Schiit Modius Balanced DAC Review - No Frills, Just Music

A fantastic value-for-money DAC with a few tricks up it's sleeve
CORRECTION: The capacitors on the output stage are NOT all film caps. The red ones gestured to are actually electrolytic. The film caps are the small rectangular ones adjacent to the opamp.
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All links are non-affiliated
Schiit Modius: www.schiit.com...
Soncoz SGD1: www.soncoz.com/...
Schiit Modi Multibit: www.schiit.com... (select from version dropdown)
0:52 - Build
2:09 - Internals
4:55 - Features
6:11 - Objective performance
7:53 - Test/comparison setup
9:09 - Resolution, treble, staging
15:53 - Midrange
18:42 - Bass/Lowend
22:18 - Conclusion
Intro Song: "Sad Child" by Sandro Cavazza - song.link/gb/i...
Test Tracks:
Best is yet to come - Sandro Cavazza - song.link/gb/i...
Such small scenes - Lewis Del Mar - song.link/gb/i...
Wisdom - Haywyre - song.link/gb/i...
Contact - Daft Punk - song.link/gb/i...

[@Meerlu]

This is like Zeos, but for adults... and legit techical information :)

[@spamcan9208]

and minus the waifus lol

[@audioaficionado9494]

I have the Modius and have been very pleased with the sound. Also have Jotunheim 2 and Freya S.

[@bernardomeurer4448]

A PIC is not an FPGA, it's a microcontroller. There are no FPGAs on the Modius.

[@jackchang9798]

You mentioned that you didn't like the Modi Multibit that much, though the V2 upgrade helped a bit. I don't think you said which inputs you used. I've found that the USB input is inferior and this DAC sounds much better with S/PDIF input. I would think that you'd have tried both, and wondered what you found. And if you found a difference it might be worth sharing it with your audience. Keep up the good work!

[@michaelhutchinson1789]

"It's immediately obvious when you listen to this that it's a shit product" C'mon man keep things civil.

[@shimofo1]

Would love to see a Soekris DAC review.

[@GoldenSound]

I'd definitely love to get one in for review. Unfortunately I don't think I know anyone that has one currently

[@pascaljean2333]

Yes pls... it is a European product and an option for us european customers

[@ryandietz7878]

@@GoldenSound if you could get one, what model would you be most interested in?

[@pascaljean2333]

@@GoldenSound you can contact them directly (soekris). They take a few days to respond though

[@smellyoldsock1553]

Would love to hear your opinion on the Sennheiser HD800S.

[@GoldenSound]

Full review of those will be coming. Just trying to get through stuff people have sent me first though so I can get it back to them :) Hd800 is a fantastic can and nothing else sounds quite like it. It absolutely deserves a place in any good collection and for some tracks it's the only thing that does it. BUT, you'll only use it 5% of the time. It's not a great all rounder. Its a headphone that has a very distinct signature that means it doesn't work well with most music, but then for that 5% of music it does work with.... Its unmatched

[@marshallhughes4514]

What about those of us who are using it with a Bluesound Node? I am using it with a power amplifier with no volume control. The result from usb is full volume at all times. I have to use spidif in order to control the volume.

[@thescotsmantechnologyrevie2138]

Hi GoldenSound. This review interested me quite a bit. Surely things like sound stage and the resolving detail of the DAC could be empirically measured? If the vocal differences are so stark, I'd expect either one of these DACs to be extremely poor in some regard. Surely both would essentially be transparent at these levels? If not, what measurements should we be looking at to understand these differences? You're little X Y Z box is a great idea, but if you're not blind to the inputs, what's the point? Could you record samples from the output of these units for us to ABX? Now that's something I would be interested in

[@sephondranzer]

3:06 I wanna stick an ethernet cable in there so bad for some reason...

[@paulstubbs7678]

Best of luck, it's a 6pin not 8pin, maybe (if your feeling a touch strange) plug in a land-line phone.

