John
Balanced in and out headphone action in Schiitsville used to cost us four hundred bills. From today, it goes for half of that, stepping on the toes of the Asgard 3.
Schiit Audio’s all-new Magnius headphone amplifier – that offers balanced and single-ended pre-amplifier outputs – puts us in possession of a similar complement of rear-panel analogue inputs and front fascia-d headphone sockets: hi/low gain switchable 6.4mm single-ended and balanced XLR outputs, the latter giving us 5 Watts into 32 Ohms or 1 Watt into 300 Ohms.
In between, Schiit is touting via Magnius’ press release a potentiometer (volume control knob to you and me) that’s “by far the best potentiometer of any amp anywhere near its price”.
Their website goes deeper: “Many amps at and above this price use small 9mm potentiometers. But an Alps RK27114 27mm “Blue Velvet” potentiometer is a completely different experience. Get ready for excellent channel matching at all potentiometer positions, as well as a smooth, gradual action that lets you find exactly the right volume. We chose the RK27114 because it’s one of the most important components of the amp, the one you interact with all the time.”
Your choice of black or black. Magnius’ price again: US$199.
That Schiit continues to design and build its hardware in the USA shows us yet another advantage of the company’s direct sell business model. Want measurements? Go here already.
We’ll give the last word to Magnius designer Jason Stoddard: “Magnius is more Magni Heresy writ large than Jotunheim diminished. Jotunheim will continue as Jotunheim—the only all-discrete, affordable balanced modular headamp and preamp out there.”
Further information: Schiit Audio
Photo credit: Lee Shelley
