The challenges of powering them is real though
Thankfully, the Tungsten V2’s are stated to be 20-30% more efficient 
Just ordered a pair of V2’s. This will be my first headphone purchase since getting the HE1000V2’s many years ago, and couldn’t have been happier with the sound I heard at CanJam NYC this year on the Tungsten V1’s.
According to this post: Modhouse Tungsten Measurements & Official Discussion - #171 by Polygonhell higher up in the thread, we can use the measurements provided by the Dragon Inspire page (750 mW @ 570 ohms):
and use that as the voltage limit and plug it into the formula V^2/R = P.
If we do a little algebra to solve for voltage, we get V^2 = PR → V = SQRT(PR) → V = SQRT (0.75 W* 570 ohms) → V = 20.7 RMS = 20,700 mV
Then plug that into this calculator: Headphone Calculator < Service < Lehmannaudio
while using the Tungsten V1’s measurements of 78 dB/mW and 155 ohm impedance and we get:
Your amplifier is plenty powerful for listening to music with the Tungsten if you listen at around 80dB average SPL, as it will output 112 dB at max settings, which leaves about 30 dB as the crest factor.
As usual, tube amps are doing a great job here at delivering solid amounts of power via high voltage rather than high current.
I’m excited for you! Pics or it didn’t happen! 
Tease! Show me the money!
Well……? Where’s the chedda?
All I can say for certain until I’ve spent a week or two with it is that it sounds really great. I’m confident it is worth the money. Is it worth the wait? For me it was but then I continued to try some things like the ZMF Atrium and Bokeh, and the Hifiman Mini Shangri-La in the meantime rather than just sitting around anticipating.
I haven’t done any A/B comparison with other headphones yet. But I would say that it seems to sit between my Audeze LCD-5 (that I sold, so it’s been awhile) and my Meze Empyrean II. The LCD-5 had amazing clarity but was ultimately fatiguing and unforgiving. Bad or boring recording = bad or boring listening. The Empyrean II still has excellent clarity but is warmer, much more forgiving, and way more comfortable. The Tungsten brings that feeling that you’re hearing more of the recording. It has the clarity of the LCD-5 without the clamp, long listening session fatigue, and unforgiving nature. So it’s a VERY good all-rounder. Not quite as easy of a listen as the Empyrean II. Not quite as comfortable or spacious sounding either.
I get a better sense of realistic timbre with the Tungsten than other headphones I have heard. This could easily just be new toy bias though. Until I actually A/B with some other headphones I am giving this a large amount of Himalayan pink salt.
Keep in mind that I developed EQ presets for both the LCD-5 and Empyrean II whereas the Tungsten doesn’t seem to need EQ. Have I already started boosting the sub-bass? Yeah. But other than that it seems almost perfect and I don’t think I can say that about any of my other headphones. I still plan to try more EQ eventually after I understand its strengths and weaknesses better. Maybe I’ll hear an improvement, maybe not.
That’s all fine and good, but what you really want to know is does my Tungsten V2 sound as good or better than a V1. Lucky for you I am meeting someone who is bringing a V1 later today. Stay tuned…
Oh I forgot to talk about drivability. The Schiit Mjolnir 3 can easily drive the V2 off of a 4V balanced input. Even with -6db of EQ pregain.
Just for lulz I also successfully ran it off of my Schiit Lyr+ that is fed off of the headphone out of my MacBook Air. Granted the volume was very close to max, but the MacBook is only feeding the Lyr+ up to 1V. I was so impressed I decided to try my Folkvangr. It worked and the volume knob wasn’t close to max but you can forget about the sub-bass. It distorts before it slams.
Do you have the specs for the V2 sensitivity and impedance?
I was thinking about upgrading my Schiit Midgard to a Jotunheim to drive these as I think that’s Schiit’s most powerful headphone amp and it’s a fraction of the Mjolnir 's price (1.2W into 300 ohms)
I do not know. The announcement email said 20%-30% more efficient than V1. I did try them off of my Schiit Midgard and it worked but there wasn’t much left in it. That indicates that a Jotunheim would be good to go but there’s the varying recording levels, your personal listening level, and any negative EQ pregain to consider.
Makes sense. The midgard is just short of the voltage needed to drive the Tungstens so it was never really about current with them, so any sensitivity improvements might not apply.
Jotunheim is just as powerful if not more powerful than the Mjolnir so it should be a solid pairing.
