Midgard

Schiit Midgard Headphone Amplifier Review

Introduction

Schiit Audio’s Midgard headphone amplifier arrives with a humble name and a lofty promise. In Norse myth, Midgard is the realm of mortals – a down-to-earth place. True to that spirit, the Schiit Midgard is a $219 desktop amp that aims to bring high-end performance to us mere mortals. It’s a compact black box packed with nearly 5 watts of output power, state-of-the-art measurements, and a novel “Halo” feedback topology that has audiophiles buzzing. The question is: does this down-to-earth amp deliver a heavenly listening experience? In this review, we’ll explore the Midgard’s design, sound quality, how it stacks up in the broader headphone amp landscape, and what headphones sing best with it. So cue up a classic (perhaps something obscure from King Crimson or Camel for the truly cultured), sit back, and let’s dive into the Schiit Midgard.

Schiit Audio: History and a Bit of Mythology

Schiit Audio was founded in 2010 by two veteran audio engineers, Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat, with a mission to make high-end audio affordable. From the beginning, the company flaunted a rebellious streak – starting with its tongue-in-cheek name. (As the story goes, after hearing Jason constantly mutter he had “too much schiit to do” while tinkering in his garage, his exasperated wife quipped, “Why don’t you just call the company Schiit, since that’s all you ever talk about!” The rest is history.) Despite the humorous branding, Schiit Audio quickly proved it was serious about sound. Their early hits – the Asgard and Valhalla amps – offered no-nonsense design and great performance, earning praise on forums and launching the brand from a garage startup to a leader in the “good sound without a second mortgage” movement.

Over the years, Schiit has kept things colorful yet credible. They name products after Norse legends (Yggdrasil DACs, Ragnarok amps, etc.) but design them with real engineering prowess. The company prides itself on unique technologies and all-discrete analog designs developed in-house. Innovations like their Continuity and Nexus topologies, or their True Multibit DAC architecture, show that these folks aren’t just rebranding OEM circuits – they’re crafting new approaches to audio. They’re also refreshingly open about their philosophy: they publish a chaptered blog/book called “Schiit Happened” chronicling successes and missteps, and they’ve never been shy to challenge industry norms (or poke fun at them).

Today, Schiit Audio operates out of California and Texas, producing a wide range of gear – from $99 stocking-stuffer amps to reference-grade preamps and DACs. Remarkably, they manufacture in the USA yet manage to price their gear as competitively as overseas rivals. The Midgard amplifier embodies this ethos. It’s an “affordable high-end” product that packs technology and specs you’d expect from far pricier units. Schiit often says their goal is to let you build a great system without eating only ramen noodles for the next year – the Midgard is aimed at exactly that mid-tier audiophile sweet spot.

Design and Technical Highlights

At a glance, the Midgard looks like classic Schiit: a clean, utilitarian chassis in matte black, roughly the size of a hardcover book. It has the company’s signature minimalist aesthetic – no flashy screens or gaudy lights, just a sturdy metal box with a simple stamped logo on top. Build quality is solid, with a metal volume knob (the beloved Alps “Blue Velvet” RK27 potentiometer for smooth action) and robust Neutrik connectors for the headphone jacks and rear inputs. There are two toggle switches on the front: one selects between the balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs, and the other flips between low and high gain. Around back, you’ll find both XLR and RCA stereo inputs and outputs – yes, the Midgard doubles as a preamplifier, capable of feeding powered speakers or an external amp. (One minor quirk: the pre-outs are always live and don’t auto-mute when headphones are plugged in, so you’ll need to turn off your speakers or power amp manually when switching to cans.)

Under the hood, the Midgard is a fully discrete solid-state design, meaning it’s built from individual transistors rather than off-the-shelf op-amp chips. Schiit has a bit of a “discrete or bust” philosophy – they even discontinued a prior op-amp based model (the Magnius) in favor of the Midgard. The Midgard’s topology is described as “highly linear open-loop with low overall feedback”, which hints that it’s likely a Class AB amplifier with some clever biasing to reduce crossover distortion. (In other words, it runs relatively cool and efficient – drawing about 3W at idle – but still maintains excellent linearity without needing tons of global negative feedback.) It’s powered by an external AC transformer (“wall-wart” style), feeding internal ±20V and ±30V regulated rails. Despite the external supply, this is not a wimpy amp – those rails and a generous 10,000 µF of filter capacitance let the Midgard swing serious voltage and current.

