Before today, the Schiit Mani phono preamplifier sat rather comfortably on our “Best Affordable Phono Preamps” list for almost 15 months. It deserved to be there for a lot of reasons; affordable, above average sound quality with a lot of affordable MM cartridges, and it always works. I’ve probably recommended it to at least 30 people during the pandemic who had a budget of $150 or less and were purchasing a new turntable. The new Schiit Mani 2 makes me look bad because I should have known that it was coming — but I’m really glad that it is here.
What stands out almost immediately is the more advanced loading system which will only open up the Schiit Mani 2 to being used with affordable MC carts below $500 — hello Denon, Sumiko, low output MI carts from Grado, Audio-Technica, and Ortofon.
Schiit keeps doing it the right way — solid engineering and making everything here in America at prices that are super affordable.
A quick look around my office reveals that I’ve purchased 4 pieces of Schiit Audio equipment over the past two years for under $2,200 and I have zero desire to upgrade. Quality matters. So does sensible pricing.
The Schiit Mani 2 retains the 4 gain settings of the original Mani—now 35, 45, 50, and 60dB nominal gain.
It also adds additional resistive and capacitive loading, allowing resistive loading of 47k, 200, 47, and 38 ohms, and capacitive loading of 47, 100, 150, and 200 pF. This allows Mani 2 to accommodate many more MC cartridges, as well as MM and MI models, with both high and low output.
Furthermore, Mani 2 adds optional, passive 6dB/octave or 12dB/octave low cut filters, centered at 15 Hz, to reduce the effects of rumble and warped records.
Based on the TI OPA1612 with a DC servo, the Mani 2 uses a passive RIAA equalization stage based on 2% film capacitors and 0.1% thin-film resistors. It is also fully DC coupled.
“Where Mani’s signal had to pass through three capacitors, Mani 2 doesn’t use any,” added Jason Stoddard of Schiit. “We took what we learned on the phono stages for Ragnarok 2 and Jotunheim 2, and extended them for Mani 2.”
The Mani 2’s attention to detail extends far past the gain stage, to include its 100% linear power supply with dual-stage regulation, including a filtering stage that reduces power supply noise and contributes to Mani 2’s measured performance.
Those in the market for a flexible and affordable new phono preamp will find the Schiit Mani 2 available now, direct on the company’s site for $149 with a black finish and $159 for silver, plus about $20 for shipping.
Where to buy: $179 at Amazon | schiit.com
ORT
February 27, 2022 at 11:49 pm
Over the last few years I have purchased a Vali (for my older brother) a Modius (for my son) a Hel (for my son) a Valhalla 2 (for me but I just gave it to my son cuz it does not have VU Meters!) and am considering a Modius for my self as I want to get an LSA VT70 (are you testing one any time soon?!) and I think a Modius would suit it well as it is the VT is gorgeous and the Modius is utilitarian. Talk about damning with faint praise.
Schiit makes nice, albeit for the most part visually uninspiring stuff, hence the aforementioned LSA VT70. I have an inexpensive tubed phono preamp that I bought over the Mani simply because it looks better to my eyes and I have no doubt it sounds equally as good.
From what I have been told no VU Meters will ever appear on a Schiit product. No problem as there are plenty of other marques out there that do include them.
And Schitt makes other equipment that appeals to me sans VU Meters, albeit if I see something more fetching? I am after all such a shallow toad…
Huzzah for Schiit!
ORT
Post Script – Emotiva reeeeeeeeeeally needs to put out an upgraded XDA-3 with VU Meters and more! I have an XDA-2. It is cool looking and does great for me.