Starter Setup Needed- ~$2000 to spend - Page 2

My highest recommendations would be this:

http://www.headphone.com/packages/serious-audiophile-package.php

Is is a package at Headphone.com that I personally think will be the best option for your $2k.  The LCD-2 is a great headphone, but not worth the $950.  My reasoning is this.  The frequency response is so flat that most of the music you listen to on a day to day basic will sound somewhat dry and lifeless.  Over time this becomes troublesome as most of tend to listen to music for the joy of it and not analyze every bit of the sound stage.  The "Serious Audiophile Package: from Headphone.com is probably one of the finest setups I have listened to.  They do offer it with the AKG-701 headphones, but other headphones can be combined as mentioned in the link.  I suggest the AKG-701 if you like a slightly dry and analytical sound whereas the Denon AH-D2000 would be my suggestion for fun an immersive listening.  I have personally listened to this setup for many days and being fed via USB the Ultra Desktop Amp/DAC does an amazing job.

I can say with absolute certainty that the package mentioned above paired up with the AKG-701 and Denon AH-D2000 is an amazing and pleasurable experience.  This package used with a pair of Grado SR-325i's is also amazing.  I still suggest the AKG-701 and Denon over the Grado.

Please let us know what you decide on and how you like it.

Best of luck.

I would go LCD-2 rev2 with a Schiit LYR and Bifrost combo, with the money left pick a nice pair of tubes and you're good to go.