine and never feel uncomfortable.
  
 Only "quirk" with the temperature when it comes to Schiit DACs, which I believe has been stated by Mike Moffat, is that the temperature should be kept constant - as in, no sudden shifts, fans randomly blowing at them, the sort.


----------



## RiflemanFirst

vigrith said:


> Far as I'm aware that is perfectly normal yea - I have my Modi MB atop my Jotunheim (and another with my Mjolnir 2) and they both run very warm - warmer than when they're by themselves but not noticeably. It's meant to get toasty and I've heard of people having theirs be even too warm to touch at points and still not worry about it, though mine personally are not THAT hot, I can touch them just fine and never feel uncomfortable.
> 
> Only "quirk" with the temperature when it comes to Schiit DACs, which I believe has been stated by Mike Moffat, is that the temperature should be kept constant - as in, no sudden shifts, fans randomly blowing at them, the sort.


 
  
 Thanks for the reply. Mine definitely isn't too warm to touch so I guess I have nothing to worry about then.


----------



## gregcss

Is the Modi MB overkill and/or too revealing (i.e. unforgiving) for lower quality sources such as free pandora and spotify?


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> It is everything, for example I also have an Adcom 2535 and it sounds very different from the Yamaha and I doubt any amount of EQ can make them sound the same.


 

 I understand where you are coming from, different setups are just that.... different.


----------



## Marlowe

riflemanfirst said:


> I understand that the Mimby is supposed to run a bit warm based on what I've read from other posts, but I found it can practically function as a small desktop hand warmer when stacked with the Vali 2. Is this normal?
> 
> Also, the manual says the Mimby requires drivers for Windows. Mine was detected by Windows and is running without issues and I haven't installed them. Are they actually necessary?


 
 I'm using the Mimby stacked with a Magni 2U and they run very warm, though never hot (I have no problem touching them--I have them plugged into a longish extension cord and move them between laptop and TV in my small apartment). When I use them for watching Blu-rays or streaming video, I have the stack on a small table next to my chair. I often rest my hand on it--it's actually quite pleasant.
  
 IIRC, after connecting the Mimby to my Windows 10 laptop, it automatically installed the Schiit drivers in a matter of seconds without any action on my part.


----------



## Porteroso

gregcss said:


> Is the Modi MB overkill and/or too revealing (i.e. unforgiving) for lower quality sources such as free pandora and spotify?


 
 Half the music I listen to is spotify, youtube, lower quality stuff. The answer is an emphatic no. It is not overkill at all. Very noticeable difference with it.


----------



## darkarn

vigrith said:


> Far as I'm aware that is perfectly normal yea - I have my Modi MB atop my Jotunheim (and another with my Mjolnir 2) and they both run very warm - warmer than when they're by themselves but not noticeably. It's meant to get toasty and I've heard of people having theirs be even too warm to touch at points and still not worry about it, though mine personally are not THAT hot, I can touch them just fine and never feel uncomfortable.
> 
> Only "quirk" with the temperature when it comes to Schiit DACs, which I believe has been stated by Mike Moffat, is that the temperature should be kept constant - as in, no sudden shifts, fans randomly blowing at them, the sort.


 
  
 Yes the temperature should be kept constant but this will be done by the DACs themselves. So, simply put, just keep your Mimby powered on and there should be no issues.
  
 If it feels like there is differences in temperatures at different point of times (e.g. very hot at one time, comfortably warm at another), this is normal too according to Nick in Schiit; I asked him via email about this before.
  


gregcss said:


> Is the Modi MB overkill and/or too revealing (i.e. unforgiving) for lower quality sources such as free pandora and spotify?


 
  
 I find it to be quite revealing but not that unforgiving against these lower quality sources. A better example of a very unforgiving source is the DX200 from ibasso (and perhaps most of their DAPs/DACs that use Sabre DAC?)


----------



## HondoMUC

darkarn said:


> Sounds like a bad USB port; have you tried other USB ports? Also, does your computer have SPDIF out (either Optical or RCA)?


 
  
 It's them all. That seems to be the caveat of the Mobility of My Asus Zenbook.Unfortunately it only has a analog out other than USB. But it's not the laptop alone. I think a lot of interference comes from the Fiios battery being charged while in DAC mode. The amping reveals that.
  
 So hopefully this will be gone with a mimby.


----------



## darkarn

hondomuc said:


> It's them all. That seems to be the caveat of the Mobility of My Asus Zenbook.Unfortunately it only has a analog out other than USB. But it's not the laptop alone. I think a lot of interference comes from the Fiios battery being charged while in DAC mode. The amping reveals that.
> 
> So hopefully this will be gone with a mimby.


 
  
 I can't vouch for the USB in of the Mimby even though I use an iPad Air directly to it without any issue (don't even need USB hubs!); you may still get USB issues if there is indeed an issue with the laptop's USB ports. You may then need an USB hub or Schiit Wyrd to deal with this.
  
 But the linear power supply of the Mimby means there will not be such charging issues so that should be one issue down.


----------



## HondoMUC

darkarn said:


> I can't vouch for the USB in of the Mimby even though I use an iPad Air directly to it without any issue (don't even need USB hubs!); you may still get USB issues if there is indeed an issue with the laptop's USB ports. You may then need an USB hub or Schiit Wyrd to deal with this.
> 
> But the linear power supply of the Mimby means there will not be such charging issues so that should be one issue down.


 
  
 Yeah, you are right. What i did now is to buy (a cheap) HiFiMe DAC to see if this will eliminate the problem. I am not expecting this but I will see. When getting the mimby I already expect to add a Wyrd or iSilencer or IPurifier2. What would be the best choice?
  
 Any comments if the Little Dot1+ is a suitable amp for Mimby?
  
 Thx!


----------



## darkarn

hondomuc said:


> Yeah, you are right. What i did now is to buy (a cheap) HiFiMe DAC to see if this will eliminate the problem. I am not expecting this but I will see. When getting the mimby I already expect to add a Wyrd or iSilencer or IPurifier2. What would be the best choice?
> 
> Any comments if the Little Dot1+ is a suitable amp for Mimby?
> 
> Thx!


 
  
 Wryd, but that's only cos it's easier to order and diagnose from one single company lol
  
 I can't comment on the Little Dot 1+ unfortunately as I have not heard it before


----------



## Alchemist007

It'd be cheaper to get one of those coaxial brackets than a USB cleaner, if it's a desktop system.


----------



## HondoMUC

darkarn said:


> I can't vouch for the USB in of the Mimby even though I use an iPad Air directly to it without any issue (don't even need USB hubs!); you may still get USB issues if there is indeed an issue with the laptop's USB ports. You may then need an USB hub or Schiit Wyrd to deal with this.
> 
> But the linear power supply of the Mimby means there will not be such charging issues so that should be one issue down.


 
  
 Ok, thank you


----------



## HondoMUC

alchemist007 said:


> It'd be cheaper to get one of those coaxial brackets than a USB cleaner, if it's a desktop system.


 
 How would that look like. Converter USB to Coax? Any effect on SQ? What device to have?


----------



## Letmebefrank

hondomuc said:


> How would that look like. Converter USB to Coax? Any effect on SQ? What device to have?


 
 Here is a link to my follow up post with the original post quoted with the link to the bracket.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/2295#post_13269250
  
 Dont forget your motherboard has to have SPDIF out header on it.


----------



## Alchemist007

hondomuc said:


> How would that look like. Converter USB to Coax? Any effect on SQ? What device to have?


 
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-GIGABYTE-MSI-SPDIF-Out-Digital-Optical-and-RCA-Cable-Coaxial-Audio-Bracket-/181188412663?hash=item2a2fabc4f7:g:EvEAAOSwY45UPhdO
  
 It's digital coax and optical, no USB required. It has a small effect on SQ, IMO for the better (less digital sounding, smoother). The Mimby of course has options for all 3 so you would only need a cable like this for digital coax:
  
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/6ft-Coaxial-Audio-Video-RCA-Cable-M-M-RG59U-75ohm-for-S-PDIF-Digital-Coax-619-/230912530744?hash=item35c3759938mirKk-RT6I0QKheP5vj-bbA


----------



## HondoMUC

But how would I mount that into a laptop  needs to be external.


----------



## Alchemist007

Yeah like I said "if you have a desktop." I don't deal with laptop audio lol.


----------



## Jimster480

hondomuc said:


> Yeah, you are right. What i did now is to buy (a cheap) HiFiMe DAC to see if this will eliminate the problem. I am not expecting this but I will see. When getting the mimby I already expect to add a Wyrd or iSilencer or IPurifier2. What would be the best choice?
> 
> Any comments if the Little Dot1+ is a suitable amp for Mimby?
> 
> Thx!


 

 What issue are you having specifically?

 A great AMP I have recently found is the Topping A30.


----------



## HondoMUC

alchemist007 said:


> Yeah like I said "if you have a desktop." I don't deal with laptop audio lol.


 
 soundwise pretty wise


----------



## HondoMUC

jimster480 said:


> What issue are you having specifically?
> 
> A great AMP I have recently found is the Topping A30.


 
  
 It's some sort of hissing, whistling and some cracking on top. Not constanty but when it's there it makes the music unlistenable. Worst is when playing Tidal.


----------



## Alexloures

hondomuc said:


> It's some sort of hissing, whistling and some cracking on top. Not constanty but when it's there it makes the music unlistenable. Worst is when playing Tidal.


Had the mimby running usb from a 2015 mb pro,Amarra for tidal as source. got some kind of weird cracking sound sometimes at random, sometimes more regular, it sounds like the song skipped for a milisecond, tried different usb ports, got a doodlebug usb, it diminished the cracking noise but is still there.The mimby sound is fantastic just have to figure this one out!


----------



## RiflemanFirst

alexloures said:


> Had the mimby running usb from a 2015 mb pro,Amarra for tidal as source. got some kind of weird cracking sound sometimes at random, sometimes more regular, it sounds like the song skipped for a milisecond, tried different usb ports, got a doodlebug usb, it diminished the cracking noise but is still there.The mimby sound is fantastic just have to figure this one out!


 
  
 Interesting! I noticed this skipping recently with Tidal on my custom built Win 10 PC as well. Seems I'm not the only one. It happened with my Fulla 2 as well as the Mimby I'm using right now. No cracking noise, but the skipping seems pretty random. I think it may be an issue with the streaming/buffering, but not sure.


----------



## Alexloures

riflemanfirst said:


> Interesting! I noticed this skipping recently with Tidal on my custom built Win 10 PC as well. Seems I'm not the only one. It happened with my Fulla 2 as well as the Mimby I'm using right now. No cracking noise, but the skipping seems pretty random. I think it may be an issue with the streaming/buffering, but not sure.


I tought it was a buffering problem, but is not so easy to pinpoint, on my end it happens a lot more often on Amarra, less so on the Tidal app, when i had the hrt microstreamer either never had an issue or couldn't hear one,cpu load is around 50% all cores peak and unrelated to noise.But if it is a streaming issue , i guess more people would be coming up with this.Will try the amarra script and report back.


----------



## RiflemanFirst

alexloures said:


> I tought it was a buffering problem, but is not so easy to pinpoint, on my end it happens a lot more often on Amarra, less so on the Tidal app, when i had the hrt microstreamer either never had an issue or couldn't hear one,cpu load is around 50% all cores peak and unrelated to noise.But if it is a streaming issue , i guess more people would be coming up with this.Will try the amarra script and report back.


 
  
 Thankfully it doesn't happen often enough to be bothersome on my end. Maybe only once or twice over an evening of listening it will skip for a fraction of a second. One thing I noticed is that it only seems to happen on my end when browsing and opening web pages in the Chrome browser. That's why I'm leaning towards a streaming/buffering issue. I'm curious to know more if you are able to pinpoint the cause of the skipping.


----------



## Jimster480

alexloures said:


> Had the mimby running usb from a 2015 mb pro,Amarra for tidal as source. got some kind of weird cracking sound sometimes at random, sometimes more regular, it sounds like the song skipped for a milisecond, tried different usb ports, got a doodlebug usb, it diminished the cracking noise but is still there.The mimby sound is fantastic just have to figure this one out!


 


riflemanfirst said:


> Thankfully it doesn't happen often enough to be bothersome on my end. Maybe only once or twice over an evening of listening it will skip for a fraction of a second. One thing I noticed is that it only seems to happen on my end when browsing and opening web pages in the Chrome browser. That's why I'm leaning towards a streaming/buffering issue. I'm curious to know more if you are able to pinpoint the cause of the skipping.


 
  
 Its a USB issue. I have the same exact issue with my Fulla2.
  
 Either their implementation of the 6631A isn't good or the chip itself has issues with "USB Noise" or timing.
 Because I have a FiiO K1 with a Savitech controller and it has no issues at all on the same machines.
 I've tried 2 computers now and they both have the same problem and Schiit was nice enough to replace my first Fulla 2 but this one is exactly the same.
 Its a real shame because this thing sounds incredible a/b testing I couldn't figure out if the K1 was much better or worse than the Fulla 2 but in listening to it for about 35 hours I have come to like the sound of the Fulla 2 more and when switching back to the K1 while the Fulla 2 was gone I noticed details that were missing in certain songs while using the K1.
  
 But overall the popping/cracking random sound is very annoying and disturbs my concentration to the point that I can't use my headphones to work and that is when I primarily wear them..


----------



## hagenhays

What is some of the consensus on warm up time for schiit Dacs ?
Ps..im not leaving it on 24/7...to me that seems like overkill.
I was thinking 90 minutes to 2 hrs. I can't imagine something needing more than that to warmup...but wanted to throw it out there again.
Mimby just got plugged in. Modi uber is also...cant wait to compare sound signatures!!


----------



## Jimster480

hagenhays said:


> What is some of the consensus on warm up time for schiit Dacs ?
> Ps..im not leaving it on 24/7...to me that seems like overkill.
> I was thinking 90 minutes to 2 hrs. I can't imagine something needing more than that to warmup...but wanted to throw it out there again.
> Mimby just got plugged in. Modi uber is also...cant wait to compare sound signatures!!


 

 Nice, let us know how it goes.
  
 I know that the multibit chips work better when they hit their operating temp. Its a multibit DA thing.


----------



## winders

hagenhays said:


> What is some of the consensus on warm up time for schiit Dacs ?


 
  
 The consensus is to leave it on all the time. I did that with my Mimby and do that with my Yggy.


----------



## hagenhays

Fired up the Mimby....
Honestly was worried it was maybe going to be a little bit snake oil. But I replayed a song that was previously played thru modi2U. My wife and I listened...i just streamed google play. After about 2 min. My wife asks..."well"? And I really didn't want to reply. So she says the bass sounds fuller, and the instruments sound clearer. I seriously thought she was playing with my head!!!
I thought she was pretty spot on...its definitely not a night and day difference..imo, but the phrase "a veil has been lifted" is a very accurate description.
Before I could always tell pretty accurately when I was streaming audio vs a cd. Now it's hard to tell the difference.

Thank you very much Jason and Mike.
I hope to catch a Denver show sometime, but thank you for accurately designing and describing your product.
##NOSNAKEOILHERE


----------



## RiflemanFirst

hagenhays said:


> Fired up the Mimby....
> Honestly was worried it was maybe going to be a little bit snake oil. But I replayed a song that was previously played thru modi2U. My wife and I listened...i just streamed google play. After about 2 min. My wife asks..."well"? And I really didn't want to reply. So she says the bass sounds fuller, and the instruments sound clearer. I seriously thought she was playing with my head!!!
> I thought she was pretty spot on...its definitely not a night and day difference..imo, but the phrase "a veil has been lifted" is a very accurate description.
> Before I could always tell pretty accurately when I was streaming audio vs a cd. Now it's hard to tell the difference.
> ...


 
  
 Pretty much exactly how I felt going from the Fulla 2 to the Mimby!


----------



## tamleo

I cannot even imagine how good the Modi 2 multibit will sound  Schiit always perfect their second gen products. It is maybe 2+ years before the new releasing


----------



## oneway23

> My wife and I listened...i just streamed google play. After about 2 min. My wife asks..."well"? And I really didn't want to reply. So she says the bass sounds fuller, and the instruments sound clearer. I seriously thought she was playing with my head!!!


 
  
 Your wife listens and gives input when you get new gear?? Lucky you!


----------



## Odin412

oneway23 said:


> Your wife listens and gives input when you get new gear?? Lucky you!


 
  
 I too am lucky that my wife enjoys music as much as I do and sometimes joins me at local meets and events. At the last The Source AV event we both had the opportunity to listen to the Sennheiser HE-1 as well as the MrSpeakers Æon and Ether Electrostats. She loved the Ether E as much as I did.


----------



## Jimster480

odin412 said:


> I too am lucky that my wife enjoys music as much as I do and sometimes joins me at local meets and events. At the last The Source AV event we both had the opportunity to listen to the Sennheiser HE-1 as well as the MrSpeakers Æon and Ether Electrostats. She loved the Ether E as much as I did.


 

 My wife also loves music just as much if not more than me so she comments on everything that I get.


----------



## leeperry

anyone tried those metal-free carbon IC's with mimby? http://www.vandenhul.com/products/cables/the-second-r-halogen-free
 to my ears SPC drastically improves its SQ but I'm getting a used pair of THE SECOND so I'll get to hear how much magic can be milked off this little wonderbox


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> anyone tried those metal-free carbon IC's with mimby? http://www.vandenhul.com/products/cables/the-second-r-halogen-free
> to my ears SPC drastically improves its SQ but I'm getting a used pair of THE SECOND so I'll get to hear how much magic can be milked off this little wonderbox


 

 I don't think it would really do anything tbh


----------



## leeperry

jimster480 said:


> I don't think it would really do anything tbh


 
  
 Sure thing buddy, all IC's sound the same eventually


----------



## hagenhays

Loving my new cd player ( i havent had one since 1998) and schiit dac
They make a huge sound difference. Night and day over blue ray player as a transport!


----------



## gvl2016

hagenhays said:


> Loving my new cd player ( i havent had one since 1998) and schiit dac
> They make a huge sound difference. Night and day over blue ray player as a transport!




You could likely get similar results by adding a iFi SPDIF purifier between the BRP and the DAC.


----------



## gvl2016

I tried the original USB iPurifier with the Mimby and to my surprise it made a difference, it's subtle but the treble is crisper and less fatigueing or so it seems. Hmm, now I got the itch to get the iUsb too as my setup suffers from noisy ground as well.


----------



## Lohb

gvl2016 said:


> I tried the original USB iPurifier with the Mimby and to my surprise it made a difference, it's subtle but the treble is crisper and less fatigueing or so it seems. Hmm, now I got the itch to get the iUsb too as my setup suffers from noisy ground as well.


 

 Good to know, I plan to use iP2 with Mimby.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> Sure thing buddy, all IC's sound the same eventually


 

 Cables are cables, there is no actual difference in transmitting power unless the length is extremely long or the cable itself is not thick enough.

 In the cases of analog signals interference is possible but its easy to pick out. Once you are getting clean sound without interference there is nothing else to improve as your sound is already being transmitted as it needs to be.


----------



## gvl2016




----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Cables are cables....


 
  
 You go ahead and believe that if you want.


----------



## Koei

winders said:


> You go ahead and believe that if you want.


 

 If they make a difference one of the cables is faulty (and it might not even be the one you think sounds best).


----------



## gregcss

Cable discussions like this don't go well. Can you agree to disagree?


----------



## MWSVette

gregcss said:


> Cable discussions like this don't go well. Can you agree to disagree?


 

 Probably a good idea....


----------



## Koei

nevermind


----------



## gregcss

By the way, I am new here. I am planning to get a Modi MB soon to pair with my desktop system of Emotiva A-100 integrated amp which I have now and the Emotiva Airmotiv B1 speakers which I need to order soon (waiting for a potential snow storm to pass that is direct route from TN to me).


----------



## bearwarrior

Can anyone comment about R2R ladder DACs? Will it be an improvement from Schiit Multibit?


----------



## theveterans

bearwarrior said:


> Can anyone comment about R2R ladder DACs? Will it be an improvement from Schiit Multibit?


 
  
 R2R ladder DACs varies a lot. Some great ones are from Holo Audio or Soekris.
 Schiit Multibit is pretty much an "r2r ladder in a chip" kinda like "system on a chip" that's in the smartphones. Improvement is subjective of course, but some prefer the NOS sound than oversampled sound like on the Schiit Multibit.


----------



## Koei

I​ just received my Modi, and to be honest it sounds exactly the same as my Muse 4xTDA1543 (so no DS Dac here). My PC feeds the Muse through TOSLINK and the Modi through Coax. Switching inputs on my amp (its instant on my amp, no delays) I hear no difference, I even checked if I didn't mix up the connections. The Modi might be slightly louder, but even that I'm not sure of. Will try USB soon, when I can find a cable, because that's the real reason I got it. I got artifacts in the sounds from time to time when I pc is busy doing other stuff, I'm hoping USB takes care of that. I'll try my headphones later (I only have HD25's that I use on the road) later.
  
 Setup: Marantz PM-16 -> Scan Speak Reference Monitors


----------



## gvl2016

Interesting, my TDA1543-based NOS DAC and the Mimby sound entirely different.


----------



## Koei

gvl2016 said:


> Interesting, my TDA1543-based NOS DAC and the Mimby sound entirely different.


 

 ​Anything I think I'm hearing might just be a slight SPL difference in the output of the analog stages of both dacs. I think I'm hearing symbals slighty clearer but could be my brain games with me. What are the difference you are hearing?


----------



## gvl2016

Mimby has more presence and precision in the upper frequencies, vocals sound higher or you can say cleaner, definitely hotter output level but my 1543 has passive i/v.


----------



## Koei

gvl2016 said:


> Mimby has more presence and precision in the upper frequencies, vocals sound higher or you can say cleaner, definitely hotter output level but my 1543 has passive i/v.


 

 ​Ok, I guess this is what I think I'm hearing also (the vocals shift slightly in the stereo image), but the difference is so barely noticable that I don't even know if I'm actually hearing it. I don't know what 1543 DAC you are using?


----------



## gvl2016

koei said:


> ​Ok, I guess this is what I think I'm hearing also (the vocals shift slightly in the stereo image), but the difference is so barely noticable that I don't even know if I'm actually hearing it. I don't know what 1543 DAC you are using?


 
  
 Mine is a DAC3 from Starting Point System. It uses a single TDA1543 with passive i/v, there is a thread for it here.


----------



## jimmers

koei said:


> I​ just received my Modi, and to be honest it sounds exactly the same as my Muse 4xTDA1543 (so no DS Dac here). ...


 
  
 I ordered a Muse 4xTDA1543 last week, just for Schiits and giggles as I can't see anything replacing my Bimby (Gumby??), too cheap to resist.
 Has your Muse been modded at all?


----------



## gvl2016

TDA1543 sounds surprisingly good, and 4xTDA1543 is 4x better than one


----------



## Koei

jimmers said:


> I ordered a Muse 4xTDA1543 last week, just for Schiits and giggles as I can't see anything replacing my Bimby (Gumby??), too cheap to resist.
> Has your Muse been modded at all?


 

 ​No, nothing done to it. I haven't tested it on headphones, speakers might not reveal the real difference. I'm curious to hear what you think about it when you get it. Let me know.


----------



## Jimster480

Still considering sending the Fulla2 back and getting the Mimby due to this stupid problem with my laptop.


----------



## nicoch46

1543 is good not great, 1541 is great...I haved 1x, 4x ,8x 1543 and 1541 S2 pedja, you need a filter for hf digital noise...
 my minby MB is better then Rega dac


----------



## hagenhays

Just ordered a new eh6922 tube for my vali 2. Hoping to get that up and running. It was making a horrific unbalanced sound and noticed that the stock tube had some blackness around the top of the bulb- - hoping it just blew and a new tube will do the trick.


----------



## darkarn

hagenhays said:


> Just ordered a new eh6922 tube for my vali 2. Hoping to get that up and running. It was making a horrific unbalanced sound and noticed that the stock tube had some blackness around the top of the bulb- - hoping it just blew and a new tube will do the trick.


 
 Erm, is this your first time using tube amps? The blackness on top of your tube is normal for these tubes (with a few exceptions like 12AU7 RCA Cleartop)
  
 Furthermore, if you have warranty for your Vali 2, use it; the tech support is superb to say the least


----------



## gvl2016

Tested my Mimby against Centrance DACMini CX today. Very very close sounding, Modi seems to be a tad crisper sounding overall and able to render subtle details with more confidence but I'm splitting hairs here, I know I wouldn't be able to pick one over the other in a blind test.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Tested my Mimby against Centrance DACMini CX today. Very very close sounding, Modi seems to be a tad crisper sounding overall and able to render subtle details with more confidence but I'm splitting hairs here, I know I wouldn't be able to pick one over the other in a blind test.


 

 Which one is that? I was considering getting the one that was just on massdrop.
 It has the AK4490 also


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Which one is that? I was considering getting the one that was just on massdrop.
> It has the AK4490 also


 
  
 MD sells Dacport Slim these days, it is a portable unit, I have one too and use it at work. DACMini CX is an older desktop-usage sized unit with RCA outs and headphone amp as well. It is a better DAC/amp than the Slim just because it is a real thing as opposed to a portable USB dongle, which is not to say that Dacport Slim is inferior, in fact it is pretty good but it has its limits.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> MD sells Dacport Slim these days, it is a portable unit, I have one too and use it at work. DACMini CX is an older desktop-usage sized unit with RCA outs and headphone amp as well. It is a better DAC/amp than the Slim just because it is a real thing as opposed to a portable dongle, which is not to say that Dacport Slim is inferior, in fact it is pretty good but it has its limits.


 

 Ah I see,
 Have any idea what DAC chip that unit has in it?
  
 I'm still kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, because I want to return my Fulla 2 and get a Modi Multibit...
 But at the same time then I'll have 3 DAC's coming and still have only 1 amp and then I still need something for my laptop unless I just go back to using the K1 again...


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Ah I see,
> Have any idea what DAC chip that unit has in it?
> 
> I'm still kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, because I want to return my Fulla 2 and get a Modi Multibit...
> But at the same time then I'll have 3 DAC's coming and still have only 1 amp and then I still need something for my laptop unless I just go back to using the K1 again...


 
  
 AK4396 iirc. Centrance no longer makes/sells it or so it seems. They pop-up on eBay every now and then. Originally $795.


----------



## henryk9

I'm using the original VDH THE ONE for digital cable between Mimby and modified Oppo BD-P 95 and it sounds great.
  
 I tried glass optical, but it didn't always connect.
  
 My current best IC's are DNM with HFTN


----------



## lenroot77

Just listed a mimby in the classifieds if anyone is looking!

Sold


----------



## hagenhays

So my new tube for my vali made no difference. No sound out the right channel.
I sent an email since I'm within my 2 year warranty. (I made sure I checked with another amp..headphones were fine) and the tube is balanced triode.

Hoping customer service comes thru.its 15 months old.
Anyone have any experience having to send something back to schiit?

I have 3 dacs and this vali2. First time I've had an issue.

Thanks


----------



## Indigo Bob

Hello,
  
 Is there a big difference between the Uber and the Multibit?


----------



## darkarn

indigo bob said:


> Hello,
> 
> Is there a big difference between the Uber and the Multibit?


 
  
 Main difference is what kind of circuitry (Uber: Delta Sigma, Mimby: R2R), which then influences their prices


----------



## limelake

I would say about 25 percent difference...mimby = better bass and way better mids...treble is stunning. Way worth the price.


----------



## hagenhays

Got a prompt email from Nick.
He asked if I had checked my 1/8 to 1/4 adapter plug. Which I had done. But it got me thinking maybe I should try another plug...voila!! Suddenly I have sound out of the right channel again.
All is well in the headphone world again.

Thank you to schiit for responding so quickly and on a Sunday no less.
##noreturnhere


----------



## Indigo Bob

It seems like a really good price/performance ratio, if I'm not mistaken.   
  
 I was able to give Schiit audio a try at canjam and was impressed by their quality, but I am not well learned when it comes to desktop DAC's and AMP's...  I've stuck with mostly the portable stuff, Like a DAP and portable AMP's.  
  
 But if there is a big difference in the Mimby from my FiiO X3ii, I would like to have something of that quality.
  
 Would it be worth upgrading to a desktop DAC like the Mimby?


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> AK4396 iirc. Centrance no longer makes/sells it or so it seems. They pop-up on eBay every now and then. Originally $795.


 

 ah ok, The fulla2 actually has the newest and best AKM chip but it is all about implemtation.
 Although in the SQ department I have no complaints about the Fulla2, it really is an awesome piece of equipment.
 Makes me more interested in the Modi multibit just to see if they really topped the Fulla2 in a distinguishable manner.


----------



## gvl2016

If you expect a night and day difference prepare for a disappointment.


----------



## gregcss

gvl2016 said:


> If you expect a night and day difference prepare for a disappointment.


 
 What about between Emotiva Little Ego and Mimby? I was thinking of making that move.


----------



## gvl2016

gregcss said:


> What about between Emotiva Little Ego and Mimby? I was thinking of making that move.




Funny you should ask as I have both but didn't spend much time comparing one to the other. Generally it feels that the Mimby follows the brighter means more details approach compared to the Little Ego which I always thought was slightly warm sounding which I liked. I felt the Ego couldn't give a well defined punchy low end, the Mimby is much better in that area, my impression anyway.


----------



## limelake

gvl2016 said:


> If you expect a night and day difference prepare for a disappointment.




I would say it's like a dawn to daylight difference. The difference is very noticeable to me.


----------



## Jimster480

limelake said:


> I would say it's like a dawn to daylight difference. The difference is very noticeable to me.


 

 I would hope that its atleast more noticeable vs a difference that I have to search for after hours of listening back and forth.


----------



## limelake

I find the difference is greater with speakers than headphones.


----------



## Jimster480

limelake said:


> I find the difference is greater with speakers than headphones.


 
 Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's.


----------



## gregcss

jimster480 said:


> Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's.


 
 Lower quality what? Sound? Parts? Both?


----------



## limelake

jimster480 said:


> Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's.



More 3d sound stage.....more physical impact.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's.


 

 Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.


----------



## jcn3

winders said:


> Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.


 
 +1 -- agree completely with this.


----------



## JohnBal

winders said:


> Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.



+2 speakers are easier for me to notice differences in components.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.


 

 I would agree with that too in most cases, but I think its mostly due to ambient noises. The resolution of speakers should always be smaller than any good headphones unless you own speakers that are insanely expensive.


----------



## mapotofu

My desktop rig now includes a Mimby!  Aside from the painful USB driver installation process, I'm very happy with the improved resolution and instrument separation I'm hearing.


----------



## Jimster480

mapotofu said:


> My desktop rig now includes a Mimby!  Aside from the painful USB driver installation process, I'm very happy with the improved resolution and instrument separation I'm hearing.


 

 What was your old DAC?


----------



## Tuneslover

mapotofu said:


> My desktop rig now includes a Mimby!  Aside from the painful USB driver installation process, I'm very happy with the improved resolution and instrument separation I'm hearing.


 
 Nice rig!  I have the Mimby paired with the Vali 2.  I seriously considered the Ember but decided to go with the cheaper V2.  I'd be interested in hearing your impressions.  Thanks.


----------



## Jimster480

I really can't wait to get a Mimby and test it against everything else i have.
 Audio is an expensive money sucking hobby, what is wrong with all of us?


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> winders said:
> 
> 
> > Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.
> ...


 
 No. Speakers are simply more lifelike and realistic, period. Also can give just as much detail, just not piped into your head from an inch away. They are different, in the best way possible.
  
 The reason we all are into headphones, is because you can experience great sound at a fraction of the cost of speakers. Also, size, and bothering the partners, or neighbors.


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> No. Speakers are simply more lifelike and realistic, period. Also can give just as much detail, just not piped into your head from an inch away. They are different, in the best way possible.
> 
> The reason we all are into headphones, is because you can experience great sound at a fraction of the cost of speakers. Also, size, and bothering the partners, or neighbors.


 
 Ofcourse!
 Its not that I meant that speakers are physically or sonically inferior, I just meant that the SQ vs Price tends to suggest that a good pair of $200 headphones should have alot more SQ than even $800 speakers and as such you should be able to better differentiate hardware while using the headphones vs the speakers.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Ofcourse!
> Its not that I meant that speakers are physically or sonically inferior, I just meant that the SQ vs Price tends to suggest that a good pair of $200 headphones should have alot more SQ than even $800 speakers and as such you should be able to better differentiate hardware while using the headphones vs the speakers.


 

 Of course???? Let's not be a revisionist and just accept that what you said is wrong. Here is the direct quote from your post:
  
 "Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's."
  
 You made no qualifications. You didn't ask about the quality of the speakers or make comments about the quality of speakers. You said very clearly that headphones, and especially IEM's, have higher quality audio than speakers. I would also argue that, generally speaking, IEMs do not sound better than headphones. Some do and some don't. The higher you go in price range, the more IEMs lose out to headphones.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Of course???? Let's not be a revisionist and just accept that what you said is wrong. Here is the direct quote from your post:
> 
> "Why with speakers? Speakers have lower quality vs headphones, especially IEM's."
> 
> You made no qualifications. You didn't ask about the quality of the speakers or make comments about the quality of speakers. You said very clearly that headphones, and especially IEM's, have higher quality audio than speakers. I would also argue that, generally speaking, IEMs do not sound better than headphones. Some do and some don't. The higher you go in price range, the more IEMs lose out to headphones.


 

 No you are right, What I said wasn't clarified and therefore was wrong.
  
 But I don't expect most people to own any speakers which rival high end headphones.


----------



## Porteroso

It doesn't really matter, anyways. I was just being slightly argumentative.
  
 I would love to own a great pair of speakers, and in no way would I be afraid to pair them with the mimby. Probably I would audition the gumbi/yggy, if I had a pair of 20k speakers, but schiit is making some things that are really changing the dac/amp world. Might be that the only way I could afford even a pair of 5k speakers, is to use the mimby and their amp. (forget the name/price)


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> It doesn't really matter, anyways. I was just being slightly argumentative.
> 
> I would love to own a great pair of speakers, and in no way would I be afraid to pair them with the mimby. Probably I wouldn't audition the gumbi/yggy, if I had a pair of 20k speakers, but schiit is making some things that are really changing the dac/amp world. Might be that the only way I could afford even a pair of 5k speakers, is to use the mimby and their amp. (forget the name/price)


 

 I'm not sure what you mean by that, are you saying that if you had 20k speakers you would use the Mimby?


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> I'm not sure what you mean by that, are you saying that if you had 20k speakers you would use the Mimby?


 
 I have no idea.


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> I have no idea.


 
 This is even more confusing LOL


----------



## Lohb

mapotofu said:


> My desktop rig now includes a Mimby!  Aside from the painful USB driver installation process, I'm very happy with the improved resolution and instrument separation I'm hearing.


 
 Lovely. Such a compact and simple desktop combo - trying to convert my cousin to the tube/multibit route.
  
 Anyone tried MIMBY vs Soekris 1101 portable DAC ?


----------



## Noldir

winders said:


> Huh? Speakers sound better and much more realistic than headphones.




Depends a lot on the headphones or speaker in question. Still need to hear a speaker that beats my he-6 for reproducible range (that sub-base is insane) and micro detailing


----------



## darkarn

mapotofu said:


> My desktop rig now includes a Mimby!  Aside from the painful USB driver installation process, I'm very happy with the improved resolution and instrument separation I'm hearing.


 
  
 Same combo here!


----------



## darkarn

And yes, after some more thought and stuff, I got a coaxial bracktet from Amazon and installed it into my desktop PC as it seems to me that I will need to use it a lot more often than my laptop. (I am still hoping that someday I can get the laptop I want and use it on the go and at home)
  
 i.e. I not going to use the Singxer for some time...


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> And yes, after some more thought and stuff, I got a coaxial bracktet from Amazon and installed it into my desktop PC as it seems to me that I will need to use it a lot more often than my laptop. (I am still hoping that someday I can get the laptop I want and use it on the go and at home)
> 
> i.e. I not going to use the Singxer for some time...


 

 Yes it seems that Schiit's USB implementation is well Schiit....
 But in the audio department they surely deliver, when I finally get a mimby ill run it off of optical or coax.


----------



## Letmebefrank

For the record I have never had a problem with any of my Schiit dacs over USB. Modi 2 Uber, modi multibit and Fulla 2; all working flawlessly.


----------



## Jimster480

letmebefrank said:


> For the record I have never had a problem with any of my Schiit dacs over USB. Modi 2 Uber, modi multibit and Fulla 2; all working flawlessly.


 
 Yep but it all depends on your USB hardware and connectivity. Because if you read through these threads, I'm far from the only one to have issues.
 There were alot of mixed reviews on the Fulla2 also due to the same thing, people having issues with the USB.

 But its the same in this thread too and the bimby and the modi/magni thread. I did alot of research, so its obviously an issue overall with their USB implementation, it either works for you or it doesn't. Those who have the issues haven't really been able to fix them from what I have seen, and most are just using different methods of connectivity now like optical or coax (nothing you can do with the fulla2 though).


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Yep but it all depends on your USB hardware and connectivity. Because if you read through these threads, I'm far from the only one to have issues.
> There were alot of mixed reviews on the Fulla2 also due to the same thing, people having issues with the USB.
> 
> But its the same in this thread too and the bimby and the modi/magni thread. I did alot of research, so its obviously an issue overall with their USB implementation, it either works for you or it doesn't. Those who have the issues haven't really been able to fix them from what I have seen, and most are just using different methods of connectivity now like optical or coax (nothing you can do with the fulla2 though).


 

 Don't conflate preference for using a different input than USB with the USB implementation being flawed. Those are two very different things. The USB input on my Modi Multibit and Yggdrasil both work fine. I just happen to think the SPDIF coax input sounds better. You will find that people with all kinds of DACs feel the same way. They prefer one of the other inputs on their DAC over using USB.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Don't conflate preference for using a different input than USB with the USB implementation being flawed. Those are two very different things. The USB input on my Modi Multibit and Yggdrasil both work fine. I just happen to think the SPDIF coax input sounds better. You will find that people with all kinds of DACs feel the same way. They prefer one of the other inputs on their DAC over using USB.


 

 I'm not confusing them. I read through 100 pages basically and saw the issues people were having and the recommendations given.
 Those who choose to use SPDIF from the get go aren't factored in.
  
 Yggdrasil has a different input/chipset than Modi Multibit. Modi has the same input as the Fulla2.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Yes it seems that Schiit's USB implementation is well Schiit....
> But in the audio department they surely deliver, when I finally get a mimby ill run it off of optical or coax.


 
  
 I can see what you mean there; while playing from the iPad is very easy since I don't need an USB hub (unlike any other USB DACs I see), I have a bit of problem using it on my computer. But hey, at least you get to use Schiit ASIO driver instead of having to find other ASIO driver if using optical or coaxial. It's a give and take I'll say


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> I can see what you mean there; while playing from the iPad is very easy since I don't need an USB hub (unlike any other USB DACs I see), I have a bit of problem using it on my computer. But hey, at least you get to use Schiit ASIO driver instead of having to find other ASIO driver if using optical or coaxial. It's a give and take I'll say


 

 Everything is give and take, but for right now I am just enjoying my Topping stack.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> I'm not confusing them. I read through 100 pages basically and saw the issues people were having and the recommendations given.
> Those who choose to use SPDIF from the get go aren't factored in.
> 
> Yggdrasil has a different input/chipset than Modi Multibit. Modi has the same input as the Fulla2.


 

 The crappier the USB signal coming from the computer, the worse any DAC will perform. That's why all the decrapifiers exist. Not because all the DACs in the world suck at USB. It's because there are bunch of crappy USB implementations out there!
  
 With my MacBook Pro, I have used the USB cable that Schiit sells with both my Modi Multibit and my Yggdrasil. Both work just fine. As I have stated previously, both sound a bit better using the Singxer F-1 and a SPDIF coax cable. I chalk this up to the Singxer F-1 isolating the DACs from the DC power noise and by providing the DACs proper well formed and clean digital signals.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> The crappier the USB signal coming from the computer, the worse any DAC will perform. That's why all the decrapifiers exist. Not because all the DACs in the world suck at USB. It's because there are bunch of crappy USB implementations out there!
> 
> With my MacBook Pro, I have used the USB cable that Schiit sells with both my Modi Multibit and my Yggdrasil. Both work just fine. As I have stated previously, both sound a bit better using the Singxer F-1 and a SPDIF coax cable. I chalk this up to the Singxer F-1 isolating the DACs from the DC power noise and by providing the DACs proper well formed and clean digital signals.


 

 Most of the decrapifier's are simply snake oil.
 The only actual problems with USB comes from the quality of power really. This is especially tricky in laptops and other lower end desktops where USB power isn't isolated (why do you think there are pops while loading web pages, or doing heavy tasks?) and as such the voltage across the board is more linear so when the CPU clocks up (which most CPU's adjust speeds atleast 1 time per second now if not upto 1 million times per second) this affects power usage and can cause the power to dip on USB devices.
 The affect on your audio device really depends on how sensitive it is to these voltage changes.

 Async USB has been a thing for quite some time and speeds and reliability are through the roof and have been for a long time.
 The audio industry needs to invent problems to fix because the reality is that $10 chips and $5 OP Amps are all you actually need to be able to have perfect clarity in all music.
  
 My Fulla2 just doesn't work properly with either of my laptops (but its much worse on this Sandy i7 quad core laptop) especially as other things are going on in the background or the system is under more stress (for me thats the entire time I am using it basically). Even with the external power it still pops and cracks regularly.
 Now I have a FiiO K1 and that has literally 0 problems on the same laptop, listening for 8 hours or more I might have heard one small skip but in all honesty its hard to say if thats the fault of spotify or the K1.
 I got my Topping D30/A30 stack setup and that is using XMOS for its USB implementation, 0 issues there aswell and I've listened to it for around 9 hours total now between the 2 days.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Most of the decrapifier's are simply snake oil.
> The only actual problems with USB comes from the quality of power really. This is especially tricky in laptops and other lower end desktops where USB power isn't isolated (why do you think there are pops while loading web pages, or doing heavy tasks?) and as such the voltage across the board is more linear so when the CPU clocks up (which most CPU's adjust speeds atleast 1 time per second now if not upto 1 million times per second) this affects power usage and can cause the power to dip on USB devices.
> The affect on your audio device really depends on how sensitive it is to these voltage changes.
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I guess we will never see eye to eye. Because I know there are more problems with USB than just power. USB signals generated by computers are often out of balance, have jitter, and have impedance mismatched. Of course having the noise on the DC power line contaminate the DAC is bad too. If you want to use USB, I think a device like the up coming UpTone Audio ISO Regen powered by the UpTone Audio LPS-1 is ideal. It acts to isolate the PC from the audio equipment and provides the DAC with a near perfect USB packet sequence. I plan on using the ISO Regen between my MacBook Pro and Singxer F-1.
  
 You think too simplistically if you think all you need a is a few $5 and $10 chips to have "perfect clarity in all music".
  
 I don't have a Fulla 2 nor do I anticipate ever owning one. All I can do is comment on the DACs I have owned.


----------



## bigro

Have you guys checked you USB Power Management? USB Selective suspend in windows has cause issues in the past.


----------



## jcn3

just want to chime in that i also have NEVER had any problems with USB on schiit dacs.  i used a bifrost uber and gumby on win7, win8, and win10 on at least four different pcs.  never a single issue.  i've used usb direct from pc and through an uptone regen.


----------



## RickB

I can say I've had no playback problems with USB under Windows 10 on my laptop. The only reason I use a Wyrd in my chain is that the sound is less sharp sounding with it in place.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Well, I guess we will never see eye to eye. Because I know there are more problems with USB than just power. USB signals generated by computers are often out of balance, have jitter, and have impedance mismatched. Of course having the noise on the DC power line contaminate the DAC is bad too. If you want to use USB, I think a device like the up coming UpTone Audio ISO Regen powered by the UpTone Audio LPS-1 is ideal. It acts to isolate the PC from the audio equipment and provides the DAC with a near perfect USB packet sequence. I plan on using the ISO Regen between my MacBook Pro and Singxer F-1.
> 
> You think too simplistically if you think all you need a is a few $5 and $10 chips to have "perfect clarity in all music".
> 
> I don't have a Fulla 2 nor do I anticipate ever owning one. All I can do is comment on the DACs I have owned.



Jitter is a timing error. 
Digital signals don't have impedance. 
Since USB is a serial interface packets should normally go in the right order, but when they don't this is fixed via the USB interface chips, just like your network cards fix packet sequences through the Internet. 
Additionally SPDIF has jitter but it can be even harder to fix due to it being a proprietary interface largely dependent on 2 base clocks. But even then the job is more than acceptable.

Audio data is not large by any means and compared to today's USB implementations / specs doesn't even use 1% of the available bandwidth. 

As far as audio reproduction... Well there are various products from various companies that all achieve the same audio quality using various "qualities" or classes of chips. 
The warmth in a sound comes from the analog section of a DAC or the AMP itself, it depends on the chips and op amps chosen and beyond that it's all down to implementation.


----------



## Jimster480

bigro said:


> Have you guys checked you USB Power Management? USB Selective suspend in windows has cause issues in the past.



I have already played around with that. The problems are not software but power filtering in the motherboard and USB hub chipset choice.


----------



## darkarn

I took the easy way out and used the onboard optical and coaxial for Windows instead, leaving the USB for Mac and iOS


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> I took the easy way out and used the onboard optical and coaxial for Windows instead, leaving the USB for Mac and iOS


.
Ya i will use both. I use optical on my TV to my speakers but at my desk I have 2 desktops so one will be connected via optical and the other via USB unless the second one has coax.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Digital signals don't have impedance.


 
  
 You are an example of someone that doesn't realize that USB (digital) signals on a wire are in fact analog signals encoded with digital information.
  
 I am done wasting my time.....


----------



## MWSVette

jimster480 said:


> Digital signals don't have impedance.


 
  
  
 No signal has impedance.  However all cables do...


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> You are an example of someone that doesn't realize that USB (digital) signals on a wire are in fact analog signals encoded with digital information.
> 
> I am done wasting my time.....


 
 LMAO what did you just say?

 Analog isn't digital, the two are not the same. The waves are not the same, the data isn't at all the same.
  
 Sorry but you have literally no idea at all what you are talking about.
  
 Have a good day.


----------



## Jimster480

mwsvette said:


> No signal has impedance.  However all cables do...


 

 True 
 And this is the only difference between peoples "magic" cables and regular "standard" cables. The difference in impedance changes the sound especially at the same volume level on the amp, causing people to think that it makes a difference.


----------



## gvl2016

I was skeptical about all these USB gizmos but an iPurifier noticeably improved the treble, made it smoother and less brittle on a couple of DACs I tried it with Mimby including. And it's not in my head.


----------



## droopy1592

jimster480 said:


> LMAO what did you just say?
> 
> Analog isn't digital, the two are not the same. The waves are not the same, the data isn't at all the same.
> 
> ...


 

 No, he's right, you don't know what you're talking about. A little info may lead you to that conclusion but winders' right.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I was skeptical about all these USB gizmos but an iPurifier noticeably improved the treble, made it smoother and less brittle on a couple of DACs I tried it with Mimby including. And it's not in my head.


 

 Well I'm sure it will help some if you have a crappy USB implementation or crappy power delivery from the USB.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Well I'm sure it will help some if you have a crappy USB implementation or crappy power delivery from the USB.


 
  
 The thing is, most of us do.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> The thing is, most of us do.


 

 I think we are wasting our time discussing this with him. He has his pre-conceived notions and they are not going to change.


----------



## bigro

Unless I am missing something USB uses an NRZI format which is a digital format using discrete pulses as opposed to continuous which is what an analog signal is.
  
https://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/courses/eceprojectsland/STUDENTPROJ/2007to2008/blh36_cdl28_dct23/siam32-0.2a.pdf
  
  
  
 "The actual data on the bus is encoded through the line states by a nonreturn-to-zero-inverted (NRZI) digital signal. In NRZI encoding, a digital 1 is represented by no change in the line state and a digital 0 is represented as a change of the line state. Thus, every time a 0 is transmitted the line state will change from J to K, or vice versa. However, if a 1 is being sent the line state will remain the same."
https://www.totalphase.com/support/articles/200349256-USB-Background


----------



## winders

bigro said:


> Unless I am missing something USB uses an NRZI format which is a digital format using discrete pulses as opposed to continuous which is what an analog signal is.
> 
> https://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/courses/eceprojectsland/STUDENTPROJ/2007to2008/blh36_cdl28_dct23/siam32-0.2a.pdf
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, digital data are sent down the bus and yes, it is a digital format. But, the bus is subject to many of the same issues an analog setup is. While the data is transmitted, the line is subject to interference, power noise, impedance issues, et cetera. While the data is transmitted, it is an analog signal that the receivers interprets. Digital is less sensitive to line issues than analog because what constitutes a 1 or a zero has much more margin for error. But those issues are still there.


----------



## gvl2016

There is no error correction of any kind for USB audio, so once a sample is lost during transmission or for whatever other reason it is lost forever. The physical layer maybe simple but the data layer is not. Here is a good read: http://www.jmaxwellusb.com/Articles/USB-Specifications.aspx


----------



## bigro

winders said:


> Yes, digital data are sent down the bus and yes, it is a digital format. But, the bus is subject to many of the same issues an analog setup is. While the data is transmitted, the line is subject to interference, power noise, impedance issues, et cetera. While the data is transmitted, it is an analog signal that the receivers interprets. Digital is less sensitive to line issues than analog because what constitutes a 1 or a zero has much more margin for error. But those issues are still there.


 
 The Physical Medium is prone to the same issues because copper is copper, that does not define whether the signal is digital or analog. NRZI is a Digital encoding technique. A series of discrete non continuous voltage pulses which analog is not.Nothing i have read Says this type of encoding is an analog signal. If I am wrong please provide some sources.


----------



## winders

It is a electrical signal in both cases. I can see both on an oscilloscope. Digital happens to be a square wave while analog can be a lot of wave forms including a square wave. Both go over the same medium and are subject to the same issues. The difference being that digital, the wave is interpreted as a one or a zero. The wave isn't the sound...it contains data that represents the sound and is interpreted by another device. This is why digital is more robust. The wave changing to some extent doesn't change the data. With analog, the wave changing changes the data. This is why people think that digital is digital and cables and decrapifiers don't matter. But they do.


----------



## hagenhays

I thought I would chime in on the headphone/speaker debate.

I'm currently running a vintage marantz receiver with schiit dac and $1800 tekton speakers w/ a very high efficiency rating- - they are only getting 29 watts of power.

On my $200 headphones with schiit stack- modi multibit and vali2.
So price size my speakers should sound 6- 7 times better...do they? Certainly not. But my speakers easily beat headphones. With detail, decay time, freq resp, and timber. It's no different then when I run a cd thru my marantz cd player out my schiit dac...still beats a FLAC rip or streaming sight....details are just Lost, or if I put on a poorly mastered cd that I had repurchased....night and day difference between them....is it worth all of the quibbles...i would assume if you post on here you would say yes, if not you love trolling peoplee and get a life.
But to say there aren't very audible differences between headphones and speakers....then you must have flunked 8th grade psychoacoustics (physics)


----------



## Lohb

gvl2016 said:


> I was skeptical about all these USB gizmos but an iPurifier noticeably improved the treble, made it smoother and less brittle on a couple of DACs I tried it with Mimby including. And it's not in my head.


 

 Yes, I found that too. Jitterbug however made the treble more brittle after a couple of expensive boutique opamps reveled that in an opamp rolling amp I have.


----------



## Jimster480

bigro said:


> Unless I am missing something USB uses an NRZI format which is a digital format using discrete pulses as opposed to continuous which is what an analog signal is.
> 
> https://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/courses/eceprojectsland/STUDENTPROJ/2007to2008/blh36_cdl28_dct23/siam32-0.2a.pdf
> 
> ...


 

 I'm glad someone else here knows how to use the internet.
 Because digital and analog signals are not at all the same and don't work in the same ways.


----------



## Jimster480

hagenhays said:


> I thought I would chime in on the headphone/speaker debate.
> 
> I'm currently running a vintage marantz receiver with schiit dac and $1800 tekton speakers w/ a very high efficiency rating- - they are only getting 29 watts of power.
> 
> ...


 

 Well those are some high end speakers.
 So you are basically agreeing with what I said previously then? Many people were saying speakers are better than headphones, but this really depends on the price point. I can see where speakers 6-7x more expensive are better than headphones. Although its difficult to say if they would be better than headphones also at the same price, personally I doubt it but I also believe that the law of diminishing returns kicks in and they could easily be comparable in 98% of cases.


----------



## gregcss

I'm just a regular Joe, with a regular job
 I'm your average white, suburbanite slob
 I like football and porno and books about war
 I got an average house, with a nice hardwood floor
 My wife and my job, my kids and my car
 My feet on my table, and a Cuban cigar
  
 What I can say is my speakers (RAAL & SEAS drivers) are substantially better than my $120 IEMs. They are, however, much more expensive.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I'm glad someone else here knows how to use the internet.
> Because digital and analog signals are not at all the same and don't work in the same ways.


 
  
 But noise and cable capacitance affect both. The spectrum of a square wave is just a bunch of "analog" harmonics, the higher harmonics get attenuated and the square wave becomes more like a trapezoid frame. This creates more uncertainty when the gates open or close in the digital circuitry leading to additional jitter. I suspect, however, that cables are rarely an issue but rather it is the USB chipsets in computers and RF noise that they leak.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> But noise and cable capacitance affect both. The spectrum of a square wave is just a bunch of "analog" harmonics, the higher harmonics get attenuated and the square wave becomes more like a trapezoid frame. This creates more uncertainty when the gates open or close in the digital circuitry leading to additional jitter. I suspect, however, that cables are rarely an issue but rather it is the USB chipsets in computers and RF noise that they leak.


 

 Bingo!


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> But noise and cable capacitance affect both. The spectrum of a square wave is just a bunch of "analog" harmonics, the higher harmonics get attenuated and the square wave becomes more like a trapezoid frame. This creates more uncertainty when the gates open or close in the digital circuitry leading to additional jitter. I suspect, however, that cables are rarely an issue but rather it is the USB chipsets in computers and RF noise that they leak.


 

 Yes you are right, but bceause they are electrical pulses and the wave isn't read in the same manner it is not affected by interference the way analog signals are.
 Like I was saying before the issues with USB come from power leakage from other components or crosstalk (random power in the data pins).


----------



## bigro

The Definition of an analog signal is it is continuous in time and value which a digital signal /"Square" wave is not. TOSlink Uses NRV of which NRVI used by USB is a derivative of. Still Digital. Again I have seen nothing that supports what you re saying. if you have references please provide them, If I have been wrong all this time, I would like to fix that.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> .
> Ya i will use both. I use optical on my TV to my speakers but at my desk I have 2 desktops so one will be connected via optical and the other via USB unless the second one has coax.




If your motherboard has SPDIF Out header, you can get the SPDIF Out bracket and then use Coaxial Out from it. I am doing this instead of the Singxer and it is being great!


----------



## gvl2016

bigro said:


> The Definition of an analog signal is it is continuous in time and value which a digital signal /"Square" wave is not. TOSlink Uses NRV of which NRVI used by USB is a derivative of. Still Digital. Again I have seen nothing that supports what you re saying. if you have references please provide them, If I have been wrong all this time, I would like to fix that.


 
  
 A square wave looks pretty continuous to me


----------



## gregcss

What is all of this science telling us about the Mimby? Sounds like there are still two camps; Ye and Ne camps to 'connector choice sounds different'.


----------



## Clemmaster

bigro said:


> The Definition of an analog signal is it is continuous in time and value which a digital signal /"Square" wave is not. TOSlink Uses NRV of which NRVI used by USB is a derivative of. Still Digital. Again I have seen nothing that supports what you re saying. if you have references please provide them, If I have been wrong all this time, I would like to fix that.




Google and Wikipedia are cool sources, but you should look for all the definitions. For instance "analog signal".

Electrical signals are analog. Your USB is transmitted (most of the time) over electrical wires. The representation of the data is digital, but the transmission is good old analog.
Same goes for optical transmissions. Unless you go down to the quantum theory, light is a wave, as well. It sure does behave like one for the considered dimensions.


----------



## darkarn

gregcss said:


> What is all of this science telling us about the Mimby? Sounds like there are still two camps; Ye and Ne camps to 'connector choice sounds different'.


 
  
 Right now I am in the third camp: the "I need all connectors so I use each that suits the source the best and then just enjoy the Mimby (and maybe focus on getting work done lol?)" camp


----------



## bigro

clemmaster said:


> Google and Wikipedia are cool sources, but you should look for all the definitions. For instance "analog signal".
> 
> Electrical signals are analog. Your USB is transmitted (most of the time) over electrical wires. The representation of the data is digital, but the transmission is good old analog.
> Same goes for optical transmissions. Unless you go down to the quantum theory, light is a wave, as well. It sure does behave like one for the considered dimensions.


 

 They are nice search Engines/ Sources but I have spend my time behind a bench and I have yet to see the use either of those sources to produce anything that support that support this, however  If we are going to get down to the physics level that's not where I was approaching this from and I get the strong feeling that's where you are based on your  "light is a wave" comment. The Non Physics differentiation between Analog vs.Digital signals is one is a continuous waveform of infinite values while the latter is discrete and binary values. Experience and google and wiki say so . In the non physics world there is a clear differentiation in the signal type and characteristics and that is where I am approaching this from.  I think we are looking into different windows of the same house. If you have the sources that do go down to the "physics level" that will not make my eyes water I really would like to read it as I am approaching this from a pure electronics stand point of what you see on a scope and encoding methods etc (the dining room window, essentially finished the product) and you are approaching this from a stand point of a signal as it travels on the wire (the Kitchen Window, where the the raw Ingredients live).


----------



## Jimster480

clemmaster said:


> Google and Wikipedia are cool sources, but you should look for all the definitions. For instance "analog signal".
> 
> Electrical signals are analog. Your USB is transmitted (most of the time) over electrical wires. The representation of the data is digital, but the transmission is good old analog.
> Same goes for optical transmissions. Unless you go down to the quantum theory, light is a wave, as well. It sure does behave like one for the considered dimensions.


 

 Sorry but its just not the case.
 Digital signal is not analog signal.
 Power is not analog.
  
 Square "waves" are not analog, its 1/0 there are no "waves" they are boxes.


----------



## Jimster480

bigro said:


> They are nice search Engines/ Sources but I have spend my time behind a bench and I have yet to see the use either of those sources to produce anything that support that support this, however  If we are going to get down to the physics level that's not where I was approaching this from and I get the strong feeling that's where you are based on your  "light is a wave" comment. The Non Physics differentiation between Analog vs.Digital signals is one is a continuous waveform of infinite values while the latter is discrete and binary values. Experience and google and wiki say so . In the non physics world there is a clear differentiation in the signal type and characteristics and that is where I am approaching this from.  I think we are looking into different windows of the same house. If you have the sources that do go down to the "physics level" that will not make my eyes water I really would like to read it as I am approaching this from a pure electronics stand point of what you see on a scope and encoding methods etc (the dining room window, essentially finished the product) and you are approaching this from a stand point of a signal as it travels on the wire (the Kitchen Window, where the the raw Ingredients live).


 

 Exactly, these other guys don't konw what they are saying


----------



## cishida

jimster480 said:


> Sorry but its just not the case.
> Digital signal is not analog signal.
> Power is not analog.
> 
> Square "waves" are not analog, its 1/0 there are no "waves" they are boxes.




Both of you guys have a point - neither is completely wrong.

At a high level / consumer level digital and analog signals are "completely" different.

But from a computer or electrical engineering perspective - once the digital signal hits the transmission medium (air, copper, optical fiber, etc) it really has entered what we would call the analog domain where you're dealing with distortion, interference, modulation, attenuation, etc. 

Yes, Ethernet and LTE are "digital" in that they exist to transmit 1s and 0s, but I can guarantee that things get plenty "analog" messy when your 1s and 0s interfere with other signals using the same media. The physical layer of digital transmission protocols mostly deal with converting between the potentially very messy analog domain and the pretty bits a computer can understand. use your cell phone or laptop in a crowded area it has to deal with plenty of signals that are not a pretty square waveform.

engineers / scientists designing digital transmission protocols cannot think of a digital signals as perfect square waveforms because they often are not. 

Here's an analogy: in theory punch cards store perfect digital info (punched or not punched) but in the real world someone has to decide what it means when a chad is still hanging on by a corner.


----------



## Jimster480

cishida said:


> Both of you guys have a point - neither is completely wrong.
> 
> At a high level / consumer level digital and analog signals are "completely" different.
> 
> ...


 

 Yes I know what you mean, because there can still be power distortion.
 But digital signals do not have interference in the same way as an analog signal.
 There is no "static" frames are either transmitted or not transmitted.

 There aren't clean 1's and 0's or "dirty" 1's and 0's.
 Either you are getting the proper signal or you aren't.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> There aren't clean 1's and 0's or "dirty" 1's and 0's.
> Either you are getting the proper signal or you aren't.


 
  
 This is what you are missing....there are dirty 1's and 0's!!


----------



## cishida

jimster480 said:


> Yes I know what you mean, because there can still be power distortion.
> But digital signals do not have interference in the same way as an analog signal.
> There is no "static" frames are either transmitted or not transmitted.
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, but in digital audio timing is also important - is not quite as black and white as either getting a "proper" signal or not. You can be somewhere in between.
  
 1. Variations in the timing of those 1s and 0s can be audible (jitter).
 2. If an error occurs - say the signal for a set of 1s and 0s are unreadable -- there is no time to ask for re-transmission. The receiver just has to play whatever it gets and move on. These errors can also be audible.


----------



## Jimster480

cishida said:


> Yes, but in digital audio timing is also important - is not quite as black and white as either getting a "proper" signal or not. You can be somewhere in between.
> 
> 1. Variations in the timing of those 1s and 0s can be audible (jitter).
> 2. If an error occurs - say the signal for a set of 1s and 0s are unreadable -- there is no time to ask for re-transmission. The receiver just has to play whatever it gets and move on. These errors can also be audible.


 

 Yes exactly,
 But this is the same situation with all forms of audio transport.
 its the same even on the PCI-E bus.


----------



## cishida

cishida said:


> Yes, but in digital audio timing is also important - is not quite as black and white as either getting a "proper" signal or not. You can be somewhere in between.
> 
> 1. Variations in the timing of those 1s and 0s can be audible (jitter).
> 2. If an error occurs - say the signal for a set of 1s and 0s are unreadable -- there is no time to ask for re-transmission. The receiver just has to play whatever it gets and move on. These errors can also be audible.


 
  
 The data transmitted over your USB cable or ethernet cable or via Wi-FI is not perfect - there are errors. It's just that the non-audio data transfer protocols automatically recognize errors (checksums etc) and retransmit when necessary. So for the non-audio data transfers buying a better cable may make transmission faster (by avoiding loss and errors) but won't make the end transfer "better" - the protocols ensure that the data will be reconstructed at the end.


----------



## cishida

jimster480 said:


> Yes exactly,
> But this is the same situation with all forms of audio transport.
> its the same even on the PCI-E bus.


 
  
 Pretty sure the PCI-E bus uses some sort of error detection / re-transmission. And I'd be surprised if there's a special PCI-E protocol for audio data.


----------



## Letmebefrank

This thread is completely off course and heading to BFE very fast. That said, I do find it interesting to hear both sides lol


----------



## Jimster480

cishida said:


> Pretty sure the PCI-E bus uses some sort of error detection / re-transmission. And I'd be surprised if there's a special PCI-E protocol for audio data.


 

 There isn't one, and yes PCI-E has some sort of error detection. But so does USB, and USB 2.0+ moves just as fast as PCI and PCI-E (especially PCI-E 1x)


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> There isn't one, and yes PCI-E has some sort of error detection. But so does USB, and USB 2.0+ moves just as fast as PCI and PCI-E (especially PCI-E 1x)


 

 There is no error detection/correction in USB audio......


----------



## cishida

jimster480 said:


> There isn't one, and yes PCI-E has some sort of error detection. But so does USB, and USB 2.0+ moves just as fast as PCI and PCI-E (especially PCI-E 1x)


 

 My understanding is that the digital audio protocols (i.e. the protocols used between source components and DACs), including usb audio, do not do re-transmission.


----------



## Porteroso

USB itself does not have error detection for an audio feed. I am not sure at which layer that is added (things like file transfers would have error correction), but for a dac gaining complete control over its USB input, it would not have error detection.


----------



## Jimster480

cishida said:


> My understanding is that the digital audio protocols (i.e. the protocols used between source components and DACs), including usb audio, do not do re-transmission.


 

 No they do not. But USB protocol has re-transmission period.


----------



## Porteroso

jimster480 said:


> cishida said:
> 
> 
> > My understanding is that the digital audio protocols (i.e. the protocols used between source components and DACs), including usb audio, do not do re-transmission.
> ...


 
 USB will not correct any mistakes in an audio feed, which is the main point here. So yes, anything that causes an actual error in the transmission of 1s and 0s will result in an error being fed to the dac.
  
 edit: Just to clarify, a thing that resulted in an error would almost never be a one time event. Things of that nature are present the entire time your equipment is setup the way it is. So the result would repeat itself, probably predictably. And if your dac is being fed predictable errors, it would manifest itself in a way that might certainly be audible.
  
 Most of that would be the result of a terribly made USB cable, which there are many of. But USB implementations, especially in laptops, can have issues of their own.
  
 Anyways, to make my point, I don't want to argue with you, but if most people run their fulla or whatever it is that you have on their desktops just fine, and it doesn't work in your 2 laptops... it might be your 2 laptops. And schiit cannot make products at their price level that do everything. They have made a fulla, which works well with anything feeding it a good signal. If your laptops are feeding it a bad usb signal, they have something for that too, to clean up whatever is happening.
  
 My advice is, if you want to continue to schiit on schiit here, in one of their (many) little fanboy threads, buy a wyrd, and if it doesn't clean up your usb issues, continue to schiit on them. But if not, please, don't take a schiit on a product not related to this thread (the modi thread btw), that is designed not only on a performance basis, but also on a value basis.


----------



## Jimster480

porteroso said:


> USB will not correct any mistakes in an audio feed, which is the main point here. So yes, anything that causes an actual error in the transmission of 1s and 0s will result in an error being fed to the dac.
> 
> edit: Just to clarify, a thing that resulted in an error would almost never be a one time event. Things of that nature are present the entire time your equipment is setup the way it is. So the result would repeat itself, probably predictably. And if your dac is being fed predictable errors, it would manifest itself in a way that might certainly be audible.
> 
> ...


 

 Unfortunately Modi uses the same USB implementation.
 But now I have issues with both my Fulla 2 and my SMSL M8 on the desktop that used to be fine.
 Either that or I hadn't listened enough to notice (but I doubt it).
  
 I might try out a Wyrd even if its useless for my laptops but if I end up having issues on my desktops too as I'm seeing now then it could be worth it for the long run if it actually does something.
 I tried the audioquest jitterbug and it did nothing at all.


----------



## rydoggsc2

My Modi Multibit is now on its way back to Schiit for warranty repair.  After being powered on for extended periods of time as a multibit DAC should be it would develop very audible distortion in one of the channels.  It happened multiple times on totally different setups.  It would go away after a reboot and then randomly reappear a week or so later.  It is a bummer and really disappointing that I am stuck paying for shipping across the US to send a month old defective unit back for repair.  Not impressed.


----------



## alpovs

rydoggsc2 said:


> My Modi Multibit is now on its way back to Schiit for warranty repair.  After being powered on for extended periods of time as a multibit DAC should be it would develop very audible distortion in one of the channels.  It happened multiple times on totally different setups.  It would go away after a reboot and then randomly reappear a week or so later.  It is a bummer and really a disappointing that I am stuck paying for shipping across the US to send a month old defective unit back for repair.  Not impressed.



Please keep us posted here. Mine may be from the same batch. Did it get very hot while playing?


----------



## rydoggsc2

It got warm but nothing too crazy.  I am also still in the winter months and keep my home very cool so that could be a factor.
  
 I will keep you updated as I find out more.


----------



## cishida

Here is a brief, fairly straightforward overview of usb audio, including how audio transfers differ from other usb data transfers: https://source.android.com/devices/audio/usb.html#isochronous 
  
 From the section titled _Isochronous transfer mode_:
  
 "USB includes many other device classes, some of which may be confused with the audio class. The mass storage class (MSC) is used for sector-oriented access to media, while Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) is for full file access to media. Both MSC and MTP may be used for transferring audio files, but only USB audio class is suitable for real-time streaming.
 ...
USB audio uses isochronous transfer mode for its real-time characteristics, at the expense of error recovery. In isochronous mode, bandwidth is guaranteed, and data transmission errors are detected using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC). But there is no packet acknowledgement or re-transmission in the event of error."


----------



## Alchemist007

rydoggsc2 said:


> My Modi Multibit is now on its way back to Schiit for warranty repair.  After being powered on for extended periods of time as a multibit DAC should be it would develop very audible distortion in one of the channels.  It happened multiple times on totally different setups.  It would go away after a reboot and then randomly reappear a week or so later.  It is a bummer and really disappointing that I am stuck paying for shipping across the US to send a month old defective unit back for repair.  Not impressed.


 

 Happened to me once so far, restarting it worked fine. I'm not entirely sure it's a defect but could just be a thing that happens when it's left on for weeks. Error's can pile up even on computer systems, a restart usually fixes that as well so I'm not surprised.


----------



## rydoggsc2

alchemist007 said:


> Happened to me once so far, restarting it worked fine. I'm not entirely sure it's a defect but could just be a thing that happens when it's left on for weeks. Error's can pile up even on computer systems, a restart usually fixes that as well so I'm not surprised.


 
 According to Schiit it is not normal behavior and it requires service.  As far as comparing a DAC to a computer and operating system I think there is little in common there.


----------



## Alchemist007

rydoggsc2 said:


> According to Schiit it is not normal behavior and it requires service.


 
 Unfortunate, what was their exact wording?


----------



## rydoggsc2

alchemist007 said:


> Unfortunate, what was their exact wording?


 
 There was a back and forth of information about the problem that ended with them saying that they wanted to take a look at it and to start the RA process.


----------



## Alchemist007

Update whenever they get back to you on the issue, since I also experienced it (and probably others). If it ends up being some 'acceptable' side effect or some actual issue across units it would be good to know. Thanks.


----------



## Jason Stoddard

It may just be a glitch (Mike has written about this.) Any complex DSP-based product may have periodic glitches, especially when connected to noisy sources like computers. However, in an abundance of caution, I suspect we decided to take a look at this one.


----------



## lentoviolento

i can't find any audible difference between modi multibit and fulla 2... very expensive snake oil. i'm trying to downgrade to uber 2


----------



## Clemmaster

Lucky you.


----------



## limelake

lentoviolento said:


> i can't find any audible difference between modi multibit and fulla 2... very expensive snake oil. i'm trying to downgrade to uber 2


 
 Are you listening to MP3's or low bit rate music ?


----------



## Porteroso

Not being able to tell the difference between expensive stuff and less expensive stuff is a great gift. Cherish it.


----------



## lentoviolento

limelake said:


> Are you listening to MP3's or low bit rate music ?


 

 apple music 24/192...


----------



## alpovs

Where can I get music encoded 24/192, please?


----------



## Jimster480

So far I don't really tell a difference between my Fulla2, Topping D30 and SMSL M8.
 Disappointing for the M8 since its Retail price is the same as the Modi Multibit.
 Great for the Fulla2 (although this is with me using the Fulla2-> Topping A30 Amp).

 From the Fulla2 Amp its a bit more bright, its still slightly brighter than the M8 on "mini" mode but on fast they sound about the same.
  
 As far as resolving they all resolve about the same, the D30 sounds the most "reference" as I detect no changes in the music at all.
  
 The D30 -> Fulla 2 Amp section is a bit brighter, so I think the amp itself is a bit bright. But overall its incredible SQ for the money.

 I'll get a Modi Multibit soon and see how that compares to the M8 and the D30 and the Fulla2.
 Then i'll keep the setup I like the most and sell the rest of it (atleast the M8 or the Multibit will be sold and the Fulla2 probably sold too).


----------



## cishida

lentoviolento said:


> apple music 24/192...


 
 You're probably going to hear the biggest benefit with 16/44.


----------



## lentoviolento

cishida said:


> You're probably going to hear the biggest benefit with 16/44.


 

 really? why?? i try right now


----------



## Jimster480

lentoviolento said:


> really? why?? i try right now


 

 Because I doubt that Apple music is in that format.


----------



## lentoviolento

jimster480 said:


> Because I doubt that Apple music is in that format.


 

 actually i selected 24/92 from apple music preferences..


----------



## cishida

lentoviolento said:


> actually i selected 24/92 from apple music preferences..


 

 A fixed upsampling to 24/96 or 24/192 is not a good idea. I wouldn't upsample in your music player at all. If the file is 16/44 - send 16/44 to your mimby. Let the mimby's burrito filter do its work.


----------



## alpovs

lentoviolento said:


> actually i selected 24/92 from apple music preferences..



24/96 or 24/192? There is no 24/92.


----------



## Baldr

rydoggsc2 said:


> According to Schiit it is not normal behavior and it requires service.  As far as comparing a DAC to a computer and operating system I think there is little in common there.


 

 Specifically re Mimby, the computer analogy is valid.  The Mimby contains a DSP microprocessor which of course, is proper to all computers.  The OS analogy is less obvious; since one function of an OS is to load files the digital signal processor loads the mega combo burrito filter which in turn processes the audio to better performance.


----------



## limelake

lentoviolento said:


> actually i selected 24/92 from apple music preferences..




Perhaps an eqipment issue....what sources and amps are you using? I myself do notice the biggest difference with 16/44.1 music (cd's or files ripped from cd's). Sacd's sound pretty good to as my player converts it to 24/96. All files are fed to mimby via coax or optical.


----------



## Jimster480

limelake said:


> Perhaps an eqipment issue....what sources and amps are you using? I myself do notice the biggest difference with 16/44.1 music (cd's or files ripped from cd's). Sacd's sound pretty good to as my player converts it to 24/96. All files are fed to mimby via coax or optical.


 

 What are you comparing it to?


----------



## limelake

ess sabre dac in my oppo and dac in my sony cd/sacd player.


----------



## Jimster480

limelake said:


> ess sabre dac in my oppo and dac in my sony cd/sacd player.


 

 HA-2?
 I hear no real difference between the M8 and the D30 and the Fulla2 lol
 They all resolve about the same and I can listen to all of them for hours.
 The K1 is clearly worse, but its also using its own little amp chip which makes the comparison different.


----------



## Faber65

jimster480 said:


> limelake said:
> 
> 
> > ess sabre dac in my oppo and dac in my sony cd/sacd player.
> ...




I had the opportunity to test the M8 and M9 several times in the past, by using the same source and the same songs. 
Honestly I always thought that those were overpriced. 
In fact now, in China, all the shops started to sell 10-15% lower than the tag price. 
IMHO, this is very significative in a market where the prices are keeping going up. 
Were those somehow overpriced? Maybe.

Regarding the SQ, and again this is my very personal opinion, at a certain level, nowadays the DAC is the least important component in terms of music signature. 
If I had to spend my budget, I would put much more on the headphones and the amp, rather than the DAC. 
Something like Mimby is already spectacular in that price range. 
A customer does really need to have a good amp and a very good pair of headphones to start enjoying the differences between a Mimby and something really superior. 
Don't get me wrong please, I am not saying that the other Schiit (or other good brands) DAC's are not worth to be purchased; what I meant is that don't expect to hear significant differences just "side-grading" the DAC.
Best to change the cans first.


----------



## winders

faber65 said:


> Regarding the SQ, and again this is my very personal opinion, at a certain level, nowadays the DAC is the least important component in terms of music signature.


 
  
 I have a very different opinion. I think the DAC is one of the most important components of the audio system. The quality of the DAC affects every component in the system. while it is true that a great DAC won't make poor audio components sound great, a lower quality DAC will make great audio components sound less great. I wouldn't buy a $250 DAC to use in a $10,000 setup.
  
 I still own a Modi Multibit......but it does not sound nearly as good as my Yggdrasil.


----------



## leeperry

jimster480 said:


> I hear no real difference between the M8 and the D30 and the Fulla2 lol
> They all resolve about the same


 
 Get an ODAC and be done with it? That'll save us a truckload of threadcrapping here too so it's a win-win


----------



## thyname

winders said:


> I have a very different opinion. I think the DAC is one of the most important components of the audio system. The quality of the DAC affects every component in the system. while it is true that a great DAC won't make poor audio components sound great, a lower quality DAC will make great audio components sound less great. I wouldn't buy a $250 DAC to use in a $10,000 setup.
> 
> I still own a Modi Multibit......but it does not sound nearly as good as my Yggdrasil.





faber65 said:


> I had the opportunity to test the M8 and M9 several times in the past, by using the same source and the same songs.
> Honestly I always thought that those were overpriced.
> In fact now, in China, all the shops started to sell 10-15% lower than the tag price.
> IMHO, this is very significative in a market where the prices are keeping going up.
> ...




I disagree. DAC is the second most important element in the chain, after the headphones. Then the Amp, cables, interconnects, power, and so on


----------



## alpovs

> Originally Posted by *tafens* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> It would be interesting to know (has anyone had the time to test yet?) if the new Modi Multibit needs a lot of warm up time to sound its best?
> 
> ...


 
 Was it a joke? How does the number of bits have anything to do with the warmup time?
  
 I was trying to track down the origin of the notion here that the Modi Multibit should be left on all the time. This is the post by Baldr I found. It doesn't sound serious. Does it?
  
 When my Modi Multibit is on (over 24 hours) and idle it's 35oC on the surface, when playing it quickly becomes 45oC. Room temperature is about 22oC. So, what's the point of leaving it on all the time when the idle temperature is significantly different from the operating temperature? When it starts decoding it warms up even if it was kept on. What is the difference if it warms up from 35oC to 45oC or from 22oC to 45oC?
  
 The spec sheet for the AD5547 DAC recommends periodic recalibrations because of temperature changes. I don't know if Modi Multibit does it internally. If it does, then the temperature doesn't matter and there is no need for warmup. If it doesn't, then well... accordingly to Baldr it needs to be on AND playing/decoding for 24 hours for a good warmup - because the idle temperature is significantly different from the operating temperature.
  
 Also... given that most modern electronics is designed to fail, so we can buy a new version sooner, I doubt the manufacturers would recommend a gentle mode of operation.


----------



## Faber65

deleted


----------



## Faber65

thyname said:


> winders said:
> 
> 
> > I have a very different opinion. I think the DAC is one of the most important components of the audio system. The quality of the DAC affects every component in the system. while it is true that a great DAC won't make poor audio components sound great, a lower quality DAC will make great audio components sound less great. I wouldn't buy a $250 DAC to use in a $10,000 setup.
> ...




So you agree that the most important element in the chain are the headphones.
Great minds think alike.


----------



## Jimster480

The DAC is less significant than the Amp.
  
 PC magazines have proved this in the past.
 Especially where most music is 16/44.1 and even some of the 24/96 music is just upsampled but even the cheapest DACs do that these days.
 The resolution of most major DAC's is comparable, and every major DAC is "multibit" just not the same as the Modi Multibit. But like TI's advanced segment is a multi-bit processing system that does resolve basically all of the bits by upsampling and then splitting the samples into segments to feed through like 3-6 decoders at a time.


----------



## Jimster480

faber65 said:


> I had the opportunity to test the M8 and M9 several times in the past, by using the same source and the same songs.
> Honestly I always thought that those were overpriced.
> In fact now, in China, all the shops started to sell 10-15% lower than the tag price.
> IMHO, this is very significative in a market where the prices are keeping going up.
> ...


 

 How does the M9 sound? I saw it at $450 but there was NO WAY I was going to spend that kind of money considering.
  
 The M8 IMHO gets way too hot for what it is!


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Especially where most music is 16/44.1 and even some of the 24/96 music is just upsampled but even the cheapest DACs do that these days.
> The resolution of most major DAC's is comparable, and every major DAC is "multibit" just not the same as the Modi Multibit. But like TI's advanced segment is a multi-bit processing system that does resolve basically all of the bits by upsampling and then splitting the samples into segments to feed through like 3-6 decoders at a time.


 
  
 What are you smoking?
  
 Sure, all DACs are about the same.....


----------



## lentoviolento

From the windows panel i can choose the frequency rate... What should i choose? The highest is the better? Or i choose 16/44 that matches apple music? I doubt there will be any audible difference.. Ma it worth a try


----------



## tafens

lentoviolento said:


> From the windows panel i can choose the frequency rate... What should i choose? The highest is the better? Or i choose 16/44 that matches apple music? I doubt there will be any audible difference.. Ma it worth a try




Choose the same setting as of the music you play (or most of your music anyway, if you want to set it once and not change it later). If the setting does not match the music, then Windows will resample it.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> What are you smoking?
> 
> Sure, all DACs are about the same.....



I mean they really are. The DAC chips themselves. 
Atleast in the same tier. 
Like ESS 9018,AK 4490, PCM5102A, CS4398... 
They are all top end chips and all capable of the same thing and for the most part they resolve the same when implemented properly. 
Usually what is better is the analog stages and the clocking (for DS implementations). 
I can tell you that alot of the difference in sound is the tuning done by the manufacturers. 
Those with more experience or knowledge will make better sounding products usually. 
But hell, today in the world of cheap ICs you can get amazing quality for a low price. 
I know that growing up I saved up for "good" sound cards and better speakers and now the FiiO K1 sounds better than everything I had as a kid for a fraction of the price. 

So I'm not saying to not buy good stuff, or that nothing but cheap parts are worth it. This is mostly a hobby after all and you should buy what makes you happy and what you think sounds good.


----------



## Mosauwer

I think at last i am officially in This thread. Getting chance to order Mimby!


----------



## oneway23

mosauwer said:


> I think at last i am officially in This thread. Getting chance to order Mimby!


 
  
 Welcome!  Enjoy your purchase!


----------



## lentoviolento

how the **** can i set the mimby to upsample apple music? is it really useful anyway?


----------



## winders

lentoviolento said:


> how the **** can i set the mimby to upsample apple music? is it really useful anyway?


 

 You can't set anything in the Mimby. The Mimby will upsample any source below 24/176.4 to 24/176.4 or 24/192. Any source that is 24/176.4 or 24/192 will not be upsampled.
  
 For example, Red Book source material (16/44.1) is upsampled to 24/176.4. 24/96 source material would be upsampled to 24/192. 24/192 source material would not be upsampled at all.
  
 If you wanted to bypass the onboard upsampling of Mimby, you would have your player software upsample to 24/176.4 or 24/192. I prefer letting Mimby do the upsampling but others prefer doing it in software.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> I mean they really are. The DAC chips themselves.
> Atleast in the same tier.
> Like ESS 9018,AK 4490, PCM5102A, CS4398...
> They are all top end chips and all capable of the same thing and for the most part they resolve the same when implemented properly.
> ...


 

 DACs using the same D/A chip often sound vastly different. There is a lot more to a DAC's sound the D/A chip chosen. Also, Sigma Delta DACs are quite different than Multibit/R2R DACs. They are not even close to the same. You are making statements that are nonsensical!


----------



## maxh22

winders said:


> If you wanted to bypass the onboard upsampling of Mimby, you would have your player software upsample to 24/176.4 or 24/192. I prefer letting Mimby do the upsampling but others prefer doing it in software.


 
  
 I remember Mike saying there is no way to bypass Mimby's burrito filter, isn't it the same with its internal upsampling?


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> DACs using the same D/A chip often sound vastly different. There is a lot more to a DAC's sound the D/A chip chosen. Also, Sigma Delta DACs are quite different than Multibit/R2R DACs. They are not even close to the same. You are making statements that are nonsensical!


 

 Yes like I said its all about the analog portion of the DAC after the DAC chip itself.
  
 Between the Op Amps, Filters, Thin Film Transistors, etc


----------



## winders

maxh22 said:


> I remember Mike saying there is no way to bypass Mimby's burrito filter, isn't it the same with its internal upsampling?


 

 Mike said that....and then I asked about it as I described above...and he said that does indeed bypass the mega burrito filter.


----------



## maxh22

winders said:


> Mike said that....and then I asked about it as I described above...and he said that does indeed bypass the mega burrito filter.


 
 So you're saying if I were to use HQ player to do upsampling to 32/384 khz, it would bypass the mega burrito filter and mimbys own internal processing?


----------



## winders

I am fairly certain Bimby acts just like Mimby in this regard. Gumby and Yggy always upsample to 24/352.8 or 24/384 and that cannot be disabled. Why? Gumby and Yggy have an input max of 24/176.4 or 24/192.


----------



## winders

maxh22 said:


> So you're saying if I were to use HQ player to do upsampling to 32/384 khz, it would bypass the mega burrito filter and mimbys own internal processing?


 

 Mimby, Bimby, Gumby, and Yggy accept a max rate of 24/176.4 or 24/192. You can't feed them 32/384.


----------



## jimmers

jimster480 said:


> Yes like I said its all about the analog portion of the DAC after the DAC chip itself.
> 
> Between the Op Amps, Filters, Thin Film Transistors, etc


 
 Thin Film Transistors?


----------



## Jimster480

jimmers said:


> Thin Film Transistors?


 

 Yes
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin-film_transistor


----------



## jimmers

jimster480 said:


> Yes like I said its all about the analog portion of the DAC after the DAC chip itself.
> Between the Op Amps, Filters, Thin Film Transistors, etc


 
 Wouldn't have thought a display would be described as the "analog portion after the DAC chip itself"


----------



## Jimster480

jimmers said:


> Wouldn't have thought a display would be described as the "analog portion after the DAC chip itself"


 

 I guess you didn't really read far.
 Thin Film Transistors can be turned into a display, this is one of the applications of them. But they are used in many applications, literally a 1 second google query provides me with this:
  
 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5458036/?reload=true


----------



## jimmers

jimster480 said:


> I guess you didn't really read far.
> Thin Film Transistors can be turned into a display, this is one of the applications of them. But they are used in many applications, literally a 1 second google query provides me with this:
> 
> http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5458036/?reload=true


 
 And that is a DAC implementation not "analog portion after the DAC chip itself" - I am not aware of TFT commonly being used in the analog sections of audio DACs, I guess I would have expected the mention of FETs (or BJTs) for analog audio rather than TFTs specifically. 
 Still ... whatever (?)


----------



## gvl2016

winders said:


> DACs using the same D/A chip often sound vastly different. There is a lot more to a DAC's sound the D/A chip chosen. Also, Sigma Delta DACs are quite different than Multibit/R2R DACs. They are not even close to the same. You are making statements that are nonsensical!


 
  
 I can't detect any major differences between my Modi Multibit and a Centrance DACmini CX which uses a DS chip on 16/44.1 material. Very close match, any subtle differences there are may well be due to the analog section. You maybe confusing NOS vs. oversampling DACs.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> I can't detect any major differences between my Modi Multibit and a Centrance DACmini CX which uses a DS chip on 16/44.1 material. Very close match, any subtle differences there are may well be due to the analog section. You maybe confusing NOS vs. oversampling DACs.


 

 No, I am not confusing anything in regards to my comments. Just because you can't detect any differences does not mean they are not there. I have a friend that can't tell the difference between his MacBook's on board DAC, a Modi Multibit, or an Yggdrasil. In some ways he is fortunate. His music budget will be less than mine....


----------



## gvl2016

winders said:


> No, I am not confusing anything in regards to my comments. Just because you can't detect any differences does not mean they are not there. I have a friend that can't tell the difference between his MacBook's on board DAC, a Modi Multibit, or an Yggdrasil. In some ways he is fortunate. His music budget will be less than mine....


 
  
 They are there and I can detect them, but they are so subtle they don't matter and may well be due to the differences in the analog section. A well done DS DAC, and DACMini CX is a well implemented DAC, should be no worse than a multibit.


----------



## winders

Don't conflate "different" with "worse".


----------



## gvl2016

winders said:


> Don't conflate "different" with "worse".


 
  
 Fair enough, but are you implying that all multibit DACs sound the same?


----------



## Jimster480

jimmers said:


> And that is a DAC implementation not "analog portion after the DAC chip itself" - I am not aware of TFT commonly being used in the analog sections of audio DACs, I guess I would have expected the mention of FETs (or BJTs) for analog audio rather than TFTs specifically.
> Still ... whatever (?)


 

 Yes you are right that the TFT's are usually before the analog section but you get the point. You can debate specifics all day but it doesnt change the facts.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> Fair enough, but are you implying that all multibit DACs sound the same?


 

 Hardly. I was saying just the opposite. You are the one making it sound like all DACs sound about the same...


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> No, I am not confusing anything in regards to my comments. Just because you can't detect any differences does not mean they are not there. I have a friend that can't tell the difference between his MacBook's on board DAC, a Modi Multibit, or an Yggdrasil. In some ways he is fortunate. His music budget will be less than mine....


 

 That depends on the Amp and headphones he is using.
 With apple earpods, they will all sound the same.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> That depends on the Amp and headphones he is using.
> With apple earpods, they will all sound the same.


 

 You never let up.....
  
 A Schiit Audio Lyr 2 amp used with Sennheiser HD 650 headphones......


----------



## gvl2016

winders said:


> Hardly. I was saying just the opposite. You are the one making it sound like all DACs sound about the same...


 
  
 No, they do sound different, but typically not because R2R vs DS, which is what your original statement was. Neutral DACs should sound similar, and I gave an example.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> No, they do sound different, but typically not because R2R vs DS, which is what your original statement was. Neutral DACs should sound similar, and I gave an example.


 

 Exactly.
 Most DAC's sound different due to implementation and the analog segments.
 Not due to resolving capabilities, which is more the way DACs used to be.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> That depends on the Amp and headphones he is using.
> With apple earpods, they will all sound the same.


 
  
 I have a fairly resolving desktop system with a tube amp and Klipsch speakers. I have/had several mid-range DACs and they all sound different, but the 2 I mentioned are the most close sounding despite being R2R and DS designs.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I have a fairly resolving desktop system with a tube amp and Klipsch speakers. I have/had several mid-range DACs and they all sound different, but the 2 I mentioned are the most close sounding despite being R2R and DS designs.


 

 Yes exactly, but its about resolution quality not the overall sound.
 I think that most brands try to sound different or "distinct" in some way because people start to "like" the house and then buy more of their products in time.
  
 You see brands like Oppo and Shanling doing this, while chinese brands like Topping / SMSL are not doing this type of stuff. Especially not SMSL as they have DAC/Amps based on every possible design from Cirrus / Wolfson to ESS & Ti & AKM... hell they even have a few DAC's from brands I haven't heard of either and they mix them with integrated headphone amplifiers, external amplifiers for speakers and headphones and just straight DAC's.
 Topping on the other hand seems to be going for clean sounding and simple products with really great price tags that are also hand tested / tuned. But from what I see across their lineup, its alot smaller and uses only a few designs.
  
 I think that FiiO has been pretty consistent in the budget sector, but now they are building a flagship Q7 I think it is and its going to be portable with dual AKM DAC chips so I think that is quite a bit different from their previous designs.
  
 Schiit here is doing the same thing with the AKM DAC's across the boards, they are developing their own "house sound" but honestly I think they provide great products especially in the different price tiers especially considering that they are building/engineering in the USA.


----------



## lentoviolento

winders said:


> You can't set anything in the Mimby. The Mimby will upsample any source below 24/176.4 to 24/176.4 or 24/192. Any source that is 24/176.4 or 24/192 will not be upsampled.
> 
> For example, Red Book source material (16/44.1) is upsampled to 24/176.4. 24/96 source material would be upsampled to 24/192. 24/192 source material would not be upsampled at all.
> 
> If you wanted to bypass the onboard upsampling of Mimby, you would have your player software upsample to 24/176.4 or 24/192. I prefer letting Mimby do the upsampling but others prefer doing it in software.


 
 i can choose sampling rate from apple music preferences and from windows panel in the schiit mimby section...
 i put 16/44 in both, am i right?? sorry for my english


----------



## Marlowe

winders said:


> You can't set anything in the Mimby. The Mimby will upsample any source below 24/176.4 to 24/176.4 or 24/192. Any source that is 24/176.4 or 24/192 will not be upsampled.
> 
> For example, Red Book source material (16/44.1) is upsampled to 24/176.4. 24/96 source material would be upsampled to 24/192. 24/192 source material would not be upsampled at all.
> 
> If you wanted to bypass the onboard upsampling of Mimby, you would have your player software upsample to 24/176.4 or 24/192. I prefer letting Mimby do the upsampling but others prefer doing it in software.


 
 I'm a bit confused since I've seen diametrically conflicting advice on setting the sample rate in Windows. My primary music source is Tidal HiFi and the vast majority of material there is 16/44.1. However, Tidal is adding Master versions of some albums, which are generally 24/96. Would the best option be to leave the Windows setting at 16/44.1 and leave it to the Mimby to upsample material at higher resolution? (This is the option I am currently using.)


----------



## lentoviolento

marlowe said:


> I'm a bit confused since I've seen diametrically conflicting advice on setting the sample rate in Windows. My primary music source is Tidal HiFi and the vast majority of material there is 16/44.1. However, Tidal is adding Master versions of some albums, which are generally 24/96. Would the best option be to leave the Windows setting at 16/44.1 and leave it to the Mimby to upsample material at higher resolution? (This is the option I am currently using.)


 
  
 the windows panel let you choose frequency range up to the level that the dac you are using supports...
 i try to explain... when i had mojo i could choose up to 384khz or something.. with fulla 2 only up to 96... so i think that from windows you can choose the frequency that the dac will us eventually upsampling the source.
 is that right? some nerd advice would be needed....


----------



## winders

I wasn't giving any advice on whether you should send the source material to the Mimby at its native sample rate or if you should upsample it in software. All I was telling you is that the Mimby will upsample any source material that is sent to it unless it is 24/176.4 or 24/192. If it is sent to Mimby at 24/176.4 or 24/192, it will act like a NOS (non-oversampling) DAC.
  
 Personally, when I had a Mimby and what I do with my Yggy, is always send the source material at its native sampling rate. Most software has a setting like that.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> I wasn't giving any advice on whether you should send the source material to the Mimby at its native sample rate or if you should upsample it in software. All I was telling you is that the Mimby will upsample any source material that is sent to it unless it is 24/176.4 or 24/192. If it is sent to Mimby at 24/176.4 or 24/192, it will act like a NOS (non-oversampling) DAC.
> 
> Personally, when I had a Mimby and what I do with my Yggy, is always send the source material at its native sampling rate. Most software has a setting like that.


 

 This is the most confusing part for me so far and I don't have an answer to my question. Perhaps you can answer it. Mimby is 16 bit and Schiit engineers wrote somewhere (I can find the quote if needed) that if it is fed anything higher than 16bit then the extra bits will simply be discarded. Then why oh why does it internally upsample to 24 bits only to discard 8 bits?
  
 In Windows the maximum bitdepth for Mimby is 32 bits. It can be fed 32 bit streams and, for example JRiver Media Center does it by default. I can't set it to send streams in native bitdepth, I can only set the maximum bitdepth. I believe Foobar is the same. What software did you mean in your last sentence?


----------



## RickB

alpovs said:


> This is the most confusing part for me so far and I don't have an answer to my question. Perhaps you can answer it. Mimby is 16 bit and Schiit engineers wrote somewhere (I can find the quote if needed) that if it is fed anything higher than 16bit then the extra bits will simply be discarded. Then why oh why does it internally upsample to 24 bits only to discard 8 bits?
> 
> In Windows the maximum bitdepth for Mimby is 32 bits. It can be fed 32 bit streams and, for example JRiver Media Center does it by default. I can't set it to send streams in native bitdepth, I can only set the maximum bitdepth. I believe Foobar is the same. What software did you mean in your last sentence?


 
 If you use WASAPI exclusive mode (there is a setting in JRiver) then the Mimy will be sent the native data. At least it works that way in JRiver.


----------



## jimbop54

Sheesh! Why don't you just ask the people that make the fricken' DAC how it works?


----------



## winders

jimbop54 said:


> Sheesh! Why don't you just ask the people that make the fricken' DAC how it works?


 
  
 Why don't you cool your jets?
  


alpovs said:


> This is the most confusing part for me so far and I don't have an answer to my question. Perhaps you can answer it. Mimby is 16 bit and Schiit engineers wrote somewhere (I can find the quote if needed) that if it is fed anything higher than 16bit then the extra bits will simply be discarded. Then why oh why does it internally upsample to 24 bits only to discard 8 bits?
> 
> In Windows the maximum bitdepth for Mimby is 32 bits. It can be fed 32 bit streams and, for example JRiver Media Center does it by default. I can't set it to send streams in native bitdepth, I can only set the maximum bitdepth. I believe Foobar is the same. What software did you mean in your last sentence?


 
  
 I am not exactly sure how Mimby does what it does when presented with 24 bit source material. Is there any real 32 bit source material?


----------



## Pahani

jimbop54 said:


> Sheesh! Why don't you just ask the people that make the fricken' DAC how it works?


 
 They are active in this thread.
  
 Perhaps not daily, but Schiit does answer questions (and make Schiitty comments) here.


----------



## Jimster480

lentoviolento said:


> the windows panel let you choose frequency range up to the level that the dac you are using supports...
> i try to explain... when i had mojo i could choose up to 384khz or something.. with fulla 2 only up to 96... so i think that from windows you can choose the frequency that the dac will us eventually upsampling the source.
> is that right? some nerd advice would be needed....


 

 No. Whatever you set it to in windows, windows upsamples everything to that quality level.


----------



## bilboda

Use asio  in your music player to send the exact format 16 bits 44.1 mhz, for example, Set Windows audio to whatever you want,it's not gonna be that critical in day to day usage and won't affect your music playing using asio.
 The multibit dac will toss out anything above 16 bits which is better then most dacs. To quote: "*Multibit DACs differ from the vast majority of DACs in that they use true 16-20 bit D/A converters that can reproduce the exact level of every digital audio sample. Most DACs use inexpensive delta-sigma technology with a bit depth of only **1-5 bits** to approximate the level of every digital audio sample, based on the values of the samples that precede and follow it*. "


----------



## cishida

alpovs said:


> This is the most confusing part for me so far and I don't have an answer to my question. Perhaps you can answer it. Mimby is 16 bit and Schiit engineers wrote somewhere (I can find the quote if needed) that if it is fed anything higher than 16bit then the extra bits will simply be discarded. Then why oh why does it internally upsample to 24 bits only to discard 8 bits?




I think the filter operates in 24 or 32 bits. I'm not mimby's designer but with calculations you generally want to avoid rounding until the end (if the goal is to minimize error)

Mimby rounds to 16 bits at the end because mimby uses a 16 bit dac.


----------



## Baldr

cishida said:


> I think the filter operates in 24 or 32 bits. I'm not mimby's designer but with calculations you generally want to avoid rounding until the end (if the goal is to minimize error)
> 
> Mimby rounds to 16 bits at the end because mimby uses a 16 bit dac.




Any digital audio data less than 20-22 bits is questionable, any below 24 bit is made up or hallucinated and presented as a specmanship hand job. The DSP processor in all Schiit multibit gear is 32 bit, waaaaaay overkill, but it is only doing various math functions on the data. At the very end of the chain, the data is rounded to 16 bits (Bimby-Mumbai) and sent to the DACs.


----------



## darkarn

baldr said:


> Any digital audio data less than 20-22 bits is questionable, any below 24 bit is made up or hallucinated and presented as a specmanship hand job. The DSP processor in all Schiit multibit gear is 32 bit, waaaaaay overkill, but it is only doing various math functions on the data. At the very end of the chain, the data is rounded to 16 bits (Bimby-Mumbai) and sent to the DACs.




Sorry, am unsure what you meant by your 1st sentence...

And also, it's Mimby, not Mumbai haha (yes, Modi and Mumbai are associated with each other but still...)


----------



## cishida

darkarn said:


> Sorry, am unsure what you meant by your 1st sentence...
> 
> And also, it's Mimby, not Mumbai haha (yes, Modi and Mumbai are associated with each other but still...)


 

 I think "less" == less significant bits == bits farther to the right. So in this case he's saying bits >20-22 are of very questionable significance.


----------



## MWSVette

darkarn said:


> Sorry, am unsure what you meant by your 1st sentence...
> 
> *And also, it's Mimby, not Mumbai haha *(yes, Modi and Mumbai are associated with each other but still...)


 

 Since he made it, he may call it anything he likes...


----------



## Mosauwer

modi and mumbai


----------



## darkarn

cishida said:


> I think "less" == less significant bits == bits farther to the right. So in this case he's saying bits >20-22 are of very questionable significance.


 
  
 Thanks, now that makes more sense!
  


mwsvette said:


> Since he made it, he may call it anything he likes...


 
  





 Point taken!


----------



## alpovs

darkarn said:


> And also, it's Mimby, not Mumbai haha (yes, Modi and Mumbai are associated with each other but still...)



A curious case of autocorrect?


----------



## darkarn

alpovs said:


> A curious case of autocorrect?


 
  
 I guess so, albeit a funny case


----------



## landroni

baldr said:


> At the very end of the chain, the data is rounded to 16 bits (Bimby-Mumbai) and sent to the DACs.


 

 Funny you should say this. *Mumbai* is what Mimby is called at home...


----------



## Jimster480

landroni said:


> Funny you should say this. *Mumbai* is what Mimby is called at home...


 

 Where is home?


----------



## Mike Foley

Will Modi Multibit work connected to a NAS drive via USB?


----------



## AviP

mike foley said:


> Will Modi Multibit work connected to a NAS drive via USB?


 
 No, the Modi doesn't read files via USB, it connects to a device as a USB audio device (Or via Coax/TOSLink)


----------



## Mike Foley

avip said:


> No, the Modi doesn't read files via USB, it connects to a device as a USB audio device (Or via Coax/TOSLink)





Thanks for the reply. My current Cambridge Audio DAC is seen by the Synology app as a USB speaker. 
The connections are Synology NAS drive to Cambridge DAC using USB. Wouldn't the Schiit be seen as USB speaker?

Apologies for my questions. I'm fairly new to this.


----------



## AviP

mike foley said:


> Thanks for the reply. My current Cambridge Audio DAC is seen by the Synology app as a USB speaker.
> The connections are Synology NAS drive to Cambridge DAC using USB. Wouldn't the Schiit be seen as USB speaker?
> 
> Apologies for my questions. I'm fairly new to this.


 
 It sounds like your NAS specifically supports USB Audio, in which case it would *probably* work (but no guarantees)


----------



## Mike Foley

avip said:


> It sounds like your NAS specifically supports USB Audio, in which case it would *probably* work (but no guarantees)




It certainly does right now. I guess I could try the Schiit, and return it if it doesn't work.

Thanks for the advice. It's appreciated.


