Schiit Jotunheim "R" - Direct Drive RAAL-SR1a Amplifier - Official Thread

Thanks for the drop alert @Torq!! I’m looking forward to your review and stream of consciousness post…

Yes, thanks @Torq and @askat1988 for informing us of the release.

I won’t be doing a SoC series on the Jotunheim R. Much of what I would say there is already captured in the thread, above.

I will be doing a full review on it (this week), however, as well as it being included in the amplifier comparisons in my pending SR1a review.


For anyone that has the SR1a, or that is on the fence about them, I have to say the Jotunheim R is something you should hear - even if you already have a solid 2-channel amplifier feeding your RAALs.

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Ordered; I’ll have about a week to compare with my Ragnarok 1 before I send it off to a deserving audiophile. Then I need to replace it as my SS option for driving my SonusFabers and REL’s (PrimaLuna handles my tube option).

I’m thinking a Ragnarok 2 and a pair of Aegir’s in balanced for my SS option on 2 channel. I’ll have all kinds of flexibility for speakers and HP’s.

Sometimes life is so good, it’s great!

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Amen.

I ordered with the multi- bit card. Will i regret not ordering with the new $600 optional dac card? Have you heard both?
This would be great info as many of us are ordering these today.
Thanks, Dave

Yes, my Jotunheim R has the $200 multi-bit card installed in it, and I have the external Bifrost 2 here as well, so I’ve heard and compared both.

The $600 DAC option isn’t a new card, it’s a Bifrost 2 at a $99 discount. That’s an external DAC in the same sized chassis as the Jotunheim R (you can see them together in the 2nd picture in this post).

I can’t say if you’ll regret not ordering that, but I can say that the Bifrost 2 is a significantly better DAC than the $200 internal card option.

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in my rush to buy it…coming out of the gym…on my phone… I just bought it no frills or add ons…stupid… so now I have to go back and email and request to have it added to my order with that deal… =’( Luckily @Torq gave me the heads up!

EDIT/update: Schiit did me a solid and canceled my previous order and I just redid the order with the Bifrost2, between this deal, knowing I would get one eventually and @ProfFalkin latest review of the ADI-2DAC w/comparison to the Bifrost2 DAC made it a no brainer…but my wallet isn’t happy :wink:

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I got the strip down model as well. As I no longer have vinyl and I’m CD’s only I’ll stick with my Yggdrasil 2 knowing that if a meaningful improvement comes down the pike that would benefit my CD listening, or, if in a moment of boredom, decide to experiment with music downloads, it would more than likely be offered as an upgrade.

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Man, this place is like the current stock market; makes you buy-buy-buy :sweat:

I don’t even have the SR1a (yet), and I want to push the buy button on Jot R.
Torq, can you do us a huge favor and make a 4-pin male to female adapter, throw on a few planar headphones on the Jot R and let us know what happens? Some may need some additional justification to pull the trigger!

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I feel that I should put a giant legal disclaimer out there. “Not responsible for damage to wallet.”

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:rofl:
But no short-sales.

So, I think Torq covered this before somewhere, but the Raal is basically a short circuit. That’s why you need their box to ensure you don’t fry your speaker amp (or an amp designed to drive such a load).

I don’t know that the JotR would sound good with a planar or dynamic driver load applied to it, especially when it wasn’t designed to drive it.

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I may, at some point, try that … it won’t be anytime soon though I’m afraid. In the mean time, consider this quote from the Jotunheim R FAQ:

Can I make an adapter to connect this to other headphones?

If you’re talking 4-pin to 4-pin, sure, maybe. This amp only puts out about 5V RMS, so you’re looking at only 780mW into 32 ohms and like 83mW into 300 ohms. And you have to swap phase. The Raal pinout is different than the standard 4-pin headphone pinout. Try to convert it to TRS, and all you’re gonna hear is “click,” when it runs into the protection.

So bear in mind, if someone does decide to make an adapter, it’s not just a male-to-female gender adapter you’re doing, but you need to invert the phase as you do it, too.

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Keep in mind, its listed in the “Limited Release” section, whatever that means.

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Just ordered the Jot R with the multi bit DAC. I tried to order the SR1A through Raal’s website to no avail, the submit order page just hung. So I called Raal and spoke to Danny. Super helpful. They are in the process of obtaining new foam for the pelican case to fit the Jot R since they will be selling the headphones together with the Schiit as an option. If you don’t take their interface box it’s a reduction of $300.

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That will probably be the nudge that pushes many into buying. Hopefully they include the option for the Bifrost 2 (at the $100 discount price) as well. Compete system like that, for the price, is true endgame.

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@andrew, @taronlissimore, Is the deal without the interface box something you guys could offer?

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Let me talk to Danny and see!

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If I had to bet, I’d say probably not. Gets too complicated, Danny mentioned the pricing took some discussion since Raal sells through dealers, but Schiit doesn’t. Also I wouldn’t expect both the Bifrost and JotR to fit in the pelican case, so more foam and case options would be required.

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