Schiit Mjolnir 3 Impressions

For those looking for sinewave output, the APC BackUPS Pro series also advertises sinewave output for some of their models... at about 1/2 the cost of the SmartUPS series. Not sure how they stack-up to the SmartUPS series otherwise...

 

Simply there is no point in owning both! They are more similar that different in the best way possible.

But I am keeping both because options make it more fun for me and some days I just want tooobs.

Additional thoughts MJ3 Vs. Starlett:

• Starlett has higher/adjustable output impedance. This allows you to play with that impact on each headphone a bit more. I only have Senn's, so high impedance.
• The low end of Mjolnir has more texture and control. (especially the HD650, the Starlett does not seem to control the driver as well) But I do prefer the bass on my HD800S with the Starlett slightly.
• Starlett has a larger sound stage and some wet tube magic. MJ3 vocals are more pulled forward.
• Mjolnir sounds more powerful, yet it can also be more delicate in high gain (stolen from Marv)
• Starlett looks cooler... and fits perfect top of the Yggdrasil
• Between these two amps you can play with so many things! it is a tweekers delight.

Does that help? Anything else specific?

pics or it did not happen…

 

I hate the Raiders!!!

 

Awesome reply. Thank you. I have an option for a Starlett and was heading in that direction but with the finality of the Schiit MJ3 run I went ahead and reserved one of those too. Regards

 

@JK47, that looks awesome! Mind sharing a link for the replacement knob?

 

Ordered an extra from Schiit for $10 (just in case I fucked it up), spray painted it matte black, used a small file to make the indicator notch silver again, and Bob's your uncle.

Edit: Schiit includes the appropriate size hex key for install.

 

I used one of these guys on my Jot - not sure if the MJ3's knob is girthier:

https://partsconnexion.com/products/connex-knobs-30mm-black-matte-aluminum-for-6mm-shaft

 

I do

 

Do we know the serial number ranges for the 1st run? Be good in the future to be able to identify 1st run vs 2nd run, or know what number in a limited edition you have.

 

I thought Schiit had changed over to pressure/friction mounted volume knobs now? My Freya+ knob doesn’t have a hole for hex key, it just slides on/off with some amount of force, and there’s a plastic mount underneath that it slides on/off of.

 

For the curious, something interesting to note:
EC Studio B - Mjolnir 3 brief saturation behavior comparison

 

Focal Clear Mg Pro on MJ3 is not great, not terrible.

Mg Pro was better on MJ3 than Jot 2, but I'm not sold on Mg Pro here, although issues are more Mg Pro than synergy issues.

Mg Pro + MJ3 is a very mid-forward presentation with nice macrodynamics and mid detail. Even the owner of the Focal Mg Pro swapped to HD600's and went "wow, the Mg Pro's are so mid forward. The HD600's are so much flatter."

MJ3 (probably thanks to Yggdrasil GS) did Mg Pro favors in the treble, actually seemed to brighten up a hair and bring a little detail. The upper-mid "Audeze" dip on this pair of Mg Pro's was tastefully minimal but still, you're not getting away from the slight dark tilt which was still very present.

Bass slam was soft. It was there, but your mids are so far forward that you'd need EQ to get your bass where you needed it, and I'm morally opposed to EQ.

Nobody was much impressed. A lot of meh. As an old mentor used to say "I give it a B since I can dance to it."

 

I'm an all switches down kinda guy. HD660S2 sounds dangerously good. Pi2AES->SFD-1 for reminder.

 

Switched to push-pull for the first time tonight. Still in low gain/no feedback. I’m having trouble noticing any difference between this and SE mode. I mean that in the best possible way. It sounds just as great. Is there any particular reason a certain headphone would be better-suited for using push-pull over SE? My inclination is to stick with SE mode since it’s “the purest form of Class A” (or so I read in the Mjolnir 3 manual).

I know many of you have noted hearing a difference in sound when using push-pull. What exactly should I be listening for? I’ve also stuck to low gain since I never get over 11:00 on the dial with the Elite or Auteur. Any reason to consider high gain that I’m overlooking?

For reference, I’m using a Yggdrasil A2 and Meze Elite or OG Auteur with balanced connections throughout.

 

I use a Bifrost 2 OG balanced in and out with the HD8XX (EQed). I don't use feedback because it's less dynamic. Push-pull exhibits a dryer timbre overall, which is noticeable on vocals (less wet, less bloom, sounds less like Piety). The bass is a bit tighter in push-pull mode, but I prefer the timbre in SE. Not bad for electronic music. I prefer high gain because it sounds fuller in the bass (more bloom maybe), and smoother in the treble.

 

I'd call it straighter lines, perhaps a 5% increase in focus and control.

It's a small enough effect where having the amp for a day and rapid A/B'ing doesn't much reveal it. A month in either mode and then flipping likely throws it into sharper relief.

The long term acclimation to a system and then making a small change I think accounts for some of the variation in reports saying a thing is a huge difference while others say it was minor. Impressions are relative.

 

For me, push pull brings the mids forward more, creating a more energetic and exciting presentation, whereas SE is more of a laid back and relaxed sound that focuses more on detail than anything else.

To harken back to this conversation:

SE is the “lean in” mode, and PP is the “kick back with a beverage of choice and chill” mode.

I’ve been meaning to come back and comment on gain. I stuck with high gain early on, but after trying each gain setting for a few days, back and forth, I’m convinced that low gain sounds better. Punchier, more dynamic and clearer. It’s subtle, but there seems to be a difference for sure.