BEST Budget DAC for Desktop and Headphones? Schiit Audio Modi 3 Review

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► BEST Budget DAC for Desktop and Headphones? Schiit Audio Modi 3 Review
BEST Budget DAC for Desktop Audio and Headphones
The best desktop audio or headphone DACs don't need to cost a lot of money. I found that the best DACs for personal audio use can be very affordable. Personal or desktop audio is a growing in popularity hifi enthusiasts and audiophiles alike. Budget desktop audio solutions like those from Schiit audio make it easy to enjoy great sound from your computer or headphones. DACs and headphone amplifiers are great, but you can easily enjoy music on the go as well with Bluetooth headphones or wireless earbuds.
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Пікірлер: 636

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

Do you use a DAC with your desktop audio or headphone setup? If so, which one? ALSO: I KNOW I MISSPOKE IN THE BEGINNING. I meant to say Digital to Analog Converter. Sorry. COMMENT AND POSTING RULES: (Please read before commenting) Please remember to be kind and courteous to one another in the comments. It's okay to disagree just keep things civil. Harassment will not be tolerated. WORRIED YOUR COMMENT WAS DELETED? Comments containing profanity are automatically flagged and deleted by KZfaq. Comments containing links of any kind to outside URLs (including KZfaq links) are automatically flagged and deleted. If you aren't seeing your comment, please make sure you didn't accidentally leave out a space before or after a period your sentence. KZfaq sees this as a URL link. Since we cannot edit your comments, any of the above violations will result in your comment not be visible.

@positivelybobby 4 жыл бұрын

I have a Fiio Andes E07K -- I don't use it as much as i used to because it hasn't been very well supported. It does a nice job, though.

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

I've seen that pop up on Amazon from time to time (or at least something like it). Thanks for watching!

@TheBrigar 4 жыл бұрын

My current desktop setup has PC to Modi 3 via USB feeding a massdrop THX 789 headphone amp. From the pass through of the 789 I have a JDS labs OL Switcher and a pair of AudioEngine A2's. It ain't pretty, but I'm very happy with this setup as an everyday driver.

@binarybeastie8901 4 жыл бұрын

I have a Chord Mojo for desktop and mobile use. I'm afraid to admit it but I was smitten by the colored marbles! 😅 It is a solid DAC and sounds quite good for its price.

@markmcqueen1882 4 жыл бұрын

The MODI 3 hooked up to my old A/V receiver and laptop (USB) is my gateway to digital streaming. I'm happy with it. The volume control issue may be a MAC issue?

@MrAlvarochahin 4 жыл бұрын

I just received this DAC, this is my first one, I bypassed my bluetooth receiver DAC through optical and connected it to the Modi 3, I'm blown away by how much difference it makes, amazing, clean bass, open sound stage and everything sounds so robust and realistic, amazing!

@lucasrem 2 жыл бұрын

Alvaro You still not understand it! You only bypass your old DAC if you connect it direct, not using the CD DAC in the CD player or other source. i guess your receiver has a better DAC than this DAC. why you need him?

@MrAlvarochahin 2 жыл бұрын

@@lucasrem no, you don’t understand. What are you talking about?

@laurelhardy4064 4 жыл бұрын

I have the Schiit Loki eq, I know that for most audiophiles eq is the anti Christ, but since I bought it, it has transformed my system, better then any DAC could, I think for $129 it's the best and the most useful audio gear that I've ever purchased, another great review Andrew, thanks.

@KristiWright 4 жыл бұрын

laurel Hardy Thanks for watching and sharing your recommendation.

@bbmousedoowop 3 жыл бұрын

The Schiit Loki, an equalizer??!! Heretic! LoL. Actually, I use the Loki and Mani on my system as well, between a Yamaha RXV6A and an ATLP7 with an Ortofon Blue and Polk monitors. I'm very satisfied. I might give the DAC a shot in the future. Damn it, Robinson. Every time I watch one of your vids, it costs me money! :). Be well folks.

@hopsonz28 2 жыл бұрын

100% agree. I even use the Loki + with my iTunes EQ!

@noturnleftunstoned72 Жыл бұрын

I also really love my Loki+. For my dt 770 pro 250ohm is known for it's high strung high frequency and sibilance. The Loki has a knob specifically at 8kHz, which is pretty much exactly where you can decrease these potential unwanted highs and sibilance. Highly recommend 👌

@DrinkWater713 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for including comparisons in your reviews ! So many reviwers don't. It really enriches the content and puts things into context.

