FYI: newer Schitt Modius e DACs have type C instead of micro USB

Waiting for that Bifrost 2 review! Excited!

There are lots of reviewers out there, but you are the only one I completely trust

Excellent review! You’re hand down becoming one of my favorite reviewers.

Great review. Very informative, comprehensive and succinct. I started my Schiit stack with the Modi and loved that DAC. Got the Freya S preamp and snagged the Modius as a balanced DAC. I'm considering the Asgard 3 and Sundara too. How convenient that you are reviewing all the gear I'm getting. Keep up your excellent review channel.

I like your "Happiness is immeasurable" shirt 😂

Your reviews are getting better and better mate! Well done. Loving your work. Production is top notch!

Love the matching hoodie lighting very high tech! , you're going to make my wallet very thin with all these great audio products, cheers keep up the good work !

Also I am impatiently waiting for that Asgard 3 review. Great reviews. My favorite channel for objective and informative audio equipment reviews. Great job.

You are now on my Schiit List, subscribed!

Fantastic review my man, Modius and Asgard are currently on the way, thanks!!

Have owned both the Modius and Magnius for a while now, Fantastic DAC, and the amp is a perfect compliment! Great review, Thanks so much!!

whoas me, the icons... learn it in 10 mins, enjoy the clean design for years

I love that you don't use bullshit audiophile terms and don't claim that you can hear a 0.3db difference immediately subscribed ❤ and waiting for my magnius and and modius to come .

It's a little funky that my Modius arrived 1hr ago. I haven't installed it yet but I was confident in the dac and the stack it would make with my Modius (Blacked out too baby! My whole desk setup is matte black, only LEDs are the ones behind my computer monitor.)

The micro usb is a deal breaker for me so will wait for a new version or other option. I have a feeling my E30 and 789 will be fine together for now when I get them next week. Thanks for reviewing them!

I have a Schiit Modius DAC and for $199.00, it is a fantastic, great sounding piece.

at last! thank you for the review. Modius ordered!

As a beginner at this hobby, buying a Zen DAC then having to watch your video just gave me a buyer's remorse. Lol I just wish I was able to watch your video before I pulled the trigger. But this doesn't stop me from selling my 2 week old Zen DAC lol

Just revisited this as I was going to make my decision on the modius and it really helped me decide. Thanks again for your help.

Hello. I really have been enjoying watching your reviews and especially how you compare the item you are currently reviewing with that of previously reviewed products (both scaling up and down). It also helps that you take the time to recommend and give the pros/cons in some pairing choices as well. With that in mind, I was wondering if you had a chance to pair the Modius with the 789?

You're pretty spot on, mate. I'm quite impressed. Most of the youtube reviewers I know are either deaf or probably paid by the manufacturers one way or another.

You sold me.. just pulled the trigger on a modius to pair with my asgard 3. Will make a point of difference with my Atom stack.

I don't have a lot of money to throw at a descent audiophile desktop/headphone setup so I wanted to get your suggestion. Equipment: Source: Mac Mini/windows laptop Speakers: Kanto TUK (Active monitors) Headphone: Massdrop X Sennheiser HD6XX DAC: Schiit Modius Amp: Schiit Magnius Connections: - Use the Schiit DAC/amp stack to power the Massdrop X Sennheiser HD6XX (balanced) - Use the Schiit DAC to send the analogue signal to Kanto TUK (and to use the speaker's inbuilt amp and bypass the speaker's DAC) I will really appreciate if you can give your opinion on this basic setup as I am really keen on setting up my first (some what) audiophile setup? Would you say this setup will get me to 70-80% of the very high-end audiophile results (considering the law of diminishing marginal returns). Many thanks in advance, Amit

Top-notch review. I am eagerly awaiting shipment of my Modius. It'll be paired with the Valhalla 2 which I've had for about 5 years and my HD600s. In a world of immediate gratification, the wait is... kind of exciting :-)

Some strong words of praise of the Modius... Great thorough review and I can't wait for the Sundara review!

