Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up
Dec 20, 2020 at 2:08 PM Post #68,671 of 150,081
I bought the Telarc vinyl when it first came out. You can hold the album at arms length and see where the canons fire. Looks like an EKG trace etched in vinyl. Laid waste to many a tonearm / cartridge combos. 😄

LOL!! Yeah, and all those cartridge/arm combos that were laid waste by that part of the recording also laid waste to that part of the recording in the vinyl. :laughing: My copy is pretty much untrackable in that area now even with an arm/cartridge combo that could easily handle it. Something about a hard, pointy object falling down the side of a cliff and then bouncing when it hits the bottom. :grin:
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 2:10 PM Post #68,672 of 150,081
While I'm happy to see an On/Off switch for the pre-outs, what I really wish that switch did instead was mute the pre-outs and un-mute the HP-outs in one position, and do the opposite in the other position. :nerd:

That is a feature that I would love to see on future products.

ABSOLUTELY! The lack of switchable pre/headphone outs by means of a physical switch is the single reason I myself have not purchased a Jotunheim a long time ago. I use headphone amp/dac/pre combo devices for my work as well as occasional listening for pleasure, and switch between headphones and monitors many (sometimes numerous) times a day. Not having a switch to chose one or the other is unfortunately a deal-breaker.

I did order a Jot 2 now that it has at least the pre-out switch (should be here today, yay) but it is still not an ideal scenario, because personally I never want both phones and monitors putting out signal at the same time, whether when I work or listen to music. When would this be desirable to anyone, actually? Separate rooms perhaps -- in which case it's not really the product anyway -- I can't think of anything else?

BTW, @Jason Stoddard , is this by any chance something that can be addressed via a firmware update -- turn off the headphones when pre outs are on? Or is it all hardwired?

Having the physical switch do either preamp outs OR headphones would open up these products immediately to a large pro market as well (not the intended audience of the product perhaps but extra sales couldn't hurt?) I can see plenty of people replacing their Grace Designs and what not in an instant. I know of entire pro facilities adopting a consumer-grade device simply because there was nothing comparable in the pro arena with a certain feature and in a given price range. In one case it was influenced by yours truly and involved a headphone amp/dac combo in fact -- a Nuforce unit at the time -- simply because it had an AES input along with all other desireable features, was 6 times cheaper than the closest pro-audio alternative, and sounded better, too...

I'm just sayin' :)
 
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Dec 20, 2020 at 2:35 PM Post #68,673 of 150,081
Has there ever been talk of a SYS in the medium case so it could stack with Lyr, Bifrost, etc.? In my perfect world it be a balanced and single ended switcher with no volume.
Or just have a switch that would completely bypass the volume control so it could be used purely as a switcher, which is something that I really wish the current SYS had.

Maybe this is a feature that could be added to a SYS 2 ?!?
 
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Dec 20, 2020 at 2:56 PM Post #68,674 of 150,081
ABSOLUTELY! The lack of switchable pre/headphone outs by means of a physical switch is the single reason I myself have not purchased a Jotunheim a long time ago. I use headphone amp/dac/pre combo devices for my work as well as occasional listening for pleasure, and switch between headphones and monitors many (sometimes numerous) times a day. Not having a switch to chose one or the other is unfortunately a deal-breaker.

I did order a Jot 2 now that it has at least the pre-out switch (should be here today, yay) but it is still not an ideal scenario, because personally I never want both phones and monitors putting out signal at the same time, whether when I work or listen to music. When would this be desirable to anyone, actually? Separate rooms perhaps -- in which case it's not really the product anyway -- I can't think of anything else?

BTW, @Jason Stoddard , is this by any chance something that can be addressed via a firmware update -- turn off the headphones when pre outs are on? Or is it all hardwired?

Having the physical switch do either preamp outs OR headphones would open up these products immediately to a large pro market as well (not the intended audience of the product perhaps but extra sales couldn't hurt?) I can see plenty of people replacing their Grace Designs and what not in an instant. I know of entire pro facilities adopting a consumer-grade device simply because there was nothing comparable in the pro arena with a certain feature and in a given price range. In one case it was influenced by yours truly and involved a headphone amp/dac combo in fact -- a Nuforce unit at the time -- simply because it had an AES input along with all other desireable features, was 6 times cheaper than the closest pro-audio alternative, and sounded better, too...

