Schiit Asgard 3 Headphone Amp & DAC Review

[Jimbob54]

So, if I have this right, the only Schiit DACs and "things" with DACS in them worth having measurement wise are the Modi3 and the Modius?

Which are also their lowest priced DAC related items?

 

[bboris77]

Did it say in which impedance?
There is a substantial difference between 16 Ohm (180mA) and 600 Ohm (30mA) in current when 0.5W is present.

In high gain it will probably also reach 100kHz minimum (it is a current feedback design)

Not sure to be honest. Maybe @T.M.Noble can help clarify.

@amirm, when you test frequency response, do you use preamp outs or headphone jack? I’m asking because many people have remarked how this amp sounds warm and how the high gain mode makes it more trebly etc. Your measurements do not seem to support that.

 

[solderdude]

You have to believe in the superiority of the designer/brand for the higher priced DACs.
When you do they sound fine.

 

[solderdude]

@amirm, when you test frequency response, do you use preamp outs or headphone jack? I’m asking because many people have remarked how this amp sounds warm and how the high gain mode makes it more trebly etc. Your measurements do not seem to support that.

Not Amir but have a look at the plot:

It clearly states Asgard 3 Headphone out. It doesn't say whether it is in 33, 300 or 100k Ohm load.
In this case it doesn't matter as the output resistance is below 0.2 Ohm (in high and low gain mode) so the amp cannot possibly alter the tone of any headphone. Even if it wanted to.
At 'normal' output levels distortion is below -80dB so that too cannot change the sound signature.
The perceived warmth will disappear when level matched compared with other amps.
For all intends and purposes this amp is 'neutral' and transparent despite measurements being 'worse' than say the Heresy.

 

[bboris77]

Not Amir but have a look at the plot:

It clearly states Asgard 3 Headphone out. It doesn't say whether it is in 33, 300 or 100k Ohm load.
In this case it doesn't matter as the output resistance is below 0.2 Ohm (in high and low gain mode) so the amp cannot possibly alter the tone of any headphone. Even if it wanted to.
At 'normal' output levels distortion is below -80dB so that too cannot change the sound signature.
The perceived warmth will disappear when level matched compared with other amps.
For all intends and purposes this amp is 'neutral' and transparent despite measurements being 'worse' than say the Heresy.

Thanks, too early in the morning here

 

[Matias]

Maybe, but it looks like they aren't getting anything like the performance from the 4490 that they should be.

Agreed. And the limited board area and power supply is no excuse after what we have seen measured with Hidizs S8 or other excellent measuring dongle DACs.

 

[Veri]

Perhaps Asgard3 and Atom DAC make a good $200 USB+amp combo.. or better yet, Modius but it'd be better if it had balanced inputs

 

[AudioSceptic]

Schiit should update the DAC board with a newer 4493 chip and see if they can improve its performance.

Just wondering, but if the DAC option is a plug-in board, could its faults be fixed quite easily and cheaply? SINAD is about 20 dB adrift of the chip spec.

 

[Veri]

Just wondering, but if the DAC option is a plug-in board, could its faults be fixed quite easily and cheaply? SINAD is about 20 dB adrift of the chip spec.

It is a barebones board that would need a complete overhaul/re-design. I expect them to make new ones with Unison but not sure they will fit in legacy products, perhaps only their newest ones.. Unison takes up more PCB space than the off-the-shelf CMedia USB chip.

 

[Jimbob54]

Perhaps Asgard3 and Atom DAC make a good $200 USB+amp combo.. or better yet, Modius but it'd be better if it had balanced inputs

But Asgard3+atom dac would be $300 combined

EDIT- though I think you may have been sarcastic thinking about it ;-) But given the Atom DAC is as much as adding the DAC module to the A3-I know where I would spend my $100.

 

[bboris77]

Having used a variety of different headphone amplifiers from Schiit (Magni 2U, Vali, Vali 2, Magni 3, 3+, Heresy, Valhalla 2, Lyr 3) and JDS Labs (Atom and El Amp II), I have settled on the Asgard 3 as the perfect amp for high impedance headphones (HD800S, HD600, DT150). To me it is also the best product that Schiit has ever come out with as it embodies all of their design philosophy - it is affordable, sounds great, has their own discrete design, looks good and has some decent heft, has a full-size potentiometer and it measures well. It does not try to be all things to everyone - it is obviously optimized for higher impedance headphones and does not have balanced inputs/outputs. Every design, especially at this price point, is a compromise of sorts, and Jason made all the right choices on this one.

I am currently running it with the D70 and it is a fantastic combo. It has cured my upgraditis for the last 4 months which is an unprecedented record.
I am even resisting the temptation to get the Modius.

 

[Xyrium]

It almost appears as if you flipped the DAC and amp measurements.

For the price, it's not competitive with anything. It's a $300 head amp, of which these days, you can get a THX based unit for that price.

 

[Jimbob54]

Having used a variety of different headphone amplifiers from Schiit (Magni 2U, Vali, Vali 2, Magni 3, 3+, Heresy, Valhalla 2, Lyr 3) and JDS Labs (Atom and El Amp II), I have settled on the Asgard 3 as the perfect amp for high impedance headphones (HD800S, HD600, DT150). To me it is also the best product that Schiit has ever come out with as it embodies all of their design philosophy - it is affordable, sounds great, has their own discrete design, looks good and has some decent heft, has a full-size potentiometer and it measures well. It does not try to be all things to everyone - it is obviously optimized for higher impedance headphones and does not have balanced inputs/outputs. Every design, especially at this price point, is a compromise of sorts, and Jason made all the right choices on this one.

I am currently running it with the D70 and it is a fantastic combo. It has cured my upgraditis for the last 4 months which is an unprecedented record.
I am even resisting the temptation to get the Modius.

Definitely DONT get the Modius unless you want an excuse to buy a balanced HPA to go with it ;-)

 

[Jimbob54]

It almost appears as if you flipped the DAC and amp measurements.

For the price, it's not competitive with anything. It's a $300 head amp, of which these days, you can get a THX based unit for that price.

In fairness, its a $200 headamp with a $100 optional but terrible DAC.

 

[bboris77]

In fairness, its a $200 headamp with a $100 optional but terrible DAC.

There is absolutely no performance-related reason to get the built-in DAC when one can get the Modi 3 for the same money. The only reason would be convenience and limited desk space.

 

[Jimbob54]

In fairness, its a $200 headamp with a $100 optional but terrible DAC.

If you were really masochistic, you could add the $200 multibit DAC module instead and get even more distortion amped by that pretty potent amp.

 

[Jimbob54]

There is absolutely no performance-related reason to get the built-in DAC when one can get the Modi 3 for the same money. The only reason would be convenience and limited desk space.

Totally agree. And the Modi would stack, so footprint not even an issue. Plug sockets are the limiting factor for me.

 

[3125b]

Just the amp for 199$ is not a bad option if you want power at the cost of distortion. The DAC module is just a complete failure though, I'm not sure why they even bother.

 

[Veri]

If you were really masochistic, you could add the $200 multibit DAC module instead and get even more distortion amped by that pretty potent amp.

Pls no, stop~

Just the amp for 199$ is not a bad option if you want power at the cost of distortion. The DAC module is just a complete failure though, I'm not sure why they even bother.

To be fair their add-on boards are quite old by now and in need of updating. They are not "new" by any means.

 

[Jimbob54]

Just the amp for 199$ is not a bad option if you want power at the cost of distortion. The DAC module is just a complete failure though, I'm not sure why they even bother.

A hefty margin on the $100 dac would be my guess ;-)

I imagine they make far more per $100 dac module than any number of Modis.