Schiit Jotunheim 2

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by PacoTaco, Dec 22, 2020.

  1. PacoTaco

    PacoTaco Friend

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    Sounds a lot more like an upgrade to the Asgard 3 than the Magnius++ then. Which is good, the Magnius sounds a lot like a THX amp.
     
  2. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    For sure. Funny thing, I'm not a fan of either one of those amps. The Magnius definitely sounds like a THX Clone to me, while the Asgard 3 is a little too bland for me. Auditory memory is always suspect, but I find the jot 2 to be more incisive in the detail department than the original, which to me sounded really good but felt like it was a little surface-level on the macro details. It doesn't feel like the 2 is glossing anyting over.
     
  3. Olor1n

    Olor1n Friend

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    Yeah, let’s not bother with impressions/reviews, or loaner programs. f**k that noise - a single “Post pics of shit you’ve bought blind (no discussion allowed)” thread is all this site needs.

    FYI, SBAF has members outside of the US and rarely are items “inexpensive” across all regions when you factor in exchange rate, shipping and import fees. Not to mention the added wait and hassle due to COVID.
     
  4. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

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    Half of most money pit hobbies is conjecturing about what you can add or change on your system. I own a Fuji GFX mirrorless camera and half the posts on the Facebook group are about all the various 3rd party lenses and accessories people have adapted for it and how that changes the look of the photos. People sometimes get irked by this and start yelling "Just shoot photos!!" but look, THIS is the hobby. Talking about the thing is part of the thing. It's like Jerry Seinfeld said when getting an award for advertising, "In between the time I see the commercial and I get the thing, I'm happy."
     
  5. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    collecting photography gear is an entirely different hobby from actually taking photographs. Most of the best photographers do not collect gear. They get something they can work well with and then make photographs with it. Usually just a couple Prime lenses.

    and sadly it’s actually the same with music. Most musicians don’t own audiophile gear. They’re focused on the content. And making music. I sometimes think I’m obsessed with this hobby because I didn’t peruse being a musician.
     
  6. ushanka

    ushanka Facebook Friend

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    Time spent obsession over lenses and time spent photography are inversely related in my life. I start to obsess over glass when I don't have time to go out and shoot.

    With audiophile gear it is somewhat reverse - I get more into it when I spend too much time at home and thus spend a lot of time listening to music. But, I definitely should spend more time searching for new music to listen to instead of reading about gear ...

    On the other hand I am not sure if these are exclusive? Playing music and listening to music (as a hobbyist) are very different activities for me. There are musicians that also obsess over gear and have everything perfect. Devin Townsend admits in one of his videos to having gold cables specifically because he thinks they might make the sound better. Obsession over tools of the trade is not rampant amongst pros in general though? Most know what a good tool is, but pursuing the absolute best is just not worth while financially, and keeping food on the table is requirement of surviving as a pro.

    As a software engineer I spend a lot less time thinking about the performance of the CPU than I did when my main use of a PC was videogaming.
     
  7. ushanka

    ushanka Facebook Friend

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    <\ offtopic>

    Does anyone else have one of these in hand to compare SE and Balanced out? Inquiring minds crave to know ...
     
  8. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

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    A lot of people have time to post and comment on a Facebook board by procrastinating a few minutes at work but no time to actually shoot images except maybe once or twice a year. As such, they live vicariously and carefully plan for when they do have time, controlling what variables they can through money. For some, the technology is of greater interest than art. As long as they don't declare themselves photographic geniuses, there's nothing wrong with that.

    My greater point is we should let people engage with their passions on whatever level that my be, and not get on their case about being more particular than legendary individuals who they have nothing in common with.

    Edit, side note: My desk used to be next to an audio engineer that worked with some big artists in the 90's and some were comically particular. One story was a musician that listened to different outputs on a patch bay and demanded he only use a specific one. The engineer later measured on a multimeter and found that patch point did differ in voltage!
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
  9. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    I spy with my little eye: PI2AES, yeah! Sorry, shameful plug!
     
  10. Hrodulf

    Hrodulf Prohibited from acting as an MOT until year 2050

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    I always found the OG Jotunheim to be a bit etched, but otherwise very capable. Interesting where they've went with the design.

    I know, right? When I was still with SW, Mark Needham's LCD-3's flew in for a measurement sesh and the cable on them was falling apart, isolation cracking and falling off. The solution? Get a replacement HD650 cable and re-terminate the 'heiser prongs to mini-XLR's.

    [​IMG]

    Pretty sure he's still mixing the new Fleetwood Mac stuff with them.
     
  11. androxylo

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    So, nobody yet tried Jot 2 as preamp? The assumption it's much worse than balanced Freya S still holds?
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Tomorrow.

    Could care less about audiophile gear with the bass or son's guitar. Just plug into whatever decent mixer or MOTU with whatever effects pedals I have around.

    There is expensive stuff in the pro world too: microphones, mic-pres, EQ, compressors, reverb, mixing consoles, etc. Musicians and audio engineers don't have time to f**k around with the sound of this power cable vs. that power cable or the intricacies of rim-drive turntables vs. belt-driven vs. direct drive. Audio engineers that work on the music are usually different than audio engineers who put the shit together - depends how big the place is.
     
