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Showing 1 of 58 conversations about:
KaiS
77
Dec 6, 2018
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I got the Mitchell & Johnson GL2 from the last drop, and the sound is absolute crap. It's so bad that it's hard to tell where to start describing it: honky, shrill, dull, nasal, extremely colored, all at the same time. Additionally the sound is very much depending on the seal and seating on your head, this might be the reason for the extreme different descriptions this thing gets in the reviews. All this does not change the tiniest bit during burn in. I do own a lot of high end and medium priced headphones. The GL2 is nowhere near the quality of any of them, the quality is like a $3 piece from the supermarket, total waste of money. The electrostatic (electro"Statz") driver part does absolutely nothing, It's neither audible nor does it contribute anything to the sound during measurements, which I did. A great idea executed in the worst possible way. This thing should not appear on Massdrop at all. If you are looking for good and inexpensive headphones get yourself the Massdrop Hifiman 4XX or the Sennheiser HD58x Jubilee. The 4XX is great as it is, full, clear and transparent, and can be further improved by simple modifications like grid and pad swap, bringing it on par with the big boys. The HD58x has a softer, but clear and precise presentation and combined with the DEKONI Elite Hybrid pads gets a very strong bass range too.
(Edited)
Dec 6, 2018
jaybop
9
Dec 6, 2018
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KaiSWhy are you reviewing a completely different model? Would you go on the website for Ford and say the F150 is shit because you don't like your ford pinto?
Dec 6, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 6, 2018
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jaybopBecause the whole Electrostatz line uses the exact same drivers and construction. And my findings exactly correspond with this: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/mitchell-johnson-jp1-dj/
Dec 6, 2018
Modlion-Antmic
Dec 6, 2018
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KaiSWhenever I see something like this on massdrop my spitey sences begin to tingle. Nothing is actually going to be this expensive and drop for this little unless the product is shit and the company is selling to make any money back on their investment.
Dec 6, 2018
jaybop
9
Dec 6, 2018
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KaiSAhh fair enough! Thanks for correcting my uninformed comment :)
Dec 6, 2018
PolygonBronson
195
Dec 6, 2018
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KaiSThank you for the link. That is some really interesting information. Especially where the dynamic driver plays louder than the electrostat one all the way up to 20khz. I think I will skip this drop after reading that.
Dec 6, 2018
Grudge
0
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSThanks for this review. I have been searching for an honest look. I think I’m going to try out the HD58x and your pad recomendation. Cheers.
Dec 7, 2018
Morri2
81
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSWow! This is a great link!
Dec 7, 2018
Barondla
146
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSThis is not true. All the drivers are not exactly the same. I own the GL2 and MJ2. The GL2 uses a clear dome dynamic driver, while the MJ2 uses a greyish opaque cone like driver. Pictures of the JP1 driver looks similar to the MJ2.
Dec 7, 2018
bkk2018
21
Dec 7, 2018
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Barondlawhen I read on head fi that these need 100+ hours of burn in and the changes are amazing then i see this above "they are crap" I tend to believe the 50+ people on head fi. Also doing some searching as we do some of the most respected headphone reviewers in the world have given them the thumbs up. My guess is that for whatever reason the burn in that others have talked about the poster above has not done
Dec 7, 2018
Barondla
146
Dec 7, 2018
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bkk2018Possible. Sound quality is subjective and people can disagree. That is fine. Claiming all the drivers are the same is easily refuted. A clear dome doesn't look anything like a grey opaque cone. Believe the M&J show more variation in sound with different components. Even though they are very efficient, and a cellphone can power them to loud volume, they are a more complex load. Components with high output impedance will allow much greater frequency response variations than those with low output impedance. This might explain some of the different opinions. Good reviewers use different setups to test equipment.
Dec 7, 2018
ferez21
19
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSThey seem to have different specs JP1 Technical Specifications:
  • Frequency Response: 6 to 50,000Hz
  • Sound Pressure level: 120dB
  • Impedance: 32 ohms
  • Acoustic System: Closed back
  • Total harmonic Distortion: <=0.1%
GL2 Technical Specifications:
  • Frequency Response: 12 to 40,000Hz
  • Sound Pressure level: 115dB
  • Impedance: 32 ohms
  • Acoustic System: Closed back
  • Total harmonic Distortion: <=0.5%

Dec 7, 2018
SniccSnaccer
2
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSIt seems as he is reviewing the headphone compared to other high end headphones at approx. the same price. (In the link you sent). On amazon UK, the JP1 costs about £429 wich is about the same as $550. Given this, it seems as you got a faulty headphone, and while it may not be as good as other headphones at $600, it's still a very good headphone for the wee price of $100. In the review you sent, it seems like a pretty good headphone for its purpose - DJ - because of the good low dB ratings that does NOT go into the midi. I would still advice people to get this, if they think it seems nice, given the low price its at.