@davidcantu5923 2 жыл бұрын

Just added this DAC Modi 3 to my new system. Own Elex-R integrated amplifier from Rega, NAD Cd C 538 attached to Q Acoustics 3050i. Incredible soundstage and music just got precise and accurate. For one hundred dollars you will not be disappointed! Thank you for your reviews!

@precisionlayouts613 4 жыл бұрын

I debated for a couple of weeks on spending “only” $100 for a DAC. I bought the Modi which I use along with apple’s usb camera adapter to play music from my library or streaming from my iPad into my Yamaha AS1100 integrated. Paraphrasing you, I’m the only one who has to like my system and I think it sounds great

@lpspinners8736 4 жыл бұрын

The Modi 3 is a no brainer for a great sounding budget DAC. I have one and I'm having a hard time justifying spending more. With great recordings, this DAC outperforms competitors for $99.00. I would venture to guess that one might need to spend $700+ on a DAC that will noticeably outperform the Modi 3. Personally, I would rather spend my dollars on amplification, speakers and source components before upgrading my DAC.

@NWeihe-yk5ib 3 жыл бұрын

I bought this DAC based on your review. Loving it so far! Keep it up!

@TroyHomenchuk 4 жыл бұрын

I want you to know my YU-6's showed up today. I bought them because of you. Because you talk about just listening to music and not being so fanatic about the perfect equipment setup. And I have to say I love them. I'm running sound into them from a Schitt Fulla 3. Thank you for your videos.

@ssawian 4 жыл бұрын

Talk about an honest review! Love how articulate your videos are. Looking forward to more. Cheers!

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

Much appreciated!

@Solicitor1957 4 жыл бұрын

I really enjoy your very eloquent broadcasts, Andrew. I bought the modi a couple of months ago. What a great bit of kit for the money!

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much...Mr. Robinson. Be well!

@DouglasMilewski 4 жыл бұрын

Last year, I compared the DAC on my late-90's Yamaha AV amp (mid-range) against my modern PC motherboard "audiophile" grade sound. The was a little difference, but both were very pleasing. It's easy to over-hype a DAC. Even in the late-90's, DACs sounded mighty nice.

@VinylRescue 4 жыл бұрын

I'm a big Schiit fan! I first bought the Mani and SYS for my turntables to listen/record through my USB interface that has no recording level control. Last fall I bought the Magni and Modi combo to bypass/upgrade from my Sound Blaster ZXR computer soundcard. The upgrade from the ZXR to the Schiit combo was night and day! I don't have big money to spend so buying the Schiit combo was the best bang for my buck. I bought the Sennheiser HD 300 Pro headphones to top off my upgrade and my ears are very happy! Thanks for the great review as not all of us can afford the more expensive DAC's.

@LanceB1960 4 жыл бұрын

I have a regular PC that runs Windows 10 and I can control the volume on my Modi 3 using the laptop volume. The Modi improved my sound to make listening on my main system very nice. The Modi has done exactly as you describe it. Really enjoying your videos, Andrew!

@Chris_R_ 4 жыл бұрын

I've used the Schiit Audio Modi 2, along with the Schiit Audio Loki EQ and Magni, for years. I LOVE THEM. Everything I wanted at a price that was totally reasonable.

@kevingest5452 4 жыл бұрын

I love my modi. I got it because because my new TV didn't have analog outputs and my old intigrated amp didn't have a DAC, so it gave me a tosslink input to plug my TV into. I also found uses for the other inputs... I was streaming from my computer via 3.5mm Jack and from my phone via Bluetooth, now I plug into the USB. I plugged my CD player into the coax. Compared to Bluetooth there is a big difference, which isn't surprising. But even compared to the DAC in my computer and CD player, it's noticably better.

@rothgartheviking858 4 жыл бұрын

Running the Modi 3 and Magni Hersey amp paired with hd58x and now i am hooked on good audio. Using toslink from PC.

@ken2936 Ай бұрын

I built my own desktops with GeForce HD Video, and Creative audio soundcards with DAC all connected to my HD TV's. I bought the Shiit Modi 3 & Shiit Vali 2 tube amp to power my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm headphones, and hooked them up to my Yamaha C600 CD player which has an Apple Ipod connection on the front panel. I upgraded my Ipod with a new battery, installed a Tarkan msata adapter with a 256gb Samsung SSD. There's no need to power up my entire audio system. I can listen to thousands of songs on my ipod directly from the Yamaha C600.