    Last edited: Jan 4, 2021
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    PXL_20210106_151443921.jpg

    Thanks to @tommytakis for letting my borrow his balanced cables.

    I don't want to overblow things, but the Jot 2 from the balanced out is stupendously good, a good step above SE. Musical engagement, microdynamics goes up a notch. The note decays and the small subtle shifts in volume are so so sweet! The tonal balance also shifts a bit, a tad more honest and extended in the highs, and less murky or soft in the lows as with SE. I still think it could be a matter of synergy, but at least with the HD6XX, the balanced outputs are vastly better sounding, feeling like going up to another level of amp.

    Let me put it this way. I have the EC Studio 45 next to this, and from the SE outputs, the Jot 2 sounded good and all, but I would have felt extremely sad if the EC amp was suddenly stolen by the Master from Doctor Who. The Jot 2 from the balanced outputs, not so much. That is, I could actually live with it. That's always the question isn't it? I'm spoiled, but I could actually live with it - and feel sad as I send it out on the loaner program because I would love this next to my computer.

    In regards to the bass, the balanced output reminds me a bit of the difference between dual Aegir monoblocks and single Aegir stereo. Heft and slam are slightly increased, but the Jot 2 still isn't a slam and thunder type presentation per Mjolnir 2. However, the authority is still there in regards to planars, T50RP, which I expect to extend to the likes of the LCD2C or HE-5 (I really need to get a HFM 5-SE, if anything for planar reference and community loaner). The overall rounder or SET type presentation and textured bass remains intact. However, the level of control, tightness, and articulate are significantly improved. Typically these things tend work against each other, but somehow the Jot 2 pulls it off.

    I would be curious on measurements if the second harmonic was reduced a bit with the balanced output.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2021
  14. roshambo123

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    So where does Jot 2 Bal live relative to Rag 2? For HD800+SDR, I thought slam was still pretty good on Rag 2, but it lacked in musical engagement, even vs. Jotunheim 1 (which I honestly didn't have much time with). You're comparing Jot 2 Bal with SET tube amps, so I'm wondering if it's a more tubey presentation than Rag 2?
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's better than Rag 2. You are correct. Rag 2 has slam, richness, open stage, but lacks the "sucks you into the music" microdynamics, flow, decay, soapy suds over boobs feel of the Continuity based stuff like Lyr 3, Jot 2, or Aegir. This was established in blind test at the Schittr a while ago.

    I think Jot 2 (balanced) edges out Lyr 3, unless one really wanted a bit of tube bloom. Jot 2 lacks toob bloom but carries a lot of the magic of SET. The presentation is rounder like SET amps, so if one wanted fast with a bit of transient overshoot with that clean sound, best to go elsewhere. IMO, I think quite a bit is lost with this more square approach. Ultimately, it depends upon transducer, music, and preferences. The OG Jot 1 was more of an Ultralinear pentode sound, but also without the robustness and authority of Jot 2 which is needed for harder to drive planars. I don't know why Nexus works for planars because it's not an output stage, but it just does.

    The best $2400 amp for $400 was a pretty darn bold claim. I honestly don't know which amps Schiit had in mind. However I would say this is accurate, at least in respect to the balanced outputs. The other SS amps I think are better are the 3F (more limited with headphones) and MHA150 (more traditional presentation). To be fair, $500-$2000 has always been sort of a no-mans land in audio.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2021
  16. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    So, I got the Jot 2. I had to exchange it for another, as there was a "blown speaker" tizzy/buzz sound underlaying the music in the right channel (which freaked me the f**k out at first when I thought my VC had died). It turns out that sound could only be reproduced from the Jot 2, on any headphone or dac I used. None of my other dac/amps/headphones produced the sound, so back it went.

    Anyway... I'm definitely hearing the impact and slam others are describing, and it's intoxicating. What I'm not hearing that (some) others are reporting is a rather bright treble range. I'm using balanced out on high gain. I'm perfectly ok with this softer treble quantity, as having a really speedy, dynamic and impactful sound without suffering bleeding ears is great.

    My question is, which is the true voicing of the amp? Brighter top end, or not bright top end? Is it going to be a crapshoot as to which type of sound people get when they buy one? Is this just an abnormally large unit variation kind of situation?
     
  17. wrestler

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    I don't see any posts here report a bright treble range. Could you link which post you are referring to?
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I can see the highs being troublesome on high gain with delta sigma DACs and certain headphones. Other factors could be warm-up, break-in, or acclimating to the sound.

    There are too many variables. I would not say that the highs are muted. For sure not. Vali 2+ can be said to be just a nick brighter tham Jot 2. Heck, some people say the EC tube amps are bright! Definitely brighter than Asgard 3 (warm and soft) and Lyr 3 (laid-back) for sure.
     
  19. HotRatSalad

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    I don't hear JOT 2 as bright at all. The treble has good extension and presence without any of the usual SS bad things. Bifrost 2 HD650/600/Aeolus for me with LCD2 once in a while.
     
  20. wrestler

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    I have a SW51+ on order. SW51's of course work with a limited set of high impedance headphones.

    To complement the SW51, I am looking for an amp that would work with most types of headphones in the $500 price range. I wonder if there are other amps besides Jot 2 to consider here. Treble nasties or glare is a big no-no for my sound preference. (DAC is Modi MB, eventually BF2 based on reading)
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2021

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