[Articnoise]

  There's also the fact that through the years, Audeze has slowly changed the sound of their headphones from being heavier in the bass to lighter in the bass.  Clearly the amping is not the problem here if I felt the Audeze wasn't hitting harder on the Asgard2, and Jerg felt the same with the Conductor and an Eddie Current.  We both hear perfectly fine too.
 
I'm not wasting my money at all by 'using a 200 dollar amp with 2000 dollar headphones.'  That makes it sound like you value their cost way too much.  First of all, headphones are 90% of the overall sound in a chain, so I am happy I get to hear the LCD3 and get a fundamental understanding of how it sounds, without having to go overboard on upstream equipment.  Second, both the Asgard2 and Uber Bifrost punch well above their weight in terms of cost is the opinion from ears I trust (those same ears also have extensive experience with amps and dacs costing multiple thousands of dollars.)  Clearly, throwing more money at the headphone isn't the underlying issue here.
 
LCD2/LC3 doesn't hit hard?  Yeah, that's exactly what I hear.  Their bass is more atmospheric than visceral, as is with planar magnetics in general.  If it helps you any, I let my friend (a beats owner) try both the LCD3 and HE-560.  He's not really an audiophile, but he's come to use very vague terminology over the years thanks to me-- words like airy and layered to describe certain things.  He thought the LCD3 had more bass but he thought the HE-560 hit harder.
 
 
There's nothing wrong with any of our ears, and most likely nothing wrong with the upstream gear.  Hell, even Tyll says that he thinks the most recent Audezes aside from the LCD-X could use more bass.  I don't agree that they could use more bass, but I do agree that the LCD-X and XC (which use the same driver) are the bassiest Audezes I've heard, with LCD2 and LCD3 being more subdued-- a complete 180 compared to the general conclusion from Audeze followers saying that the LCD-X is thinner in the low end and more neutral than the 2/3.

 

I don’t agree at all on this! In my experience everything matters. Some more than others. What dac, amp, source etc. definitely matter much more than 10 % all together. The gear that is not as good as the rest is going to be the SQ bottleneck in all system – audio or other.

 

[hifimanrookie]

I don’t agree at all on this! In my experience everything matters. Some more than others. What dac, amp, source etc. definitely matter much more than 10 % all together. The gear that is not as good as the rest is going to be the SQ bottleneck in all system – audio or other.

I totally agree with you..i had amps in ALL quality ranges/price ranges..from cheap to..well..lets say to the price range of my latest amp . And i can confirm that the AMP and DAC components do influence the soundexperience in a big way..anyone saying differently didnt have the opportunity to have the experience i had for 30 years in audio..or just put his mind onto it that its all whats matters is headphone..and thats a pity...even something so simple as a cable (power and headphone cables..usb cables are for me a bit vague for me in how they influence the sound) influences the sound...but inho a good paired amp with the right (i know a person who has every driver of his speakers being driven by its own dedicated mono amp!) dac DOES influence sound in a rather big way....if it didnt they why do people spend huge amount of money on mono blocks and pre amps in the speaker amp camps..or speaker cables??? So ifHeadphones are like mini speakers (many of u even call the he560 as mini speakers)..so why shouldnt it also be important factor for a headphone rig?

 

[fortitude]

I don't think it's an equal 33% for HP, DAC & Amp....  I would tend to agree more with TMRaven that the headphone is the major factor in the sound signature, if you listen to an HD800 on an ipod... guess what, it actually does sound like an HD800

 

[TMRaven]

Ok fine 20%.  It's hard to quantify stuff in terms of audio quality.  Just as Tyll said if he had to put a number on the jump from LCD2 to LCD3 it'd be 20%, but even that is hard to justify because all the small improevements throughout the entire frequency range really lends itself to a way better sounding headphone.
 
Regardless of whether you listen to a headphone on an iPhone or a Ragnarok, chances are it will still sound like that headphone, but of course there will be improvements throughout the entire frequency spectrum.

 

[BALANCEATOR]

  I happy you wrote me, thanks i appreciate the bit of impressions you can give, I happy to like neutral sound, so in regards to that do you think I would like the pairing? I also heard that the HE500 is awesome with it.

As I constetado before in the other thread. You will notice a change for the better balanced. The HE-500 with Nfb-28 are impressive, but I think the HE-560 are superior and more comfortable. Persolmente but I like more the HE-500 even if they are worse, by its warmer profile.

 

[MattTCG]

Yes, I've tried the lcd3f and c. Both on the mjo/gun stack. They are good hp's, no question. But with regard to sub bass the lcd3f does not have the same "visceral impact" of the lcd2c. 

 

[Wildcatsare1]

   

Have you heard the LCD 3C? The 3C hits as hard as the LCD 2C, but have a soundstage, treble etc. witch the LCD 2C don’t do very well IMO. The HE 560 is a very good headphone in all except the slightly lack of body (both in low mids and bass).  Than it comes to full sound and slam they are still good, but not at the level of the LCD 3C. The HE 560 is a bit faster, more open sounded and have more energy/quantity in the upper mids and treble than the LCD 3C. The HE 560 SQ is more like the LCD 3F than the LCD 3C.

You need to throw a hybrid tube/ss amp like the Lyr 2 at your 560's (modded), body, weight, cohesive presentation, soundstage, slam, deep bass (out of those that compared the stock to my modded 12 of 14 found modded superior across the board, 2 found it too bass heavy), which blew away the LCD X's and 2.2's in Nashville.

 

[fortitude]

That's the first thing that crossed my mind when I listed to the 560 and the new fazored LCD's... Where did the bass go??