[@CatnamedMittens]

I was expecting something else

[@omni6409]

Great review! The Modius is amazingly good for the price, and I have it hard to justify expensive DS dacs for that slight difference in SQ. Any chance you reviewing X-Sabre Pro? Especially in comparison with Modius and SGD1

[@GoldenSound]

I don't know anyone who has the x-sabre pro unfortunately. But would definitely love to review it if I can find someone happy to lend me one.

[@Ans12237]

The Modius "slightly taking the edge off" is what makes it so good with the Magnius. Great job Schiit for matching these so well. I am just wondering how this combines with the Asgard 3, that is aleady slightly warm and not overly sharp. I worried the combination is just "to much of good" and resolution and clarity suffers.

[@ObsidianB8]

i have it with the asgard 2, and i really enjoy it for rap, rock, pop, just about anything i can throw at it. They pair really well to my dumb uncultured brain.

[@sandwichdriving101]

@@kng.daniel Late to this, but you would connect it with some RCA cables, since the Asgard line has always been single-ended only.

[@RathOX]

Re-upload squad

[@invenio1978]

I've been using the Modius for about half a year now. Very good performing DAC and pair really well with tube gear. You really can't beat it for the money.

[@invenio1978]

@Memer Dreamer That's really hard to say. The actual DAC chip is going to be far superior to anything made 25 years ago. However, other components like caps, transformers, etc... may be of better quality than an inexpensive DAC like the modius. All things will influence the sound. $800 25 years ago is the equivalent of $1400 today so that buys you some high quality CD players.

[@invenio1978]

@Memer Dreamer If you can get a modius for $100, do it. You can always sell it for that price or more. So just some personal experience. I used to have a Conrad Johnson D/A2b tube DAC in my system (so that is literally 25 years old, which in today's dollars would put the MSRP a little over $2k). It sounded wonderful but I did decide to upgrade because lack of support for anything above 16b 44khz. The modius was more detailed and supported higher formats so it made sense. I only used the modius for less than a year as I wanted more. Upgraded to the Holo Audio May DAC KTE edition,... and that is the best DAC I have ever heard in my life so that is staying in the system until I hear something better. But of course the Holo Audio cost 25 times as much as the modius so it's not a fare comparison. In my opinion, the modius is some of the best sound you can get for $200. Build quality is good and in my opinion outperforms other DACs in that price range. So even though I moved on, I still highly recommend it. BTW, when I sold my modius, I think I only took a $10-20 hit. The resale market for Schiit is really good so you are not really risking $200. Hope that helps when it comes to my experience.

[@llr3zall151]

The Modius has the same chip as the Rme, yet you say it is not as resolving. What goes into a dac other than the chip? Is the output stage on the Modius that much worst than the Rme? Kind of confused here..!

[@HobbyTalk]

Can you do a video on Apple dongle vs entery level desktop units?

[@stevendavis1135]

😂😂😂

[@prabinpaudel5572]

I'm loving the way you present your reviews. Keep it up! ❤️

[@simianinc]

I recently purchased the Cambridge Audio CXA81 amp and CXN streamer. I didn’t like the presentation of either - they could be too harsh - although they have different DACs (weird why they did that). I added the Modius to the chain and it took a lot of the edge off. Would the Bifrost be better still? I tend to like rock, but I sometimes find guitars a bit grating with the Cambridge Audio DACs

[@larryh9525]

Very interesting review. I wonder if the level differences would be as apparent via a good quality amp and speakers when room acoustics comes into play?

[@ChrisoneillART]

Good Review, I like actually learning something new .

[@petetalbert]

Have you heard the new Modius E with the ESS chip? I've been told that any differences one could hear between the new and the old AKM would be placebo but I've never seen anyone review and compare the new ESS model. Thanks!

[@spasticnerd866]

When is the Holo May review coming?

[@GoldenSound]

I'm going to try to get it done this week. Holo serene is arriving next week so I'll do the review for that as soon as it arrives, and will have the may review come out a couple days after. So probably ~2-3 weeks for may review. But might be up on patreon this week.

[@TheCangle]

re-upload?

[@GoldenSound]

Yep, unfortunately there was a mistake in the original. Wanted to reupload sooner rather than later

[@m4nc1n1]

Have you heard the Bifrost 1? I am thinking of upgrading to this, but want more benefit from it than just the balanced offering and Bifrost 2 is out of the range I want to spend.