@russclarke9865 4 жыл бұрын

Great video as always Andrew. Love your approach to HiFi which is the way I'm starting to come round to thinking. HiFi should be considered as furnishing for the home - something to enjoy aesthetically as well as aurally. With this in mind I've just bought a Gato DIA 250 NPM all in one Amp / Streamer which certainly looks part. Would be great to hear your views on this range of amps? Also really keen on the Davone range of Speakers to compliment this, in particular the Rays (I've seen you video on the Studio's) which I think would make one hell of a statement visually at home with the Gato as well as sonically. Look forward to your future videos - keep up the good work.

@josephblackwelder3625 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent review. Always giving us great videos. Thanks.

@kurthertel4299 4 жыл бұрын

Ime, Schiit doesn't make any bad products, and they are all very competitive pricewise. They also seem to inspire a lot of hate on the net, but that is not difficult. I have been happy with all of their products that I have owned, and I have, and have had, a few. Thank you 😊 Andrew.

@cbpersel 4 жыл бұрын

Nice review. I own several Schiit products and am lucky to live close to enough to their HQ that I can visit their factory store for testing gear. I don't own the Modi, but have their $1250 Gungnir DAC (for my listening room main system) and their multi-bit DAC as a module in the Jotunheim headphone amp that I use on my desktop with ZMF Atticus headphones. I can confidently say their more expensive DACs (as well as amps) are outstanding, especially for the $$.

@markostendorf1122 2 жыл бұрын

Got one yesterday…. I really like my system with it there…. Was surprised at how improved the sound was from my built In DAC in my Outlaw RR2160…. JBL 530BK bookshelves … tenured Klipsch hefty sub …. Appreciate the review

@markostendorf1122 2 жыл бұрын

Oh…. Super low noise floor really caught my attention

@jikenj 4 жыл бұрын

I'm using the Modi 3 multibit dac & the SYS to input the Mani phono preamp. The Modi 3 handles the USB / optical/ coax digital input. The SYS feeding my emotive A-100 flex amp & CTH headphone amp to a set of Elac UB5's. Thanks for the video!!

@christhepk1407 4 жыл бұрын

Solved the cable problem for all the small footprint Schiit gear using sets of Seismic Audio Premium Red 1 Foot Dual RCA Male Audio Patch Cable (SAPRCA1-RD). Got them from Amazon and Reverb.

@jackvan8125 4 жыл бұрын

I have the Modi and Vali in my office for use with headphones and for me they are really good. I recommend them, especially considering the cost, I don't think one could go wrong. I do use the short Schiit interconnects and they bend well and work good also.

@divadgnol67 4 жыл бұрын

Got one running from my macbook going into my vintage pioneer sa-7800 integrated amp. Thsnks Andrew. You much better articulated how I feel about the Modi in my signal chain. Thanks for the awesome review

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@KennethAndrews 4 жыл бұрын

I have quite a few Schiit products including a magni/modi stack and have been very happy with them. I have no problems recommending them to people. My home setup also goes out to Kanto Yumis and my AKG K7XX's

@DannerPlace Жыл бұрын

Good review. I have had the DacMagic 100 for 7-8 years and remain happy with its performance. I had thought about getting a MODI, but after your review, I think I'll stick with the DacMagic. BTW, the DacMagic was a substantial upgrade over the internal DAC in my NAD C 515BEE CD player, FWIW.

@xray111xxx 4 жыл бұрын

The Schiit stack as it is called is a great combination for anyone looking for a fine drive for many headphone fans. The Magni and Modi are naturals together. Your costs are reasonable, the size is great too not eating up your desk space. The AKM DAC is dynamite with that Velvet Sound tech inside. Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffet voice these more leaner side of neutral. But with the right conditions it is a fun and engaging listen.

@libertysoutlook5160 4 жыл бұрын

I recently bought a Modi 3, I use it in my main system. I ditched the surround sound for a 2 channel setup. TV optical out to the Modi, which feeds the 100% passive Schiit SYS preamp, to my 25 year old Onkyo amp. sounds great!

