Schiit Audio Midgard Desktop Headphone Ampliier

In Norse mythology Midgard is the name for Earth (the realm of the mortals) so in this review let’s see if Schiit Audio new Midgard headphone amp and preamp is earthly treasure for us mortals that can play heavenly audio.



Note: I would like to thank Schiit Audio for providing the Midgard for the purposes of this review.

The Midgard’s shares the same gorgeous design language with the majority of Schiit products. But lurking underneath the midgard relatively straightforward exterior is a possible ground breaking technology. While obviously there are lots of secrets about the ‘Halo Topology’ the tantalising snipbits of information we know about this technology it is normally used with speakers to help reducing distortion and stabilise the frequency response in some specific cases. But the big question is does this technology work with headphones.

So to really understand the Midgard, I decided to do a deep dive on some of the research behind ‘mixed-mode feedback’ technology and then speculate as to how it might work with headphones when implemented with the ‘halo topology’.

But even without the ‘halo topology’ the Midgard represents an amazing headphone amp and preamp especially at it’s price point of $219.

Therefore, I have broken the review into 3 sections:

1. Review of Midgard build, features and sound quality
2. A technical deep dive on Mixed Mode Feedback, the technolgy behind ‘Halo Topology’
3. Use insights from this research to define and then execute a set of measurements of the Midgard.

So lets start with the more normal review:

Design and Functionality​

The Midgard exudes the characteristic Schiit Audio build quality. Its all-metal chassis, adorned with a stamped and painted logo, speaks to its durability and aesthetic appeal.The front panel, hosting a couple of toggle switches and a volume Pot, a 6.3mm Single Ended headphone connection and what looks at first view like a 4-Pin balanced output but in reality this connection is designed to take advantage of the ‘Halo topology’ lots of details about this later in this review.

The back panel is beautifully simple to set up, being a pre-amp we get 2 inputs (RCA and Balaned ) and 2 outputs (RCA and Balanced), in my subjective testing I mainly used a SMSL SU-1 DAC feed by a Wiim Pro Streamer) connected to the RCA input but initially I did try all the connection for the purposes of testing the Midgard using a Topping D10 to feed its balanced inputs. When measuring I have a laptop running REW connected to the RCA inputs.

So obviously depending on the RCA/Balanced toggle on the front you switch the inputs.

I also feed the outputs to a Fosi Audio ZA3 separately testing the balanced and RCA outputs with that Amplifier as it supports both inputs.

Internally, the Midgard uses a fully discrete circuit topology, which means that all of the signal processing is done using individual transistors. This approach is often considered to be more transparent and less prone to coloration than integrated circuits, though obviously some people like discrete op-amps and the sound colorization to taste they can apply.

Sound quality​

I will cut to the chase - the Schiit Midgard is a powerful extremely clean and neutral sounding headphone amplifiers. It does an excellent job of bring out the best in the source input whether you use RCA or Balanced Inputs and providing that in crystal clear clarify with great ease to bring out the best in your headphone.

So the key things are that there is no bass or treble roll off or channel mismatches this is the cleanest and best measuring headphone Amplifier that Schiit Audio have produced.

As for power there is ample power for even the most demanding headphones

Power Ratins (Max)​

• 16 ohms: 5.5W RMS per channel
• 32 ohms: 4.8W RMS per channel
• 50 ohms: 3.2W RMS per channel
• 300 ohms: 750mW RMS per channel
• 600 ohms: 375mW RMS per channel

On ASR when tested the Midgard actually had higher output of 822mw into 300 Ohms:

The High Gain toggle on the front of the midgard adds 14db. Both the single ended and 4-pin outputs at the same volume (making sighted A/B testing much easier) but obviously the 4-pin may optimise the distortion directly on headphone using the mixed-mode feedback.

Subjective listening​

Subjectively over the past few weeks I have been swapping between both interfaces and numerous times I have went “eureka” I can hear the difference ‘Halo’ makes only to switch back over to the single ended interface and listen again and think “maybe / maybe not” as it sounds very similar. So while I was convinced numerous times the power of ‘sighted bias’ is incredible strong so I will say I preferred using XLR interface but I am not 100% convinced if I was to do a full blind test that I could tell the difference, though as you will read later in the review this might be because of the selection of headphones I have in my collection.

I was initially using the Midgard with my planars (mainly Hifiman Edition XS and HE400-se) but also the new FiiO FT5 but as you will see in the research section I did add some AKG dynamic driver headphones, even a balanced ‘modded’ version of the AKG K702 and I also listened with some IEM’s (FX-15, Truthear Zero and KiwiEars Orchestra lite) in all cases the Midgard sound completely transparent bringing out the best in these headphones and IEM’s.

Here are some brief subjective opinions:

Bass​

The Midgard’s bass response is detailed and precise with no roll off in the sub-bass regions, the midgards pushes even my most depending planar’s sound fantastic even when I pushed the bass using EQ to really test that the midgard was driving the bass response approprately.

Midrange​

The amplifier shines in the midrange, rendering vocals and instruments with exceptional clarity and dynamics. The natural timbre and resolution of this range are particularly noteworthy, offering an engaging and realistic listening experience. The lack of colorisation really helps the midrange with the midgard.

Treble​

In the treble region, the Midgard demonstrates a fine balance of detail and smoothness. Metallic sounds are rendered with an authentic crash and reverberation, showcasing the amp’s ability to reproduce high frequencies without artificial brightness.

Soundstage​

The soundstage presented by the Midgard is impressively holographic, with excellent channel matching the midgard provided well-defined depth and layering. Its ability to precisely position sound sources within this space contributes to an immersive auditory experience.

