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- Dec 15, 2015
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We under report power, but at least we are never wrong.
We under report power, but at least we are never wrong.
Those tubes look familiar.
The Mogwai is a seemingly very competent if a bit warm-leaning amplifier. I find that overall extension in both directions is still quite good. Impact is something this amp does very well in my opinion the sound is very punchy and full. In my testing I mainly used my Eikon, HD800 and LCD2. I did also try it with my HE-6 and K1000. I felt the HE-6 sounded a bit sloppy and unclear on the Mogwai despite reaching an acceptable listening volume about half way up the dial. The amp also drove the K1000 to a good listening volume; the warmth was a nice complement to the otherwise very forward upper mids of the K1000 and the slight bloom in the bass of the amp gave the K1000 a bit more weight. However, I felt the K1000 was also a bit less controlled and composed overall out of the Mogwai. I felt the HD800, Eikon, and LCD2 all paired quite well with the Mogwai. The HD800 and Eikon made especially apparent the difference in the output impedance between the two outputs (taps vs headphone out) with the 32ohm headphone output sounding significantly warmer and exaggerating bass compared to the speaker taps.
Bass on the Mogwai is very full and punchy sounding. The large impacts of the bass are powerful while the finer texture and separation in bass is affected by a certain thickness and bloominess that allows a good amount of detail to shine through but may force you to listen more actively for smaller details in music. Impacts on the Mogwai are somewhat rounded and blunt in their impact but the amp still presents those impacts with good speed. In that sense the Mogwai can sound a bit thick, but never really sounds slow or syrupy. Extension is great on the Mogwai down low, subbass has extra slam and midbass is extremely punchy while still maintaining a little bit of softness that makes for a very engaging listen without being fatiguing.
Mids are also presented very well here. Mids are very clean, still displaying the Mogwai’s slightly warm signature, making male vocals and instruments just a bit thicker and weightier sounding. Vocals have great detail and presence, seeming to linger just a little bit longer than they normally would, giving them a hint of dreaminess. Instruments are presented with great detail and dynamics, the plucking and vibration of strings and the beating of drums have a very pleasing and somewhat saturated sound that still gives me a very good sense of low level details and sounds that happen around the attack of each beat.
Treble is well balanced, remaining extended but having a touch of warmth and smoothness. Details remain clear, snare impacts are well textured and cymbal crashes ring with clarity and a realistic sense of decay. Extension is apparent due to the good sense of air that the Mogwai seems to maintain around instruments and vocals.