An interesting assumption can me made from giving users such a choice. What I mean by it is that Schiit must be really confident in its digital filter performance if they give the user the possibility to switch it off. This is one thing that we will obviously go back to later on, since there’s just one interesting quirk that someone may enquire about: the power supply situation. Modi 2 Multibit uses the wall-wart outside PSU, which is understandable given this DACs dimensions. Yet where it really differs it that it uses no DC power supply, but an AC unit instead. This is another example of interesting approach and clever thinking at the same time. I believe Stoddard precisely nailed the “why” explanation here:
“Because we are throwbacks, and we like our 100% linear power supplies. Especially when AC allows us to create a bipolar power supply (+/- voltages), without the use of additional switchers. The cost, as usual, is in slightly higher heat, but we think it’s worth it in terms of being able to create a good, low-noise, ±15V supply for the output stage, as well as lower-voltage rails for the digital section.”
Regarding the design – the DAC is, as I said small, and the only gripe that I would have is that it has the power switch on the back. The other thing is that when connecting with some stiff or heavy interconnects – you also need to consider that, despite having fully metal chassis, it doesn’t weight a ton. But that’s all. Looking objectively what you get here for you money – it’s quite a lot. Technologically-wise it’s almost mind bending and the looks are just good.
So, let’s find out how all this intricate technology performs from the sonic perspective.
Schiit Modi Multibit 2 – the sound
Let me start here with a somewhat funny yet informative remark. Usually, before you connect a new component that boast some technology that is slightly, or more than slightly, different from the “usual” (in this case the “usual” being your typical delta-sigma based DAC) – you also expect that the sound will be noticeably different from the beginning. Well, not in this case. Yet, the very, very important flip side of that particular audiophile coin is the fact the more you listen to the small Schiit converter, the more you appreciate what it really is and what it not only tries to, but in fact – does achieve.
This is one of those rare cases, where saying that the longer you listen to it, the more you admire its sound – would just be an understatement. It’s mostly because all that technology that has squeezed into that small grey box actually works. And it works it a mysterious ways of sorts, since you can’t actually hear that it’s there. But let me elaborate here and explain here.
When doing more serious listening tests I actually connected Modi Multibit 2 to my main speaker rig, where one IC costs more than this DAC. I did it because of the curiosity in the first place. And also because I wanted to easily hear what character does it actually have, what it imposes on sound. Yet after a few well-known to me tracks I was a little bit puzzled. And then I realized something. You know, with a relatively inexpensive digital sources it’s relatively easy to get a notion of what they introduce into the entire audio reproduction chain. It’s just a matter of a few songs. Or a few albums.
And here, I had to actually spend much, much longer time. Because – and let it be my first point here – the Schiit Modi Multibit 2 offers uncanny levels of transparency at this price point. What should also be noted, the sound it produces is not that reminiscent of all those older TDA1541 nor PCM63 as you may’ve thought. It’s also not what you could expect from a typical (let’s generalize here just a bit for the sake of the bigger picture) SDM (sigma-delta modulation) DAC. And it’s – which is actually the most striking – nothing between those two (generalized) sound flavours. What you realize after listening to it for a longer than one evening is that it is really something different. And that “different” is embedded deeply in it’s DNA. It not have that delta-sigma sound signature that some may seem as a for or unnatural. While not being overly warm nor oversaturated like some multi-bit implementations.