Magni 3+ and Magni 3 Heresy released

Magni 3+ measurements:

Will reiterate what I said in another thread. The design using discrete parts has less rejection of the AC mains noise compared to the chips in the Heresy. Note that the level here are a bit lower than those on Schiit's site. 0.55Vrms ino 300-ohms is very very loud in an HD650. I wanted to use a level slightly past the upper end of peaks for normal listening. Gain at output is -1.23db, a little bit less than unity on the 1X gain setting.

D2 and D3 into 300-ohms are impressively low and actually comparable to the Heresy version, which is amazing because this is a discrete design. There is more D4 compared to Heresy. Distortion into 32-ohms is a bit higher.

-3dbU (or 0.55Vrms) at output into 300-ohms.


-3dbU into 30-ohms

 

THDN vs dbU (input)
To arrive at output dbU, subtract -1.23db.
GREEN is 32-ohm load; RED is 300-ohm load.

 

High-gain is +14.78 or 5.5X

5.5X gain, -3dbU or 0.55Vrms at output into 300-ohms


5.5X gain, -3dbU or 0.55Vrms at output into 32-ohms


THDN vs dbU (input)
To arrive at output dbU, add 14.78db
GREEN is 32-ohm load; RED is 300-ohm load.

 

$1000 Discrete Design Challenge - Beat Magni 3+

Going to put this out there. The reason goes to this: I am sick and tired of Amir passing judgement on shit that he has no fricking idea on. He thinks mad amplifier engineering skills means putting lego blocks of opamps and other monolithic pieces together and has zero idea on how much more difficult it is to implement well measuring and good sounding discrete designs together. Refer here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...schiit-magni-3-heresy.8576/page-7#post-280339

Because of this, I will personally issue a challenge and gift $1000 the first person (or company) who within the next 12 months (I may extend this) can put together a "new" amp design with the following requirements:

1. Beat the the Magni 3+ measurements by at least 1db (1kHz into 32-ohm and 300-ohm loads) using a discrete design across the ranges in the above measurements. Opamps will be allowed for DC servos, control logic. Discrete parts must be required everything else in the "signal chain". Regulator chips will be permissible.
2. Sound better or equivalent (different but not necessarily better) than Magni 3+ in a level-blind matched test to select SBAF'ers. I am thinking folks like @CEE TEE, @Bill-P, @ChaChaRealSmooth who don't have anything to gain, are more free from bias, and less apt to post photos of poop to describe gear. Two of three persons will be sufficient to pass "better or equivalent".
3. Bill of materials below $450 for individuals, $150 for companies. BoM must be provided. Companies will be allowed to cite volume pricing for parts.
4. Intent or participation must be signaled here.

Let's see if Topping, JDS, Monolith, SMSL, etc. even try.

 

Yes - they get a Golden Schlong and even more exposure (outside of just ASR). You want to know why? They can't. I don't think we've seen a single discrete design every come from these companies. Discrete design is harder.

Benchmark can do it, but not at the BoM constraints.

Given the choice of Magni 3 for $39 or Magni 3+ for $99, I'd opt for the latter. It's like what @zerodeefex said, the 3+ craps all over the 3. While I do not feel the 3+ is a giant killer, it is the first cheap amp that I feel can give me a good feel for how well a headphone can scale. For example, the Fulla 2, which I used for travel, is OK for headphones like the ZMF Verite (despite tonal balance that may not please everyone, I think most people will agree that they scale like mad to $7+ amps), but I'm always finding something a little bit missing. The Magni 3+ tilts that feeling of "missing something" over to the point where I'm getting a connection, the emotional involvement, to the music. Does this compete in terms of resolution, heft, or staging of the BW, ECP 3F, Donald's new amp? Certainly not. But I don't feel like I'm compromising like with Fulla or Hel. I'm thinking a blind test against the likes of the V281 or Phonitor might be warranted. Heck, at the risk of cannibalizing Schiit sales, I might prefer the 3+ to the Jotunheim, especially in regards to the emotional involvement aspect.

 

Magni 3 = OG Magni 3
Magni 3+ Magni 3+
Magni 3 Heresy = Magni 3 Heresy

From a subjective point of view, Heresy sucks balls compared to the others. Heck, it's even worse than the Magni 2U.