Still listening, and been a bit busy with some other stuff, will get back to this in a week with some actual impressions. I do like it alot though.
Some more functional things, it’s really just a decent bit better bal in bal out vs se, so this is one of those that you’ll only want to use balanced. I also just generally like no feedback and single ended class a (not running the se jack, but se instead of push pull), you get more space (esp width), more dynamics, more richness, and more lower level information and you only really trade off a bit of intimacy and sharpness and slam. Does vibrate lol. Has a decent amount of warm up, felt it sounded best after a few days, does get hot though as expected
standouts are background blackness, surprisingly good nuance and micro for what it’s priced at (both combined presentation and amount), very well done on being a bit rounded and sweeter but without compromising sharpness and edge. Not overly colored, tasteful flavor. Pretty great dynamics overall too. Organic timbre and tonality overall. I was honestly expecting more overall slam and command in the bass (esp considering what the mj2 was) but the overall dynamics and control sort of replace that desire. It really just makes things pop in a pleasing way
It’s really what I was hoping for in terms of doing what the asgard did well in a more beefed up package (if running se instead of pp and no feedback), for how it actually compares with things, I don’t really have any amps on hand for a good direct comparison tier wise but will write out my thoughts in more detail later with more listening. It has that sort of well rounded a bit warmer sweeter and more wide and rounded sense that the asgard has that just makes most things pretty enjoyable with really really solid overall technical ability for the money. It doesn’t sound compromised like the older mj or jot nor is it a poor value like the rag. Just really more long term engaging that most any other solid state amp I’ve heard at it’s price point, and easily the best headphone amp schiit has by far, hope they keep making it as is
Since I was testing it as a preamp for a bit, it’s whatever as a preamp, not bad but wouldn’t buy one to replace a dedicated pre