Thank you for the idea about the Sys, I had seen it but really didn’t consider it. In the FAQ, they even talk about using it for my purpose with the volume all the way up. They also have the like to the older version of the Monoprice Y-Splitter that Alex referenced too. Now I just need to figure out the nicest looking solution like you said. 
By the way, the Mapletree Audio stuff is very nice looking, love the mix of wood and metal.
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I’ve had good experience with the SYS.
I also have these XLR to RCA cables. I’ve done A/B comparisons from Bifrost 2 to my LTA MZ2 tube amp that has multiple inputs. The BF2 XLR output is slightly louder than its RCA output; I observed equivalent sonic fidelity. Notwithstanding, my default usage is BF2 RCA out (purist 
).
There’s also this, but probably doesn’t make sense where it exceeds the cost of the DAC/amps on a standalone basis: https://ampsandsound.com/products/xlr-to-rca-converters.
I don’t see anything in that box that merits $550. There used to be a newspaper cartoon called X-Rays that looked into things. Like 2 gas pumps, regular and premium. And in dotted line X-Ray, pipes below them to a single tank. Would like an X-Ray of those aluminum cannisters in the converter. Could just be wires like the box is under the hood. I’m so trusting. . .
That’s funny. I’m skeptical also and should have issued a disclaimer.
Out of curiosity I purchased a Modius a couple of weeks ago and I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised.
It’s fairly neutral, with just a bit of warmth. The soundstage is decent in width, but lacks depth (forward soundstage), with the staging coming across as accurate. There’s a very good amount of detail without coming off as harshness. Compared to the major Delta Sigma chip manufacturers I believe AKM falls in between Burr-Brown (Texas Instruments) being the warmest, and ESS Sabre being the brightest (implementation really being the biggest factor, imo). It’s a middle ground that some will appreciate and others will not.
What surprised me the most was how well it represents transients. It does so in a very natural way and I think this is due to the custom filter Schiit has implemented (based on information I’ve found on SBAF). They apparently are very good at coding filters.
What spurred the curiosity that led to the purchase was the Topping D90 that I had on loan. The D90 is loaded with features and overall has decent sound, but I was a bit underwhelmed given its $699 price. To my ears the Modius sounds better, even though Schiit went with the lower series 4493 chipset (D90 uses the AKM 4499). Again, I think this is due to the proprietary filter that Schiit uses.
Both DACs were used via AES connected to a Matrix Audio X-SPDIF 2 (Mogami Gold AES/EBU 110 ohm cable) fed by a 2011 Mac mini. I felt this combination provided the best sound in my system, though the Unison usb fell just short of AES (it’s very good, even in micro usb form). I’m also using an ifi iPower X power supply since I went with AES which may or may not affect sound quality.
The primary amp I used was my trusty Rupert Neve Designs RNHP, both via balance and rca with balanced providing the best results on both units. I also used a custom Inverting O2, DIY Noir, and the Soundaware P1.
I wanted to try I2S from the D90, but unfortunately there’s no standard for I2S and Topping uses a different pin out than Matrix Audio.
Overall if someone is looking for a relatively neutral and balanced DAC, I can confidently recommend the Modius. The Unison USB is excellent, and the fact that Schiit provided AES is a bonus (their next DAC that has AES is the $2449 Yggdrasil - $1599 in GS form). To my ears it bested the Topping D90, and some even say that it sounds better than the very popular RME-adi2. I haven’t heard the RME but my experience with the Modius leaves me thinking that’s plausible. If you’re looking for a balanced DS DAC it’s worth trying out, especially for the $199 price.
Did you end up trying a bifrost or another R2R DAC? How did the two compare?