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Schiit Magni 3+ and Heresy Headphone Amp Reviews

solderdude

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Thank you for your advice, I always appreciate alternative and intruguing ideas like this, but there is something I don't understand, maybe I'm missing somthing: on the linked service manual (i already had this from a long time since I'm always curious about how my gear is implemented) RCA pre outs are rated at 10 Ohm, not 4.7, that is low but not as musch as I desire. Unless you refer to tape rec-out, for witch I can't guess impedence but that is obviously not regulated via volpot..

The schematic clearly shows 4.7 Ohm on the pre-out. Maybe the specs are incorrect or the schematic is incorrect. The schematic clearly shows 4.7 Ohm. Only with certain IEM's this could be a potentially too high value.
Tape out is > 470 Ohm.
 
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mc.god

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The Pre-out clearly shows 4.7 Ohm on the pre-out. Maybe the specs are incorrect or the schematic is incorrect. The schematic clearly shows 4.7 Ohm. Only with certain IEM's this could be a potentially too high value.
Tape out is > 470 Ohm.
Ok, thank you for the effort of going through the schematic, as I said I can't really read it well, very interesting informations, I'll keep them in mind for when i'll put it back at work or in the unfortunate case I don't like the magni 3+ that I just unpacked... It's so tiny and cute <3
 

mc.god

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Holy SCHIIT, my magni 3+ burnt out after 4 days and very few hours of usage.
Just after I powered it on, still had to wear my headphones and i heared the protection relay clicking a couple of time, then it started clicking tremendously fast for about one second and then smoke started to come from the top holes, with burnt smell. Tuned off immediately, left few minutes pass, tried to power on a couple time and now the relay seems dead and smoke always start going out after few seconds. Obviously, no sound comes from either head out and pre-outs.
Just yesterday I came across these two comments
magni3 + burnt 1
magni 3+ burnt 2
But i didn't give them much thought...
I'm going to contact the seller but I'll have to send it back in england so this will come out to be a very unfavorable experience, i', really disappointed.
 
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odyo

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Holy SCHIIT, my magni 3+ burnt out after 4 days and very few hours of usage.
Just after I powered it on, still had to wear my headphones and i heared the protection relay clicking a couple of time, then it started clicking tremendously fast for about one second and then smoke started to come from the top holes, with burnt smell. Tuned off immediately, left few minutes pass, tried to power on a couple time and now the relay seems dead and smoke always start going out after few seconds. Obviously, no sound comes from either head out and pre-outs.
Just yesterday I came across these two comments
magni3 + burnt 1
magni 3+ burnt 2
But i didn't give them much thought...
I'm going to contact the seller but I'll have to send it back in england so this will come out to be a very unfavorable experience, i', really disappointed.
Damn it really sucks.
 

BenF

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Holy SCHIIT, my magni 3+ burnt out after 4 days and very few hours of usage.
Sorry to hear this, so we're basically down to this statement by the manufacturer:
Schiit Magni 3+ and Heresy Headphone Amplifier Comparison Back Connections Review (2).jpg
 

mc.god

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I know that faulty items are always possible, what is really annoying is that it had to happen with an item purchased from abroad. Returning costs to England will be not less than 30€ on an item priced at 130€ on which I already paid 20€ for shipping... Really, dealing with these little amps can became a nightmare for non-US customers... Luckily I paid via paypal that offers a returning cost refund service, hope I can benefit from this, then I'll ask the seller for a refund, don't want a replacement unit since on the web it seems that old magni 3 too was prone to similar problems (Amir too had some smoke from it as I remember, even though it didn't broke) and don't want to risk anymore.
Seriously, I'll put back at work my Denon and wait for something good on local Amazon.
 

poimandres

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That is unfortunate I really like the magni 3+ and actually prefer the magni 3+ and modi 3 stack to the smsl sp200 and m200 stack.
 

solderdude

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Check your headphone to see if it is still O.K. When it too is faulty notify Schiit. They stated publicly that they would pay for damages. A clicking relay may be indicative that the headphone may have received DC pulses.
This is why I think amps like this should have DC protection despite the manufacturer claiming it never happens.

The Heresy is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less likely to let go of the magic smoke. Yet another reason to go for the better Heresy. There is no audible difference anyway.
 

JohnYang1997

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Check your headphone to see if it is still O.K. When it too is faulty notify Schiit. They stated publicly that they would pay for damages. A clicking relay may be indicative that the headphone may have received DC pulses.
This is why I think amps like this should have DC protection despite the manufacturer claiming it never happens.

The Heresy is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less likely to let go of the magic smoke. Yet another reason to go for the better Heresy. There is no audible difference anyway.
It's also my gut feeling yet I am not sure it's the amplifier section or the power supply section failed. If it's the power supply design that's in the fault then I suspect Heresy is not much safer.
 

solderdude

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I remember pictures showing an amp having a blown the output stage.
The difference in power supply between the 2 amps is that the Magni3+ has (1 Ohm) inrush current limiting resistors in it (which can burn out and create offset) and the Heresy does not.
Otherwise they have the same power supply.

