[alpovs]

I only use the DX7s as a DAC and preamp. The few times that I tried its headphone amplifier, I found the sound pretty mediocre, but I also never intended to use it for that, so I didn't try for long. Good enough to burn in headphones, though.
With both a DX7s and a Jotunheim handy, I'd use the DX7s as a balanced DAC into the Jotunheim. If the choice is between either a DX7s or a Jotunheim with DAC module, I'd go for the Jotunheim. In comparison with the Gustard H20 (with Sparkos SS3602s) I noticed that the Jotunheim flattened the Yggdrasil's sound stage (with my Ether C Flow - the sound stage with Jotunheim and internal DAC module was plenty big when I tried the Sennheiser HD800). Not a problem with the DX7s as a DAC because there the sound stage seemed flat to begin with (even with the H20). I wish I had a pair of HD800 just for sound stage testing. Still unsurpassed in that area.

I haven't spent enough time with the THX amp yet to reach a firm conclusion, but I can give you some impressions (that should make someone here very happy!). With a balanced source and balanced headphones, it's doing a fine job. Clean, full, tight sound. Transients still seem slightly rolled off to me, which can be relaxing, but also takes some of the excitement out of certain recordings, especially with guitars. When I used the iFi micro iDSD as a DAC (i.e. single ended), THX as the amp, and using a single ended cable for my Ether C Flow, I was not happy with the sound. The balanced output with the same DAC and headphones was solid. I have to use it more with my other headphones, I did like what it did to my Focal Listen (single ended only), though I mainly use them straight out of my phone, so any proper amp might impress me with them.

@Alcophone, do you have new impressions of this amp, especially compared to the Jotunheim? With the Yggdrasil, does it flatten the soundstage too? Any other impressions?

 

[Roen]

Correct! A "balanced input" done right is actually just a "differential input" in that it subtracts IN- from IN+ and doesn't really care if the signals are equal and opposite, or not. If you have RCA output DAC and have RCA to XLR-3 cable, then at the amp input the XLR pin 3 (IN-) will be just held at ground (0V) and the XLR pin 2 (IN+) is swinging 2Vrms with respect to ground. So 2-0 = 2V differentially seen by the amp XLR input.

The 789 works well with 2V rms on either XLR or RCA input. And with 2V input you're free to use any of the 3 gain positions without fear of clipping.

I'll have a couple of cables sent to me to try this halfway house method of reducing ground noise on an unbalanced DAC out. Might as well lol.

 

[LevPush]

I still have yet to pull the trigger on the THX 789. With my Aune X7S I'm on low gain and never feel the need to go past 12 o'clock on the volume dial with my 58X or 6XX. I'm only using the SE headphone jack at the moment but I do want to get a balanced cable at some point.

Did you pull the trigger in the end? Interested to know the difference.

 

[MacMan31]

Did you pull the trigger in the end? Interested to know the difference.

I did not pull the trigger yet. I think money is a bit tight right now so I may have to wait.

 

[oqvist]

Had the amp on for 48h it´s luckily as soft and smooth as ever. If there is any difference at all surely have to a-b them at the same time.

 

[RNST]

I have the Jotunheim and just received the 789 yesterday. I haven't really done a head to head comparison yet but did spend a few hours trying out the 789 with different music genres. Some say there is no burn in period so these comments are purely from a fresh out of the box perspective.

I'm new to audio reviews so please bear with me. I'm mostly a vinyl guy who avoided iTunes and have jumped into Hi Res in the past few years.

I'm using a Pono as a source in Balanced mode with dual 3.5 mm to XLR Surf Cables. The headphones are H6xx with a Cardas 4 Pin XLR Cable.

I played a few tracks from U2 Achtung Baby 44.1 kHz 24 bit, Steely Dan Gaucho 96 kHz 24 bit, Aerosmith Get a Grip 192 kHz 24 bit, Herbie Hancock at Massey Hall 192 kHz 24 bit and Norah Jones Day Breaks 192 kHz 24 bit.

I started using Pono at 3/4 full power output and the 789 on gain setting 2 at almost full power.

With the rock tunes, I found the bass a little on the light side. Turning down the volume and using gain setting 3 then turning up the volume the bass and drums kicked in. From there I found the listening experience to be quite good with a lot of clarity instrumentally and with the vocals.

Going back to gain setting 2 for Norah Jones and Herbie Hancock was best for me since I typically listen to this type of music at a lower volume as a background while reading. There was clarity of the instruments and Norah's voice had the airiness I expected.

I've had the Jotunheim c/w Mulitibit DAC and a WYRD for about 6 months. Its connected to a MacBook Pro with SSD for Flac Files and it's connected to a Pioneer Blu Ray player.

Without doing a head to head, Playing Steely Dan Gaucho, the Jot sounds warmer while the 789 is a bit brighter. That was my first impression last night.

Anyone from Canada ordered one of these units? What sort of custom/import fees did you have to pay?

I picked mine up at the PO outlet yesterday and paid $33.

 

[LevPush]

So I am planning to pair it with my current Modi 3 right now. Is there any benefit in upgrading to a balanced DAC, what would be the difference be? And if so, which balanced DACs should I consider?

 

[Baten]

So I am planning to pair it with my current Modi 3 right now. Is there any benefit in upgrading to a balanced DAC, what would be the difference be? And if so, which balanced DACs should I consider?

