Усилители для наушников — Schiit Audio JOTUNHEIM

The Jotunheim is the original version of the Schiit Audio headphone amplifier that later became Jotunheim 2, introduced in 2019, and the current Jotunheim 3. Schiit described it in its 2016 owner's manual as the first configurable desktop control center - a balanced and single-ended headphone amp and preamp with a modular bay that can take a DAC card or a phono card. The name comes from Norse mythology, where Jotunheim is the land of the giants, and Schiit built the unit in the USA.

Key specs that matter

From the balanced headphone output the amplifier delivers 5,000 mW into 32 ohms and 900 mW into 300 ohms. The single-ended jack gives 1,500 mW into 32 ohms and 350 mW into 300 ohms. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.1 dB, with the -3 dB points at 2 Hz and 700 kHz. THD is below 0.001% from 20 Hz to 20 kHz at 1 V RMS, IMD below 0.0015% CCIR, and signal-to-noise ratio above 109 dB A-weighted referenced to 1 V RMS. Crosstalk is better than -70 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, while output impedance stays under 0.1 ohm. Gain is switchable between 2 (6 dB) and 8 (14 dB). Typical consumption is 25 W, the case measures 229 x 152 x 51 mm and the weight is 2.7 kg.

Engineering and use context

The front panel holds a three-position input selector, the gain switch, the volume knob, a power LED, a 6.3 mm single-ended headphone jack and a 4-pin XLR balanced headphone jack wired to the K1000 convention. Both headphone jacks can be used simultaneously. The top selector position picks the internal card, the middle one the XLR input and the bottom one the RCA input. On the back sit balanced and RCA inputs, balanced and single-ended preamp outputs, the card slot, a ground lug when the phono card is fitted, the power switch and the AC inlet. Relay protection keeps the headphone output muted for about 20 seconds after power-on. The optional phono card has fixed 42 dB gain, 47 kohm input impedance and 100 pF load capacitance, which suits most moving magnet cartridges, while the optional DAC card takes a USB 2.0 connection and needs drivers on some Windows computers. Warranty cover runs for five years.

Pairing

The balanced XLR headphone output suits headphones terminated with a 4-pin XLR plug, and the 6.3 mm jack takes standard single-ended cables, with an adapter for 3.5 mm plugs. Through the preamp outputs the Jotunheim can feed powered monitors or a speaker power amplifier, and the input selector handles one balanced and one RCA source plus the internal card.

Alternatives

The Schiit Jotunheim 3 is the current generation of this balanced headphone amplifier, priced at USD 499.