How powerful is it? In pure numbers, Midgard is rated at ~5 WPC into 32 Ω (and even 750 mW into 300 Ω). In practice, that means it can drive just about any headphone on the planet. Users and reviewers have reported it drives tough planars like the HIFIMAN Susvara to respectable levels. It has headroom to spare – even on high-impedance 300 Ω Sennheisers, you’re nowhere near maxing out the volume knob before things get loud. Importantly, all that muscle doesn’t come with a noise penalty: the Midgard is dead silent in terms of background hiss. Sensitive IEMs and efficient headphones stay free of hum or noise, especially if you use the low gain setting. This wide range – from whisper-quiet with IEMs to thunderous with power-hungry cans – makes the Midgard a versatile piece of kit.

The Halo Topology – What’s the Buzz About?

The Midgard introduces a novel feature that Schiit calls the Halo™ topology. This isn’t a gimmick about angelic sound; it’s actually a specific kind of mixed-mode feedback loop that includes the headphone driver in the amplifier’s feedback network. In simpler terms, the amp monitors the actual motion of your headphone’s drivers (through the electrical impedance) and uses that information to adjust its output in real-time. The concept has been used in speaker amps to better control drivers at their resonant frequencies (where impedance spikes) and reduce distortion. Schiit is among the first to bring this idea to headphones.

How do you engage Halo mode? Interestingly, there’s no switch – it’s tied to the output jack. The Midgard provides two headphone outputs: a standard 1/4″ (6.35 mm) single-ended jack, and a 4-pin XLR jack. The XLR output is the one that uses the Halo feedback. It’s not providing a higher voltage “balanced” drive in the traditional sense – internally the amp is actually single-ended, and both outputs get the same power. What the XLR jack does is provide separate ground returns for left and right channels, which is required for the Halo feedback loop to work. So essentially, plugging into the XLR jack activates the Halo topology, whereas the 1/4″ jack operates as a conventional output. Schiit cleverly gave users both options: you can listen and decide if you hear any difference.

The company’s own stance on Halo is cautiously optimistic. They acknowledge that headphone drivers, especially planar-magnetics, might not show as dramatic an effect as loudspeakers (which have more wild impedance swings and back-EMF). In the Midgard FAQ, Schiit even jokes that they could have spent six years researching it to death, but instead they chose to release it and let audiophiles experiment in the wild. It’s an approach very much in line with their ethos – a bit of bold innovation at a price where curious enthusiasts can play with it firsthand.

So does Halo make a difference? According to Schiit, most people in their trials perceived a subtle improvement with Halo engaged, describing a touch more clarity or control, especially on dynamic driver headphones. In practice, early reviewers have noted that the effect is real but not night-and-day. With certain headphones, particularly lively dynamics, the XLR (Halo) output can sound a tad more open in soundstage and tighter in imaging. One reviewer noted an “extra sense of clarity and openness” and a blacker background on the Halo output. However, with other headphones the difference can be negligible – some listeners report no audible change between the two outputs, especially on planars where Halo’s theory says it would do less. The consensus is that Halo is a modest enhancement: nice to have if your headphones and ears reveal it, but not a make-or-break feature. The good news is that even without Halo, the Midgard’s standard output sounds excellent on its own, so you aren’t missing out dramatically if you don’t re-terminate all your headphone cables to XLR.

Aside from Halo, it’s worth highlighting the output impedance: the 1/4″ jack has a near-zero output impedance (<0.1 Ω), while the XLR jack’s output impedance is about 2 Ω. Both are low enough for general use, but purists with very low-impedance IEMs might prefer the single-ended jack to maintain the absolute flattest damping factor. For most full-size headphones, 2 Ω is no issue at all – and in exchange, that XLR jack gives you the Halo option. It’s a thoughtful design compromise in service of the new topology.

Sound Quality and Performance

All the engineering in the world means little if the amp doesn’t make your music come alive. Fortunately, the Schiit Midgard’s sound quality has been turning heads (and perking ears). Schiit set out to prove that an amp can measure like a lab instrument yet avoid the sterile, soulless sound that some “measurement-champ” amps are accused of. By most accounts, they succeeded – the Midgard manages a blend of neutral fidelity and engaging musicality that’s getting praise from both objectivist and subjectivist camps.