I'm just sayin' :)

No firmware in Jotunheim 2--it's purely analog. No microprocessor. So, nope.

Plus, we get about equal complaints regarding the automatic switching on the smaller products (when headphones are plugged in)--lots of people like to use headphones and subwoofers simultaneously, I'm afraid.

So, no changes coming, sorry.

Or just have a switch that would completely bypass the volume control so it could be used purely as a switcher, which is something that I really wish the current SYS had.

Maybe this is a feature that could be added to a SYS 2 ?!?

Turn the volume all the way up = it is bypassed.
 
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Dec 20, 2020 at 2:58 PM Post #68,675 of 150,081
Two Schiit moments this week:
First is that my wife has fallen in love with my Fulla. I set it up for her to use at work so she could listen to podcasts from her phone (no headphone jack) on the shop stereo. And since it works so well for that (damn versatile little box - Jason is a brilliant engineer), she's said I'm not getting it back. And she's bragging to her coworkers about her little piece of Schiit. I suspect I'll get to indoctrinate introduce her boss (who's a serious musician when he's not supporting himself by working for a living) on the finer points of higher end audio reproduction.

Second is that my C-stop Mjolnir 2 arrived this past Monday. And I finally had the chance today to set it up. Schiit is really picky about their C-stock - while there are a few tiny blemishes, I had to look for them. They weren't visible under the plastic wrapping. This is the second piece of C-stock that I've bought. I've not been disappointed in the least by either of my C-stock purchases. Parking the Modi Multibit and Loki next to it (PYST cables - need a second choice that's twice as long), they look tiny in comparison.

Now, about the sound... This amplifier is a perfect match to my DCA Ether C 'phones with the balanced cable! This is a seriously wonderful sounding pairing. I'm really enjoying the whole "rediscovery" of music I know and love. Found a new background sound in Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon today - at the very, very end of Eclipse (last 15 seconds or so), there is what sounds like a radio station way in the background. At first I thought it was RFI that I was picking up. But then it ended when the track ended, replaced by the inky blackness of silence. So I replayed the track, and yep, it's buried in the background of the track. Never heard that before.
So now I'm wondering what else lurks in the background of my other favorite recordings. Hmmmm.... Got a lot of listening to do. Love the sound stage, too. :gs1000smile:

And now I gotta research my next purchase - will it be a Bifrost 2 or will I save my pennies and spring for the Gungnir? It will probably be the Gungnir. And whatever Jason ends up calling that telephone exchange masquerading as an equalizer. With knobs that move by themselves. I hope that it cycles the knobs around when you first power it up before setting into the last positions they were set at. That would be fun to watch!

A quick question for @Jason Stoddard - filament/heater current available in the Mjolnir 2 - 6BQ7/6BZ7 tubes are 450ma heaters. What is the design limit of the filament/heater supply in the Mjolnir?
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 3:09 PM Post #68,676 of 150,081
A quick question for @Jason Stoddard - filament/heater current available in the Mjolnir 2 - 6BQ7/6BZ7 tubes are 450ma heaters. What is the design limit of the filament/heater supply in the Mjolnir?

It's about a 600mA limit--it'll do all the popular E88CC, 6922, 6DJ8 style tubes, but 6N1Ps or 6CG7s may be iffy. The reason is it's actually a regulated DC supply, unlike our passive filtered DC supply like on a lot of other amps, so it's much more picky about current. The regulators are technically 1A devices, but you're taking a chance on triggering their current limiting when a 6N1P or 6CG7 tube is cold.
 
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Dec 20, 2020 at 3:22 PM Post #68,677 of 150,081
It's about a 600mA limit--it'll do all the popular E88CC, 6922, 6DJ8 style tubes, but 6N1Ps or 6CG7s may be iffy. The reason is it's actually a regulated DC supply, unlike our passive filtered DC supply like on a lot of other amps, so it's much more picky about current. The regulators are technically 1A devices, but you're taking a chance on triggering their current limiting when a 6N1P or 6CG7 tube is cold.

Now all we need is a Schiit Tube Warmer.
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 3:27 PM Post #68,678 of 150,081
No firmware in Jotunheim 2--it's purely analog. No microprocessor. So, nope.

