Schiit Jotunheim impressions

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

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    You will be absolutely fine from the Jot. The Jot has dedicated preamp outputs to run RCA to your powered desktop speakers. Like what I am doing now (pardon the mess, I'm always taking stuff apart):
    IMG_20181012_095417 (1).jpg

    As for Jot MB vs iFi, which one do you like better in terms of sonics? Other considerations are flexiblity such as inputs, outputs, portability, etc.
     
  2. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    Sorry to interject, there is such a thing? Has anything changed about the Modi MB? I was under the impression only the D/S version received any changes.
     
  3. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    I don't know what you're asking here. What "such a thing" do you mean?

    The Modi 3 MB is $350 less than a Jot + MB card.

    His speakers have a volume control, so no need for a pre. The line out from the Modi 3 is all he really needs.

    Edit - I see what you mean now. I assumed that they upped the number on the multi bit version as well.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2018
  4. Mdkaler

    Mdkaler Friend

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    Elnrik probably meant Modi MB. The Modi MB was listed under Modi 2 drop down menu.


    I have fed the Jotunheim balanced pre out to my powered desktop speakers, and I find it disappointing given how much I like it as a headphone amp.
    Also, the MB module in Jotunheim doesn't outshine the DS module. So I would suggest you to pass. Other DAC options are good; Modi 3 is probably the best value right now until they update the standalone Modi MB.

    If you want to biggest change in sound, consider a speaker preamp such as Saga. It makes a bigger and much more audible change than the Modi's. That is, if your source is acceptably clean sounding and you want to try out "the tube sound".
     
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Best approach is separates units:
    1. An DAC/amp combo unit for his IEMs (or possibly headphones)
    2. A desktop dedicated DAC for his powered speakers with volume control. A dedicated desktop DAC is going to outperform almost anything in a combo unit.
     
  6. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    Dac of your choice + Sys for volume control. Done.
     
  7. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    I'm also suggesting to start with just a dedicated DAC. You don't need anything else to enjoy your speakers.
     
  8. Furholden

    Furholden New

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    Thanks guys so much for all your responses.

    likearake
    elnrik
    Mdkaler
    msommers
    Dzerh


    I will be going through more testing this weekend and next week. I guess I could consider the Modi MULTIBIT over the Jotunheim MULTIBIT.

    Do you think my powered speakers would sound better because of the pre-amp from Jotinheim? Or is the pre-amp just there for more volume?
     
  9. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    So, the digital signal is turned to analog by the DAC. That analog signal needs 3 more things before you hear music. First, a volume knob. Second, amplification. Third, a transducer (speaker). Your speakers have all of that built in.

    That's why many said you don't need the Jot. Unless you're using the Jotunheim as a headphone amp as well, a simple DAC will suffice because your speakers do the rest of the work.

    Keep this in mind: the jotunheim itself is not a DAC. It is an amplifier. You can add a DAC to the inside of the jotunheim as an upgrade, making it an all-in-one solution, but 75% of those features are built in to your speakers already.
     
  10. Furholden

    Furholden New

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    Thank you for the clarification. It is extremely detailed and simple enough for an audio noob like me to digest.

    Do you prefer using headphones or speakers for a desktop computer?
     
  11. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    I use both, and I switch between the two depending on what I'm doing or what mood I'm in.
     
  12. Furholden

    Furholden New

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    Then Jotunheim might be more of future proof in case I'll get a headphone some time later.

