Schiit - Asgard 3

DESCRIPTION

SPECS

FAQs

Waaaahhhhh! You killed Class A! Why did you do that, you terrible people?

Because sometimes you have to change. The original Asgard was introduced in June 2010. It was a good amp for its time, and we improved it with the introduction of the Asgard 2 in 2012, which added gain switching and preamp outputs. But since then, Asgard has kinda run in place, while Magni has doubled its power output, and its bigger sisters have become modular. And so, with the development of our Continuity constant-transconductance output stage, it was time to think about giving Asgard 2 an extreme makeover—one that would result in performance far above and beyond anything any previous Asgard could deliver.

I still don't like change, even if it's good!

That's cool. Think of Asgard 3 as a 500mW Class A amp with a 3.5W "turbo mode." Does that help?

I still don't like change, even if it's good!

In short, it’s a completely different amp. Here’s the breakdown:

1. More power: Asgard 3 provides 3.5X the power output of previous Asgards.

2. Higher performance: Asgard 3 is also far quieter, and has less distortion than previous Asgards.

3. Modular, configurable, upgradable: Asgard 3 accepts all the same modules as Jotunheim and Lyr 3, so you can add an internal DAC or phono stage.

4. Continuity, not Class A: Asgard 3 uses our unique Continuity output stage to extend the benefits of Class A operation. It’s still biased heavily into Class A, with over 500mW of Class A operation into 32 ohms.

5. Bigger power supply: Asgard 3 now has a 48VA transformer, 50% larger than any previous Asgard, plus over 20,000uF of filter capacitance and low-noise series regulation of stacked power supply rails, plus separate supplies just for the oversight and the cards.

6. More convenience: Now you can select the input and gain from the front of the amplifier. Previous Asgards didn’t even have selectable input, and gain was on the back.

7. Lower cost: Asgard 3 costs $50 less than previous Asgards, despite all these years of depreciating dollars and all the new features.

Oh holy hell, I want a Class A amp, not a Continuity amp, whatever that is.

Before you pass judgment, you may want to try Asgard 3 out. For what it’s worth, any output class has its advantages and disadvantages. In addition to other benefits, Class A also has the benefit of being called Class A, which makes it seem like it's inherently better than AB, B, C, D, and H. Oh wait, what is H? Look it up. There's a bunch of different amp classes out there, some of which you'll never see in audio (Class B and C are really not suited for such an application.) Continuity is our way of extending the benefit of Class A past the Class A bias region—to keep the transconductance from "drooping" outside of Class A. John Broskie and Bob Cordell have written a whole lot about this problem, and we're just trying to address it. As an added benefit, our Continuity output stage also has both NPN and PNP conducting at the same time on both sides of the rail, which mitigates mismatch between these devices (again, N and P devices are never really complementary.)

Are there any other Continuity amps out there in your lineup?

Asgard 3 joins Lyr 3 and Aegir in our Continuity amp roster.

Will Asgard 3 drive “difficult” inefficient headphones?

Asgard 3 has plenty of power for pretty much anything. Whether you’re talking 300 or 600 ohm headphones or relatively inefficient planars, Asgard has plenty of power for both.

And high-efficiency IEMs?

Yes. We’ve tested extensively with IEMs, and Asgard 3’s very low noise floor is ideal for them in low gain mode.

And other headphones?

Of course.

Does the volume control adjust the preamp outputs?

Yes.

Can I turn off the headphone outs when I’m using the preamp outputs?

Plugging in headphones automatically disconnects the pre-outs.

How do I switch the gain?

There’s a toggle switch on the front of the amp.

So, if this has your fancy-smantchy new Continuity thing, it finally runs cool to the touch, rather than requiring oven mitts to operate, like previous Asgards?

Cool? Nope. It’s still running 500mW Class A bias at 32 ohms, which is quite a bit. Cooler than older Asgards? Yes. But it’s still gonna be a warm-running amp. You shouldn't be blocking the ventilation holes.

And you’re not concerned with the heat?

Nope.

But it still runs hot!

And technically, that’s still not a question. If you want an amp that runs cold, it’s best to look elsewhere.

Speaking of holes, I noticed there's no front LED. Did you forget something?

Nope. Lots of people thought it was too bright, so we got rid of it. We did put a white LED inside so you can see that it's running, and also maybe to project a nice pattern on your ceiling at night.

WARRANTY

5 Year Warranty

Don't sweat it, this Schiit Asgard 3 comes with a 5 year warranty from Schiit that covers manufacturing defects. All products featured on Headphone Zone are backed by an original manufacturer's warranty.

Read more about Schiit's warranty in India.

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