Plus, we get about equal complaints regarding the automatic switching on the smaller products (when headphones are plugged in)--lots of people like to use headphones and subwoofers simultaneously, I'm afraid.

So, no changes coming, sorry.



Turn the volume all the way up = it is bypassed.
How about a 3-position switch, with both ON in the middle position?
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 3:30 PM Post #68,679 of 150,081
It's about a 600mA limit--it'll do all the popular E88CC, 6922, 6DJ8 style tubes, but 6N1Ps or 6CG7s may be iffy. The reason is it's actually a regulated DC supply, unlike our passive filtered DC supply like on a lot of other amps, so it's much more picky about current. The regulators are technically 1A devices, but you're taking a chance on triggering their current limiting when a 6N1P or 6CG7 tube is cold.

Jason, thank you for the really quick reply! I was looking at my Valhalla 2 and wondering about how the 6N1Ps would sound in the Mjolnir. Pin out is the same but thought I should ask about the current limit first.

The 6CG7 is a favorite tube of mine - it's very much like the 6SN7 but with a noval base. This is going to be fun.
Going to have to resurrect my curve tracer. So many tubes. So little time.
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 3:33 PM Post #68,680 of 150,081
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Dec 20, 2020 at 4:00 PM Post #68,681 of 150,081
@AudioGal My favorite set of tubes in my Mjolnir 2 with the Ether C headphones were Genalex Gold Lion E88CCs. I tried about a dozen different 6922 series tubes and to my ears these were the winners. FWIW.
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 4:22 PM Post #68,682 of 150,081
In reality this is not that much of a concern.
I agree @Ableza - although unlike you, I have no credentials as a speaker designer....
I am just a music lover.
If I was concerned about active amps being placed inside a speaker cabinet, and if money was no object, I would buy a pair of ATC SCM 150 ASLT SEs.
They come with a standalone ‘active’ amplifier of 350W per channel.
http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/hi-fi/loudspeakers/special-editions/scm150aslt-le/
I think they cost about £60k, so it is never going to happen :beyersmile:.
I have similar spec, but ‘built-in’ amps, in my active ATC 100 ASLs and to my ears, fed directly by an Yggy A2 they sound absolutely amazing :sunglasses:
Edit: These are my humble ATCs
http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/hi-fi/loudspeakers/classic-series/scm100-2/
 
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Dec 20, 2020 at 4:34 PM Post #68,683 of 150,081
@AudioGal My favorite set of tubes in my Mjolnir 2 with the Ether C headphones were Genalex Gold Lion E88CCs. I tried about a dozen different 6922 series tubes and to my ears these were the winners. FWIW.
Thank you @Ableza! I will keep my eyes open for a pair.
I have some vintage NOS Amperex 6DJ8/6922 that I'm going to dig out of storage and give a try.
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 4:35 PM Post #68,684 of 150,081
re: damage to amps inside loudspeaker enclosures. The force from sound reproduction inside the enclosure is insignificant. For example a 94 dbSPL acoustic wave in air is equivalent to about 1 Pascal of force, or 1/100 standard atmospheres (air pressure at sea level.) So at typical listening levels the force from sound being reproduced is relatively insignificant. The physical movement of a large woofer can cause vibrations in the enclosure which is potentially more damaging to electronics (or rather, to their mounting to a PCB as the electronics themselves are unlikely to be affected.) Stories of built-in amplifiers being damaged or failing over time are much more likely to be due to temperature, low quality construction or abuse than they are to normal use. In fact, I have a set of Genelec S30 powered studio monitors from the 80's that still play just fine out in my garage. They may not LOOK as pretty as they once did... :)
 
Dec 20, 2020 at 4:43 PM Post #68,685 of 150,081
Does anyone know what's the waiting time for Jotunheim 2? Any chance it can be delivered before Christmas?
Email info@schiit.com ... I ordered at 3 pm their time and it got out noon the next day, I paid for overnight so I didn't have to wait until after Xmas (in Florida 3000 miles away from Schiit).

Exactly, please quit distracting @Jason Stoddard, he's working on my Modi MB...
Can they fit unison in there? Not sure what other upgrades there are. Unless we're looking for a Modius MFB monster ....
 
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