[wemedge]

The knob turns smoothly and firmly. The knob itself is a solid chunk of aluminum and it feels heavy when you turn it. Best of all, the pot is silent.

Thank you! Good to know.

 

[O.C. Audiophile]

Since some here have complained that Schitt did not send all the parts needed for self-installation of the Multibit Dac card, it would really be nice if someone listed all the parts that should be included, so as to know whats (if) missing when mine arrives. Also sound impressions of the card would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

This is what you should receive

One Multibit DAC Card in a static protective bag.

One small bag with a window filler piece and a small black screw to attach it to the amp's shell.

One small bag with an aprox. 3/4" to 1" long hexogonal post (standoff) and a small silver screw to attach the DAC module to the standoff.

The standoff has a threaded post sticking out of one end and a tapped hole in the other end. The threaded end screws into a tapped hole in the main board. First you install the filler piece (plate on the inside/screw from the outside). Then you install the standoff in the main board (don't over-tighten!), plug in the DAC, and screw the DAC to the standoff. You can see the screw hole for in the DAC if you look at the pictures of the card on the Schiit website. If you look at the picture of the Jot's main board on the Schiit site you'll see it has the Phono Module attached. If you look at the phono card you'll see it attached to the main board with a small screw and an "L" bracket. That's where the standoff gets installed. The MultiBit card goes in horizontally (not vertically like the 4490 DAC or Phono Modules) so you need the standoff post to secure the MB DAC or there'd be nothing holding it in. The window filler is simply a filler with a hole for the USB port.

The MB DAC card sounds much better than the 4490 DAC card I originally ordered with the Jot, however, mine was the old 4490 card; not the newer updated version. The output level from the MB DAC seems higher, and the amp sounds more open on the single-ended side when using my HD6xx series headphones. I didn't do a good before and after listen (since I'd opened the amp up before I realized I was missing the standoff), but the openness was noticeable and more like what I experience when listening to the HD6xx cans on my Woo WA3.

 

[Tuneslover]

The knob turns smoothly and firmly. The knob itself is a solid chunk of aluminum and it feels heavy when you turn it. Best of all, the pot is silent.

It's a HUGE improvement over the Magni and Vali knobs.

 

[O.C. Audiophile]

It's a HUGE improvement over the Magni and Vali knobs.

I have a Magni 2U and a Vali 2 which both have the aluminum knob, but I just got the Magni 3 and the knob is crappy plastic. I may have to make my own aluminum knob for the Magni 3.

 

[Tuneslover]

I have a Magni 2U and a Vali 2 which both have the aluminum knob, but I just got the Magni 3 and the knob is crappy plastic. I may have to make my own aluminum knob for the Magni 3.

I didn't like how little the volume knobs were and how "sticky" the turning motion was. Like I said the Jotunheim knob is velvety smooth. I also like the knurled volume knob on the Project Ember and how smooth and precise it is even though it's plastic too (I think).

 

[EtRec]

This is what you should receive

One Multibit DAC Card in a static protective bag.

One small bag with a window filler piece and a small black screw to attach it to the amp's shell.

One small bag with an aprox. 3/4" to 1" long hexogonal post (standoff) and a small silver screw to attach the DAC module to the standoff.

The standoff has a threaded post sticking out of one end and a tapped hole in the other end. The threaded end screws into a tapped hole in the main board. First you install the filler piece (plate on the inside/screw from the outside). Then you install the standoff in the main board (don't over-tighten!), plug in the DAC, and screw the DAC to the standoff. You can see the screw hole for in the DAC if you look at the pictures of the card on the Schiit website. If you look at the picture of the Jot's main board on the Schiit site you'll see it has the Phono Module attached. If you look at the phono card you'll see it attached to the main board with a small screw and an "L" bracket. That's where the standoff gets installed. The MultiBit card goes in horizontally (not vertically like the 4490 DAC or Phono Modules) so you need the standoff post to secure the MB DAC or there'd be nothing holding it in. The window filler is simply a filler with a hole for the USB port.

The MB DAC card sounds much better than the 4490 DAC card I originally ordered with the Jot, however, mine was the old 4490 card; not the newer updated version. The output level from the MB DAC seems higher, and the amp sounds more open on the single-ended side when using my HD6xx series headphones. I didn't do a good before and after listen (since I'd opened the amp up before I realized I was missing the standoff), but the openness was noticeable and more like what I experience when listening to the HD6xx cans on my Woo WA3.

Thank you so much for your very thorough reply.

 

[O.C. Audiophile]

Thank you so much for your very thorough reply.

You're Welcome!

 

[Phasor]

I was able to do the swap by removing the volume knob, the nut and washer behind the volume knob (remove aluminum housing here), the screw that attached the window filler piece to the case, and one screw that held the old DAC module to the main board (remove module here). I installed the standoff to the main board, installed the new window filler piece, plugged in the new MB DAC module, and screwed it to the standoff. I don't see that it's necessary to remove all the screws on the back or any off the screws on the bottom. I should also add that you need to be careful when re-seating the aluminum cover so the power light goes back into the hole in the cover. It's also best to have the 2 front switches (Gain/Source) in the down position. They go back through the slots in the cover easier during re-assembly when in the down position.