----------



## jaxz

So, it's recommended to leave Mimby on 24/7 or don't? What's are yours thoughs/experience?


----------



## CarlosUnchained

jaxz said:


> So, it's recommended to leave Mimby on 24/7 or don't? What's are yours thoughs/experience?


 

 Schiit recommends to do so, also mostly every owner around.


----------



## Jimster480

mike foley said:


> Thanks for the reply. My current Cambridge Audio DAC is seen by the Synology app as a USB speaker.
> The connections are Synology NAS drive to Cambridge DAC using USB. Wouldn't the Schiit be seen as USB speaker?
> 
> Apologies for my questions. I'm fairly new to this.


 

 Wow I wonder if my FreeNAS setup also supports that.


----------



## alpovs

jaxz said:


> So, it's recommended to leave Mimby on 24/7 or don't? What's are yours thoughs/experience?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Can you provide a reference to the post where Schiit recommends so? I could not find exactly that.


----------



## alpovs

jaxz said:


> So, it's recommended to leave Mimby on 24/7 or don't? What's are yours thoughs/experience?


 

 See my post with thoughts from a few pages back. It went unnoticed because at that time two people were actively discussing something else.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/2865#post_13370676
  
 Keeping it on doesn't make sense IMO (see that post for reasoning). I don't keep it on and don't notice a difference when it warms up.


----------



## jaxz

alpovs said:


> See my post with thoughts from a few pages back. It went unnoticed because at that time two people were actively discussing something else.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/815368/happy-as-a-pig-in-schiit-introducing-modi-multibit/2865#post_13370676
> 
> Keeping it on doesn't make sense IMO (see that post for reasoning). I don't keep it on and don't notice a difference when it warms up.




Thank you. I couldn't find a post where Schiit guys recommend the always on thing. Maybe going from idle temperature to operation temperature puts less stress on components, as opposite to go from room temperature to decoding temp? Guess not, but..

Anyway, I'm getting mine on May.


----------



## Andrew Rieger

I never leave it on overnight but I do turn it on in the morning before I leave to work so it gets 8-9 hours of warmup before I listen.


----------



## alpovs

jaxz said:


> Thank you. I couldn't find a post where Schiit guys recommend the always on thing. Maybe going from idle temperature to operation temperature puts less stress on components, as opposite to go from room temperature to decoding temp? Guess not, but..
> 
> Anyway, I'm getting mine on May.


 

 I think they never recommended it. It's an urban myth unless somebody can point to a post or other evidence that they did. That post by Baldr I found is the closest to the "urban myth" origin and it seemed sarcastic to me.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Here you go. From the man himself. No urban myth here.



alpovs said:


> I think they never recommended it. It's an urban myth unless somebody can point to a post or other evidence that they did. That post by Baldr I found is the closest to the "urban myth" origin and it seemed sarcastic to me.






baldr said:


> Indeed - any of the Schiit mb converters function (convert digits to analog) from the get go (after a brief stabilization mode - a few seconds).
> 
> 
> As does the Modi Multibit.  (Last time I checked, the thread topic)  Now, if you check our website, you will realize that we make no binding statements with respect to how our equipment "sounds".  Any such statements are anecdotal and impossible to prove.  I am completely willing to reveal my experience with respect to sound, even a few generalizations.  These are only my opinions, however, and YMMV.  Here are a few:  The best sounding DACs, regardless of cost, are multibit.  The more bits in the mb, the longer it takes to sound at its best.  It takes heroic design in ds converter  design.  They inherently want to sound like ass.  The above is strictly my opinion, for emphasis.  YMMV, YMMV, and YMMV.  The next three sentences are fact:  The only advantage of ds is cost/performance at the low (i.e. cell phone) end stratum.  The designs are small, low power, and cheap.  That is why we design our lower-end stuff around ds.
> ...


----------



## alpovs

Where is the recommendation to leave it always on?


----------



## Letmebefrank

Sorry, that was his reasoning why, here is his recommendation. 



baldr said:


> I have never, but never, been exposed to any solid state D/A converter that did not benefit from leaving it on 24/7.  Period.  Either designed by me or anyone else.  Ever.  What is true is that delta sigma D/A converters seem to be less pronounced in those effects than multibit converters, they still benefit.
> 
> Another aside:  the Theta D/A converters I built twenty to thirty-ish years ago seem to have less of this difference today.  I do not know why.  I only design(ed) them.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Also, here is a Screenshot of the manual for the yggdrasil. The chips in gumby, bimby and Mimby all work basically the same but take less time to come into spec based on the number of bits.


----------



## alpovs

OK. This is from a different forum and a year apart from the other post but I guess it still applies to "any solid state D/A converter".
 If you go to that post and read the next post it says "In the past Jason laughed at this...."
  
 My problem with the reasoning is that the idle temperature is as much different from the operating temperature as it is from the room temperature. With this logic Modi Multibit should not only be always on but constantly playing music.


----------



## Letmebefrank

As to the temperature thing... 



baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.






baldr said:


> Because it is smaller and 16 bit, it is relatively quick. (24 hours is most of the way.)


----------



## alpovs

letmebefrank said:


> As to the temperature thing...


 
  
  


baldr said:


> Because it is smaller and 16 bit, it is relatively quick. (24 hours is most of the way.)


 

 Oh well. Can I believe it? The DAC chip in Yggdrasil is smaller and higher bits (21).
  
 AD5791 in Yggdrasil, the page before last:
http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5791.pdf
 6.6x4.5 (mm?)
  
 AD5547 in Modi Multibit, 16 bit, last page:
http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5547_5557.pdf
 9.8x4.5
  
 How can the heat-up time depend on the number of bits??? It should depend on the TPD. And the temperature of the chip is probably different when it is idle and when it is doing something.
  
 The chips are so small they should heat up to constant temperature in a few minutes.


----------



## alpovs

That manual has an interesting spelling of the word "magic". "Magick is the art of causing changes in consciousness in conformity with the Will." I wonder if it was intentional. So much in audiophile spirit


----------



## Letmebefrank

Yeah its not really the temperature, it's the chip working out errors in itself, and the more bits the longer that takes. In the yggdrasil manual I believe it was explained incorrectly (however the recommendation doesn't change) and in these forums it was misconstrued that the reasoning is heat. It has been explained by both Jason and Mike that the reasoning for leaving them on is the chips INL spec. 

Here is one I've already quoted above:


baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.




I might take the time to find the other posts tomorrow if nobody does so before then, but for now I'm going to sleep.

Please Baldr or Jason Stoddard step in and end this lol


----------



## alpovs

While looking at the specs I found that the chip used in Yggdrasil is 20 bit but Schiit's site for Yggdrasil claims 21 bits. I am confused now but it is out of topic for this forum.


----------



## winders

alpovs said:


> Oh well. Can I believe it? The DAC chip in Yggdrasil is smaller and higher bits (21).
> 
> AD5791 in Yggdrasil, the page before last:
> http://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5791.pdf
> ...


 

 You may be happier in the Sound Sciene forum. Personally, I would suggest listening to the DAC designer. But you do what you want. Just don't get all indignant when people here don't agree with you.


----------



## Baldr

YMMV, YMMV, and YMMV.  Telling anyone what they should, can, or can not hear requires a dictator.  This is for fun - if one takes things too seriously, you run the risk of looking angry and constipated, like the vendors and customers on the highest floors of the shows purveying Ferrari priced audio systems.


----------



## alpovs

baldr said:


> YMMV, YMMV, and YMMV.  Telling anyone what they should, can, or can not hear requires a dictator.  This is for fun - if one takes things too seriously, you run the risk of looking angry and constipated, like the vendors and customers on the highest floors of the shows purveying Ferrari priced audio systems.


 

 I am trying to understand your recommendations but the facts don't add up. Sorry, I am a scientist. I can't just blindly believe, I am not religious.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> Just don't get all indignant when people here don't agree with you.


 
 People don't have to agree or disagree. The facts are in the spec sheets. As I said in my previous post I am trying to understand the reasoning. It's not about believing.


----------



## alpovs

letmebefrank said:


> I might take the time to find the other posts tomorrow if nobody does so before then, but for now I'm going to sleep.


 
 Thanks. I found similar discussion on page 59 of this forum.


----------



## landroni

alpovs said:


> I am trying to understand your recommendations but the facts don't add up. Sorry, I am a scientist. I can't just blindly believe, I am not religious.


 

 Hmm, scientists don't tend to speak like that. Sciencers, usually of the sound- flavor, bent on scientism, maybe, but scientists, hardly.*
  
 * Self-proclaimed engineers around here often seem to be afflicted by just about the same innate diction difficulties...


----------



## fritobugger

Not that anyone cares but I turn mine on around 10 or 15 minutes before I want to listen to tunes and then turn off when I am finished.  Sounds fine and doesn't seem to sound any different several hours later.


----------



## saddleup

How do you know when there is an engineer/scientist at the bar?
  
 He'll tell you.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

saddleup said:


> How do you know when there is an engineer/scientist at the bar?
> 
> He'll tell you.


 

 Scientist here. Can confirm.
  
 I'm vegan too by the way.
  
 /s


----------



## darkarn

I leaving it on 24/7, so that I can get to the action quickly!


----------



## Pahani

saddleup said:


> How do you know when there is an engineer/scientist at the bar?
> 
> He'll tell you.


 
  
  


carlosunchained said:


> Scientist here. Can confirm from the bar Wi-Fi.
> 
> I'm vegan too by the way.
> 
> /s


 
 Fixed.
  
 P.S. I live my Mimby on 24/7.....because, why not? *shrug*


----------



## Tuneslover

My Graham Slee and NAD phono preamps don't have on/off switches.  No discussion or debate...they're always on.  Doesn't seem to be questioned.  If the Schiit DAC's "should" always be on then why did they put a power switch in them?


----------



## HondoMUC

Heya all,
  
 after starting "Schiit happend" by Mr Stoddard I'm very close to buying the Mimby.
 The book is a very entertaining read by the way.
  
 Just some questions:
  

will mimby work good with *Tidal Hifi/Master*? And sound good?
I got a pimped *Little Dot+* (tubes, opamp), and some Beyer *Dt770 32 Ohm and Grado SR60* (modded) - will that setup work for starters?
what *cables does the mimby come with*? I got a good AQ USB cable but it's got mini USB on one end. Unfortunately I also got a AQ RCA to 3,5 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 So I might need 2 new cables?
  
 Thanks! Hope it will be on stock in Europe again soon. 
  
 BR
 H


----------



## Marlowe

hondomuc said:


> Heya all,
> 
> after starting "Schiit happend" by Mr Stoddard I'm very close to buying the Mimby.
> The book is a very entertaining read by the way.
> ...


 
 Tidal Hifi is my primary music source. The Mimby sounds very good to me.
  
 Mimby comes with no cables.


----------



## Jimster480

hondomuc said:


> Heya all,
> 
> after starting "Schiit happend" by Mr Stoddard I'm very close to buying the Mimby.
> The book is a very entertaining read by the way.
> ...


 

 Should be more than fine with Tidal Hifi/master and Spotify Extreme.
 Any amp will do as long as it powers your headphones, its important to have something that sounds good to YOU.
 For cables Schiit sells PYST and there are Monoprice cables. I have Monoprice.


----------



## Letmebefrank

hondomuc said:


> Heya all,
> 
> after starting "Schiit happend" by Mr Stoddard I'm very close to buying the Mimby.
> The book is a very entertaining read by the way.
> ...


 
  
 Monoprice are great. I have some custom short belden/rean RCAs made by @Paladin79 that are fantastic as well. I also really like Blue Jeans Cables, but they are at the top end of what I like to spend on cables.


----------



## HondoMUC

Thanks guys.


----------



## Jimmy24

Hi I need some help installing my Modi Multi from my PC and to my Crack. Where do I hook up my Coaxial cable on my PC and what kind of RCA cable do I need to hook it up to my Crack? I'm assuming I need 2 male to 2 male RCA? Thanks


----------



## Jimmy24

Okay so I found the cables I needed laying around the house and Holy Schiit this thing rocks! I got this hooked to my Crack/Speedball + HD 650's and the sound came alive! WOW, all the music that I already have are all just so incredible sounding. I can't believe I went without a DAC all this time. It gave new life to my music! The soundstage is astounding, more power in the lows and mids, all the while maintaining clarity. OMG thank you Schiit!


----------



## Jimmy24

Oh yea if anyone has a Crack and needs a DAC look no further I can assure you you will be floored when you hear the combination baby


----------



## fritobugger

I will be try to feed this thing coax later today.  I'll let you know how I think it compares to USB straight from the old HP Elitebook.


----------



## Jimmy24

Okay so it has been an hour since my last post and I'm still enjoying my newly purchased Mimby. I can't get enough of female vocals and acoustic stuff like Imogen Heap, Astrud Gilberto, and Niia. My all time favorite bossa nova song is Rosa Posas with Yo Yo Ma - Chega De Saudade. It's sublime! It's like hearing it for the first time again. I can't stop listening to music wow


----------



## claud W

letmebefrank said:


> Monoprice are great. I have some custom short belden/rean RCAs made by @Paladin79 that are fantastic as well. I also really like Blue Jeans Cables, but they are at the top end of what I like to spend on cables.


 

 Or you could really pimp it out with Wywires Silver ICs and their Platinum USB cable.


----------



## MWSVette

That's a lot of money on cables for a rig that retails for $450.00...


----------



## claud W

mwsvette said:


> That's a lot of money on cables for a rig that retails for $450.00...


 

 I am glad the "rig" was so reasonably priced. I think I might upgrade it sometime in the future, but I will not have to buy any more cables. I also Know that this is the best you can get out of this Schiit. This system sounds WAY better than my old Lyr and Bifrost ever did.


----------



## kgs51

I have the powered monitors audio engine A5+ and I looking to hook up them with a DAC. I won't be using them with headphones. How is the Schiit Modi 2 as a DAC.


----------



## Jimster480

kgs51 said:


> I have the powered monitors audio engine A5+ and I looking to hook up them with a DAC. I won't be using them with headphones. How is the Schiit Modi 2 as a DAC.


 

 Superb as the AK4490 is a great resolving and "musical" sounding DAC.


----------



## AxelCloris

Had to clean up several recent posts because we're going off topic from the Modi Multibit. Please keep the thread on track, everyone.


----------



## kgs51

jimster480 said:


> Superb as the AK4490 is a great resolving and "musical" sounding DAC.


 
 Is it better than either the Fiio EK10 or the Micca Origen Plus.


----------



## Jimster480

kgs51 said:


> Is it better than either the Fiio EK10 or the Micca Origen Plus.


 

 Definitely better than FiiO E10k, haven't heard the other one


----------



## caffeinated

Yes, it is better than the Origin Plus (I have one). You also don't need to jump through a ton of driver hoops to get them to work.


----------



## kgs51

Thanks for everyone's help


----------



## maxh22

I recently convinced my friend to buy a mimby for his new Vanatoo's, he recently got them and just got into the audio game. He ended up buying a Mimby, Wyrd, and some usb cables to hook them up. Fedex shows up on Friday and we plug it in to see how it sounds, I reminded him the Mimby needs atleast several dozen hours to breakin and start sounding good. 
  
 So we plug it in and wait 40 mins until we take a listen.  Everything sounds flat, grainy, there is this annoying harshness that bothers him and myself. I tell him it probably needs a few days to breakin, lets leave it plugged in and let it marinate for some time. Two days latter I came over his place. I brought some extra usb wires, reclockers, and even my Intona in hopes that it would tame the harsheness.
  
 We take a listen.... So far so good... it's starting to open up.... few songs in and I hear the same harshness in the upper midrange. At this point the music no longer sounds good. My friend even went as far as saying that his $9 Apple dongle sounded better than Mimby .At this point he is starting to get buyers remorse.  To be fair, that dongle made the music lisenable without any harshness but was still flat and utterely boring. 
  
 I tried different sources to rule out any possibilities that the speakers were the problem. I tried with and without Wyrd in and chain and got mixed results. In both cases the harshness was still very much there. The only thing I haven't swapped was the CCK cable and RCA's.
  
 His chain: iPad CCK>Wyrd>Mimby> Vanatoo
  
 Did anyone have a similar experience? Most people's initial impressions seemed to be that Mimby sounded good out of the box and only got better, how long does the unit need to be broken in for? Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.


----------



## Jimster480

maxh22 said:


> I recently convinced my friend to buy a mimby for his new Vanatoo's, he recently got them and just got into the audio game. He ended up buying a Mimby, Wyrd, and some usb cables to hook them up. Fedex shows up on Friday and we plug it in to see how it sounds, I reminded him the Mimby needs atleast several dozen hours to breakin and start sounding good.
> 
> So we plug it in and wait 40 mins until we take a listen.  Everything sounds flat, grainy, there is this annoying harshness that bothers him and myself. I tell him it probably needs a few days to breakin, lets leave it plugged in and let it marinate for some time. Two days latter I came over his place. I brought some extra usb wires, reclockers, and even my Intona in hopes that it would tame the harsheness.
> 
> ...


 

 Possible that it is defective.


----------



## HipHopScribe

maxh22 said:


> I recently convinced my friend to buy a mimby for his new Vanatoo's, he recently got them and just got into the audio game. He ended up buying a Mimby, Wyrd, and some usb cables to hook them up. Fedex shows up on Friday and we plug it in to see how it sounds, I reminded him the Mimby needs atleast several dozen hours to breakin and start sounding good.
> 
> So we plug it in and wait 40 mins until we take a listen.  Everything sounds flat, grainy, there is this annoying harshness that bothers him and myself. I tell him it probably needs a few days to breakin, lets leave it plugged in and let it marinate for some time. Two days latter I came over his place. I brought some extra usb wires, reclockers, and even my Intona in hopes that it would tame the harsheness.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Having equipment that's more resolving and detailed can be a double edged sword. Well-recorded and mastered audio may sound better than ever, but if your audio is poorly recorded and/or poorly mastered, those flaws can be enhanced. It's possible something is wrong with his Mimby, but it may well be his music that's the problem.


----------



## maxh22

hiphopscribe said:


> Having equipment that's more resolving and detailed can be a double edged sword. Well-recorded and mastered audio may sound better than ever, but if your audio is poorly recorded and/or poorly mastered, those flaws can be enhanced. It's possible something is wrong with his Mimby, but it may well be his music that's the problem


 
 No no, I tested my music with both Spotify and Tidal, tracks I know very very well at home. The problem lies either with his Mimby or something else in the chain. I told him to wait a couple more days and just let Mimby burnin some more. Next time I come I will bring my own RCA's and my own CCK cable to rule those out. If the harshness is still there he will have to RMA the unit I suppose.
  
 Is there anything else I could try?


----------



## WutDaFunk

What's the general consensus regarding the Mimby's sound signature? I've been looking at possible end game setups to pair with the ZMF Atticus, and I've been thinking about getting the Mimby to pair with the Jotunheim. The Atticus is a very warm headphone, so I want a DAC that isn't warm as well. Is the Mimby warm? I don't want to spend more than 250 on a DAC if possible.


----------



## HipHopScribe

maxh22 said:


> No no, I tested my music with both Spotify and Tidal, tracks I know very very well at home. The problem lies either with his Mimby or something else in the chain. I told him to wait a couple more days and just let Mimby burnin some more. Next time I come I will bring my own RCA's and my own CCK cable to rule those out. If the harshness is still there he will have to RMA the unit I suppose.
> 
> Is there anything else I could try?


 
  
 You could try it on your system, in case there's something with his that could be causing an issue


----------



## gvl2016

wutdafunk said:


> What's the general consensus regarding the Mimby's sound signature? I've been looking at possible end game setups to pair with the ZMF Atticus, and I've been thinking about getting the Mimby to pair with the Jotunheim. The Atticus is a very warm headphone, so I want a DAC that isn't warm as well. Is the Mimby warm? I don't want to spend more than 250 on a DAC if possible.


 
  
 Not sure about the general consensus but my opinion it sounds a bit on the cold side of neutral, definitely not as warm sounding as my Arcam rDac. Should pair well with warm sounding gear.


----------



## WutDaFunk

gvl2016 said:


> Not sure about the general consensus but my opinion it sounds a bit on the cold side of neutral, definitely not as warm sounding as my Arcam rDac. Should pair well with warm sounding gear.


That's refreshing to hear! It's just, of the few impressions/comparisons I've read, people commented on a "full-bodied" low end. That was giving me the impression that the Mimby is warm, but I guess it could also mean the lows are just right where they should be?


----------



## gvl2016

wutdafunk said:


> That's refreshing to hear! It's just, of the few impressions/comparisons I've read, people commented on a "full-bodied" low end. That was giving me the impression that the Mimby is warm, but I guess it could also mean the lows are just right where they should be?


 
  
 That's certainly where I'd put it, there isn't exactly a lack of low end it produces but it is definitely not bloated or mushy. My only minor complaint I found it is overall a bit less musical and fluid and more mechanical or analytical than some other DACs i heard, but I suspect it is because of its neutral sounding character and/or how it pairs with my gear, or even my personal preferences.


----------



## winders

I would call Mimby accurate or neutral. I don't think it is on the cold side of neutral. You might think that coming from a DAC that is warm though. I think Mimby and Yggy are quite similar in their sound reproduction.


----------



## leeperry

IME IC's and PSU's can either make or break Mimby but that's pure placebo I'm sure


----------



## Jimmy24

wutdafunk said:


> That's refreshing to hear! It's just, of the few impressions/comparisons I've read, people commented on a "full-bodied" low end. That was giving me the impression that the Mimby is warm, but I guess it could also mean the lows are just right where they should be?


 
 I wouldn't say its warm but it does enhance the low end of your music. I use to listen to my Crack/Speedball + HD650 without DAC and it improved the sound immensely mostly for the bass and midrange. I'd say it still left me with the same neutral linear sound of the Amp and headphones I had before, just with more bass, soundstage, and power. I love it. I cannot get enough of it!


----------



## Jimmy24

maxh22 said:


> No no, I tested my music with both Spotify and Tidal, tracks I know very very well at home. The problem lies either with his Mimby or something else in the chain. I told him to wait a couple more days and just let Mimby burnin some more. Next time I come I will bring my own RCA's and my own CCK cable to rule those out. If the harshness is still there he will have to RMA the unit I suppose.
> 
> Is there anything else I could try?


 
 Hm, that is interesting that you are not getting the incredible sound that you should be hearing from the Mimby. I didn't need hours or even minutes of break in time. I heard the difference the first moment I turned it on. It is possible that you may have a defective Mimby if you hear a distinct harshness. I would send it back just to eliminate that possibility.


----------



## Jimster480

jimbo24 said:


> Hm, that is interesting that you are not getting the incredible sound that you should be hearing from the Mimby. I didn't need hours or even minutes of break in time. I heard the difference the first moment I turned it on. It is possible that you may have a defective Mimby if you hear a distinct harshness. I would send it back just to eliminate that possibility.


 

 I'm pretty sure its defective.


----------



## Porteroso

People's ears and opinions are so subjective, not to mention, when you change one component, your brain is basically being reprogrammed. Often people talk about this incredibly period of breakin, where the component is changing drastically, but in reality, it is their brain adjusting to the new sound. When you listen to the same pairing of components for days, months, years, and then you change, you will not really hear accurately. We are creatures of habit, so a breakin period is absolutely required, but not for the electronics, for your brain.
  
 Anyways, harshness is a term thrown around so much here, who knows what it actually means. I would say keep listening for a week or 2. If in that period, nothing has changed, contact schiit about it.


----------



## maxh22

porteroso said:


> People's ears and opinions are so subjective, not to mention, when you change one component, your brain is basically being reprogrammed. Often people talk about this incredibly period of breakin, where the component is changing drastically, but in reality, it is their brain adjusting to the new sound. When you listen to the same pairing of components for days, months, years, and then you change, you will not really hear accurately. We are creatures of habit, so a breakin period is absolutely required, but not for the electronics, for your brain.
> 
> Anyways, harshness is a term thrown around so much here, who knows what it actually means. I would say keep listening for a week or 2. If in that period, nothing has changed, contact schiit about it.


 
  
 Agreed, I own a Mojo and am well aware of brain burn-in with it and other dacs. I easily picked up on Mimby's unique sound signature and enjoyed listening to it for some time until I heard that harshness in the upper frequencies (sounds like distortion). When my friend got the Wyrd and Mimby he hooked it up himself, a theory I have is that the PSU either isn't plugged in all the way and Is a bit loose, or it is defective and not supplying enough voltage to Mimby. Or it could be Mimby's usb port that's a lemon. I don't know...
  
 Today or tomorrow I'm going to come by to do some more testing (and to isolate components). Most likely Mimby will be RMA'd if the problem can't be fixed.


----------



## rydoggsc2

rydoggsc2 said:


> It got warm but nothing too crazy.  I am also still in the winter months and keep my home very cool so that could be a factor.
> 
> I will keep you updated as I find out more.


 
 I said I would update the situation when I got my DAC back so here I am.
  
 I received it back today.  They found nothing wrong with it so it was sent back to me unchanged.  Waste of money sending it out to California.  I am feeling like I am done with it at this point and honestly would not recommend it to anyone if this is considered normal behavior.  Time to move on to something different.  I don't need a DAC of all things to be higher maintenance than my all tube amps or my PC.


----------



## winders

rydoggsc2 said:


> I said I would update the situation when I got my DAC back so here I am.
> 
> I received it back today.  They found nothing wrong with it so it was sent back to me unchanged.  Waste of money sending it out to California.  I am feeling like I am done with it at this point and honestly would not recommend it to anyone if this is considered normal behavior.  Time to move on to something different.  I don't need a DAC of all things to be higher maintenance than my all tube amps or my PC.


 

 Have your forgotten about this:
  


jason stoddard said:


> It may just be a glitch (Mike has written about this.) Any complex DSP-based product may have periodic glitches, especially when connected to noisy sources like computers. However, in an abundance of caution, I suspect we decided to take a look at this one.


 
  
 If they found nothing wrong testing the unit on their end, maybe there is something on your USB end causing it to glitch.


----------



## gvl2016

I experienced this glitch once when switching inputs, power cycling helped. No issues since then, I'm not going to sweat it.


----------



## Baldr

rydoggsc2 said:


> I received it back today.  They found nothing wrong with it so it was sent back to me unchanged.  Waste of money sending it out to California.  I am feeling like I am done with it at this point and honestly would not recommend it to anyone if this is considered normal behavior.  Time to move on to something different.  I don't need a DAC of all things to be higher maintenance than my all tube amps or my PC.


 
 I would suggest you try it with a different USB socket.  As time goes on, they become less reproducible.  It is also possible that you just plain do not like the sonic presentation of the Yggy.  Unusual, but it does happen.  We all have and are entitled to our own perceptions.


----------



## winders

gvl2016 said:


> I experienced this glitch once when switching inputs, power cycling helped. No issues since then, I'm not going to sweat it.


 

 Yes, I had the same issue when I went a little crazy and kept switching the inputs. It happened once with my MacBook coming out of sleep. Both times a power cycle fixed it.


----------



## bilboda

rydoggsc2 said:


> I said I would update the situation when I got my DAC back so here I am.
> 
> I received it back today.  They found nothing wrong with it so it was sent back to me unchanged.  Waste of money sending it out to California.  I am feeling like I am done with it at this point and honestly would not recommend it to anyone if this is considered normal behavior.  Time to move on to something different.  I don't need a DAC of all things to be higher maintenance than my all tube amps or my PC.


 
 I don't have a Schiit dac, sitting on the fence. I use an Aune x1s. I have experienced what you have though, so I thought I'd chime in. I ultimately traced it to an rca cable on the output. It makes noise and drops out on odd occasions. Oddly, when I go to remove it,(tight fit, twist and pull) it wakes right up and plays just fine. Oxidation or something, I don't know. It just works fine before the cable comes off so I have't gone further. I guess I am too lazy but I am leaning on the connection being too lazy, needing a pinch and twist to get back in the game.
 Consider getting off of USB completely. I am using a pi and 502dac hat now with only 3 cables, iFi feeding power at the hat, ethernet and coax spdif,  Much improved over the USB setup. Win10 ,ssd's ,Fidelizer Pro, Uptone regen. My sound did improve when I added the regen and Fidelizer pro. It's a much bigger upgrade now that I skip USB altogether. I stream from the pc using Logitech Media Server and picoreplayer on the pi, small footprintl software that loads music to memory before play back.


----------



## ronnel0918

Black Modi Multibit now available on Schiit website! Now I just need the cash to buy it together with black Jotunheim...


----------



## Drrizzt

I just bought the mimby, i wonder how big will be the improvement between my Hifimediy 9018k2m and the mb (with a Lcd-3 and Mjolnir).
  
 250€, that's quite a lot for me for a dac. I'm really hoping for a big step up.


----------



## Jimster480

maxh22 said:


> Agreed, I own a Mojo and am well aware of brain burn-in with it and other dacs. I easily picked up on Mimby's unique sound signature and enjoyed listening to it for some time until I heard that harshness in the upper frequencies (sounds like distortion). When my friend got the Wyrd and Mimby he hooked it up himself, a theory I have is that the PSU either isn't plugged in all the way and Is a bit loose, or it is defective and not supplying enough voltage to Mimby. Or it could be Mimby's usb port that's a lemon. I don't know...
> 
> Today or tomorrow I'm going to come by to do some more testing (and to isolate components). Most likely Mimby will be RMA'd if the problem can't be fixed.


 

 Wyrd won't fix any of those problems.
 Wyrd is to fix cutting out / static problems that happen when the Power supply from the USB port is not linear due to cheap motherboard capacitors.


----------



## darkarn

drrizzt said:


> I just bought the mimby, i wonder how big will be the improvement between my Hifimediy 9018k2m and the mb (with a Lcd-3 and Mjolnir).
> 
> 250€, that's quite a lot for me for a dac. I'm really hoping for a big step up.


 
  
  
 It will be a step up, really. You are jumping from a portable Delta Sigma DAC to a "proper" desktop R2R DAC. YMMV as per usual in the audiophile world!


----------



## Jimster480

darkarn said:


> It will be a HUGE step up, really. You are jumping from a portable Delta Sigma DAC to a "proper" desktop R2R DAC.


 

 Don't set the bar too high.


----------



## Pahani

porteroso said:


> People's ears and opinions are so subjective, not to mention, when you change one component, your brain is basically being reprogrammed. Often people talk about this incredibly period of breakin, where the component is changing drastically, but in reality, it is their brain adjusting to the new sound. When you listen to the same pairing of components for days, months, years, and then you change, you will not really hear accurately. We are creatures of habit, so a breakin period is absolutely required, but not for the electronics, for your brain.
> 
> Anyways, harshness is a term thrown around so much here, who knows what it actually means. I would say keep listening for a week or 2. If in that period, nothing has changed, contact schiit about it.


 
 Ehh, my personal belief is that both versions of "burn in" are valid, and vary in importance and extent with each piece of equipment; and in the case of brain burn-in, from person to person.
  
 I just purchased a suite of Definitive Technology speakers for my HT setup a couple weeks ago...and in the documentation, they half-jokingly refer to it as "conditioning" 
  
 I'm not trying to start (yet another) long-winded discussion on the matter, so that's all I'll say on the subject.


----------



## darkarn

jimster480 said:


> Don't set the bar too high.


 
  
 Point taken!


----------



## Spider fan

drrizzt said:


> I just bought the mimby, i wonder how big will be the improvement between my Hifimediy 9018k2m and the mb (with a Lcd-3 and Mjolnir).
> 
> 250€, that's quite a lot for me for a dac. I'm really hoping for a big step up.


 

 When I went from my Hifime 9018 to my Bifrost uber it cleaned up the harshness sometimes shrilliness of the upper mids/treble that some of my headphones or earbuds were showing.  I think that alone will be a noticable improvement for you.  From my reading the Mimby is smoother and more organic than the bifrost uber so your improvement should be more than mine.  Also, you have better headphones and amp than I do so maybe that will magnify the the improvement you see over what I got.   Hope So!!


----------



## kwatch

I had my Mimby exactly one week and I am happy with it.  It's stacked with Asgard 2 using the PYST 6" RCA cables. It's getting too much heat from Asgard.  I like to put Mimby side by side with Asgard. 6" cable is too short.  Please recommend me the RCA cable I can use.  Thanks.


----------



## Letmebefrank

kwatch said:


> I had my Mimby exactly one week and I am happy with it.  It's stacked with Asgard 2 using the PYST 6" RCA cables. It's getting too much heat from Asgard.  I like to put Mimby side by side with Asgard. 6" cable is too short.  Please recommend me the RCA cable I can use.  Thanks.


 
  
 I like Blue Jeans Cable RCA pairs, reasonably priced and very well built. I use their S/PDIF Coax cable for my Mimby, custom 12" belden RCA from Mimby to SYS, and 3' BJC RCA to Jotunheim.
  
 edit: here is a picture of my cable setup. The other "output" on my reversed SYS is some cheap Monster RCA cables that go to my speaker amp, SMSL SA-50 which feeds Micca MB42x with a Dayton Sub-800 in-between.


----------



## winders

RCA/BNC SPDIF cables should be at least 1.5 meters. This is due to how reflections happen in the cable.


----------



## MWSVette

kwatch said:


> I had my Mimby exactly one week and I am happy with it.  It's stacked with Asgard 2 using the PYST 6" RCA cables. It's getting too much heat from Asgard.  I like to put Mimby side by side with Asgard. 6" cable is too short.  Please recommend me the RCA cable I can use.  Thanks.


 

 I use these.  They are made by Straightwire the company that makes the Pyst cables for Schiit.  They come in a variety of lengths to meet your needs.
  
https://www.amazon.com/Straight-Wire-Musicable-Meter-Interconnect/dp/B00CRL7SPK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491588434&sr=8-2&keywords=straightwire+rca+musicable


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> RCA/BNC SPDIF cables should be at least 1.5 meters. This is due to how reflections happen in the cable.


 

 Reflections?
 I've never heard this before.


----------



## Jimster480

kwatch said:


> I had my Mimby exactly one week and I am happy with it.  It's stacked with Asgard 2 using the PYST 6" RCA cables. It's getting too much heat from Asgard.  I like to put Mimby side by side with Asgard. 6" cable is too short.  Please recommend me the RCA cable I can use.  Thanks.


 

 Anything monoprice that is shielded.


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Reflections?
> I've never heard this before.


 

 Then it must not be valid!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm


----------



## Letmebefrank

You guys just love to pick at each other, don't you? Lol


----------



## winders

letmebefrank said:


> You guys just love to pick at each other, don't you? Lol


 

 Come on. You know I make all that stuff up, right? Why would I want to put out real information when I can spread fake information?


----------



## gregcss

Is the black case new or has this been offered before. Asking because I'd to see some pics of those out in the wild.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Then it must not be valid!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Any of these individual components may cause a reflection on the transmission line if they are not 75 ohms characteristic impedance. 
  
 Its based around impedance and not length


----------



## winders

jimster480 said:


> Any of these individual components may cause a reflection on the transmission line if they are not 75 ohms characteristic impedance.
> 
> Its based around impedance and not length


 

 Only you could read that and come away saying that length is not also important.......
  
 You comments are worthless to me. On the ignore you list you go.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Only you could read that and come away saying that length is not also important.......
> 
> You comments are worthless to me. On the ignore you list you go.


 
 I mean you do believe in magic cables making a difference in sound quality.
  
 But they have a list of what could cause these problems, and length is not a problem. As long as the impedance is balanced for the length it actually doesn't change the characteristics of how the signal would be transmitted.


----------



## TB1

Ordered Modi Mulribit for the computer. Spending time comparing with Oppo BDP-95 in living room. Crazy value. Very similar. Oppo slightly extends treble and soundstage width/depth. Modi treble a bit more relaxed and smooth. Thanks Schiit!


----------



## Jimster480

tb1 said:


> Ordered Modi Mulribit for the computer. Spending time comparing with Oppo BDP-95 in living room. Crazy value. Very similar. Oppo slightly extends treble and soundstage width/depth. Modi treble a bit more relaxed and smooth. Thanks Schiit!


 

 Nice,
 Have you used both side by side yet?


----------



## TB1

Yes side by side- adcom preamp switching speakers and headphones (schiit Jotunheim senn 600)


----------



## chicken beer

How the Mimby has a black finish option!!!
  
 Buy buy buy!!!!!!!! Cutting my hand.
  
 http://schiit.com/products/modi-2


----------



## CarlosUnchained

I would like to see more pictures of black chasis before purchasing. I only saw the Jot.


----------



## MWSVette

carlosunchained said:


> I would like to see more pictures of black chasis before purchasing. I only saw the Jot.


 

 Just Google Black Schiit and click on images.  There are dozens...


----------



## ilcg1

chicken beer said:


> How the Mimby has a black finish option!!!
> 
> Buy buy buy!!!!!!!! Cutting my hand.
> 
> http://schiit.com/products/modi-2




I'm thinking about that too - i've just purchased black jot (amp only) and have regular finish Mimby.


----------



## chicken beer

ilcg1 said:


> I'm thinking about that too - i've just purchased black jot (amp only) and have regular finish Mimby.




Man! Dat Mimby just looks like he don't belong there haha~


----------



## chicken beer

mwsvette said:


> Just Google Black Schiit and click on images.  There are dozens...





Not black mimby yet!


----------



## chicken beer

carlosunchained said:


> I would like to see more pictures of black chasis before purchasing. I only saw the Jot.




Oh man! You should buy it, it's gonna look good in black, just imagine that in your mind and you'll figure it out!


----------



## RiflemanFirst

I'd totally buy the black chassis/cover for my Mimby and Vali 2 if they were both available.


----------



## ilcg1

chicken beer said:


> Man! Dat Mimby just looks like he don't belong there haha~




Doesn't quite fit Darth Vader style lol )))


----------



## chicken beer

ilcg1 said:


> Doesn't quite fit Darth Vader style lol )))


----------



## chicken beer

riflemanfirst said:


> I'd totally buy the black chassis/cover for my Mimby and Vali 2 if they were both available.




Oh man! You're right~ it would be great black combo!


----------



## schaefer

I didn't know there was a black finish option! Neato. Good Schiit.


----------



## RickB

schaefer said:


> I didn't know there was a black finish option! Neato. Good Schiit.


 
 It's only sporadic, so if you want one you have to move fast.


----------



## schaefer

rickb said:


> It's only sporadic, so if you want one you have to move fast.


 

 Thanks for the heads up!!!


----------



## Alchemist007

You can also make your own _removable_ black/other color casing with plasti dip.


----------



## Drrizzt

Hi, 

I just bought a second hand modi multibit from a headfier, this is a 110v model and i need some 210v as i live in Europe. 

I was wondering if this adapter would be ok ? 

http://www.skross.com/en/product/134/country-adapter-world-to-europe-usb.html

It doesn't convert the voltage to 210v, but maybe the ac adapter from the modi is able to switch itself to 210v ? 

Thanks folks. 

I really look forward to hear that multibit schiit !


----------



## ilcg1

drrizzt said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just bought a second hand modi multibit from a headfier, this is a 110v model and i need some 210v as i live in Europe.
> 
> ...




I think all you need to do is to buy 220v wall wart and that's it. It's like $10 direct from schiit.


----------



## Drrizzt

ilcg1 said:


> I think all you need to do is to buy 220v wall wart and that's it. It's like $10 direct from schiit.




I see, thanks ! 

I guess all I need is a wall wart that has the same plug as the modi, as i can buy one at my local store, correct ?


----------



## ilcg1

drrizzt said:


> I see, thanks !
> 
> I guess all I need is a wall wart that has the same plug as the modi, as i can buy one at my local store, correct ?




And other things like voltage - you can find it on the wall wart you have. Check with schiit Europe - they should have them in stock.


----------



## Jimmy24

Dang! Why did the black one have to come out literally a few days after I bought the silver one?


----------



## RickB

drrizzt said:


> I see, thanks !
> 
> I guess all I need is a wall wart that has the same plug as the modi, as i can buy one at my local store, correct ?


 
 The wallwart is AC. Most AC adapters are DC. You really want the right one from Schiit.


----------



## Jimster480

I finally pulled the trigger on this. The black one was too enticing. Even if I don't like it or don't need it later I know I can sell it easily!


----------



## RiflemanFirst

jimster480 said:


> I finally pulled the trigger on this. The black one was too enticing. Even if I don't like it or don't need it later I know I can sell it easily!


 
  
 I think after giving it a try you will like it then decide that you need it!


----------



## psklenar

My Audioengine D1 died.  I decided to take a step up the DAC driving my Audioengine A5+'s ...
  

  
 Thanks for the positive vibes that pushed me this way folks! 
 pat----


----------



## gvl2016

rickb said:


> The wallwart is AC. Most AC adapters are DC. You really want the right one from Schiit.




Nah, there are plenty of wall transformers (ac/ac adapters) out there, just pick one with the right connector, voltage and power rating, however if the price ends up about the same I don't see a reason not to buy one from Schiit.


----------



## Jimster480

riflemanfirst said:


> I think after giving it a try you will like it then decide that you need it!


 
 Lol we will see. I plan on using it with my TV in my new house for some powered monitors


----------



## hagenhays

Can anyone on here direct me to a good turntable forum. 
I was really pleased with the feedback on dacs..(I went with the mimby and it!)

Now I'm trying to decide between 3-4 tt's with $1k budget.

Thanks


----------



## jimbop54

Check out the Vinyl forum at Audio Asylum


----------



## fritobugger

drrizzt said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just bought a second hand modi multibit from a headfier, this is a 110v model and i need some 210v as i live in Europe.
> 
> ...


 
  

 The plug adapter you linked will not work.  You either need a step down transformer to convert 210V to 110V or you need to get the appropriate power supply/wall wart from Schiit or one that puts out the exact same power as the Schiit one.


----------



## AviP

psklenar said:


> My Audioengine D1 died.  I decided to take a step up the DAC driving my Audioengine A5+'s ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How does it sound with the D5+'s? I'm looking into getting speakers and I'm considering the D5+ with a Modi Multibit. Another option I'm considering is LSR305's connected to Modi Multibit either via a SYS or a dbx goRack. If anyone has any other ideas, I'd be interested in hearing them. Thanks!


----------



## winders

You want great powered monitors? Look at these:
  
 https://www.chanemusiccinema.com/m200mkiii
  
 They are way better than the A5+.


----------



## conquerator2

Or the Equator D5s


----------



## AviP

winders said:


> You want great powered monitors? Look at these:
> 
> https://www.chanemusiccinema.com/m200mkiii
> 
> They are way better than the A5+.







conquerator2 said:


> Or the Equator D5s



Thanks! Both look interesting, but unfortunately, neither of them are available in Israel. I really don't want to deal with customs, so ordering then from overseas won't work.


----------



## psklenar

avip said:


> How does it sound with the D5+'s? I'm looking into getting speakers and I'm considering the D5+ with a Modi Multibit. Another option I'm considering is LSR305's connected to Modi Multibit either via a SYS or a dbx goRack. If anyone has any other ideas, I'd be interested in hearing them. Thanks!


 
*AviP*,
  
 I've only had the Schiit pieces since last Thursday (I think it was), but I've spent some hours with both games and music flowing through them and the A5+ and am *really* pleased with the sound.  The A5+ has a volume control on the front, I really didn't need the SYS, but my speakers are set back a bit behind the monitor and having the SYS's volume up front is just convenience.  But again, I find the sound of the combination to be *very* nice!
  
 pat----


----------



## CarlosUnchained

So in the $500 range would be better to avoid A5+?
  
 What about Emotiva's Airmotiv 5s?


----------



## Jimster480

avip said:


> How does it sound with the D5+'s? I'm looking into getting speakers and I'm considering the D5+ with a Modi Multibit. Another option I'm considering is LSR305's connected to Modi Multibit either via a SYS or a dbx goRack. If anyone has any other ideas, I'd be interested in hearing them. Thanks!


 

 Check out the R-15M or PM from Klipsch.
 I also heard Swan M50 is good.


----------



## 2bxfile

Greetings:
  
 Re:  Looking for some help in choosing an external DAC that might help with brightness because of an unfortunate and negative hearing condition I've developed:  hyperacusis.
  
 I'm looking to add an external DAC to my simple 2 channel amp system which includes: 
 1 - Speakers:  Monitor Audio Bronze 2.  I purchased these because of their "sweet" sounding tweeter.
 2 - Integrated Amplifier:  Cambridge CXA 60 which is a little on the bright side with its onboard DAC > 192kHz/24-bit Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC.
 3 - Source:  Marantz CD 6400 which has a 24-bit Wolfson WM8740 DAC.
  
 I'm listening to the Marantz's DAC now as it is a little warmer and fuller to me as compared to the Cambridge's thinner; brighter and a bit harsher presentation.
  
 I was looking at the Schitt Modi Multibit for price and also the feedback that I had been hearing.  But, someone a few pages back described it's sound signature as bright or harsh in the highs if I remember correctly which makes me wonder if the Mimby is ideal for me.  Also, I live outside of the USA and to audition and send it back is not cost desirable.
  
 So, if anyone has any suggestions, questions or helps in any way shape or form that they could offer me through their experience, I would be ever so grateful.  I find that I have to now listen at a low volume level which is not the greatest because I've experienced that equipment sounds incrementally better as volume increases - to a point.
  
 Thanks so much fellas,


----------



## Odin412

2bxfile said:


> I was looking at the Schitt Modi Multibit for price and also the feedback that I had been hearing.  But, someone a few pages back described it's sound signature as bright or harsh in the highs if I remember correctly which makes me wonder if the Mimby is ideal for me.  Also, I live outside of the USA and to audition and send it back is not cost desirable.


 
  
 I can't speak how well it will suit you, but I can share my experience. I'm very sensitive to bright treble and I really enjoy the Modi Multibit in my 2-channel system and the Bifrost Multibit in my headphone rig. The Schiit Multibit DACs have great bass, very good sense of space and very 'real' sounding presentation of human voices, IMHO.


----------



## gvl2016

2bxfile said:


> Greetings:
> 
> Re:  Looking for some help in choosing an external DAC that might help with brightness because of an unfortunate and negative hearing condition I've developed:  hyperacusis.


 
  
 To my ears Wolfson-based Arcam rDac is noticeably warmer and softer than the Modi Multibit. You may want to look into NOS DACs, if your material is up to 16bit/96kHz have a look at TDA1543 based DACs, they are relatively inexpensive.


----------



## lentoviolento

gvl2016 said:


> To my ears Wolfson-based Arcam rDac is noticeably warmer and softer than the Modi Multibit. You may want to look into NOS DACs, if your material is up to 16bit/96kHz have a look at TDA1543 based DACs, they are relatively inexpensive.




What about ifi's burr brown in micro idsd? I find mimby a little bright too...


----------



## 2bxfile

odin412 said:


> I can't speak how well it will suit you, but I can share my experience. I'm very sensitive to bright treble and I really enjoy the Modi Multibit in my 2-channel system and the Bifrost Multibit in my headphone rig. The Schiit Multibit DACs have great bass, very good sense of space and very 'real' sounding presentation of human voices, IMHO.


 

 Thanks Odin:
  
 Would you say that both your amp and speakers are on the warm side and so if the Mimby is a bit bright as a DAC, your other two components would be softening the resulting sound?


----------



## 2bxfile

gvl2016 said:


> To my ears Wolfson-based Arcam rDac is noticeably warmer and softer than the Modi Multibit. You may want to look into NOS DACs, if your material is up to 16bit/96kHz have a look at TDA1543 based DACs, they are relatively inexpensive.


 

 Thanks gvl:
  
 I'm a bit of a novice.  Could you explain when you say, "if your material is up to 16bit/96kHz..."?  How does one tell if their source material is at that rate?  Also, if it is not, then I won't be able to use the TDA1543 based DACs?


----------



## 2bxfile

lentoviolento said:


> What about ifi's burr brown in micro idsd? I find mimby a little bright too...


 

 Hello lentoviolento:
  
 Have you heard that this product is warm in it's presentation?  Do you have a price on it?


----------



## Odin412

2bxfile said:


> Thanks Odin:
> 
> Would you say that both your amp and speakers are on the warm side and so if the Mimby is a bit bright as a DAC, your other two components would be softening the resulting sound?


 

 ​Good point, and the answer is probably yes, they would soften the sound. My amp is an Audioengine N22, which is definitely warm sounding with a slightly rolled-off treble. My speakers are Zu Audio Omen Dirty Weekend, which aren't particularly warm sounding, but they are also not bright.


----------



## Drrizzt

It's very interesting to jump from an entry level analytic dac to the Mimby.
  
 It's been two days that i try to figure out the sound of it. At first i was puzzled, disapointed, it just didn't have the sparkling effect of my previous Hifmediy 90k2m, it sounded a little bit veiled to my ears, the first couple of days i was telling myself i wanted to sold it.
  
 The psychoacoustic is something very interesting to think about in this hobby, because it took me two days to step bak a little bit from the search of the tiny lost details in the music, to step back from my analytic (disapointed) mind. I got relaxed and only then i realized th magical effect of the r2r dac, it's all about the absolute natural flow of music, cohesivevness and simple enjoyment.
  
 Only once i putted aside my analytic mind, i was able to have this realisation.
  
  
 I guess this is one of the reason why we like this hobby beyond the enjoymend of the music, it forces to rewires our brain.


----------



## gvl2016

2bxfile said:


> Thanks gvl:
> 
> I'm a bit of a novice.  Could you explain when you say, "if your material is up to 16bit/96kHz..."?  How does one tell if their source material is at that rate?  Also, if it is not, then I won't be able to use the TDA1543 based DACs?




Your music player should usually tell the format. CDs are 16bit/44.1kHz, same same goes for most streaming services such as Spotify with one difference the data is compressed so there's some quality loss to begin with. You could downsample hi-res material to make it DAC-compatible but it defeats the purpose to have hi-res.


----------



## Jimster480

I finally got a Mimby, what I can say is that its Loud. When plugged into the same amp at the same volume its louder than my Topping D30 which makes it seem like it has more details, but leveling out the volume it sounds about the same.

 I haven't done any in-depth listening though and probably won't before I move into my new house.


----------



## lentoviolento

Anyone comparing mimby to ifi idsd?


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I finally got a Mimby, what I can say is that its Loud. When plugged into the same amp at the same volume its louder than my Topping D30 which makes it seem like it has more details, but leveling out the volume it sounds about the same.
> 
> I haven't done any in-depth listening though and probably won't before I move into my new house.


 
  
 It is loud but it is also as load as other 2VRMS DACs are, and I'm finding that 2VRMS is too hot for many amps out there.


----------



## gregcss

Hmmm. Deciding to replace my new Emotiva Little Ego with Mimby, and replace my DacMagic with the Little Ego, and then replace etymotic IEM with Meze Neo. Vicious cycle.


----------



## 2bxfile

gvl2016 said:


> Your music player should usually tell the format. CDs are 16bit/44.1kHz, same same goes for most streaming services such as Spotify with one difference the data is compressed so there's some quality loss to begin with. You could downsample hi-res material to make it DAC-compatible but it defeats the purpose to have hi-res.


 

 Thanks gvl.  Also, can you explain your following statement for me?  "I'm finding that 2VRMS is too hot for many amps out there."
  
 Thanks


----------



## gvl2016

2bxfile said:


> Thanks gvl.  Also, can you explain your following statement for me?  "I'm finding that 2VRMS is too hot for many amps out there."
> 
> Thanks


 
  
 2V (RMS) seems to be the standard output level for DACs these days. In simple terms it means that most DACs are too loud for amps, so the amp's volume knob has very limited useful range to like 10 o'clock where it becomes too loud, especially with efficient speakers/headphones. More details on RMS if interested: http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/accircuits/rms-voltage.html


----------



## 2bxfile

gvl2016 said:


> 2V (RMS) seems to be the standard output level for DACs these days. In simple terms it means that most DACs are too loud for amps, so the amp's volume knob has very limited useful range to like 10 o'clock where it becomes too loud, especially with efficient speakers/headphones. More details on RMS if interested: http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/accircuits/rms-voltage.html


 

 Thanks gvl.  I understand now.  That could become annoying.


----------



## Drrizzt

Good to know that If the dac is plugged through usb to a pc, the volume it can lowered on windows (or mac or...).


----------



## gvl2016

drrizzt said:


> Good to know that If the dac is plugged through usb to a pc, the volume it can be lowered on windows (or mac or...).


 
  
 Yes, but depending on circumstances and the extent of lowering this may lead to loss of detail. Common thinking it is best to control volume in the analog domain leaving PC player/system sliders at 100%, but there are other opinions as well. Also this is less true if your 16 bit material is converted to 24bit, then lowering volume shouldn't cause to lose the details as they weren't there in the first place anyway. Some DACs have variable output levels so that they can be used as pre-amps. There are also old-good level attenuators as well you can place upstream of the DAC to lover the signal level before feeding it into the amp.


----------



## Jacobh

gvl2016 said:


> There are also old-good level attenuators as well you can place upstream of the DAC to lover the signal level before feeding it into the amp.




I use a Schiit Sys for this purpose since it provides variable attenuation and lets you feed in a second source if desired.


----------



## almarti

Is this normal?
Mimby in 24/7 since arrived 3 months ago. Just got a bbbzzzzz on left channel in high frequencies of each song. Different A/B/C testing discard the integrated amp as source of bbbzzzzz on left channel.

Both Mimby and amp switched off and unplugged for 5 min and everything went to normal, no bbbzzzzz.

Is this normal? Bbbzzzzz was with both coax and TOSLINK inputs with Chromecast Video and Chromecast Audio respectively. When using with Mojo as DCA in line out setup no issues with same connectivity.

By the way Mojo is ahead of Mimby.


----------



## lentoviolento

almarti said:


> Is this normal?
> Mimby in 24/7 since arrived 3 months ago. Just got a bbbzzzzz on left channel in high frequencies of each song. Different A/B/C testing discard the integrated amp as source of bbbzzzzz on left channel.
> 
> Both Mimby and amp switched off and unplugged for 5 min and everything went to normal, no bbbzzzzz.
> ...




Do you like mojo more than mimby? Why?


----------



## almarti

lentoviolento said:


> Do you like mojo more than mimby? Why?




Better bass, soundstage and details in the mids. It is a higher level product, Mojo over Mimby


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> 2V (RMS) seems to be the standard output level for DACs these days. In simple terms it means that most DACs are too loud for amps, so the amp's volume knob has very limited useful range to like 10 o'clock where it becomes too loud, especially with efficient speakers/headphones. More details on RMS if interested: http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/accircuits/rms-voltage.html


 

 Yea the D30 has a max voltage of 2.1 but something makes me think its not actually outputting that voltage since mimby is so loud in comparison.


----------



## gvl2016

almarti said:


> Is this normal?
> Mimby in 24/7 since arrived 3 months ago. Just got a bbbzzzzz on left channel in high frequencies of each song. Different A/B/C testing discard the integrated amp as source of bbbzzzzz on left channel.
> 
> Both Mimby and amp switched off and unplugged for 5 min and everything went to normal, no bbbzzzzz.
> ...


 
  
 Some of us have experienced a similar effect that was also cured by power cycling the DAC. Sounds like there an obscure bug in Schiit DSP. Normal? I'd say no.


----------



## RickB

gvl2016 said:


> Some of us have experienced a similar effect that was also cured by power cycling the DAC. Sounds like there an obscure bug in Schiit DSP. Normal? I'd say no.


 
  
 To quote Baldr:
  


> Random electrostatic pulses, minor line brownouts, and even minor emps into poorly shielded cables can cause the DSP processor in the Mimby to slip a bit and exhibit odd sounds.  In that case, a quick reset by cycling power will clear all up.  No worries.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Some of us have experienced a similar effect that was also cured by power cycling the DAC. Sounds like there an obscure bug in Schiit DSP. Normal? I'd say no.


 

 I have also experienced the cut out / pop with the Mimby although its alot less often than with the Fulla 2.


----------



## vcmusik

I too just experienced the high-pitched ringing in the left channel of my Mimby this morning. At first I thought it was tube microphonics or something wrong with my headphones. Checked all the tubes I had with my Vali 2, and they all had the same issue. Power-cycled the Mimby and it was gone.


----------



## Jimster480

Yea so I found that actually this cut out / pop happens very frequently with quieter music (although I believe I had this observation before with my Fulla2). Except that the Fulla 2 rarely has an issue with this desktop and mostly had an issue with the laptops, now mimby has the issue with this desktop.
  
 If I listen to rap / hip hop / electronic music its much less frequent but it still happens. But its actually extremely frequent on Jazz/Classical.

 I have now gone back to using my Topping D30 as it has none of those problems on the same machine (neither does the SMSL M8).


----------



## gvl2016

I've had my share of problems with marginal USB ports and/or DAC interfaces, some DAC would work in a USB port and others won't. The Mimby was actually better than some others, I never experienced cutouts with it. Avoid using USB 3.0 ports if possible, try a good quality USB hub or maybe Schiit Wyrd or some other audiophile-duty USB conditioner.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I've had my share of problems with marginal USB ports and/or DAC interfaces, some DAC would work in a USB port and others won't. The Mimby was actually better than some others, I never experienced cutouts with it. Avoid using USB 3.0 ports if possible, try a good quality USB hub or maybe Schiit Wyrd or some other audiophile-duty USB conditioner.


 
 Not really a point when I can just use other products that work lol
 After I rebuild this computer I'll try it with the Optical in.
  
 Otherwise its just going to go on one of my TV's for speakers and call it a day.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Not really a point when I can just use other products that work lol
> After I rebuild this computer I'll try it with the Optical in.
> 
> Otherwise its just going to go on one of my TV's for speakers and call it a day.


 
  
 Why not if it gives better SQ than other products. FYI optical is inferior to USB and Coax.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Why not if it gives better SQ than other products. FYI optical is inferior to USB and Coax.


 

 I really don't hear a difference between the D30 and the Mimby. Maybe a SLIGHTLY deeper tonal reproduction, and its louder (which I don't need).
 I have the M8 also and its louder than the D30 but not as loud as the Mimby.
  
 As far as Coax output.... idk about motherboards having support for that so I'll just try optical later on and see.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I really don't hear a difference between the D30 and the Mimby. Maybe a SLIGHTLY deeper tonal reproduction, and its louder (which I don't need).


 
 Then I don't see a reason to keep it, send it back to Schiit, buy another D30, and call it a day with extra $100 in your pocket.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Then I don't see a reason to keep it, send it back to Schiit, buy another D30, and call it a day with extra $100 in your pocket.


 
 I'll try it out with my Klipsch R-15PM's first because I can connect the Mimby to my TV via Optical.


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> I'll try it out with my Klipsch R-15PM's first because I can connect the Mimby to my TV via Optical.


 
  
 And what will you be using it for on TV, movies?


----------



## cubed4life

Modi Multibit came in last week, yes quick shipping. Really liking it with PC and PS4 Pro. For PC I'm replacing 4 year old Asus STX sound card. I was surprised there was such a big difference in sound. Call me a piggy in Schiit...... Has that one been used before?


----------



## fritobugger

jimster480 said:


> Yea so I found that actually this cut out / pop happens very frequently with quieter music (although I believe I had this observation before with my Fulla2). Except that the Fulla 2 rarely has an issue with this desktop and mostly had an issue with the laptops, now mimby has the issue with this desktop.
> 
> If I listen to rap / hip hop / electronic music its much less frequent but it still happens. But its actually extremely frequent on Jazz/Classical.
> 
> ...




I guess I should consider myself lucky since I haven't experienced this even once so far.


----------



## darkarn

Hmm I wonder if that power cycling tip should be in Mimby's FAQ section since it is been asked about quite a few times (mea culpa!) in this thread already?


----------



## Pahani

As an aside, for people that have Driver troubles with Schiit DACs and Windows 10, try a complete reinstall of Windows.
  
 I just threw a new SSD in my PC (so precisely zero chance any old driver fragments were still hanging around). Installed Win10 Pro from USB. Schiit just worked.
  
 No drivers needed, not even the Schiit-supplied ones.


----------



## swspiers

Hey all, now that Schiit is starting to actually offer BLACK, I bought a Mimby.

Well, kinda. It was either run my Sonos into the Mimby via coax to feed my Burson Soloist, OR buy an Yggy and a Woo WA6SE. Since I'm still in school, the Mimby won...

And it's BLACK!!!!!


----------



## tamleo

Hello,
Do you guys think that there is a "match" beetween amp and dac? I used Mimby with my Asgard 2 and Mangni2u and I did not like the sound. These combos are just too flat and boring and over-analytic. Then I tried the dac with the Vali2 and prefered this combo much better. I didn't like the Vali2 with my old Modi2u but loved the Asgard2 and Magni2u with that dac though.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> And what will you be using it for on TV, movies?


 

 Yes, TV and movies.


----------



## Jimster480

pahani said:


> As an aside, for people that have Driver troubles with Schiit DACs and Windows 10, try a complete reinstall of Windows.
> 
> I just threw a new SSD in my PC (so precisely zero chance any old driver fragments were still hanging around). Installed Win10 Pro from USB. Schiit just worked.
> 
> No drivers needed, not even the Schiit-supplied ones.


 

 That's not worth the time and it also won't fix the problem.


----------



## Jacobh

Seems like overkill for the application


----------



## gvl2016

jimster480 said:


> Yes, TV and movies.


 
  
 Seems wasteful as you won't be able to get the most out of the device in this application. Your Klipsch active speakers already have a likely decent DAC built-in, there is really no need for another $250 sitting between your TV and the speakers.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Seems wasteful as you won't be able to get the most out of the device in this application. Your Klipsch active speakers already have a likely decent DAC built-in, there is really no need for another $250 sitting between your TV and the speakers.


 

 Well when I finish moving I'm going to test it on my speakers and see how it sounds if its worth keeping at all.


----------



## maxh22

gvl2016 said:


> Seems wasteful as you won't be able to get the most out of the device in this application. Your Klipsch active speakers already have a likely decent DAC built-in, there is really no need for another $250 sitting between your TV and the speakers.




 Watching movies with a good dedicated dac always makes things more exciting and immersive, especially hearing all those tiny and intricate details you don't really hear on a conventional dac. It makes everything that much better


----------



## Jimster480

maxh22 said:


> Watching movies with a good dedicated dac always makes things more exciting and immersive, especially hearing all those tiny and intricate details you don't really hear on a conventional dac. It makes everything that much better


 

 Well I have to say I hear amazing detail with the Klipsch speakers already as vocals and other sound effects literally have a 3D feel to them.
 I just want to see if mimby can top that.


----------



## bilboda

jimster480 said:


> That's not worth the time and it also won't fix the problem.


 

 I've had the Mimby for a week.  I am using a regen. WIN10 was an update install from WIN7. Didn't have to do a thing Bughead started using a generic ASIO driver immediately.


----------



## maxh22

jimster480 said:


> Well I have to say I hear amazing detail with the Klipsch speakers already as vocals and other sound effects literally have a 3D feel to them.
> I just want to see if mimby can top that.




It should improve upon the built-in dac if everything else in the chain is good. Try it and tell us in this thread.


----------



## Pahani

jimster480 said:


> That's not worth the time and it also won't fix the problem.


 
 On the contrary. It does work. I just did it 
  
 *edit* I think you read too much into my above post. My Schiit was already working perfectly..the new SSD and Windows reinstall were completely unrelated but necessary for other reasons.
  
 THE PART of my Windows reinstall I was dreading was getting my Schiit back up and running, because of all the horror stories I've read in this thread and others. What I thought had the potential to be the trickiest part of my reinstall proved to be a non-issue.
  
 SO, I reiterate: if you have problems with Schiit USB drivers and Windows 10, try a Windows reinstall.


----------



## Jacobh

Did you try completely removing the old drivers first? While I believe reinstalling Windows will work, that seems like it would be a last resort (and not necessary) for most people.


----------



## gregorio

maxh22 said:


> Watching movies with a good dedicated dac always makes things more exciting and immersive, especially hearing all those tiny and intricate details you don't really hear on a conventional dac. It makes everything that much better


 
  
 That's simply not possible. Movie sound is inherently relatively low definition and well within the capabilities of even a cheap "conventional" DAC. The likely culprit is either some other factor, such as what signal or how you're sending it to your conventional DAC (amp or speakers) or, that the improvement you're hearing is a result of your perception rather than any actual improvement/difference in the sound waves being reproduced.
  
 G


----------



## Letmebefrank

gregorio said:


> That's simply not possible. Movie sound is inherently relatively low definition and well within the capabilities of even a cheap "conventional" DAC. The likely culprit is either some other factor, such as what signal or how you're sending it to your conventional DAC (amp or speakers) or, that the improvement you're hearing is a result of your perception rather than any actual improvement/difference in the sound waves being reproduced.
> 
> G


 
  
 If you are talking regular old dolby digital then I agree with you, the maximum bitrate for all 6 channels is 640kbps. However I disagree that movie audio in general is inherently low-def. Blu ray audio is usually Dolby Digital Plus, giving you on average 3.0Mbps to 4.7Mbps, for 7.1 that gives you anywhere from 375kbps to 587kbps per channel. Now we can speculate that the LFE channel probably uses significantly less bandwidth than the others, so the rest move up a bit in bandwidth, etc. This is about the same quality or better than most 16/44.1 CDs, being on average about 1.0Mbps, or 500kbps per channel. 
  
 Of course then you have the crazy max-bandwidth blu-ray audio formats like 27Mbps Linear PCM, 24.5Mbps DTS-HD Master Audio, and 18.6Mbps Dolby TrueHD.


----------



## darkarn

I dunno about specifications when it comes to audio from video files, but I sure do know that the Mimby made them sound nicer!


----------



## swspiers

gregorio said:


> maxh22 said:
> 
> 
> > Watching movies with a good dedicated dac always makes things more exciting and immersive, especially hearing all those tiny and intricate details you don't really hear on a conventional dac. It makes everything that much better
> ...




What in the world do you base this opinion upon?


----------



## gregorio

letmebefrank said:


> If you are talking regular old dolby digital then I agree with you, the maximum bitrate for all 6 channels is 640kbps. However I disagree that movie audio in general is inherently low-def. Blu ray audio is usually Dolby Digital Plus, giving you on average 3.0Mbps to 4.7Mbps, for 7.1 that gives you anywhere from 375kbps to 587kbps per channel. Now we can speculate that the LFE channel probably uses significantly less bandwidth than the others, so the rest move up a bit in bandwidth, etc. This is about the same quality or better than most 16/44.1 CDs, being on average about 1.0Mbps, or 500kbps per channel.


 
  
 Dolby Digital is by far the dominant consumer film audio format, being the audio format of HDTV and the most common found on DVD and other physical media. CD quality is about 700kbps per channel and is not considered "Hi-res". Actual theatrical film audio is typically 24/48 wav format but doesn't in practise use the full capabilities of even 16/44.1. We have to be careful not to confuse the container with what's contained in that container!
  


swspiers said:


> What in the world do you base this opinion upon?


 
  
 The real world, the world of actual film sound! What marketing BS/audiophile magic not of this world are you basing your opinion upon?
  
 G


----------



## swspiers

gregorio said:


> letmebefrank said:
> 
> 
> > If you are talking regular old dolby digital then I agree with you, the maximum bitrate for all 6 channels is 640kbps. However I disagree that movie audio in general is inherently low-def. Blu ray audio is usually Dolby Digital Plus, giving you on average 3.0Mbps to 4.7Mbps, for 7.1 that gives you anywhere from 375kbps to 587kbps per channel. Now we can speculate that the LFE channel probably uses significantly less bandwidth than the others, so the rest move up a bit in bandwidth, etc. This is about the same quality or better than most 16/44.1 CDs, being on average about 1.0Mbps, or 500kbps per channel.
> ...




I didn't venture an opinion. Accusing me of "BS/audiophile magic not of this world" is ridiculous, since, in case you missed it: I didn't venture an opinion.


----------



## leeperry

Hey G, you're back from the dead I see 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Breaking news, not all DAC's sound equally resolving, tough I know.


----------



## maxh22

gregorio said:


> That's simply not possible. Movie sound is inherently relatively low definition and well within the capabilities of even a cheap "conventional" DAC. The likely culprit is either some other factor, such as what signal or how you're sending it to your conventional DAC (amp or speakers) or, that the improvement you're hearing is a result of your perception rather than any actual improvement/difference in the sound waves being reproduced.
> 
> G


 
  
 With that kind of thinking,music is also well within the capabilities of a cheap "conventional" dac, many people are quite happy listening to their favorite tunes from their ipod or iphone, for them,it's good enough. Ignorance is bliss.
  
 People here tend to chase better and better sound quality, and who's to say good sound quality should only be limitied to music? I can hear the difference quality dacs make to the movies and shows I watch, it often makes things much more immersive since voices, effects, music, all sound more convincing and enjoyable to me, which in term brings me greater pleasure. The experience is even more immersive when listening directly into headphones through a Mojo for example. 
  
 I'm not the only one who feels this way either.Other head-fiers and Chord themselves advertise on Mojo's dedicated site that it is a great improvement for games, tv, and movies.
  
 Mimby, similarly, does this too.


----------



## gregorio

swspiers said:


> I didn't venture an opinion.


 
  
 That's blatantly untrue!! You ventured an opinion that the info I presented was incorrect.
  


maxh22 said:


> [1] Ignorance is bliss.
> [2] People here tend to chase better and better sound quality,
> [3] and who's to say good sound quality should only be limitied to music?


 
  
 1. It is indeed, there's a whole sub-industry which counts on it!
  
 2. There are indeed people who chase better and better SQ, I'm one of those people. There's also people whose ignorance/gullibility results in them purchasing products which only leads them into believing (for a period of time) that they've achieved better SQ, I've been one of those people too on occasion. Then there's those so completely suckered that they never even realise they've been suckered and just keep getting suckered ad infinitum. I've seen 1/4 million + systems which could easily be out performed by systems costing a tenth of the price.
  
 3. No idea, certainly not me! In fact "good sound quality" is not what I'm after, I'm looking for excellent SQ which BTW, is why I do sometimes use an iPhone. I could spend 100 times the cost and instead get just good SQ or the same SQ but as I said, I'm after excellence not "just good" and why spend 100 times more for the same SQ? It's probably just a definition difference; for me excellence is an accurate system, a system which accurately reproduces what's on the recording. I realise that some people aren't particularly interested in accuracy, for some, accuracy is less important than brand name and/or pride of equipment ownership and there are even some who actually seek out inaccuracy, equipment which introduces distortion (vinyl/turntables being a good example). That's fine, everyone is of course entitled to their preferences, just as I'm entitled to my preference for accuracy. The same is just as true for film sound, although the very nature of film sound dictates that the most extreme level of SQ which is possible with music is usually impossible with film but even so, it can still be excellent. That excellence not only is but must be achievable well within the limitations of 16/44.1.
  
 G


----------



## Jacobh

While the debates on the quality of film sound are interesting, I'm not sure what this has to do with the Mimby which is what I came to this thread to read about


----------



## CarlosUnchained

jacobh said:


> While the debates on the quality of film sound are interesting, I'm not sure what this has to do with the Mimby which is what I came to this thread to read about


 
  
 Let's be honest, everything about Mimby has been said and looped again and again. Unless there's an update, a competitor or something somewhat relevant, people are going to deviate from the main topic. And that's fine always that is somehow related and doesn't swallow other's people contributions regarding the main topic.
  
 I mean, that's why I still keeping reading some threads. I know all I can about the Mimby (just the theory), so I like to read people's opinions on other audio related topics. That's also the beauty of Head-Fi.
  
 However, the off topic discussion can be really poisonous sometimes. I think that's not the case here.


----------



## Tuneslover

I have the feeling that I'm missing something here or most likely I don't fully understand how one can incorporate an external DAC into a home theatre system.  Currently I use an HDMI cable out of my satellite receiver into my home theatre receiver.  The home theatre receiver's DAC and processor outputs a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal to my speakers.
  
 So now if I wanted to include my Bimby I would need to connect a fibre optic cable out of my satellite receiver into the Bimby.  The Bimby would output an analog STEREO signal which I would connect (using standard analog left & right interconnects) to an analog input in my home theatre receiver.  So by introducing an analog stereo signal from the Bimby into the home theatre receiver, how would I get a 5.1 Dolby Digital output to my home theatre speaker system?


----------



## theveterans

Unless your Blu-ray decodes the Dolby signal then PCM is sent to your Bimby


----------



## Jacobh

High quality DACs designed for stereo music reproduction aren't really intended for home theater and multi-channel setups. None of Schiits DACs support Dolby or DTS or any other multichannel format which is why debating the merits of those formats probably would work better in another thread with that topic.


----------



## lentoviolento

You just cant.. I tried today with netflix.. Tv to mimby with fiber. My mimby doesnt work...


----------



## Tuneslover

jacobh said:


> High quality DACs designed for stereo music reproduction aren't really intended for home theater and multi-channel setups. None of Schiits DACs support Dolby or DTS or any other multichannel format which is why debating the merits of those formats probably would work better in another thread with that topic.


 
 Agreed.  The only reason I asked is because of all of the recent posts that seem to be referring to using their Mimby (or any external DAC) with their TV's and how much better the sound appears to be.  It just wasn't clear how they are using their DACs with TV.  I use my Schiit DACs with my headphone setups...aka 2 channel STEREO.


----------



## Jacobh

Many TVs and receivers have an optical (or coax) output.  You'd have to set the output to stereo PCM as theveterans indicated.  Your TV might default to an unsupported format, but there is likely a setting in the menu somewhere.


----------



## swspiers

tuneslover said:


> jacobh said:
> 
> 
> > High quality DACs designed for stereo music reproduction aren't really intended for home theater and multi-channel setups. None of Schiits DACs support Dolby or DTS or any other multichannel format which is why debating the merits of those formats probably would work better in another thread with that topic.
> ...




I've been using DACs, including the first gen Bifrost, for tv for years. Set the output of the TV/Blue-ray whatever to PCM, and it's awesome. As long as your okay with the imaging/presentation of headphones for that kind of material. Not everyone is, and I get that.

But the overall bias against using headphones for TV/Home theater is as ridiculous to me as the home theater bias against headphones.

Anyway, I should get my Mimby today. Nope- won't be on my TV rig. But I expect good things anyway.


----------



## Tuneslover

lentoviolento said:


> You just cant.. I tried today with netflix.. Tv to mimby with fiber. My mimby doesnt work...


 
 Where did you connect the Mimby output to?  I believe you would need to connect your Mimby (2 channel) analog output to an external 2 channel amplifier, headphone amplifier (like a Magni 2, Jotunheim, Vali 2 etc) or powered speakers.


----------



## Tuneslover

swspiers said:


> I've been using DACs, including the first gen Bifrost, for tv for years. Set the output of the TV/Blue-ray whatever to PCM, and it's awesome. As long as your okay with the imaging/presentation of headphones for that kind of material. Not everyone is, and I get that.
> 
> But the overall bias against using headphones for TV/Home theater is as ridiculous to me as the home theater bias against headphones.
> 
> Anyway, I should get my Mimby today. Nope- won't be on my TV rig. But I expect good things anyway.


 
 I'm going to experiment with that this weekend.


----------



## swspiers

tuneslover said:


> swspiers said:
> 
> 
> > I've been using DACs, including the first gen Bifrost, for tv for years. Set the output of the TV/Blue-ray whatever to PCM, and it's awesome. As long as your okay with the imaging/presentation of headphones for that kind of material. Not everyone is, and I get that.
> ...




I don't want to hijack the thread, but in my experience the Mimby seems perfect for people wanting to branch out into other uses for headphones. Sure, you can get caught up in technical specs, and we can argue about codecs, bitrates and all that stuff some of us LOVE to argue about.

But in the end, it's all about digging our headphones. I re-watched Sense8 about 2 months ago with my headphone rig, off Netflix on my Apple TV, HDMI into my TV, optical from the TV to my Benchmark DAC/Sennheiser HD 800S cans. It was as much fun as I've ever had in audio.

Schiit makes this just so easy and inexpensive to do. Have fun with it!!!


----------



## Jacobh

I don't have any bias against home theaters and I use headphones with my TV as well due to my living situation.  I was just stating that these types of DACs aren't designed for that application so they don't have the same types of connections (HDMI) and format (Dolby Digital, DTS) as a result.  I have no doubt that it improves your TV's stereo output over the DACs in many home theater receivers, but generally people talking about home theater are talking about multi-channel setups.


----------



## Tuneslover

@swspiers and @Jacobh you are both right.  Both the traditionalists and the experimenters can benefit from external DACs.  I for one appreciate the insight that is being shared.


----------



## swspiers

tuneslover said:


> @swspiers
> and @Jacobh you are both right.  Both the traditionalists and the experimenters can benefit from external DACs.  I for one appreciate the insight that is being shared.




Yeah, we're not as far apart as it might appear.

But I am fascinated with the discussion. I'm pretty sure I'll be putting the Mimby up against the DAC1, which is a fairly well-regarded delta-sigma DAC, spec'd out as a broadcast standard piece of kit. A totally unfair, biased, and unscientific comparison on one hand. But a great way to glean any substantial advantage to the multi-bit approach....if any.


----------



## lentoviolento

tuneslover said:


> Where did you connect the Mimby output to?  I believe you would need to connect your Mimby (2 channel) analog output to an external 2 channel amplifier, headphone amplifier (like a Magni 2, Jotunheim, Vali 2 etc) or powered speakers.




Its connected to an audio gd c2


----------



## limelake

I do notice a difference when playing movie/tv thru my mimby and bimby. I don't send any dolby or other codecs thru it. I just set my bluray/dvd/tv  box/netflix to stereo 2ch pcm  or lpcm and run it thru the mimby/bimby. If i wanted surround i would just let my surround processor take care of it. I find 2ch to provide a much more realistic wall to wall of sound.


----------



## gregorio

swspiers said:


> But the overall bias against using headphones for TV/Home theater is as ridiculous to me as the home theater bias against headphones.


 
  
 Huh? The bias against using headphones for home theatre is that you can't get home theatre on headphones! All you can get is stereo, an old, legacy TV audio format which was superseded years ago. And, you're not even getting a specifically designed stereo mix (as used to be the case) but an automated downmix to stereo generated by your Dolby chip from the 5.1 mix.
  


tuneslover said:


> Both the traditionalists and the experimenters can benefit from external DACs.


 
  
 I'm confused about who are the "experimenters" and who the "traditionalists"? Presumably the "traditionalists" are the ones using external DACs/headphones to listen in the old, traditional TV (stereo) format?
  


swspiers said:


> [1] I'm pretty sure I'll be putting the Mimby up against the DAC1, which is a fairly well-regarded delta-sigma DAC, spec'd out as a broadcast standard piece of kit.





> [2] A totally unfair, biased, and unscientific comparison on one hand. But a great way to glean any substantial advantage to the multi-bit approach....


 
  
 1. You're just making it up! Do you even know what broadcast standard specifications are?
 2. You're on a roll now, why let "a totally unfair, biased and unscientific comparison" spoil an opportunity for some serious fanboy'ism? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


limelake said:


> If i wanted surround i would just let my surround processor take care of it. I find 2ch to provide a much more realistic wall to wall of sound.


 
  
 Your surround processor IS "taking care of it", how do you think it gets from surround to 2ch?
 2ch stereo has never been a film audio format and never will be. All commercial films are made in a surround audio format and have been for 3-4 decades! It's called "home theatre" because it attempts to recreate the theatrical experience at home (not a difficult concept to grasp really!) and the theatrical experience is surround sound plus an LFE channel. Headphones simply cannot recreate this! Furthermore, in developed countries most of the TV programming is also now 5.1.
  
 I get it, many of you seem to be Schiit and/or headphone fanbois and therefore obviously have a preference for headphones. That's fine of course but please, a touch of common sense rather this extremism would go a long way to stopping the vast majority of the audio world seeing audiophiles as complete nutters and allow those of us with an actual love of audio to use the term "audiophile" without embarrassment. By all means state your preference but enough of the silly claims; headphones by definition can only produce an ear to ear sound, let alone a "much more realistic wall to wall sound" and, it's not ridiculous for home theatre enthusiasts to eschew headphones and prefer the actual sound mix as it was designed. If anything is ridiculous, it's that you don't! As with all extremists though, they see themselves as "enlightened" and everyone else as ridiculous.
 For this reason, I assume I'll get the predictable response when extremists are challenged/questioned (insults/abuse) and I doubt there's any point to me responding further but at least this is in the thread now, just in case there's anyone reading who's interested in rational info! Schiit gear is good and as a company they engage in less BS than some other audiophile companies but a Mimby is not designed for surround sound and downmixing a surround mix into LoRo stereo is NOT an improvement! Regardless of how good the Mimby really is, it cannot magically conjure up details which do not exist in the sound mix and although many films have excellent sound mixes, they are ALL significantly within the limitations of 16/44.1.
  
 G


----------



## Jacobh

The one comment aside, I assumed most people who were talking about using a Mimby in a home theater setup were still talking about speakers, not headphones.
  
 Personally, I think using a Mimby for home theater is a waste of money given it doesn't have the typical connections or codec support, and more importantly the source material for TV/Movies isn't generally where you would hear any meaningful difference between a half-way decent DS or multibit dac (or what's in your receiver).  If you have it in the same setup for music listening, I wouldn't consider it a waste.
  
 That being saying, perception is subjective.  There are tons of real scientific studies that show external factors can alter your perception of the exact same stimulus.  If someone has the money to afford a Mimby and wants to use it for home theater, more power to them.  I have no doubt that they someone could *perceive *a difference using a Mimby in a home theater setup (even if they wouldn't a blind AB test).  So if they can afford it and get more listening pleasure from it, why get mad?


----------



## limelake

gregorio said:


> Huh? The bias against using headphones for home theatre is that you can't get home theatre on headphones! All you can get is stereo, an old, legacy TV audio format which was superseded years ago. And, you're not even getting a specifically designed stereo mix (as used to be the case) but an automated downmix to stereo generated by your Dolby chip from the 5.1 mix.
> 
> 
> I'm confused about who are the "experimenters" and who the "traditionalists"? Presumably the "traditionalists" are the ones using external DACs/headphones to listen in the old, traditional TV (stereo) format?
> ...


 
 Just wanted to thank you for attacking a bunch of us ! It was very forward thinking to throw punches now and ask questions later. I do not use a surround processor with my 2ch audio... I do know that Schiit Dacs do not process surround formats. Please attack me now ! I do understand that you are physic and your crystal ball tells you exactly what we all have for audio equipment and settings we use. I have left some spelling, grammar and punctuation errors for you to attack me on as well.


----------



## limelake

Fanboy....Nope.
 Do I have other equipment besides Schiit ? Well your crystal ball will tell you !


----------



## bilboda

limelake said:


> Just wanted to thank you for attacking a bunch of us ! It was very forward thinking to throw punches now and ask questions later. I do not use a surround processor with my 2ch audio... I do know that Schiit Dacs do not process surround formats. Please attack me now ! I do understand that you are physic and your crystal ball tells you exactly what we all have for audio equipment and settings we use. I have left some spelling, grammar and punctuation errors for you to attack me on as well.


 
 Lol. he is who he is and he has been blocked for a while. Gawd knows what he is trying to achieve with his posts. While I suspect he tries to sound superior, I am certain that readers are all left with a completely different impression.
 I use the mimby with optical, in addition to spdif with a streamer and usb with a pc. I know it's a downmix and I am pretty sure dialog and surround suffer as a result. But I can live with it.


----------



## limelake

I do actually own some blu-ray concerts that were recorded in 2ch and multiple surround formats. But he already knew that ! I have no problems with challenging our ideas and opinions...but he just went way off ! I use my mimby and bimby from a couple of universal players and a Squeezebox, optical and coax. I do own some stuff that is downmixed  to 2ch from surround by the players and I like it better through mimby/bimby. Just an opinion.


----------



## swspiers

gregorio said:


> swspiers said:
> 
> 
> > But the overall bias against using headphones for TV/Home theater is as ridiculous to me as the home theater bias against headphones.
> ...




Dude. Relax. Sorry if you're not aware Benchmark Media started out in broadcast/studio equipment. A simple search would let you know I'm not making any of that up.

Benchmark is actually fairly boring stuff, and as close to a "straight-wire with gain" objectivism as any company I can think of. My various rigs are very, very much devoid of audiophile/fanboy anything. 

Except my bass rigs. I admit I have a passion for Carvin basses and amps...


Anyway, I'm on this thread for fun, and I bought the Mimby for the same reason. I like Schiit because of their no-nonsense approach to things and yet fun at the same time. That's all.


----------



## Jimster480

pahani said:


> On the contrary. It does work. I just did it
> 
> *edit* I think you read too much into my above post. My Schiit was already working perfectly..the new SSD and Windows reinstall were completely unrelated but necessary for other reasons.
> 
> ...


 

 I have noticed that restarting the computer fixes it too for a while. Its really stupid, I will try it on this PC again after I rebuild it.


maxh22 said:


> It should improve upon the built-in dac if everything else in the chain is good. Try it and tell us in this thread.


 

 I will be moved soon and will try it out then.


----------



## Spider fan

Hi, I have searched on google multiple times for hours but cant find an answer to something I am really curious about.  I know USB etc is discussed alot on all the Schitt threads.  How bad/good/ok in theory/science is using something like this
  
https://hifimediy.com/Sabre-9018-DAC
  
 as an optical out with a toslink?  I am alittle behind I am still on Bifrost uber with usb gen 1 card.   I been using the hifime optical out instead of usb.  I like that I can control the volume at my computer when I use it vs with usb I can only change volume at the amp.  It is a bedroom setup so I often am laying down and the amp is out of reach.  It is a meaningless first world problem I know.  It is no big deal.  I was just more curious since I have no electrical science knowledge.  I figure it be an easy answer here since it is like a kindergarden question compared to the knowledge being dropped in this thread.  I know Its not Mimby related but I will still have the same question when I do get a mimby which I plan to do soon.
  
 Thanks


----------



## wiz2596

deleted


----------



## wiz2596

almarti said:


> Better bass, soundstage and details in the mids. It is a higher level product, Mojo over Mimby


 
 Interesting answer, in fact I currently own a Schiit modi multibit but I was feeling very curious about this brand Chord but their products are so expensive, where did u buy your mojo?


----------



## Jimster480

spider fan said:


> Hi, I have searched on google multiple times for hours but cant find an answer to something I am really curious about.  I know USB etc is discussed alot on all the Schitt threads.  How bad/good/ok in theory/science is using something like this
> 
> https://hifimediy.com/Sabre-9018-DAC
> 
> ...




I would say it works fine and has a minimal quality loss. 
Schiit USB implementation isn't good in the first place.


----------



## Spider fan

jimster480 said:


> I would say it works fine and has a minimal quality loss.
> Schiit USB implementation isn't good in the first place.


 
 Thank you for the reply.  I kind of figured that was the answer especially since I am on the non-upgraded usb card anyways.


----------



## Jimster480

spider fan said:


> Thank you for the reply.  I kind of figured that was the answer especially since I am on the non-upgraded usb card anyways.



You're welcome! Happy listening!


----------



## Tuneslover

> HQuote:
> 
> 
> gregorio said:
> ...


 
 Just my choice of words (nothing official out of any sort of audiophile book).
  
 Traditionalists - a DAC used with a Headphone Amp and your favourite collection of Headphones.
  
 Experimenters - a DAC being used with a 2 channel speaker system, OR a DAC being used with a TV and/or Home Theatre system.  Headphones not really a serious consideration.


----------



## almarti

wiz2596 said:


> Interesting answer, in fact I currently own a Schiit modi multibit but I was feeling very curious about this brand Chord but their products are so expensive, where did u buy your mojo?




At audio audiovenue.com at London. Really nice people as they brought the Mojo to my hotel fitting to my schedule as I was in a business trip.

I am using Mimby paired with TV audio as DBT broadcast sends out audio in lossless format and with Chromecast audio for Tidal, with stereo integrated amp and loudspeakers, and this setup is fantastic, Mimby is by far much better than any other Delta Sigma DAC I have used.

Mojo costs double than Mimby and price Gap is worth. I don't know if FPGA is better than multibit but when used with headphones you notice the difference.

So Mojo to drive my MrSpeakers Ether Flow and Mimby/Marantz for the speakers.


----------



## lentoviolento

almarti said:


> At audio audiovenue.com at London. Really nice people as they brought the Mojo to my hotel fitting to my schedule as I was in a business trip.
> 
> I am using Mimby paired with TV audio as DBT broadcast sends out audio in lossless format and with Chromecast audio for Tidal, with stereo integrated amp and loudspeakers, and this setup is fantastic, Mimby is by far much better than any other Delta Sigma DAC I have used.
> 
> ...




To me it doesn't worth the extra cash... Mojo is overstimated


----------



## winders

I was wholly unimpressed with the Mojo. I prefer Mimby.....


----------



## Tuneslover

First off the Mojo is a PORTABLE DAC & AMP isn't it?  The Mimby is a standalone DESKTOP DAC (no amp).  Flexibility wise the MOJO is obviously superior.
  
 I own the Mimby (fed coaxially by an X5ii and amped by a Vali 2) so I am very familiar with it's sound.  I only had the opportunity to hear the Mojo at a store so I couldn't directly A/B these 2 DACs, however to me there was nothing offensive or lacking with the MOJO sound when compared to my auditory memory of how the Mimby sounded by comparison.  Just my opinion.


----------



## Tuneslover

I vacuumed and dusted my listening setup this morning and I can't believe how CLEAN everything sounds now!


----------



## leeperry

gregorio said:


> Huh? The bias against using headphones for home theatre is that you can't get home theatre on headphones! All you can get is stereo, an old, legacy TV audio format which was superseded years ago. And, you're not even getting a specifically designed stereo mix (as used to be the case) but an automated downmix to stereo generated by your Dolby chip from the 5.1 mix.


 
  
 What? I use the Logic7 stereo downmixing matrix from multichannel audio(processed in 32fp) with custom coeffs to match my taste and HRTF + Reclock on a PC to output it in 32int/88.2 to Mimby, I'm no fanboy BTW and I switch boats with no regrets. Movies sound outstanding and yes Mimby's quite a bargain indeed. G I think you are wasting your time in this thread, all this said thanks for passing by


----------



## limelake

tuneslover said:


> I vacuumed and dusted my listening setup this morning and I can't believe how CLEAN everything sounds now!


 
 I emptied my Dyson into my room....i hated grunge-music before......now....jeepers I think it sounds like a new system !


----------



## FindingNewSound

Anyone has a mimby they want to sell? I'm looking to upgrade from my modi 2.


----------



## Gojira81

Hello Everyone,
I'm new to these forums, but I've been reading this thread and the Sennheiser HD 650 to gather as much information as possible and need your advice.

Last year I got a Sony mdr-1A and was using it with the Scarlett 2i2. this month I got the the HD 650 and i've been reading that the scarlett won't be enough to power the headphone so I've decided to get the Asgard 2 as an Amp and keep using the Scarlett as DAC. To be honest, I didn't see much improvement in sound quality(maybe I was expecting more?) even though I know that technically the Asgard 2 is better to drive the HD 650.

Is the scarlett 2i2 limiting the SQ? I was thinking of replacing it with a Schiit Modi 2 Uber or Modi Multibit but only if it's worth the upgrade, or you think it's better to save the money and invest it on a new set of headphones?

Thank you.


----------



## swspiers

I think the biggest upgrade/change is almost always the headphones.  For all the hype and hoopla, DACS vary in details more than massive differences.  IME, of course.

Eventually, almost everything is limiting SQ: there is always something new/better/different.  Sorry for your wallet...


----------



## Gojira81

I know what you mean, going from sony mdr-1A to Hd 650 was a great upgrade! now the sonys I use them only on the go.

My problem is that here in Italy or at least where I live I have nowhere where I can go and audition these equipement so I have to rely mostly on user reviews and opinions


----------



## Music Alchemist (May 2, 2017)

The Modi Multibit is ruining my life, because it sounds so overwhelmingly good I can't stop listening to music! It's 4:30 AM. I'm ingesting dangerous chemicals to stay awake longer so I can witness the MMB's endless glory. It just keeps sounding better. haha. Now I'm even more curious about the Yggdrasil...so much so that I am considering prioritizing it over a $3,500 speaker upgrade.


----------



## listen4joy

well, in this case yggy will blow your sucks off! i only have the bifrost and i imagine yggy is few leagues better.


----------



## Gojira81

Music Alchemist said:


> The Modi Multibit is ruining my life, because it sounds so overwhelmingly good I can't stop listening to music! It's 4:30 AM. I'm ingesting dangerous chemicals to stay awake longer so I can witness the MMB's endless glory. It just keeps sounding better. haha. Now I'm even more curious about the Yggdrasil...so much so that I am considering prioritizing it over a $3,500 speaker upgrade.



Can I ask you which DAC you were using before the Modi multibit?


----------



## Music Alchemist

Gojira81 said:


> Can I ask you which DAC you were using before the Modi multibit?



Other DACs I have owned:

Chord Mojo
Creative Sound Blaster E1
iFi micro iDSD
Schiit Fulla
Schiit Fulla 2
Schiit Modi 2


----------



## theveterans

Music Alchemist said:


> Other DACs I have owned:
> 
> Chord Mojo
> Creative Sound Blaster E1
> ...



How would you rate the Multibit and Mojo? To me, multibit sounds better with studio monitor speakers than Mojo, but Mojo sounds more fun with headphones than the multibit. Detailwise, IMO multibit out-detail the Mojo at least through the Yamaha HS7 speakers


----------



## Music Alchemist

theveterans said:


> How would you rate the Multibit and Mojo? To me, multibit sounds better with studio monitor speakers than Mojo, but Mojo sounds more fun with headphones than the multibit. Detailwise, IMO multibit out-detail the Mojo at least through the Yamaha HS7 speakers



Unfortunately, I have only used the Mojo with headphones and have only used the MMB with speakers, so I can't give a real comparison there. What I can say is that the MMB is far superior to the other two DACs I have with me at the moment: the iFi micro iDSD (despite it being more expensive) and Schiit Fulla 2.


----------



## Gojira81

Music Alchemist said:


> Other DACs I have owned:
> 
> Chord Mojo
> Creative Sound Blaster E1
> ...



Thank you for your reply! I just wanted to know to see if you had other DACs to which you were able to compare because I'm thinking about buying one but not sure if that would improve my setup.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Gojira81 said:


> Thank you for your reply! I just wanted to know to see if you had other DACs to which you were able to compare because I'm thinking about buying one but not sure if that would improve my setup.



It improved my setup more than I imagined was possible at this price point, so I'd say you're 99% likely to be impressed.


----------



## Gojira81

Music Alchemist said:


> It improved my setup more than I imagined was possible at this price point, so I'd say you're 99% likely to be impressed.



Thanks for you input!


----------



## kundica

Gojira81 said:


> Hello Everyone,
> I'm new to these forums, but I've been reading this thread and the Sennheiser HD 650 to gather as much information as possible and need your advice.
> 
> Last year I got a Sony mdr-1A and was using it with the Scarlett 2i2. this month I got the the HD 650 and i've been reading that the scarlett won't be enough to power the headphone so I've decided to get the Asgard 2 as an Amp and keep using the Scarlett as DAC. To be honest, I didn't see much improvement in sound quality(maybe I was expecting more?) even though I know that technically the Asgard 2 is better to drive the HD 650.
> ...


The strength of the Scarlett is in its preamps for recording, for monitoring the dac is pretty meh. Balanced to monitors is okay but the headphone out is not very strong. I replaced mine with a mimby and the jotunheim and have been very pleased.


----------



## darkarn

Based on extremely limited time I have with the Mojo in shops, I find using it not as intuitive as the Mimby


----------



## Music Alchemist

darkarn said:


> Based on extremely limited time I have with the Mojo in shops, I find using it not as intuitive as the Mimby



I owned the Mojo. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes fun to use (the balls that change color may be an acquired taste for some)...but yeah, it's not straightforward like Schiit is.


----------



## mixolyd

Has anyone noticed a problem with distortion on their Multibit?

I noticed alot of distortion that was mostly only audible on epic orchestral stuff and movies, it really made  these things unlistenable and took me a while before I isolated the problem down to being the Multibit.  It had been switched on near continuously for months at this point so I gave it some downtime which seems to have improveed things but I still hear some distortion on epic music like Two Steps from Hell.


----------



## theveterans

mixolyd said:


> Has anyone noticed a problem with distortion on their Multibit?
> 
> I noticed alot of distortion that was mostly only audible on epic orchestral stuff and movies, it really made  these things unlistenable and took me a while before I isolated the problem down to being the Multibit.  It had been switched on near continuously for months at this point so I gave it some downtime which seems to have improveed things but I still hear some distortion on epic music like Two Steps from Hell.



Zero clipping/distortion here with the Two Steps from Hell from Spotify ASIO playback. Maybe yours is defective or that you're not using WASAPI or ASIO and Windows Mixer induces these distortions.

Thanks for that artist which I didn't even know existed until now. Their music is simply EPIC!


----------



## Music Alchemist

mixolyd said:


> Has anyone noticed a problem with distortion on their Multibit?



Mine makes crackling noise sometimes, especially at the end of tracks, and occasionally there's distortion, but even less often. It's slightly defective, so Schiit is going to replace it for me. But I love it so much I don't want to be without it, so I'm gonna wait a bit longer before sending it in.


----------



## winders

mixolyd said:


> Has anyone noticed a problem with distortion on their Multibit?
> 
> I noticed alot of distortion that was mostly only audible on epic orchestral stuff and movies, it really made  these things unlistenable and took me a while before I isolated the problem down to being the Multibit.  It had been switched on near continuously for months at this point so I gave it some downtime which seems to have improveed things but I still hear some distortion on epic music like Two Steps from Hell.



Switch it off for 15 seconds or so and switch it back on. Is the problem still there?

Mine does not cause distortion. But, if I change sample rates quickly or switch inputs quickly, it will glitch and need to be powered off and then back on.


----------



## swspiers

No distortion or crackling on mine.  So far, just a very clear and well-performing DAC.


----------



## mixolyd

theveterans said:


> Thanks for that artist which I didn't even know existed until now. Their music is simply EPIC!



Yes Two Steps from Hell rock!  I've reproduced the distortion when using Mimby from the tv, also am using ASIO.  I'm pretty sure it's defective at this point.



Music Alchemist said:


> . But I love it so much I don't want to be without it, so I'm gonna wait a bit longer before sending it in.



Yeah it's at the centre of my setup: I also don't want to have to send it away, but I guess I'll have to while it's still in warranty.



winders said:


> Switch it off for 15 seconds or so and switch it back on. Is the problem still there?



Yeah a few seconds doesn't do it, it needs hours off for the distortion to reduce, I'm not sure if it ever totally goes away.


----------



## Music Alchemist (May 4, 2017)

mixolyd said:


> Yes Two Steps from Hell rock!  I've reproduced the distortion when using Mimby from the tv, also am using ASIO.  I'm pretty sure it's defective at this point.
> 
> Yeah a few seconds doesn't do it, it needs hours off for the distortion to reduce, I'm not sure if it ever totally goes away.



When it distorts, how long does it do so?

In my case, it's only momentary, and it almost never occurs. (Whereas the crackling is more commonplace, especially with videos.)

Did you try WASAPI as well? (haha. Now I'm thinking of wasabi.)


----------



## mixolyd

Music Alchemist said:


> In my case, it's only momentary, and it almost never occurs. (Whereas the crackling is more commonplace, especially with videos.)
> 
> Did you try WASAPI as well? (haha. Now I'm thinking of wasabi.)



Nah it's a constant thing, related to the density/volume of the music played.  I did have crackling with it once and that was fixed by a reboot.  Not tried wasapi but it happens using the optical out from a tv also so im sure it's the mimby.


----------



## darkarn

Music Alchemist said:


> I owned the Mojo. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes fun to use (the balls that change color may be an acquired taste for some)...but yeah, it's not straightforward like Schiit is.



Haha, yeah, it gets colourful once it is done right!


----------



## darkarn

mixolyd said:


> Yes Two Steps from Hell rock!  I've reproduced the distortion when using Mimby from the tv, also am using ASIO.  I'm pretty sure it's defective at this point.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You may want to ask Schiit about this, sounds like a Mimby going bad


----------



## Music Alchemist

Finally shipped my Modi Multibit back to get the replacement, but the weekend will cause a delay. Using the Fulla 2 as my DAC in the interim. Although it still sounds good, it's kinda lifeless in comparison.


----------



## mariopoli

2 Dead Modi Multibits in a row.

I went to the new Shiitr store on Thursday and bought a Modi Multi bit. By Saturday morning it was dead. Drove to the Shiitr store on Saturday afternoon and exchanged it for another one. When I got home I set it up and it was dead on arrival. I am disappointed. Has anyone else had a dead Modi Multi bit?


----------



## theveterans

mariopoli said:


> 2 Dead Modi Multibits in a row.
> 
> I went to the new Shiitr store on Thursday and bought a Modi Multi bit. By Saturday morning it was dead. Drove to the Shiitr store on Saturday afternoon and exchanged it for another one. When I got home I set it up and it was dead on arrival. I am disappointed. Has anyone else had a dead Modi Multi bit?



Dan you must be one of the unluckiest person here. I've ordered from Schiit and shipped to Asia, but never had a single DOA. Maybe they sell B-stock at Schiitr?


----------



## NHSkier (May 7, 2017)

I just upgraded to the Mimby from a regular Modi 2 (USB only) and what an improvement it is. I think moving away from a bus-powered unit probably accounts for half of the improvement, but this thing is smooth at the upper end where the Modi 2 could be more shrill. Of course, great source material is a must. I was a little disappointed to learn that some of the Deutsche Grammophon music I'd picked up from HDTracks.com is just really brittle - no fault of the DAC, though I thought it might have been when I had the Modi 2.

I'm now testing differences between the Mimby USB input and its Coax input. I got a screaming deal on a Bryston BUC-1 that performs the USB to S/PDIF conversion. That thing is in a different league than the Mimby build-quality wise. It may end up being the gateway drug that gets me to try their B135 Integrated Amp.


----------



## jnak00

mariopoli said:


> 2 Dead Modi Multibits in a row.
> 
> I went to the new Shiitr store on Thursday and bought a Modi Multi bit. By Saturday morning it was dead. Drove to the Shiitr store on Saturday afternoon and exchanged it for another one. When I got home I set it up and it was dead on arrival. I am disappointed. Has anyone else had a dead Modi Multi bit?



My first one died after a few hours.  It was replaced by Schiit and it has been fine since.


----------



## mariopoli

jnak00 said:


> My first one died after a few hours.  It was replaced by Schiit and it has been fine since.


Thank you. At least I know I am not alone.


