Schiit Jotunheim impressions

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

  1. JoshMorr

    JoshMorr Friend

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    I highly doubt cables, usb to Gungnir Multibit or 600 vs 650 (which its pretty good with) would significantly change the sound as Divad describes. I heard many of the things that were described above, and maybe some influence can be paid to the previous three comments, but I think months after its release, that maybe Jot is a budget balanced amp with space for modules for complete desktop solutions, and not necessarily the Ragnarok in a small package that it was first made out to be.
     
  2. porkfriedpork

    porkfriedpork Friend

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    I owned both the Jot and Valh2 for a long time and found the Valh2 (with 6CG8's) to have more plankton and better timbre, whereas the Jot had more slam and was more fun with HD650. HD600 and HD650 are so similar I doubt that they would have different amp requirements. The Jot steamrolls its way through many songs, with a weird flat soundstage which doesn't sound great coming from the Valh2. To me its a side grade with the Senns. Did you try connecting unbalanced with the same rca as the valh2?
     
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Less that than having to use a laid back sounding source. With Jot, I actually preferred Modi Multibit to Gungnir Multibit. And this was with coax from my Theta CDP. Gungnir Multibit was too bright and aggressive. And even then, I used modded HD650s instead of HD600. And kept the Jot and Modi Multibit on at all times, never turning them off. And I still feel that Valhalla 2 serves the Senns better on an overall basis.

    The tonal balance of the Vali 2 and Jotunheim are opposite. I did make a Schiit Headamps compendium which listed the tonal balance of each of the Schiit Amps and compared their traits. It's somewhere on this site.

    I believe from the beginning and through 70 pages of posts, all this stuff was discussed. It's generally best to read the fine print, the nuanced discussions on synergies, rather than key in on words "awesome" and "good". The Jot is a bit of a specialist. Buying Jot, or any other component on the account that is "good" will not necessarily yield good results.
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2017
  4. landroni

    landroni Friend

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  5. Divad al-Rahsir

    Divad al-Rahsir Facebook Friend

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    To clarify, I was comparing the Jot with the Valhalla 2, not the Vali 2.

    I appreciate the input. Like I said, there are a few other things that I want to play around with before I make a final decision.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    When I visited the Schittr (http://superbestaudiofriends.org/in...o-schiits-new-retail-store.4261/#post-136211/), I had a chance to try go through all of the tables and try out all their amps (except the Rag). With the Sennheisers, my favorite was the Valhalla 2. Other strong contenders were the Mjolnir 2 and Jotunheim, but for the Senns, Valhalla 2 I liked best. Other people may have and do have different preferences.
     
  7. FallingObjects

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    Hum. Interesting how the Vali 2 and the Jot can be so opposite, and yet both come as highly recommended pairings with the Elears. Just goes to show how weird this hobby can get, I guess.
     
  8. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    Haven't heard all Schiit amps at once, but none of the Schiit amps was tolerable to my ears with HD800, even modded. As for modded HD650, I preferred Jotunheim to my friend's Valhalla 2 (which he uses with HD600). I would take Val 2 for HD600, though.

    The best amp/headphone setup I've ever heard was Studio/HD650M. As I stated before, Studio is an uber Jotunheim--or conversely, Jotunheim is Studio Lite (not Studio Jr!). Both has similar tonality, sound sig and characteristics, with the Studio being technically superior across the board. Because of this, I am fond of Jot/HD650 combo too and presonally enjoyed it just as much as ZDS/HD650.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2017
  9. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    While I can see why these have been compared (clarity), I feel it's still giving too much cred to Jot.
    Jot is great and all, but it's so far behind anything EC SET, it's like comparing kids ATV (good brand, maybe Suzuki :D) to a competition grade WRC car.
    On budget or in space constraints I have to say I'd take Jot before Laconic NBM for everything but jazz, and this has been said to be 'better performing Valhalla 2' for HD650M.
     
  10. zeissiez

    zeissiez Turn that Schiit down - acquaintance

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    I haven't heard an EC Studio. But my EC BA is miles ahead of my Jot in clarity, openness, soundstage size, transparency, details with a pair of HD800. Yes the BA is much more expensive, but it's wrong to think that the Jot is close to EC's top amps.
     