 

[Wildcatsare1]

   

I don’t agree at all on this! In my experience everything matters. Some more than others. What dac, amp, source etc. definitely matter much more than 10 % all together. The gear that is not as good as the rest is going to be the SQ bottleneck in all system – audio or other.

What's getting lost in all this is that both HP's were tested with the Asgard 2, so a direct comparison could be made. Both headphones scale very well, but in TMRaven's review all things being equal he preferred the 560's. My experience is identical with varied sources and amps.

 

[fortitude]

 
You need to throw a hybrid tube/ss amp like the Lyr 2 at your 560's (modded), body, weight, cohesive presentation, soundstage, slam, deep bass (out of those that compared the stock to my modded 12 of 14 found modded superior across the board, 2 found it too bass heavy), which blew away the LCD X's and 2.2's in Nashville.

 
What mods were done to the 560?  In stock form, they are very bass-light compared to the LCD X or 2.2

 

[ThurstonX]

You need to throw a hybrid tube/ss amp like the Lyr 2 at your 560's (modded), body, weight, cohesive presentation, soundstage, slam, deep bass (out of those that compared the stock to my modded 12 of 14 found modded superior across the board, 2 found it too bass heavy), which blew away the LCD X's and 2.2's in Nashville.

 
Yeah, I didn't want to throw the Lyr/2 into the mix, as they are mentioned quite frequently, but I get all of those traits with my rig.  Tubes can make a difference, too.  My Siemens E88CCs, e.g., don't deliver in the low end like other tubes - Mazda ECC189s I just got, e.g. - but the Siemens give much more air and detail.  I was thinking my HE-560s were a bit light on the bass lately, until I swapped tubes.
 
Anyone driving the HE-560s with a Project Ember?
 
SS-only folks can ignore this tangent 

 

[MattTCG]

   
Yeah, I didn't want to throw the Lyr/2 into the mix, as they are mentioned quite frequently, but I get all of those traits with my rig.  Tubes can make a difference, too.  My Siemens E88CCs, e.g., don't deliver in the low end like other tubes - Mazda ECC189s I just got, e.g. - but the Siemens give much more air and detail.  I was thinking my HE-560s were a bit light on the bass lately, until I swapped tubes.
 
Anyone driving the HE-560s with a Project Ember?
 
SS-only folks can ignore this tangent 

 
From here? 
 
http://www.nostubestore.com/2011/12/mazda-ecc189-france.html

 

[TMRaven]

I said that I slightly prefer-- well maybe I didn't-- but whatever, I'm saying it now..  I slightly prefer the sound of the LCD3c to the 560.  However, depending whether or not I can get used to its weight is a different story. I work from home most of the time, and long sessions in front of the computer with headphones on is pretty much my reality.  If the headphone isn't comfortable, it messes with my mood, which ultimately messes with my work.  This LCD3c is the only Audeze I would have taken over the 560 in regards to sound quality.  Definitely not the X, and most certainly not the 2.
 
In regards to the thin sound of the 560 coming from an Audeze:  This LC3c I have does the same as well.  It's thicker sounding than the 560 by a good bit, and has more weight to its notes, but again the impact of the bass is only about the same as the 560.  Thicker sound, more body, same impact.

 

[ThurstonX]

 
What mods were done to the 560?  In stock form, they are very bass-light compared to the LCD X or 2.2

 
Hmmmmm, good point.  With my HE-560s I have a more open grill and DIY'd pads which are significantly deeper than either stock pads.  I think the bass might punch a little harder with either HFM pads (drivers closer to ears; maybe I have that backwards), but I haven't bothered to compare, as I'll never use them over what I made.

 

[hifimanrookie]

I don't think it's an equal 33% for HP, DAC & Amp....  I would tend to agree more with TMRaven that the headphone is the major factor in the sound signature, if you listen to an HD800 on an ipod... guess what, it actually does sound like an HD800

yeah like a bottomless, shrill sounding hd800..with no passion in the sound..horrible...but pair him with the right amp: as if ur there live!
But be my guest..spend huge amount of money onna higher end headphone and use a mediocre amp with it...its ur ears that are missing out
I said it again and again..find a balanced rig..mid tier with mid tier etc...i just dont understand why certain people on headfi have the believe that if u have a higher end headphone the amp doesnt matter a lot..or the dac or cables...if u would said that Openly on speaker rig forums they would laugh at ya... Amps, dacs and even sources are key factors in making or breakinh the sound that comes out of speakers..no matter how expensive those are...
Maybe its because headphones are much more affordable? A better quality speaker set starts around 3000usd...minimal...a better quality headphone starts at 700-899usd...so maybe different people with less budget buy headphone rigs (with exceptions like myself..who were forced to sell their speaker rig and go to headphones because of change in family situation)... I still dont understand it....inho i believe that u have to get a balanced set....expensive or cheap..get the right amp...a hd650 for insstance sounds much better with a better amp..or the he500... And am sure if u get best pairing amp that u can afford, that u will have a better sound experience then just getting a budget amp (no matter how good that amp is told to be)...

. But hey..i am different...some of you even called me a elitist (for whatever reason i dont know)..but truth is. I went from high end speaker (luxman and tannoy) rig to very low end (he300/400 with matrix mstage) headphone system...through midfi headphone rig ( with he500 and darkvoice 337) ...To what i have now..all were excellent in their own right...and for the money they costed...and i loved them all..BUT they were very balanced chosen components...thats my keyword..balanced...symbiose..not one was far better then the other...
But if u think..and believe..or even say u have proof that an amp is of minor influence for ur headphone rig..then good luck with it...on other hand..ofcourse having a 400usd midfi headphone and buying a 7000usd amp and 4000usd dac for it is rediculus also