"Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy," says Jason Stoddard, the company's co-founder (with Mike Moffat). "But if you take a look at what other all-discrete, fully differential, balanced amps cost — especially ones using super-high-end techniques like matched parts throughout (including 1% matching of the input JFETs, perhaps the tightest JFET matching ever done in a production product), Alps RK27114 balanced Blue Velvet volume potentiometer, relay switching for gain, input, and output, DC coupling throughout with no capacitors in the signal path, an all-linear power supply with over 60,000uF of filter capacitance and Schottky rectifiers built into the chassis (not a wall-wart), and suddenly our crazy marketing statement doesn’t seem so crazy."
And, in addition, the new Jotunheim 2 features Schiit’s exclusive Nexus balanced, differential topology for improved handling of balanced and single-ended sources, coupled with the company's Continuity S output stage for high efficiency and exceptional power output without extreme heat. Continuity S is an enhancement of Schiit's Continuity constant-transconductance output stage, but more focused on maximum efficiency. Both improvements create a Jotunheim 2 that outperforms the original, while maintaining the same price.
"Continuity S is about getting the most out of the Jotunheim 2's output stage," Jason explains. "It increases efficiency and enhances distortion performance, but without the losses or high standing current of Continuity. It's not a replacement for Continuity — Continuity is still more linear, focused on a perfect splice to eliminate transconductance droop — but it brings many of the benefits of Continuity to Jotunheim 2. In fact, Jotunheim 2 runs a bit cooler than the original Jotunheim, thanks in part to Continuity S."
Functionally, the new design also adds a preamp output switch to allow easier integration into a full desktop system. Now, users can choose whether or not the preamp outputs are enabled, so they can blend powered monitors with headphone listening (or add a subwoofer to headphones on command). Performance-wise, Jotunheim 2 bests all metrics of the original Jotunheim, and provides both high power for inefficient headphones and low noise floor for sensitive IEMs.
Jason, however, notes that Jotunheim 2 is not just about measurements, and shouldn't be grouped with other moderately-priced, IC-based, measurement-focused amps. "Magnius still beats Jotunheim 2 in terms of measurements, at half the cost — and at a cost much, much less than other measurement-focused balanced amps," adds Jason. "Jotunheim 2 is a fully discrete amplifier with low loop gain, an approach that many audiophiles prefer to amps based on op-amps. Despite the intentional choice of low loop gain to ensure constant feedback across the audio band and beyond, Jotunheim 2's performance numbers are still very good, testifying to the inherent linearity of the amplifier."
"We're calling Jotunheim 2 'the best $2400 amp that you can get for $400'", ads Jason Stoddard. "Which is sure to aggravate some people. But when you look at what's out there that's fully discrete, fully differential, and features truly end-game touches like matched parts throughout, you'll realize that Jotunheim 2 has much more in common with a bespoke amplifier than something that's made to a price point."
Jotunheim 2's modular design means the possibility to add one of three modules to customize the product. To the basic headphone amp and preamp ($399), it's possible to add a AK4490 balanced DAC module ($499), or a True Multibit DAC module ($599) or a MM Phono Preamp ($499).
Founded in 2010, Schiit Audio has grown into a market reference in affordable high-end audio, with a wide range of products spanning DACs, amplifiers and preamplifiers, and headphone amplifiers, from $49 to $2449. The Jotunheim 2 is available in the company's website, in both black and silver finish.
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