Balanced is converted to SE during amplification. Stick with your SE DAC!

 

[BrotherKathos]

So I am planning to pair it with my current Modi 3 right now. Is there any benefit in upgrading to a balanced DAC, what would be the difference be? And if so, which balanced DACs should I consider?

Your cheapest option for a decent balaced dac is the SMSL SU-8. Compared to my Topping D50 the balanced SMSL dac does give a bit different of a presentation. The overall sound signature is the same as the D50, having lots of clarity and fairly warm for a sabre dac, but still a tad brighter than the D50. The biggest difference between the two was that the balanced dac pushed the instruments a bit apart and different sections seemed closer or further back than the unbalanced D50. My favorite combo with the thx right now is the Schiit EITR and modi multibit. This has the best overall presentation, bass, spaciousness, and clarity while being the smoothest and least fatiguing. The balanced dac was my least favorite, with the D50 and modi multibit being very close without the addition of the EITR. I used both for a while by themselves and it really was up to my mood as to which was better at the time. Without the Eitr the D50 just has a slight advantage with a kind of 3d like effect on some songs and a bit better bass, but the mimby has the edge in depth, openness, and spaciousness. I think its my dirty laptop usb that is a problem for me and the EITR helps. I've not tried the EITR with the D50 yet though so not sure how that pairs and if its truly the usb though that makes a diference.

 

[BrotherKathos]

Balanced is converted to SE during amplification. Stick with your SE DAC!

I did prefer my D50 in se to my SMSL SU-8 in balanced with the THX. I wonder if it has anything to do with the conversion on the amp side, the balanced connection, or just the differences in sound between the two dacs themselves I was using much 'better' cables with the balanced connection(Cardas quadlink) vs some cheaper mogami rca with the D50.. My favorite is the SE mimby with EITR combo. Probably going to stick to this combo for a while.

 

[Baten]

I did prefer my D50 in se to my SMSL SU-8 in balanced with the THX. I wonder if it has anything to do with the conversion on the amp side, the balanced connection, or just the differences in sound between the two dacs themselves I was using much 'better' cables with the balanced connection(Cardas quadlink) vs some cheaper mogami rca with the D50.. My favorite is the SE mimby with EITR combo. Probably going to stick to this combo for a while.

Using BAL doesn't hurt of course but there's no real benefit to do it with this amp. Since BAL is converted to SE during amplification and then back to BAL, while SE will also get output to BAL (therefore SE input comes down to the same thing, makes dac/amp pairing very easy indeed).

 

[LevPush]

Your cheapest option for a decent balaced dac is the SMSL SU-8. Compared to my Topping D50 the balanced SMSL dac does give a bit different of a presentation. The overall sound signature is the same as the D50, having lots of clarity and fairly warm for a sabre dac, but still a tad brighter than the D50. The biggest difference between the two was that the balanced dac pushed the instruments a bit apart and different sections seemed closer or further back than the unbalanced D50. My favorite combo with the thx right now is the Schiit EITR and modi multibit. This has the best overall presentation, bass, spaciousness, and clarity while being the smoothest and least fatiguing. The balanced dac was my least favorite, with the D50 and modi multibit being very close without the addition of the EITR. I used both for a while by themselves and it really was up to my mood as to which was better at the time. Without the Eitr the D50 just has a slight advantage with a kind of 3d like effect on some songs and a bit better bass, but the mimby has the edge in depth, openness, and spaciousness. I think its my dirty laptop usb that is a problem for me and the EITR helps. I've not tried the EITR with the D50 yet though so not sure how that pairs and if its truly the usb though that makes a diference.

Hmm I see, so bascially I dont need to worry about balanced dac. Maybe I could upgrade from modi 3 to modi multibit some time later if I find them to be that much difference. Maybe off-topic here but mimby is like 2.5x the price of modi, is there going to be that much of a difference?

 

[Baten]

Hmm I see, so bascially I dont need to worry about balanced dac. Maybe I could upgrade from modi 3 to modi multibit some time later if I find them to be that much difference. Maybe off-topic here but mimby is like 2.5x the price of modi, is there going to be that much of a difference?

More Euphonic sound. Hard to quantify in "much" or "little" honestly. If you already have modi3, it's probably a lot of money to go multibit, little too much (my opnion)

 

[BrotherKathos]

Hmm I see, so bascially I dont need to worry about balanced dac. Maybe I could upgrade from modi 3 to modi multibit some time later if I find them to be that much difference. Maybe off-topic here but mimby is like 2.5x the price of modi, is there going to be that much of a difference?

I have the modi 3 as well and paired to the thx its very good and nips at the heels of the mimby and D50 quite honestly. I would say getting an Eitr to use with the modi 3 would be better than upgrading to the d50 or mimby, but of course you could also upgrade to the mimby and eitr for the ultimate budget head fi rig The modi 3 on its own has a tad less pronounced bass and treble than the d50. Its closer to the mimby in signature, but you loose just a tad of depth, spaciousness and you do still get a bit of that delta sigma edge as well, alshough not as much as the d50. definitely the trademark akm velvet sound in play on the modi 3, which to me is a good thing.

 

[LevPush]

@BrotherKathos @Baten Thank you guys very much for answering these questions. Really helpful.