[Slackaveli]

First, the issue here is that we can't really know BOM cost for any product, companies are never going to disclose how much each component is going to cost them, nor should they, and they're getting bulk discounts most likely, secondly it's not taking into account R&D cost and you indirect cost to manufacture and bring to customer the final product, which can vary greatly by manufacturer, so saying this cost so and so it's at the very best a very rough estimate.

Saying that this product it's being produce in the middle of war-torn ukraine at an incredibly price should have been more than enough for most people.

Thats like people in the Flux thread being a bit salty about the $100 shipping to the US. But when you consider they drive the amps personally by CAR across a warzone in Eastern Ukraine across the entirety of the country (largest in Europe) all the way to Poland just to get to the UPS hub, the $100 seems kind of trivial. They have to drive down the M03 thru Kyiv - the same highway that the notorious Russian Tank Column was stranded on in the early days of the war- aka The Highway of Death.

They also actually did tell me the cost of parts to build their upgrade cables- 103 Euros- ($112 bucks) for the US version, right under a hundred for the Euro version (slightly better components for the US version) , and yet they sell them for $100. They just want people to love their amps and get the most out of them so they do it as a service really.

Unreal company and it's a pleasure to support folks like that.

 

[artur9]

...

Unreal company and it's a pleasure to support folks like that.

How does one say "Schiit" in Ukrainian?

 

[Slackaveli]

How does one say "Schiit" in Ukrainian?

Der'mo!!

And, yes, they definitely have Schiit tendencies. Both companies I love to support.
Can't wait to combine the two with Yggy gs2 and the Mentor.

Uki Schiit

 

[BenJoe]

Anyone who has their MJ3 listen to a lot of small group acoustic jazz?

In WaveTheory's review he says more than once that the MJ3 emphasizes dynamics and impact, and it is powerful, potent and hard hitting. Around the 18:48 mark he says it can sound aggressive, with almost a brute force approach to sound reproduction, which can be fun and engaging at times but other times there could be music where you don't want that. It becomes a bit overdone with some mellower kind of chill kickback and relax music. He says for rock, heavy metal, EDM and big scale orchestral kind of classical, the dynamic, lively, brute force presentation matches that kind of music.

I'm wondering if the hard hitting nature of the MJ3 may not match my musical taste too well.

Looking for feedback on this

I have to disagree with what was quoted from the review. It really comes down to what you have in your chain. Based on personally experience, MJ3 is quite transparent and reflective of your source and gears. It is not a layback and relaxed sounding amp. But I would be reluctant to call this amp hard hitting. It is fast sounding for sure but that does not always translate to potent, hard hitting and brute force. With the push-pull mode on, it does sound more dynamic. With negative feedback mode on, it rounded the edges even more. But sometimes, it sounded a little too smooth that it lost a few % of the definition and clarity. I almost always keep it off. Music feels a bit more open that way.

I don't know what the characteristics of your DAC are. But just be mindful of the pairing and synergy with MJ3. You can also considering getting a pre-amp to soften things up if you want.

I listen to classical and jazz all the time. I'm enjoying the MJ3 so far. My DAC pairing is Gustard R26.

 

[tincanear]

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/

while Flux mentor uses Alps blue velvet pot on the front panel, a 64-step relay ladder is used on mentor for the actual signal attenuation so the unit may make clickety-clickety sounds similar to Freya, Ragnarok 2, etc. when adjusting volume. Also Mentor stack may require special Y adapters for input and fully balanced output.

Mentor looks like it has XLR input but internally single-ended output (pics show only two TO-3P style output transistors for each channel). Does Mentor Stack provide increased power out if using an SE (rca) source? (Internal phase inversion / bridging capability / fully balanced input circuitry)

IMHO, for Tungsten (especially SS version) Ragnarok 2 might be the best option offering plenty of voltage / current as well as speaker drive capability

 

[Slackaveli]

No, it's dual mono, bot as a single unit and as a stack.
As for the adapter , yes for sure- I'll have Trevor(Norne Cables) make me one but it's not too complicated and there is off-the-shelf out there. I'll have him make one with two xlr 3-pin to a female xlr 4-pin, then just plug in with my current Nornes.

 

[nighthink]

So, even if it were possible, no, and hell no in going down the route of judging a product's value by calculating the component costs. It'd basically be devaluing all of Jason's efforts to design products on the same level as news services that thought that they could replace their reporters with AI.

Just wanted to say I completely agree with you guys here. And sorry if this offended anybody.

