[artur9]

(revised)
the ??? should be a speaker cable (e.g. 16AWG 2-conductor zip cord, Canare 4S6, etc.) with banana plugs on the Rekkr end; for the Minx 11 speaker end, stripped bare wire ends into the mfr-supplied two-piece terminals, or banana plugs directly into the speaker cabinets.

unless you listen exclusively to violin or triangle solos, there's a (cosmetically) matching Minx X201 or X301 subwoofer. for that connection, RCA in from Fulla (TRS to dual RCA cable) to the sub inputs, then an RCA-to-RCA cable sub outputs to Rekkr.

Thanks!

Anything special about those banana plugs? Like extra small or anything? Are all banana plugs the same size?

I have the 301 but not been impressed with it.

 

[dstrimbu]

A new use for Magni Piety

I bought the Magni Piety on a whim. I didn't really need it, because my OG Jotunheim is a.) located in my office, where I do most of my HP listening and b.) the Jot sounds really good. So, what to do with this thing? Then, I read a discussion on this thread where someone mentioned how much they'd love to have a Yggy as their desktop DAC, but their desktop wasn't big enough... and, voilà - I thought: why not bring the Piety to Yggy?

I'm lucky in that my main system has two audio sources - Yggy, which outputs via balanced connections, and my phono preamp, which is only single ended. Because of this, I use Loki Max as my input switcher, and feed its XLR outputs to my line preamplifier to drive the Tyrs. It works, perfectly, and it leaves Loki Max's SE outputs free... at least they used to be. Now they drive Magni Piety, and a pair of OG Senn HD600s that I've had since 2008.

Want to listen to the best sources in the house via headphones? No problem. Just select the input you want on Loki Max, and mute the line preamp... and you're rockin' and rolling inside your head.

The HD600s have never, ever sounded so good. And that Magni Piety... I still don't know how they do it for the price.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

A new use for Magni Piety

I bought the Magni Piety on a whim. I didn't really need it, because my OG Jotunheim is a.) located in my office, where I do most of my HP listening and b.) the Jot sounds really good. So, what to do with this thing? Then, I read a discussion on this thread where someone mentioned how much they'd love to have a Yggy as their desktop DAC, but their desktop wasn't big enough... and, voilà - I thought: why not bring the Piety to Yggy?

I'm lucky in that my main system has two audio sources - Yggy, which outputs via balanced connections, and my phono preamp, which is only single ended. Because of this, I use Loki Max as my input switcher, and feed its XLR outputs to my line preamplifier to drive the Tyrs. It works, perfectly, and it leaves Loki Max's SE outputs free... at least they used to be. Now they drive Magni Piety, and a pair of OG Senn HD600s that I've had since 2008.

Want to listen to the best sources in the house via headphones? No problem. Just select the input you want on Loki Max, and mute the line preamp... and you're rockin' and rolling inside your head.

The HD600s have never, ever sounded so good. And that Magni Piety... I still don't know how they do it for the price.

As stupid as it might sound to some, but Yggy OG into Piety? Yum!

I know, I know. Throw a stone* and you hit a reviewer or some other "well-versed** audiophile" who is ready to die on the hill of "DACs don't matter, they all sound the same."
F#c& 'em.***
The DAC matters far more than any other component in your chain.
And so, at least to me, it's entirely reasonable to use a roughly 3 grand DAC to feed into a roughly 170 bucks headphone amp. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

A few somewhat unrelated questions, if I may:
What headphones are you usually using with your OG Jotunheim?
And do you find your OG Jotunheim in any way, shape, or form harsh or tiring?
Have you ever compared the sound you get from your OG Jotunheim with that of a Jotunheim 2? If so, how would you describe that difference?

* Please don't throw stones at people. Not even the measurement folks.
** …be that real or imagined…
*** Don't. You can do better.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

* Please don't throw stones at people. Not even the measurement folks.

I assume you mean actual stones. I can still throw metaphorical stones their way, right? Right?

The DAC matters far more than any other component in your chain.

I previously used the darling DAC of reviewers everywhere, the Denafrips Ares II. I loved it. It's a great DAC. Really.

However, I was seriously surprised at how much more I enjoy the OG Yggy+. Easily the best improvement I've made in my system.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

I assume you mean actual stones. I can still throw metaphorical stones, right? Right?

At others? Sure!
At me? Heck, no! ;p

 

[Rensek]

I too have listened to my Piety through my Yggy OG, Gumby A2 as well.

Both were glorious.

My Piety is currently stacked with an OG Mimby being fed via toslink from my old plasma. HD6XXs as the hps.

Tears Of The Kingdom is awesome to play and listen to with this combo.

 

[fendermke]

I had never heard of Brandi Carlisle before I saw her on SNL. What a voice. Every time she hits those sustained high notes I get ye olde goosebumps.

I saw her last year and it was a great show. But the real reason I bought tickets was to see the opening band - Lake Street Dive!

I listened to a bunch of Brandi Carlisle before the show and thought it would be an ok show. But live she brings and entirely different energy level to her songs. Well worth seeing and she's also quite funny with her banter with the crowd.

