Schiit Jotunheim impressions

@Hands

Thanks for the quick response. I guess MA900 is so easy to drive that it only really synergises with amps that significantly alleviate its FR issues.

 

Anyone have experience pairing it with the TH-X00? Or comparing the jot to grace amps (particularly the m9xx or m920)?

 

Hello mr or ms ansel111! Welcome!

I listen to some TH-X00s fed by a Jot and Gungnir Multibit many hours a day. I find it to be a DELIGHTFUL combination. Detailed, dynamic, powerful down low, and I find the slightly recessed midrange of the TH-X00s synergizes well with the slightly forward midrange of the Jot. There may be better closed back headphone+amp combinations out there, but for the price... it's quite a nice combination.

@ansel111 can you do me a favor? Head over to this thread and introduce yourself (if you haven't already)?

 

I think it works great with the TH-X00. Really tightens up the bass with the iron fist that is Jotunheim. The treble might get a little abrasive for some with the "steely" treble of Jodie paired with the slight uneven treble of the TH-X00 though.

 

I'll be the odd one here.

I hear the TH-X00 PurpleHeart as sounding dark through the Jodie. I much prefer how these headphones sound through both my Simaudio Moon NEO 230HAD and DNA Sonett 2. The highs liven up considerably though these two amplifiers. It certainly is not bad on the Jodie, but these other amplifiers make my TH-X00 sing.

 

Those are out of my price range. I currently have a CEntrance DACPort Slim, which is a big improvement over nothing at all, but I was looking for a solid desktop DAC and amp solution with a 1/4" plug that pairs well with the purple hearts, and hopefully is under $500.

I had my sights set on massdrop's Grace m9xx, but the jot with the DAC card sounded like a better value.

Sounds like jot with the built in DAC will be a little harsh (that's might main complaint with the DACport, some trebles get too sharp). Perhaps the DAC chip (same as the DACport) is the issue there.

But I'm thinking it's a good first step for now, and I can look into upgrading to a dedicated DAC (one of the schiit multibits presumably) sometime down the road.

 

I have the Soloist and it certainly has a punchiness that is nice at times.

After using the Jot though I find it to be quite colored and fuzzy, so it remains in the closet.

The Jot just has a transparent nature that takes you all the way.

 

How long before we see pivot point with tubes? Not seeking a real answer - just putting it out there. I'd be interested in that product.

 

Does anyone have any insight into the Jot's topology? Pivot Point? As I understand it, this is actually a new amp topology? Like never been done? What makes it tick? Is it Jesus in a box?

 

Not sure if Jason ever said one way or the other, but if it's complimentary, we'll never see a tube version.

 

Woah that's it I guess, I'm getting my Jotunheim but living in South East Asia means that I'll probably get it around 1 or 2 months from now

 

Tiny Jesus-inna-box has bindun:



..so it can't be that. Hasn't anyone with a sufficiently fierce clue popped the top of the Jotenheim and come to some conclusions about what's going on? Yeah, I know- it's clean and inherently balanced, and weirdly economical in terms of parts.. but what's the trick? Will anyone be able to explain it in terms that cretins like me will grasp?

(etc.)

 

I'm considering the Jotunheim, however I've got some curiousity.. I currently have the Bifrost4490/A2, and ifi micro idsd. The DSD is more tonally accurate with better instrument separation, while the A2 has more authority however has some grit and less of a wide stage, the tonality is a bit bright on the 400i I feel as well. I'm curious if anyone with the 400i or 560 has upgraded from the A2 to or just used the Jot (I'd be going balanced as well) and seen improved/correct tonal accuracy. I'm just looking to replace the A2.

 

If anything, I feel like my 400i tends to brightness a bit less on my Jotenheim (coming from a Magni 2U), which is counter-intuitive. Given that the Jotenheim is a clearer amp, I'd have expected it to heighten and brighten them, if anything.

I have sold the Magni now, so can't go back to check. I generally run my 400i balanced- but I do need to set aside some time to compare balanced and SE, to see if I can spot a difference properly. Initial impressions were just of a tad more detail and.. "better controlled everything", if that makes sense? It's a nice fast amp, and going balanced has apparently put the transducers in a bit of a vice-like grip. I've never heard the 400i sound better, frankly.

However, please take the above with a healthy pinch of salt, as it could be expectation bias/new toy syndrome. Also, I haven't had a whole lot of uninterrupted critical listening time, lately. Every time I have plugged the 400i into the Jot, I forget to listen to the equipment, and just started enjoying the music.. which is fantastic, but unhelpful here.

What I can say without fear of talking crap, however, is that it doesn't sound unpleasant or harsh for me, running the 400i balanced out of the Jot.

 

how does the jotenheim sound with the he1000? anyone able to hear the pair?

 

For what it's worth there are some notes on the 400i + Jotunheim pairing in this review, specifically in regards to brightness: http://www.head-fi.org/products/schiit-audio-jotunheim/reviews/16839

 

I tried my HE1000 on the Jodie/Jot/Jotun (which one are we using again?) at the National Audio Show last week. Show conditions & all that so no detailed thoughts, but A/B'ing between it and Rag I felt the Jotun didn't lose anything in comparison. Input was SE & I was using balanced out to my HE1000. I had gain on high & volume around 11 o'clock. Not 100% sure but there might be a slight midrange forwardness (that probably benefits the HE1000). Anyway I was impressed enough to order one on the spot from Mark @ schiit.eu.com. Will of course report back in more detail when I have it.