[SLC1966]

Interesting. When I’m using any headphone rated @ 300 Ohms, balanced on high gain, I couldn’t possibly go past probably 11AM on the POT. I listen pretty loud too. Something seems amiss.

My wording is probably off. On high gain I can only get to 7 am to 8 am on the pot before it is too loud. On low gain I get to 10:00. My simple mind has always thought high gain is better but sounds like my basic thinking is off. Having more pot play in low gain sounds like the way to go.

 

[Ichos]

I use balanced out with low gain - HD800s - listening to classical music.
Classical is always recorded at lower levels so sometimes i need to go about 2 o'clock.
I find high gain to be a little more dynamic at the bass register but it makes the highs to sound ''metallic''.
I think it is best suited for low efficiency planars or maybe some beyer's.

 

[chimney189]

Does anyone have an impression of this amp paired with the HEK V2?

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

After a year with the orange globes, I'm back to 100% solid state. Most of my listening is now with Airmotiv 4S.

 

[FLTWS]

After a year with the orange globes, I'm back to 100% solid state. Most of my listening is now with Airmotiv 4S.

Now that is interesting. LISST's in MJ2?

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Indeed. I want my long long long long

long

long awaited HD800/K1000 review to be done with replicable parts (I lie only a little — MJ2 is amp for HD800 and preamp for Portal Panache, which powers K1000). Wagner inspects the Schiit Stack with a look of characteristic severity.

 

[Ichos]

So do you feel that ss is better for mjolnir as preamp and tubes better for HD800/S?

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Better, no. I just have used tubes for a year and wanted to switch it up. It depends on your mood, it depends on the tubes. But the differences are minor.

 

[Ichos]

I am tempted to give lisst's a try but i am reading that they don't work well with mj2.
Currently i am swithing between jj 6922 gold pins and jan 5670 listening to classical music with HD800s.
What do you think?

 

[FLTWS]

I am tempted to give lisst's a try but i am reading that they don't work well with mj2.
Currently i am swithing between jj 6922 gold pins and jan 5670 listening to classical music with HD800s.
What do you think?

I have LISST's for my MJ2 and LYR3 but find tubes to be a much clearer (less grain of some sort) window on the sound. No one can ever tell you what you'll hear, so you need to hear it for yourself. I personally don't like my HD800 with LISST's but that's me. Plus there may not be any left to sell at Schiit as they discontinued LISST's as far as I know. You may be able to acquire some used ones from sellers here on Head-Fi.

Tubes may be a little shy at the frequency extremes but there's something about that sound and it's impossible for me to quantify or explain. But, given that, an SS circuit can be designed to sound equally good but it will still sound a little different to me. With SS I do seem to hear better extension with control (slightly) of sound into the frequency extremes. Maybe its psychological, I remember early 60's SS sound and it was execrable and maybe I can't quite shake those early impressions.

I've got a Valhalla 2 on order to hear what Class A and OTL deliver compared to my other tube and SS amps (primarily for use with my HD800 and HD600). Just for giggles and schiits. Plus with tubes there is always the "rolling" action to search for variety and have fun with.

 

[Ichos]

I used to own Valhalla 2 and sold it for mjolnir 2.
The major flaw for me was the lack of slam and dynamics.
Between mj2 and Lyr 3 which one do you prefer for classical music with the HD800?

 

[FLTWS]

The LYR3 is amazing with every HP I have. We always talk about devices that hit way above their price point, LYR3 stacks up well against all the other amps I have (and I own all shown in my signature below). Keeping in mind that I'm HP's only, speakers might lead me to prefer some other amp / preamp in my arsenal. While SE only it still stands tall against my amps that have a balanced option, maybe it's the greater voltage delivery than average for an SE HP amp. I spent a couple hours yesterday comparing the LYR3 SE to one of my SS amps balanced after matching volume levels with a SPL meter, other than perhaps a small difference in sound stage and positioning of musicians in it, not much of difference to write home about between the two.

I'm sure if you follow the LYR3 impressions and tube rolling threads you will see that a very few owners (I believe its just a very few) have experienced operational issues with LYR3 and that's one of the inherent aspect to being a tube-o-phile, sooner or later.... I'm also currently using an expensive new production Psvane Treasure Globe in my LYR3 and in my experience tubes do make a difference in the sound, with price not necessarily being the arbiter of a tube you may like the sound of versus one you do not care for. So it can take some coin and experimentation along with reading the impressions of others on different tube sounds in LYR3.

My 2 favorite tubes for the MJ2 with just about any HP are the Telefunken ECC88 / 6922 and Amperex Jan 7308. I also enjoy the Brimar Ediswan ECC88 of 60's manufacture.

 

[Ichos]

Thank you for the detailed impressions!
Great description.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Oh Schiit I didn’t realize LISST we’re gone. Oh well. I like them well enough. I just don’t think I’m as picky as others with respect to certain elements of the chain. Were there reliability issues or just lack of interest? I love hr fact that they won’t burn out.

 

[Mike-WI]

Oh Schiit I didn’t realize LISST we’re gone. Oh well. I like them well enough. I just don’t think I’m as picky as others with respect to certain elements of the chain. Were there reliability issues or just lack of interest? I love hr fact that they won’t burn out.

Lack of interest I think.