[@GoldenSound]

I've not unfortunately. The Bifrost 2 and Bifrost 1 are going to be very different DACs though. The Bifrost 1 is an AKM delta sigma dac. The Bifrost 2 is an AD R2R dac. So they're going to sound very different

[@dbronx347]

I get confuse a bit when reviewers start talking about prices. Like what is a "lower cost amplifier"? My Integrated is $2200. Is that a lower cost amp? and why would the cost be indicative of whether or not this dac would pair well with my system.

[@Avean]

You think Modius with the Magnius Amp would be worth it for a pair of HD700s? I have a Creative G6 right now so not sure if its that big of a difference. Many say the difference is huge though so dunno :)

[@lvanderv]

Dude! Your reviews are absolutely incredible and educational. Keep producing this amazing content, please and thank you. 🥂

[@FilipBocse-f8t]

Interesting, so Modius used to be equipped with an AK4493EQ but it shows an ES9028 now on the spec tab, probably an ES9028Q2M most likely

[@AQUPAS]

How is the Optical Input's performance? I own the Schiit Modi 3e and while using an optical input I get constant audio dropouts.

[@AP-nc5ek]

Modius + Asgard 3, how would this pair? I’m into warmer sound

[@mtnmankeith9069]

What are your thoughts on never turning a r2r dac off? Or never turning a class a amp off.

[@GoldenSound]

I'd definitely leave an R2R dac on 24/7 if possible (I only turn mine off if there is a storm or something and I need to unplug it, or if i'll be away a few days). They need to be temp stable to operate optimally. And some such as the yggdrasil have a reputation for taking several days to sound their best (though I imagine in this case its due to charge/capacitance or some other electrical property in the chip itself stabilising, not temperature). For amps, again I leave any solid state equipment on wherever possible. Both because then there's no worry about warmup. Its ready to go whenever I want. And also because repeated thermal cycles are more harmful to gear than being left on. If you have a VERY power hungry class A amp though then your power bill might be a reason to turn it off when not in use.

[@audioaficionado9494]

I leave all my audio electronics on 24/7. Some pieces are on their 3rd decade.

[@frankhodits]

I'd love to see your comparison of the Modius and Topping E50. Any plans for the E50 anytime soon?

[@perinkolamanandganesh4226]

Great review. Do you have a review of the Topping D90 coming up by any chance? Looking to decide between the Bifrost 2 and the D90.

[@GoldenSound]

I don't have one planned, but its definitely one i'd be keen to review if I can get my hands on one!

[@perinkolamanandganesh4226]

@@GoldenSound cool, I do hope you do as I really like your reviews!

[@hakan7346]

Would you say it is a right upgrade from zendac if you are looking for a more resolving yet smooth, better staging and imaging presentation?

[@kelvinini]

i dont know why i clicked this video but youre like a normal version of Z

[@zounds13]

Yeah, that Z guy is just too aggressively geeky.

[@chronometa]

​@@zounds13 he likes chifi too much for me lol

[@zounds13]

@@chronometa I wouldn't know; I can't stand to watch.

[@SharkWithADrill]

Any plans on Joutenheim 2 review?

[@GoldenSound]

If I can find someone happy to lend me one then definitely. Unfortunately its tricky to purchase in the UK

[@stressballer]

What a grat video - thanks! Would you recommend a new Modi 3+ (not multibit) or used a Modius for the same amount of money, for connecting to an old 90s Sony ES Class A integrated amplifier?

[@ptvav]

Topping E70 Velvet or Schiit Modius ? Please help me. Thank you.

[@trollfaceofficial2334]

I have no idea what a dac even is but my friend is making me watch this help

[@arnulfohernandez8063]

Very informative videos keep it up and can you review speakers too?…. Thanks

[@alexius984]

what do you use as a power supply? A power supply or phone charger?

