Schiit Midgard

Official AMP/DAC/DAP Model Discussion
1

The Schiit Midgard is Schiit’s new affordable, balanced solid state headphone amplifier, replacing the Magnius. The topology is “Fully discrete, DC coupled, highly linear open-loop with low loop feedback, Halo™ topology mixed-mode feedback for Neutrik 4-pin output”. It outputs 4.8W into 32ohms and 750mW into 300ohms.

Unique to this model, Schiit’s Halo “is a mixed-mode feedback topology that incorporates your headphone driver into the feedback loop, offering the potential for better control at driver resonance and improved acoustic results”.

At the time of writing, Schiit is literally giving this amplifier to anyone with a measurement rig who is willing to publish their results with Halo. Full disclosure, that is how I got my Midgard. These are the results I have seen so far measuring multiple headphones using a MiniDSP EARS system.

Halo requires a balanced headphone connection, so comparing the Midgard with/without Halo is just a matter of plugging the headphone into either the single ended output or the balanced output. The output level of the amplifier remains the same between the two.

The EARS system is not the most accurate measurement rig. However I did confirm with Schiit that it was sufficient to meet their requirements before asking for a Midgard. I think it should be sufficient to compare two measurements of the same headphone.

I measured 4 different headphones, 3 dynamic drivers and one planar. All of them measured the same FR between the SE and BAL outputs. One headphone, the Sennheiser HD800S, also measured the same distortion levels. But the other 3 headphones showed a small, but consistent, lowering of distortion when connected through the BAL output that engages Halo. In order to see the advantage consistently, I needed to measure at a pretty high level 100db or more. I don’t know if this is due to the Halo effect needing high output to make a measurable difference or it was a limitation of my equipment and/or environment.

With all that said, here are a couple of distortion plots that illustrate what I am seeing. I don’t want to mention the specific make/model of headphones because of the limitations of my rig and that information isn’t relevant anyway.

This measurement is representative of the 2 dynamic driver headphones. Both have < 100ohm impedance and high sensitivity, unlike the HD800S which didn’t show any difference.

Midgard distortion 1
Midgard distortion 1800×454 84 KB

This measurement is of the planar headphone. Its has < 100ohm impedance and low sensitivity.

Midgard distortion 2
Midgard distortion 2800×454 85 KB

So does Halo work? I’d like to see what others are seeing before making any concrete conclusion, but it looks like it does give a small, ~0.3db, advantage in THD for some headphones. Would that be audible? I doubt it. But there is the possibility that on a more accurate measurement rig, the difference is shown to be more significant. And who knows? Maybe Midgard 2 will have a more effective Halo.

10 Likes
2

Looking forward to getting the Midgard and trying the Halo. It is interesting that I see some subjective reviews already talking about hearing obvious differences yet any measurements I have seen so far so minimum differences.

I will measure it on my planar’s also, though I believe the biggest difference will be with low but variable impedance headphones.

5 Likes
3

I saw this amp show up on their website and guess that it probably does work in some scenarios. Back in the day it seemed the ultra-measurements THX amps achieved something similar – to my ears they minimized the noise and artifacts common with entry-level headphones and were better than their direct competitors. They did this at the cost of a sterile, dry, limited bass delivery, so perhaps Schiit has found a way to preserve the timbre but clean up the junk.

At this point I’d not buy it, as the price sets it as an entry-level amp upgrade. If I only had cheap headphones it could make sense, but I expect minimal/no value in the higher price tiers (as you found, no effect for the HD 800 S).

2 Likes
4

I’ll do some A/B comparisons with my THX 887 amp and post my impressions here. But yeah this is a discrete design alternative to that type of amplifier, so I agree that is how it should be judged.

I don’t know yet if the price of the headphone is related to the effectiveness of Halo. The graphs I posted are headphones in the $500-$1000 range. I suspect it has more to do with the HD800S having a much higher impedance. I wish I had a balanced cable for my HD6XX. If anyone in the Phoenix, AZ area has a balanced cable Sennheiser HD6 series, please DM me.

1 Like
5

I need the single-ended output to be a pass-through that is not affected by the Midgard’s volume control. Is this the case?

Also, does the single-ended output still work if the Midgard is switched off?

Thanks for your help!

1 Like
6

I only have rca’s running out from mine to a nobsound 2.1 bookshelf amp.
turning the midgard off does not let the sound continue thru the unit.
also turning the midgard volume up, also increases the volume to my nobsound.

2 Likes
7

If I understand your question correctly, you can just use a splitter cable or adapter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MTDR7FY/

1 Like
8

In my experience splitters can reduce the volume, introduce noise, and bleed over to other devices. I use simple RCA switches for positive control. E.g.:

Schiit Sys Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California

Solupeak at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094W84SR5/

2 Likes
9

I haven’t had any noticeable issues in my system using the product I linked to, but you aren’t wrong. My understanding is that if the input impedance of the devices is high enough, there shouldn’t be a problem.

I wish Schiit made a stylish RCA switch box, but the Sys is not really it. From the Sys FAQ:

Hey, can you use this in reverse to switch 1 input to two outputs?
Yes, with the volume all the way up. But why not just use RCA Y-cables or splitters?

2 Likes
10

There are some setups where a splitter does cause problems, so I just don’t go there anymore.

The (indeed plain Jane) Schiit Sys has a volume pot – I also avoid those if buying for myself. It’s too easy to accidentally reduce the volume and harm the sound quality. Garden variety pots aren’t known for quality wiring or balanced channels either. The Solupeak I linked to has a 2 to 4 configuration – it’s very flexible and each bank can be used for either input or output regardless of the labels.

1 Like
11

I wrote to Schiit and asked them whether here would be a problem using a splitter on my DAC output to send signal to my AVR and also to the Midgard, as long as both the AVR and the Midgard weren’t turned on at the same time. The response was “not a problem.” So the Splitter recommended by Audio Tool arrived, and the Midgard is supposed to arrive on 12/31–we’ll see how this setup works.

2 Likes
12

The Midgard arrived. I connected it to my DAC’s single-ended outputs, with splitters on the DAC outputs so another set of cables was feeding my AVR. There is nothing connected to the Midgard’s outputs except my Focal Clear OG headphones, which sound great at first hearing. The mid-high range is smoother, and bass is tighter, than with the THX Drop 789 amp I was using before.

4 Likes
13

My review of the midgard is up!

11 Likes
14

I have to say, before I’ve watched this review, that for some time now I’ve been thinking “I wish GoldenSound would review an amplifier that mortals can afford”.

Thanks!

8 Likes
15

Loved the review!

Just to clarify, are you saying there’s just no discernible “Halo” effect or are you also saying there’s no difference in sound at all between the Midgard’s Halo headphone jack vs the Midgard’s SE headphone jack?

Also, on a side note, would you consider this amp worth the upgrade over something like an Atom+ stack?

1 Like
16

I hear absolutely no difference between the SE and the “Halo” output. Both sound great.

2 Likes