[Change is Good]

I don't have anything extremely powerful but my iFi iCAN pairs nicely on my laptop with my MSII DAC and MDs. They really handle the EQ switches extremely well without any distortion at all.

 

[aamefford]

I know this question has been exhausted but would everyone mind stating what amp they are using with the MD? I've used the O2/Lyr/PB2/Leckerton MkII/The International.


I still think out of the ones I've listed that the PB2 was the best but I'm looking for a desktop amp and something to squeeze the very best out of them. At the same time I'm looking for a desktop amp that will match good with the LCD-2s.

PB2 most of the time, Peachtree Nova rest of the time. I'll tell you what - I heard it through that Woo 7 Fireflies amp and DAC, and it was a real treat. The Schiit Gugnir/Mjolnir was outstanding. The Schiit Lyr was also excellent. I also heard them through the Woo 6SE and the woo fully balance rig (wa22?), and the Cavalli liquid gold, which was stunningly good. For my money, I'd go with the Schiit Gugnir/Mjolnir stack or the Woo 7 out of that list. Both were great with the MDs.

 

[sceleratus]

Quote:

I know this question has been exhausted but would everyone mind stating what amp they are using with the MD? I've used the O2/Lyr/PB2/Leckerton MkII/The International.


I still think out of the ones I've listed that the PB2 was the best but I'm looking for a desktop amp and something to squeeze the very best out of them. At the same time I'm looking for a desktop amp that will match good with the LCD-2s.

It's desktop and matches well with LCD2's
All you need is a soldering iron.
 

 
 
Sorry to......

.......  will MD's work well straight out of a Mac?

 

[M3NTAL]

No, they will not.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

No, they will not.

Yes, they will. They can be ear deafening. Quality is always comparative.

 

[M3NTAL]

Your definition and my definition of "well" are different then.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Your definition and my definition of "well" are different then.

You wouldn't write a review driving from a Mac, but it's not unlistenable. 

 

[Greed]

How is it with female vocals? I've heard that the AD2kX is supposed to sound relatively intimate, especially with female vocals? Looks like there's a spike in the 4k area, now nearly as bad as the MDs, that makes it sound forward. Also, is the treble harsher on the AD2Kx than either the AD or MD?
i've heard one of my friends saying the AD is a bit harsh with poorly recorded tracks, which makes me concerned about whether I should upgrade or not, as much as I think the treble could be improved, along with the openness, I also like the forgiving, easy going sound as a compliment to me 202...
 

 
Vocals are quite forward, to the point where some tracks can sound overly shouty. Especially for those that listen to music at higher volumes. It has a very unique way of presenting music both engaging but sometimes can become annoying. The sound is very aggressive and in your face, that some genres just don't work well. The sound is quite intimate, but not in the same way as say the LCD-2 or even the MD. Both are rather laid-back with smooth, sweet mids... the AD2KX on the other hand is even more forward, but aggressively so. On vocals, it is hard to keep focus on anything else, taking away from low-level detail and transparency. It is hard to describe, but I find the overall presentation much more balanced on the AD, even the MD. The AD2KX sound is a bit wonky, and definitely not my preference. Although technically superior, the sound is certainly not to my tastes - especially with my main genres. Regarding the treble - It is similar tonally to the AD, but with less detail extraction. The MD's treble seems a bit shelved in comparison, but some may find the smoother treble of the MD to the more airy and clear AD2KX. Personally I don't find any of them to be harsh or strident. The AD2KX is relatively smooth, with a bit a grain but still very nice. Poorer recording will be shown on the AD2KX. They aren't very forgiving and that is when I heard the most sibilance (small amount) and grain. It wasn't bad, but not nearly as forgiving as the MD. If I had more time with the AD2KX, I could give you a more definitive answer, but I don't want to use them for very long as I'm trying to unload them soon. 

 

[sceleratus]

I've had the Modi and the Magni and didn't like them with LCD's.  Probably because I had a Lyr/Bifrost in the other room.
Can I get away with an AMP only?  I'd like to minimize the number of boxes / clutter.
Is there a reasonable compact amp DAC(One Box)  that pairs well with the MD's?
Their use would be an upgrade from ear buds for my wife for casual [size=small]listening while she's working on her Mac.[/size]
 
There are a lot of choices out there.  I've read a lot of good things about MD's.  I thought I'd start with the HP's and engineer backwards.
This worked well with my LCD's when I initially paired them with a Lyr and Bifrost.
I appreciate your Denon recommendation but the reviews were not favorable.
 
