[JK-47]

Gumby and MJ2 are in the building and fired up !!! Gumby is warming up while I A/B the MJ2 with my Elekit TU-8200DX fed by the TEAC-UD301 DAC (line out to Elekit, and balanced to MJ2). The MJ2 with the LISST's in SE mode gets smoked by the Elekit sound wise. The power is neck and neck in SE mode, with the MJ2 in high gain. Balaced the MJ2 takes it power wise for sure, but not by as much as I was expecting...
 
More updates to follow...

 

[reddog]

Gumby and MJ2 are in the building and fired up !!! Gumby is warming up while I A/B the MJ2 with my Elekit TU-8200DX fed by the TEAC-UD301 DAC (line out to Elekit, and balanced to MJ2). The MJ2 with the LISST's in SE mode gets smoked by the Elekit sound wise. The power is neck and neck in SE mode, with the MJ2 in high gain. Balaced the MJ2 takes it power wise for sure, but not by as much as I was expecting...

More updates to follow...

Thanks for you your impressions, they are very much appreciated.

 

[Trastan]

  ...The MJ2 with the LISST's in SE mode gets smoked by the Elekit sound wise...

 Oi! That doesn't sound good. Looking forward to more clarification on that.

 

[rb2013]

  Gumby and MJ2 are in the building and fired up !!! Gumby is warming up while I A/B the MJ2 with my Elekit TU-8200DX fed by the TEAC-UD301 DAC (line out to Elekit, and balanced to MJ2). The MJ2 with the LISST's in SE mode gets smoked by the Elekit sound wise. The power is neck and neck in SE mode, with the MJ2 in high gain. Balaced the MJ2 takes it power wise for sure, but not by as much as I was expecting...
 
More updates to follow...

I'm sure the MJ2 will need at least 100 hrs run time to burnin, maybe more like 150hrs to reach optimum - how much time on it?

 

[LogicalDisconnect]

Source impressions

Thanks very much for your detailed response, Mike. Interesting to read about the Source's low end. That was the part I thought (without the benefit of a comparison) may have been lacking with my HD800. Maybe it's more the amp, or the HD800 itself. Maybe I'll hold on to the Source until I have the opportunity to compare it with something else.

 

[JK-47]

 
I'm sure the MJ2 will need at least 100 hrs run time to burnin, maybe more like 150hrs to reach optimum - how much time on it?

True, only 2hrs so far... I admit I jumped the gun a little. Still surprised the two are neck and neck power wise single ended. The Amperex 6DJ8's are going into the MJ2 soon. Just switched to the Gumby, feeding the MJ2 balanced and the Elekit by way of RCA's. Initial impressions are that the treble has more texture, it's just sounds like there are more layers to the high end.

 

[rb2013]

 
True, only 2hrs so far... I admit I jumped the gun a little. Still surprised the two are neck and neck power wise single ended. The Amperex 6DJ8's are going into the MJ2 soon. Just switched to the Gumby, feeding the MJ2 balanced and the Elekit by way of RCA's. Initial impressions are that the treble has more texture, it's just sounds like there are more layers to the high end.

Yeah -  it should open up with some playing time.  If it's like the Lyr - the detail will improve, same for the dynamics.
 
So far from what I've read the LISST's aren't rocking the boat.  With a decent pr of tubes the SQ should take a nice step forward.

 

[rb2013]

Thanks very much for your detailed response, Mike. Interesting to read about the Source's low end. That was the part I thought (without the benefit of a comparison) may have been lacking with my HD800. Maybe it's more the amp, or the HD800 itself. Maybe I'll hold on to the Source until I have the opportunity to compare it with something else.

You might want to try a better cable on the HD800s.  I've had two so far and they both 'cured' the HD800's sibilance and touch of thinness on the bottom.  The Moon Black Dragon V2 being the best so far - and without it - I would have sold the 800's.

