The Mjolnir 2 thread

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by maxedfx, Oct 11, 2015.

  1. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks New

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    Great ideas.
     
  2. Sonorus

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    Hello , any thoughts on magni 3 vs lisst tubes for mjolnir 2?
    Where should I spend my 120€ to get some solid state flavor?
     
  3. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    @Sonorus - Personally Lisst in MJ2 does nothing for me (blah), but with some tubes, magic happens. No tubes, no groove. Given the cost of MJ2, unless your goal is to keep the tube option open, I'd just save the $, go with magni 3, and use that money on something else (e.g., your next set of cans).
     
  4. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    p.s., if you already have the MJ2, and you are just looking at a solid state fallback to try out, if your DAC has another set of outs, still suggest magni 3. That way you can switch back and forth without wearing the MJ2 sockets, but while I do have tremendous respect for Jason as an EE and audio engineer, Lisst just sounds dead to me in the MJ2. The holographic sound stages just collapses for me, and even if it is more 'accurate', who cares if it doesn't leave you wanting to listen to more music?
     
  5. famish99

    famish99 Friend

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    @Sonorus I pretty much agree with @Darren G, I've occasionally used LISST on the MJ2 with really sensitive IEMs, but even then it's still more enjoyable to use tubes with some hiss than using LISST.

    I find the LISST is nice if you want detail thrown at you, but you lose so much of the plankton and soundstage as a result.
     
  6. Sonorus

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    Thank you.
    I already own mj2 and was thinking about an ss option just for variation.
    As you suggest since i have Gungnir Multibit as a dac i can use the single ended outs with
    magni 3 seems like a more versatile and better option.
     
  7. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    FYI, my 6922 tubes (3 sets), have less hiss than LISST, and Schiit does warn that the LISST cans are a bit noisier than some tubes, so if it's about noise, might be yet another reason to go with the magni 3.

    p.s. If you are using SE out now, then you are all set. If you used balanced out, I use a XLR -> SE cable adapter when I want to use my HPs from a SE source. They are cheap, and avoids the need to swap headphone cables.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2018
  8. famish99

    famish99 Friend

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    Why do you feel compelled to get solid state flavor? Which tubes do you run?
     
  9. Sonorus

    Sonorus Facebook Friend

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    Currently i run GE 5654W JAN.
    I also have jj 6922 gold pins and Reflektor 6n3p.
    Well solid state just for experiment!
     
  10. StandUp713

    StandUp713 Friend

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    I murdered a tube today. Got a new pair of matched Siemens (RCA label) 6922 E88CC NOS NIB Gold Pins. Got the first one in, then proceeded to drop the other, butterfingers style, onto the hardwood floor. Did not shatter or crack. Hoped for the best and put it in, but no dice. Only one channel worked and it did light up.

    https://imgur.com/vbXEcS7

    I feel bad because I never gave it a chance to shine.


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  11. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    If it makes you feel any better, I dropped a RCA 2A3 on the ground, technically it rolled off the table, but shattered. RIP $300...
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    @cskippy - Re-defines the meaning of 'tube rolling'.
     
  13. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    Please... take it away. It makes me sad.
     
  14. bFlat

    bFlat New

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    Reminds of of.....

     
  15. sunnysideup

    sunnysideup New

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    These are my impressions trying with a few tube sets for MJ2, amp connected to HD800.

    I talked about how I liked the Tesla tubes previously. Wide soundstage, plenty of details and a natural/organic sounding signature. This is still true after 100-200 hours.

    I’ve bought a pair of Electro Harmonix 6922 with Gold pins out of curiosity. They don’t sound as wide, somewhat like the stock tubes, but there is a nice emphasis on bass. Deep and impactful. Treble is slightly lifted as well, making it a slight ‘V’ shaped signature. I prefer these on EDM days.

    The Genalex Gold Lions are probably my favorite tube set. It has the pluses of the Tesla tubes, wide soundstage and good imaging but slightly brighter which I felt worked great with more genre of music. That extra tinge of sparkle breathes new life into old recordings. This is my default tube for now, paired with Black Dragon V2 cable for a little more bass. On days I like my music louder, it’s back to the Teslas to save my ears from premature fatigue.

    No Black Friday sale for WE396a. I’ll save the bucks for other toys. ;)

    Setup: Gungnir Multibit, MJ2, HD800 (no mod) with Black Dragon V2.
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2018
  16. Ntbm3

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    The gold lions have been very impressive. The nuance and textures I am experiencing are incredible with no sacrifice to bass slam/resolution.

    It has been about 3 weeks with my new to me MJ2. I am running Gungnir A2 + LCD-X all balanced. It has re-ignited my joy of headphone listening!

    I rolled a couple sets of tubes but something about the gold lions has me wanted to listen to them only. So I am going to stick with and just enjoy.
     
  17. famish99

    famish99 Friend

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    I'm normally not huge on tube rolling these days, but if you have an HD800, you owe it to yourself to grab a pair of '74/75 Reflectors with the single wire getter. It really isn't worth it on other cans, but on the 800 the headstage gets massive and it tames the treble a little bit while still maintaining great clarity and layering.
     
  18. Sonorus

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    I enjoy very much the jj 6922 gold pins.
    Very natural and clear tuning remind me of ss with the good traits of tubes.
    Still i am tempted to order the gold lions....
     
  19. Changeling

    Changeling Tube Slut

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    Nope. This is one of the great hoaxes out there.
    You do not owe it to yourself to pay a lot (yes they’re selling for way too much) for these Reflectors.

    This is a story that goes back to Head-Fi and a person who should not be named buying 40 tubes from 1975 for £15 each and then ramping them up so much they suddenly became “Holy Grail”. Suddenly people started to buy into this ...crap.
    Then he wanted to buy another 100 tubes, since the demand had gone up.
    They went up to more than £100/tube and the rest is history.
    I can share much more of the complete story about this but I’ll stop right here.

    There’s nothing wrong this these tubes if you get a good healthy pair - but they’re not holy grail and there’s better tubes out there for way less money. They do not make HD800 fantastic and they do not make the soundstage massive.
     
  20. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    This amplifier simply does nothing heinous wrong and does much right. I must be on year two now. It is smooth, sweet at times, punchy, dynamic, no wonder Schiit hasn't been in a rush to offer a replacement.
     

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