Need your opinion on this...

Exactly how big of a sound stage are you after? If you want detail and texture, along with a rich but natural signature, with an incredibly expressive low end, the LCD-2 will suffice. However, what it will not bring you is an especially expansive sound stage. Contrary to that, it's actually quite an intimate sounding can. Very 'around the head' in sonic production. By contrast, the HD800 has the widest soundstage of any can out there, extremely expansive and airy.

 

If the LCD-2's are intimate, the HD800's are grand. You get an almost auditorium or hall like stage presence, with incredible articulation, instrumental separation and pin sharp high's. The low end is there, but doesn't bellow as much as the LCD-2's, however the highs are sharper and more extended. Very different sounding signatures really.

 

What sort of music do you listen to most?

Based on your response, the HD800 is imo the one to go for. You won't get an auditorium/hall style sound with the LCD-2, unless the recording is really pushing it. Also, of the genre's of music you've mentioned, only one I feel the LCD-2's would be better with is pop, since that generally has quite a lot of bass and vocal emphasis. For classical, HD800 no questions asked. Might even be the best headphone out there for this genre thanks to the class leading soundstage. Rock is less clear cut, but I'd personally put it to the HD800 for the extra slice of detail and space.
 

I know for rock I personally prefer my T1's over my LCD-2's, and the T1's I'd say were closer to sounding like the HD800's compared to the LCD-2. When rock gets heavy and busy, with lots of noise, cymbals and all sorts of crashes and pangs going on in one go, whilst the highs of the German cans can be a tad fatiguing (depending on the recording and amp), the space really helps with instrumental separation.

 

Also, if it's a HD800, defo go for a tube amp (just to smoothen things out a tad), or if you can afford it, something like the Violectric V200, which although a SS, still (from what I've read) gives the HD800 some extra warmth and body. But otherwise you're on the right track with the Woo Audio amps. Not sure about the Burson, might be a tad bright up top with the HD800's, compared to the others mentioned anyway.

 

 

 

 

Your music preference may require you to invest in 2 headphones - HD800 for classical due to it's ability to present a wide soundstage. Pop and rock requires a pair of phones that gives an intimate music experience, like your are sitting in the front row of a performance - LCD2 or Grado RS1

I am using WA6SE. Although it is a tube amp, I found it to be sufficiently fast and powerful for listening to rock.

Have you considered the T1's? Imo they are the best all rounder balance between the LCD-2 and HD800. If by 'pop' you mean mainly Hip Hop, you may desire more sub bass than the T1's offer, but if you just mean regular pop, dance, trance etc, the T1 will do wonders. It actually has more mid bass and bass impact than the HD800, and mid bass around the same level at the LCD-2. Soundstage wise it's in-between that of the HD800's and LCD-2's (in other words, very large and three dimensional). It's on the articulate side with detailing, not as laid back as the LCD-2's, but with a touch more warmth overall compared to the HD800's imo. One to consider if you want more of an all rounder.

 

For me it goes...

 

Classical and orchestral - HD800

Pop, trance, dance and (alternative) rock - T1

Hip Hop and RnB - LCD-2

 

But of all the three cans above, imo the T1's work for more kinds of music than the others do. 

Edited by Naim.F.C - 1/22/12 at 5:42pm

I agree with Naim.  The T1s are hard to fault, IMO, and worth taking a look into.  

 

Personally, I have no regrets about selling my T1 and getting the HD800.  The detail retrieval on the HD800 is a notch above the T1 and the bass quantity is actually pretty comparable between the T1 and HD800 I heard, with the T1s having a tiny bit more.  However, the bass of the HD 800 is more focused and for some reason, I feel its impact more than I did on the T1s despite the T1s having a bit more quantity.  That probably had to do with the leading edge on the T1's bass being a bit more dispersed and boomy.

 

In terms of soundstage, I personally find the HD800 soundstage to be very versatile and extremely capable of adjust to the recording.  On close-miked vocals, the singer is literally right in front of you while in orchestral pieces, you get the experience of the entire concert hall.  The sound seems to flow out of nowhere without any sense of confinement.  Think a wide-open space rather than a room with a ceiling and walls.