4 жыл бұрын

Got one 2 months ago - got it shipped to Germany. And it really love it! :-) Sounds fantastic with my "vintage" Nakamichi Amp. For me personally all the DAC I need. Digital out from iphone with Amazon HD and I am a happy camper. :-)

@donalddeorio2237 3 жыл бұрын

You should audition the Ifi Zen Blue Dac, which gives you high quality Bluetooth and a pretty decent DAC for $129 to add to a vintage reciever or even a newer one that dosen't have bluetooth. I've had mine for 7months and I love it, good Bluetooth range and the Aptx and LDAC support is great

@AverageNiceGuy 3 жыл бұрын

Nicely done. Thank you 😎

@Aleph-Noll 3 жыл бұрын

schiit magni heresy and modi 3+ stack seems like a good fit for me ill give it a try

@stucorbishley 4 жыл бұрын

I agree wholeheartedly with you on the 'importance' of the Modi and its place as a starter DAC, I've got the Fulla 2 (as my first). Wanting something that 'does it all' without breaking the bank, while it's not perfect its definitely given me great jumping off point and allowed me to understand some of the differences with some of the more (sometimes extremely) expensive DACs. Great content as usual, thanks!

@HN-vd5nd 2 жыл бұрын

12:00 Just remember DAC/DOC (Data Optical Coaxial) as the order. The symbols on the switch represnt the front ends if you look close. The top option is the front end of a USB A plug when you look at it rectangular with the top half coloured in, the correspoinding female male usb will have the bottom half coloured in - get it, same with optical, thats a square, the optical plug and socket are square, coaxial circle, the socket or male end are both cylindrical (barrel esq)

@martyn_g 4 жыл бұрын

I’ve plugged in gear for decades, I unwrapped my Modi 3, plugged in the optical cable - and the port disintegrated, neither the retailer, nor Schiit helped me out. It was the last Schiit product I bought. I also had a Valhalla that stopped functioning- I should have learned from that...

@davideberle1984 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Andrew, do you have an opinion of the Hel Schiit Amp/Dac? I am still awaiting its arrival, to use with my Pioneer SE Monitor 5 headphones. I was wondering.... will my headphones sound better with the Hel....or will the headphones just sound good, regardless, because they cost a lot of money? I should mention, I am connecting the Hel to my desktop computer, with an Asus motherboard.... Thanks....love your channel....

@williamfriggle 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the review. I am saving for a Modi. Should be able to get one in a few months I hope. I had a Magni for a few years and some idiot spilled a drink on it got inside and fried it. So I am saving for one of them too. Not sure which one I will get first. Leaning to the Modi because I use my laptop for my stereo. Just have a cheap Fiio right now. And I also have a Fiio headphone amp that would hold me over until I can get the Magni. I can't wait until I have both of them. Hopefully within a year or so. Thanks again for the reviews. I enjoy them all.

@Barry101er 2 жыл бұрын

I just ordered a Schiit Audio Modi 3 to use with my Creek 4140s2 amp. I am running Spotify out of a Mac Mini. I’m looking forward to seeing how much better it sounds (speakers: Mission 70s). Right now everything sounds a little flat.

@robertm8518 4 жыл бұрын

I like the versatility of the Modi which allows me to use it with usb input from my pc and the spdif coax at the same time. I can just throw the toggle switch on the front to switch between them. I have this connected to an Atom headphone amp and a CD player.

@kyleschouten2886 4 жыл бұрын

I've been watching a lot of your different videos regarding speakers, furniture, digital vs analog etc. for several months now. Keep up the good work! I've looked several times to see if you've reviewed any Schiit so when you mentioned the Modi in your vintage receiver video I was excited to hear your thoughts. I bought a Magni 3/ Modi stack right when the Magni 3 came out. I recently stepped up to the Asgard 3 and am very happy with it as well. Do you plan on reviewing more Schiit gear in the future? Stay safe!

@markflower8885 4 жыл бұрын

I use a Chord Mojo for use with headphones with my laptop and Android phone. Unbelivable portable amp/dac.

@redstarwraith 4 жыл бұрын

Not exactly germane to your review, but I appreciated the kernel of wisdom you dropped towards the end of this segment where you said the Modi 3 is a good starting point because then you have sort of an established baseline for what a "good sound" is - as opposed to jumping in and buying some esoteric dac right out of the gate. I believe that wisdom would transfer well to other components too.

@WilkysMoviesandMusic 4 жыл бұрын

Great video! I currently use the Modi 3 as the DAC in my 2 channel living room system and really enjoy it. My receiver does not have digital inputs, so I have a mini pc to the Modi 3 to stream Tidal through it. Love that you cover so many price ranges for the products you review!

