Amp
V222 is a lot lusher, dynamics more fun, and the vocals still a lot sweeter and forward, makes it more engaging for me overall with my rock music taste
MJ3 is the in-between. A bit more impact in the bass than Mentor 'allures' to you. The timbre sweeter, but it sounds thinner in body and power than the Mentor.
Warm --V222--Mj3-Mentor- Neutral
Detail --V222-MJ3----Mentor
Dac
Bifrost 2: definitely warms the tone up, but Amazed I can hear the detail drop going from NOS to OS. It's a straight downgrade to keep OS on.
Ares 12th-1: Dead-Neutral and more detail than the Bifrost 2, but bigger soundstage at the cost of some dead space in the space between instruments
...
Pontus II & Iris came today. Both on older firmware, not 12TH-1 yet
Soundstage: sounds like this pair matches the Mentor in grand size, whereas the Bifrost 2 cramped it. Separation is greater than Ares and Bifrost also
Tone: Got my warmth back, and the vocals are pushed forward. the bass is bigger but hits a bit softer than on the Ares 12th-1, likely firmware-driven
Makes the cold Mentor far more natural, but the speediest and sharpest clarity in the treble is subdued, and slightly sibilant at the very top of S's, but for every other range it's more effortless and less fatiguing to listen to. Think 'Tube-like'
Noteworthy, the Timbre is superior to the Bifrost 2, beating schiit at their own game there.
V222 + Ares 12th-1 is still thicker and lusher than Mentor + Pontus II, going to show that you truly can't "warm-up" an amp to change it's character.
If it's not for you, I say don't waste money trying to turn an Apple into an Orange in that sense.
Think i'll upgrade the Iris and Pontus II to the 12-TH-1 firmware, but maybe not til I have an M-field in front of me. The warmth is nice for now.
Note: Mentor at about 20 hours, not at the 100 hour maturity yet.