Great review as always, I'm digging the b-roll. I can see why someone might need/want the screen and remote of the Topping E30 but for me this is THE budget DAC.

I have just randomly come across your reviews and I really enjoy your presentations. I own a Jotunheim 1 with the Multibit DAC module but I still enjoy listening to reviews of the new stuff. I'm subbing to keep up with your stuff. Cheers.

Very satisfied with my Modius+Liquid Platinum+Arya

I have the modius and love it. However, using the USB port on your source (computer) to power the modius is highly dependent on the quality of the implementation of the usb port on the source. I had issues with my computer not turning on power to the usb ports early enough in the boot cycle causing the modius to sometimes not be recognized. I solved this by providing power from a dedicated high-quality usb charger via the other usb port on the modius.

Been waiting for this review. Thank you.👍

Nice review there! Waiting to see the pairings of the bifrost 2. I feel I could have an amp with beter slam to complete my system, let's see what you found out.

So... the question becomes... Modius or Modi Multi Bit! for EDM and Jazz. Analog system, moderately resolving speakers. Saving for a BiFrost 2 takes a bit of time and I would love to start enjoying my Qobuz sooner than later :) Thanks!

I'm thinking about the Modius combined with the Schiit Midgard, and having seen your review of both of these, it seems like it will be a very good combination.

Outstanding review. Thank you. 100% substance.

Such an amazing review! Always enjoy watching these. The one I’ve been waiting for too haha! I was able to get a great secondhand deal on an A90/SU-8v2 combo, but I’ve still been considering swapping the SU-8 with the Modius for an “even” swap. Going to have to consider my options even more now

I agree. It is a fantastic product. You have to go to the Ares 11 to get a better sound but it is close. Thanks.

I agree with a lot of comments, you are the best reviewer! Keep up the great work!

When the hoodie resonates perfectly with the subject matter :)

The treble roll-off demonstration I feel was a little superfluous, I can't believe anyone seriously interested in this review would think less than half a dB roll-off up there would be an issue. People claiming otherwise is in the lowest common denominator territory and I don't think it's necessary to address them. Great review otherwise as usual, I've come to value your opinion more and more as time goes on, and I find myself popping in here looking if you have a review when I'm interested in a product. Keep up the good work!

Would you consider the A90 and Modius a good combo? I really don’t see myself listening to more music than gaming, although every once in a while I do play music while I’m gaming. The D90 and Bifrost 2 cost 700, so I’m not really sure if that’s worth it unless it’s a great sale on Black Friday. The only thing that I’m sure about is the hd800s and the A90, the A90 has the most inputs for headphones.

I really like your reviews. What I found however compared side by side with a D30 and paired with a CTH, I prefer the sound signature of the D30. Better sound stage mids presence and more natural. The Modius sounds to me a bit v-shaped in comparison and more digital and clinical with a slight rolloff to the highs. Althugh the modius definetely has more bass, slam and impact.

14:41 i agree about sound chain coherence, but you didn't mention which headphones were used to notice differences? is a mid tier like dt1990 able to benefit from a bifrost 2, or would it be unable to deliver better sound than paired with a modius? nice roll-off simulation btw! couldn't hear a difference, but youtube compression probably rolled-off both files anyway.

I’m curious if you can discern the different between a $100 to one that costs 10x more via a double blind test

Really useful video. I own a Modius and love it! I appreciate the commentary re: the Bifrost 2 and headphone amps.

Nice review! I owned the Modius for about a month and then traded up to the Bifrost 2. I have to admit the Modius is no slouch and may be even more impressive when used in a home stereo setup (as I did). I believe the USB input does not need power , however all other inputs do or may benefit audibly. I also tried an external power supply from iFi and felt it degraded the sound over the stock Modius PS quite a bit. My two cents!

On the use of two usb power cables vs just one for the data input, is there any discernible improvement? You said insignificant, so I wonder though not significant, are there subtle improvements?

Excellent review as always.

This is a really great thorough review

Another excellent review!! I was thinking about getting a Modius or the Modi multibit. I have the Valhalla 2 as well as an Asgard 2 but was not sure which would be the best match.