Then I found this on Mr. Speakers web site:
Recommeneded Equipment
You can drive the Mad Dog off your iPhone, iPad or almost any other quality portable media device (note that some Android phones won't cut it at all).  That said, to get the most out of your headphones MrSpeakers recommends a good quality separate headphone amplifier and if possible a qualtiy source/DAC. 
 
Hence I returned to the thread and asked the same question. 
Another subjective question... what percentage improvement would you say an amp gives the MD's?

 

[paradoxper]

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

Quote:

I've had the Modi and the Magni and didn't like them with LCD's.  Probably because I had a Lyr/Bifrost in the other room.
Can I get away with an AMP only?  I'd like to minimize the number of boxes / clutter.
Is there a reasonable compact amp DAC(One Box)  that pairs well with the MD's?
Their use would be an upgrade from ear buds for my wife for casual [size=small]listening while she's working on her Mac.[/size]
 
There are a lot of choices out there.  I've read a lot of good things about MD's.  I thought I'd start with the HP's and engineer backwards.
This worked well with my LCD's when I initially paired them with a Lyr and Bifrost.
I appreciate your Denon recommendation but the reviews were not favorable.
 
Then I found this on Mr. Speakers web site:
Recommeneded Equipment
You can drive the Mad Dog off your iPhone, iPad or almost any other quality portable media device (note that some Android phones won't cut it at all).  That said, to get the most out of your headphones MrSpeakers recommends a good quality separate headphone amplifier and if possible a qualtiy source/DAC. 
 
Hence I returned to the thread and asked the same question. 
Another subjective question... what percentage improvement would you say an amp gives the MD's?

 

 

Too many choices. State a budget. And if your wife isn't really looking for 'audiophile' quality, I still say just the Mac would be fine.

 

[sceleratus]

Quote:

Too many choices. State a budget. And if your wife isn't really looking for 'audiophile' quality, I still say just the Mac would be fine.

Cool.
Just wanted to know if MD's would work or if Mr. Speaker embellished the capability. 
I'll start with just the Mac then if it's subjectively..... poor, I'l look at getting her a little aux Amp/Dac.  Honestly, I have so much one my plate I can't contemplate analyzing that gear.
 
I'm also "amped" about having a second set of cans to explore with my desktop amp.

 

[kcee]

You should check out the RSA Intruder, it is portable/transportable but has a ton of power to drive just about anything well. It is an amp/dac and is a very nice piece of kit. I have never been disappointed with an RSA product.
 
http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/intruder

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Cool.
Just wanted to know if MD's would work or if Mr. Speaker embellished the capability. 
I'll start with just the Mac then if it's subjectively..... poor, I'l look at getting her a little aux Amp/Dac.  Honestly, I have so much one my plate I can't contemplate analyzing that gear.
 
I'm also "amped" about having a second set of cans to explore with my desktop amp.

Well, your beautiful build deserves some playmates. 

 

[kskwerl]

PB2 most of the time, Peachtree Nova rest of the time. I'll tell you what - I heard it through that Woo 7 Fireflies amp and DAC, and it was a real treat. The Schiit Gugnir/Mjolnir was outstanding. The Schiit Lyr was also excellent. I also heard them through the Woo 6SE and the woo fully balance rig (wa22?), and the Cavalli liquid gold, which was stunningly good. For my money, I'd go with the Schiit Gugnir/Mjolnir stack or the Woo 7 out of that list. Both were great with the MDs.

I am considering the mojo/gun stack but then at the same time I want tubes and was looking at the 6SE. I wish my wallet supported this hobby but it doesn't in the slightest

It's desktop and matches well with LCD2's
All you need is a soldering iron.





Sorry to...... .......  will MD's work well straight out of a Mac?

 

[kstuart]

Quote:

Quote:

Too many choices. State a budget. And if your wife isn't really looking for 'audiophile' quality, I still say just the Mac would be fine.

Cool.
Just wanted to know if MD's would work or if Mr. Speaker embellished the capability. 
I'll start with just the Mac then if it's subjectively..... poor, I'l look at getting her a little aux Amp/Dac.  Honestly, I have so much one my plate I can't contemplate analyzing that gear.

Last night I listened to music videos on Youtube with my T61 Thinkpad directly connected to the Mad Dog 3.2s.  Everything sounded great, and at no time was I distracted from the performances.
 
Certainly it would sound better with a DAC and Amp, and the more one would spend, the better it would sound (although in the case of Youtube, there are limits, lol).
 
The point is that at no point did I get any sort of sensation that the headphones were not working well with the laptop.   In fact, since the Mad Dog 3.2 has such a transparent midrange, it was probably the clearest I've heard Youtube on headphones...