[incognitodave]

So "I'm OK waiting" more out of necessity than honest feelings. I still don't know what DAC I am going to pair it with. Stoopid analysis paralysis.

 

[rcoleman1]

  So "I'm OK waiting" more out of necessity than honest feelings. I still don't know what DAC I am going to pair it with. Stoopid analysis paralysis.

Same here. I'm so undecided about a DAC. Decisions...decisions.

 

[DecentLevi]

Warning: awesome info. comin' at ya:
 
The DAC Cavalli Audio was pairing the LC amp at the SF Head-Fi meet last month was the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo -dB. This was the setup that had wowed many seasoned Head-Fi OCD'ers (plus the Ether headphones... which I found great but a tad too 'dark', and thick shielded power cables). I enjoyed this pairing also so much that it must be part of the reason I bought the LC amp the next day. While I imagine the Sabre DAC chip has great synergy with the LC amp, this DAC had a "24 bit AKM 4396 which delivers a slightly broader spectrum and smoother sound than the previously slightly bright original SOLO."
Tip: remove the "-" from dB if you search for it on Google so that doesn't act as a negative search character. This sells for $599. I've found a good review of it here, and the manuf. page here.
 
I'll share with you my other selected favorite DACs after extensive research throughout the year. And trust me, there are all solid audiophile-grade performers (prices are approximate):
 
$200 Beresford Caiman MKII (pushes way above it's price point too)
 
$300 Geek Out v2 or v2+
 
$300 Music Streamer HD
 
$300 FiiO X5 v2 (this is a DAP but you can use it as a DAC/transport)
 
$349 Schiit Bifrost (fully upgradeable)
 
$500 Gustard X12
 
$599 AlgoRhythm Solo -dB (see above)
 
$750 Schiit Gungnir
 
$799 Questyle Q192 (DAC/amp combo with DAC only option)
 
$900 (?) Audio GD NFB 11 and NFB 1
 
 
Worth looking into:
* Schiit Audio's reDACted R2R which may / may not be released
* Gustard X20
* That new ultra TOTL R2R DAC worth thousands and weighing 60kg with dozens of DAC chips (stillhart probably knows the name).

 

[sacredgates]

I have a Concero HD here waiting to pair with the LC...

 

[DatGuy]

I demand Warren's impressions on the [redacted] by dinner time Saturday so that the rest of us can pre-order and have the LC and [redacted] arrive on the same truck.

 

[Cardiiiii]

  I demand Warren's impressions on the [redacted] by dinner time Saturday so that the rest of us can pre-order and have the LC and [redacted] arrive on the same truck.

Pretty sure whatever is being announced on Saturday will be ready for shipping the same day?

 

[Stillhart]

  I demand Warren's impressions on the [redacted] by dinner time Saturday so that the rest of us can pre-order and have the LC and [redacted] arrive on the same truck.

 
I'm sure @warrenpchi's heard it already, you should demand his impressions NAO!!!  
 
Barring that, I will be covering the Schiit Show for www.audio-head.com and I'll be sure to post some impressions in here.  Also the other 149 people that will be there are likely to post some impressions.  :-D

 

[s7uart]

Enigmatic audio paradox can't recommend it enough.

 
 

  I have the Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime.  They are a really cool pairing.  First time I heard it at a meet, it was @jude  's demo LC.  I kinda pulled at his shirt sleeve and said something like "wow - have heard these from the LC?"  He allowed as how he had the Primes, so, yes.  Any way, I was pretty blown away.  Way different than the Ether for sure, but a killer combo.  I haven't heard any other closed cans from the LC.  It has been long enough all I can really say at this point is that I was quite impressed at the time.

 
 

   
The ZMF Blackwoods pair well with it and sound very spacious for a closed can.

 
 

  I tried my Mad Dogs with the Carbon at the Nashville meet and ordered it when I got home. If you have the money the Alpha Primes were very nice as well. Just my 2 cents. 

 
 

   
I tried my TH900 out of the SE output of the LC at the SF head-fi meet, and it sounded great. Very dynamic and punchy. I got mine reterminated to balanced in anticipation of my LC arriving. The TH900 is wonderful, comfortable, and light, and is even better modded

 
Hi all,
 
Thanks for all of the recommendations / suggestions, looks like I've got plenty of reading / homework to do 

 
I think I'm going to be very busy at the London CanJam 

 

[Poimandres]

The Dac in the db is not a Wolfson, the rest is correct.

 

[doctorjazz]

Think this while thread just went to "pot", heh heh heh

 

[longbowbbs]

 
 "Wolfson 24 bit AKM4396 which delivers a slightly broader spectrum and smoother sound than the previously slightly bright original SOLO."
 

Wolfson has the 8740, 8741 and 8742.  AKM has the AKM43XX series. Two different companies. Both great DAC chip series.

 

[reddog]

I have the Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime.  They are a really cool pairing.  First time I heard it at a meet, it was @jude
 's demo LC.  I kinda pulled at his shirt sleeve and said something like "wow - have heard these from the LC?"  He allowed as how he had the Primes, so, yes.  Any way, I was pretty blown away.  Way different than the Ether for sure, but a killer combo.  I haven't heard any other closed cans from the LC.  It has been long enough all I can really say at this point is that I was quite impressed at the time.

Thanks for your impressions on the Alpha Primes and the lc. Such impressions allow me to wait longer for the lc to be released.

 

[DecentLevi]

OK well I was just quoting the specs that Headfonics listed for it. So it looks like the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo -dB uses an AKM4396 DAC chip

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  OK well I was just quoting the specs that Headfonics listed for it. So it looks like the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo -dB uses an AKM4396 DAC chip

 
I think the original CLAS used a Wolfson DAC chip...

 

[AxelCloris]

  On the right they have a Questyle amp, which reminds me of the Questyle Q192: a DAC/amp combo for about the same price as the LC. This thing has automatic impedance detection and uses a superbly implemented Wolfson DAC chip and from my thorough comparison of it to the LC amp, I noticed these two are super-comparable! I decided that the LC amp slightly edges out the Q192 with medium load headphones, but I preferred the Q192 when it came to low gain headphones for the superb immersive soundstage with those.

 
Not to mention that you also got a Questyle CMA800R as backup too...

(just noticed it was a Q192...)
Edit: Changed my my mind again. It really looks like a CMA800R since the Q192 should have two toggle switches on the left.

 
I know this is going back a couple of pages, but I should mention that the LC wasn't paired with the Q192 at the Chicago meet. I had the CMA800i next to the X Infinity + LPS4. The DAC in the CMA800i is the same as in their CAS192D full-size desktop DAC. They utilize different chips, so anyone who listened at my station heard the CMA800i's flagship WM8741 DAC rather than the WM8740 in the Q192.