When you say the Bitfrost 2 and the Modius are close enough for less high end equipment, What price points are you referring to? I have a Keces E40, a 40 watt that punches above its' class and reminds me of my Hegel h160, smooth, vg bass control but rounded, yet full highs with a good Stage with noticable depth for a solid state. It isn't a flat stage like many. It could benefit from a more treble extended dac and I do have a D50s on it which overall is decent but has a more narrow and centered stage and especially of issue is that ESS/digital glare. I have considered Ares 2, Topping d70s and Bitfrost 2, but for that small amp the Modius (maybe even a Modi MB) particularly using "RCA" only at this point may be good enough. Differences between the D50s and the D70s (briefly had this) on the keces with small Triangle Zetas (like Color series) as well as Focal 807Ws were small improvements as to detail but D70s also had a slightly better SS, width, depth, tone, etc but the biggest difference worth pursuing was the "lack glare and naturalness". That was most noticeable. I thought I could live with the glare as it was close to everything else, but no. So now I want something that is closer to D70s details and stage sounding better than both my D50s and Marantz CD6006. Small improvements do add up as do the costs, but like I said, that lack of digital glare really stands out and is worth pursuing. This is why I think the Modius wouldn't be a sideways move. I would compare the Marantz CD 6006 which uses a CS 4398 chip to the coax input of the Modius. Use whichever sounded best on piano and use optical for movies. I think while the coax may yield a more rounded treble, it would be desirable to have added width/depth/height to the SS so it isn't all bunched up front, center and forward. I mainly listen to music/movies on physical media as of now and appreciate as much width, depth and separation as I can get on CDs and Bluray. Modius might just be good enough for the Keces E40 amp (which btw is something you may find nice to review). I am tempted to get Amphion Heliums on it though should I sell the Focals, so that may make a difference in dac selection as well?. I have pursued quality sound in smaller. lighter gear, looking to shed heavier and expensive gear. Sorry to be a pain, but choosing a dac without hearing it leaves us trying to triangulate on a choice. I really liked the D70s lack of glare. With Bitfrost 2 and Ares 2 reviews favoring them over Topping products and the R2R soundstaging, makes them candidates as well. But if the Modius offers just enough depth (I know Modi MB/Bitfrost 2 has a bit more), width, separation and no glare, it may be close enough to never notice I am missing anything especially if it is that much better than a D50s. But if I had to, I would spend more to achieve a desired outcome. I had read others state that the Modius performs as well as a Topping D90 and that alone has me interested. Otherwise, I will make a choice between D70s (DS), Bitfrost 2 (middle point DS/R2R) or the Ares 2. Thanks for your patience.

Hi, Lachlan. I find it interesting that you had a hard time differentiating the Modius and the Bifrost 2. But you didn't have the same problem when you compared the Bifrost 2 with the Burson Composer. How do you think the Modius would fare against the Composer?

Have you compared the Modius to the Modi? I don’t need all of the inputs and outputs, so if the DAC quality is the same or even the Modi is slightly less good I might prefer to save a little money. On the other hand, if the Modius is even 10% better I would rather buy “better”.

@Passion for Sound , would this pair well with a Magni amp? I have one and am looking for a DAC to complement it. The lack of harshness that reviewers like yourself use to describe this is appealing and the balanced out is great for connecting to studio monitors later on.

I'm sold on the Modius! Question. I'm still within the return policy of my L30 Amp, so I'm thinking about returning the L30 and buying the Asgard 3, after hearing how rich the audio sounds in comparison to a more transparent Amp. I don't mind paying the extra $60 dollars for an Asgard 3, but I want to hear your thoughts beforehand. I heard some people saying there's a bit of buzzing to the Asgard 3 on higher volume, but I think that's more to do with their setup than the usual case.

Awesome Review! How do you think it compares to the Modi 3? I am currently using this in my rig. Balanced outputs would be a nice addition but just wanted your thoughts? Cheers

I've been waiting for the Modius to go on sale in the UK since June. I think I'm going to end up just ordering it from the US at this point. Customs charges be dammed.

