Schiit Audio: Audio Products Made in USA

“Made for music…and measurements.” That’s Jotunheim 3. An insanely powerful, uber-detailed, smooth-as-silk do-everything amp—that also delivers super-quiet, low-distortion performance. Looking for sound? We got you. Looking for numbers? Got that too. And a whole lot more. Read on.

Exceeding the Rest
Jotunheim 3 delivers parts quality, build quality, and unique technology that exceed all competitors, even at 4x the price. Fully discrete, highly optimized design is just the start—Jotunheim 3 delivers class-leading performance with only 10dB of overall feedback. Its Continuity A output stage outclasses other designs by running NPN and PNP devices at the same time all the time, for unsurpassed matching. And all controls are of utmost quality, from the Alps RK27114 balanced potentiometer to NEC signal relays.

No Compromise, Balanced or SE
Jotunheim 3’s new Prime™ topology delivers the same stunning, ultra-low-noise performance from both balanced and SE outputs. Use your most sensitive IEMs even on single-ended, and they’ll be dead-quiet. We also included both 4.4mm and Neutrik balanced connectors, to better match with your range of headphones. A ¼” single-ended jack is included as well.

Total. Desktop. Control.
Jotunheim 3 provides all the connections and control for your entire desktop. Hook up to powered monitors or speaker power amps via the balanced and single-ended preamp outputs. And, you can choose to listen to only headphones, only preamp outputs, or both.

Make it All in One—with Forkbeard™
Add the optional Mesh™ DAC card to make your Jotunheim an all-in-one desktop control center. Featuring Schiit’s unique digital filter, the Mesh card combines the best of our own R&D with an excellent delta-sigma output stage, for incredible sound you won’t get anywhere else. And, the Mesh DAC card includes Forkbeard, giving you a 3-band parametric EQ, balance, loudness, and volume, as well as additional DAC features like NOS mode and absolute phase switching.

Designed and Built in the USA
By “designed and built in the USA" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Jotunheim—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis and transformers are made in California. Our PCBs are made by us in Corpus Christi, and it all comes together in our San Antonio facility.

5-Year Warranty, Easy Returns
Jotunheim 3 is covered by a 5-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. And if you don’t like your Jotunheim, you can send it back for a refund, minus 5% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.

SPECS THAT MATTER

Power: plenty for all headphones

Noise: inaudible on all headphones and IEMs on balanced or SE outputs

Distortion: unmeasurable at normal listening levels; 1000x lower than the typical headphones you're using

Heat: amp gets moderately warm

Size: desk-friendly

OTHER SPECS

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, +/-0.015db

Balanced Headphone Outputs:

Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 7.5W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 6W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 4W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 1.2W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 600mW RMS per channel

THD: <0.0002%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 4V RMS, 300 ohms

IMD: <0.0003%, CCIR, at 4V RMS, 300 ohms

SNR: >128db referenced to 4V RMS

Crosstalk: >-110dB, 20 Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms

Output Impedance: Less than 0.8 ohms at either gain setting

Single-Ended Headphone Output:

Maximum Power, 16 ohms: 2.4W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 32 ohms: 2.0W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 50 ohms: 1.2W RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 300 ohms: 330mW RMS per channel

Maximum Power, 600 ohms: 165mW RMS per channel

THD: <0.0003%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 2V RMS, 300 ohms

IMD: <0.0004%, CCIR, at 2V RMS, 300 ohms

SNR: >124db, referenced to 2V RMS

Crosstalk: >-95dB, 20 Hz-20KHz, 300 ohms

Output Impedance: Less than 0.4 ohms, at either gain setting

Input Impedance: 50K ohms

Gain: 1 (0dB) or 6 (16dB)

Inputs: Balanced XLR and Single-Ended RCA, relay switched

Outputs: Balanced headphone (4-pin XLR), balanced 4.4mm, single-ended (1/4” TRS), switchable balanced and single-ended line preamp

Optional Inputs: Mesh™ DAC

Gain Stage: Prime™, independent, fully discrete, differential current-feedback topology with ultra-low overall feedback (10dB) and Continuity A™ output stage

