Schiit Asgard 3 Headphone Amp with Continuity Output Stage

How does the asgard 3 compare to Lyr 3? I’m looking for a 2nd setup and would rather go solid state.

 

Originally I was planning on getting the AAA 789 for my pc. But, I was just curious if the asgard 3 sounded similar to the Lyr 3. I really love the sound of my lyr 3 but don’t want to mess with tubes by my pc. Would really like to have virtually zero warm up time.
Currently I have a magni 3 and a modi 2 uber on my pc. But after getting a lyr 3; I find the magni 3 lacking.
Lyr 3 is keeping its duty as my dedicated turntable headphone amp.

 

Can't speak specifically to Asgard 3 but pertaining to the Pass Labs Class A power amp I had, it took half hour at the very least to fully warm up and stabilize.

Tubes don't take even 30 minutes, @atomicbob has proved it.

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...ube-warm-up-time-technical-measurements.3810/

 

From my experience tubes are 98 percent there from being turned on. Very little difference after warm up, at least not enough to bother with nervosa. Stick with whatever sounds good.

If you want a PC setup better than Magni 3 look into Valhalla 2 (or demo Asgard 3). But the tube warmup nervosa is a waste of time. I like tubes because they tend to sound more "natural", airy, better soundstage layering/imaging.

I didn't like Magni 3 for the record.

 

I just wanted SS mainly for the shorter height on my desk. Make it less likely that I accidentally hit the tube (I’ve already broken a tube this way). The warm up time isn’t that big of a deal. I worded it completely wrong and made it sound like a bigger deal than it was. Just thought having no warm up time would be cool.

I was all set to replace my magni 3 with a 789 then the asgard 3 came out to a lot of fanfare. Then I started to second guess my decision of getting a different sounding amp.

I’ve had a lot of anxiety lately (possible cancer and work being crazy busy). So this probably just me overthinking another small decision to death.

 

@Jalsar

Hope everything works out okay.

 

I haven’t heard the Lyr 3 or the 789, but to me the Asgard 3 is a big step up from Magni 3. I wouldn’t recommend the Asgard to anyone who wants a sharp or aggressive amp, but if you prefer a somewhat smooth, laid back sound, this is the one you’re looking for.

 

Quick thoughts on my Asgard 3 (using HD6XXs)
I bought it with the analog card. I thought this would be a simple "remove the top, pop the card in, put the top back on" install. It wasn't. The card hits the top of the hole where the RCA jacks stick out, so it's impossible to install the pins in the slots if the board is on the chassis. So I removed the whole board from the chassis to get it to fit. No big deal, just a few more screws.

I feed it from a Modi Multibit (first gen, but I have the upgraded ROM waiting to be installed). I used to have a Magni 2 Uber and a Vali 2. I found the Magni to be steely and fatiguing in the treble. The Vali 2 I liked, but a little rolled off in both bass and treble.

The Asgard 3 is quite a bit better than all of these. No steeliness in the treble. Good bass extension and the wooliness in the HD6XX's bass seems to be a little reduced. I see some people using the word "sweet" to describe the sound and I agree. That's what comes to mind - very sweet through the mids and lower treble, and then a tiny bit rolled off in the upper treble (which I like).

I tend to listen at lower volumes. I used to use a Schiit SYS with the Magni and Vali - I set the SYS volume at 50-60%, and then I would have the headamp volume at around 9:00-10:00, on low gain. It was the best way for me to get an enjoyable volume without running into channel imbalance on the volume pots. I have no such problem with the Asgard, even on high gain. High gain, volume at 7:00, I have no channel imbalance and good listening volume for me. On low gain, I'm up around 9:00. The volume pot on this thing is excellent. My only complaint is the tiny dot on it is hard to see, but that's common with all Schiit knobs.

I also have the preamp outs hooked up to my NAD amp. I did notice that if I have headphones plugged in, and the NAD is turned on, I can still hear music (and buzzing) through my speakers. No such issues with the headphone jack removed - everything is silent. It's an easy fix, since the NAD's power switch is on the front, I just leave it off if I'm using headphones.

I have a lot of little Schiit, this is my first big (medium?) Schiit, and I'm very happy with it.

 

It is disappointing if headphones don't completely cut off the preamp output. I'm contemplating a setup with powered monitors connected to the Asgard 3's preamp out, and I'd like to leave the monitors powered on all the time. Is anybody else using the Asgard 3's preamp out, and still find a signal while headphones are plugged in? How high is the level of the signal?

 

I'm actually going to check with Schiit tech support to see what's happening. I doubt it's normal. The volume is reduced a lot, but it's definitely still audible..

