Jotunheim R Introduced

January 21, 2020, Valencia, CA. Today, Schiit Audio announced the availability of Jotunheim R, the first and only direct-drive amplifier for the Raal/Requisite ribbon headphones. Jotunheim R eliminates the need for a speaker amp and interface box to drive the very low impedance ribbons, substantially simplifying a Raal/Requisite system and offering the potential for higher performance. Jotunheim R can be ordered as “Just an Amplifier,” for $799, with an internal True Multibit DAC card at $999, or with the external Bifrost 2 DAC at $1399.

 

“Jotunheim R is a dedicated amp designed specifically for Raal/Requisite ribbon headphones,” said Jason Stoddard, Schiit’s Co-Founder. “Unlike conventional headphones, the Raal ribbons are extremely low impedance, which requires extremely high current output.”

 

Previously, Raal/Requisite provided an interface box to be used with speaker amplifiers to drive the headphones. This meant that systems were large and cumbersome, requiring the interface box, a speaker amplifier, and a preamp and DAC. Jotunheim R replaces all of that.

 

“Choose the internal True Multibit DAC and it’s a complete one-box system,” said Jason. “Plug your source into the DAC, plug the Raals into the Jotunheim R, and you’re done. All in one box that’s less than 110 cubic inches.”

 

This one-box solution is ideal for professionals who want to use the Raal/Requisite headphones for portable mastering. It also provides professional-level protection, with overcurrent and overtemperature shut-off. 

 

Jotunheim R also provides an extremely high level of performance for high-end listening. “We’ve had many early listeners say this is actually better than high-dollar speaker amps and the interface box,” added Jason.

 

Jotunheim R features Schiit’s exclusive, unique Nexus™ gain stage, which debuted on Ragnarok 2. This inherently balanced, differential discrete stage handles both balanced and single-ended inputs seamlessly, and provides very high performance. In Jotunheim R, the Nexus output stage delivers up to 14A RMS per channel at visible clipping, a current level that is usually only seen in speaker amps.

 

Jotunheim R was developed when Jason learned of the need for a super-high-current amplifier for the Raal/Requisite headphones. Raal/Requisite was actually looking into Schiit’s Vidar speaker amplifier as a good match with its interface box. But a Vidar, the interface box, a preamp, and DAC was a very cumbersome system. Jason told Raal/Requsite he would take a look at developing such an amp, and quickly had a prototype running on a modified Jotunheim. Several more revisions later resulted in an all-new amplifier, the Jotunheim R, which shares only two parts with Jotunheim: its potentiometer and bottom chassis.

 

Jotunheim remains in production for conventional headphones. 

 

Like all of Schiit’s products, Jotunheim R is designed and built in California, with Schiit’s key production partners being located only minutes away from the Schiit facility in Valencia, CA—chassis are done in Valencia and PCBs in Simi Valley. The vast majority of production cost for either product goes to US companies, producing in the USA.

 

Jotunheim R is available now at schiit.com.