Sell almost all my gear for an Audeze LCD-2?

Why are you in a hurry?  The LCD-2s will wait for you...

 

...and "upgraditis" is incurable.

I purchased the LCD-2s without ever hearing another high end headphone and now I really do not care to hear any other cans.  I love the way they sound so I decided to buy a Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2 for it and soon a Violectric V200.  If you get a pair of LCD's you'll need an amp capable of running it.  From my understanding the asgard will not do this but the Lyr will.   Then you'll need a decent source...

I'm kind of a minimalist--not just with headphones, but with most things in my life.  I like having the minimum amount of equipment for a maximum amount of uses.  I would go for it; as in, sell everything (I will own an LCD-2 in a couple of weeks and currently have only a Yuin PK3 as my portable).

 

In your case, though, since you enjoy all of your other headphones (and from what I see in your signature, it is a nice variety), is it possible for you to purchase the LCD-2 and then decide whether you want to sell the others?  I'm not sure what your financial situation is, but that would be the ideal way to do it since you're planning to drastically downsize.  Try them out and see how they fit into your collection.  Who knows--you might end up selling or keeping gear that you weren't planning to after such an experiment.

 

No headphone is perfect for everyone--not even the LCD-2 with the large amount of praise (and criticism) it has garnered here on Head-Fi and elsewhere.  Ultimately--and I'm sure you've heard this before--your ears and your preferences are what matter most.  Reading tons of impressions is very helpful, but there are still no guarantees that you'll enjoy them as much as other people do.

 

So what I guess I'm trying to say is, don't bet most of your gear on just one headphone!

Edited by ktsai1283 - 5/6/11 at 6:26pm

If it is a financial burden, than it is questionable and up to you.  But if your doubt is just about getting rid of a bunch of "mid-fi" headphones that you aren't that happy with, than I say go for it.  What's the point of having a bunch of different headphones that don't do their job that well, when you can have 1 headphone that performs much better?  You only have one head, and you can only use one at a time. 

 

People need multiple headphones for different genres because they either like the colorations, or because none of them are very good.  If it's the latter, and if you have one headphone that you are happier with, you don't need a bunch of flavors. 

 

Would you rather eat multiple flavors of safeway brand ice cream for the rest of your life, or 1 flavor of locally hand made artisan ice cream for the rest of your life? 

 

 

The LCD-2's are well regarded and great sounding. Why not audition them before? you can also consider the HA-160 as an option for them. It would make a nice match. 

one thing i could say to you is that in my experience the schiit asgard is not a good amp for orthos.  I owned it along with 3 other amps simultaneously and did a 4 way comparison with amps that all cost $500 or less, and if it werent for the fact that one of the amps was a portable, the schiit would have come in last.  Not to say its a bad amp, cause its not, but for the tunderpants, the sound quality was pretty signifigantly improved with other amps.. specifically Tube hybrid amps, which are known to be popular and excellent matches for orthos. 

Orthos THRIVE, THRIVE, THRIVE, in a tubed environment... you think orthos have good mids with a solid state amp? you have not tapped their true potential.

 

Sachu, and Smeggy, two of the Ortho gods on this forum both highly recommended the Cavalli CTH (compact tube hybrid) to me.  This is a DIY only amp, BUT,  its also fairly easy to find a good one already built on the FS forums for around $300 or less.  This is one heck of an amp!  Its known for going head to head with amps that cost 2x, or even 3x as much. Cavalli designs some stellar amps.

 

I cant recommend it enough.

 

Lots of ortho heads have called the thunderpants with O2 pads the best closed cans available today, but they also always say (from what ive read anyway) that the LCD-2 are better.  to be clear i have never heard the LCD-2

 

hope this helps. 

 

I wouldn´t say I must have different headphones. But it really adds to music enjoyment to get different perspectives. It´s not like the LCD-2 is perfect either and match every single tonal balance you encounter IRL. It doesn´t do everything the best. If you have at least two headphones running you can get varying degree of NTS flowing constantly and better fight upgraditis thus. Even easier with three or four headphones. 

