Schiit Midgard Balanced Headphone Amp Review

[NipponHeadFi]

At 110, the life of caps & such are only 10% overloaded. The USA standard is & has been for a long time 120 (I usualy measure 119V but somtimes as low as 117V at the recepticle). This does become an issue with gear from Japan.
I spent 1-3 weeks at a time every 3 or 4 months from 2004-2018 in Sasebo, a month one winter/spring transition in Hiro and a day or so, a couple of times in Yokahama.

If it could be confirmed as really a non-issue (built in tolerances, for example), I would be fine getting the Mimir and Midgard and plugging into a power outlet here at 100v.

Yes they will work. But Schiit isn’t going to say “go for it” - not officially anyway. Just the standard line that both units will run at a possible less than optimal manner and may damage internals over time.

Aside from this, I don’t want to waste $100-$200+ on converters, especially if they aren’t giving me exactly the voltage i need.

 

[EJ3]

If it could be confirmed as really a non-issue (built in tolerances, for example), I would be fine getting the Mimir and Midgard and plugging into a power outlet here at 100v.

Yes they will work. But Schiit isn’t going to say “go for it” - not officially anyway. Just the standard line that both units will run at a possible less than optimal manner and may damage internals over time.

Aside from this, I don’t want to waste $100-$200+ on converters, especially if they aren’t giving me exactly the voltage i need.

Here are the voltages that any USA certified equipment should legaly operate with (it is possible for it to work at both a lower and a higher voltage but it MUST be able to operate properly within this range:

The national standard for utility voltage tolerance in North America is ANSI C84.1. This standard establishes nominal voltage ratings and operating tolerances for 60Hz electric power systems above 100 volts. This standard includes preferred voltage ratings up to and including 1,200kV maximum system voltage. The voltage on a utility feeder changes depending on the loading on the line, the reactive power demand of the load, time of the day and many other factors. Utilities regulate the system voltage by switching power factor correction capacitors, tap changing transformers, voltage regulators, shunt reactors to name a few. The switching of these voltage regulating devices is not instantaneous and usually there is a delay of several minutes for voltage correction to happen.​

ANSI C84.1 establishes nominal voltage ratings for utilities to regulate and it also establishes voltage tolerance at the facility load equipment. Voltage variation over the course of a time, season, loading is something that the utilities and customer have to tolerate. However, it is possible to design a power system that should work seamlessly across all possible excursions of the voltage as defined in the standard. ANSI C84.1 provides this tolerance band for the service entrance voltage or the service voltage and the utilization voltage or the voltage at the point of use.​

Service Voltage:​

Utilization Voltage:​

Service voltage requirements are tighter than utilization voltage as the standard allows for some voltage drop within a facility.​

It should be noted that the voltage tolerance is for sustained voltage and not momentary voltage variation due to switching or fault etc. The ANSI C84.1 voltage tolerance graph is provided below. It can be noted that two ranges are provided. Range A and Range B.​

ANSI C84.1

Range A: Range A provides the normally expected voltage tolerance on the utility supply for a given voltage class. Variations outside the range should be infrequent.​

1. Service Voltage: It is expected that most service voltage variation occurs within this range. The occurrence of service voltage variation outside this range should be infrequent. For range A this variation of allowable service voltage is +5% to -5% for system operating 600V and below. For systems operating above 600V this range is +5% to -2.5%.​

2. Utilization Voltage: End user equipment should be designed to operate effectively and to provide full performance within the limits of range A service voltage. The tolerance for range A utilization voltage is +5% to -10%.​

Range B: Range B provides voltage tolerances above and below range A limits that necessarily result from practical design and operating conditions on supply or user systems or both. These conditions should be limited in extent, frequency and duration.​

1. Service Voltage: For range B this variation of allowable service voltage is +5.8% to -8.3% for system operating 600V and below. For systems operating above 600V this range is +5.8% to -5%.​

2. Utilization Voltage: End user equipment should be designed to provide acceptable performance for voltages in range B, although not necessarily as good performance as in range A. The tolerance for range B utilization voltage is +5.8% to -13.3%.​