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

I appreciate you watching! Glad to hear your Modi 3 is working out for you.

@WilkysMoviesandMusic 4 жыл бұрын

@@andrewrobinsonreviews I was close to buying a second one and doing a Modi/Magni stack for my desktop like you have in the video, but sounds like I am going to hold off to catch your desktop/headphone video you mentioned coming up. Looking forward to it!

@TheUltraRock 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Andrew. I really enjoyed this review ❤️ please make more desktop equipment or headphone related stuff.

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

It’s coming very soon.

@briansimmons5363 4 жыл бұрын

I have had a modi for maybe a year now. Really good honest review. Nice incremental improvement. No it's not going to bring audio nirvana but I would also speculate that one would need to spend say 2X or 3X to really get a noticeable or some jump in performance. I don't have that luxury right now.

@greengadget4687 3 жыл бұрын

Great piece of equipment, use mine every day too. The biggest sound altering device I've acquired is the BBE sonic maximizer. Using a small set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers, I can tune the sound to precisely what my ears like for each listening session without swapping out my speakers constantly.

@youngjoke81 2 жыл бұрын

Which model of the BBE?

@greengadget4687 2 жыл бұрын

@@youngjoke81 282i

@LeonHoooo 4 жыл бұрын

There’s a software called Soundsource that overwrites the Locked Volume on keyboard when you connect an interface or DAC if anyone is trying to figure out a way to get over that

@tatialo37 4 жыл бұрын

I had that same reciever! It was so cool to see one again! Real wood sides and well built!

@Rickzolla 4 жыл бұрын

I started out with a Schiit stack much like yours. Over time I moved up to a Schiit Jotunheim amplifier. Bought a Schiit Gungnir DAC which drives a Schiit Freya preamplifier and the Jotunheim. From there, it's on to a Schiit Vidar amplifier driving Harbeth speakers. You might consider me a Schiit head. Schiit gear is addictive.

@xxsauron007xx 3 жыл бұрын

what a schiit show

@audiovideotech9777 3 жыл бұрын

Have a drink of beer every time "Shiit Audio" is said in the video.

@QoraxAudio 4 жыл бұрын

I had a large "transformation" in my system by installing a DAC (CA DacMagic Plus). My DAC has a USB ground lift switch and balanced outputs; since I used those, I've finally got rid of a ton of RF noise and a groundloop hum. So yes, a DAC can do miracles, but that's mostly due to the crappy environment where my audio equipment is placed, not the equipment itself. It's close to a 2k watt amp that emits a ton of noise and there's high power tooling in another room nearby, like compressors and electric spot welders, lathe etc.

@scottdavis0801 4 жыл бұрын

Schiit Audio products are amazing in my book. I own the Modi multibit, and i like it a lot (excellent). But not as much as the Mani phono preamp! The Schiit audio Mani has pretty much blown me away!

@DireAxis 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, the Modi 3 is fantastic and I mainly use it to feed out to a Monoprice Headphone amp, that feeds into a set of JBL's.

@wikdwizz 3 жыл бұрын

I got Modi 3 and it’s damn good value for money.

@mario11xx 4 жыл бұрын

You are going to enjoy the sound quality with this Schiit DAC i had my about 8 months.... Using optical out... airport express "apple" to optical in SCHIIT...then analog out of SCHIIT to RCA in to 1997 ONKYO Tuner Amplifier "TX-SV515PRO" So from My desktop Mac.. can bluetooth my music to ONKYO RECEIVER there is a difference of quality..... depending on music jazz rock etc. Really enjoy your videos....

@michaelhametner9780 4 жыл бұрын

interesting point about the volume control using the keyboard. Is this due to the way USB is integrated into the Modi? I use a DAC/Headphone amp from Project (Head Box S USB) which still allows me to use the volume control buttons on the Mac keyboard

@AnirudhNatekar 4 жыл бұрын

Great review! How does this compare to the Audioengine D1 DAC?

@gcb2home 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for such a great review. I'm an older guy with a nice older hifi system that i want to eventually add a significant digital capability to. At the present time, my digital capability is primarily limited to several nice CD players & a large collection of CDs. To dabble in the digital waters, i would like to add a seperate DAC converter to my existing CD player as a first attempt to come unto speed a bit on digital audio. Once I understand that, I'll be looking at downloading & streaming audio & starting with interfacing a DAC converter into my existing system might be a good first step. The Schiit Audio DAC under review might be a great building block for me to head in that direction. Thank you!

