Schiit Jotunheim impressions

This one on top of a regular socket saver:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/191186405190
It is kind of a fragile setup, I accidentally hit it with my hands a few times and it almost broke. Also it looks obscene. I wouldn't recommend it for daily use.

 

I've been toying with doing this in the Valhalla 2 but I can't quite bring myself to do it. It's like I have a Head-fi homunculus on one shoulder whispering blandishments in my ear and a SBAF homunculus on the other telling me to stop being a dick.

 

I'll dig deep into my local sources for a cheap RCA red base 5692 or whatever those good tubes are called.
Frickin' FrankenVali for the win.

 

Okay, maybe I was a little too enthusiastic in my last post. I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea. No tubes will magically transform the Vali 2 to an other amp. The tonality might be very similar but it won't give you the black background, superior clarity, bass slam, power, balanced in and output of the Jotunheim.
But in in the other hand it shows how versatile the Vali 2 is.
I wouldn't recommend to pick up an expensive tube like that just for the Vali 2. You might not even like what you hear. I will stick with my Amperex 6DJ8 for now.

 

Expensive is relative and I can promise you I won't pay big dollars. Patience is a virtue.....and sneaky tube sources
I'll publish a tube update for Vali2 in the Vali2 thread later this week. I believe a lot of the adjectives you mention can indeed be obtained with Vali2.

 

@Changeling has magical powers, mark my words he will be back next week with a red base 5692 plus a minty NOS WE300B he scored for $10 for the pair.

 

I actually just found some 6SN7's (the old bloke thought it was RCA or Brimar) but we will see when I get there later this week ...$20 seems like a reasonable price?

 

Yes, it's really shocking how listenable the Vali 2 can be. It lacks a bit of extension at each end, and in comparison to a "bigger" amp, sounds a little congested, but it's surprising how little you notice this unless you start A/Bing it. It just has a sweet and relaxing tone, and does little to piss you off.

A Vali 2/Modi Multibit fed by a clean source would be a surprisingly livable micro-rig, in a pinch (and looks cute as hell).

 

Um, this is the Jotunheim thread?

 

Clearly, everyone's subconscious graves Jot to have boobz .. err toobz.
No reason why Jot 2 can't have toobz, right?

 

Why not? Mjol spawned toobs, so can Jotoobeim 2.

 

...with 2 300B's on top I guess it can have both? Jotunboob 2.

(I'll see myself out...)

 

Not sure if Jot's Pivot Point topo is compatible with a tube stage, but I vote for budget single ended version without module. Could have boobs, I doubt mind them.

 

Follow up to the Jot internal header:

Schiit Jotunheim impressions

Here's what I mapped out*:



Extended GND's , L+, R+ out to the back for now. Kept it simple and nothing permanent, can remove this and back to stock:




Makes a nice hookup and extra input for pi Dacs, good utility for me!



*fairly certain this is correct, but did not test full balanced in (the R-, L-) -- also not sure what the 2 blanks are.

 

Earlier parts of this thread mentioned a 'lack of depth' in the Jotunheim and I thought I was beginning to understand what that meant when compared to say the Ember. The Ember sounds 'taller' but not quite as 'wide' as the Jot. In some ways this does depend on the music, some things sound more well rounded (I guess that's a given because of the many different qualities in mastering...). I've thought about maybe getting a Liquid Carbon. Wouldn't fix the poor masterings but maybe it has a tallness/depth more akin to the Ember but in SS form?

 

Liquid Carbon offers a smoother presentation and more accurate imaging/sound stage depth compared to Jot, but that's where it's advantages end. Jot is better in technicalities like low level details, and surprisingly also does better with 3D positioning in gaming if that matters to you. Not to mention it's cheaper, has balanced and single ended pre outs, and has less noise with sensitive IEMs.

 

^^^ Nailed it. But I do think certain headphone do better with the LC, and others do better with the Jot.

 

To provide a bit of an update on magical powers, I did find a new in box red base 5692....it didn't sound too good. Sylvania 7N7 is a better tube to my ears. And CHEAP! A bit of history is that this tube used to be mounted in car stereos. Rugged as hell but never got the attention it deserved.
As for the WE300B. No comment.

I'll move to the relevant thread now, sorry.

 

Well, up to here is what is relevant to me personally. I think I might just have to hear both side by side.

 

Get a Vali 2 and roll a warm tube, or stick with Ember. The differences between the Carbon and the Ember. with the right tube, is not much.

Or, get the Carbon and try it for yourself.