[vcd23]

This will depend on a few factors. One, are you in the camp that believes in aftermarket cables make a difference. Two, is the power coming into your home dirty. Three, is your audio setup resolving enough. If you answer yes to all three or some of it, I think you will hear some sonic benefits vs not having any power conditioning. Whether how much benefit will vary because we all have different setups, electric power quality, etc.

I am a big believer in power conditioning when I began my two channel home stereo journey back in early 2000s. I started out with Monster HTS 5100 which made noticeable audio and video improvements. Eventually I bought a Sound Application Line Stage power conditioner and was blown away. So I understood from that time on what good power conditioners can bring to the table.

Fast forward to the last 7 years or so, when I started my headphone system journey, even with the modest gear I had at the time, adding in the Powerquest 3 made a noticeable difference vs a regular powerstrip. The high power outlets provided more ease and refinement on my headamps. I heard more inner detail and blacker background and less glare. The other outlets provided similar attributes like darker background less veil. My dac gained more clean sound, better separation of instruments, more dynamics, and more bass impact. For the price back then was like $300, it was worth it to me. Its not state of the art power conditioner compared to my Sound Application, but for the money, PQ3 punches quite well at its price point As always YMMV. Definitely buy one where you can return it for free if it doesn't work out in your situation.

Audioquest recently came out with some newer models. Take a look at those as well. I might need to eventually upgrade mine.

thank you! yes i think cables have impact on sound and i believe my rig is resolving enough lol i guess we will find out! now im stoke to get a power quest 3 lol

 

[vcd23]

Currently the Freya+ is disconnected, MJ3 by itself. Definitely enjoy what the Freya brings to the MJ3, but MJ3 stands alone just fine. Not concerned about power and Tungstens not on my horizon

what headphones do you use with mj3?

 

[vcd23]

I don't have Freya+, but I do have a Freya N used as a tube preamp/tube buffer into the MJ3. The Freya N is not going to give MJ3 more power, but it will give it more gain (using tube mode). For example, dac direct to MJ3 with my usual listening level on high gain would be around 10:30 o'clock on the volume knob. But with Freya N in between dac and MJ3, to get the same listening level would only require around 9 o'clock.

Sorry I don't have Tungsten so I can't comment how it pairs with the MJ3. Besides getting extra gain with the Freya N in the chain, you also get extra xlr and rca inputs and outputs if that's important to you, which does for me. Rolling different tubes is another benefit. The possibilities are endless with two tubes for input gain and two tubes for output to swap around. You can definitely expand the soundstage or narrow it depending on the tubes. Basically tune your sound to your liking. Freya N/+(or any capable tube preamp for that matter) can make the MJ3 sound even better.

do you leave your mj3 at max volume and just control the volume with freya?

 

[Topo47]

what headphones do you use with mj3?

LCD2 looking toward Meze
Freya volume open, control with MJ3

 

[dogwan]

I too am wondering if anyone has tried the Holo Cyan 2 with the MJ3?

Or has compared it to the Denafrips Aires or higher?

 

[betula]

I too am wondering if anyone has tried the Holo Cyan 2 with the MJ3?

Or has compared it to the Denafrips Aires or higher?

Cyan 2 is certainly a step up from the Ares. I haven't tried it with the MJ3 yet though but will in the next 2-3 weeks.

 

[Smoothstereo]

do you leave your mj3 at max volume and just control the volume with freya?

I tried both ways, Freya N volume all the way up and control volume with MJ3 vs MJ3 volume all the way up and control volume with Freya N. To my ears, the former way sounded better.