@DueM 4 жыл бұрын

you could get a dac with asynchronous usb (best connection) and a laptop or pc, rip all your music in .flac format into a media player and play it off the pc. save on hunting through cds and you could hook up the cd player via coaxial if you get in the mood to spin a disc, I'm setting up a system like this for my 90 year old father. seeing him hobble over to the cd rack then over to the cd player and back to his sofa is painful.

@takemydryfly 4 жыл бұрын

Can I use the Modi 3 with headphones? I just have mid range headphones from Sony and don't want the expense of the headphone amp. I would use rca from DAC to 3.5mm cable

@RasheedKhan-he6xx 4 жыл бұрын

So when I switched from the internal DAC on my 20 year old Marantz CD6000 OSE LE cd player to the internal DAC on my 6 month old Marantz NR1200 receiver it was definitely the Windex experience. So much so I scratched my plans to replace the CD player. It had been given new life as pure play CD transport. However I don't expect a standalone DAC now to make as big a difference again. Not within the capabilities of the sys3I have.

@joshvantassel3129 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Andrew, thanks for the review. I just added a set of Kanto YU2 speakers, replacing my old Bose companion speakers circa 2003. I was also thinking about the size Kanto that you're using here, and trying to figure that out. I hooked up my Paradigm Millenia Sub to the subout which sounds great. So.. Do I add a DAC, Peachtree comes to mind, or bump to a slightly larger speaker, I can still exchange or return my YU2s to Crutchfield. What are your thoughts to get great sound on a budget?

@djeity 4 жыл бұрын

I use the Modi+Magni combination (the so-called "Schiit stack") with my MacBook Pro and love it. The only shortcoming of the Modi I would mention is what I call Modi Death Syndrome - sometimes the Modi just dies for no apparent reason, possibly a voltage spike, and you need to replace it because the cost of repair is as great as a new Modi, even with Schiit's excellent repair service. I have had this happen once, my Modi 2 (which I got some time ago, just after the 2's were released) died and I replaced it with the now-current Modi 3. I continue to be very happy with the combination and recommend it when asked.

@herbsmith21 3 жыл бұрын

what would be a good set of speakers to go along with the schiit modi? In the same budget mindset As of right now I use a wifi bluetooth bose speaker in my room and would like to just take it up a few better notches.

@paultomaszewski1964 4 жыл бұрын

Almost went with that model, instead went with the SMSL M100 DAC. It was about 20.00 less at the time I bought it. Use it with my Monolith Liquid Spark AMP. No complaints so far. The M100 even works off of my Chromebook.

@davidbeverly9894 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Andrew, not an Audiophile but a music lover! I have been trying set up a budget 2.1 channel system and your videos have been extremely helpful! The Amtake DAC was one of the last pieces to my puzzle! Really appreciate you making these videos, giving your honest opinion and providing solutions in a wide price range.

@MrJayrodge 3 жыл бұрын

What would this DAC do for a Auris Blume HD Bluetooth adapter that I use with my NAD 3240PE amp? I use it as a streamer which sounds pretty good to me! Would the Modi 3 make a noticeable improvement over the DAC in the Blume HD if I connected them via optical?

@adolphhernandez7615 4 жыл бұрын

I use two Dacs, Chord Hugo for the man cave and Chord Qutest in my main system. To me, they sound better to the in built Dacs of my Sonos Connect and CD players. Well worth the investment. The first DAC I bought was a Yulomg D100 many years ago and it helped me understand the benefits of external Dacs. I would highly recommend that you start with an entry level DAC, like the Modi and do some critical listening, you'll eventually start to notice the differences. Sometimes it won't be night and day. However you'll start to notice some nuances. For some people that have asked what's the differences between dacs? The two main differences that come to mind are chipset and implementation.

@roquesoprano913 4 жыл бұрын

Adolph Hernandez 👍👍👍👍👍

@deputy3690 4 жыл бұрын

Great video Andrew, as I have 2 Modi 3s and I use them to bypass the built in DACs in the bluetooth receivers. My question to you is, is it possible to use the Modi on my vintage CD players? There is no optical inputs on the back of the CD player, so Im not sure if I even can bypass the built in DAC in the CD player... any thoughts would be helpful, thanks!