Right off the bat, the Midgard presents a neutral and transparent signature. Its frequency response is ruler-flat (20 Hz–20 kHz ±0.01 dB per spec), and it doesn’t impart obvious coloration. This amp is not a tone control; it aims to deliver what’s on the recording faithfully. But “neutral” doesn’t mean boring here. Many listeners describe the Midgard as natural and dynamic in character, with a hint of warmth and a smooth top-end that avoids the analytical edge of some competitors. There’s a sense that Midgard finds that sweet spot between accuracy and enjoyment – akin to a well-mastered vinyl of a classic album, where you hear everything clearly but it still feels musical and inviting.

Let’s break down the sonic traits:

• Bass – 90/100: The low-end from Midgard is impressively authoritative for a solid-state amp in this class. Bass notes are tight and well-controlled, with a punchy impact that gives kick drums and basslines proper weight. Compared to typical $200 amps (especially many op-amp based or THX-derived designs), Midgard’s bass has more body and slam – reviewers frequently mention it sounds “fuller” and more visceral down low. Yet it doesn’t bloat or bleed; the bass stays in line and tuneful, exhibiting excellent definition. Whether you’re listening to John Bonham’s kick drum on a Led Zeppelin track or the deep electronic bass in a modern mix, the Midgard delivers the foundation with confidence. It may not have the outright heft of a pure Class A monster amp, but it’s remarkably close, and far beyond what you’d expect at this price.

• Mids – 92/100: The midrange is where the Midgard really shines and justifies its name (Midgard…mid-range, coincidence?). Vocals and guitars come through with clarity and openness. There’s a sense of space around instruments; the midrange isn’t congested at all. In fact, one of the standout features noted by listeners is the amp’s headstage width and depth – it produces a holographic, 3D presentation that’s unusual for “measurement-focused” amps. This means vocals can sound centered and intimate yet properly placed in a wider mix, and things like layered guitars or orchestral instruments have air between them. The texture in the mids is resolved nicely – from the grit in a blues singer’s voice to the rich timbre of a cello, Midgard handles it with a natural realism. Importantly, it avoids the pitfall of many ultra-linear amps that can make mids sound a bit dry or clinical. Instead, tones have warmth and humanity here resulting in both faithfulness to source and emotional engagement; hat’s a tricky balance, and it seems Schiit nailed it.

• Treble – 88/100: The high frequencies are clean and detailed without harshness. Midgard’s treble is described as “brilliant, yet not bright” – meaning it has sparkle and energy enough to reveal fine details (the brushwork on cymbals, the trailing edges of reverbs), but it steers clear of stridency. Even with “hot” recordings or naturally bright headphones, the Midgard tends not to introduce additional glare. There’s a smoothness to the treble, likely a result of that low distortion and a well-implemented analog design. Some ultra-measuring amps achieve low distortion at the expense of sounding thin up top, but Midgard manages to keep treble full-bodied and rich in overtones. That makes long listening sessions easy on the ears – high hats or violins remain clear but never grating. If anything, treble-heads who love an aggressive, forward top-end might find Midgard a touch polite, but most will appreciate its refined presentation. It’s the kind of treble that invites you to turn up the volume, not turn it down.

• Soundstage & Imaging: Beyond the basic frequencies, a key highlight is how the Midgard handles spatial aspects of sound. This amp creates a wider and deeper soundstage than you might expect from a small solid-state amp. Multiple reviewers were struck by how immersive and layered the presentation is. With a good recording, the Midgard allows headphones to project an almost speaker-like sense of space – you can pick out instruments on a stage, sense the ambiance of the room or hall, and get a real feel for the depth in the mix. Imaging is precise; subtle cues like where the pianist sits in a jazz trio or how backing vocals are panned come through distinctly. This trait sets Midgard apart from many of its measurement-oriented peers, which often sound flat and two-dimensional in staging. Schiit’s analog design choices (and possibly the Halo effect when engaged) seem to preserve spatial information beautifully. Listening to a live concert recording, for example, feels more holographic and natural.

• Dynamics: Lastly, dynamic performance is excellent. Thanks to its plentiful power reserve, the Midgard renders macro-dynamics (big swings from soft to loud) with ease – crescendos hit hard, drum hits have snap, and the music never feels compressed or strained. Micro-dynamics (the subtle volume variations that give music its expressiveness) are also handled deftly; the amp is sensitive to the fine gradations that make a recording sound lively. It can go from a whisper to a roar and back without losing resolution or introducing grain.

