[ArmchairPhilosopher]

OK. So Fedex was kind to me today, and delivered Gjallarhorn around noon. Unboxed, set it on top of Aegir, and let fly.

Chain is Bifrost 2, Lokius and FreyaS at 1x Nexus, the amp, and Martin Logan Motion 20is (4 ohm, 90 db/2.83 v/m sensitivity).

I initially cued up Hotel California (anniversary ed.) and hit GO with the same exact settings that I used last night with Lyr 3 at the end of the chain with my DCA Ether CX headphones. Initial volume was just about perfect for normal listening with Freya volume at 1 o'clock (digital volume on squeezebox out (Pi) is at max.

Initial impressions with Hotel California (track 1, eponymous), was that guitars were spot on, kick drum sounded right, soundstage very Aegir-esque, and overall very satisfying and fun. If I max volume out at 1x, it's too loud, and I haven't even thought about 4x as yet. Room is 500 square feet (46.5ish m2), and open to the kitchen on one side. Put it this way, the room has a 9' billiard table in the middle, which is kinda why we bought the house. So not small.

In general, after about 30 minutes worth of listening, this sounds really, really good. Jason deserves to be proud of this. I like it a lot, but it's going to take a week or three to figure out it vs. Aegir, frankly. I also want to try Rekkr on it, maybe @ArmchairPhilosopher will bring his down in a few weeks and we can listen to everything and see.

Seriously impressed. Will let it play for a while and get temps. Gjallarhorn does have taller feet on it, by the way.

@JamminVMI is the kind of guy who decides his house purchases around the dimensions of the pool table he's not actually using.

@Jason Stoddard is the kind of guy who designs an insanely competitively priced miniature power amp that can easily keep up with its bigger brother that costs more than twice as much yet in and of itself is still just as competitively priced, making the bigger options in his company's very own product lineup almost appear oversized and overpriced in comparison — and then actually releases the thing to market.

I guess what they say is true; this hobby really is brimming with weirdos and nut jobs.

No wonder I feel right at home.

 

[brooksgraham]

You might be surprised how much wouldn't qualify for "Made in" if their products were made in USA.

If I recall correctly, for a watch to be labeled "Swiss Made", only 60% of it must be mfg in Switzerland.

 

[sam6550a]

I am sure this was confirmed, but a MB Asgard 3 - Gjallahorn - Radial set should be put together next week.

Only if its RAL 4006 or close for the purple please!

Give it a few years you will be able to get the carbon steel, NGO electrical steel (no GO sadly), stainless steel, and aluminum from mills in South Alabama. The only downside is it is hurricane and tornado country.

Considering that the Sloss furnaces in Birmingham survived those weather conditions for 100 years, I am hopeful that the mini mills will. As a plus, they do not have to be exposed to the severe cold and blizzards of the Great Lakes region.

 

[JamminVMI]

@JamminVMI is the kind of guy who decides his house purchases around the dimensions of the pool table he's not actually using.

@Jason Stoddard is the kind of guy who designs an insanely competitively priced miniature power amp that can easily keep up with its bigger brother that costs more than twice as much yet in and of itself is still just as competitively priced, making the bigger options in his company's very own product lineup almost appear oversized and overpriced in comparison — and then actually releases the thing to market.

I guess what they say is true; this hobby really is brimming with weirdos and nut jobs.

No wonder I feel right at home.

LOL! I did that (but I do use it a good bit)!

 

[filthy mechanical]

Considering that the Sloss furnaces in Birmingham survived those weather conditions for 100 years, I am hopeful that the mini mills will. As a plus, they do not have to be exposed to the severe cold and blizzards of the Great Lakes region.

Oh they do, and we build the commerical/industrial buildings for the 145mph winds, its the residential homes we do not build for the winds. I started in the Great Lakes area, I am perfectly fine with the mills moving south (e.g. the largest steel region in the country is no longer Pittsburgh or NW Indiana but Osceola Arkansas).

