Schiit Jotunheim 2

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

  1. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    How is that Ares serving you, and how is synergy with J2?
     
  2. Lycos

    Lycos Acquaintance

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    They both work very well esp with HD800s - but not perfect. The most outstanding things is the soundstage. Both have large soundstage, 3D and lively.

    The caveat is, in some fast songs, I feel that Ares seems to be over-smooth and does not match with Jot 2 punchiness.

    This combo for some reason does not work well with U12t. It's just too syrupy for my like.
     
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2021
  3. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    Which one is more easy to live with:

    Chord Qutest (neutral, refined, but also lively/not really a warm a source) + HD800S (not modded) + Asgard 3 or Jot 2?

    I've been reading the Asgard 3 is fairly warm, might not have the technicalities and dynamics of the Jot 2 but it might be less fatiguing over longer listening periods? Or are they cut from the same cloth, perhaps the Jot 2 retains the Asgard 3 warmth but improves further on the other elements.
     
  4. Kernel Kurtz

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    Jot 2 arrived this morning. Just starting to do some listening after letting it warm up for a while and honestly, already it is pretty much exactly what I expected, and that is a good thing. I don't think the overall character of the amp has changed much, the familial resemblance to Jot 1 is still there and I was pretty happy with that to begin with. Jot 2 just does a lot of the little things a little bit better. The bass is a bit tighter, the technicalities a bit more nuanced, the voices a bit more natural. Taken all together though the improvement is significant and made the effort worthwhile. For sure it is now also showing off more out of the BF2 which is pretty impressive in it's own right.

    Unlike many here I can't give you comparisons with lots of different cans or against a bunch of other competitors, but I can say I'm glad Jason and Mike keep putting out gear that is so enjoyable and accessible.
     
  5. creuzabar

    creuzabar New

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    Hello guys. I bought a jotunheim 2 and I'm waiting for it to be delivered, I ordered with the delta sigma dac. Please excuse me for the question... but I read a review of the site forum hifi guides: https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/schiit-jotunheim-2/19191/27
    In which the appraiser said that jotunheim 2 is a marginal sonic upgrade from Schiit's own Asgard 3, and it isn't the immediately noticeable upgrade from the A3 that the Monolith Liquid Platinum and Lake People G111 are.
    So according to this guy the jotunheim 2 is worse than the amplifiers he quoted: Monolith Liquid Platinum and Lake People G111.
    I would love to know your opinion on this, whether you agree or not. I thank you for your sincere and valuable options!
     
  6. creuzabar

    creuzabar New

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    I also have another curiosity, sorry for my ignorance. Do you think a yggdrasil (either 1, or GS or 2) would be underutilized in a jotunheim 2 amplifying only one HD6XX sennheiser by the balanced output?
    Do you think the SENNHEISER HD6XX could show all the technical details and qualities of yggdrasil, at least in the medium and high frequencies?
    Can jotunheim 2 enjoy all the sound quality and fullness of yggdrasil? Or are both the HD6XX and jotunheim 2 not good enough transducers for yggdrasil?
    Someone who has a yggdrasil and HD6XX could take that question away from me. I thank you for your attention and help!
     
  7. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    From that review you linked: "For $400 you get a studio-neutral headphone amplifier to work on your mixes, and a second more ‘what does it sound like on someone’s desk?’ kind of amplifier to check your work."

    I didn't find Jot to be studio neutral at all.

    As for your questions, I had the Yggdrasil > Freya S > Jot 2 > HD650 / Verite C / Empyrean / etc. setup for a while. It's good. I don't know what else to say. I preferred the Verite C in that chain more.

    Would I take Jot2 over Liquid Plat, G111, or Asgard 3? If we are strictly talking about pairing with HD650, then... yeah, I suppose so. Might be a toss up between Asgard 3 and Jot 2, depending on my mood. G111 I don't know about, so no comment. LP is good, but there is too much about it that drives me nuts, I don't want to suggest it.

    Honestly, I'd ditch them all and take the Bottlehead Crack + Speedball with better than average tubes for that price bracket. That's just me though.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2021
  8. EagleWings

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    Hey man, you need to address the root cause first, which is the DAC. I used to be running my chain with a Hugo2, and even with the BW2 for amp duties, the HD800 was not quite enjoyable. Shoot for a DAC that is full bodied and smooth like a Gungnir MB A1 and, it will greatly improve the tonal synergy for the HD800.
     
  9. limesoft

    limesoft Friend

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    Yeah the Hugo 2 is actually more strident, the Qutest is actually OK, I would say it's neutral-refined leaning towards slight warmth.. but I get ya, warm source will help, although I'm not sure if I can stomach buying another one
     
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Jot 2 is just so much better than Asgard 3 with respect to impact, slam, articulation. Unless you really want an always smooth and relaxed presentation, I'd go Jot 2.

    Yes, Qutest should be OK with Jot 2. Jot 2 is neutral in the highs, not rolled, but isn't one of those annoying SS amps that imparts SS nasties. I think ideally, an R2R type DAC would be better with respect to HD800S and Jot 2, but Qutest, which is more along the vein of Mojo, should work well. I'm pretty sure of this now after reading more of your posts and calibrating where you are coming from. FWIW, I dislike the Hugo / Hugo 2, even on a DNA amp.
     