What is the ‘Halo Topopoly’ - Some research​

Halo Topology is an unique mixed-mode feedback technology specifically applied to headphones, I believe Schiit are the first company to use this in a headphone amplifier and to introduce this technology at this price point rather than in some $800 headphone amp shows Schiit commitment to getting exciting new technology into as many customers as possible.

Executive Summary:​

From reading about this technology, I believe this technology has tremendous potential to provide lower distortion in specific headphones. Specifically low impedance headphones with large swings in impedance, specifically this is because when used to optimise the response of speakers (as you will see below) it in relation to allowing an amplifier to respond appropraitely when a specific speaker has large variations in impedance.

`So first lets delve into Mixed Mode Feedback:

Mixed mode feedback in speaker amplifiers​

Mixed mode feedback in the context of speaker distortion refers to a technique used in audio engineering and speaker design to manage and reduce distortion. To understand this concept, it’s important to first grasp the basics of speaker distortion and feedback mechanisms.

Speaker Distortion​

Types of Distortion:​

• Thermal Distortion: Caused by changes in the speaker’s temperature, affecting its performance.
• Mechanical Distortion: Due to physical limitations or mechanical failures in the speaker components.
• Intermodulation Distortion: Occurs when multiple frequencies interact, producing sum and difference frequencies not present in the original signal.
• Doppler Distortion: Results from the movement of the speaker cone, affecting the frequency and phase of the output.

Causes of Distortion:​

• Exceeding the linear operating range of the speaker.
• Imperfections in speaker design or manufacturing.
• Inadequate power handling or poor thermal management.

Feedback Mechanisms​

Voltage Feedback In a traditional VF amplifier, the feedback loop measures the output voltage and compares it to the input voltage. The amplifier then adjusts its gain to minimize the difference between these two voltages. This approach is known for its stability and ability to handle high input impedances.

Current Feedback CF amplifiers, on the other hand, measure the current flowing through the output stage and compare it to the input current. The amplifier then adjusts its gain to minimize the difference between these two currents. This approach is known for its high power output and efficiency, making it suitable for driving demanding headphones.

Mixed-Mode Feedback MMF amplifiers combine elements of both VF and CF to achieve a balance of performance characteristics. The feedback loop typically incorporates a combination of voltage and current sensors, allowing the amplifier to optimize both gain and power delivery. This approach can potentially improve the amplifier’s ability to control driver resonance and reduce distortion.

In summary, mixed mode feedback in speaker systems is an advanced technique for managing distortion. It requires a delicate balance and deep technical knowledge in audio engineering to be effectively implemented. The goal is to enhance the speaker’s performance by minimizing distortion without compromising on sound quality or introducing new problems.

Post-Filter Feedback in Speaker Amplifiers​

I thought I would put small section here about PFFB as that is a hot topic with Class-D amplifiers and allowing Speaker Amplifiers managing impedance variations in speakers. Speciifically it is a Voltage Feedback mechanism which when implemented will reduce distortion and avoid variations in frequency response.

For example the otherwise excellent Fosi Audio V3 does not support PFFB feedback so when paired a speaker with large variations in impedance it causes the V3 to sound either bright or dull as far as the treble when paired with different speakers:

While a similar TPA3255 vased Amplifier (3e Audio TPA3255) that does implement PFFB both reduces distorition and is not dependent on the speaker impedance:

And comparing the distortion the V3 does well (note the comparison is the 48 Volt):



While the 3e Audio does much better:

This is what interested me the most when I heard about the Midgard and to do this innovation in a $219 Amplifier (instead of a $800) is pretty special.

That said most headphones do not have massive swings in Impedance the way some speakers do as we shall see later in the measuremen section.

Mixed mode feedback with Headphones​

In headphones, mixed mode feedback plays a slightly different role compared to loudspeakers, primarily due to the differences in design, application, and user experience. However, the fundamental principles remain similar: it’s about managing distortion and improving audio quality. And specifically this affects headphones which are more like tradtional speakers (hence why its more relevant for dynamic headphones than planar or electrostatic). Let’s delve into how mixed mode feedback applies to headphones:

Distortion in Headphones​

• Intermodulation and Harmonic Distortion: More critical in headphones because they can significantly affect the perceived audio quality in the intimate listening environment that headphones provide.

Factors Affecting Distortion in Headphones:​

• Driver quality and design.
• Enclosure design (closed-back, open-back, in-ear, etc.).
• Power handling and impedance characteristics.

Mixed Mode Feedback in Headphones​

Implementation Challenges:​

• The close proximity to the ear means that any distortion or artifacts introduced by feedback mechanisms are more easily perceived.
• The small size and delicate nature of headphone drivers require a very careful application of feedback techniques.

Benefits:​

• When implemented correctly, mixed mode feedback can help in fine-tuning the headphone response, reducing certain types of distortion, and improving overall sound quality. This is the key benefit of Halo Topology
• Can be particularly beneficial in high-end headphones where fidelity and accuracy are paramount.

Research Conclusion​

As you can see from the benefits above mixed mode feedback is around lowering the distortion of traditional speakers, and with Halo Topology it is now uniquely applied to headphones, this technology should provide the same benefit to similar architected headphones, i.e. when applied to dynamic driver headphones as some unique headphone drivers have that same variable impedence as some speakers.

Therefore, I will use a word that is seldom used in an online review the word ‘Assurance’, the assurance that if you have or possible in the future will purchase a headphone that might benefit from lower distortion then with the midgard (and only the midgard) you have that added assurance.

But the purpose of this deep dive was to understand what I should specifically try and measure with the halo topology and it became obvious as I research this that I need to look at difference in distortion with specific headphones by measuring the headphone response (not the amplifier output).

