Audeze LCD-3 Impressions Thread

[dan.gheorghe]

STX with LCD 3 :X I feared so. At this point those LCDs are running at 10%.
Of course you don't appreciate the 800s

You don't have a source for them.
And speakers amps for the 3s? No no no

 
+1
 
Hd800 scales a freaking lot with a good amp dac, and with stx...  nor hd800 or LCD3 for that matter reach a satisfying potential.
 
I am just saying this to prepare you to be blown away again after purchasing a good dac / amp.

 

[XVampireX]

So if this is 10%, what was it with CEC CD + Transport + Leben CS600 then? how much was that % out of it's true 100% potential?
 
How much will an Audio-gd NFB-10ES3 or NFB-28 add to that via Balanced and USB ?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  So if this is 10%, what was it with CEC CD + Transport + Leben CS600 then? how much was that % out of it's true 100% potential?
 
How much will an Audio-gd NFB-10ES3 or NFB-28 add to that via Balanced and USB ?

 
 
Traian was trying to make a point there (don't take the 10% literaly ) . It is hard to quantify the differences in such way. One thing that is for sure is that your headphones will scale a lot with better amp/dacs.

 

[citraian]

Never heard either of them and I don't know much about them

 

[Solude]

  So if this is 10%, what was it with CEC CD + Transport + Leben CS600 then? how much was that % out of it's true 100% potential?
 
How much will an Audio-gd NFB-10ES3 or NFB-28 add to that via Balanced and USB ?

 
Skylab loved the Leben, others thought it was horrid.  Audio-GD by all account seems to punch above it's class.  I'm quite liking the Mjolnir and Gungnir stack.  I'd peg it at an easy 80% of the PWD2 and GS-X mk2 combo.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

   
Skylab loved the Leben, others thought it was horrid.  Audio-GD by all account seems to punch above it's class.  I'm quite liking the Mjolnir and Gungnir stack.  I'd peg it at an easy 80% of the PWD2 and GS-X mk2 combo.

Where would you stack the Soloist near GSX-MK2?

 

[Solude]

Now on the PWD2 and Gungnir  I would say that the Soloist and Mjolnir are at the same level with the Mjolnir having larger dynamic range and sharpness.  Haven't done the A/B yet though so we'll see how that holds up to critical listening.

 

[kkcc]

NFB28 with LCD3 should give you 80% of the LCD3 potential. I compared it with dac and amp combos in the below $2500 range that I have access to and none made me interested in upgrading to. Including the burson, bursting, rwa, violectric, schitt. Grant most of these are demos in store so I don't get to spend days or weeks with them and the interconnect/power are variables.

On the other hand, I am less sure about how much HD800 I got from nfb28. The LCD3 certainly don't "ownz" it on nfb28 and both are very enjoyable and I deem them technically par. On different tracks/ album I may prefer one over the other. But in general I would say the LCD3 is easier to listen to as the sound is more laidback and forgiving of poor recordings/source.

STX in any case would have severely limited both of them.

 

[kothganesh]

  Now on the PWD2 and Gungnir  I would say that the Soloist and Mjolnir are at the same level with the Mjolnir having larger dynamic range and sharpness.  Haven't done the A/B yet though so we'll see how that holds up to critical listening.

You've got one very interested reader here ! When you say the Gung/Mojo is "at least 80% of the PwD2/GS-X", can you elucidate ? What, in your opinion, are those aspects of delivering optimal sound does the latter combo have over the Schiit stack ?
 
Thanks

 

[Girls Generation]

I would never buy Q since it's made from ETP copper which is worse than the one in the stock cable.

 
I don't know if you should dismiss Q just because it's ETP. It's quite up there and the workmanship is immaculate, not to mention Q's customer service is among some of the best. By theory OCC would be ideal but in real life, I honestly couldn't say I would actually be able to differentiate from types of wires while in normal situations.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

   
I don't know if you should dismiss Q just because it's ETP. It's quite up there and the workmanship is immaculate, not to mention Q's customer service is among some of the best. By theory OCC would be ideal but in real life, I honestly couldn't say I would actually be able to differentiate from types of wires while in normal situations.

 
 
While I cannot dismiss that, as I haven't heard them side by side, I just cannot help my self from buying a cable with better materials at the same price... why shouldn't I get the cable with better materials?
 
However I am curious if there is a audible difference between them. 
 
I know there are people that don't believe in cables, but from what I see here, the cable manufacturer doesn't believe in cables himself...and that is something ) .
 
I, myself am sensible to audio changes brought by cables, even with digital cables like usb or coax where the difference should not exist (and if the digital input is done right, it shouldn't, but I have heard only one dac in that situation). 

 

 

[Girls Generation]

In my experience, it's been always like this: If one truly believes there will be a difference, there will be a difference. Vice versa. 
 
People call bs due to placebo effect, but as I always say, if the placebo actually cured the headache, then the sugar pill actually worked as a painkiller. 
 
In the end, I guess it's up to the person to decide. As a cable believer myself, and an OCC fan, I would still not pass up Q. It's really one of a kind.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  In my experience, it's been always like this: If one truly believes there will be a difference, there will be a difference. Vice versa. 
 
People call bs due to placebo effect, but as I always say, if the placebo actually cured the headache, then the sugar pill actually worked as a painkiller. 
 
In the end, I guess it's up to the person to decide. As a cable believer myself, and an OCC fan, I would still not pass up Q. It's really one of a kind.

I've heard this story 10000 times too & I agree.  I trust my ears more than I trust stories.... I am 100% sure that there are differences. If there weren't I wouldn't buy a cable just for the looks...or the smell )
 
I am not saying this is not true to some audiophiles....but this excuse is used too much...
 
I had times I believed it to be better because of the price before listening to it, bought it, and afterwards disregarding the more expensive cable and remained with the stock. (this happened many times)

Also had a period that I wasn't attracted to my sound system no longer, and then realized it was a coax cable that made the sound very slow...(for me), changed it and then all was ok again.
 
I have said this a few times now. The problem is that our audio memory if not trained (or have it naturally) is very low, as we are visual animals that rely on vision, not hearing.
 
The question is this :  How well can you distinguish subtle differences in rhythm?
 
The above test is good for audio memory and also for hearing. If you have a low score and have problems in telling 2 different rhythms apart, I think it would be even harder to distinguish the differences in sounds with same rhythm but with other changes in details, soundstage, transients, etc
 
There is also a question of hearing capabilities and age (I have done an audio-gram recently and I have close to perfect hearing...)
 
I find it funny when somebody doesn't see something...and then he wants to believe that all in the world should be like him and nobody else sees that, and all who see are wrong because..HE cannot. ( it is more comforting  to believe that, I guess )
 
P.S. Last week I did a blind test with a friend (coax cables, digital, not even analog) and I recognized the cables...easily ( even in digital you can see the difference. I agree to the fact that you shouldn't but that only happens with digital done right and I have only listened to one dac that did that)

 

[Solude]

  You've got one very interested reader here ! When you say the Gung/Mojo is "at least 80% of the PwD2/GS-X", can you elucidate ? What, in your opinion, are those aspects of delivering optimal sound does the latter combo have over the Schiit stack ?
 
Thanks

 
Between the GS-X and Mjolnir it mostly comes down to forward/laid back but in the 2-4 rows kind of difference.
 
Gung and PWD2 seems to be more about sharpness and air.  Gung has more air, PWD2 is sharper.
 
Again doing the A/B this weekend so take it as first impressions.

 

[DarKu]

This is an example of a skeptic who doesn't believe in cables
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3reSQn8ANK8   

 
Quote:

I am 100% sure that there are differences.