----------



## almarti

theveterans said:


> How would you rate the Multibit and Mojo? To me, multibit sounds better with studio monitor speakers than Mojo, but Mojo sounds more fun with headphones than the multibit. Detailwise, IMO multibit out-detail the Mojo at least through the Yamaha HS7 speakers



Fully agree with you. I have been testing Mimby and Mojo wiht my Marantz PM17 and Chario Lynx speakers and headphones. And finally Mimby is used 24x7 for speakers and Mojo for headphones (I have both), but in case of choosing only one I would buy Mojo, is superior overall.


----------



## almarti

theveterans said:


> Zero clipping/distortion here with the Two Steps from Hell from Spotify ASIO playback. Maybe yours is defective or that you're not using WASAPI or ASIO and Windows Mixer induces these distortions.
> 
> Thanks for that artist which I didn't even know existed until now. Their music is simply EPIC!



Switch off/on Mimby for a while and you get it cleaned for best performance


----------



## winders

I think Mimby is superior to Mojo. The sound is cleaner and more detailed from Mimby.


----------



## theveterans (May 9, 2017)

almarti said:


> Switch off/on Mimby for a while and you get it cleaned for best performance



Didn't have to do this though. I don't get weird harsh sounds or distortion from it and it has been ON continuously from months. In fact, if I switch it off if I go on vacation then switch it back on, it will sound slightly harsher compared to fully warmed state.


----------



## Music Alchemist (May 10, 2017)

The replacement is here! Schiit was kind enough to test it for me before sending it. It would appear this one is free of defects. ...Update: Never mind. Still crackles a bit at the end of tracks. Argh. At least this one doesn't seem to crackle during videos. (The first one crackled like crazy.)

And after having to use the Fulla 2 as my DAC for five days or so, the glorious sound of the Modi Multibit is even more appreciated than when I first heard it. Less than three minutes of music and tears of joy are already welling up. Here's the track I'm playing at the moment:


----------



## winders (May 10, 2017)

My Mimby never "crackles" at the end of tracks. You must have something else going on causing this. If Mimbys "crackled" as a matter of course, Schiit would never be able to sell any because customers all over the world would be giving them horrible reviews.


----------



## Music Alchemist (May 10, 2017)

winders said:


> My Mimby never "crackles" at the end of tracks. You must have something else going on causing this. If Mimbys "crackled" as a matter of course, Schiit would never be able to see any because customers all over the world would be giving them horrible reviews.



What could be causing it if I'm not getting the crackling with any other DACs?

And why would the replacement unit (which they tested) not crackle during videos when the first one did if it wasn't the DAC causing it?

At least I'm not getting crackling at the beginning of tracks sometimes like the first one.


----------



## winders

Let's ask other folks here:

Anyone else getting "crackling" on with their Mimby during normal operation?

Note: If you have had to reset your Mimby because if "freaked out", that does count.


----------



## Music Alchemist

winders said:


> Let's ask other folks here:
> 
> Anyone else getting "crackling" on with their Mimby during normal operation?
> 
> Note: If you have had to reset your Mimby because if "freaked out", that does count.



If you're looking for info like that:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/schiit-modi-multibit-crackling-noise.844334/
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/c...-rpi3-schiit-modi-multibit-several-os.831944/


----------



## winders (May 10, 2017)

So far you have reported on a couple of isolated cases. I am looking for much broader feedback. to just those having a problem.


----------



## thomascrown

No crackles on mine, the only problems I have with the music reproduction are caused by the pc  (intence cpu/memory or network usage ), else just music enjoyment


----------



## RickB

I have no crackling sounds on my Mimby. Every long once in a while I'll get a slight glitch, but that seems to be dependent on how taxed my laptop is. Those are very rare, like every 5 months.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Anyway, the crackling with the second unit is so infrequent that I don't mind. It's a minor issue, especially given how rapidly I tend to make upgrades. (Or otherwise experiment with gear in general.)

I'm just blown away by how realistic a DAC at this relatively low price can sound. It's safe to assume this wasn't the case before the MMB came along. Like I mentioned, I, for example, don't think the more expensive iFi micro iDSD sounds nearly as good as the MMB.


----------



## bilboda

You probably need to troubleshoot the usb on your pc. Use a port that has no other devices on the same hub, turn off power management, etc.


----------



## Music Alchemist

bilboda said:


> You probably need to troubleshoot the usb on your pc. Use a port that has no other devices on the same hub, turn off power management, etc.



Already tried all that. The crackling also occurs with and without the Schiit Wyrd USB power isolator.

And again, no other DACs crackle; just the MMB.


----------



## cbl117

Custom Schiit Rack using maple and herbie's feet.  If interested, hit up SmileMoon on Etsy.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Schiit support told me that they tested both the replacement and the original unit and found nothing wrong with them. This leads me to believe that something weird is going on in my system that makes the Modi Multibit crackle (etc.) but not other DACs. Not sure how to approach this problem now...


----------



## thomascrown

Music Alchemist said:


> Schiit support told me that they tested both the replacement and the original unit and found nothing wrong with them. This leads me to believe that something weird is going on in my system that makes the Modi Multibit crackle (etc.) but not other DACs. Not sure how to approach this problem now...


Have you tried another computer? or a different OS (Linux or OsX)?


----------



## Music Alchemist

thomascrown said:


> Have you tried another computer? or a different OS (Linux or OsX)?



No. I only use this one computer. I could jump through some hoops and try an old computer. (Both Windows.)

But first I'll try simpler things like different cables.


----------



## NightFlight

Initial ramblings...

Mimby->USB->Mainline->HD800
Mimby->Vali2->Andromeda IEM

My baseline reference is an XDA-2 with modified output section. (don't laugh, it beat out a 1st Gen Bifrost Uber hands-down). 
At the time I went with the XDA-2 I think the top offering from Schiit was still the Bifrost. Things have changed! 

I originally purchased the Mimby for Television and occasional optical feed from my AK100ii while on my nightstand with the Vali2 to feed my Andromedas. I think the best time to listen to headphones is lying down. There's just something about fully letting go... I can't do that sitting up.

So the Mimby showed up on the doorstep, I had to mad rush drive home to foil the Mimby thieves.  Its been breaking-in since.
Goddam it sounded like 'ass' out of box. I expected this. Everything new sounds like ass out of box... *shrug*
At 6 hours it was good enough to watch TV with.
At 8-9 hours it started to be listenable, but my Andromeda/Vali 2 were still too harsh!
Switched to the Mainline/HD800 (balanced with the black dragonV2). Still to harsh! The mainline is known as polite, but apparently - only so far.

Even at this point the prominent feature of the DAC is detail.

18hrs later its barely listenable. The details are striking. But it has a way to go before its not ripping your head off on peaks. Can you say SHOUTY? lol
However there's still glare in there but its cleaning up. Sound stage is coming along, but not with the depth and breadth of my XDA-2. No way - no how. Not yet.
Some sibilance as a result and again I still can't listen for very long. Yuck.

But I'm hearing detail in recordings I know well that I haven't heard before. I mean there's a foot tap or something in Becks Unforgiven track. Anyone noticed that before? I sure didn't. Like What - where did that come from? 

I'm a firm believer in break-in for equipment.  When built, my Mainline took 40hrs to be listenable. At 100hrs, I stopped keeping track. I expect the Mimby requires a good deal more break-in before it should be judged. At 18-19 hours its not fair to call it anything one way or the other.

But what I can say from what I've heard so far is promise.  I'm sold on a Gumby or Yggy.  Eventually.  It will take me some time to scrape together the funds.  Maybe it will be a used Gumby purchase and someone else will buy the Yggy, but its still another unit moving out the Schiit door.

Thanks for all the hard work Mike. Its appreciated.


----------



## Music Alchemist

@NightFlight 

Of course it sounds harsh with the HD 800. That's one of the harshest headphones I've had! No DAC will change that. You're gonna have to equalize it if you want to get rid of (at least some of) the harshness.

I don't get any excess harshness with my speakers and the MMB.


----------



## NightFlight (May 12, 2017)

You'd think that, but the HD800 is perfectly fine with the XDA-2 - and I don't believe it to be harsh at all. The HD800 is modded to tame the some of the 6K resonant peak - but its not harsh because of that.  Does the HD800 reveal a harsh chain? Yes. The Modi just isn't broken in. 

When I got the HD800, I ran it in the box for 400+ hours before it stopped screaming bloody murder. After that she's just fine. Then again the Modi's output section could have suffered cost cuts. Something had to give at the price point. Emotiva was nice enough to drop in sockets for the single ended and balanced op-amp outputs which can make a big difference with the right selection.

29hrs in. Sounds pretty damn good. The fatigue is starting to roll off.


----------



## NightFlight

Well, that happened much faster than I anticipated. Dropped the $ on a used Gumby and the seller is going up to the Yggy.


----------



## Music Alchemist

NightFlight said:


> Well, that happened much faster than I anticipated. Dropped the $ on a used Gumby and the seller is going up to the Yggy.



Similar story on my end: I upgraded to the Chord 2Qute and am selling my MMB.


----------



## Jimster480

Yes I have the same problem, its due to the USB audio implementation I believe.
My Fulla 2 has the exact same problem.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Jimster480 said:


> Yes I have the same problem, its due to the USB audio implementation I believe.
> My Fulla 2 has the exact same problem.



Are you referring to crackling/popping? I don't get that with the Fulla 2.


----------



## gvl2016

Just had a What moment after I hit an "Unknown Error" trying to install drivers on a freshly loaded W7. The solution was not to use the Windows built-in zip archive support. Expanded the downloaded driver archive using 7Zip and all worked like a charm. I stepped on similar problems in the past, just surprised Microsoft can't get it right after all these years.


----------



## gvl2016 (May 22, 2017)

Selling my mimby, listed in FS. -Sold


----------



## ilcg1

I'm giving Bimby a second chance: Bimby/Jotunheim or Mimby/Polaris? One stack will go on sale soon...


----------



## jaxz

Keep the Mimby/Polaris, you will get better space/aesthetic in your desk and some cash for serious headphones


----------



## ilcg1

jaxz said:


> Keep the Mimby/Polaris, you will get better space/aesthetic in your desk and some cash for serious headphones



That's what I did - couldn't justify the price difference judging by sound quality alone. Plus, I have much lesser desktop footprint and Polaris sounds very smooth with th900.


----------



## Tuneslover

ilcg1 said:


> I'm giving Bimby a second chance: Bimby/Jotunheim or Mimby/Polaris? One stack will go on sale soon...



I have similar setups:
Bimby & Jot (silver)
Mimby & Vali2

These setups are different sounding (which I like).  I have the Mimby setup in my bedroom while the Bimby setup is in another listening room.  Can't really part with either one, however I do have
a Project Ember 2 coming soon and will be comparing it to the Vali2.  Maybe one of the tube hybrid's will be up for sale.


----------



## ilcg1

Tuneslover said:


> I have similar setups:
> Bimby & Jot (silver)
> Mimby & Vali2
> 
> ...



In your case it makes sense to keep both. In my it doesn't since I listen to headphones only at work and would like to keep only one stack (kept Mimby/Polaris - IMO this can't be beat for the price).


----------



## alpovs

gvl2016 said:


> Just had a What moment after I hit an "Unknown Error" trying to install drivers on a freshly loaded W7. The solution was not to use the Windows built-in zip archive support. Expanded the downloaded driver archive using 7Zip and all worked like a charm. I stepped on similar problems in the past, just surprised Microsoft can't get it right after all these years.


All these years? Windows 7 is how old? No problem on Windows 10. Drivers install automatically. They did get it right after all these years.


----------



## Music Alchemist

The person who got my Modi Multibit has no issues. I wonder what it was that caused it to crackle/pop on my system whereas other DACs didn't.


----------



## alpovs

sheldaze said:


> This is correct. The Modi 2 Uber with the 4490 chipset is self-powered. And the Modi Multibit is not - the USB "receiver" is powered from the USB source, just like the earlier Modi 2 Uber and all other Schiit DACs.


Why did they design the Modi Multibit this way? Isn't poor implementation of USB common in computers? I was shocked when I turned off my Modi Multibit and it didn't disappear from Windows. I have two other DACs and they are self-powered. Wouldn't such a cheap decision jeopardize quality of the otherwise sophisticated DAC?


----------



## winders

sheldaze said:


> This is correct. The Modi 2 Uber with the 4490 chipset is self-powered. And the Modi Multibit is not - the USB "receiver" is powered from the USB source, just like the earlier Modi 2 Uber and all other Schiit DACs.



Are the Schiit DACs powering their USB receiver using USB VBUS power or do they just not work if the VBUS power is not there? It's a HUGE difference.


----------



## sheldaze

winders said:


> Are the Schiit DACs powering their USB receiver using USB VBUS power or do they just not work if the VBUS power is not there? It's a HUGE difference.



I'm definitely not the best source.

I have recently played with USB cables, where I could decide to power/or not to power the VBUS line. However, I did not find a single DAC or DDC that worked without at least some power on the VBUS. Or...I'm confused entirely what the VBUS is. I was playing with the idea of using a clean VBUS power source (i.e. battery) to see how it sounded, if it improved the sound going into the DAC or DDC, bypassing the likely noisy power coming from a laptop.

Do you know of a DAC or DDC that works without VBUS power?


----------



## winders

sheldaze said:


> I'm definitely not the best source.
> 
> I have recently played with USB cables, where I could decide to power/or not to power the VBUS line. However, I did not find a single DAC or DDC that worked without at least some power on the VBUS. Or...I'm confused entirely what the VBUS is. I was playing with the idea of using a clean VBUS power source (i.e. battery) to see how it sounded, if it improved the sound going into the DAC or DDC, bypassing the likely noisy power coming from a laptop.
> 
> Do you know of a DAC or DDC that works without VBUS power?



I don't keep track but there are DACs that do not require there be power on the Vbus line. Products like the Booster Vbus Isolator are made for the express purpose of removing power from the Vbus line.

https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-tweaks/sbooster-vbus-isolator


----------



## Limblifter

Not sure how the rest of the Schiit line up is configured, but on a Fulla 2 I have a piece of electrical tape on the power pin plugged into the computer side USB.  Using a battery for USB power.


----------



## gvl2016

alpovs said:


> All these years? Windows 7 is how old? No problem on Windows 10. Drivers install automatically. They did get it right after all these years.



The fact the drivers install automatically on Windows 10 has nothing to do with buggy zip compression support in the OS and that it was never patched. Windows 7 is still around.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> Are the Schiit DACs powering their USB receiver using USB VBUS power or do they just not work if the VBUS power is not there? It's a HUGE difference.


They are powering their receiver from the external USB source! Seems weird to me. First, the DAC shows up in Windows device manager when it is turned off and unplugged from the power source. Second, device manager reports that the DAC requires 100mA. If, magically, the DAC starts using internal power when powered on, then Windows would have kicked it out and re-enumerated as a different device that requires 0mA. That doesn't happen. 

My two other DAC's are reported as requiring 0mA by device manager. They disappear from Windows when turned off. I don't know if they work or not when the VBUS power is not there but it is obvious that their USB receivers are powered internally. 

I don't understand why Schiit decided to power their USB receivers by uncontrolled external power sources. I doubt they saved much by doing this. Maybe someone can comment on this. 

As an inconvenience, now I have to not only flip the on/off switch but also to unplug the USB cable when I want to disconnect the DAC.


----------



## leeperry (May 27, 2017)

I wonder if Bimby's USB chip is also bus-powered? Many ppl claim that sonic difference with Mimby is very thin but maybe comparison isn't even fair if you see what I mean


----------



## Music Alchemist

leeperry said:


> I wonder if Bimby's USB chip is also bus-powered? Many ppl claim that sonic diffence with Mimby is very thin but maybe comparison isn't even fair if you see what I mean



I don't see how some people can not immediately hear differences between all these DACs. They're very different sound signatures.


----------



## alpovs

leeperry said:


> I wonder if Bimby's USB chip is also bus-powered? Many ppl claim that sonic difference with Mimby is very thin but maybe comparison isn't even fair if you see what I mean





Music Alchemist said:


> I don't see how some people can not immediately hear differences between all these DACs. They're very different sound signatures.


What do you mean by "all these". Mimby and Bimby use the same DAC chips and DSP. They should sound nearly the same because they are nearly the same. 

If you have a Bimby or any other DAC, unplug it from power (power supply, electrical outlet) and connect its USB to a computer. If the computer "sees" it then the DAC USB chip is bus-powered. Usually it is possible to see in the device manager in Windows what amount of current the chip is drawing by looking at properties of the USB hub it is connected to


----------



## Music Alchemist

alpovs said:


> What do you mean by "all these". Mimby and Bimby use the same DAC chips and DSP. They should sound nearly the same because they are nearly the same.



Sorry, I was referring to DACs in general, not those two in particular. I have a bad habit of multitasking and not paying close enough attention sometimes. Now I see that he was referring to the differences between those two DACs, not the difference between any random DAC and the Modi Multibit.


----------



## Defiant00

alpovs said:


> They are powering their receiver from the external USB source! Seems weird to me. First, the DAC shows up in Windows device manager when it is turned off and unplugged from the power source. Second, device manager reports that the DAC requires 100mA. If, magically, the DAC starts using internal power when powered on, then Windows would have kicked it out and re-enumerated as a different device that requires 0mA. That doesn't happen.
> 
> My two other DAC's are reported as requiring 0mA by device manager. They disappear from Windows when turned off. I don't know if they work or not when the VBUS power is not there but it is obvious that their USB receivers are powered internally.
> 
> ...



I suspect it's so that you don't have Windows switching sound devices on you when you turn your DAC on or off. My guess would be that they are of the opinion that if it's plugged in it should show up on your computer, regardless of whether the DAC is on or off.

Entirely speculation on my part, although personally I agree with their approach, as I don't want Windows switching things around on me unless I actually unplug my DAC.


----------



## Alchemist007

USB has been a bit of a hassle with Schiit products and me. Coax and optical have given me fewer issues when dealing with Windows.


----------



## buonassi

I made a showcase item for the Mimby as none existed.  Also posted the first review under the showcase.  Check it out here:

https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/schiit-audio-modi-multibit-aka-mimby.22405/

I searched extensively before creating the item, so if one existed before, that's evidence that too much sonic energy has rotted my brain.  As I state, I'll remove it if it's a duplicate.


----------



## Music Alchemist

buonassi said:


> I made a showcase item for the Mimby as none existed.  Also posted the first review under the showcase.  Check it out here:
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/schiit-audio-modi-multibit-aka-mimby.22405/
> 
> I searched extensively before creating the item, so if one existed before, that's evidence that too much sonic energy has rotted my brain.  As I state, I'll remove it if it's a duplicate.



Here ya go: https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/schiit-modi-multibit.21834/

@AxelCloris or another one of the admins can tidy things up.


----------



## buonassi

Music Alchemist said:


> Here ya go: https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/schiit-modi-multibit.21834/
> 
> @AxelCloris or another one of the admins can tidy things up.


ahh crap!  I only searched within the "DAC" subcategory of "dedicated source components" ....  so now, how to combine the reviews and which categorization to follow?  I'm hoping @AxelCloris can make that call.  Thx @Music Alchemist


----------



## Kermeli

anyone compared modi 2 uber vs multibit?

I originally wanted to buy the multibit but was out of stock when i ordelred my lyr 2.

now spotted used multibit on sale, which i might buy if i get it cheap


----------



## buonassi (Jun 4, 2017)

@Kermeli  read my review for modi 2 uber vs multibit

https://www.head-fi.org/f/showcase/schiit-audio-modi-multibit-aka-mimby.22405/reviews


----------



## cbl117 (Jun 4, 2017)

Kermeli said:


> anyone compared modi 2 uber vs multibit?
> 
> I originally wanted to buy the multibit but was out of stock when i ordelred my lyr 2.
> 
> now spotted used multibit on sale, which i might buy if i get it cheap



I compared the Modi 2U 4490 and mimby, and TBH it was very hard to find a discernible difference.  If you aren't straining to find differences, I'd doubt you'd find any.  I can see the reference to mimby sounding "vinyl-like", but M2U 4490 isn't far off from that reference with a smidge more air at the top.


----------



## alpovs

Defiant00 said:


> I suspect it's so that you don't have Windows switching sound devices on you when you turn your DAC on or off. My guess would be that they are of the opinion that if it's plugged in it should show up on your computer, regardless of whether the DAC is on or off.
> 
> Entirely speculation on my part, although personally I agree with their approach, as I don't want Windows switching things around on me unless I actually unplug my DAC.


To me, turning off = unplugging. But that is the least important of concerns. The major one is that the USB receiver is powered by dirty USB power from unknown (to Schiit) sources. Every computer is different. There are some with bad USB, then Mimby will have a problem that the user will blame on Schiit. Why power part of your device from unknown sources when clean, stable, known power is right there in the device.


----------



## buonassi

cbl117 said:


> I compared the Modi 2U 4490 and mimby, and TBH it was very hard to find a discernible difference.  If you aren't straining to find differences, I'd doubt you'd find any.  I can see the reference to mimby sounding "vinyl-like", but M2U 4490 isn't far off from that reference with a smidge more air at the top.



M2U is not a sub-par DAC by any means!  I listen to music with lots of instrumentation and cymbals (progressive rock mainly) - lots of fast notes being played and overlaid crashes and splashes with more high frequency decay going on.  Maybe that's where I was able to hear the smoothness of mimby kicking in some more?  Who knows, really.


----------



## buonassi

alpovs said:


> They are powering their receiver from the external USB source! Seems weird to me. First, the DAC shows up in Windows device manager when it is turned off and unplugged from the power source. Second, device manager reports that the DAC requires 100mA. If, magically, the DAC starts using internal power when powered on, then Windows would have kicked it out and re-enumerated as a different device that requires 0mA. That doesn't happen.



FWIW, my mac mini shows the 100ma requirement as well under "system report" USB section.  Just in case anyone was wondering if this was isolated to windows.


----------



## cbl117

buonassi said:


> M2U is not a sub-par DAC by any means!  I listen to music with lots of instrumentation and cymbals (progressive rock mainly) - lots of fast notes being played and overlaid crashes and splashes with more high frequency decay going on.  Maybe that's where I was able to hear the smoothness of mimby kicking in some more?  Who knows, really.



Could be.  I was listening to mainly jazz when I did the comparison, I believe.  Could be the headphones too.  I was using HD650, which probably benefitted from the extra top end energy of the M2U 4490.


----------



## Kermeli

thanks for opinion guys. Maybe i just skip the mimby this time and buy a Bimby later on. I could get the mimby for 200€ tho which i could almost all cover if i sell my m2u.


----------



## ColtMrFire (Jun 6, 2017)

Looking for impressions of the Singxer F-1 USB to COAX converter for use with the Mimby.  USB on the Mimby was noticeably inferior to me compared to Coax, so I am wondering if solutions like the above would fix this issue and sound on par with most decent Coax sources like CD players.

To be more specific, I wonder if it is better to use straight USB but with a decrapifyer like the Uptone Regen to clean up the signal, or to use the Singxer F-1 and bypass the Mimby's USB input altogether and use it's Coax input.  I am not sure if it is the Mimby's USB implementation that is the problem, or if the problem is the crappy, noisy PCs that are commonly subpar audio devices.


----------



## buonassi

ColtMrFire said:


> Looking for impressions of the Singxer F-1 USB to COAX converter for use with the Mimby.  USB on the Mimby was noticeably inferior to me compared to Coax, so I am wondering if solutions like the above would fix this issue and sound on par with most decent Coax sources like CD players.
> 
> To be more specific, I wonder if it is better to use straight USB but with a decrapifyer like the Uptone Regen to clean up the signal, or to use the Singxer F-1 and bypass the Mimby's USB input altogether and use it's Coax input.  I am not sure if it is the Mimby's USB implementation that is the problem, or if the problem is the crappy, noisy PCs that are commonly subpar audio devices.



I wish I could answer your question, but am intrigued by your experience and have a question for you.  I certainly haven't heard any noise using my Mac Mini, with or without dither added to the signal chain - even with another peripheral like an external HDD connected.  Then again, just because I haven't perceived any USB noise doesn't mean it's not there despite priding myself on having decent ears.  Is this USB related noise something that I could pick out if I didn't know what a very pure (completely black background) chain sounded like?  Meaning, is it pretty obvious noise or is it one of those subtleties I'd never know was there unless I A/B/X something very carefully?


----------



## winders

ColtMrFire said:


> Looking for impressions of the Singxer F-1 USB to COAX converter for use with the Mimby.  USB on the Mimby was noticeably inferior to me compared to Coax, so I am wondering if solutions like the above would fix this issue and sound on par with most decent Coax sources like CD players.
> 
> To be more specific, I wonder if it is better to use straight USB but with a decrapifyer like the Uptone Regen to clean up the signal, or to use the Singxer F-1 and bypass the Mimby's USB input altogether and use it's Coax input.  I am not sure if it is the Mimby's USB implementation that is the problem, or if the problem is the crappy, noisy PCs that are commonly subpar audio devices.



No, using something like a Singxer F-1 to feed SPDIF to a Mimby is better than using USB even with a decrapifier. But, the Singxer F-1 costs almost as much as the Mimby. You would be better off investing that money in a better DAC like a Gumby. I would take a Gumby fed by straight USB over a Mimby fed by a Singxer F-1 (SPDIF).


----------



## ColtMrFire

buonassi said:


> I wish I could answer your question, but am intrigued by your experience and have a question for you.  I certainly haven't heard any noise using my Mac Mini, with or without dither added to the signal chain - even with another peripheral like an external HDD connected.  Then again, just because I haven't perceived any USB noise doesn't mean it's not there despite priding myself on having decent ears.  Is this USB related noise something that I could pick out if I didn't know what a very pure (completely black background) chain sounded like?  Meaning, is it pretty obvious noise or is it one of those subtleties I'd never know was there unless I A/B/X something very carefully?



I previously had the Regen hooked into the Mimby via USB, so it did a good job cleaning up the signal, sounded very improved. But when I hooked up one of my old Sony DVD/CD players via Coax, the difference was dramatic, far greater than USB with the Regen.  This led me to believe USB is just inherently a crappy source for audio, which is why I was interested in the Singxer.


----------



## ColtMrFire

winders said:


> I would take a Gumby fed by straight USB over a Mimby fed by a Singxer F-1 (SPDIF).



Interesting.  Have you actually made the comparison, or is that just a guess?


----------



## winders

ColtMrFire said:


> Interesting.  Have you actually made the comparison, or is that just a guess?



I have made the comparison using my DACs......


----------



## leeperry

winders said:


> I have made the comparison using my DACs......


Could you please confirm that Bimby & Gumby also have their USB chip bus-powered please? Because Mimby drastically benefits from a clean USB PSU so if they both have their USB chip self-powered from their main PSU then it's not a fair comparison at all, mostly a somewhat sneaky way to make Mimby sound worse on purpose.


----------



## winders

leeperry said:


> Could you please confirm that Bimby & Gumby also have their USB chip bus-powered please? Because Mimby drastically benefits from a clean USB PSU so if they both have their USB chip self-powered from their main PSU then it's not a fair comparison at all, mostly a somewhat sneaky way to make Mimby sound worse on purpose.



In System Profiler, both Mimby and Yggy have "100" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. Interestingly, the Singxer F-1, which is Vbus powered for sure, has "0" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. All these figures are with audio playing thought the devices listed.


----------



## Spiral Out

I run my Mimby from a Raspberry PI with a Hifiberry Digi + Pro card via coax. Sounds excellent and is an significant improvement compared to USB. The price is roughly the same as the F-1, I think it was close to $200 for the whole setup including an Ifi power supply and a case for the Pi.


----------



## leeperry

winders said:


> In System Profiler, both Mimby and Yggy have "100" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. Interestingly, the Singxer F-1, which is Vbus powered for sure, has "0" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. All these figures are with audio playing thought the devices listed.


Yeah, those figures don't prove anything. If you unplug them from the mains and keep USB connected, do they still show up? The best test of course is with a USB cable that had its +5V pin broken or taped.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> In System Profiler, both Mimby and Yggy have "100" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. Interestingly, the Singxer F-1, which is Vbus powered for sure, has "0" in the "Current Required (mA)" field. All these figures are with audio playing thought the devices listed.





leeperry said:


> Yeah, those figures don't prove anything. If you unplug them from the mains and keep USB connected, do they still show up? The best test of course is with a USB cable that had its +5V pin broken or taped.


These are the figures the electronics inside is programmed to report to the computer (or a hub). They are not actual values. The Singxer F-1 is a Chinese device. So... it just doesn't report it right. 

leeperry's suggestion is the best. When I turn off my Mimby and unplug the power cord Windows still shows it as connected like I never turned it off.


----------



## winders (Jun 6, 2017)

leeperry said:


> Yeah, those figures don't prove anything. If you unplug them from the mains and keep USB connected, do they still show up? The best test of course is with a USB cable that had its +5V pin broken or taped.



That doesn't tell you anything either. The DAC could require seeing +5 on the Vbus pin but not use it in actual operation.

If you guys care so much, why not ask Schiit Audio.....


----------



## leeperry (Jun 6, 2017)

Well you're the one making subjective claims but for all we know it's because their USB chips aren't bus-powered, so you're mostly comparing apples and pineapples. We figured you could do a 10 secs test that would actually be a lot more meaningful, sorry for the waste of time.

Regarding Schitt tech support, they recently told me that 15mV DC offset on fulla2's HO was perfectly normal so I'll just assume that they would have no clue what I'm asking. Must be the Audeze's QA dude also taking care of Schiit tech support ^^


----------



## winders

Oh, I see, a Schiit hater....


----------



## leeperry

You don't see much actually and so far have mostly been making bold subjective statements as far as I can see. I love Mimby but would never ask their support for technical questions because for instance 15mV DC offset is very much not normal despite what they think and checking whether Bimby/Gumby's USB chips are bus-powered is more factual than "yo it sounds better duh"


----------



## winders

The fact that I think my Yggdrasil on USB sounds better than my Modi Multibit using SPDIF through a Singxer F-1 is completely subjective. It's an opinion that is only factual in the sense it is what I think. I never claimed it was anything but subjective....


----------



## leeperry

Cool story, if anyone who cares about facts could be hassled unplugging Bimby's off the mains and check whether it still shows up on the computer this would be most appreciated please because S/PDIF cannot sound better than async USB...well except if USB chip is bus-powered from a noisy mobo USB port for instance. Great sounding USB isn't PNP by a long shot.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> That doesn't tell you anything either. The DAC could require seeing +5 on the Vbus pin but not use it in actual operation.


If the completely unplugged DAC still shows up in the system then it DOES use Vbus power to power at least the USB receiver. The rest can be powered by a power supply.


winders said:


> If you guys care so much, why not ask Schiit Audio.....


Because their answers are usually "YMMV" and "It's just for fun". I am not a Schiit hater. I love their products but I hate when engineers provide answers like that.


----------



## leeperry (Jun 6, 2017)

Well even Wyrd uses bus power to fuel its USB chip repeater so they don't seem too keen on bothering self-powering USB chips, anyway Mimby rocks with a 2A wallwart and a third-party USB PSU so be it and I like how Mimby can be hidden behind the PC because I've really gotten to hate audiophool desk clutter now.


----------



## alpovs

winders said:


> The fact that I think my Yggdrasil on USB sounds better than my Modi Multibit using SPDIF through a Singxer F-1 is completely subjective. It's an opinion that is only factual in the sense it is what I think. I never claimed it was anything but subjective....


Yggdrasil's USB is superior to their other products'. It uses a different chip but also other improvements (Gen 3). So, your observations are no surprise. Accordingly to this https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/yggdrasil-technical-measurements.764787/ "Jitter - what jitter - Yggdrasil laughs at your USB cables".


----------



## winders

leeperry said:


> Cool story, if anyone who cares about facts could be hassled unplugging Bimby's off the mains and check whether it still shows up on the computer this would be most appreciated please because S/PDIF cannot sound better than async USB...well except if USB chip is bus-powered from a noisy mobo USB port for instance. Great sounding USB isn't PNP by a long shot.



Oh brother.  Where to start....

The facts (objective):

Mike Moffat, the guy that designed all of these Schiit DACs, says the USB interface is the worst interface on the DACs. S/PDIF is the better interface to use, period. On Yggdrasil, AES/EBU is best.

I don't have a Bifrost Multibit, but my Yggdrasil shows up in USB section of System Profiler on my MacBook Pro even if powered off as long as the USB cable is plugged in to both.

My opinions (subjective):

I have used the Modi Multibit with USB and super clean power on the Vbus. This was done using an UpTone Audio ISO Regen powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1 plugged into the DAC's USB port. I have also used the Modi Multibit with S/PDIF using the Singxfer F-1. I have tried two ways. In one, it also had super clean power as the same UpTone Audio ISO Regen powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1 was plugged into the Singxer F-1's USB port. In another, it was without clean power on the Vbus. The USB cable from the MacBook was plugged straight into the Singxer F-1's USB port.

In all cases, I prefer the sound of Yggdrasil on USB straight from the MacBook Pro over any scenario involving the Modi Multibit.

Most people with experience would agree that USB sucks for audio. S/DIF coax has its issues, but it is better than USB.


----------



## alpovs

leeperry said:


> Well even Wyrd uses bus power to fuel its USB chip repeater so they don't seem too keen on bothering self-powering USB chips


Their Wyrd is really weird. I am glad I didn't buy it. I was going to.


----------



## leeperry (Jun 6, 2017)

winders said:


> Oh brother.  Where to start



Yeah brother I know what Mr Moffat said but when I asked him about further details he remained very vague so for all I know he was comparing a TOTL transport to a laptop USB port, eventually S/PDIF would most likely win in that case.

In my experience Regen+9V iPower shrinks and colors Mimby's SS and USB galvanic isolation will increase both jitter and distortion, there's no way around it and no free lunch either no matter what shills and magical USB boxes with 500% markup will say. Best option to my ears is to use a simple third-party USB PSU to replace bus-power, no fancypants reclocker that messes up with dataflow kthx ^^

Yggy costs 2.3 grand so I would expect it to sound amazing even off a tablet eh.


----------



## winders

So, nothing I have to say is of interest or use to you. Please put me on your ignore list as that is where I am putting you.


----------



## leeperry

At least now we know that even their flagship is bus-powered so it's safe to assume that Bimby also is, thank you for that you're a star


----------



## alpovs

Gungnir and Yggdrasil have what they call Adapticlock - "it’s a way to decrapify the inputs, no matter how craptastic they are". "Technically, Adapticlock is the industry’s most advanced jitter-reducing reclocking system. It automatically switches between VCXO and VCO reclocking, depending on the quality of your source. High-quality sources run on the VCXOs, for best jitter performance. Lower-quality sources that deviate from the range of the VCXOs are routed automatically to the VCOs, and an LED on the front panel comes on. We call this the “buy better gear” light." - From FAQ for Gungnir. 

So, Gungnir and Yggdrasil don't need anything between them and a computer. A "decrapifier" is kind of built-in. They should sound better than any other Schiit, which was "subjectively" confirmed by winders a few posts ago: https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/h...g-modi-multibit.815368/page-219#post-13532575
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/h...g-modi-multibit.815368/page-219#post-13532575
I wish Schiit put Adapticlock into Wyrd...


----------



## leeperry

Well they got trolled big time on Wyrd and I hope they do plan a counterattack at some point huh: https://www.audiostream.com/content/manufacturers-comment-26
Regen dude claims to have sold 4K units, I let you do the math......they already were kind enough to basically sell Bimby for $249 so a $99 reclocker that uses Adapticlock would indeed raise a lot of interest


----------



## buonassi

winders said:


> That doesn't tell you anything either. The DAC could require seeing +5 on the Vbus pin but not use it in actual operation.
> 
> If you guys care so much, why not ask Schiit Audio.....


actually, yes.  This is what I was going to suggest.  They reply to email usually in 24 hours.  Even technical questions like this.  I'd do it, but I'm saving my pestering for something I care a little more about.


----------



## BubbaJay

Don't mean to bust up the USB vs SPDIF talk but I have a mimby and its pair with the Magni 2 which I like but I was wanting to get a tube amp like the Valhalla 2 or something along those lines and I was wondering if anyone else is using that setup and how it sounds.  My 2 headphones I use are the Elear and Nighthawk and I don't want them to be too warm sounding (especially the Nighthawk) so I don't know if a hybrid tube amp would be better.  I like the tone from the Magni 2 but I'm wanting a little more full sound which a good tube amp can provide I think.


----------



## makne

Hey all! I'm new to this thread, and I need some advice.

My current dac is the Aune x1s dac/amp, I'm only using the dac part (equivalent to the regular Modi in quality). 
I plan on upgrading to either a Mimby or Regular Bifrost (and possibly upgrade to multibit down the line). Is the Bifrost worth the 200$ increase over mimby? Is the bimby worth the 250$ increase over Bifrost? (This is Norwegian prices). I might also buy a Jotunheim to power my Elears, should I get the dac module with it? How does it stack up against Schiits standalone dacs?


----------



## limelake

BubbaJay said:


> Don't mean to bust up the USB vs SPDIF talk but I have a mimby and its pair with the Magni 2 which I like but I was wanting to get a tube amp like the Valhalla 2 or something along those lines and I was wondering if anyone else is using that setup and how it sounds.  My 2 headphones I use are the Elear and Nighthawk and I don't want them to be too warm sounding (especially the Nighthawk) so I don't know if a hybrid tube amp would be better.  I like the tone from the Magni 2 but I'm wanting a little more full sound which a good tube amp can provide I think.


 Mimby and Valhalla 2 work well together. Not really warm...but not cold. Full sounding ?....well.....Valhalla 2 i would call a little richer.


----------



## Defiant00

makne said:


> Hey all! I'm new to this thread, and I need some advice.
> 
> My current dac is the Aune x1s dac/amp, I'm only using the dac part (equivalent to the regular Modi in quality).
> I plan on upgrading to either a Mimby or Regular Bifrost (and possibly upgrade to multibit down the line). Is the Bifrost worth the 200$ increase over mimby? Is the bimby worth the 250$ increase over Bifrost? (This is Norwegian prices). I might also buy a Jotunheim to power my Elears, should I get the dac module with it? How does it stack up against Schiits standalone dacs?



I prefer Schiit's multibit products, so I would recommend Mimby or Bimby. They both sound basically the same, so on sound quality alone I'd recommend Mimby. If you think you're going to keep it quite a while and might upgrade, maybe Bimby, but Mimby is definitely the better value proposition right now.

The Jotunheim DAC reportedly sounds basically the same as a normal Modi; I believe most would recommend going with Mimby instead of the Jotunheim DAC, but if you want a second/backup DAC the Jotunheim card is an excellent choice.


----------



## makne (Jun 23, 2017)

Defiant00 said:


> I prefer Schiit's multibit products, so I would recommend Mimby or Bimby. They both sound basically the same, so on sound quality alone I'd recommend Mimby. If you think you're going to keep it quite a while and might upgrade, maybe Bimby, but Mimby is definitely the better value proposition right now.
> 
> The Jotunheim DAC reportedly sounds basically the same as a normal Modi; I believe most would recommend going with Mimby instead of the Jotunheim DAC, but if you want a second/backup DAC the Jotunheim card is an excellent choice.


Thanks, this is in line with the general impressions I've heard. Will probably go for a Mimby then.
Only problem is that mimby (and bimby) only have one output, and I'd like to use it with both my speaker and headphone setup when I buy a Jot. Don't think the Jot dac will be satisfying enough with the Elears. As the pre-outs on Jot are variable, I guess it won't work to connect the Jot between the dac and speaker amp. Are there any decent rca switchers or something I could use? Otherwise I'd have to get another dac with 2 outputs.


----------



## Defiant00

makne said:


> Thanks, this is in line with the general impressions I've heard. Will probably go for a Mimby then.
> Only problem is that mimby (and bimby) only have one output, and I'd like to use it with both my speaker and headphone setup when I buy a Jot. Don't think the Jot dac will be satisfying enough with the Elears. As the pre-outs on Jot are variable, I guess it won't work to connect the Jot between the dac and speaker amp. Are there any decent rca switchers or something I could use? Otherwise I'd have to get another dac with 2 outputs.



Just use a y-splitter, there's no harm in having the Mimby output hooked up to both your speaker and headphone setups.


----------



## Letmebefrank

makne said:


> Thanks, this is in line with the general impressions I've heard. Will probably go for a Mimby then.
> Only problem is that mimby (and bimby) only have one output, and I'd like to use it with both my speaker and headphone setup when I buy a Jot. Don't think the Jot dac will be satisfying enough with the Elears. As the pre-outs on Jot are variable, I guess it won't work to connect the Jot between the dac and speaker amp. Are there any decent rca switchers or something I could use? Otherwise I'd have to get another dac with 2 outputs.



You could do a Y split, or you can do what I've done and buy a Schiit SYS but use it in reverse (1 in 2 out). The volume control does not work in this configuration but when set to max there is no degradation. This is nice because I can have my headphone amp and speaker amp both switched on, and swap between them with the SYS without having music playing through both.


----------



## bilboda

I use the Ember headphone amp with variable line out. Mimby goes to this and the lineout goes to a SYS. When I want speakers I turn the SYS all the way up and control the volume from the Ember. When I want headphones, I turn the SYS all the way down. This gives me an extra line in on the SYS which I use for an HD radio. You could do the same with the Jot,


----------



## makne

Defiant00 said:


> Just use a y-splitter, there's no harm in having the Mimby output hooked up to both your speaker and headphone setups.





Letmebefrank said:


> You could do a Y split, or you can do what I've done and buy a Schiit SYS but use it in reverse (1 in 2 out). The volume control does not work in this configuration but when set to max there is no degradation. This is nice because I can have my headphone amp and speaker amp both switched on, and swap between them with the SYS without having music playing through both.


Wow okay, that's great news for me. I thought about using a Y-split but was afraid connecting both amps simultaneously would introduce problems of some sort... Also looked at the SYS, but was afraid the volume control would degrade the signal somehow. If that's not the case, could I just kinda daisy-chain the amps? Like Mimby line out->Jot line-in->Jot pre-out->speaker amp line-in? Or would the Jot degrade the signal before going into the speaker amp, as the pre-outs are variable and not fixed? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, not that knowledgeable about this.


----------



## Letmebefrank

makne said:


> Wow okay, that's great news for me. I thought about using a Y-split but was afraid connecting both amps simultaneously would introduce problems of some sort... Also looked at the SYS, but was afraid the volume control would degrade the signal somehow. If that's not the case, could I just kinda daisy-chain the amps? Like Mimby line out->Jot line-in->Jot pre-out->speaker amp line-in? Or would the Jot degrade the signal before going into the speaker amp, as the pre-outs are variable and not fixed? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions, not that knowledgeable about this.



You can use the Jotunheim as a pre-amp, but you will get audio from both headphones and speakers at the same time, so when you are listening to HPs you will have to turn off your speaker amp. High quality analog pots like Schiit uses don't degrade the signal in a noticeable way.


----------



## makne

Just got my new mimby up and running, aaand I'm VERY surprised. So much that I felt the need to write a post here. 
Already 10 seconds into the first song (Communique, Dire Straits) I had to check if I had any DSP turned on. The bassline was even stronger an fuller than with the Aune. Then comes the hi-hats and cymbals, and my first reaction is that the treble is more recessed. But upon further listening, I think it is just smoother, yet it still feels more detailed. Mark Knopfler's voice is more focused, with more depth (or texture, maybe, can't find the right word) and is easier to pick out from the rest of the mix. 
Bottom line the mimby sounds warmer/darker, smoother and yet more detailed. 

Can a dac upgrade really make this kind of difference, or is my brain playing tricks on me? I wasn't really expecting much of a difference (I've watched Z reviews a lot) and was completely surprised by this. Maybe my brain is still confused from my session with the Susvara earlier today, but I made sure to listen closely to my Elears with the Aune before connecting the Mimby... Has anybody else experienced differences like this? Is Zeos wrong? Am I crazy or my brain skewed? I NEED ANSWERS!


----------



## alpovs

makne said:


> Already 10 seconds into the first song (Communique, Dire Straits) I had to check if I had any DSP turned on. The bassline was even stronger an fuller than with the Aune. Then comes the hi-hats and cymbals, and my first reaction is that the treble is more recessed. But upon further listening, I think it is just smoother, yet it still feels more detailed. Mark Knopfler's voice is more focused, with more depth (or texture, maybe, can't find the right word) and is easier to pick out from the rest of the mix.


These were exactly my thoughts when I started listening to Mimby after listening to some AKM and Sabre based good DACs. Maybe both our brains are playing identical tricks on us but more likely our impressions are real...


----------



## makne

alpovs said:


> These were exactly my thoughts when I started listening to Mimby after listening to some AKM and Sabre based good DACs. Maybe both our brains are playing identical tricks on us but more likely our impressions are real...


This is comforting, but it means my thoughts about dac impact on sq were completely wrong... F*ck you Zeos!  My mind is officially blown.


----------



## Letmebefrank

makne said:


> Just got my new mimby up and running, aaand I'm VERY surprised. So much that I felt the need to write a post here.
> Already 10 seconds into the first song (Communique, Dire Straits) I had to check if I had any DSP turned on. The bassline was even stronger an fuller than with the Aune. Then comes the hi-hats and cymbals, and my first reaction is that the treble is more recessed. But upon further listening, I think it is just smoother, yet it still feels more detailed. Mark Knopfler's voice is more focused, with more depth (or texture, maybe, can't find the right word) and is easier to pick out from the rest of the mix.
> Bottom line the mimby sounds warmer/darker, smoother and yet more detailed.
> 
> Can a dac upgrade really make this kind of difference, or is my brain playing tricks on me? I wasn't really expecting much of a difference (I've watched Z reviews a lot) and was completely surprised by this. Maybe my brain is still confused from my session with the Susvara earlier today, but I made sure to listen closely to my Elears with the Aune before connecting the Mimby... Has anybody else experienced differences like this? Is Zeos wrong? Am I crazy or my brain skewed? I NEED ANSWERS!



Yes I've experienced basically the same exact thing as you with my Mimby. The highs and lows are really where the multibit tech makes the biggest difference. Personally I focused on highs when evaluating my Mimby, and to me the difference was very clear that on the Mimby, cymbals sounded like how they sound in real life without any of that digital crunchiness, and the two other DACs that I had available (Modi 2 Uber Ak4396, and DacPort slim AK4490) had a definitely unnatural, almost digital sound to cymbals in comparison.

I like Zeos but one thing I've always disagreed with him on is DACs. In his own review of the bifrost multibit he states right in the beginning his bias against expensive DACs, this to me automatically sets him up for negative/neutral placebo.


----------



## makne

Letmebefrank said:


> Yes I've experienced basically the same exact thing as you with my Mimby. The highs and lows are really where the multibit tech makes the biggest difference. Personally I focused on highs when evaluating my Mimby, and to me the difference was very clear that on the Mimby, cymbals sounded like how they sound in real life without any of that digital crunchiness, and the two other DACs that I had available (Modi 2 Uber Ak4396, and DacPort slim AK4490) had a definitely unnatural, almost digital sound to cymbals in comparison.
> 
> I like Zeos but one thing I've always disagreed with him on is DACs. In his own review of the bifrost multibit he states right in the beginning his bias against expensive DACs, this to me automatically sets him up for negative/neutral placebo.


Chrunchiness!! That's the perfect description of what is lacking in the mimby, compared to the Aune. I just never thought it could be the dac causing it, rather than the amp or cans...
I also like Zeos, I watch all of his videos. But the more experience I earn, the more I learn to take everything he says with a small pinch of salt. His Bimby review is a big part of the reason why I haven't upgraded my dac until now. 
Wow, I got a far better sq upgrade than I expected! I'm so happy right now.


----------



## fritobugger

We would all be better served to view Zeos as entertainment and not an analytical and useful source of information.


----------



## alpovs

makne said:


> This is comforting, but it means my thoughts about dac impact on sq were completely wrong... F*ck you Zeos!  My mind is officially blown.


My opinion is unbiased - I have no idea who Zeos is. I thought it was a mythical character. Besides, how many people - so many opinions. Why do you think yours and Zeos' should match? And about DACs and SQ, this is a "dedicated source" forum. The source of music has the highest impact on sound quality. Everything else down the chain just modifies what the source produced.


----------



## AviP

alpovs said:


> My opinion is unbiased - I have no idea who Zeos is. I thought it was a mythical character. Besides, how many people - so many opinions. Why do you think yours and Zeos' should match? And about DACs and SQ, this is a "dedicated source" forum. The source of music has the highest impact on sound quality. Everything else down the chain just modifies what the source produced.


Zeos: https://www.youtube.com/user/ZeosReviews


----------



## alpovs

AviP said:


> Zeos: https://www.youtube.com/user/ZeosReviews


I forgot to mention that I also don't want to know who Zeos is.


----------



## MWSVette

I would say entire the chain is important.  Source material, source delivery system, DAC, amp and finally headphones.  You can have a great source material, but if you have crap farther down the chain you are probably going to end up with Schiit...


----------



## makne

I thought that dacs were kinda like TV's: They get both better and cheaper every year. And that we now were at a point where budget dacs are so good, sound-wise they're indistuingishable from more expensive stuff. Guess I was wrong lol.



alpovs said:


> I forgot to mention that I also don't want to know who Zeos is.


Such savagery xD


----------



## MWSVette

makne said:


> I thought that dacs were kinda like TV's: They get both better and cheaper every year. And that we now were at a point where budget dacs are so good, sound-wise they're indistuingishable from more expensive stuff. Guess I was wrong lol.
> 
> 
> Such savagery xD




If you are ever trying to see who many people you can get twisted up at one time, try something like "All DAC's sound the same..."

It will not go well, mainly because they do not.


----------



## Stan Pac

Hello everyone, this is my first post in Head Fi 
It took me some time to read the whole topic 
My Mimby came to Bulgaria yesterday and I'm pretty impressed with it. I already had an old CD player with build in multibit DAC. I love its sound and wanted to have comparable quality playing music from my PC.
I did A/B testing with the CD player's own DAC and Mimby using the optical out of the player. The lows and the mids were identical to my ears, Mimby was a touch better in the highs giving more clarity and definition.
Playing the same CD from a Laptop (with Foobar) the things were pretty close.  I'm about to make more comparisons. I want to decide if I need an upgrade to the laptop's USB with a decent USB to SPDIF converter or a streamer or Schiit Wyrd at least.
Playing mp3 from Spotify is a big step backward from the CD quality, but still the sound is more lively then ever before from Spotify.
I also got a Fulla 2 for my workplace. Compared to Mimby (only the DAC section) it's highs are much more harsh and unnatural. They are far from bad, but Mimby is noticeably better. The low end of the Fulla is also thinner. Taking in mind the Fulla's price I'm pretty happy with both Schiits!


----------



## MWSVette

Welcome to the Schiit club...


----------



## omniweltall

Stan Pac said:


> Hello everyone, this is my first post in Head Fi
> It took me some time to read the whole topic
> My Mimby came to Bulgaria yesterday and I'm pretty impressed with it. I already had an old CD player with build in multibit DAC. I love its sound and wanted to have comparable quality playing music from my PC.
> I did A/B testing with the CD player's own DAC and Mimby using the optical out of the player. The lows and the mids were identical to my ears, Mimby was a touch better in the highs giving more clarity and definition.
> ...


Congrats and enjoy your mimby!


----------



## Jimster480

makne said:


> I thought that dacs were kinda like TV's: They get both better and cheaper every year. And that we now were at a point where budget dacs are so good, sound-wise they're indistuingishable from more expensive stuff. Guess I was wrong lol.
> 
> 
> Such savagery xD


No you are basically right.
There is a market for people who "believe' in this stuff and thats about it. Just like the $6000 TV's of today that are about 5% better than a $600 TV. A DAC is basically the same. 
You can get so much power for $250 or less that there is no need for anything else.
Hell there are so many good DAC's available at the $100 pricepoint these days.


----------



## winders

makne said:


> I thought that dacs were kinda like TV's: They get both better and cheaper every year. And that we now were at a point where budget dacs are so good, sound-wise they're indistuingishable from more expensive stuff. Guess I was wrong lol.



DACs are not like TVs. There is still a lot of art involved with the best sounding DACs while TVs are commodities.



Jimster480 said:


> No you are basically right.
> There is a market for people who "believe' in this stuff and thats about it. Just like the $6000 TV's of today that are about 5% better than a $600 TV. A DAC is basically the same.
> You can get so much power for $250 or less that there is no need for anything else.
> Hell there are so many good DAC's available at the $100 pricepoint these days.



I completely disagree. I have a Mimby and an Yggdrasil and can tell you that, while both sound great, the Yggdrasil sounds much better. You go ahead and be happy with your inexpensive DACs and amps if they sound great to you. But don't try to peddle the idea that more expensive better sounding DACs and amps are just in the minds of people that want to believe they are better.


----------



## makne

I think that the law of diminishing returns works here like anywhere else. Obviously there will be a bigger difference between a 100$ and 500$ dac, than a 3000$ and 3500$ dac (headphones too for that matter). 

With that said, my impression was that the "sweet spot" for price/performance was around modi 2 uber level. This mainly because of reviewers like Zeos as well as people on head-fi. (Where this sweet-spot is will be very personal, depending on resources, passion, experience etc.)

This impression was definitely proven wrong by the Mimby, which gave me a far better sq upgrade than I thought it would. Now, I don't know where the sweet-spot for me is, I haven't heard enough dacs yet. But from what I hear from people and my limited experience, the mimby should keep me covered for a while. 
(for reference my sweet-spot for headphones was HD650 for a "long" time, now it's Elear and I can't see myself upgrading in the foreseeable future. Amp-wise I'm planning on buying a Jot which should last me for a good while)


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> DACs are not like TVs. There is still a lot of art involved with the best sounding DACs while TVs are commodities.
> 
> 
> 
> I completely disagree. I have a Mimby and an Yggdrasil and can tell you that, while both sound great, the Yggdrasil sounds much better. You go ahead and be happy with your inexpensive DACs and amps if they sound great to you. But don't try to peddle the idea that more expensive better sounding DACs and amps are just in the minds of people that want to believe they are better.



I'm sure it sounds great because its designed to sound great.
I'm sure it sounds better than the Mimby because its designed this way.
Does it mean that it sounds 10x better than the Mimby? No because its not really possible.

TV's have alot more engineering and tech behind them than DAC's which are relatively simple devices that honestly mostly use off-the-shelf components backed by tons of smoke and mirrors.
Atleast Schiit doesn't say one way or the other, they just make products and let you decide what you like.

But as I said before, I don't discount that your Yggdrasil sounds better than a Mimby. it isn't capable of sounding 10x better and overall where I don't really like the Mimby's sound signature everything in audio comes to preference. 

Its the same if you were to buy a $6000 TV today, sure it will look better than my $1200 Sony 4K HDR x850D but it won't look 5x better. Hell it won't even look 2x better because its not even possible. 

The reality is that a $650-$800 TV today can get you all the features and very good color accuracy, the same way that a $100-250 DAC can get you most all the features (DSD & high Khz PCM playback, multiple interfaces, etc) and very good sound reproduction. 

DSD is about as scarce as 4K HDR movies, while thats changing (in terms of 4K HDR) they are both mostly useless features at this point in time because if you are someone who actually watches movies. You would run out of the library of all 4K HDR movies in less than a month. 
Even worse, you will run out of all the 4K content in less than 2 months, unless you include youtube channels shooting interesting videos of valleys, cities, oceans, etc.

But the audio industry is in "worse" (depending on how you look at it) shape. Because most music is still 16/44.1 these days when in reality everything should be 24/96khz at minimum because storage is ample and everything has been capable of both recording and playing back such tracks for the longest time that its even in basic drivers on every OS.


----------



## r2muchstuff

New setups for my Modi Multibit.

Setup # 1:
iPod Nano 3rd Gen 8GB loaded with ALAC rips (Various Blues) from CDs > Pure Digital iPod Dock > Coax > Schiit Modi Multibit >Rigid Y cross connect v2 (for Schiit Stack) > PYST RCA > Sansui Aux In > Headphone Jack Out > Beyerdynamic DT880 Manufaktur 600 Ohms.
This setup allows the use of all Sansui Pre Amp controls.

Set Up #2
iPod Nano 3rd Gen 8GB loaded with ALAC rips (Various Blues) from CDs > Pure Digital iPod Dock > Coax > Schiit Modi Multibit > Rigid Y cross connect v2 (for Schiit Stack) > Schiit Vali 2 with adapter for 6SN7 tube > Vali 2 Pre Out > PYST RCA > Sansui Main In > Sansui Combined/Separated Switch (Pre Amp/Main Amp) set to Separated) > Headphone Jack Out > Beyerdynamic DT880 Manufaktur 600 Ohms.
This setup only allows control of volume from the Vali 2, the Sansui Pre Amp is off line.

Option:
Schiit Stack, no Sansui.

Three systems in a compact  space.
The DT 880 are recent to me, I am finding them a great fit for my Vintage. The price/SQ makes them a good value for Vintage listening, IMHO.

My first Sansui in a long time,

R


----------



## ajreynol

Hi guys, just want to confirm: if I'm looking at the Bimby but am not especially concerned about upgradeability, I should actually be looking at a Mimby instead and saving $350. 

Is that correct?


----------



## Spiral Out

Yes, I think the Mimby would be the way to go. The Mimby and Bimby are supposed to sound almost identical and for the cost of upgrading the Bimby you could just buy the newer version of the Mimby. This is of course making a couple of assumptions; that the next Bimby upgrade will be $250 like the multibit upgade and that Schiit comes out with a new updated version of the Mimby in the future.


----------



## Jimster480

ajreynol said:


> Hi guys, just want to confirm: if I'm looking at the Bimby but am not especially concerned about upgradeability, I should actually be looking at a Mimby instead and saving $350.
> 
> Is that correct?



Yes basically. From what I have seen there is no reason to ever buy Bimby because even the upgradability will cost you more in the long run vs just selling your Mimby and buying a new version.


----------



## makne

What is the next step up from mimby, that is actually worth upgrading to? I have no interest in upgrading yet, just want to know what I should be aiming for down the road, how much I'd have to spend to get a significant upgrade. 

The mimby opened my eyes to a whole new world of potential upgrades, haha.


----------



## winders

Bimby is an upgrade from Mimby. There is no doubt about that. But, the first significant upgrade in the Schiit line is Gumby.


----------



## koover

What sample rate should I set? When I installed, it defaulted to 16bit, 44100hz CD quality.


----------



## gvl2016

koover said:


> What sample rate should I set? When I installed, it defaulted to 16bit, 44100hz CD quality.



Depends on and should match your music material format, but assuming Windows  you want to use it via WASAPI or ASIO to ensure highest quality.


----------



## RickB (Jul 5, 2017)

koover said:


> What sample rate should I set? When I installed, it defaulted to 16bit, 44100hz CD quality.



The Modi Multibit is a 16 bit DAC, and that is what it outputs. However, it can accept as input up to 24 bit, 96 kHz material (or maybe it's 192 kHz, I forget). So on my system, which uses Windows 10, I set it at 24 bit, 96K, and that seems to work fine.

Edit: I should add that I use WASAPI in JRiver Media Center, and that handles it automatically.


----------



## koover (Jul 5, 2017)

RickB said:


> The Modi Multibit is a 16 bit DAC, and that is what it outputs. However, it can accept as input up to 24 bit, 96 kHz material (or maybe it's 192 kHz, I forget). So on my system, which uses Windows 10, I set it at 24 bit, 96K, and that seems to work fine.
> 
> Edit: I should add that I use WASAPI in JRiver Media Center, and that handles it automatically.



Thanx to you both. As an FYI I am running windows 10. 
Im VERY new to all this so a lot of the stuff you guys talk about (electronics, math, etc.) is a bit over my head. Not concerned about admitting it either as how else am I gonna learn. Appreciate the help from you and gvl2016.


----------



## RickB

koover said:


> Thanx to you both. As an FYI I am running windows 10.
> Im VERY new to all this so a lot of the stuff you guys talk about (electronics, math, etc.) is a bit over my head. Not concerned about admitting it either as how else am I gonna learn. Appreciate the help from you and gvl2016.



To set the record straight, this is from Schiit:



> Modi 2 Multibit: 16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB. 16/44.1 to 24/192 via Toslink* and Coax, with 24/176 and 24/192 being NOS (non-oversampled)
> 
> *Note: many optical transmitters cannot output 24/176 and 24/192 reliably



http://schiit.com/products/modi-2

So the Multibit will accept input up to 24 bit/192 kHz.


----------



## koover

RickB said:


> To set the record straight, this is from Schiit:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you


----------



## BubbaJay

I to have Windows 10 and 24 bit 96k sounds good to me.

Earlier in the thread I posted wanting to know if anyone knew of a good tube or hybrid amps to use with the mimby, but after listening to through my Magni 2 for a long time one weekend convinced me to stay with what I have for now.  If I'm going to upgrade it's gonna be to something a lot more hi-end, and also upgrade the dac as well.  For now, I love the way the mimby portrays music and hooked up with my Elear I'm in musical bliss.


----------



## makne

BubbaJay said:


> I to have Windows 10 and 24 bit 96k sounds good to me.
> 
> Earlier in the thread I posted wanting to know if anyone knew of a good tube or hybrid amps to use with the mimby, but after listening to through my Magni 2 for a long time one weekend convinced me to stay with what I have for now.  If I'm going to upgrade it's gonna be to something a lot more hi-end, and also upgrade the dac as well.  For now, I love the way the mimby portrays music and hooked up with my Elear I'm in musical bliss.


If you do decide to upgrade just the amp, something like the Schiit Jotunheim would be a pretty big step up, and a popular pairing with the Mimby from what I've heard. Jot is great with Elear too imo. haven't heard Schiit's tube amps sadly.


----------



## BubbaJay

makne said:


> If you do decide to upgrade just the amp, something like the Schiit Jotunheim would be a pretty big step up, and a popular pairing with the Mimby from what I've heard. Jot is great with Elear too imo. haven't heard Schiit's tube amps sadly.



The Jotunheim is one of the amps I was interested in for sure.  I feel like what ever amp I choose to get will come from Schiit because the quality and price are both great.


----------



## davewolfs

Just picked up the Modi Multibit. The differences between it and the Uber are pretty subtle. Anyone who says otherwise is likely full of schitt. 

Where I notice it most is in the bass. It seems to be clearer with less distortion. If the bimbi sounds remotely similar it's definitely not worth the premium. My next jump will be Gumbi simply for a full balanced setup. But this will command a much better set of speakers as well.


----------



## alpovs

davewolfs said:


> Just picked up the Modi Multibit. The differences between it and the Uber are pretty subtle. Anyone who says otherwise is likely full of schitt.


Which headphones/speakers, amp?


----------



## makne

davewolfs said:


> Just picked up the Modi Multibit. The differences between it and the Uber are pretty subtle. Anyone who says otherwise is likely full of schitt.
> 
> Where I notice it most is in the bass. It seems to be clearer with less distortion. If the bimbi sounds remotely similar it's definitely not worth the premium. My next jump will be Gumbi simply for a full balanced setup. But this will command a much better set of speakers as well.


Do you only use speakers? I find that dac differences are easier to hear on headphones, the difference between my old dac and the mimby was quite big through my Elears.


----------



## davewolfs (Jul 9, 2017)

The only headphones I use are a pair of jaybirds at the gym.

The speakers are JBL305s and a JBL LSR310S sub.

Where I used to feel I would hit distortion. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore. This is what I mean by clarity in the bass.


----------



## Tuneslover

davewolfs said:


> Just picked up the Modi Multibit. The differences between it and the Uber are pretty subtle. Anyone who says otherwise is likely full of schitt.
> 
> Where I notice it most is in the bass. It seems to be clearer with less distortion. If the bimbi sounds remotely similar it's definitely not worth the premium. My next jump will be Gumbi simply for a full balanced setup. But this will command a much better set of speakers as well.



I started out using a Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC on my 2 channel speaker system (Totem Staff speakers & Arcam amplification) to see if I could improve the sound due to acoustic issues in my listening room.  It actually did improve the sound and needless to say I was thrilled.  Months later I decided to build a dedicated headphone system and was very interested in the (at that time) newly released Bifrost MB DAC.  So I purchased the Bimby and placed it into the 2 channel speaker system and used my Bifrost (now upgraded from Uber to 4490) in the headphone system.  Although I did hear a small difference between the Bimby and 4490 in the speaker system I must confess that it wasn't as significant as it was when I first introduced a DAC into my speaker system.  However when I compared both of my Bifrosts on my headphone system the differences were more apparent with respect to clarity and bass.  Please understand that the differences on my headphone system were not night and day but they were clearly audible, whereas negligible on the speaker system.


----------



## koover

Sigh,

All of a sudden I'm getting popping noises before every single track I play. Also, at low volumes (or quite passages) I'm getting a ton of distortion/static...just bad noise all the time on every set of phones. I originally thought I may had a loose driver in my M1060's until I swapped out every set of phones but still experienced the same issues with the noise. It's got to be somewhere in the chain or in the Mimby. This just started and I've performed no changes at all except for swapping out HP's.
The Mimby's been on since I bought it and it's been close to 2 weeks. 
I've used every USB port on the tower too (hoping a port was jacked up) and it didn't clear anything up. Any ideas? Still new to all this so technicality isn't my strong suite.
PC>USB>WYRD>USB>Mimby>RCA>Jot>SE Input


----------



## alpovs

Turn off the Mimby and turn it back on in 5 seconds. When it's on for a long time its processor may develop a glitch that will go away after restart. It's like rebooting a computer.


----------



## koover (Jul 12, 2017)

alpovs said:


> Turn off the Mimby and turn it back on in 5 seconds. When it's on for a long time its processor may develop a glitch that will go away after restart. It's like rebooting a computer.



Gave it a try and no go. Same issue. The sound has become distorted with a fuzz/distorted/noise just hanging there at all times.
Thanx for the reply though.


----------



## koover (Jul 12, 2017)

koover said:


> Gave it a try and no go. Same issue. The sound has become distorted with a fuzz/distorted/noise just hanging there at all times.
> Thanx for the reply though.



Anyone with any other possibilities? Absolutely ruins the sound. Cables?


----------



## Tuneslover (Jul 12, 2017)

koover said:


> Sigh,
> 
> All of a sudden I'm getting popping noises before every single track I play. Also, at low volumes (or quite passages) I'm getting a ton of distortion/static...just bad noise all the time on every set of phones. I originally thought I may had a loose driver in my M1060's until I swapped out every set of phones but still experienced the same issues with the noise. It's got to be somewhere in the chain or in the Mimby. This just started and I've performed no changes at all except for swapping out HP's.
> The Mimby's been on since I bought it and it's been close to 2 weeks.
> ...



If possible connect a CD player via coaxial or toslink to your Mimby thereby removing the PC & USB equation entirely from your situation.  See if this eliminates your issue.  If it does at least you have isolated the problem.  If the problem continues then there might be an issue with your Mimby and warrant contact with Schiit.


----------



## koover

Tuneslover said:


> If possible connect a CD player via coaxial or toslink to your Mimby thereby removing the PC & USB equation entirely from your situation.  See if this eliminates your issue.  If it does at least you have isolated the problem.  If the problem continues then there might be an issue with your Mimby and warrant contact with Schiit.



Good idea. The prob is I don't have anything portable nor any other cables. Going toslink/coax is a great idea anyway so I have that set in my sites. 
The biggest problem is I bought this used from a member of this site off classified. No warranty. 
I appreciate your insight and response.


----------



## makne

koover said:


> Good idea. The prob is I don't have anything portable nor any other cables. Going toslink/coax is a great idea anyway so I have that set in my sites.
> The biggest problem is I bought this used from a member of this site off classified. No warranty.
> I appreciate your insight and response.


Recommend buying a chromecast audio if you use a streaming service, if you don't have one already. Super practical and cheap.


----------



## Defiant00

koover said:


> Good idea. The prob is I don't have anything portable nor any other cables. Going toslink/coax is a great idea anyway so I have that set in my sites.
> The biggest problem is I bought this used from a member of this site off classified. No warranty.
> I appreciate your insight and response.



Warranty or not, it's still worth it to contact Schiit. They should be able to give you both suggestions and what your repair options are.


----------



## leeperry

Most TV's got a coax out


----------



## fritobugger

koover said:


> Good idea. The prob is I don't have anything portable nor any other cables. Going toslink/coax is a great idea anyway so I have that set in my sites.
> The biggest problem is I bought this used from a member of this site off classified. No warranty.
> I appreciate your insight and response.



Do you have a blu-ray player or old DVD player? They likely have coax or optical outputs. Buy a cheap coax or optical cable. If that works then you could bypass the USB input by getting a fairly cheap USB to SPDIF converter.


----------



## MWSVette

Schiit's out of warranty work pricing is very reasonable.  They will not gouge you for the repair...


----------



## koover

[/QUOTE]


makne said:


> Recommend buying a chromecast audio if you use a streaming service, if you don't have one already. Super practical and cheap.



I'll check it out but I'm a dumbshiit and not quite sure what this is, how to use it etc. Learning!



Defiant00 said:


> Warranty or not, it's still worth it to contact Schiit. They should be able to give you both suggestions and what your repair options are.



I'm going to do this as this is just too irritating. I'm not understanding why this is happening all of a sudden. That buzz hanging on all the time. As an example, listening to a guitar by itself in a quite passage is just horrid with all the buzz. When I'm rocking out, not as noticeable. But I don't always rock out. It's always there



fritobugger said:


> Do you have a blu-ray player or old DVD player? They likely have coax or optical outputs. Buy a cheap coax or optical cable. If that works then you could bypass the USB input by getting a fairly cheap USB to SPDIF converter.



More cables. LOL. I guess it's worth it if I want to rectify this problem. I did just hook up 2 new audioquest cables last night and it seems to have helped a bit. Check my sig if even interested in what cables I bought. They're very good.



MWSVette said:


> Schiit's out of warranty work pricing is very reasonable.  They will not gouge you for the repair...
> 
> Thanx. Schiit is a solid company and I have all the confidence in the world they'll walk me through this and hopefully help me get this fixed.
> 
> ...


----------



## makne

You can stream spotify/tidal to the chromecast, directly from the app. Easy to use. The 3.5mm port doubles as a mini toslink so you can stream lossless to your dac via optical.


----------



## koover

makne said:


> You can stream spotify/tidal to the chromecast, directly from the app. Easy to use. The 3.5mm port doubles as a mini toslink so you can stream lossless to your dac via optical.



Hmmm, Interesting.  I'll dig into this some more. Thanx man!


----------



## koover (Jul 13, 2017)

Deleted


----------



## ajreynol

alright bois. Just put in an order for one of these.

I look forward to comparing it to my new 2Qute. The 2Qute is going to have to justify its price tag against the humble Modi Multibit. If it can't, it's going back.


----------



## wiz2596

ajreynol said:


> alright bois. Just put in an order for one of these.
> 
> I look forward to comparing it to my new 2Qute. The 2Qute is going to have to justify its price tag against the humble Modi Multibit. If it can't, it's going back.



that will be interesting...


----------



## almarti

Just a fast question after 6 months with Modi Multibit.
Is there any firmware upgrade? If so, how do I apply it?
Thanks


----------



## jcn3

almarti said:


> Just a fast question after 6 months with Modi Multibit.
> Is there any firmware upgrade? If so, how do I apply it?
> Thanks



i've never seen a firmware upgrade from schiit.


----------



## Baldr

jcn3 said:


> i've never seen a firmware upgrade from schiit.


That is correct, and none are anticipated at this time.


----------



## ajreynol (Jul 22, 2017)

wiz2596 said:


> that will be interesting...


Well I'm 2 songs into A/B testing and I feel dumb.

I know know very clearly why there is a price gap between these 2 products. At this point I'll just be evaluating whether the increase in overall experience is worth the difference in price or not. You know...I guess you're always skeptical about high priced items until you can A/B them to know for yourself. It's just a superior product at a superior price. Whether it's worth that uptick is undoubtely a YMMV question. But the difference is not small.


----------



## cheungtsw

Baldr said:


> That is correct, and none are anticipated at this time.



Is it firmware upgradable?


----------



## Baldr

cheungtsw said:


> Is it firmware upgradable?


Yes, it is - the DSP.


----------



## RickB

Baldr said:


> Yes, it is - the DSP.



That would involve a trip back to Schiit anyway, I guess?


----------



## rnros

ajreynol said:


> Well I'm 2 songs into A/B testing and I feel dumb.
> 
> I know know very clearly why there is a price gap between these 2 products. At this point I'll just be evaluating whether the increase in overall experience is worth the difference in price or not. You know...I guess you're always skeptical about high priced items until you can A/B them to know for yourself. It's just a superior product at a superior price. Whether it's worth that uptick is undoubtely a YMMV question. But the difference is not small.



If I understand correctly, this is a comparison between the $1250 2Qute vs the $250 ModiMB.
Assuming it's about options in that size range, otherwise you would assume that the $1250 C2Q would easily have the advantage over the $250 MMB.
Chord is a leading company with highly regarded products.

Guess the answer is, why not? Schiit offers return privileges and so does Amazon for the C2Q. 
If it's about sound in that price range, have you thought about the $1250 GungnirMB?


----------



## theveterans

DACs make a more subtle difference than amps. IME, you won't hear a definitive difference unless you've accustomed yourself to the sound of both in a variety genres for at least a week. A quick A/B won't make a difference unless you have golden ears or have a worse confirmation bias than me. Amps though makes a more noticeable difference.


----------



## Tuneslover

I decided to dust and clean up my headphone setup yesterday.  I have my Mimby and headphone amp plugged into a surge protector but I unplugged these components so that I could properly clean the dust on the floor and in between the power cables.  After I finished I reinserted the power cables back into the surge protector and turned on the equipment to have a listen.

After the Mimby finished cycling, the music began.  Immediately I noticed a very muddy sound lacking in clarity and soundstage.  I thought What happened?  I toggled through a few songs and they all sounded crappy.  I restarted the Mimby but noticed no improvement in sound.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps when I plugged the Mimby wallwart back into the surge protector that I put it in the wrong way around and have the polarity reversed.  So I shut off the Mimby, unplugged the wallwart and flipped it around and re-inserted it into the surge protector.  I then restarted the Mimby, waited until it was finished cycling and then the tunes came back on.  Bingo!  There was that familiar terrific sound that I was familiar with.

I'm not sure if I actually have the polarity correct or not but to me it definitely does sound different when inserted one way versus the other way.  I selected the position that gave me the sound that I preferred and am familiar with.  This was an interesting discovery and I throw this out there for fellow Mimby owners to check out.


----------



## jnak00

Tuneslover said:


> I decided to dust and clean up my headphone setup yesterday.  I have my Mimby and headphone amp plugged into a surge protector but I unplugged these components so that I could properly clean the dust on the floor and in between the power cables.  After I finished I reinserted the power cables back into the surge protector and turned on the equipment to have a listen.
> 
> After the Mimby finished cycling, the music began.  Immediately I noticed a very muddy sound lacking in clarity and soundstage.  I thought What happened?  I toggled through a few songs and they all sounded crappy.  I restarted the Mimby but noticed no improvement in sound.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps when I plugged the Mimby wallwart back into the surge protector that I put it in the wrong way around and have the polarity reversed.  So I shut off the Mimby, unplugged the wallwart and flipped it around and re-inserted it into the surge protector.  I then restarted the Mimby, waited until it was finished cycling and then the tunes came back on.  Bingo!  There was that familiar terrific sound that I was familiar with.
> 
> I'm not sure if I actually have the polarity correct or not but to me it definitely does sound different when inserted one way versus the other way.  I selected the position that gave me the sound that I preferred and am familiar with.  This was an interesting discovery and I throw this out there for fellow Mimby owners to check out.



Seems more likely to me that the Mimby cooled down while you were cleaning, and then took a little while to warm back up, which coincided with you flipping the plug.  The direction of the plug shouldn't matter since you're getting AC from the wall.


----------



## alpovs

Tuneslover said:


> I decided to dust and clean up my headphone setup yesterday.  I have my Mimby and headphone amp plugged into a surge protector but I unplugged these components so that I could properly clean the dust on the floor and in between the power cables.  After I finished I reinserted the power cables back into the surge protector and turned on the equipment to have a listen.
> 
> After the Mimby finished cycling, the music began.  Immediately I noticed a very muddy sound lacking in clarity and soundstage.  I thought What happened?  I toggled through a few songs and they all sounded crappy.  I restarted the Mimby but noticed no improvement in sound.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps when I plugged the Mimby wallwart back into the surge protector that I put it in the wrong way around and have the polarity reversed.  So I shut off the Mimby, unplugged the wallwart and flipped it around and re-inserted it into the surge protector.  I then restarted the Mimby, waited until it was finished cycling and then the tunes came back on.  Bingo!  There was that familiar terrific sound that I was familiar with.
> 
> I'm not sure if I actually have the polarity correct or not but to me it definitely does sound different when inserted one way versus the other way.  I selected the position that gave me the sound that I preferred and am familiar with.  This was an interesting discovery and I throw this out there for fellow Mimby owners to check out.





jnak00 said:


> Seems more likely to me that the Mimby cooled down while you were cleaning, and then took a little while to warm back up, which coincided with you flipping the plug.  The direction of the plug shouldn't matter since you're getting AC from the wall.


Or Mimby's DSP developed a glitch upon the first boot and the reboot cleared it. There is no polarity in AC current source, actually it reverses the polarity 60 times per second (or 50 times depending on country).


----------



## Tuneslover

alpovs said:


> Or Mimby's DSP developed a glitch upon the first boot and the reboot cleared it. There is no polarity in AC current source, actually it reverses the polarity 60 times per second (or 50 times depending on country).



The Mimby was unplugged for less than a minute while I cleaned up the dust around the surge protector and power cables.  I can't imagine that it cooled down that much in such a short period of time.  Although the Mimby reboot may potentially have had something to do with it.

I assume that you own a Mimby, if so please do me a favour.  Have a listen to 1 song that you are very familiar with on your system that includes your Mimby.  Actually listen to it 2 or 3 times back to back.  Immediately thereafter, turn off your Mimby and flip the Mimby wall wart plug around the other way and then power up your Mimby.  As soon as your system is ready, replay that same song a couple of times.  I would be interested in hearing your assessment before and after the wall wart flip.  Thanks!


----------



## jnak00

Tuneslover said:


> The Mimby was unplugged for less than a minute while I cleaned up the dust around the surge protector and power cables.  I can't imagine that it cooled down that much in such a short period of time.  Although the Mimby reboot may potentially have had something to do with it.
> 
> I assume that you own a Mimby, if so please do me a favour.  Have a listen to 1 song that you are very familiar with on your system that includes your Mimby.  Actually listen to it 2 or 3 times back to back.  Immediately thereafter, turn off your Mimby and flip the Mimby wall wart plug around the other way and then power up your Mimby.  As soon as your system is ready, replay that same song a couple of times.  I would be interested in hearing your assessment before and after the wall wart flip.  Thanks!



Yeah, you're right, I don't think 1 minute of downtime would be enough to cool the Mimby down enough to affect the sound.  Have you tried flipping the plug again to see if the sound changes again?


----------



## Tuneslover

jnak00 said:


> Yeah, you're right, I don't think 1 minute of downtime would be enough to cool the Mimby down enough to affect the sound.  Have you tried flipping the plug again to see if the sound changes again?



I have not but I'll give it a try tonight.


----------



## ColtMrFire

I am a but stumped about this problem and don't think it's inherent to the Mimby, but I thought I'd ask here.

Occasionally my music will start to sound slightly veiled.  It is hard to describe, just a lack of definition and a smoothed over sound...it's nothing major, very subtle, but noticeable.  When I reset my CD player (which is feeding Mimby via Coax) or the Mimby itself, the music snaps back into focus and the veil is gone.  I don't have a clue what is going on with this phenomena.  I have gotten into the habit of just resetting my CD player and Mimby before a listening session just to be sure, but sometimes I forget.  

Has anyone experienced this?


----------



## Tuneslover (Jul 24, 2017)

ColtMrFire said:


> I am a but stumped about this problem and don't think it's inherent to the Mimby, but I thought I'd ask here.
> 
> Occasionally my music will start to sound slightly veiled.  It is hard to describe, just a lack of definition and a smoothed over sound...it's nothing major, very subtle, but noticeable.  When I reset my CD player (which is feeding Mimby via Coax) or the Mimby itself, the music snaps back into focus and the veil is gone.  I don't have a clue what is going on with this phenomena.  I have gotten into the habit of just resetting my CD player and Mimby before a listening session just to be sure, but sometimes I forget.
> 
> Has anyone experienced this?



Yes I have.  I've commented about this on this thread about a year ago.  The feedback was largely dismissive and chalked up largely as to how I might be feeling (very tired, stressed out, super relaxed etc etc).  I generally don't reboot my Mimby and it does sound extremely good for the majority of the time but every now and then it sounds as you described it above.  Then unexpectedly after a week or more it goes back to the very good sounding way.  Go figure.

Update:  I asked Schiit about the wall wart insertion into an electrical receptacle and Nick T just responded as I was writing this thread post.  His response was "No difference either way".  Go figure.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Tuneslover said:


> Yes I have.  I've commented about this on this thread about a year ago.  The feedback was largely dismissive and chalked up largely as to how I might be feeling (very tired, stressed out, super relaxed etc etc).  I generally don't reboot my Mimby and it does sound extremely good for the majority of the time but every now and then it sounds as you described it above.  Then unexpectedly after a week or more it goes back to the very good sounding way.  Go figure.
> 
> Update:  I asked Schiit about the wall wart insertion into an electrical receptacle and Nick T just responded as I was writing this thread post.  His response was "No difference either way".  Go figure.



This happens whether I'm feeling rested or tired... the feeling has nothing to do with it (and resetting is instantaneous, so I am not suddenly feeling better).  I am hearing a definite slight veil descend after they have been on for a while, which completely goes away when I reset either the CD player or the Mimby, so I am not sure which is the culprit, or if is them both interacting or what.  I have just emailed schiit about it.  I am wanting to get to the bottom of this because it is weird and consistent.


----------



## Tuneslover (Jul 24, 2017)

ColtMrFire said:


> This happens whether I'm feeling rested or tired... the feeling has nothing to do with it (and resetting is instantaneous, so I am not suddenly feeling better).  I am hearing a definite slight veil descend after they have been on for a while, which completely goes away when I reset either the CD player or the Mimby, so I am not sure which is the culprit, or if is them both interacting or what.  I have just emailed schiit about it.  I am wanting to get to the bottom of this because it is weird and consistent.



That was the feedback I received from fellow headfiers as a possible reason for what I was experiencing.  I respected their opinions but respectfully don't agree with them.  I guess they don't experience the same periodic situations with their Mimby's that you and I do...lucky people.  More than likely, we have finely honed and more sensitive hearing.

I leave my Mimby (and Bimby and Bifrost 4490) on all the time, as recommended by Schiit.  I have only noticed this situation with my Mimby though.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Tuneslover said:


> That was the feedback I received from fellow headfiers as a possible reason for what I was experiencing.  I respected their opinions but respectfully don't agree with them.  I guess they don't experience the same periodic situations with their Mimby's that you and I do...lucky people.  More than likely, we have finely honed and more sensitive hearing.



When you have a highly resolving system (which I do), you can hear the subtlest of changes upstream.  You don't need super hearing.  Other people's experiences aren't really my concern, since not everyone has the same equipment (including cables, power conditioners, etc), and people can be hearing different things because of that, and placebo can work in both directions.  All I care about is what I'm hearing in my particular setup.  I am 99% happy, but I'd like that 1% dealt with, or at least to know what's causing it.  I don't mind resetting.

How long does it take for it to go back to normal for you?  I don't wait, I immediately do a reset as soon as I hear "the veil" descend.


----------



## Tuneslover

ColtMrFire said:


> When you have a highly resolving system (which I do), you can hear the subtlest of changes upstream.  You don't need super hearing.  Other people's experiences aren't really my concern, since not everyone has the same equipment (including cables, power conditioners, etc), and people can be hearing different things because of that, and placebo can work in both directions.  All I care about is what I'm hearing in my particular setup.  I am 99% happy, but I'd like that 1% dealt with, or at least to know what's causing it.  I don't mind resetting.
> 
> How long does it take for it to go back to normal for you?  I don't wait, I immediately do a reset as soon as I hear "the veil" descend.



Sometimes the next day, sometimes several days.  Other times it goes on for a couple of weeks.  Then just randomly it snaps back into that wonderful holographic sonic picture and all is good again.  And, that's without doing a Mimby reboot.


----------



## Tuneslover

I have noticed that it does sound consistently better when it's on the warm side (not hot, but close to hot).  In the winter it's more finicky and I generally place my Vali2 or my SYS on top of it.  I've even put a paperback novel on top of it.  Doing so seems to keep the sound consistent.  Those are simply my experiences.  Ya gotta do what you gotta do.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Tuneslover said:


> Sometimes the next day, sometimes several days.  Other times it goes on for a couple of weeks.  Then just randomly it snaps back into that wonderful holographic sonic picture and all is good again.  And, that's without doing a Mimby reboot.



Next time, try resetting one thing at a time to try and pinpoint the issue.  If you let it fix itself, you can never find out what the problem might be.  Could be anything.


----------



## koover

ColtMrFire said:


> Next time, try resetting one thing at a time to try and pinpoint the issue.  If you let it fix itself, you can never find out what the problem might be.  Could be anything.



By no means am I an expert and have not been into this hobby that long, but I "feel" I'm experiencing the same thing. When you say reset it, do you mean turning off and unplugging from my powerstip?


----------



## Tuneslover

koover said:


> By no means am I an expert and have not been into this hobby that long, but I "feel" I'm experiencing the same thing. When you say reset it, do you mean turning off and unplugging from my powerstip?



Sorry for the confusion, when I say reset I mean physically switching the toggle switch on the back of the Mimby off for a about 30 seconds and then switching it back on again.  Once switched back on the Mimby takes about 15 seconds to cycle (or reboot) before it becomes functional.  As a side note, apparently this has been the practice of a number of headfiers to clear up periodic DAC "quirkiness" issues.  It's like rebooting your computer when it starts to operate strangely.

However I didn't have any "quirkiness" issues with my Mimby yesterday, in fact it has been sounding terrific for quite some time now.  Because I was cleaning the floor where the surge protector and power cables are I thought it would be best to first turn off the Mimby and headphone amp and then remove their plugs from the surge protector so that I could properly and quickly clean up the accumulated dust on the floor around the cables and surge protector.  The cleanup took less than a minute.  Thereafter I plugged the amplifier 3 prong plug back into the surge protector (because the amplifier has a 3 prong plug it can only fit into the surge protector receptacle 1 way).  The Mimby however has a 2 prong wall wart that can be plugged into a receptacle one way or the other way.  I didn't even consider which way I plugged the wall wart into the surge protector, I just plugged it in.  I then physically switched on the power switch on both the Mimby and the headphone amp and once both components concluded their startup routine I began to listen to music again.

As I stated in my initial post, the sound was muddy and lacking soundstage.  My system definitely did not sound the way it did prior to cleaning.  Then it occurred to me that perhaps when I plugged the Mimby wall wart back into the surge protector that it might not have been plugged in the same way as before.  So I once again physically switched the toggle of the Mimby off, then unplugged the wall wart, spun it around the other way and plugged it back in.  I then flipped the Mimby power toggle on, let it cycle through until the boot up concluded.  I then returned to music listening and to my delight it sounded right once again.

The first Mimby reboot (when I cleaned the floor) actually resulted in a messed up sound on my system.  The second Mimby reboot (when I reversed the wall wart position in the surge protector) resulted in correcting the initial messed up sound and returned the sound of my system as it was before my cleanup.


----------



## Tuneslover

So I just tried to duplicate what I did yesterday (minus the dust cleaning).  First off I left everything unchanged from yesterday.  I simply listened to a familiar song twice.

Then I turned off my Mimby and removed the wall wart from the surge protector, spun it around the other way and plugged it back into the surge protector.  I then switched the Mimby back on, waited for the reboot to conclude, thereafter listened to the same song.  Conclusion:  No difference.  In other words, either position of the Mimby wall wart in the surge protector resulted in identical good sounding music.

I repeated the above experiment again this time shutting off both the Mimby and Headphone Amp (Project Ember) and unplugging them from the surge protector.  I waited a few seconds and plugged them both into the surge protector (the Mimby wall wart went back in the same way).  Restarted both components and re-listened to the same song.  Conclusion:  No difference.  Everything sounded the same, excellent that is.

I have NO explanation why everything sounds perfectly fine now no matter what configuration I use.  More importantly why yesterday everything sounded so bad after cleaning and then sounded correct again after reversing the position of the wall wart.

Bottom line, I'll gladly take the terrific sound I now have and stop wondering what's up.  At least until the next time the sound goes bad again.


----------



## ColtMrFire

koover said:


> By no means am I an expert and have not been into this hobby that long, but I "feel" I'm experiencing the same thing. When you say reset it, do you mean turning off and unplugging from my powerstip?



No need to unplug, just turn it off and on.


----------



## koover

Tuneslover said:


> Sorry for the confusion, when I say reset I mean physically switching the toggle switch on the back of the Mimby off for a about 30 seconds and then switching it back on again.  Once switched back on the Mimby takes about 15 seconds to cycle (or reboot) before it becomes functional.  As a side note, apparently this has been the practice of a number of headfiers to clear up periodic DAC "quirkiness" issues.  It's like rebooting your computer when it starts to operate strangely.
> 
> However I didn't have any "quirkiness" issues with my Mimby yesterday, in fact it has been sounding terrific for quite some time now.  Because I was cleaning the floor where the surge protector and power cables are I thought it would be best to first turn off the Mimby and headphone amp and then remove their plugs from the surge protector so that I could properly and quickly clean up the accumulated dust on the floor around the cables and surge protector.  The cleanup took less than a minute.  Thereafter I plugged the amplifier 3 prong plug back into the surge protector (because the amplifier has a 3 prong plug it can only fit into the surge protector receptacle 1 way).  The Mimby however has a 2 prong wall wart that can be plugged into a receptacle one way or the other way.  I didn't even consider which way I plugged the wall wart into the surge protector, I just plugged it in.  I then physically switched on the power switch on both the Mimby and the headphone amp and once both components concluded their startup routine I began to listen to music again.
> 
> ...



Awesome, great thorough layman explanation. I appreciate it and I'm sure others will too. I wasn't going to post about this but now I see there's a few other head-fiers with a like issue.
I've had mine a few months and lately it's just lost that organic, full sound that it had before along with the soundstage. I know it's not my source material and the way it's recorded because I listen to my faves all the time. Somethings just not right, or maybe it's just me getting used to it....but I don't think so. I know it was a shiny new toy when I first got it so it sounded excellent, everything I was hoping for in a DAC. But recently it's just not the same.
Thanks again as I'll give this a whirl and see what happens.
Peace!


----------



## ColtMrFire (Jul 24, 2017)

koover said:


> Awesome, great thorough layman explanation. I appreciate it and I'm sure others will too. I wasn't going to post about this but now I see there's a few other head-fiers with a like issue.
> I've had mine a few months and lately it's just lost that organic, full sound that it had before along with the soundstage. I know it's not my source material and the way it's recorded because I listen to my faves all the time. Somethings just not right, or maybe it's just me getting used to it....but I don't think so. I know it was a shiny new toy when I first got it so it sounded excellent, everything I was hoping for in a DAC. But recently it's just not the same.
> Thanks again as I'll give this a whirl and see what happens.
> Peace!



Alot of things can be a factor here since there are alot of things in your chain.  If you have a very resolving system (high quality amp/dac/headphones, especially headphones), you will hear every little bottleneck in your chain, and one bottleneck can infect the whole system.  For me, it took a long time to realize several things were holding my system back...

I make sure all my connections are clean, anything with a metal contact... interconnects, power cables, SPDIF/USB cables, etc... I clean them every few months with isopropyl alcohol.  This includes the headphone cable connector, but that I clean more often since I unplug it alot...anything that smudges the headphone connector I find affects the quality of my sound, so I clean it regularly.

I clean my CD player's laser with a laser cleaner every one or two days.  I found after the while the laser gets dirty and has a noticeable (negative) effect on SQ.

This last bit is getting into audio nervosa and isn't for everybody, but for my chain, it made a substantial difference... I make sure none of my power cables are touching.  Sounds silly, but I tried it one day and it made a noticeable difference and was very positive.  It took a bit of wrangling to do this, but was worth it.  I also have to recheck this often to make sure none of the cables have drifted into each other.

Another thing I realized was these tweaks made more of a difference with jazz and classical, or live music with lots of moving parts, where imaging, resolution and clarity needs to be precise to convey the full sound picture.  The above tweaks are crucial for me to fully enjoy highly resolved classical and jazz.... With more intimate acoustic, pop, rock, rap, etc... the difference was a little more negligible and the tweaks were not as important.  I take this to mean live recorded music with lots of moving parts has a far more complex sound arrangement and hence every piece of the puzzle needs to be in place and un-veiled to get the full impact and hear every single instrument (which the Mimby excels at), as well as improving instrument timbre and a sense of "air" in the recording space, with subtle acoustic reflections also becoming more apparent.

The important thing with any system is to experiment and try different things, find what works for you, and be consistent if you want the best sound.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Another thing is, do you leave your amp on all the time or turn it off every day?  Some amps can sound worse if they are left on all the time, some better.  Try alternating between both and test them out.  My Asgard 2 sounded worse after being left on for a few days, so I turn it off every day now.  I found the Jotunheim sounded best left on all the time.  Etc... if your music isn't connecting to you as much, you need to experiment and see what could be causing it.  It could even be placebo, maybe your mind isn't as focused sometimes... if it is constant, it could be some bottleneck that needs addressing.


----------



## Tuneslover

ColtMrFire said:


> Alot of things can be a factor here since there are alot of things in your chain.  If you have a very resolving system (high quality amp/dac/headphones, especially headphones), you will hear every little bottleneck in your chain, and one bottleneck can infect the whole system.  For me, it took a long time to realize several things were holding my system back...
> 
> I make sure all my connections are clean, anything with a metal contact... interconnects, power cables, SPDIF/USB cables, etc... I clean them every few months with isopropyl alcohol.  This includes the headphone cable connector, but that I clean more often since I unplug it alot...anything that smudges the headphone connector I find affects the quality of my sound, so I clean it regularly.
> 
> ...




Great advice!  I am a bit fussy about my gear too.  I am a believer in equipment burn-in because I do hear a difference before and after.  I'm also a believer in good quality cables (none of this over the top priced stuff though) as I have heard the difference in my 2 channel speaker systems and now with my headphone setups.  Yup, I clean my cable contacts a couple of times per year but I'm a bit of messy guy when it comes to cable tidiness, especially my home theatre setup.  I tend to listen to my music pretty critically and tend to think that I know my equipment well enough to know when something sounds "off".

My Mimby and Bimby sound fantastic virtually all of the time but occasionally the Mimby messes with me.  It's frustrating when it does but when she "comes back into line" I love it.  Thankfully it doesn't happen too often.


----------



## koover

ColtMrFire said:


> Another thing is, do you leave your amp on all the time or turn it off every day?  Some amps can sound worse if they are left on all the time, some better.  Try alternating between both and test them out.  My Asgard 2 sounded worse after being left on for a few days, so I turn it off every day now.  I found the Jotunheim sounded best left on all the time.  Etc... if your music isn't connecting to you as much, you need to experiment and see what could be causing it.  It could even be placebo, maybe your mind isn't as focused sometimes... if it is constant, it could be some bottleneck that needs addressing.



Thanx for the first response.....and the 2nd. Interesting take on the cables touching each other. Mine are all touching so I'll take a look at that too. I haven't cleaned anything yet as I've only had everything for 2+ months. I do know that (guess just being forgetful) and it looks like it's time to do some housekeeping.
Yes, I leave WYRD, Jot and Mimby on all the time. Nothings been powered off except 1 time in the 2+ months I've had everything. I did that last week due to the fact I'm experiencing what you guys are talking about.


----------



## ColtMrFire

koover said:


> Thanx for the first response.....and the 2nd. Interesting take on the cables touching each other. Mine are all touching so I'll take a look at that too. I haven't cleaned anything yet as I've only had everything for 2+ months. I do know that (guess just being forgetful) and it looks like it's time to do some housekeeping.
> Yes, I leave WYRD, Jot and Mimby on all the time. Nothings been powered off except 1 time in the 2+ months I've had everything. I did that last week due to the fact I'm experiencing what you guys are talking about.



IMO, yes Jot and Mimby should be left on 24/7 for the best sound quality.


----------



## nicoch46 (Jul 26, 2017)

AC have PHASE and is not work  the same in all country..... try the screwdriver with neon lamp ,is build to find the phase ......


----------



## alpovs (Jul 26, 2017)

nicoch46 said:


> AC have PHASE and is not work  the same in all country..... try the screwdriver with neon lamp ,is build to find the phase


Yes, phase and neutral. But it doesn't matter how you plug in the wall-wart, especially if the wall-wart is a simple transformer like Schiit's. Look up how transformers work and hopefully you will understand why. And it's a good reason why Schiit's USA-plug wall-warts have identical prongs, so they can be plugged in either way. 
Oh! And AC works the same way in all countries.


----------



## buonassi

koover said:


> Thanx for the first response.....and the 2nd. Interesting take on the cables touching each other. Mine are all touching so I'll take a look at that too. I haven't cleaned anything yet as I've only had everything for 2+ months. I do know that (guess just being forgetful) and it looks like it's time to do some housekeeping.
> Yes, I leave WYRD, Jot and Mimby on all the time. Nothings been powered off except 1 time in the 2+ months I've had everything. I did that last week due to the fact I'm experiencing what you guys are talking about.


Have you tried simply removing wyrd from the chain to see what happens?


----------



## koover

buonassi said:


> Have you tried simply removing wyrd from the chain to see what happens?



No I haven't but I need to. Such a simple thing to do and think of...yet? Thanx!
My system is sounding worse and worse by the day and I'm really frustrated. The distortion and static on every single song (low/high gain) no matter what volume, is just ruining my entire listening experience. Getting to the point of giving up. I bought both the Mimby and WYRD off this sites trade/sale section, not saying there's something wrong with it (well yeah I am) and wish I would have bought new with warranty instead of saving a few bucks. 
I'm at a loss bro. It's every set of cans, distortion and static every song, all the time, plus the issue mentioned before.


----------



## koover (Jul 28, 2017)

buonassi said:


> Have you tried simply removing wyrd from the chain to see what happens?



WT %#@*#%? ....You are my new hero!
The WYRD has been the issue this entire time. Talk about an entirely new dynamic. Sounding very filled out, back to it's smooth organic and clean self. Absolutely zero distortion and static. Wow. I had no idea a component that's supposed to clean up USB and all other kinds of imperfections that actually jacks up your system. What do you think the cause of that would be?
Thanx buonassi, I appreciate it.


----------



## buonassi

koover said:


> WT %#@*#%? ....You are my new hero!
> The WYRD has been the issue this entire time. Talk about an entirely new dynamic. Sounding very filled out, back to it's smooth organic and clean self. Absolutely zero distortion and static. Wow. I had no idea a component that's supposed to clean up USB and all other kinds of imperfections that actually jacks up your system. What do you think the cause of that would be?
> Thanx buonassi, I appreciate it.


I have no idea why I even suggested it - other than it was just an extra component in the chain and I certainly am not qualified to explain what could have been the issue.  However @leeperry  may be able to provide a theory.  He's into this tech.  I have never used a USB decrapifier before, but I really have never heard the ugly effects of USB generated noise to even consider one.  From what I have seen on youtube vids, the noise is quite audible if it's going to be a problem, so if you don't hear noise without wyrd, you probably don't really need the USB "cleaner".  I know that some people are very big believers in galvanic isolation, and I simply don't know enough to support or deny their claims to its benefit.  Regardless, happy listening, you're back in the game!


----------



## Tuneslover

koover said:


> WT %#@*#%? ....You are my new hero!
> The WYRD has been the issue this entire time. Talk about an entirely new dynamic. Sounding very filled out, back to it's smooth organic and clean self. Absolutely zero distortion and static. Wow. I had no idea a component that's supposed to clean up USB and all other kinds of imperfections that actually jacks up your system. What do you think the cause of that would be?
> Thanx buonassi, I appreciate it.



That's fantastic that things are right now.  I wonder if there is a technical issue with your Wyrd.  I guess I have been lucky with my iMac as I haven't experienced any noise issues with a USB connection into my DAC.  It's similarly as quiet as when I select the toslink connection.


----------



## koover

Yeah, it's really wyrd (couldn't help myself) but I'm grateful. I was holding off on saying that as I bought it used off this site. But, it is what it is. It must be a defected unit as its the only explanation. I verified multiple times i had it hooked up right as there's not too much to it.
As the Title of this thread states..
"I'm as happy as a pig in schiit" again.


----------



## Finjima

I would ask also is if any one included rebooting their computer while sorting out issues. I get the biggest resistance form people who rarely reboot their computer. any time I get glitchy sound first thing i do is reboot the computer, failing that I then move down the chain. no mention has been made here regarding such a basic thing while trouble shooting this problem


----------



## koover

Finjima said:


> I would ask also is if any one included rebooting their computer while sorting out issues. I get the biggest resistance form people who rarely reboot their computer. any time I get glitchy sound first thing i do is reboot the computer, failing that I then move down the chain. no mention has been made here regarding such a basic thing while trouble shooting this problem



I can only speak for myself but yes, probably the first thing I do with any issues. That's a good call out. I never even considered it to be the WYRD for my issue but it definitely was.


----------



## theveterans

Finjima said:


> I would ask also is if any one included rebooting their computer while sorting out issues. I get the biggest resistance form people who rarely reboot their computer. any time I get glitchy sound first thing i do is reboot the computer, failing that I then move down the chain. no mention has been made here regarding such a basic thing while trouble shooting this problem



You shouldn't need to reboot your computer. I only reboot mine once a month due to Windows Updates.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I usually leave my main computer on as it also serves as a local Plex server.

If not for the plex server I would shut it down at night just to lower power usage, with an SSD it takes about 15 seconds to fully boot up so it's not really a problem.


----------



## Finjima

I did mention its hard to get some people to reboot their computer...


----------



## AviP

Finjima said:


> I did mention its hard to get some people to reboot their computer...


It's true, sometimes I just don't want to be bothered to reboot...


----------



## stuck limo

Comparing the Schiit Modi 2 Multibit with my Geek Out 2A, I've noticed some differences on my Marantz PM-5005 and Wharfedale SP-87 towers. The 2A is smoother, more laid back, and the bass is tighter and more detailed. The Schiit is brighter, not necessarily more detailed, and not as pleasant and easy to listen to. Same kind of deal on my studio monitors, but I'm still comparing. 

Next plans involve running the Schiit into the Valhalla 2 on headphones and seeing how that compares to the 2A as well.