 

Reason I couldn´t just stick with the LCD-2 for example currently is weight and isolation issues. It doesn´t isolate whatsoever and is hardly the most comfortable headphone out there. Also image not so well

 

Sysfail if can´t afford an LCD-2 on top of what you have you are stretching the bank to much and shouldn´t buy it. Though there is nothing my fostex T50RPs does better then the LCD-2 :). If it just a mental thing then just try it on top and then sell things you can make without later on? Then you don´t have to have such agony if you sell something you later felt you should have kept.

 

I went through the same thought process and i've already sold almost all my stuff and am about to order and LCD2. I sold my HF2, which was my favorite set, and I'm hoping I won't regret purchasing the LCD2. The great reviews and comparisons to other top of the line cans helped me make my decision. I don't have enough money for a decent amp after buying them and will only be able to purchase an amp at the end of the year.

 

Why not wait until you have enough for the LCD-2 and whatever amp you're looking to drive them with to make an informed decision?  You would then avoid potentially re-buying what you sold to fund the upgrade and could take your time selling whatever you choose not to use anymore instead of having a chaotic firesale where your investments probably won't sell for as much.  It's obvious that you've grown fond of what your current selection has to offer, and chances are the LCD-2 won't be able to replace every SQ that you like in your current collection.  I, for one, sometimes miss the "honest" sound of the HD600 (even if they lack a bit of the fun factor) and the low end presentation of a leathered Darth Beyer V3.

 

However, my current need for closed-backs renders the HD600 a poor investment and the Darth's lack of versatility certainly doesn't cater to my varied taste.  Since I'm not willing to reach for a different 'phone for every album and I'll often listen to content that I'm entirely unfamiliar with, I need one headphone to do it all.  I pulled the trigger on the Edition 8 today and am hoping it's the cure for my "upgraditis" when they arrive next week.  Judging from the above quoted statement, if I were in your situation I would keep a selection on hand.  If you're concerned about your "upgraditis," perhaps you can establish a set number of cans your willing to own at one time and then follow a strict one in, one out policy.

I agree with your strategy but don't think you should make the jump until you hear a pair.

I sold off a bunch of headphones to pay for a HD-800, and that worked out great. But I didn't do it until I had put in a couple hours with the HD-800 and played a lot of music I'm familiar with.

The LCD2 might be the perfect headphone for you - give it a try first to make sure.

I am supposed to get my LCD-2 on monday, I am gonna be looking for an amp for it as well. I have a MAD Ear + and a KICAS non caliente for now that I will try with it, If it works then I guess I am set. I am currently looking at a few (WA6SE and Meier Concerto) I do want 1 SS and one tube in the end of it all..  @Sysfail. looking at your post from another thread made me want to get a TP as well, But I will wait, I gotta see how I like the LCD2 first then move on.  I can't was to hear your impression on both cans..

The LCD's will run you $1K. Not around $900 or so.   I don't know of any $200 amp that anyone is saying can push the LCD's.  But for $500 you'll get all you need from the Lyr. If you can't run the LCD's with a decent amp then don't spend the money on them.  So really your talking  at least $1500.  

 

But if I had all the headphones you have I would keep them all and get the Lyr.    Pass on the LCD's and explore and enjoy the nice collection you have with a nice amp.  I think just by your nature you like a lot of different kinds of perspectives from your phones and you have that in your collection.  so then there is the question.  Not selling anything but getting more potential out of what you have.  I think the answer to that is maybe a combo unit.  Something with a decent DAC and headphone Amp combined. That will probably push your collection up to another level at a mid price cost, something you can afford, or save for a while to afford.

 

So yeah I'm talking you out of the LCD's and into something that will upgrade your entire present collection.  That's my advice.

Edited by WarriorAnt - 5/6/11 at 10:22pm