Summing up the sound: the Schiit Midgard delivers a reference-level neutral sound with just a dash of warmth and smoothness to keep things musical. It’s the kind of sound that satisfies detail freaks and toe-tappers alike. One could say it’s “transparent, but not an exhibitionist” – it doesn’t shout about its clarity with artificial brightness or hyper-etched detail; instead, it serves the music in a balanced, organic way. Given its affordable price, many are calling the Midgard one of the best price-to-performance headphone amps on the market.

Performance Benchmarks

It’s worth noting that on the test bench, the Midgard posts some impressive numbers. Total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) is as low as 0.0001% in low gain (at 4 V into 300 Ω). That’s approaching the limits of what even lab equipment can measure, and firmly in “transparent to human ears” territory. Even in high gain, THD stays around 0.0003% – slightly higher but still extremely low. The signal-to-noise ratio is around 118–128 dB (depending on gain), ensuring that hiss is essentially nonexistent. In practical terms, the Midgard measures on par with some of the famed Chinese-made amps (like those from Topping, SMSL, or the THX AAA series) that have dominated the objective performance charts. This is a big deal: Schiit managed to achieve world-class measurement performance while sticking to their discrete circuitry and U.S. manufacturing.

Overall – 95/100: Taking into account its build, features, sound, and value, the Schiit Midgard scores extremely high on our mid-level audiophile report card. It offers a balanced, high-fidelity sound with a touch of that analog soul, tons of power, and innovative tech, all at a price that is frankly a steal. Minor nitpicks like the always-on pre-outs or the fact that it’s not a fully balanced amp (internally) hardly detract from an otherwise stellar package. When you consider everything, it’s clear the Midgard isn’t just good “for the money” – it’s a great amp, period, that just so happens to be very affordable.

Summary of Ratings (out of 100):

• Overall: 95 – An outstanding all-around performer punching well above its class.

• Bass: 90 – Deep, controlled, and impactful; well beyond expectation for this price.

• Mids: 92 – Open, natural, and detailed; engages the listener with lifelike vocals and instruments.

• Treble: 88 – Smooth, clear, and non-fatiguing; high resolution without harshness.

• Value: 98 – Exceptional. Arguably one of the best headphone amp values in years, considering its sound and capability at $219.

(The high value score reflects that Schiit is offering near-reference performance at a budget-conscious price — something very much in line with their company philosophy.)

Where the Midgard Fits in the Headphone Amp Landscape

In the broader landscape of headphone amplifiers, the Schiit Midgard stands as a giant-killer in the budget-to-mid tier. Priced just above $200, it squarely targets offerings like the JDS Labs Atom+, Monolith/Drop THX AAA 789, Topping A30/A50 series, and perhaps entry-level balanced amps from SMSL or FiiO. Many of those alternatives have been favorites for their clean output and measurements, but the Midgard challenges them not only on technical specs (which it matches or exceeds) but also on subjective sound quality and build.

Unlike some competitors which lean on op-amps or off-the-shelf modules, the Midgard’s discrete design and unique Halo feature differentiate it in terms of engineering. You might say it has the soul of a high-end amp in the body of an affordable one. It’s not a niche or specialized amp (like a pure tube amp or an ultra-portable); instead, it’s a workhorse all-rounder that many audiophiles can consider as a primary desktop amp for a wide range of headphones.

Within Schiit’s own lineup, Midgard slots in below the Jotunheim (their $399 balanced amp/DAC-capable unit) and above the Magni/Vali ($109–$149 small amps) and the older Asgard 3 ($249). In fact, the Midgard essentially replaces the Magnius (a $199 balanced amp that Schiit quietly retired). Compared to the Asgard 3 (which is class A/B with their Continuity tech), the Midgard is cheaper, yet offers more power and balanced I/O. Asgard might sound a touch warmer due to its Class A biasing, but Midgard measures better and has that Halo trick. Versus the Jotunheim 2, the Midgard lacks some bells and whistles (no option for an internal DAC card, for example), and the Jot 2 is fully balanced internally with a bit more power into 50+ Ω loads. However, many listeners find the Midgard actually very close to Jotunheim’s performance for a lot less money – so unless you need Jot’s extra features, the Midgard is the value pick. In terms of pure fidelity, Midgard might even edge out the Jot 2’s single-ended output, as Schiit’s own co-founder alluded that Midgard “measures better” than Jotunheim in some respects. It’s quite remarkable that Schiit’s most affordable balanced amp is arguably one of their best measuring and sounding discrete amps ever.