 

[allans]

I’m all in, if it’s best to go to RDU, so be it. But if folks are mostly driving, it sure is prettier my way. BBQ is better in the west as well.
I‘m curious about the logistics of these kits, do we supply our own transducers?

I’m not heavy into cans but like my Schiit and am game for a meet up. I’m in Apex but will travel.

 

[Currawong]

Maybe someone should make a forum for gathering's in general?

https://www.head-fi.org/forums/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers.24/

I have friends near the Triangle area. Now if only I could justify a week or so to visit them etc. but I don't see it happening this year.

 

[allans]

Yep, MCI does most of our transformers.

The EI and C-core transformers are made in Cali.

The Gjallarhorn toroids are (at the moment) made in their China facility. These were bought in early 2022. You try getting transformers in 2022 during the height of the supply chain craziness. It basically comes down to "can we get it? Yes? Where's it from? Who cares?"

The reality is this particular toroid will probably go to the USA, Mexico, or Sri Lanka in the future, depending on demand and cost.

The other reality is that transformers are so expensive now, don't be surprised if they come from other places in the future. Other places = Illinois, Texas, that kind of thing. Not necessarily overseas. Just not made in CA. Certain metal pieces have also gone insane. I'll be looking at ways to mitigate that (here in Texas), rather than simply shrugging and raising prices. Assembly has also gone insane. Probably going in-house on that. We'll see.

Bottom line, we'll continue to do as much here as we can...and even go more vertical. And spell out, on every product page, where things actually come from, ever since we were kneecapped with "Assy in USA." Fun fact: other countries have much, much, much looser standards for "Made in." Yes, including some very high tech, very western countries. You might be surprised how much wouldn't qualify for "Made in" if their products were made in USA.

Okay, editorial over. Cats and BBQ can be restored.

I’m sure I’m in good company when I say I trust you.

 

[allans]

I’m sure I’m in good company when I say I trust you.

Does anyone know if the Gjallarhorn can be stacked on Lokius? If so can either Lyr or Jot be stacked on Bifrost2?

 

[AstronomerXI]

@JamminVMI is the kind of guy who decides his house purchases around the dimensions of the pool table he's not actually using.

True story: Our home came with a really nice pool table in a room in the finished basement that was designed for it. It was a selling point for me, a former teenage pool-hall rat. 2 sibling cats later and the cover staying on it most of the time and interests changing, we got rid of it 2 years ago. Now its former space is a multi-purpose room: photo studio for me, pup training space for my wife, place to assemble big projects etc. I really should post photos of the cats sometime...

 

[OptionTrader]

Does anyone know if the Gjallarhorn can be stacked on Lokius? If so can either Lyr or Jot be stacked on Bifrost2?

I have my Lyr+ stacked on top of a Bifrost 2/64 with no issues. They run a bit warm, but that's normal.

 

[golfbravobravo]

https://www.head-fi.org/forums/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers.24/

I have friends near the Triangle area. Now if only I could justify a week or so to visit them etc. but I don't see it happening this year.

You could bring my son with you from Adelaide!

 

[StimpyWan]

True story: Our home came with a really nice pool table in a room in the finished basement that was designed for it. It was a selling point for me, a former teenage pool-hall rat. 2 sibling cats later and the cover staying on it most of the time and interests changing, we got rid of it 2 years ago. Now its former space is a multi-purpose room: photo studio for me, pup training space for my wife, place to assemble big projects etc. I really should post photos of the cats sometime...

It sounds like you need to use the pool table as a dining room table...! Aka, The Beverly Hillbilles...!

 

[adydula]

https://www.head-fi.org/forums/local-regional-head-fi-meets-parties-get-togethers.24/

I have friends near the Triangle area. Now if only I could justify a week or so to visit them etc. but I don't see it happening this year.

We are in Raleigh Amos...let me know if you ever get over here!
Alex

 

[allans]

Does anyone know if the Gjallarhorn can be stacked on Lokius? If so can either Lyr or Jot be stacked on Bifrost2?
Edit: Didn’t realize I’d quoted myself previously and replied twice.