[Gavin C4]

Testing with my ears, comparing the SE and balanced outs on the Mj2, I do not notice any signal noise. So I cant really say which one is better at least to my ears. But what the Mj2 provides is that I can connect it with two headphone, one for me and one for my girl friend. Cuz we both like headphone better than speaker. Noted that the volume between the two output maybe a bit different. So i put hard to drive headphone on the balanced and vice versa for SE.

 

[Jiexi]

  Testing with my ears, comparing the SE and balanced outs on the Mj2, I do not notice any signal noise. So I cant really say which one is better at least to my ears. But what the Mj2 provides is that I can connect it with two headphone, one for me and one for my girl friend. Cuz we both like headphone better than speaker. Noted that the volume between the two output maybe a bit different. So i put hard to drive headphone on the balanced and vice versa for SE.

Is that safe? I don't think both jacks are intended to be used at the same time

 

[franzdom]

  Is that safe? I don't think both jacks are intended to be used at the same time

 
I just asked Nick this yesterday and he confirmed, "Absolutely OK."

 

[Gavin C4]

Outputs on some Schiits products are all active at the same time. For example the balanced and 2 single ended output at the back of the Gungnir are all active at the same time. The balance and single ended output at the back of the Mjolnir 2 are both active sending signal when there is no headphone plugged in. Schiit builds military grade durable products, I dont expect the unit to be damage by plugging in two headphones LOL. 

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

After months of the '68 amperax orange globes, used LISST with my K1000 yesterday. Not bad at all.

 

[FLTWS]

  After months of the '68 amperax orange globes, used LISST with my K1000 yesterday. Not bad at all.

 
That's the same conclusion I came to going from Telefunken E88CC's to LISST's in my MJ2. So much so I ordered Raggy, I'm still burning it in but I'm even more impressed with the Rag (and I may throw a pair of LS50's on it next year).
 
I've also decided to grab a Jodie and Valhalla 2 in the near future, settle on my final choices to add my TOTL headphones menagerie by year end, and spend 2017 doing a massive HP / Schiit HP Amp shootout during 2017!
 
I can't believe where this project has taken me, but man, I am having some fun.

 

[Delayeed]

Haha reassuring to hear I won't need those really expensive tubes to enjoy the MJ2 when I get one. Will probably stick to stock and LISST to just get a taste on what tubes are like and go from there  

Is there any (audible) noise floor on the MJ2. Coming from Chord Mojo I'm used to dead silent background with closed headphones. Will the MJ2 keep it same?

BTW Nick told me the measurements on the MJ2 product page are actually done with tubes so the LISST should measure even better which was a huge surprise because even when I assumed they were LISST those measurements didn't look bad at all! Very impressive.

 

 

[FLTWS]

  Haha reassuring to hear I won't need those really expensive tubes to enjoy the MJ2 when I get one. Will probably stick to stock and LISST to just get a taste on what tubes are like and go from there  

Is there any (audible) noise floor on the MJ2. Coming from Chord Mojo I'm used to dead silent background with closed headphones. Will the MJ2 keep it same?

BTW Nick told me the measurements on the MJ2 product page are actually done with tubes so the LISST should measure even better which was a huge surprise because even when I assumed they were LISST those measurements didn't look bad at all! Very impressive.

 

 
I have never heard any noise with any of the gear I currently have, no external transformer noise, nothing in the circuitry, nothing with tubes and nothing with the LISST's. Every time I start a CD the background is completely absent of any hum, hiss, hash - it's like I've suddenly gone deaf. And then the music starts and almost makes me jump every time because it appears out of, seemingly, nowhere. Not the case say 15 years ago for me, I always heard something in the electronics of the time.
 
My experience with the LISST's over the tubes (stock or premium): They definitely reach both higher and lower with a bit more control of the sound of individual instruments than the tubes. The trade-off I hear is with imaging and depth. The image(s) move in closer to me (not objectionably so) with LISST's and seem a bit larger. Stability of image is about the same, but they lack that touch of air and sense of roundness tubes give to the sound of instruments (perhaps a distortion of some sort that adds artificial depth but is extremely euphonic but satisfying to my ear). It gives instruments and especially voices a very "I am there" presentation, provided the source recording isn't crappy, and the interconnecting cable are in synergy with the gears circuitry. 
 
Nowadays I don't think any product can go forth with crappy measurements, too many will dismiss it out of hand. I always see measurements as only a general indicator. Example: a man is 6 feet tall and weights in at 235. The height to weight charts tell you that person is way too heavy for that height. Then you find out the person is a running back for a professional football team with 10% body fat. With audio gear the proof is always in the listening.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

LISST can be more fatiguing than tubes when you have an already-bright headphone like HD800 or K1000. I say it's not bad, and I stand by that, but after an hour I was about ready to do something else. 
 
But for HD6xx or Audeze in general, they should be fine—again, it depends on your music. I find the eighteenth century (Mozart, Handel, Vivaldi...) much more amenable to different headphones than, for instance, Wagner, who requires a large, particular sound.

 

[franzdom]

I still prefer proper tubes even with Audeze LCD-3, I guess I don't love bright as much as I thought I did (looking at you Beyer 

). 
 
I am not tube expert but I notice that the latest I have Siemens E188CC 7308 are noticeably less piercing than the other high end tubes I have tried from Mullard & Telefunken, and also LSST which I found fairly flat and uninteresting.

 

[Gavin C4]

The Mj2 is very quite in the background no matter at high gain and low gain. Dead silence under the sea

 

[Mediahound]

  LISST can be more fatiguing than tubes when you have an already-bright headphone like HD800 or K1000. I say it's not bad, and I stand by that, but after an hour I was about ready to do something else. 
 

I have found after a while (many hours, probably over 100 or so), they break/burn in and treble smooths out. Not to the point they sound like tubes, but better than when they are totally brand new. 

 

[zive]

  I have found after a while (many hours, probably over 100 or so), they break/burn in and treble smooths out. Not to the point they sound like tubes, but better than when they are totally brand new. 

I would agree; I wasn't all that impressed right out of the box, but after about 80-100 hours of burn in the LISST became much more enjoyable with my LCD-3F and I will regularly rotate them in with my best NOS tubes depending on my mood. Franz, give them a little more time and see if you don't find them more engaging.
 
Cheers!

 

[Carcajou]

I received the M2 yesterday and after about 5hrs of break in I'm already starting to really like what I'm hearing. My only negative points would be regarding the chassis' high resonance that is perceptible throught the headphones (I find that the problem seems to lessen as the chassis warms up) and the fact that the power switch is is the back. As far as sound goes, I'm very satisfied (considering I only have 5hres of break in)..
 
So far I've been using a Fiio X5 ii and a turntable as my sources, but I'd like to get a proper balanced DAC.
 
The Gungnir is over my budget for now, so I'd really appreciate if you could share your balanced DAC suggestions (below $500). I've been looking at the Teac UD-301, anyone has tried pairing it with the M2?
 
Thanks!
 
Edits:
1- Resonance problem fixed by changing the tubes. Schiit sent new tubes super rapidly after I explained what the problem was. My unit is now completely quiet.
2- I bought a K5 dock for my X5 and balanced cables (the K5 has balanced outputs, total $150 CAD). I'm very satisfied with this setup so it'll do until I can afford a Gungnir.

 

[tjl5709]

Watch and get a used Gumby then. If you have not gotten a chance to listen to multibit, you need to do yourself a favor. It will be well worth your time.