Mahler Sympohny no 2 – track 3
LCD-3 With this track it is harder to pick a winner than with the others, so much is happening in this piece that all merges into a symphonic whole (which often is the intention of using a symphony orchestra…) Mjolnir makes all a bit smoother, it all blends into an integrated whole, whilst I feel the WA22 makes the stuff that is supposed to stand out, stand out just a bit more. Both do a really good job.
WA22 > Mjolnir
SRH1840 I find it hard to declare a winner here, it is too close to tell. WA22 = Mjolnir
On the already warm HD650 the more euphonic mids on the WA22 might get a bit too much compared to the Mjolnirs more polite presentation, which in turn makes me feel more space. Mjolnir > WA22
HE-6 On this piece I put the WA22 almost to the max, normally I have it at 11-13 oclock with the HE6. Though really enjoying the Mjolnir, when I swap to the WA22, I just feel everything opens up a bit, really. WA22>Mjolnir
HE-500 On the WA22, it feels like there is more room, the Mjolnir kind of of flattens things down a bit, or maybe it brings all things more equal. Some details, (coughing etc) are more upfront on the Mjolnir, which makes sense since it feels like the brighter one. It is really hard to pick a favorite hear, the relaxed but detailed drier Mjolnir or the more spacious and warm WA22. WA22>= Mjolnir
Radiohead – Go to sleep
LCD-3 The steel strings might have a bit more “bite” on the Mjolnir, but only by a tad. The vocals feel more natural one the WA22. WA22 >= Mjolnir
SRH1840 I still prefer the WA22. By a tad.
HD650 The Mjolnir brings out a nice crispiness, making me prefer the Mjolnir. Mjolnir > WA22
HE-6 With the notoriously hard to drive HE6, the Mjolnir shows its strength, offering a tighter grip. I am again surprised how well the less powerful WA22 fares, but it in the bass especially, it misses a lot of detail. Not that you realize it before you swap amps, though. But this time the Mosfets of the Schiit gives the edge. Mjolnir >WA22
HE500 The WA22’s more euphonic character is hard to beat, this song also feels more tidy on the WA22, maybe because the vocals get to dominate more. WA22 > Mjolnir
Conclusion
Mjolnir is a good amp, and keeps up in many ways to the far more expensive WA22. Though, for my taste the WA22 is just a better amp. And for more than double the price, that should be expected.
Sound signature
There are clear general differences in sound signature that goes along the usual tube vs solid state stereotype. The bass is generally tighter on the Mjolnir and slightly fuller on the WA22. The mids are warmer sounding, more present, forward and euphonic on the WA22. The highs seem to be equally extended on both, but the Mjolnir has a bit more edginess in the treble region. Some like a bit more “bite”, while others find it to be less pleasant sounding. In essence this makes Mjolnir a “drier” sounding amp.
Detail level
I did find both amps to be very detailed. They both are revealing, but the WA22 is revealing in a more enjoyable way. On the Mjolnir coughs, unintended instrument sounds etc. got more of my attention. I attribute to the increased quantity of treble, and I usually found it to be a negative thing.
Soundstage
I was a bit puzzled by the Mjolnir. It makes the instruments sound more even leveled, the individual instruments stand less out from the crowd, everything feels a bit more constrained, and lastly the soundstage depth is way shallower than with the WA22. I was truly really impressed by the WA22 here, how it had great separation and warmth at the same time.
Matching
I was a bit surprised to what extent that across the variations of headphones and genres I played, there still was a very consistent pattern. Mostly I preferred the WA22, and mostly for the same reasons. I sometimes liked the Mjolnir for being less euphonic than the WA22 on tracks and headphones that were already euphonic enough on the Mjolnir, and sometimes the bass was noticeably better textured on the Mjolnir.
Concluding the conclusion
As you probably have figured out: For the most part, I found myself liking the WA22 more. It has a more organic forward sound, yet detailed and with better sense of separation and depth than the Mjolnir. The only place I felt the Mjolnir had a slight advantage was in bass texture, but that wasn’t really much of a difference. It surprised me that even the HE-6 generally played better in my ears with the WA22, proving to me that raw power isn’t everything after all, even for the HE-6.
The Mjolnir has its advantages and is the more powerful amp, and generally has a tighter grip on the bass. Though, at least for my kind of music and my volume levels, I still prefer the WA22 especially due to its more open and organic character, warmer mids and smoother highs.
Don’t get me wrong. The Mjolnir is a great amplifier. If you are in the market for an amplifier at that price point, you are getting a nice piece of gear. But you sometimes get a better amp for more money, and WA22 is one of them.
Associated Equipement
Source: Lossless FLAC via SB Touch over SPDIF/coax to a Violectric V800 DAC
Tubes: WA22 equipped with Mullard GZ34, TS5998 and Sylvania VT231 tubes, all NOS.
