[Delta9K]

Has anyone compared Jot 2 to A3?

I have both A3 & Jot 2 - if we are just talking about Single-Ended since the A3 does not have a balanced i/o, IME the Jot 2 has a slight edge in performance all around with timbre, details and staging. If you already have an A3 and are not looking to add balanced capabilities to your chain there is no real super compelling reason to upgrade. The A3 is a stellar performer @ only $200 USD retail even better on the second owner market @ $150 USD.

I would imagine that @WaveTheory would be be able to give you better insight. He did a rather complete review of the Jotunheim 2 and compared it to several different amplifiers including the A3.

 

[WaveTheory]

Has anyone compared Jot 2 to A3?

Indeed! As @Delta9K just alluded to, I did a review of Jot 2 here: https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/schiit-jotunheim-2/19191/28

I'm happy to answer any more questions you might have.

 

[JoeKickass]

Indeed! As @Delta9K just alluded to, I did a review of Jot 2 here: https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/schiit-jotunheim-2/19191/28

I'm happy to answer any more questions you might have.

You liked the single ended output better? I am fairly surprised

 

[WaveTheory]

You liked the single ended output better? I am fairly surprised

Not necessarily. Depends on the headphone. The point I was making is that the two headphone outputs are roughly equal in technical proficiency and have slightly different signatures. Each output on its own performs at roughly a $300 level IMO and so you essentially get 2 $300 amps in 1 $400 package.

 

[DAPpower]

I must be doing something wrong with my setup here, for some reason my Jotunheim 2 is clipping the audio to my HD 650s.

Tracks played through MusicBee are cd quality all the day to 24bit and DSD, some tracks have micro static distortion and some are very distorted/clipped where it is clearly distorted on the right driver of my HD 650s on piano notes that are louder or high pitched.
On MusicBee program, I have no EQ settings, source volume set to 50.

Anyone know why this is? Everything is smooth and fine when i'm running my HD650s balanced into my Fiio M15 DAP but when i'm running the AMP with it's built in AK DAC through USB from my laptop, there is always some sort of distortion/clipping.

This is frustrating when I cannot pin point the issue.

 

[Smoothstereo]

Just got my Jot2, when I plug in the 4pin xlr headphone cable into the amp, I don't get that satisfying click to validate that its fully inserted like I hear on other amps. Is anyone having the same experience?

 

[In1unison]

Just got my Jot2, when I plug in the 4pin xlr headphone cable into the amp, I don't get that satisfying click to validate that its fully inserted like I hear on other amps. Is anyone having the same experience?

Yes, the same

 

[Smoothstereo]

Yes, the same

Ok thanks, so its not just my unit. Maybe they are all like this perhaps?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yes, the same

Same. It's my first experience with 4 pin xlr, and the insertion is kinda....mushy. It's definitely the one thing on the unit other than bright friggin leds that I wish was different.

 

[tincanear]

I must be doing something wrong with my setup here, for some reason my Jotunheim 2 is clipping the audio to my HD 650s.

Tracks played through MusicBee are cd quality all the day to 24bit and DSD, some tracks have micro static distortion and some are very distorted/clipped where it is clearly distorted on the right driver of my HD 650s on piano notes that are louder or high pitched.
On MusicBee program, I have no EQ settings, source volume set to 50.

Anyone know why this is? Everything is smooth and fine when i'm running my HD650s balanced into my Fiio M15 DAP but when i'm running the AMP with it's built in AK DAC through USB from my laptop, there is always some sort of distortion/clipping.

This is frustrating when I cannot pin point the issue.

There might be a problem with your Jot 2 or its internal DAC module. you can test this by using an external line level source into the analog RCA or XLR inputs and see if the clipping / distortion is still present.

 

[DAPpower]

There might be a problem with your Jot 2 or its internal DAC module. you can test this by using an external line level source into the analog RCA or XLR inputs and see if the clipping / distortion is still present.

I fear this may be the amp itself because using the Fiio M15 as a source via 4.4mm to dual XLR to the amp has similar distortion.
I'm plugging the AMP into the wall directly, same clipping/distortion happens on both High Gain and Low Gain. No one else seems to be having the same issue with their Jotunheim 2. I hope mine didn't get bounced around too much during shipping.

I will check it out tonight though.

 

[Smoothstereo]

I fear this may be the amp itself because using the Fiio M15 as a source via 4.4mm to dual XLR to the amp has similar distortion.
I'm plugging the AMP into the wall directly, same clipping/distortion happens on both High Gain and Low Gain. No one else seems to be having the same issue with their Jotunheim 2. I hope mine didn't get bounced around too much during shipping.

I will check it out tonight though.

If you can, plug in another source to rule out the FIIO player, maybe FIIO set too high output and signal is too hot for Jot2, or something else. You have a spare cd player or another dac to try out?

 

[DAPpower]

If you can, plug in another source to rule out the FIIO player, maybe FIIO set too high output and signal is too hot for Jot2, or something else. You have a spare cd player or another dac to try out?

I can try a blue ray cd player that I have, how would I hook that up with the Jot 2? Through usb?

 

[Smoothstereo]

Ok I wasn't sure whether you are having issues when using the usb input with dac card in the Jot2 or with analog inputs. So the issue only happens when choosing usb input on dac card?

 

[DAPpower]

Ok I wasn't sure whether you are having issues when using the usb input with dac card in the Jot2 or with analog inputs. So the issue only happens when choosing usb input on dac card?

No apparently it happens with the AMP in general when I'm using the built in DAC on the amp through USB and when I'm using the Fiio M15 as DAC source connected directly to the amp balanced (not the DAC module).