Power Supply: One 48VA transformer with four stacked rails, series two-stage ultra-low-noise regulation and over 65,000uF total filter capacitance

Optional Mesh™ DAC:

USB input: Unison 384™, up to 32 bits/384kHz supported, full UAC2 compliance

D/A Conversion: Schiit Mesh™, a unique combination of our time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter and a standard delta-sigma modulator, in this case via an ES9028

Analog Stage: Based on LME49724 and OPA1656, with precision thin-film resistors and film capacitors, DC coupled

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz, +/-0.1dB

THD: <0.0008%, 20Hz-20KHz

IMD: <0.0008%, CCIR

S/N: >112dB, referenced to 2V RMS, unweighted

Power Consumption: 16W typical

Size: 9” x 6” x 2”

Weight: 7 lbs

APx555 Report for Jotunheim 3

“Made for music and measurements?” Which is it?
Both.

Well I just want music.

You can have measurements too.

I thought all high-measuring amps sounded like ass.

Not all of them.

Wow, you’re taciturn today.

Wow, you’re using some big words today. Any questions?

So is this another amp where you claim it’s better than $2000+ stuff out there?

It isn’t a claim.

I’d prefer a less smartass answer.

Sure. Let’s look at what’s out there that meet the following criteria:

Truly discrete
Truly balanced
Uber-quality parts like the Alps RK27114
A 100% linear, 100% internal power supply
Uses ultra-low feedback, doesn’t rely on it for great measurements
Is lab-grade from both the balanced and single-ended outputs with our Prime™ topology
Includes unique technology like beyond-Class-A Continuity A™
Is modular and upgradable, so you don’t throw it away when tech changes
Offers a unique DAC card with proprietary Unison 384, Mesh™ time-and-frequency-domain optimized filter, and Forkbeard™ features that give you digital EQ and preamp controls
Provides both tons of power and ultra-low noise
Is designed and built in the USA

Crickets, yes?

So how come you guys are the only ones who can do this kind of unbelievable value?

Because we make a lot of them. Because we make sure they are easy to make. Because we also make sure they are super reliable. That’s basically it. No magic.

If this thing is so great, why didn’t you start with this? Why keep changing from Jotunheim to Jotunheim 2 to Jotunheim 3?

Same reason Apple didn’t start with the iPhone 17. Or whatever they’re up to nowadays.

Still seems like a lot of change.

Jotunheim 2 was introduced in 2019. In headphone amp years, that’s like heat-death-of-the-universe dead. Still a fantastic amp.

So why change it?

Because this one is better.

What’s this new “Prime” buzzword?

It’s a new topology for Jotunheim 3 that provides super-high-quality, super-low-noise performance from both balanced and single-ended outputs. To summarize:

Completely independent SE sections. This gives you super-high performance from both SE and balanced outputs.
Hyper-evolved details. We went above and beyond to ensure ultra-linear performance of the Prime gain stage. How far above and beyond? Heck, we used film capacitors in the DC servo. Does this make a difference? Maybe. But why take the chance when you’re going all out?
Ultra-low overall feedback. Unlike high-measuring amps that only get that way with 120dB of negative feedback, Jotunheim 3 has only 10dB of overall feedback. No, that’s not a typo. 10dB. There’s also an inner loop, running at only about 20dB. The result is top-of-class performance, without stacked nested opamp schenanigans.
Continuity A output stage. Jotunheim 3 also includes our all-new Continuity A output stage, which focuses on improving Class A operation itself—as in, it runs both NPN and PNP devices at the same level at the same time all the time, eliminating any effects of NPN/PNP mismatch.

My head still hurts, can you break this down into non-technologese?

Unfortunately not much more, sorry. Basically, the thing to know is you can use any source, and connect to any headphone, powered monitor, or amp and get insane levels of sonic and measured performance.

Holy crap is that a 4.4mm output I see on there?

Yes.

I thought you hated 4.4mm outputs.

A lot of people think we hate a lot of things, usually for no reason.

Can I turn off the preamp output?

You can select headphone output only, preamp output only, or both, using the front switch. A small convenience, but nice to have. Like a 4.4mm jack.

Is the ¼” jack all hissy and noisy?

