LCD-3 / HD-800 amp - Page 5

F1/F2 are not voltage amps and also makes them not First Watt F3/F5/J2 like if that makes any sense.  In fact First Watt has a DIY circlotron speaker amp.  But when I say First Watt like, I mean low stage count, low part count, very focused design.  But yes JFETs sound different than MOSFETs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude 

F1/F2 are not voltage amps and also makes them not First Watt F3/F5/J2 like if that makes any sense.  In fact First Watt has a DIY circlotron speaker amp.  But when I say First Watt like, I mean low stage count, low part count, very focused design.  But yes JFETs sound different than MOSFETs.

Bingo..

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceausuc 

 

The Teac is pretty new so there not much info about it.

But since you are in Japan maybe you could help us understand this review here:)

http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201211/20/664.html

Actually I tried to test Teac UD 501 in Yodobashi Camera in Yokohama but it's only available in display (not connected to PC or any other sources). 

I tried to play a while with HP A8, but the PC there seems didn't have proper setup to bypass the Windows audio system. I never use windows media player, always Foobar or some other players to enjoy sound from DACs. Is it true HP A8 USB mode doesn't support bypass (exclusive mode)? Or may be I missed the setup in HP A8 itself?? I saw Antelope Zodiac too, but didn't have chance to test DAC quality because of the very same reason.

I tried Grace m903 in Fujiya Avic as well and was impressed with the sound, using my HD 800 (the source was CDP). But then the price was 2 times or more than HP A8 here.

That review in Japanese, I think you can use translator site (google, etc) but it's hard to understand the translated output sometimes LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by CybDev 


What I'm trying to say is that the HD800 is very neutral, clear and unforgiving compared to say the PS1000 IMO.
I'm not very familiar with the terms but I would say the PS1000 is more "musical" or has more of a personality if you will.

I didn't really like the PS1000 tho, which is why I am looking at the possibility of LCD2/LCD3

I don't like the HD800 when I listen to classic rock tracks like AC/DC, and some tracks containing female vocals sounds a bit off (basically high cymbals and S-sounds, which I'm assuming is that 6k peak showing itself).

For everything else the HD800 is by far the best headphone I've ever had/tried and I spend hours enjoying it every day :-)

I think it depends on the source or recording (mixing, etc). HD800 is neutral and honest to the source (open window). May be that's why it's called picky? =)). If it was engineered well then it should sounds well.

I found HD 800 matched best with well recorded Acoustics (latins, etc). I found that I enjoyed Michael Jackson's tracks and digging all those missing "picture" from what I've heard before as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by myc 

Do I see a Colorware HD800 as your avatar?  Cool. Mine should ship next week.  Can't wait....

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

Do I see a Colorware HD800 as your avatar?  Cool. Mine should ship next week.  Can't wait....

Yes and not (mine still stock).

I tried to google HD 800 optimus prime and somehow I got this pic .. and yes the picture was taken from colorware website =)). I forgot that there was no blue in it :D

PS.

Please don't forget to post your new one from colorware. I don't think I can wait that long .. I m still in love with HD 800 =))

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHAHZADA123 

No experience of the WA2 but the WA22 is not very suitable with the LCDs and certainly not the HE6.

Very good with the HD800s though.

Just my 2 cents 

X2

Quote:

Originally Posted by preproman 

 

Damn.  If the GS-X MKII can't do it with the HD800s I'll have to look into that expensive ass EC BA..  

 

I agree with you on the LCDs + Mjolnir it does bring the best out of them.  However, not so much with the HE-6.  My First Watt F1J eats the Mjolnir for lunch with the HE-6.

The GS-X + HD-800s is an amazing combination. Plenty of drive and transparency in this pairing. 

My favorite tube in the LG with the HD800 (thus making it my favorite HD800 sound I've heard) was a coin base 6sn7.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 


I suspected the 6sn7 would be a match with the 800s. I tried a few 2c51/396 and 12au7s in my amp and it didn't do as good as the bigger tube. (different amp) The 9 pin tubes were a bit strident and harsh in comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 


I suspected the 6sn7 would be a match with the 800s. I tried a few 2c51/396 and 12au7s in my amp and it didn't do as good as the bigger tube. (different amp) The 9 pin tubes were a bit strident and harsh in comparison.

My favorite has been the PSVANE CV-181 TII

Quote:

Originally Posted by CybDev 

Interesting!

I've recently got the HD800, and am currently considering adding a LCD-2/3 to my collection.

 

So far I only have low-end amp/dac, so I've been looking around the local dealers to try to listen to a few before I drop what _I_ consider a lot of money on a decent amp and possibly dac.

 

So my scope is pretty much that I will be going for something I can try before I buy it, and that kinda limits my options since I'm based in Oslo, Norway.

 

I've spent some time listening to the Sennheiser HDVD800, Antelope Zodiac, Lehmann BCL USB in a store, and for what my limited experience tells me the HDVD800 is nice but felt like it lacked some of the bass response, the zodiac was absolutely great but it didn't have enough power for the HD800 without lots of gain, and the BCL usb I tried must have been faulty or possibly the USB/DAC part was really crap compared to the HDVD800/Zodiac? I found the BCL to sound awfull compared to the others and think that's rather weird considering the positive reviews of HD800+BCL I've seen.

I did not have a chance to try the amp part of them with the same DAC which I guess makes comparing them a bit tricky...

 

I also got to borrow a Fostex HP-A8C for a few days, and alltho I had some issues with USB connection it worked very well over TOSlink.

Again some of the issues I felt I noticed with the Zodiac, not enough power without gain...

 

I'm hoping to be able to compare a few amps/dacs in a store sometime next week;

Burson Soloist

Burson Conductor

Schiit Mjolnir

MyTek Stereo192

Fostex HP-A8C

Auralic Taurus

 

I'm wondering if any of you have tried any of those with both the HD800 and LCD-2/3?

Is there anything in particular I should be aware of, something I should pay extra attention to etc?

 

I'm pretty new at this so any suggestions are welcome, also if you can point me to some resources on how to best compare amps and headphones(there is only so many hours in the day and just too many good threads on head-fi to cover them all... :P) :-)

Comming in to post #36 via your link in an other thread, I haven't read the rest of the thread.

The USB DAC of Lehmannaudio Linear USB (probably) is rather simple being only 16 bit/48 kHz.

Living in Oslo you can and should visit ProLyd and listen to:

• Benchmark DAC2 HGC
• Benchmark DAC1 series
• Grace Design m903
• Lynx Hilo

Which you prefer will among other things depend on taste and preferred loudness level. ProLyd offers great service.

You can find more information and impressions in threads about Grace Design m903 and Lynx Hilo both here on Head-Fi.org and the Norwegian Hifisentralen.

I've found the Lynx Hilo to be good with Sennheiser HD 800 as I've described more thoroughly in one of the Lynx Hilo threads. See "Brings life and emotion to Sennheiser HD 800".

Just ordered RWA Bellina with Pro DAC and Balanced output, for my LCD3. Now the wait begins 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper 


I suspected the 6sn7 would be a match with the 800s. I tried a few 2c51/396 and 12au7s in my amp and it didn't do as good as the bigger tube. (different amp) The 9 pin tubes were a bit strident and harsh in comparison.

Nothing inherently wrong with 12AU7 as a tube class.  One of the best tube amps I've ever heard with the 800s is the RSA Raptor, which is 12AU7/5687.  The stock tubes it ships with are nothing to write home about, but with Mullard or Tung-Sol 12AU7s it's really nice, and not very "tube-y."