 

Plugging in the headphones lifts the preamp output, it does not ground the preamp output. This is what happens in any headphone amp that uses a switched TRS jack, from any manufacturer.

Since it is lifted, not grounded, there may be some minor hum and noise pickup, especially with long cables. And yes, there may be some minor crosstalk still audible, 70dB down or so. It's not typically bothersome to leave powered monitors connected and the headphones plugged in. Especially since you'll be listening to headphones.

 

How long is a "long" cable? The ones I'm using are too long for my desk setup but still only 2 metres or so.

My Vali 2 and Magni 2 Uber didn't have this issue. Oddly enough though, I just noticed my integrated amp has a similar issue - unused inputs will pick up the signal being played on other inputs.

I'm not sure I buy the "not bothersome because you're wearing headphones" argument. A lot of people wear headphones to not bother other people, and having your monitors continue to make noise could be bothersome in those situations. You know, like wearing headphones at night so you don't wake your newborn kid up.

Having said all that, it doesn't bother me since I can just turn the amp off. And if it's considered normal, that's even better, because I won't have to send the Asgard back for repair.

 

There's nothing to repair. The Neutrik headphone connector mechanically lifts the preamp output when a headphone is inserted. It should be similar on the Vali 2 and Magni 2 Uber, it uses a similar Neutrik jack. And, we're talking very low levels here, similar to the source-to-source crosstalk on your NAD, right?

 

I think it was louder than the NAD crosstalk, but still low level. Kind of like hearing someone's headphones playing loudly, if they were sitting across a table from you. It was loud enough that I could clearly hear the song from about a metre or two away from the speakers. I'll check it again when I get home from work, when it happened last night I just shut the NAD off and carried on listening to the sweet sound of the Asgard.

 

FWIW, the bleed thru isn't audible at all with phones plugged into my Magni 3 even with the little desktop D amp at max volume into the passive monitors 24" from my ears.

 

That was a problem for me too. I had some Light Dims on hand for overly bright LEDs, ended up cutting a strip off one to "fix" the knob. Looks good enough, and it's easily reversible.

 

So I received my Asgard 3 on Friday and listened to it Friday night and a bit on Saturday. Just want to say the Asgard 3 is freaking legit, but I've been procrastinating writing up impressions because it's difficult to explain exactly how they are different. It's been difficult pin-pointing exactly what makes the Asgard 3 so special to me, but I'll try a little now. (Honestly too, I just didn't want to stop listening to music to write these impressions, because I was so drawn into the Asgard 3's sound).

EDIT: realized this was unclear, but these impressions are comparing the Asgard 3 to the THX 789 as a point of reference.

After leaving the amp on for a day and using a 2019 Gungnir MB with a Pheasantwood Verite Open (universe pads):

- The THX sounds faster, with sharper attacks and transients overall.
- The THX handles very complex music passages with greater clarity than the Asgard 3.
- The Asgard 3 just seems to miss that very last bit of air in the treble, but seems to have a smoother treble in general
- The Asgard 3 just renders timbre so well, and layers better than the THX; it kinda seems to have that euphonic sound and soundstage a tube amp may have, but with the speed and low noise floor of a solid state.
- The imaging sounds more tight on the Asgard 3, which helps add to that feeling of "realism"
- Subjectively, the THX sounds fast and clean, but admittedly a bit flat in the soundstage with not-so-great layering.
- OTOH Asgard 3 sounds very textured and real, with great imaging, layering, and excellent timbre.
- Asgard 3 also sounds extremely dynamic, with what (I think?) are better microdynamics in the mids than the THX's (just adds to that amazing timbre and texture it feels it has)

No doubt that the THX is something special. It's superbly fast, with sharper attacks and a very detailed and clean sound. But the asgard 3 seems like it captures my soul better; there's something irresistibly lovely about the wonderful layering, beautiful timbre, and dynamic sound it has that makes it sound very realistic to me. Again, tube-like sound, but with the speed and low noise floor of a solid state.

If the THX is a good value at $400 (I think it is), then the Asgard 3 to me is a freaking great deal at $200. I recommend it whole-heartedly, and am tempted to sell the THX (but not yet, who knows, this all may be "new toy syndrome" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Always looking to get better at writing about what I hear. Please give me feedback so I can improve.

P.S. Unrelated to the Asgard 3, but for some reason the Gungir MB seems to output a distorted treble when outputting only to SE (i.e. to the Asgard 3); this distortion disappears when I have the Gungir output to a balanced amp as well (i.e. the THX). So strange.