[Phemius]

Over the week I’ve really been enjoying my MJ3. I just upgraded my Arya v2 with a Hek 1000 stealth during HiFiMan’s recent sale and I think they pair beautifully with this amp, so much detail that is delivered so smoothly to my ear. I have noticed, however, that sometimes when I go to adjust the volume I hear a little feed back. I’m used to that with tube amplifiers but I am surprised by it on solid state. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[adydula]

Just put my review of the MJ3 online:

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/schiit-mjolnir-3-desktop-class-a-headphone-amp.26696/

Alex

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Just put my review of the MJ3 online:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/schiit-mjolnir-3-impressions-thread.969416/page-16

Alex

I think the link is incorrect. It leads back to this thread.

 

[adydula]

I think the link is incorrect. It leads back to this thread.

Corrected and Thanks!! Too many irons in the fire!

 

[ZoNtO]

Corrected and Thanks!! Too many irons in the fire!

Can you elaborate on this part of your review?

Note I did a comparison session with one of my favorite other brand Class A amps. The PassLabs HPA-1.

When level set they sound very similar. Different yes. One is warmer IMO that the other. Either one would be fine here. Price wise that’s another story. MJ3 is much more affordable. Great choices here. But look who is on top!

How is the sound between the HOA-1 and Mjolnir 3 similar and different? Which one is warmer (sounding?)?

 

[adydula]

Can you elaborate on this part of your review?



How is the sound between the HOA-1 and Mjolnir 3 similar and different? Which one is warmer (sounding?)?

Sure is an HPA-1 from PassLabs, one of my "reference" Class A amps.
THe MJ3 is just a tad warmer...to "me"...want to say softer but its close.
Makes the amp sound more musical and less harsh all around.

Depending on your material and headphones u may never notice this trait or idiosyncrasy.

At this level is really splitting hairs here.
Both outstanding amps.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Just asked this over in the comments section of your review, bit it the thread is probably a better place for it:

@adydula Quick question, was there a sonic reason you kept the amp in high gain despite never having to go past 12:00 on the volume knob even with your hardest to drive headphones? Did you feel high gain was subjectively better than low gain to your ears?

 

[adydula]

Just asked this over in the comments section of your review, bit it the thread is probably a better place for it:

@adydula Quick question, was there a sonic reason you kept the amp in high gain despite never having to go past 12:00 on the volume knob even with your hardest to drive headphones? Did you feel high gain was subjectively better than low gain to your ears?

Answered over there.

 

[Josz27]

I just set up my MJ3 and have a few initial impressions. Listening with my Bifrost OG and a pair of Arya V2s, DT1990, and HD650. This amp makes my old Burson Soloist 3XP sound thin and icy. In "Elysium -- A Schubert Recital," the MJ3 reveals not only the piano but the room it is playing in in an almost spooky kind of way, as if I am no longer in my living room but there at the venue. Carolyn Sampson's voice is fuller, more lifelike -- truly beautiful. On an old Jacqueline du Pre album, her cello sounds fuller, the decay of the strings is more noticeable on the MJ3, while on the Burson Soloist it is more aggressive and impactful but thinner. On Julian Lage's "View with a Room," the bass notes are much more believable than on the Soloist which again is more impactful but also more plastiicy. In short, the MJ3 just imparts more realism in everything I have put through it so far. Also the sense of room space it provides is astonishing. I find this amp to work well with high treble headphones like the DT1990 and Arya, it tames them back just a bit and allow them to reveal all the detail this amp passes through without any treble bite that the DT1990's can sometimes give. Also, with the Arya V2, which only sound good with a ton of power behind them, I find the MJ3 makes them sing in full single-ended Class A with no feedback on high gain just as well as the Burson Soloist which is an 8 watt powerhouse. This makes me think the MJ3 can drive anything quite handily.

Do you have used the Burson Power amp mode and the supercharger? It is a significantly more upfront and warmer sound than burson normal mode.
Normal mode can sound thin with various headphones

 

[klardotsh]

I haven't had time to write up anything proper or formal, I'll just throw this tidbit into the ring after having heard this amp finally, plugged into my friend's Denefrips Ares and Arya Stealths (as well as his Auteur OGs which I've never had a positive word to say about, and that hasn't changed): this amp being named after a hammer is not a joke. The sheer power of the low end coming through this amp compared to Jot2 (and to many other amps I've heard before, including A90D and Lyr+) is impressive, and it still delivers all the treble detail I could ever ask for. Seriously an impressive bit of hardware I look forward to throwing more cans at soon.

That said, maybe my ears are broken or something, because there's been exactly two tracks so far that I've been able to notice any sonic difference whatsoever from the feedback switch on this thing with Arya. You could tell me Jason threw that switch in as a prank and never soldered it to the PCB and it'd make no difference to me. Am I alone here? Is it just extremely subtle, or am I not listening for the right things and this is an ear training issue? Both?

 

[Phemius]

Do you have used the Burson Power amp mode and the supercharger? It is a significantly more upfront and warmer sound than burson normal mode.
Normal mode can sound thin with various headphones

I do use the supercharger and it still sounds thin in comparison to MJ3. The Burson is more detailed though.

 

[Josz27]

I do use the supercharger and it still sounds thin in comparison to MJ3. The Burson is more detailed though.

do you have tried the power amp mode on the burson? Just hold the menu button for about 15 seconds, but keep in mind you have to use a preamp to control the volume so be careful with it, it will be louder than it respective gain at 100.
The supercharger does not make the sound more full bodied, if anything it becomes a little more distant, but more clear, precise, less harsh and more detailed.
If you want to hear the burson as the fullest sounding it can be, try poweramp low gain lol.

I have no idea about MJ3 but it could be interesting what you think , and anyway this is about synergies, depending of your chain you could like an amp more than other =)

 

[artur9]

...
That said, maybe my ears are broken or something, because there's been exactly two tracks so far that I've been able to notice any sonic difference whatsoever from the feedback switch on this thing with Arya. You could tell me Jason threw that switch in as a prank and never soldered it to the PCB and it'd make no difference to me. ...

Haven't tried it yet (the settings I'm using sound oh! so good). My understanding of global feedback is that it has 2 effects:

• reduces measured distortion
• "smears" the signal because the feedback introduces latency (group delay?). Such smearing may be undetectable.

Maybe related to phase effects? Interesting quote from here, by Toole (bolded by me):

It turns out that, within very generous tolerances, humans are insensitive to phase shifts. Under carefully contrived circumstances, special signals auditioned in anechoic conditions, or through headphones, people have heard slight differences.

 

[G0rt]

Since MJ3 arrived, I've come to the realization that all my many cans are much better than I'd previously thought.

 

[artur9]

Since MJ3 arrived, I've come to the realization that all my many cans are much better than I'd previously thought.

And some songs/singers, too!