The following selector can be used to get the range A voltage tolerances for common Low Voltage systems.​

VOLTAGE TOLERANCE - Low Voltage​

Based on ANSI C84.1 Range A Tolerance
Nominal Voltage*
120 V
208 V
240 V
277 V
480 V
600 V

Range A Service Voltage 126V - 114V​

Nominal Voltage120 V

Range A Utilization Voltage 126V - 110V​

Nominal Voltage120 V

The following selector can be used to get the range A voltage tolerances for common Medium Voltage systems.​

VOLTAGE TOLERANCE - Medium Voltage​

Based on ANSI C84.1 Range A Tolerance
Nominal Voltage*
2,400 V
4,160 V
4,800 V
6,900 V
12,470 V
13,200 V
13,800 V
23,000 V
34,500 V

It is recognized that due to conditions beyond the control of supplier, user or both there will be periods when the voltages are outside range B limits. Utilization equipment may not operate under such conditions and protective devices may operate to protect the equipment. When voltages occur outside the limits of range B, prompt corrective action shall be taken. The urgency for such action will depend on many factors, such as the location and nature of the loads or circuits involved, and the magnitude and duration of the deviation beyond range B limits (ANSI C84.1-2006).​

 

[EJ3]

If it could be confirmed as really a non-issue (built in tolerances, for example), I would be fine getting the Mimir and Midgard and plugging into a power outlet here at 100v.

Yes they will work. But Schiit isn’t going to say “go for it” - not officially anyway. Just the standard line that both units will run at a possible less than optimal manner and may damage internals over time.

Aside from this, I don’t want to waste $100-$200+ on converters, especially if they aren’t giving me exactly the voltage i need.

I guess: more simply:
There are two "standards" for voltage in North America depending on which END of the wire you are looking at; "Distribution Voltage" (also called "Service Voltage") and "Utilization Voltage", both set forth in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standard number C84.1, backed up by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

The official Distribution Voltage standard for single phase is 120 and 240V, for 3 phase it is 208, 240, 480 and 600. It has been this way since the 1930s after the REA (Rural Electrification Act) during the Great Depression went to bring electricity to farms and rural areas, because the Utilities all did what they wanted to and they didn't see enough profit in it. But because each utility was different at the time, (i.e. 110, 115, 117, 120, 125, etc. etc.), and the REA didn't want to have their service trucks carry around multiple voltage ratings, they picked a "middle ground" of 120/240V and called that the standard. It has been that way since. Later on, standards for the Utility industry came along and added that no matter what they give you, it has to be within +-5%.
So for a 120V system, that is between 114V and 126V; for 240V it is 228 to 252V, etc. etc.

(EJ3 says: If you can get to 110V it MAY work, if you can get to 114V it SHOULD work).

However many of the older systems still deliver what they used to deliver, regardless of what it is officially called, so yes, there are still pockets of 110V, 220V and 440V out there.

For that reason, industry organizations for manufacturers, such as NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Assoc.) developed their OWN standards for the devices that use electricity, and their standard was +-10%, but based on a LOWER voltage, because there is an expected voltage drop from the Service Entrance to where the device connects. So for 120V Distribution, the Utilization voltage is 115V; for 240V it is 230V, for 208V it is 200V, for 480V it is 460V and for 600V it is 575V.

So how that works out is that a MOTOR for example will be built for 230V, +-10%, so it can accept anything from 207 to 253, and because the Distribution Voltage is 228 to 252V, it fits right in. But also if the Utility was still putting out 220V instead of 240V, the LOW end of their range would be 220-5%, so 209V, still within the acceptable range of the Utilization standard.

People however are not swift on the change though, so LOTS of people still refer to residential as being 110/220, or 115/230 or 120/240 (inset joke from the movie "The Money Pit" where Michel Keaton says "220/221.whatever it takes..."). But OFFICIALLY, it is supposed to be 120/240V.

While we are on the subject of "officialdom"; When describing distribution systems that have more than one voltage available, there is a "convention" in the description that should be used to help avoid confusion.