Yeah looks are not its strong suit, but the sound is for sure. 
I’ll be interested in your further impressions of it once you get some time with it. And later on if you get a chance to compare with your friends V1.
Did you get the Deep Tune rings for yours? I think it’s an outstanding addition, and requires no bass boost eq.
I guess I thought you had a Rag 2, maybe thinking of somebody else? In any case, good to hear MJ3 is working well.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
I did get the DT rings months ago. While I use EQ a lot, the rings were a cheap way to experiment and I like supporting small businesses. Turns out I knew the owner through the local headphone meets and he lives just across town. In fact, that’s who stopped by today with his Tungsten V1: @rinzzlr. 
I did get a Ragnarok 2 mostly because I was worried that Mjolnir 3 wouldn’t drive the Tungstens sufficiently. Then I end up with 20%-30% more efficient Tungsten V2 which run just fine off of the Mjolnir 3. In fact, I thought the MJ3 was sufficient for the Tungsten V1 as well. Now I have to decide if I will sell the Ragnarok 2 or use it to power some as yet unpurchased speakers. Oh well.
But I have no regrets because both of us agreed that the Tungsten V2 are strictly superior to the V1. Yep, I am that confident. Anyone with an outstanding Tungsten order should upgrade to the V2 IMHO. Rinzzlr is considering owning both because he feels there are still some things that the V1 is a bit better at, but if he had to choose he’d pick the V2 for sure and he’s anxious to get one. I didn’t really think the V1 had any advantages.
The V2 has more bass and more textured bass. I really don’t think the rings are needed now. The V2 has a more natural timbre and the upper treble sounds smoother. Both of us agreed that the Hybrid and Fusion pads were needed on V1 to smooth out that upper treble, but V2 sounds perfect with the Caldera Ultra Perf pads that shipped with them. Those same pads came with Rinzzlr’s V1 but sound a bit harsh. So I think Ryan has successfully tuned the V2 better in the treble and so can take advantage of the added clarity the Caldera pads provide. I have yet to hear the Hybrid or Fusion pads on the V2 but Rinzzlr left a pair of each with me. I’ll probably get to it tonight.
I don’t know what more to say. We both expected the V2 to be more similar to the V1. I would say it’s a significant upgrade. In fact I’m anxious to compare to the Hifiman Susvara at the next meet. I’ve only heard the Susvara a few times but I think the Tungsten V2 may give it some real competition.
I’m going to loan the V2 to rinzzlr in a couple of weeks so he can measure them and maybe develop a V2 Deep Tuning Ring. But I’ll have them back in time for CanJam SoCal.
Wow that’s a lot to process! If you are both feeling that way about the v2 so quickly it does sound like Ryan made some not minor revisions. Unless and until I get to hear a v2 I have no basis for an opinion.
I do know that I really enjoy my v1, and will hold off on any thoughts of v2 for now.
It’s interesting how differently we all perceive what we hear, I have found Tungsten very smooth top to bottom, even with stock Caldera pads. I got the hybrids just for fun, and they are a bit warmer and slightly more bass, but it’s an incremental change to me.
I’m not hearing treble peakiness, but I can in some headphones. The Bokeh Open was a bit too hot for me until I changed the pads, and I have definitely had some treble pain with the HFA Dahlia. But many or most (?) don’t experience that with either headphone.
I’ll be curious if you try them on the Ragnarok. Some Tung users even run them off the speaker taps! 
Either way that amp should easily drive them. It’s good to have choices…
Anyway congrats, keep me posted on developments.
Curious to see how these will compare to the new Hifiman HE600 given that they share the same dna in succeeding the HE6.
One more question, did you compare the tungsten v2’s with the default grills vs the hex grills using the default caldera ultra perf pads?
No I’ve only used the hex grills on my V2. The V1 also had hex grills btw. I have compared the default to the hex grills at a local meet and preferred the hex. It’s not a night-and-day difference but if I’m going to spend that much and then wait months for it, I’m going to get the best options.
Speaking of which, I have done some comparing of the V2 with the Ultra Perf pads vs both the Fusion and Hybrid pads and the Ultra Perf win hands down. This may be because the Fusion and Hybrid pads were both on the V1 pad plate whereas V2 has a different pad plate design. I thought the Fusion and Hybrid sounded closer to each other than to the Ultra Perf, which supports this theory.