@Audiojunkabus 4 жыл бұрын

Great review / very accurate IMO. I am using the Modi3 with a an original Bluesound Node and it sounds wonderful. I recently picked up the new Bluesound Node2i (for way more $$) which supposedly has a much improved DAC... but as it turns out it does not sound as good to me (using the built-in DAC) as the previously mentioned combo.

@jimpark9253 3 жыл бұрын

Took my 30 year old Yamaha CDX-550 out of storage (probably hasn't been played in ten years) and connected it to my RX-V6A AVR. Just ordered a Modi 3+ to bypass the CDX-550's antiquated internal DAC via the digital out coax. Maybe I can coax a little more sound quality out of this old player.

@Tony-ln6xo 4 жыл бұрын

Nice review. Echoes my thoughts on the Modi, particularly pairing it with the Magni and a good set of cans. I also recommend putting their Loki EQ in the middle, if you’re into that sort of thing. Tough stack to beat - Modi/Loki/Magni - for the price.

@HungryEatNow 4 жыл бұрын

What's your reference gear? Yu6 internal dac and Imac audio jack?

@mrchinaski4125 4 жыл бұрын

Need help with upgrade path. Currently tidal on tv into modi 3, into Peachtree nova (80 watts) into crown xls (1000 watts) into Maggie lrs. Thank you ur a rock star.

@JammingWave 3 жыл бұрын

Cool review. I have a question. How is the audio delay response? I use my Astell&Kern AK70 as my DAC for my Macbook and if I pause or play a song or even a video I'm editing, the audio would take 3-4 seconds to start/stop... which is a pain in the... does that happens as well with the Modi?

@ArnoldvandeWorp 4 жыл бұрын

The Schiit modi is great, i use it with my Macbook, i did use the modi 3 with the tv, it sure is a better DAC than a sub 20 dollar one.

@jaytorr6701 4 жыл бұрын

I also wonder, if you have an integrated amplifier with optical in, how much worse the signal would be if you connect your mac to the amp through toshlink from the 3.5mm headphone jack. This means that sound would be converted through the amplifier's internal DAC. Unless there is some data/signal degradation, wouldn't that work better if your amp has a decent DAC? Wouldn't also be a better way to transmit digital data, as the optical signal would not be affected by any electromagnetic noise?

@crespojosef 4 жыл бұрын

Can anyone please tell me, what is the consensus on upsampling DAC'S? Should I prefer them? Thank you in advance.

@yusuf8938 4 жыл бұрын

I know its a nitpick, but then again, it really isnt. It's not "digital to audio". It's digital to analog.

@yhonmontes 3 жыл бұрын

Hi there Andrew. I'd like to know which DAC around $200 usd would you recommend so I can connect my cd unit via optical to a Sansui integrated amplifier? Thanks a lot.

@joepop8122 4 жыл бұрын

Good stuff. I am looking at possibly adding some connectivity to my old receiver. My CD player finally died and I still like playing CDs, so I’m thinking of a cheap blu-ray with something like the Modi 3. And that’s another subject I believe you mentioned previously and might make for a nice segment; are expensive transports worth the money?

@BunnyslippersEUC 4 жыл бұрын

I only have usb dacs for my headphone system(s) - HRT Music streamer 3 (made California) - Dragonfly black - Oehlbach usb Bridge (German) - Powerdac V2 (Chi fi) (Musical Fidelity M1HPA has built in) All don't need dc power. They all sound very similar. Dragonfly doesn't sound as clean as the Oehlbach connected direct to IEM, but it has more gain.

@ruger6049 3 жыл бұрын

I see you have Kanto Yu6's. Did you try bypassing the Kanto DAC and using the IFi? I am interested in helping my desktop Kanto setup.

@MyouKyuubi 3 жыл бұрын

Should be noted that if you're not an audiophile, and just want decent music quality while you play games or something, a schiit stack is the perfect lifelong decision. I'm just a gamer, but i do value high quality sound when i play, and ESPECIALLY when i listen to music whilst playing MMORPG's or something. One Modi 3+ and and Magni Heresy later, i have the sound quality i need for the rest of my life, don't really have to buy any other amplifiers or dacs ever again.. The only reason i would need to buy another dac is if i suddenly inherited some old sound equipment and needed an XLR setup or something. I'm in europe though, so the schiit stacks cost OVER twice the amount they do in the USA due to import fees and so on, sadly... But i'm super happy with it... 200 dollars for the Modi 3+, 200 dollars the Magni Heresy, and 200 dollars for my Sennheiser HD 599. It works, and it sounds beautiful. :3

@lordcaffeine 4 жыл бұрын

I like the Modi 3. My source is a mac mini with dual 1TB SSD internal drives, running as my headless Roon Core paired with one of these. I go straight into my Yamaha AS301 amp and output from there to a pair of Fluance floor standing speakers. I use the Yamaha's internal DAC to deal with output from my television and away we go! I'd like to think that spending more on a DAC might improve the sound of my system but honestly, the biggest improvement to my system comes when my wife catches a bit of buzz and loosens up enough to overcome her OCD as I move my speakers out from the wall. LOL.