• If the subject is SINGLE PHASE, the LOWER voltage is listed first, followed by the higher . So a residential single phase system is described as "120/240V".
• If the subject is THREE PHASE, the HIGHER voltage is listed first, followed by the lower. So 480/277V would be correct, 277/480V would not. This is especially important because we have 240/120V 3 phase 4 wire systems available. So by calling it 240/120V you are differentiating it as three phase, compared to 120/240V being single phase.

 

[NipponHeadFi]

I guess: more simply:
There are two "standards" for voltage in North America depending on which END of the wire you are looking at; "Distribution Voltage" (also called "Service Voltage") and "Utilization Voltage", both set forth in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standard number C84.1, backed up by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).

The official Distribution Voltage standard for single phase is 120 and 240V, for 3 phase it is 208, 240, 480 and 600. It has been this way since the 1930s after the REA (Rural Electrification Act) during the Great Depression went to bring electricity to farms and rural areas, because the Utilities all did what they wanted to and they didn't see enough profit in it. But because each utility was different at the time, (i.e. 110, 115, 117, 120, 125, etc. etc.), and the REA didn't want to have their service trucks carry around multiple voltage ratings, they picked a "middle ground" of 120/240V and called that the standard. It has been that way since. Later on, standards for the Utility industry came along and added that no matter what they give you, it has to be within +-5%.
So for a 120V system, that is between 114V and 126V; for 240V it is 228 to 252V, etc. etc.

(EJ3 says: If you can get to 110V it MAY work, if you can get to 114V it SHOULD work).

However many of the older systems still deliver what they used to deliver, regardless of what it is officially called, so yes, there are still pockets of 110V, 220V and 440V out there.

For that reason, industry organizations for manufacturers, such as NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Assoc.) developed their OWN standards for the devices that use electricity, and their standard was +-10%, but based on a LOWER voltage, because there is an expected voltage drop from the Service Entrance to where the device connects. So for 120V Distribution, the Utilization voltage is 115V; for 240V it is 230V, for 208V it is 200V, for 480V it is 460V and for 600V it is 575V.

So how that works out is that a MOTOR for example will be built for 230V, +-10%, so it can accept anything from 207 to 253, and because the Distribution Voltage is 228 to 252V, it fits right in. But also if the Utility was still putting out 220V instead of 240V, the LOW end of their range would be 220-5%, so 209V, still within the acceptable range of the Utilization standard.

People however are not swift on the change though, so LOTS of people still refer to residential as being 110/220, or 115/230 or 120/240 (inset joke from the movie "The Money Pit" where Michel Keaton says "220/221.whatever it takes..."). But OFFICIALLY, it is supposed to be 120/240V.

While we are on the subject of "officialdom"; When describing distribution systems that have more than one voltage available, there is a "convention" in the description that should be used to help avoid confusion.

• If the subject is SINGLE PHASE, the LOWER voltage is listed first, followed by the higher . So a residential single phase system is described as "120/240V".
• If the subject is THREE PHASE, the HIGHER voltage is listed first, followed by the lower. So 480/277V would be correct, 277/480V would not. This is especially important because we have 240/120V 3 phase 4 wire systems available. So by calling it 240/120V you are differentiating it as three phase, compared to 120/240V being single phase.

And for me, at the end of the day, having 100v in Japan, none of this will matter because Schiit won’t thumbs up their products for use into my outlet.

 

[archerious]

My main issue with brands like Topping, SMSL, etc is the vast amount of complaints I’ve seen from people that their units stopped working (whatever reason) after days, weeks, or months.

I’m not saying Schiit are always perfect and nobody ever got a bad unit. But they also have a warranty longer than 1 year.

That’s a fair point. I will say though the feature set is incredible though. My DX5 II is basically a ADI-2 DAC FS but cost less than 1/3 the price of it. RME is $999 on sale.

Even if I would get 5+ years of out of the RME, I could simply buy a new DX5 II every 18-24 months and still spend probably less in the long run ($299x3).

 

[NipponHeadFi]

Maybe see what brands are recommended and try and find one on eBay?