  11. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    Don't get me wrong, I never said Jotunheim performs close to that of the EC's top amps. I've owned Jot, ZDS, Studio and compared them at the same time with various headphones (https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/songmics-dac-amp-headphone-shootout.2817/) and know well that Jot is not up there with ZDS or Studio in terms of technicalities.

    For me though, what is more important than sheer technicalities (e.g. clarity, soundstage, transparency, detail, and so on) is tonal balance. I got to listen to HD800 and Utopia on Studio and they were the most technically superior setup I've ever heard. Guess what? I prefer both headphones on the ZDS, despite its "relative" veil (OTL veil if you will) and lack of soundstage. I couldn't stand Studio/HD800 for more than 30 minutes, likewise with Jot/HD800. Neither Jot nor Studio did much favor to Utopia either.

    I know a lot of people enjoy ZDS/HD650 combo. I too enjoyed it and it definitely presents a deeper soundstage than Jot/HD650. However, in my opinion, I prefer the Jot/HD650's overall tonal balance to that of ZDS/HD650. Given these trade-offs, while the ZDS is still technically a notch above Jotunheim, I am equally happy with both as they bring something different to the table in their own way.

    Now, I haven't heard the ECBA. But I'm sure ECBA is way ahead of Jot in those technical specs @zeissiez mentioned. And if I'm listening to HD800, I would definitely pick ECBA over Jot. But for HD650? I'm not sure. Marv did say, back when he owned the ECBA, that he built an optimal system around HD800 which included the ECBA, but also mentioned that ECBA was too warm and bloomy for HD650.
     
  12. Scott Kramer

    Scott Kramer Friend

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    IMG_1013.JPG

    Remember to run it in high-gain... to me the only option, it's character changes for the better-- a bit more slam/effortlessness (thuwwwak like a wet towel, when needed) and contrast. Regardless of volume. Almost like low-gain is "night-mode" on receivers or turning the "midrange" knob up on classic marantz... less dynamics.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2017
  13. FallingObjects

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    Are those the new Monoprice planars I spy? How do they sound out of the Jot?
     
  14. Divad al-Rahsir

    Divad al-Rahsir Facebook Friend

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    I discovered that (admittedly accidently) early on, but it wasn't enough in the end.

    In related news, I shifted back to the Crack (sans Speedball, which I need to install one of these days) and things are sounding more...normal? A bit of blurring and smearing, but only a bit, with more detail overall, a livelier presentation, and on the whole just better in a general sort of way. (When thinking about how to describe what the B-52's sound like on the Crack vs. the Jot, the only thing that came to mind was, "The Snozzberries taste like Snozzberries!")

    I'll f**k around with it a bit more, but it may simply be a case of an experiment reminding me of why I prefer what I prefer.
     
  15. TheIceman93

    TheIceman93 El pato-zorro

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    A non speedball Crack being more detailed than the Jot? Interesting to say the least.
     
  16. SnowPuppy

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    Interesting that you say this. I asked Schiit audio which of their amps was the best pairing with the new HD800S. Nick from Schiit Audio replied saying that "honestly" he thought the Valhalla 2 is the best paring with the HD800S. I was shocked to hear this considering I told him in the same email that even the Ragnarok was in my budget. I probed him a little more and no question he recommends the Valhalla 2 with my HD800S more than any other Schiit amp. I was kind of getting exited about getting an MJ2 and a Gungnir Multibit (budget is about $2k). However I will probably get the Valhalla 2 first and see if that really is the upgrade I am looking for. I did notice that the Valhalla 2 has more than twice as much power as my current Asgard 2 has into 300ohms. I do listen to lots of acoustic strings as well. Classical and progressive rock are my main genres.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It all depends what you are after. The Mojo 2 has more warmth and a ton of slam. The Jot has clarity and control. Valhalla 2 is many ways behind the others with a slight veil, doesn't slam as hard, but it also the most open and involving sounding.
     
  18. FallingObjects

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    I was thinking of doing the Jot with the Vali 2 as a preamp, fed into Elears. But between that description, and the comparisons on the Schiit amp thread, I almost wonder if the Mjol is a good pairing with the Elears now. Could make it less warm with a change in tubes.
     
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Sagaheim for Elear.
     
  20. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    The special synergy build it is, then!
     

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