[JohnnyCanuck]

Hi-Fi+ review of Jotunheim: Shock & Awe at a Sensible Price
 
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/first-listen-schiit-audios-new-jotunheim/

 

[bigro]

  Hi-Fi+ review of Jotunheim: Shock & Awe at a Sensible Price
 
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/first-listen-schiit-audios-new-jotunheim/

 
"it potentially gives its owners near-endgame levels of performance at a near-everyman price."
 
I think this statement sums up what I see as the true Value in this Amp/ Amp Combo. Sure it looks like any other Mid Line Schiit amp but Under the Hood is where the magic happens. Reminds me of the 87 Buick Grand National. It Looks like any other Old Regal on the road but the That Turbo Intercooled V6 Was eating Corvettes and other Big V8's of the Day like they were Gummy bears and Gold Fish. I have to Sit on my hands as I hope this is the precursor of what's to come in the 2 Ch. gear.

 

[OddE]

Most soothsayers would prefer goat or sheep entrails to tea leaves.......   just sayin'     :blink:

-While off topic, I had a sooth-sayer related chuckle a few minutes ago when reading a Norwegian newspaper; one of our broadcasters will be hosting a show on skepticism this autumn.

They will specifically look into claims that some people may get in contact with the dead; to do so, they teamed up with a terminally ill man who wrote something on a slip of paper, sealed it and then handed it over to the hosts; they then recorded a teaser video where he promised to make the contents known to anyone able to communicate with him; he has since died, so the idea is that no living being knows what is written inside the envelope.

Now, a number of prominent (if there is such a thing) psychics have declined to take part, as they (rightly so, but anyway...) feel that the show will aim to discredit them. They even warn others not to take part; apparently, talking to the dead doesn't work on live TV.

It only works when no skeptics are around. Now, there's a thought...

 

[FrivolsListener]

 the first Jotunheim DAC card was based on the AK4396, just like the Fulla.

---

 

Ironically, that first DAC card was never built. It used two AK4396 D/A converters, and we’d just started hearing about how those were end of life.

 
Since the Fulla uses them, is there life after the 4396s go away for Fulla (2, II, Completely Fulla)?

 

[madwolfa]

  Since the Fulla uses them, is there life after the 4396s go away for Fulla (2, II, Completely Fulla)?

 
Maybe new Fullas already go with 4490...

 

[Matias]

Fulla was cheap because they made a zillion units at a time. When the batch runs out and the old DACs are gone, time to change the DAC chip.

 

[FrivolsListener]

  Fulla was cheap because the made a zillion units at a time. When the batch runs out and the old DACs are gone, time to change the DAC chip.

 
I suggest that Fulla was cheap for all the same reasons other Schiit gear is cheap.  No middlemen, no exorbitant cases, no insane markup.

 

[David Aldrich]

   
I suggest that Fulla was cheap for all the same reasons other Schiit gear is cheap.  No middlemen, no exorbitant cases, no insane markup.

Rule one is of production (of just about anything you want to make a profit with or even not lose money) is to make as many as you can afford and think you will sell.

 

[jacal01]

   
I suggest that Fulla was cheap for all the same reasons other Schiit gear is cheap.  No middlemen, no exorbitant cases, no insane markup.

 
I ran across this blog yesterday: A Tiny History of High Fidelity by Lynn Olson, which has a chapter on the high dollar audio industry ascendency, he calls "The Fashion-Magazine Gatekeepers Take Over 1980-1990". 
 
A really interesting and insightful read, starting with the advent of radio at the turn of the 20th century, and his treatment appears fairly even-handed and perceptive, with obvious insider chops.  Well worth the time for an overall background synopsis leading to our current state of affairs.

 

[FrivolsListener]

 
Rule one is of production (of just about anything you want to make a profit with or even not lose money) is to make as many as you can afford and think you will sell.

 
Well, they certainly aren't building them as one-offs, but their initial run was probably in the same order of magnitude as their other new starter products: 1000, 2000, 5000 at a time?  Jason hasn't revealed that detail.

