Schiit Jotunheim impressions

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Bill-P, Aug 30, 2016.

  1. Polygonhell

    Polygonhell Acquaintance

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    Yes I’ve seen it referred to as compressed also, it’s not what I hear.
    Usually I’d associate compression with an overly analytic/artificial sound, and that’s not what I hear from my Jot.
     
  2. Jalsar

    Jalsar Facebook Friend

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    He claimed that the magni 3 was “compressed” too. I haven’t listened to my magni 3 in months but I don’t remember it remotely sounding like it effecting the dynamic range. I figured the Jot being squishing the dynamic range wasn’t a thing either.
     
  3. scapeinator1

    scapeinator1 Once You Go Black You'll Never Go Back

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    The Jot doesn't sound "compressed". I have a feeling that he only thinks that because he's constantly cycling through like 16 different amps and setups etc. Or it could just be BS. Maybe he didn't like it for some reason and then had to make something up to explain what he feels about it.

    Not to get to get too off topic here but to be frank most youtubers who make audio-related videos don't know what they are talking about. A bunch of them are just young guys who build a following of clueless sheep that hang on their every word. Then that inflates their sense of self-worth and their own sense of proportions to a level that is frankly absurd and they make up grandiose bullshit about how stuff sounds and what its value is etc. I will never understand why but this is only website where when people describe something it is actually somewhat similar to what I hear in real life. Maybe its because most of the people who post here aren't doing it for the sponsor kickbacks, youtube views, ego inflation, and extra cash through affiliate links. Who knows.
     
  4. redrich2000

    redrich2000 Facebook Friend

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    It was Josh Valour I heard, he is part of that trio with DMS and Zeos. I feel like all of them are swept along in the reddit/ASR lemming train to a greater or lesser degree. I mean they seem to have nothing qualifying them as reviewers apart from the fact they have a youtube channel. They're part of the new section of the hobby that are gaming/tech types primarily but who have become interested in audio. This explains the ASR phenomenon I think, these people are predisposed to measurables and because audio s secondary to them, they don't want to believe more expensive gear is better. There's obviously nothing wrong with that in itself. But ASR has whipped it into a hostile 'every other approach to the hobby is illegitimate and must be attacked' frenzy.

    I was tossing up between a Jot and a 789. Even though plenty of trusted folks really rate the 789, it's tainted in my mind by the crazy ASR 0.000000000000000000000000000 THD meme. So I went for the Jot.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2019
  5. Habano

    Habano Acquaintance

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    Hello, I am not sure if this should be here or in the General Advice section. Apologies if I am making a mistake.

    I am using the following chain:
    USBridge > USB > Bifrost 2 > XLR balanced > Jotunheim > SE ZMF Verite

    I cannot get any sound. Is it because the BF2 is connected to the balanced input and the Verite is connected to the SE output?
    Would switching the connection form BF2 to Jotunheim to SE RCA solve the problem?
    Thank you for your help.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    1. Can you test with another amp?
    2. Can you test with SE input?
    3. Do you have the input selector on the right position?
    4. Can you test with another source?
    Jot can deal with SE/BAL to SE/BAL seamlessly.
     
  7. Polygonhell

    Polygonhell Acquaintance

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    I don’t think that at all, Zeos is pretty much anti measurement, and liked the Jot minus the power switch on the back.
    DMS works for Abyss doing PR, so he’s hardly against high end audio.
    Both will suggest there is good cheap gear and I don’t always agree with their opinions, but I don’t think they should be associated with the ASR crowd.

    I’ve heard the compressed thing from a couple of people, one of whom does professional production, so they know what a compressor sounds like. I personally don’t hear it, and I would be really interested in what they are trying to describe about the sound.
     
  8. Habano

    Habano Acquaintance

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    1. no, I don't have another amp
    2. will do
    3. yes
    4. no, I don't have another source

    If Jot can deal with SE/BAL to BAL/SE, I might have a problem at the source.
    Thank you for helping me. I will test/try some more.
     
  9. redrich2000

    redrich2000 Facebook Friend

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    They're definitely not full ASR acolytes, but I think they are definitely influenced by it, even if only in as much as they know a big part of their audience definitely is. They all quote measurements and value "clean" in a way that I think has been influenced by ASR and its audience/reddit. I think they know their audience and their reviews un/consiously reflect that.

    I don't think any of those three are against high-end audio. I think there is a large newish section of the hobby that absolutely is by default. That's what ASR has tapped into with great success. That's been amplified I suspect because this new demographic has been a rich vein for the industry and so there's been a rush to produce gear for it. This has created a particular audio meme that influences beyond the ASR forum.
     
  10. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Ugh... You've seen the Jot vs. THX 789 measurements right?

    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...a-789-and-schiit-jotunheim-measurements.7115/

    Unbeknownst to people, the Jot is actually one of those 0.000x THD amps. Amir tested the Jot as an AIO with the Multibit DAC card, but neglected to test it just as an amp. I'm sure he knew how good the Jot measured as an amp, but purposely kept this knowledge hidden because he hates Schiit.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2019
  12. Habano

    Habano Acquaintance

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    Power On and Off?
     
  13. redrich2000

    redrich2000 Facebook Friend

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    Yes, absolutely. My slight prejudice against the 789 is not because it has a low THD measurement, it's that it's the darling hype-train amp of that crowd and I really don't like them.
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The amps actually sound different from each other too, despite very similar measurements.
     
  15. redrich2000

    redrich2000 Facebook Friend

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    Yeah, I read your comparison in the other thread. I found that very useful and surprisingly one of the very few actual detailed comparisons of the two. I decided a slightly warm amp is probably more flexible, which I wanted. I also prefer the Jot aesthetically.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2019
  16. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    No, power it off then on.

    If it's currently off, that's your problem. ;)
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2019
  17. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Thank you. always good when Powershell: "shutdown /r" isn't needed for an amp.
     
  18. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    Uh, the Powershell commandlet for restarting is: Restart-Computer -force


    Noob.
     
  19. Habano

    Habano Acquaintance

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    Oooops...:D
    Yes, that's what I meant, OFF then ON
    My bad
     
  20. Habano

    Habano Acquaintance

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    It turned out to be a source problem, or actually my problem: I forgot to designate "USB DAC" in the Audio output section of the USBridge.
    All is good now. The sound is superb. The combo Bifrost 2 + Jotunheim + Verite works really well for me.
    Thank you to everyone who tried to help me!
     

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