Honestly, if I could find a quality step-up here in Japan, I would probably just get it.

eBay has too many bait and switch scams. And the shipping will cost as much as the unit.

I appreciate the opinions, I do.

It’s just as example, but if I am going to spend $300 on an amp and 300 on a DAC, plus $100 on shipping, and another $100 on import taxes, and dont want to spend another $200 just to make it work.

It’s frustrating. I actually don’t know why Schiit doesn’t have a Japan distributor, honestly.

 

[NipponHeadFi]

That’s a fair point. I will say though the feature set is incredible though. My DX5 II is basically a ADI-2 DAC FS but cost less than 1/3 the price of it. RME is $999 on sale.

Even if I would get 5+ years of out of the RME, I could simply buy a new DX5 II every 18-24 months and still spend probably less in the long run ($299x3).

I wonder about the DX5 II vs D90 IIi/A90 III stack.

 

[CoastNRoast]

I wanted to get some thoughts on here for some static I'm hearing out of my Midgard. It's only audible when no audio is playing and I am touching/turning the volume pot or the amp case, especially on the high gain setting. When I have the pot all the way to the7 o'clock or 5 o'clock position it stops completely - it's mainly heard when turning/touching around 11-3 o'clock. There is also a pop when going from low to high gain or high to low at any volume.

Chain is PC > Mimir via USB C > Midgard via Snake Oil XLR mini link > HD 490 Pro (using the both XLR and/or 1/4"output)

I'm using the both wallwarts that came with the Schiit stack and everything is on the same power strip plugged into a single outlet.

This is my first setup so I'm not sure what is considered normal or not. Any advice or troubleshooting is welcome. FWIW this doesn't impact my day to day listening or gaming, just noticed it when messing around.

 

[Svperstar]

I wanted to get some thoughts on here for some static I'm hearing out of my Midgard. It's only audible when no audio is playing and I am touching/turning the volume pot or the amp case, especially on the high gain setting. When I have the pot all the way to the7 o'clock or 5 o'clock position it stops completely - it's mainly heard when turning/touching around 11-3 o'clock. There is also a pop when going from low to high gain or high to low at any volume.

Chain is PC > Mimir via USB C > Midgard via Snake Oil XLR mini link > HD 490 Pro (using the both XLR and/or 1/4"output)

I'm using the both wallwarts that came with the Schiit stack and everything is on the same power strip plugged into a single outlet.

This is my first setup so I'm not sure what is considered normal or not. Any advice or troubleshooting is welcome. FWIW this doesn't impact my day to day listening or gaming, just noticed it when messing around.

Sounds like it may be a ground loop. You could try rewiring everything or go for an idolator or try a UPS power supply. Use grounded plugs if available.

I had a damaged Stax amp that made a nasty buzzing noise when touching the knob, it also had other serious issues and I returned it.

 

[Angel II]

Sounds like it may be a ground loop. You could try rewiring everything or go for an idolator or try a UPS power supply. Use grounded plugs if available.

I had a damaged Stax amp that made a nasty buzzing noise when touching the knob, it also had other serious issues and I returned it.

I had the same problem with my Lake People G111 MKII. I eliminated this noise by ensuring that the washer made good contact with the front panel of the G111 (see photo). Now, in the new batches of these amplifiers, serrated washers are used.

 

[solderdude]

I wanted to get some thoughts on here for some static I'm hearing out of my Midgard. It's only audible when no audio is playing and I am touching/turning the volume pot or the amp case, especially on the high gain setting. When I have the pot all the way to the7 o'clock or 5 o'clock position it stops completely - it's mainly heard when turning/touching around 11-3 o'clock. There is also a pop when going from low to high gain or high to low at any volume.

Chain is PC > Mimir via USB C > Midgard via Snake Oil XLR mini link > HD 490 Pro (using the both XLR and/or 1/4"output)

I'm using the both wallwarts that came with the Schiit stack and everything is on the same power strip plugged into a single outlet.

This is my first setup so I'm not sure what is considered normal or not. Any advice or troubleshooting is welcome. FWIW this doesn't impact my day to day listening or gaming, just noticed it when messing around.