 

[JK-47]

 
Yeah -  it should open up with some playing time.  If it's like the Lyr - the detail will improve, same for the dynamics.
 
So far from what I've read the LISST's aren't rocking the boat.  With a decent pr of tubes the SQ should take a nice step forward.

 
Put the Amperex 6DJ8's in and they smoothed things out, and added some warmth. After constant A/B with same tracks between amps, and balanced/SE output with Senn HD650's and Audeze LCD 2.2F's, I still prefer the Elekit single ended so far, but balanced it's very very close, and depends on the headphone. My Elekit can't drive the Alpha Dogs the same way as the balanced MJ2 can, the MJ2 does that can justice quite nicely

 
 
Update: I would say I prefer the Senn's with the Elekit and the LCD2.2F's (balanced) with the MJ2. I have balanced and SE cables for both, and have tried both through the MJ2.

 

[Trastan]

Does anyone know what the unbalanced output power is? I assume that the specs I see on schiit.com are for the balanced out. I can't seem to find this info anywhere.

 

[Mediahound]

Does anyone know what the unbalanced output power is? I assume that the specs I see on schiit.com are for the balanced out. I can't seem to find this info anywhere.

The faq section says single ended power is limited to 2 watts for a 32 ohm headphone. So higher ohm headphones would be less.

 

[Trastan]

The faq section says single ended power is limited to 2 watts for a 32 ohm headphone. So higher ohm headphones would be less.

Ha - I missed that. Thanks a lot. More than plenty for the Fostex TH-900.

 

[zive]

Has anyone had a chance to try the MJ2 with Gold Lion 6922's? I am committed to upgrading my Asgard 2 to something that can do my Gungnir justice and have virtually no tube experience. I'm hesitant to spend a lot on a first pair of tubes considering I don't know if I will prefer the sound of the LISST's to tubes but I'd like to give some proper tubes a try. Thanks!

 

[rb2013]

  Has anyone had a chance to try the MJ2 with Gold Lion 6922's? I am committed to upgrading my Asgard 2 to something that can do my Gungnir justice and have virtually no tube experience. I'm hesitant to spend a lot on a first pair of tubes considering I don't know if I will prefer the sound of the LISST's to tubes but I'd like to give some proper tubes a try. Thanks!

I've had good luck with the vintage 70's Russian 6n23p - completely compatible withe the MJ2.  Many have loved the detailed and dynamic sound of these in the Lyr and Lyr2. 
 
This was the original review I wrote back in 2013 on the 6n23p Voskhod Rockets
http://www.head-fi.org/t/549508/schiit-lyr-the-tube-rolling-thread/8595
 
The issue is buying them from the overseas (usually Ukraine) Ebay dealers - I have to buy groups and sift through them for the best ones.  That leaves some of the very nice - but not best ones as spares.  The '79 Voskhod Rockets can be had for as little $30 a pr.  The '74's for $50. You can buy from the overseas Ebay folks - sometimes a ridiculus prices - but finding date and output matched pairs can be a challenge.
Send me a PM I can let you know what I have as spares.

 

 

[reddog]

I've had good luck with the vintage 70's Russian 6n23p - completely compatible withe the MJ2.  Many have loved the detailed and dynamic sound of these in the Lyr and Lyr2. 

This was the original review I wrote back in 2013 on the 6n23p Voskhod Rockets
http://www.head-fi.org/t/549508/schiit-lyr-the-tube-rolling-thread/8595

The issue is buying them from the overseas (usually Ukraine) Ebay dealers - I have to buy groups and sift through them for the best ones.  That leaves some of the very nice - but not best ones as spares.  The '79 Voskhod Rockets can be had for as little $30 a pr.  The '74's for $50. You can buy from the overseas Ebay folks - sometimes a ridiculus prices - but finding date and output matched pairs can be a challenge.

Send me a PM I can let you know what I have as spares.  

+1 nos tubes rock and one should almost always choose nos tubes over gold lions. I have read vokhods are simply fantastic.