Should I sell my headphone amp?

[watchnerd]

Message to golden-eared audiophiles posting at ASR for the first time...

Hello friend. Hey, listen...we know how it is. Believe me, most of us have been there too. You've spent years toiling in the muck of audiophilia. You read ALL the reviews. You watched ALL the youtube videos. You visited ALL the other forums where everything always makes a difference. You...

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Oh, I don't have golden ears.

Every time I do tube rolling after enough back and forth I usually convince myself that I'm just playing tricks on myself.

 

[watchnerd]

If the headphone amp does not work for purpose then sell it.
If no headphone amp works, then maybe getting a different set headphones would be another option?

The headphone amp works, but is unnecessary with the cans I have and other amplification options.

 

[Timcognito]

Yeah, I don't listen to music in the background while doing other stuff.

I spent 3 hours today doing yard work.

Didn't listen to anything, not even podcasts.

Just the birds chirping.

The same especially with HPs, I meant doing mundane things like moving clothes from the washer to the dryer, mostly speaking of freedom from the chair with BT.

 

[Robin L]

Oh, I don't have golden ears.

Every time I do tube rolling after enough back and forth I usually convince myself that I'm just playing tricks on myself.

Back around 40 years ago I lived in Berkeley, CA, had tube gear. There was a shop on University that had both NOS tubes and an old-fashioned tube tester. Spent way too much money there. "Tube rolling" seemed to be responsible for changes in treble, but it was all very unscientific as regards the monitoring. This was back when I was spending real money on all sorts of wire.

My question would be: does the Schiit Mjolnir sound different enough to hang on to it or is it essentially dead weight? Does it "spark joy"?

 

[watchnerd]

Back around 40 years ago I lived in Berkeley, CA, had tube gear. There was a shop on University that had both NOS tubes and an old-fashioned tube tester. Spent way too much money there. "Tube rolling" seemed to be responsible for changes in treble, but it was all very unscientific as regards the monitoring. This was back when I was spending real money on all sorts of wire.

My question would be: does the Schiit Mjolnir sound different enough to hang on to it or is it essentially dead weight? Does it "spark joy"?

It definitely sounds slightly different than the headphone out jack on the Luxman on Sennheiser 6XX cans.

This might be due to differences in output impedance, or the difference between a solid state class A amp and a hybrid tube amp.

Both can drive the headphones to louder than I want.

Is it better than the Luxman headphone jack?

Definitely not via the MJ2's SE output. The Luxman sounds better by quite a bit.

If I compare MJ2 XLR out vs Luxman 1/4" out, it's closer, but the Luxman still probably sounds better, if more neutral is better.

 

[raif71]

So were you genuinely looking for guidance? It just seems like such a personal decision that only you can make. For me, I would absolutely sell a bunch of gear in your position, but that's me.

Saying that, if you're a person of means and you really don't need the money or the space, why not keep the gear? Or, if you are a person of means perhaps consider gifting a rig to someone who could appreciate it but lacks the means.

Agree with this. Was going to mention about money and space too. Yeah...if it was me, keep the headphone amp

 

[Robin L]

It definitely sounds slightly different than the headphone out jack on the Luxman on Sennheiser 6XX cans.

This might be due to differences in output impedance, or the difference between a solid state class A amp and a hybrid tube amp.

Both can drive the headphones to louder than I want.

Is it better than the Luxman headphone jack?

Definitely not via the MJ2's SE output. The Luxman sounds better by quite a bit.

If I compare MJ2 XLR out vs Luxman 1/4" out, it's closer, but the Luxman still probably sounds better, if more neutral is better.

Speaking just for myself I'd get rid of the tube headphone amp on the grounds of hassle/distraction and space. I have never been happier with any piece of electronic gear than my Topping L30. Cleaner 'n anything. And it hardly takes up any space at all.

 

[raif71]

Make a poll and let us decide for you

 

[watchnerd]

Make a poll and let us decide for you

Good idea!

But I think I have to start a new thread?

 

[raif71]

Good idea!

But I think I have to start a new thread?

Sorry, I'm not sure. Can't the OP just edit current thread? Admin or anyone has ideas?

 

[A Surfer]

Make a poll and let us decide for you

Ha ha, totally. They need to offer their fate up to the random unwashed masses on the Internet. My decision would be for them to send me the underused gear. That works.