[devilboy]

Forgive me if this subject has already been covered but..........Purchased Audeze LCD-2 'phones.  I nee a headphone amp to drive these properly.  My top two choices are Red Wine (speaking of the headphone section of any unit), and Woo (probably the WA 6SE).  Also will consider Eddie Currrent Super 7 or Decware Taboo (problem with Taboo is my source outputs only 2 volts....taboo needs 3 volts).    Anyone have experience with any of these setups?  If so, what were your findings and why?
 
Thanks,
 
Luka

 

[johnwmclean]

Nevermind...

 

[Dubstep Girl]

they sound good out of my WA6-SE, haven't heard them on another amp tho.

 

[devilboy]

Question:  Being without an amp, I borrowed a friend's receiver with hadphone jack so I could listen to the LCD-2s.  For whatever reason, the 'phone output doesn't work. (it's a very old unit).  So, I glance over to my 10 year old Toshiba DVD player and what do I see?......a headphone jack with volume control.  If I had "conventional" headphones I would do it in a second.  However with the LCD2s being planar magnetic, I'm a little worried about trying it.  I don't want to damage the 'phones.  I have no specs on the DVD player's headphone output.  I'm dying to try these cans but I don't want to break them either.  Am I ok?  I'm completely new to the headphone world and I just don't want to screw anything up.  Thanks.
 

 

[Radio_head]

You're good.  

 

[devilboy]

Radio_head:  Thanks.  Always trying to get ideas for system matching, I see that you have/had the LCD2s and the Burson HA-160D is gone.  I too once had the Burson but was using it in a loudspeaker system.  I also see in a post that in a previous system you preferred the Burson over a Red Wine (Isabellina HPA i think).  But that was with a pair of Sennheisers.  Could you possibly recommend a headphone amp for the LCD2s?  My budget is around $1,500 but I MIGHT be able to stretch it.  Sorry to bother you with this.  I'm new and want to make sure I'm matching my components properly.  Thanks. 

 

[Radio_head]

Is that budget for just an amp or an Amp/DAC combo?  Do you have a problem with tubes?

 

[devilboy]

The price I mentioned was for amp.  If the dac section of the dac/amp combo is good enough to equal my Metrum dac, I can sell that and increase my range another $800.  An all-in-one solution is convenient but I would like outputs to connect a two channel amp for the loudspeaker system.  As I said above, I'm considering a Woo so I have no problem going tube.

 

[Radio_head]

The Metrum Octave is a good DAC, especially in it's price range.  No integrated DAC/Amp will really beat it.
 
If you must get a new amp, the Lyr is pretty good.  The Burson is also a pretty solid contender.  At the higher end of your budget the Super 7 (which I have never heard) looks tempting.
 
Used B22's can fit in your budget, as can other used amps (shameless plug - for instance my Headroom Max worked very well with it.) Schiit has a new amp being released as well which should be an interesting prospect (with their standard 15 day money back guarantee.)

 

[oopsydaisy]

Throw the Violectric V200 on your list. Pairs very well with the LCD-2. Solid state, but has musicality of tubes. 

 

[daveDerek]

for not a lot of money, and to at least get you started, don't overlook a headamp gilmore lite, gs-1, or variant (eg. v2, or v2-se) - if you can find any of them on the secondary market. g-lite's are not too pricey used. el-doug (who has owned or heard most of the top tier gear) used this with his lcd2s for a while and preferred it to a lot of other gear. i've tried my lcd3s with the g-lite and it'll do the job!
 
while i've not heard that specific combo, i've heard the big headroom max amp sound really great in some rigs!

 

[orrb_05]

I'm really enjpying the Woo WA6SE with my LCD-2s, as well as my LCD-3s - running them via an Audio-gd DAC.