[KipFox]

Unless you want tube sound I dont think there is much that can compete with MJ3 below or around 2000€. Sadly I lack the experience to say that with serious confidence.

Does anyone know how well the MJ3 drives the Modhouse Tungsten? I heard that in a few days there will be a new batch available and I am seriously interested ..

@psy472 stated earlier they enjoyed their Tungsten DS with MJ3, so they should pair nicely
I’m aiming for a SS set myself this week to go with MJ3. The wait is going to be brutal but hopefully worth it.

 

[devilboy]

I think one of the main reasons why I prefer my Ragnarok 2 for complex orchestral more than any other amplifier I've had is because of all the power available. I'm hoping the two ish watts into my HEKS will still be more than adequate for a complex orchestral.
The Ragnarok 2 makes it sound so uncongested and open with a beautiful separation of instruments. Not only that, those instruments also are extremely clearly heard without overlapping or any congestion into other instruments, if that makes sense. It was the number one reason it was my favorite amp for my headphones.
While those instruments were separated very clearly, each instrument also had weight to it. Everything was so gutteral and had so much meat on the bones but didn't lose any detail or speed or control in the process. The amplifier really does have me shaking my head as to why it doesn't get more praise.

But hey, that's me and my opinion.

 

[devilboy]

I'm waiting for my MJ3 to arrive whenever shipment is.
In the meantime, I'm also A-B ing two different loudspeaker amplifiers.

Because there is a noticeable humming coming from the woofers whenever I use RCA inputs (on both amps), I'm thinking of using the XLR inputs which don't give any noise at all. However, since my first priority is quality headphone listening, I just assumed that my MJ3 would receive balanced XLR inputs.

My question is, do any MJ3 owners have experience with using RCA versus XLR inputs? Does anyone notice any difference between going either single ended or balanced into the MJ3?

 

[psy472]

I'm waiting for my MJ3 to arrive whenever shipment is.
In the meantime, I'm also A-B ing two different loudspeaker amplifiers.

Because there is a noticeable humming coming from the woofers whenever I use RCA inputs (on both amps), I'm thinking of using the XLR inputs which don't give any noise at all. However, since my first priority is quality headphone listening, I just assumed that my MJ3 would receive balanced XLR inputs.

My question is, do any MJ3 owners have experience with using RCA versus XLR inputs? Does anyone notice any difference between going either single ended or balanced into the MJ3?

I have to warn you about speakers amp. They may be running very high frequency sounds you can’t hear but can damage your hearing. This is what I’m reading from the headphone amp vs speaker amp thread.

 

[devilboy]

I have to warn you about speakers amp. They may be running very high frequency sounds you can’t hear but can damage your hearing. This is what I’m reading from the headphone amp vs speaker amp thread.

I don't understand...

 

[Currawong]

I don't understand...

Neither do I. A speaker amp is still an amp, just with higher current, voltage and gain than a headphone amp.

Reddit told me

Indeed. Plenty of armchair scientists there.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

I’m certainly no expert, but there was a warning from @GoldenOne about some possible issues with using a Class-D speaker amp with headphones over in the Tungsten thread.

 

[Turcoda]

I have to warn you about speakers amp. They may be running very high frequency sounds you can’t hear but can damage your hearing. This is what I’m reading from the headphone amp vs speaker amp thread.

Please stop spreading misinformation.

I use speaker amps for my main headphones, as do a lot of people. Some people run Susvaras using speaker amps because of its higher demand.

 

[Turcoda]

I just tried with a few IEMs: U12t, Variations, Monarch Mk2. All of them had varying levels of pretty quiet EMI that I could hear on the left channel, regardless of RCA or XLR input (present with all inputs unplugged, even). Used DAP as source on battery to isolate ground, with no luck. Audio devices are on a Furman AC215A power conditioner. Noise is introduced after the amplification stage, as it is unaffected by volume pot. I don't know if this is a design thing or my unit specifically. Using an IEMatch on Ultra settings removed it from audible range on all but U12t.

I could possibly run the MJ3 on battery+inverter later to see if it's my power, but in practical usage scenarios, it doesn't seem to be very useful for IEMs, as Schiit themselves have implied. Still sounded good, though.