I would like to see a review of some of IFI’s Products. Particularly the Zen Dac and Zen Blue, Although I feel like those products have been avoided because of the 4.4 mm connections as opposed to 4 pin XLR.

I do not use headphones and true balanced xlr are important to me ...Do you think Modius would be overkill with good hi powered powered speakers or the Topping D10 in your opinion . I highly trust your knowledge ....Thank you

I'd like to know how the Modius stacks up against the E30. (Modius beeing ~100 bucks more here). How great is the diffrence ins space and detail?

I've got a Valhalla 2 and just bought a Modius for my DAC to replace my old SABER DAC. I hope this is a good setup, I can't find ANYONE who seems to use this combo, but I assume it will be lovely. Or....I hope rather.....

Great review! What balanced amp would you recommend for the Modius that's better than the Magnius?

Good luck trying to get one in Australia for under $380, as shipping is over $100 plus our exchange rate, if Schilt want to sell any products in Australia they should stock them on amazon or local stores, once again stitched up Australian audio consumers. Looks like Schilt and others need a good hard look at their marketing and stocking before releasing products.

Awesome as always.

Excellent video, very well detailed, and I love the direct comparisons you make with other dacs. I would definitely never buy D30, I don't like things to smoothing. Interesting that Bifrost 2 has a more powerful punchier base. I liked the result together with Magnius, I like the forceful and edgy presentation, on your face. Comparing Modius + Magnius , with RME adi-2... rme is on the side forceful and edgy, in your face? or on the relaxed and soft side? Rme have a powerful base just like Bifrost 2?

The XLR out is rather significantly better than the RCA to my ears; it doesn't take me more than maybe a minute tops to determine which output I'm listening to most of the time. The RCA out is fine, especially for the price of the DAC, but it does have some of that AKM Velvet Sound character. Mushier lows, recessed mids, and somewhat glassier, more "digital" highs. The XLR squashes this almost entirely and sounds a bit more incisive. Resolution is outstanding on both, but the XLR has a bit better fine resolve and microdynamics, though it's far less evident than the improved tonality which is more readily noticeable when changing outputs. Headstage is a bit pushed-in, like a lot of other Schiit gear, but is fairly wide and spacious, if somewhat lacking in depth and layering. It doesn't have that "holographic" image with that sense of dimensionality that you get from their MB DACs; the image is more diffuse and "flat," almost like a cardboard cutout. For a $200 DAC, I'm not sure you can do better. Especially if you have gear that accepts a balanced input.

Hello, great review, I am really liking your channel and have been watching many of your videos lately. Have you tried the smsl su-8 yet? That one or the modius, or the smsl m200 will be mi next dac purchase. Any advice?

You mention Chord Mojo as a superior dac. Did you really mean the Mojo or rather the Qutest. I was looking to upgrade my MOJO with Modius, would you recommend against it? Thank you so much

Which output would be more ideal for a tube amp? I have a Primaluna Prologue Premium. I have no experience with DACs. Thanks!

This was a good review. Can you review the new Schiit Jotunheim 2?

hi. Thanks for the review. I want to know your opinion on the differences between the dac ak4493 in the modius vs the multi bit dac on the jotunheim 2 vs ak4490. Im trying to make a buying decision to see which version would render the best results. Thank you

At three times the price, the Bifrost should sound better than the Modius to everyone with ears, not just a critically listening audiophiles. At that price difference, there should be a clear night and day difference between the two. The fact that there isn't tells me the Bifrost is way overpriced and it's FPGA based DAC is overrated.

I have this. Hopefully I don’t need to get another one for a longgggg time.

Is the Modius a good DAC for a CD Transport? Schiit seems to have laptops use in mind, but does that mean it isn't good for transports?

Thanks for the detailed review. I wonder if it's a worthy upgrade from my modi dac. My smsl amp has the balance input which I'm not using currently. Not sure if using the balance input is will be better than rca.

Outstanding review! Thank you for being so honest and thorough.