The reason that I had to remove the main board is because the stand off that I received did not have a stud on one end but was threaded on both ends with a screw for each end do I had to remove the main board to get the screw in from the bottom.

 

[Ho Kim]

Can someone describe the sound of the Jotunheim with Multibit Dac? Is it neutral? Is it bright? What type of a bass does it have? Thank so much! Please and thank you!

 

[O.C. Audiophile]

The reason that I had to remove the main board is because the stand off that I received did not have a stud on one end but was threaded on both ends with a screw for each end do I had to remove the main board to get the screw in from the bottom.

Wow! That really sucks! Why would they send something like that when there was already a tapped hole in the main board? Forcing you to gut the whole amp seems ridiculous when the system I received was so simple to install. Between unplugging everything, gathering up my tools, doing the swap and re-assembly was maybe 20 minutes at the most. When I saw that my kit did not come with a stand-off I fired off an email and they shipped one within an hour. Had it taken any longer I probably would have made a piece myself at work.

 

[MtnMan307]

Can someone describe the sound of the Jotunheim with Multibit Dac? Is it neutral? Is it bright? What type of a bass does it have? Thank so much! Please and thank you!

I have the Modi Multibit and amp only Jot, so maybe not spot on, but probably almost the same thing. I find the combo to be pretty neutral with my 650s and LCD-2, but those are both darker cans. Maybe a little bright with my K7XX but that's a more neutral headphone with more treble energy than the other two. The Jot/Mimby is a hell of a combo IMO. The bass is hard-hitting, clean, and powerful. I find the Jot to be an incisive, aggressive sounding amp that breathes fire into the laid-back 650s and seems to agree with the LCD-2s very well also. The balanced output really delivers with both headphones.

 

[Ho Kim]

I have the Modi Multibit and amp only Jot, so maybe not spot on, but probably almost the same thing. I find the combo to be pretty neutral with my 650s and LCD-2, but those are both darker cans. Maybe a little bright with my K7XX but that's a more neutral headphone with more treble energy than the other two. The Jot/Mimby is a hell of a combo IMO. The bass is hard-hitting, clean, and powerful. I find the Jot to be an incisive, aggressive sounding amp that breathes fire into the laid-back 650s and seems to agree with the LCD-2s very well also. The balanced output really delivers with both headphones.

Thank you so much!

 

[Viper2005]

Can someone describe the sound of the Jotunheim with Multibit Dac? Is it neutral? Is it bright? What type of a bass does it have? Thank so much! Please and thank you!

I find my Jot + Multibit to be great with my Auteurs! Perfect for metal, as it is a very fast amp with lots of impact!

 

[MtnMan307]

I wish I could afford a pair of Auteurs. I met Zach Mehrbach last October at RMAF and they make some great headphones.

 

[fenstr]

I sold my Schiit Ragnarok and got the Jotunheim with phono module as a drop in replacement. I did this because I didn't need the Ragnarok to power speakers any more and I'd only been using its preamp balanced outputs to connect to my Yamaha HS8 studio monitors.

I wanted the Jotunheim as it offered the balanced options including headphone outs and the phono preamp option was to be an upgrade over the PS Audio Sprout I had been using as my phono preamp.

My setup is now Fiio X3 > coaxial out (bypassing its dac) > modi multibit > Jot > Yamaha HS8s

I agree with previous comments that the Jot's volume knob is smooth and firm. It feels solid and well made but I did initially miss the Ragnarok's smoother dial with its clicking sound. When changing gain on the Jot there's an audible 'clunk' through my monitors but the Ragnarok was silent.

After unplugging the Ragnarok and then substituting in the Jot, the biggest difference I experienced was that the Jot produced strong, overpowering bass through my monitors. After a day or so I ended up turning down the level on my HS8 sub to get the levels right because it was irritating. Now the levels are awesome.

For headphones I converted a cable to balanced for my HD600s and currently also have my HD598s plugged into the SE output. They're both plugged in at the same time at the moment. For vinyl I'm using the Rega RP6 into the phono preamp.

I have to say that compared to the Ragnarok I haven't detected any loss of detail from either the preamps or the headphone outputs. There seems to be less discrepancy in volume between the Jot's SE and balanced headphone outs than the Ragnarok's. The Jot is a smaller, lighter, more compact unit and doesn't heat up as much as the Ragnarok.

Compared to the PS Audio Sprout's phono preamp the Jot's phono preamp seems to be less veiled offering a clearer wall of sound with more detail throughout but perhaps more noticeable at higher frequencies. The music seems to be more natural and immerses you more into that feeling of being at the venue as the music is played.

I also have to say that I haven't experienced any of the glare, steeliness, upper-mid-forward-aggressiveness issues that some people have reported with the Jot.

IMO the Jotunheim is a fantastic unit and I've been thoroughly enjoying it as part of my system. I'd love to hear more impressions and reviews of the Jot's phono preamp as it's excellent value and reportedly better than the Schiit Mani.