But still finally having the opportunity to see Lake Street Dive and Rachael Price whom I've followed for many years topped the evening for my wife and I.

 

[artur9]

I too have listened to my Piety through my Yggy OG, Gumby A2 as well.

Piety & Gumby OG* were magical through my MiniC.
*on sale now!

 

[classfolkphile]

I had never heard of Brandi Carlisle before I saw her on SNL. What a voice. Every time she hits those sustained high notes I get ye olde goosebumps.

Then you'll probably like this:

 

[classfolkphile]

I saw her last year and it was a great show. But the real reason I bought tickets was to see the opening band - Lake Street Dive!

I listened to a bunch of Brandi Carlisle before the show and thought it would be an ok show. But live she brings and entirely different energy level to her songs. Well worth seeing and she's also quite funny with her banter with the crowd.

But still finally having the opportunity to see Lake Street Dive and Rachael Price whom I've followed for many years topped the evening for my wife and I.

Yes, I like Brandi Carlisle also, but yes, Rachel Price is on another level altogether: one few singers reach. She's one of my three favorite female singers these days along with Rhiannon Giddens and Imelda May.

 

[White Noise]

Close! It's a Prophet 10

Very nice setup. I love the palm rest for your typing keyboard that matches the wood on the Prophet. As my studio comes together I find it's all those little things that are hard to really nail. In my case, close to 100 velcro cable ties and collectively probably 200-300 feet of cable manages to make this not look bad, but it isn't as inviting as your setup. My setup is more strictly funtional, though the custom cables on my headphones add a bit of personal flair.

And because it's a headphone forum, I'll call out that it's Audeze LCD-X with custom shorter cables for mixing and mastering. I find them too heavy to wear while standing and walking around playing the synths, so I keep the AKG Q701 and their long cord for that. The Sennheiser HD280s were my first headphone - the right channel doesn't work on them pretty regularly, the pads are getting worn out again, but I do still sanity check the occasional song on them, plus it lets me check true mono compatibility. Not pictured is the THXAAA 789 and Schiit Modius that I use with my laptop for mixing/mastering, the pictured interfaces are for jamming/recording only.

 

[dstrimbu]

As stupid as it might sound to some, but Yggy OG into Piety? Yum!

Yeah, funny bc I thought "This is probably going to be meh" and then I hooked it up, and I was like W.T.F,O?!?
Maybe the sound is a bit dry but there is a certain euphonic loveliness that reminds me (a tiny bit) of the B----eh--d C---k HP amp I built a decade ago... but then, tubes.
No tubes in Piety, but Piety likes to make even-ordered distortion components, I think.

It's a great test for my new TT, which I'm still futzing with... of course, being the 'consummate engineer' that I am, I'm changing multiple system variables at once and expecting a solid A-B comparo... IDIOT.

I _will_ say that the Dynaudio cart must be fairly close to spot-on w/r/t setup, because a well-mastered LP sounds heavenly with the Piety/HD600 combo. Almost like nothing that I've ever heard before, at least not in my house.

I will get some stick time with a Folkvangr, before it's all over. <g> I'm watching the 'used' market...

I know, I know. Throw a stone* and you hit a reviewer or some other "well-versed** audiophile" who is ready to die on the hill of "DACs don't matter, they all sound the same."
F#c& 'em.***
The DAC matters far more than any other component in your chain.
And so, at least to me, it's entirely reasonable to use a roughly 3 grand DAC to feed into a roughly 170 bucks headphone amp. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Agreed 100%. In an earlier post, I lauded Yggy (really?!? me?!?) for sounding as good as a friend's dCS stack (with the external clock, fer godssake). Maybe if he brought it here and put it into my system, I might vote for it over Yggy. Maybe. He has weird speakers and tube power amps, and that's not really my gig. He also has some weird ideas around room treatments, too. Me, I'm just saving up for some ACS TubeTraps.

But there is a gap in price between Yggy and that multibox-mid-five-figure DAC that I simply can't abide, in good conscience. Hell, even if I had all the money in the world, I wouldn't get rid of Yggy. You are a math-guy, my friend. You know what it takes to convert a discrete set of points (that are moving in time) into a perfect representation of a time-bound, C2-continuity spline-fit curve... that's hard schiit. And Mike has clearly nailed it, with scientific precision. I'm in love with Schiit DACs, and Yggy is the Schittiest of all.

A few somewhat unrelated questions, if I may:
What headphones are you usually using with your OG Jotunheim?

Sennheiser HD 820s. They were gifted to me last year (!), and they are REALLY lovely, and the Jot drives them very cleanly. I have a 4-pin XLR cable from CorpseCable.com. It sounds a bit more dynamic to me than the SE 1/4" jack, but I never listen loudly at my desk - 65-70db max. I never listen over 80db, ever, anywhere if I can help it. I've walked out of a lot of venues when my iWatch started thumping me with SPL violations. I am eligible for Medicare this month, so I want to keep what's left of my auditory pathway intact. There's so much music that I haven't heard, yet.

And do you find your OG Jotunheim in any way, shape, or form harsh or tiring?

