SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM R Direct Drive Ribbon Headphone Amplifier Owner’s Manual
- June 5, 2024
- SCHIIT
Table of Contents
SCHIIT JOTUNHEIM R Direct Dri e Ribbon Headphone Amplifier
INTRODUCTION
Jotunheim R is the world’s first and only direct-drive ribbon headphone amplifier. Created for the demanding Raal/Requisite ribbon headphones, Jotunheim R cranks out up to 14A RMS per channel at visible clipping—plenty to run your Raals. No speaker amp, no interface box, just pure drive…in a tiny, convenient package.
The following is required by the roughly 9,542 government agencies and regulations we have to comply with. If you have some common sense, they should seem pretty straightforward. In any case, read these instructions before proceeding farther, follow all instructions, and heed all warnings. Or else!
- If you don’t know how to install audio devices, get a qualified professional to help.
- Never use this device near water, and clean only with a dry cloth.
- Assure adequate ventilation, do not block any ventilation openings, or place near heat sources.
- Use only the supplied power cord or suitable replacement. Route cords away from traffic areas and protect them from being pinched. Unplug the cord from the outlet if the apparatus is unused for a long period of time.
- To prevent electric shock, do not use the plug with an extension cord, receptacle, or outlet unless blades can be fully inserted.
- Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Service is required when the device has been damaged, including cord or plug damage, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the device, the device has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS DEVICE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
- (1) Jotunheim R
- (1) Power cord
GETTING STARTED
- If you chose Jotunheim R as an amplifier only (no DAC), simply:
- Plug it in with the supplied power cord
- Connect an input or inputs to the XLR and RCA inputs on back.
- Turn on the amp, select the correct input, wait 25-35 seconds for the relay protection to engage the output, and enjoy.
- If you chose Jotunheim R with the internal True Multibit DAC card, you’ll also need to con-nect your source to the DAC module.
- Use a high-quality, USB 2.0-rated cable of 2M or less in length.
- If you are using a version of Windows prior to Windows 10, you may have to install drivers, which are available at schiit.com/drivers.
ABOUT UPGRADES
Additional cards for Jotunheim R may be released in the future. When this
happens, you can return the Jotunheim to us to have the card installed, or
have it installed by a qualified elec-tronic tech. If you’d like to be the
first to know about upgrades as they become available, sign up on the SPAM
link on our site.
CONTROLS
- Input Switch. If the name wasn’t clue enough, this selects the input. All the way up for the internal card (DAC), middle for balanced input, bottom for SE input. Hint: if you don’t have a card installed, you won’t hear anything when the card is selected.
- Baffle Compensation Switch. Up is on, down is off. Turn this on when using open-baffle headphones like the SR1a. Turn it off if using circumaural headphones.
- Preamp Enable. Up turns on the passive preamp outputs, off turns them off. Note: the preamp is passive, it has no gain and doesn’t convert balanced to SE or vice-versa.
- Volume Knob. Turn it to the right to make the music louder. Stop before it hurts.
- Balanced Male 4-Pin Jack. Plug your Raal/ Requisite headphones in here. It’s designed only for these headphones. Don’t try it with other headphones. Don’t make adapters. Seriously, this is just for Raals, and that is all.
CONNECTIONS
- Card Input. If you have the DAC module installed, the USB input will be here. If you don’t have a module installed, it will be covered.
- Balanced Input. Connect a balanced source here with XLR cables.
- SE Input. Connect a standard source here with RCA cables.
- SE Passive Preamp Output. Connect to powered monitors or a speaker amp with RCA cables. Remember, this is passive, it doesn’t have gain or convert types of inputs.
- Balanced Passive Preamp Output. Connect to powered monitors or a speaker amp with XLR cables. Remember, this is passive, it doesn’t have gain or convert types of inputs.
- On-Off Switch. Up is on. Down is off. Pretty simple, right?
- AC Input. Plug the power cord in here. Plug the other end into an outlet of the correct voltage. Trying to run a 115V product on 230V will blow the fuse and generally make for a bad, bad day.
FAQ
I hear hum through the headphones, what do I do to fix it?
You may have a ground loop. To fix a ground loop, try a ground loop isolator
or an EbTech HumX.
There’s no sound for a while after I turn Jotunheim R on.
That’s perfectly normal. Jotunheim delays the headphone output for 25-35
seconds after you first turn the amp on to allow it to stabilize.
There’s no sound with the input switch in the top position.
Do you have the optional DAC? If you don’t, you won’t get any sound.
The Jotunheim R clicks and mutes, then turns back on again, then clicks and
mutes again. You’re triggering the overcurrent protection. Check your cables
for shorts.Jotunheim R is intended for use only with Raal/Requisite head-
phones, and should not be used with adapters for other headphone types, which
may short the output and cause it to go into protection.
The Jotunheim clicks and mutes, and stays off for several minutes, and it’s
really hot.
You’re triggering the overtemperature protection. Reduce the output level or
increase ventilation. Also see the previous comment about not using adapters
for other headphones, and checking your cables for shorts.
My Windows computer doesn’t see the DAC.
You may need to download and install Windows drivers. Go to
schiit.com/drivers to get them.
I installed the USB drivers, but Windows still doesn’t see the DAC.
You may be running into USB port power management problems or bad cables.G o
to schiit.com/faq/dac-problems and
schiit.com/faq/usb-problems for
troubleshooting.
It doesn’t turn on, what do I do?
Plug it in to a different AC socket. Ensure you are not currently in a
blackout. Then email us if it still doesn’t work.
5-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
Schiit Audio warrants to the original purchaser that this product shall be
free from defects in material and workmanship for five (5) years from the date
of purchase. If a defect covered by this warranty occurs during this period,
Schiit Audio will repair the defective product, free of charge. Date of
purchase will be based on customer receipts, otherwise date of manufacturing
will be used.
If you believe you need warranty service, contact us first. Schiit Audio
products sent back to us without a Return Authorization (RA) will be returned
to the sender without repair. To contact us and obtain an RA, email
[email protected].
Warranty Limitations. This warranty shall not apply if a product: (a) is
modified or tampered with; (b) is damaged by negligence, accident,
unreasonably use, or other causes unrelated to defective materials or
workmanship, or (c) has had the serial number altered or removed.
Any implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability and fitness
for a particular purpose, are hereby limited in duration to the warranty
period of 2 years. In no event shall Schiit Audio be liable for consequential
or incidental damages resulting from the breach of any implied or expressed
warranties. Some states do not allow these limitations, so they may not apply
to you. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state or
province to province.
This product is in compliance with standards and regulations of the European Community.
References
- Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California
- Windows USB Drivers | Schiit Audio
- Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California
- Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in Texas and California