Some Measurements​

Measurement process​

Given the objective is to now measure a delta in distortion between the single ended and the ‘Halo’ 4-pin interfaces from the headphone itself I used my Minidsp Ears, obviously this is a much simpler measurement tool than BK-5128 or a Gras Coupler, but given I was looking for a statistical difference I decided a methodolical and repeatable process could be used with the Minidsp.

I decided that I would follow this process:

1. Use Left Ear in all measurements
2. Only measure when the headphone was properly positioned with reasonable good seal (throwing away any outlying measurements that looked like in-accurate placement of the headphone)
3. Once properly position - measure the distortion 3 times using REW
4. Swap from SE to the 4-pin and repeat from 2. above
5. Repeat this process 10 times (5 times per SE and 5 per 4-pin)

The average of the 3 seated measurements is taken at each frequency during the sweep and then the 5 SE and 5 4-pin measurements, this was to avoid as much as possible differences due to the headphone moving around while the cable was swapped.

One problem. I had was the selection of headphones was to identify a suitable set of headphones to measure. From the research above (and from reading online forums) I would idealy measure a headphone with large swings in impedance but also support a balanced cable. Even though the Midgard is not a balanced headphone Amplifier, for the Halo Topology to work the extra wire in a 4-wire balanced cable is used by the mixed-mode feedback to adjust the output, so a headphone (or IEM) that supports balanced connections is required.

Also, Dynamic Driver headphones and not Planars are the ideal headphone to measure a differance, as Planar have a very even impendance so not ideal for this test but after looking at my small collection of headphones, the only ideally suited headphone in my collection was an old AKG K702 ( being a dynamic driver) which was modified a few years ago to supported balanced cables, but in the interests of this experience I also decided to measure against one planar (the Hifiman HD200-SE and one IEM the FX-15 as I had both balanced and SE cables for that IEM ).

But even the K702 only has a minor variation in impedance:

For example, diyaudioheaven measured the frequency response differences (i.e. tonal differences) when this headphone was presented with different impedance amplifiers


Again this upper treble region has slight variations depending on the impendence.

Note: One headphone that might have the right criteria is the Sennheiser HD650:

Amir from ASR, during his review on ASR actually subjectively mentioned that he thought they sounded better on the 4-pin than the SE which would make sense based on the research above.

So with this process in place I believe the labourious task of capturing: 3 (measurements per sitting) x 5 (sittings per interface ) * 2 (interfaces) * 3 ( headphones / IEMs) so a total of 90 measurements of the distortion difference. So lets see the results:

1. Headphone 1 - the Hifiman HE200-SE

• Distortion Via Halo:
  
• Distortion via SE:
  

So no significant difference was measured but a few times there was less distortion via the ‘Halo Topology’ though this wasn’t consistent could have been a measurement anomaly.

1. IEM - FX-15:

• Distortion Via Halo:
  
  
• Distortion via SE:
  
  

So no significant difference was measured.

1. Headphone 2 AKG K702:

• Distortion Via Halo:
  
• Distortion via SE:
  

So no significant difference was measured.

Note: I have a few links here, here and here for raw measurements used above.

Measurement summary​

Sadly I could not proof the technology with my limited measurements and
my limited set of headphones.

While these measurements did not show any significant differences between the Single End and the 4-Pin ‘Halo’ interface the process of researching and then measuring the Midgard with my headphones gave me a both a sense for what Schiit Audio have implemented with the Midgard and the audio ‘problem’ that they were trying to solve.

This has given me an even more impressive feeling about the Midgard and I now believe the Midgard is the perfect headphone amplifier for someone who is growing their collection.

What could be better​

There are a few things I think Schiit could improve on:

1. Include both a ‘Halo’ 4-PIN and a Balanced output as well as the Single Ended interface
2. Switch off the RCA / Balanced output on the back when a headphone is connected

Rating​

I gave this a 5-star rating as it’s rare to get a premium audiophile product that has outstanding measurements and unique technology at this reasonable price.

Summary​

The Schiit Audio Midgard stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity and affordability. This $219 headphone amplifier and pre-amp, proudly American-made, encapsulates a blend of robust metal construction, discrefte circuitry, with the standout feature the intriguing addition of ‘halo topology’.

While I could not measure a notable difference, from the research I made I believe that the ‘halo topology’ adds a level of assurance to your listening pleasure, that is unique within headphone amplifiers. This alone should be a reason to purchase the midgard but even without the ‘halo topology’ the Midgard is a top product which measures exceptioanlly well and most importantly make your headphone sound like they belong in the realms of the gods.

Introduction to the Schiit Audio Midgard review​

First of all, I absolutely refuse to do Schiit jokes. All-in-all it is a proud German name, host to a long line of audio engineers. We should show some respect. Also, it is kind of cliché at this point. Maybe next time. I’ll admit, I can’t recall the last time I was so excited about a review. Yes, we do play with the coolest toys on the market, but hear me out. It’s a $219 amplifier made in the US of A. Metal enclosure, discrete circuit, pre-out. I’ve seen dudes spend more on strippers. Duh, I’ve seen a dude spend more on ONE stripper. We’re talking wire strippers, obviously.

So, for what it is, Midgard is priced more than fairly. At least on paper. I love to see great sound quality getting more affordable. It excites me more than the new expensive stuff. And the other thing, that is a cherry on top: it does something different. It’s hard to get me curious about headphone amplifiers, as I’ve seen hundreds at this point and even built a couple.

I’m speaking about the Halo topology being used for the first time. In short, it is a mixed-feedback loop that includes headphones. Possibly improving sound quality. Why possibly? Because it’s very hard to measure the effect on the headphone’s output. More on that in a dedicated paragraph. So to sum things up: Schiit promises state-of-the-art performance for the price of a steak dinner in a big, European city. Steak, and a few glasses of wine, but can you do one without another?

