[LCMusicLover]

Good advice if you have easy to drive cans or a wide variety! The LP is magic with hard to drive cans, but the gain is too much for most.

No problem with gain as that's what my RME is for.

Also no problem if you have a preamp

I was seriously looking for an MJ-2 prior to purchasing my LP. At only $50 more I probably would have gone the other way. But I was able to get the LP for $600 (eBay 15% off promotion) when the list price was $699. So $250 less made it an easy call, especially since I already had a balanced pre-amp.

 

[Schwibbles]

I'd say the LP is a tad warmer than the LP with the same tubes but the MJ2 is faster but the LP is no slouch in that department. I'd chose the MJ2 if I had to have just 1 amp, for the reasons I stated earlier. The MJ2 also has more power than the LP but the LP is no slouch in that department either.

The biggest reason I went with the LP over the MJ2 is the form factor. The MJ2 is massive in comparison; almost 2 LPs wide.
For people interested in buying one of the two, this could be a deal breaker, as it was for me. I just don't have the room for a 16" wide headphone amp.

 

[LCMusicLover]

The biggest reason I went with the LP over the MJ2 is the form factor. The MJ2 is massive in comparison; almost 2 LPs wide.
For people interested in buying one of the two, this could be a deal breaker, as it was for me. I just don't have the room for a 16" wide headphone amp.

Yes, probably as much a deal breaker for some as the gain thing is for others.

Really, really, really wish adjustable gain had made it into the final product — it was mentioned in the original product announcement.

I wonder if it was a cost issue, a sound quality issue or a form factor issue (no room)? I’m guessing cost.

 

[knivek]

I'd say the LP is a tad warmer than the LP with the same tubes but the MJ2 is faster but the LP is no slouch in that department. I'd chose the MJ2 if I had to have just 1 amp, for the reasons I stated earlier. The MJ2 also has more power than the LP but the LP is no slouch in that department either.

So the LP is warmer than the MJ2? Also... my AFC’s are a 13ohm impedance. Have read people pair AFC’s with them but not much feedback on AFC and MJ2’s

 

[TK16]

So the LP is warmer than the MJ2?

Tad is not much but noticable listening to both. It is not a night and day type difference in the sound.

Edit.
I have an AFO and both amps are easily up to the task powering an AFO/AFC.

 

[LCMusicLover]

So the LP is warmer than the MJ2? Also... my AFC’s are a 13ohm impedance. Have read people pair AFC’s with them but not much feedback on AFC and MJ2’s

Both amps, MJ2 & LP have very low output impedance, so neither should have any technical issues driving AFC. That said, I don’t have any experience w/ AFC. E2 & EFO both sound very good from my LP.

 

[nwavesailor]

The biggest reason I went with the LP over the MJ2 is the form factor. The MJ2 is massive in comparison; almost 2 LPs wide.
For people interested in buying one of the two, this could be a deal breaker, as it was for me. I just don't have the room for a 16" wide headphone amp.

I am also in this camp. I did not have the space for the MJ2 so went tor the LP and have been happy with many tube options that sound great!

Getting a new SS amp tomorrow (HeadAmp GS-X mini) so we'll see how that goes and how much I use the LP or mini.

 

[Schwibbles]

I am also in this camp. I did not have the space for the MJ2 so went tor the LP and have been happy with many tube options that sound great!

Getting a new SS amp tomorrow (HeadAmp GS-X mini) so we'll see how that goes and how much I use the LP or mini.

I thought about going that route as well. I just couldn't justify the price of a new mini since I decided to go back to college full time. I ended up finding a used Taurus MKII instead.
Still hoping to get a chance to hear a final production mini at some point though. The one at CanJam RMAF last year wasn't fully finished.

Shameless plug...
That being said, I'm selling my Platinum and all the tubes I have for it. See link in my signature.
If anyone is interested in Brimar CV2492 (KB/AD) or Genalex Gold Lions, I have some nice ones available.

 

[mixman]

What amps would you consider as the next step up from the LP........Tube, Hybrid or SS?

 

[Zachik]

Getting a new SS amp tomorrow (HeadAmp GS-X mini) so we'll see how that goes and how much I use the LP or mini.

I have been eyeing the GS-X mini since I auditioned it at RMAF 2018... I own the Gilmore Lite MK2, and this one is a VERY nice upgrade!
You cannot get much better if you want Solid State, IMHO.
Also, and again that is my personal opinion, the GS-X mini is better than the older / bigger brother (the GS-X Mk2).

 

[LCMusicLover]

What amps would you consider as the next step up from the LP........Tube, Hybrid or SS?

DSHA-3F ... currently patiently waiting for its arrival.

I started to write a post about how there are upgrades based on all three: SS, tube or hybrid. Instead, I pimped my newest toy.

I will say that asking about the next step up is pretty unrealistic.

It’s like asking “Should my next step up from (insert favorite mid-fi can) be planar or dynamic?” The answer to that is “Yes ... unless you go with an e-stat.”

 

[fortunate son]

Headphone recommendation for LP: Verum 1 with Canare L4E6S or LQI silver cable. Waited 10 weeks for the Verum 1, but well worth it.

 

[fortunate son]

Has anyone been able to compare the LP to the WA6 (non-SE)?

I own both a LP and a WA6 and use both amps every day. I also own a 6SE.

It depends on the headphones used. For me the all tube WA6 has an enthralling sound that none of the hybrid amps I have tried can equal .

Make sure that any used WA6 you are considering buying has the psuedo dual power supply feature which early production units of the WA6 did not have.

I use Telefunken ECC82 tubes with adapters made by head-fi.org member Deyan with the WA6 and 6SE which I think sound better than the 6 series driver tubes Woo recommends. Yet, the 6DR7 tubes are also very good with the WA6 or 6SE if you don't want to mess with adapters.

As far as bass impact, that too is headphone dependent. The WA6 can pack a wallop with certain headphones (for example, Sony MDR V6) but has less bass impact than the LP with some harder to drive headphones that I use. It comes down to synergy.

I tend to use the Woo more for music and the LP more for movies and casual listening just to save running time on the rare rectifier tubes I have in my Woo.

The WA6 is a great amp but you might want to save up a bit more and buy a used WA6SE 1st generation amp for the extra power and gain that the SE has.

Some Woo amp lovers say the WA6 is a little better sounding within its power limitations than the SE, but I like both the regular 6 and the SE. It is hard to choose a favorite. They sound similar but they do not sound the same. When I need the extra power, I use the SE.

I do not recommend the 2nd generation WA6 or WA6SE because the 13 series driver tubes used by the 2nd generation amps seem to be harder to find than the 1st generation's 6 series driver tubes.

You can also use the WA6 and WA6SE with 6SN7 or 7N7 driver tubes with adapters made by Deyan if you want to go that route.

 

[TK16]

+1 on Telefunken ECC82 with adapters.

Also, Valvo ECC82 O getter with adapters.

Headphone recommendation for LP: Verum 1 with Canare L4E6S or LQI silver cable. Waited 8 weeks for the Verum 1, but well worth it.

The ECC82 line of tubes are my favorites, even cheap $15-20 RCA clear tops are better than most of the 6DJ8/6922 I have heard. I got a top 15 list in my profile if you want to take a look. ECC81/6201/6CC41 and GEC A2900 are a no go due to the high gain on the LP and the high multiplication factor of these tubes.

 

[knivek]

Oh TK I wish you shipped to Canada