Schiit Jotunheim 2 - Impressions Thread

[feverfive]

BF2 might be in the cards for me, but I might eventually wind up needing something that can decode DSD, but maybe not, hahaha. I'll have plenty of time to consider things. It'll take me several months to determine if a desktop rig even makes sense for me long term. I am ever willing to spend $$ on my hobbies, but *the* prerequisite is that I actually use the damn stuff I buy, LOL. Nothing I hate worse than winding up with paper weights due to lack of use. Wasteful. Guess my middle class upbringing is just ingrained too deeply.

 

[cdacosta]

I want to upgrade the internal glass fuse of the Jot 2. I opened the Jot 2 up when I got it a year or so ago but cannot remember fuse size and rating. Anyone know what size and rating the internal fuse is of the Jot 2? The fuse is located between the transformer and the IEC inlet. Thanks!

 

[ndhuanhuan]

Just got my 3-month-old Jotunheim 2 back from Schiit repair.

The repair sheet says: "ground plane shorted to -13v rail. Replaced transformer and diodes".

The bottom of the chassis by the power supply area has a rectangular area of scratches that were not there before but as it's underneath I will let it go. The unit still has a bit of that acrid smell of burnt components.

My takeaway is to follow Smoothstereo and eswng679's advice and turn off the Jot2 when not using it but I will keep the Bifrost 2/64 on 24/7. In the past I left the Jot2 on 24/7 with the volume turned all the way down when not in use. When the Jot2 burned out the unit was crazy hot when I woke up that morning and the entire house had that acrid smell. Not worth risking a fire so it will be turned off when not in use.

I not only turn it off but also unplugged it after reading your post.

 

[feverfive]

Curious if anyone has removed the stock rubber feet and used something like these? Do you think the 3M adhesive will stand-up to the heat of an amp? Will the feet just become detached from these silicone cones as the amp heat wears down the adhesive?

 

[Luckyleo]

Curious if anyone has removed the stock rubber feet and used something like these? Do you think the 3M adhesive will stand-up to the heat of an amp? Will the feet just become detached from these silicone cones as the amp heat wears down the adhesive?

I can only speak for myself, but I've had bad luck with adhesive feet. As you feared, they fell off. YMMV...

Leo

 

[Riversalt]

Curious if anyone has removed the stock rubber feet and used something like these? Do you think the 3M adhesive will stand-up to the heat of an amp? Will the feet just become detached from these silicone cones as the amp heat wears down the adhesive?

I use Aliexpress Spikes, 3M adhesive and it has always been very strong and secure very difficult to remove, it has been there for a long time and it is still perfect.

 

[emorrison33]

Curious if anyone has removed the stock rubber feet and used something like these? Do you think the 3M adhesive will stand-up to the heat of an amp? Will the feet just become detached from these silicone cones as the amp heat wears down the adhesive?

I've used the 3M feet (1 inch) with good success. Stack is typically Bifrost 2, Lokius, Jot2. But I don't move it around much, but so far none have fallen off. Even on my Lyr 3 and Asgard 3.

 

[ColdsnapBry]

Has anyone tested the Jotunheim 2 synergy with the Modius E?

 

[helioschui]

Has anyone tested the Jotunheim 2 synergy with the Modius E?

I have used this combination for about 300 hours but not a good reference for you as I have replaced all the capacitors on Modius' output stage. If I remember correctly, this combo is a good pair at this price point, the sound tends to be slightly warmer, and the low frequency performance is its strong point, tight and slam harder than my DIY 7 years old AMB Beta 22 + Korg ds-dac-10r, but soundstage is smaller. There's just one thing i'm very dissatisfied with the Jotunheim 2, the volume control is kind of weird, the sound can get really aggressive when you turn up the volume just a tiny little bit, you have to adjust the volume very carefully.

 

[FellowTraveller]

True, but for a short-term low cost solution, the internal DAC does offer a simple AIO option.

I’ve been interested in Lokius for a while, but typically use software EQ on my Mac instead.

Any thoughts on software vs hardware EQ implementation??

Much earlier on this Jotunheim impressions thread, someone had said that the Lokius narrows the soundstage. I have a Lokius in my system, and I was skeptical that this was the case. However, I tried switching to the pass-through mode (right toggle on the front), and it seemed to me that something in fact opened up. I was listening to a Donald Fagen album, and I've noticed that on the whole Steely Dan and Donald Fagen recordings have a lot of depth and good soundstaging in the recordings. So turning the Lokius to pass-through mode sounded preferable to me, after trying it several times. It was as if a bit more of the three-dimensional or holographic side of the music was revealed, even though it was subtle. I also listened to an album called Songs for the Birds by a folk-pop singer-songwriter by the name of Peter Mayer. Here too, I preferred the sound with the toggle switch down (pass-through). The difference was a little less, though. Regardless of what I perceived as a minor change in soundstage with the Lokius in the circuit, I intend to keep the Lokius, because I'm a teacher who likes to have a good audio system when teaching language, showing movies, etc. And to reach over and turn the knobs is far quicker and easier in the middle of a class than going into the EQ software. Also, I normally only use the Lokius when something is recorded poorly, so I don't mind if the soundstage sounds just slightly more compressed in those situations. It's true that occasionally something just doesn't sound right even on what should be a good recording, and I try shifting things around. I've made a new decision though, based on my unsystematic but distinct impressions about having the Lokius in or out of the circuit: when I'm not using the Lokius tone controls, which is the majority of the time, I'm going to set it on the pass-through mode. Finally, it would be helpful if others could check if they hear any difference when switching that toggle, to make sure I'm not imagining it.