Packaging​

They did something really smart here. The box, is a regular shipping cardboard, the one that you know its colour, but it’s weirdly hard to name it. Or is it just me? Inside the device is secured by a special, custom-made cardboard insert that holds it physically at a distance from the box sides for secure shipping. Smart, cheap and works. Inside you’ll find a quick start manual, some stickers and that’s basically it. Gotta keep the price down, but honestly? It’s secure, keeps the price low and arrives in one piece. It ain’t stupid if it works.

Design and Build Quality​

Out of the box, I knew one thing. It’s Schiit Audio quality. Full metal chassis, nothing to complain really. We have to appreciate the metal volume knob and Neutrik XLR connectors, something not entirely obvious at this price range. The logo on the top is stamped and then filled with paint, while other markings are made with screen printing. The only thing I don’t like is the two switches on the front. They feel kind of wobbly, but then I looked at the price and forgot about them. It’s an aesthetic little box. Sadly, the 4-pin XLR headphone connector can bend inside when plugging headphones. Some bracing could help that. A shame. Besides that, it’s all good.

Tech inside the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard​

Now we’re getting to the good stuff. Reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard is not exactly a balanced amp. The inputs are balanced, as is the volume control. The input of the amplifier is balanced too, you can see that by the input filter components. The output of the amplifier is single-ended though. So the conversion from a symmetric signal path occurs here. It means we get all of the benefits of balanced inputs, namely Common Mode Rejection Ratio, which means interference resistance.
We don’t get extra output power when using the XLR output, so keep that in mind. Not that you’re going to miss it, since it delivers 5,5W @ 16 Ohm, 3,2W @ 50 Ohm and 375mW @ 600 Ohm. It drives a Susvara to a very satisfying result. But yeah, I basically touched the end of the potentiometer wiper on low gain. The manufacturer described the amp topology as open-loop linear, with low-loop feedback. I get all tingly on the inside when I read stuff like that. But, what does it mean in English? So, amplifiers use global feedback to achieve low distortion and low output impedance. Of course, there are some “no feedback” designs, like tube amps, or those crazy amps from Dartzeel.

They do use feedback in fact. It’s not global, it’s local. You can’t build an amp with absolutely zero feedback of any sort. What Schiit meant, was that they have a design that uses a lot of local feedback and some fancy engineering to create an amplifier that is pretty linear in open-loop (no global feedback applied), so it doesn’t require too much global feedback to achieve stellar performance. On the other hand, most manufacturers prioritise very high global feedback to achieve absurdly good measurements. Think NFCA circuits from Topping.
But that means, that their amplifiers are not very inherently linear. Topping prioritises fast design and deployment of their product and using huge amounts of global feedback makes it possible. To build an inherently linear amplifier it takes a long time and lots of tweaking. We know Jason likes to take time with his stuff. There is a whole book about this type of design: Audio Power Amplifiers, towards inherently linear amplifiers by Dr. Arto Kalinummi. It’s an essence from his PhD study, which ended in him building a couple of no-global feedback amplifiers. If you’re a geek like me, this book is a must-have. It was distributed by Linear Audio, and I think it still is available on Amazon.

Okay, what about the Halo topology? I have a separate paragraph about that, down below. The power supply uses a 16VAC wall-wart brick and a stacked power supply design giving a couple output voltages, but the most important part runs on bipolar +/-30V and +/- 20V rails. It gives the amp great performance into high-impedance headphones. Headroom is king. It is by measurements the best SE amplifier Schiit has made. Also, the most powerful. The preamp outputs can’t be turned off, that is the biggest con of this amplifier, one we shouldn’t have to bother with. There is space on the PCB and on the front panel for that. Shame it wasn’t done.

Halo topology​

So the Halo topology is based on a 40-year-old paper (which was not disclosed by Schiit) that described using mixed feedback to improve the speaker’s performance. According to Schiit, the original paper mentioned a 6dB improvement in acoustic measurements. Sadly, I couldn’t find any paper that fits the description. The Quad current dumping amplifier seems to be on a decent track, but don’t quote me on that. The idea is, that Halo output has sense resistors (hence 2Ohm output impedance), that allow for mixed-mode feedback (voltage and current feedback).

I suspect that mixed mode feedback allows for a partially current drive, of the driver, which should result in the driver being powered “better”. It is also assumed (which I agree with), that this system will have the biggest impact on headphones with impedance peaking. That makes perfect sense to me, as the “floppier” the driver, the more error it will create, giving the Halo more to work with.
That said, all of that wasn’t supported by measurements. Jason said, that they don’t want to spend resources and time. They invited people with measurement gear to get reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard for free and to measure it to heart’s content. This is how I got mine, even though I only have access to electrical measurements, not acoustical. I told them, but still got it. Thanks for this chance, I appreciate it. As usual, I wasn’t asked to say anything positive and they have no influence on this review. They’ll see it at the same time, as you do. As usual with Ear-Fidelity.

Measurements

For starters, I would like to thank Remco Stoujesdijk from It’s Only Audio for providing those measurements. His help was crucial in understanding the Halo as much as we were able without excessive reverse engineering. Measurements were done with Audio Precision APx585. Measurements were taken with XLR inputs and both headphone outputs. As you can see, Midgard is a fantastically measuring amplifier with impressive specs. Please note the scale of the attached measurements. They have been scaled up, so we can actually see something.

Frequency response, please note the scale. It’s completely flat in the audio band better than (-0,125dB).

THD+N versus measured output, which is astonishingly low. You can see it’s optimised for around 2V.