[@CatnamedMittens]

Man, I don't understand most of these terms lol. I just like Schiit

[@nc3419]

While it may not be the best choice for classical music, particularly larger performances, how do you think it would perform in smaller performances via two channel speakers only? Particularly piano and strings? Male and female voices in alternative, folk performances? Do you think a Modius or the Modi Multibit would perform better given I have a small integrated that is punchy with tight bass but slightly rolled off highs on Focal speakers which some consider bright? I have a dac using dual ES9038Q2M chips which is sufficiently detailed but there is some added sibilance and/or glare from time to time. I have heard a Topping D70s in my system and it did the job where there was no noticeable glare in my system and was looking to find something that could do similar at a lower price point. I did try a Loxjie d30 that I liked but optical connection wasn't secure (same I had with cheaper SMSL) otherwise it was ok. Any thoughts appreciated.

[@captainspirou]

Another reason for the separate power supply is to stream from your phone or other portable devices. It draws very little power preserving the battery.

[@davidthomson4045]

I'm curious. In the review GS says the DAC works better when the PSU is used, but in the video it appears the USB source is the only connection?

[@titan90000]

Nice review, I am considering this for my home stereo. Emotiva PT-100 into a A-300 thru Wharfdale Diamond 12.2 speakers. I listen to everything but pop, country and rap. Mainly death metal, prog metal and rock, classic rock, blues, jazz, follk, classic r&b and classical.The Emotiva combo is pretty neutral and the Diamonds are on the warm side of neutral. I appreciate a slight warmth in my music as not all of it is recored that great. Source is a Raspberry pi 4 running Volumio with a combo of streaming (Tidal) and flac files. I am mainly looking at this for the usb input performance as the PT-100 internal DAC is an old AD1955 chip and only supports up to 24/96 via usb.

[@JanWillemBullee]

Wouldn't it be an idea to review the iFi iTube2. To see what's it really all about?

[@audiorick841]

Would love to hear your opinion on the Schiit Gungnir Multibit!

[@iQassaBz]

1:40 i think it comes with type c port now

[@HybridBoy0]

would you say it will pair well with Jotunheim 2 or both being warmer will be too much?

[@PhysicalMediaRules]

Wtf.. I’m so confused how the Bob Ross apparition appeared center of the screen.. other than that, nice review..

[@alanmodimages]

I thought it was my imagination or an afterburn image!

[@ChiefExecutiveOrbiter]

Damn dude you're not kidding around. Good work mate.

[@scottlowell493]

I like the modius. it is *NOT* as good a DAC as I have in my Marantz cdp, which is unblinkingly clear and detailed. I am considering a better DAC like the bifrost 2.

[@Madblaster6]

Current Modius is USB C

[@jonberg469]

This guy totally stole zeos style 😂

[@stevendavis1135]

Yea but this guy actually talks about technical performance instead of rambling for 30mins to an hour like zeos.

[@jonberg469]

@@stevendavis1135 true Zeos does just talk in circles.

[@brianisaac1804]

Would you happen to know if this Dac is good for PC gaming?

[@pierrelafaille3117]

I am impressed by your knowledge and your way of explain. What do you think of the single-ended output of this Dac ? Is it like the Magnius, ugly ? Sorry for my English. I want to connect my modius to a THX AAA 789 to play my Ananda Stealth on classical music. I think it could be fine, even if you said modius is not the best for classical.

[@adamjohari]

Have the Topping D10s, what's the next upgrade? Currently own SMSL DA9, Drop THX 789

[@backrack01]

What would one use for a external power supply for this DAC? Doesn't it just have a USB type c for power?

[@zzmadd]

Do you have a good power supply to advise for the Modius? thanks!

[@RWmHII]

Thank you for the helpful review. What OS do you run on your pi for music play? Are the pis dedicated streamers? Have a vid for this topic?

[@crate718]

i cant hear a difference for the life of me lol i am listing through my he 400i smsl sh6 su6

[@cdotwu]

Love your channel and how well you describe the sonic differences between products. Have you had a chance to listen to the Modius E with the Sabre DAC?

[@ChiefExecutiveOrbiter]

I understand special power cables and connectors for amplifiers, but what's this special USB power (if any) you have hooked up to the modius?

[@brain7178]

Planning to pair this with a SMSL DA9 and my RB42s Soon ill be searching for a sub

[@dustinmihalcheon5013]

What site does he order his headphone cables from? They look awesome.

