The Mjolnir 2 thread

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by maxedfx, Oct 11, 2015.

  1. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Those Genalex Gold Lion's are on the mid-range aggressive/bright side. They worked well with the polite sounding HEX V2s, but I disliked them with the Utopia, and suspect you'll find they don't pair well with the HD800s either. I am now using Tesla 6922s with the Utopia, a mellower sounding tube that (for me) pairs reasonably well with an aggressive/bright sounding HP.

    Agree about the mid-range haze/veil with LISST. I haven't even bothered trying them again. Even the stock tubes sound more pleasing to my ears.
     
  2. mark47

    mark47 New

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    Please, can you help me?
    Which are tubes recommended for Mjolnir 2?

    Thank you
     
  3. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    on SBAF, blood and sweat come first. use the search feature here. it's fun and not complex.
    only after you are in tears do you ask questions.

    if you don't like blood and sweat, move over to HF where Jood will be happy to babysit.
     
  4. mark47

    mark47 New

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    Why do you have to write things like "happy to babysit"? no sense
    I am not your friend and you are not a moderator.

    regards
     
  5. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    It's the Hoidays, I babysat.

     
  6. mark47

    mark47 New

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    thank you
     
  7. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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  8. frenchbat

    frenchbat Almost "Made"

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    Tubes that make music.
     
  9. obsiCO

    obsiCO Thai Fish Experiment Gone Wrong

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    Mi scusi.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. sunnysideup

    sunnysideup New

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    I've auditioned the HD800 many times over the years and it never came across as bright sounding to me. How I perceived it back then was a wider than usual soundfield with muffled mids. Thinking back, all the amps I've plugged it into were solid states. With tubes on MJ2, mids are coming out clear so I guess that veil is really the mosfet mist.

    I'm still on my journey to experience all the positive things people say about the HD800. A pair of Tesla 6922 are on the way. I'm excited about how HD800 sounds with them and MJ2. Let's see. :)

    P.S. I didn't like my RS2e and sold it 2 weeks later.
     
  11. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    I'm not sure it's bright per se- but wonky. It sounds a little thin, but also has an upper-mid suckout too. Then there's a nasty resonance that gives you a spike around 6KHz, which is piercing. However, that's not brightness, that's cup resonance, and largely fixable with the SDR mod.

    It's more nuanced than merely "bright".
     
  12. sunnysideup

    sunnysideup New

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    Received my pair of Tesla last Friday and I like how it sounds on my setup, so much that I'd say there is improvement in most departments compared to my pair of Reflector 6H23P-EB. A wider soundstage with more depth, more details and less bright.

    What I love most is the more natural/mellow signature. It makes everything sound so organic and real. Background chatters in tracks like 'Over the Rainbow' from Jazz at the Pawnshop 2 sound so life like.

    Soundstage/imaging is another big improvement. The chatter before the start of 'In a Mellow Tone' by Gerry Mulligan, you could easily make out who is closer to the mic. Classical music and jazz benefited most from these tubes. They are well spaced out and I could hear each instruments more distinctly. The only thing I prefer from the 6H23P-EB is the tone of violins... a little brighter. Life's not perfect but I'm fine with that.

    The Reflector 6H23P-EB are supposed to be exciting tubes from what I read prior to buying. Not sure why I'm enjoying the Tesla E88CC so much more. Perhaps they are genre specific to music I don't listen to.

    The Tesla tubes will stay in my MJ2 and keep me entertained for a while. Thanks Darren G for the recommendation!
     
  13. nachocheese70

    nachocheese70 Facebook Friend

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    Normally I’d say search or read through all the postings, as there are many good recommendations. However, Mike Moffat’s recommendation is at HF and not here (I believe). He says just go with WE396A using adapter.
     
  14. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    And they are inexpensive!

    But really it's about pairing, and while they are probably not the best choice for mellow headphones, I'm still enjoying the Tesla tubes with the Utopia HPs. There are still some subtle aspects that I'd like to tweak, but for the price, and as compared with the stock tubes, or modern Telefunken or Gold Lion tubes, I am still happy with them in the MJ2.
     
  15. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    Regarding the Tesla 6922 tubes, which ones are people using? Gold pin? Silver pin?

    Upscale sells three versions: Gold grade, Platinum grade, and Driver/Buffer grade.

    Also, The Tube Store has Tesla labeled E88CC, but they are "JJ" brand with the Tesla label!

    So many options.

    Anyone compare the Tesla E88CC/6922 to the WE396a?
     
  16. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Got mine from the tubestore last year, plain old silver pins (i.e., they work, and I don't plan on swapping them often to pay more for better connectors), listed as 70s NOS tubes when I ordered last year. When I called them before ordering they assured me they are old stock tubes. If they are fakes, they are pretty good fakes looking at them under a magnifying glass.

    Upscale is a safer choice if there is any concern.
     
  17. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    No concern other than the Tube Store openly acknowledges the labeling issue. Fake and Rebranded are different. I would certainly trust both those stores.

    I was more curious about the comparison between the Tesla and the WE.
     
  18. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Mike (aka baldur) is a big fan of those WE's, and something to try for sure as Mike knows what he is doing. I haven't tried them yet, and will do so, though for me I prefer to spend a month, two, or longer before switching. I'm happy with the Tesla's so far, and it takes me a while before I am fully aware of annoying (or pleasant) traits.

    For whatever it's worth, the Tesla 6922s I received do have a very good balance of organic/analog smoothness, and still a degree of solid-state clarity and attack. They are also essentially noise free. No hum, hiss, or static at any perceivable level.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2018
  19. winders

    winders boomer

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    The Tesla 6922 tubes are not very good. With my MJ2 and HD 650 phones, I can't beat the Western Electric 2C51 or 396A square getter tubes from the 40's and 50's.
     
  20. Darren G

    Darren G Friend

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    Yea, they suck with my HiFiMan X V2's too. The Utopia's are a different story. It's all about pairing.
     

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