If you have been paying close attention during the pandemic, you’ve probably noticed that specific states went so overboard in their lockdowns and closures that manufacturers had to make some difficult choices. Supply chain issues are another problem still plaguing a number of industries but over-the-top regulations and COVID have been a game changer for a lot of small companies. Schiit Audio are no exception. The California-based manufacturer of some really wonderful headphone amplifiers like the Magni+ (see review), power amplifiers, and DACs had to improvise during the pandemic and very few brands are as good on the fly as Schiit. The brand new Schiit IEMagni headphone amplifier is proof.
Not only is the Schiit IEMagni built in their new production facility in Corpus Christi on the Texas coast, but it’s super affordable at only $119.
But wait. Does this mean that the Schiit IEMagni is replacing the Magni+ or Magni Heresy?
Apparently not.
One of the things we like a lot of Schiit is that they let the market decide. Consumers will decide which product lives or dies.
The new Schiit IEMagni has been designed with three gain modes: 0 dB for average power-hungry headphones, an additional 15 dB of gain for power-hungry headphones like planar magnetic cans from Audeze, HiFiMan, and Dan Clark Audio, and…negative 10 dB of gain for high-sensitivity IEMs that are very sensitive to circuit noise.
According to Schiit’s Jason Stoddard:
“IEMagni is simply the do-all Magni. It has negative gain, a vanishingly low noise floor, and advanced protection for very sensitive IEMs, plus it delivers high gain and high power needed for hard-to-drive headphones.”
Here’s more: “Built on the advanced TI OPA1656, IEMagni uses 7 separate amplifier sections for each channel (one for gain, 6 for output) in a unique no-overall-feedback configuration that allows for high input impedance even in negative gain. IEMagni’s input impedance never drops below 40 kOhms, allowing it to be used with a wider variety of sources, and to preserve performance of sources that may not be able to drive low-impedance loads effectively.”
Price: US$119 and available for order right now.
For more information: Schiit
