[barondla]

This thread is about all Mitchell & Johnson hybrid headphones. They feature a 40mm dynamic bass driver crossed over to an electret mid/high frequency flat panel driver. This enables them to cover an amazing frequency range beyond 40,000hz. Perfect for the new hi res recordings.

Original model was the HP1. Followed by the GL2SE on Kickstarter ( now sold with slightly different cosmetics after the Kickstarter campaign and called GL2). They were so successful Mitchell & Johnson started an Indiegogo campaign on Dec. 04, 2016 to introduce a full line of Electrostatz hybrid 2 way closed back full size over ear headphones. These include the GL1, GL2, MJ1, MJ2, and a DJ model JP1. These headphones have already been manufactured and are ready to ship after the mandatory Indiegogo 15 day post campaign waiting period. M&J is providing very nice discounts on these headphones.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/...d-electrostatic-headphones-audio/x/11005829#/

I have the GL2SE, HP1, and the MJ2 just arrived. Tell us about your M&J Electrostatz headphones. There is a lot to talk about.

UPDATE: MITCHELL & JOHNSON HEADPHONES MUST BE PLAYED MANY DAYS TO REACH THEIR TOP SONIC ABILITIES. PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE THEM RIGHT AFTER OPENING THE BOX. THEY NEED APPROXIMATELY 200 HOURS OF PLAYING.

This is called break in or burn in. It is similar to a new car engine. You do not have to listen the whole time. Put your player on repeat shuffle, turn the volume to average or slightly higher and play music. You can place the headphones in a semi open sock drawer to reduce the noise. Check on the headphones every few days. They are worth the effort.

You will find initial sound and burn in mentioned often in the following posts. It also pops up other places. This update is provided to give new M&J headphone owners a headstart on enjoying their great sounding headphones.

 

[Achel]

I was working again on this pair of headphone wanting to test them as open-back, so I disasemble the right can ... and I lost a screw retaining the plate (the plate fix the can on the headband). So I tightened the only leaving screw (not so tighly than original). The test in open back has practically no change in the sound BUT when I reassemble the can without that screw and not so tight ... the right can was brighter than the left one (doh !!!! that the sound I search with headphones) ...
 
So I disasemble the left too and remove one screw too and untight the left one ... same good sound in left and right can ... Don't ask me why (My right ear is less sensitive than the lef one and I felt the change) ... seems that screws are too tight and without one the integrity of the headphone is the same with only 2 of the 4 screw but it seems to open the seal of the back just a bit to just sharpen a bit the sound (Hope someone have the same impression to confirm, it totaly reversible)
 
Now the sound is perfect for me on deadbeef in bitperfect (so without equalizer). I'll test putting some felt inside the cups when I have time.

 

[barondla]

@Achel that is a good tip. Makes sense that less sealing reduces the bass. You might be able to tune the bass in small increments.

Interested to hear about your results with the felt lined earcups. It should be possible to return these modifications back to original if desired. Have fun.

What do you use as the source? A phone, DAP, cd player?

 

[barondla]

The Mitchell & Johnson MJ2 arrived yesterday morning. Let them play all night to facilitate break in. Surprised at their size. They are smaller than the GL2. Even though smaller, the MJ2 earcups have more room for ears. The rectangle shape helps with this.

Also didn't realize the MJ2 fold! What a cool feature. Have to figure out a way to keep the wood earcups from rubbing together and scratching. Never considered using the Sennheiser HD600/PonoPlayer as an on the go portable solution. HD600 are too big.The MJ2 are much smaller and with the folding feature and closed back isolation, truly are portable. Amazing. May reduce my in ear monitor use while on the go.

 

[Richter Di]

The Mitchell & Johnson MJ2 arrived yesterday morning. Let them play all night to facilitate break in.

How do they sound?

 

[Achel]

Hi, yes I send when I have tested with felt.
 
I use a Little Dot 1+ with OPA Burson V5i and two gold plated Voskhod VE OTA (army grade) from 1968 directly coming from an old ingenior working in the unit hich produce those valve in Kiev (He give me a package of 60 of them and they sound beautifully). The Little dot is conencted to a DAC HRT Music Streamer II connected in usb to my computer under linux with alsa driver and the good kernel to play in bit perfect trhough Deadbeef player. All the music is in mp3 min 320kbps 48Khz, Flac or DSD.

 

[barondla]

How do they sound?

They sound a little tight, straight out of the box. Like many speakers and headphones the fine decay of notes is chopped off early. The bass is tighter than the GL2. Tonal balance is more neutral, but not bright. Soundstage stays more in the head.