If we zoom out to high-end amps, obviously the Midgard isn’t competing with $2000 tube amps or luxury solid-state beasts on features or exotic build. But in sound quality, you might be surprised how little gap there is. You would typically pay a lot more to get a noticeable improvement over what Midgard delivers. It’s that good. In fact, one could say Midgard redefines the mid-tier: it brings reference-grade performance to the mid-level audiophile market. That’s a big deal, because it allows enthusiasts to allocate more budget to other parts of their system (like upgrading headphones or DAC) without worrying that their amp is a bottleneck.

Another way to frame it: The Midgard is an “endgame” amp for the frugal audiophile. If you’re the type who doesn’t want to spend four figures on a headphone amp, the Midgard might be as close to the pinnacle as you ever need, unless you crave specific coloration or features. It’s similar to how a classic well-mastered rock album on vinyl can be “endgame” for a music lover – you don’t necessarily need the 180-gram remaster or a $10k turntable to enjoy it fully. Midgard sits on the apex of diminishing returns in action; above it, you pay exponentially more for incremental improvements or different flavoring.

That said, every amp has its place. The Midgard is solid-state and linear, so those who adore tube warmth or euphonic distortion will still seek out tube amps (like Schiit’s own Lyr or Valhalla) for that particular sound. And while Midgard is powerful, the absolute most demanding headphones (e.g., if you want to push a Susvara to thunderous concert levels) might still benefit from a mega-amp or speaker amp – though by then we’re talking edge cases. For 99% of headphones and listeners, Midgard sits at a very happy intersection of performance, price, and practicality that few others match right now.

Best Headphone Pairings

One of Midgard’s strengths is how versatile it is with different headphones. Because of its neutral-yet-slightly-musical tuning and its hefty power output, it doesn’t really shy away from any particular type of headphone. You can effectively plug anything in and get excellent results.

In essence, the Schiit Midgard pairs well with just about any headphone you’d reasonably use. Its neutrality means it will showcase the headphone’s own character: so your Sennheiser HD800S will still have that expansive treble and soundstage (and Midgard’s smoothness might tame the treble a hair); your Audeze LCD-2 will still have that rich bass and slightly dark top (Midgard won’t overly brighten it, which is good). The amp is not a tone-changing piece; it’s a great baseline upon which the headphones can do their thing. If you do want to shape the sound further, Schiit’s own Loki/Lokius EQs or a tube preamp could be added, but that’s outside our scope. Most will find the Midgard’s native sound so well-balanced that EQ or “tubey tricks” feel less necessary.

One notable pairing mention is with Schiit’s own DACs – for example, the Modius DAC (around $229) is recommended by Schiit as a perfect partner to Midgard. While that’s source gear, not headphones, it’s worth noting that a Midgard+Modius stack is a killer combo for a mid-tier system. In terms of headphones, if you are stepping up from basic amps like the ones built into audio interfaces or cheap dongles, plugging your familiar headphones into the Midgard will likely be a revelatory experience. Users often comment it’s like their headphones “leveled up” – bass tightens, soundstage opens, details come out of the woodwork, all without the sound getting harsh or fatiguing.

Conclusion

The Schiit Midgard isn’t just another headphone amp – it feels like a statement piece in the mid-level audiophile range. Schiit Audio set out to create an amp that bridges worlds: the clinical and the musical, the affordable and the high-performing, the mortal and the mythical. In many ways, they’ve pulled it off with aplomb. Midgard takes the best qualities of those benchmark “lab-measuring” amps (ultra-low distortion, dead-silent background, abundant power) and somehow injects a dose of analog soul and expansive sound that keeps you coming back for listening session after listening session.

For mid-level audiophiles, the Midgard is a wake-up call that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get near top-tier sound. It invites comparisons to gear well above its price. And it’s a testament to Schiit Audio’s journey – from that irreverent little company with the funny name, to a purveyor of genuinely high-end sound for the rest of us. They’ve given us an amp that lets you focus on the music, not the gear. In the realm of mortals, the Midgard is indeed an earthly treasure – one that brings a slice of sonic heaven to your headphones.

If you’re looking to upgrade your headphone listening chain and Midgard is on your radar, it comes with an easy recommendation. It’s hard to go wrong with this one. In the often crazy world of audiophile hype, the Midgard is that rare piece of Schiit that’s as good as advertised – no bullschiit. Turn it on, hit play on a beloved track (maybe something epic like “Supper’s Ready” by Genesis or a deep cut from Pink Floyd’s early days), and you just might find yourself lost in the music – which is exactly where a great amp should take you.