My buddy and I tried it on his system vs a Geek Out 2A as well. My impressions are below:

Overall, pretty neck and neck generally speaking. I think the Multibit was more consistent in "quality", but there were certainly times it would fall behind the Geek Out. Sometimes I had problems telling them apart because the sound signatures would switch back and forth on us, depending on the track. Overall, the vocals on the Multibit were more relaxed and natural sounding, the musical instruments were sharper, more pinpoint accurate, with more detail. Extremely "articulate". But again, there were times I swore I was listening to the Multibit but it was the Geek Out. On some tracks, the Geek Out would be more harsh and treble-filled, but then one track over on the album, the opposite would be true. Overall, the Geek Out was more mellow and laid back, wider soundstage. The Multibit was more powerful, in your face, and accurate.

Both DACs were hooked up to his Macbook, and both were plugged into his P-304 Onkyo Integra Pre-Amp, plugged into his Onkyo M-508 Grand Integra amp. We switched sources on the fly using his Mac and the Pre-Amp, back and forth on the same songs as they ran.

The speakers were Klipsch Chorus 2.


----------



## adydula

Listening to Beyer T1's 2nd gen via Bimby MB to Vahalla 2...absolutely stunning...
Alex


----------



## leeperry (Aug 10, 2017)

Why is it that "Schiit_USB_Gen2_1_16" installs right away on W7SP1 with a Modi 2 Uber but with Mimby, it asks me to plug the C-Media USB 2.0 device and refuses to install? I can force its installation manually from the device manager but then I don't get ASIO.

"Schiit_USB_1_03" installs properly on Mimby right away but it's much older, looks like something's missing in the device list of the W7 setup? Need to figure out how to add Mimby's ID to the W7 setup somehow.


----------



## adydula

Take a look in the drivers download page on the Schiit site..there are drivers for Win7/8?
Also sent tech at Schiit a email...they have good support, IMO
Alex


----------



## jgreen16

adydula said:


> Take a look in the drivers download page on the Schiit site..there are drivers for Win7/8?
> Also sent tech at Schiit a email...they have good support, IMO
> Alex



He's saying that he has tried the Win7 drivers available on the Schiit site, but then he doesn't get ASIO when using the Gen 2_1.16 drivers. So then he went with the alternate Win 7 Gen 2 driver 1.03, but says it looks like something is missing when checking the device list. Would be worthwhile to shoot tech support a note though, because as mentioned, they are very responsive and helpful.

I've had the same experience with the drivers as well, but just stuck with the alternate 1.03 driver because it still seems to work and sound great. I'll need to explore the ASIO issue myself after just installing a SPDIF Coax/Optical out back plate cable bracket on my motherboard.


----------



## adydula

Why not use the WASAPI event mode over one of the digital outputs?
A.


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## leeperry (Aug 11, 2017)

adydula said:


> send tech at Schiit a email...they have good support


Terrible support as usual, they just don't care. Last time I complained about huge DC offset on Fulla2's HO in the 16mV region and they told me that it's normal 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Now their advice is to install ASIO4ALL, I might as well call my 10yo nephew for this level of technical expertise.



jgreen16 said:


> I've had the same experience with the drivers as well, but just stuck with the alternate 1.03 driver because it still seems to work and sound great.


Thanks for the confirmation, if a few hundred people whine about their 1.16 W7 drivers that refuse to install with Mimby, maybe they'll do something about it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Lucky me I also got a Uber so I can install the 1.16 drivers and get native ASIO with Mimby, as usual when bang/bucks is stellar support is extremely poor. I would certainly never buy anything costing more than $250 with such schiit support.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I've had nothing but good experience with schiit support and from what I've seen following the many different schiit threads for several years is that good support is the norm and bad experiences seem quite rare.


----------



## winders

Schitt has reasonably good tech support. It's not the best support in the world but it's certainly not "terrible".


----------



## leeperry

..as for people not hearing any difference between Mimby & Modi 2 Uber, it's never too late to switch hobbies I guess


----------



## winders

leeperry said:


> ..as for people not hearing any difference between Mimby & Modi 2 Uber, it's never too late to switch hobbies I guess



No. Those people will need to spend a lot less on this hobby than those of us that have, or think we have, more golden ears. I wish I heard no difference between my Mimby and Yggdrasil!


----------



## leeperry (Aug 11, 2017)

Once you've gone Mimby there's no going back IME, case closed and gg to the team


----------



## nicoch46

is windows problem ! xp and  w10 same problem ,ubuntu work after one second ! 
btw play some with win  load the file manually .... it will work after some F#@##!


----------



## cbl117

leeperry said:


> ..as for people not hearing any difference between Mimby & Modi 2 Uber, it's never too late to switch hobbies I guess



I didn't find any appreciable difference between the mimby or modi 2U....not sure that constitutes switching hobbies as I'm quite content with my analog system.


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## leeperry (Aug 11, 2017)

cbl117 said:


> I didn't find any appreciable difference between the mimby or modi 2U


And from looking up your posting history, that's with LCD-2, HE-560 and Magni 2 Uber? Tried other headamps? And you were feeding FLAC via ASIO/WASAPI?

I'll give you that I ran my shoot-out with better PSU's both for the DAC itself & USB chip.


----------



## leeperry

so any chance for a Gen5 Mimby anytime soon? Or is that enough cannibalizing for now?


----------



## loki993

I game a lot as well as listen to music..would the mimby cause and weird latency issues for gaming? I saw a reddit post with a bunch of math on it but I tend to take most stuff I read on the internet with a grain of salt especially reddit.....so I feel like it's probably BS.


----------



## Letmebefrank

loki993 said:


> I game a lot as well as listen to music..would the mimby cause and weird latency issues for gaming? I saw a reddit post with a bunch of math on it but I tend to take most stuff I read on the internet with a grain of salt especially reddit.....so I feel like it's probably BS.



There's no noticeable lag or delay in audio from my Mimby using coax, usb or toslink while gaming, listening to music or watching videos. I am extremely sensitive to audio delays so I feel confident saying its not a problem.


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## leeperry (Aug 15, 2017)

if you're an input lag nutcase with a lag-free CRT video display you might be annoyed by the USB latency but that would hardly be one or two frames at 60fps I think, for what it's worth movies lipsync is fine with a 28ms input lag Samsung TV in non-game mode.


----------



## loki993 (Aug 15, 2017)

I play a ton of FPS games so I can be a bit of a nutcase about lag yeah lol..but also no I don't get super crazy about it...like no I don't use a CRT, thats crazy. I would assume the USB lag from something like a minby should be similar to any other USB device id be using right? If so I'm not going to notice it. Right now I use a JDS element, sort of regretting that as of late, via USB and I have no perceptible lag issues.

Like I said I figured it was BS. Im sure the guy saw some numbers and made a ton of assumptions about stuff he really knows nothing about.


----------



## mdkaler

leeperry said:


> ..as for people not hearing any difference between Mimby & Modi 2 Uber, it's never too late to switch hobbies I guess



These are the blessed ones seriously! Imagine having the funds to spend or something else!


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> ..as for people not hearing any difference between Mimby & Modi 2 Uber, it's never too late to switch hobbies I guess



I have my Black Mimby for sale, after comparing it to my D30 and my M8 and M8A it sounds the worst of all of them.
Its much more analog sounding, but I am after reference sound so its not for me.
For those who like a more "oldschool" sound like the old CD players I think they replicated it nicely. 

But I find that it has very little filtering so everything comes through, even artifacts.

Also if you listen to modern music recorded inevitably on DS ADC's, there is no "additional data" to resolve. But based on science, modern DS DAC's can resolve 100% of everything anyway.

So overall I don't think its "bad" its just not for me, if oldschool style sound is what you like then its for you. 
If modern reference style audio is what you are looking for, then its not a great choice.


----------



## winders

Jimster480 said:


> But based on science, modern DS DAC's can resolve 100% of everything anyway.



Wow. I have never read a more incorrect statement in my life......


----------



## Jimster480 (Aug 23, 2017)

winders said:


> Wow. I have never read a more incorrect statement in my life......


You believe in specially plated USB cables so... The coolaid drinking is strong with you 

But in reality yes they can based on the wave form of analog waves. They come up and down. Literally delta and sigma.

Its frequency (wave length) and then it's height.

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/analog-digital2.htm


----------



## winders

Jimster480 said:


> You believe in specially plated USB cables so...



Hardly......I am using the USB cable I bought from Schiit for my Mimby. That's what, a $20 Straight Wire cable?


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Hardly......I am using the USB cable I bought from Schiit for my Mimby. That's what, a $20 Straight Wire cable?



I am pretty sure you are the person who argued with me on this very thread about "usb cable interruption" and claimed that digital waves are analog waves. 

Regardless please check out the link I sent, its very simple but it explains exactly how it works especially with up-sampling.


----------



## gvl2016

I sold my Mimby and have no regrets. Honestly tried to like it multiple times, tried to set it aside and then listen again after some time, but no go. Not my kind of sound, very clear but too direct and unforgiving, but I suppose this is what most folks like it for. As for USB cables having an effect, I was a non-believer but surprisingly a $30 Pangea silver cable had a subtle but noticeable positive effect over a generic cable, I sold the Mimby already at that time I was comparing with Metrum Musette. And no, I can assure you the difference wasn't in my head. Not to start another argument here but there are enough technical reasons for USB cables to have an effect on SQ. It is not all just 0's and 1's. I am surprised no one tried to run instrumented tests and publish the results. I came across some experiments that used a full chain analyzing the analog signal after some particular DAC with a fixed frequency input, but this doesn't tell the whole story.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I sold my Mimby and have no regrets. Honestly tried to like it multiple times, tried to set it aside and then listen again after some time, but no go. Not my kind of sound, very clear but too direct and unforgiving, but I suppose this is what most folks like it for. As for USB cables having an effect, I was a non-believer but surprisingly a $30 Pangea silver cable had a subtle but noticeable positive effect over a generic cable, I sold the Mimby already at that time I was comparing with Metrum Musette. And no, I can assure you the difference wasn't in my head. Not to start another argument here but there are enough technical reasons for USB cables to have an effect on SQ. It is not all just 0's and 1's. I am surprised no one tried to run instrumented tests and publish the results. I came across some experiments that used a full chain analyzing the analog signal after some particular DAC with a fixed frequency input, but this doesn't tell the whole story.


The only way SQ could really be affected is if the first USB cable is of very poor construction or has massive interference from other power sources.
I experienced this with Cat5 at my new desk and I have experienced issues with USB cables before and file corruption, but like I said its only one of those two things.
Otherwise it doesn't have an affect, usually with USB though it will cause popping sounds and not actual SQ reduction in terms of details.


----------



## gvl2016 (Aug 24, 2017)

Jimster480 said:


> The only way SQ could really be affected is if the first USB cable is of very poor construction or has massive interference from other power sources.
> I experienced this with Cat5 at my new desk and I have experienced issues with USB cables before and file corruption, but like I said its only one of those two things.
> Otherwise it doesn't have an affect, usually with USB though it will cause popping sounds and not actual SQ reduction in terms of details.



I didn't tell the whole story, but I tried 3 cables, a generic "free" cable that had a convincing thickness and USB 2.0 marking on the sleeve, a nicer but still cheap Mediabridge cable, and the aforementioned Pangea which was also the shortest at 50cm vs. 6 feet or so. All 3 sounded different. The generic cable had more glare in the upper frequencies, Mediabridge was cleaner but somehow it had less pronounced low-end, the Pangea was overall the best in clarity and balance. I'm not talking about a night and day difference here, but after you switch cables dozen times and listen to exactly to the same part of music looking for specific sonic differences and every test confirms them it is no accident. Like I said I was a non-believer but now convinced there is something to it. Before you start laughing please do some reading on the USB Isocrhonous Transfer mode and approaches to clock recovery in USB audio, you may learn something.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I didn't tell the whole story, but I tried 3 cables, a generic "free" cable that had a convincing thickness and USB 2.0 marking on the sleeve, a nicer but still cheap Mediabridge cable, and the aforementioned Pangea which was also the shortest at 50cm vs. 6 feet or so. All 3 sounded different. The generic cable had more glare in the upper frequencies, Mediabridge was cleaner but somehow it had less pronounced low-end, the Pangea was overall the best in clarity and balance. I'm not talking about a night and day difference here, but after you switch cables dozen times and listen to exactly to the same part of music looking for specific sonic differences and every test confirms them it is no accident. Like I said I was a non-believer but now convinced there is something to it. Before you start laughing please do some reading on the USB Isocrhonous Transfer mode and approaches to clock recovery in USB audio, you may learn something.



I know how the transfer works, length is also a factor along with the quality of the cable on the inside. 
Thickness isn't very convincing especially when most Chinese cable mfg put huge jackets of plastic on tiny cables.


----------



## winders

Jimster480 said:


> I am pretty sure you are the person who argued with me on this very thread about "usb cable interruption" and claimed that digital waves are analog waves.



No, I argued that digital data is basically encoded in analog signals and that differences in USB cables can affect the signal coming out the analog signal coming out of the DAC. That is all true whether or not you want to believe it.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> No, I argued that digital data is basically encoded in analog signals and that differences in USB cables can affect the signal coming out the analog signal coming out of the DAC. That is all true whether or not you want to believe it.


Except that digital isn't at all analog and its not possible for me to believe things which aren't true.


----------



## leeperry (Aug 27, 2017)

Mimby is outrageously underpowered by its 0.5A wallwart. Use something beefier and you'll get to hear its true potential like much thicker sounding with killer bass


----------



## Jimster480 (Aug 27, 2017)

leeperry said:


> Mimby is outrageously underpowered by its 0.5A wallwart. Use something beefier and you'll get to hear its true potential like much thicker sounding with killer bass



Massively underpowered?

Its a VAC wallwart, meaning that its not even a AC->DC adapter.
0.5A at like 18VAC is way more than most DACs.
Schiit wouldn't design it and then ship it with the wrong power supply.


----------



## nicoch46

leeperry said:


> Use something beefier


 that's 100% right  , is a EI split coil ones in there ,toroid or R-core ?


----------



## nicoch46

18Vac x 1.41 =25Vdc ,  you know that you can put  in good Vdc psu ?


----------



## nicoch46

18Vac x 1.41 =25Vdc ,  you know that you can put  in good 26 Vdc ps ?


----------



## DataTutashxia

A few days back, with the delivery of Mimby, I've finally finished a transition to mid-fi gear.
I've already had a few evenings of critical listening, so here's my impressions.
First of all, this thing heats quite a lot. I put Vali on top of it first, but after ~4-5h I noticed it got really hot, so I decided to place them horizontally.
Second thing - the drivers. I'm sitting on W10, and I've heard/read you need to install drivers for it to work on Windows (actually, it's written in the instruction coming with the device). 
So I downloaded the drivers, but unable to install them. The setup states there's no CMEDIA USB2.0 device detected and exits. Though I don't consider it an issue so far as the device is detected by Windows as Modi Multibit and played everything I thrown at it (inc. 24/192) so far.

Now, onto the sound difference. Note that I read about the items a lot before I buy, so I may be biased in my impressions (though I doubt the bias influence is big enough to feel something that's not there completely)
Previous setup: laptop with ESS Sabre 9016 mobile DAC chip -> Vali 2 (stock tube) -> Senn HD700.
New setup: laptop -> pyst usb* -> Mimby -> Vali 2 (stock tube) -> Senn HD700

There's an immediate change in tonality. With Mimby everything sounds smoother, slightly warmer and easier to listen to. When I bought Vali 2 and stopped using internal Sabre headphone amplifier the sound also got smoother. So, I suppose, that Sabre chip is quite analytical/harsh in general.
Also, Mimby has better accuracy/instrument separation. I was surprised a few times listening hard metal tracks, hearing those background attacks that felt like tsunami waves before are now split into several sources.
I also feel the vocals and midrange in general feels more natural. I like my guitar ballads more now.

I've read a lot about DACs being the least influential piece in the chain, so I honestly didn't expect much. But, although Vali 2 brought slightly bigger improvement, Mimby exceeded my expectations in terms of effect it caused. I don't know if it's down to its R2R nature or just the general product quality, but I like what I'm hearing.
Overall, I feel very happy about that two pieces of Schiit I've bought. They pair good with HD700, helping ease it's harsh nature while retaining its better qualitites. Good Schiit!

*sidenote - that pyst usb cable looks and feels fantastic but I find it quite impractical, It's too hard to bend. wouldn't recomment it if the item on one of its ends moves frequently.


----------



## Jimster480

DataTutashxia said:


> A few days back, with the delivery of Mimby, I've finally finished a transition to mid-fi gear.
> I've already had a few evenings of critical listening, so here's my impressions.
> First of all, this thing heats quite a lot. I put Vali on top of it first, but after ~4-5h I noticed it got really hot, so I decided to place them horizontally.
> Second thing - the drivers. I'm sitting on W10, and I've heard/read you need to install drivers for it to work on Windows (actually, it's written in the instruction coming with the device).
> ...



Glad you are enjoying your purchase


----------



## hoskoau

DataTutashxia said:


> So I downloaded the drivers, but unable to install them. The setup states there's no CMEDIA USB2.0 device detected and exits.


I had the exact same issue, doesn't seem to make any difference though


----------



## Jimster480

hoskoau said:


> I had the exact same issue, doesn't seem to make any difference though



I'm pretty sure the C-Media drivers that Schiit is using are included by default in Windows 10 and fully patched versions of Windows 7.


----------



## nicoch46

nope, but you can load on win10 manually ,xp same problem , ubuntu have is driver work fine from start


----------



## Jimster480

nicoch46 said:


> nope, but you can load on win10 manually ,xp same problem , ubuntu have is driver work fine from start


I didn't install the driver on my W10 or W7 machines. And when I went to install the driver it was the same driver already installed on the system.


----------



## jimmers

nicoch46 said:


> 18Vac x 1.41 =25Vdc ,  you know that you can put  in good 26 Vdc ps ?


So, you are running your Mimby from a 26V DC PSU ?


----------



## leeperry

Before they came up with a 220V PSU for Wyrd, some ppl claimed to be using DC ones with no trouble.


----------



## nicoch46 (Aug 30, 2017)

jimmers said:


> So, you are running your Mimby from a 26V DC PSU ?


nope  but  I do in some other audio gear....
you only lost 1-1,4v  on diode


----------



## jimmers

nicoch46 said:


> nope  but  I do in some other audio gear....


Didn't think so.


----------



## nicoch46

leeperry said:


> on my part I guess I could imagine why S/PDIF is said to sound better on Mimby and why they went Gen5 on the rest of the line-up because Mimby's USB input is highly sensitive to a noisy signal. Provide it with a much cleaner(not reclocked) USB signal + low-ripple 5V and it sounds like another DAC altogether.


----------



## AxelCloris

Had to clean up the thread a bit. Please keep the discussion on the Modi Multibit. The other tangent discussions that were taking place are better suited to the Sound Sciences forums.


----------



## CarlosUnchained (Sep 5, 2017)

A bit? Please keep the bit discussion in the Sound Science forum.

Mimby has the price of a custom molded Etymotic ear protector. I'm pondering which one goes first.


----------



## BubbaJay

I was listening to my mimby through USB for a few hours then switched back to coaxial with my X5II and the later sounded quite a bit better to me.  Using the USB with Foobar2000 I did notice the staging was a little wider than with coax (I'm using the Focal Elear and flac files with both) but to me, that was the only plus when compared to coax.  The sq was noticeably better using coax, bass texture was better, mids smoother and more forward and highs were cleaner sounding also.  Since I listen in bed most of the time I use my X5II with the mimby so I don't use my pc much, I didn't realize there could be that much of a difference.  Does anyone else hear a difference between them as well?


----------



## wiz2596

Do you guys think getting a 'motherboard spdif to coax header' will improve the sound quality over optical or USB? currently I'm using the optical output from my mobo to feed my mimby but I feel a bit curious about coax input since many claim it's better for sound quality?


----------



## nicoch46

only if the MB have an output transformer for spdif like Pulse or so


----------



## Jimster480

wiz2596 said:


> Do you guys think getting a 'motherboard spdif to coax header' will improve the sound quality over optical or USB? currently I'm using the optical output from my mobo to feed my mimby but I feel a bit curious about coax input since many claim it's better for sound quality?


The quality difference is negligible.


----------



## gvl2016

wiz2596 said:


> Do you guys think getting a 'motherboard spdif to coax header' will improve the sound quality over optical or USB? currently I'm using the optical output from my mobo to feed my mimby but I feel a bit curious about coax input since many claim it's better for sound quality?



It will, or not. Please try and report back.


----------



## cubed4life

I contacted Schiit about a month ago and asked what's best way to connect Modi multibit. They said coaxial>USB>optical. Depending on setup.


----------



## gvl2016 (Sep 12, 2017)

Sure, however the coaxial header on the mobo may not be well impedance matched causing issues, plus it can bring HF noise from the PC to the DAC and introduce ground loop issues.


----------



## nicoch46

we hope that modi multi 3 will got usb gen5... then  will be perfect on usb


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Sure, however the coaxial header on the mobo may not be well impedance matched causing issues, plus it can bring HF noise from the PC to the DAC and introduce ground loop issues.


Highly unlikely.
Coax has the same impedance everywhere.


----------



## gvl2016

Ignorance is bliss.


----------



## Baldr

nicoch46 said:


> we hope that modi multi 3 will got usb gen5... then  will be perfect on usb


News to me if there is a Multi Modi 2


----------



## nicoch46

retray, will  modi mb with usb gen5 ?


----------



## leeperry (Sep 13, 2017)

yeah we so very much crave a Gen5 Mimby, pretty please


----------



## Clemmaster

There's no room.


----------



## leeperry (Sep 13, 2017)

Make the case bigger, go dual-PCB with a daughter board for USB, I don't care 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



I'm not keen on blowing $600 on a DAC that'll become obsolete next year and then require a +$150 upgrade to keep up and I've grown tired of having audiophool crap cluttering my desk. Mimby's sitting right behind the PC for USB>RCA and sounds amazing, I'm sold


----------



## nicoch46

*Clemmaster*
we know x that we hope a new ones...


----------



## Letmebefrank

leeperry said:


> Make the case bigger, go dual-PCB with a daughter board for USB, I don't care
> I'm not keen on blowing $600 on a DAC that'll become obsolete next year and then require a +$150 upgrade to keep up and I've grown tired of having audiophool crap cluttering my desk. Mimiby's sitting right behind the PC for USB>RCA and sounds amazing, I'm sold



They already make a Mimby with Gen 5 in a bigger chassis, its called Bifrost.


----------



## leeperry

Letmebefrank said:


> They already make a Mimby with Gen 5 in a bigger chassis, its called Bifrost.



Figures, problem is that price jump is just way too high and form factor also way too big.


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> Figures, problem is that price jump is just way too high and form factor also way too big.



Get the Eitr.


----------



## leeperry

Why do I always have to sound like a broken record when asking for a Gen5 Mimby(that is prone to show up soon or later anyways). Eitr uses a S/PDIF middle-man, I want USB > I²S. I'm entirely willing to believe that Eitr is the shiznit for USB>S/PDIF but as Obama said it's like winning the special olympics: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/1788545-post2.html

 My request was directed to Baldr in case that wasn't clear enough, thank you all for your valuable time.


----------



## winders (Sep 13, 2017)

leeperry said:


> My request was directed to Baldr in case that wasn't clear enough, thank you all for your valuable time.



Baldr already said there will not be a Gen 5 Mimby. I guess you don't want to hear that so you ignore it. But it doesn't change what Baldr said...


----------



## nicoch46

winders said:


> [QUOTE="leeperry, post: 13719832, member: 11208]My request was directed to Baldr in case that wasn't clear enough, thank you all for your valuable time.



Baldr already said there will not be a Gen 5 Mimby. I guess you don't want to hear that so you ignore it. But it doesn't change what Baldr said...[/QUOTE]
he can maybe put a better usb derivated from gen5.....in next release


----------



## leeperry (Sep 13, 2017)

winders said:


> Baldr already said there will not be a Gen 5 Mimby. I guess you don't want to hear that so you ignore it. But it doesn't change what Baldr said.



Right, thank you so much for pointing this out, I sincerely appreciate the gesture and I certainly believe that you are a true asset to this thread. I really do. Blabering aside, I was mostly echoing what someone else asked for:


nicoch46 said:


> will  modi mb with usb gen5 ?


Down the line there oughta be a Gen5 <$600 multibit DAC anyway, only a matter of time.

There's that tune I really dig and chorus goes like "can't be done be done" but I can't remember the title atm.


----------



## gvl2016

Gen5 USB is the only meaningful differentiating feature between the Bifrost and the Modi, and I suspect Schiit wants to keep it this way.


----------



## leeperry

I highly doubt they would expect the USB OCD'ed ppl to shell out an extra $350 for moar better USB. Fact is that both DAC's share the DAC chip and opamp based output stage but hey they are the ones who decided to discount their Multibit technology to begin with, there's also stiff competition with R2R DAC's getting cheaper and cheaper.


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> Gen5 USB is the only meaningful differentiating feature between the Bifrost and the Modi, and I suspect Schiit wants to keep it this way.


And in practice is has LITERALLY ZERO DIFFERENCE 

Hilarious what Audiophiles want to spend money on. Saying "Gen 5" as if it actually means something LMAO
Schiit has literally the sh1ttiest USB implementation of basically any audio brand in the first place, if you want something that has actually good USB support buy a different brand.
IF you like the oldschool sound of the multibit products then it doesn't matter, mimby would sound no different with a different USB interface.


----------



## gvl2016

Jimster480 said:


> And in practice is has LITERALLY ZERO DIFFERENCE
> 
> Hilarious what Audiophiles want to spend money on. Saying "Gen 5" as if it actually means something LMAO
> Schiit has literally the sh1ttiest USB implementation of basically any audio brand in the first place, if you want something that has actually good USB support buy a different brand.
> IF you like the oldschool sound of the multibit products then it doesn't matter, mimby would sound no different with a different USB interface.



Congrats, you've now officially made it to my ignore list.


----------



## nicoch46

gen5 is ones of best filtered usb around you must learn what this lan iron do before speak.....


----------



## Jimster480

nicoch46 said:


> gen5 is ones of best filtered usb around you must learn what this lan iron do before speak.....


"Filtered"?

What does that mean exactly? Please describe the nature of such "filtering".


----------



## leeperry (Sep 13, 2017)

Jimster480 said:


> And in practice is has LITERALLY ZERO DIFFERENCE
> 
> Hilarious what Audiophiles want to spend money on. Saying "Gen 5" as if it actually means something LMAO
> Schiit has literally the sh1ttiest USB implementation of basically any audio brand in the first place, if you want something that has actually good USB support buy a different brand.
> IF you like the oldschool sound of the multibit products then it doesn't matter, mimby would sound no different with a different USB interface.



So much knowledge in you I sense, my new hero you are. I must say that it's selfish of you to keep it all to yourself and only sparingly share it with us mere mortals here on headfi, as previously discussed I'm still eagerly awaiting some sort of youtube channel where you could enlighten the world as to what true high-class audio is and means. Gotta do it bro, it's important. We all count on you, at this point you're our only hope.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> So much knowledge in you I sense, my new hero you are. I must say that it's selfish of you to keep it all to yourself and only sparingly share it with us mere mortals here on headfi, as previously discussed I'm still eagerly awaiting some sort of youtube channel where you could enlighten the world as to what true high-class audio is and means. Gotta do it bro, it's important. We all count on you, at this point you're our only hope.



You are hilarious, I will be selfish with my knowledge. Sharing it only causes anger anyway.


----------



## nicoch46

Jimster480 said:


> "Filtered"?
> 
> What does that mean exactly? Please describe the nature of such "filtering".


lesson number one 
what do the two lan transformer Wurth 749010010A ?


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> I highly doubt they would expect the USB OCD'ed ppl to shell out an extra $350 for moar better USB. Fact is that both DAC's share the DAC chip and opamp based output stage but hey they are the ones who decided to discount their Multibit technology to begin with, there's also stiff competition with R2R DAC's getting cheaper and cheaper.



I've certainly spent at least have of that amount to tackle the issues that this interface supposedly makes disappear in a clean fashion.


----------



## leeperry

Jimster480 said:


> I will be selfish with my knowledge


Sheer sadness ensues


----------



## Jimster480

nicoch46 said:


> lesson number one
> what do the two lan transformer Wurth 749010010A ?


Interesting irrelevant information.
Lan to Ethernet transformer. Looks to be some sort of controller which is for switches, etc.
Very little information is available on it.

I'm waiting for the actual technical description of filtering which you are claiming is occurring.


----------



## nicoch46 (Sep 13, 2017)

Jimster480 said:


> I
> 
> Very little information is available on it.


wrong you have all you need here http://it.rs-online.com/web/p/trasformatori-per-reti-lan-ethernet/5225894/
I'm sure that DCMR of 38db can help you.....


----------



## Jimster480

nicoch46 said:


> wrong you have all you need here http://it.rs-online.com/web/p/trasformatori-per-reti-lan-ethernet/5225894/
> I'm sure that DCMR of 38db can help you.....


D
Continue on with the nonsense. 
I'll be waiting for you to wake up.


----------



## limelake

USB is a not important to me....I still use discs (cd,hdcd,sacd vinyl) and load some music on to USB thumb drives. I have no patience for USB problems, computer problems etc. I use coax or optical connections to my equipment from my source. Really is the fact that USB has so many problems Schiit's fault? One day USB may be perfected..........until it is I will stick with my way! No cleaners or decrapifiers on optical or coax...or is there?


----------



## leeperry

limelake said:


> USB is a not important to me....I still use discs (cd,hdcd,sacd vinyl) and load some music on to USB thumb drives. I have no patience for USB problems, computer problems etc. I use coax or optical connections to my equipment from my source. Really is the fact that USB has so many problems Schiit's fault? One day USB may be perfected..........until it is I will stick with my way! No cleaners or decrapifiers on optical or coax...or is there?


Our local expert will get back to you as soon as his time permits, please hold a bit.


----------



## gvl2016

limelake said:


> No cleaners or decrapifiers on optical or coax...or is there?



Sure there is: https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-spdif-ipurifier/


----------



## limelake

Oh boy.....i am wrong! Oops! Gawd people love to spend money. I will spend mine on more 16 bit music to listen to while others spend on silly upgrades.


----------



## gvl2016

limelake said:


> Oh boy.....i am wrong! Oops! Gawd people love to spend money. I will spend mine on more 16 bit music to listen to while others spend on silly upgrades.



It is not silly, but maybe unnecessary depending on the rest of the gear. If you have a cheapo CD transport and a DAC with inferior SPDIF jitter rejection implementation such SPDIF purifier can be quite useful.


----------



## leeperry (Sep 13, 2017)

gvl2016 said:


> SPDIF jitter rejection implementation such as SPDIF purifier can be quite useful


Jimster480 taught me that what we all need is to purify our souls not inaudible jitter.


----------



## nicoch46

Jimster480 said:


> D
> Continue on with the nonsense.


it's your problem !


----------



## gvl2016

leeperry said:


> Jimster480 taught me that what we all need is to purify our souls not inaudible jitter.



Somehow it feels one pure soul is one too many.


----------



## leeperry

gvl2016 said:


> Somehow it feels one pure soul is one too many.


I'm learning fast.


----------



## winders

leeperry said:


> Right, thank you so much for pointing this out, I sincerely appreciate the gesture and I certainly believe that you are a true asset to this thread. I really do. Blabering aside, I was mostly echoing what someone else asked for:
> 
> Down the line there oughta be a Gen5 <$600 multibit DAC anyway, only a matter of time.
> 
> There's that tune I really dig and chorus goes like "can't be done be done" but I can't remember the title atm.



Look, Baldr said there is not enough room inside the Mimby case to implement Gen 5 USB. It's not going to happen.....


----------



## Tuneslover

limelake said:


> USB is a not important to me....I still use discs (cd,hdcd,sacd vinyl) and load some music on to USB thumb drives. I have no patience for USB problems, computer problems etc. I use coax or optical connections to my equipment from my source. Really is the fact that USB has so many problems Schiit's fault? One day USB may be perfected..........until it is I will stick with my way! No cleaners or decrapifiers on optical or coax...or is there?



Yeah I'm in the same situation as you...I don't use USB.  Coaxial and Toslink is all that I require...thank goodness!


----------



## Baldr

I know I have said in the past that I can't fit (substitute Gen V, multibit, etc. here) in a (Mimby size, jotunheim, BiFrost size, etc.) volume.  Sometimes, I rethink those matters and take them as a challenge, i.e. Mimby sized multibit or other stuff which may or may not come.  One extra burden in the Mimby size box is only so much room for heat, and the Mimby gets rid of a lot in the small box.  A Gen V may well push it over the edge.  I don't know, and will NOT try it until the Manhattan, the turntable, one other "build a ship in a bottle" project, and an entirely new product category for Schiit are done.  We are talking a LONG while IF feasible without turning the Mimby into a toaster.


----------



## thedesigner2011

Baldr said:


> I know I have said in the past that I can't fit (substitute Gen V, multibit, etc. here) in a (Mimby size, jotunheim, BiFrost size, etc.) volume.  Sometimes, I rethink those matters and take them as a challenge, i.e. Mimby sized multibit or other stuff which may or may not come.  One extra burden in the Mimby size box is only so much room for heat, and the Mimby gets rid of a lot in the small box.  A Gen V may well push it over the edge.  I don't know, and will NOT try it until the Manhattan, the turntable, *one other "build a ship in a bottle" project*, and an entirely new product category for Schiit are done.  We are talking a LONG while IF feasible without turning the Mimby into a toaster.



Smells like Bifrost 2.0!


----------



## Tuneslover (Sep 13, 2017)

Tuneslover said:


> Yeah I'm in the same situation as you...I don't use USB.  Coaxial and Toslink is all that I require...thank goodness!



As it turns out I just finished using USB out of my MacBook Pro into my Mimby/Ember, Bimby/Jot and Bifrost 4490/LP G-109S in order to hear the quality of the HD650's bass and sub-bass (hot on the HD650 thread).  All 3 of these Schiit DAC's have Gen 2 USB and guess what?  All 3 DAC's Gen 2 sounded terrific (incidentally I can attest that the submitted music videos on the HD650 thread illustrated that the HD650's have terrific bass & sub-bass...at least to me).

I guess I don't understand what all the fuss about Schiit USB implementation is.


----------



## gvl2016

When I use a grounded amp I get a nasty high-pitched noise with my laptop, galvanically isolated Gen 5 implementation would supposedly solve these issues. I currently use a Centrance DACMini CX which is galvanically isolated and there is no noise, but I had noise with the Modi.


----------



## aristos_achaion

leeperry said:


> Down the line there oughta be a Gen5 <$600 multibit DAC anyway, only a matter of time.



The Mimby + Eitr is only $429. Though I don't really see why people are so worried about the USB implementation on an entry-level DAC...the Mimby's a great value for the money, sure, but (I think) it's not like most $250 DACs have USB ins comparable to Schiit's Gen5.


----------



## gvl2016

aristos_achaion said:


> but (I think) it's not like most $250 DACs have USB ins comparable to Schiit's Gen5.



I believe correct answer is 0.


----------



## cheungtsw

Does Schitt run sales during Thanksgiving?  Holding up to buy a Mumby or Bifrost (I dont need one at the moment anyway).


----------



## Tuneslover

cheungtsw said:


> Does Schitt run sales during Thanksgiving?  Holding up to buy a Mumby or Bifrost (I dont need one at the moment anyway).



I don't think that Schiit has sales.


----------



## SirRealist

cheungtsw said:


> Does Schitt run sales during Thanksgiving?  Holding up to buy a Mumby or Bifrost (I dont need one at the moment anyway).



from their website: http://www.schiit.com/about/on-deals

*ON "DEALS"*
We get asked all the time about deals, sales and other incentives, such as Black Friday specials, EZ credit, trade-ins, monthly payments, purchasing with 2 cards, and a whole raft of other “can I get a better price” questions.

So, here’s the deal: _We don’t do deals._

Why? Because when you run sales, specials, financing, or other deals, it has exactly three results:

1. It makes everyone wait for the sales, so suddenly your company is addicted to them.
2. It makes everyone who bought before the sales wonder if they got screwed.
3. It makes everything cost more.

Read #3 again. The simplest sales model is one where everything is a fixed cost, no sales, no promos, no special package deals, no loyalty programs, no EZ financing. And simple is inexpensive. Simple means we don’t have to pass the cost along to you. Anytime we do a sale, start a promo, offer a package deal, or start a loyalty program, we’re adding cost to our products.

That’s why we have one price list, no discounts, no sales, no promos–because it passes the savings along to _everyone._


----------



## Pahani

SirRealist said:


> from their website: http://www.schiit.com/about/on-deals
> 
> *ON "DEALS"*
> We get asked all the time about deals, sales and other incentives, such as Black Friday specials, EZ credit, trade-ins, monthly payments, purchasing with 2 cards, and a whole raft of other “can I get a better price” questions.
> ...



Emotiva stopped doing sales for pretty much exactly the same reasons, if I recall. Last I knew, that is.


----------



## wiz2596

smells like Modi 3


----------



## Tuneslover

wiz2596 said:


> smells like Modi 3



I can't imagine anything beyond the Modi multibit from a DAC standpoint, but hey these Schiit guys are always full of delightful surprises.

Personally I would like to see them return to their upgrade philosophy for the Bifrost.  A good value-added and economical one that is.


----------



## Dana Reed

Tuneslover said:


> I can't imagine anything beyond the Modi multibit from a DAC standpoint, but hey these Schiit guys are always full of delightful surprises.
> 
> Personally I would like to see them return to their upgrade philosophy for the Bifrost.  A good value-added and economical one that is.


The Gen 5 USB is one that just came out.  That enticed me to get one to replace my mimby in the living room and pair it with my saga/vidar.  
One thing I wonder about that might be a nice upgrade is a board that replaces the single 5547 chip with a pair of 5781 or 5791 chips.  Not sure how much dynamic range improvement could be expected that way (for source material that could take advantage of it)


----------



## Jimster480

gvl2016 said:


> I believe correct answer is 0.


Or every chinese DAC that has a better version (XMOS).
Topping D30, SMSL M8/M8A to name two of them.


----------



## Tuneslover (Sep 20, 2017)

Dana Reed said:


> The Gen 5 USB is one that just came out.  That enticed me to get one to replace my mimby in the living room and pair it with my saga/vidar.
> One thing I wonder about that might be a nice upgrade is a board that replaces the single 5547 chip with a pair of 5781 or 5791 chips.  Not sure how much dynamic range improvement could be expected that way (for source material that could take advantage of it)



True.  However, I seem to recall reading that the Modi (multibit) is maxed out when it comes to space in the Modi/Magni case.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Jimster480 said:


> Or every chinese DAC that has a better version (XMOS).
> Topping D30, SMSL M8/M8A to name two of them.


We are talking about the actual circuit design of the Gen 5 USB, not the driver support. None of those dacs listed have electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation from the USB source.


----------



## Jimster480

Letmebefrank said:


> We are talking about the actual circuit design of the Gen 5 USB, not the driver support. None of those dacs listed have electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation from the USB source.



None of those things are even real causes of problems with USB DAC's.
You can isolate everything as much as you want, it literally has ZERO DIFFERENCE in 99% of situations.


----------



## leeperry

Thus Spoke Zarathustra


----------



## winders

Jimster480 said:


> None of those things are even real causes of problems with USB DAC's.
> You can isolate everything as much as you want, it literally has ZERO DIFFERENCE in 99% of situations.



Zero? You really have no idea what you are talking about.......


----------



## leeperry




----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Zero? You really have no idea what you are talking about.......



Its actually factual.
None of these things are problems anymore.
Power on most motherboards is clean on USB's these days, even laptops.
USB hub chips are very efficient and clean, data flows fine.
Cables do not cause interference, its digital signals.
Data corruption is almost non-existent.
Most high end DAC's have their best outputs via USB because its so much better than other transport methods.

Optical has Jitter issues but is still fine in 99% of situations, coax has the "cleanest" signal provided that the source has clean outputs and converting from USB->Coax is something that costs around $20 to make.

Its funny to see people going crazy over cables, USB implementations and needing "decrapifiers" and "galvanic isolators" and all this other rubbish. 
These are non issues on basically every other DAC/Brand threads and with modern hardware these ancient problems have been long fixed.

If computers even had 1/20th of the issues that are suggested here they wouldn't run at all and would be totally unstable.
We have entire computers that fit on the tip of your finger these days and even those don't struggle with the interference issues you guys claim exist with circuits being on the same board LOL


----------



## leeperry

Well that wraps it, please no more troll feeding


----------



## almarti

HI all - do you think the $99 Magni 3 headphone amp is worth to pair with my existing Mimby (now paired with integrated stereo amp and speakers) and my cans Ether Flow and ATH-M40X? I pair them with Chord Mojo.


----------



## Jimster480

almarti said:


> HI all - do you think the $99 Magni 3 headphone amp is worth to pair with my existing Mimby (now paired with integrated stereo amp and speakers) and my cans Ether Flow and ATH-M40X? I pair them with Chord Mojo.


I'd say most definitely.
The Magni is a great amp especially for the price and it has plenty of power to drive literally everything under the sun.


----------



## leeperry

Terrible idea, moar better choice: http://www.ebay.com/itm/292224372527


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> Terrible idea, moar better choice: http://www.ebay.com/itm/292224372527


That would work fine for many IEMs.
Not sure about the quality of the output though.


----------



## alpovs

almarti said:


> HI all - do you think the $99 Magni 3 headphone amp is worth to pair with my existing Mimby (now paired with integrated stereo amp and speakers) and my cans Ether Flow and ATH-M40X? I pair them with Chord Mojo.


Just ignore the post above. I like my Mimby with my Magni 2 Uber. Magni 3 should be even better, and cheaper.


----------



## leeperry

Of course I was being sarcastic, I wonder what kind of reply he expected lol


----------



## almarti

Jimster480 said:


> I'd say most definitely.
> The Magni is a great amp especially for the price and it has plenty of power to drive literally everything under the sun.





alpovs said:


> Just ignore the post above. I like my Mimby with my Magni 2 Uber. Magni 3 should be even better, and cheaper.



Thanks to both - now to look for best website to purchase and deliver to Spain.


----------



## Jimster480

almarti said:


> Thanks to both - now to look for best website to purchase and deliver to Spain.


Schiit themselves won't deliver to spain?
Check ebay or Amazon then.

If you can't find anything maybe I can help you, I have bought many things for people over the years and shipped them internationally. I wouldn't mind if you can't find it elsewhere.


----------



## alpovs

almarti said:


> Thanks to both - now to look for best website to purchase and deliver to Spain.


In the other thread people were discussing this and many said it is cheaper (and faster) to order Schiit equipment directly from Schiit, taking into account shipping and customs chargers. I myself don't know though as I am not in Europe.


----------



## almarti

alpovs said:


> In the other thread people were discussing this and many said it is cheaper (and faster) to order Schiit equipment directly from Schiit, taking into account shipping and customs chargers. I myself don't know though as I am not in Europe.



Not really tru, schiit-europe.com based on a Netherlands importer for Europe delivers Magni 3 for a total of 130€, 125 for Magni 3 and 5 for shipping.
Schiit.com at USA does for 120 € aprox ($99 device + $46 shipping) but in Spain minimal custom fees and VAT are 43€ in additon. For 10€ more in first website you cover the risk of 43€.


----------



## Jimster480

I just found the fix for anyone who doesn't like the Schiit USB implementation. 
I just bought this and am using it with my Topping DX7 (due to a bug with the firmware that keeps my pc awake). 
SMSL xUSB, it uses XMOS which is the best USB interface and it offers Coaxial, Optical, and I2S over HDMI. I got mine on Amazon for around $50 when I was searching for a card with coaxial output that would work with my main pc tower.


----------



## leeperry

Well it's got a I²S output which is nice if you need it but IME with their M8 the OLED screen doesn't come with any scrolling or screensaver so it will age badly(ghost image, dead pixels). Better off getting a WaveIO for this price IMO.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> Well it's got a I²S output which is nice if you need it but IME with their M8 the OLED screen doesn't come with any scrolling or screensaver so it will age badly(ghost image, dead pixels). Better off getting a WaveIO for this price IMO.


This isn't an M8, and this units little screen is very dim and only displays the khz of the output.
The M8 btw does have a firmware upgrade for almost a year now where both the M8 and M8A have screensavers.


----------



## leeperry

Oh good, it shoulda been like this since day 1 though as I've seen fubar M8 screeens huh. Lookee lookee out of the box and ugly as ever after a few months.


----------



## Tuneslover (Oct 4, 2017)

Cooler weather has hit our area and my bedroom system is definitely experiencing cooler temperatures too.  I've noticed that the Modi MB is sounding flat and uninteresting again so I place the SYS ontop of it.  After about a day, I gave it a listen and lo and behold that wonderful 3D aural picture has returned.  I grabbed my digital temperature gun to get a reading and it's 36.6 degrees celcius.  The Mimby is warm to the touch but not hot.  This puppy definitely does NOT want to be cold.


----------



## DrDick

hello.
I understand this might be a weird request, anyways:
anyone able to compare Modi Multibit to YAMAHA DA2X? what would you prefer?
both next to impossible to find to listen to personally in my area...


----------



## Jimster480

DrDick said:


> hello.
> I understand this might be a weird request, anyways:
> anyone able to compare Modi Multibit to YAMAHA DA2X? what would you prefer?
> both next to impossible to find to listen to personally in my area...


The Yamaha will sound much worse.
Its using ancient TDA1547 chips, if you want to try a DAC out like that I suggest the Starting Point Systems DAC's you can find on ebay.
They use TDA1547 and they are cheap and NOS.


----------



## jimmers (Oct 4, 2017)

Jimster480 said:


> The Yamaha will sound much worse.
> Its using ancient TDA1547 chips, if you want to try a DAC out like that I suggest the Starting Point Systems DAC's you can find on ebay.
> They use TDA1547 and they are cheap and NOS.


Starting Point Systems use the TDA1543 which is multibit, TDA1547 is one bit, very different chips.


Edit: When I say "multibit" I refer to static parallel converters like R2R Ladder DACs


----------



## gvl2016

I'd stay away from vintage delta-sigma converters unless I was building a DAC museum.


----------



## Jimster480

jimmers said:


> Starting Point Systems use the TDA1543 which is multibit, TDA1547 is one bit, very different chips.


Ah yes you are right, vintage DS will have very low resolution / detail.
Modern DS is typically better than Multibit (depending on impementation) as DS is multibit also these days.


----------



## XERO1 (Oct 5, 2017)

Well I finally joined the 'Schiit Multibiit' party a couple days ago, and I have to say, it's been quite the ride!

When I first got my Modi M, I hooked it up and let it run for a couple of hours before listening to it.  And when I did, what I heard had me very worried!

Comparing it to my Modi 2U (and compensating for the output level difference), it sounded _waaaaaay_ more upfront in the mids, the treble was bright and harsh and the bass sounded one-note-ish and undefined.  But there was also an unmistakable increase in audible resolution and texture in the mids and highs, but things were not off to a great start.  So I let it cook some more, occasionally listening and comparing, to see if things were improving or not.

So 48hrs later, the same sonic traits I mention above are somewhat still there, but now everything sounds significantly more integrated and harmonious.  It isn't perfect, but it's a major improvement over the Modi 2U and I am very happy with it.

So even though Mike has suggested that the Modi M should only take 2-3 hours to reach its full sonic potential (compared to the 2-3 days that the Yggy needs), I would have to disagree with him on this and say that just like its bigger bros, the Modi M also needs 2-3 days for its SQ to fully come together.  But once it does, it sounds pretty damn fantastic!


----------



## gvl2016 (Oct 5, 2017)

I have several DACs in rotation that I switch back and forth when I get bored with their sound, and all of them are way beyond their burn in period. Every time I switch I notice my brain goes through the initial rejection before I start fully enjoying the DAC again. Because of it i think the burn-in is the effects of psycho-acoustics more than anything else.


----------



## XERO1

gvl2016 said:


> I have several DACs in rotation that I switch back and forth when I get bored with their sound, and all of them are way beyond their burn in period. Every time I switch I notice my brain goes through the initial rejection before I start fully enjoying the DAC again. Because of it i think the burn-in is the effects of psycho-acoustics more than anything else.



Yeah, I agree with you that 'brain burn-in' is definitely a real factor in assessing a new component, and I'm sure it played a part in my experience with the Modi M. 

But its kind of like going from 'not bad' instant coffee to pick-your-favorite Starbucks coffee.  Once you get used to the good stuff, you never want to go back to 'not bad' again!


----------



## XERO1 (Oct 5, 2017)

Also, whenever you have a component that is significantly more transparent than the one that came before it, you begin to hear all sorts of new things, both good and bad, that you never knew were there before.  So I think that some of the 'harsh highs' that I was initially hearing actually had more to do with the recordings themselves being revealed for what they truly were.  Because while some recordings now sound worse than before, others sound significantly better than before as well.  And if the the Modi M actually had harsh treble, then _everything_ would sound harsh.


----------



## gvl2016

I could never get used to the Modi M's forward presentation, but some are describing it as warm sounding. Go figure.


----------



## XERO1 (Oct 5, 2017)

gvl2016 said:


> I could never get used to the Modi M's forward presentation, but some are describing it as warm sounding. Go figure.



It is definitely an acquired taste, and I can now see why some might not like it.

But for me, it was kind of like drinking 100-proof whiskey for the first time.  The first shot's kinda rough, but it only gets better from there!

But I will say this, my TH-X00 Ebony's have never sounded better!


----------



## theveterans

gvl2016 said:


> I could never get used to the Modi M's forward presentation, but some are describing it as warm sounding. Go figure.



Upgrade to Bimby or Gumby or Yggy then gone away is that forward presentation.


----------



## leeperry

the real shocker with Mimby is SS to my ears, anyway I'm expecting a soekris dac1101 and as much Schiit don't play the hype game Soekris clearly dissed their multibit technology so we'll see then


----------



## gvl2016

theveterans said:


> Upgrade to Bimby or Gumby or Yggy then gone away is that forward presentation.



I'll skip Bimby as I just don't see how it can be much different from the Mimby. Curious about the other 2, the Ygyy is a bit of a sticker shock, which leaves me with Gumby, maybe one of these days... I'm a bit skeptical about big difference in sound signature as they share the same digital filter, the differences are likely in the smoothness and detail resolution.


----------



## DrDick

Jimster480 said:


> The Yamaha will sound much worse.
> Its using ancient TDA1547 chips, if you want to try a DAC out like that I suggest the Starting Point Systems DAC's you can find on ebay.
> They use TDA1547 and they are cheap and NOS.


ok..
there are some raving reviews in the local internets about this DAC though, this is what drew my attention.


----------



## Jimster480

DrDick said:


> ok..
> there are some raving reviews in the local internets about this DAC though, this is what drew my attention.


I find that there are alot of raving reviews about products which are scientifically unable to produce high quality detailed sounds. 
Don't follow others lack of knowledge / experience just because they like something which sounds similar to the stereo they grew up listening to.


----------



## leeperry

.


----------



## xLoud

How Modi Multibit is compared to ifi idsd?


----------



## DrDick

Jimster480 said:


> I find that there are alot of raving reviews about products which are scientifically unable to produce high quality detailed sounds.
> Don't follow others lack of knowledge / experience just because they like something which sounds similar to the stereo they grew up listening to.


Turns out there's a local dealer so I might be able to have Mumby listened pretty soon.
Yet some of them specs make me scratch head (e.g yamaha/Mumby DR 110/95db, thd 0.001/0.006).


----------



## Jimster480

DrDick said:


> Turns out there's a local dealer so I might be able to have Mumby listened pretty soon.
> Yet some of them specs make me scratch head (e.g yamaha/Mumby DR 110/95db, thd 0.001/0.006).


The thing is that Dynamic range and THD really don't mean that much as long as they are good.
It depends on detail retrieval aswell as SNR.
But honestly even at 110SNR you won't really hear a difference after that, and most tracks won't have SNR so low.


----------



## gvl2016

110db is not a surprise for a 20-bit rated DAC, but it is Delta-Sigma. It may measure well on the bench, how it sounds is a different story. Mimby is 16-bit on paper, and probably less in real life so 95db makes perfect sense. The THD difference may well be due to a better analog stage in the Yamaha.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth#Quantization


----------



## theveterans

xLoud said:


> How Modi Multibit is compared to ifi idsd?



Subjectively some prefer the iDSD Black over any Schiit DAC so that would mean it doesn't matter which you choose for SQ. Just focus on if you need a desktop DAC or a transportable DAC/amp.


----------



## wilflare

okay this is gonna be a strange question but any suggestions on how I can use my Mimby to two devices?
- Pre-out to speakers
- Pre-out to Magni3 (for headphones only)

would a splitter help or actually end-up worsening things?
Magni3 as a pre-out for my speakers causes some issues :/


----------



## gvl2016 (Oct 10, 2017)

wilflare said:


> okay this is gonna be a strange question but any suggestions on how I can use my Mimby to two devices?
> - Pre-out to speakers
> - Pre-out to Magni3 (for headphones only)
> 
> ...



RCA Y-cables or a splitter should work. If you don't need both the speakers and the Magni to receive the signal at the same time you can use a switch box or maybe even Schiit Sys in reverse with the volume at max setting although this is probably less than ideal but could be an option if you already had one laying around.


----------



## theveterans

Schiit Sys in reverse. Input from Modi to Sys (output port) then output (input port in the Sys) to speakers and your magni and switch between them with a click


----------



## wilflare

thanks! definitely checking the Schiit SYS since I don't need both my Speakers and Magni to get the signal at the same time.
now to get the corresponding cables (Ghentaudio?)


----------



## gvl2016

While it will work and will stack nicely with the Mimby (it may have a slightly different finish) the SYS isn't the right tool for the job if you are to spend any money. The right tool for the job is something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Sescom-SES-A...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JGMVCCG9TK46Y6E8EC64

But it seems to be overpriced for what it is. A cheapo RCA switch box like this will work too (in reverse).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TL1QH4C?psc=1


----------



## wilflare

gvl2016 said:


> While it will work and will stack nicely with the Mimby (it may have a slightly different finish) the SYS isn't the right tool for the job if you are to spend any money. The right tool for the job is something like this:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Sescom-SES-A...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JGMVCCG9TK46Y6E8EC64
> 
> ...



thanks. think I'll probably get the SYS for consistency's sake (the look)
but all the cables running all over is gonna be crazy :/


----------



## gvl2016

Unless I had to be able to switch with a push of a button I'd just get a pair of these and call it a day:
https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-a...&qid=1507702005&sr=1-26&keywords=RCA+SPLITTER


----------



## Dana Reed

gvl2016 said:


> Unless I had to be able to switch with a push of a button I'd just get a pair of these and call it a day:
> https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-a...&qid=1507702005&sr=1-26&keywords=RCA+SPLITTER


Those are what I have to split my bimby to a vali2 and saga, and I don't notice any difference between that and a direct hookup


----------



## wilflare

gvl2016 said:


> Unless I had to be able to switch with a push of a button I'd just get a pair of these and call it a day:
> https://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-a...&qid=1507702005&sr=1-26&keywords=RCA+SPLITTER



I saw the InnerFidelity guy (Tyll?) recommend these as well.
but how does it work? I'll need two to plug into L/R?

I think a switch would be great so my headphones would not constantly be thumping with audio while I use my speakers


----------



## Dana Reed

Yes, one for L and one for R.  I haven't really noticed a difference if only one of the components is on.  But I suppose if I was going to leave both on, I could just turn the volume all the way down on the unused component.


wilflare said:


> I saw the InnerFidelity guy (Tyll?) recommend these as well.
> but how does it work? I'll need two to plug into L/R?
> 
> I think a switch would be great so my headphones would not constantly be thumping with audio while I use my speakers


----------



## gvl2016 (Oct 11, 2017)

A minor wrinkle is that Modi's RCA outputs are lined up horizontally so the cables will need to go up or maybe in the opposite directions which may make hiding the cables difficult. If an issue a Y-splitter cable may be a better option. Also I think using these with passive pre-amps may cause issues.


----------



## cheungtsw

Dana Reed said:


> Yes, one for L and one for R.  I haven't really noticed a difference if only one of the components is on.  But I suppose if I was going to leave both on, I could just turn the volume all the way down on the unused component.


Wont the adapter impact SQ?


----------



## wilflare

gvl2016 said:


> A minor wrinkle is that Modi's RCA outputs are lined up horizontally so the cables will need to go up or maybe in the opposite directions which may make hiding the cables difficult. If an issue a Y-splitter cable may be a better option. Also I think using these with passive pre-amps may cause issues.



yea. that's my concern. the cable management seems like it may be a nightmare :/
what do you mean by passive pre-amps may cause issues


----------



## gvl2016

cheungtsw said:


> Wont the adapter impact SQ?



It may but it shouldn't. Modi's output impedance is claimed to be 75Ohm, and active amps usually have their input impedance in tens of kOhm so it should be ok. I'd be more worried to use SYS in reverse.


----------



## gvl2016 (Oct 11, 2017)

wilflare said:


> yea. that's my concern. the cable management seems like it may be a nightmare :/
> what do you mean by passive pre-amps may cause issues



I mean it may affect the SQ when using a passive pre-amp as paralleling the outputs changes the input/output impedance ratio and passive preamps tend to be sensitive to that. It really depends and may not be an issue given a low output impedance of the source (75Ohm such as in Modi is pretty low), just it is something to be aware of and it wouldn't hurt to confirm no SQ deterioration is noticeable with the splitter vs. w/out.

These may work better with the Modi, same idea as the above splitters different execution:
https://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-...F8&qid=1507777338&sr=8-6&keywords=RCA+Y-cable


----------



## USP40guy

I'm waiting for my Mimby to arrive with the Magni amp. Those folks with the Mimby, about how many hours did it take for the DAC sound to break-in and stabilize? Thanks


----------



## RickB

USP40guy said:


> I'm waiting for my Mimby to arrive with the Magni amp. Those folks with the Mimby, about how many hours did it take for the DAC sound to break-in and stabilize? Thanks



I'd say it takes about 50 hours or so to burn in. Once it's burned in, it takes about 2 hours for it to warm up (stabilize) from power on.


----------



## Brad Riegler

RickB said:


> I'd say it takes about 50 hours or so to burn in. Once it's burned in, it takes about 2 hours for it to warm up (stabilize) from power on.


Agreed. Mine has finally hit the 50 - 70 hour mark, with my Vali 2, and they have finally given me a look at their capabilities. OMG! They are a wonderful pair. Definitely let them warm up like RickB said.


----------



## ReignofError

Has anyone done any internal warranty-voiding modifications?  Op-amps even if SMT?  D.C. input? I've seen the I2S mods elsewhere on the net, but am looking for all I can find ideawise before I open it up.


----------



## MonoOno

Question: How would I hook up the Multibit via optical on my PC? Just use my motherboard optical via the on-board RealTek? It will show up in Windows like USB DAC normally does?


----------



## Jimster480

MonoOno said:


> Question: How would I hook up the Multibit via optical on my PC? Just use my motherboard optical via the on-board RealTek? It will show up in Windows like USB DAC normally does?


No you will select the Realtek Optical/SPDIF output as your DAC. 

But yes you will connect it to your onboard via an optical cable.


----------



## Letmebefrank

It will not show up in windows, you have to select either the on board sound (and set it to optical output in the driver) or there will be a S/PDIF optical option in your sound devices menu.


----------



## MonoOno

Ah, okay. Thank you both.


----------



## decodm

Hi everyone! I just receveid my Modi Multibit this week, and I really really like it. I was wondering: sinc all of my music is 16-Bit/44.1 kHz (mostly apple lossless, some Apple Music streaming), is there any advantage to setting my iMac's Audio MIDI to anything higher than that? What would be the ptimal settings in Audio MIDI to get the best out of the Modi Mutibit?


----------



## Jimster480

decodm said:


> Hi everyone! I just receveid my Modi Multibit this week, and I really really like it. I was wondering: sinc all of my music is 16-Bit/44.1 kHz (mostly apple lossless, some Apple Music streaming), is there any advantage to setting my iMac's Audio MIDI to anything higher than that? What would be the ptimal settings in Audio MIDI to get the best out of the Modi Mutibit?



No, as it already over samples to 24/192k


----------



## decodm

Jimster480 said:


> No, as it already over samples to 24/192k




Thanks!!


----------



## Jerda

Hey buddies, just have found someone that has got a mimby with 1y of life for sale with a good price, the owner say that he keep the mimby open all the time from day one, should this have reduced life of the unit? I don't think so but I am curious about the answer


----------



## Jimster480

Jerda said:


> Hey buddies, just have found someone that has got a mimby with 1y of life for sale with a good price, the owner say that he keep the mimby open all the time from day one, should this have reduced life of the unit? I don't think so but I am curious about the answer


I think this would depend on the conditions (temps/humidity) at their house.


----------



## winders

Jerda said:


> Hey buddies, just have found someone that has got a mimby with 1y of life for sale with a good price, the owner say that he keep the mimby open all the time from day one, should this have reduced life of the unit? I don't think so but I am curious about the answer



Leaving it on all the time is better for the electronics that turning it on and off.....


----------



## Brad Riegler

Jerda said:


> Hey buddies, just have found someone that has got a mimby with 1y of life for sale with a good price, the owner say that he keep the mimby open all the time from day one, should this have reduced life of the unit? I don't think so but I am curious about the answer



I never turn off a DAC or preamp. My mimby has been going about 6 months now. The longest run I ever had was 4 years on my Hafler preamp. Power outages being the exception.


----------



## theveterans

winders said:


> Leaving it on all the time is better for the electronics that turning it on and off.....



Not always, it is not recommended for Class A amps to leave it on 24/7 since high heat output is number one enemy of electronics


----------



## gvl2016 (Nov 3, 2017)

theveterans said:


> Not always, it is not recommended for Class A amps to leave it on 24/7 since high heat output is number one enemy of electronics



Not necessarily if the internal components are operating within their thermal specs, cycling on the other hand often leads to solder joint failures over time.


----------



## thebkt

winders said:


> Leaving it on all the time is better for the electronics that turning it on and off.....


I've left my Mimby on for the last few weeks, though my instincts tell me to turn it off overnight as it's so warm.  It hasn't failed or burned my apartment down yet though.


----------



## Brad Riegler

thebkt said:


> I've left my Mimby on for the last few weeks, though my instincts tell me to turn it off overnight as it's so warm.  It hasn't failed or burned my apartment down yet though.



Definitely do what you feel is best. Internet advice is worth exactly what you pay for it. As you can tell there are a lot of well meant replies but at the end of the day you own the consequence.


----------



## jimmers

theveterans said:


> ... high heat output is number one enemy of electronics


High heat output doesn't make much difference, except to the environment, high component temperature on the other hand ... , but there are things that are worse.


----------



## Jimster480

winders said:


> Leaving it on all the time is better for the electronics that turning it on and off.....


Sometimes, it also does waste capacitor hours, etc.
Since devices aren't affected by power up/down anymore it makes more sense to turn things off when you arent using them.


----------



## Tuneslover

I asked Schiit that exact question a few years ago when I bought my first Bifrost and they told me that leaving it on all the time does no harm.  They actually recommended to leave it on all the time.

It might be worthwhile to contact Schiit yourself though for your own peace of mind.


----------



## musicfan145

I’ve had my Mimby for about a week now, leaving it on 24/7 except when I unplug it to try it in a different room. It sounds great playing through speakers, but still pretty harsh and fatiguing when I listen through headphones, especially using USB as a source. Based on what I’m reading here, others have had a similar experience: Those using a coaxial source and listening through speakers seem to love the Mimby, but those using the USB input often find it sub-par, perhaps especially when listening through headphones 

Unfortunately the whole reason I bought it was to use as a USB DAC for headphone listening. Specifically, I want to play Tidal from my iPhone into my Vali 2 feeding my Open Alpha headphones (DIY Alpha Dogs based on mrSpeakers plans). Occasionally I would connect it to a Raspberry Pi or a laptop, but usually to the iPhone. It would be taking the place of a Dragonfly Red (which actually pairs really well with the Vali 2).

If I’m primarily using an iPhone as the source, should I just send the Mimby back and look elsewhere? Would an AQ Jitterbug make a significant difference?  It’s really hard for me to see spending another $100-$200 on a USB-to-coaxial converter or USB power supply.   If it takes that kind of additional cost and complexity to make it sound good with USB, shouldn’t I be looking for a different DAC? I was really excited to have a nice neat Schiit stack, but if I’m spending that much, should I be looking at a Mojo instead? Or one of those Chinese XMOS DACs and a better tube for the Vali 2? I’m looking for a DAC that is a noticeable step up from the Dragonfly Red, but I’m going for an enjoyable, non-fatiguing presentation, not analytical and super-revealing.
(I apologize if this has been asked before. I read the most recent 600 or so posts in this thread, but with only a 15 day return period, I’m running out of time to make a decision.)


----------



## Yayoubetcha

musicfan145 said:


> I’ve had my Mimby for about a week now, leaving it on 24/7 except when I unplug it to try it in a different room. It sounds great playing through speakers, but still pretty harsh and fatiguing when I listen through headphones, especially using USB as a source. Based on what I’m reading here, others have had a similar experience: Those using a coaxial source and listening through speakers seem to love the Mimby, but those using the USB input often find it sub-par, perhaps especially when listening through headphones
> 
> Unfortunately the whole reason I bought it was to use as a USB DAC for headphone listening. Specifically, I want to play Tidal from my iPhone into my Vali 2 feeding my Open Alpha headphones (DIY Alpha Dogs based on mrSpeakers plans). Occasionally I would connect it to a Raspberry Pi or a laptop, but usually to the iPhone. It would be taking the place of a Dragonfly Red (which actually pairs really well with the Vali 2).
> 
> ...



I have the Multibit and Vali 2 with HD 650's and I don't think its a jitter issue- just my 2 cents- but gains from taming jitter are pretty small unless its totally out of hand but then it would show up on you speakers too. What tube are you using in the Vali? If its the stock tube you can make much larger gains getting a good tube. The stock one I got stunk bad. I think I would start there.


----------



## Delirious Lab

musicfan145 said:


> I’ve had my Mimby for about a week now, leaving it on 24/7 except when I unplug it to try it in a different room. It sounds great playing through speakers, but still pretty harsh and fatiguing when I listen through headphones, especially using USB as a source. Based on what I’m reading here, others have had a similar experience: Those using a coaxial source and listening through speakers seem to love the Mimby, but those using the USB input often find it sub-par, perhaps especially when listening through headphones
> 
> Unfortunately the whole reason I bought it was to use as a USB DAC for headphone listening. Specifically, I want to play Tidal from my iPhone into my Vali 2 feeding my Open Alpha headphones (DIY Alpha Dogs based on mrSpeakers plans). Occasionally I would connect it to a Raspberry Pi or a laptop, but usually to the iPhone. It would be taking the place of a Dragonfly Red (which actually pairs really well with the Vali 2).
> 
> ...



Eitr.


----------



## musicfan145

Delirious Lab said:


> Eitr.



Care to elaborate? The Eitr was exactly what I was thinking about when I said “It’s really hard for me to see spending another $100-$200 on a USB-to-coaxial converter [...]. If it takes that kind of additional cost and complexity to make it sound good with USB, shouldn’t I be looking for a different DAC?” 

It seems like a bait-and-switch to sell a $249 USB DAC that requires another $179+shipping device to sound good through USB. But if there is something about the Eitr + Mimby combo that good enough that I should get past the anger over having to buy another device, I’d (genuinely) appreciate hearing about it in more detail.


----------



## thebkt

musicfan145 said:


> Care to elaborate? The Eitr was exactly what I was thinking about when I said “It’s really hard for me to see spending another $100-$200 on a USB-to-coaxial converter [...]. If it takes that kind of additional cost and complexity to make it sound good with USB, shouldn’t I be looking for a different DAC?”
> 
> It seems like a bait-and-switch to sell a $249 USB DAC that requires another $179+shipping device to sound good through USB. But if there is something about the Eitr + Mimby combo that good enough that I should get past the anger over having to buy another device, I’d (genuinely) appreciate hearing about it in more detail.


It's not bait and switch unless they're creating an issue they have the solution for.  The Schiit gadgets aren't marketed that way, at all.  It could be any number of issues though.  I'd suggest trying to troubleshoot your USB issues by testing your Mimby with different sources, maybe a different amp if you have access to one. If you can determine for certain that the jitter's only occurring over USB (source independent) with the Mimby, then I'd get in touch with Schiit, as there's probably something wrong with your unit.  I haven't hooked up my phone as a source, but I've had absolutely zero issues using optical or usb with my Mimby.  

I'd like to think my perfectly capable unit is the norm, not the exception.


----------



## gvl2016

Mimby's Usb interface is adequate. It's not galvananically isolated gen5 but it's fine. Something else is going on, or you simply don't like Mimby's sound, I know I didn't in the end. As for iPhone, does it allow bit-accurate playback? I know Android doesn't, if not you could be hearing resampling artifacts.


----------



## cheungtsw

I assume Mimby will be updated with USB5 in the future?


----------



## Clemmaster

Not in the foreseeable future. No enough room for the genV board as it is, right now.

Might be possible down the line, if smaller components are made/found.


----------



## SLC1966 (Nov 6, 2017)

musicfan145 said:


> I’ve had my Mimby for about a week now, leaving it on 24/7 except when I unplug it to try it in a different room. It sounds great playing through speakers, but still pretty harsh and fatiguing when I listen through headphones, especially using USB as a source. Based on what I’m reading here, others have had a similar experience: Those using a coaxial source and listening through speakers seem to love the Mimby, but those using the USB input often find it sub-par, perhaps especially when listening through headphones
> 
> Unfortunately the whole reason I bought it was to use as a USB DAC for headphone listening. Specifically, I want to play Tidal from my iPhone into my Vali 2 feeding my Open Alpha headphones (DIY Alpha Dogs based on mrSpeakers plans). Occasionally I would connect it to a Raspberry Pi or a laptop, but usually to the iPhone. It would be taking the place of a Dragonfly Red (which actually pairs really well with the Vali 2).
> 
> ...


+1Eitr. Significant difference in sound.  Relatively minor cost to get such a significant upgrade in sound and keep a neat small stack. My understanding is that gen 5 will not fit in the mimby box.


----------



## thebkt

cheungtsw said:


> I assume Mimby will be updated with USB5 in the future?


A few pages back Mike Moffat said something along the lines of 'nope'.  I could be wrong, but I believe that there was no way to fit the USB5 interface into the Modi chasis.


----------



## leeperry

Mimby is meant to be a bait to go up the food chain, mostly an appetizer to burrito goodness so providing a Gen5 Mimby would be madness. You can still pimp it with a bigger wallwart and a clean 5V USB PSU


----------



## leeperry (Nov 6, 2017)

I'm certainly no fanboy and I thought Modi1 & Vali sounded horrendous, stock Mimby was also too bright but with a bigger wallwart and a clean 5V PSU Mimby is amazing. It's meant to be a cheaper Bimby so provide it with bigger/cleaner PSU's and bang/bucks will go up through the roof IME.


----------



## Jimster480

leeperry said:


> I'm certainly no fanboy and I thought Modi1 & Vali sounded horrendous, stock Mimby was also too bright but with a bigger wallwart and a clean 5V PSU Mimby is amazing. It's meant to be a cheaper Bimby so provide it with bigger/cleaner PSU's and bang/bucks will go up through the roof IME.


How can you feed it with a 5V PSU? It uses like 15VAC? Did you open it up and bypass the internal PSU or something?


----------



## musicfan145

Jimster480 said:


> How can you feed it with a 5V PSU? It uses like 15VAC? Did you open it up and bypass the internal PSU or something?


That’s a separate (additional) 5v PSU for the USB receiver chip, if I’m understanding him correctly.


----------



## Yayoubetcha

leeperry said:


> I'm certainly no fanboy and I thought Modi1 & Vali sounded horrendous, stock Mimby was also too bright but with a bigger wallwart and a clean 5V PSU Mimby is amazing. It's meant to be a cheaper Bimby so provide it with bigger/cleaner PSU's and bang/bucks will go up through the roof IME.


I would like to learn more about this.


----------



## Vas19

Just grabbed one of these and can't believe how close it is to my Gumby. Unreal value.


----------



## Mad Max

Jimster480 said:


> How can you feed it with a 5V PSU? It uses like 15VAC? Did you open it up and bypass the internal PSU or something?


Cleaner power for the USB receiver, I think that he meant.


----------



## uncletim

would the Floor Wart be considered a bigger wall wart? would be nice to power the mimby/magni3 and maybe eitr down the road? i'm warted out as my stack of schitt grows.


----------



## leeperry (Nov 7, 2017)

There are many ways to inject a clean USB PSU straight into Mimby, here's one: http://grizzlyaudio.blogspot.com/2015/08/diy-solid-core-audio-usb-cable-with.html

It's using the computer noisy 5V so pretty much anything will be better, sonic improvement will be readily audible and same goes for a beefier 16VAC wallwart.



mingus said:


> would the Floor Wart be considered a bigger wall wart?



Not sure, I run a 2A 0.5kg wallwart and it sounds much thicker than the 0.5A stock one.

A friend of mine went completely overboard and got a 1.5kg one meant for model railway systems, he loves it very very much.


----------



## hearditontheX

I’m thrilled with my Mimby. On the Nils Lofgren track on the Salk demo CD, it sounds like I can reach out and touch the guitar. The Mimby is my first DAC purchase.


----------



## cheungtsw

Is Vali2 a good partner to the Massdrop HD6xx (especially for female vocal) ?


----------



## Tuneslover

cheungtsw said:


> Is Vali2 a good partner to the Massdrop HD6xx (especially for female vocal) ?



I like how my 650's sound with it.


----------



## Tuneslover (Dec 31, 2017)

Well curiosity got the best of me earlier this week on 2 fronts.  First, I decided to explore on-line music streaming by getting Spotify ($0.99 per month for the first 3 months).  Second, I temporarily moved my Modi MB down to my Home Theatre setup.

So I'm running Spotify via my MacBook Pro's USB output into the Mimby, then analog out of the Mimby into an analog input on my Pioneer Elite receiver.  Although Spotify isn't true Hi-Rez I must say it sounds very good over the Home Theatre speaker setup.  With the Modi MB and the Receiver set to DIRECT (no Pioneer processing) 2 channel music sounds incredibly spacious and detailed.  In fact I had to verify that I hadn't mistakenly switched the Receiver's setting to surround because it sounded so enveloping.  Switching the Receiver to it's processing mode to enable surround was very good as well.

Next, I ran a fibre optic cable from the satellite receiver into the Mimby and listened to the Pioneer Elite as 2 channel DIRECT, as well as, surround and there was a huge improvement in clarity and detail when watching TV.  The original connection was via HDMI out of the satellite receiver into the Pioneer Elite.

The improvement in sound for TV watching is so evident that I don't think we can remove the Modi MB from this setup.  Looks like I will need to consider adding another Modi MB to my order when I purchase a Loki later in December.


----------



## DJ The Rocket (Dec 9, 2017)

Has anyone else noticed that the Momby compresses music in a tube-like way, at least compared to the ODAC? I've never read it described this way, but I am 100% certain that's what's happening (along with other differences, but to me that's the big one). This can be either very good or very bad depending on what you like, but to me this is a bad thing.

After switching from the ODAC to Momby and using it exclusively for a month, switching back to the ODAC was like a breath of fresh air, which I did not expect. Everything was so wide and extended and clear all of a sudden. Momby sound was comparatively packed in tightly.

I replaced the ODAC with the Momby in the first place because I thought the ODAC sounded too harsh on my Stax rig. The Momby's softer presentation was an immediate improvement. However, I later added the Magni 3, and I began running either DAC -> Magni 3 preamp output -> Stax 727a amp (with the Magni at 100% volume on low gain). Now I actually prefer the ODAC to the Momby, set up this way. Running the ODAC directly to the Stax was obviously problematic in some way I don't understand, and I wrongly guessed the problem was the DAC sound quality itself. Whatever the problem was, the Magni fixed it better than the Momby did 

I do miss the looks of the Schiit stack (my amp is a Magni 3) and I've already ordered a Modi 2, which hopefully will get me a more similar presentation to the ODAC. For reference, I listen to EDM (flac, 320kbps mp3, occasionally streaming via the Soundcloud app) and my headphones include the Alpha Prime, HE500, and Stax Lambda (with a SRM-727a amp).


----------



## DJ The Rocket (Dec 9, 2017)

I hope I didn't come off sounding like I hated the Multibit, because I definitely didn't. Even though it's not my favorite kind of sound sig, I gotta say the MB/Hifiman HE500 is a truly magical pairing. It's like the HE500 was _made_ for this stack, they don't sound nearly as sweet with the ODAC. I didn't even realize it until I sold the Momby.

In fact, until just now I never consciously realized why I kept reaching for the HE500 the whole time I had the Modibit. I wondered why I had stopped using my previous favorites (Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime and Stax Lambda) but never put my finger on it. Those pairs sounded great too, but just ordinary-great, not magical-great.

The ODAC has it's own kind of magic too of course. But I guess I had to sell my first Mimby before I could see how much I miss it now that it's gone.


----------



## Tuneslover

DJ The Rocket said:


> I hope I didn't come off sounding like I hated the Multibit, because I definitely didn't. Even though it's not my favorite kind of sound sig, I gotta say the MB/Hifiman HE500 is a truly magical pairing. It's like the HE500 was _made_ for this stack, and they don't sound nearly as sweet with the ODAC. I didn't even realize it until I sold the Momby.
> 
> In fact, until just now I never consciously realized why I kept reaching for the HE500 the whole time I had the Modibit. I wondered why I had stopped using my previous favorites (Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime and Stax Lambda) but never put my finger on it. Those pairs sounded great too, but just ordinary-great, not magical-great.
> 
> The ODAC has it's own kind of magic too of course. But I guess I had to sell my first Mimby before I could see how much I miss it now that it's gone.



I love my HE500's with Bimby/Jotunheim.


----------



## Music Alchemist

@DJ The Rocket 

I used to own the Modi Multibit and JDS Labs OL DAC (improved version of ODAC) and think the Modi Multibit is easily better. I did not experience the issues you described in this context.

They both sound great, at any rate. I primarily used them with speakers.

I did, however, notice the more "tubey" presentation of the Modi Multibit when I compared it to the Chord 2Qute. (The best DAC I've owned so far.)


----------



## hornytoad

I just recieved the Modi MB and I'm shocked  at the level of audio quality it has. This dac is better than the Chord Mojo , which is great but offers a less accurate sound imo.


----------



## hornytoad (Dec 16, 2017)

Music Alchemist said:


> @DJ The Rocket
> 
> I used to own the Modi Multibit and JDS Labs OL DAC (improved version of ODAC) and think the Modi Multibit is easily better. I did not experience the issues you described in this context.
> 
> ...


I owned the Chord 2 qute and felt both the Gumby and Yggy were better . I just received the MODI MB and have to say after limited listening that it is easily the best dac ive heard under 500 and maybe up to 1K . I have not heard the Bifrost MB


----------



## DJ The Rocket (Dec 16, 2017)

Music Alchemist said:


> @DJ The Rocket
> 
> I used to own the Modi Multibit and JDS Labs OL DAC (improved version of ODAC) and think the Modi Multibit is easily better. I did not experience the issues you described in this context...
> 
> I did, however, notice the more "tubey" presentation of the Modi Multibit when I compared it to the Chord 2Qute. (The best DAC I've owned so far.)



The tubey presentation IS the "issue" I was talking about! But I didn't mean to imply a value judgement there. 

The Momby is not transparent, it's probably the most colored DAC I've ever heard. That isn't a good thing or a bad thing, it's just a thing that some people will love and some won't. I generally don't. I'm looking instead for a one-DAC solution at this point, and that means I need something transparent. Colored source equipment will always be hit-and-miss with regard to synergizing with the rest of your gear. That's just the nature of coloration in audio.

I absolutely adored the synergy between the Modibit and Hifiman HE500, I don't think I touched my Alpha Primes or my Stax rig for a month, I was enjoying it so much. I honestly wouldn't laugh if someone called the Momby/500 an "endgame" combo, I really thought it was that good. So that's squarely in the "hit" category. Unfortunately, everything else I tried was a "miss." That probably says as much about my tastes in headphones as it does against the Mimdac, but it is what it is. The ODAC simply works better for my tastes and my equipment. 

Someday I'd like to budget enough to keep a Mo-bit/500 combo around as a specialty rig. For now though, I have other priorities.


----------



## hornytoad

DJ The Rocket said:


> The tubey presentation IS the "issue" I was talking about! But I didn't mean to imply a value judgement there. The Momby is not transparent, it's probably the most colored DAC I've ever heard. That isn't a good thing or a bad thing, it's just a thing that some people will love and some won't, like how I loved it some times but not others.
> 
> I absolutely adored the synergy between the Modibit and Hifiman HE500, I don't think I touched my Alpha Primes or my Stax rig for a month, I was enjoying it so much. I honestly wouldn't laugh if someone called the Momby/500 an "endgame" combo, I really thought it was that good. But my "endgame" plan calls for a one-DAC solution at this point. That means I need something transparent, since colored source equipment will always be hit-and-miss with regard to synergy with the rest of your gear. That's just the nature of the beast.
> 
> Someday I'd like to budget enough to keep a Mo-bit/500 combo around as a specialty rig. For now though, I just have other priorities.


Its all about system matching. If you feel the Modi MB is tubey , use a transparent amp with headphones that have a treble emphasis. I don't find the Modi MB tubey but then again I am using Grado's right now with it which have a treble emphasis. Using the Modi MB
with a warm sounding pair of headphones may not be the best for you.


----------



## Music Alchemist (Dec 16, 2017)

hornytoad said:


> This dac is better than the Chord Mojo , which is great but offers a less accurate sound imo.



My impressions are the opposite. The Mojo sounds better to me personally. (I owned the Mojo and Modi Multibit twice.)

In which ways do you think it's less accurate?

By the way, as far as technical, measured performance goes, Chord is far ahead: thousands of times more precise timing accuracy, trillions of times more advanced noise shaping, zero noise floor modulation and jitter (unlike all other DACs), much lower distortion, higher dynamic range, etc. I'd like to see proof of the Mojo being less accurate, because I don't see it in the specs and measurements.



hornytoad said:


> I owned the Chord 2 qute and felt both the Gumby and Yggy were better .



Haven't heard any of Schiit's higher-end multibit DACs, but there are plenty who prefer the 2Qute over them.



DJ The Rocket said:


> The tubey presentation IS the "issue" I was talking about!



You mentioned other aspects, like lacking clarity, sounding too closed-in, etc.



DJ The Rocket said:


> The Momby is not transparent, it's probably the most colored DAC I've ever heard.



It was very obvious to me that the Modi Multibit is quite colored compared to the 2Qute, but I also think it's a lot better than cheaper DACs. I suppose this is rather subjective in the end.


----------



## hornytoad (Dec 16, 2017)

Music Alchemist said:


> My impressions are the opposite. The Mojo sounds better to me personally. (I owned the Mojo and Modi Multibit twice.)
> 
> In which ways do you think it's less accurate?
> 
> ...


The 2qute is 6 times the price but yes the 2qute is a better dac.

The Mojo has a warm sound to it that I would characterize as coloration compared to the 2 Qute which I owned at one time.

The Yggy destroys the 2qute.


----------



## Music Alchemist

hornytoad said:


> The Mojo has a warm sound to it that I would characterize as coloration compared to the 2 Qute which I owned at one time.



Well, I'd agree that the 2Qute is better, and it better be at that price. But we're talking about Mojo vs Modi Multibit here. In which ways does the latter sound more accurate to you? (Just curious.) Which aspects of the design do you think would account for this?

I mentioned how it has zero noise floor modulation. This can make the sound come off as warmer and smoother since it doesn't have the small bursts of noise that can make some other DACs sound a bit more harsh, rough, bright, lean, etc. at times. It also has a battery, which can certainly color the sound compared to a proper power supply. So there are many parts to this equation.


----------



## hornytoad

Music Alchemist said:


> Well, I'd agree that the 2Qute is better, and it better be at that price. But we're talking about Mojo vs Modi Multibit here. In which ways does the latter sound more accurate to you? (Just curious.) Which aspects of the design do you think would account for this?
> 
> I mentioned how it has zero noise floor modulation. This can make the sound come off as warmer and smoother since it doesn't have the small bursts of noise that can make some other DACs sound a bit more harsh, rough, bright, lean, etc. at times. It also has a battery, which can certainly color the sound compared to a proper power supply. So there are many parts to this equation.


Well there is a thread
*Chord Mojo or Schiit Multibit. *

*I see you have posted there. The first several comments from other posters regarding the Modi MB vs the Chord Mojo mirror my sentiments. Best wishes*


----------



## Music Alchemist

hornytoad said:


> Well there is a thread



No need to write in giant letters. I can read the default text just fine.

So what do you think accounts for this in a technical, measurable sense?


----------



## hornytoad (Dec 16, 2017)

Music Alchemist said:


> No need to write in giant letters. I can read the default text just fine.
> 
> So what do you think accounts for this in a technical, measurable sense?


I could care less about technical measurements. I hear what I hear . The Yggy probably has poorer measurements than the 2qute and even John Atlkinson over at Stereophile
called it obsolete  . My ears after  listening to both with the SAME equipment with volume matching told me the YGGY  sounded considerably better than the 2Qute in all audiophile facets.

I sold the 2 qute and it is a very fine dac. I even preferred the MB Gungnir over the 2qute though that was somewhat close. The 2qute was better than the DS Gungnir imo.

Ive listened to a lot of dacs and I don't find the Modi MB "Tubey" using it with a Jotenheim. Of course maybe it would sound "tubey" with a pair of Sennhieser HD650's . I'll borrow my sons pair and listen.

I completely agree with one poster  over at the Chord Mojo or Schiit MB thread who said the Modi MB sounded more like live music than the Chord Mojo.

I still have my Chord Mojo and use it when traveling quite a bit .


----------



## Tuneslover

hornytoad said:


> I owned the Chord 2 qute and felt both the Gumby and Yggy were better . I just received the MODI MB and have to say after limited listening that it is easily the best dac ive heard under 500 and maybe up to 1K . I have not heard the Bifrost MB



I have Bifrost MB and Modi MB, both sound identical in my opinion.  In fact I just bought another Modi MB (and a Loki).


----------



## cheungtsw

How does Magni3 compares to his bigger bro Vali2 & Asgard2?
From the spec. Magni3 output more power than his two bigger bro.

I want to use it with HD6xx or the HD58x and also act as a volume control for my powered speakers.


----------



## alpovs

There is a Magni 3 thread with lots of info. This a DAC discussion thread.


----------



## Tuneslover

Tuneslover said:


> Well curiosity got the best of me earlier this week on 2 fronts.  First, I decided to explore on-line music streaming by getting Spotify ($0.99 per month for the first 3 months).  Second, I temporarily moved my Modi MB down to my Home Theatre setup.
> 
> So I'm running Spotify via my MacBook Pro's USB output into the Mimby, then analog out of the Mimby into an analog input on my Pioneer Elite receiver.  Although Spotify isn't true Hi-Rez I must say it sounds very good over the Home Theatre speaker setup.  With the Modi MB and the Receiver set to DIRECT (no Pioneer processing) 2 channel music sounds incredibly spacious and detailed.  In fact I had to verify that I hadn't mistakenly switched the Receiver's setting to surround because it sounded so enveloping.  Switching the Receiver to it's processing mode to enable surround was very good as well.
> 
> ...




Just an update since my original post (above)...my Modi MB hasn't left the home theatre setup because it has elevated the sound of this system so much.  I purchased and installed another Mimby to replace the aforementioned one for my bedroom system (FiiO X5ii>Mimby>Project Ember>HD6XX).


----------



## Mosauwer

Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?


----------



## Tuneslover

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?




Jotunheim, Project Ember, Lake People G109S and Vali 2.


----------



## decodm

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?



Modi 2 Uber


----------



## fritobugger

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?



It was intended to be used with a Gustard H10 but it ended up in the speaker system with a Denon AVR-X4200W.


----------



## jbarrentine

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?



Project Polaris


----------



## RickB

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?



Magni 3. It has been used with a Vali 2 in the past.


----------



## jaxz

Mosauwer said:


> Hey guys with what amp are you using the mimby with?



Project Ember and HiFiman EF5


----------



## hornytoad

Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB: 

Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time. 

I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.


----------



## Tuneslover

hornytoad said:


> Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB:
> 
> Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time.
> 
> I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.




Yes I do notice this on my Mimby which is connected to my home theatre setup, a distinct ringing effect in the background.  I too leave my Mimbys on all the time.  When this happens I simply turn off the Mimby for 10 or so seconds and turn it back on again.  That does clear this up, until the random next time.

Incidentally I never noticed the ringing when I had this Mimby on my bedside setup for over a year.  It only became evident when it was moved to the HT setup.


----------



## RickB

hornytoad said:


> Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB:
> 
> Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time.
> 
> I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.



I had the same thing happen on occasion when I was using my old Windows laptop. I’ve been using a Mac for a few months and it hasn’t occurred since then, though that may be coincidence. I also leave it on all the time.


----------



## Letmebefrank

I have a release day Mimby and it has been running 24/7 since, except for a few days when I was out of town and when I moved. I have never had the ringing issue with mine. I've read other people experiencing it a while back though.


----------



## cyclops214 (Jan 18, 2018)

hornytoad said:


> Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB:
> 
> Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time.
> 
> I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.


Yes I have the same problem with mine as well I did not notice it when I was just using My HD600 And HD650 or ER4xr But when I plug in my SE846 I noticed it And it drove  me crazy Until I turned it on and off And it fixed it Until The next random time And then I Turn it on and off again And it fixes the problem once more.
And I also keep mine on 24/7


----------



## decodm

cyclops214 said:


> Yes I have the same problem with mine as well I did not notice it when I was just using My HD600 And HD650 or ER4xr But when I plug in my SE846 I noticed it And it drove  me crazy Until I turned it on and off And it fixed it Until The next random time And then I Turn it on and off again And it fixes the problem once more.
> And I also keep mine on 24/7



What does Schiit say about this? (I do not have this problem, but I’m afraid it might manifest itself in the future...)


----------



## Fegefeuer

I have that too.


----------



## ScOgLiO

Well, finally got my Mimby and completed the mini-Schiit stack! Here in its pocket-sized magnificence:


 

Warming up now, looking forward to listen to some sweet music


----------



## Pahani

hornytoad said:


> Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB:
> 
> Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time.
> 
> I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.



Hmm, never experienced this with my Mimby. And I leave mine on 24/7.


----------



## VinylDan1

As far as I know I haven't experienced this issue either.


----------



## cyclops214

decodm said:


> What does Schiit say about this? (I do not have this problem, but I’m afraid it might manifest itself in the future...)


I have not reported this issue to Schiit Since all I have to do is turn Off and on the dac And it fixes the problem Until the next random time.
And as far as the people that Are not Having the issue it's probably because Your earphones Or I am's Have a higher ohms Then my SE846 That are only 9ohms.


----------



## hornytoad (Jan 18, 2018)

cyclops214 said:


> I have not reported this issue to Schiit Since all I have to do is turn Off and on the dac And it fixes the problem Until the next random time.
> And as far as the people that Are not Having the issue it's probably because Your earphones Or I am's Have a higher ohms Then my SE846 That are only 9ohms.


I did report it .

The issue I have is doesn’t turning the Modi dac off and on again negatively impact audio quality ? That’s why I keep my dacs  on 24/7


----------



## decodm

cyclops214 said:


> I have not reported this issue to Schiit Since all I have to do is turn Off and on the dac And it fixes the problem Until the next random time.
> *And as far as the people that Are not Having the issue it's probably because Your earphones Or I am's Have a higher ohms Then my SE846 That are only 9ohms*.



I don't know about that.. Don't have any issues, and I use both low (32ohm) and high (300ohm) headphones...


----------



## Dana Reed

decodm said:


> I don't know about that.. Don't have any issues, and I use both low (32ohm) and high (300ohm) headphones...


Yeah I doubt the headphone impedance matters for this issue.  I leave mine on all the time and plug/unplug my phone into the attached wyrd multiple times daily.  Using anything from 32 Ohm grados to 600 Ohm beyers with the connected vali2.  The main issue I run into is the output from the iPhone occasionally skipping until I restart the phone.


----------



## VinylDan1

I also use Grado SR80e with mine and never noticed this issue (I think)


----------



## Coug

decodm said:


> What does Schiit say about this? (I do not have this problem, but I’m afraid it might manifest itself in the future...)



Don't have the issue, but have read most of this thread in the last couple weeks.  

Mike Moffat (Schiit) indicated glitches can occur occasionally due to several potential outside influences.  Solution: reboot it (switch it off for a few seconds) No harm,  no foul. 

Several posts indicate a ringing in one channel or another occasionally, or a lesser AS than normal. Seems like it was usually solved by rebooting.  Just the messenger... don't shoot. 

Just got mine yesterday, I think I'll leave it on 24/7, but reboot when getting ready to use it.


----------



## mcgo

hornytoad said:


> Does anyone else have the following going on with the MOdi MB:
> 
> Occasionally I must turn off and back on  the Modi MB because there is ringing, distortion. I leave it on all the time.
> 
> I have an Eitr connected to my Mac , Modi,MB connected to Jotty.


New multibit. Arrived two weeks ago. Kept on 24/7 since install. Last night noticed something funny going on with left channel. Started looking inside earcup with flashlight for errant hair.  Nothing!  Sound was high pitched ringing, like underwater garbling.  Was in all tracks when playing.  Gone when not.  Remembered this thread and flicked switch. 15 seconds later turned on.  Problem gone after reboot. Now thinking about electrical timers to automate.  Known defect in DSP code?


----------



## vemo100

I've had the same kind of weird distortion happened many times with my Mimby. All distortions were gone with a reboot. At one point there was a suggestion of replacing the wall wart because that might be what caused the issue, but I just lived with it. I ended up selling mine anyway for another reason.


----------



## Tuneslover

mcgo said:


> New multibit. Arrived two weeks ago. Kept on 24/7 since install. Last night noticed something funny going on with left channel. Started looking inside earcup with flashlight for errant hair.  Nothing!  Sound was high pitched ringing, like underwater garbling.  Was in all tracks when playing.  Gone when not.  Remembered this thread and flicked switch. 15 seconds later turned on.  Problem gone after reboot. Now thinking about electrical timers to automate.  Known defect in DSP code?



That's a very good description of the ringing sound as that's how my Mimby sounds periodically.  Let me specify however, I had no ringing issue with my 1.5 year old Mimby when I used it with my FiiO X5ii and Project Ember setup but after moving it to my Home Theatre setup that's when I first came across this ringing sound.  It has happened  3-4 times since mid November 2017.  I have no problem just turning it off and back on again because that does clear up this ringing sound.

I have since purchased another Mimby for my FiiO and Ember setup and as with the first Mimby there has been no ringing issue in this setup.  Since coming across this ringing problem I now regularly do a reboot with both Mimby's and my Bimby to ensure that these multibit DAC's work properly.


----------



## Tuneslover

I seem to remember reading in the Bifrost MB thread that there were several complaints about terrible noise problems when they were first introduced.  If memory serves me I believe Mike Moffat addressed this issue by recommending the simple turn off/on method to clear it up.


----------



## theveterans

Tuneslover said:


> I seem to remember reading in the Bifrost MB thread that there were several complaints about terrible noise problems when they were first introduced. If memory serves me I believe Mike Moffat addressed this issue by recommending the simple turn off/on method to clear it up.



Never happens with my Bimby and I've had it on 24/7/52


----------



## Tuneslover

theveterans said:


> Never happens with my Bimby and I've had it on 24/7/52



Me neither.


----------



## jimmers

theveterans said:


> Never happens with my Bimby and I've had it on 24/7/52


Me neither.


----------



## omniweltall

Mine works like a charm. Sometimes i get "cannot detect driver" message. All I gotta do is restart and all goes back to normal. Love this little thing. 

I think Schiit should just make all their products in black though. Unlike Burson, their products look so much better in black than silver.


----------



## Tuneslover

omniweltall said:


> Mine works like a charm. Sometimes i get "cannot detect driver" message. All I gotta do is restart and all goes back to normal. Love this little thing.
> 
> I think Schiit should just make all their products in black though. Unlike Burson, their products look so much better in black than silver.



Personally I do like the silver look but it's nice that they offer black on some components too.


----------



## luckybaer

I really enjoy my Modi2 Multibit + Vali 2 combo.  I don't even bother with my old HeadRoom Micro Stack anymore.  I'll definitely buy more Schiit when the time is right.


----------



## Dana Reed

luckybaer said:


> I really enjoy my Modi2 Multibit + Vali 2 combo.  I don't even bother with my old HeadRoom Micro Stack anymore.  I'll definitely buy more Schiit when the time is right.


I love this combo as well and listen to it every day at work.  Lately have been enjoying it with Amirons and GS2000e.  Haven’t tried any except the stock tube though.


----------



## luckybaer

Dana Reed said:


> I love this combo as well and listen to it every day at work.  Lately have been enjoying it with Amirons and GS2000e.  Haven’t tried any except the stock tube though.


Wow!  Those are pretty good headphones.  I've been listening with the ones in my signature.  My preference so far has been HD650>DT880>K601>SR80e>D2000.  I like the sound of the D2000, but I find them the most fatiguing.  

I've tried a couple of different tubes - nothing to break the bank.  Electro-Harmonix 6922 and JJ E88CC/6922.  Differences must be subtle, because no one thing jumps out at me.  I did find myself gravitating towards the Electro-Harmonix, but I really couldn't put a finger on why.  It just sounded good.


----------



## Dana Reed

luckybaer said:


> Wow!  Those are pretty good headphones.  I've been listening with the ones in my signature.  My preference so far has been HD650>DT880>K601>SR80e>D2000.  I like the sound of the D2000, but I find them the most fatiguing.
> 
> I've tried a couple of different tubes - nothing to break the bank.  Electro-Harmonix 6922 and JJ E88CC/6922.  Differences must be subtle, because no one thing jumps out at me.  I did find myself gravitating towards the Electro-Harmonix, but I really couldn't put a finger on why.  It just sounded good.


Ah, the SR80e.  Those were the start of my problem.  I had a pair of iGrados that I loved, but the cable was so flimsy that they stopped working after about a year.  So I got the SR80e, and loved them.  Then I got the SR325e, and MDR-1a, then the DT770, then the GS2000e, then the Amiron, then the DT880, then the HE560, and lately the T5P.  Along the way moving the Mimby and Vali2 to the office and getting a Bimby and Lyr2 for home.  I think I will now have to stop reading about headphones and just listen to what I've got so I don't buy any more stuff for a while.  Except maybe some new speakers...


----------



## RickB

To those who posted about glitches on the Mimby, here is where Baldr addresses the issue:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hap...ng-modi-multibit.815368/page-93#post_12933242

Baldr:



> Random electrostatic pulses, minor line brownouts, and even minor emps into poorly shielded cables can cause the DSP processor in the Mimby to slip a bit and exhibit odd sounds.  In that case, a quick reset by cycling power will clear all up.  No worries.


----------



## Clemmaster

Seems like it needs proper electrostatic and electromagnetic isolation.


----------



## gvl2016

Clemmaster said:


> Seems like it needs proper electrostatic and electromagnetic isolation.



Or a just crystal on top:
http://www.crystalwind.ca/crystalsa...stals-to-reduce-electromagnetic-radiation-emr


----------



## Tuneslover

gvl2016 said:


> Or a just crystal on top:
> http://www.crystalwind.ca/crystalsa...stals-to-reduce-electromagnetic-radiation-emr



Love it!  We happen to have a bunch of these stones around our house as decorative accessories.  Can't hurt to give them a try.


----------



## ColtMrFire (Jan 31, 2018)

Jut wanted to update all the Mimby owners that I've moved up to Gumby (Gungnir Multibit).

I wanted to share my thoughts about the differences for those thinking of upgrading.  Is it worth it?  YES.  Mimby is an amazing DAC for the money, but Gumby is a world class product worthy of all the praise it gets.  Mimby is just a taste of the Schiit multibit sound, an appetizer.  Gumby/Yggy are the main course, and boy are they tasty.

I got a used unit, and it took about 10 days for it to stabilize its sound signature.  But it started sounding great after about 2 days of warm up.  On initial turn on (from cold), it still sounded better than Mimby, but there was alot of congestion.

The most obvious difference between Mimby and Gumby is the dynamics.  Gumby slams MUCH harder and has a bigger, bolder presentation.  The sense of PRAT/rhythm is greatly increased, and I find myself bobbing my head to songs alot more than I did with Mimby.  Gumby is so dynamic it can be jaw dropping at times.  The DAC's ballsy, grandiose nature is incredible, but it also never feel overdone or unnatural.  It somehow retains an impressive sense of naturalism while slamming you harder with music.  This is THE must have DAC for bass-heads.  But we're not talking BEATS, with exaggerated, bloated bass... the bass is actually tighter, more controlled and better defined/textured than Mimby, while hitting much harder, and going deeper.

I was never a huge fan of Mimby's soundstage... it always felt cramped, with instruments feeling cluttered and too close together.  Gumby completely reverses this, and is huge and expansive.  Instrument/voice separation is much better.  The soundstage also feels more cohesive and "orderly", as if everything is properly placed.  But it never feels exaggerated.

Another obvious change is voices.  Voices are much better articulated, with more depth, texture and detail.  The sense of breath is more apparent.  There is also better focus, with the singer becoming more lifelike and realistic, since you are hearing more information.

Gumby has much better imaging... the musical images have more solidity and are easier to identify.  This also translates to a better sense of ease while listening, since you are not straining to hear anything.  Sounds that are lower in the mix remain easy to pinpoint, whereas these same sounds were causing me to strain to hear them on the Mimby.  Backup singers and voices are not as drowned out in the mix.  Again, this translates into a more relaxed and easier listening experience.  This is especially useful with classical music, with sections of the orchestra that were hazy on Mimby becoming clearly presented on Gumby, with no sense of compression or veil.  It is like a picture coming better into focus for you to easily identify smaller details.

Gumby's dynamic range is increased.  It is able to better resolve the differences in volume between sounds.  Little bits of dynamic expression among the music are better presented... this is more obvious with classical.

Gumby is alot smoother.  Mimby is relatively shouty/abrasive in comparison.  Mimby was never offensive in this area when I owned it.  It only became apparent when I upgraded just how much smoother Gumby is.  Gumby's treble is also better extended, while retaining the smoothness.  It is not harsh at all.  But harsh music will still be presented accurately. 

Gumby has an ease and flow to it that is quite incredible.  Mimby sounds relatively strained in comparison.  It is like the difference between an elegant Olympic skater versus an amateur at a skating rink.  The manner in which Gumby pumps out music is extremely pleasing... 

