[ostewart]

They don't have polarity so it doesn't matter which way you plug them in

 

[tsvo614]

that's great news!

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

 
I am using O2/ ODAC with my LCD2.2 + Q cables.  
I was happy with the sound, lean and fast.
Until I received my UM Merlin, then I thought that with it was a little too lean.
Switched back to the stock cables, it was better, but then, the veil is back.
 
So, I'd like to give other cables a try.
Copper ones of course.
 
The spec of the Black Widow is pretty similar to Q cables.
Litz, 20+ gauge.
 
Perhaps I should to try the Scorpion.
What is the difference in sound quality between the 18 vs 24 gauge?
 
Frank has also suggested the Copper Venom - I would assume that this is out of my budget, anyone using this cable?

first of all..i dont wanna sound like a snob.and i dont wanna offend anyone...but ru really using a low end amp/dac like the O2 with a higher end (expensive) lcd 2? u know ur missing out with that right? IMHO
 
but that was not the reason why i wanted to reply on ur post...
 
its this:
 
i wanna clear something up about what u said as its not completely true:
 
as u probably dont know, the BW (i have my second one now) is an OCC cryo treated Litz cable (mine being 22AWG with 8 wires)...but i read on the thread that a Q Cable (from Steve) is based on ETP copper wire..to my simple knowledge that kind of wire has less purity then OCC copper wire that Frank uses...and for sure much more cheaper to be bought by the builder then for example OCC or OFC copper wires..and inferior sounding as a whole (IMHO!)...so for sure they are not similiar....only familiarity would be that they both are copper based and have somewhat same AWG....
 
just wanted to make that clear...as i dont like misunderstandings...
once again..my apologies if i sound to direct or a bit offensive...i am just trying to be honest.

 

[ostewart]

O2 is not low end in performance, neither is ODAC, both are audibly transparent and quite a few people use LCD2 with them, they have plenty of power for that use.

Just because you personally prefer a bigger more coloured amp, his is not inferior. The O2 can handle the LCD2 and at least your hearing the sound of the headphones with it, not the sound of the amp.

Go with a nice copper cable, should warm the sound up a bit

No offence to anyone either, just my $0.02

 

[lin0003]

O2 is not low end in performance, neither is ODAC, both are audibly transparent and quite a few people use LCD2 with them, they have plenty of power for that use.

Just because you personally prefer a bigger more coloured amp, his is not inferior. The O2 can handle the LCD2 and at least your hearing the sound of the headphones with it, not the sound of the amp.

Go with a nice copper cable, should warm the sound up a bit

I agree as well. The O2 is a very capable amp.

 

[hifimanrookie]

O2 is not low end in performance, neither is ODAC, both are audibly transparent and quite a few people use LCD2 with them, they have plenty of power for that use.

Just because you personally prefer a bigger more coloured amp, his is not inferior. The O2 can handle the LCD2 and at least your hearing the sound of the headphones with it, not the sound of the amp.

Go with a nice copper cable, should warm the sound up a bit

No offence to anyone either, just my $0.02

No offence Taken meu amigo tudo bem!

But my 337 (which i dont have anymore) was very good in details and huuuuge soundstage... And not colored as most of the regular otl tube amps! But not as nueutral as the master..The o2 is very neutral..ur right on that..but..try any other higher end quality amp around the 1000euro or more and u will experience better soundquality...thats what i meant with my post..

but in general i just still dont get why people pay premium prices for a really expensive headphone and then drive it by a amp which, i agree, drives it WELL but by far not to its extreme... Its as if u buy a brandnew porsche 911 GT3 RS to use on track and u put kwik fit budget tires on it instead of semi-slicks of yokohama..both let u go through the corners safe..but when u wanna push the pedal the budget tires give up far before u reach the peak point of that excellent drivers car... :rolleyes:

Thats why i am now in process getting a much better amp then the 337i just sold..and trust me if i say..that 18kg heavy big beast was the best amp i ever heard with a he500 until now..and it was even under 1000euro with the expensive tubes i had in them the new owner agrees with me..thats why he was prepared to pay double of what i paid for it last year..and he owns a multi 10.000 euro worth of main speaker system...and has been in higher end audio for more then 20 years..and just bought a he500 to listen to in his study heard bout my amp by friends and wanted it..and after listening for 3 hours..he paid the money..never thought he would actually accept the price as i wasnt planning to sell my amp now as my new amp only arrives in december!

am curious how much better my new (endgame) amp will be...that amp will be the master of natural reproduction of music if i may believe the builder..we will see..

For ur info..for the price the o2 or the emotiva and the mstage are all amps which sound way WAY above their price points..but i believe u cut those high end headphones short by not buying a higher end qualitY amp/dac for them..

. I started out with an amp i deeply loved..the mstage.and never thought i could find anything better under 1000 euro!.but found out the 337 completely annihilated it soundwise..thats why i bought one! And now i sold the 337 for an amp i probably will never sell ....

 

[ostewart]

Best systems I've heard so far are HE-6 with Icon HP8 MKII with upgrades, and I enjoyed the beyerdynamic T1 with the O2 more than T1 with HP8 or beyer A1 amp.

 

[negura]

Quote:

Best systems I've heard so far are HE-6 with Icon HP8 MKII with upgrades, and I enjoyed the beyerdynamic T1 with the O2 more than T1 with HP8 or beyer A1 amp.

