[GrussGott]

Make sure, no body part hanging or sticking out near Jot.

First 5 min of this one are good too, when it comes to computer output to the DAC and its effect on SQ (USB vs SPDIF and ground-plane "pollution"):

 

[the finisher]

Just in case anyone is curious about SE vs Balanced output with the Multibit Jot and HD6XXs:

I received a Massdrop / Venture Electronics 1.2M balanced cable today. My initial impressions are that it sounds considerably "better" than the stock SE cable. There's an obvious volume difference, but my following thoughts are after doing a quick check at compensating volumes. There are more upper mids / lower highs for sure. Sounds warmer, more vibrant, and less grainy. The bass seems a little bigger but not drastically expanded. On the con side, it almost seems like there is a tiny bit less soundstage and... could be due to everything sounding just "more".

All in all, I my initial thoughts are this was a worthwhile upgrade, but I have a nagging suspicion that the under 40 crowd might prefer the subdued highs of the SE cable.

Welcome to the forum fellow Minnesota music monk

 

[rutter]

Just in case anyone is curious about SE vs Balanced output with the Multibit Jot and HD6XXs:

I received a Massdrop / Venture Electronics 1.2M balanced cable today. My initial impressions are that it sounds considerably "better" than the stock SE cable. There's an obvious volume difference, but my following thoughts are after doing a quick check at compensating volumes. There are more upper mids / lower highs for sure. Sounds warmer, more vibrant, and less grainy. The bass seems a little bigger but not drastically expanded. On the con side, it almost seems like there is a tiny bit less soundstage and... could be due to everything sounding just "more".

All in all, I my initial thoughts are this was a worthwhile upgrade, but I have a nagging suspicion that the under 40 crowd might prefer the subdued highs of the SE cable.

In my experience with an HD800S it could be a matter of power. The Sennheisers are high impedance headphones and Sennheiser doesn't seem to provide optimal power figures like Audeze does. It could be that the Jot just lacks power single-ended. Unfortunately I don't have a balanced cable to test this with an LCD-X. Single-ended the low impedance LCD-X sounds much better than the HD800S single-ended through the Jot.

 

[the finisher]

My power cords

Analysis Plus Pro Power Oval

 

[Th3Drizzl3]

as an update i have had no further noise issues with the jot that i fixed the ground on. and about the se vs xlr the jot imo is for sure better using the balanced then the se output. there is for sure a difference and it sounds better. imo its really the way it should be used.

 

[rutter]

as an update i have had no further noise issues with the jot that i fixed the ground on. and about the se vs xlr the jot imo is for sure better using the balanced then the se output. there is for sure a difference and it sounds better. imo its really the way it should be used.

Headphones used?

 

[GrussGott]

as an update i have had no further noise issues with the jot that i fixed the ground on. and about the se vs xlr the jot imo is for sure better using the balanced then the se output. there is for sure a difference and it sounds better. imo its really the way it should be used.

I think that might be headphone dependent - on the HD600 I don't hear a difference and on the TH-X00 mmmaaayyybbeee there's a difference but I couldn't say for sure. For me the switch up to AQ USB, SPDIF, and and interconnects is much more obvious.

I'll try it with some ZMF dynamics ... I'm thinking higher Z headphones that need the power bump might make the difference more obvious, but it didn't on the HD600s, at least to my ear ...

 

[Pott]

I was intrigued by this noise/hum issue so I plugged the HD650s into a Jotunheim (w/ DAC). Stock cable, SE output.
Turned the volume all the way up. DEAD quiet. I ordered mine shortly after it came out so it's an early one.
With the iBasso IT01s there's a definite hum and a hiss, but I wasn't listening to music since it'd be WAY too loud. I don't use IEMs with desktop amps anyway.

For what it's worth the Jot is plugged into a Furman EMI/RFI/Surge protector.

 

[Tuneslover]

I was intrigued by this noise/hum issue so I plugged the HD650s into a Jotunheim (w/ DAC). Stock cable, SE output.
Turned the volume all the way up. DEAD quiet. I ordered mine shortly after it came out so it's an early one.
With the iBasso IT01s there's a definite hum and a hiss, but I wasn't listening to music since it'd be WAY too loud. I don't use IEMs with desktop amps anyway.

For what it's worth the Jot is plugged into a Furman EMI/RFI/Surge protector.

Yeah mine is an earlier version too and I have had no hum or noise issues either.

 

[GrussGott]

Everyone's system config and environment is TOTALLY different, so a lot of this is about finding our commonalities and then any common-cause in the Jot - as we'd do with any product as part of its continuous improvement cycle.

What I love about Schiit (and a few other vendors) is they're company leaders and designers are here and work directly with us to do that - that's unique and much appreciated.

 

[PointyFox]

Update: Got a new Jotunheim. Plugged it into the same power and all and no hum. Just noise floor / tape hiss. A little more than my last one, but tolerable.

Update 2: When I switched from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 ports on my computer, suddenly I was getting crunching noises over the audio with it muted. It turned out to be interference from my cell phone that was about 2 feet away. I moved my phone to about 5 feet away and the interference was no longer audible. Not sure why I wasn't getting it plugged into the 3.0 port.

Update 3: The noise seems to be picked up by both the power cord and my XLR cables.

Also, please Schiit, consider using non-marking rubber feet:

 

[Th3Drizzl3]

did you get a new one from schiit? or another used one? just curious. ill bet your old one had the grounding issue a few have had

 

[PointyFox]

rrrr

did you get a new one from schiit? or another used one? just curious. ill bet your old one had the grounding issue a few have had

Got another used one. I bet the first one had that grounding issue. This one doesn't appear to have any hum/buzz. Also, this one doesn't have a built-in DAC FWIW.

 

[GrussGott]

Update: Got a new Jotunheim. Plugged it into the same power and all and no hum. Just noise floor / tape hiss. A little more than my last one, but tolerable.

Update 2: When I switched from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0 ports on my computer, suddenly I was getting crunching noises over the audio with it muted. It turned out to be interference from my cell phone that was about 2 feet away. I moved my phone to about 5 feet away and the interference was no longer audible. Not sure why I wasn't getting it plugged into the 3.0 port.

Update 3: The noise seems to be picked up by both the power cord and my XLR cables.

Also, please Schiit, consider using non-marking rubber feet:

Great news and great info Pointy!

 

[Alcophone]

Got myself a multimeter and did some grounding tests, i.e. continuity between the longer ground blade of the power socket and various points on the case.

• I do get not continuity between the holes on top of the amp and the ground blade, i.e. the top is not grounded. Same for the volume knob and the switches on the front. I do get continuity from one hole to another hole, so it's not an issue with getting a proper contact.
• I do get continuity between the holes on the side of the amp and the ground blade, assuming I push/wiggle enough, i.e. the bottom is grounded. Amir said in his review unit, neither top nor bottom were grounded.

In the following pictures, a green circle indicates continuity between that point and the ground blade, while red indicates no continuity:





I have no idea which of these are supposed to be grounded, but I found that interesting.

@Jason Stoddard Let me know if you'd like to take a look at this one as well. I have never opened it. It was shipped out on November 2nd, 2017.