Schiit Jotunheim 2 Review (DAC & Headphone Amp)

[Racheski]

What is the big difference between this and version 1? The pre-outs?

 

[Jimbob54]

What is the big difference between this and version 1? The pre-outs?

1 had pre outs

 

[HiFidFan]

Another great review @amirm .

Seems to me that unless one needs some feature of the Jotunheim, a Magnius/Modius "stack" would be an attractive alternative. And less expensive.

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

That DAC performance is utterly disappointing. Is it the multibit or AK4490 module? It seems that anyone adding “DAC modules” to preamp / headphone amps is interested in only checking a box, no matter what the price. Unfortunate. I’d love someone to actually get it right.

Martin

It is the multibit.

 

[acbarn]

That DAC performance is utterly disappointing. Is it the multibit or AK4490 module? It seems that anyone adding “DAC modules” to preamp / headphone amps is interested in only checking a box, no matter what the price. Unfortunate. I’d love someone to actually get it right.

Martin

RME ADI-2 DAC FS

 

[Vini darko]

Thanks for the review Amir.
Here's some honesty from Schiit's product page

 

[YSC]

Thanks for the review Amir.
Here's some honesty from Schiit's product page
View attachment 117768

any idea about their 4490 module? the Multibit R2R dac is rare for someone to get it right, definitely not Schiit.. butthe 4490 should be promising when someone wants a made in USA all in one package, say for office use?

 

[acbarn]

any idea about their 4490 module? the Multibit R2R dac is rare for someone to get it right, definitely not Schiit.. butthe 4490 should be promising when someone wants a made in USA all in one package, say for office use?

Nope: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/schiit-asgard-3-headphone-amp-dac.14393/

 

[Vini darko]

any idea about their 4490 module? the Multibit R2R dac is rare for someone to get it right, definitely not Schiit.. butthe 4490 should be promising when someone wants a made in USA all in one package, say for office use?

Personally I'd give the modules a miss and get either a modi3+ or modius and get proper preformance with more inputs

 

[YSC]

Nope: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/schiit-asgard-3-headphone-amp-dac.14393/

View attachment 117769

ok, forgive my ignorance.. that's real schiit... more like they took out a ref DAP board (I remember most great chips using DAPs are around this ball park) and slap it into the properly designed amp section. by this you took the cleanliness of a few less cables but then the results is poor thought likely can't be detected by ear

 

[acbarn]

ok, forgive my ignorance.. that's real schiit... more like they took out a ref DAP board (I remember most great chips using DAPs are around this ball park) and slap it into the properly designed amp section. by this you took the cleanliness of a few less cables but then the results is poor thought likely can't be detected by ear

The biggest issue is that the DAC module only outputs 1.4 volts which holds back the amps. From the review:

“It seems that the internal DAC is the older Schiit designs that only output 1.4 volts and hence can't drive the amplifier section to max power (nominal DAC output is 2 volts for RCA/unbalanced).”

 

[YSC]

The biggest issue is that the DAC module only outputs 1.4 volts which holds back the amps. From the review:

“It seems that the internal DAC is the older Schiit designs that only output 1.4 volts and hence can't drive the amplifier section to max power (nominal DAC output is 2 volts for RCA/unbalanced).”

somehow I don't think this is a problem, technically maybe yes, but bear in mind ppl rarely purchase the amp able to drive their headphones near max volume, with a lower dac output you actually can use the setup in higher range of the potentiometer and avoid raised noise floor and distortion and channel imbalance

 

[MadMan]

I assume this can do unbalanced-balanced conversion? Is that the advantage over the Magnius (aside from the Magnius' middling single-ended output performance)? I still can't get over Schiit's continued use of rear power switches for desktop use products in any case.

Thanks for the review Amir.
Here's some honesty from Schiit's product page
View attachment 117768

I read the middle part of that paragraph as "...many audiophiles prefer buzzwords and lower fidelity..." Unfortunate.

 

[syzygetic]

As an extremely happy Modius + Magnius owner, I do not understand this product at all!

 

[Geekly.RZ]

Thanks for the review Amir.
Here's some honesty from Schiit's product page

That's some utterly marketing bullschiit.

 

[HiFidFan]

That's some utterly marketing bullschiit.

What part, specifically, is BS? seems pretty honest IMO.

 

[Geekly.RZ]

What part, specifically, is BS? seems pretty honest IMO.

Jotunheim 2 is not just about measurements, and shouldn't be grouped with other moderately-priced, IC-based, measurement-focused amps.
aka
"Our product performs worse than other products, so you shouldn't compare ours to other better products, and please definitely don't look at our product's measurement result."
It might be honesty, but it's "openly admit that you're a bastard and commit crime" kind of honest...
They think their costs were way less than other products, but Topping A30 Pro's performance nearly running circles around it.

 

[HiFidFan]

Jotunheim 2 is not just about measurements, and shouldn't be grouped with other moderately-priced, IC-based, measurement-focused amps.
aka
"Our product performs worse than other products, so you shouldn't compare ours to other better products, and please definitely don't look at our product's measurement result."
It might be honesty, but it's "openly admit that you're a bastard and commit crime" kind of honest...

I could see your point if they had no other offerings but the Jotunheim. Schiit does design, and offer for sale, well measuring IC-based products though. Customer choice of 'well measuring' or 'voiced', from the same company. I have no issue with this. And hardly "audiophoolry", or BS. IMHO

 

[HiFidFan]

They think their costs were way less than other products, but Topping A30 Pro's performance nearly running circles around it.

I see you edited your original post with the above^ added.

Your argument makes no sense. You would need to compare the Jotunheim 2 to Topping's equivalent of Multibit. . .

Compare D30Pro ($349/China) to Modius/Magnius (IC-based) stack ($398/U.S.A.) and it's a bit closer race, no?

Look, I'm not apologizing for the Jotunheim 2 or their Multibit. But neither is Schiit.

And I have no doubt that the D30Pro is an outstanding product.

 

[Veri]

I assume this can do unbalanced-balanced conversion? Is that the advantage over the Magnius (aside from the Magnius' middling single-ended output performance)?

The magnius can do SE in BAL out just fine btw. But yes the Jot 2 should handle that well, too. BAL in SE out might be worse with both, because of Schiit's SE design (it's optimized for balanced output as seen in the measurements).