[@aleksandertrap-jensen8486]

I recently upgraded the internal delta sigma Burr Brown DAC in my Node 2i to the Schiit Multibit V2. The goal was to add more smoothness and warmth to the system hence to some harshness coming from my B&W CM6 S2 tweeter's. Mission accomplished. The mids to my ears even got a boost in the positive direction as welI. According to you, it sounds like the Modius won't be a worthy upgrade in my case. For my next DAC which I also wish to have a slightly warmer sound signature. Would you recommend the Bifrost 2 or the Denafrips Ares 2? Or maybe something completely different? Thanks!

[@zionrobotikz3841]

Hi! What xlr cables are you using?

[@CaptHotah]

Hey mate, where did you get those red cables from? Thanks

[@JohnSmith-fu3ec]

What do you think would be the best 500$ dac for the Topping A90?

[@bbeato8012]

The Modi multi-bit is actually $50 more than the Modius

[@thorscape3879]

What program are you using to play back music?

[@BigBoss-kk8hq]

Dacs are the new snake oil 🐍 in hifi

[@meshplates]

Is the RME DAC going to get a review?

[@AlumarsX]

If you add 00:00 to the tijmestamps this video should get chapters

[@Starfall119]

Yo what's that screen thing with the FR?

[@Goryglory0209]

Who you copying??

[@hvskyline1368]

Id love to see it with an IEC connection 😗

[@Princeton_James]

Awesome detailed review. Thanks.

[@ulrichgorlich6292]

Great review! Thank you

[@TheGamerUnknown]

I'll be picking this up soon-ish, once the backorder fills out. I'm curious how it will compare to the Topping D30 I have. I mainly switched because I wanted to go to an all-balanced setup. Do you recommend the wall power supply that comes with the Modius, or buying a separate one?

[@GoldenSound]

As far as I'm aware the modius doesn't come with a 5v power supply (at least it doesn't mention it on the box contents). It CAN be run directly off USB power, but would strongly recommend getting a 5v psu separately. The apple USB wall charger is actually quite clean in terms of ripple/noise. So that's a good cheap option. If you're happy to splash out a bit more, would recommend the ifi iPower 5v

[@TheGamerUnknown]

@@GoldenSound I think it does, unless I misunderstood. The modius says it has the following contents: (1) Modius (1) 5V USB Wall-Wart (1) USB Micro Cable

[@BratMatori]

It comes with a wall wart in the box. Got mine a month ago or so. It's a really nice product and it feels incredibly well built for the price.

[@Zendail]

Thank God I found you

[@davidholomakoff4514]

Zeos?!

[@cannonaire]

Newbie to DACs here. Is ADI-2 "endgame"?

[@klepmod]

No. Maybe. Sure. Endgame is a very personal thing. The Holo May DAC on his desk is my personal endgame at the moment.

[@stanstaniboy7655]

nope, it's not even all that resolving using just a poor mans AKM4993... The same the 199$ Modius uses. Had it had a AKM4999 (each of these chips costs 80$) then that would have been Delta Sigma endgame

[@gatticusfpv3174]

No one else going to mention the apparition of Bob Ross that appeared?

[@stanstaniboy7655]

wait where?

[@PhysicalMediaRules]

Yep.. seen it.. wtf?

[@xsan9an30]

I’m getting the Aryas. If I got the modius what amp should I pair it with? My budget is 500 Dac+ amp. Or should I just get monolith thx 788?

[@GoldenSound]

Singxer SA-1 would be my recommendation :)

[@xsan9an30]

@@GoldenSound thanks, if I were to pair the singxer SA-1 with my Arya. What dac would you recommend for a budget of 500? Or is the Modius enough

[@GoldenSound]

@@xsan9an30 I'd go for the Soncoz SGD1. Absolutely fantastic dac. I have a review coming (up on patreon now, will be on youtube soon)

[@xsan9an30]

@@GoldenSound bro bro! you have made my day. I’m jumping out of excitement.(at work) lol Thank you for your help. This is my first headphone build. I’m jumping from the senheiser 58x to.....Arya with Singxer SA-1 and Soncoz SGD1.