No, it’s dead-quiet like the balanced outputs. It just only has about ¼ the power.

Why is it only ¼ the power?

Physics.

More answer, please.

P = V^2/R

Make it simple, please!

Power is the square of output voltage divided by the resistive load. Since a single-ended output is only ½ of a balanced output, it has half the voltage. Square the 2 and you get…4!

Sigh.

Yes, we are horrible technocrats sometimes. But if you’re really interested, there are a ton of ways to learn some engineering online, and suddenly we’ll make a lot more sense. It’s certainly better to learn a bit than rot your brain with influencer soundbites and cat videos. Your friends might even be impressed by how smart you are (yeah, not likely, we know…)

So what is this Mesh™ DAC card thing?

The Mesh DAC is a DAC card. Buy Jotunheim with a Mesh DAC card and you have an all-in-one desktop with USB digital input. It’s our newest DAC card, and it includes a ton of new technology. Let’s break it down:

Used as a DAC card alone, the Mesh DAC brings our unique, time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter to more affordable products. You see, all Schiit DACs from Bifrost on up (and Modi Multibit) have all used our own unique math, developed over decades, implemented on a costly Analog Devices DSP. That’s the filter that Mike has called “megacomboburrito” for a long time, and it’s an important part of how our DACs sound.
However, used with the included Forkbeard™ capability, and an iDevice, the Mesh Card adds a ton of extra features, all accessed remotely. These features include a 3-band parametric EQ, loudness, balance, NOS mode, phase invert, and volume.

I thought you had a volume knob on the front. Why have volume on the DAC, too?

How many times have you wanted a handy remote control for your desktop? This gives you that. Plus it’s completely defeatable if you don’t want to use it.

What do I need to use this Forkbeard thing?

A relatively new iPhone or iPad. See here: schiit.com/forkbeard

How about Android?

November 2025.

Can I import (semi-standard frequency response compensation curve) to your EQ?

Nope. Maybe eventually. Bug [email protected] about it.

Why only 3 bands on the EQ?

Well, it’s parametric, so that’s not really fair—you get 3 bands including frequency and Q adjustments. Also, this is all being done on the Unison 384 microprocessor, together with the burrito filter. There’s only so much that fits.

Can I turn off the EQ?

Yes, you can defeat EQ, volume, everything…you can have a pure DAC if that’s what you want.

What is Loudness?

Loudness provides a frequency response compensation that varies by how people tend to hear things. At low levels, it boosts bass and treble, to compensate for our natural perception. Of all the silly buttons and lights on 80s gear, Loudness was actually pretty good. It’s also based on real science. See the Fletcher-Munson curve.

So this has the new high-speed Unison 384?

Yes.

What’s so great about Unison 384?

Like a lot of what we do, it’s not off the shelf. It’s our own USB interface designed to do a single thing well: to interface seamlessly with modern UAC2-compliant devices. It’s really just for getting audio from your streamer or computer to this DAC.

So what platforms does Unison 384 support?

Actually, the question should be “What platforms support your USB input?” since our USB input is 100% UAC2 compliant (that is, USB Audio Class 2, the accepted standard for USB audio transmission.) So, here you go:

Linux. As in, most popular streamers.
Windows. From Windows 10 up, you’re set.
MacOS. From 10.10 on up, Macs are good to go.
OS and iPadOS. From iOS7 on up, you’re set with a USB Camera Connection Kit, Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, a Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter, or directly with the new USB-C models.
Android. Pretty much all modern Android phones and tablets work fine. Some really ancient ones may need additional player software.
Roon. Roon works great with our DACs.

What about your phono card and your other DAC cards?

Those have been discontinued, replaced by the Mesh DAC card.

Well, if I have a phono card or other card, does it fit Jotunheim 3?

Yes, all previous phono cards, DAC cards, and RCA cards fit Jotunheim 3.

What’s Jotunheim in Norse mythology?

It’s the land of the giants. Which we believe is very appropriate for this amp. But you tell us…

Jotunheim 3 Manual

Jotunheim 3

Balanced Prime™ Headphone Amp and Preamp

$499.00

Description

Specs

FAQ

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