It just sparked that curiosity - those useless things you start to explore if you have no chance to hear the gear before buying . Nevertheless, the components picked up play some roles in how the output sounds. One would think the better sound comes to some extent with better parts, alongside the architecture, synergy, etc obviously, which has its own cost nobody can set, just the creator.

In the end that's also why I like MJ3, because I see those chokes inside that (almost) nobody else is using, it's part of the magic .

 

[psy472]

Just wanted to say I completely agree with you guys here. And sorry if this offended anybody.

It just sparked that curiosity - those useless things you start to explore if you have no chance to hear the gear before buying . Nevertheless, the components picked up play some roles in how the output sounds. One would think the better sound comes to some extent with better parts, alongside the architecture, synergy, etc obviously, which has its own cost nobody can set, just the creator.

In the end that's also why I like MJ3, because I see those chokes inside that (almost) nobody else is using, it's part of the magic .

Yea the Chokes give the MJ3 the deep bass response it has.

 

[nighthink]

Does anybody know what kind of transistors MJ3 uses on input, but maybe even more importantly on the output? Bipolar, JFET, MOSFET... Thanks.

 

[Ceora]

Actually a single Mentor is single ended internally and does not have a true balanced output. This is from post #258 by Ichos on page 18 of the Mentor forum:

"Let's get this straight for one last time:

The Mentor is a dual mono headphone amplifier with single ended only output. Thus the Flux Lab Acoustics website provides only one output rating and not different numbers for single ended and balanced out.

The dual Mentors stack is a fully balanced and fully dual mono (actually quadruple mono!) headphone amplifier with balanced only output. No single ended."

Also on the Flux site, product description page, it says the power supply is dual mono. They don't mention "fully balanced mode" until further down on the page under Mono Input and Synch Module.

 

[psy472]

Actually a single Mentor is single ended internally and does not have a true balanced output. This is from post #258 by Ichos on page 18 of the Mentor forum:

"Let's get this straight for one last time:

The Mentor is a dual mono headphone amplifier with single ended only output. Thus the Flux Lab Acoustics website provides only one output rating and not different numbers for single ended and balanced out.

The dual Mentors stack is a fully balanced and fully dual mono (actually quadruple mono!) headphone amplifier with balanced only output. No single ended."

Also on the Flux site, product description page, it says the power supply is dual mono. They don't mention "fully balanced mode" until further down on the page under Mono Input and Synch Module.

I’m getting a single to see how the Flux sound before biting on another single for the dual setup.
I was confused by Ichos’s claim because the diagram he showed for the XLR output was a balanced setup.

 

[Slackaveli]

Actually a single Mentor is single ended internally and does not have a true balanced output. This is from post #258 by Ichos on page 18 of the Mentor forum:

"Let's get this straight for one last time:

The Mentor is a dual mono headphone amplifier with single ended only output. Thus the Flux Lab Acoustics website provides only one output rating and not different numbers for single ended and balanced out.

The dual Mentors stack is a fully balanced and fully dual mono (actually quadruple mono!) headphone amplifier with balanced only output. No single ended."

Also on the Flux site, product description page, it says the power supply is dual mono. They don't mention "fully balanced mode" until further down on the page under Mono Input and Synch Module.

because it doesnt matter?

Who cares if it's dual-mono or balanced? all that matters there is a black background (check) and plenty of power (check).
People think balanced means better sound quality or something- which is untrue.
It can help with background noise and can provide more power... k. Mentor has black background and 11w @ 32ohm.

It's designed this way for heat dissipation and so you can stack 2 of them and be balanced (really quad mono).
Headphones dont care- they want clean and powerful.

Sorry if that sounded curt- just trying to clean up a misconception (one that I had for awhile).

 

[Chuy24]

@Slackaveli has been trying to force the Mentor on the MJ3 forum for a while now. He may be a Flux salesperson. Imma check it out.

 

[Slackaveli]

@Slackaveli has been trying to force the Mentor on the MJ3 forum for a while now. He may be a Flux salesperson. Imma check it out.

my apologies lol. i do sometimes forget what thread im even on since im following like 12
Also Im retired now but I was in sales for 30 years and i dominated for awhile lol.

 

[Chuy24]

my apologies lol. i do sometimes forget what thread im even on since im following like 12
Also Im retired now but I was in sales for 30 years and i dominated for awhile lol.

i like it, it’s HUGE! 13.4 x 15.6 x 3.2.