After playing all night everything is improving. Bass is a little warmer, notes have more natural decay. Soundstage is expanding and extends outside of head with music recorded that way. The MJ2 are whipping into shape. Nicely detailed sound. Very happy so far.

 

[Richter Di]

They sound a little tight, straight out of the box. Like many speakers and headphones the fine decay of notes is chopped off early. The bass is tighter than the GL2. Tonal balance is more neutral, but not bright. Soundstage stays more in the head.

After playing all night everything is improving. Bass is a little warmer, notes have more natural decay. Soundstage is expanding and extends outside of head with music recorded that way. The MJ2 are whipping into shape. Nicely detailed sound. Very happy so far.

Thank you barondla for your first impressions. Looking forward to hear more.

 

[Richter Di]

Does somebody know what the main differences between the models are.
I have read ath the Mitchell & Johnson page that certain models have go up to 45kHz while theMJ2 for example goes up to 50kHz. But what are differnces beside the different woods used and the form of the ear cups? Different drivers, different cables ...?

 

[barondla]

Does somebody know what the main differences between the models are.
I have read ath the Mitchell & Johnson page that certain models have go up to 45kHz while theMJ2 for example goes up to 50kHz. But what are differnces beside the different woods used and the form of the ear cups? Different drivers, different cables ...?

What we think we know:

CABLES

Think the detachable wires are the same on all except the MJ2. Single sided cup entry. GL1 has captive cable. Rest use 3.5mm trs connectors (same as component end). On the GL2 the 3.5mm trs connector must be slim or it will not fit in "trough" cut into wooden earcup. Supplied short cable is kevlar like. Since the cables can be hooked either way this allows for auditioning both ways to find best sound. Yes, the cable sounds different depending on direction. Since the 3.5mm trs have 3 conductors these models would require modification to run balanced.

MJ2 uses a 3.5mm trs on both earcups! Talking Y cable. Seperate grounds may allow balanced operation with proper cables. Haven't checked that out yet. The supplied Y cable is also kevlar like. Since the 3.5mm connectors exit out the earcups bottoms, fat barrel connectors are fine.

DYNAMIC/ELECTROSTAT MODULES

No idea what the differences are. In some close up pics it looked like there were a few unused pins on the circuit board. There was a connector that sat on some of the pins. Looked like it could be moved to the other pins. Perhaps for tuning? The GL2 definitely is tuned warmer than the MJ2. The high frequency extension could be due to a numbr of things. Perhaps higher speced transformers? Special crossover capacitor? Don't know.

 

[Achel]

Just received the Brainwavz Hybrid flat ! better sound of the middle and the sound is sharper than the angled PLE for those headphones ! Stay the problem of this cable, I want better than the stock one and I certainly take the one I give from ebay : the sound is practically perfect for me without EQ.

 

[Jobbing]

@Barondla: Thank you for opening this thread, it’s good to have a general section for the M&J headphones and a place to gradually take the impressions on the crowdfunding sites here.

In short, the Mitchell & Johnson headphones proof to me as a customer that high quality headphones can be affordable and most importantly enjoyable. Incorporating both a dynamic driver and an electrostatic module (technically a electret driver) these headphones have an excellent dynamic range and because of the lighweight components they can be worn for hours.

When comparing these closed-back headphones to well known open-back ones it is remarkable how well the M&J models perform. Great detail retrieval without being analytic and cold, not laid back either. The out of head experience to me is the best virtue of the M&J headphones.

The guys from Mitchell & Johnson have had a very steep learning curve when it comes to crowdfunding and the fulfillment process that comes with it. Despite a few hurdles on the road they have done an excellent job. Under promising and over delivery certainly applies here.

If you'd like more details on sound characteristics check my review. Hope to see other backers and customers post their thoughts in here, share the positive experiences (and negatives if any).

 

[barondla]

@Achel, glad to hear you like the Brainwavz cable. You supplied the link in the other thread, but please consider reposting it here. I saw a lot of cables and accessories on that site and don't want to link to the wrong cable. Thanks.

So the Brainwavz cable brings the midrange forward?

 

[barondla]

Thanks @Jobbing. Mitchell & Johnson are responsible for fine sounding headphones. People need to hear about these excellent sound reproducers. M&J deserves our support.

@Jobbing, super M&J review! It is filled with important info and sonic impressions. This helps people unerstand the buzz about Electrostatz headphones.

Lets hear what others think of the M&J headphones.

 

[Richter Di]

On the http://mitchellandjohnson.com website it says in the /about-us/ section:
 
"Paul Mitchell has now left the business and has moved onto pastures new."
 
Any background on this?