Gumby has better resolution.  It resolves the music better.  You feel like you are getting a much clearer picture of everything.  There are things I heard with Gumby I didn't hear with Mimby.  It is really like going from a 720P movie on a small 36 inch TV, to a 4K movie on a 70 inch TV.  That's the best way to describe the uptick in resolution and clarity.  Alot of this will greatly depend on your other gear.  TOTL or near TOTL headphones will easily distinguish these differences.  Mid-fi phones might not be able to as much, but I imagine you will still hear differences.  Same with amps.  But even something like the Magni 3 should be able to highlight the differences.  The great thing about Gumby though is you have an endgame DAC that will massively scale-up any other equipment you buy.  So it's worth it even if you don't have summit-fi gear yet.


----------



## Tuneslover

ColtMrFire said:


> Jut wanted to update all the Mimby owners that I've moved up to Gumby (Gungnir Multibit).
> 
> I wanted to share my thoughts about the differences for those thinking of upgrading.  Is it worth it?  YES.  Mimby is an amazing DAC for the money, but Gumby is a world class product worthy of all the praise it gets.  Mimby is just a taste of the Schiit multibit sound, an appetizer.  Gumby/Yggy are the main course, and boy are they tasty.
> 
> ...



Sounds like nirvana being such a huge elevation in sound.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Tuneslover said:


> Sounds like nirvana being such a huge elevation in sound.



Indeed.


----------



## ScOgLiO

Well, it's now 2 weeks with the Mimby for me (and I have read literally the whole thread...took a while), so I'd like to give my layman opinion: it is a pretty amazing piece of equipment indeed!
I've been upgrading my audio gear a bunch of times in the last few months, so I've tried to get accustomed to the new sound before rushing to conclusions about how I liked the result of such upgrades and I think I now have a clear picture of the Mimby, confronting it with my previous DAC (Creative X-Fi HD).

The Mimby hits a bit harder in the low frequencies, which I really don't mind (given I use HD600s as headphones) and the detail is pretty damn impressive. I'm a sucker for detail and soundstage in music, they're the two things I like to be able to notice when listening (more or less critically) to my favourite music and the Mimby sure is a big step up in this sense 

I was especially surprised to notice that when using my speakers (monitors, to be precise: Yamaha HS50M) rather than the HD600: frankly, even after getting the Magni 3 a while ago, I thought I would be spending the most part of my listening time on the HD600, considering the HS50s a couple of decent yet a bit unimpressive speakers. And yet, the soundstage has incredibly widened with the Mimby and I find myself firing up the speakers way more than I used to, because of that: much more enjoyable.
I still consider the HD600 my go-to choice for listening sessions and they sound better now (again: a tad more bass, more detail and a wider soundstage), but the improvement is maybe a bit less marked than on the speakers setup.

Anyway, I couldn't be much happier with my purchase, frankly. Now I'm done upgrading (at least until this forum doesn't drag me in further impulsive buying, that is) and finally enjoying great music on a daily basis


----------



## ColtMrFire

One more thing about Gumby vs. Mimby.

I find myself listening to alot more music now, and listening to albums all the way through, as opposed to before where I would eagerly skip tracks with Mimby because it wasn't as engaging.  Gumby makes everything sound so amazing you just want to soak it all in...

This is alot more esoteric and harder to describe, but it is as if Gumby perfectly captures the soul of the recording... not just the music itself, but you can clearly hear what type of microphones were used and the quality of the master, whether it was degraded or pristine.  You can sort of hear this with Mimby, but it is way more pronounced and obvious with Gumby.

Also forgot to mention that the soundstage is much more holographic, with a much better sense of 3D to the music.  And distances between instruments become much more pronounced.  Especially obvious with classical. 

Gumby's sense of control is also incredible, with no instrument(s) being drowned out in the mix, and I can clearly hear instruments that were previously being drowned out during busy passages on Mimby.  Busy passages of classical performances never fall apart and remain sharply defined, and it is alot more obvious what the players are trying to accomplish individually with their instruments... the sense of artistry as it were, it way more preserved. 

I find myself appreciating certain music ALOT more with Gumby, because I can now clearly hear the intention of the artist.  It also makes each listening session feel more special, and I have a deeper connection to the performances.

This isn't to crap on Mimby, because it really is an amazing DAC... but there is a whole other level waiting for those who are interested.


----------



## luckybaer

ColtMrFire said:


> One more thing about Gumby vs. Mimby.
> 
> I find myself listening to alot more music now, and listening to albums all the way through, as opposed to before where I would eagerly skip tracks with Mimby because it wasn't as engaging.  Gumby makes everything sound so amazing you just want to soak it all in...
> 
> ...


Good for you.  At $1,000 more than a Modi 2 Multibit, Gungnir Multibit better be providing a world of difference.


----------



## inmytaxi (Feb 2, 2018)

ColtMrFire said:


> Jut wanted to update all the Mimby owners that I've moved up to Gumby (Gungnir Multibit).
> 
> I wanted to share my thoughts about the differences for those thinking of upgrading.


My bank account kindly asks you to just shut the fchuck up.

ps Should I get a Lyr first, or just jump straight to Ragy / Yggy?


----------



## humblesquad

How about "Eitr + Mimby" vs Gumby?

I recently got Eitr and it boosted Mimby's dynamics significantly.


----------



## ColtMrFire

humblesquad said:


> How about "Eitr + Mimby" vs Gumby?
> 
> I recently got Eitr and it boosted Mimby's dynamics significantly.



All my comparisons were done with Mimby's coax input, which is quite noticeably superior to USB.


----------



## ColtMrFire

luckybaer said:


> Good for you.  At $1,000 more than a Modi 2 Multibit, Gungnir Multibit better be providing a world of difference.



Gumby is under-priced tbh.


----------



## luckybaer

ColtMrFire said:


> Gumby is under-priced tbh.


All of Schiit’s products appear to punch way above their price point.  Gumby is on my shortlist for building a full-sized system.  Thanks for your impressions!


----------



## ColtMrFire

luckybaer said:


> All of Schiit’s products appear to punch way above their price point.  Gumby is on my shortlist for building a full-sized system.  Thanks for your impressions!



I should have said Gumby is perfectly priced, considering all the inflated prices in hi-fi audio.  But it easily competes with multi-thousand dollar DACs I'm sure.


----------



## ColtMrFire

inmytaxi said:


> My bank account kindly asks you to just shut the fchuck up.
> 
> ps Should I get a Lyr first, or just jump straight to Ragy / Yggy?



Rag is wonderful.  But if you're not using speakers, I don't recommend it.  Take that money and get a used Zana Deux S.


----------



## limelake

Some here have posted about hearing distortion with their Mimby.....I never have. Last night during a very enjoyable listen, I decided to cycle my Mimby to see if it made a difference sound wise.......WOW ! WOW !  Did it ever ! It wasn't in my head at all. I encourage others to try it while listening and see if it does the same for them. My Mimby had been turned on for 2 weeks straight (at least).


----------



## timb5881

So after reading about Multibit dac’s, I dug out my old Adcom  GDP 600 DAC.  Took me a while to get it fixed and working(a power cable on the inside needed redone).   Anyway it is a R2R  PCM63 dual dac converter, not a single bit.  On relistening to it, it sounds great.   I think I might install new caps and replace the resistors with metal film ones.


----------



## gvl2016 (Feb 4, 2018)

timb5881 said:


> So after reading about Multibit dac’s, I dug out my old Adcom  GDP 600 DAC.  Took me a while to get it fixed and working(a power cable on the inside needed redone).   Anyway it is a R2R  PCM63 dual dac converter, not a single bit.  On relistening to it, it sounds great.   I think I might install new caps and replace the resistors with metal film ones.



I'll say this. I had a brief affair with a Mimby sold it in the end. I recently picked a Parasound DA/C-1000 for less than I sold the Mimby for, it is a similar to the Adcom PCM63-based design, and if I were to write a comparison between it and the Mimby it'd end up being very similar to the one above about the Gumby. It won't do hi-res (a 24/96 mod is available for the Parasound tho) but if redbook is what you listen to there is really no need to spend 4 digits on a multibit DAC if you can find one of these PCM63 DACs used. The Assemblage lineup is another one to be after. Unlike Schiit units these DACs are sensitive to jitter, so pay attention what you're feeding them with for best results. It looks like it should be possible to add an I2S input to mine, which will hopefully bring it to the next level as the incoming SPDIF circuitry in them has high intrinsic jitter by today's standards.


----------



## SpeedSmith

limelake said:


> Some here have posted about hearing distortion with their Mimby.....I never have. Last night during a very enjoyable listen, I decided to cycle my Mimby to see if it made a difference sound wise.......WOW ! WOW !  Did it ever ! It wasn't in my head at all. I encourage others to try it while listening and see if it does the same for them. My Mimby had been turned on for 2 weeks straight (at least).



I had read that folks find the Multibit to sound better if left on.  To confirm, was that your experience?


----------



## ScOgLiO

SpeedSmith said:


> I had read that folks find the Multibit to sound better if left on.  To confirm, was that your experience?



Baldr (i.e. Mike Moffat) himself, who created the DAC, hinted about leaving Schiit's multibit products always on, to have them reach and maintain the right temperature.
Frankly, I'm not looking for any further opinion, given he surely knows what he's talking about


----------



## SpeedSmith

limelake said:


> Some here have posted about hearing distortion with their Mimby.....I never have. Last night during a very enjoyable listen, I decided to cycle my Mimby to see if it made a difference sound wise.......WOW ! WOW !  Did it ever ! It wasn't in my head at all. I encourage others to try it while listening and





ScOgLiO said:


> Baldr (i.e. Mike Moffat) himself, who created the DAC, hinted about leaving Schiit's multibit products always on, to have them reach and maintain the right temperature.
> Frankly, I'm not looking for any further opinion, given he surely knows what he's talking about



Hard to argue there    Thanks!


----------



## limelake

SpeedSmith said:


> I had read that folks find the Multibit to sound better if left on.  To confirm, was that your experience?


My Mimby DOES sound better left on. Period. I just cycled my Mimby off 10 seconds (ish). Then turned it back on. Unit had been on for at least 2 weeks straight. Mimby sounds warmer, less harsh, and more focused sound stage wise when left on. I leave mine on pretty much all the time. My Bimby sounds better when left on as well. I leave my Vali 2 or SYS on top of my Mimby most of the time, so it gets very mildy warm. My Saga sits on my Bimby all the time. Bimby stays room temp all the time.   .......I hope this answers your question. My Mimby sounds better warm than the Bimby when it is cold. Not to start another Mimby vs Bimby debate. Both warmed up for 1 week at least, I like Bimby better....mildly. I only use both with Coax and optical, no usb ever. (I like physical discs cd/sacd/vinyl and own a few files saved to sd cards and thumb drives to plug into my Oppo/sony/sacd universal players.


----------



## inmytaxi

So for the best sound, keep your oven on at 200 degrees?


----------



## ScOgLiO

inmytaxi said:


> So for the best sound, keep your oven on at 200 degrees?



Put the Mimby into the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees, flip it at half the procedure to make sure it gets well toasted on both sides.
You'll get an incredibly CRISPY sound afterwards!


----------



## inmytaxi

ColtMrFire said:


> Rag is wonderful.  But if you're not using speakers, I don't recommend it.  Take that money and get a used Zana Deux S.



One thing about Schiit ... I mean it's nice looking and all .. but the handmade, one at time jobs by some dude in his mom's basement are to die for.


----------



## inmytaxi

ScOgLiO said:


> Baldr (i.e. Mike Moffat) himself, who created the DAC, hinted about leaving Schiit's multibit products always on, to have them reach and maintain the right temperature.
> Frankly, I'm not looking for any further opinion, given he surely knows what he's talking about


That pisses me off, if indeed he was 'hinting' that I bought a $250 product which does not contain the full operating instructions ... as if I am expected to look around on esoteric web forums to find out how to operate equipment that I paid for?

This goes against the entire reason I like the company.


----------



## timb5881

gvl2016 said:


> I'll say this. I had a brief affair with a Mimby sold it in the end. I recently picked a Parasound DA/C-1000 for less than I sold the Mimby for, it is a similar to the Adcom PCM63-based design, and if I were to write a comparison between it and the Mimby it'd end up being very similar to the one above about the Gumby. It won't do hi-res (a 24/96 mod is available for the Parasound tho) but if redbook is what you listen to there is really no need to spend 4 digits on a multibit DAC if you can find one of these PCM63 DACs used. The Assemblage lineup is another one to be after. Unlike Schiit units these DACs are sensitive to jitter, so pay attention what you're feeding them with for best results. It looks like it should be possible to add an I2S input to mine, which will hopefully bring it to the next level as the incoming SPDIF circuitry in them has high intrinsic jitter by today's standards.


I would have to replace the the reciver chip to even consider doing higher resolution.  The PCM63 is only a 20 bit dac with 44KHz resolution.  I can not see any advantage to trying to upgrade it to 24/96 as you would have to replace the PCM63 chips in order to play 24/96.  Maybe I am missing some thing here on that upgrade you mentioned.

https://m.eet.com/media/1077950/pcm63.pdf


----------



## baiyy1986

I got my mimby one month ago, really enjoy it, 
I left it on for one week and it has some hiss sound on my left channel.
When I turn it off, next time it work fine.
Anybody has some ideas about it?
Thanks


----------



## mcgo

baiyy1986 said:


> I got my mimby one month ago, really enjoy it,
> I left it on for one week and it has some hiss sound on my left channel.
> When I turn it off, next time it work fine.
> Anybody has some ideas about it?
> Thanks


In my research I’ve found posts detailing this left channel bug-out issue going all the way back to August 2016. So it appears there is no proper fix forthcoming. As they say, power cycle early and often.

My suspicion is it has something to do with changing frequencies on the input. If you play only 44100 source material you’ll likely never encounter the problem.  When it does rear its head, you’ll hear a high pitched ringing underwater type sound in the left channel mixed  in with your music.  Sad really.  Where are the pitchforks?


----------



## gvl2016 (Feb 4, 2018)

timb5881 said:


> I would have to replace the the reciver chip to even consider doing higher resolution.  The PCM63 is only a 20 bit dac with 44KHz resolution.  I can not see any advantage to trying to upgrade it to 24/96 as you would have to replace the PCM63 chips in order to play 24/96.  Maybe I am missing some thing here on that upgrade you mentioned.
> 
> https://m.eet.com/media/1077950/pcm63.pdf




Huh, 20 bit DAC "only"??? That's what Schiit uses in the Yggdrasil. Gungnir is 18-bits "only". PCM63 can do up to 20bit/705.6kHz, that's what 16x oversampling means. These are real bits, not the ones claimed by Delta-Sigma architectures. It is the SPDIF intake and the digital filter in front of the PCM63 that's the bottleneck, if you swap those out with the CS8414/DF1704 upgrade kit from the Germans it shouldn't sound much worse than the Yggdrasil and comparable to the Gungnir on 24/96 material, if anything it is the ancient output stage that will hold vintage PCM63 DACs behind. The downside of the Adcom is that those chips are soldered in, so you'd have to desolder them first and put them on sockets, doable but finicky and prone to PCB damage. Parasound already has all the chips on sockets, so the swap is a 15-minute affair.

Too bad PCM63s don't support I2S, if they did a direct DIY I2S input into PCM63 would not be too big of a deal, then you could use a high-quality software-based digital filter such as those in HQPlayer or even SoX, and a DDC to feed I2S directly to PCM63s, I think the results would be magical.


----------



## ScOgLiO

inmytaxi said:


> That pisses me off, if indeed he was 'hinting' that I bought a $250 product which does not contain the full operating instructions ... as if I am expected to look around on esoteric web forums to find out how to operate equipment that I paid for?
> 
> This goes against the entire reason I like the company.



I guess they're assuming someone buying a Mimby will end up encountering such explanation somehow...but yeah, you have a point


----------



## ColtMrFire

inmytaxi said:


> That pisses me off, if indeed he was 'hinting' that I bought a $250 product which does not contain the full operating instructions ... as if I am expected to look around on esoteric web forums to find out how to operate equipment that I paid for?
> 
> This goes against the entire reason I like the company.



I've heard the "leave it on" instructions are included with the Yggy, which makes sense.  The reason it's probably not included with Gungnir/Bifrost (it's not in my Gungnir/Gumby manual) is because the base DAC is delta sigma, with multibit being an upgrade purchased later/separately, while Yggy has always only been a MB DAC.  But yes, it's curious they don't include that with Mimby, because it's only a MB DAC, and leaving it on is pretty essential for consistent/the best SQ.  I'm sure they have their reasons though.


----------



## ScOgLiO

ColtMrFire said:


> I've heard the "leave it on" instructions are included with the Yggy, which makes sense.  The reason it's probably not included with Gungnir/Bifrost (it's not in my Gungnir/Gumby manual) is because the base DAC is delta sigma, with multibit being an upgrade purchased later/separately, while Yggy has always only been a MB DAC.  But yes, it's curious they don't include that with Mimby, because it's only a MB DAC, and leaving it on is pretty essential for consistent/the best SQ.  I'm sure they have their reasons though.



Multibit versions have their own manuals, however. Sure, based on the respective D/S versions of the DACs, but you find a Mimby/Bimby/Gumby manual in the box. So yeah, mentioning it wouldn't be a bad idea after all, especially for the high-tier DACs requiring many hours to be enjoyed at their best


----------



## ColtMrFire

ScOgLiO said:


> Multibit versions have their own manuals, however.



All the DACs have manuals, yeah.  What I'm saying is, AFAIK, Yggy is the only one that has a manual with the "leave it on" instructions.  Mimby doesn't have it.  My used Gumby I believe was upgraded, so it contains the original Gungnir manual, which does not have the multibit instruction.  I am not sure what manual you get if you buy a Gumby/Bimby brand new (as in, no D/S version).


----------



## ScOgLiO

ColtMrFire said:


> All the DACs have manuals, yeah.  What I'm saying is, AFAIK, Yggy is the only one that has a manual with the "leave it on" instructions.  Mimby doesn't have it.  My used Gumby I believe was upgraded, so it contains the original Gungnir manual, which does not have the multibit instruction.  I am not sure what manual you get if you buy a Gumby/Bimby brand new (as in, no D/S version).



Just checked on Schiit's website: you can find the manuals' PDFs in the "Download" sections. Anyway, I assumed every product had its very own manual based on the fact I saw the one for Mimby some weeks ago. I assumed the whole lineup had a manual for every version (i.e., one for the D/S version and one for the multibit), but apparently that's true for Modi only (which has 3: Modi, Modi Uber, and Mimby, each with its own manual).

This may be the reason why one doesn't find an indication for leaving multibit DACs 24/7, I guess. Still, they might think about writing it somewhere, since we now have multibit options for the whole DAC lineup.


----------



## timb5881

gvl2016 said:


> Huh, 20 bit DAC "only"??? That's what Schiit uses in the Yggdrasil. Gungnir is 18-bits "only". PCM63 can do up to 20bit/705.6kHz, that's what 16x oversampling means. These are real bits, not the ones claimed by Delta-Sigma architectures. It is the SPDIF intake and the digital filter in front of the PCM63 that's the bottleneck, if you swap those out with the CS8414/DF1704 upgrade kit from the Germans it shouldn't sound much worse than the Yggdrasil and comparable to the Gungnir on 24/96 material, if anything it is the ancient output stage that will hold vintage PCM63 DACs behind. The downside of the Adcom is that those chips are soldered in, so you'd have to desolder them first and put them on sockets, doable but finicky and prone to PCB damage. Parasound already has all the chips on sockets, so the swap is a 15-minute affair.
> 
> Too bad PCM63s don't support I2C, if they did a direct DIY I2C input into PCM63 would not be too big of a deal, then you could use a high-quality software-based digital filter such as those in HQPlayer or even SoX, and a DDC to feed I2C directly to PCM63s, I think the results would be magical.


I knew it had 4x sample but I did not think it would handle 96 kHz due it not being an even multiple of 44 kHz.


----------



## gvl2016

timb5881 said:


> I knew it had 4x sample but I did not think it would handle 96 kHz due it not being an even multiple of 44 kHz.



Not a multiple of 44.1 but it is a multiple of 48. These DACs have 8x oversampling filters and support 32, 44.1 and 48kHz in their stock form. 44.1*8=352kHz or 48*8=384kHz this is what PCM63 sees. The upgrade replaces the SPDIF receiver and the digitial filter with more recent versions that allow up to 24/96, 96 would get upsampled 4x I think to 384 again and fed to PCM63. Not entirely sure what would happen with the 4 extra bits, ideally the digital filter would dither them to 20 but I suspect they are simply truncated and 20-bit are sent to PCM63 after the upgrade.


----------



## timb5881

gvl2016 said:


> Not a multiple of 44.1 but it is a multiple of 48. These DACs have 8x oversampling filters and support 32, 44.1 and 48kHz in their stock form. 44.1*8=352kHz or 48*8=384kHz this is what PCM63 sees. The upgrade replaces the SPDIF receiver and the digitial filter with more recent versions that allow up to 24/96, 96 would get upsampled 4x I think to 384 again and fed to PCM63. Not entirely sure what would happen with the 4 extra bits, ideally the digital filter would dither them to 20 but I suspect they are simply truncated and 20-bit are sent to PCM63 after the upgrade.


Wow, great to know.


----------



## timb5881

So, other than upgrading caps, resistors and maybe opamp’s, I think I will leave the Adcom stock.   I would be better off buying a new Schiit Modi Multibit.


----------



## gvl2016 (Feb 4, 2018)

timb5881 said:


> So, other than upgrading caps, resistors and maybe opamp’s, I think I will leave the Adcom stock.   I would be better off buying a new Schiit Modi Multibit.



Unless you need above 48kHz/16bit don't bother with the Modi, from my experience fwiw. Even then the Modi is just 16 bits. Depending on your source you may get good improvement from a SPDIF reclocker with the Adcom, such as the iFi SPDIF iPurifier or the like. Use a quality Coax interconnect. If using with computer get a quality DDC and skip the reclocker in this case. Keep the Adcom, it's one of the better DACs in its league ever made and it will hold its own when compared with modern tech.


----------



## timb5881

Kind of what I suspected so I am keeping the Adcom stock


----------



## ReignofError

ScOgLiO said:


> Baldr (i.e. Mike Moffat) himself, who created the DAC, hinted about leaving Schiit's multibit products always on, to have them reach and maintain the right temperature.
> Frankly, I'm not looking for any further opinion, given he surely knows what he's talking about



Thermal equilibrium happens much faster than he thinks.  No need to leave it on 24/7.  Warm it up.  Sure.  As a mechanical engineer in the electronics industry who does thermal simulations, I find a lot of this laughable.  Save your electric bill.  And caps.


----------



## astromo (Feb 6, 2018)

ReignofError said:


> Thermal equilibrium happens much faster than he thinks.  No need to leave it on 24/7.  Warm it up.  Sure.  As a mechanical engineer in the electronics industry who does thermal simulations, I find a lot of this laughable.  Save your electric bill.  And caps.



Mike has been misunderstood / misquoted. Refer his clarification from an earlier post.



Baldr said:


> It is not the DSP which needs to thermally stabilize.  It is the DAC chip which needs to settle into its INL spec.  Regret the slow comment; I have been distracted by the Schiit Show.


----------



## joeexp

Best to leave all the Schiit Multibit DACs on all the time. The take days to stabilise.


----------



## Robstarplus

Does the Gungnir or Yggdrasil consume a fair amount of electricity when left on 24/7 and not actively in use? Power bills in my state are on the rise, I'd be awkwardly laughing if it went up 'noticeably'.


----------



## joeexp

Power Consumption:
Yggy: 35 W >> 306 kwh/year
Gumby: 20W >> 175 kwh/year

Depends on the price of 1 kwh in your area....


----------



## adydula

From Bimby manual FAQ:

Can I leave Bifrost on all the time? Sure, if you want to. It won’t hurt anything.

What I want to understand is "why" this is so?? Whats the technical explanation?

I have  Bimby, but do not leave it on all the time. Seems to work as good when just on for a few minutes vs a few hours etc?

Alex


----------



## joeexp

Much has been written about the warm-up time of Schiit Multibit DACs already. The consensus is to just leave them on all the time.
They just take a lot of time to "warm up"/to stabilise (medical grade Analog Devices DACs).

I'm talking days.


----------



## adydula

Ok if that's true. taking days to stabilize, can anyone tell us what this means as far as the accuracy and actual operation of the unit?
I can see if the voltage sources are unregulated etc....or no precision power supply sources etc...

What is the real negative here.....missing bit, loose timing, oscillations??
Alex


----------



## alpovs

joeexp said:


> Power Consumption:
> Yggy: 35 W >> 306 kwh/year
> Gumby: 20W >> 175 kwh/year


My Yggy consumes 27 W. I measured it. Where do you get your information?


----------



## alpovs

joeexp said:


> Much has been written about the warm-up time of Schiit Multibit DACs already. The consensus is to just leave them on all the time.
> They just take a lot of time to "warm up"/to stabilise (medical grade Analog Devices DACs).
> 
> I'm talking days.


This is very wrong. Do you think medical/military devices are warmed up for days before use? Think about it...


----------



## ColtMrFire

Anyone doubting the validity of the Schiit MB DAC warm up, I suggest a simple test.  Buy two Mimbys, leave one on for a week.  Then compare it to the second Mimby from cold start up.

If you want to know the science behind INL spec/warm up, I can't help you.  We're talking about sound quality, not science.  Go to the sound science forum if you want to play in that sandbox.


----------



## adydula (Feb 8, 2018)

Instead of telling someone to go somewhere else maybe someone from Schitt will chime in and enlighten us somewhat.

As an owner of 6 Schitt products, I am not doubting anyones claims or experiences of sonic perfection...just would like to know.

If there is not a good explanation so - be - it....

Now where is that sound science sandbox....
Later
Alex

FYI: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/why-do-multibit-dacs-need-to-be-left-on.871769/


----------



## joeexp

alpovs said:


> My Yggy consumes 27 W. I measured it. Where do you get your information?




The energy consumption is stated on the Schiit Website....


----------



## alpovs

ColtMrFire said:


> Anyone doubting the validity of the Schiit MB DAC warm up, I suggest a simple test.  Buy two Mimbys, leave one on for a week.  Then compare it to the second Mimby from cold start up.
> 
> If you want to know the science behind INL spec/warm up, I can't help you.  We're talking about sound quality, not science.  Go to the sound science forum if you want to play in that sandbox.


The warm up is real but takes only 5-10 min. I measured the chip temperature with IR thermometer on an open Mimby. Leave one on for a week and compare it to the second in 10 min from cold startup. I challenge you to hear the difference. The science is as simple as taking the temperature reading like you do when you have a cold.


----------



## joeexp

If you can't hear the difference, I guess there is no point in leaving it on.
My Gumby needs 7-10days, the Mimby roughly 4-5 days to sound their best.
The Yggy with the new analogue update apparently takes even longer.


----------



## alpovs

joeexp said:


> The energy consumption is stated on the Schiit Website....


I believe they have to state the absolute maximum.
Here is another measurement from the Yggy thread. This is for it with Analog 1 boards.


Scott Kramer said:


> 23W idle
> 25W playing 24/96


----------



## Delirious Lab (Feb 8, 2018)

adydula said:


> From Bimby manual FAQ:
> 
> Can I leave Bifrost on all the time? Sure, if you want to. It won’t hurt anything.
> 
> ...



Read again. It says "It won't hurt anything."  Not "It will sound better", let alone "You will see God without drugs".

More telling to me is the phrase "if you want to", which is Schiit-speak for "If your golden ears or your placebo-addled brain (pick which you prefer) lets you perceive an improvement when you leave your DAC on all the time, knock yourself out."


----------



## alpovs

joeexp said:


> The Yggy with the new analogue update apparently takes even longer.


I monitor the Yggy thread. I don't remember anybody claim that.


----------



## MWSVette (Feb 8, 2018)

Smaller Schiit takes less time to reach thermal equilibrium than bigger Schiit, ie Modi<Bimby<Gumby<Yggy.

I personally leave my Bimby on 24/7.  Only shutting it down once a week or so for about 30 seconds to clear out any accumulated gremlins...


----------



## ColtMrFire

alpovs said:


> *I measured*



You're talking sound science again.  Please take it to the appropriate forum.


----------



## ColtMrFire

Here's the deal people...

If people don't believe Schiit multibit DACs sound best left on, let them have their beliefs, who cares?  They've made up their minds, and arguing with them is like spitting in the wind.  

The rest of us know what we hear and don't need to measure it to be sure.


----------



## joeexp

alpovs said:


> I monitor the Yggy thread. I don't remember anybody claim that.



Perhaps you are monitoring the wrong forum ...


----------



## adydula

Well there are many of us that believe that our Schitt Multibit dacs sound just as good after 15-20 minutes of being turned on as if leeft on for hours and hours. I like some of you have listened with my dac and dont hear any real world differences..period. Some of you do. Great.

But our experience is just as valid as yours.

and I am not going to tell you that your beliefs are like spitting in the wind....

Enjoy what your hear...and let others enjoy what they hear...

Over and out...
Alex


----------



## SpeedSmith

adydula said:


> Well there are many of us that believe that our Schitt Multibit dacs sound just as good after 15-20 minutes of being turned on as if leeft on for hours and hours. I like some of you have listened with my dac and dont hear any real world differences..period. Some of you do. Great.
> 
> But our experience is just as valid as yours.
> 
> ...



I'm a big fan of folks finding what they like and sticking with it.  But I can't help but admit that I'm intrigued by this thought of warm up.  

However, I'm posting about a different question that may also yield some thoughts on this warm-up debate.  Until recently (today in fact), my Schiit stack consisted of a Magni 2 Uber, a Modi 2 Uber and the EITR to convert this Schiit show to SPDIF.  With Wintel as the source (in this case) I'm a big fan of the EITR.  IMO, Windows does a crap job with USB.  But this is off topic and can be debated in another thread.  Today I added a Modi Multibit as I wanted to hear the difference everyone is talking about.  I'm A/B switching with a Sys which allows me to (very unscientifically) adjust the volume differences between the 1.5v Uber and the 2v Multibit.  The Multibit is noticeably louder "uncorrected".  So far I find the differences to be quite subtle.  There is certainly a positive difference (to my untrained ears).  I find the Multibit to provide more extension at the edges of the music, which is to say music is more extended, natural, even livelier.  The only analogy I can come up with is the difference between a great bottle of wine that has been allowed to breathe a little.  The first taste is great, but after 30 mins or so the wine has opened up providing a little more detail and a longer finish.  If that doesn't resonate, I'd say that the bass and treble are more engaging and the mids are just a touch more lush.  The Uber sounds slightly softer or more rounded off by comparison.  

Now...I'll admit I was expecting a bigger difference between the Multibit and the Uber.  I'm certainly happy with my purchase.  There is a difference that I like and that's the most important thing.  But now I'm wondering if there will be a bigger difference if I allow the Multibit some time to warm up (open up if you get my silly wine analogy)?  The Multibit has been on for 3 hours and 30 mins.  I'm going to walk away from the stack and come back to it tomorrow.  I'll report my (untrained) findings then.  

Until then I have to share a pic of this ridiculously tall stack of Schiit.  



 

Oh and I'm using Pyst cables to/from the DACs and the same SPDIF cable length and brand coming out of the EITR with an AudioQuest gold plated splitter to eliminate as much source difference as possible.


----------



## adydula

Nice stack!

I will be interested in your listening experience!

Alex


----------



## ColtMrFire

SpeedSmith said:


> But now I'm wondering if there will be a bigger difference if I allow the Multibit some time to warm up (open up if you get my silly wine analogy)?



The vast majority of Mimby owners agree the Schiit multibit DAC sounds better the longer it is left on.  In my experience, the sound evolved, with the most obvious changes happening in 2 days, with more subtle changes happening after, leveling off after about a week or so.

I experienced the exact same thing with my Gumby, with the exception being Gumby changed fairly radically again after about one week.  Leave the Mimby on for a week and then compare them.  I doubt the differences will be as subtle.


----------



## ColtMrFire

adydula said:


> Well there are many of us that believe that our Schitt Multibit dacs sound just as good after 15-20 minutes of being turned on as if leeft on for hours and hours.



What is your chain?  As in, what amp and headphones are you using?  And are you using MImby's USB or Coax or Optical?


----------



## adydula

Hey,

It boils down to this for me....I believe as an old Electrical engineer and technician for many, many moons...that most if not all equipment indeed need or should
come up to "stable" level to meet the circuits design...with vacuum tubes the chemistry in this old school tech certainly needed to come up to the temps required for proper operation 
so thermionic emission could take place properly etc...with SS stuff the time for stuff to heat up to a chips designed temp is a lot less in most cases.

I myself turn on the Schitt dac I have and usually let it warm up for 10-30 min at most, more often than not just a few minutes and its sonic bliss for me for the most part.

But if one leaves their stuff on forever, well the benefit of that is when you indeed listen it certainly will be up to temp for sure. I wouldn't do this with tube stuff, just for a fire safety reason.
And with tubes turning things on and off can and will degrade stuff.

That said, I have 9 head amps and three dacs, cables from wire your win to silver litz cables for interconnects.

Sources are several PC's all with Win 10.

I use USB, Spidf and coax. I went thru a listening session several weeks ago with a very good CD transport using its optical coax out vs Spidf and compared to USB both 3.0 and Schitts latest gen 5 ....quite an eye opener in itself.

Amps I have are the Schitt Asgard, Lyr, Vahalla 2 for the moment, Bottlehead Crack w/speedball, (2) O2's with mods, an ODA which is a DIY AGDR design of what the O2 desktop was going to be with 3x more current available than the O2, several DIY amps with TI's latest chips designed just for audio head amps OPA 1688's ...and three AVR's.

My headphones are now mostly Beyer's. Been thru dozens from Grado, AKG, Audio Technic, Audeze, but settled for now with T90's, T1's and DT1350's.

Dacs are HRT Tech MSii+, Several ODACS, Schitt Bimby.

If your hearing a difference that's great but for the most part except for the difference in headphones, the only real world differences that have made me say , OMG was the addition of the Bimby...which leads me into other questions....and this is with it...

Its a grand hobby isn't it?

Alex


----------



## adydula

Note I have used all the inputs with Bimby....inquiring minds want to know.


----------



## joeexp (Feb 9, 2018)

adydula said:


> Well there are many of us that believe that our Schitt Multibit dacs sound just as good after 15-20 minutes of being turned on as if leeft on for hours and hours. I like some of you have listened with my dac and dont hear any real world differences..period. Some of you do. Great.
> 
> But our experience is just as valid as yours.
> 
> ...



This isn't about religious beliefs.

Schiit Multibit DACs sound crap when not warmed up properly!
Of course you wouldn't know, you never leave yours on long enough.

End of.


----------



## Coug

Just googled inl. Integrated non-linearity.  Likely had nothing to do with temperature,  but instead operating time for feedback loops to correct the non-linearities. If (and I do stress IF) this is correct,  its not warming up, but making corrections to be more accurate.  

I know when I got mine,  I was at first worried about the SQ. Kept checking in every couple of hours,  and iit kept getting better.  After a couple of days i found no discernable difference. Always left on.


----------



## SpeedSmith

Coug said:


> Just googled inl. Integrated non-linearity.  Likely had nothing to do with temperature,  but instead operating time for feedback loops to correct the non-linearities. If (and I do stress IF) this is correct,  its not warming up, but making corrections to be more accurate.
> 
> I know when I got mine,  I was at first worried about the SQ. Kept checking in every couple of hours,  and iit kept getting better.  After a couple of days i found no discernable difference. Always left on.


This makes a lot of sense to me.  

I'll provide my novice feedback tomorrow and will do one more serious A/B session a week from now.


----------



## adydula

Joe...wait until the sierra club and greenpeace find out that your leaving your stuff on all the time, contributing to global warming!!

Ok boys enjoy I am out of here.....its getting too religious here....

Over and Out
Alex


----------



## alpovs

ColtMrFire said:


> You're talking sound science again.  Please take it to the appropriate forum.


Is this sound fantasy forum?


----------



## joeexp (Feb 9, 2018)

adydula said:


> Joe...wait until the sierra club and greenpeace find out that your leaving your stuff on all the time, contributing to global warming!!
> 
> Ok boys enjoy I am out of here.....its getting too religious here....
> 
> ...




What's that got to do with sound quality?


----------



## oryan_dunn

SpeedSmith said:


> Until then I have to share a pic of this ridiculously tall stack of Schiit.
> 
> 
> Oh and I'm using Pyst cables to/from the DACs and the same SPDIF cable length and brand coming out of the EITR with an AudioQuest gold plated splitter to eliminate as much source difference as possible.



I wish they'd make available an aluminum top plate for SYS...


----------



## SpeedSmith

oryan_dunn said:


> I wish they'd make available an aluminum top plate for SYS...


Me too...that sucker stands out like a sore thumb.  But it does its job well.


----------



## SpeedSmith

So I wanted to post thoughts on day two with the Modi Multibit vs the Modi 2 Uber.  I definitely stand by my earlier statement that the difference is subtle but positive.  It still sounds like the music has more extension with the Multibit.  At this time I don't feel the difference is any greater than yesterday.  I'm starting to think that as "Coug" mentioned earlier in this thread, this is more about the time with data and addressing non-linearity. My understanding is that the DAC needs to be feed data to become more accurate at error correction over time.  As luck would have it I want to burn in some cans, so I'm gonna burn two candles and once.  I'm gonna let my desk sit here and rock out until tomorrow and report back again.


----------



## SirRealist

SpeedSmith said:


> So I wanted to post thoughts on day two with the Modi Multibit vs the Modi 2 Uber.  I definitely stand by my earlier statement that the difference is subtle but positive.  It still sounds like the music has more extension with the Multibit.  At this time I don't feel the difference is any greater than yesterday.  I'm starting to think that as "Coug" mentioned earlier in this thread, this is more about the time with data and addressing non-linearity. My understanding is that the DAC needs to be feed data to become more accurate at error correction over time.  As luck would have it I want to burn in some cans, so I'm gonna burn two candles and once.  I'm gonna let my desk sit here and rock out until tomorrow and report back again.



Thanks, looking forward to it! I'm pretty sold on the (source -> Eitr -> Mimby -> Jot -> HD6XX/HE4XX) setup I'm planning on build, but I still like to hear about comparisons of other DACs against Mimby.


----------



## SpeedSmith

SirRealist said:


> Thanks, looking forward to it! I'm pretty sold on the (source -> Eitr -> Mimby -> Jot -> HD6XX/HE4XX) setup I'm planning on build, but I still like to hear about comparisons of other DACs against Mimby.


Sure thing!  Actually, a friend of mine just picked up a Jot from a fellow Head-Fier.  We're going to pair with the Mimby this weekend potentially.  We both heard the Jot/Bimby combo a while back which inspired his purchase.  We're both hoping for something similar with the Mimby as the more budget friendly option.


----------



## SirRealist

SpeedSmith said:


> Sure thing!  Actually, a friend of mine just picked up a Jot from a fellow Head-Fier.  We're going to pair with the Mimby this weekend potentially.  We both heard the Jot/Bimby combo a while back which inspired his purchase.  We're both hoping for something similar with the Mimby as the more budget friendly option.



Looking forward to this too!


----------



## ColtMrFire

SpeedSmith said:


> So I wanted to post thoughts on day two with the Modi Multibit vs the Modi 2 Uber.  I definitely stand by my earlier statement that the difference is subtle but positive.  It still sounds like the music has more extension with the Multibit.  At this time I don't feel the difference is any greater than yesterday.  I'm starting to think that as "Coug" mentioned earlier in this thread, this is more about the time with data and addressing non-linearity. My understanding is that the DAC needs to be feed data to become more accurate at error correction over time.  As luck would have it I want to burn in some cans, so I'm gonna burn two candles and once.  I'm gonna let my desk sit here and rock out until tomorrow and report back again.



Keep in mind that more resolving amps (read: generally, more expensive) will better highlight differences in upstream components.


----------



## fritobugger

ColtMrFire said:


> You're talking sound science again.  Please take it to the appropriate forum.





ColtMrFire said:


> The vast majority of Mimby owners agree the Schiit multibit DAC sounds better the longer it is left on.  In my experience, the sound evolved, with the most obvious changes happening in 2 days, with more subtle changes happening after, leveling off after about a week or so.
> 
> I experienced the exact same thing with my Gumby, with the exception being Gumby changed fairly radically again after about one week.  Leave the Mimby on for a week and then compare them.  I doubt the differences will be as subtle.




You took a poll? Your nasty know it all attitude is really stinking up this thread.


----------



## joeexp

fritobugger said:


> ...Your nasty know it all attitude is really stinking up this thread.



Pot, Kettle ...


----------



## Tuneslover

My 2 Mimby's each run at about 33.5 degrees celcius.  They sit freely (without anything on top of them).  My much larger Bimby registers at a cooler 26.0 degrees celcius, however it does have a Jotunheim sitting on top of it.  I leave all of my DAC's continuously powered up, occasionally powering them off and back on again to ensure that everything internally is working optimally.

The Bimby is probably cooler because it has a much larger enclosure.  I typically don't leave the Jot powered up, only turning it on when I plan to listen to it.  After the Jot has been turned on for 30 minutes or so and is fully heated up the Bimby temperature increases to 30.5 degrees celcius.

I have noticed that all of these Multibit DACs sound very similar however they tend to sound best when they are warmer in temperature.  I find the Mimby's to be more susceptible to temperature change.  They sound much better when they are warm so during the current winter months I place a thin paper back novel on top of them prior to a listening session in order to maintain a consistent warmer temperature.


----------



## SpeedSmith

Tuneslover said:


> My 2 Mimby's each run at about 33.5 degrees celcius.  They sit freely (without anything on top of them).  My much larger Bimby registers at a cooler 26.0 degrees celcius, however it does have a Jotunheim sitting on top of it.  I leave all of my DAC's continuously powered up, occasionally powering them off and back on again to ensure that everything internally is working optimally.
> 
> The Bimby is probably cooler because it has a much larger enclosure.  I typically don't leave the Jot powered up, only turning it on when I plan to listen to it.  After the Jot has been turned on for 30 minutes or so and is fully heated up the Bimby temperature increases to 30.5 degrees celcius.
> 
> I have noticed that all of these Multibit DACs sound very similar however they tend to sound best when they are warmer in temperature.  I find the Mimby's to be more susceptible to temperature change.  They sound much better when they are warm so during the current winter months I place a thin paper back novel on top of them prior to a listening session in order to maintain a consistent warmer temperature.



My Mimby does run noticeably warmer (to the touch) compared to the Modi 2 Uber.  I originally thought this was because the Mimby had been sitting on top of the Modi 2 Uber while "testing".  But I pulled them out to the side in free air and allowed them to normalize.  The Mimby is still a touch warmer.


----------



## Coug

OK, prolly a dead horse, I know, but...https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/app-notes/index.mvp/id/641...

It talks about adc's, but likely true for dac as well.  Specifically, the parts about SARs and transform function corrections. 

It still seems like a looong time,  but the dac used wasn't made for music, but it may be able to learn, optimize and give better performance with use. Kinda makes sense on the 24 bit 16 bit thing too.  Where it talks about dac L > dac N.

All Just speculation on my part.  SPECULATION.  Don't hang me if I'm wrong.  I'm just a knuckle dragging mechanical engineer. When electrical flow stops working like pipes, valves and fittings,  I get lost.


----------



## Ancipital

SpeedSmith said:


> Sure thing!  Actually, a friend of mine just picked up a Jot from a fellow Head-Fier.  We're going to pair with the Mimby this weekend potentially.  We both heard the Jot/Bimby combo a while back which inspired his purchase.  We're both hoping for something similar with the Mimby as the more budget friendly option.



It's a surprisingly good combo- the Jot is a bit forward, the Mimby isn't. Just make sure you feed the Mimby from good S/PDIF. The onboard USB isn't great. The S/PDIF PLLs against the signal, so it's at the mercy of its source. Given the low price of the DAC, it's folly to spend a fortune on anything too outrageous, but Schiit's Eitr will give you both electrical isolation and solid clocks free of phase noise. With that, the Mimby gains way better transients and separation due to lack of smeary sideband frequencies characteristic of jitter- you'll get to hear what it's actually capable of.

Actually, what it's capable of is pretty impressive, for the price.


----------



## gvl2016

Schiit multibit DACs are immune to jitter, stability of external clock is of no importance .


----------



## Ancipital (Feb 10, 2018)

gvl2016 said:


> Schiit multibit DACs are immune to jitter, stability of external clock is of no importance .



Wrong. "Multibit" doesn't make it immune to jitter, that is the output architecture of the actual converters, using a series of precise resistors onboard a discrete DAC chip, rather than a 1 bit pulsed output characteristic of the Delta/Sigma units. The inputs are completely unrelated to "multibitness". Hell, they're the other side of the DSP that does the filtering, even. Not sure what you're smoking.

The Gungir and Yggy have a Vx0 reclocker can fix a certain amount of phase noise. The S/PDIF input in the Bifrost and Modi series (multibit or D/S) simply PLL against the incoming signal, and thus are completely at the mercy of the incoming S/PDIF signal's clock.

None of them are "immune" to jitter. That is an impressively ludicrous assertion. Gross enough jitter will fox any DAC, the Gungir and Yggy included- they have a "buy better gear" light for a reason.

(Gen 5 USB offers good electrical isolation and solid clocks in the Bifrost/Gungir/Yggdrasil- it's a worthwhile upgrade for those who want to get rid of external DDCs).


----------



## gvl2016

There's a buffer in DSP, and data is reclocked on the way out to the DAC chip. Mike M. himself said here not to worry about jitter. Ask him what he meant.


----------



## Ancipital (Feb 10, 2018)

That assertion is almost completely meaningless, you seem to be somewhat bewildered about how it all works. I don't intend to pick a fight with you, lest it cause you further distress. I hope that you agree, even if you clearly don't understand.


----------



## limelake

Hmmmmmm......... Alot of bickering here lately............How about this.............All of you are wrong. I am right ! All is settled now. Back to real stuff.


----------



## SpeedSmith

Ancipital said:


> It's a surprisingly good combo- the Jot is a bit forward, the Mimby isn't. Just make sure you feed the Mimby from good S/PDIF. The onboard USB isn't great. The S/PDIF PLLs against the signal, so it's at the mercy of its source. Given the low price of the DAC, it's folly to spend a fortune on anything too outrageous, but Schiit's Eitr will give you both electrical isolation and solid clocks free of phase noise. With that, the Mimby gains way better transients and separation due to lack of smeary sideband frequencies characteristic of jitter- you'll get to hear what it's actually capable of.
> 
> Actually, what it's capable of is pretty impressive, for the price.



Agreed, the EITR was one of the most important components in my stack.  Actually I'd say it was the most noticable addition.  I was feeding the stack from USB off my laptop.  Then I tried a SPDIF based feed from a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro equipped Raspberry Pi.  The difference was night n' day.   The Pi was intended for a different listening station.  So I purchaed the EITR to fill the void and haven't looked back.  Super happy with it.


----------



## kundica

SpeedSmith said:


> Agreed, the EITR was one of the most important components in my stack.  Actually I'd say it was the most noticable addition.  I was feeding the stack from USB off my laptop.  Then I tried a SPDIF based feed from a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro equipped Raspberry Pi.  The difference was night n' day.   The Pi was intended for a different listening station.  So I purchaed the EITR to fill the void and haven't looked back.  Super happy with it.


I'm in the same boat but haven't added an EITR yet. My Hifiberry Digi+ Pro coax to my Mimby the Jot is very clean and my preferred way to listen.


----------



## joeexp

The Mimby needs to be fed via SPDIF to sound really good.
The USB input is just there for convenience - but ultimately sucks compared to a good Source.


----------



## decodm

Tuneslover said:


> My 2 Mimby's each run at about 33.5 degrees celcius.  They sit freely (without anything on top of them).  My much larger Bimby registers at a cooler 26.0 degrees celcius, however it does have a Jotunheim sitting on top of it.  I leave all of my DAC's continuously powered up, occasionally powering them off and back on again to ensure that everything internally is working optimally.
> 
> The Bimby is probably cooler because it has a much larger enclosure.  I typically don't leave the Jot powered up, only turning it on when I plan to listen to it.  After the Jot has been turned on for 30 minutes or so and is fully heated up the Bimby temperature increases to 30.5 degrees celcius.
> 
> I have noticed that all of these Multibit DACs sound very similar however they tend to sound best when they are warmer in temperature.  I find the Mimby's to be more susceptible to temperature change.  They sound much better when they are warm so during the current winter months I place a thin paper back novel on top of them prior to a listening session in order to maintain a consistent warmer temperature.



My Modi Multibit runs almost 10° hotter than yours (without anything on top of it). I wonder if it’s because of a higher ambient temperature (around 30°)


----------



## SpeedSmith

So after several days of being powered on, getting warm and processing music, I thought I should report back on my (subjective) findings.  Again, I'm no professional, nor would I call my ears trained.  I suspect I'm like most of the average joe's on this forum who know what they like and maybe not know as much about the how's and why's.  I had said earlier that the Mimby was a subtle improvement over the Modi 2 Uber (when paired with the Magni 2 Uber).  I compared this improvement to a really good wine opening up with some air time to become even better, nuanced.  To that end, I'd say the Modi 2 Uber is a really good DAC in this anology.  But the Mimby is that little bit better, that wine that has opened up.  It was not as big of a difference as I was expecting when I first turned it on.  But now that it's had time to warm-up and error correct, it's gotten just a bit better.  There is more extension is all directions.  Bass is deeper, treble is more expressive, mids are more airy.  After an extended listening session I just found myself wanting to hear music via the Mimby instead of the Uber...almost like the extended listen was a better test than a quick A/B.  

I'm looking forward to revisiting this test when my Cavalli amps show up.  The CTH is supposed to ship at the end of this month...but I have to wait until May before I get my Liquid Carbon X (I missed the non-SDAC group buy, cuz I was an idiot).  Maybe these will show even more differences?  Also, based on this testing I may replace the Modi 2 Uber attached to my other listening station with a Mimby.  Perhaps then I can use the Sys to A/B a "warmed up Mimby" against one freshly turned on?   I think that could be fun.  

My final thoughts....if you're in the market for a reasonably priced DAC that punches above its weight, the Mimby should be on the top of your list.  I think it could be an end game DAC for some.  For me, it's worth the stretch over the Modi 2 Uber.  That being said, there are a fair number used Modi 2 Ubers out there.  They are still worthy contenders for those looking for a budget friendly way to get into the hobby.


----------



## callumrd1

You definitely should set up an A/B test of a cold versus a warm Mimby. I’m curious to hear what you think of the difference side by side. So many people talk of hearing huge differences after warming up but I haven’t seen any true side by side comparisons.


----------



## ColtMrFire

SpeedSmith said:


> I think it could be an end game DAC for some.



Until they hear the Gumby/Yggy.


----------



## SpeedSmith

callumrd1 said:


> You definitely should set up an A/B test of a cold versus a warm Mimby. I’m curious to hear what you think of the difference side by side. So many people talk of hearing huge differences after warming up but I haven’t seen any true side by side comparisons.



Yeah the more I think about it, the more I need to get my hands on a second one.  This test needs to happen.


----------



## SpeedSmith (Feb 11, 2018)

ColtMrFire said:


> Until they hear the Gumby/Yggy.


I was thinking more about budget.  Which is why I've only listened to a Bifrost so far.  That is attainable for me.  But there may be a listening session in the not too distant future that could include a Gumby.  I fear it'll ruin me.


----------



## Tuneslover

decodm said:


> My Modi Multibit runs almost 10° hotter than yours (without anything on top of it). I wonder if it’s because of a higher ambient temperature (around 30°)



Could be, it's winter up here in the Great White North.


----------



## gvl2016 (Feb 12, 2018)

Ancipital said:


> That assertion is almost completely meaningless, you seem to be somewhat bewildered about how it all works. I don't intend to pick a fight with you, lest it cause you further distress. I hope that you agree, even if you clearly don't understand.



You do sound like you know something. Please, do enlighten us what this all means, if this is not reclocking at the DAC past DSP:


----------



## Karlmalone1

Just picked up a Mimby to replace my Modi 2, will be here in a few days.  Excited!


----------



## timb5881 (Feb 28, 2018)

gvl2016 said:


> Unless you need above 48kHz/16bit don't bother with the Modi, from my experience fwiw. Even then the Modi is just 16 bits. Depending on your source you may get good improvement from a SPDIF reclocker with the Adcom, such as the iFi SPDIF iPurifier or the like. Use a quality Coax interconnect. If using with computer get a quality DDC and skip the reclocker in this case. Keep the Adcom, it's one of the better DACs in its league ever made and it will hold its own when compared with modern tech.


Funny you say that.  I have 2 of the original Audio Alchemy DTI units, one with an upgraded power supply and extra large heat sink on he inside.  Not he cutting edge in jitter reduction, but it does improve the optical out of my sacd player and portable cd player. That I may upgrade and get the Schiit Eitr.   I also have a PSAUDIO Link Dac III, it has USB input but only up to 44k.


----------



## gvl2016

timb5881 said:


> Funny you say that.  I have 2 of the original Audio Alchemy DTI units, one with an upgraded power supply and extra large heat sink on he inside.  Not he cutting edge in jitter reduction, but it does improve the optical out of my sacd player and portable cd player. That I may upgrade and get the Schiit Eitr.   I also have a PSAUDIO Link Dac III, it has USB input but only up to 44k.



Is there a dis- or agreement? All I was saying a reclocker is likely going to help with a vintage Adcom DAC, sounds like you say the same? As for a DDC, one that also have a I2S output can be more future proof than the Eitr.


----------



## timb5881

gvl2016 said:


> Is there a dis- or agreement? All I was saying a reclocker is likely going to help with a vintage Adcom DAC, sounds like you say the same? As for a DDC, one that also have a I2S output can be more future proof than the Eitr.


No, just remebering I had the DTI units to reduce jitter.  And Yes, one with I2S would be better in the long run.


----------



## bradbort

I’m having an odd issue with the Modi Multibit. I wanted to see if anyone else was experiencing it.

I have it connected, via toslink from a sonos connect into a rogue integrated. It works well...except once every week or two the input on the Modi shifts to coax from toslink. Nothing has touched it. Power cycling does not reproduce it. I sent it back to Schiit to check on it, but the tech merely turned it on, saw that it worked, and sent it back.

Anyone have any ideas about what could be going on?


----------



## Tuneslover

bradbort said:


> I’m having an odd issue with the Modi Multibit. I wanted to see if anyone else was experiencing it.
> 
> I have it connected, via toslink from a sonos connect into a rogue integrated. It works well...except once every week or two the input on the Modi shifts to coax from toslink. Nothing has touched it. Power cycling does not reproduce it. I sent it back to Schiit to check on it, but the tech merely turned it on, saw that it worked, and sent it back.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas about what could be going on?



Thats unusual.  Try unplugging the the toslink then turn off the Modi, wait a minute, plug the toslink back in and turn the Modi back on.  If that doesnt correct the problem try a different toslink cable if you have another one.  If that doesn't work I guess you will just have to switch it back to the correct input manually.


----------



## bradbort

Tuneslover said:


> Thats unusual.  Try unplugging the the toslink then turn off the Modi, wait a minute, plug the toslink back in and turn the Modi back on.  If that doesnt correct the problem try a different toslink cable if you have another one.  If that doesn't work I guess you will just have to switch it back to the correct input manually.



I’m kinda thinking its a firmware bug, and the modi wants to be on coax. Yes, manually shifting it back to toslink works. If I unplug and power cycle, its going to come back to the last input, which would be coax since it moved. 

At this point, I’m considering giving up and just using coax. If it does not hop inputs for a couple of weeks, I’ll move onto other life events.


----------



## mcole (Mar 3, 2018)

fter reading thru the majority of posts in this thread, I ordered a Mimby - and I don't know why. Forums are evil  I had cobbled together a modest desktop system consisting of a Win10 PC with an i7 CPU, dual mirrored SSDs and no video or sound cards - everything comes from the motherboard.  This feeds an HRT Music Streamer DAC (the original from 1996 that only does 16/44.1) and then onto a Rega Brio-R. I have a Magni3 for the Meze 99 Classics headphones and a pair of Orb Audio speaker balls for speaker listening with the Brio. So far, this sounds pretty damn good to my ears with headphones producing the better sound, but if the Mimby makes it even better, I will be a really happy camper. My main system uses a Squeezebox Touch feeding a Metrum Quad DAC, so I am no stranger to multibit (but I am kinda curious about NOS vs OS). The rest of the system is my LP12 and a Croft Phono integrated amp feeding Harbeth P3ESRs. I thought it would be interesting comparing the Mimby to both of these DACs. Luckily, the Mimby has both USB and SPDIF inputs, so that should make it easier.

So I got the Mimby a couple of days ago. Out of the box it sounded hard and thin, kinda like a skeleton. The music was also kind of non-cohesive - maybe due to the amount of detail it got distracting, things seemed to start and stop at the wrong time. I checked in every now and then for a minute or two and saw that it was starting to fill out, getting some meat on the bones. I turned it on yesterday at noon when I came home for lunch and at 9pm, I did some longer term listening. It was sounding rather good by now. The tonality had improved and the soundstage had filled in. I see what people mean by the amount of clarity it has. The HRT Music Streamer is not a bad DAC at all, but the Mimby did a lot more stuff better than the HRT. Soundstage was more filled in and the amount of detail far greater. On some recordings you can hear a very indiviualized intepretation of the the music - very tasty. The HRT is more homogenized, kinda generic, in that respect. However, had I not heard the Mimby, I would have been satisfied with the more workmanlike musical presentation of the HRT. However, I *did* hear the Mimby, so the HRT will be retired.

I next slid the Mimby into my main rig. This was a much more interesting comparison. I've had my Metrum Quad since 2011, so I was very familiar with it. The Mimby did have more detail than the Metrum, but it also seemed to present it more in your face than the Metrum. The tonal balance of the Mimby seems to be oriented more towards the upper midrange, whereas the Metrum was tad bit more towards the lower midrange. I felt that the Metrum gave a greater tonal range than the Mimby. The Metrum seemed to have more tone saturation and color - or maybe the tonal balance was just more appealing to me. The tonal range of the Mimby seemed a tiny bit squashed in comparison to the Metrum. Even though the soundstage for both DACs remained centered between the speakers, the Mimby seemed more expansive. In my head it was like there was a box between the speakers for the Metrum, but there was a bubble for the Mimby. I also noticed that the Mimby had a thicker, more solid sound than the Metrum. Both DACs had a good sense of musical flow, but the Metrum seemed looser with the music than the Mimby. I think the thickness of the sound with the Mimby made it seem slightly buttoned up in comparison. In artist terms, the Mimby was like the precision and detail of Dali and the musical flow was built from hearing each and every instrument working together in unison. The Metrum was more like maybe the impressionistic pastels of Degas where the musical flow was not built, but just came about with the instruments playing as whole and in the moment. I thought the Metrum presented voices with a more human touch making them seem more real to me. The Mimby voices were maybe not more human sounding, but it gave each voice such an individualized treatment making them sound very unique. With voices that I thought I was familiar with, there was a newer fresher take on the singing.

Anyway, those are my impressions, however amorphous or unintelligible my descriptions may have been. Bottom line is that I could live *very* happily with either DAC - they are both equally great, just different presentations. I am glad I have both. Although I think the Mimby is a no brainer buy for 250 bucks, just remember that the DAC is only a part of your total system and it is the DACs synergy with your entire playback chain that will make all the difference in whether it floats your boat or not.


----------



## timb5881

mcole said:


> fter reading thru the majority of posts in this thread, I ordered a Mimby - and I don't know why. Forums are evil  I had cobbled together a modest desktop system consisting of a Win10 PC with an i7 CPU, dual mirrored SSDs and no video or sound cards - everything comes from the motherboard.  This feeds an HRT Music Streamer DAC (the original from 1996 that only does 16/44.1) and then onto a Rega Brio-R. I have a Magni3 for the Meze 99 Classics headphones and a pair of Orb Audio speaker balls for speaker listening with the Brio. So far, this sounds pretty damn good to my ears with headphones producing the better sound, but if the Mimby makes it even better, I will be a really happy camper. My main system uses a Squeezebox Touch feeding a Metrum Quad DAC, so I am no stranger to multibit (but I am kinda curious about NOS vs OS). The rest of the system is my LP12 and a Croft Phono integrated amp feeding Harbeth P3ESRs. I thought it would be interesting comparing the Mimby to both of these DACs. Luckily, the Mimby has both USB and SPDIF inputs, so that should make it easier.
> 
> So I got the Mimby a couple of days ago. Out of the box it sounded hard and thin, kinda like a skeleton. The music was also kind of non-cohesive - maybe due to the amount of detail it got distracting, things seemed to start and stop at the wrong time. I checked in every now and then for a minute or two and saw that it was starting to fill out, getting some meat on the bones. I turned it on yesterday at noon when I came home for lunch and at 9pm, I did some longer term listening. It was sounding rather good by now. The tonality had improved and the soundstage had filled in. I see what people mean by the amount of clarity it has. The HRT Music Streamer is not a bad DAC at all, but the Mimby did a lot more stuff better than the HRT. Soundstage was more filled in and the amount of detail far greater. On some recordings you can hear a very indiviualized intepretation of the the music - very tasty. The HRT is more homogenized, kinda generic, in that respect. However, had I not heard the Mimby, I would have been satisfied with the more workmanlike musical presentation of the HRT. However, I *did* hear the Mimby, so the HRT will be retired.
> 
> ...



I agree, a DAC is only part of the final equation.


----------



## boblauer

mcole said:


> fter reading thru the majority of posts in this thread, I ordered a Mimby - and I don't know why. Forums are evil  I had cobbled together a modest desktop system consisting of a Win10 PC with an i7 CPU, dual mirrored SSDs and no video or sound cards - everything comes from the motherboard.  This feeds an HRT Music Streamer DAC (the original from 1996 that only does 16/44.1) and then onto a Rega Brio-R. I have a Magni3 for the Meze 99 Classics headphones and a pair of Orb Audio speaker balls for speaker listening with the Brio. So far, this sounds pretty damn good to my ears with headphones producing the better sound, but if the Mimby makes it even better, I will be a really happy camper. My main system uses a Squeezebox Touch feeding a Metrum Quad DAC, so I am no stranger to multibit (but I am kinda curious about NOS vs OS). The rest of the system is my LP12 and a Croft Phono integrated amp feeding Harbeth P3ESRs. I thought it would be interesting comparing the Mimby to both of these DACs. Luckily, the Mimby has both USB and SPDIF inputs, so that should make it easier.
> 
> So I got the Mimby a couple of days ago. Out of the box it sounded hard and thin, kinda like a skeleton. The music was also kind of non-cohesive - maybe due to the amount of detail it got distracting, things seemed to start and stop at the wrong time. I checked in every now and then for a minute or two and saw that it was starting to fill out, getting some meat on the bones. I turned it on yesterday at noon when I came home for lunch and at 9pm, I did some longer term listening. It was sounding rather good by now. The tonality had improved and the soundstage had filled in. I see what people mean by the amount of clarity it has. The HRT Music Streamer is not a bad DAC at all, but the Mimby did a lot more stuff better than the HRT. Soundstage was more filled in and the amount of detail far greater. On some recordings you can hear a very indiviualized intepretation of the the music - very tasty. The HRT is more homogenized, kinda generic, in that respect. However, had I not heard the Mimby, I would have been satisfied with the more workmanlike musical presentation of the HRT. However, I *did* hear the Mimby, so the HRT will be retired.
> 
> ...


May I ask are You using the Mimby via sub on your desktop rig and if so your impressions of the sub implementation? That's the only question mark that's holding me back from this purchase. It would replace my iF I nano dad I'm using as my dad.


----------



## limelake

Any one here tried a HDMI to Coax converter ? I have been looking at a Monoprice Converter. What I am looking to do specifically is...My Oppo universal player will output SACD's to PCM 88.2 24bit over HDMI, and I would like to listen to them with other than the built dac over rca. I would prefer to just use my Schiit DACs (mimby & bimby) rather then running another set of cords just for my SACD's (which some of sound great). Please no DSD or SACD vs PCM debates here, I just have some great music that is on SACD's>


----------



## gvl2016

Won't the Oppo send SACD as PCM to optical/coax as well?


----------



## limelake

gvl2016 said:


> Won't the Oppo send SACD as PCM to optical/coax as well?


I thought it would. I can't get anything even changing settings to sacd>pcm, hdmi off, etc.


----------



## gvl2016

Interesting, I'm curious if this is due to copy protection and if it means you can't strip PCM from HDMI as well as its encrypted , well, at least with legit devices.


----------



## mcole

boblauer said:


> May I ask are You using the Mimby via sub on your desktop rig and if so your impressions of the sub implementation? That's the only question mark that's holding me back from this purchase. It would replace my iF I nano dad I'm using as my dad.


Sorry, I am not using a sub on my desktop rig. I am using one on my main rig and I did not hear any problems.


----------



## limelake

gvl2016 said:


> Interesting, I'm curious if this is due to copy protection and if it means you can't strip PCM from HDMI as well as its encrypted , well, at least with legit devices.


Ahh...i just read my manual more thoroughly and I will put pcm into hdmi not optical or coax. So I do need a stripper. Any recommendations ?


----------



## gvl2016

limelake said:


> Ahh...i just read my manual more thoroughly and I will put pcm into hdmi not optical or coax. So I do need a stripper. Any recommendations ?



There is a link in this post which is said to work: https://forum.psaudio.com/t/getting-oppo-dsd-output-to-the-direct-stream-dac/2744/51

What's more interesting 2 posts down in that discussion there is a report of a board that can strip DSD from HDMI out to SPDIF/DoP . If it can do DSD it can probably do PCM as well.


----------



## Metrops

So I've had my Modi Multibit for about a year now, however I'm thinking of getting the BiFrost, I'm using the Valhalla 2 and HD 800S, the smaller Modi Multi size annoys me as I want to stack them and I'm wondering how much difference in terms of sound is between them and if it's worth an extra £350, I know this has been said many times, however what are your opinions on it?


----------



## joeexp

Metrops said:


> So I've had my Modi Multibit for about a year now, however I'm thinking of getting the BiFrost, I'm using the Valhalla 2 and HD 800S, the smaller Modi Multi size annoys me as I want to stack them and I'm wondering how much difference in terms of sound is between them and if it's worth an extra £350, I know this has been said many times, however what are your opinions on it?



I actually prefer the Mimby fed from a good source. But - hey the Bimby can be upgraded.


----------



## limelake (Mar 7, 2018)

I have both mimby and bimby. People say there is no discernable difference. I think the bimby does sound better.....very very slightly, not enough to justify it though. I think an upgrade is coming for bimby this year. Really only reason to buy a bimby is that it is upgradable and USB Gen 5 board. That is if you use USB. I have no use for USB myself.


----------



## Metrops (Mar 7, 2018)

I'll continue with other answers but another question, following from the first then, would there be a bigger difference between Valhalla 2 and Mjolnir 2 (using tube)

Also meant the Multibit version of the BiFrost


----------



## limelake

Metrops said:


> I'll continue with other answers but another question, following from the first then, would there be a bigger difference between Valhalla 2 and Mjolnir 2 (using tube)
> 
> Also meant the Multibit version of the BiFrost





Metrops said:


> I'll continue with other answers but another question, following from the first then, would there be a bigger difference between Valhalla 2 and Mjolnir 2 (using tube)
> 
> Also meant the Multibit version of the BiFrost


So what headphones would you be using with the Valhalla 2 or the Mjolnir 2 ? Mjolnir 2 has way more power into low impedance headphones. I use Grados (32ohm) and Audio Techincas (40 ohm) with my Valhalla 2 and it is more than enough. I also have a Vali 2, it puts out way more power than the Valhalla 2 into low impedance loads. Power isn't every thing though......I like my Valhalla 2 better, I also have a couple other HP amps that have more power than the Valhalla 2 and I still like Valhalla 2 best. It's personal as well...different tastes....I like the taste of tubes.....my main speaker rig's are pure tube as well. Don't think the Valhalla 2 is tubby tubey gooey....it's not whatsoever. Valhalla 2 is a pretty special amp to me. It's an amp I would buy again and perhaps again ! Email schiit....they can help you with a choice, and they won't try to upsell you to something more to make more money.


----------



## limelake

Also....Valhalla 2 has 4 tubes to replace.....Mjolnir 2 only has 2 tubes ! Tube rolling gets pricey.....I have my bargain favorites as well.


----------



## limelake

I bought and Hdmi stripper (going back to some posts i made earlier) off amazon. My players will output pcm over hdmi for SACDat 88.2/24bit. Big difference in sound between having audio out from my OPPO analogue jacks, to stripping pcm out of hdmi then putting it via optical into Mimby/Bimby. My 16-bit Mimby and Bimby slap that ess sabre dac to death. Another win for Schiit Multibit. ess sabre is a 24 bit dac, (delta-sigma...supposed to be top of the line). Anyone with sacd's i would recommend this path. Difference was huge, and i am not kidding. Not subtle at all. Massive.


----------



## bradbort

limelake said:


> I bought and Hdmi stripper (going back to some posts i made earlier) off amazon. My players will output pcm over hdmi for SACDat 88.2/24bit. Big difference in sound between having audio out from my OPPO analogue jacks, to stripping pcm out of hdmi then putting it via optical into Mimby/Bimby. My 16-bit Mimby and Bimby slap that ess sabre dac to death. Another win for Schiit Multibit. ess sabre is a 24 bit dac, (delta-sigma...supposed to be top of the line). Anyone with sacd's i would recommend this path. Difference was huge, and i am not kidding. Not subtle at all. Massive.


Which Oppo do you have? The 105 and 205 both have native digirtal and toslink outputs. You can tell it to downmix to PCM within its firmware. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding...why did you need the hdmi splitter/stripper?


----------



## limelake

I have the 83se and the 80. Sacd can only be output over hdmi digitally in dsd or pcm, Sacd cannot be output over coax/optical. I needed pcm from the hdmi. I do not have a dsd dac. Nor do I want one.


----------



## limelake

Sacd has to be over hdmi as It needs to see copy protection that hdmi offers. My stripper cheats the protection some how.


----------



## Metrops

limelake said:


> So what headphones would you be using with the Valhalla 2 or the Mjolnir 2 ? Mjolnir 2 has way more power into low impedance headphones. I use Grados (32ohm) and Audio Techincas (40 ohm) with my Valhalla 2 and it is more than enough. I also have a Vali 2, it puts out way more power than the Valhalla 2 into low impedance loads. Power isn't every thing though......I like my Valhalla 2 better, I also have a couple other HP amps that have more power than the Valhalla 2 and I still like Valhalla 2 best. It's personal as well...different tastes....I like the taste of tubes.....my main speaker rig's are pure tube as well. Don't think the Valhalla 2 is tubby tubey gooey....it's not whatsoever. Valhalla 2 is a pretty special amp to me. It's an amp I would buy again and perhaps again ! Email schiit....they can help you with a choice, and they won't try to upsell you to something more to make more money.



I'm using the HD 800S


----------



## limelake

Metrops said:


> I'm using the HD 800S


Well.....Valhalla 2 should have plenty of power for them. Mjolnir 2 has about same amount of power as Valhalla 2 for 300 ohm HP.
Mjolnir is a circlotron amp, so now you gotta chose between tube or circlotron. 2 different topologies with 2 different sounds. Both are good choices.
.


----------



## Metrops

limelake said:


> Well.....Valhalla 2 should have plenty of power for them. Mjolnir 2 has about same amount of power as Valhalla 2 for 300 ohm HP.
> Mjolnir is a circlotron amp, so now you gotta chose between tube or circlotron. 2 different topologies with 2 different sounds. Both are good choices.
> .



So the Mjolnir 2 is not a direct improvement to the Valhalla 2 then?


----------



## NorCal (Mar 19, 2018)

Metrops said:


> So the Mjolnir 2 is not a direct improvement to the Valhalla 2 then?


For low impedance HPs, the Mjolnir 2 provides much more power. If you ever get something with 50 ohms impedance, it will provide 5W per channel, (1.25W SE), while the Valhalla 2 is spec'd at 180mW, (0.18W), at 50 ohms. Some of the planar HPs have impedance's in the teens, and the power output of the Valhalla 2, wouldn't be a good match for them.

The Mjolnir 2 is cleaner as for its measured distortion specs, while the Valhalla 2's greater distortion is what some like about having an all tube OTL tube amp, "the magic of tubes". Several HD650 HP owners love the pairing with the Valhalla 2, [it's also a 300 ohm HP]. Below is a link to an article on why tube amps can sound better, even though they have higher distortion.
http://kenrockwell.com/audio/why-tubes-sound-better.htm

The Mjolnir 2 is a balanced design, so if you want this option, it would be the way to go.


----------



## limelake

NorCal said:


> For low impedance HPs, the Mjolnir 2 provides much more power. If you ever get something with 50 ohms impedance, it will provide 5W per channel, (1.25W SE), while the Valhalla 2 is spec'd at 180mW, (0.18W), at 50 ohms. Some of the planar HPs have impedance's in the teens, and the power output of the Valhalla 2, wouldn't be a good match for them.
> 
> The Mjolnir 2 is cleaner as for its measured distortion specs, while the Valhalla 2's greater distortion is what some like about having an all tube OTL tube amp, "the magic of tubes". Several HD650 HP owners love the pairing with the Valhalla 2, [it's also a 300 ohm HP]. Below is a link to an article on why tube amps canfact  sound better, even though they have higher distortion.
> http://kenrockwell.com/audio/why-tubes-sound-better.htm
> ...


I completely forgot about the fact that he may want lower impedance HP later.......very good point.


----------



## Tuneslover

Baldr said:


> There are too many anecdotal mentions of the "aha" listening experience to dismiss it out of hand as hallucination.  As I have mentioned on my own blog on this forum, the newest member of our R&D staff spent much time researching musical mood derivations.  She was hired to initially write algorithms for our Manhattan Project, so named because it is a completely new tool for the enjoyment of music.



Any updates on these "aha" moments?


----------



## tracyrick

I'm looking for impressions on this DAC vs. the Fiio X3ii. Anyone using the Mimby and finding it better than the X3ii?


----------



## sublime9

limelake said:


> Any one here tried a HDMI to Coax converter ? I have been looking at a Monoprice Converter. What I am looking to do specifically is...My Oppo universal player will output SACD's to PCM 88.2 24bit over HDMI, and I would like to listen to them with other than the built dac over rca. I would prefer to just use my Schiit DACs (mimby & bimby) rather then running another set of cords just for my SACD's (which some of sound great). Please no DSD or SACD vs PCM debates here, I just have some great music that is on SACD's>



I had no idea that an HDMI to S/PDIF converter even existed, but yet they do. Amazing. But sorry, no experience. Cheap enough to try.


----------



## limelake

sublime9 said:


> I had no idea that an HDMI to S/PDIF converter even existed, but yet they do. Amazing. But sorry, no experience. Cheap enough to try.


I bought one off amazon. Works flawlessly with my oppo and Sony blu-ray. Sacd layer sounds stunning in 88.2/24 pcm. Could be the mastering, could be the higher reslution. Pcm is going thru my mimby and bimby. Stunning wayyyyyy better than the built in dac!


----------



## fritobugger

limelake said:


> I bought one off amazon. Works flawlessly with my oppo and Sony blu-ray. Sacd layer sounds stunning in 88.2/24 pcm. Could be the mastering, could be the higher reslution. Pcm is going thru my mimby and bimby. Stunning wayyyyyy better than the built in dac!



Can you provide a link?


----------



## jnak00

fritobugger said:


> Can you provide a link?



I've used this one to feed a PS3 into my Mimby.  It works well.  Some say it doesn't need power, but with the PS3 it did.

https://www.amazon.ca/UGREEN-Extrac...066355&sr=8-1&keywords=ugreen+hdmi+to+optical


----------



## limelake

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B019R1D3FG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  This is the one I bought. It does need power to operate.


----------



## riffrafff (Apr 6, 2018)

Hi folks.  I'm late to the conversation, and this part of the discussion was mostly back a month ago or so, but I thought I might add something to the bit about DACs, etc. needing a warm-up period.  My understanding is that ladder DACs take longer to stabilize than sigma-delta DACs, and I find that most plausible. I know that some of the electronics I work with daily stay on 24/7, just to maximize their stability.  As an example, Agilent (used to be HP) states in the manual for the 83752A/B Synthesized Sweeper, "_Instruments disconnected from AC power for more than 24 hours require 30 days to achieve time base aging specification.  Instruments disconnected from AC power less than 24 hours require 24 hours to achieve time base aging specification._"  This is actually fairly common in the metrology field.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there.

Carry on.


----------



## tracyrick

Really want an excuse to add a Mimby to my Magni 3 so I can have a stack. But for that to happen I need impressions on this DAC vs. Fiio players. I have an X3ii, but I think impressions from the different models/versions could still be relevant.

Not really wanting to purchase this DAC and then have to return with restocking fee 'cause no significant difference.

I'm guessing if I compared Mimby to my PC or phone or some other crappy DAC it would be an obvious difference. But will the Mimby make a noticeable difference vs. Fiio DAC? Fiio DACs are supposed to be pretty good...

X3ii>*Mimby*> Magni 3>HD6xx  noticeably better than X3ii>Magni 3>HD6xx ?


----------



## alpovs

riffrafff said:


> Hi folks.  I'm late to the conversation, and this part of the discussion was mostly back a month ago or so, but I thought I might add something to the bit about DACs, etc. needing a warm-up period.  My understanding is that ladder DACs take longer to stabilize than sigma-delta DACs, and I find that most plausible. I know that some of the electronics I work with daily stay on 24/7, just to maximize their stability.  As an example, Agilent (used to be HP) states in the manual for the 83752A/B Synthesized Sweeper, "_Instruments disconnected from AC power for more than 24 hours require 30 days to achieve time base aging specification.  Instruments disconnected from AC power less than 24 hours require 24 hours to achieve time base aging specification._"  This is actually fairly common in the metrology field.
> 
> Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there.
> 
> Carry on.


Please, you are comparing apples to oranges and you should know it. And you are confusing a lot of people and adding to the hype. What you just mentioned is *time *aging. The instrument you mentioned has time based oscillator(s) most likely based on quartz crystals. Their frequency drifts not only with temperature but also with *time*. Aging is specified in terms of frequency change-per-*month*. Did you notice how the manual calls for 30 days? _"The aging rate is dependent on the inherent quality of the crystals used, and goes on all the time. Aging is often specified in terms of frequency change-per-month since temperature and other effects would mask the small amount of aging for a shorter time period. Aging for air crystals is given in frequency change-per-month as it is not practical to accurately and correctly measure over any shorter averaging period."_ 

There are no time effects in ladder DACs (hopefully). So, your example is not relevant. Sorry.


----------



## fritobugger

tracyrick said:


> Really want an excuse to add a Mimby to my Magni 3 so I can have a stack. But for that to happen I need impressions on this DAC vs. Fiio players. I have an X3ii, but I think impressions from the different models/versions could still be relevant.
> 
> Not really wanting to purchase this DAC and then have to return with restocking fee 'cause no significant difference.
> 
> ...




I suspect the Mimby might be a bit warmer sounding than the X3ii DAC but that would be more a change in preference and less an improvement.


----------



## joeexp

fritobugger said:


> I suspect the Mimby might be a bit warmer sounding than the X3ii DAC but that would be more a change in preference and less an improvement.



"I suspect .. "

So you really haven't got the foggiest?


----------



## inmytaxi

joeexp said:


> "I suspect .. "
> 
> So you really haven't got the foggiest?


Quick, hire a Special Counsel and see if he's colluded!


----------



## Tuneslover

tracyrick said:


> Really want an excuse to add a Mimby to my Magni 3 so I can have a stack. But for that to happen I need impressions on this DAC vs. Fiio players. I have an X3ii, but I think impressions from the different models/versions could still be relevant.
> 
> Not really wanting to purchase this DAC and then have to return with restocking fee 'cause no significant difference.
> 
> ...



I used to own the X3ii but upgraded to the X5ii when it came out.  I ran the X5ii into a Magni2 which drove my HD650.  When the Mimby came out I decided to introduce it into this setup (using the coxial digital output of the X5ii into the Mimby).  Was there a noticeable difference vs. the FiiO Dac?  Simply put, YES.  Was it massive?  No not massive.  Was it better?  ABSOLUTELY.  I found the Mimby to be more 3 dimensional sounding, clearer as in more detailed sounding with better instrument separation.

I have since replaced the Magni2 with a Vali2, then after a year or so I sold both and purchased a Project Ember.  I also have a couple of other headphone setups and found that my HD650's were my favourite headphones with all of them so I decided to get a pair of HD6XX's (easily one of the best bargains out there) which resides permanently alongside the Mimby/Ember setup.

To me, not only the Mimby but also the Ember have both elevated this setup pretty significantly from the original Magni2 only setup.  You asked, so there you have it...that's my opinon.


----------



## bochawa

After four years, my Schiit Optimodi stopped working - it powers on and indicates that it receives a digital signal, but no output.  Wonder if the heat from my Asgard contributed to its demise?  Time to look into getting a Mimby or a Bimby.


----------



## inmytaxi

the Mimby sounds great. I'm not great at a/b comparisons. I find the strength of the mimby comes out in long listening sessions.


----------



## PopZeus

Have you guys been upsampling your audio or running it NOS? I feel like the Mimby got more dynamic when I told my music player to just push the music as-is.


----------



## limelake

PopZeus said:


> Have you guys been upsampling your audio or running it NOS? I feel like the Mimby got more dynamic when I told my music player to just push the music as-is.


I run mine as it comes from the source. I have never upsampled my audio. Sounds fine to me. Why try to cobble it up ?


----------



## gvl2016

limelake said:


> I run mine as it comes from the source. I have never upsampled my audio. Sounds fine to me. Why try to cobble it up ?



Some like to experiment with different digital filters.


----------



## jimmers (Apr 17, 2018)

PopZeus said:


> Have you guys been upsampling your audio or running it NOS? I feel like the Mimby got more dynamic when I told my music player to just push the music as-is.


If you run your files at their native sample rate Mimby upsamples (192 or 176.4) so you get the benefit of Mike's special filter.
So it doesn't run NOS unless the file's sample rate is 192 or 176.4.


----------



## joejoejoe

I've been reading this thread on and off since its inception and I still can't decide on whether or not to upgrade to the Mimby from a Modi 2U. Anyone wanna persuade me? Any specific reason to save for the Bimby instead or even something non-Schiity?


----------



## Dana Reed

joejoejoe said:


> I've been reading this thread on and off since its inception and I still can't decide on whether or not to upgrade to the Mimby from a Modi 2U. Anyone wanna persuade me? Any specific reason to save for the Bimby instead or even something non-Schiity?


I've had all three of these for a few months now (m2u, mimby and bimby).  ymmv, but I have a hard time even in a sighted test telling them apart.  Most of the stuff I listen to is rock and metal with electric, amplified instruments rather than live recordings of acoustic stuff.  I was recommended to try something like Clapton Unplugged (which I love as long as I skip Layla, can't stomach that as I love the original too much) for a comparison.  So I got the CD, and ripped it to lossless and compared it, using a Sys to A/B them, and either the pot on the Sys or on the Magni3 to match the levels upon switching (as mimby/bimby are 2V while m2u is 1.5 V).  I compared back and forth with a bunch of different headphones driven by the magni3.  (Sony MDR1a, Grado GS2000e, Hifiman HE560, Sennheiser HD600, Beyerdynamic T5P, Amiron, and DT880 (600 Ohm)).  I can certainly say that I have favorites amongst those headphones and the HD600 is the only one I can't really take a liking to, but I really can't say I find a distinct difference between the m2u and mimby in the setup below.  
Of course I guess for me that's just a money saver since don't need to spend on gumby, yggy, hugo, MSB, or flying Clapton to my house.  I can just listen with "mid-fi" and think it sounds great for less $$


----------



## joejoejoe

Dana Reed said:


> I've had all three of these for a few months now (m2u, mimby and bimby).  ymmv, but I have a hard time even in a sighted test telling them apart.  Most of the stuff I listen to is rock and metal with electric, amplified instruments rather than live recordings of acoustic stuff.  I was recommended to try something like Clapton Unplugged (which I love as long as I skip Layla, can't stomach that as I love the original too much) for a comparison.  So I got the CD, and ripped it to lossless and compared it, using a Sys to A/B them, and either the pot on the Sys or on the Magni3 to match the levels upon switching (as mimby/bimby are 2V while m2u is 1.5 V).  I compared back and forth with a bunch of different headphones driven by the magni3.  (Sony MDR1a, Grado GS2000e, Hifiman HE560, Sennheiser HD600, Beyerdynamic T5P, Amiron, and DT880 (600 Ohm)).  I can certainly say that I have favorites amongst those headphones and the HD600 is the only one I can't really take a liking to, but I really can't say I find a distinct difference between the m2u and mimby in the setup below.
> Of course I guess for me that's just a money saver since don't need to spend on gumby, yggy, hugo, MSB, or flying Clapton to my house.  I can just listen with "mid-fi" and think it sounds great for less $$



Thank you for such a thorough reply. I've been trying to just suck it up and grab one since I've seen comments vary from being along the same lines as yours to stating that the differences are indeed noticeable and pronounced. At the end of the day, maybe the cost difference just isn't worth the mental indecision. Probably going to be buying a pair of HD650's since I have sold my HD800's.

And like you said, at that point I'm not sure there's much of a gap to be filled until I decide on breaking the bank for a Gumby or Yggy, if ever. That's probably money better spent on a new set of headphones or speakers.


----------



## Tuneslover

Dana Reed said:


> I've had all three of these for a few months now (m2u, mimby and bimby).  ymmv, but I have a hard time even in a sighted test telling them apart.  Most of the stuff I listen to is rock and metal with electric, amplified instruments rather than live recordings of acoustic stuff.  I was recommended to try something like Clapton Unplugged (which I love as long as I skip Layla, can't stomach that as I love the original too much) for a comparison.  So I got the CD, and ripped it to lossless and compared it, using a Sys to A/B them, and either the pot on the Sys or on the Magni3 to match the levels upon switching (as mimby/bimby are 2V while m2u is 1.5 V).  I compared back and forth with a bunch of different headphones driven by the magni3.  (Sony MDR1a, Grado GS2000e, Hifiman HE560, Sennheiser HD600, Beyerdynamic T5P, Amiron, and DT880 (600 Ohm)).  I can certainly say that I have favorites amongst those headphones and the HD600 is the only one I can't really take a liking to, but I really can't say I find a distinct difference between the m2u and mimby in the setup below.
> Of course I guess for me that's just a money saver since don't need to spend on gumby, yggy, hugo, MSB, or flying Clapton to my house.  I can just listen with "mid-fi" and think it sounds great for less $$



I too have thought that the differences between Delta Sigma (my Bifrost 4490) and Multibit (my Bifrost MB & my 2 Modi MB's) aren't THAT significant.  However as I have upgraded my headphone amps from the original Magni (upgraded to Lake People G109S) and Magni 2U (upgraded to Jotunheim) and Vali 2 (upgraded to Project Ember), as well as expanding my headphone inventory I have noticed that my Schiit multibit DACs do give a more detailed presentation, better bass and overall dimensionality.  Are the differences "night & day"?  Nope, but they do enhance my headphone listening experience.  However the multibit DACs can be finicky requiring periodic recycling (re-boot).


----------



## XERO1 (Apr 24, 2018)

Tuneslover said:


> I too have thought that the differences between Delta Sigma (my Bifrost 4490) and Multibit (my Bifrost MB & my 2 Modi MB's) aren't THAT significant.  However as I have upgraded my headphone amps from the original Magni (upgraded to Lake People G109S) and Magni 2U (upgraded to Jotunheim) and Vali 2 (upgraded to Project Ember), as well as expanding my headphone inventory I have noticed that my Schiit multibit DACs do give a more detailed presentation, better bass and overall dimensionality.  Are the differences "night & day"?  Nope, but they do enhance my headphone listening experience.  However the multibit DACs can be finicky requiring periodic recycling (re-boot).


In my experience, the improvements are primarily in the mids and treble.
When used with highly resolving headphones and amps, the Multi-Bit Schiits offer a less artificial, less glassy sounding treble range and the mids seem to have more solidity and texture to them. But to me, the bass range sounds nearly identical between MB and DS though.
But if you are using less resolving headphones and amps, the improvements/differences between the MB and DS DACs will essentially vanish.


----------



## wiz2596

Hello guys

It is been said that coax input is the best way to connect the Mimby in terms of sound quality, but in moderns PC desktops and laptops this port doesn't even exist, so is there any way to get a PC with coax port? I'm looking for a equipment with coax port to feed my mimby but couldn't find anything so far, any suggestions on this or should I resign myself on USB?


----------



## ejk1

Get a ifi ipurifier. Google it. Also available on Amazon


----------



## Dana Reed

wiz2596 said:


> Hello guys
> 
> It is been said that coax input is the best way to connect the Mimby in terms of sound quality, but in moderns PC desktops and laptops this port doesn't even exist, so is there any way to get a PC with coax port? I'm looking for a equipment with coax port to feed my mimby but couldn't find anything so far, any suggestions on this or should I resign myself on USB?


I got an Eitr and that works very well converting USB to coax.  I have the output of mine split so it can feed both a mimby and an uber.


----------



## RickB

wiz2596 said:


> Hello guys
> 
> It is been said that coax input is the best way to connect the Mimby in terms of sound quality, but in moderns PC desktops and laptops this port doesn't even exist, so is there any way to get a PC with coax port? I'm looking for a equipment with coax port to feed my mimby but couldn't find anything so far, any suggestions on this or should I resign myself on USB?



You might check into the Schiit Eitr, a USB to S/PDIF coax converter. 

http://www.schiit.com/products/eitr


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Dana Reed said:


> I got an Eitr and that works very well converting USB to coax.  I have the output of mine split so it can feed both a mimby and an uber.




I use optical to my mobo from my mimby, would it really improve sound if I invested in this??? so pricey....


----------



## wiz2596 (May 25, 2018)

caenlenfromOCN said:


> I use optical to my mobo from my mimby, would it really improve sound if I invested in this??? so pricey....



I was wondering the same


----------



## gvl2016 (May 25, 2018)

caenlenfromOCN said:


> I use optical to my mobo from my mimby, would it really improve sound if I invested in this??? so pricey....



People will say it will. Technically mimby has some jitter fighting measures onboard and optical connection gives you galvanic isolation for free. I'd say don't bother in general. That said, it is unlikely but possible the optical output on the mobo may not be bit-perfect. I would see if I could detect any differences between the optical and a direct USB connection to the DAC first, if there isn't adding an Eitr is likely a waste of money.


----------



## Dana Reed

caenlenfromOCN said:


> I use optical to my mobo from my mimby, would it really improve sound if I invested in this??? so pricey....


Myself I can’t tell the difference between optical and coax.  I was having audible issues though with USB.  So I used the Eitr for USB devices and I use optical for either my TV or my Airport express.


----------



## makne (May 27, 2018)

caenlenfromOCN said:


> I use optical to my mobo from my mimby, would it really improve sound if I invested in this??? so pricey....


if you’ve already got optical output on your motherboeard, I wouldn’t bother. The main thing is to keep electrical noise in the pc away from the dac, by using an optical/coax connection. Sure the eitr may have less jitter than your mobo, but idk how audible it’ll be, if even at all.
I own the Eitr and it did make a big difference in my setup (usb out from a desktop pc), but I don’t have an optical output on my motherboard


----------



## BubbaJay

I've been using coax ever since I got the Mimby a year and a half ago and I've always thought it sounded better than USB.  I went back to the USB just to see if the coax is really that much better and to tell you the truth I couldn't really hear much of a difference at all.  I think the bass might sound a touch cleaner with the coax but they might just be a placebo effect because of my coax bias.  I tried it with 3 different headphones and could never really hear a difference, but in the end, I'm still going to use the coax because if it ain't broke don't fix it as they say.


----------



## Rattle

Loving my mimby but I'm sort of questioning a setting or 2. My usage is BDP103 coax to mimby. My curiosity is about the coax settings on the oppo, I had it set to 96k, should it be set to bitstream? What's the difference if I play cd and files at 16/44 but also a bunch of needle drops and hi res @ 24/96 ? I am about 50/50 on files either being one or the other. I have a small amount of files between 24/96 and 24/192 basically everything in between. Not really concerned with those just 16/44 and 24/96. If I set the oppo to 24/96 will it upsample my cd's on the way to mimby? If I set it to bitstream will it just send whatever to the mimby untouched ?


----------



## bilboda

bitstream will be untouched,mimby is a 14 bit dac,everything gets upsampled internally for processing. It is excellent at processing so bitstream is likely the best approach...


----------



## ScareDe2

Hi everyone,
I am trying to make the bimby my DAC for my tv speakers. Doesn't work. Have tried the USB and optical cable, and I tried to change the audio setting of my TV receiver to PCM as well. Doesn't work. Just above the optical output of my receiver, it says Dolby. I don't know maybe my TV receiver is only compatible with a DAC that supports it, or what. Thanks for any help.


----------



## Tuneslover (Jun 30, 2018)

ScareDe2 said:


> Hi everyone,
> I am trying to make the bimby my DAC for my tv speakers. Doesn't work. Have tried the USB and optical cable, and I tried to change the audio setting of my TV receiver to PCM as well. Doesn't work. Just above the optical output of my receiver, it says Dolby. I don't know maybe my TV receiver is only compatible with a DAC that supports it, or what. Thanks for any help.



If I understand you correctly you do not have an external amplifier and speakers.  Instead, you would like to use your cable/satellite box in conjunction with an external DAC for sound to your TV and it's internal speakers.  If that is the case, I'll take a stab at trying to help you out but hopefully others that have the setup you are trying to get to work can chime in.  Here's what I would try.  You need to go digital out of your cable/satellite box (optical or coaxial) into your Bimby.  Then run analog cables out of your Bimby into the analog input your TV (your TV will NEED to have an analog IN).  Go to your TV audio settings and ensure that you select that analog input.

If you do have an external Home Theatre receiver this is what I have done.  In order to get the best possible image to my TV I go HDMI out from my satellite receiver into my TV.  The satellite receiver HDMI audio setting is set to PCM.  Then I take the Toslink output from my TV into the Toslink input on my Schiit DAC.  Analog output from my DAC into an analog input on my Home Theatre receiver, switch HT receiver to matching analog input setting.  Switch Schiit DAC input to Toslink.


----------



## ScareDe2 (Jul 1, 2018)

Tuneslover said:


> If I understand you correctly you do not have an external amplifier and speakers.  Instead, you would like to use your cable/satellite box in conjunction with an external DAC for sound to your TV and it's internal speakers.  If that is the case, I'll take a stab at trying to help you out but hopefully others that have the setup you are trying to get to work can chime in.  Here's what I would try.  You need to go digital out of your cable/satellite box (optical or coaxial) into your Bimby.  Then run analog cables out of your Bimby into the analog input your TV (your TV will NEED to have an analog IN).  Go to your TV audio settings and ensure that you select that analog input.
> 
> If you do have an external Home Theatre receiver this is what I have done.  In order to get the best possible image to my TV I go HDMI out from my satellite receiver into my TV.  The satellite receiver HDMI audio setting is set to PCM.  Then I take the Toslink output from my TV into the Toslink input on my Schiit DAC.  Analog output from my DAC into an analog input on my Home Theatre receiver, switch HT receiver to matching analog input setting.  Switch Schiit DAC input to Toslink.



Receiver - TV - Bimby - Lyr2 - Logitech Z506.

Thank you for the help. I had a TV at home with an optical output and it worked with the Bifrost. Problem solved....

But now, for some reason I do not prefer the sound with the Bifrost in the chain. Not that it is bad, it just seems less involving. I wonder if the optical signal the TV send to the DAC is good, and I also remind that with my computer I prefered USB over optical. I am a bit puzzled as to what is the next step. For those of you interested, I got those Logitech Z506 for $40 refurbished. Great deal!

So basically I am wondering: does the optical TV output gives the same signal than the optical receiver output? Is it the same signal either way?  Thank you I am noob I know. And ReEdit: I was able to make it work with my optical receiver output, the problem was the position of the optical cable that  made it lose the signal.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

My friend bought me a Schiit Modi with his Schiit account and had it shipped directly from Schiit to my address, but it was on his Schiit account, so my name is there on the shipping address... but will Schiit honor the warranty in few years even though its in my name? Or since it is not my account the warranty is void? But the schiit website directly shows he paid for it but shipped it to me, two separate names on the order, so does that mean I get warranty on it? seems weird that I wouldn't but I just want to be safe and know yes or no.


----------



## makne

caenlenfromOCN said:


> My friend bought me a Schiit Modi with his Schiit account and had it shipped directly from Schiit to my address, but it was on his Schiit account, so my name is there on the shipping address... but will Schiit honor the warranty in few years even though its in my name? Or since it is not my account the warranty is void? But the schiit website directly shows he paid for it but shipped it to me, two separate names on the order, so does that mean I get warranty on it? seems weird that I wouldn't but I just want to be safe and know yes or no.


email them and ask


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

makne said:


> email them and ask



Yeah good idea, I just assumed someone would know


----------



## maheeinfy

Questions:
Is win10 default driver good enough or are the schiit drivers better?

What is the recommended windows output setting 16/44 or 32/192


----------



## Dana Reed

maheeinfy said:


> Questions:
> Is win10 default driver good enough or are the schiit drivers better?
> 
> What is the recommended windows output setting 16/44 or 32/192


The win10 drivers should be fine.  For the output setting, you should set it to whatever bit depth and sampling rate are for the song(s).  If you set windows to upsample everything, then you'll be using the filters from windows rather than the schiit burrito filter.  Some players, like Jriver, will automatically adjust the setting on a per-track basis.


----------



## maheeinfy

Dana Reed said:


> The win10 drivers should be fine.  For the output setting, you should set it to whatever bit depth and sampling rate are for the song(s).  If you set windows to upsample everything, then you'll be using the filters from windows rather than the schiit burrito filter.  Some players, like Jriver, will automatically adjust the setting on a per-track basis.


Thanks for the response. For music, i use Foobar and wasapi into Schiit so i think it bypasses Windows10 setting. For anything else that does not bitperfect into Schiit, what would be the recommendation?
I read in one of the earlier posts 16/44 is the setting to use for getting maximum use from burrito filter. If its true, i will just set Win10 at that setting and leave it there.


----------



## theveterans

maheeinfy said:


> Thanks for the response. For music, i use Foobar and wasapi into Schiit so i think it bypasses Windows10 setting. For anything else that does not bitperfect into Schiit, what would be the recommendation?
> I read in one of the earlier posts 16/44 is the setting to use for getting maximum use from burrito filter. If its true, i will just set Win10 at that setting and leave it there.



For bit-rates, I downsample everything to 16 bits but the sample rates are bitperfect per WASAPI foobar


----------



## maheeinfy

theveterans said:


> For bit-rates, I downsample everything to 16 bits but the sample rates are bitperfect per WASAPI foobar


Thanks. I will setup both Windows10 setting and Foobar to 16bits.


----------



## Damien Chung

How does this dac compare to the SMSL SU-8, currently on massdrop


----------



## omniweltall

maheeinfy said:


> Thanks for the response. For music, i use Foobar and wasapi into Schiit so i think it bypasses Windows10 setting. For anything else that does not bitperfect into Schiit, what would be the recommendation?
> I read in one of the earlier posts 16/44 is the setting to use for getting maximum use from burrito filter. If its true, i will just set Win10 at that setting and leave it there.


What you want is to bypass the windows driver completely using wasapi or asio. Then your windows setting wouldnt matter.


----------



## maheeinfy

omniweltall said:


> What you want is to bypass the windows driver completely using wasapi or asio. Then your windows setting wouldnt matter.


I am using wasapi, but it also has bit depth setting anywhere from 16 until 32bits. So i was wondering whats the best setting for Mimby
Also for anything thats not music, Windows setting applies. So the same question again whether 16bit/44.1 best setting on Windows.


----------



## tcellguy (Aug 20, 2018)

I just got my mimby. My chain is Audirvana Mac > Eitr > Mimby > Jotunheim > AFO.

This may sound crazy, but I'm getting some weird sound pressure sensation like inaudible high frequency similar to using Bose noise cancelling headphones despite running at low volume. This is making my ears hurt and I'm starting to get a headache.

Has anyone experienced this? Is this part of warm up / burn in?

It's definitely coming from the Mimby as removing the Eitr doesn't remove the sensation. Switching back to the DS internal DAC resolves the sensation.

Edit: I'm wondering if this is related to oversampling? I once experienced something similar using Audirvana's upsampling using the iDSD BL.

Edit 2: Seems like a false alarm. I rebooted the device based on prior comments in this thread and whatever was happening seems to have gone away.

Edit 3: Unfortunately the sensation came back. I'm getting ear pain and ringing only when using the Mimby. When I switch back to the DS balanced Jotunheim card things are fine again. However, I stopped listening yesterday and my ears are still sensitive to sounds today. I'm not listening loudly either. My iPhone decibel measuring app reports the volume at 40 - 50 db. I've never had this kind of problem before with any of my other gear other than perhaps a mild version when using the software oversampling with Audirvana+, which I stopped using. 

Any ideas? 

The Mimby sounds much more defined and forward, with greater bass impact vs. my other DACs so maybe this is just some kind of fatigue? I just don't want to damage my hearing.


----------



## Currawong

What happens if you go direct USB to the Mimby?


----------



## Darkestred

tcellguy said:


> I just got my mimby. My chain is Audirvana Mac > Eitr > Mimby > Jotunheim > AFO.
> 
> This may sound crazy, but I'm getting some weird sound pressure sensation like inaudible high frequency similar to using Bose noise cancelling headphones despite running at low volume. This is making my ears hurt and I'm starting to get a headache.
> 
> ...



I have tinnitus and i experienced something kinda similar.  Last night i heard a weird electric type noise in the background of my music.  It was very odd and i stopped listening to headphones for the night.  I have only listened to my Modi multibit 3 times (bought it last week) but never heard it prior.  It may have been nothing and it may have been just the track.  If i recall i played a different album and it wasn't there but i called it a night, either way.


----------



## tcellguy (Aug 27, 2018)

Currawong said:


> What happens if you go direct USB to the Mimby?



I still get the same issue going directly USB into the Mimby at least with AFO, Emu Teak and M50x. I’m using the iFI iUSB nano. I took that out of the chain last night and didn’t really hear an improvement. I rebooted the Mimby again and then tried my HD6XX with less fatigue and ear ringing. Maybe still treble related.

 Sound quality wise this DAC is a major improvement over the DS Jotunheim DAC so I’m still hoping that I can get used to it. 

It’s very strange, it feels like there might be something coming in above 20 kHz that’s causing this sensation because it feels like an audible pressure.