 

[morpheus69]

Much earlier on this Jotunheim impressions thread, someone had said that the Lokius narrows the soundstage. I have a Lokius in my system, and I was skeptical that this was the case. However, I tried switching to the pass-through mode (right toggle on the front), and it seemed to me that something in fact opened up. I was listening to a Donald Fagen album, and I've noticed that on the whole Steely Dan and Donald Fagen recordings have a lot of depth and good soundstaging in the recordings. So turning the Lokius to pass-through mode sounded preferable to me, after trying it several times. It was as if a bit more of the three-dimensional or holographic side of the music was revealed, even though it was subtle. I also listened to an album called Songs for the Birds by a folk-pop singer-songwriter by the name of Peter Mayer. Here too, I preferred the sound with the toggle switch down (pass-through). The difference was a little less, though. Regardless of what I perceived as a minor change in soundstage with the Lokius in the circuit, I intend to keep the Lokius, because I'm a teacher who likes to have a good audio system when teaching language, showing movies, etc. And to reach over and turn the knobs is far quicker and easier in the middle of a class than going into the EQ software. Also, I normally only use the Lokius when something is recorded poorly, so I don't mind if the soundstage sounds just slightly more compressed in those situations. It's true that occasionally something just doesn't sound right even on what should be a good recording, and I try shifting things around. I've made a new decision though, based on my unsystematic but distinct impressions about having the Lokius in or out of the circuit: when I'm not using the Lokius tone controls, which is the majority of the time, I'm going to set it on the pass-through mode. Finally, it would be helpful if others could check if they hear any difference when switching that toggle, to make sure I'm not imagining it.

EQ is a destructive process. Any time you modify by limiting a sound it is destructive. This however has nothing to do with whether the sound is pleasurable or not.

 

[szore]

Much earlier on this Jotunheim impressions thread, someone had said that the Lokius narrows the soundstage. I have a Lokius in my system, and I was skeptical that this was the case. However, I tried switching to the pass-through mode (right toggle on the front), and it seemed to me that something in fact opened up. I was listening to a Donald Fagen album, and I've noticed that on the whole Steely Dan and Donald Fagen recordings have a lot of depth and good soundstaging in the recordings. So turning the Lokius to pass-through mode sounded preferable to me, after trying it several times. It was as if a bit more of the three-dimensional or holographic side of the music was revealed, even though it was subtle. I also listened to an album called Songs for the Birds by a folk-pop singer-songwriter by the name of Peter Mayer. Here too, I preferred the sound with the toggle switch down (pass-through). The difference was a little less, though. Regardless of what I perceived as a minor change in soundstage with the Lokius in the circuit, I intend to keep the Lokius, because I'm a teacher who likes to have a good audio system when teaching language, showing movies, etc. And to reach over and turn the knobs is far quicker and easier in the middle of a class than going into the EQ software. Also, I normally only use the Lokius when something is recorded poorly, so I don't mind if the soundstage sounds just slightly more compressed in those situations. It's true that occasionally something just doesn't sound right even on what should be a good recording, and I try shifting things around. I've made a new decision though, based on my unsystematic but distinct impressions about having the Lokius in or out of the circuit: when I'm not using the Lokius tone controls, which is the majority of the time, I'm going to set it on the pass-through mode. Finally, it would be helpful if others could check if they hear any difference when switching that toggle, to make sure I'm not imagining it.

I'm listening to my Lokius right now, pass through does offer slightly better soundstage, but you don't miss it when the Lokius is engaged, at least I don't. I mostly use the Lokius to boost bass on EDM recordings.

 

[tin427]

Just wanting to purchase a Jot2, wondering if choosing ES9028 module or adding the Multibit card.
and I am wondering if I simply purchase a Modi Multibit 2 and use SE connection between the MMB2 to Jot2?
Which one will be a better solution if I cannot afford a Bifrost 2 yet?

 

[Rattle]

Just wanting to purchase a Jot2, wondering if choosing ES9028 module or adding the Multibit card.
and I am wondering if I simply purchase a Modi Multibit 2 and use SE connection between the MMB2 to Jot2?
Which one will be a better solution if I cannot afford a Bifrost 2 yet?

Definitely get a stand alone DAC modi multibit 2 or the modius E if you don't want multibit. I prefer multibit myself. There's no penalty or harm using SE input from DAC you can still use XLR out on the Jot 2. There's also the added benefit of unison on both those dacs if you're using USB.

 

[SolaVirtus]

Just wanting to purchase a Jot2, wondering if choosing ES9028 module or adding the Multibit card.
and I am wondering if I simply purchase a Modi Multibit 2 and use SE connection between the MMB2 to Jot2?
Which one will be a better solution if I cannot afford a Bifrost 2 yet?

If you're saving for Bifrost, maybe get the cheaper option. The ES card would probably be more different than the Bifrost, so you'd have more flexibility later. That said, depending on your current DAC, consider getting the Jot without a card too.