 
No offense but none of those is exactly cutting edge and to be honest I am quite puzzled what sense the HE-6 makes on the Icon, unless those upgrades are really something. The HE-6s require at least 5Watts of juice to sound right.
 
Low setting - 451mW at 32 ohm, 720mW at 50 ohm, 667mW at 150 ohm
Mid setting - 735mW and 10.5Vrms at 150 ohm, 653mW and 14Vrms at 300 ohm
High setting - 403mW and 11Vrms at 300 ohm, 482mW and 17Vrms at 600 ohm
 
I would recommend the original poster to run the LCD-2s in a system the sounds properly, and the key here is system, and then he will have an easier decision to what cables he needs. Just honest advice really. I mean he's going to wait a few weeks, right? But Frank's cables are a great improvement to stock either way. 

 

[hifimanrookie]

Double post!

 

[hifimanrookie]

No offense but none of those is exactly cutting edge and to be honest I am quite puzzled what sense the HE-6 makes on the Icon, unless those upgrades are really something. The HE-6s require at least 5Watts of juice to sound right.

Low setting - 451mW at 32 ohm, 720mW at 50 ohm, 667mW at 150 ohm

Mid setting - 735mW and 10.5Vrms at 150 ohm, 653mW and 14Vrms at 300 ohm
High setting - 403mW and 11Vrms at 300 ohm, 482mW and 17Vrms at 600 ohm
 
I would recommend the original poster to run the LCD-2s in a system the sounds properly, and the key here is system, and then he will have an easier decision to what cables he needs. Just honest advice really. I mean he's going to wait a few weeks, right? But Frank's cables are a great improvement to stock either way. 

Yep. I agree..find that special synergy in ur system.. I myself found out that doesnt need to cost ya an arm and leg... Okay my new amp did..lolz

 

[SpudHarris]

Best systems I've heard so far are HE-6 with Icon HP8 MKII with upgrades, and I enjoyed the beyerdynamic T1 with the O2 more than T1 with HP8 or beyer A1 amp.

As I write, I am listening to a new HP8 with Psvane tube upgrades + HE6 with a Toxic White Widow cable and am in bliss!!!

The HP8 is bang for buck.... (Especially if you are in the UK)

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

Very nice. Heard only good things about BC.

yeah me too..thats why i took the dive and placed an order with them...
 
they sent me the design of how the front and back will be...as u can see...u cant get it more simple! everything is in favor to get best sound possible..nothing extra or flashy..just one volume knob in front(right)...and balanced dual 3pin XLR headphone out (they throw in a standard 1/4 connection for free!)..and backside...USB input (right) and the 4pin XLR input from the external transformer (left)..just simple and to the point..u cant get more simple then that..and i love that!
 
but oops..this is totally offtopic...sorry frank!!! wont happen again

but for ur info...this is the front to which ur very special balanced cable, which u specially made for me, will be connected to around 15ish december and why i asked u to built this cable for me!

did i tell u i am probably the luckiest guy around having this cable?

damn..its 5:25am..time to get some shut-eye...even if its just for an hour or 3 today.
 

 

[Mooses9]

Quote:

Sounds like you should avoid Silver and get a copper cable.

im currently rockin the silver posion and i have to say for silver it has a good ammount of bass, very deep, impactful, i would also say the mid bass is also great.......while still maintaining the mid and high emphasis you would expect from silver.

 

[lin0003]

Guys, can you please take the amp discussion somewhere else or PM each other? This is a thread on cables. 

 

[tropicana]

Quote:

Quote:

 
I am using O2/ ODAC with my LCD2.2 + Q cables.  
I was happy with the sound, lean and fast.
Until I received my UM Merlin, then I thought that with it was a little too lean.
Switched back to the stock cables, it was better, but then, the veil is back.
 
So, I'd like to give other cables a try.
Copper ones of course.
 
The spec of the Black Widow is pretty similar to Q cables.
Litz, 20+ gauge.
 
Perhaps I should to try the Scorpion.
What is the difference in sound quality between the 18 vs 24 gauge?
 
Frank has also suggested the Copper Venom - I would assume that this is out of my budget, anyone using this cable?

first of all..i dont wanna sound like a snob.and i dont wanna offend anyone...but ru really using a low end amp/dac like the O2 with a higher end (expensive) lcd 2? u know ur missing out with that right? IMHO
 
but that was not the reason why i wanted to reply on ur post...
 
its this:
 
i wanna clear something up about what u said as its not completely true:
 
as u probably dont know, the BW (i have my second one now) is an OCC cryo treated Litz cable (mine being 22AWG with 8 wires)...but i read on the thread that a Q Cable (from Steve) is based on ETP copper wire..to my simple knowledge that kind of wire has less purity then OCC copper wire that Frank uses...and for sure much more cheaper to be bought by the builder then for example OCC or OFC copper wires..and inferior sounding as a whole (IMHO!)...so for sure they are not similiar....only familiarity would be that they both are copper based and have somewhat same AWG....
 
just wanted to make that clear...as i dont like misunderstandings...
once again..my apologies if i sound to direct or a bit offensive...i am just trying to be honest.

 
I have used Meier Classic, WA6SE, V200 and also Soloist with the LCD2.2, not sure if they are considered "high-end".
But i still prefer the LCD2.2 with O2/ ODAC.
 
Thanks for clearing the specs up.
PS: your msg is not offensive, but i do admire your passion...