SNR @ 10VRMS input, max gain, over 22kHz bandwidth, brick wall filtered. With bandwidth up to 96kHz the result is 6dB worse @ 123dB indicating the white noise performance of the amplifier (flat noise density across the bandwidth, i.e. thermal noise).

Distortion products @ 1VRMS

Spectrum @ 1VRMS @ 1kHz

IMD 19kHz + 20kHz

Proof of mixed feedback. Loading was 100Ohm resistor (mildly inductive) + 66nF capacitance. If pure current feedback was used, the -3 dB point would be near 24 kHz, instead, it is 71 kHz so current feedback does not dominate.

In a sweet shot with a thermal camera, you can tell where the transistor’s die is. Notice a really hot, 85-degree C resistor up top.

Spectra of amplifier’s output at 1V (reference) and 200mV (measurement with headphone load) with different loads, with or without Halo. Notice the gain in the noise transfer around 600Hz, showing up on Halo measurements. It came up in 1M points FFT, averaged 4 times. We don’t have a good explanation for it besides it is caused by cold headphone drivers (a cold day) and it faded away with time. It might be also correlated to Halo, but at those levels, it’s speculative. But well, let’s say we measured a difference.
Dark purple: unloaded
Blue: HD800 no Halo

Dark purple: unloaded
Pink: HD800 with Halo

Dark Purple: reference
Pink: Meze Liric no Halo

Dark purple: reference
Brownish: Liric with Halo

How does the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard sound?​

I gave Schiit Audio Midgard one day of warming up before I started the testing. I had to start with its “magical” output first. And since I’m lazy and I had the Susvara on hand… I was blown away. It’s not Susvara and EF1000’s level of performance, but still, the Midgard was doing a really good job. It’s like a substitute teacher showing up and actually teaching you stuff. Never happened in my time. Okay, okay, I thought, let the man cook then. I listened to this set for a couple of hours before I had enough. It was a satisfying, fun music session and I couldn’t say I missed out on something. But then, I had to get back to reality. I pulled a set of more reasonable, but still challenging headphones. Two of them have peaking issues. Most of my listening was done on Halo output. The difference is described below.
Without Halo, the sound sounds like any other amplifier. Gets it on a level of Jotunheim 2 and WHAMMY (which is still really good). We basically have a very good SE amplifier. Halo feels like removing compression from the sound, it returns it to a more natural, more open and more dynamic state. Since the measurements show absolutely no definitive difference on the electric side, it seems to support the theory that the driver behaves differently.

On Meze Liric in the song When It Comes To You by Dire Straits, Mark’s vocal comes in much closer and seems bigger while losing dynamics. Instruments playing in the upper midrange sound offensive because of Liric’s peaking in that region (also why I didn’t like them with midrange forward M15S). With Halo output, the soundstage opens up and the sound stops dry-humping your head. The separation between shows up, giving each instrument better placement on the scene. The peaking of the headphones seems to be tamed, as it stopped being audible. Meze Liric with Metallica’s Thing that should not be showed minimal differences and out of all my tests here, the effect was miniscule.



On the Sennheiser HD800 difference is also audible. Listening to the Opening Suite from Halo Combat Trilogy OST makes it easy to pick up. Using Halo on Halo (see what I did there?) opens up the soundstage once again. It separates sound sources, creating extra depth. The biggest difference was in the choir. It gained so much dynamics it got reasonably close to the real thing. It also allowed much more low-level detail to show up. The famous harshness of the HD800 was reduced to a level that doesn’t bother me.

Now to the good part, listening with Halo. I’m extremely impressed with the performance and sound of the Midgard. This amp sounds like it costs a couple times more than it does. What comes forward is terrific resolution, coupled with full timbre, holographic sound staging and incredible realism. Yeah, I am excited. It sounds right up my alley, so maybe cut my enthusiasm in half. The tonal balance is really good, only the bass is a bit less present than I would like it to be.
The sound is extremely effortless, even with more demanding headphones. It does help the headphones sound better, even though it doesn’t seem like it in the measurements. Shame I couldn’t provide acoustic measurements. If find a way, I’ll. In short, it is an insanely capable amplifier that bested all my references, including its own older brother. Inherently linear design with lots of headroom is the future, even without Halo. Together, they provide something spectacular. I have found Midgard to be extremely transparent and it scales greatly with other components. What I meant by transparent was: that it doesn’t limit the sound in any way. Not “it sounds flat”. The better the companion equipment, the more ahead of the competition the Midgard was.



Bass

I find it extremely satisfying, but slightly lacking in quantity. I wish there was a bit more, especially when listening to rock, metal and EDM. Touch more, would make this amp basically perfect. I enjoyed listening to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, with its leading overdriven synth melody during verses. I like how it and the main bass line were separated from the rest of the sound. Very often you hear me say meat on the bones in regards to bass. It’s a bit too lean. No fat here at all. For real instruments refer to Otherside by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I love how clean the bass line is. It’s so easy to pick It up apart from other instruments. There is a lot of detail in this instrument, all of which gets delivered to your ears. Drums fill up the rest of this range with a funky pop we all love RHCP for.

Midrange

The best effect here was together with the EF600 as a DAC. I was delighted to hear how good the midrange was. Soundtrack Halo Trilogy and the famous Opening Suite is a great example of reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard’s prowess. I was thrilled with how much dynamics in the choir was provided. Especially compared to the competition, here I felt like I was getting as close to the original as I could. It’s so easy to tell every minute change of volume and timbre as the choir follows the melody. The effortlessness of Midgard also helps to make this range so convincing. I couldn’t pick up any colouration added.
When It Comes To You by Dire Straits has a mix of vocals together with guitars. I was pleased to hear them completely separated from each other. Nothing is mixing together. Since I’ve been raving about voice, now I’ll focus on the guitars. They have a very nice timbre and a full-bodied presence throughout the recording. I like this song for its use of guitars across the soundstage, creating a nice back-and-forth between them. Overall, it’s a very detailed, natural sound that is stuck with me now.

