Schiit Modi Multibit vs. Maverick TubeMagic D2


I've had my Maverick TubeMagic D2 DAC for at least five years and have always found it's solid state output to be indistinguishable from my Pioneer Elite PD D6 J SACD player for standard redbook CDs.  There is a clear difference between its solid state and tube outputs.  I have always preferred the detail in the solid state output to the point of not even keeping the tube output hooked up.

I have had the Schiit Modi Multibit DAC for about a week and have been focused on just listening to it and have found it enjoyable.  Today, I connected both of the Maverick DAC outputs along with the Schiit to my Pathos Classic One MkIII so that I could switch from the Schiit up to the Maverick tube and down to the Maverick solid state.

The end result is that if there's any difference between the Schiit and the Maverick tube output it is well within the working range of placebo and mind games.  There is a clear difference between the Schiit and the Maverick solid state output that I would describe as the Schiit having rolled off highs.  I have not listened extensively, but have not heard any clear differences in the sound stage.

The monkey wrench in the situation is that I recently rolled the tubes in my Pathos and have not yet truly settled into its current sound, so everything sounds a little bit different to me. 

I'll have to make a decision soon on using the 15 day money back guarantee or not.

Maybe Schiit multibit is comparable to a delta-sigma DAC with a tube stage in how it sounds.
mceljo
The new Mullard tubes in my Pathos amplifier are a clear upgrade in sound quality, but because it's such a new upgrade it's more challenging to evaluate the Schiit DAC because my "muscle" memory is still in the past.

However, after a bit more listening I have decided to return the Schiit DAC.

My Maverick TubeMagic D2 DAC has parallel solid state and tube outputs.  I had previously determined that the solid state was the output that I preferred, so didn't even have the tube output connected.  In the process of evaluating the Schiit I hooked the tube output back up and discovered that it sounded identical to the Schiit DAC.  I think the Schiit DAC and tube output on the Maverick may be my preferred sound with the new Mullard tubes in the Pathos, but there's just not any reason to spend the money for something that seemingly is giving me the same sound.

I've done a little research and there's a discrete op-amp upgrade that is supposed to significantly improve both outputs on the Maverick DAC and that is my next planned move.

The Schiit DAC sounds good and appears to be a quality piece of hardware, so don't have anything negative to say about it.  It's doesn't make sense to spend money for the same sound.
The Sparkos Labs op amp upgrade had pretty stellar sonic results.  I'd highly recommend these op amps.

The combination of the tube rolling in my Pathos amplifier and the op amp upgrade in my DAC my system has improved more than I could have hoped for.  The change is obvious when listening to music that I have not listened to since before both of the upgrades.