----------



## Pahani

Very strange. I'm using PC USB -> Wyrd -> Mimby -> Jotunheim and can't say I've ever experienced the problems you're having. I've had my Mimby almost since they were released, and leave it on 24/7.

Actually, I fibbed. Output from Mimby goes through my Stax amps first (because they have parallel outputs and you can daisy-chain them) and the chain ends at my Jot.


----------



## Currawong

tcellguy said:


> I still get the same issue going directly USB into the Mimby at least with AFO



Audirvana Plus isn't up-sampling is it? Bit of a long shot, but it shouldn't be. 

I reckon contact Schiit though. That's just too weird.


----------



## tcellguy (Aug 27, 2018)

Pahani said:


> Very strange. I'm using PC USB -> Wyrd -> Mimby -> Jotunheim and can't say I've ever experienced the problems you're having. I've had my Mimby almost since they were released, and leave it on 24/7.
> 
> Actually, I fibbed. Output from Mimby goes through my Stax amps first (because they have parallel outputs and you can daisy-chain them) and the chain ends at my Jot.




Thanks. I really like the Jotuheim and have found it to be very revealing but never too bright / etched / etc. I've had my Mimby powered up for a week, but it still seems really bright. I thought the Dragonfly Red Sabre DAC was bright, but my Mimby sounds much brighter to me.

Is the Mimby supposed to be a "warm" sounding DAC? That was the impressions that I got from the forum. However, to my ear this is the brightest DAC I've ever heard. I'm A/Bing with the iFI iDSD BL right now running the Eitr coax into the BL vs. running Eitr > Mimby SE > iDSD BL 3.5 mm in to take the Jotunheim out of the chain. I'm still getting the same effects when using the Mimby fed into the BL: much brighter signature, pressure on the ears, mild pain. The Mimby sounds more revealing and with greater bass impact vs. the Burr Brown chips in the BL, while the BL DAC sounds a much warmer and less fatiguing.

Perhaps I'm just not used to this level of detail from the Mimby? Maybe I've just hit my treble threshold. It sounds great, but I just find it fatiguing very fast.


----------



## Tuneslover

Darkestred said:


> I have tinnitus and i experienced something kinda similar.  Last night i heard a weird electric type noise in the background of my music.  It was very odd and i stopped listening to headphones for the night.  I have only listened to my Modi multibit 3 times (bought it last week) but never heard it prior.  It may have been nothing and it may have been just the track.  If i recall i played a different album and it wasn't there but i called it a night, either way.



Try turning off your Mimby for a few seconds and then turn it on again...maybe that'll clear it up,


----------



## riffrafff

Tuneslover said:


> Try turning off your Mimby for a few seconds and then turn it on again...maybe that'll clear it up,



That worked for me once, too.


----------



## Darkestred

Tuneslover said:


> Try turning off your Mimby for a few seconds and then turn it on again...maybe that'll clear it up,



Thanks.  Not sure if that worked or I was hearing things or, what but i dont hear it, anymore


----------



## cyclops214

Darkestred said:


> Thanks.  Not sure if that worked or I was hearing things or, what but i dont hear it, anymore


Don't worry you're not going crazy It was actually there It happens to me Every once in a while The fix Just Turn on and off the device.


----------



## mcgo

While I was still using my multibit, the underwater garbling issue on the left channel (which as far as I can tell, has been a known problem since the units first shipped) got so bad for me that I actually had a stand-by track from Cliff Martinez (first track on The Foreigner) that I would play occasionally in a listening session to make sure the device was working properly.  When the garbling was happening it was very easy to identify while listening to the first few seconds of that track.  Then after a couple of months it became very apparent that my TDA1543 based dacs are actually able to pull out far more resolution than the multibit ever could.  Something that I later discovered was probably due to a firmware bug which may or may not be fixed in newer units.  Sad really.


----------



## tcellguy

Turns out I had some ground loop or something. When I plugged the Mimby into a dedicated power outlet and not the same power strip as the Jot the pressure / high frequency sensation went away. Also it now sounds way less bright. I must have been generating some high frequency interference and then amplifying it. 

Thanks for all the suggestions.


----------



## cobyatch

tcellguy said:


> Turns out I had some ground loop or something. When I plugged the Mimby into a dedicated power outlet and not the same power strip as the Jot the pressure / high frequency sensation went away. Also it now sounds way less bright. I must have been generating some high frequency interference and then amplifying it.
> 
> Thanks for all the suggestions.



I was actually experiencing the same problem and came to this thread to see if anyone else was too haha. My darker headphones like the M1060 and HD6XX sound fine but when I plug in my TH-X00 or Andromedas I start getting headaches, yet while using them on my other devices were fine. Will be sure to give this a try in the morning.


----------



## tcellguy

cobyatch said:


> I was actually experiencing the same problem and came to this thread to see if anyone else was too haha. My darker headphones like the M1060 and HD6XX sound fine but when I plug in my TH-X00 or Andromedas I start getting headaches, yet while using them on my other devices were fine. Will be sure to give this a try in the morning.



Yeah, I've never experienced anything like it. That sensation is 100% gone now and the DAC sounds like everyone describes it - amazing. I had to play around with different wall sockets to plug it in and also removed the iFi iUSB 3.0 nano from the chain and then everything calmed down. In my case my Jotunheim has an intermittent hum / ground loop or something. If the Jotunheim is plugged in and off I can still get a hum in another connected amp on the same outlet when touching the Jotunheim. I have no training in electronics so this is new to me, but I'm happy that I've fixed it for now. Currently I have the Jot and Eitr on the same Belkin power strip surge protector and the Mimby in the other socket of the same outlet. I feel like this shouldn't have done anything, but the difference was immediately noticeable.

My only guess as to what was happening was that I had some minimally audible high frequency interference that was being generated and leading to a brighter sound signature that was immediately fatiguing.

More generally, I'm very impressed with this DAC and the combination with the Eitr really makes a difference. This combination has a much lower noise floor and larger sound stage than when using the iFi iUSB 3.0 nano. I still like the AK4490 Jotunheim balanced DAC, but this current setup is an overall significant improvement.


----------



## cobyatch

Wow you're right, I could immediately tell that the sound wasn't overly bright anymore. Have my Andromedas in and enjoying them so much, the soundstage is crazy wide now compared to my phone. Thanks for that! Would've never guessed my battery backup to be the problem, had no problems before with other DACs/amps.


----------



## tcellguy

It took me like two weeks to figure out. Maybe this DAC is really sensitive to power source.


----------



## cobrabucket (Sep 22, 2018)

Hey y'all. Just received my Mimby today. Very impressed so far. Has better bass than my SMSL SU-8. This is my first taste of Multibit. Digging it!


----------



## riffrafff

tcellguy said:


> It took me like two weeks to figure out. Maybe this DAC is really sensitive to power source.



I tried my Mimby on an APC BR1500G UPS...didn't care for the sound.  Might be better on a true sine-wave UPS/AVR, though. 




cobrabucket said:


> Hey y'all. Just received my Mimby today. Very impressed so far. Has better bass than my SMSL SU-8. This is the best DAC I have heard. [This is my first taste of Multibit]. Might have to update my signature...



I like my Mimby waay more than the AK4490 DAC I was using.


----------



## mixolyd

Are you guys running your Mimby’s from unattenuated i.e. bit perfect sources?

I went through the best part of two years of returning Mimby’s for repair as they kept developing this issue of overdriving on loud tracks when given full volume input.  In the end the distributor claimed that it was user error - that the Mimby wasn’t designed to receive full volume input and was therefore incompatible with bit perfect operation as well as devices that don’t allow control of source volume (e.g. optical out of smart TVs).

I eventually gave up and took a refund instead of going through yet another repair and disappointment, but I’ve been looking around for an alternative DAC and really don’t see much that I like - Mimby was really good when it worked!


----------



## tcellguy

Weird. Mine likes Audirvana as much as iTunes


----------



## BrotherKathos

I just got my mimby today. Have not really got into it much yet, bu initial impressions are not bad. What bit rates do these things support? I thought i read somewhere they only do up to 48k, but in the windows sound settings it definitely gives you the option of higher.


----------



## jimmers

BrotherKathos said:


> I just got my mimby today. Have not really got into it much yet, bu initial impressions are not bad. What bit rates do these things support? I thought i read somewhere they only do up to 48k, but in the windows sound settings it definitely gives you the option of higher.


From the product page:
Sample Rates and Bit Depths: 16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB, Coax, and Optical


----------



## BrotherKathos

jimmers said:


> From the product page:
> Sample Rates and Bit Depths: 16/44.1 to 24/192 via USB, Coax, and Optical



Hah!  Thanks for that. Shows how much research I did myself before I bought it hehe.


----------



## BrotherKathos

I should be listening to it right now, but cant pull myself away from my Topping D50, JDS Labs EL Amp, and Audeze LCD-2C setup right now.


----------



## cobrabucket

Early impressions are good. Killer low end! I think that I'll definitely use this for most 16-bit files. However, my mind's not made up on Hi-Res files. Think my SMSL SU-8 might be slightly better for this. I do have both my Windows and Foobar settings @ 16-bit for the Mimby. This is optimal, right?


----------



## jimmers (Sep 22, 2018)

cobrabucket said:


> Early impressions are good. Killer low end! I think that I'll definitely use this for most 16-bit files. However, my mind's not made up on Hi-Res files. Think my SMSL SU-8 might be slightly better for this. I do have both my Windows and Foobar settings @ 16-bit for the Mimby. This is optimal, right?


It will accept 24 bit data and the upsampling filter DSP uses 32 bit maths before rounding down to 16 bit for the DAC chip, so it should input as native res up to 24/192.


----------



## gvl2016

Mimby isn't really a good fit for hi-res.


----------



## cobrabucket

jimmers said:


> It will accept 24 bit data and the upsampling filter DSP uses 32 bit maths before rounding down to 16 bit for the DAC chip, so it should input as native res up to 24/192.





gvl2016 said:


> Mimby isn't really a good fit for hi-res.



These seem like conflicting viewpoints...?
And are my settings optimal?


----------



## gvl2016

It will play hires, but it doesn't make it a good fit for it given it's a 16 bit device that already struggles to deliver full 16 bit resolution.


----------



## jimmers (Sep 22, 2018)

cobrabucket said:


> These seem like conflicting viewpoints...?
> And are my settings optimal?





gvl2016 said:


> It will play hires, but it doesn't make it a good fit for it given it's a 16 bit device that already struggles to deliver full 16 bit resolution.


If you want the steady state sine wave measurement numbers you can get with DS DACs and "hi res" files then Mimby is not a "good fit".

If on the other hand you have a Mimby and you have some "hi res" files then it's best to use them in their natural state.
Truncating/rounding/dithering 24 bit files down to 16 bits and losing precision before doing 32 bit maths on them doesn't seem like a great idea even if they are going to be rounded down to 16 bits for the DAC to convert to analog.


----------



## gvl2016 (Sep 22, 2018)

Can someone enlighten me what "rounded down" means exactly? This really sounds like a euphemism for truncation. Did the dithering recently added to the Yggdrasil DSP trickled down to Modi as well?


----------



## cobrabucket

So, yes, I should use the 16-bit settings and play 16-bit files with the Mimby and leave the Hi-res and DSD to my SU-8 DS DAC, correct? This is what I think sounds best and just want to confirm that this is the consensus. Thanks.


----------



## gvl2016

Sounds like a good plan. You can send 16 bit data as 24 bits to Modi, they will be padded with 0s , no harm is done. Naturally you want to use ASIO or WASAPI for bit accurate output to the DAC.


----------



## cobrabucket

gvl2016 said:


> Sounds like a good plan. You can send 16 bit data as 24 bits to Modi, they will be padded with 0s , no harm is done. Naturally you want to use ASIO or WASAPI for bit accurate output to the DAC.


Word.


----------



## jimmers (Sep 22, 2018)

gvl2016 said:


> Can someone enlighten me what "rounded down" means exactly? This really sounds like a euphemism for truncation. Did the dithering recently added to the Yggdrasil DSP trickled down to Modi as well?


I was meaning *rounded* (down to 16 bits)  as opposed to (*rounded down*), to 16 bits.
Hope the bold and brackets clarify 


gvl2016 said:


> Sounds like a good plan. You can send 16 bit data as 24 bits to Modi, they will be padded with 0s , no harm is done. Naturally you want to use ASIO or WASAPI for bit accurate output to the DAC.


----------



## rutter

Have to compliment the Mimby. Remarkably I made the right decision going back to it down from a $1000 more expensive Gumby, for the time being at least. It's more energetic and there's a certain seeming clarity to it. Sounds better than DACs that come in more expensive combos than the Mimby + Jotunheim I'm using. Great value. At this point I'm actually afraid of Schiit going after my ears- many people have ended up reporting noise from Jotunheims and reading this Mimby + Jotunheim incident from the past few pages has me uneasy. Who knows what ear ringing may be due to. But otherwise the Mimby is a notable and impressive DAC. Selling off a Gumby and rebuying a Mimby is one of the biggest compliments you can give it, although it's the opposite for the Gumby.


----------



## BrotherKathos

rutter said:


> Have to compliment the Mimby. Remarkably I made the right decision going back to it down from a $1000 more expensive Gumby, for the time being at least. It's more energetic and there's a certain seeming clarity to it. Sounds better than DACs that come in more expensive combos than the Mimby + Jotunheim I'm using. Great value. At this point I'm actually afraid of Schiit going after my ears- many people have ended up reporting noise from Jotunheims and reading this Mimby + Jotunheim incident from the past few pages has me uneasy. Who knows what ear ringing may be due to. But otherwise the Mimby is a notable and impressive DAC. Selling off a Gumby and rebuying a Mimby is one of the biggest compliments you can give it, although it's the opposite for the Gumby.



they just announced the modi 3.  I wonder if there will be a multibit modi3 change? I jusy got mine yesterday, but honestly right now I doubt I’d care if they did. I finnally found a dac and headphones set I liked with the magni 3.  For me the HD6XX, Mimby, and magni 3 works great together. Great little schiits for my bedside to hook to my laptop.  ery satisfyed so far. I have not noticed any of the poping or static issues that has plagued other waspi enabled dacs yet either which is a plus.  

Does anyone know if there are any ASIO drivers for the Mimby?


----------



## mixolyd

tcellguy said:


> Weird. Mine likes Audirvana as much as iTunes


Do you play them at full software volume?  I found that whenever I got a repaired unit it could only handle full volume for a few months at best before it would start overdriving on thick sounding tracks.


----------



## XERO1

BrotherKathos said:


> they just announced the modi 3.  I wonder if there will be a multibit modi3 change? I jusy got mine yesterday, but honestly right now I doubt I’d care if they did. I finnally found a dac and headphones set I liked with the magni 3.
> 
> Does anyone know if there are any ASIO drivers for the Mimby?


Jason posted that there are no plans to update the Mimby anytime soon.  Only the Modi 2 & Modi 2 Uber were in need of a refresh.


----------



## BrotherKathos

XERO1 said:


> Jason posted that there are no plans to update the Mimby anytime soon.  Only the Modi 2 & Modi 2 Uber were in need of a refresh.



Thanks for that. I had a feeling that would be the case. I’ve been listening to the magni 3 Mimby stack wih my HDXX all day and Imhave to say I’m finally pleased. I very much like this pairing. I dont see how people could even use the high gain setting on the magni 3 without extremely hard to drive headphones like some super low sensitivity 600 ohm ones.  I’ve got my 300ohm hdxx on low gain and dont like it above 9:00 for long listening intervals.
Seems like a recipe for hearing loss imo for anything higher.


----------



## rutter

Sensitivity tends to be more important than impedance when it comes to how hard a headphone is to drive. An HD650 I drove easily with a laptop, whereas an HE400i would be a different story and I've seen it claimed that the Susvara needs a nuclear reactor. It's not about planar magnetic either. The Hifiman Edition X/Ananda and LCD-X are among the easiest to drive headphones. Some of the lower impedance Focals should be harder to drive than the HD650 too.


----------



## BrotherKathos

rutter said:


> Sensitivity tends to be more important than impedance when it comes to how hard a headphone is to drive. An HD650 I drove easily with a laptop, whereas an HE400i would be a different story and I've seen it claimed that the Susvara needs a nuclear reactor. It's not about planar magnetic either. The Hifiman Edition X/Ananda and LCD-X are among the easiest to drive headphones. Some of the lower impedance Focals should be harder to drive than the HD650 too.



I agree with you a on sensitivity. People often forget that just a 3 db drop in sensitivity will result in needing double the power to reach the same volume. my he-400i is 35 ohm or so but at 93 db sensitivity it is harder to drive than my hdxx at 300ohm.


----------



## BrotherKathos

i still prefered low gain on my 400i with the magni 3 though. high gain was too much POWA


----------



## tcellguy

mixolyd said:


> Do you play them at full software volume?  I found that whenever I got a repaired unit it could only handle full volume for a few months at best before it would start overdriving on thick sounding tracks.


iTunes full volume with no problems. Audirvana doesn’t have an intrinsic volume when connected to the Mimby.


----------



## joeexp

gvl2016 said:


> Mimby isn't really a good fit for hi-res.



Nonsense - 
Please Explain why!


----------



## gvl2016

joeexp said:


> Nonsense -
> Please Explain why!



I have already, scroll up.


----------



## rutter

Layman's terms and specifics on where the line is drawn?


----------



## gvl2016 (Sep 23, 2018)

A 24 bit sample can have 2^24=16,777,216 discrete levels, Modi can only realize 2^16=65,536 discrete levels. Some information will inevitably be lost. Do you care? Do you hear? It is for you to decide.


----------



## rutter

Do you? By the way, I thought Schiit does a lot of boasting about how well they do things?


----------



## gvl2016 (Sep 23, 2018)

I don't normally listen to hi res and I no longer have the Modi. It would have bothered me to listen to 24 bit material through a 16 bit appliance, especially if this was music that I paid extra for the additional bits in it .


----------



## rutter

...Isn't the Yggdrasil like 20 bits, and even one of the only devices that truly goes that high? Something isn't adding up. Someone help me out with the math.

What is Spotify's hi-res going to be?


----------



## gvl2016

We are taking about the Modi here. The Yggdrasil is naturally better, I'd probably be ok with it for hi-res now that they are dithering in DSP (or at least I think so). 20 vs 24 bits is very close, 16 vs 24 not so much .


----------



## gvl2016 (Sep 23, 2018)

Spotify hi-res is vaporware . They can't even make their app bit-accurate.


----------



## rutter

gvl2016 said:


> We are taking about the Modi here. The Yggdrasil is naturally better, I'd probably be ok with it for hi-res now that they are dithering in DSP (or at least I think so). 20 vs 24 bits is very close, 16 vs 24 not so much .



Dude, you seem to be claiming that the Yggy, which Schiit claims is very advanced in general, doesn't quite reach up to hi-res either.


----------



## gvl2016

rutter said:


> Dude, you seem to be claiming that the Yggy, which Schiit claims is very advanced in general, doesn't quite reach up to hi-res either.



Welcome to reality, buddy.


----------



## rutter

I'd love to read some of the responses. *grabs popcorn*


----------



## BrotherKathos

rutter said:


> I'd love to read some of the responses. *grabs popcorn*


nom nom nom


----------



## gvl2016

The show is long over, it has been demonstrated by a couple of independent sources the original Yggy wasn't handing hi res properly, due to word truncation and what not. Presumably Schiit finally corrected these issues in the latest DSP, so things are hopefully better now.


----------



## rutter

Wow... so does Schiit blow a lot of smoke on their product pages?


----------



## gvl2016

rutter said:


> Wow... so does Schiit blow a lot of smoke on their product pages?



Smoke? No. It's called marketing.


----------



## rutter

And here I thought they were being boldly honest.


----------



## gvl2016

To be fair, the Yggdrasil has never been promoted for hires afaik.


----------



## BrotherKathos

rutter said:


> And here I thought they were being boldly honest.


To be fair to schiit, they do not mention anything about high res files on their yggy psge that i could find. Only talks about bit perfect music reprodution with up to 21 bits of resolution without the guesswork of delta sigma dacs. Delta sigma dacs are not true 24 or 32bit dacs either as they reproduce the signal as an approximation above and below the sine wave almost like a pmw power supply. hope this helps you.


----------



## rutter (Sep 23, 2018)

Schiit said:
			
		

> How can this possibly be better than, say, the Arglebargle $15,000 DAC when this is so much less expensive?
> Because the Arglebargle was most likely designed to the expectations of today, using commonly available parts in a super-fancy case, while we started with a clean sheet of paper.
> 
> But the Arglebargle has like twelve 32-bit DACs in it! Yours only has 21 bits! Hell, that’s not a full 24 bits even! What about my 24-bit recordings?
> ...



Not to mention other parts, including on the first tab, seem to claim that other DACs tamper with music somehow. So no, you're definitely not being fair about what they claim. What gvl is claiming is that presumably those other DACs are better for hi-res music. Someone is wrong. There's no *****-footing around this. Hell, going back to the Mimby, doesn't he suggest some other relatively inexpensive DAC for hi-res music? And yes, just because they don't mention "hi-res" that means the Yggy isn't meant to match other DACs in reproducing quality. Please stop. We've just gone from a $15000 DAC from the Schiit product page to some alternative to the Mimby for 24-bit music. Not in the mood for nonsense.


----------



## rutter

gvl2016 said:


> To be fair, the Yggdrasil has never been promoted for hires afaik.



Which part of other DACs actually having 19.5 bits of real resolution did you miss?


----------



## Dana Reed

All this highres vs redbook, multibit vs DS talk has led me to buy a bunch of DACs of both types, and try some blind testing.  With my 45 year-old metalhead ears, none of this makes that much difference.  I spent a bunch of time comparing a DX7s vs Jotunheim internal 4490 vs Gumby on both headphones like DT880, GS2000e, LCD2 and on my magnepan speakers.  I failed every ABX test trying to distinguish the DACs once level matching was done, and also couldn't tell 192/24 songs from the same source files downsampled to 44/16.  
I think people can fool themselves into thinking one thing or another sounds better or worse in sighted listening tests either because they want to like multibit, or because they saw some AP measurements.  For me, differences between different transducers and amps are order of magnitude higher than the DAC or high res file choice.


----------



## rutter

Well, having had experience with the internal multibit DAC of the Jotunheim, Mimby, and Gumby I think I'd be able to tell them apart, and I think the Mimby is importantly better than the internal "Mimby" of the Jot that Mike Moffat warns of in a Facebook video. My problem is that the five-times more expensive Gumby, while perhaps moderately better in separation, imaging, and soundstage sounded less "engaging" to me than the Mimby and I ultimately deemed it a waste of money (in the future I might revisit a "second" version, consider an Yggy, or go elsewhere). I also definitely think that the Mimby is better than the DAC inside the Questyle CMA400i, which I used with the Jotunheim bypassing the internal amp.


----------



## BrotherKathos

rutter said:


> Not to mention other parts, including on the first tab, seem to claim that other DACs tamper with music somehow. So no, you're definitely not being fair about what they claim. What gvl is claiming is that presumably those other DACs are better for hi-res music. Someone is wrong. There's no *****-footing around this. Hell, going back to the Mimby, doesn't he suggest some other relatively inexpensive DAC for hi-res music? And yes, just because they don't mention "hi-res" that means the Yggy isn't meant to match other DACs in reproducing quality. Please stop. We've just gone from a $15000 DAC from the Schiit product page to some alternative to the Mimby for 24-bit music. Not in the mood for nonsense.



I’ve got a mimby and a topping d50 and smsl su8 and can’t really tell much of a difference with them. mimby might be a tad smoother up top, but that is something i’ve not really tried to detect. I can notice a difference with head amps though as when o level match the magni 3 and o2 amp at a very low volume, the magni 3 is noticeably brighter to the point where i barely hear the bass instruments compared to the guitar on pat methehy recordings. this is on a pair of he-400i. Amps i notice, dacs not so much from my experience.


----------



## Dana Reed

rutter said:


> Well, having had experience with the internal multibit DAC of the Jotunheim, Mimby, and Gumby I think I'd be able to tell them apart, and I think the Mimby is importantly better than the internal "Mimby" of the Jot that Mike Moffat warns of in a Facebook video. My problem is that the five-times more expensive Gumby, while perhaps moderately better in separation, imaging, and soundstage sounded less "engaging" to me than the Mimby and I ultimately deemed it a waste of money (in the future I might revisit a "second" version, consider an Yggy, or go elsewhere). I also definitely think that the Mimby is better than the DAC inside the Questyle CMA400i, which I used with the Jotunheim bypassing the internal amp.


Don't get me wrong, I don't regret getting this gear to test myself, because I have end use locations for all this stuff.  The Gumby sits with the Freya and 2 Vidar running the Magnepans, the DX7s sits at my work either running some headphones directly or feeding a Lyr2 or Magni3 for other more demanding ones, and the Jot sits in the living room to drive headphones when I can't crank up the maggies.  I'm just thinking my bank acct and spouse will be glad that I've found that I don't need to chase something better on the horizon any more.


----------



## Currawong (Sep 23, 2018)

DACs essentially cannot reproduce the equivalent of more than 21 bits of resolution (and rarely even 20-bit equivalent) due to the physical limitation of electronic components.*

What is a "bit" in audio terms anyway?

Digital numbers are basically base 2 values. So "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10" becomes "1, 10, 11, 100, 101, 110, 111, 1000, 1001, 1010". Each digit is a "bit", so 16 bits equals up to 16 digits, from "0000000000000000" to "1111111111111111". Knowing that each added bit doubles the numbers (a factor of 2, whereas in regular base 10 maths, each bit/numeral multiples the available numbers by a factor of 10) 16 bits gives us 65,536 values. 24 bits gives us 16,777,216 values. These values are the maximum number of levels of sound available to record digital audio in a 16-bit and 24-bit file respectively.

Volume is measured in dB, and in a file, in -dB. That is, starting at -0db (maximum volume) each bit describes how many levels, in 6dB increments, below maximum volume (-0dB) we have to work with. That means -96dB for a 16-bit file, and -144dB for a 24-bit file. Below about -120dB you begin to hit the physical limitations of electronics, so about 20-21 bits of resolution are the physical maximum.

Dithering allows 16-bits to reproduce audio below its -96dB limit, but that's another discussion.

The Modi Multibit uses a 16-bit DAC. Measurements show that it starts to lose the ability to resolve small signals at -90dB, so anything higher res than that, eg: a 24-bit file, is simply a complete waste of time to use with it. In my own listening, through various high-end amps, you can make out the distortion from it quite easily. With cheap amps, up to about the Lyr 3, it doesn't have any very audible detrimental effect. With a Vali 2 or CTH, you just wont notice. It actually sounds nice. With the new Lyr 3 it's pretty good too.

The DACs in the Schiit multi-bit line are industrial DACs, as has already been explained. I'm guessing that the specific purpose of these DACs is for applications such as fine motor control, where output voltages are constant (and wont run into the low-signal-level issues that occur in audio applications) and the output has to be exact.

Something I might try is seeing if I still can use software that will output a pre-dithered signal to the Mimby and see if that improves things. IIRC Mike doesn't use dithering on any of his multi-bit DACs (otherwise he wouldn't be able to say that they are processing the original digital values) but it might improve the low-level linearity.

*Measuring equipment gets around this in various ways, but that's another thing altogether.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Currawong said:


> DACs essentially cannot reproduce the equivalent of more than 21 bits of resolution (and rarely even 20-bit equivalent) due to the physical limitation of electronic components.*
> 
> What is a "bit" in audio terms anyway?
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. It was very interesting and informative.


----------



## rutter

Currawong said:


> DACs essentially cannot reproduce the equivalent of more than 21 bits of resolution (and rarely even 20-bit equivalent) due to the physical limitation of electronic components.*
> 
> What is a "bit" in audio terms anyway?
> 
> ...



So the Yggy handles hi-res music as well as anything out there or is there misleading by omission going on?

You mention distortion with the Mimby. Is this the kind of distortion that is detrimental to hearing or?


----------



## cobrabucket

Wow! Thanks for all the insight! I have been using 16-bit files with the Modi Multibit and Hi-Res and DSD with the SU-8. To my ears, at least, this seems to sound the best with the equipment I currently own. BTW, been thinking about getting a tube headphone amp and am currently leaning towards a Project Ember. Any thoughts?


----------



## Currawong (Sep 24, 2018)

rutter said:


> So the Yggy handles hi-res music as well as anything out there or is there misleading by omission going on?
> 
> You mention distortion with the Mimby. Is this the kind of distortion that is detrimental to hearing or?



Nothing misleading. I recall the original Yggy truncating the last 4 bits, so I guess the Analog 2 does the same, since the DAC is only 20 bit. Mike has posted about it.

As for the Mimby, if I A/B it with the Yggy, for example, female vocals sound a bit wobbly from it in a way that reminds me a bit of old MP3 files. Just to emphasis, this is in comparison on a high-end amp. It's not something I notice so readily otherwise, especially not through a Magni 3 or Vali 2.


----------



## rutter (Sep 24, 2018)

Does the Yggy having more "real" bits of resolution than most other DACs mean it is as capable or more with hi-res music, even though other DACs can be advertised as having up to 32 bits? Or is there more to the story that Schiit didn't deem relevant? Come on now, look at what is written on the product page rather than refer to something in a post somewhere.



			
				Schiit said:
			
		

> How can this possibly be better than, say, the Arglebargle $15,000 DAC when this is so much less expensive?
> Because the Arglebargle was most likely designed to the expectations of today, using commonly available parts in a super-fancy case, while we started with a clean sheet of paper.
> 
> But the Arglebargle has like twelve 32-bit DACs in it! Yours only has 21 bits! Hell, that’s not a full 24 bits even! What about my 24-bit recordings?
> ...




My concern with distortion is an association with hearing and headphone damage. I would expect the Mimby to be worse in terms of sound quality.


----------



## Currawong

Hearing damage is connected with excessive exposure to high sound pressure levels. Whatever "Schiit didn't deem relevant" is something best asked to Jason or Mike directly.   Everything else is too off-topic for this thread and gets very complex very fast, but ultimately comes down to technical accuracy versus a more euphoric sound.


----------



## joeexp

gvl2016 said:


> A 24 bit sample can have 2^24=16,777,216 discrete levels, Modi can only realize 2^16=65,536 discrete levels. Some information will inevitably be lost. Do you care? Do you hear? It is for you to decide.



The dynamic range of a 24-bit ADC is *144dB!*
Cleary shows, that you haven't got a clue.


----------



## gvl2016

joeexp said:


> The dynamic range of a 24-bit ADC is *144dB!*
> Cleary shows, that you haven't got a clue.



Enlighten me, please.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Agreed. I don't even get into the debates anymore. I've been through some blind testing as well. It really woke me up to reality. I'm 43, and been in the construction field for the last 25 years, and my ears are probably as good as yours. 
I failed miserably trying to distinguish between FLAC vs 24/192 vs 16/44. Same with Tidal vs Spotify. Paid $20 a month thinking I had the best streaming fidelity. Blind test cured that. Lol. 


Dana Reed said:


> All this highres vs redbook, multibit vs DS talk has led me to buy a bunch of DACs of both types, and try some blind testing.  With my 45 year-old metalhead ears, none of this makes that much difference.  I spent a bunch of time comparing a DX7s vs Jotunheim internal 4490 vs Gumby on both headphones like DT880, GS2000e, LCD2 and on my magnepan speakers.  I failed every ABX test trying to distinguish the DACs once level matching was done, and also couldn't tell 192/24 songs from the same source files downsampled to 44/16.
> I think people can fool themselves into thinking one thing or another sounds better or worse in sighted listening tests either because they want to like multibit, or because they saw some AP measurements.  For me, differences between different transducers and amps are order of magnitude higher than the DAC or high res file choice.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Guidostrunk said:


> Agreed. I don't even get into the debates anymore. I've been through some blind testing as well. It really woke me up to reality. I'm 43, and been in the construction field for the last 25 years, and my ears are probably as good as yours.
> I failed miserably trying to distinguish between FLAC vs 24/192 vs 16/44. Same with Tidal vs Spotify. Paid $20 a month thinking I had the best streaming fidelity. Blind test cured that. Lol.



You might have some hearing loss from the construction job, or the files you listened to in high res vs standard were not mastered well. I can absolutely hear a difference between some high res and regular files. One in particular is Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. I have both CD and High res flac, and there is an immediately noticeable change in the bass line of the track between the two. The high res file has way more separation in the bass line where the reg bleeds together. I had a friend test be by playing both files randomly  while i just had my eyes closed. He would play the reg file a couple of times in a row then switch to high res and then back again. I could pick out the high res one every time since I was focused on that one specific part of the bass line. Very easy.   High res makes a difference if you have the ears and equipment to benefit from it.


----------



## jimmers

BrotherKathos said:


> ... I can absolutely hear a difference between some high res and regular files. One in particular is Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon. I have both CD and High res flac, and there is an immediately noticeable change in the bass line of the track between the two. The high res file has way more separation in the bass line where the reg bleeds together. I had a friend test be by playing both files randomly  while i just had my eyes closed. He would play the reg file a couple of times in a row then switch to high res and then back again. I could pick out the high res one every time since I was focused on that one specific part of the bass line. Very easy.   High res makes a difference if you have the ears and equipment to benefit from it.


Did you try downsampling the high res version (Rhino 192kHz-24bit?) and comparing it to the high res so you could be sure they used the same master?


----------



## BrotherKathos

jimmers said:


> Did you try downsampling the high res version (Rhino 192kHz-24bit?) and comparing it to the high res so you could be sure they used the same master?



No, so as you suspect it could be a difference in the master and not the resolution that I'm hearing. I just wanted to point out I do hear a difference in some high res vs standard files, for whatever reason that may be.


----------



## Dana Reed

BrotherKathos said:


> No, so as you suspect it could be a difference in the master and not the resolution that I'm hearing. I just wanted to point out I do hear a difference in some high res vs standard files, for whatever reason that may be.


Yes, that’s been my experience.  It’s easy to tell my old CDs apart from hires purchases, but they are different masters.  When I downsample the hires tracks, I can’t tell them apart


----------



## BrotherKathos

Dana Reed said:


> Yes, that’s been my experience.  It’s easy to tell my old CDs apart from hires purchases, but they are different masters.  When I downsample the hires tracks, I can’t tell them apart



I think the lower res files should in theory only have less dynamic range, making them sound more like you have the night mode on your stereo vs actual content perceived. The best way to test is to listen to them at very low volumes and try to see if parts of the song drop out of audible range with the high res vs low res at the same volume setting.


----------



## BrotherKathos

I've been listening to the mimby and then going over and listening to my su-8 is 4x dsd and honestly cant tell a difference in content, just the headphones and amps are the things i notice. Dacs not so much. I've A/B switched within milliseconds of eath other on the same amp and speakers between a Audioengine D1 and my 20 year old Krell preamp and could not tell any difference what so ever. None at all.


----------



## riffrafff

BrotherKathos said:


> I've A/B switched within milliseconds of eath other on the same amp and speakers between a Audioengine D1 and my 20 year old Krell preamp and could not tell any difference what so ever. None at all.



I, _personally_ (I must emphasize), don't hear much if any difference in A/B-ing my 4490 DAC and my Mimby.  But for longer listening sessions, I find myself preferring the Mimby.


----------



## Slashn77

I recently got a Mimby and have heard conflicting reports that some say it should be on 24/7 and others say 2-3 hours to get up to temp 

I only listen to music about 2-3 days a week so I don’t want to keep it running if I don’t have to. Maybe in the morning for the evening or something


----------



## BrotherKathos

Slashn77 said:


> I recently got a Mimby and have heard conflicting reports that some say it should be on 24/7 and others say 2-3 hours to get up to temp
> 
> I only listen to music about 2-3 days a week so I don’t want to keep it running if I don’t have to. Maybe in the morning for the evening or something



If you do leave it on, I recommend putting a small 80 or 120mm usb fan near it bc the little schiit gets hot!  Mine actually melted indented holes into my night stand. I was like What!? melted the finish down to the bare wood.....


----------



## Wes S (Oct 4, 2018)

BrotherKathos said:


> If you do leave it on, I recommend putting a small 80 or 120mm usb fan near it bc the little schiit gets hot!  Mine actually melted indented holes into my night stand. I was like What!? melted the finish down to the bare wood.....


I leave mine on all the time and it is only warm to the touch.  I believe the 24 hour mark is when it sounds good.  After 50 hours, I thought it sounded amazing and has not been turned off since.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Wes S said:


> I leave mine on all the time and it is only warm to the touch.  I believe the 24 hour mark is when it sounds good.  After 50 hours, I thought it sounded amazing and has not been turned off since.



pick it up and hold your finger to the underchassis. But dont say i didnt warn you.


----------



## tcellguy

BrotherKathos said:


> If you do leave it on, I recommend putting a small 80 or 120mm usb fan near it bc the little schiit gets hot!  Mine actually melted indented holes into my night stand. I was like What!? melted the finish down to the bare wood.....



Just put an Eitr under the Mimby and all will be fine


----------



## riffrafff

Meh.  My Mimby is on 24/7, with a SYS on top, and two Schiit components on each side.  It's barely warm (top _or_ bottom).


----------



## BrotherKathos

riffrafff said:


> Meh.  My Mimby is on 24/7, with a SYS on top, and two Schiit components on each side.  It's barely warm (top _or_ bottom).


I wonder if i should upload a pic of the holes my mimby melted into my nightstand? This seems to not be normal then? I'd say even on the side of my chassis its not just barely warm, but noticeably warm. I even used it as a hand warmer a few times before my heat kicked on in these cold north eastern fall temps.


----------



## BrotherKathos

or maybe its some kind of issue with the rubber feet sticking to the finish and causing some kind of bonding? I noticed it bc I needed to move the unit ant the thing was stuck to my night stand. When I finally wiggled it loose, there were the holes it left, whether from melting in or something else? Very strange......


----------



## Wes S

BrotherKathos said:


> or maybe its some kind of issue with the rubber feet sticking to the finish and causing some kind of bonding? I noticed it bc I needed to move the unit ant the thing was stuck to my night stand. When I finally wiggled it loose, there were the holes it left, whether from melting in or something else? Very strange......


If your mimby is melting stuff, you have an issue with your unit.  I have never heard of anyone commenting on the mimby being too hot.


----------



## Tuneslover

Wes S said:


> If your mimby is melting stuff, you have an issue with your unit.  I have never heard of anyone commenting on the mimby being too hot.



Yeah I’d have to second that. One of my Mimbys sits under my Loki, which also gets toasty, but things don’t get THAT hot to cause melting. In the winter I place a paperback on top of my bedroom Mimby to ensure that it’s warm enough because it just sounds holographic when it’s thermally optimized.


----------



## Wes S

BrotherKathos said:


> I wonder if i should upload a pic of the holes my mimby melted into my nightstand? This seems to not be normal then? I'd say even on the side of my chassis its not just barely warm, but noticeably warm. I even used it as a hand warmer a few times before my heat kicked on in these cold north eastern fall temps.


I would take a pic and send it to Schiit, and then send in the unit as well.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Wes S said:


> I would take a pic and send it to Schiit, and then send in the unit as well.


sigh.... I just got my magni 3 back bc it had a bad volume pot.  I’ve also just got a loki bc i did not like the magni 3 and its peaky treble either. I honestly dont feel like sending a unit back to schiit again so soon, but maybe if the unit burns itself out I will. I’ve got the mimby sandwich between the magni and loki now and so far i’m finally liking the sound. I cranked the 8k treble knob down slightly to around 11:00 and it made a huge difference in my ability to tolerate higher volumes with my Audeze lcd-2c. I now prefer those headphones on the schiit stack and moved my hdxx to my other setup. Before the hdxx was the only headphone i could use with the magni 3 since only it sounded decent.

Schiit has good customer service and turn around on their products,  but I seem to have some bad luck with them. This is just part of the game I guess with a niche market. I’ve had issues with other companies as well from smaller boutiques to larger brands like teac. Hopefully the mimby will just cook away for a while longer and if it does finally die will still be under the warranty, if not I’ll just buy from another company as I cant really tell much of a difference between the mimby and my smsl su8 or topping d50. All are the same price and seem to offer the same sound quality as far as i can tell.


----------



## BrotherKathos

As you can see, something caused, the perfect circle hole/indention in my night stand, whether its heat or chemical related. But common sense tells me its heat.


----------



## Wes S

BrotherKathos said:


> As you can see, something caused, the perfect circle hole/indention in my night stand, whether its heat or chemical related. But common sense tells me its heat.


Wow!  Maybe a chemical in the rubber, is eating the finish on the wood.  That is a cool looking finish, by the way.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Wes S said:


> Wow!  Maybe a chemical in the rubber, is eating the finish on the wood.  That is a cool looking finish, by the way.



Thanks for the compliment! I also really like the night stands. They were not cheap and as you can imagine this happening kinda pisses me off....

I went ahead and placed extra feet under the Loki so this cant happen again. I’m sure everyone is familiar with those anti scrach floor feet for furniture. I used some tiny ones that match up to the loki. They have that fuzzy fiber bottom so hopefully no more issues. Now i need to call the furniture company to see what i can do about touching up the damage the mimby caused........


----------



## joeexp

I think your cheap nightstand had a chemical reaction with the rubber feet. LOL
Your "common sense" is letting you down.  Rubber does not conduct heat.


----------



## riffrafff

joeexp said:


> I think your cheap nightstand had a chemical reaction with the rubber feet. LOL
> Your "common sense" is letting you down.  Rubber does not conduct heat.



I agree.  The photo doesn't look like the result of heat, but of a reaction of the furniture's finish and plasticizers in the feet.  

This all got me curious, so I just lifted all my Schiit from the desk; none of the feet had even an inkling of wanting to stick.


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 6, 2018)

riffrafff said:


> I agree.  The photo doesn't look like the result of heat, but of a reaction of the furniture's finish and plasticizers in the feet.
> 
> This all got me curious, so I just lifted all my Schiit from the desk; none of the feet had even an inkling of wanting to stick.



Its possible, but i have other components on the nightstand with rubbber feet on them like a surge protector that even has a large printer and laptop sitting on top of it and not even the first hint of sticking. I’m still leaning towards heat unless schiit uses some kind of special rubber that’s different than the vast majority of others. You can see the big black thing next to the schiit stack in the photos. If rubber feet were a problem, then that would be a disaster by now.


----------



## BrotherKathos

I also need to add that I had the magni 3 in the exact same spot as the mimby for at least a month while on 24/7 with no issues. It was not until i got the mimby that the sticking happened. As far as I know, they both use the same feet. If you think I’m lying about any of this go check the magni 3 section for about a month back. I mention having the magni 3 as a bedside setup and how i did not like the sound of it. That is what ultimately led me to get. oth the mimby and loki. This should help clear up any doubt about it being a purely chemican problem. If it is chemical, it was only able to manifest itsself because the added heat of the mimby caused its acrivation.


----------



## MWSVette

Why would we not believe you...

That said, your sharp responses to others seem to show that your are taking this a bit personally.  

Therefore,

First suggestion call Schiit.

Second replace the rubber feet.  I use these;
https://www.amazon.com/3M-Bumpon-SJ...qid=1538850289&sr=8-6&keywords=3m+rubber+feet
They are taller than the Schiit feet adding separation between the pieces of Schiit allowing for more air flow.

Of course as always IMHO, YMMV, yada yada yada...


----------



## BrotherKathos

MWSVette said:


> Why would we not believe you...
> 
> That said, your sharp responses to others seem to show that your are taking this a bit personally.
> 
> ...



My sharp responses are only towards whose only goal is to incite tensions. I believe I’ve been more than courteous to people interested in helping. I of course would take a personal attack personally. I honestly dont want to send the unit back and be out of a setup for another week.

I believe I’ve solved the issue since I’ve already added feet under the loki to be safe since its on the bottom. I’ll just let the mimby cook away until it dies and send it back. It seems to be working fine as far as I can tell regarding sound quality. Just gets a bit toasty....


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 6, 2018)

Unless schiit decides to send me a new unit, then I’ll send this one back so I won’t be out of a system in the mean time. I’ll pursue that. That would be truly great customer service.

I’ve had companies like Essence Electrostatic do this for me in the past when I had issues with their products. Bob Rapport the CEO was very helpful in that regard and hopefully schiit will be willing to do the same.


----------



## MWSVette

Not gonna happen...


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 6, 2018)

MWSVette said:


> Not gonna happen...



Then I’ll let it cook away until it dies and move on to another company. I spend lots of money on stereo for my houses and it would be a shame to loose my business over some shipping costs, but that is up to schiit to decide. This is why when trying new companies out you always start with their low end products to wet your feet. If the water is cold then you get out before getting sick metaphorically. 

 They might tell me this is normal operation for the mimby. In that case this goes back to where this started when someone asked about whether or not leaving the mimby on ful time is preferred and I replied by advising them to fut a small 80mm fan near it to keep the heat in check.


----------



## MWSVette

That is ok.  They do not need to worry, I will keep buying their Schiit...


----------



## BrotherKathos

MWSVette said:


> That is ok.  They do not need to worry, I will keep buying their Schiit...



That is more of a schiit pyramid than a stack there hehe. To each his own I say. That’s the great thing about capitalism. Lots of options.


----------



## riffrafff

BrotherKathos said:


> That is more of a schiit pyramid than a stack there hehe. To each his own I say. That’s the great thing about capitalism. Lots of options.



Yeah, Schiit Stacks are passé.  I have a Schiit pile.


----------



## BrotherKathos

riffrafff said:


> Yeah, Schiit Stacks are passé.  I have a Schiit pile.


Impressive!  What is that ridiculous large tube on the far right? That is a vali right?


----------



## riffrafff

BrotherKathos said:


> Impressive!  What is that ridiculous large tube on the far right? That is a vali right?



The one in use is an NOS 1975 Reflektor 6N3P-E.   The true "ridiculous large tube" is poking out of the white box on the left;  an old Tung-Sol 6SN7GT "mouse ears."


----------



## BrotherKathos

riffrafff said:


> The one in use is an NOS 1975 Reflektor 6N3P-E.   The true "ridiculous large tube" is poking out of the white box on the left;  an old Tung-Sol 6SN7GT "mouse ears."



I know pitifully little about tubes, other than the ones in my 65 fender deluxe reverb,  but I must say that looks cool!  Very ‘Manly’ hehe.


----------



## riffrafff

I just remembered I have a photo of the Tung-Sol in use:


----------



## BrotherKathos

riffrafff said:


> I just remembered I have a photo of the Tung-Sol in use:



I literally loled at that.  That is one serious piece of equipment there. I don’t want to derail this thread, but what did you notice with that one? did it make any difference with the mimby or other dacs?


----------



## riffrafff

BrotherKathos said:


> I literally loled at that.  That is one serious piece of equipment there. I don’t want to derail this thread, but what did you notice with that one? did it make any difference with the mimby or other dacs?



I only have the Mimby, currently (though I used a 4490-based DAP before it).  The Mimby sounds better than the 4490, and of the five or so tubes I have for the Vali, I typically listen to either the mouse ears or the Reflektor the most.


----------



## BrotherKathos

riffrafff said:


> I only have the Mimby, currently (though I used a 4490-based DAP before it).  The Mimby sounds better than the 4490, and of the five or so tubes I have for the Vali, I typically listen to either the mouse ears or the Reflektor the most.



Cool, I was actually considering getting a vali to replace my magni 3 and try my hand at tubes. I ended up just getting the loki si i could decrease the treble a bit to my taste instead. I like the sound of the mimby as well. I can’t really tell much of a difference between it and my topping d50 or my smsl su-8, but if I had to come up with something it would be in the background between the music.

 The d50 and smsl both are a tiny bit more black i guess if that makes sense. the different instruments present themselves with more isolation to each other. The mimby has more of a soupy background and the instruments seem to flow together or maybe harmonize? That is the biggest difference I get. bass response, mid and treble are nearly identical as far as i can tell.


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 7, 2018)

MWSVette said:


> Not gonna happen...



I’m not really sure why this could not happen. If they were concerned about shipping me another unit I could just buy another mimby from them and send the one I have in for a refund. That way they don’t get cheated in any way. And if i get no refund its easy to dispute with paypal, but i doubt there would ever be a need to. Seems like somthing pretty easy to work out to me? 

Plus i should be under the trial period still anyway. I’ e only had the unit for a couple of days. should still have at least 12 more to get a refund anyway and i might depending on the response I get from schiit. I kind of dont want to eat a $40 restocking fee though and dont think I should have to if the product is defective. Hopefully it will all get worked out as I find the sound of the mimby acceptable and it fits nicely with the other little boxes.


----------



## omniweltall

MWSVette said:


> That is ok.  They do not need to worry, I will keep buying their Schiit...


Nice Schiits you got there, mate.


----------



## BrotherKathos

omniweltall said:


> Nice Schiits you got there, mate.



That’s definitely a good pile of schiit there. Listening to mine right now. Really glad i got the loki.


----------



## omniweltall

BrotherKathos said:


> That’s definitely a good pile of schiit there. Listening to mine right now. Really glad i got the loki.


Loki is DA Schiit all right.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

Does anyone use the Magni 3 and Modi Multibit combo with the LCD MX4? (Or perhaps its cousin the LCD 4?) What are you impressions? I am waiting for a proper RCA cable which is coming next week and then I will have everything ready to enjoy. 

I actually bought the LCD MX4 precisely because the reviews say that they sound good with a simple Amp/DAC combo and are easy to drive. But I am wondering if anyone has experience pairing it with these Schiit units and what their thoughts are.

(I also just ordered the Loki Mini from Schiit Europe - is this the same as the Loki sold on the U.S. site?)

Thanks!


----------



## BrotherKathos

CaptainFantastic said:


> Does anyone use the Magni 3 and Modi Multibit combo with the LCD MX4? (Or perhaps its cousin the LCD 4?) What are you impressions? I am waiting for a proper RCA cable which is coming next week and then I will have everything ready to enjoy.
> 
> I actually bought the LCD MX4 precisely because the reviews say that they sound good with a simple Amp/DAC combo and are easy to drive. But I am wondering if anyone has experience pairing it with these Schiit units and what their thoughts are.
> 
> ...



I don't have the LCD MX4, but Iike the LCD2C with the mimby/magni 3 and loki setup. Just a bit down on the treble adjustment is perfect for me. Finally happy with the sound of my bedside setup and added a 120mm case fan to keep the toasty schiits under control.


----------



## Delirious Lab

Audeze + cheap Schiit is a killer combo.  I once tried LCD3 + Vali 1 at a meet and I swear this could be my endgame setup.  Nice to know that when I get there, I won't have to save thousands on an amp.


----------



## Zbell

Anyone have a good recommendation for a solid state amp to pair with the Mimby? I have a Magni 3, but haven't loved the pairing (probably an unpopular opinion here) and find myself preferring the LCX with SDAC combo I have at work. Any suggestions to upgrade my home system?


----------



## BrotherKathos

Zbell said:


> Anyone have a good recommendation for a solid state amp to pair with the Mimby? I have a Magni 3, but haven't loved the pairing (probably an unpopular opinion here) and find myself preferring the LCX with SDAC combo I have at work. Any suggestions to upgrade my home system?



I did not like my magni 3 either. I got a loki and with the treble and mids ticked down a hair I do like it now. I’ve been thinking about trying an asgard 2, but not sure its worth it now. I’d recommend the Jds Labs El Amp if you want a neutral and smooth amp with a pitch black background. Its also got plenty of power to drive planars with ease.


----------



## SirRealist

Zbell said:


> Anyone have a good recommendation for a solid state amp to pair with the Mimby? I have a Magni 3, but haven't loved the pairing (probably an unpopular opinion here) and find myself preferring the LCX with SDAC combo I have at work. Any suggestions to upgrade my home system?



you probably saw this coming but a lot of people love the mimby+jot pairing.


----------



## cobrabucket

SirRealist said:


> you probably saw this coming but a lot of people love the mimby+jot pairing.


Yep. That's what I was gonna recommend...


----------



## SirRealist (Oct 15, 2018)

From what I gather they pair together quite well and the Mimby helps the Jot become a little more well rounded (it's a bit bright on it's own), so they can work with most any headphones that aren't already overly bright (HD700, looking at you) and really shine with those that are a little veiled/dark/warm, like the HD650


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 15, 2018)

SirRealist said:


> From what I gather they pair together quite well and the Mimby helps the Jot become a little more well rounded (it's a bit bright on it's own), so they can work with most any headphones that aren't already overly bright (HD700, looking at you) and really shine with those that are a little veiled/dark/warm, like the HD650



I’m not sure the jot is the best recommendation since he did not like the magni 3 with the mimby to begin with. To my knowledge the magni 3 is warmer than the jot and unless he is after a really bright amp the jot seems a bad choice. He’d probably like the asgard 2 or something more neutral like a Jds labs el amp if he wanted less of a treble grain.


----------



## Guidostrunk (Oct 15, 2018)

Cavalli audio is a thought. Especially with the deals on massdrop , and in the for sale forums on here.
Liquid carbon X , or if you're not afraid of hybrids, the MCTH.
From my experience with schiit amps, they're very transparent and some consider them bright.
Cavalli is definitely a warmer fatter note type sound.
Just my .02
Cheers

Edit: sorry i overlooked the fact that you mentioned that you have a LCX. Which you already prefer over the magni 3.


----------



## ultramabi

Anybody know if the modi multibit is worth the extra $150 than the modi3???


----------



## riffrafff

ultramabi said:


> Anybody know if the modi multibit is worth the extra $150 than the modi3???



_I_  think so.


----------



## Guidostrunk

+1 





riffrafff said:


> _I_  think so.


----------



## BrotherKathos

ultramabi said:


> Anybody know if the modi multibit is worth the extra $150 than the modi3???



That depends mostly on you, but one thing is only take opinions seriously if they come from people who have listened to both units and made a real comparison. I've never heard the modi 3, but like my modi multibit.


----------



## Wes S

BrotherKathos said:


> That depends mostly on you, but one thing is only take opinions seriously if they come from people who have listened to both units and made a real comparison. I've never heard the modi 3, but like my modi multibit.


Schiit says on their website, that they think the Modi multi is better than the Modi 3.


----------



## ultramabi

Thanks for the info, do you guys know if it's the same size as the magni3?  Just making sure because I wanna stack it with my magni3.


----------



## RickB

ultramabi said:


> Thanks for the info, do you guys know if it's the same size as the magni3?  Just making sure because I wanna stack it with my magni3.



The Modi Multibit is the same size as the Magni 3.


----------



## joeike (Oct 20, 2018)

RickB said:


> The Modi Multibit is the same size as the Magni 3.


Mindy's in the B stock at the s*** site $199.00 alert alert just put mine in the checkout 5 left last time I checked!!


----------



## CommanderKeen85 (Oct 26, 2018)

BrotherKathos said:


> That depends mostly on you, but one thing is only take opinions seriously if they come from people who have listened to both units and made a real comparison. I've never heard the modi 3, but like my modi multibit.



Funny you should say that.

Been awhile since I posted on here. I just got back into headphone sound. I ordered the magni 3 and modi 3 originally just a week or so ago. I really loved the sound. Very clean, wide soundatage a bit bright maybe with massdrop hd 58x jubilee's (outer foam mod making it sound like hd 660s) but I really liked it.

Afterwards, I read the mimby was at a different level... Well naturally I had buyers remorse. I really wanted to hear difference and so I ordered it a week after modi 3. And here we are, I have modi 3 sitting at desk unplugged which has an rma number and scheduled to be dropped off at ups soon for return.

The $150 is definitely worth it. Hard to explain better than already stated. After leaving modi multibit on for over 24 hours there is definitely more depth and seperation in instruments, it sounds smoother. I felt the music more. Live recordings sound amazing. Maybe you could say it sounds darker? It's just better.

Late here or I'd add more, enjoy the dac. I'm wow'd by sound.

Using through usb to pc and tidal hifi and masters.


----------



## BrotherKathos (Oct 26, 2018)

CommanderKeen85 said:


> Funny you should say that.
> 
> Been awhile since I posted on here. I just got back into headphone sound. I ordered the magni 3 and modi 3 originally just a week or so ago. I really loved the sound. Very clean, wide soundatage a bit bright maybe with massdrop hd 58x jubilee's (outer foam mod making it sound like hd 660s) but I really liked it.
> 
> ...



Glad you like the mimby! Welcome to the club!  I’m happy as a pig in schiit right now listening to my mimby and asgard 2 stack. Love it. Smooth, detailed, transparent and pushed back sound stage with great space and depth and never becomes fatigued. I’m listening to some relaxing classical with my Audeze lcd2c. This combo is already my fav out of the 3 other rigs i own. Also listening to tidal atm. great service. Has almost made pandora obsolete for me.


----------



## ultramabi (Oct 30, 2018)

Interesting...  I don’t know why but I just compared the multibit and the modi3 and the modi3 sounded better to my ears with the hd6xx and pairing of the magni3 amp.  I felt like I did something wrong?  This was through the usb input when trying out both dacs.


----------



## joeike

SirRealist said:


> you probably saw this coming but a lot of people love the mimby+jot pairing.


I have the mimby paired with the BasX a-100 to drive my T50 rp T-xo cans.Real clean power needed to get the most out of them!


----------



## BrotherKathos

ultramabi said:


> Interesting...  I don’t know why but I just compared the multibit and the modi3 and the modi3 sounded better to my ears with the hd6xx and pairing of the magni3 amp.  I felt like I did something wrong?  This was through the usb input when trying out both dacs.



You might just prefer it, that's all. Nothing wrong with that. Its all about what kind of sound signatures you find appealing. Everyone has different ears and preferences, and while you might be able to get an idea of what will sound good to you based on majority opinion, its not always a sure thing. I've tried pairings that reviewers raved about only to be severely disappointed, and then put together a pairing that many said would sound bad and loved it. Go Figure? Does it make my ears wrong? Who knows? At the end of the days its up to you to decide. Enjoy the modi 3!  Glad to hear you like it, especially since its cheaper. Better all around for you


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

BrotherKathos said:


> You might just prefer it, that's all. Nothing wrong with that. Its all about what kind of sound signatures you find appealing. Everyone has different ears and preferences, and while you might be able to get an idea of what will sound good to you based on majority opinion, its not always a sure thing. I've tried pairings that reviewers raved about only to be severely disappointed, and then put together a pairing that many said would sound bad and loved it. Go Figure? Does it make my ears wrong? Who knows? At the end of the days its up to you to decide. Enjoy the modi 3!  Glad to hear you like it, especially since its cheaper. Better all around for you



Indeed, audio is very subjective. My Grace Design S DAC with same amp, then swapping it for Mimby, Mimby was much better. I still think Modi 3 is the best thing since sliced bread though, really I don't see any DAC's noticeably sounding better outside of Chord DAC's, but those are super super expensive. So yeah.


----------



## ultramabi

BrotherKathos said:


> You might just prefer it, that's all. Nothing wrong with that. Its all about what kind of sound signatures you find appealing. Everyone has different ears and preferences, and while you might be able to get an idea of what will sound good to you based on majority opinion, its not always a sure thing. I've tried pairings that reviewers raved about only to be severely disappointed, and then put together a pairing that many said would sound bad and loved it. Go Figure? Does it make my ears wrong? Who knows? At the end of the days its up to you to decide. Enjoy the modi 3!  Glad to hear you like it, especially since its cheaper. Better all around for you



Alright thnx for your response...  I wasn’t expecting to have the multibit sound worse than the modi3...  That’s all.  Still wondering why it sounds worse.  Lol.


----------



## BrotherKathos

ultramabi said:


> Alright thnx for your response...  I wasn’t expecting to have the multibit sound worse than the modi3...  That’s all.  Still wondering why it sounds worse.  Lol.



No problem! If you think its possibly something wrong with the multibit you could send it in to schiit for a repair if you are willing to eat the return shipping costs in the event they find nothing wrong with it. I did this with my magni 3 since I really did not like the stock sound of it and it also happened to have a bad volume pot. Schiit fixed the volume pot so i was off the hook there, but the sound was normal I was told, so it was just my preferences that were not matching.


----------



## jbarrentine

Zbell said:


> Anyone have a good recommendation for a solid state amp to pair with the Mimby? I have a Magni 3, but haven't loved the pairing (probably an unpopular opinion here) and find myself preferring the LCX with SDAC combo I have at work. Any suggestions to upgrade my home system?



My garage1217 project polaris with my mimby/hd600 is absolutely wonderful. Fully recommended, and won't break the bank. For what it's worth the aluminum option is definitely worth it.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Ahh, I had to post this up. I've been under the impression for a while that there was some magic that was happening between my mimby, Asgard 2, and Audeze LCD2C that was going to be really hard to beat for similar money. Well, I've now found the better pairing for just a tick more. The Massdrop THX AAA 789 is phenomenal. Its got this smoothness to it that outdoes the asgard, while being even more transparent and revealing. You get everything there is to get out of the mimby. Its made me honestly extremely impressed with the mimby. I've always been skeptical of dacs making much of a difference, and out of all of my dacs there really is not that much of a difference between them besides the mimby. 

For my taste its just on a different level. The sound stage the little box i capable of presenting and the sheer resolution you get with voices and precise imaging is really something the guys at schiit can be proud of. I'm not a fan of everything schiit does, for instance the magni 3 which I'm not really a fan of, but the asgard 2 and the mimby are very nice audio equipment. I'm now probably going to look at getting either a Gungir or Yggdrasill for my next multibit dac. This little mimby has made me a believer. But If I try them and the are not much better than the mimby, I'll just get another mimby for my other rigs. I'm that impressed. Thanks to Schiit for making a very nice dac for a very reasonable price.


----------



## joeike

BrotherKathos said:


> Ahh, I had to post this up. I've been under the impression for a while that there was some magic that was happening between my mimby, Asgard 2, and Audeze LCD2C that was going to be really hard to beat for similar money. Well, I've now found the better pairing for just a tick more. The Massdrop THX AAA 789 is phenomenal. Its got this smoothness to it that outdoes the asgard, while being even more transparent and revealing. You get everything there is to get out of the mimby. Its made me honestly extremely impressed with the mimby. I've always been skeptical of dacs making much of a difference, and out of all of my dacs there really is not that much of a difference between them besides the mimby.
> 
> For my taste its just on a different level. The sound stage the little box i capable of presenting and the sheer resolution you get with voices and precise imaging is really something the guys at schiit can be proud of. I'm not a fan of everything schiit does, for instance the magni 3 which I'm not really a fan of, but the asgard 2 and the mimby are very nice audio equipment. I'm now probably going to look at getting either a Gungir or Yggdrasill for my next multibit dac. This little mimby has made me a believer. But If I try them and the are not much better than the mimby, I'll just get another mimby for my other rigs. I'm that impressed. Thanks to Schiit for making a very nice dac for a very reasonable price.


I agree also I didn't think I'd hear much of a difference but the mimby really sounds nice especially through the Basx A-100 and my MCTH from massdrop a great pairing.


----------



## Mr.Z

Time to sell my old modi2U


----------



## Ramzal

great little piece of kit!


----------



## XERO1

BrotherKathos said:


> For my taste its just on a different level. The sound stage the little box i capable of presenting and the sheer resolution you get with voices and precise imaging is really something the guys at schiit can be proud of. I'm not a fan of everything schiit does, for instance the magni 3 which I'm not really a fan of, but the asgard 2 and the mimby are very nice audio equipment. I'm now probably going to look at getting either a Gungir or Yggdrasill for my next multibit dac. This little mimby has made me a believer. But If I try them and the are not much better than the mimby, I'll just get another mimby for my other rigs. I'm that impressed. Thanks to Schiit for making a very nice dac for a very reasonable price.



Yep, that little Schiit is their 'gateway DAC' that'll suck you in quick. And before you know it, you're doing things (and selling things) you thought you never would just to feed your new addiction!


----------



## BrotherKathos

XERO1 said:


> Yep, that little Schiit is their 'gateway DAC' that'll suck you in quick. And before you know it, you're doing things (and selling things) you thought you never would just to feed your new addiction!


Hehe, yeah the mimby is very nice. Regardless of how it measures on test benches, the sound it puts out is very pleasing and I could care less about how accurate it is if its sound is in my strike zone. Its got a very nice sense of spaciousness and seperation to it while also not being overly edgy with treble. I've found it to be incredibly good paired with the EITR. That stack along with my THX AAA 789 amp and Audeze LCD2C is a setup I feel that is impossible to beat for the price at this time in the market.


----------



## triggsviola

I read through this entire thread before purchasing the Modi Multibit and I’m very happy. I was running the Geshelli Labs ENOG2 PRO, which sounds great, but isn’t the Mimby. I’m running Utopias with them (I know...I’ll get better DACs and amps next year sometime).

I’m not great at describing sound, but the Mimby sounds like I’m listening to vinyl, but without the drawbacks of vinyl (pops, clicks, hiss). It’s the best of both worlds. I love vinyl, but ever since my toddler daughter destroyed my turntable, I decided to put that hobby aside. With this Mimby, I’m not sure I’ll be returning. There is an authenticity to the sound that I don’t get from the AKM dac module on the Jotunheim or the ENOG2 PRO. With this DAC, I get a natural, authentic presentation of musical performance. It doesn’t feel processed. I’m especially impressed listening to classical recordings and movie soundtracks. There details and articulations I never previously heard. It shoots well above it’s modest price point.

I’ve been running this computer=>Eitr=>Mimby=>Jot=>Utopia (or Elex since lending my Utopia to Zeos).

Without the Eitr I get digital artifacts when I move the mouse around. Little blips. Very weird.

I’m sold on Multibit. I see a Gumby or perhaps Yggy in my near future. I get the feeling my Utopia isn’t being pushed to its full potential.


----------



## BrotherKathos

triggsviola said:


> I read through this entire thread before purchasing the Modi Multibit and I’m very happy. I was running the Geshelli Labs ENOG2 PRO, which sounds great, but isn’t the Mimby. I’m running Utopias with them (I know...I’ll get better DACs and amps next year sometime).
> 
> I’m not great at describing sound, but the Mimby sounds like I’m listening to vinyl, but without the drawbacks of vinyl (pops, clicks, hiss). It’s the best of both worlds. I love vinyl, but ever since my toddler daughter destroyed my turntable, I decided to put that hobby aside. With this Mimby, I’m not sure I’ll be returning. There is an authenticity to the sound that I don’t get from the AKM dac module on the Jotunheim or the ENOG2 PRO. With this DAC, I get a natural, authentic presentation of musical performance. It doesn’t feel processed. I’m especially impressed listening to classical recordings and movie soundtracks. There details and articulations I never previously heard. It shoots well above it’s modest price point.
> 
> ...



I keep swaying back and fourth between getting the Gumby or the RME ADI 2 dac to replace the mimby, but I'm honestly so pleased with the mimby and eitr that I have not really felt a strong motivation to pull the trigger yet.


----------



## triggsviola

BrotherKathos said:


> I keep swaying back and fourth between getting the Gumby or the RME ADI 2 dac to replace the mimby, but I'm honestly so pleased with the mimby and eitr that I have not really felt a strong motivation to pull the trigger yet.



When I eventually upgrade, I will likely stay with the Schiit Multibit platform. Either a Gumby or Yggy depending on finances. Thankfully I live relatively close to the Schiitr so I will be able to audition them when the time comes.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

triggsviola said:


> When I eventually upgrade, I will likely stay with the Schiit Multibit platform. Either a Gumby or Yggy depending on finances. Thankfully I live relatively close to the Schiitr so I will be able to audition them when the time comes.



Just my experience... I sold the Schiit stack (which I was pleased with) and got the RME ADI-2. I am very, very happy with the upgrade. Sound and functionality wise.


----------



## triggsviola

CaptainFantastic said:


> Just my experience... I sold the Schiit stack (which I was pleased with) and got the RME ADI-2. I am very, very happy with the upgrade. Sound and functionality wise.



It does look like very impressive DAC with lots of user controls and features. It’s also less money than a Gumby. And it has a built-in amp.


----------



## BrotherKathos

CaptainFantastic said:


> Just my experience... I sold the Schiit stack (which I was pleased with) and got the RME ADI-2. I am very, very happy with the upgrade. Sound and functionality wise.



What headphones are you using with the ADI 2? I really like the eq option of the ADI, and I seem to prefer AKM chips for D/S dacs. But then again my favorite combo is the mimby with eitr and lcd2c, so maybe gumby would be better???? ARRGH I need both!


----------



## CaptainFantastic

BrotherKathos said:


> What headphones are you using with the ADI 2? I really like the eq option of the ADI, and I seem to prefer AKM chips for D/S dacs. But then again my favorite combo is the mimby with eitr and lcd2c, so maybe gumby would be better???? ARRGH I need both!



The Audeze LCD-MX4, the HD 600 and the Audioquest Nightbirds. So mostly easy to drive headphones. What impressed me the most was the discernable sound quality improvement over the Grace Design m900, which I already and still like. The sound got more exciting with the ADI-2, like the MX4 planar became even more planar. 

I can't compare directly with the Schiit stack I had, because I sold it a few weeks before getting the ADI-2, but given that I prefered the m900 to the Schiit, it's fairly clear. The EQ, the Analyzer, the Crossfeed, the remote on which the buttons can be customized to toggle Auto-Dark, EQ, etc. are all also nicer than expected and getting far more use than I thought. Before getting the ADI-2 I thought anything different than the spartan design of Schiit or m900 would "pollute" the atmosphere of the setup. I still like the m900 and will use it at work, but the ADI-2 is another world of sophistication. The added features have not cheapened at all the experience, but the contrary. I guess I would view all this differently if the sound quality had disappointed. Also, with the Schiit stack (Loki included), I had three generic, Made in China warts in my power plug, all taking up space, getting hot, and frankly worrying me about a fire hazard. Now all that is replaced by one and apparently better designed.


----------



## tamleo

ultramabi said:


> Interesting...  I don’t know why but I just compared the multibit and the modi3 and the modi3 sounded better to my ears with the hd6xx and pairing of the magni3 amp.  I felt like I did something wrong?  This was through the usb input when trying out both dacs.


Hello,
What do you prefer on the modi 3 to the modi multibit may I ask? I am considering buing a modi 3. Tks


----------



## triggsviola

Just an update on my own Mimby experience: my wife can even tell the difference! I played a few tracks (mostly classical and film soundtracks) on my Geshelli Labs ENOG2 PRO then quickly switched to Mimby (which remained powered on). She said the Mimby sounded so much more real. Although the Geshelli Labs sounds great, she was still very much aware that she was listening to a digital representation of music. With the Mimby, less so. We’re running both through a Vali 2.


----------



## joeexp (Feb 3, 2019)

The Geshelli "eggnog" PRO DAC is $99 with nasty looking cheap acrylic case.

Of course the Mimby sounds and looks better!


----------



## PhalanxInferna

Question, is the Modi Multi objectively better than the internal multibit dac for the Jotunheim?


----------



## BrotherKathos

PhalanxInferna said:


> Question, is the Modi Multi objectively better than the internal multibit dac for the Jotunheim?



I guess that would require some kind of measurements that I’m not sure exist. I just always use the separate equals better rule, even though it might be placebo.


----------



## cobrabucket

PhalanxInferna said:


> Question, is the Modi Multi objectively better than the internal multibit dac for the Jotunheim?


My understanding is that they're basically the same. except the Mimby has more input options. i believe Mike Moffat said something to that affect as well. I have a Jotunheim and am really glad I got the Mimby! More options is always good!


----------



## BrotherKathos

Along the lines of input options with the mimby gives you the ability to use the gen 5 usb to spdif converter which is possibly even better than the inrernal usb gen 5 of the higher tier dacs from schiit. I can at least vouch that i much prefer the mimby with eitr to without it. I’ve got 2 eitrs and use them on the mimby and another dac and have been pleased. So the mimby has that option. Also if you ever feel like using optical its nice to have the option as well. I use optical on my modi 3 as i think it sounds better than the usb input as well.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Would the eitr be worth it if I'm only using an android tablet via OTG as a source? 

When I was using a laptop, I did have a singxer f-1 , and it made a pretty significant difference in that setup.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Guidostrunk said:


> Would the eitr be worth it if I'm only using an android tablet via OTG as a source?
> 
> When I was using a laptop, I did have a singxer f-1 , and it made a pretty significant difference in that setup.


I’ve found converting from usb to spdif or toslink improves all my dacs. For me its almost a necessity. Granted none of my dacs are uber expensive multi thaousand dollar rigs, but for your question about the phone i use my iphome with one setup that has a modi 3 and even using a emotiva big ego as a usb to toslink converter improves sq. Just makes the presentation smoother somehow in a way that I honestly can’t consciously hear, but manifests itself in my tendency to always listen to the songs i’m using to ab test longer as well as getting more involved in the music. 

When using straight usb i always stop listening sooner and test the other input. Its weird, but its what I experience. Even though I know usb should measure better than toslink and am expecting the usb to sound better especially in the modi 3 which is schii’s best measured dac so far. The fact is I stil prefer toslink. Its strange I know and comes off as snake oily, but for my own personal enjoyment its what works.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Thanks for the reply BK. I'll have to give it a shot with my mimby. 



BrotherKathos said:


> I’ve found converting from usb to spdif or toslink improves all my dacs. For me its almost a necessity. Granted none of my dacs are uber expensive multi thaousand dollar rigs, but for your question about the phone i use my iphome with one setup that has a modi 3 and even using a emotiva big ego as a usb to toslink converter improves sq. Just makes the presentation smoother somehow in a way that I honestly can’t consciously hear, but manifests itself in my tendency to always listen to the songs i’m using to ab test longer as well as getting more involved in the music.
> 
> When using straight usb i always stop listening sooner and test the other input. Its weird, but its what I experience. Even though I know usb should measure better than toslink and am expecting the usb to sound better especially in the modi 3 which is schii’s best measured dac so far. The fact is I stil prefer toslink. Its strange I know and comes off as snake oily, but for my own personal enjoyment its what works.


----------



## BrotherKathos

Guidostrunk said:


> Thanks for the reply BK. I'll have to give it a shot with my mimby.



i’ve really enjoyed the mimby so far. Definitely a worthwhile purchase imo. Pairs great with my Thx789 amp and works well with all my headphones. Eitr is the icing on the cake and makes that setup the best all rounder I own.


----------



## donutbits

Just bought Modi Multibit back in Nov 2018. Love it, such an amazing DAC for the price


----------



## loki993 (Jan 30, 2019)

Anyone notice the prices on those sort of tanking? I thought 200 was the norm, what I paid for mine, but now people are asking as low as 160...msot are in the 170 or so range. Is there something I don't know?


----------



## RickB

loki993 said:


> Anyone notice the prices on those sort of tanking? I thought 200 was the norm, what I paid for mine, but now people are asking as low ans 160...msot are in the 170 or so range. Is there something I don't know?



You can often get a b-stock unit from Schiit for $199 that comes with the full warranty. So used ones are going for less now.


----------



## omniweltall

People always try to sell for more here. I have seen quite a few selling even higher than getting new (as the new prices are getting lower).


----------



## joeike

Truth be told I got mine B stock for two hundred bucks couldn't be happier.


----------



## Clemmaster

Peeps in California also might be trying to getting the taxes back.


----------



## neogeosnk

I'm selling mine for $160 cause I have too much stuff, not for any other reason.


----------



## Delirious Lab

Maybe Modi 3 is hurting Mimby a bit?  Cheaper, better USB, more phone-friendly, close enough SQ for 40% of the price...


----------



## loki993

JohnnyCanuck said:


> JC





Delirious Lab said:


> Maybe Modi 3 is hurting Mimby a bit?  Cheaper, better USB, more phone-friendly, close enough SQ for 40% of the price...



Maybe, I know Ive thought about trying it.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Delirious Lab said:


> Maybe Modi 3 is hurting Mimby a bit?  Cheaper, better USB, more phone-friendly, close enough SQ for 40% of the price...




modi 3 sounds better than modi multibit imo


----------



## TJ Max

caenlenfromOCN said:


> modi 3 sounds better than modi multibit imo




In what ways do you perceive it being better? I just got a Modi Multibit a few days ago. I'd swap it out if theres significant improvement.
What I have noticed is that at least with the Mutibit  is that the sound is better through the digital coax than the digital optical, which sounds rather dull in comparison. I don't use the USB port.

Perhaps the updated USB on the Modi 3 is making the difference in sound over the older Modi over usb? I'd be interested in a comparison between the Modi 3 and Modi Multibit through the coax input.


----------



## BrotherKathos

TJ Max said:


> In what ways do you perceive it being better? I just got a Modi Multibit a few days ago. I'd swap it out if theres significant improvement.
> What I have noticed is that at least with the Mutibit  is that the sound is better through the digital coax than the digital optical, which sounds rather dull in comparison. I don't use the USB port.
> 
> Perhaps the updated USB on the Modi 3 is making the difference in sound over the older Modi over usb? I'd be interested in a comparison between the Modi 3 and Modi Multibit through the coax input.



mimby is better than modi 3 when both are using eitr usb to spdif converter. modi 3 is better for the money when paired with eitr vs stock mimby, unless you are strictly useing spdif. Mimby plus eitr is my fav dac combo I own.


----------



## TJ Max (Jan 30, 2019)

Sooo what you're saying is that the Mimby sounds better than the Modi 3 when comparing spdif connections. But the spdif connection of the Modi 3 sounds better than the USB connection of the Mimby? BTW I'm not using a converter, I'm using a direct coax spdif connection.


----------



## BrotherKathos

TJ Max said:


> Sooo what you're saying is that the Mimby sounds better than the Modi 3 when comparing spdif connections. But the spdif connection of the Modi 3 sounds better than the USB connection of the Mimby?


Exactly


----------



## BrotherKathos

I even prefer the toslink of the modi3 to the usb of the mimby


----------



## TJ Max

BrotherKathos said:


> Exactly



Ok good that means I don't have to worry about replacing the MImby. I'm not using a converter I'm using a direct coax connection.
Did you find any differences in optical connections between the 2? The optical on the Multibit sounds dull compared to the coax.


----------



## triggsviola

caenlenfromOCN said:


> modi 3 sounds better than modi multibit imo



I haven’t heard Modi 3, but I’ve heard a number of DACs with the AKM AK4490 chip and I like the Mimby much better. It sounds more real somehow. I use an Eitr to convert my USB to coax and it sounds great.


----------



## TJ Max

The one thing I don't like about the Modi 3 I noticed from the pictures, is that its power is sourced through a Micro USB connection. In my experience these connections are flimsy. The connector can get pull out easily and can break or stop working if it gets bent even just a little. If they had to go with USB then a USB-C connection would have been a better solution. I prefer the barrel connector of the Mimby.


----------



## BrotherKathos

TJ Max said:


> The one thing I don't like about the Modi 3 I noticed from the pictures, is that its power is sourced through a Micro USB connection. In my experience these connections are flimsy. The connector can get pull out easily and can break or stop working if it gets bent even just a little. If they had to go with USB then a USB-C connection would have been a better solution. I prefer the barrel connector of the Mimby.


I think the smaller usb solutions have a longer lifespan. I’ve found my connection on the modi 3 to be more secure than the larger b version as well.


----------



## alpovs

Delirious Lab said:


> Maybe Modi 3 is hurting Mimby a bit?  Cheaper, *better USB*, more phone-friendly, close enough SQ for 40% of the price...


How is Modi 3's USB better than Mimby's? I've never heard this statement before. The specs list the same chip etc. for USB.


----------



## alpovs

triggsviola said:


> I haven’t heard Modi 3, but I’ve heard a number of DACs with the AKM AK4490 chip and I like the Mimby much better. It sounds more real somehow. I use an Eitr to convert my USB to coax and it sounds great.


+1


----------



## BrotherKathos

I’m not aware of a better sounding product than the $430 eitr and modi multibit combo without spending at least double the amoumt of cash. By then you are in RME Adi 2dac territory and not much from the gungir multibit either.


----------



## jnak00

TJ Max said:


> The one thing I don't like about the Modi 3 I noticed from the pictures, is that its power is sourced through a Micro USB connection. In my experience these connections are flimsy. The connector can get pull out easily and can break or stop working if it gets bent even just a little. If they had to go with USB then a USB-C connection would have been a better solution. I prefer the barrel connector of the Mimby.



I've never had a micro USB fail on me.  Probably over 20 phones and tablets, plus cameras, headphones, and many other devices.  Mini USB, yes, but never micro.  You're right, USB-C is supposedly better, but I don't think micro is that bad.  Plus, it's a desktop device, so most people probably plug it in once and that's it.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

I have never used SPDIF, only USB so I can't comment.


----------



## jbarrentine

caenlenfromOCN said:


> modi 3 sounds better than modi multibit imo



I took crap for this in another thread. It definitely sounds better. For $150 less. It's much cleaner/more clear in every way.


----------



## joeike

IMO I to feel the mimby has a real sound to it using Roon to USB or the optical in from a Chromecast audio.


----------



## AxelCloris

Let's please keep the discussion on-topic. Thanks everyone.


----------



## eimis

A ~30 year old CD player (Sony CDP-X303ES) sounded a lot better than ODAC. And I thought ODAC was basically end-game, as in there's nothing better than "audibly transparent". After hearing Modi Multibit (1hour of warm up) I conclude ODAC is anything but transparent (ferrite core USB cable + USB galvanic isolator). It sounds like a potato...imaging is pretty bad, less bass of lower resolution, less details than Multibit (and the CDP). ODAC gets fuzzy/incompetent sounding if there's more than one thing going on in the recording. Whether Multibit is better than the CDP remains to be concluded (the Japanese truly knew WTH they were doing)


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

eimis said:


> A ~30 year old CD player (Sony CDP-X303ES) sounded a lot better than ODAC. And I thought ODAC was basically end-game, as in there's nothing better than "audibly transparent". After hearing Modi Multibit (1hour of warm up) I conclude ODAC is anything but transparent (ferrite core USB cable + USB galvanic isolator). It sounds like a potato...imaging is pretty bad, less bass of lower resolution, less details than Multibit (and the CDP). ODAC gets fuzzy/incompetent sounding if there's more than one thing going on in the recording. Whether Multibit is better than the CDP remains to be concluded (the Japanese truly knew WTH they were doing)




would love to hear your thoughts on modi 3 versus that cd player someday. just curious ^^


----------



## eimis

caenlenfromOCN said:


> would love to hear your thoughts on modi 3 versus that cd player someday. just curious ^^


Well I'd gladly borrow a Modi 3 for all and any comparisons...

Sadly, the CDP-X303ES laser pickup is dying (long story short it's impossible to repair these things nowadays), so I'd decided to convert it into a USB DAC. Once that's done, I will allocate a whole day for serious testing and comparison. That will be a very difficult day, because it's already difficult to tell the CDP and Multibit (laptop toslink) apart. Multibit sounds a little brighter and images differently while the CDP seems calmer and has a more realistic imaging...maybe.

<tech blab>
Currently, the CDP is fed I2S by a raspberry pi 1 B+, with an FPGA in between to generate the I2S bit clock from DAC's 45MHz crystal. So rPi is configured as bitcklock slave, but as master for the LR clock - this is the only configuration that works without glitching. And a attiny2313 with magic code that configures the CDP's filter/DAC on power on...
There's a nice USB to I2S board with galvanic isolation and I2S reclocking that also outputs a master clock for the DAC. I've investigated the CDP-X303ES schematic and apparently all the ICs that touch I2S have their clocks synced to the DAC's 45Mhz crystal (I guess thiat's what the "Direct Digital Sync" stands for on the CDP's front panel). I'm planning to connect the 45MHz master clock from the I2S board in place of the DAC's crystal, to maintain the "Direct Digital Sync"...
</tech blab>


----------



## tcellguy

triggsviola said:


> I haven’t heard Modi 3, but I’ve heard a number of DACs with the AKM AK4490 chip and I like the Mimby much better. It sounds more real somehow. I use an Eitr to convert my USB to coax and it sounds great.



I was just comparing the Eitr/Mimby/Jotunheim vs. iUSB nano / dual AKM AK4490 jotunheim card last night. Even with the iFi iUSB nano USB power supply reclocking, the Eitr/Mimby is dramatically better sounding to me. There's a much larger sound stage even after correcting for volumes. The space in between notes is much better separated with a quieter background. String instruments sound more defined. The AK4490 sounded compressed and more grainy / digital by comparison. 

It was really a bit of a shock as I hadn't listened to the dual AKM AK4490 jotunheim card in a while. 

I'd be really curious to hear the new Modi 3 with Eitr too.


----------



## Zenithcric

I couldn’t find, on a  quick search anyways, information about the chip(s?) in that Sony CDP-X303ES player, “CXD2562Q – CXD2567M.”
But i picked up an old, c. 1991, Denon DCD-660 from a local used electronics shop for maybe $30 (around $300 new in ‘91), and it’s DAC chip, a PCM61, is apparently true multibit ... so possibly the Sony’s of that era?? In my main 2-channel system it sounded clean, clear, & accurate, if a little dry, thin, & cold.  Using it with a different amp and speakers helped that — no option for feeding my Modi 3 since it has no digital outputs. & to think i was considering a cheap A-D converter for that purpose. Now i’m thinking Vali 2 as preamp or some other tube buffer arrangement. My question is — does anyone know how the sound of these old multibit CD players compare to a modern Modi Multibit? In the meantime i’ll consider it my multibit fix - which i may yet tweak - while i save for new speakers (& maybe cans, damnit, since i’ll need to here that Vali in the way it was meant to be used, besides being a preamp in a Frankensystem). I’ve not read a lot of love for the Vali as preamp, but why not experiment ...


----------



## bradbort

Tuneslover said:


> Thats unusual.  Try unplugging the the toslink then turn off the Modi, wait a minute, plug the toslink back in and turn the Modi back on.  If that doesnt correct the problem try a different toslink cable if you have another one.  If that doesn't work I guess you will just have to switch it back to the correct input manually.




Coming back to close out this issue. The unit was flawed. I had schiit swap it, and everything has been fine ever since. Hopefully they did not sell it as a refurbished, since its a subtle problem that only becomes apparent if using toslink.


----------



## RCBinTN

Hi Folks,
I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod 

His music source will be a 5th generation iPod running iOS of 9 or so.
Per the Schiit website, we shouldn't need a driver.

All is clear to me except one thing ... the physical connection between the iPod and the Modi.

We were thinking about an Apple lightening-to-USB (camera) cable and USB A-B into Modi.
Will that connection work? Does an iPod speak the same language as the Modi?
Any advice out there on a better physical connection?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Cheers,
RCBinTN

ps. Is the correct term for the Modi MB the "Mimby?" I want to fit-in here.


----------



## Dana Reed

RCBinTN said:


> Hi Folks,
> I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
> I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod
> 
> ...


The lightning to USB camera adapter will work along with the A-B usb cable you mentioned.  But you will likely need a powered hub in between so that the iPod won’t report the “too much power draw” error.


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

RCBinTN said:


> Hi Folks,
> I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
> I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod
> 
> ...




i would do modi 3 and jds labs atom amp.  $200 total and will sound better than that setup.


----------



## alpovs

caenlenfromOCN said:


> i would do modi 3 and jds labs atom amp.  $200 total and will sound better than that setup.


Modi Multibit is... well... a multibit DAC unlike Modi 3. I am pretty sure RCBinTN is looking to buy a multibit DAC specifically as most people prefer the sound if it over delta-sigma DAC's. There are exceptions. I know...


----------



## alpovs

RCBinTN said:


> Hi Folks,
> I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
> I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod
> 
> ...


I highly recommend adding an Eitr while it's still available (Schiit is thinking to discontinue it). Apple products are known for problems with USB. USB data signal is in the Lightning bus in this case. Also, I believe Eitr is fully self-powered and there will no above-mentioned problem with power.


----------



## Zenithcric

RCBinTN —
Schiit should have you covered https://www.schiit.com/guides/ios-android-and-linux
Otherwise i’m sure Schiit would answer an email ...

I had a question above, buried in too much typing ... how does old multibit (‘91 Denon) compare to the sound of new multibit (Modi 3 etc)?
Newer technology not always better sounding (some Delta Sigma DACs,some all-SS systems) ...


----------



## tcellguy

alpovs said:


> I highly recommend adding an Eitr while it's still available (Schiit is thinking to discontinue it). Apple products are known for problems with USB. USB data signal is in the Lightning bus in this case. Also, I believe Eitr is fully self-powered and there will no above-mentioned problem with power.



I also highly recommend the Eitr. It makes a very audible difference on my system: Audirvana MacBook Pro > Eitr>Mimby>Jotunheim

Where did you hear it was going to be discontinued?


----------



## jimmers (Mar 3, 2019)

tcellguy said:


> I also highly recommend the Eitr. It makes a very audible difference on my system: Audirvana MacBook Pro > Eitr>Mimby>Jotunheim
> 
> Where did you hear it was going to be discontinued?


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2939#post-14793313
says:
"2 ... And there won’t be a Unison Eitr, Eitr is pretty much dead as a product due to slow sales (like Wyrd) and will probably not be made anymore. ...."


----------



## tcellguy

jimmers said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2939#post-14793313
> says:
> "2 ... And there won’t be a Unison Eitr, Eitr is pretty much dead as a product due to slow sales (like Wyrd) and will probably not be made anymore. ...."



Wow bummer. I really like mine. Also too bad about the new USB interface not being planned as a stand alone.


----------



## triggsviola

I use iPhone=>Eitr=>Mimby=>Vali 2=>HD650 for my bedside setup and I couldn’t be happier. The Mimby sounds far better than any AKM or Sabre chip I’ve tried. So real. I’m a multibit believer. I’m a musician working in the LA area as a session player. The things I hear/feel when I listen to a multibit DAC are the things I hear/feel when playing in a symphony or chamber ensemble.. The delta sigma solutions just sound like recordings. The Mimby sounds like music.


----------



## joeike

RCBinTN said:


> Hi Folks,
> I am new to this thread as I just convinced my son-in-law to buy him a Modi MB + Magni Schiit stack!
> I told him it will change his life, compared to music straight from the iPod
> 
> ...


At this time I'm using the Mimby  to CTH amp with a pass-through to the A-100 basx by emotiva very happy with that set up and affordable to less than 250 for each unit.


----------



## RCBinTN

Thanks to all for your sage advice. Y'all are right about the want of a Mimby.
I'm a MB fan after doing the Gungnir to Gumby upgrade a couple years ago.

Will look into the Eitr. That was my #1 concern, that the iPod USB wouldn't be robust enough.

It would be good if Schiit would upgrade the Modi to the Gen5 USB (like my Gumby).
It is very much better than the old Gen2, but I understand about limited space in the box.


----------



## RCBinTN

OK, I'm almost convinced to do the Eitr.
What RCA cable are y'all using between Eitr and Modi ... is the PYST cable on Schiit's website good enough?


----------



## alpovs

RCBinTN said:


> OK, I'm almost convinced to do the Eitr.
> What RCA cable are y'all using between Eitr and Modi ... is the PYST cable on Schiit's website good enough?


Sure. With such a short distance any shielded cable will do. I use Monoprice's.


----------



## RCBinTN (Mar 7, 2019)

I decided to go with the Eitr along with the Modi MB + Magni.
Looking forward to hear this rig, myself. A fun project here.
Thanks all, for your help.
Head-Fi you folks rock


----------



## RickB

RCBinTN said:


> I decided to go with the Eitr along with the Modi MB + Magni.
> Looking forward to hear this rig, myself. A fun project here.
> Thanks all, for your help. Head-Fi and you rock



It's a great rig. Congrats!


----------



## zztopps

RCBinTN said:


> I decided to go with the Eitr along with the Modi MB + Magni.
> Looking forward to hear this rig, myself. A fun project here.
> Thanks all, for your help. Head-Fi and you rock



You will like what you hear.



RCBinTN said:


> OK, I'm almost convinced to do the Eitr.
> What RCA cable are y'all using between Eitr and Modi ... is the PYST cable on Schiit's website good enough?





alpovs said:


> Sure. With such a short distance any shielded cable will do. I use Monoprice's.



Bluejeans also make good cables for a decent price. I used one of theirs in my Eitr/Mimby setup. Sounded great.


----------



## Pahani

zztopps said:


> Bluejeans also make good cables for a decent price. I used one of theirs in my Eitr/Mimby setup. Sounded great.



Yup. Based on recommendations on Head-Fi, I ran all Blue Jeans cables through my multiple headphone amps.

I started building my Home Theater setup shortly after, and I have all Blue Jeans RCA and subwoofer cables there too. Recommended


----------



## Deaj (Mar 7, 2019)

jimmers said:


> https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-2939#post-14793313
> says:
> "2 ... And there won’t be a Unison Eitr, Eitr is pretty much dead as a product due to slow sales (like Wyrd) and will probably not be made anymore. ...."



It's a shame that the EITR isn't selling well. It provides a discernable improvement vs direct USB connection between computer and DAC.


----------



## RCBinTN

Deaj said:


> It's a shame that the EITR isn't selling well. It provides a discernable improvement vs direct USB connection between computer and DAC.



I agree with this comment, although mine was built-in as Gen5 USB inside my Gumby.
Made a very nice difference in stability + SQ


----------



## RCBinTN

New Schiit delivered today. The cost-saving measures are clearly evident


----------



## RCBinTN

Much better unboxed and connected with the Schiit PYST cables.
The rig is driving my HD800 quite well - ! 
The gear has a nice, full, rich SQ to it. Do y'all leave the Modi MB powered on all the time?

Glencairn glass provided for gear perspective and added listening pleasure LOL.


----------



## triggsviola

I have a similar setup with my Vali 2. I leave Mimby on all the time.


----------



## TJ Max

I own both a Modi 2U, Modi Multibit and Modi 3. I couldn't really hear the differencce between the Mimby and Modi 3. But I realize that my pairing them with the Magni 3 may be limiting my ability to discern the difference this the Magni 3 introduces it's own sound signature over both dacs.
When you guys hear the Mimby from the Modi 3, what differences are you hearing?

Also I see that many of you have decided to get the Eitr to pair your Modi with. Which is interesting, because I also wanted to move away from USB, but I decided to just buy a sound card (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) with a digital coax output. Do you think a USB to Coax converter box with perform better than a direct coax connection? I assume no, but so many people are choosing the Eitr.


----------



## RCBinTN

triggsviola said:


> I have a similar setup with my Vali 2. I leave Mimby on all the time.



Thanks. I assume, like all Schiit MB DACs, that the Modi MB improves with age.
Is that your experience


----------



## RCBinTN (Mar 12, 2019)

TJ Max said:


> I own both a Modi 2U, Modi Multibit and Modi 3. I couldn't really hear the differencce between the Mimby and Modi 3. But I realize that my pairing them with the Magni 3 may be limiting my ability to discern the difference this the Magni 3 introduces it's own sound signature over both dacs.
> When you guys hear the Mimby from the Modi 3, what differences are you hearing?
> 
> Also I see that many of you have decided to get the Eitr to pair your Modi with. Which is interesting, because I also wanted to move away from USB, but I decided to just buy a sound card (HT Omega Fenix PCIe) with a digital coax output. Do you think a USB to Coax converter box with perform better than a direct coax connection? I assume no, but so many people are choosing the Eitr.



I'm comparing the rig pictured to my experience with Gen5/Gumby/A2. No experience with the other products you mentioned, sorry.
The Modi MB has very decent instrument definition / clarity, out of the box.
That was my goal with this purchase (for my son-in-law). He will love it (compared to an iPod).

Since USB will be the source for this rig, I went with an Eitr as well ... it greatly improves the stability of the overall rig IMO.
On my Gumby rig, I had went to optical vs. the old Gen2 USB, which sucked.
When I got the Gen5 USB, I went back to USB. It beats optical SQ. YMMV.


----------



## TJ Max

RCBinTN said:


> I'm comparing the rig pictured to my experience with Gen5/Gumby/A2. No experience with the other products you mentioned, sorry.
> The Modi MB has very decent instrument definition / clarity, out of the box.
> That was my goal with this purchase (for my son-in-law). He will love it (compared to an iPod).
> 
> ...




Oh yeah I noticed toslink optical sounded veiled, the coax output is noticeably better. I heard the Gen5 usb is greatly improved over the previous gens. But following the theory of garbage-in-garbage-out. I'm skeptical of how much improvement there can be if both sending and receiving interfaces are not of equal quality and spec. I also didn't want to deal with drivers and differences in USB cables as well additional noises from the USB controllers. So I went straight Coax which is design specifically for audio transmission.


----------



## RickB

I leave my Modi Multibit on all the time for best sound quality. It doesn't take long at all to warm up, but it costs very little to leave on.


----------



## RickB

RCBinTN said:


> Thanks. I assume, like all Schiit MB DACs, that the Modi MB improves with age.
> Is that your experience



I haven't noticed a sound quality improvement with age, but it does need a warmup period. After it's been on for an hour or two, it sounds its best. The warmup time does decrease with age, though.


----------



## RCBinTN

TJ Max said:


> Oh yeah I noticed toslink optical sounded veiled, the coax output is noticeably better. I heard the Gen5 usb is greatly improved over the previous gens. But following the theory of garbage-in-garbage-out. I'm skeptical of how much improvement there can be if both sending and receiving interfaces are not of equal quality and spec. I also didn't want to deal with drivers and differences in USB cables as well additional noises from the USB controllers. So I went straight Coax which is design specifically for audio transmission.



Makes perfect sense. Since I'm using a Macbook as music source, it's USB or optical direct. I prefer nothing else in-between.
I do have a very nice USB cable ... Wywires Platinum, as are all my cables. They are great quality cables.


----------



## RCBinTN

So net, out of the box, I'm thrilled with the music details presented by the Modi MB. Amazing, for a $250 DAC.
Well done, Mike and Schiit Audio!


----------



## Guidostrunk

My mimby has been on 24/7 since May. Lol


----------



## Tuneslover

Guidostrunk said:


> My mimby has been on 24/7 since May. Lol



It's also a good idea to power off & power on your MB DAC's once in a while for good measure.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Plenty of power outages along the way to cover that. Lol.


Tuneslover said:


> It's also a good idea to power off & power on your MB DAC's once in a while for good measure.


----------



## tcellguy

RCBinTN said:


> Much better unboxed and connected with the Schiit PYST cables.
> The rig is driving my HD800 quite well - !
> The gear has a nice, full, rich SQ to it. Do y'all leave the Modi MB powered on all the time?
> 
> Glencairn glass provided for gear perspective and added listening pleasure LOL.



I find scotch improves bass response and tames the treble a bit 

I leave mine on all the time. The timing seems slightly off and the treble a bit etched for the first 30 minutes after turning on from cold.


----------



## joeexp

RCBinTN said:


> I'm comparing the rig pictured to my experience with Gen5/Gumby/A2. No experience with the other products you mentioned, sorry.
> The Modi MB has very decent instrument definition / clarity, out of the box.
> That was my goal with this purchase (for my son-in-law). He will love it (compared to an iPod).



The Modi MB without the EITR via USB sounds like a***. 
You have done the right thing!


----------



## joeike

tcellguy said:


> I find scotch improves bass response and tames the treble a bit
> 
> I leave mine on all the time. The timing seems slightly off and the treble a bit etched for the first 30 minutes after turning on from cold.


Good looking stack Don't know about the rubber band I would definitely at least warm it up for an hour or two but I don't leave mine on PS I thought I was on drunkhifi on Reddit for a second there.


----------



## RCBinTN

Naw us Head-Fiers like our whisky and whiskey, too. I'm especially fond of well-crafted Kentucky bourbon 

I cycle the power to my Gumby every time I listen to the rig. That resets the analog section.
Nobody recommended doing it, just seemed to make sense.

One thing I noticed about the Mimby is:  it doesn't click (like the Gumby does) when the bit depth of the music changes.
May be the absence of the adapticlock system that's present in Gumby.
The Mimby was able to switch between 16/44.1 and 24/192 music effortlessly.

The wall warts are kind of frumpy. I need a power strip or something better than just an extension cord.
Any recommendations out there?


----------



## Dana Reed

RCBinTN said:


> Naw us Head-Fiers like our whisky and whiskey, too. I'm especially fond of well-crafted Kentucky bourbon
> 
> I cycle the power to my Gumby every time I listen to the rig. That resets the analog section.
> Nobody recommended doing it, just seemed to make sense.
> ...


Chtulu awaits...
https://www.schiit.com/products/floor-wart


----------



## RCBinTN

Dana Reed said:


> Chtulu awaits...
> https://www.schiit.com/products/floor-wart



Decent! Thanks for the idea


----------



## CaptainFantastic (Mar 13, 2019)

RCBinTN said:


> The wall warts are kind of frumpy. I need a power strip or something better than just an extension cord.
> Any recommendations out there?



Before I sold them I had the Modi Multibit, the Magni and the Loki. That was three rather big, cheap-ish wall warts on a power strip powering three units one of which at least gets very hot. I decided that as fun as that looked on the desk, I could come to regret it if my whole house burned down. I replaced them with the truly fantastic, EQ-able RME ADI-2 DAC. A single, well made plug to deal with now on a unit that does not get hot. Just my experience for others to consider.

Edit - the Schiit floor wart is not available for European voltages.


----------



## RCBinTN

Here's a pic of the finished rig at Louie's house. The HP stand was $20 on Amazon ... nice for the price!
The strap around the Schiit gear is velcro. The rig does not get hot, at all. Magni3 is a very efficient amplifier.
I did order a Chtulu but the first one arrived damaged. Laura from Schiit sent an immediate replacement, that arrived fine.

This AM, Louie reports the right side of his HPs is going in & out. Maybe time to upgrade them as well.
Any opinions on this thread between the HD600 and HD650?


----------



## tafens

RCBinTN said:


> This AM, Louie reports the right side of his HPs is going in & out. Maybe time to upgrade them as well.
> Any opinions on this thread between the HD600 and HD650?



Nice rig!
The HD6XX gets my vote here


----------



## RCBinTN

Here is the HP stand, FYI. Quite a nice design, and stable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077XMRT8L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What is HD6XX?


----------



## ScOgLiO

RCBinTN said:


> Any opinions on this thread between the HD600 and HD650?



Well, it's not like I have much to compare them with, but I like my HD600s paired with Mimby and Magni 3

My 2 cents


----------



## RCBinTN

Thanks. I've heard people describe them as HD600 - neutral and HD650 - slightly warm.
I would prefer then the HD600, as I like the HD800. But, Louie may prefer a warmer sound.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

I owned both. If I could have only one headphone and had to choose between these two, I would choose the HD-650. It was slightly, slightly warmer and I enjoyed the music just a little bit more on it. However, since I have other headphones, I decided to keep the HD-600 for the more neutral sound because the Nightbirds give me plenty of warmth.


----------



## RCBinTN

CaptainFantastic said:


> I owned both. If I could have only one headphone and had to choose between these two, I would choose the HD-650. It was slightly, slightly warmer and I enjoyed the music just a little bit more on it. However, since I have other headphones, I decided to keep the HD-600 for the more neutral sound because the Nightbirds give me plenty of warmth.