Treble

Let’s stick with this song for a minute more. It uses a lot of cymbals and different bells. The reviewed amplifier does a fantastic job of marrying treble detail and weight. Metal does sound like metal, with suitable crash and reverberation. Nothing is hidden or influenced by this amp. Once again every single sound is completely separated from others. Then I went to Time by Pink Floyd, an obvious benchmark for treble. In the opening sequence, I was impressed by how much information was recorded. Every clock was different and produced a different tone. All of that without any hint of artificial brightness from the amplifier. Very often treble resolution is a result of a brighter tuning. No such thing here.

Soundstage

Another strong point of the newest amplifier from Texas. While not extremely wide, the soundstage has amazing depth and layering. Every sound source is a very well-defined point in the space. Drums and cymbals in The Thing That Should Not Be by Metallica are very well-defined from left to right, especially at the end, where they dance from one side to the other. Even with compressed music such as Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, there was some depth and width, especially when using Halo output. The abovementioned performance is way above Midgard’s asking price.

Comparisons​

Topping A30Pro​

Topping really did stir the market up with their affordable, high-performance devices. Sadly, I wasn’t able to grab any of the newer offerings around this price. Still, the A30PRO @ $269 is a capable little amplifier. It features a now famous NFCA module that uses composite amplifiers and a truckload of feedback to offer the best measurable performance. As you can see, a topology is completely different from that of Schiit Midgard. I like the A30 for its great bass, pleasant tonal balance and nice detail. How do they compare? Topping has to give it to the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard this time. Besides a touch more bass, which I like, the A30Pro is not as good sounding as the American amp.

Bass

Chinese amp has a really nice fullness and thump to it. With the soundtrack from Doom Eternal, I actually preferred it. It sounded much more powerful. On the flipside, Midgard delivers a resolution and finesse that is outside its competitors’ reach. It’s quality over quantity and you know which one I prefer.

Midrange

In my opinion, midrange is hands down better on the Midgard. The A30Pro suffers from a flat delivery, and lack of dynamics in this range. Midgard is just so much more natural, open and fun. It’s more a case of Topping not delivering than Midgard adding tone.

Treble

On Topping’s amplifier, the treble feels recessed in comparison to Midgard and other amps. It creates this pleasant, darker, more bassy tuning. Many people prefer that, so no harm is done. The quality of the treble is good at it’s price. It’s smooth rather than extremely detailed, but still has a pleasant ring to it. Midgard offers a more even presentation, and to be frank just better treble. Better how? More detail is more airy, yet still doesn’t go into sharpness.

Soundstage

This is the weakest point for the A30Pro, as it has a narrow and shallow soundstage. Really, it’s nothing special. Then when you listen to Midgard, it’s the complete opposite: big, open, precise positioning. Holographic I would even say. No competition.

Jotunheim 2​

Jotunheim 2 is one of the most popular amps in its price range. Fully balanced, linear power supply, nice output power and add-on cards… All for $399. It’s worth mentioning that it uses some of the coolest tech from Schiit Audio, namely the Nexus current feedback, an inherently differential amplifier with a Continuity S output stage. Those are being used in some of the best stuff from them, including Tyr power amplifier at $1599. Pretty nice package if you ask me. Of all of the amplifiers here, it was the closest to the Midgard in terms of overall sound quality. Jotunheim 2 is a daily driver of my friend, who was kind enough to lend it to me. Jotunheim has a nice, even presentation, with great sound staging and stellar resolution.

Bass

Quantity-wise Jotunheim 2 is somewhere in-between A30Pro and Midgard. Much closer to the latter, than the former. The character is also similar to Schiit’s offerings. Tight, controlled, snappy lows are the name of the game. On some tracks with Midgard, I could hear some roll-off, while Jotunheim played everything evenly. Don’t know why is that, but I guess it is what it is. Point for Jotunheim.

Midrange

This time point goes straight to the Midgard. Its midrange is stuff from legends. The Jotunheim 2 does a good job in terms of resolution and tonality. Yet Midgard is straight-up better, especially when it comes to the natural, dynamic reproduction of voices. Jotunheim 2 sounds like it’s been slightly compressed in comparison. I think that’s either Halo or just an insane amount of headroom kicking in.

Treble

Jotunheim 2 has a very satisfying treble. Smooth, with a bit of a sparkle. Similarly to bass, it’s between Midgard and A30Pro quantity-wise. It’s a great performer, and similar in style to the Midgard. On the other hand, it lacks the airiness and resolution that is provided by Midgard.

Soundstage

Sound staging was a close shave. Jotunheim has a laid-back style, that I enjoy so, so much. I feel like I’m in a loop. Once again Midgard does a similar style, but better. The comparison between the two reminds me of Peacemaker and Bloodsport from Suicide Squad 2.
“He does exactly what I do!”
“But better”

WHAMMY​

One of my favourite amplifiers, WHAMMY, is a DIY project you can assemble yourself. I love this thing. It isn’t that expensive for a kit, as you can grab it for $299. It features a single-ended topology with an opamp gain stage and a MOSFET class A output stage. I have a Muzg Audio dual opamp installed, which adds around $40 to the price tag. There are a lot of discrete opamps you can use, including Burson Audio, Stacatto Audio, Sparkos Labs and more. Soundwise, WHAMMY delivers a thick, warm tone. It marries that with a really good resolution and solid sound staging. You can control those things with the change of opamps, putting you in control of the sound. I have chosen Muzg’s opamp as it is the most neutral sounding out of all I have.