[@satar9]

soncoz has been having major issues with quality control that, despite being better in IMD, puts it in schiit level as far as bad reputation goes. Also, this was designed to be used with the magnius. i dont see you testing them together.

[@kurt120032002]

5:10 wrong! while there is a difference between DSD and PCM, that difference drops as you go up in price. Wen you test the 2 format on a very cheap DAC you notice a huge difference and it is night and day going from DSD playlist to PCM playlist. When you got to Qtest level of performance, the difference in mastering and recording quality have a bigger impact then the the difference in format. What that means is users of entry level equipment may more attention to resolution and format then mastering and recording.

[@KaneAmaroq]

My guess for the lack of support for the higher PCM sample rates is that it doesn't really matter, audibly. An analog signal is perfectly reconstructed from a digital one with only two samples per wave, at least in terms of PCM. There's no added resolution/transients/whatever else to be had with higher sample rates, that's just not how digital audio signals work. The higher sample rates just give you access to higher frequencies (which you can't hear, as a human), as well as more room to avoid aliasing distortion, if your low-pass filter isn't sharp enough to attenuate it in time, for some reason. But if I recall, the filter in the Modius attenuates without any problems, so. There's no real issue with that. No reason to support something that makes no difference, other than to sell features to people who aren't knowledgeable about the subject and don't know any better.

[@GoldenSound]

Unfortunately this is a bit of a misconception. Nyquist theorem does work in theory, but there are practical limitations which inhibit it in practice. For example, one of the conditions for nyquist theorem to hold true is that the signal must be perfectly band limited. Meaning instantaneous, and infinite attenuation, which we cannot do without infinite computing power. There are ways around this. You can use a filter that attenuates slower, but this will then mean you have treble rolloff. You can provide more compute power, allowing for more filter coefficients. Some options such as signalyst HQPlayer, the chord Mscaler, or Merging Pyramix provide filter configurations with over a million taps, compared to the 128 or so found in a modern ESS chip for example. Allowing for a faster rate of attenuation. Or, you can get around both issues by keeping the source content at a lower sample rate, allowing you more flexibility with the filter design. As the distance between the audible band and nyquist frequency is much higher. Filter design cannot be perfect in the real world, and thus there are tradeoffs to be made, hence why dac/adc manufacturers as well as providers of VST and production tools offer various selectable filter options depending on the need or preference of the user. BUT, keeping source content at a higher rate reduces reliance on the reconstruction filter and reduces all potential negative effects of filter imperfections simultaneously.

[@KaneAmaroq]

@@GoldenSound While what you say is correct, the oversampling already built into most DACs already accomplishes this That's why they do that in the first place. The Modius oversamples by 4x or 8x, I forget which, but that is specifically done, interally, by modern DACs so what you mentioned isn't a problem.

[@GoldenSound]

@@KaneAmaroq it's the design and performance of the oversampling filter that matters. All delta sigma dacs must oversample. But it cannot fix issues that are already present due to low sample rate. Additionally, even if we did have a 'perfect' dac, there is still question over whether that would be enough. There is evidence to suggest that human hearing beats the fourier uncertainty principle anyway www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2013-02-human-fourier-uncertainty-principle.amp

[@pappo666]

What would you recommend for neutral sounding dac? as good as possible around 200 - 500 i was planning to get the SMSL SU-8S but now i am really thinking about getting SONCOZ SGD1 but that will take more time to save up for it 3 months of extra waiting. me requirements is Neutral, Detailed, transparent, good soundstage, good resolution (for "futureproofing") i spent a year looking and planning reading watching reviews but i cant decide what would be "best" i want to hear it all the way it was "supposed to be" i will pair it with the Beyerdynamic A20 (no idea if it is clinical/cold) amp and Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 ohm i will use it mainly for music, games and occasional movie

[@captainbrown6283]

I think he mentioned the SGD1 is neutral, better etc. Sounds like it’s for you.

[@pappo666]

@@captainbrown6283 Thanks, most say buy both to compare but living on welfare kind of removes that option

[@5555med]

Dude this camera angle is unwatchable.