Thanks, that is very helpful. The HD650 are on-sale here ... US$ 315, a great price for new.


----------



## tafens

RCBinTN said:


> What is HD6XX?



Massdrop version of HD650, at $200 plus shipping. Just checked, there is a drop active now, 7 days left.

It takes more time to get it as you have to wait for the drop to end and the product to arrive in quantity to Massdrop and then they ship it out. But if you can wait, it’s a great value for the money.


----------



## CaptainFantastic

tafens said:


> Massdrop version of HD650, at $200 plus shipping. Just checked, there is a drop active now, 7 days left.



Having watched/read many reviews, I am still not convinced the 6xx is exactly the same as the 650. At the end of the day, for $100 more I'd rather have the genuine product, rather than a cheaper version of it.


----------



## tafens

CaptainFantastic said:


> Having watched/read many reviews, I am still not convinced the 6xx is exactly the same as the 650. At the end of the day, for $100 more I'd rather have the genuine product, rather than a cheaper version of it.



I totally understand that. I was thinking along the same lines myself before ultimately deciding on the HD6XX, because of curiosity and money.. I’m very happy with it and prefer it over the HD600 in almost every regard.

Only Sennheiser (and possibly Massdrop) knows for sure if it is exactly a HD650 in slightly different design/colour or not, but: the box, besides having “HD6XX” plastered all over it, actually says “Model HD650” in very small lettering just above the bar code on the side.. 

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy it, and it pairs great with the Schiit gear


----------



## RCBinTN

Well, this didn't take long ... when I told Louie the HD650 were $319 (not $315 lol), he jumped.
Free two-day shipping from B&H PhotoVideo in NYC, a trusted seller.

So, in the space of three weeks, he has went from an iPod + HD599 to the Eitr / ModiMB / Magni3 + HD650.
A glide path to musical bliss 

Thanks for all your help, my friends.
RCBinTN


----------



## alpovs

tafens said:


> but: the box, besides having “HD6XX” plastered all over it, actually says “Model HD650” in very small lettering just above the bar code on the side..


This!


----------



## RCBinTN

Update! The HD650 showed up, and I listened for three hours on my rig ... GMB + BHA-1.
Decent sound ... darker than the HD800, for sure, but nice details and great bass.
An engaging feel to the music - perfect speed. Great for rock & blues.
I was impressed by the balanced sound of acoustic music ... EC's _Unplugged_ was superb.

I gave them a little EQ in the treble region that improved the overall sound, very much, to my ears.

So now, I am considering gifting a Loki, so Louie can EQ as he desires.
That would be a cool rig ... Eitr - Mimby - Loki - Magni3 - HD650.
Damn near end-game at the price point


----------



## Coug (Mar 29, 2019)

RCBinTN said:


> So now, I am considering gifting a Loki, so Louie can EQ as he desires.
> That would be a cool rig ... Eitr - Mimby - Loki - Magni3 - HD650.
> Damn near end-game at the price point



I am very happy with that same stack.  But even happier with the Vallhala 2 in place of the Magni3.  Better soundstage, halographic, smoother, some of the treble "edges" are relieved.  Definitely end game for me.  That's all i need, i don't need anything else.  Except the Crack when it arrives, and gets built, and works...  Then I won't need anything else... Except a Speedball... And that's all I need, Eitr, Mimby, Vallhalla 2, HD6XX, and Crack with a Speedball, and that's all... Well, and maybe some good planars... But that's it, that's all I'll ever need....

Sorry, I'm being such a Jerk.


----------



## RCBinTN (Mar 29, 2019)

Yeah, I get it. Rabbit holes abound.

This is Louie's first rig. For a sum total to date of around US $1,100 it's decent (that includes the yet TBD Loki).
A far better rig would have been Eitr - Bimby - Loki - Asgard2 or Valhalla ... do the math.

I personally stopped with Gumby because Yggy didn't sound that much better, to me.
Too many diminishing returns on the purported investment.

Oh, BTW, I also own the $4,000 LCD-4 which I seldom use. Wanna buy 'em ... $3,500 all day includes shipping.
They come with a very nice Pelican case and a very nice upgraded stock cable.
Uber-fine upgraded after-market cable is available +$500.
Send me a PM if interested


----------



## Dana Reed

RCBinTN said:


> LCD-4 which I seldom use. Wanna buy 'em ... $3,500 all day includes shipping.


Yeah, I like my LCD-2f, but not willing to go beyond that cost.  Or at least past the GS2000e, which is the most expensive and still my favorite overall.  Curious about the HD800s and HE6SE, but not enough to shell out yet.  Love my Gumby too, but hard to say if it’s worth it over my Bimby for headphones.  For speakers feeding a pair of mono blocks, yes, but I can’t tell the difference with headphones.


----------



## RCBinTN

Dana Reed said:


> Yeah, I like my LCD-2f, but not willing to go beyond that cost.  Or at least past the GS2000e, which is the most expensive and still my favorite overall.  Curious about the HD800s and HE6SE, but not enough to shell out yet.  Love my Gumby too, but hard to say if it’s worth it over my Bimby for headphones.  For speakers feeding a pair of mono blocks, yes, but I can’t tell the difference with headphones.



I've heard good things about the GS2000e. 
I owned the BiFrost back when the MB tech wasn't yet available for the BiFrost or Gungnir DACs. 
Then decided to go balanced so sold the BiFrost. 
I got a bit carried away ... the LCD-4 actually aren't for sale: they sound too good to sell


----------



## RCBinTN (Mar 30, 2019)

OK here's a nifty design detail by Schiit Audio.

Louie's mini-stack will be Eitr - Mimby - Loki - Magni3.

The floor wart has four outputs. 2x16VAC, 14VAC, and 6VAC.
Those outputs exactly match the needs of the mini gear, so the one wart will drive 'em all.
Cool, eh


----------



## alpovs

RCBinTN said:


> A far better rig would have been Eitr - Bimby - Loki - Asgard2 or Valhalla ... do the math.


Bimby won't need an Eitr because it has USB Gen 5 already.


----------



## joeike

Here's a mixed bag stack mimby > sys > CTH > Basx a-100 to power The fostex T-XO & Unifi UB5'S. The SYS gives me the input from the component rack for CD & turntable playback.Massdrop CTH also for driving the T-XO or 553 pro's.


----------



## Currawong

I'm only 3 years late with this review, but here it is:


----------



## joeexp (Jul 16, 2019)

Currawong said:


> I'm only 3 years late with this review, but here it is:




The EITR is much better choice than the WYRD in combination with the Modi Multibit. (If you don't have a good SPDIF source)


----------



## genck

Currawong said:


> I'm only 3 years late with this review, but here it is:



Very intelligent review, thanks


----------



## RCBinTN

Well done, Amos. Very clear description of the PC board (interesting) and the benefits of the MB design.

I had the pleasure of helping my son-in-law setup his first real Schiit stack:
iPod touch (ALAC) -> Apple camera cable -> USB cable -> Eitr -> ModiMB -> Loki -> Magni3 -> HD650.
All cables (except the Apple) are Schiit PYST.
Total rig cost ~$1,100 including the HPs, not counting the iPod that was on hand.

I tested the rig with my HD800 headphones and was pleasantly surprised by the SQ and how well the rig drove them.
Thanks for the tip about the Vali2 amp sounding better than the Magni3. Christmas is coming 

Cheers,
RCB


----------



## jfoxvol

RCBinTN said:


> Well done, Amos. Very clear description of the PC board (interesting) and the benefits of the MB design.
> 
> I had the pleasure of helping my son-in-law setup his first real Schiit stack:
> iPod touch (ALAC) -> Apple camera cable -> USB cable -> Eitr -> ModiMB -> Loki -> Magni3 -> HD650.
> ...


That is a legit great sounding setup


----------



## loki993

I have one of these that Ive been trying to sell, for quite some time actually, and for some reason people keep trying to offer me 150 for it...has the value on these really tanked that bad or am I just dealing with a bunch of lowballers?


----------



## acguitar84

loki993 said:


> I have one of these that Ive been trying to sell, for quite some time actually, and for some reason people keep trying to offer me 150 for it...has the value on these really tanked that bad or am I just dealing with a bunch of lowballers?


"One "guess" is Schiit has upgraded the modi. I see some people's profiles listing the Mimby with "Schiit Modi MB (v2 Firmware)."  

To me, that would immediately make the older mimby drop in price in the used market? I'm getting a new DAC and might just give mimby to my son. For the money, it is a great DAC, even without the v2 Firmware (I have no idea how that would get installed if a person wanted it)


----------



## loki993

Yeah Ive considered just keeping it too and finding something to do with it rather than get beat up on it.


----------



## alpovs

loki993 said:


> I have one of these that Ive been trying to sell, for quite some time actually, and for some reason people keep trying to offer me 150 for it...has the value on these really tanked that bad or am I just dealing with a bunch of lowballers?


But the new price is $250. Getting more than half of the new value is good IMHO.


----------



## bradbort

alpovs said:


> But the new price is $250. Getting more than half of the new value is good IMHO.


I’m not seeing anything about a V2 for the Mimby. Is that confirmed?


----------



## loki993 (Jul 25, 2019)

alpovs said:


> But the new price is $250. Getting more than half of the new value is good IMHO.



Yet that doesn't happen with basically any other part from them. Something like a Jot you are lucky to get a hundred off new on one used. Its like that with a lot of other of their stuff too. Relatively recently these were all over the place for 200 dollars and selling as far as I could tell.

Its not really a complaint I was just curious if this is what they are going for now or Im just having poor luck with potential buyers. 



bradbort said:


> I’m not seeing anything about a V2 for the Mimby. Is that confirmed?



Nothing like that is ever really confirmed...at least officially. That said if you do some poking around on other sites it's pretty obvious there was a change made at some point.


----------



## RickB

acguitar84 said:


> "One "guess" is Schiit has upgraded the modi. I see some people's profiles listing the Mimby with "Schiit Modi MB (v2 Firmware)."
> 
> To me, that would immediately make the older mimby drop in price in the used market? I'm getting a new DAC and might just give mimby to my son. For the money, it is a great DAC, even without the v2 Firmware (I have no idea how that would get installed if a person wanted it)



Schiit offers a chip upgrade from V1 to V2. Either they send you the chip, or you send in the unit so they do it. I think it's $35 or something.

It should be noted that Schiit's official position is that there is no sound quality difference between the two versions. 

I had V1 and sold it (before they offered the chip upgrade), then bought a new V2. I do notice an improvement.


----------



## alpovs

RickB said:


> Schiit offers a chip upgrade from V1 to V2. Either they send you the chip, or you send in the unit so they do it. I think it's $35 or something.
> 
> It should be noted that Schiit's official position is that there is no sound quality difference between the two versions.


I can confirm this. I sent mine in for an upgrade to V2. Got it back and didn't notice the difference. Per discussions in the forums the firmware update was for digital filter(s) to improve measurements. The improvements were in the non-audible but measurable range of signals. I think that's why they didn't call it V2 like in other products.


----------



## Tuneslover

alpovs said:


> I can confirm this. I sent mine in for an upgrade to V2. Got it back and didn't notice the difference. Per discussions in the forums the firmware update was for digital filter(s) to improve measurements. The improvements were in the non-audible but measurable range of signals. I think that's why they didn't call it V2 like in other products.



So what is the point of going version 2?


----------



## RickB

Tuneslover said:


> So what is the point of going version 2?



I noticed an improvement in sound quality. 

Was it placebo? I don't know. The improvement stuck around, whereas most placebo doesn't last.


----------



## Tuneslover

RickB said:


> I noticed an improvement in sound quality.
> 
> Was it placebo? I don't know. The improvement stuck around, whereas most placebo doesn't last.[/QUOTE
> 
> ...


----------



## RickB

Better clarity, slightly smoother, more "open" sounding.


----------



## RickB

From what I understand, they had to drastically improve the Bifrost Multibit, because the V2 Modi Multibit was too close in sound quality.


----------



## loki993

RickB said:


> From what I understand, they had to drastically improve the Bifrost Multibit, because the V2 Modi Multibit was too close in sound quality.



Is there a new bifrost?


----------



## RickB

loki993 said:


> Is there a new bifrost?



There is a V2.


----------



## alpovs

Tuneslover said:


> So what is the point of going version 2?


Schiit thinks there is no point. That's why they don't offer it unless you ask specifically. They don't even officially have Modi Multibit version 2. It's just Modi Multibit. I thought I would hear the difference...


----------



## mrip541

Is there any reason not to use a splitter on the Modi outputs to connect an amp and powered monitors at the same time?


----------



## jnak00

mrip541 said:


> Is there any reason not to use a splitter on the Modi outputs to connect an amp and powered monitors at the same time?



I've done this.  No problem.


----------



## bradbort

A Sys might give you cleaner sound.


----------



## showme99

bradbort said:


> A Sys might give you cleaner sound.


This. Every time I've used RCA splitter cables, it noticeably degraded the sound quality.


----------



## bradbort

I’ve actually had better luck splitting digital coax, but I tend to agree. Splitting (or converging into one) with a splitter can cause audible differences for analogue signals.


----------



## mrip541

showme99 said:


> This. Every time I've used RCA splitter cables, it noticeably degraded the sound quality.


I'm just a bit confused because some people say it degrades sound quality, but then there are people who say there's no difference. For example, Tyll Hertsens used splitters when comparing amps.


----------



## triggsviola

mrip541 said:


> I'm just a bit confused because some people say it degrades sound quality, but then there are people who say there's no difference. For example, Tyll Hertsens used splitters when comparing amps.


I imagine it depends greatly on the quality of the splitter. Audioquest makes a splitter that looks like might be high quality. It’s got 4/5 stars on Amazon. Most of the reviews say no signal loss. A few of them do. At 12 bucks per channel it doesn’t seem like that big of a risk. Could be a fun experiment. Compare it to the schiit sys, which is 50 bucks.


----------



## bradbort

I’ve tried the audio quest splitter. It depends. I’d be more worried about changing impedances than signal loss. For some there will be no difference. When I tried to split signals going into a rogue sphinx (trying to share an RCA port), the degradation was very noticeable. For a phono preamp it would not work at all.  For other purposes, you may hear no difference.


----------



## bradbort

I’d be pretty comfortable using splitters for digital coax. I’ve had varied results for analogue signals. There really is no way to know until you try. If, however, you use a switch, such as the sys, there will be no guessing.


----------



## XERO1 (Oct 4, 2019)

In my experience with splitting various RCA outputs, there has always been at least a small reduction in SQ, but as long as the component being split has a decently robust output stage, there should only be a very small difference.

But there was one time when I split the output of some cheapie CD player, and all of the bass below 200Hz disappeared!  As soon as I removed the splitter and extra cable, the bass was restored.

In that case, it was instantly obvious that the CD player's output stage wasn't up to the task, but most of the time it isn't problem.


----------



## alpovs

How can splitters differ in quality when it's basically a cable split in two? There is no electronics involved. If we are talking about simple splitters. 

The result of splitting depends on the devices you are splitting into. If one amp has low input impedance and the other has high, I believe the latter will suffer. There are some amps that when turned off the input impedance drops. Also it may depend on the output impedance of the source.


----------



## GarageBoy

These are supposed to decide 24/192 ok - right? I loaned mine to a friend and he's using it optical in with his ak240 and his 24/192 flac files won't play? 

24/174.6 are fine


----------



## Dana Reed

GarageBoy said:


> These are supposed to decide 24/192 ok - right? I loaned mine to a friend and he's using it optical in with his ak240 and his 24/192 flac files won't play?
> 
> 24/174.6 are fine


Doing 192/24 optical is not reliable and can depend a lot on the cable and other factors regardless of the DAC


----------



## maheeinfy

Is there i consensus on how Mimby compares to Bimby? In terms of both tech and subjective sound quality.
Thanks!


----------



## Dana Reed

maheeinfy said:


> Is there i consensus on how Mimby compares to Bimby? In terms of both tech and subjective sound quality.
> Thanks!


bifrost has the better USB, and I've never heard weird glitchy artifacts in it from its USB.  modi multibit, I had initially had that issue, so I got the Eitr to fix it.
modi, I've also had the occasional "ringing" issue where the sound in one channel gets weird, and the only solution is to power cycle it.  Not sure if that's fixed in the firmware upgrade that been discussed here, or which version of the firmware I actually have for that.

Other than those issues, I can't tell them apart in A/B.  The Bifrost is heavier, stacks better with my Asgard 2, and doesn't move around on the table as easily.


----------



## alpovs

maheeinfy said:


> Is there i consensus on how Mimby compares to Bimby? In terms of both tech and subjective sound quality.
> Thanks!


I suppose you are aware that the current Bitfrost 2 is completely different from the earlier version.


----------



## maheeinfy

alpovs said:


> I suppose you are aware that the current Bitfrost 2 is completely different from the earlier version.


Thanks, i am aware of Bifrost 2. Right now i am just looking for an upgrade to Mimby but Bifrost 2 is over the budget atm.


----------



## jnak00

maheeinfy said:


> Thanks, i am aware of Bifrost 2. Right now i am just looking for an upgrade to Mimby but Bifrost 2 is over the budget atm.



I was thinking the same, and was eyeing the close-out Bifrost 1 Multibits.  There were 28 or so available yesterday but today they are all gone.


----------



## maheeinfy

jnak00 said:


> I was thinking the same, and was eyeing the close-out Bifrost 1 Multibits.  There were 28 or so available yesterday but today they are all gone.


I was looking at those as well. I feel like they got taken down by Schiit(no stock?) as they all disappeared with in a few hours. or there is a Bimby megafan out there who bought all of the remaining stock


----------



## Tuneslover (Nov 19, 2019)

Dana Reed said:


> bifrost has the better USB, and I've never heard weird glitchy artifacts in it from its USB.  modi multibit, I had initially had that issue, so I got the Eitr to fix it.
> modi, I've also had the occasional "ringing" issue where the sound in one channel gets weird, and the only solution is to power cycle it.  Not sure if that's fixed in the firmware upgrade that been discussed here, or which version of the firmware I actually have for that.
> 
> Other than those issues, I can't tell them apart in A/B.  The Bifrost is heavier, stacks better with my Asgard 2, and doesn't move around on the table as easily.



The other claim to fame with the Bifrost is that it can be upgraded. While this is true, I found the cost too prohibitive to upgrade my Bifrost 4490 considering currency exchange and shipping costs. Instead I simply sold my Bifrost 4490 and purchased a Modi Multibt.


----------



## Dana Reed

Tuneslover said:


> The other claim to fame with the Bifrost is that it can be upgraded. While this is true, I found the cost too prohibitive to upgrade my Bifrost 4490 considering currency exchange and shipping costs. Instead I simply sold my Bifrost 4490 and purchased a Modi Multibt.


I had the Modi Multibit first, and bought the Bifrost Multibit when the Gen5 USB came out.  I probably won't upgrade to Unison USB, since the Gen 5 works perfectly, and if it ain't broke...


----------



## maheeinfy

jnak00 said:


> I was thinking the same, and was eyeing the close-out Bifrost 1 Multibits.  There were 28 or so available yesterday but today they are all gone.


They are back in stock


----------



## wiz2596 (Dec 1, 2019)

I have upgraded my modi mulbiti with the new chip firmware and the most noticiable change is the bass, it feels more accurate, more precise  not as boomy than before


----------



## Halam

Hi guys, i have Modi Multibit and it's amazing little dac, unbeatable for the price (i use usb directly from laptop), but i would like to upgrade and thinking about entry level R2R dacs from Audio-GD, Soekris or Denafrips for 700-800$. Do you think it would be significant increase in SQ? Or it's better just to save money and add the Eitr and new firmware chip to the chain, because the difference won't be night and day? Unfortunately i have not option to listen to these dacs. Thank you for any advices.


----------



## theveterans

It’s a Modi MB thread so your post is kinda out of topic. Anyways, are you looking to keep the sound sig of Modi and just elevate the technicality? IMO, you won’t get the best out of those DACs you mentioned if you’re going to use USB since I haven’t heard a USB solution better than the Unison from the Bifrost 2. Can’t compare the Bifrost 2 from those DACs since I haven’t heard them but Bifrost 2 is clearly a noticeable step up from Modi MB especially through Unison


----------



## bradbort

Halam said:


> Hi guys, i have Modi Multibit and it's amazing little dac, unbeatable for the price (i use usb directly from laptop), but i would like to upgrade and thinking about entry level R2R dacs from Audio-GD, Soekris or Denafrips for 700-800$. Do you think it would be significant increase in SQ? Or it's better just to save money and add the Eitr and new firmware chip to the chain, because the difference won't be night and day? Unfortunately i have not option to listen to these dacs. Thank you for any advices.


I have the modi multibit and the Denafrips ares. The ares is more than 2x the price of the modi, and actually is quite a bit more interesting to me in my tradtional two channel stereo. I have the modi now serving as the DAC on my PC based music system. That being said, I don't use the USB input in the Denafrips, just the coax and toslink. I would think a more interesting comparison would be the new bifrost v2 to the Denafrips....kind of a shoot out between a traditional r2r ladder dac (denafrips) and the chip based bifrost solution.  One thing to bear in mind if you want to try a Denafrips, it is a Chinese based company with no returns. They have a decent warranty, but buying their stuff is a bit of a leap of faith, although it seems to resell well. Ifout, I the bifrrost 2 was already out when I bought the Denafrips, I probably would have gone that route...


----------



## Halam

theveterans said:


> It’s a Modi MB thread so your post is kinda out of topic. Anyways, are you looking to keep the sound sig of Modi and just elevate the technicality? IMO, you won’t get the best out of those DACs you mentioned if you’re going to use USB since I haven’t heard a USB solution better than the Unison from the Bifrost 2. Can’t compare the Bifrost 2 from those DACs since I haven’t heard them but Bifrost 2 is clearly a noticeable step up from Modi MB especially through Unison





bradbort said:


> I have the modi multibit and the Denafrips ares. The ares is more than 2x the price of the modi, and actually is quite a bit more interesting to me in my tradtional two channel stereo. I have the modi now serving as the DAC on my PC based music system. That being said, I don't use the USB input in the Denafrips, just the coax and toslink. I would think a more interesting comparison would be the new bifrost v2 to the Denafrips....kind of a shoot out between a traditional r2r ladder dac (denafrips) and the chip based bifrost solution. One thing to bear in mind if you want to try a Denafrips, it is a Chinese based company with no returns. They have a decent warranty, but buying their stuff is a bit of a leap of faith, although it seems to resell well. Ifout, I the bifrrost 2 was already out when I bought the Denafrips, I probably would have gone that route...


   Thank you for your reply. The option with Bifrost 2 is really interesting, the difference between Mimby and Bimby v.1 was not so big.
   I just want to upgrade my DAC (although I like Modi, that's why I was thinking just to add Eitr and be happy with it), but I want to find some affordable multibit DAC that's not going to break the bank. Thanks again.


----------



## tafens

Halam said:


> Hi guys, i have Modi Multibit and it's amazing little dac, unbeatable for the price (i use usb directly from laptop), but i would like to upgrade and thinking about entry level R2R dacs from Audio-GD, Soekris or Denafrips for 700-800$. Do you think it would be significant increase in SQ? Or it's better just to save money and add the Eitr and new firmware chip to the chain, because the difference won't be night and day? Unfortunately i have not option to listen to these dacs. Thank you for any advices.



I don’t know about those DACs, but from the Modi Multibit the Bifrost2, to my ears, is a significant - and immediately noticeable - step up in SQ, in just about all regards.


----------



## mykeldg

anyone know how the mimby fares against the Topping D50s?


----------



## Dana Reed

mykeldg said:


> anyone know how the mimby fares against the Topping D50s?


In what way?  If you want the lowest possible SINAD, then a multibit DAC won’t beat the D50s.
My only complaint on the mimby was the USB implementation had audible noise.  I fixed that by using an Eitr, but you could use any USB->SPDIF for that.  And anything higher than mimby, I haven’t had any USB issues.
For the Topping, the main thing I’d worry about is warranty/repair work might be harder to get done than with Schiit.  I have a DX7s, which hasn’t had any problems, but if I did I don’t think, I’d have much luck.  I got it on massdrop and you get 30 days there.


----------



## mykeldg (Dec 5, 2019)

Dana Reed said:


> In what way?  If you want the lowest possible SINAD, then a multibit DAC won’t beat the D50s.
> My only complaint on the mimby was the USB implementation had audible noise.  I fixed that by using an Eitr, but you could use any USB->SPDIF for that.  And anything higher than mimby, I haven’t had any USB issues.
> For the Topping, the main thing I’d worry about is warranty/repair work might be harder to get done than with Schiit.  I have a DX7s, which hasn’t had any problems, but if I did I don’t think, I’d have much luck.  I got it on massdrop and you get 30 days there.



Nothing Technical, just for overall musicality & detail.

I used to have the D30 and Modi 3 but unfortunately I sold them before getting the mimby. I am just curious how the mimby stacks up against the d50 for anyone who has heard / owned them at the same time. I understand the mimby has a more holographic analog like sound.


BTW, what changes do you hear when using the Eitr? I have a Fiio E10 which has coax out but when I use it on the mimby, it sounds clean but thin and compressed in the mids compared to USB which makes it sound quite bright. Is this sound change something similar to what you hear with the Eitr?


----------



## almarti

wiz2596 said:


> I have upgraded my modi mulbiti with the new chip firmware and the most noticiable change is the bass, it feels more accurate, more precise  not as boomy than before



How did you get such upgrade? I would like to have it for mine as weill. Thanks in advance


----------



## RickB

almarti said:


> How did you get such upgrade? I would like to have it for mine as weill. Thanks in advance



Contact info@schiit.com and they will help you.


----------



## Guidostrunk

Hola Rick,
I bought mine in May of 2018 ,used. What should I look for inside my unit to see what chip I have? I'd hate to order one and already have it in there lol.
Thanks!
Cheers


RickB said:


> Contact info@schiit.com and they will help you.


----------



## jnak00

Guidostrunk said:


> Hola Rick,
> I bought mine in May of 2018 ,used. What should I look for inside my unit to see what chip I have? I'd hate to order one and already have it in there lol.
> Thanks!
> Cheers



The new chip has a sticker on it.


----------



## tafens

Guidostrunk said:


> What should I look for inside my unit to see what chip I have? I'd hate to order one and already have it in there lol.



The firmware chip is an 8-pin DIP package, the only one in a socket, placed somewhat front and to the left on the PCB. As far as I know, the new firmware has a white sticker on it, while the old firmware has no sticker.

Alternatively, you could mail Schiit with the serial number of the unit, they should be able to tell if it shipped with the old firmware or the new.


----------



## RickB

Guidostrunk said:


> Hola Rick,
> I bought mine in May of 2018 ,used. What should I look for inside my unit to see what chip I have? I'd hate to order one and already have it in there lol.
> Thanks!
> Cheers



PM sent.


----------



## mykeldg

here's a walk-through video of the upgrade. it seems it does have a sticker:


----------



## DOUGHN

should i get the magni3+ & modi multibit  or asgard with multibit ? for  sennheiser hd6xx? thanKs guys and cheers


----------



## mykeldg

I've been listening to the "impeccably measuring" Topping d50s for a good 2 weeks now and compared to the mimby v2, I have to say its just not in the same class and seems a bit of a letdown. This really makes me appreciate the mimby's value even more.

d50s has a very clean sound void of any color. Compared to other DS dacs i've heard like the modi 3 and d30, it is much more revealing & dynamic. However, it just sounds 2-dimensional and a more abstract sound (albeit clear) compared to the mimby.
D50s sounds like a clear recording, mimby sounds like real music in your room.

mimby v2 has the more musical presentation: better depth & realism (like it has 3-dimensional separation). It's also effortless in giving microdynamics and revealing subtle stuff going on in the mix. It also sounds more organic & lifelike compared to the d50s. And while the mimby is a bit warm, it still manage to provde more treble presence than the Topping d50s without the glare.


----------



## bradbort

DOUGHN said:


> should i get the magni3+ & modi multibit  or asgard with multibit ? for  sennheiser hd6xx? thanKs guys and cheers



I have the Asgard 3 It is an amazing headphone amp.  Whether you buy the mb card or the external DAC depends on what you want to feed it.  If you just want to use usb, the card is attractive. If you also want to use coax or toslink, go external.


----------



## Joe Garfield (Dec 25, 2019)

I just got Mimby and Magni 3 and love them. I guess I’m a real Schiithead.

Mimby worked right away with iPhone XR and no additional power was needed. I let it warm up 1 hour while I listened with Modi for reference. Mimby is everything I wanted to change about Modi. And that’s just preference - Modi is an awesome product, too. It has great resolution and detail particularly when the music gets busy. My perception is that Mimby adds depth and width to soundstage, and softens up things like cymbals and snare hits. Modi sounds like 2D reference and Mimby sounds like 3D experience. To me.


----------



## mykeldg (Dec 25, 2019)

^^ spot on. This is my same experience between the d50s and Mimby. d50s is super clear but its a bit lifeless because the sound is 2d in comparison to the mimby. It is even more impressive considering the d50s is the same price of the mimby and the mimby commes with a linear PSU and just a better more engaging sound.


----------



## ssmith3046

Haven't posted here in awhile. Really like the Modi 3 but I bought a used Modi 2 multibit with the firmware update for a fair price and it's on the way, ETA Monday.  I'm using the Modis with my older Marantz CD player connected with a coax cable. The Modi 3 really made difference in the SQ, very happy with it. Looking forward to giving the multibit a try.


----------



## bogginhead

ssmith3046 said:


> Haven't posted here in awhile. Really like the Modi 3 but I bought a used Modi 2 multibit with the firmware update for a fair price and it's on the way, ETA Monday.  I'm using the Modis with my older Marantz CD player connected with a coax cable. The Modi 3 really made difference in the SQ, very happy with it. Looking forward to giving the multibit a try.


You'll hopefully love yours as much as I have mine, man; it's a great dac.  The Mimby got me looking into the whole R2R / multibit rabbit hole last year; I recently got an Audio GD R2R-11 and am loving it as much if not more than the Mimby.


----------



## Tuneslover

ssmith3046 said:


> Haven't posted here in awhile. Really like the Modi 3 but I bought a used Modi 2 multibit with the firmware update for a fair price and it's on the way, ETA Monday.  I'm using the Modis with my older Marantz CD player connected with a coax cable. The Modi 3 really made difference in the SQ, very happy with it. Looking forward to giving the multibit a try.



It's a very good sounding DAC for a reasonable price.  I owned the full sized Bifrost 4490 and Bifrost MB DAC's but once I heard the Mimby I couldn't justify the cost difference versus sound difference.  I sold them both and bought a second Mimby, no regrets.  It's a good idea to keep it powered on in order to maintain a constant temperature.  Be sure to power it off (turn off & remove plug) for a few seconds and power it up again periodically to prevent quirky and flat sound.


----------



## ssmith3046

Tuneslover said:


> It's a very good sounding DAC for a reasonable price.  I owned the full sized Bifrost 4490 and Bifrost MB DAC's but once I heard the Mimby I couldn't justify the cost difference versus sound difference.  I sold them both and bought a second Mimby, no regrets.  It's a good idea to keep it powered on in order to maintain a constant temperature.  Be sure to power it off (turn off & remove plug) for a few seconds and power it up again periodically to prevent quirky and flat sound.


I was bidding on bifrost multibit but lost out on it, slept through the final minutes. A seller had this Modi 2 multibit with the update so I made him an offer and he accepted it. Real nice guy, we've messaged back and forth and he wants to go with a DAC upgrade. I've read that the difference between the Bifrost MB and Modi MB was negligible, as you point out. The Modi 3 was my first taste of Schiit, couldn't resist, and I was impressed with the build quality and customer service. Also it's a fine sounding unit. It doesn't even have an off and on switch. I've read, as you recommend, to leave it powered on. How often to you turn yours off?


----------



## Tuneslover

ssmith3046 said:


> I was bidding on bifrost multibit but lost out on it, slept through the final minutes. A seller had this Modi 2 multibit with the update so I made him an offer and he accepted it. Real nice guy, we've messaged back and forth and he wants to go with a DAC upgrade. I've read that the difference between the Bifrost MB and Modi MB was negligible, as you point out. The Modi 3 was my first taste of Schiit, couldn't resist, and I was impressed with the build quality and customer service. Also it's a fine sounding unit. It doesn't even have an off and on switch. I've read, as you recommend, to leave it powered on. How often to you turn yours off?



I usually forget to power cycle it until I sense a slight "ringing" sound in the high frequencies.  That's when I go "oh yeah" and do the power cycling and all's good again.  So maybe once a month but sometimes I can go months and months without even thinking about it.  It's no big deal, I just wanted you to be aware of it.


----------



## ssmith3046

Tuneslover said:


> I usually forget to power cycle it until I sense a slight "ringing" sound in the high frequencies.  That's when I go "oh yeah" and do the power cycling and all's good again.  So maybe once a month but sometimes I can go months and months without even thinking about it.  It's no big deal, I just wanted you to be aware of it.


Thanks, that's good to know. I'll report back when it arrives and I get it warmed up. Scheduled for Monday.


----------



## mykeldg

I have a sound demos of modi 3, modi multibit v2 and ther dacs. As long as you listen using neutral cans, you might get a feel of how it will sound:


----------



## ssmith3046

mykeldg said:


> I have a sound demos of modi 3, modi multibit v2 and ther dacs. As long as you listen using neutral cans, you might get a feel of how it will sound:



I'll try out, thank you.


----------



## mroneto

ssmith3046 said:


> I was bidding on bifrost multibit but lost out on it, slept through the final minutes. A seller had this Modi 2 multibit with the update so I made him an offer and he accepted it. Real nice guy, we've messaged back and forth and he wants to go with a DAC upgrade. I've read that the difference between the Bifrost MB and Modi MB was negligible, as you point out. The Modi 3 was my first taste of Schiit, couldn't resist, and I was impressed with the build quality and customer service. Also it's a fine sounding unit. It doesn't even have an off and on switch. I've read, as you recommend, to leave it powered on. How often to you turn yours off?



I've left mine on for almost a year straight now with no issues; the only time it was powered off recently was to install the version 2 upgrade.


----------



## ssmith3046

mroneto said:


> I've left mine on for almost a year straight now with no issues; the only time it was powered off recently was to install the version 2 upgrade.


I'm curious, did you notice a difference when you installed the upgrade? I've read some listeners do and some do not.


----------



## mroneto

ssmith3046 said:


> I'm curious, did you notice a difference when you installed the upgrade? I've read some listeners do and some do not.



I measured the output through an analyzer program (Soundcard Oscilloscope) which confirmed that something did change from the previous firmware. However, I don't have much knowledge on what exactly the change was (electronically)

What I did notice was:
- Slight increase in low-end 'heft' without sounding thick (like the earlier models)
- Increase in overall clarity/resolution (background nuances became slightly more audible)
- More of a 'blackground' (lower noise floor)

Overall, for $35 and to satisfy my nervosa/OCD, I feel that it was more than worth the 5 minutes to install.
My unit was bought in 2018-Feb, so I don't know how much more of a difference the older models would have.


----------



## ssmith3046

mroneto said:


> I measured the output through an analyzer program (Soundcard Oscilloscope) which confirmed that something did change from the previous firmware. However, I don't have much knowledge on what exactly the change was (electronically)
> 
> What I did notice was:
> - Slight increase in low-end 'heft' without sounding thick (like the earlier models)
> ...


It sounds like it was well worth five minutes of your time. Hard to believe that Feburary 2018 was practically two years ago.  I don't think that it has hit me that it is 2020. If I would have bought one that had not had the update done I definitely would had sent it back to Schiit for the update.  It would have bugged me not to. Do you know if there's much difference in the current Modi Multibit being sold and an updated Modi 2 MB? I almost bought new but I got such a good deal on this one I couldn't pass it up.


----------



## tafens

Tuneslover said:


> Be sure to power it off (turn off & remove plug) for a few seconds and power it up again periodically to prevent quirky and flat sound.



I have has this happen just once or twice, and I mostly left it on all the time. The one time it happened it was actually right after turn on. Probably something with the USB communication and dependent on the computer/os also.



ssmith3046 said:


> Do you know if there's much difference in the current Modi Multibit being sold and an updated Modi 2 MB? I almost bought new but I got such a good deal on this one I couldn't pass it up.



As far as I know, there is no difference other than that they now have the new firmware installed.


----------



## ssmith3046

tafens said:


> I have has this happen just once or twice, and I mostly left it on all the time. The one time it happened it was actually right after turn on. Probably something with the USB communication and dependent on the computer/os also.
> 
> 
> 
> As far as I know, there is no difference other than that they now have the new firmware installed.


Ok, thank you.  I'm glad I went with the updated Modi 2 instead of buying a new one. I definitely saved a good chunk of change. I did buy my Modi 3 from Schiit and I am impressed by their customer service.


----------



## Zenithcric

mykeldg said:


> I have a sound demos of modi 3, modi multibit v2 and ther dacs. As long as you listen using neutral cans, you might get a feel of how it will sound:
> 
> Thanks!
> To my ears the Mimby killed it. I have the Modi 3 and that was the second revelation: how good that is, but the multibit was a notch above, and so for me it’s just a matter of time. Are the units for sale at Schiit now all v2s?


----------



## ssmith3046

tafens said:


> I have has this happen just once or twice, and I mostly left it on all the time. The one time it happened it was actually right after turn on. Probably something with the USB communication and dependent on the computer/os also.
> 
> 
> 
> As far as I know, there is no difference other than that they now have the new firmware installed.


The firmware updated Modi 2 arrived today. The seller had kept the original box and packing, looks new.
Feels a little heavier than my Modi 3 but I'll have to check that out later. I was anxious to test it, even without a proper warmup so I hooked it up. I use a coax cable from my older Marantz CD5003 to the Modi, a pair of Morrow cables to a Bellari HD540 MKII with a Telefunken smooth plate.
Only one pair of headphones for now, HD-650's. I popped in Shelby Lynne's Just A Little Lovin and pressed play. I was not prepared for what I heard, and no warmup. I thought that the Modi 3 was good but this was like going from 2-D to 3-D, black and white to color, my 1978 Zenith to a Samsung QLED.  So much more air and space between the instruments. The holographic soundstage. You can hear the room or studio ambiance.  The instruments sound like musical instruments and the vocals are just amazing. I put in the Stones disc one from Bridges to Buenos Aires and was hearing details that I hadn't heard before with the Modi 3. Time to sell the Modi 3 because I can't imagine using it again. I can't imagine what high dollar DAC must sound like but I paid less than 200 for this one and it ain't going anywhere.


----------



## theveterans

ssmith3046 said:


> I can't imagine what high dollar DAC must sound like but I paid less than 200 for this one and it ain't going anywhere.



You're just getting the icing on the cake. Bifrost 2 is on a complete different level though at the cost of multiple Modi Multibit


----------



## ssmith3046

theveterans said:


> You're just getting the icing on the cake. Bifrost 2 is on a complete different level though at the cost of multiple Modi Multibit


I was bidding on Bifrost multibit and was asleep when the auction ended. Lost it by like five bucks, think it went for 335. Well, the little Modi will hold me over for a while but I'll keep my eyes wide open next time.


----------



## theveterans

ssmith3046 said:


> I was bidding on Bifrost multibit and was asleep when the auction ended. Lost it by like five bucks, think it went for 335. Well, the little Modi will hold me over for a while but I'll keep my eyes wide open next time.



IMHO, Bifrost Multibit isn't worth the extra dough for upgrade as the difference isn't as clear cut as the Bifrost 2. Enjoy your gear and when the itch comes, be sure to audition the Bifrost 2


----------



## SirRealist

Aloha All!

I’m having a very hard time deciding between the Jotunheim and the THX AAA 789. From what I’ve read, they’re very similar and neither is really “better” than the other. I know I want to pair my amp with the Mimby and a pair of HD650s. Does anyone have any experience with this chain? Any knowledge on if the Mimby pairs better with the Jot or 789? Any thoughts are welcome, but especially if someone has tried both with the Mimby. Maybe this will help me decide between the two. Thanks for any feedback!


----------



## mroneto

ssmith3046 said:


> The firmware updated Modi 2 arrived today. The seller had kept the original box and packing, looks new.
> Feels a little heavier than my Modi 3 but I'll have to check that out later. I was anxious to test it, even without a proper warmup so I hooked it up. I use a coax cable from my older Marantz CD5003 to the Modi, a pair of Morrow cables to a Bellari HD540 MKII with a Telefunken smooth plate.
> Only one pair of headphones for now, HD-650's. I popped in Shelby Lynne's Just A Little Lovin and pressed play. I was not prepared for what I heard, and no warmup. I thought that the Modi 3 was good but this was like going from 2-D to 3-D, black and white to color, my 1978 Zenith to a Samsung QLED.  So much more air and space between the instruments. The holographic soundstage. You can hear the room or studio ambiance.  The instruments sound like musical instruments and the vocals are just amazing. I put in the Stones disc one from Bridges to Buenos Aires and was hearing details that I hadn't heard before with the Modi 3. Time to sell the Modi 3 because I can't imagine using it again. I can't imagine what high dollar DAC must sound like but I paid less than 200 for this one and it ain't going anywhere.



Your experience mirrors mine _exactly_. I had viewed a review of the Modi 3 on another site, where it was lauded and well-received for its performance on a very expensive audio analyzer.
On that same site, any multibit or resistor-ladder DACs were basically cast aside and looked down upon due to "poor engineering and bad measurements".

I decided to purchase one and compare it directly to the Multibit (V1 at the time).
After 2 days of going back and forth between the two, the Modi 3 was up for sale (and sold _very_ quickly, almost overnight).
The difference was not subtle at all, I knew for sure I was not the only one that had heard something like this.
Thanks for your impressions, it makes me a little more sane in this crazy world!


----------



## ssmith3046

mroneto said:


> Your experience mirrors mine _exactly_. I had viewed a review of the Modi 3 on another site, where it was lauded and well-received for its performance on a very expensive audio analyzer.
> On that same site, any multibit or resistor-ladder DACs were basically cast aside and looked down upon due to "poor engineering and bad measurements".
> 
> I decided to purchase one and compare it directly to the Multibit (V1 at the time).
> ...


I know which site you are referring to, at least I'm 99.9% that I do. I thought I would hear a difference between the Modi 3 and the multibit but I had no idea that it would be so profound. And that's with the multibit right out of the box with zero warm up. It's a shame to think that someone would pass this great little ladder DAC up because they read the results of a test and not listen with their ears.  The Modi 3 is a great little delta sigma DAC and was a huge improvement over the older Cirrus Logic in my older CD player. My first thought was to sell the Modi 3 but I might keep it around.


----------



## ssmith3046

theveterans said:


> IMHO, Bifrost Multibit isn't worth the extra dough for upgrade as the difference isn't as clear cut as the Bifrost 2. Enjoy your gear and when the itch comes, be sure to audition the Bifrost 2


Thanks for the heads up. I've read what you wrote about the Bifrost multibit. When I'm ready to move on I'll probably be sticking with Schiit and Bifrost 2 sounds like the next logical step. Really happy with the little Modi MB for now but I've been in this crazy hobby for 50 years and I know how it goes.


----------



## Tuneslover

ssmith3046 said:


> I know which site you are referring to, at least I'm 99.9% that I do. I thought I would hear a difference between the Modi 3 and the multibit but I had no idea that it would be so profound. And that's with the multibit right out of the box with zero warm up. It's a shame to think that someone would pass this great little ladder DAC up because they read the results of a test and not listen with their ears.  The Modi 3 is a great little delta sigma DAC and was a huge improvement over the older Cirrus Logic in my older CD player. *My first thought was to sell the Modi 3 but I might keep it around*.



That's how I ended up with 3 headphone systems...LOL...as I didn't really want to sell any of my gear.


----------



## ssmith3046 (Jan 28, 2020)

Tuneslover said:


> That's how I ended up with 3 headphone systems...LOL...as I didn't really want to sell any of my gear.


I recently downsized for a move out of state and sold a ton of hi-fi equipment and a pretty good sized record collection. I always loved headphones going back to the early 70's to my green Koss Pro's. I did keep a turntable, a restored Harman Kardon A500 integrated tube amp, and a pair of restored KLH Model 5 speakers. Sold my solid state McIntosh, B&W speakers, Nak Dragon, and other assorted gear. No regrets. I do most of my listening now with headphones using CDs for my source. I was thinking I'd sell the Modi 3 and use the money to buy more music. I'm using HD-650's now and would like to buy a few more pairs of Headphones.  Curious about the Focal brand. I've been using Shure V-15 III cartridges since 73 so I'm wondering about their top tier headphones too. I was looking at your profile and you do indeed have a few pieces of equipment on hand!


----------



## steveoat

ssmith3046 said:


> I recently downsized for a move out of state and sold a ton of hi-fi equipment and a pretty good sized record collection. I always loved headphones going back to the early 70's to my green Koss Pro's. I did keep a turntable, a restored Harman Kardon A500 integrated tube amp, and a pair of restored KLH Model 5 speakers. Sold my solid state McIntosh, B&W speakers, Nak Dragon, and other assorted gear. No regrets. I do most of my listening now with headphones using CDs for my source. I was thinking I'd sell the Modi 3 and use the money to buy more music. I'm using HD-650's now and would like to buy a few more pairs of Headphones.  Curious about the Focal brand. I've been using Shure V-15 III cartridges since 73 so I'm wondering about their top tier headphones too. I was looking at your profile and you do indeed have a few pieces of equipment on hand!


Will future modi multibits have the new unison usb circuitry?


----------



## ssmith3046

steveoat said:


> Will future modi multibits have the new unison usb circuitry?


I can't help you there but perhaps a more knowledgeable member can. You can also contact Schiit through their website. They're very prompt about answering emails.


----------



## Tuneslover

ssmith3046 said:


> I recently downsized for a move out of state and sold a ton of hi-fi equipment and a pretty good sized record collection. I always loved headphones going back to the early 70's to my green Koss Pro's. I did keep a turntable, a restored Harman Kardon A500 integrated tube amp, and a pair of restored KLH Model 5 speakers. Sold my solid state McIntosh, B&W speakers, Nak Dragon, and other assorted gear. No regrets. I do most of my listening now with headphones using CDs for my source. I was thinking I'd sell the Modi 3 and use the money to buy more music. I'm using HD-650's now and would like to buy a few more pairs of Headphones.  Curious about the Focal brand. I've been using Shure V-15 III cartridges since 73 so I'm wondering about their top tier headphones too. I was looking at your profile and you do indeed have a few pieces of equipment on hand!



Yup it does accumulate over the years that’s for sure. I parted way with my 70’s era stuff about 10 years ago and like you said, no regrets.  However I hung on to my 2 pairs of Large Advent speakers (from the mid ‘70’s) used as the “double Advent” system popular at the time. Until last year when I put them up for sale. There was a lot of interest in them. I ended up selling them to a young man who knew what they were. He wanted them so badly that he drove for an hour in a snow storm to buy them. I knew they went to a good home.


----------



## ssmith3046 (Jan 28, 2020)

Tuneslover said:


> Yup it does accumulate over the years that’s for sure. I parted way with my 70’s era stuff about 10 years ago and like you said, no regrets.  However I hung on to my 2 pairs of Large Advent speakers (from the mid ‘70’s) used as the “double Advent” system popular at the time. Until last year when I put them up for sale. There was a lot of interest in them. I ended up selling them to a young man who knew what they were. He wanted them so badly that he drove for an hour in a snow storm to buy them. I knew they went to a good home.


Henry Kloss was quite the innovator. I sold a really nice restored pair of New Large Advents for my move. I chose to keep the KLH Model 5's over the Advents. I like them just a little bit better.  I remember the stacked Advents very well.  I also kept a pair of AR-6 speakers. I sold a really nice pair of AR2ax's too. A little too power hungry for the amp I kept. I bet you get get a little snow where you live.


----------



## Tuneslover

ssmith3046 said:


> Henry Kloss was quite the innovator. I sold a really nice restored pair of New Large Advents for my move. I chose to keep the KLH Model 5's over the Advents. I like them just a little bit better.  I remember the stacked Advents very well.  I also kept a pair of AR-6 speakers. I sold a really nice pair of AR2ax's too. A little too power hungry for the amp I kept. I bet you get get a little snow where you live.



We do but aside from 2-3 good snowstorms a year overall the weather is much tamer than it used to be.  My wife and I loved your neck of the woods (we’re big Breaking Bad fans), Arizona, Utah and Wyoming too. 

Man you had (have) some awesome gear. I almost bought the AR’s back then but for some reason I went for the Advents. I recreated the double Advent system with my current Arcam FMJ amplification and I was amazed how good those Advents sounded.  Made my decision to sell them pretty tough. 

I’m spending most of audio time with my headphone systems but still let my speaker systems rock whenever the wife goes out for a few hours...LOL!

My first experience with Schiit was when I came to the conclusion that a modern standalone DAC might make my speaker system sound better than the aging NAD CD player I was using at the time.  Boy was I right. But once I bought a DAP (FiiO X5ii) about 6 years ago I rarely use a CD player anymore. I love that I can have my entire CD collection on the DAP and easily move it to any of my headphone systems. I bought the FiiO M11 DAP back in September to replace the X5ii, which is my gym DAP.  Of course DAP’s are terrific for on-the-go or vacation trips.


----------



## tafens

steveoat said:


> Will future modi multibits have the new unison usb circuitry?



Most probably not (or any time soon anyway). Over in the SchiitHappened thread (I think it was), Jason said there just isn’t enough room on the Modi size circuit board to house both the dac and Unison.

But far further down the road, in the not so foreseeable future - who knows?

But hey, @Jason Stoddard - would it perhaps be possible to sandwich a unison board on top of the dac board?


----------



## ssmith3046

Tuneslover said:


> We do but aside from 2-3 good snowstorms a year overall the weather is much tamer than it used to be.  My wife and I loved your neck of the woods (we’re big Breaking Bad fans), Arizona, Utah and Wyoming too.
> 
> Man you had (have) some awesome gear. I almost bought the AR’s back then but for some reason I went for the Advents. I recreated the double Advent system with my current Arcam FMJ amplification and I was amazed how good those Advents sounded.  Made my decision to sell them pretty tough.
> 
> ...


I was born in NM up in the four corners region. I lived in both Wyoming and Utah years ago. I lived in Albuquerque in the early 70's and moved back in 1986.  I'll have to update my profile because after 33 years, this time, in Albuquerque I moved to Scottsdale, AZ. The less affluent part, not north Scottsdale. I have two grown children here. I came down late summer last year so I got to experience the high heat. 
The move was the reason I sold most of my stereo stuff and most of my records. The Advents are a great sealed, two way speaker, I bet it was a tough decision to sell. 
The little Modi multibit has been warming up now for about 17 hours and it just gets better.


----------



## wiz2596

Letmebefrank said:


> Who knew the secret to better audio was hidden in a $13 circuit board and a $5 coax cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is it really different the sound quality using this backplate? even better than using optical?


----------



## ssmith3046

I'm really enjoying the Modi mb but still I  wanted a delta sigma DAC, came to this conclusion after selling my Modi 3.  Bought a Bifrost 4490 today from member Mr Tom at very fair price. From the information that I've read it's bigger and better than the Modi 3.  I'm looking forward to checking it out soon.


----------



## ssmith3046 (Feb 20, 2020)

Took delivery on the Bifrost 4490 that I bought here. Big improvement over the Modi 3.  Totally different presentation than my little Modi multibit. Love the smooth sound and expansive soundstage.  I've been playing records for over 50 years and in the setup I'm using it produces an analog sound.  I have connected to my older Marantz CD5003 CD deck, from the Bifrost to a Bellari HA540 MK2 which is currently using aTelefunken smooth plate. I'm not selling my Modi multibit and plan on buying a Bifrost 2 soon. Forgot to add HD650's for headphones.


----------



## mykeldg

ssmith3046 said:


> Took delivery on the Bifrost 4490 that I bought here. Big improvement over the Modi 3.  Totally different presentation than my little Modi multibit. Love the smooth sound and expansive soundstage.  I've been playing records for over 50 years and in the setup I'm using it produces an analog sound.  I have connected to my older Marantz CD5003 CD deck, from the Bifrost to a Bellari HA540 MK2 which is currently using aTelefunken smooth plate. I'm not selling my Modi multibit and plan on buying a Bifrost 2 soon. Forgot to add HD650's for headphones.


Interesting. Which do you prefer more, the mimby or the 4490 Bifrost? Can you care to share some impressions between the 2? I've had the topping d50s (sold it now) which is one of the better delta sigma dacs i've heard and even on that, I felt it sounded a bit tame and dull especially compared to the modi multibit.


----------



## ssmith3046

mykeldg said:


> Interesting. Which do you prefer more, the mimby or the 4490 Bifrost? Can you care to share some impressions between the 2? I've had the topping d50s (sold it now) which is one of the better delta sigma dacs i've heard and even on that, I felt it sounded a bit tame and dull especially compared to the modi multibit.


I like both.  Hard for me to put into words, maybe if I was a professional reviewer it would be easier.  The Bifrost 4490 has a more expansive soundstage for me. The vocals seem to me to a little more forward, very natural sounding. Although the Modi mb handles the vocals well too, just different. It's kind of like with the 4490 I'm back on row three and with the little Modi mb I'm on the stage. With the 4490 I can close my eyes and picture a turntable playing a record, it had a very smooth analog presentation.  That's not to say the Modi mb has a harsh digital sound to me. It's very dynamic. I dont find the Bifrost 4490 tame or dull. I really like both for different reasons.


----------



## ssmith3046

mykeldg said:


> Interesting. Which do you prefer more, the mimby or the 4490 Bifrost? Can you care to share some impressions between the 2? I've had the topping d50s (sold it now) which is one of the better delta sigma dacs i've heard and even on that, I felt it sounded a bit tame and dull especially compared to the modi multibit.


Just a follow up from my previous response.  I was listening to Tumbling Dice off the Voodoo Lounge Uncut set, excellent live recording. First with the Mimby then with the Bifrost 4490.  The sound was so close if I didn't know which one was which I dont know if I could have picked them out. Maybe the Mimby was a little more dynamic.  Crazy!


----------



## mykeldg

thanks for the impressions. yeah the mimby is much more dynamic to me as well. its just even though its the warmer dac, on some occasions I tend to get tired / fatigued from the mimby. Im not sure if its because of the inaudible distortion / low SINAD or something else (like bad USB). But yes, I do agree the delta sigma dacs sound more relaxing. The mimby keeps me on the edge of my seat sometimes.


----------



## loki993

Ok heres the deal...I had a modi multibit v1 paired with a magni 3 and I didnt like the combo. I was using AKG K7xx headphones and while I could tell there was good sounds there everything sounded too far away..like all of the music was in the background...distant. I then added an eitr to try to make it better and it did make the sound better and it brought the presentation in a bit but it was still too distant for me. So I basically sold everything aside from the headphones. 

Still though Im trying to figure out what was actually causing this because I dont want to give the modi multibit an unfair shake because lots of people seem to like it and I didnt....was it the v1 Modi? Is the v2 better i that regard? Was it actually the Magni 3? I wold think not really because if people complain about the Magni series they usually complain about them being too bright..too forward...  then the last possibility my headphones? Are those just a crappy pairing with the AKGs. 

Anyone have any ideas? I would love to be able to "cheap" out and get another mimby instead of eventually having to put out 700 for a B2. Another option is a D/S modi, I know Mike says D/S sounds like "ass", but I know someone likes it. OR another DAC out there not made by JDS, Topping or AGD.....I dont know SDAC maybe...


----------



## Tuneslover

loki993 said:


> Ok heres the deal...I had a modi multibit v1 paired with a magni 3 and I didnt like the combo. I was using AKG K7xx headphones and while I could tell there was good sounds there everything sounded too far away..like all of the music was in the background...distant. I then added an eitr to try to make it better and it did make the sound better and it brought the presentation in a bit but it was still too distant for me. So I basically sold everything aside from the headphones.
> 
> Still though Im trying to figure out what was actually causing this because I dont want to give the modi multibit an unfair shake because lots of people seem to like it and I didnt....was it the v1 Modi? Is the v2 better i that regard? Was it actually the Magni 3? I wold think not really because if people complain about the Magni series they usually complain about them being too bright..too forward...  then the last possibility my headphones? Are those just a crappy pairing with the AKGs.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas? I would love to be able to "cheap" out and get another mimby instead of eventually having to put out 700 for a B2. Another option is a D/S modi, I know Mike says D/S sounds like "ass", but I know someone likes it. OR another DAC out there not made by JDS, Topping or AGD.....I dont know SDAC maybe...



Have you tried different headphones with your setup?  I have the Modi MB and it sounds terrific with my my Senn headphones (HD650, HD6XX, HD58X & HD598). I had the AKG K7XX and liked the wide soundscape but I didn’t care for the distant sound. I ended up selling them.


----------



## loki993 (Mar 4, 2020)

Tuneslover said:


> Have you tried different headphones with your setup?  I have the Modi MB and it sounds terrific with my my Senn headphones (HD650, HD6XX, HD58X & HD598). I had the AKG K7XX and liked the wide soundscape but I didn’t care for the distant sound. I ended up selling them.



I tried the Th-X00s too but I honestly cant remember how they sounded...better, great bass, fantastic bass..but the fit on them was so bad and they are so finicky on my head I found myself constantly fighting with the headphones to get them to sound good...so overall they weren't a great experience. I honestly cant remember if they fixed the sound stage issue, Im going to assume no because I still sold everything and the x00s got put on the shelf. It was a while ago and then I lost my job so remembering that far back is tough since you could imagine thinking about my headphone setup was petty far down the priority list...jobs fixed now though so were good to get more gear.....

Other than that that was all I had handy. So maybe my intuition is right and I just probably dont like the AKGs all that much and Ive actually wanted to replace them for a while now,  The thing is I cant find a suitable replacement......

The first obvious choice would be some hd650/6xxs but every time I get ready to pull the trigger on a set I read about how they are a bit bass light and I just cant do that. Yes the AKGs arent known to be bass cannons either but that bump massdrop built into them really helps out and makes the bass quality and quantity at least acceptable and I know it would be for me with so say like a k701....

Anything else i the 2 to 3 hundred dollar range that has good bass without all the mids sucked out of them ? Im thinking maybe some ZMF classics if I can find a pair, Im definitely open to suggestions...ive have a ton of nervosa with headphones. I mean Ive been all over the spectrum from considering 150 dollar 58xs to 900 dollar ZMFs...though the ZMFs are more a dream than anything else, I really hope I can find something close to what I want for less......


----------



## Tuneslover

loki993 said:


> I tried the Th-X00s too but I honestly cant remember how they sounded...better, great bass, fantastic bass..but the fit on them was so bad and they are so finicky on my head I found myself constantly fighting with the headphones to get them to sound good...so overall they weren't a great experience. I honestly cant remember if they fixed the sound stage issue, Im going to assume no because I still sold everything and the x00s got put on the shelf. It was a while ago and then I lost my job so remembering that far back is tough since you could imagine thinking about my headphone setup was petty far down the priority list...jobs fixed now though so were good to get more gear.....
> 
> Other than that that was all I had handy. So maybe my intuition is right and I just probably dont like the AKGs all that much and Ive actually wanted to replace them for a while now,  The thing is I cant find a suitable replacement......
> 
> ...


The HD58X are hard to beat for $150 and they have a bit more bass than the HD6XX.


----------



## loki993

Tuneslover said:


> The HD58X are hard to beat for $150 and they have a bit more bass than the HD6XX.


I mean for 150 there probably isnt much to lose there anyway even if I dont like them.


----------



## loki993

well interestingly enough I found my Modi multibit...I honestly thought I sold it. I have to send back my eitr that Ive been meaning to because I think the usb chip is dead in it, So ill email schiit and have them take a look at the modi too and update it to the newest firmware chip and then see if that makes any difference. Worth a shot I suppose....Then at the very least if I still dont like It I can sell it with the newest chip in it. Now I remember when I was trying to sell it last year it was right when they started coming out wit the newer one and no one wanted to give me anything for a v1 multibit. It was also before Schiit would actually update the chips in them, so I must have put it on the shelf, tried to take care of some life stuff and forgot about it.


----------



## mykeldg

loki993 said:


> Ok heres the deal...I had a modi multibit v1 paired with a magni 3 and I didnt like the combo. I was using AKG K7xx headphones and while I could tell there was good sounds there everything sounded too far away..like all of the music was in the background...distant. I then added an eitr to try to make it better and it did make the sound better and it brought the presentation in a bit but it was still too distant for me. So I basically sold everything aside from the headphones. Still though Im trying to figure out what was actually causing this because I dont want to give the modi multibit an unfair shake because lots of people seem to like it and I didnt....was it the v1 Modi? Is the v2 better i that regard? Was it actually the Magni 3? I wold think not really because if people complain about the Magni series they usually complain about them being too bright..too forward... then the last possibility my headphones? Are those just a crappy pairing with the AKGs. Anyone have any ideas? I would love to be able to "cheap" out and get another mimby instead of eventually having to put out 700 for a B2. Another option is a D/S modi, I know Mike says D/S sounds like "ass", but I know someone likes it. OR another DAC out there not made by JDS, Topping or AGD.....I dont know SDAC maybe...



I've had a couple of dacs (Topping d30, d50s, modi 3, modi multibit) and I am certain the Modi Multibit is the most upfront sounding of them all. D/S dacs are even more distant & even sounding (especially d50s). As suggested by others, try different headphones. I never tried the dacs on headphones since I only use speakers.


----------



## loki993

Im going to give the HD6xxs a try when I can find a good price on some or I may just get some from massdrop. Ive wanted to try them but I haven't up until now because they may not have enough bass for my liking but even if thats the case I should hear them for comparisons sake and they should be easy enough to offload if I dont like them.


----------



## fritobugger

loki993 said:


> Im going to give the HD6xxs a try when I can find a good price on some or I may just get some from massdrop. Ive wanted to try them but I haven't up until now because they may not have enough bass for my liking but even if thats the case I should hear them for comparisons sake and they should be easy enough to offload if I dont like them.



The HD6xx will be nearly a polar opposite of the K7xx.  It has a much small and more intimate sound stage plus it has some seriously rolled off treble.


----------



## loki993

fritobugger said:


> The HD6xx will be nearly a polar opposite of the K7xx.  It has a much small and more intimate sound stage plus it has some seriously rolled off treble.



Yes and thats more or less exactly what I am looking for. The only concern that I have wit the Senns is the potential lack of bass and if the even have a little more than the AKGs it should be acceptable.


----------



## fritobugger

loki993 said:


> Yes and thats more or less exactly what I am looking for. The only concern that I have wit the Senns is the potential lack of bass and if the even have a little more than the AKGs it should be acceptable.


 The HD6xx has a boosted muddy mid bass compared to the K7xx.


----------



## blackdragon87

just received my mimby in black. really great device with my focal clear and asgard 3


----------



## mykeldg

here's a nice trick / tweak for the mimby :

Put some weights on it. Trust me, it sounds tighter, cleaner, faster and less fatiguing and dare I say, much improved.

I even recorded it to see if it can be heard via a sound demo, and true enough, it did :


----------



## McLambo

Belated aprils fool?


----------



## mykeldg

McLambo said:


> Belated aprils fool?


I hope you listened to the comparison. if the change is audible via a crappy phone camera, youtube compression, through your own gear and all other factors, I guess its there. This video was the experiment BTW to validate the change i was hearing. and hey, it costs 0.00$


----------



## davidflas

I am excited to be a new owner of a Modi Multibit! I have been using it in my hallway while I do some home improvements.




Modi Multibit by davidflas, on Flickr


----------



## jbarrentine

LOL @ these people with weights.


----------



## mykeldg

I compared the Modi Multibit to the new budget DAC king - Topping E30 (better measurement & subjective reviews than the D50s) and was surprised how great the Mimby did against it.


----------



## Tuneslover

mykeldg said:


> I compared the Modi Multibit to the new budget DAC king - Topping E30 (better measurement & subjective reviews than the D50s) and was surprised how great the Mimby did against it.



Great sounding 2 channel system.  The sound is nicely captured on the video revealing the DAC differences.  What's your system made up of as in speakers, amp, source and cabling?


----------



## magicscreen

Tuneslover said:


> The sound is nicely captured on the video revealing the DAC differences.


And what is the microphone?


----------



## BubbaJay

I haven't used my Mimby in over 6 months or so because I just didn't find it to be as good as my JDS Labs EL Dac or my Topping D50s, or so I thought.  Before it always sounded more grainy than the others but after getting it back out and using my Ananda I found it had to do with the recordings being bad and the Mimby just was better at revealing that than the other Dacs.  I still find the other 2 to be smoother but I'm starting to like the Mimby again just as long as I use all good recordings because it's a very revealing Dac which can be good and bad.


----------



## mykeldg

BubbaJay said:


> I haven't used my Mimby in over 6 months or so because I just didn't find it to be as good as my JDS Labs EL Dac or my Topping D50s, or so I thought.  Before it always sounded more grainy than the others but after getting it back out and using my Ananda I found it had to do with the recordings being bad and the Mimby just was better at revealing that than the other Dacs.  I still find the other 2 to be smoother but I'm starting to like the Mimby again just as long as I use all good recordings because it's a very revealing Dac which can be good and bad.


The new firmware revitalized the mimby. If yours is the old one, the new firmware (i think schiit sells this for 35$) gives a nice improvement.

But yes, DS dacs are smoother and non fatiguing. Other than the multibit part, I think it also has something to do with harmonic distortion, which flavors the sound of the mimby, i do feel it is a bit grainy too.


----------



## mykeldg (May 19, 2020)

Tuneslover said:


> Great sounding 2 channel system.  The sound is nicely captured on the video revealing the DAC differences.  What's your system made up of as in speakers, amp, source and cabling?


Thanks! it was just for fun/boredom.
Dynaudio X18 speakers, Onkyo 9150 amp, Deezer lossless.
Cabling are just basic copper. Interconnect are solid SPC.
The recording device is nothing special its a stereo/binaural mic stright to an iphone.


----------



## theveterans

mykeldg said:


> The new firmware revitalized the mimby. If yours is the old one, the new firmware (i think schiit sells this for 35$) gives a nice improvement.
> 
> But yes, DS dacs are smoother and non fatiguing. Other than the multibit part, I think it also has something to do with harmonic distortion, which flavors the sound of the mimby, i do feel it is a bit grainy too.



You should really try the high end Schiit MB stuff. They don't have this grainy shortcomings that you're mentioning. Not to mention they're smoother than a lot of DS Dacs yet extremely resolving and engaging at the same time. Harmonic distortion has little to nothing to do with that since they're inaudible under normal listening volumes and while playing music (not test tones)


----------



## mykeldg

theveterans said:


> You should really try the high end Schiit MB stuff. They don't have this grainy shortcomings that you're mentioning. Not to mention they're smoother than a lot of DS Dacs yet extremely resolving and engaging at the same time. Harmonic distortion has little to nothing to do with that since they're inaudible under normal listening volumes and while playing music (not test tones)


The BF2 are in my crosshairs. How do you think they fare against the mojo? I did prefer the mimby over the mojo except for bass extension and that graininess in the treble.


----------



## theveterans

Bifrost 2 slays Mojo in all aspects IMO. Mojo sounds very smooth with almost no grain at the cost of sheer resolution and soundstage. Bifrost 2 retains that smoothness without feeling that there’s a grain in the notes (an artifact of increased resolution if done poorly) while sounding even more holographic yet airy/open at the same time


----------



## XERO1

theveterans said:


> Bifrost 2 slays Mojo in all aspects IMO. Mojo sounds very smooth with almost no grain at the cost of sheer resolution and soundstage. Bifrost 2 retains that smoothness without feeling that there’s a grain in the notes (an artifact of increased resolution if done poorly) while sounding even more holographic yet airy/open at the same time


*Damn it!*  With descriptions like that, I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out before I break down and pull the trigger!


----------



## uncletim

Now that the Eitr is gone, what is recommended for USB to Coax adapter? I want to improve my mimby in the office, something simple, so Raspberry Pi/HAT is probably out. 

it has FW 2.0. 

the Bifrost 2 looks nice for the living room.


----------



## XERO1 (May 26, 2020)

uncletim said:


> Now that the Eitr is gone, what is recommended for USB to Coax adapter? I want to improve my mimby in the office, something simple, so Raspberry Pi/HAT is probably out.


Actually, the cost of any high-quality USB-to-coax converter plus the cost of a Mimby will be pretty close to the cost of a Bifrost 2.


----------



## Rebel Chris

Ifi Ipurifer or ifi nano USB?


----------



## BubbaJay

I'm pretty happy I got my Mimby back out after not using it for quite a while.  It doesn't sound as good with all my music like the D50s and EL Dac does but for the stuff it does sound good on oh man does it sound good.  I find that it has to be music that is recorded and master very well for it to sound it's best, unlike the other 2 Dacs that sound good with everything.  When on equal footing so to speak the Mimby sounds the best overall.  I guess it's that the Mimby is more resolving and just enhances the bad parts of a recordings more than the others do.

I'm really quite happy with the Dacs I have but I'm thinking of getting something like the D70 or D90 from Topping in the future or maybe one of the new ones SMSL like the M200 or M400.  The M200 was actually made to pair with my SP200 THX amp but the M400 looks really good with what all it has.


----------



## mykeldg (May 27, 2020)

BubbaJay said:


> I'm pretty happy I got my Mimby back out after not using it for quite a while.  It doesn't sound as good with all my music like the D50s and EL Dac does but for the stuff it does sound good on oh man does it sound good.  I find that it has to be music that is recorded and master very well for it to sound it's best, unlike the other 2 Dacs that sound good with everything.  When on equal footing so to speak the Mimby sounds the best overall.  I guess it's that the Mimby is more resolving and just enhances the bad parts of a recordings more than the others do.
> 
> I'm really quite happy with the Dacs I have but I'm thinking of getting something like the D70 or D90 from Topping in the future or maybe one of the new ones SMSL like the M200 or M400.  The M200 was actually made to pair with my SP200 THX amp but the M400 looks really good with what all it has.


I have the same sentiments. I had the d50s, modi 3, E30, D30, but I keep coming back to the mimby every once in a while. Bifrost 2 should be really interesting as it is much improved in all aspects and is higher resolution.


----------



## BubbaJay

mykeldg said:


> I have the same sentiments. I had the d50s, modi 3, E30, D30, but I keep coming back to the mimby every once in a while. Bifrost 2 should be really interesting as it is much improved in all aspects and is higher resolution.



I thought about getting the Bifrost a long time ago but after getting other Dacs that was on the back burner.  Now that I'm liking my Mimby again the Bifrost 2 is a real option for me.  Looking at the specs it seems to be much better than the Mimby I have and at $699 that's the same as the D90 I'm looking at also.  

I don't know what Dac I'll get next but the Bifrost 2 is definitely back on the list.


----------



## mykeldg

BubbaJay said:


> I thought about getting the Bifrost a long time ago but after getting other Dacs that was on the back burner.  Now that I'm liking my Mimby again the Bifrost 2 is a real option for me.  Looking at the specs it seems to be much better than the Mimby I have and at $699 that's the same as the D90 I'm looking at also.
> 
> I don't know what Dac I'll get next but the Bifrost 2 is definitely back on the list.


another good one in that price range is the Denafrips Ares 2. It measures as good as DS dacs (103db sinad almost like the d50s) while still being a fully discreet R2R ladder with a decent power supply (torroidal transformer)


----------



## koven (Jun 2, 2020)

https://www.schiit.com/products/modius









> Affordable, High-Performance Balanced DAC with Unison USB™
> 
> June 2, 2020, Valencia, CA. Schiit Audio today introduced an all-new, affordable balanced DAC: Modius. Modius offers Schiit's exclusive Unison USB™ input, as well as optical, coaxial, and AES inputs, in a compact, convenient, USB-powered package. Modius is available now for $199 in both silver and black finish.
> 
> ...


----------



## mykeldg

BubbaJay said:


> I thought about getting the Bifrost a long time ago but after getting other Dacs that was on the back burner.  Now that I'm liking my Mimby again the Bifrost 2 is a real option for me.  Looking at the specs it seems to be much better than the Mimby I have and at $699 that's the same as the D90 I'm looking at also.
> 
> I don't know what Dac I'll get next but the Bifrost 2 is definitely back on the list.


Here's a new video comparing D90 with Bifrost 2 : 
The Multi-bit still pulls ahead the well measuring d90 in musicality.


----------



## StimpyWan (Jun 2, 2020)

koven said:


> https://www.schiit.com/products/modius



That looks really promising.  I really like the sound of Delta/Sigma DACs.  It makes me want to give it a try!

Thanks!


----------



## Aibo

I'm interested to try this out... but USPS is currently not delivering to my country so the only option left is much more expensive FedEx... Guess I'm just going to wait a bit till things with international shipment stabilize. 

On the other hand, two weeks ago I finally pulled the plug on Modi Multibit. Now I'm anxious to try it out but it's been stuck in the importing process for a week now.


----------



## BubbaJay

The more I listen to the Mimby using good recordings the better it starts to sound.  I know people say this a lot but I really am hearing things in songs I didn't hear before, but I think the condo of the Mimby plus my Ananda is what's doing it.  This is making me want to get the Bifrost 2 now but I'm going to hold off until I can seriously go over all my options because my next Dac is going to be one I use for a very long time.


----------



## Tuneslover

BubbaJay said:


> The more I listen to the Mimby using good recordings the better it starts to sound.  I know people say this a lot but I really am hearing things in songs I didn't hear before, but I think the condo of the Mimby plus my Ananda is what's doing it.  This is making me want to get the Bifrost 2 now but I'm going to hold off until I can seriously go over all my options because my next Dac is going to be one I use for a very long time.


You might consider the more expensive RME ADI-2 DAC if you're planning on keeping a DAC for a long time.  First off it's an extremely good DAC but it also has a decent amp, plus there are a myriad of sound tailoring options including a parametric equalizer.  It's a keeper in my book...end game for me.


----------



## BubbaJay

Tuneslover said:


> You might consider the more expensive RME ADI-2 DAC if you're planning on keeping a DAC for a long time.  First off it's an extremely good DAC but it also has a decent amp, plus there are a myriad of sound tailoring options including a parametric equalizer.  It's a keeper in my book...end game for me.



I've heard of that and people do rave about them so I'll definitely check it out.


----------



## mykeldg (Jun 4, 2020)

Aibo said:


> I'm interested to try this out... but USPS is currently not delivering to my country so the only option left is much more expensive FedEx... Guess I'm just going to wait a bit till things with international shipment stabilize.
> 
> On the other hand, two weeks ago I finally pulled the plug on Modi Multibit. Now I'm anxious to try it out but it's been stuck in the importing process for a week now.


nice to see you here. am a fan of your channel. the mimby is quite interesting and I look forward to your review of it.Its not hi-res sounding but it does something else I can't explain - instruments have a lifelike quality - maybe the soundstage and imaging part due to the cutom filtering & output stage.


----------



## BubbaJay

l looked at the RME ADI-2 but at almost $1200 that's a bit more than I'm wanting to spend.  If I was going that high I probably go ahead and get the Chord Quest Dac, that would be my endgame.

The Bifrost 2 is the one I feel like I should get because how much I'm liking the Mimby again.  I honestly don't know if I really need to even upgrade over the Mimby at this point but if the Bifrost is noticably better then it might be worth it.


----------



## Aibo (Jun 5, 2020)

I got my Mimby finally yesterday, and I'm liking it already. But I have to say that the first few hours (like ~8 probably, haven't timed) it sounded like crap, compressed and grainy. This one really shouldn't be judged harshly right out of the box.

But it's the second day now and I'm really enjoying it - fullness, three-dimensionality, it's all true... 



mykeldg said:


> nice to see you here. am a fan of your channel. the mimby is quite interesting and I look forward to your review of it.Its not hi-res sounding but it does something else I can't explain - instruments have a lifelike quality - maybe the soundstage and imaging part due to the cutom filtering & output stage.



I have to say you nudged me to get it sooner with your comments in which you kept preferring it to other similarly priced stuff, and it seems I'm going to agree with you on that.


----------



## mykeldg (Jun 5, 2020)

Aibo said:


> I got my Mimby finally yesterday, and I'm liking it already. But I have to say that the first few hours (like ~8 probably, haven't timed) it sounded like crap, compressed and grainy. This one really shouldn't be judged harshly right out of the box.
> 
> But it's the second day now and I'm really enjoying it - fullness, three-dimensionality, it's all true...
> 
> I have to say you nudged me to get it sooner with your comments in which you kept preferring it to other similarly priced stuff, and it seems I'm going to agree with you on that.


glad it didn't disappoint you. I was about to sell the mimby to get the modius but now im not so sure after hearing this from you. btw, if you have a good coax source, they say it transforms the mimby even more. (they also say to leave it on 24/7 but i live in a very tropical climate so its easy to warm it up.)


----------



## mykeldg (Jun 5, 2020)

BubbaJay said:


> l looked at the RME ADI-2 but at almost $1200 that's a bit more than I'm wanting to spend.  If I was going that high I probably go ahead and get the Chord Quest Dac, that would be my endgame.
> 
> The Bifrost 2 is the one I feel like I should get because how much I'm liking the Mimby again.  I honestly don't know if I really need to even upgrade over the Mimby at this point but if the Bifrost is noticably better then it might be worth it.


If you really liked the ADI-2, a few people (from headfi) are reporting that the Modius sounds better than it  at a fraction of the cost, especially if you used the balanced out. (even D90 users reporting the same) That said, I would still personally go for the BF2 for the great imaging and timbre.


----------



## Tuneslover

mykeldg said:


> If you really liked the ADI-2, a few people (from headfi) are reporting that the Modius sounds better than it  at a fraction of the cost, especially if you used the balanced out. (even D90 users reporting the same) That said, I would still personally go for the BF2 for the great imaging and timbre.


I have both the Mimby (2 of them in fact, for 5 years) and the RME (for several weeks now).  Strictly as a DAC the RME is far more detailed, totally black background and far richer bass.  In addition the RME has a pretty good amp and a myriad of sound tailoring options including a parametric equalizer.  While the Mimby is a good DAC it is simply outclassed by the RME.


----------



## mykeldg

Tuneslover said:


> I have both the Mimby (2 of them in fact, for 5 years) and the RME (for several weeks now).  Strictly as a DAC the RME is far more detailed, totally black background and far richer bass.  In addition the RME has a pretty good amp and a myriad of sound tailoring options including a parametric equalizer.  While the Mimby is a good DAC it is simply outclassed by the RME.


Heard many great things about the RMEs! The Modius is a new week-old product from Schiit (you might have mixed it up with the mimby) which is currently being hyped and compared to the ADI2 and d90. I don't know how the hype holds up but looks like an interesting product for the price if it holds true.


----------



## Tuneslover

mykeldg said:


> Heard many great things about the RMEs! The Modius is a new week-old product from Schiit (you might have mixed it up with the mimby) which is currently being hyped and compared to the ADI2 and d90. I don't know how the hype holds up but looks like an interesting product for the price if it holds true.


My Bad...I was comparing it to the Mimby.


----------



## BubbaJay

Has anyone experienced a small channel imbalance with the Mimby?

I had mine on for a couple of days straight and I noticed the left side was sounding just slightly off.  I thought it was the headphone or my hearing at first but changing the hp it was still there.  I changed dacs and it now sounds fine.  I really hope it's not broken because I've been enjoying the hell out of it recently.


----------



## mykeldg

BubbaJay said:


> Has anyone experienced a small channel imbalance with the Mimby?
> 
> I had mine on for a couple of days straight and I noticed the left side was sounding just slightly off.  I thought it was the headphone or my hearing at first but changing the hp it was still there.  I changed dacs and it now sounds fine.  I really hope it's not broken because I've been enjoying the hell out of it recently.


Just restart it


----------



## mykeldg

I'm currently comparing the much more expensive Chord Mojo to the Modi Multibit. I still feel the Modi Multibit is better, more microdynamics, better depth, better timbre, more analog sound. The Mojo sounds super smooth and clean though. The Mimby heck of a lot more musical IMO.


----------



## almarti

mykeldg said:


> I'm currently comparing the much more expensive Chord Mojo to the Modi Multibit. I still feel the Modi Multibit is better, more microdynamics, better depth, better timbre, more analog sound. The Mojo sounds super smooth and clean though. The Mimby heck of a lot more musical IMO.



I have both, after a lot of tests my setup ended with Mimby to be permanently paired with the stereo integrated amplifier and Mojo for my headphone listenings


----------



## mykeldg (Jun 13, 2020)

almarti said:


> I have both, after a lot of tests my setup ended with Mimby to be permanently paired with the stereo integrated amplifier and Mojo for my headphone listenings


that's probably why I also preferred the MM (with V2 firmware) since I use it exclusively for stereo/speakers. Mojo is also nice though, much better than any delta sigma dacs ive heard. I'll give it more time to give a proper comparison.


----------



## hippotas

Hi, should i upgrade from my modi 3 to mimby? I always feel modi 3 has less punchy in the lower end, so could the mimby improve that? 
I use a diy amp (old dynalo but still very good for hd600)


----------



## ssmith3046

hippotas said:


> Hi, should i upgrade from my modi 3 to mimby? I always feel modi 3 has less punchy in the lower end, so could the mimby improve that?
> I use a diy amp (old dynalo but still very good for hd600)


When I went from a Modi 3 to a Modi multibit I was very, very happy with the results I heard.  I sold my Modi 3 the same day.


----------



## hippotas

ssmith3046 said:


> When I went from a Modi 3 to a Modi multibit I was very, very happy with the results I heard.  I sold my Modi 3 the same day.


How does modi 3 sounds compare to mimby ? 
And is it ok to turn mimby on 24/7 ?


----------



## RickB

hippotas said:


> How does modi 3 sounds compare to mimby ?
> And is it ok to turn mimby on 24/7 ?



It is recommended that you keep Schiit multibit DACs on all the time.


----------



## ssmith3046

hippotas said:


> How does modi 3 sounds compare to mimby ?
> And is it ok to turn mimby on 24/7 ?


I never turn mine off.  Maybe once a month just to reset things.  With the Modi 3 your back in the seats with the Modi multibit your on the stage. Really, my jaw hit the floor after I heard it. Don't expect to be blown away out of the box. Turn it on and wait for a few hours and listen and then in 12 and 48 hours after it has been on you'll be amazed.  I've been into hi-fi for 50 years and this is a well spent $250.


----------



## MtnMan307

Modi Multibit was the first DAC I ever bought.  That was when I only had the Vali 2 amp and K7XX headphone.  

Listening with that same setup right now.  Even with the Modius, Jot, and Lyr 3 stacked to the right of it, Mimby/Vali 2 is a very strong entry level stack IMO.


----------



## kalibur

MtnMan307 said:


> Modi Multibit was the first DAC I ever bought.  That was when I only had the Vali 2 amp and K7XX headphone.
> 
> Listening with that same setup right now.  Even with the Modius, Jot, and Lyr 3 stacked to the right of it, Mimby/Vali 2 is a very strong entry level stack IMO.



How is the Vali 2 pairing with the Modius? Tried that?


----------



## MtnMan307

kalibur said:


> How is the Vali 2 pairing with the Modius? Tried that?


I did just once so far.  Not bad.  I like the Vali 2 better with the Modi Multibit but it did play well with the Modius.

I was a one-DAC person until I got the Modius, so pretty much a rookie with DACs, but it's been fun to compare the two DACs on my 3 amps.


----------



## mykeldg

Here's my quick take on the Mojo -- against the Mimby and Topping E30 :

Mojo is quite impressive -- I always speculated that FPGA sounds just like DS dacs (but with better super-sampling & output stage). That might still be true but I find the Mojo sound a lot cleaner, blacker and more resolving than the higher sinad E30. Somehow the mids of the DS dacs lack the inner detail and spatial/depth/timing information, making it appear compressed despite excellent measurements. E30 has a wider stage though.

Against the Mimby, there's no question Mojo's a lot cleaner. I also think the Mojo technically resolves more transients and depth but the staging is constrained between the speakers. The stage on the Mimby is more open and airy making it much more engaging and immersive to me. Timbre seems better too---despite sounding less clean as the mojo, I still find the mimby sound more believable & life-like. Some say harmonic distortion is doing this, but after auditioning so many entry level dacs, I think I've learned my lesson that technicalities matter less than the end result of which one sounds more enjoyable. 

Here are sound demos of the comparison if anyone are interested or bored: 
Mojo vs Mimby (w/ weights)
Mojo vs Mimby
Mojo vs E30


----------



## hippotas

mykeldg said:


> Here's my quick take on the Mojo -- against the Mimby and Topping E30 :
> 
> Mojo is quite impressive -- I always speculated that FPGA sounds just like DS dacs (but with better super-sampling & output stage). That might still be true but I find the Mojo sound a lot cleaner, blacker and more resolving than the higher sinad E30. Somehow the mids of the DS dacs lack the inner detail and spatial/depth/timing information, making it appear compressed despite excellent measurements. E30 has a wider stage though.
> 
> ...


Which one do you use ? Usb, coxial or toslink?


----------



## episiarch

mykeldg said:


> Mojo is quite impressive -- I always speculated that FPGA sounds just like DS dacs (but with better super-sampling & output stage).



mykeldg, I've really enjoyed your recent videos. Thanks very much for sharing your observations, and for the I think considerable work that goes into them.

Re FPGA sound you may find Rob Watts' lectures interesting. (I did, at least.) Here's one:


----------



## BubbaJay

Well it's been over a week since I used my Mimby after hearing a small channel imbalance and after using it today I heard no imbalance at all.  I don't know what it was but it's gone now.  I don't think it was my amp because after hooking up my D50s the imbalance was immediately gone.  I've used the Mimby for a few hours today and everything is working great again, I wish I knew why it sounded off like it did but I'm glad it's all good now.


----------



## RickB

BubbaJay said:


> Well it's been over a week since I used my Mimby after hearing a small channel imbalance and after using it today I heard no imbalance at all.  I don't know what it was but it's gone now.  I don't think it was my amp because after hooking up my D50s the imbalance was immediately gone.  I've used the Mimby for a few hours today and everything is working great again, I wish I knew why it sounded off like it did but I'm glad it's all good now.



You probably already know this, but when the Mimby starts acting up like this, the old cliche of turning it off and on again usually clears it up. I sometimes every few months  get weird mixing between the channels, like some of the audio from the right side appears on the far left. Power cycling fixes it.


----------



## TS0711

Modi multibit is in "B stock" again so I had to pull the trigger. For $200 thats 20% off.  They have the Bifrost (G1 - multi, usb5) for $400 but I already own that one.   I can't wait.  It will replace the Modi 2U feeding an Asgard 2.


----------



## BubbaJay

RickB said:


> You probably already know this, but when the Mimby starts acting up like this, the old cliche of turning it off and on again usually clears it up. I sometimes every few months  get weird mixing between the channels, like some of the audio from the right side appears on the far left. Power cycling fixes it.



Yeah, that was the first thing I did when it started to sound a bit off but it didn't help.  I don't know maybe it was to hot since I did have it on for a few days straight but I do that all the time with no problems.  I'm just glad it's all back to normal and hope it doesn't happen again.


----------



## hippotas

Hi guys, I just bought mimby to replace my 2-month modi 3. First impression, its a lot warmer than modi 3.  The temperature from where i live is 35 celsius now so i think it still gets warm even i turn it off LoL. 
Well, i only listen to them for like an hour so all i notice is better bass (more impact), soundstage is better in term of depth.
Still need to listen to them more but definitely worth 175$ that i pay for it.


----------



## Tuneslover

hippotas said:


> Hi guys, I just bought mimby to replace my 2-month modi 3. First impression, its a lot warmer than modi 3.  The temperature from where i live is 35 celsius now so i think it still gets warm even i turn it off LoL.
> Well, i only listen to them for like an hour so all i notice is better bass (more impact), soundstage is better in term of depth.
> Still need to listen to them more but definitely worth 175$ that i pay for it.


Be sure that you don't stack anything on top of your Mimby, in fact if possible have it standing alone (at least when the temperature is high).


----------



## hippotas

Tuneslover said:


> Be sure that you don't stack anything on top of your Mimby, in fact if possible have it standing alone (at least when the temperature is high).


I put it on top of my amp. The amp is not that hot so i guess its ok. 
I might try something like a mini fan can cool my dac a little bit....


----------



## GarageBoy

I'd put them side by side before I do a fan... Fan noises are annoying


----------



## Tuneslover

GarageBoy said:


> I'd put them side by side before I do a fan... Fan noises are annoying


That's how I have my amp & Mimby arranged too.


----------



## episiarch

hippotas said:


> I put it on top of my amp. The amp is not that hot so i guess its ok.
> I might try something like a mini fan can cool my dac a little bit....


The Schiit dealer in my country offers a Schiit stand that's sized for the small components that provides some extra spacing in a stacked configuration. I don't have one myself, and I don't know where else it might be sold, but it might be worth looking into.


----------



## hippotas

Tuneslover said:


> That's how I have my amp & Mimby arranged too.


 i understand this but mimby gets warm quite quickly and after 20-30 minutes its about 40-50 celsius so im worried this will harm the device in the future.
I bought a mini fan to cool it down, and now its about less than 30 celsius.


----------



## Tuneslover

hippotas said:


> i understand this but mimby gets warm quite quickly and after 20-30 minutes its about 40-50 celsius so im worried this will harm the device in the future.
> I bought a mini fan to cool it down, and now its about less than 30 celsius.


That's pretty darn hot, probably a good thing having the fan keeping it cooler.


----------



## TS0711

TS0711 said:


> Modi multibit is in "B stock" again so I had to pull the trigger. For $200 thats 20% off.  They have the Bifrost (G1 - multi, usb5) for $400 but I already own that one.   I can't wait.  It will replace the Modi 2U feeding an Asgard 2.



Holy Modi Multibit Batman!!!

I’m an old guy, and I’ve had some impressive gear roll thru my 40 years of HIFI….  I’ve got my share of Schiit gear, Fulla OG, Fulla 2, Saga OG, Friya OG, Modi 2U, Modi 3, Bifrost OG (all upgrades to MB/G5 USB), Vali2, Asgard2, Heresy, and the Jotenheim; there is a Sys and a couple of Eitr’s too.  And I've been using a Mark Levinson MB dac for 20+ years so yes I'm spoiled.

Today I received my B-Stock Modi Multi, and all I can say is holy crap!  I let it run in for a few hours without really listening. It’s replacing a Modi 2U in the bedroom setup. The Asgard2 is a welcome bedwarmer during the Detroit winters where the wife insists the windows remain open, or she runs the A/C… I ran it with the Vali2 and the Heresy and hands down the Hersey wins!  Rolled through the Senn HD600 OG (bought in Germany 20 years ago – LOL), Senn Momentum 2, Beyer 880 (250ohm), and the drop/hifiman-HE-4XX.

This the final chain…Surface Pro 3 (Tital) > Etir> Modi MB> Heresy> HE-4XX

OMG! Played Strunz & Fartah Live “Americas” and you just want to dance… of all the combo’s this one has the toe tapping get-up and dance pace and rhythm.

Cheers and stay safe.

Tonebags


----------



## hippotas

Hi
Can i usb other usb optical converter like topping d10 for modi multibit ?
Etir is quite expensive in my place and i can get topping d10 for less than half price of etir.


----------



## tafens

hippotas said:


> Hi
> Can i usb other usb optical converter like topping d10 for modi multibit ?
> Etir is quite expensive in my place and i can get topping d10 for less than half price of etir.



Of course. You can use any optical source with the Modi Multibit, doesn’t have to be an Eitr.


----------



## vrao81

Not sure where to post this, but my modi multibit's coaxial input broke clean from the pcb. Rather than pay for repair I decided to DIY. I bought a neutrik  rca jack and it fit beautifully into the chassis. The tricky part was figuring out which solder pad corresponded to signal and ground. The stock input has 3 solder pads, while standard mono rca has 2 pin. I figured one was  just used to support the stock input jack to the pcb board. Once I figured out which was which, it was easy peasy. The new jack is very sturdy and doesn't wiggle like the stock jack. Schiit needs to make these jacks standard.


----------



## davidflas (Jul 29, 2020)

vrao81 said:


> Not sure where to post this, but my modi multibit's coaxial input broke clean from the pcb. Rather than pay for repair I decided to DIY. I bought a neutrik  rca jack and it fit beautifully into the chassis. The tricky part was figuring out which solder pad corresponded to signal and ground. The stock input has 3 solder pads, while standard mono rca has 2 pin. I figured one was  just used to support the stock input jack to the pcb board. Once I figured out which was which, it was easy peasy. The new jack is very sturdy and doesn't wiggle like the stock jack. Schiit needs to make these jacks standard.



Looks like a solid upgrade to your DAC, jacks like that are clearly superior to stock, but would drive the price up, and many wouldn't care for that.


----------



## cebuboy

Is it worth the money to get the V2 firmware for the Modi Multibit? If I factor in shipping it would run me about $80.


----------



## jnak00

cebuboy said:


> Is it worth the money to get the V2 firmware for the Modi Multibit? If I factor in shipping it would run me about $80.



I would say not worth that much. I bought the upgrade with my Asgard 3 so shipping was covered by the amp shipping cost. It does sound a bit better, but I didn't think it was night and day.


----------



## cebuboy

jnak00 said:


> I would say not worth that much. I bought the upgrade with my Asgard 3 so shipping was covered by the amp shipping cost. It does sound a bit better, but I didn't think it was night and day.



Makes getting the Modius too tempting to cover the shipping cost.


----------



## hippotas

jnak00 said:


> I would say not worth that much. I bought the upgrade with my Asgard 3 so shipping was covered by the amp shipping cost. It does sound a bit better, but I didn't think it was night and day.


How do i know if my mimby is with upgraded firmware?


----------



## cebuboy (Jul 30, 2020)

hippotas said:


> How do i know if my mimby is with upgraded firmware?


As far as I know, you need to peek inside and look if the ROM chip have a sticker with "MD218" on it.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

Still using Asgard 2 and the first generation modi. Thinking of upgrading the dac to replace the modi first gen. Any recommendations?


----------



## tamleo

Green Golden Retriver said:


> Still using Asgard 2 and the first generation modi. Thinking of upgrading the dac to replace the modi first gen. Any recommendations?


You should replace the Asgard 2 first. It isn't a good amp. 
If you still want to upgrade your  dac. I can say the modi multibit v2 is incredible (the first / early version is not so much). But you will not ( or very difficult) hear any difference between  dacs with the Asgard 2


----------



## caenlenfromOCN

Green Golden Retriver said:


> Still using Asgard 2 and the first generation modi. Thinking of upgrading the dac to replace the modi first gen. Any recommendations?



that's his opinion.  I still love my Asgard 2 and have heard many amps. i noticed an improve sound when I upgraded to Modi 3 dac


----------



## ssmith3046

Green Golden Retriver said:


> Still using Asgard 2 and the first generation modi. Thinking of upgrading the dac to replace the modi first gen. Any recommendations?


Asgard 2 sounds great with my Modius.


----------



## ozz

Unless you are running out of power doubt you will gain much if anything changing the amp but i did find going to a multibit made listening to my music collection more enjoyable.


----------



## tafens

tamleo said:


> You should replace the Asgard 2 first. It isn't a good amp.
> If you still want to upgrade your  dac. I can say the modi multibit v2 is incredible (the first / early version is not so much). But you will not ( or very difficult) hear any difference between  dacs with the Asgard 2



Modi Multibit is indeed very good, I have the v1 Modi Multibit upgraded with the new v2 firmware. It is possible to order an upgrade chip if you ask Schiit about it even though it’s not listed on their site. I asked to have it added when I ordered a few other items.

Anyway, having swapped the old firmware to the new and reassembling the Modi M I didn’t think I heard very much of a difference (if any at all). YMMV of course. This was with a Magni3 as amp, I don’t have Asgard2 so I can’t comment on that.


----------



## tamleo (Sep 21, 2020)

tafens said:


> Modi Multibit is indeed very good, I have the v1 Modi Multibit upgraded with the new v2 firmware. It is possible to order an upgrade chip if you ask Schiit about it even though it’s not listed on their site. I asked to have it added when I ordered a few other items.
> 
> Anyway, having swapped the old firmware to the new and reassembling the Modi M I didn’t think I heard very much of a difference (if any at all). YMMV of course. This was with a Magni3 as amp, I don’t have Asgard2 so I can’t comment on that.


I don't know if it is about firmware or hardware related. I bought the Modi Multibit right after it was released. I used it for a few years. Then i bought a new v2 Modi Multibit and a Modi 3 in late 2019 just because of my curiosity.
The Modi 3 was really good, it sounded familiar to the sound from my computer/phones/ portable players..but more smooth and separated. And it sounded cleaner, less thick, faster and more sparkling compared to the v1 Modi Multibit.
The v2 Modi Multibit kept all the strengths and removed the weaknesses from  2 other dacs. I was very pleased.
The Magni 3 is a nice amp.


----------



## blackdragon87

ozz said:


> Unless you are running out of power doubt you will gain much if anything changing the amp but i did find going to a multibit made listening to my music collection more enjoyable.



agree with you. using mine with an iFi iPurifier 3.0. have no plans to get rid of it unless i can trade it with cash towards a bifrost 2 or gungir.


----------



## Green Golden Retriver

Thank you for all advices and recommendations


----------



## darkarn

Hi all, how do I know if I am still on the V1 of the Modi Multibit, and how should I buy and install the V2 chip if I am on V1?


----------



## GarageBoy

You can order the firmware upgrade from them (send email) - $30+- and shipping, they send you an 8 pin DIP, you open it and swap it


----------



## darkarn

GarageBoy said:


> You can order the firmware upgrade from them (send email) - $30+- and shipping, they send you an 8 pin DIP, you open it and swap it



Thank you, I bought mine in 2017 and most probably will need that upgrade at the very least. Will send them an email to see my options


----------



## CarlosAudio51

Mark 5 said:


> I hope this is okay to re-post here (I posted this in the Help & Recommendation section of the site but haven't gotten any responses as of yet).  Please forgive me if it isn't!
> 
> - - -
> 
> I kinda need some help getting these two dacs connected to my single Eitr, using either an RCA Y-splitter cable (that I made sure works fine with coax cables) and / or an RCA switch (for 2-in / 1-out).  I've actually had them both hooked up and working before, but for some reason the Mimby hadn't wanted to output actual sound in a couple of weeks and I'm pretty much starting over re-connecting everything to see what might be the issue.  Only thing is that it would help a ton of anyone would be kind enough to possibly explain to me how they've connected it all step by step or something similar; even pictures of the back of their Mimby / Eitr / Loki units would be a big help (or anything similar as well).  My pc recognizes the Eitr, Mimby, and Airist just fine, and I do know only one can be used at a time and I keep one turned off when using the other.  I'd really appreciate any help whatsoever!


That's an interesting case. 1 Eitr to 2 DACs. I've never attempted this so I'm speculating about the following.
Do typical RCA splitters work for coax SPDIF signals? In the analog domain, (i.e. 1 DAC to 2 amps) is not a problem because an amp's line level inputs usually have very high impedance (≥10 kOhms) so the DAC can drive both amps easy.
I'm not sure how the analogy works in the coax SPDIF domain. Does it work by impedance bridging (low source impedance into high load impedance) or by impedance matching (equal impedance from source to cable to load)?

Interesting problem you brought. Hope somebody has a more expert opinion than me.


----------



## CarlosAudio51 (Oct 16, 2020)

Mark 5 said:


> Thanks for replying, man.  Aa far as I know, the RCA Y-splitter cable was made to work with coax.  It's the Monoprice Onix Series IIIP Male RCA to 2 Male RCA Pigtail cable; made with RG-6 / U and double braided copper shield.  I believe it's got a 75ohm impedance as well.  Really well made, and as far as I remember worked well before.  Honestly, dealing with this thing has gotten a bit too complicated and has become frustrating as heck lol.


The coax between my Eitr and Modi Multibit is a Monoprice Onix as well (not a splitter, just a straight 75 Ohms coax cable). Solid cable for a good price.

You said it worked well before. Did you ever get the Eitr to drive the 2 DACs? What changed?


----------



## hippotas

I know this question is kind of stupid but do i need a decent coaxial cable ?


----------



## CarlosAudio51 (Oct 17, 2020)

hippotas said:


> I know this question is kind of stupid but do i need a decent coaxial cable ?


Not necessarily. I think the quality of the USB cable feeding the Eitr is far more important than the quality of the coax cable. I was getting some really weird distortion with a 5 m long dirt cheap (about $7) USB cable. 2 problems with that: the length and the build quality. I had it running below a carpet between the sitting position and the DAC. I think I must have stepped on it one too many times. Replaced it with a 1 m Monolith USB cable and a 5 m Monoprice Onix ($16) coax cable. Problem solved.

I'd assume that similar care should be taken when using the Modi Multibit.


----------



## miltonic

Sorry I have a noob question as well. I've been running USB from my PC to the Mimby but after reading through the thread, so many people were saying optical or coax is better, so I bought an optical cable to see if there is a difference, but when I plug the optical out from my mobo to the optical on the mimby and select the optical on the front panel button (2nd light), Windows no longer recognizes the DAC as a playback device. Windows only sees it when the USB is plugged in and selected on the DAC. Is there some type of driver needed to use optical? I know this is a stupid question, how do you setup the PC as your source to use the DAC as the playback device using optical, not usb? I'm no audiophile, but to my ears the USB already sounds good, I mean I don't hear any electronic interference from my pc through my cans but I was just curious if optical would make any difference. Thanks for any suggestions.


----------



## tafens

miltonic said:


> Sorry I have a noob question as well. I've been running USB from my PC to the Mimby but after reading through the thread, so many people were saying optical or coax is better, so I bought an optical cable to see if there is a difference, but when I plug the optical out from my mobo to the optical on the mimby and select the optical on the front panel button (2nd light), Windows no longer recognizes the DAC as a playback device. Windows only sees it when the USB is plugged in and selected on the DAC. Is there some type of driver needed to use optical? I know this is a stupid question, how do you setup the PC as your source to use the DAC as the playback device using optical, not usb? I'm no audiophile, but to my ears the USB already sounds good, I mean I don't hear any electronic interference from my pc through my cans but I was just curious if optical would make any difference. Thanks for any suggestions.



When a DAC is connected to optical it is no longer visible to the system. Instead just select your computer’s optical out (which Windows will be aware of) as your output. As long as the Modi is connected to the other end and it’s optical input is selected you should get sound.

I’ve tried optical instead of usb to my Modi once (long ago now) but didn’t really hear any difference then. It would be interesting to know if you hear any difference in your setup though. I guess it would depend on the quality of the usb/optical on the computer in question.