Bass

Huge difference here. WHAMMY has this big, bold bass. It’s meat on the bones and a nice amount of fat. It’s so much fun, I absolutely love it. With EDM, or metal this DIY amp kicks bottoms with no care in the world. It’s like David and Goliath all over again. Midgard, what lacks in quantity, makes up in quality. Resolution, speed, textures, it’s just better. If I could have both…

Midrange

Similar story here. WHAMMY has a nice warm, rich tone. Midgard has resolution, dynamics and a more natural feeling. It’s pick your poison, but I do believe Midgard’s performance is a level up. Just for the incredible scale and dynamics alone.

Treble

This is as close as any competitor got to the Midgard. Whammy has a fantastic treble, bold, with natural weight, and great detail. While not as airy and detailed as Midgard’s, WHAMMY produced a nicer attack and felt more interesting. Curiously, besides being heavier, it didn’t go into harshness even once.

Soundstage

DIY amplifier sounds closer and smaller in scale. While it is not as wide as Midgard it still puts up a fight in precision. The thing that should not be by Metallica has this really cool sequence at the end, where cymbals and guitars are floating in the air right to left. The WHAMMY handled that with ease, but it was not as spectacular as with the Midgard. Still, it was a great performance. Out of the comparison amps, I find WHAMMY’s sound staging the most natural feeling.

Pairing​

Andromeda Emerald Sea

I was really worried about this mix. We all know Andromeda is a troublesome IEM with its low impedance and super-high sensitivity. So, how it went? We are literally at the bottom of the volume range, yet still, the tracking is really good. It starts to lose balance at whisper levels, which for an analogue, potentiometer-based regulation is crazy good. Sound-wise, it drives Andromeda with no issues and no noise is audible. Dead quiet. And since it’s Andromeda ES, it’s crazy good.

Meze Liric​

I think it’s my favourite companion for the Midgard, which solves its biggest issue – the peak in the upper midrange. With Halo, it turns to extremely satisfying, resolving headphones with a nice sprinkle of warmth. Great sound staging for a closed-back headphone is something worth mentioning. If you are looking for a set that won’t bother a person sleeping by your side, this is one of the best you can get. It’s possibly the best-sounding Liric I have heard. Especially with EF600 as a source. This set works fantastically well with any genre of music and is as universal as it gets.

Sennheiser HD800 SDR mod​

I understand the position of the HD800 on the market, but I personally don’t like it. It’s great for gaming, but that’s it. Before you come at me with the torches, listen. With the Halo output of the Midgard, it sounded much closer to what I enjoy. It got somebody to the sound, the soundstage was great and the harshness was almost completely gone. If you are looking for an amp for these headphones, it’s worth a try. Especially, when the best-recommended amps are usually a couple of times more expensive than the HD800. Not to mention the Midgard. As a transparent amplifier, it preserves the main selling point of the Sennheiser’s dynamic flagship, while it mitigates its weakness.

Letshuoer EJ07M​

I’m happy to report, that the Midgard does a great job with IEMs. The channel matching of the potentiometer is really good even at the lowest levels. Kudos, especially since it’s a quad potentiometer. The EJ07M is a great representative of Mid-Fi IEMs, it even went on a vacation with me in February. I couldn’t pick up any noticeable issues, noise is inaudible.

Schiit Audio Midgard Review – Summary​

This is as close to a must-have that I’m comfortable with. Schiit Midgard is the best amplifier at its price point if you use the Halo output. It bested even much more expensive competition. It is also as close to transparent as it can get. The only thing I would change would be to add a touch of bass. I’m not able to pick up its sound signature. That means either, there’s none, or it’s time for a new hobby. I heard painting Warhammer 40k figurines is pretty cool.

Build quality is okay, only the selector switches feel a bit wobbly and the headphone XLR is not stable. Functionality-wise, the non-switchable pre-out makes me angry. We were so close to perfection. Besides that, it drives almost everything, even makes Susvara sound good (not perfect though), can handle IEMs with ease and is physically small.

While the measurements are basically as good as it gets, they haven’t shown any proof for Halo to make a measurable difference. I’m looking at your acoustic measurement guys, it’s your turn. It scales fantastically with other gear. If you are starting, get the Midgard and spend the rest of your money on balanced cable, headphones and DAC. It’s the best bang for the buck I’ve seen in my life. This Schiit is amazing! It’s a Schiit joke, they earned it.

Highly Recommended.

Big thanks to Schiit Audio for providing the Midgard for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Midgard has arrived!

Well when Jason Stoddard announced this new headphone amplifier I was intrigued at this new Halo (tm) stuff. Talk about upsetting the apple cart. Here we go again. I had to try one and see if there anything to this new tech.


Slim 1.5" Tall, Input Button, Gain Button, Volume Knob, SE and XLR Output Connections

I was surprised in other ways with this amp. Imagine specs that provide gobs of power. Enough to drive most headphones very very well. Midgard has this in spades. Well maybe not the new Tungsten headphone at 76-78 db sensitivity. Well thats a real corner case for sure. Power 5.5 watts RMS at 16 ohms, 4.8 watts RMS at 32 ohms, 3.2 watts RMS at 50 ohms, 750 mw at 300 ohms and even 375 mw at 600 ohms! Specs that state inaudible noise for all headphones and IEMS. Specs that state distortion is immeasurable at normal listening levels, 1000 x lower than a typical headphone. From a discrete amplifier design. All for $219!...Yup $219 with a 2yr warranty.

Wide open volume on either gain setting. Dead silent. I only used headphones, no IEMS. Looking at the internals, you see a very clean layout, excellent solder job, no wires, a screw-less top (only 2 screws on the back for the top cover) vs the old 4 screws on the top cover. It weighs 2 lbs and the smaller form factor 9 x 6 x1.5" is really nice. Matches the Modius E and Bifrost 2/64 very well.