It's a personal choice of course but if I wanted the cheapest Schiit and had to choose between the 3+ and Heresy and not be bothered by looks (color) there would be only one option: the Heresy. It is unfortunate that on a lot of websites, the ones containing the folks with better hearing and more resolving whatnots, keep telling folks the Heresy is 'clinical and cold' and the 3+ is 'more organic' and 'better sounding'.
Those that fall into that trap run the risk of owning a device that contains a lot of magic smoke that is dying to get out.

I think it is a good thing the upcoming L30 DOES have DC protection, showing it can be done with budget amps. It doesn't make the amp that much more expensive at all when one has an output relay in there already.
 
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JohnYang1997

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pictures show the output stage has blown the output stage.
The difference in power supply between the 2 amps is that the Magni3+ has current limiting resistors in it (which can burn out and create offset) and the Heresy does not.
Otherwise they have the same power supply.

It's a personal choice of course but if I wanted the cheapest Schiit and had to choose between the 3+ and Heresy and not be bothered by looks (color) there would be only one option: the Heresy. It is unfortunate that on a lot of websites, the ones containing the folks with better hearing and more resolving whatnots, keep telling folks the Heresy is 'clinical and cold' and the 3+ is 'more organic' and 'better sounding'.
Those that fall into that trap run the risk of owning a device that contains a lot of magic smoke that is dying to get out.

I think it is a good thing the upcoming L30 DOES have DC protection, showing it can be done with budget amps. It doesn't make the amp that much more expensive at all when one has an output relay in there already.
Oh ok. I didn't see the picture.
I guess the issue is a thermal runaway situation.
 

solderdude

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Looked for the picture but couldn't find it. It showed a charred output device. The 1 Ohm resistors in the power supply were not shown.
 

sthEn

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solderdude

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mc.god

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Check your headphone to see if it is still O.K. When it too is faulty notify Schiit. They stated publicly that they would pay for damages. A clicking relay may be indicative that the headphone may have received DC pulses.
This is why I think amps like this should have DC protection despite the manufacturer claiming it never happens.

The Heresy is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less likely to let go of the magic smoke. Yet another reason to go for the better Heresy. There is no audible difference anyway.

Fortunately the headphone wasn't even plugged in when it happaned since it was just after I switched it on, there was just an 6,3 -> 3,5 adaptor already inserted since i was going to use a pair of IEM.

It's a personal choice of course but if I wanted the cheapest Schiit and had to choose between the 3+ and Heresy and not be bothered by looks (color) there would be only one option: the Heresy. It is unfortunate that on a lot of websites, the ones containing the folks with better hearing and more resolving whatnots, keep telling folks the Heresy is 'clinical and cold' and the 3+ is 'more organic' and 'better sounding'.
Those that fall into that trap run the risk of owning a device that contains a lot of magic smoke that is dying to get out.

As I stated before, I chose the 3+ just because it was the only one available in stock at that moment. I don't expect to hear any significant difference between them and colors doesn't matter at all, so for me either would be equally fine.

I think it is a good thing the upcoming L30 DOES have DC protection, showing it can be done with budget amps. It doesn't make the amp that much more expensive at all when one has an output relay in there already.
Yeah, I'll be waiting for it, hopefully it will be available directly from amazon here in Italy, in the meantime I'll be hearing to my Denon with the "inversion" of outputs you suggested before (headphones on pre-outs, avtive speakers on headphone out) and maybe I'll just be happy with it.
 

mc.god

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Ok, I submitted the request for returning the magni 3+ and arranged for the shipment (30€ as supposed, that I already asked paypal to refund).

It's interesting that after I described the problem, they immediately asked this:

"Can i please ask if you are using a adapter on the headphones like a 3.5mm to 6.3mm convertor as we have found a problem with these and they are not made correctly and causing a short within the headphone socket "

As it was exactly the case, they then replyed that they will replace the board under warranty but should this happen again, then a second repair will not be under warranty anymore. This defintively conveinced me to ask for a refund instead of replacement, I always used all kinds of plugs and adaptors with other devices with no harm, so It appears to me that there is some kind of flaw in this project which they are aware of, blaming poorly made adaptors. I can't live in fear that it can burn out again depending what plug i connect to it,

What else to say, it was brief but intense.
 
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mc.god

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The schematic clearly shows 4.7 Ohm on the pre-out. Maybe the specs are incorrect or the schematic is incorrect. The schematic clearly shows 4.7 Ohm. Only with certain IEM's this could be a potentially too high value.

Here again just for a little OT, I measured the pre-out of the Denon with my multimeter and the result is about 4.4 Ohm so your were absolutely right, thank you again for the hint.
My headphones sound amazing plugged at it, expecially the Senn HD599 (notoriously affected by this "problem"), much tighter and precise bass, very clean overall.
So, in the end, I'm not that sad (almost glad) the magni roasted...
 
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