[Slackaveli]

The best part of the MJ3 is the timbre with each note. I stop pre-amp from the Jot2 to the MJ3 to enjoy some relaxing slow music. Smooth jazz is awesome on this.

So it's more energetic with Jot2?

 

[psy472]

So it's more energetic with Jot2?

The Jot2 makes the bass sharper and harder hitting. For bass heads, that’s all you’d ever want. But for slower songs where the timbre of the bass and vocals are important, MJ3 by itself is best.

 

[psy472]

I was looking into class A amps and realized the dCS Lina amp cost 10K usd but only has 1.5W output on 32 ohms, lower than the MJ3. It supposedly can drive any headphones. Anyone listened to the dCS system before? The entire system cost 30K usd.

 

[Slackaveli]

I was looking into class A amps and realized the dCS Lina amp cost 10K usd but only has 1.5W output on 32 ohms, lower than the MJ3. It supposedly can drive any headphones. Anyone listened to the dCS system before? The entire system cost 30K usd.

thats crazy.

 

[Currawong]

I was looking into class A amps and realized the dCS Lina amp cost 10K usd but only has 1.5W output on 32 ohms, lower than the MJ3. It supposedly can drive any headphones. Anyone listened to the dCS system before? The entire system cost 30K usd.

The numbers don't really explain how well an amp can drive headphones. It will only allow you to calculate at what point the amp will clip. This is why the Mjolnir 3 has less power than many amps that aren't as resolving.

As for pre-amping, if you want more bass impact, a Loki or Lokius is the way to go. Plug your DAC into the MJ3's XLR inputs, then loop the RCA outputs to the MJ3's RCAs via one of those two for when you, say, want more bass slam with some pop music and the like where detail doesn't matter as much. That's how I do it.

 

[psy472]

The numbers don't really explain how well an amp can drive headphones. It will only allow you to calculate at what point the amp will clip. This is why the Mjolnir 3 has less power than many amps that aren't as resolving.

As for pre-amping, if you want more bass impact, a Loki or Lokius is the way to go. Plug your DAC into the MJ3's XLR inputs, then loop the RCA outputs to the MJ3's RCAs via one of those two for when you, say, want more bass slam with some pop music and the like where detail doesn't matter as much. That's how I do it.

Already did, but the bass I get from pre-amp is just different from Lokius. The bass is much tighter which I can’t get with the Lokius. I believe this is similar to why people keep rolling tubes instead of just getting a Lokius.

 

[Rayski]

The numbers don't really explain how well an amp can drive headphones. It will only allow you to calculate at what point the amp will clip. This is why the Mjolnir 3 has less power than many amps that aren't as resolving.

As for pre-amping, if you want more bass impact, a Loki or Lokius is the way to go. Plug your DAC into the MJ3's XLR inputs, then loop the RCA outputs to the MJ3's RCAs via one of those two for when you, say, want more bass slam with some pop music and the like where detail doesn't matter as much. That's how I do it.

Amos - Are you suggesting wiring your DAC two times to the MJ3 both directly (DAC->MJ3) and via the Lokius (DAC->Lokius->MJ3)? Doesn't the Lokius come with a bypass switch, taking it out of the music loop? Curious as to why you'd want to do it this way. Not challenging here, just curious.

 

[ckhirnigs113]

Amos - Are you suggesting wiring your DAC two times to the MJ3 both directly (DAC->MJ3) and via the Lokius (DAC->Lokius->MJ3)? Doesn't the Lokius come with a bypass switch, taking it out of the music loop? Curious as to why you'd want to do it this way. Not challenging here, just curious.

I am obviously not @Currawong, but I believe the idea is to have a direct connection between the DAC and MJ3 using XLR with no Lokius in the signal chain when listening critically. The assumption is that it's better to have no Lokius in the signal path, even with the bypass switch engaged. When listening less critically, you use the RCA out of the DAC to the Lokius and then the RCA out of the Lokius to the MJ3.

 

[Currawong]

In my set-up, XLR is just a bit better than RCA, enough to bug me if I don't use it. And the Lokius isn't balanced internally.

 

[Rayski]

In my set-up, XLR is just a bit better than RCA, enough to bug me if I don't use it. And the Lokius isn't balanced internally.

Gotcha. Let me ask then, the Loki Max says on the FAQ page "It’s balanced and differential in and out, uses both phases in, and provides both differential phases out. All stages are fully discrete, from the input summers to load-invariant superbuffers to the current-feedback processing stage to the Nexus™ output."

However, it can't be truly balanced because we'd have to have separate frequency controls for left & right channels, where there is only a single set of controls. I'm guessing you haven't had the opportunity to listen to the Loki Max, but based upon your comments above, is your thinking that the Max would have the same not-balanced shortcomings as the Lokius??

Do note that Schitt's website does say the Max is not truly balanced. Question becomes 'how much balanced circuity is enough?'

 

[devilboy]

I was looking into class A amps and realized the dCS Lina amp cost 10K usd but only has 1.5W output on 32 ohms, lower than the MJ3. It supposedly can drive any headphones. Anyone listened to the dCS system before? The entire system cost 30K usd.

Yes, I heard the DCS stack drive a Focal Nutopia and thought the pairing was sublime.

 

[Rhodey]

Yes, I heard the DCS stack drive a Focal Nutopia and thought the pairing was sublime.

I wonder how much of that was the amp or the rest of the chain (dac and clock). From what I gather, the amp is the weakest link.

 

[artur9]

Yes, I heard the DCS stack drive a Focal Nutopia and thought the pairing was sublime.

Enough to make one forget the dent in the wallet?

More seriously, what headphones are the "best" match for an MJ3? I know the source makes a big difference so how do we control for that?

 

[Erick Muller]

I wonder how much of that was the amp or the rest of the chain (dac and clock). From what I gather, the amp is the weakest link.

I think the DCs Lina DAC and master clock stack combine with the Mass Kobo 465 would be end game for literally everyone and it would be interesting to see if somebody in mount Olympus has that combo or it's planning to get that combo and get their impressions... probably not gonna happen because they're going to be in audio heaven and they're never coming down from there with us mere mortals.

 

[psy472]

Gotcha. Let me ask then, the Loki Max says on the FAQ page "It’s balanced and differential in and out, uses both phases in, and provides both differential phases out. All stages are fully discrete, from the input summers to load-invariant superbuffers to the current-feedback processing stage to the Nexus™ output."

However, it can't be truly balanced because we'd have to have separate frequency controls for left & right channels, where there is only a single set of controls. I'm guessing you haven't had the opportunity to listen to the Loki Max, but based upon your comments above, is your thinking that the Max would have the same not-balanced shortcomings as the Lokius??

Do note that Schitt's website does say the Max is not truly balanced. Question becomes 'how much balanced circuity is enough?'

I have the Lokius. When I switch it to on vs bypass I don’t notice any noticeable changes in sound quality at all flat.

I read on the Susvara thread that the Loki Max dropped the sound quality on connect when I asked if I should upgrade my Lokius. Not sure about the science mumbo jumbo. I only care about how it sounds to my ear. The lokius can change the pitch but it can’t affect the timbre of the sound.