Anything I threw at it for a load was easily driven. No discernable distortion. None. Schitt even touts :




Nothing like taking the covers off and admiring the stuff inside!

"To date this is the best measuring, highest power discrete headphone amplifier that Schiit has ever made." (from the Schitt Site). And has this thing called Halo(tm). Halo is an attempt to see if including your transducer in the feedback loop would have any affect on the listening experience. Any measurements here. No, None, Zip, Zero, Nada, well not that are published. Schiit states this is up for debate and it up to you to see if this is magic or a dont care. All you have to do is to try the TRS output unplug and try the XLR output and compare. Any difference ?? Well for me....later.



Sense of Humor? "Fully Discrete (Really)....60 Volt Rails!

More than Halo (tm) the overall picture of this amp is its all around cost/performance ratio. Its an exceptional value IMO. Even if Halo(tm) is a bust, you get almost 5 watts RMS into 32 ohms from both the SE and XLR output. Having SE and balanced inputs you can connect 2 different dacs at the same time and switch between them with the front panel push button. If you dac has both SE and XLR outputs you can compare them to each other and decide which one is of your liking. Sweet.

Ok so for $219 we get a very powerful, clean essentially distortion free amp. What else is there? How about a really decent Alps Blue Velvet volume pot. RK 27 to be exact. Great for smooth control and low level tracking. The same pot is used in Jot 2 and Mjolnir 3. In my DIY stuff I always use the Alps RK 27 pots...and genuine Alps not the chi-fi pirates ! Some budget amps dont always have the best parts in the build. Midgard has "exotic" film and silicon capacitors and MELF resistors. Whats MELF you ask? Check out Vishay technical papers on them. Excellent parts IMO. Well then how about a preamp with both SE and balanced outputs. All built in Texas. Parts from California, Utah, Nevada. Yes the wall-wort is made in Taiwan. Magnius is gone, op amps.


Alps RK 27 Blue Velvet Pot

One thing that is a tad different is the output impedance (remember the 1/8 rule?), for SE is less than .1 ohms, while the XLR output is approximately 2 ohms. Hmm. Why? Well Schiit states is because of this Halo (tm) stuff. Halo has to have a separate ground return paths for left and right channels thus the XLR connection. Xlr with 4 pins suits this design requirement.



Exotic Parts

Ok Halo (tm). A "mixed-mode feedback system that puts the driver into the feedback loop." Some think it helps, some not. Schiits stance was hey we cant really measure this well...so lets put it out there and see how "we the customers" like or not like it. They also state any perceivable difference would most likely occur with large transducers, aka "speakers"....YMMV. Well Midgard is not a speaker amp...so? Could there possibly be other amps, like speaker amps that might include this Halo (tm) stuff ? :>) For me after many hours of listening to each output. My ear likes the non-Halo SE output. To me its more distinct or clear, the old less veil thing. Both outputs have the same power so its easy to test and compare. My opinion as to what sound better may be influenced with my headphones and the sound signature my brain prefers. My surprise here was with a new purchase of ZMF headphones and trying to find an amp that would pair with them and be less warm. Well this amp with the SE output was the winner here. Pair this with a Modius E and its well excellent with the ZMF VC's. Surprise. (less than $500!).

I should add, that the XLR output is very good a bit more holographic to me at times. Probably my bias towards more analytical sounding gear. I could discern the differences and I could easily listen to both for hours. Depending on your tastes your preference may be different. The neat thing here is Schiit decided to let "YOU" try and see for yourself! Awesome.

I did this comparison with my new ZMF VC's, Rossen Audio Designs Rad 0's, Audio Technica ADX 5000 (420 ohms), Final Audio D8000 Pros and a HD650. All headphones led me to prefer the SE output. All headphones were easily driven very well to painful levels. Never went over 12 oclock even on low gain. Again all dead quiet when the music was paused.



ON OFF

Make sure you understand there is no magic here by getting the same power output for SE and XLR. Midgard is still basically a single-ended amplifier. The balanced stuff gets get converted to single end and single ended get converted to balanced where needed. Its not a balanced amp like you might think.

How does it sound? Much better than my ole long gone THX AAA amp for sure. The things that stand out are its ability to effortlessly drive all my headphones without straining. Effortlessly.

Sound-stage was open, wide, expansive. As good as any other of my amps. In some cases better.

Clarity, well this one really took me by surprise. Clear, crystal clear but not like the measurement amps that you hear are dry and abrasive. Op amp amps. With all my cans, especially the warmer ZMF VC's it came across more articulate and was a perfect match for the ZMF's. Stellar.

Jason writes: "Discrete lets us do cool stuff like super-linear open-loop stages that perform at pretty much state of the art levels without a ton of feedback." I agree.

As I listened I looked at all my other amps sitting there as I round Robbin'd them thru the listening gauntlet....I wondered how can a $219 amp sound so good?




Testing with the Schiit Modius E


Tons of Connections!

Again a world class amp for $219. Yeah I sound like a Schiit fan-boy. Well I am of sorts. This is a great amp for a great price with some exotic tech that may or may not be of real significance to your setup over time...expect to see this tech in other devices...maybe a speaker device? I am a sucker for Made in the USA stuff. No apologies. Schitt IMO provides a stellar product in Midgard, Built in Texas with excellent parts and quality with a decent warranty for $219.

Schiit...Job well done! This one will remain in my stable! Its that good.

NOTE: I did a listening session with the Modius E ESS 9028 dac from Schiit as well. The paring was exceptionally good.
Highly recommended. If your a ZMF fan this is is a killer setup at a really decent price point.

Alex