(Edited)
Dec 7, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 7, 2018
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SniccSnaccer You can read the reviews on the link I supplied: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/mitchell-johnson-jp1-dj/ This is exactly what I do hear with my pair, even after 200h of burn in. And yes, I tried with different sources and I am aware of the problematic drive situation for the Electrostaz line, where the reviewer showed some evidence too. When I purchase a headphone with the combination of a dynamic and electrostatic driver I expect the electrostatic driver to contribute something to the sound, which is not the case. I have listened to it, I have measured this and come to the exact same conclusion as the above mentioned review: In the Electrostatz line the electrostatic part of the driver is much too inefficient, it's only effect is to bring down the impedance to 4 ohms in the treble, making the thing really hard to drive. Compared to the Massdrop Hifiman HE4xx or the Sennheiser HD58x it cannot compete by the smallest margin. Everybody is free to try by himself, and some might like the sound maybe - I don't.
Dec 7, 2018
Uzuzu
1431
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSWhy are you ruining your Sennheiser's with a non-stock pad lmao? It's common knowledge Sennheiser stock pads are perfect.
Dec 7, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 7, 2018
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UzuzuI have the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6xx too, use it with original pads. Depending on the music one or the other sounds better to me. The HD58x is a little bit brighter and fits nicely to the bass-enhancing Dekoni Elite Hybrid pads, plus, these are more comfi.
Dec 7, 2018
Barondla
146
Dec 7, 2018
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KaiSCan't accurately say the Electrostatz driver makes no sonic contribution, unless the same headphones have been auditioned with them unhooked. The electrets probably don't handle half the work load. Normal engineering tends to do this. Not every designer does this. Zu home speakers, use a fullrange driver and add a tweeter for sparkle. Other designers use a rear firing super tweeter, padded down to a low level, to augment the main tweeter and increase air and spaciousness. No one has invented the one perfect way to reproduce sound. Seems strange to knock a headphone for a having an extra driver than the Sennheisers.
Dec 7, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 8, 2018
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BarondlaI did unhook the drivers individually , listened and measured them too. But my main complaint is the headphones sound like crap to me and every penny spend on them is waste of money and better spend elsewhere. The mentioned reviewer comes to the same conclusion, packed in nicer words. I hoped I could do some mods, but there is no ground to start from, the electrostatic driver is way too inefficient (ca. 20dB below the dynamic's level) and it's frequency response is a peaky mess. I have here vintage AKG headphones which combine electrostatic and dynamic drivers (AKG K340, K4 and K145), and their's are still, despite their age, 50 times more efficient! Now over 300 are sold here, let's wait what people think of it.
(Edited)
Dec 8, 2018
Barondla
146
Dec 8, 2018
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KaiSThere may be something wrong with your GL2. Peaky is one of the last words I would use to describe them. Could see where they might be considered too smooth (like some think DSD can sound). They are warmer balanced than neutral.
Dec 8, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 8, 2018
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BarondlaIt's true that the upper bass/lower midrange is overpowered IMO, but above that what's there is very uneven, that's what sounds peaky to me. My measurement of the GL2 looks some like the one of the JP1 published here: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/headphones/measurements/mitchell-johnson-jp1-dj/ so I doubt my GL2 is broken, even though left and right side are similar. If someone likes a strong bass combined with quality sound I would suggest to look into the drop of the 1More Triple Driver Over-Ear which just came up for $129. I have it and I like it.
(Edited)
Dec 8, 2018
WolfLordTK
0
Dec 13, 2018
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KaiSWhat is the output impedance of your source? If your source also has too high of noise levels or distortion it could be it. The electret driver is only 4 ohms if memory serves
Dec 13, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 13, 2018
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WolfLordTK0.3 Ohms and lots of undistorted current capablity, no problem on this side. No, it's simply the totally ineffective electrostat driver combined with very weird tuning. As mentioned, the old AKG K340's electrostat driver converts over 50 times more effective. I liked the Electrostaz idea, but the way it's made is absolutely amateurish, from people that seem to have no idea of electroacoustics. This thing cannot hold a candle compared to any "serious" headphone.
(Edited)
Dec 13, 2018
WolfLordTK
0
Dec 13, 2018
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KaiSOK just wanted to know if it was just bad pairing. Bought the JP1 and they might be good. It seems that there might be some major QC issues that cause problems like yours.
Dec 13, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 13, 2018
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WolfLordTKCome back here once you have them and tell us. I don't think QC is the problem, at least left and right cups are identical here, meaning nothing is broken.
Dec 13, 2018
WolfLordTK
0
Dec 13, 2018
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KaiSQC as in the capacitors and high/low pass filters could have been broken messing with the tonality of yours. If you got a bad transformer (used as a filter) it could have thoroughly caused a lack of dominance in the estat and/or greatly messed up other things too, also possibly allowing the dynamic to play frequency reserved for the estat.
Dec 13, 2018
KaiS
77
Dec 14, 2018
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WolfLordTKDo you already have your's? Try the the 1More Triple Driver Over Ear Headphones, it's price reduced everywhere (e.g. $149 -15% @ https://usa.1more.com/products/tripleoverear) if you like strong bass combined with a great musical and natural sound. Easy to drive too.
(Edited)
Dec 14, 2018
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