LCD2, do I need a 1000$ amp for it?

Driving these headphones is much more about synergy than it is about stats. For example, you wouldn't want a pair a dark amplifier with the LCD-2, because you would probably overly emphasize their relaxed treble. Can you borrow them for a few days?

Sorry. Double post.
Edited by Olias of Sunhillow - 2/9/12 at 8:55pm

The Benchmark DAC1 didn't really drive the LCD-2 any better, not in any way I heard. Of course, I'd welcome anyone to send me some expensive amps I can borrow to try 

Well, yes, you'll find a camp of listeners who claim that an amp is an amp, and that a cheap amp and a high-dollar amp will sound the same as long as the stats line up.

 

I am not in that camp. I've heard too many headphones sound completely different when moved from one amp to another. My Grado RS-1s, for example, can be made to sound like screaming treble banshees on a Woo WA6 tube amp, but move them to a Mapletree Ear+ HD (another tube amp) and they turn lush and seductive.

 

Amps all have sound signatures. Benchmark amps tend to sound analytical and cold (some would say uninvolving). My Grace m903 sounds musical and warm (though perhaps just slightly lacking in upper frequency detail), even though the specs are really rather close to the Benchmark.

 

Anyway, that's all theoretical blather. You're being offered a smashing deal on those LCD-2... I recommend you move forward with it. They're not going to sound bad from your soundcard, but you might find yourself tempted to drop another $300 or so (Matrix M-Stage, maybe) for a standalone amp down the road. You don't need to spend a grand on them... a $400 Schiit Lyr would be a big step up.

 

Edited by Olias of Sunhillow - 2/9/12 at 9:38pm

They work. Directional imaging is very accurate. There's probably too much sub-bass and too little soundstage for competitive gaming, but it's very good for casual gaming. I've never owned headphones that are known to be good for gaming to compare.

the biggest reason amps/headphone combos sound different (absent clipping, gross nonlinear distortion, noise) is frequency response - which can have 2 parts:

 

one is any deliberate amplifier frequency response shaping or limitations from inadequate coupling caps or limited bandwidth audio transformers

 

the other is frequency response differences from amplifier output impedance interacting with the headphone's impedance vs frequency curve

 

 

for Orthos there is little or none of the latter because their impedance vs frequency is flat over the whole audio frequency range - as long as the amp output impedance is flat with frequency it doesn't matter with Orthos what the value is

 

 

the dominance of frequency response is often obscured by the fact that many don't know to control levels to 0.1 dB when comparing system components, lack of blinding protocol, reliance on long term memory "I heard X driving Y at a meet.." anecdotes

 

 

which is not to say many combos you see promoted are home free on the clipping/gross nonlinear distortion front

 

for "audiophile" dynamic headroom - such that you will seldom or never clip the LCD Orthos you may want 6+ Wrms into 50 Ohms ~= 25 V, 500 mA peak values

 

the cheapest way to have the headroom is to use a audio power amp  ~40 W rated power into 8 Ohms is just over 6 W into 50 Ohms from typical low output impedance SS or transformer coupled tube amps

 

many really cheap (or free at the curb) integrated amps use LM3886 or 4780 power chip amps - not that different from RSA Dark Star internal chip amps if you don't need the balanced input

Edited by jcx - 2/9/12 at 9:52pm

won't have the V output - can't get +/-25 V from a soundcard

 

by "integrated amps" I was referring to classic desktop consumer audio power amp/receivers or home theater boxes that advertise > 40 W /ch into 8 Ohms

 

where "integrated" means any of radio, preamp, disc player combined with power amps - think NAD, Pioneer, Yamaha brands - Best Buy home audio aisle

 

of course a stereo power amp of >40 W /ch into 8 ohm would be fine too - but separates generally cost more - although audiosource amp-100 isn't too pricey @ ~$90

Edited by jcx - 2/9/12 at 10:40pm

I suppose it depends somewhat on the revision of the headphones, but results on InnerFidelity show that the HD 600 is about as loud as the LCD-2 at a given output.  Actually the LCD-2 may be a little louder.  If you're fine with the STX for the HD 600, you should be fine for the LCD-2.  Sure, there's better (maybe not audibly better), and you can get something more powerful, but I don't think it's anything to worry about.

 

TPA6120 on the output of the STX shouldn't be much current limited at around 50 ohms, so it should handle something like 17V peak-to-peak.  You should be able to go plenty loud on that, unless you're playing extremely quiet recordings.

And if you're still worried, get an O2, it does works really well with the LCD-2.

oops, I've been doing the numbers for the HiFiMan Orthos with 83 dB/mW sensitivity

 

the LCD aren't quite that bad @ 91-3 dB/mW, 1 Wrms would be really fine, the ~1/2 W from a desktop O2 would be good for most people - but not cheaper than some consumer loudspeaker amps

 

the STX could be good too but I worry that the -12 V supply in a PC is often speced for negligible current compared to +12 V

Edited by jcx - 2/9/12 at 11:40pm

Does it actually use the -12 V supply ? The external power supply is from a 4-pin Molex connector that has only +5 V and +12 V pins, maybe the -12 V is generated with a DC-DC converter.