 

[DataTutashxia]

Got mine on Tuesday, replacing THX AAA 887. Had about 12h total with it, always with 1h warm-up. I didn't do any A-B, cause I have no space on the desk and, honestly, desire to mess with switching. But I've spent more than a year with the old BF64->THX AAA 887->OG Empy setup and got well used to how it sounds.
Impressions:
First big change noticed - cleaned up mid and upper base. Makes me seriously wonder how much bloat THX had. Didn't expect that at all. Just for clarity, it slaps when needed.
Second big change - timbre is... different. Especially noticeable with vocals - they feel more alive. Hard to explain, but caught myself surprised thinking "huh, that's a real alive man singing alright..." e.g. on "Dire Straits - Where do you think you're going" and a few other tracks.
There's also more fine detail across the board. Instrument separation is great.
I can see some people being uneasy with treble, however I feel this depends on particular recording.
MJ3 overall sounds raw, natural, precise and unforgiving to the source.

Other notes not related to sound:
I get that Empys are efficient, still, I don't ever move past 8:30 AM with Low gain and SE. IDK who would ever need more power.
It is proper hot, as expected.
It clicks once in a while, even if unused. Wonder what that is.

 

[quawn0418]

Got mine on Tuesday, replacing THX AAA 887. Had about 12h total with it, always with 1h warm-up. I didn't do any A-B, cause I have no space on the desk and, honestly, desire to mess with switching. But I've spent more than a year with the old BF64->THX AAA 887->OG Empy setup and got well used to how it sounds.
Impressions:
First big change noticed - cleaned up mid and upper base. Makes me seriously wonder how much bloat THX had. Didn't expect that at all. Just for clarity, it slaps when needed.
Second big change - timbre is... different. Especially noticeable with vocals - they feel more alive. Hard to explain, but caught myself surprised thinking "huh, that's a real alive man singing alright..." e.g. on "Dire Straits - Where do you think you're going" and a few other tracks.
There's also more fine detail across the board. Instrument separation is great.
I can see some people being uneasy with treble, however I feel this depends on particular recording.
MJ3 overall sounds raw, natural, precise and unforgiving to the source.

Other notes not related to sound:
I get that Empys are efficient, still, I don't ever move past 8:30 AM with Low gain and SE. IDK who would ever need more power.
It is proper hot, as expected.
It clicks once in a while, even if unused. Wonder what that is.

Do you mean SE class a? Or the SE headphone jack

 

[Melineous]

It is proper hot, as expected.
It clicks once in a while, even if unused. Wonder what that is.

If it's not a relay that's clicking then it's probably just the heat causing expansion. Kind of like the house creaking when the weather changes. I'm gonna assume MJ3 gets a bit hotter than the THX so that's probably why you notice it. I was never much of a fan of THX amps. They're a great starting point, and it's where I started myself, but I hope you get to enjoy MJ3 for a long while.

 

[artur9]

Sendy Aivas are here, I'm here, MJ3 here - let's play some music!

No problems driving them, they sound good fresh out of the box, nicely detailed. Bass seems a bit wooly - hoping that will clear with some time on them.

As everyone says, a very airy sound to the Aivas, which the MJ3 do a great deal to enhance.

I'm not liking the cabling situation. Should I just get 3.5mm-to-2.5mm adapters to connect my existing Hart Cables to the Aiva and a TRRRS->XLR adapter for the other end or do something else?

 

[superultramega]

I upgraded from the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 to the Yggy + GS2 - Difference was noted immediately and dramatically. It changed everything in my system. YMMV, but for me DACS make a huge difference when you up grade significantly.

Oh hellfire. First I bought the MJ3 and the Bifrost 2/64, then the Hifiman HE1000 stealth. I've got to do some listening but I'm tempted to revert to my Asgard 3 w/ MB card and Hifiman Ananda stealth before I add an Yggy. This damn hobby.

 

[DataTutashxia]

Do you mean SE class a? Or the SE headphone jack

SE class A. All interconnects are balanced in my setup.

 

[AntonNZ]

Quick question:
I have a dac with only rca out. should I buy rca to xlr cable to get most of mjolnir with my setup?

 

[quawn0418]

Quick question:
I have a dac with only rca out. should I buy rca to xlr cable to get most of mjolnir with my setup?

I don’t think that’s how it works, but hey, I’d go for it lol