Are headphone amps frustrating and depressing?

Yes, buy a quality integrated stereo amp with bass and treble controls and live happily ever after.

Software EQ or a dedicated hardware EQ are options

Parametric eq in Foobar/JRiver and you're done! 

Yes, equing helps. 

 

Or probably you don't like the sound signature of your headphones/amp. (are you a basshead?)

If you need to adjust anything, your setup is wrong for you, enough said. ;D Or then you're not accepting how the music should sound...

Not really. You might have a great sound that just lacks a bit of air in the top, as with the Senn 650. A slight twitch to the right on a treble control can mean the difference between keeping a phone and selling it.

How is not having EQ depressing? My philosophy is that you should appreciate the unique qualities and sound signature of your headphones, rather than tweaking them so they all sound the same.

I don't have any 1k+ amps but even then, I don't have any problems with them not having any features. You can always get a studio dac that will let you play around.

Anyone who thinks the LCD-2s don't have enough bass clearly has something wrong with their ears or never heard a kick drum in person. :S

The good amps don't need EQ. If a design is poor, I won't buy it in the first place.

You might be interested in an equalizer. Also, the M^3 (which is a good amp) has a variable bass boost that's well implemented. You might want to look into one.

But generally, I look for amps that just have a power switch and volume control. The best amps focus on a great circuit, great build quality and good parts. A good circuit is the most important part.

Quote:Originally Posted by pp312 

Not really. You might have a great "sound that just lacks a bit of air in the top, as with the Senn 650. A slight twitch to the right on a treble control can mean the difference between keeping a phone and selling it."


I'd rather sell the headphone and get one better suited to my preferences than rely on EQ. If the OP thinks the LCD2 is bass shy then the OP isn't looking for a neutral or transparent sound. Certainly not a real sound. Which, I suppose, is fine. The better the headphone and amp though, the more neutral they will generally be.

"I'd rather sell the headphone and get one better suited to my preferences than rely on EQ."

 

So would I because I don't believe in wholesale EQ, which is why I suggested a slight twitch of the treble control. There's a vast difference between EQing, which generally implies an equaliser and invites constant fiddling and changing things, and using a treble control to effect a slight, permanent change to the sound, sufficient to turn it from vaguely dissatisfying to wholly satisfying. Let's define our terms here.

From the original post it reads like the OP hasn't heard the LCD2/concerto yet.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

Amps like their name implies are only meant to do what their supposed to do; amplify the sound. If you want your amp to come with a myriad of features, you will have to look elsewhere. From your experiences it seems you're used to bass-heavy music which is not how the music actually sounds. The denons are about as bass-heavy as you're going to get without touching the EQ.