The All Purpose Advice Thread

I mean, there's only what, 4 more to consider? Eikon, Elegia, LCD-2 Cb, HD820.

Ether Closed not your cup of tea, that's a safe get.

 

I had the Eikon for a week or so during the loaner tour, I think it's a very nice headphone but maybe not exactly my taste. It does however have some of the best soundstage I've ever heard in a closed headphone, and I liked the boutique feel. It's not a perfect headphone by any means but very charming and welcoming.

What prevented me from falling head over heels for Eikon was mainly it's (in my opinion) somewhat overly bottom heavy sound, lack of ultimate resolution and lack of bass tightness and control compared to some other TOTL offerings. Don't get me wrong, it's a very very good headphone and it'll blow most closed headphones sub $1000 out of the water. But when you go up against the likes of a modded HD800, LCD-3 or even a well setup HD6X0 you recognize areas which could be improved.

I think the bottom heavy sound might be somewhat fixable if you change to something else than leather pads, but the resolution and bass tightness might be trickier.

I did some impression here: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...mf-eikon-zmf-atticus.2929/page-33#post-163595

How about the TH-900? Very bass heavy too? Haven't heard that one.

 

900 is a bass cannon with trepanning treble.

Think TH-X00, but it's a movie yakuza gangster on a coke-and-sake suicidal rampage.

I mean there's also Atticus with Eikon Suede pads, which turn it into a neutral-ish can, but that's sort of a side-grade from Eikon itself. Smoother treble, but more wood resonance. There's minor differences in detail retrieval between those drivers, but ultimately they're about as good as closed cans get to be when they're trying to be neutral open cans.

The only closed can I've ever heard that stands on its own is Atticus, because its not trying to be anything but itself.

All the rest are still, as always, good "for a closed can", you get to choose where they're compromising.

I haven't heard the LCD and the 820, of the rest I consider the ZMF ones to be the best, but I'm kinda biased against focals because they fit so badly on my pointy skull.

 

Do all the LFF models require high gain amps or is that specific to the HE/Code-X stuff?

 

From my experience, the Slants and Paradox require a moderate amount of power to get them going, For example, Jot and Slants being an excellent pairing, both for tone and drive.

HE-5/6 need more. I've tried unsuccessfully to pair my LE with conventional high gain/high power headphone amps, and have always been left wanting. I'm sure there may be exceptions, but true power amps just get a firm grip on the drivers and really showcases how dynamic the OG Hifimans can be.

 

Before anyone says so, the Rag doesn't count, using the speaker out is cheating

Slants should be like other Fostex mods, my Ori wants full power amps that don't mind lower impendance but isn't choosy otherwise. Jot is fine, Af is fine, fulla 2 doesn't quite have the juice.

Sounds best from the Makoyi, but then it's an amp built to drive planars.

 

I find the my slants do significantly better from either Mjolnir or Ragnarok than from T3, but there is a lot of territory in between.

Edit: I'm too slow, mentioned Rag anyhow...

 

Is there a point to get a Mjolnir 2 when I currently own a Rev.2 Jot? Debating doing some t00bs to help with the treble harshness. Also decided maybe I outgrown the dark headphone-basshead stuff and prefer mostly neutral. isn't the M2 infamous for being bright with the wrong t00bs?

 

I'd rate a Mjolnir with WE 396A or Siemens CCa above a Jot in overall score, though i found it a very forward amp.

The only pain with the Mjo is it sounds like baby smoothie food with single ended headphone cables, that can be an expense if you have a few cans and they're all on 1/4" jacks.

It paired well with A1 Gungnir Multibit when I had it, but I don't know how it would go with your DAC at all, if its bright or forward it'll be too much.

Mjo2 doesn't pull any punches, the name is extremely appropriate.

 

I have the v1 Jot and the Mjo2, the Mjo2 I feel is the Jot with more separation/texture/tone/air also the bass slam is more appealing to me. It was exactly what I was going for, I love it to death!! I previously added the Saga before Jot, but it was not enough tube goodness. The Mjo2 hits the sweat spot for me.

I currently am using the 6922 gold lions. I also have the GE 5670, they are a hint leaner/brighter, loose some lushness compared to the gold lions. I have not tried much else as I have enjoyed the gold lions so much, they are also dead silent.

What is nice is the tube you use will influence the sound so you can adjust things a bit where you are stuck with 1 sound sig in the Jot.

Like Taverius I prefer the XLR and but had already switched all my headphones to XLR.

My set-up is Gungnir Multibit A2 ->XLR->Mjo2-> LCD-X/HD650/600/Aeon

I think you would really enjoy the Mjo2!

 

I am sort of at a crossroads with my current system. Crux of the matter is I want better sounding speakers.

I own Jotunheim Mulibit, WYRD, Mani, turntable, BluRay player for MacBook Pro and CD player. I am using a small Bose computer speaker system and H6xx with Cardas XLR cable.

Do I continue with this system by adding Studio Monitors with a Subwoofer? Adam and Neumann powered Monitors sound really good. Cost in USD $2500 approx.

Or do I get the Ragnorak with KEF LS50's? I've heard the LS50's and like them a lot. I do think a subwoofer would improve the sound. (I haven't figured out how Ragnorak would drive a sub yet). Cost $2700 approx.

I'm leaning towards the Ragnorak because it has a future proofing vs the Jot. I want to eventuality add a better DAC with more digital inputs.

Advise and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Rag + LS50 would be my vote. I use the Jot + monitors now, and it's good, but I'm locked in to monitors only. With the rag, you could go either way with the balanced preouts.

 

Haven't heard Rag but read it can be lean/thin in some systems. If you enjoy LS50 because you've heard it, that's the easiest recommendation ever.

I've also read those LS50s can open up with some moreover to them, or even the wireless ones are fantastic and solve the amp dilemma.

 

Crap I broke the plastic pole piece off the bottom of one of my favourite vintage 6SN7 tubes (Sylvania VT-231)!!

Is this toast, or is it really just there to ensure you align the pins up correctly?

The glass tip sticking out the bottom seems fine/solid...

 

Should be fine, me thinks.

 

It's only there for alignement, so just engage full military grade paranoia quintuple checks when you stick it in.

 

Yep it seems so. As with many problems of this nature, Google is your friend.

For the benefit of others, here’s some info (although I won’t be putting this ugly a fix onto Freya, I’ll sort something out so I can align the pins properly):
https://www.thetubestore.com/guide-key-fix

The pole is actually called a “guide key” - didn’t know that (you learn something new everyday I guess, esp when you’re a relative tube noob).

Beware the dangers of tube rolling I guess!

 

I broke post off my tung sol for the saga, if it's just the plastic it's fine. As long as the glass is fine and vacuum is good. I had taken a picture of the saga with the tube in it when I first got it. I used the picture to align the tube after from the label lol.

 

Thanks for the input. Rag is my first choice. How do you add a sub to it? The LS50 IMO need a bit of a bass


Followed by a Yggdrasil later.