Great tube amp...advice needed

I'm quite happy with my solid state amp. I have a pair of cma800r and running them in mono. Now I'd like to have a good tube complement. My primary headphones are hd650, Ether, hd800 S. Here is what's on my wish list:

1. Balanced in and out

2. Compatible with 6922 tubes ( I have a nice NOS set already)

3. Warmth, I want that liquid tube signature. But not mushy and gooey.

4. Works with dynamic and planar headphones.

5. I was budgeting $1000 but I COULD push it to a good bit more than that if I found the perfect amp. So max $2k.

On paper the mjolnir 2 seems a perfect fit. Under budget, 6922 tube compatible and drives anything. Plus I could use it as a pre-amp. And all under budget.

This is a wish list and not mandatory. If there was a spectacular single ended tube amp in budget, that would be fine. Source is Gungnir Multibit.

Or is there something else I should be looking at?

 

Your wish list does sound an awful lot like the mjolnir 2. It would certainly pair well with the Gungnir Multibit as well. Maybe don't overthink this one? If you don'e like it resale is usually pretty good on Schiit too. Honestly nothing else is popping up in my mind that checks as many boxes as the Mjolnir.

 

I went through the exact same checklist for under 1k last year and mjolnir 2 was the only thing I even found that satisfies all that, although I'm unsure if there's more options that still check those boxes under 2k.

I think hybrid balanced tube amps are pretty rare. I've been happy with mine, also with Gungnir Multibit, and have driven all headphones you mentioned (traditional 800) satisfactorily well. I should mention my output transformer did blow, but they fixed it quickly.

As I'm sure you know, you really want to use the XLR out because of the topology, so factor in buying/making new cables.

 

Yeah, I've got some good xlr cables. So covered there. Of course I'd like to own something like an EC Balancing ACT or similar but it's just not in the budget. I guess that I'll grab the mjo2 and give it a good run and see what happens. I've always had good success with schiit stuff.

 

Mjo2 does seem like the perfect fit. Probably what I would go for, but just for reference:

http://www.littledot.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=871&sid=c23cc0781a72aec53c3b1474fdbfa36f

http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa22.html

Not too many balanced tube amps around.

BTW - anyone know how the Mjo2 works? I hear it's a "tube-hybrid" but how exactly, is it mirrored circuits or is one part of the balanced circuit ss and the other is tube or something like that? Just curious.

 

I don't know much about the LD stuff, but the specs suggest that it might not be great with planars. The Woo amps have always attracted me but I've never owned one. I might give the wa22 a shot despite being close to max budget, but I've heard a few things that are putting me off. One, I heard Marv use the word "gooey" a few times with tube amps. That concerns me a bit. Second, I hear people saying that the stock tubes are pretty lackluster and that you'll really need some good tubes. I afraid the tube upgrades could run $700-$1000 which put it out of my reach.

 

Ask yourself this: Do you want a complementary tube amp because you crave that liquid tube signature, or simply for the sake of owning one? Because there are some well-done SS amps that presents tube-like sound without being mushy and gooey. FYI Mjolnir 2 is a hybrid amp, strictly speaking. It does seem to check all the boxes.

However, if I were you I would just go for Black Widow and be done with it. It is the SS amp that checks all the boxes save the fact that it's an SS amp and that it's single-ended. I don't think even the best 6922 tube out there could bring the Mojo 2 up to BW's performance.

WA22 is too tubey sounding, i.e. mushy/gooey/syrupy.

 

could the bw's headphone out be used as an input for active speakers?
Of course with the appropriate cables....

Cheers!

 

Black Widow does appeal to me also. What is the current status on production, shipping?

 

The queue is full, and the first batch is shipping soon. I'm of the opinion that the Mjolnir 2 is okay, but not great. If you are absolutely insistent on having a balanced amp, then go for it, but I'd recommend something like a 2nd hand or commissioned EHHA build (possibly balanced if you want to use more of your budget) for a really great use of your 6922s, and much more than powerful enough for your current gear. The Black Widow (if you can nab one) will also represent a pretty big jump in quality from the Mjolnir 2.

 

Wow, pretty big jump from the mjo2 is high praise. It's officially on my list.

 

Personally, I don't think the Black Widow is that impressive, its just that the Mjolnir 2 is at notably lower level of performance by comparison.

 

Since you already have a kick-ass ss amp I don't really see the need for another ss amp (black widow) no matter how good it is.

How about a second hand ZDS if you want to try something different for your HD800S?

 

i don't mind buying a good used ZDS or similar. I just don't ever see them used.

 

If not making use of your 6922s isn't a problem, I'd suggest a Torpedo III, pre-built if you don't want the trouble of DIY. All in with the upgrades, it wont exceed $1100. It beats the other candidates by a decent margin with a good pair of NOS tubes (except the ZDS obviously).

 

Get DNA Stratus, it has all you need. First it drives planars and dynamic headphones both very good. Second it is very liquid amp and clear intimate sound, not gooey or mushy. Third it works with 6922 tubes! Forth: it is one of the best amps out there and completely worth the money. Fifth: it has balanced outs. Only downside is balanced ins are missing and will cost more than your budged can hold. Also used ones are very hard to get and the new one waiting time/list is very long.

For Gungnir Multibit, wait for tube output upgrade! After that only SE outputs available to use with tube output. So balanced input maybe not so important anymore.

 

I don't know why I wasn't looking at this amp. It sounds amazing with 650 and 800. My only question, how does it sound with Ether...will it drive an efficient planar?

 

The Ethers? Probably. Those don't scale too far with amplification anyway, and there should be enough power. Dial in the tone with tubes.