<sigh> sometimes, with bad input data, yes. I am using the TrueMultibit DAC in the OG Jot with Qobuz, so most streams sound pretty damned good. The more that I listen to headphones with Yggy though...this could get 'spensive... and the GLC needs new front tires... and there's that PG&E bill, and...

Over the next few days, I will swap HP cables on the HD 820s and plug them into the Piety. I'm holding off a bit only because of my current "slow comparison" mindset. I am pretty sure that when I do, all Schiit will break loose. I don't try not to rush into comparo situations anymore; I listen carefully, then try to side-by-side whenever possible to ensure that I'm not just being reactive. (I still spend too much money on audio gear; thank goodness I found Schiit.)

I am smiling just thinking about it. I mean, the 820's present the same resistive load as the 600's... Promise to report out, here... by Monday.

p.s. - wow, Hooverphonic's "Inhaler" is playing downstairs. Up here in the office, it's peaking at ~41db. Lower midrange is prominent... highs are rolled off... and it still sounds amazing.

...but I digress.

Have you ever compared the sound you get from your OG Jotunheim with that of a Jotunheim 2? If so, how would you describe that difference?

I have not experienced a Jot 2. Next time my Chicago-based son comes to visit, I will have him schlepp his out here to CA for testing...

* Please don't throw stones at people. Not even the measurement folks.
** …be that real or imagined…
*** Don't. You can do better.

Love the footnotes!

 

[Nick76]

Very nice setup. I love the palm rest for your typing keyboard that matches the wood on the Prophet. As my studio comes together I find it's all those little things that are hard to really nail. In my case, close to 100 velcro cable ties and collectively probably 200-300 feet of cable manages to make this not look bad, but it isn't as inviting as your setup. My setup is more strictly funtional, though the custom cables on my headphones add a bit of personal flair.

And because it's a headphone forum, I'll call out that it's Audeze LCD-X with custom shorter cables for mixing and mastering. I find them too heavy to wear while standing and walking around playing the synths, so I keep the AKG Q701 and their long cord for that. The Sennheiser HD280s were my first headphone - the right channel doesn't work on them pretty regularly, the pads are getting worn out again, but I do still sanity check the occasional song on them, plus it lets me check true mono compatibility. Not pictured is the THXAAA 789 and Schiit Modius that I use with my laptop for mixing/mastering, the pictured interfaces are for jamming/recording only.

Damn! That's quite a collection as well. I will have to move everything to a more consolidated setup eventually, but loving my space now. I work predominantly in a DAW so I'm not really running side to side to twist knobs haha. I tried doing the whole live-jam/DAWless stuff, and while it was fun I hated having to midi sync/run midi cables in addition to usb and TS/TRS cables everywhere, it was a mess. I'm more productive with making actual music on the computer anyway.

I've always pondered purging a couple synths and springing for the Moog One. Keep convincing myself it's better to have more variety in individual synths (and a little more fun). I also had an OB-6 Module and and a Matriarch and miss both dearly. Having 4 moog voices in paraphonic mode with that delay on the Matriarch was an incredible sound. Also miss the fizziness of the state-variable SEM filter on the OB, I'll pick up another of each some day.

Matrixbrute has always tempted me. Sounds crazy, and I have a thing for paraphonic synths, they are just so unique and the Brute series matrix mod routing is genius. I'd like to demo a Super 6 as well.

Synths have been my main hobby over the last several years which lead to the audio/headfi stuff. I did my fair share of buy/sell/trade to get where I am, (Minilogue xd, Prophet 6, OB-6, Pro-3, Subsequent 37 x2, Behringer Poly D (this one was a flop), Matriarch, Summit, Hydrasynth, Polybrute, Prophet 10, Opsix, Digitone, Digitakt x2, TR-8s, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few) Turns out when you sell one, you just end up missing it.

I had LCD-X for a long time which i used for mixing/mastering, but eventually just moved to working with HD6xx/650s for comfort/weight. They do the job just fine for me.

 

[eliottj]

Back sometime around '85 a girl I was dating turned me on to George Winston, a piantist. Great themed albums to relax to, and we did. We even went to see him at the Fox in Atlanta. I was working 2 jobs and was so damn tired I fell asleep a few songs in, abruptly waking up with her elbow in my ribs. The girlfriend didn't last but I always remembered his music. To the point I was thinking about him a few months ago and downloaded six of his songs.
George Winston died this past weekend and I've been listening to him on my headphone set-up tonight.
Here's to George, great music in headphones and memories of good times with past girlfriends. Cheers!

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

You are a math-guy, my friend.

Since when?!

<sigh> sometimes, with bad input data, yes. I am using the TrueMultibit DAC in the OG Jot with Qobuz, so most streams sound pretty damned good.

Innnnnteresting…

I have not experienced a Jot 2. Next time my Chicago-based son comes to visit, I will have him schlepp his out here to CA for testing...

I've never heard an OG Jot myself. But I do own a Jot 2 — and have some … uhm … rather strong opinions about it.
Would be interesting to hear your thoughts if and when you get a chance to compare the two.

Love the footnotes!

What can I say, any philosophers worth their salt have to have their footnotes.*

* Even if they just play one on the internet.