Schiit Jotunheim impressions

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

  1. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Well if you're trying to listen to the hd800's at work.. then :p. I tried with my hd650s and couldn't do it. They don't leak out nearly as much sound as the hd800 but still leaked out enough that I didn't want to play them at my preferred levels.
     
  2. defiant00

    defiant00 New

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    Nope, not bad at all. I guess I just thought BA IEMs were even more sensitive than they actually are, which is why I was curious.
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Have not heard this combination, but if you like the Elear, my Force powers tell me that this combination will be fantastic. Here is my reasoning:
    1. Elear loves near zero Z output. Unlike the Utopia, the Elear is bassier and has more bass distortion. Lower Z out and power will help control that bass to lessen the wall-o-warmth effect. I did not enjoy the Elear from the WA5 or Vali 2; but performance from the Magni 2U was pretty decent.
    2. The Jotunheim isn't laid back. In fact, it can sound a bit forward. Elear is laid back. Good synergy here.
    3. Elear's transient response characteristics will be able to take advantage of Jotunheim's speed.
     
  4. defiant00

    defiant00 New

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    At my normal level you'd have to be within a couple feet to hear them.

    If I'm jamming then yeah, others might be able to hear something faintly.

    Anyways, that answers my question, so thanks everyone. While it would be nice to have one with an effectively perfect pot, it works for my cans (I don't do IEMs), so my curiosity is satisfied.
     
  5. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    Single ended output is really close to balanced, in terms of power. I was pleasantly surprised to find that out myself...

    A quote from "you know who" on "you know where":

    By the way, here's the gain breakdown (based on input-output configurations):



    • SE in, SE out, low gain 2
    • SE in, SE out, high gain 4.7
    • SE in, balanced out, low gain 2.1
    • SE in, balanced out, high gain 7.4
    • balanced in, SE out, low gain 1.1
    • balanced in, SE out, high gain 3.75
    • balanced in, balanced out, low gain 2.2
    • balanced in, balanced out, high gain 7.5


    Again, both the DAC module and phono module are fully balanced, so either would constituted balanced-in.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
  6. TRex

    TRex Almost "Made"

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    We should make a poll: HD800 + Valhalla 2 vs HD6X0 + Jotun. Must be interesting.
     
  7. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Having owned the first combination for a while, I'd take the second combination even without having heard the Jotun.
     
  8. Ice-man

    Ice-man Friend

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    Jot plus 650 is tremendously good. The performance/value is off the chart, completely. $300/hd650 and $400/Jot or add $100 for the DAC. The thing to be careful with is how well the Jot will scale with source. I've got the Gungnir Multibit in front of it and it's....tasty good.
     
  9. Azteca

    Azteca Friend

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    I have HD600 and a Geek Pulse Xfi. Strongly considering trying Jot when money allows. Balanced bb
     
  10. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    Hi, has anyone seriously listened to the Dac board, or tried to get the most out of it (re: USB, whatever that takes ;) )? (My jot is just the amp).

    I was checking out the design, full balanced, power from the main rails.

    *** But after reading Jason's chapter on it, this is interesting: It's output stage is actually the amp's input stage! So 2 stages, straight out balanced to your ears.

    Hmmmm, wonder if it's stifled by the USB, it's a damn computer (SOC & flash) taking up half the board!

    Seems like it could be killer!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
  11. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    This is the opposite of a thing to be careful with, this is a thing to obsess over and submit to. Jotun is very revealing of source, which is awesome. If one is building in the proper order of transducer, amp, source, and if one likes their transducer and the Jotun, one can begin to legitimately look into which source is best.
     
  12. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    Agreed, the HD650 plus Jot actually lets me hear both my DACs (and their tiny differences) much better than I expected. Throw a Modi Multibit onto it, and you have a bit of a budget treat, too, it must be said.
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
  13. TRex

    TRex Almost "Made"

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    From what I observe here & other threads, many folks prefer HD6X0 over HD800 because of tonal balance (da face tweeter!). Personally, I think HD800 soundstage quality is often overlooked/underrated prioritized below FR balance. Sure, it has upper mid dip & treble guns, but the stage size & planktons retrieval leave HD6X0 in the dust.

    EDIT: overlooked/underrated isn't the exact meaning. pardon my English. :(
     
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2016
  14. Ice-man

    Ice-man Friend

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    I'm not sure anyone here has ever overlooked the sound stage of the hd800. :p
     
  15. SSL

    SSL Friend

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    I have a feeling that most people prefer a precise if smaller soundstage to aural destruction. Just a guess though.
     
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's less" overlooking or less prioritizing soundstage", but more "can't stand needles in my ear". Also, I would not say HD800 plankton retrieval leaves HD6X0 in the dust, especially after mods (and EQ to bring up last octave of HD6X0).

    I do think it's rather nice that a relatively cheap amp works so well with the HD650, which has usually required much more expensive amps to get them to scale to what they are capable of.
     
  17. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    will have more to say about the Jot internal DAC vs. Gungnir Multibit BAL inputs in the coming days / weeks hopefully as these are at work, so focused listening time is not consistent.
    BUT in some time during lunch hour, the internal DAC is no slouch. believe it slots right in between where you'd expect:
    multibit modi > Jotu internal dual 4490 > modi2uber 4490

    in listens last week, thought the soundstage of Jotu DAC was a bit cramped, very much like modi2uber IIRC. (only listened to that for a short time on loan)
    but today seemed more on par (width and height) with Gungnir Multibit physical presentation. Gungnir Multibit still with better depth.
    the multibit modi on loan a couple weeks back has the more natural tone and sound, yet at the time the multibit modi certainly did have a more compressed soundstage presentation than Gungnir Multibit. (both were fed into Vali2 single ended at the time.)

    desk space and dollars considered, without having a dedicated computer for listening to audio at work- the Jotunheim is clearly a treat unless you want a more laid back sound instead of Jotunheim forwardness, most of which is due to the amp section.
     
  18. k4rstar

    k4rstar Britney fan club president

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    Very helpful, thanks. Do you have any thoughts about whether or not the Jot's internal DAC exhibits the typical 4490 flaws found in the Modi2U? e.g. slight bass bloom

    It creeps up on you in longer listening sessions and once I hear it I get bothered to no end.
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    OK. So WTH is wrong with you guys? Why does everybody here love Schiit stuff? Are you guys a bunch of Schiit shills? Seriously, are you guys letting Ravi and Marv obi-wan you into thinking all Schiit stuff is awesome? Can't you lemmings think for yourselves?
     
  20. cizx

    cizx Friend

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    No.
     

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