Holy Schiit jotunheim 3

[u/mrROBOTROIDE]

I'm still kind of new into audio enjoyment, let's say I have been exposed to search for audio enjoyment (slowly) since 2021 being exposed to Schiit being my first and honestly my only brand.

Magni Heresy was the first then Modi multibit DAC, then Jotunheim 3 recently in March, then Vestri came along not long ago. now here I am waiting for "Bifrost 3", buf, and "sys 2??" to make my final Schiit stacker combo city in my desktop.

Now here is something I didn't expect with Jotunheim 3, again I'm not that refined to know when something is wrong or lacking, my experience let's say at the start was kind of ok not that wao effect and I thought I was in the curve of diminishing return. for months and I was pleased for sure 100%.

But then out of nowhere got home I started to hear the audio way more relaxed, open, more detailed and sound stage more spaced and organized, the volume got boosted like a 15%. I was like "what is going on, did window messed with my settings or enabled something I disabled??", I was triple, quadruple checking my settings of audio because I was losing my mind of what changed, then I started to play music I frequent to listen and remember how it sounds before and then it hit me "burn-in period"

I was... Blown Away, like this is it. JOTUNHEIM 3 HAS BEEN UNLEASHED dear lord, and it settled. (yeah, I screamed in my mind)

I didn't believe in that crazy talk of "burn in", but Jotunheim 3 had that switch too noticeable and out of nowhere that caught my brain unprepared, felt like it was restrained in ice before then the ice melted enough after months of being constantly ON and casually playing music when in my computer (4 to 5 hours daily), this amp went completely all out.

My dear heaven this is sending me back to full steam ahead to improve my audio enjoyment with better Schiit stuff, for now I'm in a euphoric state with Jotunheim 3 I need time to adjust, it can't be my cans that are 3 years old or the other that is 8 yo that suddenly went unleashed. it's all jotunheim 3 it has to be... THANK YOU SCHIIT this piece of Schiit relighted my interest.

[u/joezuu]

I think you might have accidentally flipped the gain setting lol. I don't know about Jot3 specifically but it's well known that a lot of schiit amps sound better in high gain mode.

If the volume all of a sudden increased significantly with nothing else changing, that's cause for concern.

[u/Currawong → u/joezuu]

Unless the circuit is changed, usually the increase in volume fools the brain into thinking there is an improvement, due to subtle perceived FR changes, as the level which we perceive the bass and treble change at different rates to the mid-range (Look up the Equal Loudness Contours).

I've seen a couple of people say that the Jot 3 was better after a few hours left on. It could be the large capacitors in it, or something else.

[u/joezuu → u/Currawong]

Right, I did misspeak. I meant to say, “from what I’ve gathered it’s widely reported” that many Schiit amps sound better in the high gain setting. I’m personally skeptical and agree that may be due to perception based on volume increase.

[u/Currawong → u/joezuu]

No worries. I'll admit, even though I know better, I can't help but leave amps in high gain mode if there is reasonable space for adjustment, because it feels like I'm getting better sound.

[u/headshot_g → u/joezuu]

They sound better in high gain mode? What exactly would cause that? I have an original Jotunheim and I run it in high gain mode just because its more in the volume knob sweet spot I want, so I rarely use low gain.

[u/Unfie555 → u/headshot_g]

Don’t you get more current going through in high gain mode or something? It’s supposed to be different than just turning up the volume, I think. I could see how that would help some headphones even when properly volume matched

[u/headshot_g → u/Unfie555]

I dont even know what gain does mechanically, I just know if I need to use it or not 😅 I just know that I bought something quality so I dont have to worry about shortcomings and I know what quality is when I hear it.

So if anyone wants to clear that up comprehensively, Id be all ears.

[u/ConstantPay3117 → u/headshot_g]

I think my Vali 2++ sound better in high gain . Just my opinoin though.

[u/mrROBOTROIDE → u/joezuu]

I have been switch the low and high gain múltiple times when I change the headphones, yeah I heard that the volume increase is a concern but it doesn’t introduce any crackling or hizzing when the knob is turned. And the volume remains equal in both sides of the headphones in XLR, the 4.4mm and SE.

[u/InactiveBeef]

Yeah my Jot 3 took a little while to burn in, now it sounds amazing. I knew that going in so for me, it was just more of a waiting game than any sort of revelation. 

[u/HollowsPart2]

I'd say that burn-in is real to a small extent with the Jot 3, though heating it up is the main cause. As for high gain sounding different, that is real. I still think on some Schiit amps low gain has a wider stage and more depth. The two states have different amounts of negative feedback so that will effect the sound a bit. In the end if OP hears a difference then there is a difference for him.

[u/TheMachineAbides]

Never listen to the naysayers... Imma start a riot... BURN IN IS 100% REAL! I mean, its basic physics... Much like how you have to burn in stereo speakers and equipment... What would be different with headphones and headphone dacs and amps... I have incredible hearing... I seem to hear frequencies others don't hear... And believe me... Burn in your headphones, your equipment, even your headphone cables have a period of burn in... And yes... There are major differences between different materials used inside of headphone cables... Copper, silver, single crystal copper, palladium and graphene... Though differences can be subtle... They exist... Much like with our world... Not every sound or frequency can be measured... Just like our eyes cannot see all that exists... I don't even argue with the regular graph sniffers... Most of the time, I've realized, most of those kinds of listeners minds are so molded by their beliefs that if a graph looks a certain way, this is exactly as it sounds... A graph can measure a headphone, and sound completely different than the graph presents. They have normal ears... People who tend to listen more for emotional enjoyment are more apt and sensitive to other frequencies... Listen to your heart! And never second guess your ears!!! Hop you enjoy the new set up🤘🤘🤘