@johnmurray3842 4 жыл бұрын

I didn’t know my wife had another husband

@ThePapabear2012 3 жыл бұрын

I do love my Schiit

@orcini99 4 жыл бұрын

I have the HEL, it arrived just recently, I wonder if there is a major difference between them?

@adammaik 3 жыл бұрын

Andrew, what about be the best possible way of connecting a Focal Arche Amp to a digital audio player? I have no problem with connecting it with my computer with USB B to USB C cable. That makes my Mac recognize the Arche as an external audio device and things are going well. I do have An Astell & Kern SE200 DAP as well which has 2x 3.5mm, 2x 2.5mm and USB C. Arche does seem to have USB B, Coax, RCA and Tosslink for available inputs. Which route would be the best for me to connect the DAP directly to this AMP? Which connection type would be the best to preserve the quality of music? Since this DAP has 256GB of storage and its loaded with music I would like to take advantage of it :) Not sure what combination would work and to what degree 3.5mm to RCA? 3.5mm to Coax? 3.5mm to Optical? Thanks! Love the channel!

@sameershetye9228 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Andrew... I have a 2 channel set up with a Denon PMA 600 NE powering 2 Wharfedale Diamond 12.2s...I basically have hooked it to the tele via an optical to the Denon ... Was thinking whether looping the optical output via the Modi to the Denon would make any significant difference... Do you have any thoughts...

@MrDamianOZ 4 жыл бұрын

To solve the issue with volume control on Mac with Schiit (and others) you can try software called SoundSource.

@tonycaine5930 Жыл бұрын

I have a base model Mac Studio. If I want to connect an external speaker to my Mac Studio I need this DAC and RCA speaker wires from the headphone output of the Mac Studio to the DAC and then to the speakers?

@cameronkrause4712 2 жыл бұрын

This is likely the best explanation of entry DACs that I have seen. I am one of the people who do not hear huge differences in DACs. Subtle, would be a better way of describing the differences that I hear. I would like to point out though, that sometimes that subtle difference that one hears when doing an a-b comparison, becomes something that is a little more evident when one does extensive listening, so I feel that one should not be too quick in saying that the difference doesn't really matter.

@robertrichards9565 3 жыл бұрын

It’s called schit, I’m fucking strapped in for this video.

@voughn5 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Andrew! I recently purchased Kanto YU4's. I can only connect them via bluetooth from my laptop. Is there a way to get more out of these speakers? Planning to add a sub in the future. Thanks!

@ecyfoto 4 жыл бұрын

I decided on the Modi Multibit. Worth every penny. Btw a nice and heavy stainless door stop will add enough weight to resist those heavy cables AND help with any chassis vibration. Good Schiit!

@ecyfoto 4 жыл бұрын

paz newis Darko is whom I got the idea from. Bought mine on Amazon.

@BigMacIain 4 жыл бұрын

Hi, Andrew. Do you have any thoughts on the use of the Magni 3 as a headphone amp inserted between a turntable and a set of powered speakers. I have a pair of YU6s winging their way to me at the moment for a new living room setup with a Teac turntable and I'm likely to want to use headphones at some point -- probably because my wife won't be able to hear her shows in the family room.

@pratapjena4624 4 жыл бұрын

I listen music for long and like transparent, clear beats, will add 12" SVS sub for punchy bass also, now Which speaker i shoud go for NAD t778

@jonmason1955 4 жыл бұрын

Best (comparison) review I've seen of the modi 3. I think I will buy one now as it sounds like a good compliment to a system like mine. Thanks, Andrew!

@andrewrobinsonreviews 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much.

@KristiWright 4 жыл бұрын

Jon Mason that’s great! If you are able to buy it through the link in the description above, that helps us to continue to provide content like this for you guys. 😊🙏🏻