Any review of the Burson Audio Composer coming up?

Is there much of a jump from the Modi 3 to the Modius? I'm not sure if my next upgrade should be from the Modi 3 to the Modius or Bifrost 2.

Hey, I'm really enjoying your channel! Do you think the Asgard 3 paired with the Modius would be a good fit for someone with Sennheiser HD650, Hifiman HE400i, who listens to classic rock -1950s, 60s, 70s, etc, and classical music? I'm pretty new to this and trying to find my first setup. Thank you :)

Question for everyone, I'm using Tidal to stream music and since the Modius isn't MQA compatible does anyone know if I'll lose any quality on the master tracks?

Any chance of you reviewing Modi Multibit V2? For those who use only RCA output of Modius, why not pay a bit more for Modi Multibit?

If I'm getting Asgard 3, would you recommend Modius or internal multibit card add-on? Thanks.

I'm interested in how asgard 3 sound signature compared to jotunheim sound signature. I am actually quite interested in jotunheim because it has both single ended and balanced headphone output. I am not an analytical person as I prefer a more musical and fun sound signature. Hopefully jotunheim could provide that.

I've watched your reviews and am currently struggling with whether to add the Modius or Bifrost 2 to my Topping A90. I use Sony Mdr-z1rs and it's so hard to know if the extra cost is worth it. Any thoughts with the A90?

I was thinking of buying the Modius because it has balanced outputs at $200. Then go straight to Mjolnir then be done with it. I dont think I should be spending more on a DAC though.

Would you consider a upgrade over a modi 3+ or should I just save up for something like a bifrost 2? Also when you say budget or mid tier. Would you consider the lcdx to be mid-tier?

So after this review, which is better? Magnius/Modius, or the Topping A90/D90? To go with HD800’s?

Heyyy, young audiophile wanting to work on my setup. Had purchased the Modius and now am waiting for my Magnius to come in, what would be the best way to connect my windows desktop and headphones once my amp arrives?

i'm 22 years old and can't hear past 19.4khz. I highly doubt anyone would hear the roll off unless they have super human ears.

I found that with the Loxjie D30, while smoother than D50s (nice detail and punch but it has that glare), it had less detail and separation than my Marantz CD6006. Using RCA to RCA only, perhaps the Modius might even be a bit better than the CD player? Other considerations are Modi Multibit, Topping D30pro. I did put a D70s in my system and it sounded detailed, smooth (no glare) and bested the Marantz, but am looking at a lower price point that could do that. Don't see needing MQA. Have the Lavaudio DS 600 now (a D50s clone) which I will use for computer with Cambridge Minx XLs so the glare will be tamed. But have Focals for the room. Any thoughts on the Modius v Modi MB vs D30pro appreciated. Depth, separation and natural tone/timbre is what I am after. The amp is punchy enough to awaken most any dac. Anyone feel free to comment.

It's good to know that RCA performance is close enough to XLR performance.

For headphones or IEMs would Modius + Vali be a good pair? Or Asgard?

Hi and the reviews are excellent.. I’m considering a new dac, which would you choose out of the ones you have reviewed.. toppings, bifrost, chord cutest and Denafrips.. my system consists of an audia flight FL3s intergrated with monitor 100g5 100 speakers. Xlo speaker cables reference models with audioquest Z3 power cables and interconnects. I use the bluesound node 2i with the internal dac , it’s considered warm and I’d like more detail, wider soundstage and a more holographic sound if that’s possible with a dac. Thanks

Hi , Can I Connect the Modius between my laptop & my Yamaha Receiver ( Amplifier )

The Modius has a fully discrete output stage.

I was looking to buy a new DAC and was cross shopping the modi multibit, the Modius and the Bifrost. Might be the modius to save some money and put it towards headphones.

I have a Modius and just order a jot 2. Just wondering if it will be a good pairing?

Is the Modi 3 good enough for the Asgard 3 or should I upgrade to the Modius?

Big question is Modius vs Multibit dac card when paired with Asgard.

Can you shortly compare this to similarly priced Soncoz LAQ-XD1?