[psy472]

Regarding new footers for the MJ3, from pictures/videos it appears the small stock feet are not attached with screws. My MJ3 might arrive in April and I already bought new footers, link attached. Question for those who are using new taller footers, how have you attached them if there are no threaded holes on the bottom of the amp?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081KVKCZ9?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

I have those. Don’t get them. You can’t screw them in and they let the amp slide back and forth. If you yank your headphone cable the amp will come flying at you.
I recommend the Spring locked feet with rubber surface.
The rubber part is stickied on to the surface and isolate the vibrations and heat. The ones you have transfer heat to the shelf. If you have a wooden shelf like mine that will dry out the wood.

 

[artur9]

Regarding new footers for the MJ3, from pictures/videos it appears the small stock feet are not attached with screws. My MJ3 might arrive in April and I already bought new footers, link attached. Question for those who are using new taller footers, how have you attached them if there are no threaded holes on the bottom of the amp?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081KVKCZ9?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

I have pretty much exactly the same ones (in gold, because, gold!).

I've just rested the MJ3 on top, not screwed on.

 

[quawn0418]

Personal preference, too. Reviewers are human and have their preferences just like anyone else.

This is a huge factor for wavetheory’s reveiw i believe. When reviewing, the goal is always to be unbiased. However, preference is preference and his favorite amp seems to be the v281 (which has been known to have a thicker/darker signature). So although we try to be unbiased, there’s but so much we can do. We like what we like. He likes the hifiman prelude as well, another darker than neutral amp. If the prelude sounds anything like the serenade, it isn’t for me, although the serenade is a decent performer at its price. I would have liked for him to compare the MJ3 to the V550, they seem to be tuned a lot more closely than the MJ3 and V281.

 

[betula]

I try to avoid blind buys as much as possible, but sometimes there is simply no way. Schiit UK exists, but they hardly ever have any stock, the MJ3 is not even listed. This is when reviewers with similar ears and taste come into picture: both Currawong and Lachlan from PassionForSound absolutely loved the MJ3. My ears usually agree with what they say. WaveTheory, with all respect, has very different ears and taste to mine, so I actually find his less stellar impressions on the MJ3 encouraging as well.
The MJ3 seems like excellent value either way, so reselling should not be hard either. I was positively surprised, that Schiit is making 230V versions now with UK plug. Shipping in April, which is also not too far away. Let's see.

 

[Slackaveli]

Open your mind above and beyond retail and there's a world full of wonders, custom tailored to you and your preferences.

Look here for instance https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hif...etic-headphone.493214/page-1456#post-17968289

gorgeous

 

[Thetaburn]

This is a huge factor for wavetheory’s reveiw i believe. When reviewing, the goal is always to be unbiased. However, preference is preference and his favorite amp seems to be the v281 (which has been known to have a thicker/darker signature). So although we try to be unbiased, there’s but so much we can do. We like what we like. He likes the hifiman prelude as well, another darker than neutral amp. If the prelude sounds anything like the serenade, it isn’t for me, although the serenade is a decent performer at its price. I would have liked him compared the MJ3 to the V550, they seem to be tuned a lot more closely than the MJ3 and V281.

I think for potential buyers of the MJ3, WaveTheory's suggestion of a V281 if purchased in the used market at ~1300usd if / when available is a dilemma.

 

[Slackaveli]

I think for potential buyers of the MJ3, WaveTheory's suggestion of a V281 if purchased in the used market at ~1300usd if / when available is a dilemma.

personally ive never seen one up for sale used.
One could just get a Ragnarok (silver) from Amazon for $300 off right now ($1300), or
get a Flux Mentor ($1300) and if 11.5w isnt enough than stack on another ($1300) for 33.5w

That said, I'd still prefer the Mjolnir if not for the Tungsten element.

https://www.amazon.com/Schiit-Ragnarok-Single-Ended-Headphone-Amplifier

https://fluxlab-acoustics.com/product/mentor-class-a-headphone-amplifier/

 

[nighthink]

I think for potential buyers of the MJ3, WaveTheory's suggestion of a V281 if purchased in the used market at ~1300usd if / when available is a dilemma.