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    TBH, I don't think the Monolith LP is competitive in any aspect other than slightly wider soundstage. The Cavalli Liquid Cobalt / Crimson of which the LP was based on is another matter altogether - but something didn't quite translate right with the Monolith.

    One point of contention with the article that you linked is "detail". I would disagree on the detail assessment, but this could be a matter of different understanding or sources used. Note the reviewer in the link did not mention source. Jot 2 isn't one of those amps that throws detail into your face. This is why I compared it to SET. It's more nuanced, more microdynamics, more micro detail, as opposed to a high contrast "squarer" presentation. Think 4k cinema from an IPS panel (Sony, LG) vs 1080p from a VA panel (vivid mode). The experience here on SBAF tends more towards the former, although the latter if done well is also appreciated.

    Actually speaking with Jason @schiit, he mentioned that the version of "Continuity" in the Jot 2 is tweaked so the output devices have characteristic curves like tubes. Go figure.

    The Jot 2 scales like mad with better DACs. Jot 2 is underutilized with anything less than the top flight DAC. I would go Yggydrasil GS, Gungnir MB A2, Soekis DAC2541 with the Jot 2 and especially HD6XX. I dislike the Jot 2 with warm DACs - this is a personal preference thing. You can ask around or read other posts because I think others have been able to make Jot 2 work with warmer DACs and leaner headphones. It's synergy in the end.

    The built-in DS DAC is a good start, but again, totally under-utilizes the Jot 2's capabilities.

    FWIW, I mostly use HD650 these days.
     
  12. limesoft

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    Makes sense - I've just seen a new review on youtube also reconfirming what you said. I think after sleeping on it for few nights I'm convinced.. I was thinking of also getting the Loki eq to help with the HD800S but the bands are too broad.

    Now I will loose sleep over what colour and module to get !

    * Ideally there would be a basic RCA module to add another set of normal inputs, but Schiit don't seem to have this option.. I was under the impression such a thing existed before

    * I wouldn't mind trying the r2r dac module but many seem underwhelmed and I think the quality delta between my element/qutest and it might be too large even if it's warmer. (I can wait until they release a better one in the future)

    * Another option would be the phono card as I can find use for it too. I understand it's rather good for the price? Any experiences
     
  13. Biodegraded

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    Maybe check that with @schiit . ISTR mention of this too (but of course I can't find it anywhere here), and have a feeling that although they don't advertise it, it's available if you ask.
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    1. A module for an extra RCA input is a great idea and could theoretically be done with ease. @schiit
    2. The R2R module has undergone tweaks, but I have not have a chance to hear it yet. I didn't like it much with the Jot 1 (not resolving enough) and with the Jot 2, assuming the same warmish / dark tone, not sure if it would be too much of a good thing. I'm hopeful Schiit will redo this part - assuming it's based on Modi MB tech - it's a bit dated now.
    3. The phono option is fantastic, significantly better than Mani. The reason is that it's optimized for MM and has had the benefits of lessons learned, being designed later.
     
  15. Alondite

    Alondite Acquaintance

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    Would a Bifrost 2 be sufficient? I'm looking for a SS amp that I can use long-term without feeling like I'm leaving a lot on the table, and until I've set aside enough for a Starlett. Plus I'd just like to have a good SS amp handy for general use and flexibility, and I don't see myself moving on from my Bifrost anytime in the near future.
     
  16. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's bassier and warmer than I would personally like with the Jot 2, but I think you can get away with if running balanced outputs (less warm) and headphones which are not dark or have a bass hump. More neutral headphones like Verum, HFM, HD600, modded T50RP (Paradox), would be great with this combo. And brighter lean stuff like AD2000, Elex, etc.
     
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  18. Alondite

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    I'm not that picky when it comes to FR as long as there's nothing egregiously wrong so I don't think it would much of an issue save for maybe with the HD6XX, but I'd be running it balanced with Clears most of the time; Valhalla is good with the HD6XX so I'll probably stick with that particular pairing and use the Jot primarily with the Clears.

    Thanks. I think I'll invest in the Jot sometime soon. Worst case I shouldn't have too much issue reselling it if I don't care for it, but I don't expect that to be the case.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2021
  19. roshambo123

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    I'm using Gungnir Multibit A1 which I've read here is close to Bifrost 2 in warm tone and sonic performance. Jot 2 combo feels too warm / thicc for me and I'm looking to switch to a more neutral DAC.
     
  20. aamefford

    aamefford Nothing like chamberpot coffee

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    I’ll take the converse opinion. I run the jot2, BF2 and HD800S. I find the combo works well for me, and warms up the HD800S a bit for me. I also use MoOde with crossfeed, which makes the staging a bit more realistic to my ears, and I think rolls the highs just a tiny bit. This all seems to fit together well for me. Note that this rig follows an OG Gungnir Multibit and Cavalli Liquid Crimson. The schiit gear holds up well to the previous rig, I enjoy listening to it. It also freed up enough money for a flash and a couple of lenses....
     
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