Thank you so much for this. Its obviously not meant for it, but I imagine some people such as myself would greatly prefer one device on their desk that could do it all. It seems that the mj3 probably cant help at all in that regard. Unplugging dacs and cables is just a pain in the butt. I can't imagine being able to stack other equipment on top of the mj3, so it just compounds the problem of desk space and convenience if someone were to run both headphones and iems.

 

[Monsieur Dionysos]

I'm waiting for my MJ3 to arrive whenever shipment is.
In the meantime, I'm also A-B ing two different loudspeaker amplifiers.

Because there is a noticeable humming coming from the woofers whenever I use RCA inputs (on both amps), I'm thinking of using the XLR inputs which don't give any noise at all. However, since my first priority is quality headphone listening, I just assumed that my MJ3 would receive balanced XLR inputs.

My question is, do any MJ3 owners have experience with using RCA versus XLR inputs? Does anyone notice any difference between going either single ended or balanced into the MJ3?

Sadly the only balanced DAC I have is a CA dacmagic+ which is probably not transparent enough to tell a difference. However I will anyways test it later today. Not expecting much though, its mostly the same circuit.

Currawong said there is a slight difference.

 

[strider1007]

My question is, do any MJ3 owners have experience with using RCA versus XLR inputs? Does anyone notice any difference between going either single ended or balanced into the MJ3?

Yes to both questions. I have a Bifrost2/64 wich has both RCA and XLR outputs, and last week I got my Mjolnir3. There is a catch though, I've compared different cables, so please take this with a nice grain of salt..
RCA is QED Signature Audio 40, 0.6 m., XLR is Audioquest Red River, 1.0 m.
The Audioquest definitly sounds somewhat warmer, and a little more detailed, more micro-information.. The bass is a little fuller, without being less controlled. The QED is a little bit fuzzy, less focused, but also a little colder.

I have no clue however what part is the RCA vs. XLR comparison and what is the QED vs. Audioquest. I guess it's both. So YMMV-Very much.
I am going for balanced, the warmth and the extra detail that the Red River is offering, that's my taste.
Hope this helps..

 

[Currawong]

I have to warn you about speakers amp. They may be running very high frequency sounds you can’t hear but can damage your hearing. This is what I’m reading from the headphone amp vs speaker amp thread.

@psy472 It's important when posting comments such as this, that you link to them, and post SPECIFICS, otherwise, you do what so many other people have done, and spread misinformation.

I’m certainly no expert, but there was a warning from @GoldenOne about some possible issues with using a Class-D speaker amp with headphones over in the Tungsten thread.

Here's the actual post. Indeed, you probably shouldn't use Class D amps with headphones at all. That information from @GoldenOne is very useful.

This is going off-topic though. The only context which we should be having this discussion is in comparing the Mjolnir to using a (Class A or AB) speaker amp with usually insensitive headphones, such as the Susvaras, and some DCA models (I like the Expanse with my speaker amp).

 

[GoldenSound]

@psy472 It's important when posting comments such as this, that you link to them, and post SPECIFICS, otherwise, you do what so many other people have done, and spread misinformation.

Here's the actual post. Indeed, you probably shouldn't use Class D amps with headphones at all. That information from @GoldenOne is very useful.

This is going off-topic though. The only context which we should be having this discussion is in comparing the Mjolnir to using a (Class A or AB) speaker amp with usually insensitive headphones, such as the Susvaras, and some DCA models (I like the Expanse with my speaker amp).

This

My post in the other thread is specifically in regards to class D Amps.
Don't use those for headphones in most cases.

Class A/AB amps are fine. Just make sure you've got robust volume control (don't use something silly like OS digital volume control)

 

[KipFox]

Question for current owners:
Does the left side that isn't vented on the MJ3 get toasty to point that you shouldn't put a small dac atop that area or would it be ok?

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

Question for current owners:
Does the left side that isn't vented on the MJ3 get toasty to point that you shouldn't put a small dac atop that area or would it be ok?

Never mind the heat, the magnetic fields should be enough to keep your dac away.


JC