There is still this difference - class A vs AB. I believe that for headphones specifically, it should be beneficial to have class A, if done properly (which I believe MJ3 does). Because why not?
Of course, then there are products like Aune S17 Pro, which is also class A headamp for half the price of MJ3. And honestly, I'm not sure what to think about that. Maybe cheaper components and so potentially shorter lifespan? Or just lower margin expectations for the producer?

Sure, not all class A amps sound the same, even if their goal is to transfer everything from input to output without (almost) any loss in information quality, or distortion.

What if the better solution is to have a neutral but high fidelity/resolving chain and just use some software equalizer to adjust to your current mood, instead of expecting that characteristic inside the amp itself, but without the possibility to change it later..

I will go and see if I can still find some V281 around to test it with my chain, but I don't know what I will do if I like it . MJ3 will come some weeks later. I feel like I want class A headamp, just because I believe that architecture should be focused on sound quality above all, while AB is about some compromise on the verge of effectiveness and less (useless) heat generation.

 

[nighthink]

...and there is already some initial info about new Flux model:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/flux-m-field-class-a-mosfet-headphone-amplifier.971785/

another unexplored competitor for MJ3.

 

[dogwan]

And don't forget the magic of Choke filtered power supplies. It makes a difference.

 

[BenJoe]

Not going to argue with a review, but I do want to say I think it's absolutely fair to compare the MJ3 to $2500 amps. I've owned two and for me the MJ3 is better.

Agree to disagree. I think it’s okay to compare with higher-end. What I was trying to say is not doing in-depth detailed comparison.

What are that two amps that you have that you think are inferior?

 

[RobWilde]

Agree to disagree. I think it’s okay to compare with higher-end. What I was trying to say is not doing in-depth detailed comparison.

What are that two amps that you have that you think are inferior?

I've owned and now sold on a Burson Soloist 3X GT and a McIntosh MHA200 with rolled tubes in favour of the MJ3.

 

[nighthink]

i do find it humorous that you Europeans want Schiit but it's priced up and we are over here in the US ordering Ukrainian amps and getting hit with high shipping and paypal fees lol.

V281 is not anymore available at dealer side as I originally thought, so (thankfully) no need to bother with that. But there is something about this cross-continental-shopping Mentor is a bit more intriguing now. Not that I'd cancel the order for MJ3, but.. In the SoundNews review of Mentor, there was presented interesting thing - a breakdown of components vs final cost of the unit. It was like: 700 for components, 300 for the box cover, which means about 22% remains for the margin. Fair enough.

Would it be possible to do a similar rough breakdown for MJ3? I know this has not so much to do with the final sound. But both companies are presented like affordable hifi, so it could be interesting to compare, who is actually "better" in this regard. Common sense would tell Flux Labs will win this (if only because they have no dealers at all whereas Schiit has), but who knows .

 

[RobWilde]

I try to avoid blind buys as much as possible, but sometimes there is simply no way. Schiit UK exists, but they hardly ever have any stock, the MJ3 is not even listed. This is when reviewers with similar ears and taste come into picture: both Currawong and Lachlan from PassionForSound absolutely loved the MJ3. My ears usually agree with what they say. WaveTheory, with all respect, has very different ears and taste to mine, so I actually find his less stellar impressions on the MJ3 encouraging as well.
The MJ3 seems like excellent value either way, so reselling should not be hard either. I was positively surprised, that Schiit is making 230V versions now with UK plug. Shipping in April, which is also not too far away. Let's see.

I took this route, and feel you'll be very pleased when it arrives!

 

[PopZeus]

I have discovered the weirdest bug in my Mjolnir. The SE RCA inputs are still pushing audio through the amp even when it's set on XLR balanced inputs. And the audio doesn't increase or decrease with the volume knob, like it's set at a fixed point. The reverse doesn't hold true in that the XLR inputs don't make any sound when the amp is set to SE RCA ins, so that's working like it's supposed to. Argh, this is unfortunately something that I should send my amp back for.