Review on 💿 Black Schiit Modi Delta Sigma Converter by Andrew Lyons

Hello everyone. I've owned/used the original Schiit Modi 3 for a year now, and while I enjoyed using it - either as a standalone DAC or in combination with a preamp - I was still looking for more. I later found that the iFi ZenDAC had to excel in soundstage, depth and higher frequency reproduction. However, I have always been a fan of Schitt products. So I ordered a new Modi 3+ last month and found it to be an improvement, albeit a minor one. By "improving" I mean I just focused on the overall sound. As usual Schitt DAC products fit your PC fairly well (I have Windows 10 of course) and no special drivers are required. The Modi 3+ was recognized immediately and as far as I know Schitt made connecting via USB easy with new technology in the Plus model. Now let's get to the sound. The first thing I noticed was that the mids and highs became clearer, even if they initially sounded a bit harsh and dry. This was immediately noticeable, especially when playing classical music, where instruments such as upper strings, cymbals, and a few others sounded a little creaky. Of course we are talking about "first” results here. Over time and as the unit was broken in (warmed up), the sound changed slightly, becoming just a little warmer, but the high frequencies could still be dry and not as smooth as some competing models. Now notice that I always leave my audio gear turned on and this creates a big difference in sound, aiming for the overall balance to warm up over time. Biggest improvement over the earlier Modi 3 (in my opinion - keep that in mind): 1. A little more depth - ie back-to-back instrument separation with a great soundstage.2. Very dynamic bass.3. The mids and highs are clearer - with an improved ability to distinguish instruments much better (especially in large orchestral scenarios such as classical music, big band arrangements, etc.). But while the music had more depth, I found the highs sounded a bit drier overall. Of course, if you just want to use the DAC, that's easy. However, if you want to pair the Schitt Modi 3+ with an absolutely excellent budget pre/head amp, there are plenty of preamp options available. What makes this simple platform so appealing is its small size (and of course the sound). Now, bearing in mind that this $99 DAC (it's $119 on Revain, but that's because it comes with a $20 shipping fee built in) is definitely not going to sound like them much more expensive, higher quality Schitt products, but it really is like that. pretty good job on this one. True to my philosophy of evaluating a device by price and then measuring performance, the Schitt Modi 3+ easily achieves a personal 4 stars.