    Do you think headphones can create a much better soundstage than 2.0 powered speakers? Or does it really boil down to the DAC/AMP?
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    1. The external Modi Multibit standalone box is significantly better than the multibit card in the Jot. The multibit card in the Jot is for convenience. I actually prefer the DS card in the Jot over the multibit card.
    2. Speakers are alway going to sound worse because of the pre-amp from Jot. The Jot really isn't designed as a pre-amp, it's designed as a powerful headamp. The pre-amp outputs are secondary. You really don't need a pre-amp because your speakers have a volume knob. The only route that might make sense is a Saga to use the tube pre-amp to get a little bit of that tube bloom and deeper diffuse stage. The Saga was designed as a pre-amp from the ground up, so it's much more transparent than the Jot.
    1. Another consideration might be Magni 2 if you can try it. The sound is very close to the Jot and it doesn't seem you need much power at this time. Things always change and there will always be new gear. Companies like iFi and Schiit seem to keep improving on their products. Other niche companies come with out unique stuff. Future proofing never works. Best approach is to get what you need now for the best performance / price ratio according to your budget.
    2. Headphones create headstage which is different from soundstage. I've never had headphones project an image 8 feet in front of me or beyond the wall in front of me when I close my eyes. I've also never had headphones localize instruments on a stage precisely on a front-back axis or left-right axis.
    3. There are a handful people who have claimed that they can experience a speaker soundstage effect from headphones. They are all on HF, or have been banned from SBAF, unless a special dispensation was granted to them.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2018
  14. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    The soundstage presented by speakers vs headphones are 2 entirely different things, really. Headphones, with extremely few exceptions using massive DSP and sensors, can't present a sound image like speakers can. A 2.0 setup, done correctly, will present an image that sounds like it's several feet in front of you and can have height and depth. Headphones can't do that. Limitation of having the transducer on your head vs in front of it. With almost all of the headphones I've tried the image is inside your head, or in the best cases, floating inches above/in front of it.

    Edit - Yeah, what Purr1n said. ^^^
     
  15. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    From my experience with budget headphones vs budget speakers - with headphones you are getting resolution but losing "life-likeness". It is not only soundstage it is usually frequency response also.
     
  16. trtrtr607

    trtrtr607 New

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    Just changed to a new PC (NUC), now having tons of popping/crackling noise from the 4490 DAC in jot.
    Anyone have some suggestion about this?
     
  17. Furholden

    Furholden New

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    Thanks I seen some people mentioning earlier that there may be revisions of the Jotunheim since its initial release (other than the MULTIBIT variant).

    I thought MULTIBIT was a universal chip and would be same across the board for Schiit devices. It's surprising to know that the DAC Multibit of the Modi would sound better than their more expensive product, the Jotunheim MULTIBIT.

    I have yet to get a sense of what headstage is compared to soundstage. Maybe because I've never really experienced it, and never owned headphones, only had IEMs and speakers. I was thinking of getting a headphone in future. Based on the earlier responses of this thread, HD650 seems like a good pair for Jotunheim.
     
  18. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    Stop. You are still confusing the two.

    The multibit in the Jotunheim is a small DAC module. (Think video card in a computer.) It plugs into a slot on the Jotunheim circuit board, and outputs an analog signal to the Jotunheim amplifier.

    This is the module: (http://www.schiit.com/products/multibit-dac-module)

    multibit DAC card 1920.jpg

    It is different than the Modi DAC:
    modi_multi_pcb_top(1).jpg

    The module fits into the Jotunheim here:
    PSX_20181014_011725.jpg

    You could choose to put a phono module into the Jotunheim, instead of the multi bit card.
    [​IMG]

    PSX_20181014_013039.jpg

    So, please understand, the multibit module is like a shrunken Modi Multibit DAC that fits inside a headphone amplifier. The headphone amplifier's name is Jotunheim.

    I hope that helps.

    Edit : sorry for the crap quality photo edits, this was all done on my phone.
     
  19. Dzerh

    Dzerh Friend

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    more info needed
    also there is schiit tech support that likely will be more specific and useful
     
  20. Furholden

    Furholden New

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    Thanks for further clearing things up.

    I always thought the Modi and Jotunheim sound quality would be the same.

    Now I see the inner workings and have a better understanding.

    Would it be safe to say the Modi MULTIBIT + Magni would sound better than the Jotinheim MULTIBIT?
     

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