----------



## alphaman

About the latest Modi Multibit (v2).
Are there DC blocking caps (in series with the RCA out jacks)?
In this Modi MB image, perhaps the two 680 uF caps (c103, 104)
https://i.postimg.cc/vHWsFYLD/image.jpg


----------



## Brubacca

Well after Jason said this is the last run I ordered a Modi MultiBit .  I can compare against my Gumby with Asgard 2 and Magni Heresy.


----------



## inmytaxi

Brubacca said:


> Well after Jason said this is the last run I ordered a Modi MultiBit .  I can compare against my Gumby with Asgard 2 and Magni Heresy.


Uh, yeah, about that ...


----------



## Brubacca

inmytaxi said:


> Uh, yeah, about that ...


Jason has come back out and said not the last run because of the AKM fire. 

If you mean where is the comparison, well I still don't have Mimby. 

If you mean there is no way Mimby can sound as good as Gumby w/ Unison....  I am expecting that. The question is how close and in a casual listening session do I care. If I am listening to the music does it matter. If I am listening to the gear there probably will be a big difference.


----------



## ssmith3046

The significance of the AKM fire looms large.  Marantz just switched from Cirrus Logic to AKM on their new CD deck.  Many other manufacturers will be hit.


----------



## darkarn

Mark 5 said:


> I know this has to be a very asked question, but has Schiit said anything about a possible successor to the Mimby at all yet?  I'd love something that fits price-wise between it and the Bifrost / Bifrost 2 if it's feasible to the guys.  I'm sure they already know this though, lol.



So far there is no confirmation of such successors, so if you really want another Mimby, now's a good chance to order one before it gets EOL'ed for real


----------



## ssmith3046

Since the fire happened at the AKM fab it's hard to say what Schiit has in store, at least for the immediate future in my opinion.


----------



## darkarn

ssmith3046 said:


> Since the fire happened at the AKM fab it's hard to say what Schiit has in store, at least for the immediate future in my opinion.



See: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-4424#post-15948002


----------



## ssmith3046

darkarn said:


> See: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-4424#post-15948002


Thanks for that link. I worked in the semiconductor industry for many years and recently retired from Sandia National Labs where I worked in their semiconductor sector.  I can see AKM being down for their in house production for a year easily.  They'll have to outsource their production to other fabs and that takes time too.


----------



## darkarn

ssmith3046 said:


> Thanks for that link. I worked in the semiconductor industry for many years and recently retired from Sandia National Labs where I worked in their semiconductor sector.  I can see AKM being down for their in house production for a year easily.  They'll have to outsource their production to other fabs and that takes time too.



Yes, apparently there are unconfirmed reports of AKM shifting production to other factories


----------



## ssmith3046

darkarn said:


> Yes, apparently there are unconfirmed reports of AKM shifting production to other factories


Yes, but even that takes time. It is their only viable option for the near term.


----------



## darkarn

ssmith3046 said:


> Yes, but even that takes time. It is their only viable option for the near term.



Indeed, it is unfortunate for all involved


----------



## VFOURMAX

Actually been a member here for a while but mainly just lurk and read and try to learn a little. Reading this thread as I have been thinking about picking up a Modi Multibit for a secondary bedroom system. I do know I like the Schiit products multibit sound paired with the tube/hybrid amps as in my main system I am using a Gungnir Multibit I have owned for about a year and a half. That is paired with a Mjolnir amp.

My bedroom system was a Valhalla 2 with a Modi Uber but I have since paired the Uber up with a Loki and an Asgard 3 as my computer gaming rig.
So now I was between the Modi Multibit and the Bifrost 2 to pair with the Valhalla 2 for the bedroom music system but I just could not seem to justify the additional cost of the Bifrost 2.  I have no intentions of using the balanced outputs on the BF2 which is a major feature and adds to its cost.
 I do not doubt there would be sound quality differences between those two but if I really want to get into a serious listening session I will just fire up my main system.

Well after reading many pages of this thread I did decide the Modi Multibit would fill my needs. I do want to thank you guys for talking about the AKM fire as I had heard about it but it never crossed my mind it could make the multibit not be available in the near future.
I was going to wait a few more weeks to order but due to this reminder I have already pulled the trigger while the product is still showing in stock and ready to ship. Just wanted to thank you guys from another Schiithead!


----------



## darkarn

VFOURMAX said:


> Actually been a member here for a while but mainly just lurk and read and try to learn a little. Reading this thread as I have been thinking about picking up a Modi Multibit for a secondary bedroom system. I do know I like the Schiit products multibit sound paired with the tube/hybrid amps as in my main system I am using a Gungnir Multibit I have owned for about a year and a half. That is paired with a Mjolnir amp.
> 
> My bedroom system was a Valhalla 2 with a Modi Uber but I have since paired the Uber up with a Loki and an Asgard 3 as my computer gaming rig.
> So now I was between the Modi Multibit and the Bifrost 2 to pair with the Valhalla 2 for the bedroom music system but I just could not seem to justify the additional cost of the Bifrost 2.  I have no intentions of using the balanced outputs on the BF2 which is a major feature and adds to its cost.
> ...



Heads up that Modi Multibit will ship only from Feb 4 and Modi 3+ can ship right now

Make sure you have selected the correct Modi


----------



## VFOURMAX

darkarn said:


> Heads up that Modi Multibit will ship only from Feb 4 and Modi 3+ can ship right now
> 
> Make sure you have selected the correct Modi


Thanks you are right on the date, did not notice that a little to the right of "in stock ships in 1-3 days"  but I have ordered the right one anyway. 
Shipping date is fine really as I do not actually need the system as I have others up and running.
Thanks again for the heads up.


----------



## tafens

VFOURMAX said:


> Well after reading many pages of this thread I did decide the Modi Multibit would fill my needs. I do want to thank you guys for talking about the AKM fire as I had heard about it but it never crossed my mind it could make the multibit not be available in the near future.



The Modi Multibit was on its last run just before the AKM fire, but because of the fire the Modi Multibit got its fate postponed, at least for now. Presumably because it doesn’t use any AKM parts in the DAC (only the SP/DIF receiver is AKM but that’s easily replaceable I guess).

I was sad to hear about its pending demise as I have one myself and really like it. It’s going to leave big hole in entry level multibit for sure, at least if it’s not replaced by something else at the same or similar price point.


----------



## Brubacca

Jason said Unison doesn't fit in Modi MultiBit. 

I am completely guessing here , but I am thinking that possibly a Modius Multibit, or Modi MultiBit U in a Modius chassis would be a logical next step.


----------



## VFOURMAX

tafens said:


> The Modi Multibit was on its last run just before the AKM fire, but because of the fire the Modi Multibit got its fate postponed, at least for now. Presumably because it doesn’t use any AKM parts in the DAC (only the SP/DIF receiver is AKM but that’s easily replaceable I guess).
> 
> I was sad to hear about its pending demise as I have one myself and really like it. It’s going to leave big hole in entry level multibit for sure, at least if it’s not replaced by something else at the same or similar price point.


I have been wondering if they actually perhaps have plans to incorporate the multibit into the Modius making that the entry level into both multi bit packaged with balanced outputs for roughly in about half the price of the Bifrost.
No reason behind my thoughts except it would fit well into their product stack and most people utilizing multibit are probably using that product size amp so it would fit the "stack" concept for the product better.


----------



## ssmith3046

The Modi multibit is a true $250 classic in my humble opinion.  I really couldn't discern a difference between it and the Bifrost multibit.  Of course my ears are 68 years young.


----------



## M-83

I've just purchased a used "Modi Multibit 2" (p/n sch-08-m) and I wondered if anyone can confirm that this will definitely be V2 with the improved chip/firmware?


----------



## Hyde00

tafens said:


> The Modi Multibit was on its last run just before the AKM fire, but because of the fire the Modi Multibit got its fate postponed, at least for now. Presumably because it doesn’t use any AKM parts in the DAC (only the SP/DIF receiver is AKM but that’s easily replaceable I guess).
> 
> I was sad to hear about its pending demise as I have one myself and really like it. It’s going to leave big hole in entry level multibit for sure, at least if it’s not replaced by something else at the same or similar price point.


Wait they were gonna end of life the Modi Multibit? Is it because they're replacing it with the next product? (Modi Multibit V3 or something) Or they just want it to be exclusive to higher end products like Bifrost and up?

I just bought one purely by chance and now I'm reading this. Kind of glad I bought one then.


----------



## RickB

Hyde00 said:


> Wait they were gonna end of life the Modi Multibit? Is it because they're replacing it with the next product? (Modi Multibit V3 or something) Or they just want it to be exclusive to higher end products like Bifrost and up?
> 
> I just bought one purely by chance and now I'm reading this. Kind of glad I bought one then.



If they were to sunset it, it would be crazy that the price of admission for multibit would be $700.


----------



## ssmith3046

The Modi multibit is a $250 wonder.  I'm sure a DAC of equal cost or maybe a slight bump up will take its place. With upgrades.  I had a $500 Bifrost multibit and there was hardly any discernable difference between it and the Modi multibit.  So much bang for your buck with the Modi multibit.  I love my Modius and definitely put it up there with the multibit.  But the Modi multibit will be going away eventually and I'm going to buy another one.


----------



## CarlosAudio51

M-83 said:


> I've just purchased a used "Modi Multibit 2" (p/n sch-08-m) and I wondered if anyone can confirm that this will definitely be V2 with the improved chip/firmware?


Open it up and look at the firmware chip. The picture below (sourced from the "other" forum) shows the v2 firmware. The v1 firmware chip does not have the MD218 label on it.


----------



## M-83

CarlosAudio51 said:


> Open it up and look at the firmware chip. The picture below (sourced from the "other" forum) shows the v2 firmware. The v1 firmware chip does not have the MD218 label on it.


Okay will do thanks


----------



## ssmith3046

I had a Modi multibit once and sold it for something else.  I've been using a Modius for a while and it's a great DAC but I've always regretted selling the little multibit.  I ordered another today and it's in the hands of FedEx now.  I'm just happy that they're still being made and looking forward to owning another one. Happy as a pig in Schiit.


----------



## RickB

ssmith3046 said:


> I had a Modi multibit once and sold it for something else.  I've been using a Modius for a while and it's a great DAC but I've always regretted selling the little multibit.  I ordered another today and it's in the hands of FedEx now.  I'm just happy that they're still being made and looking forward to owning another one. Happy as a pig in Schiit.



Would you say hands down the Modi Multibit is better than the Modius?


----------



## ssmith3046

RickB said:


> Would you say hands down the Modi Multibit is better than the Modius?


That's a good question.  I have not owned both of them at the same time.  I have the Modius sonic  signature engrained into what's left of my brain.  I think that the Modius is really good. It reminds me of the multibit.  
When I went from the Modi 3 to the multibit it was a holy schiit moment.  I knew that the Mimby need some warm up hours. I put a CD on repeat and let it play 24 hours. I had listened before the warm up and was shocked by how much better it sounded all those hours later. I never turned it off. 
I had a used Bifrost multibit and the difference between the Modi multibit and Bifrost multibit was hardly discernible between the two.  Don't know that if I was blindfolded I could have told them apart.
So anyway,  looking forward to the multibit again. Won't be long!


----------



## ssmith3046

The second Modi multibit that I have owned was just dropped off by FedEx.  I have used all the DACs that I have owned as external DACs on my older CD player.  I'm one of those people who still play records and CDs.  I currently have my old Marantz CD5003 on repeat and will leave that way for the next 24 hours while the Modi multibit is getting tamed.  I still plan on buying a Bifrost 2 eventually but the Mimby will be discontinued one day so I'm hanging on to this one.  One of my favorite DACs.


----------



## ssmith3046

23 hours of straight playing time on the newest Modi multibit.  Put on my Focal Clears for a quick listen and as expected and experienced by other Schiit multibit users the difference in what I'm hearing between now and the initial plug in and play is easily discernible.


----------



## Hyde00 (Feb 20, 2021)

Hey guys I'm still waiting on my Modi Multibit to get in (3-4 days away).

In the mean time I'm just wondering what's the minimum turn on time required?

I know people recommend leaving it on all the time but could I get away with turning it on in the morning and listen at night time?

For example I work in the day time I just need it for teams meeting so I don't care about quality of sound as long I can understand the person, at night time is when I do more listening. I mean if leaving it on all the time is still better I might just do that too not that big of a deal. It's just I have the habit of turn my computer on in the morning and turning it off before sleep.

Also anyone know what's the power draw during idle? Again just out of curiosity.

Now I resume patiently waiting for Mimby to arrive lol, thanks!


EDIT: Now that I read this again "minimum turn on time" sounds like I'm talking about something else.... LOL.


----------



## CarlosAudio51

Hyde00 said:


> I know people recommend leaving it on all the time but could I get away with turning it on in the morning and listen at night time?
> 
> For example I work in the day time I just need it for teams meeting so I don't care about quality of sound as long I can understand the person, at night time is when I do more listening.


This is exactly what I do.


----------



## Hyde00

CarlosAudio51 said:


> This is exactly what I do.


Cool I might start with this first then (when I get my unit) and see how it goes, thanks!


----------



## julianlopez85

Hi all, was thinking of picking up the mimby to replace my old dac and it's going to be my sole dac for a while...is this still a good dac to pick up? cause i've read that the smsl sanskrit 10th mkii is close-ish at half the price....anyone had any experience with the two? Thanks.


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> Hi all, was thinking of picking up the mimby to replace my old dac and it's going to be my sole dac for a while...is this still a good dac to pick up? cause i've read that the smsl sanskrit 10th mkii is close-ish at half the price....anyone had any experience with the two? Thanks.


I came across the exact same question recently and I talked to this guy from iiWi Reviews (he's on head-fi too) that he had both.  What he said is that he still recommend buying Modi Multibit if possible but if it's out of budget then SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII would be a good second choice.

However there's reports of some sellers selling MKI while slapping a MKII stickers on the box since both units look identical.  So there's a risk of running into MKI units disguised as MKII units.

So I ended up ordering a Modi Multibit and it's how I ended up here LOL.  Whether if it's worth it to take the risk and save half the price it's up to you, though he did say Multibit sounds better anyway.  Though SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII do have a remote, so it depends on use case.

Sorry it's not a very clear answer LOL.


----------



## julianlopez85

ok so i've ordered the Modi multibit...will have to see what the fuss is all about...i've used my asus xonar u7 for about 6-7 years now which has a cirrus logic(CS4398) dac in it which i think is pretty damn good at least....let's see how the mimby stacks up


----------



## ssmith3046

Just remember that the Modi multibit needs some time on it to really start sounding its best.
I always regretted selling my first one so I bought a new one a few days ago. I use it as an external DAC on an older Marantz CD5003.  I put a CD in a let it play on repeat for 48 hours.  I also leave mine on all the time. Hope you like it.


----------



## julianlopez85

Sorry i just saw this...yea i asked iiWi the same question, the reason being is i'm quite skeptical about products i can't try out in person before purchasing them...but i guess i'll give it a shot...worse case if i don't like it, i might return it or sell it locally since the shipping from US to Malaysia is quite  high


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> Sorry i just saw this...yea i asked iiWi the same question, the reason being is i'm quite skeptical about products i can't try out in person before purchasing them...but i guess i'll give it a shot...worse case if i don't like it, i might return it or sell it locally since the shipping from US to Malaysia is quite  high


Yeah I'm buying in Canada so might be a tiny bit better but otherwise more or less in the same boat.  Currency conversion + risk of getting taxed on customs.

So hopefully everything works out.


----------



## Tuneslover

Hyde00 said:


> Yeah I'm buying in Canada so might be a tiny bit better but otherwise more or less in the same boat.  Currency conversion + risk of getting taxed on customs.
> 
> So hopefully everything works out.


You should be charged a brokerage fee (I beleve $10 Cdn plus HST) and HST on the Canadian value of the item itself.

I owned 2 Modi MBs and loved them both.  I sold one of them about 1 year ago (replaced it with an RME ADI-2 FS) however the other one is still an integral piece in my bedside system.  I have always kept them plugged in 24/7, only re-booting (power cycling) them once or twice a month.


----------



## julianlopez85

So i've been reading that most people don't connect their mimby via USB? and the optical performance isn't all that good? how would i connect to my pc if my pc doesn't have a coax output? Thanks.


----------



## davidflas

I have mine connected via USB with an Audioquest Forest cable and I think it sounds great that way.


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> So i've been reading that most people don't connect their mimby via USB? and the optical performance isn't all that good? how would i connect to my pc if my pc doesn't have a coax output? Thanks.


I think what people say is that it measures better but if it's too complicated I think you should be fine just running USB.  Mimby inherently doesn't measure that well to begin with anyway LOL (vs Modi 3+ for example).  I'd imagine the difference between USB vs coaxial should be fairly small in practical listening scenario.


----------



## RickB

julianlopez85 said:


> So i've been reading that most people don't connect their mimby via USB? and the optical performance isn't all that good? how would i connect to my pc if my pc doesn't have a coax output? Thanks.



I have mine connected with an Eitr, which Schiit no longer makes.


----------



## julianlopez85

davidflas said:


> I have mine connected via USB with an Audioquest Forest cable and I think it sounds great that way.


So it's more to do with the quality of the cable rather than the actual usb itself? Interesting


----------



## julianlopez85

Hyde00 said:


> I think what people say is that it measures better but if it's too complicated I think you should be fine just running USB.  Mimby inherently doesn't measure that well to begin with anyway LOL (vs Modi 3+ for example).  I'd imagine the difference between USB vs coaxial should be fairly small in practical listening scenario.


Measurements don't bother me at all....i'm more on the camp if it sounds good then that's all that matters...i mean when i tell people to listen to my gear, most of them are not audiophiles, so if i talk about measurements they might be like What is this douche going on about....but if the music sounds good, then they'll be like wow nice gear...but i'm more concern about getting the best signal to my liquid spark to pair with my headphones...


----------



## davidflas

julianlopez85 said:


> So it's more to do with the quality of the cable rather than the actual usb itself? Interesting


I don't know how much the cable contributes to the sound that I enjoy, just that the combination makes me want to listen to music more, which to me is the point of any audio system.


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> Measurements don't bother me at all....i'm more on the camp if it sounds good then that's all that matters...i mean when i tell people to listen to my gear, most of them are not audiophiles, so if i talk about measurements they might be like What is this douche going on about....but if the music sounds good, then they'll be like wow nice gear...but i'm more concern about getting the best signal to my liquid spark to pair with my headphones...


I definitely agree with this, people are too obsessed with measurement above all else these days.

I mean just listen to the device if it sounds good then it sounds good lol.


----------



## zztopps

julianlopez85 said:


> So i've been reading that most people don't connect their mimby via USB? and the optical performance isn't all that good? how would i connect to my pc if my pc doesn't have a coax output? Thanks



Buy well made (not necessarily expensive) cables and it will sound fine with whichever connection you use.  Enjoy!


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> So it's more to do with the quality of the cable rather than the actual usb itself? Interesting


I think there was a test done before:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/do-usb-audio-cables-make-a-difference.1887/

Basically cable quality doesn't really matter, cable length matters more.  But in normal usage it should not make any difference unless you're running like 100 meter length between your dac and computer LOL.

The claim is that the USB implementation is noisier than their Coaxial implementation on the Mimby device itself.  So people opt for the Coaxial connection.  Which I don't know how big the difference really is.  But if you need to get another device to get Coaxial which introduce another device in the chain that might introduce more noise anyway then I say just use USB and call it a day LOL.

Realistically I'd say don't worry about it LOL.


----------



## julianlopez85

zztopps said:


> Buy well made (not necessarily expensive) cables and it will sound fine with whichever connection you use.  Enjoy!


Thanks...i already have one from my previous all in one dac might continue using it....will possibly compare usb to optical to see if there's noticeable difference


----------



## julianlopez85

Hyde00 said:


> I think there was a test done before:
> https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/do-usb-audio-cables-make-a-difference.1887/
> 
> Basically cable quality doesn't really matter, cable length matters more.  But in normal usage it should not make any difference unless you're running like 100 meter length between your dac and computer LOL.
> ...


Yea i think so too....i've read some people adding in a raspberry pi and a digi card to get a cleaner sound but like you said it introduces more devices and most likely more noise to the chain....i think i'll stick with my setup for now and see how they perform...Thanks


----------



## zztopps

julianlopez85 said:


> Thanks...i already have one from my previous all in one dac might continue using it....will possibly compare usb to optical to see if there's noticeable difference


You're welcome!  Mimby is a great dac with options.  A cable you like is all it needs.



julianlopez85 said:


> Yea i think so too....i've read some people adding in a raspberry pi and a digi card to get a cleaner sound but like you said it introduces more devices and most likely more noise to the chain....i think i'll stick with my setup for now and see how they perform...Thanks



Definitely stick with what you like, but if you want to experiment a little

I had good luck with the HiFiBerry HATs.  Their Digi+ to Mimby was probably my favorite setup.  Super easy (but does add another device to the chain).


----------



## hearditontheX (Mar 6, 2021)

julianlopez85 said:


> So i've been reading that most people don't connect their mimby via USB? and the optical performance isn't all that good?


Switching from optical to coax on an older CD/DVD changer was an improvement to me. When I upgraded the disc player, I stayed with coax.


----------



## tameral

I really want one of these - buying used seems like a waste because you basically pay full price minus tax and shipping if you just bought it new from schiit.  Does this punch anywhere near a Bifrost2 or is it outclassed handily?


----------



## dougq

there won’t be any audible difference. My modi 3 “punches” the same as my bifrost 2. As long as there isn’t something wrong with it it’ll sound just as good.


----------



## ssmith3046

U.c


dougq said:


> there won’t be any audible difference. My modi 3 “punches” the same as my bifrost 2. As long as there isn’t something wrong with it it’ll sound just as good.


A Modi 3 sounds as good as a Biftost 2?  That's really something. I'm really surprised.


----------



## tameral

I'm seeking comparisons of the multibit to the bifrost.  Not the modi 3


----------



## dougq

That’s the point. Look at the features. The sound will be identification.


----------



## dougq

ssmith3046 said:


> U.c
> 
> A Modi 3 sounds as good as a Biftost 2?  That's really something. I'm really surprised.


I was too. I have been comparing it for the last 48 hours. But the dacs measure transparent so what really is it going to change.


----------



## ssmith3046

dougq said:


> I was too. I have been comparing it for the last 48 hours. But the dacs measure transparent so what really is it going to change.


I've always liked the Modi multibit better than the Modi 3. All subjective choices of course.


----------



## jnak00

tameral said:


> I'm seeking comparisons of the multibit to the bifrost.  Not the modi 3



There are probably several comparisons scattered throughout this thread of the Bifrost 2 thread.  I have both.  At first I didn't really notice any difference between the two.  However, I think with DACs it can be difficult to discern differences on a rapid A/B type of test, which is what I was trying.  The other mistake I made was trying to focus on differences in frequency response, which I still don't think there's any significant difference.  Over time though, you start to notice things with Bifrost that you didn't really get with Modi Multibit.  I heard these differences more easily with speakers.  The soundstage became more 3D, the sound more lifelike.  This was not a massive difference, certainly not "night and day" , but I would not say they sound the same.  Of course, you will hear things differently from me.  

If you want the latest technology Schiit has to offer, get the Bifrost 2.  If you don't mind sacrificing that side of things to save some dollars, the MM is still a solid choice.


----------



## zztopps

tameral said:


> I really want one of these - buying used seems like a waste because you basically pay full price minus tax and shipping if you just bought it new from schiit.  Does this punch anywhere near a Bifrost2 or is it outclassed handily?


 Bifrost sounds bettter, but you will not be disappointed with the Modi.


----------



## mfadio

Do you see the bf2 or the modibit being a better pair for a crack?


----------



## julianlopez85 (Mar 10, 2021)

HI Guys i've had my mimby for about two weeks or so and had it broken in well paired with a monilith liquid spark and my initial findings is that it is a little harsh....i'm using tidal(volume on the app at about 50%) and windows volume 100% with me mainly adjusting the amp to get the desired volume but i find generally via tidal the songs can get harsh up top...does anyone else find this to be the case? i've found this with my Sundara, technica e40s and m40x...haven't really put the rest of my gear up to the test with it

Edit : I'm using the mimby via usb on windows 10 and installed the win 7/8 drivers just to make sure the installer didn't pick up a generic windows driver for the mimby


----------



## darkarn (Mar 10, 2021)

julianlopez85 said:


> HI Guys i've had my mimby for about two weeks or so and had it broken in well paired with a monilith liquid spark and my initial findings is that it is a little harsh....i'm using tidal(volume on the app at about 50%) and windows volume 100% with me mainly adjusting the amp to get the desired volume but i find generally via tidal the songs can get harsh up top...does anyone else find this to be the case? i've found this with my Sundara, technica e40s and m40x...haven't really put the rest of my gear up to the test with it
> 
> Edit : I'm using the mimby via usb on windows 10 and installed the win 7/8 drivers just to make sure the installer didn't pick up a generic windows driver for the mimby



Try using coaxial or optical with the Mimby instead; its USB is known to be the weakest input out of the three inputs.

If you are ok with Schiit's closeout/B-stock policy (cheaper, fully warrantied, may have cosmetic defects, no returns), grab an Eitr while they are still in stock in the Clearance Deals section of the Schiit website, as of now there are 4 left (be sure to ask for 220V wall wart in your order remarks if you use 220V like me). It does USB to Coaxial conversion and have a much stronger USB input than Mimby's.

Many Mimby owners in audio forums like here and SBAF sworn by the Eitr+Mimby combo. Personally, I just got mine and initial impressions are that the harshness is gone and the components of the audio are placed more correctly than before


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> Try using coaxial or optical with the Mimby instead; its USB is known to be the weakest input out of the three inputs.
> 
> If you are ok with Schiit's closeout/B-stock policy (cheaper, fully warrantied, may have cosmetic defects, no returns), grab an Eitr while they are still in stock in the Clearance Deals section of the Schiit website, as of now there are 4 left (be sure to ask for 220V wall wart in your order remarks if you use 220V like me). It does USB to Coaxial conversion and have a much stronger USB input than Mimby's.
> 
> Many Mimby owners in audio forums like here and SBAF sworn by the Eitr+Mimby combo. Personally, I just got mine and initial impressions are that the harshness is gone and the components of the audio are placed more correctly than before


Thanks for the reply i checked the site and it's onmly the 115V available so i doubt i'll be able to use it in Malaysia...so admittedly there is harshness to the mimby it's not just me hearing this(as in when songs peak like female vocals in ballads etc)


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> Thanks for the reply i checked the site and it's onmly the 115V available so i doubt i'll be able to use it in Malaysia...so admittedly there is harshness to the mimby it's not just me hearing this(as in when songs peak like female vocals in ballads etc)



Eitr uses a wall wart so you can just simply use their 220V version of the wall wart. I am from Singapore (your neighbour from the South lol), ordered from Schiit and requested for 220V wall wart, and got the wall wart swapped without any increase in price. During ordering from Schiit website, you can place remarks, that is where you ask for the swap

And yes, Mimby (especially on A1 firmware like me) can be overpowering when it comes to female vocals, which is a double-edged sword. The Eitr did help lower that a bit


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> Eitr uses a wall wart so you can just simply use their 220V version of the wall wart. I am from Singapore (your neighbour from the South lol), ordered from Schiit and requested for 220V wall wart, and got the wall wart swapped without any increase in price. During ordering from Schiit website, you can place remarks, that is where you ask for the swap
> 
> And yes, Mimby (especially on A1 firmware like me) can be overpowering when it comes to female vocals, which is a double-edged sword. The Eitr did help lower that a bit


Hey man didn't know you were so close...so the Eitr doesn't really tame it then? so in other words the harshness is still there?


----------



## Hyde00

julianlopez85 said:


> HI Guys i've had my mimby for about two weeks or so and had it broken in well paired with a monilith liquid spark and my initial findings is that it is a little harsh....i'm using tidal(volume on the app at about 50%) and windows volume 100% with me mainly adjusting the amp to get the desired volume but i find generally via tidal the songs can get harsh up top...does anyone else find this to be the case? i've found this with my Sundara, technica e40s and m40x...haven't really put the rest of my gear up to the test with it
> 
> Edit : I'm using the mimby via usb on windows 10 and installed the win 7/8 drivers just to make sure the installer didn't pick up a generic windows driver for the mimby


Hmmm I don't know if this is the case but I'll just throw out a few possibilities out there if could or could not be any of those:

Mimby need to be left on 24/7 to sound correct, it has optimal operating temperature and people recommend at least 24 hours minimum before you listen to it.

I had Liquid Spark briefly before upgrading to Project Polaris. From memory I think manufacture recommend 100 hours burn in on Liquid Spark, also I do remember Liquid Spark being a little bit harsh / dry on my first impression. I didn't keep it long enough to hit 100 hour mark so I don't know.

I currently have Mimby running on USB and connecting to Asgard 3 and Project Polaris and I didn't find female vocal harsh, but treble do get loud on Polaris. And in general Piano sound is a little over emphasized.

Not too sure if the usb/optical/coax thing would fix it though. But you could probably give it a try.

Sorry I'm just throwing all the possibilities out there not sure if any of them would actually fix it LOL.


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> Hey man didn't know you were so close...so the Eitr doesn't really tame it then? so in other words the harshness is still there?



It did tame it a bit, but I think what's most noticeable is the separation of instruments. That said, I have not tried this combo out with the headphones you have so I am not fully sure how much of that harshness will be gone and if it is to your liking. I can safely say that most Mimby owners who got an Eitr are happy with their purchases.

Either way, see if you can use coaxial or optical from your audio source instead of USB first before considering the Eitr


----------



## SolaVirtus

For me Eitr-Mimby combo helped most to clean up the USB related noise. I didn't notice a lot of other changes (glare, separation) but cleaning up the USB signal was well worth it. That said, I did upgrade the mimby chip (I had an original version) at the same time as adding an Eitr. That had more of an impact on the sound quality.


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> It did tame it a bit, but I think what's most noticeable is the separation of instruments. That said, I have not tried this combo out with the headphones you have so I am not fully sure how much of that harshness will be gone and if it is to your liking. I can safely say that most Mimby owners who got an Eitr are happy with their purchases.
> 
> Either way, see if you can use coaxial or optical from your audio source instead of USB first before considering the Eitr


So there's a suggestion that it is still quite harsh to listen to even with the eitr....hmm interesting


----------



## julianlopez85

SolaVirtus said:


> For me Eitr-Mimby combo helped most to clean up the USB related noise. I didn't notice a lot of other changes (glare, separation) but cleaning up the USB signal was well worth it. That said, I did upgrade the mimby chip (I had an original version) at the same time as adding an Eitr. That had more of an impact on the sound quality.


do you find the sound to be quite harsh when the songs peak? be it vocals or anything else?


----------



## julianlopez85

Hyde00 said:


> Hmmm I don't know if this is the case but I'll just throw out a few possibilities out there if could or could not be any of those:
> 
> Mimby need to be left on 24/7 to sound correct, it has optimal operating temperature and people recommend at least 24 hours minimum before you listen to it.
> 
> ...


I had the liquid spark a month before the mimby arrived so i doubt it could be that...the liquid spark with my previous dac was fairly smooth albeit it was a delta sigma combo...but the mimby is not as expected...i thought it would've been a nice smooth sound possibly since it's a ladder dac


----------



## darkarn (Mar 10, 2021)

julianlopez85 said:


> So there's a suggestion that it is still quite harsh to listen to even with the eitr....hmm interesting



That's true cos:
1. Harshness may be also due to other factors in your chain (i.e. see your synergy)
2. My definition of harshness can be more relaxed compared to yours and vice versa

General consensus is that Eitr is a good companion for the Mimby since this essentially gives you way better USB audio than directly connecting to the Mimby. It may not make things less harsh enough for you, but the better separation of instruments and other benefits may help you to not focus that much on the harshness. _In my case_, being a fellow Mimby owner, the Eitr did both benefits (and maybe more that I have not discovered yet) and I am really pleased with it so far


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> That's true cos:
> 1. Harshness may be also due to other factors in your chain (i.e. see your synergy)
> 2. My definition of harshness can be more relaxed compared to yours and vice versa
> 
> General consensus is that Eitr is a good companion for the Mimby since this essentially gives you way better USB audio than directly connecting to the Mimby. It may not make things less harsh enough for you, but the better separation of instruments and other benefits may help you to not focus that much on the harshness. _In my case_, being a fellow Mimby owner, the Eitr did both benefits (and maybe more that I have not discovered yet) and I am really pleased with it so far


ok...can i ask what sample rate are you using? i'm on 24-96 and how do you know use the volume of your pc? do you do windows all the way up and music player volume all the way up? and you control your levels via amp? or what's your setup? Thanks.


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> ok...can i ask what sample rate are you using? i'm on 24-96 and how do you know use the volume of your pc? do you do windows all the way up and music player volume all the way up? and you control your levels via amp? or what's your setup? Thanks.


My Eitr is set to 24/192, max volume on OS level and apps, controlling volume with amp

My setup:
PC > Eitr > Modi Multibit (A2 firmware) DAC > Project Ember tube amp > JBL LSR 305 (1st Gen) / beyerdynamic Custom ONE Pro


----------



## darkarn

SolaVirtus said:


> For me Eitr-Mimby combo helped most to clean up the USB related noise. I didn't notice a lot of other changes (glare, separation) but cleaning up the USB signal was well worth it. That said, I did upgrade the mimby chip (I had an original version) at the same time as adding an Eitr. That had more of an impact on the sound quality.



I find it to be the reverse so far, but then again that is because I added the Eitr and then upgraded the firmware chip approx 24 hours later. I mean, it makes more sense to order both at the same time so lol


----------



## ssmith3046

I use the Modi multibit as an external DAC on an older CD player via a coax cable. No harshness heard through my Asgard 3 and Focal Clear Pros.


----------



## julianlopez85

ssmith3046 said:


> I use the Modi multibit as an external DAC on an older CD player via a coax cable. No harshness heard through my Asgard 3 and Focal Clear Pros.


this is difficult since my pc doesn't have coax out....and i just bought my amp and dac within the same month so budget's out atm....maybe i can get one of those cheap sound cards that have coax out...then i can have an output to the coax


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> this is difficult since my pc doesn't have coax out....and i just bought my amp and dac within the same month so budget's out atm....maybe i can get one of those cheap sound cards that have coax out...then i can have an output to the coax



Does your computer have TOSLINK/optical? That can work as an interim solution

If not, you may need to EQ


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> Does your computer have TOSLINK/optical? That can work as an interim solution
> 
> If not, you may need to EQ


this i definitely have....i might need to go get a toslink cable and see if that helps...do cables matter? or any cables should do the trick?


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> this i definitely have....i might need to go get a toslink cable and see if that helps...do cables matter? or any cables should do the trick?



For your scenario, any cable that don't look too dodgy or cost too much should be fine.


----------



## SolaVirtus

julianlopez85 said:


> do you find the sound to be quite harsh when the songs peak? be it vocals or anything else?


I can't say I'd describe it as harsh at all. My ears are pretty used to solid state gear, and I listened to that with cans not known to be particularly harsh. Maybe in another setup it could be harsh, but not for me.


----------



## julianlopez85

SolaVirtus said:


> I can't say I'd describe it as harsh at all. My ears are pretty used to solid state gear, and I listened to that with cans not known to be particularly harsh. Maybe in another setup it could be harsh, but not for me.


can i ask what cans did you use? thanks


----------



## SolaVirtus

Sure - HD 6XX, Argon, Hifiman Ananda


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> this is difficult since my pc doesn't have coax out....and i just bought my amp and dac within the same month so budget's out atm....maybe i can get one of those cheap sound cards that have coax out...then i can have an output to the coax



I just realised something

Why not get a cheap Optical to Coaxial converter (and optical and coaxial cables) from Amazon? This did help me tide over until an Eitr appeared in the Clearance section recently


----------



## julianlopez85

SolaVirtus said:


> Sure - HD 6XX, Argon, Hifiman Ananda


i haven't heard any of these cans lolzzz...nice collection though


----------



## darkarn

I have been testing the USB input of the Mimby, USB to Coaxial part of the Fiio E10, and of course the Schiit Eitr just to see how the Eitr and the A2 firmware have been working, Here are some quick notes

Mimby USB: Has a congested and energetic presentation of the music compared to the E10/Eitr. Feels bloomy at times (especially drums) Thankfully this is still less energetic than A1 firmware
E10: The soundstage feels more open now, details are easier to pick out and therefore give an impression of less energy when it isn't the case; it's just you being able to hear the other details better and thus focusing more on that
Eitr: Soundstage opened up a bit more and details are even easier to pick out, especially since higher frequency stuff like cymbals and organs have a special "air" that simply cannot be heard in the E10 or direct USB to Mimby

tl;dr so far: Eitr > E10 >>> Mimby USB

@julianlopez85 you may want to stick with your plan to get a decent device that can do USB to Coaxial converter. Some DACs out there still do USB to Coaxial so this can be a substitute for Eitr until they come back to Clearance section or when you move up to Biifrost 2 onwards (their Unison USB should have resolved the harshness I think)


----------



## AviP

Isn't it just a matter of time until Schiit replaces the USB chip in Mimby? They've put Unison USB in pretty much every other DAC...


----------



## darkarn

AviP said:


> Isn't it just a matter of time until Schiit replaces the USB chip in Mimby? They've put Unison USB in pretty much every other DAC...


So far what we only heard from the "main" Schiit thread is that the Unison USB is simply too hard to fit into the Mimby due to Mimby being the only Schiit product so far to be done on a dual-sided PCB


----------



## AviP

darkarn said:


> So far what we only heard from the "main" Schiit thread is that the Unison USB is simply too hard to fit into the Mimby due to Mimby being the only Schiit product so far to be done on a dual-sided PCB


Could be, although I remember when they were saying that Multibit probably won't make it into a Modi sized case and then one day they surprised us (and I bought it on the first day  )


----------



## julianlopez85 (Mar 11, 2021)

darkarn said:


> I have been testing the USB input of the Mimby, USB to Coaxial part of the Fiio E10, and of course the Schiit Eitr just to see how the Eitr and the A2 firmware have been working, Here are some quick notes
> 
> Mimby USB: Has a congested and energetic presentation of the music compared to the E10/Eitr. Feels bloomy at times (especially drums) Thankfully this is still less energetic than A1 firmware
> E10: The soundstage feels more open now, details are easier to pick out and therefore give an impression of less energy when it isn't the case; it's just you being able to hear the other details better and thus focusing more on that
> ...


Yea could be a while before i invest in converter but thanks for the write up man appreciate it : )

Edit : Are you suggesting the E10 is better than the mimby? Might just mean i might have to sell my mimby :")


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> Yea could be a while before i invest in converter but thanks for the write up man appreciate it : )
> 
> Edit : Are you suggesting the E10 is better than the mimby? Might just mean i might have to sell my mimby :")



No, the Mimby is wayyyy better than the E10 even if you use the USB input of the Mimby. Keep the Mimby!

Use the E10 as only a USB to Coaxial converter, while letting the Mimby remain as a DAC to your amps


----------



## julianlopez85

darkarn said:


> No, the Mimby is wayyyy better than the E10 even if you use the USB input of the Mimby. Keep the Mimby!
> 
> Use the E10 as only a USB to Coaxial converter, while letting the Mimby remain as a DAC to your amps


Ah ok you were telling me the signal chain...gotcha when you posted that i thought you were saying one was better than the other...yea i was considering a cheap sound card that had coax out as an option just to feed the mimby a source haven't really looked at anything...then there's the raspberry pie and Digi allo mod option as well lots of ways to go and lots of money to spend :''')


----------



## darkarn

julianlopez85 said:


> Ah ok you were telling me the signal chain...gotcha when you posted that i thought you were saying one was better than the other...yea i was considering a cheap sound card that had coax out as an option just to feed the mimby a source haven't really looked at anything...then there's the raspberry pie and Digi allo mod option as well lots of ways to go and lots of money to spend :''')


Yeah there are lots of ways this can work out with their own caveats, happy testing


----------



## Lupino

My Modi Multibit has developed a problem now where music will play for only 2 minutes and 5 seconds and then goes silent. If I go into my sound preferences panel on my imac and switch to internal speakers there is no problem at all. If I switch back to Modi Multibit it will play again but only for 2mins 5 secs  and then goes silent. Has anyone experienced any kind of problem like this or have any idea what's going on?


----------



## Dana Reed

Lupino said:


> My Modi Multibit has developed a problem now where music will play for only 2 minutes and 5 seconds and then goes silent. If I go into my sound preferences panel on my imac and switch to internal speakers there is no problem at all. If I switch back to Modi Multibit it will play again but only for 2mins 5 secs  and then goes silent. Has anyone experienced any kind of problem like this or have any idea what's going on?


Seems like it might be a USB issue on the Mac.  Do you have any other PCs or a phone you can connect to the USB input to see if it’s specific to that iMac?


----------



## Lupino

Dana Reed said:


> Seems like it might be a USB issue on the Mac.  Do you have any other PCs or a phone you can connect to the USB input to see if it’s specific to that iMac?


I hope to get ahold of a laptop later today to try in place of the imac.
Thanks


----------



## Dana Reed

Lupino said:


> I hope to get ahold of a laptop later today to try in place of the imac.
> Thanks





I’ve had good luck using a setup like below (without the dock, just connecting the USB camera adapter) to connect an iOS device to my modi Multibit.  Adds some flexibility for direct phone connection if my Allo DigiOne to coax is not available


----------



## Lupino

So, I tried with the laptop and established that the Modi was fine. I tried rebooting the iMac and what do you know, problem is gone. Maybe there was some corruption 
with the USB system?  Thanks Dana Reed for your input.


----------



## Dana Reed

Lupino said:


> So, I tried with the laptop and established that the Modi was fine. I tried rebooting the iMac and what do you know, problem is gone. Maybe there was some corruption
> with the USB system?  Thanks Dana Reed for your input.


Yeah, my first computer tech support option is always reboot, whether it’s MacOS or Windows or whatever.  I just set up my Roon core Mac mini to reboot every 2 weeks on a schedule to avoid weirdness and that’s helped .


----------



## Mozbach (Jun 12, 2021)

Some pigs waiting for their Schiit to happen!

So iv been trying to get hold of a mimby (v2) for quite some time here in India. Been waiting from February 2021 when i placed the order. The dates just keep getting pushed further and the last update from Schiit was 17June 2021. Waiting to get my hands on the coveted lil wonder but COVID really not making it easy for either Schiit or me! Eventually got my hands on a used v1, requested for an order cancellation.

With the v1 on the way, my soul is 'partly at rest'  Now the chase begins for ordering the v2 upgrade, have emailed Schiit to help out with this. Though with the continuing shortage of parts, COVID supply chain bottlenecks, etc. i'm bit sceptical that the upgrade chip will be shipped anytime soon.

My hearts set on v2 and having read 'all 297' pages sifting through posts on the incremental gains of v2 over v1, it seems to be well worth the wait. Holed up indoors thanks to Covid, with music being the only source to uplift one's spirits, the mimby became a real need.

Any placebo suggestions to quell the yearing would be welcome


----------



## Hyde00

Mozbach said:


> Some pigs waiting for their Schiit to happen!
> 
> So iv been trying to get hold of a mimby (v2) for quite some time here in India. Been waiting from February 2021 when i placed the order. The dates just keep getting pushed further and the last update from Schiit was 17June 2021. Waiting to get my hands on the coveted lil wonder but COVID really not making it easy for either Schiit or me! Eventually got my hands on a used v1, requested for an order cancellation.
> 
> ...


Yeah I think a lot of Schiit products (not just Modi Multibit) are short on parts.  Really not helping the case, hopefully you can get your v2 upgrade parts soon!

Now I have another question for other people, like you said you read through "all 297" (dude you're insane) pages to see if the v1 to v2 upgrade is worth it.

*I'm trying to revisit the "using Eitr instead of USB" upgrade to see if it's worth it.*

I keep hearing people say "your mileage may vary" but it seems like the 2 things Eitr address is fix the clock timing and power (since Eitr come with linear power supply, but doesn't Mimby come with linear power supply anyway?).  So it sounds like it mainly address imaging and naturalness but tonality and timber is the same.

Right now Eitr is discontinued so it's a bit pain in the butt to source one, I can either wait for the B-stock to come back (I've seen it come back once, missed my chance), or find alternatives.

Would you guys suggest:

*1)  Wait for Eitr, it's worth the wait, and make the stack look pretty.
2)  Get the Douk Audio USB Converter*
https://www.amazon.ca/Douk-Audio-Co...&keywords=douk+audio+u2&qid=1623525966&sr=8-5
*3)  Get Topping D10S and use it just for the digital out.*
https://www.amazon.ca/Topping-D10s-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
*4)  Or just forget about this altogether and sell the Mimby and get a higher end DAC (someone suggested Allo Revolution or Geshelli J2).*

I'm in Canada so the price of Eitr will most likely be about the same as price of Topping D10S.

What do you guys think?


----------



## CarlosAudio51

Hyde00 said:


> Yeah I think a lot of Schiit products (not just Modi Multibit) are short on parts.  Really not helping the case, hopefully you can get your v2 upgrade parts soon!
> 
> Now I have another question for other people, like you said you read through "all 297" (dude you're insane) pages to see if the v1 to v2 upgrade is worth it.
> 
> ...


I can comment on options 2 and 3. Either of them would be a worse option than option 1, at least from an engineering standpoint.

Eitr has true electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation. As far as I know, the source USB powers only the USB receiver and the Eitr's power supply powers the rest of the circuit (clocks, SPDIF conversion, etc).

Options 2 and 3 don't have separate power supplies so the source USB has to power everything. Even if you get the benefit of conversion to SPDIF (no power thru coax cable), the circuitry used for the conversion is still powered by the source USB. Depending on how noisy your source is, you may not see much benefit from options 2 and 3.

Also FYI, Modi MB has a linear power supply.


----------



## Mozbach

Hyde00 said:


> Yeah I think a lot of Schiit products (not just Modi Multibit) are short on parts.  Really not helping the case, hopefully you can get your v2 upgrade parts soon!
> 
> Now I have another question for other people, like you said you read through "all 297" (dude you're insane) pages to see if the v1 to v2 upgrade is worth it.
> 
> ...


Hey @Hyde00

I wrote to Schiit and they responsed - will be able to ship the upgrade ROM...fingers crossed, it should get here soon

My 2 cents - get a coaxial transport (Allo Digione/Digione Signature/Pi2AES/similar) and feed the mimby through Coaxial/SPDIF - thats better than USB.  Serves as a network streamer as well and you keep the mimby. The topping D10s conversion may not give you better results than EITR, so EITR would be a better bet from ecosystem integration perspective. Only upside with D10 s - you get a back up entry level dac. so its AlloDigione> EITR> D10s

DAC upgrade option is different ballgame altogether!


----------



## Hyde00

CarlosAudio51 said:


> I can comment on options 2 and 3. Either of them would be a worse option than option 1, at least from an engineering standpoint.
> 
> Eitr has true electromagnetic and electrostatic isolation. As far as I know, the source USB powers only the USB receiver and the Eitr's power supply powers the rest of the circuit (clocks, SPDIF conversion, etc).
> 
> ...


Yeah I think I previously thought Eitr was too expensive for what it is, but after learning about what goes inside the unit now I understand why it cost how much it is.

But I can also see why it didn't sell well and they had to discontinue it, I'd imagine most people were like me who didn't understand what goes inside the unit and thought it was too expensive.  And with all their newer units coming out with updated USB it makes Eitr less and less necessary.

That being said since I still have the Mimby so I'll wait for b-stock Eitr to come back then lol.  Thank you for your advice!


Mozbach said:


> Hey @Hyde00
> 
> I wrote to Schiit and they responsed - will be able to ship the upgrade ROM...fingers crossed, it should get here soon
> 
> ...


lol nice!  Hopefully you'll get your unit soon!

As for your suggestion, doesn't the Digione need a Raspberry Pi?  I currently don't have a Raspberry Pi and I think the cost would be too high at that point.

I'm ok with Eitr b-stock being at $89, but any higher I feel like I'll just wait to upgrade my dac entirely lol (i.e. Allo Revolution).

Thanks for the suggestion though!


----------



## darkarn

Go for the Eitr, it did improve my Modi Multibit V2 (and even my friend's Topping D7s) greatly

If not, sell your Modi Multibit and head for a Biifrost 2 since it already has Unison USB by default which should sound better than the Mimby+Eitr stack


----------



## Hyde00

darkarn said:


> Go for the Eitr, it did improve my Modi Multibit V2 (and even my friend's Topping D7s) greatly
> 
> If not, sell your Modi Multibit and head for a Biifrost 2 since it already has Unison USB by default which should sound better than the Mimby+Eitr stack


Hmmm I previously had a Asgard 3 on my desk and thought it was too bulky, I much prefer the footprint of Mimby + Vali 2+ stack that I have now.

I might shoot for the Eitr first and go for bigger upgrade a little bit later down the line.

Time to refresh the b-stock page and head-fi classified everyday now LOL. Thanks!


----------



## Mozbach

Hyde00 said:


> I might shoot for the Eitr first and go for bigger upgrade a little bit later down the line.


Absolutely.. best way forward!


----------



## neoaudiophyte

After being on back order for about 11 months, Modi Multibit is finally in stock.


----------



## maheeinfy

How does performance compare between Modi Multibit, Bifrost multibit and Bifrost 2
On scale of 1 to 5, If MM is 1 and BM is 2 then Bifrost 2 is 5 ?


----------



## ssmith3046

maheeinfy said:


> How does performance compare between Modi Multibit, Bifrost multibit and Bifrost 2
> On scale of 1 to 5, If MM is 1 and BM is 2 then Bifrost 2 is 5 ?


No Bifrost 2 but to my ears there was no difference between the Bifrost multibit and Modi multibit.


----------



## Mozbach

maheeinfy said:


> How does performance compare between Modi Multibit, Bifrost multibit and Bifrost 2
> On scale of 1 to 5, If MM is 1 and BM is 2 then Bifrost 2 is 5 ?


the BF2 is as good as a denafrips ares 2, thanks to the dual chips they use in the gungnir multibit. Its been called the mini yggy for that reason. if ur looking to dip your feet in the schiit multibit pool and have a limited budget, modi multibit 2 is fantastic value for money, just ensure u can feed it with a good SPDIF source. Older versions of modi multibit and bifrost have older ROMs which tend to make bass loose and bloomy. It sounds good but ul miss layering/growl in bass notes with older models. V2 versions fixed that while keeping the bass slam intact. of the 3, Bifrost 2 is the best, so yes closer to 5.
Cheers


----------



## ssmith3046

You can't beat the Modi multibit for $250.  I had one and sold it to try something else and missed it so much that I bought another one several months ago and now use it exclusively with my Audiolab CD6000CDT transport.  
I've owned a Modi 3, Bifrost 4490, Bifrost multibit,  Modius,  and Topping D50. The Modi multibit is still my favorite.  I've been intending to buy a Bifrost 2 but the Modi multibit has kept me happy, as has my Asgard 3.  $1500 headphones and a $250 DAC and $200 headphone amp but it works for me.  My birthday is this month so I'm finally going to take the Bifrost 2 plunge.  I was considering an Ares II but I'm going to stay loyal to Schiit.


----------



## schmalgausen

Is silver color of Multibit the same as Magni 3+? I keep an eye out ebay and some of them are shiny, others are matte.


----------



## tamleo (Nov 9, 2021)

ssmith3046 said:


> You can't beat the Modi multibit for $250.  I had one and sold it to try something else and missed it so much that I bought another one several months ago and now use it exclusively with my Audiolab CD6000CDT transport.
> I've owned a Modi 3, Bifrost 4490, Bifrost multibit,  Modius,  and Topping D50. The Modi multibit is still my favorite.  I've been intending to buy a Bifrost 2 but the Modi multibit has kept me happy, as has my Asgard 3.  $1500 headphones and a $250 DAC and $200 headphone amp but it works for me.  My birthday is this month so I'm finally going to take the Bifrost 2 plunge.  I was considering an Ares II but I'm going to stay loyal to Schiit.


Bought my Ifi ZEN DAC Signature and it blows my Modi Multibit and all of my modi 2 3 out of the water. And it is $250. Even my Apple dongle has a more detailed, agreeable and subtle sound compared to my Modi Multibit IMO


----------



## Hyde00

schmalgausen said:


> Is silver color of Multibit the same as Magni 3+? I keep an eye out ebay and some of them are shiny, others are matte.


I don't know about Magni 3+, but my Mod Multibit had the same finish as the Vali 2+, which is a current generation item.

I think the older Schiit product uses brushed aluminum while the new one is painted matte finish.

That being said if you get an Eitr to go with the Modi Multibit it will be the old finish.


----------



## eswng679 (Nov 9, 2021)

Hyde00 said:


> That being said if you get an Eitr to go with the Modi Multibit it will be the old finish.



There may be some EITRs in the current finish floating around if you end up with current models and would like it to match.

source: I bought an EITR closeout from Schiit a few months ago (2021) and it was in the same finish as current matte finish. Unfortunately, it is only available in silver and stands out in my stack of black Schiit.


----------



## Hyde00

tamleo said:


> Bought my Ifi ZEN DAC Signature and it blows my Modi Multibit and all of my modi 2 3 out of the water. And it is $250. Even my Apple dongle has a more detailed, agreeable and subtle sound compared to my Modi Multibit IMO


I have to say Modi Multibit with Eitr and without Etir sound quite different actually.  With Eitr the soundstage got wider and the small details start to come out.  Without it feels a bit closer to your face and you only hear the "big sounds" not too much subtleties.

Each has their own charm, like for example I like the intimate sound without Eitr but I like the detail and layering with Eitr.  But factor in price I think iFi Zen Dac Signature probably (haven't heard it yet) is a much better value lol.


eswng679 said:


> There may be some EITRs in the current finish floating around if you end up with current models and would like it to match.
> 
> source: I bought an EITR closeout from Schiit a few months ago (2021) and it was in the same finish as current matte finish. Unfortunately, it is only available in silver and stands out in my stack of black Schiit.


lol ah that's good to know, though hunting down an Eitr is a chore on its own these days since it's discontinued.

So probably going to be hard to be picky now.


----------



## SolaVirtus

Hyde00 said:


> I have to say Modi Multibit with Eitr and without Etir sound quite different actually.  With Eitr the soundstage got wider and the small details start to come out.  Without it feels a bit closer to your face and you only hear the "big sounds" not too much subtleties.
> 
> Each has their own charm, like for example I like the intimate sound without Eitr but I like the detail and layering with Eitr.  But factor in price I think iFi Zen Dac Signature probably (haven't heard it yet) is a much better value lol.
> 
> ...


I can concur. The newer mimby firmware/chip along with an Eitr is pretty noticable compared to older firmware/chip Mimby alone.
A newer mimby with unison USB is what's needed, since Eitrs are hard to come by now. 

I'll add that of someone really wants a like-new Eitr, send me a PM. Mine's been sitting in an empty office for a good while.


----------



## Hyde00

SolaVirtus said:


> I can concur. The newer mimby firmware/chip along with an Eitr is pretty noticable compared to older firmware/chip Mimby alone.
> A newer mimby with unison USB is what's needed, since Eitrs are hard to come by now.
> 
> I'll add that of someone really wants a like-new Eitr, send me a PM. Mine's been sitting in an empty office for a good while.


Oh yeah Unison USB Mimby would be great, though someone told me they haven't do it yet due to physical size restrictions.  Like Mimby literally has no more space inside to fit Unison USB.

Hopefully they figure something out eventually though.


----------



## tamleo

Hyde00 said:


> I have to say Modi Multibit with Eitr and without Etir sound quite different actually.  With Eitr the soundstage got wider and the small details start to come out.  Without it feels a bit closer to your face and you only hear the "big sounds" not too much subtleties.
> 
> Each has their own charm, like for example I like the intimate sound without Eitr but I like the detail and layering with Eitr.  But factor in price I think iFi Zen Dac Signature probably (haven't heard it yet) is a much better value lol.
> 
> ...


Tks for your info. Actually I used the Mumby via coaxial connection as I couldn’t bear the distortion (type of distortion I can’t point out but feel) via usb.  I bought many v1 and v2 mumbys for my use and selling affair so I knew about the dac very much. Couldn’t buy the Eitr though because there’s no shop selling them in my country


----------



## Hyde00

tamleo said:


> Tks for your info. Actually I used the Mumby via coaxial connection as I couldn’t bear the distortion (type of distortion I can’t point out but feel) via usb.  I bought many v1 and v2 mumbys for my use and selling affair so I knew about the dac very much. Couldn’t buy the Eitr though because there’s no shop selling them in my country


Lol yeah it's really hard to find Eitr outside USA, your best bet is to see if anyone from Head-Fi is willing to ship it to your country. I have the same problem in Canada. 

4 messages up I think SolaVirtus is selling his, could shoot him a message.


----------



## Andrew Randle

Last Monday my brand new Mimby arrived, and as predicted it has taken a while to warm up.

It initially took 8 hours to start refining its initial rough edges.   Then a full 7 days to see a major improvement in how the Mimby gels the timing and synchronicity between musicians - before that I felt that musicians were not performing together as a band.

My comparison is with a Beresford Caiman II with firmware chip updates and Dorado supercap power supply - a brilliant performing Delta Sigma DAC that majors in the fore-mentioned area of timing and synchronisation between musical strands.

So far, into day 7, the Caiman II still has the slight edge in terms of melodic inflection and synchronicity.  But the Mimby is still stabilising and improving.   In fact the Mimby has a bigger sound and more front-to-back dimensionality to the soundstage with better ability to hear into the depths of the mix.   Both have the same excellent left-right breadth.   Instruments and voices on the Caiman II have more focus and nimbler boundaries, while the Mimby has more explicit harmonics.   Bass on the Mimby has significantly more body, which benefits a headphone like the HifiMan HE5XX.   Treble on the Mimby is well behaved but highly informative, with a tad less extension than the Caiman II that contributes to the Caiman's fore-mentioned lead in nimbleness.

Whereas earlier I wasn't feeling it with my Mimby, 7 days in and things are definitely looking up.   Can anyone here relate to these observations or recall any further warm up improvements beyond 7 days?

My headphone component chain:
rPi (PiCorePlayer with tweaks) >> HiFiBerry SPDIF/TOSLINK hat >> Caiman II / Mimby >> Schiit Asgard 3 >> Audeze LCD-2C / HifiMan HE5XX

Andrew


----------



## ssmith3046

I don't remember hearing a difference after a week.  I leave it on 24/7 too.  Hard to beat for $250.


----------



## 23jim

I've had my Modi multibit V. 2 for about a month now. I just got done doing a bit of a/b/c testing using my CD players optical and coaxial digital outs and my LG V40 running UAPP bit perfect through the USB.

Given MY system, the USB and coaxial were really close. The optical was the one that sounded a bit different. I seemed to sound a bit thicker and tiny bit more upfront when listening through my Asgard 3 and HD 660S. Less space and clarity(?)

On Rush's YYZ and Limelight, Geddy Less bass was a bit thicker while the coaxial was clearer and more open. The USB was very close to the coaxial in every way. I did like hearing more of the bass.

The differences were minor all around but I could see the optical sounding better on more V shaped sounding equipment while the coaxial and USB would better on warmer equipment. 

My other take away is the USB was good, probably no need for Eitr.  This may be because I am running from a battery powered decent source vs. a computer USB.


----------



## 23jim

23jim said:


> I've had my Modi multibit V. 2 for about a month now. I just got done doing a bit of a/b/c testing using my CD players optical and coaxial digital outs and my LG V40 running UAPP bit perfect through the USB.
> 
> Given MY system, the USB and coaxial were really close. The optical was the one that sounded a bit different. I seemed to sound a bit thicker and tiny bit more upfront when listening through my Asgard 3 and HD 660S. Less space and clarity(?)
> 
> ...


Crap. I just switched my optical out of my Cd/SACD player into my cheapo Rocketfish BF315 and streamed my LG using Qobuz over Bluetooth and it sounds really good. Not nearly as bloated as it was on my CD player over the same optical cable. The coaxial is still a bit harder hitting but both were good. Apparently the optical out in my CD player is less than that from my $20 clearance Rocketfish. All good though as I no longer need to consider a new wireless streamer thanks to my midi multibit!


----------



## ssmith3046

I've tried both optical and coax on my Audiolab transport and prefer the coax. Just a better overall sound for my old ears.


----------



## Mozbach

Mimby v2 works best through coaxial input. i have a digione + lps feeding it and it sounds perfect - warmth, clarity, resolution and staging seem to be best with this. Optical sounds thick and meaty, but resolution takes a hit. USB sounded muddy. Feed it with a good coaxial streamer upstream and ur sorted. (all this is from personal experience, YMMV)


----------



## 23jim

Mozbach said:


> Mimby v2 works best through coaxial input. i have a digione + lps feeding it and it sounds perfect - warmth, clarity, resolution and staging seem to be best with this. Optical sounds thick and meaty, but resolution takes a hit. USB sounded muddy. Feed it with a good coaxial streamer upstream and ur sorted. (all this is from personal experience, YMMV)


I agree although my USB sounds very much identical to the coxial (or at least indistinguishable on MY setup). I wonder if my LG V40 with its battery power is a clean enough source that the USB issues people have is more a source issue?


----------



## RyanT42

I have some analysis paralysis going on and would like to ask a quick question. I'm currently stuck on pulling the trigger between a Schiit Modi Multibit and a Mobius. I'm curious if anyone could check out what I'll be using it for and see what the recommendations are. I 'll be using it in pretty much 2 separate ways:

A. As a desktop dac to run into a headphone amp in my office. I'll be streaming through Apple Music via my iPhone or iPad. Headphone-wise it'll be split between the Audeze LCD-2C and Grado RS1x.

B. I also want the ability to take the dac out to the living room and run it through my stereo system. It's a vintage 80's Crown analog rack system with a preamp rack and power amp rack, then out to the floor speakers.

Another factor is form factor with the headphone amp...I'm considering either the Asgard (no dac) or Magni+/Magni Heresy. Silly I know but when in my office I think having a Modi on an Asgard or Modius on a Magni would bother me...if that makes sense.

So - Modius or Modi Multibit??? I'm leaning towards the Modius with the unison USB and the variety of ways I'll use it...but maybe the Mimby would be a better choice.

And basically the dac I choose will help pretty much determine the headphone amp (at least the footprint....move over Asgard, the Lyr is in town).

Thanks for any info.


----------



## RyanT42

Sorry, duplicate message


----------



## InvisibleInk

RyanT42 said:


> I have some analysis paralysis going on and would like to ask a quick question. I'm currently stuck on pulling the trigger between a Schiit Modi Multibit and a Mobius. I'm curious if anyone could check out what I'll be using it for and see what the recommendations are. I 'll be using it in pretty much 2 separate ways:
> 
> A. As a desktop dac to run into a headphone amp in my office. I'll be streaming through Apple Music via my iPhone or iPad. Headphone-wise it'll be split between the Audeze LCD-2C and Grado RS1x.
> 
> ...


 Modi + Asgard is plenty powerful for your phones single-ended. Modi Multibit, don't know if that offers any advantage over the modern delta sigma ESS DAC in the Modi 3+.


----------



## ssmith3046

I've used the Modi multibit with an Asgard 3 for quite a while now and I'm very happy with the combo.  Several times I've had a Bifrost 2 in my cart but I always put off ordering because I'm so happy with the Modi multibit and Asgard 3.  I also have a Modius but the multibit gets the most use.


----------



## ssmith3046

InvisibleInk said:


> Modi + Asgard is plenty powerful for your phones single-ended. Modi Multibit, don't know if that offers any advantage over the modern delta sigma ESS DAC in the Modi 3+.


Did Schiit stop using the AK4490 in the Modi 3+?


----------



## Hyde00

ssmith3046 said:


> Did Schiit stop using the AK4490 in the Modi 3+?


I think they switched the plug in modules (for like Asgard, Lyr...etc) over to ESS chips already. But for Modi 3+ they have plan to but not yet I think.

It's the AKM fire, now everyone is switching over to ESS due to not enough AKM chips.

I know people will tell me "dac chip doesn't matter it's the implementation" but for this price range I can hear the difference and for my preference I like ESS more (again, preference).

But between Modi Multibit vs Modius, I think I'd lean more on Modius since it has unison USB. I'd only go Modi Multibit if you plan to use Eitr.

It's the timing clock difference. Basically Unison is more accurate timing which result in wider sound stage and better layering. When timing cue are worse it result in more close in sound and less layering, which I find is the case with the default Modi Multibit USB.


----------



## theveterans

Hyde00 said:


> I think they switched the plug in modules (for like Asgard, Lyr...etc) over to ESS chips already. But for Modi 3+ they have plan to but not yet I think.
> 
> It's the AKM fire, now everyone is switching over to ESS due to not enough AKM chips.
> 
> ...



With Bifrost 2, it’s the marriage between MMB and Modius, but with technicalities, sound stage and layering a clear cut above both. Then again it’s priced more than both combined so it evens out


----------



## Hyde00

theveterans said:


> With Bifrost 2, it’s the marriage between MMB and Modius, but with technicalities, sound stage and layering a clear cut above both. Then again it’s priced more than both combined so it evens out


lol yeah basically this hahah.

So Modi Multibit + Eitr kind of give you poor man's Bifrost 2 for about half price.


----------



## tafens

Hyde00 said:


> So Modi Multibit + Eitr kind of give you poor man's Bifrost 2 for about half price.


Absolutely, and Bifrost2 of course, is poor man’s Yggdrasil (for a third of _that_ price)


----------



## ksorota

Over the years i have bought and sold the modi MB a few times and never really felt it was what i was looking for. But, after hearing about the op-amp swap to liven up, enhance clarity and generally improve the sound qualities of the modi mb I decided to give it a try. WOW

I am more than surprised by the result of the simple swap involving 3 op amps on the bottom side of the board, including the I/V and buffer, and the DC offset OPamps on the bottom side of the board.  The swap of just three components breathes all new life into the little DAC. Staging, textures and Clarity/Air are the stand out improvements. Its the modi mb 2 that many have been asking for!   

the involved parts are the 2x AD8512 with x2 OPA1656 and the 1 AD0821 with OPA2156



Of course, it involves risk as the board is tightly packed with components that could easily be damaged with rogue solder or a slip of the iron so please be careful.


----------



## CommanderKeen85 (Feb 16, 2022)

ksorota said:


> Over the years i have bought and sold the modi MB a few times and never really felt it was what i was looking for. But, after hearing about the op-amp swap to liven up, enhance clarity and generally improve the sound qualities of the modi mb I decided to give it a try. WOW
> 
> I am more than surprised by the result of the simple swap involving 3 op amps on the bottom side of the board, including the I/V and buffer, and the DC offset OPamps on the bottom side of the board.  The swap of just three components breathes all new life into the little DAC. Staging, textures and Clarity/Air are the stand out improvements. Its the modi mb 2 that many have been asking for!
> 
> ...



Any advice for someone who has done very little soldering before? Such as which solder you would recommend buying and a starter guide for doing simple job like this? I would appreciate it. Was looking to go bifrost 2, but if this would be a good improvement, I would settle for this.

I also wanted to point something out that some might find interesting. I know this website is based on headphones so I'm sorry if this is out of place. The mb (I have the 2nd version) didn't really do much for me with headphones (dt990 pro/hd58x jubilee/hifiman he400i). I decided to give speaker monitors a try and I have to say it is really impressive pairing with the elac navis bookshelves. Originally I had the Cambridge cxa81 hooked up to them. I was curious how the mb compared to the Sabre dac and preamp in the Cambridge unit. Even with just the sys preamp (now using saga +) it made the sound of the Cambridge sound thin and lacking engagement and bass. Adding the saga + and wow what a difference in the soundstage and instrument and voice separation. It's spectacular.

Anyway I would be really curious if this tweak would make a difference.


----------



## ksorota

Nice video that goes through a few ways of going about it.




CommanderKeen85 said:


> Any advice for someone who has done very little soldering before? Such as which solder you would recommend buying and a starter guide for doing simple job like this?


----------



## ssmith3046

Since I don't have the skills to do this it's a good thing that I'm happy with the modi multibit the way it is.


----------



## alphaman

What other threads/resources are there for Modi opamp swaps?
Links please!!


----------



## alphaman

ssmith3046 said:


> Since I don't have the skills to do this it's a good thing that I'm happy with the modi multibit the way it is.


Yeah… hold onto all original packaging, too. Makes re-selling much more profitable.
If you are interested in DIY… go to Ali or eBay and get a stuffed DAC board. Much cheaper… and unmodded sonics not far from Schiit. And then when you do mod …. Whoa Nelly …. unnnnnnnnnnnggggggghhhhhhhh! Pass the TP 🧻 puhleeze…


----------



## ksorota (Feb 16, 2022)




----------



## ssmith3046

alphaman said:


> Yeah… hold onto all original packaging, too. Makes re-selling much more profitable.
> If you are interested in DIY… go to Ali or eBay and get a stuffed DAC board. Much cheaper… and unmodded sonics not far from Schiit. And then when you do mod …. Whoa Nelly …. unnnnnnnnnnnggggggghhhhhhhh! Pass the TP 🧻 puhleeze…


I sold one Modi multibit once and soon discovered that I had made a mistake.  Modi multibit number two is staying.  I use my Mimby with an Audiolab transport and Asgard 3 headphone amp. My headphones are Focal Clear Pros. The synergy of these components keep me more than happy.  I do have a Modius and Modi 3+ that I might sell some day. Shipped in the original boxes!


----------



## alphaman

ksorota said:


> https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/hacking-schiit.11261/


Thanks … but you can’t link THAT place from H-F. Years ago mods here warned me — and amended my post — when yours truly mentioned the Super. It may have been Changstar at the time. Don’t recall.
In any kase…
H-F modz: puhleeeeeze korekt moi if I’m rong 😉


----------



## ksorota (Feb 16, 2022)




----------



## InvisibleInk

ksorota said:


> I will remove it, but that is just utter crap if true!


It's kind of creepy to think every post past that banned link, including mine, will shortly be extinct to history.


----------



## alphaman

About that op-amp "upgrade" .... weird that so many are on the bandwagon for THAT Texas Instr. device. It is a cheaper opa than  what Schiit uses as OEM.
The thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang about DIY is that many nooooooooooobs to the hobby get trapped by the "Sunk Cost / Sunk Effort Fallacy" and will foeva swear by all the sweat and tears they've put into the project. *OF COURSE IT HAS TO SOUND BETTER.*
There are a few opamp-swap thread here on head-fi ... in the DIY sub-forum .... and these discussion have been going on since Jooooooooooooooooode invented this forum two decades ago.


----------



## ksorota

alphaman said:


> About that op-amp "upgrade" .... weird that so many are on the bandwagon for THAT Texas Instr. device. It is a cheaper opa than  what Schiit uses as OEM.
> The thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang about DIY is that many nooooooooooobs to the hobby get trapped by the "Sunk Cost / Sunk Effort Fallacy" and will foeva swear by all the sweat and tears they've put into the project. *OF COURSE IT HAS TO SOUND BETTER.*
> There are a few opamp-swap thread here on head-fi ... in the DIY sub-forum .... and these discussion have been going on since Jooooooooooooooooode invented this forum two decades ago.



I am not sure what you are saying exactly.  Just because a part is more or less expensive does not mean anything.  The 1656 opamp replacement is IMO of course, a distinct upgrade and removes some of the warmth/density that the modi MB has always had.  Kind of wakes it up in a sense. 

Of course YMMV and all that.


----------



## alphaman

ksorota said:


> Just because a part is more or less expensive does not mean anything.


I am the el cheapo of all audiophiles. BUT..................... Statistically ... you usually get what you pay for.  Because both the OEM and DIY opa's are not the <$1.00 jellybean variety, and not THAT dissimilar $$,  so my bets on the perceived improvement are still  set on the "sunk cost" brain effect coloring y'all modders' mindz. 
My Modi MB -- purch'd July 2020 ??? --was put into storage only a few days after use. 
Yes, I did "mod" one aspect of it ...


----------



## alphaman

The best way to improve the sonics w/o opening the damn thang up.


----------



## amigastar (Mar 10, 2022)

Why does the Modi Multibit cost 319€ on Schiit Europe whereas in older reviews there is talking of 250€?
Edit: nvm on Schiit.com it costs 250 Dollars.


----------



## ssmith3046

If you want a new Modi multibit it might take you up to 20 weeks to get it delivered.


----------



## amigastar (Mar 12, 2022)

I just bought a Modi Multibit, maybe i will compare to Resonessence Concero if theres a difference that is, when i get it.
Edit: i've just read that Modi Multibit doesn't support highres files. Can i listen to high res music nonetheless with resampler for foobar for example? How can i listen to 24bit when the Dac supports only 16bit?


----------



## eswng679 (Mar 12, 2022)

amigastar said:


> I just bought a Modi Multibit, maybe i will compare to Resonessence Concero if theres a difference that is, when i get it.
> Edit: i've just read that Modi Multibit doesn't support highres files. Can i listen to high res music nonetheless with resampler for foobar for example? How can i listen to 24bit when the Dac supports only 16bit?


Most, if not all, of Schiit's DACs support up to 24 bit / 192 khz. That would be considered hi-res and should work for your purposes. 
Anything beyond 24/192, then you'll need to look elsewhere.


----------



## amigastar

eswng679 said:


> Most, if not all, of Schiit's DACs support up to 24 bit / 192 khz. That would be considered hi-res and should work for your purposes.
> Anything beyond 24/192, then you'll need to look elsewhere.


Got it, thanks. I don't really need anything beyond 24/192 honestly.


----------



## amigastar

Just a question, how's the USB implementation of the Modi MB or should i use an other input?


----------



## 23jim

I think the consensus is that the Coaxial is the best input path. I extensively tested the 3 inputs and with my battery powered LG V40 using excellent UAPP app the USB was very close the the coaxial. It was better than the optical (but of course those were different sources). My phone was probably a very clean USB output compared to most though so your results may vary. Coaxial is great choice if available.


----------



## eswng679

amigastar said:


> Just a question, how's the USB implementation of the Modi MB or should i use an other input?


When I had a Modi MB, I used it straight via USB and via coax from an EITR. Actual differences in sound were minor between the two. 
Unless you have a super noisy USB, I'd stick with just USB.


----------



## amigastar (Mar 17, 2022)

eswng679 said:


> When I had a Modi MB, I used it straight via USB and via coax from an EITR. Actual differences in sound were minor between the two.
> Unless you have a super noisy USB, I'd stick with just USB.


Yeah, i plan to use USB in fact. Thanks for the tip though.


----------



## amigastar

Hey guys, another question is there a Warm-up time on this DAC or can i ignore it. I mean warm-up since the DAC is used it's already Burned-in i suppose.


----------



## ssmith3046

I leave mine on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


----------



## eswng679 (Mar 18, 2022)

amigastar said:


> Hey guys, another question is there a Warm-up time on this DAC or can i ignore it. I mean warm-up since the DAC is used it's already Burned-in i suppose.





ssmith3046 said:


> I leave mine on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.



+1 for this. R2R DACs need some time after a cold start to reach thermal equilibrium and yields the best results warm. I also leave my multibit Schiit on 24/7.


----------



## tim273 (Mar 22, 2022)

Hello everyone!

I purchased a Modi Multibit about a year ago, upgrading from a Modi 3 and I could instantly hear the difference, it was like "WOW"!  The things I noticed instantly were the stereo separation and imaging especially in the percussion.  I listen to mostly rock, but the left/right imaging and soundstage is amazing and I'm still amazed when I listen to it.

To put it another way, it was the same WOW factor that I got listening to older vinyl records that I purchased on eBay, you know the way music is supposed to sound!

I have it paired with a Bottlehead Crack+Speedball (and some upgrades) and modded Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pros  (modded to 600 ohms)


----------



## ssmith3046 (Mar 22, 2022)

tim273 said:


> Hello everyone!
> 
> I purchased a Modi Multibit about a year ago, upgrading from a Modi 3 and I could instantly hear the difference, it was like "WOW"!  The things I noticed instantly were the stereo separation and imaging especially in the percussion.  I listen to mostly rock, but the left/right imaging and soundstage is amazing and I'm still amazed when I listen to it.
> 
> ...


That was my reaction a few years ago when I went from Modi 3 to Modi multibit. Next was a Bifrost multibit but it sounded the same as the Modi multibit.  I thought it would be an upgrade but they really sounded the same to my aging ears. The Bifrost multibit is long gone but I still use the Modi multibit.  Best $250 I've spent in audio.  Someday a Bifrost 2 but no hurry at all. I leave the Modi multibit on 24/7.


----------



## tim273

ssmith3046 said:


> That was my reaction a few years ago when I went from Modi 3 to Modi multibit. Next was a Bifrost multibit but it sounded the same as the Modi multibit.  I thought it would be an upgrade but they really sounded the same to my aging ears. The Bifrost multibit is long gone but I still use the Modi multibit.  Best $250 I've spent in audio.  Someday a Bifrost 2 but no hurry at all. I leave the Modi multibit on 24/7.


Good to hear it's not just me!  I leave mine on 24/7 as well.


----------



## amigastar (Mar 23, 2022)

My experience is rather the opposite. I'm not hearing almost any difference to my PC onboard Sound card. Am i doing something wrong?
Edit: Ok so after few comparisons there is certainly a difference from my onboard Sound, the question is how big though. More Smooth, more liquid if i could say so.
But the onboard sound isn't a slouch either thats what irritates me a little bit.


----------



## amigastar

Just a quick Question, can the Schiit Modi Multibit be used as an USB to Spdif converter?


----------



## SolaVirtus

amigastar said:


> Just a quick Question, can the Schiit Modi Multibit be used as an USB to Spdif converter?


I believe it only has RCA analog output.


----------



## amigastar (Mar 30, 2022)

SolaVirtus said:


> I believe it only has RCA analog output.


Yeah, if you mean by RCA output coax, then yes it has the possibility.
I want my Concero Dac connect via coax to the Modi MB and from Modi to pc with USB.


----------



## muckyfingers (Mar 31, 2022)

amigastar said:


> Yeah, if you mean by RCA output coax, then yes it has the possibility.
> I want my Concero Dac connect via coax to the Modi MB and from Modi to pc with USB.


All of Schiit’s DACs are Digital In and Analog Out, there is no Digital In to Digital Out.


----------



## amigastar (Apr 2, 2022)

Hello,

i have a question. Can i use the Aqvox Power Supply
http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html
with my Schiit Modi MB? Or do i risk of damaging the Modi MB?


----------



## ssmith3046

If anyone out there doesn't want to wait on a Modi multibit I can highly recommend the new Modi 3E.  I'm going to turn off my Modi multibit and let it rest and enjoy the 3E.  My only other Sabre DAC was a Topping D50s that I did care for but this Sabre is sticking around.


----------



## amigastar

ssmith3046 said:


> If anyone out there doesn't want to wait on a Modi multibit I can highly recommend the new Modi 3E.  I'm going to turn off my Modi multibit and let it rest and enjoy the 3E.  My only other Sabre DAC was a Topping D50s that I did care for but this Sabre is sticking around.


Whats so special about it ?


----------



## schmalgausen

amigastar said:


> Whats so special about it ?


1. Available
2. Cheaper


----------



## ssmith3046

schmalgausen said:


> 1. Available
> 2. Cheaper


3. Sounds great


----------



## ssmith3046 (Apr 3, 2022)

amigastar said:


> Whats so special about it ?


I'm obviously not a professional reviewer of audio equipment but I'll give you just a few of my initial thoughts on the Modi 3E. Synergy of components in a system is important.  My headphone setup is an Audiolab 6000CDT transport and an Asgard 3 amp. Only two pair of headphones, the Focal Clear Pro and Avantone Planars. I also own a Modius and Modi 3+, I've owned a Bifrost multibit and Bifrost 4490.  The only Sabre DAC that I've owned is the Topping D50s. The Modi multibit has been a long time favorite and my satisfaction with it has kept me from buying a Bifrost 2, although I'm sure it would be a nice upgrade. I've always thought that listening to the Modi 3+ and Modius is like sitting several rows from the stage and the Modi multibit put me on the stage.  This is the presentation that the 3E gives me. I need to do more listening to the 3E but so far I'm hearing more detail with the 3E than the Modi multibit. Just my initial impressions out of the box. No listening fatigue at all. So far I'm enjoying the 3E and believe it's a viable replacement for the Modi multibit if you don't want to wait until December for one. Once again, my initial impressions of the DAC straight out of the box.


----------



## amigastar (Apr 3, 2022)

ssmith3046 said:


> I'm obviously not a professional reviewer of audio equipment but I'll give you just a few of my initial thoughts on the Modi 3E. Synergy of components in a system is important.  My headphone setup is an Audiolab 6000CDT transport and an Asgard 3 amp. Only two pair of headphones, the Focal Clear Pro and Avantone Planars. I also own a Modius and Modi 3+, I've owned a Bifrost multibit and Bifrost 4490.  The only Sabre DAC that I've owned is the Topping D50s. The Modi multibit has been a long time favorite and my satisfaction with it has kept me from buying a Bifrost 2, although I'm sure it would be a nice upgrade. I've always thought that listening to the Modi 3+ and Modius is like sitting several rows from the stage and the Modi multibit put me on the stage.  This is the presentation that the 3E gives me. I need to do more listening to the 3E but so far I'm hearing more detail with the 3E than the Modi multibit. Just my initial impressions out of the box. No listening fatigue at all. So far I'm enjoying the 3E and believe it's a viable replacement for the Modi multibit if you don't want to wait until December for one. Once again, my initial impressions of the DAC straight out of the box.


Thank you for the comparison, very helpful. I'm really playing with the thought of getting a Modi E3 but i don't see one on Schiit Europe.


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## ssmith3046

amigastar said:


> Thank you for the comparison, very helpful. I'm really playing with the thought of getting a Modi E3 but i don't see one on Schiit Europe.


Schiit is making them in Texas and I don't believe that they have been available for very long. I hope they make it your way soon.


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## amigastar (Apr 23, 2022)

mykeldg said:


> I'm currently comparing the much more expensive Chord Mojo to the Modi Multibit. I still feel the Modi Multibit is better, more microdynamics, better depth, better timbre, more analog sound. The Mojo sounds super smooth and clean though. The Mimby heck of a lot more musical IMO.


What Headphone amp do you have? I've tried the Chord Mojo 2 with my Hifiman HE-500 and did hear a good improvement to my onboard soundcard. So now i think maybe my Project Ember II Headphone amp is the weak point in my setup with the Modi Multibit since there is not such a big difference? I'm thinking of getting the Magni 3+ to get better insight into the music like i've heard with the Mojo 2. Am i crazy?


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## ssmith3046 (Apr 23, 2022)

I'm loving the Modi 3E.  I've retired my Modi 3+ and Modius.  I've been using it instead of my Modi multibit. A great deal for $129.


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## Zachik

Anyone got a Modi MB they could part with? Preferably the latest v2? I do not care about chassis color or condition.
I am looking for 1 to be used in an interesting DIY project (I will share the details if/when this project takes off...)
Please PM me if you do.


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## bochawa

I had to turn off/turn on my Modi Multibit last night - it had the left channel high pitch buzzing symptom, which I only figured out when l was listening with headphones.  I had noticed it previously with speakers, but at the time forgot that sometimes this DAC gets confused and needs a reset.  It sounded fine after the reset.  I think I might get into the habit of turning it off when not in use.


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## ssmith3046

The coax input on my Modi multibit is loose.  I've always used a coax cable with my Audiolab CD transport.  Will using a toslink cable give me the same Modi multibit sound that I enjoy?
I have other DACs and can have the multibit repaired but if toslink connection sounds the same I won't bother.


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## SolaVirtus

ssmith3046 said:


> The coax input on my Modi multibit is loose.  I've always used a coax cable with my Audiolab CD transport.  Will using a toslink cable give me the same Modi multibit sound that I enjoy?
> I have other DACs and can have the multibit repaired but if toslink connection sounds the same I won't bother.


I have used both inputs from the same source and haven't noticed a difference. I have with USB, which was USB source-dependent as far as quality.


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## tafens

bochawa said:


> I had to turn off/turn on my Modi Multibit last night - it had the left channel high pitch buzzing symptom, which I only figured out when l was listening with headphones.  I had noticed it previously with speakers, but at the time forgot that sometimes this DAC gets confused and needs a reset.  It sounded fine after the reset.  I think I might get into the habit of turning it off when not in use.


In all my time using the ModiMB I have experienced this issue only once. Funnily enough, as I’m in the habit of turning off my ModiMB+Magni when not in use, this was not after a long time powered on. Turning it off and on again helped though, and I haven’t had it happen again since.


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## Andrew Randle

Recently I bought a Gumby thinking it would sound better than my Mimby (v2).  Not so, even after 8-10 days of warm-up, and I ended up returning it.  Although the Gumby had a slight advantage in hearing through the layers of music, and maybe a slightly wider soundstage and refined treble, the Mimby sounds fuller, more engaging, and a soundstage just as deep (probably a bit taller).

It is such a great DAC, I knew that anyway but was hungry for more of the same.  Sadly it did not work out that way for me with the Gumby.

Anyone else found the same?

Andrew


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## tafens

Andrew Randle said:


> Recently I bought a Gumby thinking it would sound better than my Mimby (v2).  Not so, even after 8-10 days of warm-up, and I ended up returning it.  Although the Gumby had a slight advantage in hearing through the layers of music, and maybe a slightly wider soundstage and refined treble, the Mimby sounds fuller, more engaging, and a soundstage just as deep (probably a bit taller).
> 
> It is such a great DAC, I knew that anyway but was hungry for more of the same.  Sadly it did not work out that way for me with the Gumby.
> 
> ...


On the bright side, you did save some money!

I don’t know what amp you have, but I have found in my experience that you’ll need a bigger amp to hear all the improvements a bigger DAC can give.

For example, with the Lyr3 I heard quite a big difference going from the internal multibit card (essentially the same as a Modi Multibit) to a Bifrost2.
However, even though the improvements of the Bifrost2 were still there using a Vali2+, there was much less of a difference to my ears compared to it connected to a Modi Multibit.


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## amigastar

Andrew Randle said:


> Recently I bought a Gumby thinking it would sound better than my Mimby (v2).  Not so, even after 8-10 days of warm-up, and I ended up returning it.  Although the Gumby had a slight advantage in hearing through the layers of music, and maybe a slightly wider soundstage and refined treble, the Mimby sounds fuller, more engaging, and a soundstage just as deep (probably a bit taller).
> 
> It is such a great DAC, I knew that anyway but was hungry for more of the same.  Sadly it did not work out that way for me with the Gumby.
> 
> ...


Too bad. I wanted to upgrade from my Mojo 2 to the Gungnir Multibit but now i'm not so sure. I'm generaly convinced that many people should listen to their onboard soundcard and compare it to their DAC, they would be surprised how close those two sound to each other.


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## ssmith3046

My Mimby has been a favorite DAC forever.  I had a Bifrost multibit but the mimby sounded just like it. The Bifrost multibit is long gone but mimby stayed.  I've had a Bifrost 2 in my Schiit cart several times but the mimby still works for me. I also use a Modius using the balanced output and it's a damn fine DAC. You get a lot of bang for your buck with Schiit.


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## Hyde00

Andrew Randle said:


> Recently I bought a Gumby thinking it would sound better than my Mimby (v2).  Not so, even after 8-10 days of warm-up, and I ended up returning it.  Although the Gumby had a slight advantage in hearing through the layers of music, and maybe a slightly wider soundstage and refined treble, the Mimby sounds fuller, more engaging, and a soundstage just as deep (probably a bit taller).
> 
> It is such a great DAC, I knew that anyway but was hungry for more of the same.  Sadly it did not work out that way for me with the Gumby.
> 
> ...


I had the same issue with headphone, I like D5200, thinking D9200 would be an upgrade only to find out it changes the tonal balance.

So often I find when you upgrade things are just "different".

Though Mimby is known to not have good usb implementation.  Are you using usb or coax or spdif?

I had a Mimby and sold it, if they ever come out with unison usb Mimby then I'll be very tempted to buy it again lol.


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## Andrew Randle

Hi all,

To complete the picture, a bit of background on the system: picoreplayer>>Mimby>>Lyr 3 into various headphones (LCD-2C, HE5XX, Edition XS).

The Mimby is such a good DAC 

Andrew


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## ssmith3046

I'm physical media and use an Audiolab transport coax to my mimby and then to an Agard 3. I use my Modius balanced to a Drop THX789 even though that's not a true balanced amp. Still sounds great.  So far in the headphones dept I have Focal Clear Pros,  Senn HD600, Avantone planar, and Audio Technica WP900.


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## theveterans

amigastar said:


> Too bad. I wanted to upgrade from my Mojo 2 to the Gungnir Multibit but now i'm not so sure. I'm generaly convinced that many people should listen to their onboard soundcard and compare it to their DAC, they would be surprised how close those two sound to each other.



IMO forget about Gungnir Multibit if you’re going to use the SE out. You must use the balanced out to a balanced DAC for it to be worth its asking price


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## tafens

Andrew Randle said:


> The Mimby is such a good DAC


That it is, indeed. 

I’m not letting mine go anytime soon, it’s performing admirably together with my Vali2+ and Aegir in my humble little speaker setup.


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## davidflas (Jul 28, 2022)

Andrew Randle said:


> Recently I bought a Gumby thinking it would sound better than my Mimby (v2).  Not so, even after 8-10 days of warm-up, and I ended up returning it.  Although the Gumby had a slight advantage in hearing through the layers of music, and maybe a slightly wider soundstage and refined treble, the Mimby sounds fuller, more engaging, and a soundstage just as deep (probably a bit taller).
> 
> It is such a great DAC, I knew that anyway but was hungry for more of the same.  Sadly it did not work out that way for me with the Gumby.
> 
> ...



I am the current owner of a Modius, a Modi Multibit, and a Gungnir Multibit. I'm also the past owner of a Bifrost Uber. I'm not a headphone listener, I don't even own a pair. However through speakers, I've found that going up the ladder with Schiit DACs produces a very noticeable increase in sound quality.  My Gumby is an older unit, and recently I sent it in to get upgrade to Unison. While it was gone I put the Modius in it's place. I used the same balanced cables that I had been using with the Gungnir. While the Gungnir was gone I enjoyed the sound of the Modius. However when I reconnected the Gumby upon its return, I was floored by how much better it was than the Modius.   Interestingly, when Schiit upgraded the USB to Unison, they also changed the source button the the new matte version, an unexpected touch.


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## ssmith3046

davidflas said:


> I am the current owner of a Modius, a Modi Multibit, and a Gungnir Multibit. I'm also the past owner of a Bifrost Uber. I'm not a headphone listener, I don't even own a pair. However through speakers, I've found that going up the ladder with Schiit DACs produces a very noticeable increase in sound quality.  My Gumby is an older unit, and recently I sent it in to get upgrade to Unison. While it was gone I put the Modius in it's place. I used the same balanced cables that I had been using with the Gungnir. While the Gungnir was gone I enjoyed the sound of the Modius. However when I reconnected the Gumby upon its return, I was floored by how much better it was than the Modius.   Interestingly, when Schiit upgraded the USB to Unison, they also changed the source button the the new matte version, an unexpected touch.


A Gungnir is wee bit more in $$$ than a Modius  I'd definitely have one if my fixed income would allow it.  I think that would be my end game DAC. I'm glad you enjoy yours!


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## Ham Sandwich

The Gungnir is very much worth buying if you're only going to use the RCA outputs. The RCA outputs from the Gungnir are better than the balanced outputs from the Bifrost 2. Noticeably better that makes the Gungnir worth the extra cost over the Bifrost 2.

I own a Gungnir A1, Bifrost 2, and Modi Multibit.

My single ended amps are a Cavalli Liquid Fire and a Liquid Glass. If the single ended outputs from the Gungnir made the DAC not worth the money I'd notice. My balanced amps are a Liquid Platinum and Liquid Gold X. The Liquid Fire fed with the single ended outputs from the Gungnir sounds better than the Liquid Platinum fed with the balanced outputs. Which is how it should be because the Liquid Fire amp sounds noticeably better than the Liquid Platinum. 

I also find the Gungnir A1 to sound noticeably better than the Bifrost 2 in my system. The Gungnir has noticeably better resolution in the midrange along with noticeably better midrange warmth and tonality. The Gungnir is very much worth the extra money above the Bifrost 2 in my system. And very very much worth it above the Modi Multibit.

The Modi Multibit is an affordable introduction to the Schiit multibit sound. It is useful as a smaller Schiit multibit DAC that is more easily transportable. But for dedicated listening with better amps the Bifrost 2 or Gungnir are much more suitable.


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## ssmith3046

It comes down to what one can afford so I'm grateful to Schiit for offering excellent entry level equipment.


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## ssmith3046 (Aug 4, 2022)

I'm listening to my Mimby/Asgard 3 combo today with my Audiolab transport. Bobby Weir and the Wolf Brothers, Live in Colorado sounds great through the workhorse HD600 headphones.


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## ssmith3046

It sounds like the Mimby as we know it is history now according to Jason's comments on the Schiit start up thread. It makes me value my beloved little groundbreaking DAC even more. It has kept me happy and content for a long time.


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## Zenithcric

Mimby is history? Happy to say i have one as an alternate in my main system, though i could swap it into a different HP-only system easily enough. My main 2-channel system has a locally made VTV amp (Hypex NC250) which only has balanced inputs. Originally i used a Schiit Saga with RCA-to-XLR cables. Thinking that was a SQ bottleneck of some sort i eventually added an SMSL HO200, primarily as the preamp, as it has balanced inputs/outputs. Doubles as an HP amp. i gave my Saga to my son, who has most of my old stereo equipment. Bought a Mimby in January of this year. I was on the fence, figuring it was a five-year-old design, and perhaps they'd be updating it soon (i'd also given my son my Modi 3). Glad i got it, the sound is similar to the Burr-Brown DACs i like. If it's not feasible for Schiit to make it again then i'm more than glad it's here. 
But having that audio-fool itch, i got an SMSL D300, in part for a fully balanced signal chain, also in part for remote volume control (the HO200 was six feet away from my listening chair for manual volume adjustment!) and for having a different chip, the Rohm BD-whatever. Having both DACs in parallel i could do a non-blind A-B and to my ears the sound was all but identical, such that the convenience of the remote volume became the deciding factor in mostly using the D300 chain. That said the HO200 also has SE inputs, and i used those for other gear, ultimately asking for my Saga back and piggy-backing that onto the other preamp, so as to have use of the Saga's set of inputs. Nothing blew up, lol. The system as it is now includes three CD source options (one has the old Pacific Microsonics HDCD processor, and i found, back in the day, that i really enjoyed the sound of those), i can listen old-school through their internal DACs, or two through the Mimby, one through the Rohm, so five options to convert the signal of any one CD to analog (my son has all my old vinyl). Kind of Rube Goldberg, a lot of fun, but i can get lost in the weeds. i spent a lot of time listening to the Elvis Costello - Burt Bacharach "Painted from Memory," an HDCD, three different ways, one after the other, good thing i took notes i can refer to because i can't remember which sounded best! (the main difference was how the vocals presented in the mix). The music is what matters most, and the mind meets it halfway, which is why you can love music through a little transistor radio. It's about set and setting, though the "set" isn't just mindset but what you got, glad i got that Mimby, even if it's mostly a second-string player.


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## Hyde00

Zenithcric said:


> Mimby is history? Happy to say i have one as an alternate in my main system, though i could swap it into a different HP-only system easily enough. My main 2-channel system has a locally made VTV amp (Hypex NC250) which only has balanced inputs. Originally i used a Schiit Saga with RCA-to-XLR cables. Thinking that was a SQ bottleneck of some sort i eventually added an SMSL HO200, primarily as the preamp, as it has balanced inputs/outputs. Doubles as an HP amp. i gave my Saga to my son, who has most of my old stereo equipment. Bought a Mimby in January of this year. I was on the fence, figuring it was a five-year-old design, and perhaps they'd be updating it soon (i'd also given my son my Modi 3). Glad i got it, the sound is similar to the Burr-Brown DACs i like. If it's not feasible for Schiit to make it again then i'm more than glad it's here.
> But having that audio-fool itch, i got an SMSL D300, in part for a fully balanced signal chain, also in part for remote volume control (the HO200 was six feet away from my listening chair for manual volume adjustment!) and for having a different chip, the Rohm BD-whatever. Having both DACs in parallel i could do a non-blind A-B and to my ears the sound was all but identical, such that the convenience of the remote volume became the deciding factor in mostly using the D300 chain. That said the HO200 also has SE inputs, and i used those for other gear, ultimately asking for my Saga back and piggy-backing that onto the other preamp, so as to have use of the Saga's set of inputs. Nothing blew up, lol. The system as it is now includes three CD source options (one has the old Pacific Microsonics HDCD processor, and i found, back in the day, that i really enjoyed the sound of those), i can listen old-school through their internal DACs, or two through the Mimby, one through the Rohm, so five options to convert the signal of any one CD to analog (my son has all my old vinyl). Kind of Rube Goldberg, a lot of fun, but i can get lost in the weeds. i spent a lot of time listening to the Elvis Costello - Burt Bacharach "Painted from Memory," an HDCD, three different ways, one after the other, good thing i took notes i can refer to because i can't remember which sounded best! (the main difference was how the vocals presented in the mix). The music is what matters most, and the mind meets it halfway, which is why you can love music through a little transistor radio. It's about set and setting, though the "set" isn't just mindset but what you got, glad i got that Mimby, even if it's mostly a second-string player.


Actually........ I just read not long ago that there will be Mimby 2 coming December with Unison USB.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-modi-3e.962813/page-4#post-17230765

But that's a good tip, I will check out SMSL D300 lol.

Thanks!


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## ssmith3046

Zenithcric said:


> Mimby is history? Happy to say i have one as an alternate in my main system, though i could swap it into a different HP-only system easily enough. My main 2-channel system has a locally made VTV amp (Hypex NC250) which only has balanced inputs. Originally i used a Schiit Saga with RCA-to-XLR cables. Thinking that was a SQ bottleneck of some sort i eventually added an SMSL HO200, primarily as the preamp, as it has balanced inputs/outputs. Doubles as an HP amp. i gave my Saga to my son, who has most of my old stereo equipment. Bought a Mimby in January of this year. I was on the fence, figuring it was a five-year-old design, and perhaps they'd be updating it soon (i'd also given my son my Modi 3). Glad i got it, the sound is similar to the Burr-Brown DACs i like. If it's not feasible for Schiit to make it again then i'm more than glad it's here.
> But having that audio-fool itch, i got an SMSL D300, in part for a fully balanced signal chain, also in part for remote volume control (the HO200 was six feet away from my listening chair for manual volume adjustment!) and for having a different chip, the Rohm BD-whatever. Having both DACs in parallel i could do a non-blind A-B and to my ears the sound was all but identical, such that the convenience of the remote volume became the deciding factor in mostly using the D300 chain. That said the HO200 also has SE inputs, and i used those for other gear, ultimately asking for my Saga back and piggy-backing that onto the other preamp, so as to have use of the Saga's set of inputs. Nothing blew up, lol. The system as it is now includes three CD source options (one has the old Pacific Microsonics HDCD processor, and i found, back in the day, that i really enjoyed the sound of those), i can listen old-school through their internal DACs, or two through the Mimby, one through the Rohm, so five options to convert the signal of any one CD to analog (my son has all my old vinyl). Kind of Rube Goldberg, a lot of fun, but i can get lost in the weeds. i spent a lot of time listening to the Elvis Costello - Burt Bacharach "Painted from Memory," an HDCD, three different ways, one after the other, good thing i took notes i can refer to because i can't remember which sounded best! (the main difference was how the vocals presented in the mix). The music is what matters most, and the mind meets it halfway, which is why you can love music through a little transistor radio. It's about set and setting, though the "set" isn't just mindset but what you got, glad i got that Mimby, even if it's mostly a second-string player.


Supply issue with the Analog Devices chips brought the end to the Mimby as we no it.  There's a Modi Multibit 2 in the works though!


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## Zenithcric

& for SQ alone the Mimby is bang-for-the-buck winner. i like to have good budget stuff (if i had more self-control i'd have less of it and so maybe a Gungir), at $250 for the SQ vs $400 for pretty much the same SQ (similar enough to my ears) of the D300, but like i said the additional features nailed it for me.


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## Zenithcric

Hyde00 said:


> Actually........ I just read not long ago that there will be Mimby 2 coming December with Unison USB.


Oh no! lol so it's not history - it's the future! Maybe when i get the itch again i'll try one to compare how thin (or thick) the slivers of sound differ. Not that i need more options.


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## inmytaxi

It's the same Mimby I think, not a new one.


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## Hyde00

inmytaxi said:


> It's the same Mimby I think, not a new one.


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-modi-3e.962813/page-4#post-17230765

I think it says Modi Multibit 2 + Unison USB + Combo filter from Bifrost 2 + NOS filter.

So it's almost like Bifrost 2 mini LOL.

The bigger question is more like "when"......


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## schmalgausen

I doubt it will be the same 250


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## Hyde00

schmalgausen said:


> I doubt it will be the same 250


Yeah probably will have a price hike, just like everything else...... sigh......


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## ssmith3046

schmalgausen said:


> I doubt it will be the same 250


I think Jason said around $300.  If it is than would be a great bargain.


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## AnalogEuphoria

ssmith3046 said:


> I think Jason said around $300.  If it is than would be a great bargain.



Absolutely, still a bargain for sure, just wish the chassis was the bigger Modius size. As much as I like the mini Schiit it can be too small.


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## Hyde00

AnalogEuphoria said:


> Absolutely, still a bargain for sure, just wish the chassis was the bigger Modius size. As much as I like the mini Schiit it can be too small.


I'm the opposite, if they can deliver the same sound in as small as possible then I'd go for that LOL.

Imagine Modi Multibit 2 sounding very close to Bifrost 2. One can dream.......


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## eswng679 (Nov 23, 2022)

Hyde00 said:


> I'm the opposite, if they can deliver the same sound in as small as possible then I'd go for that LOL.
> 
> Imagine Modi Multibit 2 sounding very close to Bifrost 2. One can dream.......


My one gripe with the Modi Multibit was the power supply and coupled with the fact that R2R should be left on 24/7 meant lots of strain on a wall wart.
If it could have a decent power supply in a somewhat compact form factor, then that would be chef's kiss.


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## Andrew Randle (Dec 24, 2022)

eswng679 said:


> My one gripe with the Modi Multibit was the power supply and coupled with the fact that R2R should be left on 24/7 meant lots of strain on a wall wart.
> If it could have a decent power supply in a somewhat compact form factor, then that would be chef's kiss.


As far as I am aware, with it being an A.C. Supply, there would only be a transformer in the wall wart.  Transformers tend to be the most hardy of components unless it is under specified or the windings are loose.

The most fragile part of the unit is likely to be the cable.

Andrew


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