 

[Baldr]

Good guess!!

 

[sublime9]

   
I ran across this blog yesterday: A Tiny History of High Fidelity by Lynn Olson, which has a chapter on the high dollar audio industry ascendency, he calls "The Fashion-Magazine Gatekeepers Take Over 1980-1990". 
 
A really interesting and insightful read, starting with the advent of radio at the turn of the 20th century, and his treatment appears fairly even-handed and perceptive, with obvious insider chops.  Well worth the time for an overall background synopsis leading to our current state of affairs.

When I saw, in the first paragraph that Lee DeForest modified Edison's light bulb, which had no cathode or anode (plate) instead of DeForest modified Fleming's vacuum tube valve (aka diode) I knew I was reading the research of a light weight. Try adding a grid in the path of a light bulb filament. I do agree that Audio as a hobby jumped the shark in 1980. I was building the W. Marshall Leach double barreled amp from the two 1980 issues and money money money took over. I met guys with $5000 turntables. In 1980? I was disgusted. Left the hobby for a long time. DIY audio brought me back. 
 
This company is awesome in its irreverence, ad copy, but mostly in in the flat out performance. When you figure in the price performance ratio and made in the USA %, it is a Norse god. 
 
I really like the Jotunheim. The numbers are insane. But do I buy it and a couple of sys's and a mani or modi2? I need a phono stage and a DAC, a volume control, and line inputs for a CD, reel-to-reel, and tuner, yes I am a dinosaur. I do not want to replace my 120W channel tube amp or my speakers. I want a pre-amp with a lot of inputs. Not headphone (my modi2 and vali are fine) not desktop, whatever that is. Living room audio. Preamp. 

 

[ToddRaymond]

  I really like the Jotunheim. The numbers are insane. But do I buy it and a couple of sys's and a mani or modi2? I need a phono stage and a DAC, a volume control, and line inputs for a CD, reel-to-reel, and tuner, yes I am a dinosaur. I do not want to replace my 120W channel tube amp or my speakers. I want a pre-amp with a lot of inputs. Not headphone (my modi2 and vali are fine) not desktop, whatever that is. Living room audio. Preamp. 

I figure I'll use one at or next to my desk, which is located near the back of the living room, behind the couch.  The turntable, front left and right preamp out from my CA home theatre receiver, and an eventual Yggdrasil, all nearby, will be fed into a planned (phono'd) Jotunheim.  Apart from serving obvious headphone duties, said Yodel-Ay-Hee-Hoo will also allow for the selection and output of the aforementioned through a long run of XLRs to the front of the room where a pre and power amp will do the rest.  Perhaps some pivot point Schiit will provide that two channel doody eventually.  I also look forward to a decent ADC.

 

[45longcolt]

This new topology is so intriguing that I'm considering getting a Jot even though I have no rational need for another HP amp. Rational? Did I just say rational on Head-Fi? (Slaps own face.)
 
Beginning to wonder about the new speaker stuff - had assumed it would be built around the Rag-style circlotron. But what if Jason has decided to really throw the audio world a curve ball? Stay tuned...
 
Back to Jot, how about a tube buffer module? For those who like glass-flavored audio and don't need a DAC or phono pre. Probably have to be the miniature tubes from Vali. Or would it be possible to lay 12AX7s (or the like) horizontally? Maybe one fully inside the case and one poking out the back? A slightly bigger Jot (II?) might have more room, maybe even enough for two modules?

 

[FrivolsListener]

  When I saw, in the first paragraph that Lee DeForest modified Edison's light bulb, which had no cathode or anode (plate) instead of DeForest modified Fleming's vacuum tube valve (aka diode) I knew I was reading the research of a light weight.

 
I don't know if I'm willing to pick nits over light bulb to Edison Effect to Fleming Valve to Audion.  Suffice to say that in there is the line between electrical and electronics.
 
What he had to say about the 50s through the 90s was much more the meat of the story.