Amp recommendations for Audeze LCD-3 - Page 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrahman 

I am thinking about getting a WA22 or at least going for a trial with it and my lcd3...

 

It seems like most of head-fi agrees that ortho's benefit from tons of power.  The WA22 "only" puts out ~1.5 watts at 50 ohms, should I be concerned?  Especially when I can get a Mjolnir that puts out 5 watts.

 

The other question I have is, can I use the WA22 as a preamp for a speaker amplifier?  Or is that a terrible idea...

 

X2 - WA22 gives enough power indeed. 

The W22 pre-amp option is 350 extra, someone just checked it out. 

Got to love Jack,  Aug ok, May no.

I have a question about using the Audez'e LCD-3 balanced. I'm aware that while the LCD-3 is a great headphone in many regards, it doesn't have the massive and deep soundstage of the Sennheiser HD800. Does using the LCD-3 in balanced configuration widen the 3D soundstage? If so, is the improvement in soundstage significant, to the level of stock HD800? I hear many people recommending balanced configuration for LCD-3, but I'm not exactly sure which aspects are significantly improved by doing so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by songmic 

I have a question about using the Audez'e LCD-3 balanced. I'm aware that while the LCD-3 is a great headphone in many regards, it doesn't have the massive and deep soundstage of the Sennheiser HD800. Does using the LCD-3 in balanced configuration widen the 3D soundstage? If so, is the improvement in soundstage significant, to the level of stock HD800? I hear many people recommending balanced configuration for LCD-3, but I'm not exactly sure which aspects are significantly improved by doing so.

It really depends on your source and amp. If your source and amp have a true balanced configuration from input to output, then using the LCD-3 balanced would yield a greater difference as compared to SE. The 'soundstage' may also be better in a true balanced configuration, with better detail separation. However, that being said, I do not think the soundstage of the LCD-3 can be significantly improved such that it is on the level of the HD 800. Each headphone has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by songmic 

Does using the LCD-3 in balanced configuration widen the 3D soundstage?

No.  All headphones are single ended devices and feeding a headphone a balanced, usually simply bridged, input doesn't do squat on its own.  A better amp will improve the LCD-3, single ended or balanced.  Lots of great balanced amps, lots of terrible ones too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude 

No.  All headphones are single ended devices and feeding a headphone a balanced, usually simply bridged, input doesn't do squat on its own.  A better amp will improve the LCD-3, single ended or balanced.  Lots of great balanced amps, lots of terrible ones too.

Actually most all headphones are balanced, differential devices. But since the only real benefit of that is common-mode rejection, and common-mode noise isn't really a problem on the headphone end of things, it's rather moot. But they are balanced.

se

Huh, I was under the impression the driver only saw the difference applied to the coil.  Stats are balanced in that they drive two opposing sides though.  Or do I need more sleep?

Lehmann Black Cube Linear. Any good with the LCD-3?

Has anyone heard the LCD-3 through a Naim Headline 2 coupled with a Hi Cap power supply?

Haven't heard the combination but have heard the Naim with other phones.

IMO the Naim is just average and if I remember right is designed for high impedance phones of which the LCD-3 is not.

 You can do alot better for the price.

Hi Solude,  Noticed you went with the Apex/Volcano after shortly acquiring the Liquid Fire.  Any reason you decided against the LF as I know may have an opportunity to acquire it to go with the LCD 3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazyboy_sg 

Hi Solude,  Noticed you went with the Apex/Volcano after shortly acquiring the Liquid Fire.  Any reason you decided against the LF as I know may have an opportunity to acquire it to go with the LCD 3.

I honestly think there was something wrong with Solude's LF. But could also be taste? I've heard the Peak/Volcano on a few separate occasions (with two of my favourite tubes: Sylvania 5692 and Shuguang Treasure) and IMO the LF (when working properly) and a quad of Siemens E88CC tubes is the best I've heard the LCD-3 from (to my ears anyway).

I've purchased an FirstWatt F5 clone (25watts into 8 ohms) to try with a pair of LCD3 headphones and need to get a cable adapter made to connect the two.

Does anyonw know whether it would be safe simply to strip back an old LCD3 cable and attach directly, or would one need some sort of resistor array?

Or does anyone have experience with one of these? I assume it may do the trick too.

If you know which is +/- and l/r, then you can hook to the speaker taps. Just keep the volume way down at first.

For any FirstWatt just be sure you aren't sharing ground.  You have to wire L+ L-, R+ R-.

As for the LF v Peak, I never had both at the same time and originally based on reviews, had no intention of trying a Peak.  That said the LF with 'good' tubes is $2400+ used, $3400+ new.  At that price merely hanging with the best isn't enough, you need to slaughter the competition.  When I started my trip through amps for the LCD-2 then LCD-3 I already had the GS-1.  Brought in the WA22 and LF and compared them against each other before comparing to the GS-1.  The WA22 had arguably better tubes but the LF was just too passive, too dry and too fuzzy to keep around.  Based on what I heard, it really belonged in the sub $1000 range.  The WA22 was simply more alive, more detailed and reached further in both directions.

Later the B22 would top the WA22 as a similar but with better soundstage offering that in my config also had pre-amp so no brainer new best choice.  The Peak simply out classed them all.  Where the others were incremental improvements, the Peak was simply better everywhere possibly due to tube choice or maybe a change was made to the original, I don't know, I don't care.  Since I've also tried the Soloist which is like a better GS-1 and the Mjolnir which is like a Peak that's been tonally tilted up.

If I had to make a choice on an amp under $1000, the Mjolnir and Soloist are no brainers,  Soloist for a more passive presentaion, Mjolnir for an engaging presentation.

Above that the stand out is the Peak for me.  The other amps I tried above the $1000 mark were bested by the Soloist and Mjolnir.  I haven't heard a lot of other top choices though so an EC BA, Woo WA5, GS-X, Dynahi... may well crush the Peak.  I may never know, I've moved on to source swapping :D