Seeing that it also happens when touching the enclosure and not only the volume control...

In some cases the casing does not make proper contact with the internal 'audio ground' of the circuit.
This is because the paint on the casing is not conductive and isolates a connection that should be there.
When you have a multimeter (can even be a $ 10.- thingy) you can check if this is the case.

Disconnect all cables. Remove one of the screws of the housing.
Measure resistance between one of the RCA audio shields and the chassis at the point where the screw was removed (bare metal).
There should be close to 0 ohm there (give or take a few ohm).

 

[nagster]

Schiit Midgard teardown image.
No nuts or washers were used on the volume pot. The only parts that fixed the pot were the soldered legs.
Even when the case was closed, there was a gap of about 1 to 2 mm between the pot housing and the copper foil.

 

[nagster]

I measured the DCR of each part of the Schiit Midgard.
There was stable conductivity between the TRS sleeve and chassis.
There was stable conductivity between the shaft and bushing.
The resistance between the shaft and TRS sleeve fluctuated between 0.5 ohms and OL.

 

[john61ct]

If you put together (or just buy) a DC battery bank as is commonly used for boats, RVs #vanLife

then you can run devices at standard USA grid specifications using a properly sized sine-wave inverter.

With a powerful and clean enough charger, you can input amps into the bank concurrently with your discharging

which would greatly reduce the size (Ah capacity) of the bank required

If it could be confirmed as really a non-issue (built in tolerances, for example), I would be fine getting the Mimir and Midgard and plugging into a power outlet here at 100v.

Yes they will work. But Schiit isn’t going to say “go for it”

Of course there are added costs, but such a rig can be useful for many different scenarios.

Using old car batteries would save on costs, if you go the modern Lithium way you will have trouble with travelling and shipping, especially by air. And skillz are required reducing home fire risks if DIYing.

 

[nagster]

I measured the DCR of each part of the Schiit Midgard.
There was stable conductivity between the TRS sleeve and chassis.
There was stable conductivity between the shaft and bushing.
The resistance between the shaft and TRS sleeve fluctuated between 0.5 ohms and OL.

The copper foil was fixed with a nut.
The DCR between the case and the pot shaft was stable at 0.3 ohms.
If anyone does the same, please remove the solder from the copper foil before tightening the nut.
Finally, re-solder it.

 

[nagster]

Many thanks for the measurements!

So basically:
View attachment 449907
?

Basic mistakes like that are why I can't take Schiit engineers seriously.
Don't trust, always verify.

Sorry. I didn't provide enough information about the RCA input impedance.
It was about 9.5 kohm at maximum volume and about 45 kohm at minimum volume. I will post the measurements later.

 

[nagster]

I measured the Schiit Midgard with XLR input / RCA output / Low Gain settings. I added High Gain to the AP Dashboard and THD Level Sweep.
I have previously posted about the power consumption, and temperature.

Schiit Midgard Balanced Headphone Amp Review

my Midgard is now surplus since rhe arrival of my RME dac. if anyone interested in UK, please pm. will post proper ad in next couple of days Why? Isn't the Midgard the better AMP of the two?

www.audiosciencereview.com

It seems like it could be used as a converter with little signal degradation when you need to connect a differential output to an unbalanced input.
For the reverse conversion, no active converter is required; a suitable conversion cable is sufficient.

Incidentally, the Douk / Nobsound NS-05P PRO is similar.
This one has more noise, less harmonic distortion, the power supply is sold separately, it can be easily powered by batteries, it's one-third the size, and the XLR-RCA and RCA-XLR can be used independently (can also use it as XLR-XLR or RCA-RCA if connected in series). It costs $60.

Bizarre tech - Nobsound NS05P Pro

I don't think there is a dedicated thread for peculiar devices so posting it here. Someone please explain me what is a use case for this: Independent XLR to RCA and RCA to XLR with independent volume control in the same box.I am sure there will be someone that needs one, there always is, just...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[john61ct]

"similar" in that one tiny subset of Midgard's intended functionality