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Amp recommendations for Audeze LCD-2
Dec 9, 2011 at 1:22 PM Post #4,473 of 9,207
What I really want is an Apache vs Darkstar vs Beta write up. If the Apache and Darkstar are fairly similar I'd just go best value and get the Apache. But if one of the 3k headamp only shines true over the Apache i'd just go full seperates.
 
Quote:
stevtt said:
I love it. I've only had it for a couple day. Using it for headphones and as a pre-amp. But I always have been partial to Rays amps.
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Dec 9, 2011 at 1:58 PM Post #4,474 of 9,207
They are very different and all well regarded.  The B22 has 3 varieties of transistor in it, while the RSA gear uses op amps - different approaches but they're all damned powerful amps.  There's probably someone on head-fi that's heard all 3 in close succession...
 
Dec 9, 2011 at 3:27 PM Post #4,475 of 9,207
The wiring on the B22 is pretty simple, I had no trouble doing that myself.  And the Par-Metal people did all my cutouts for about $50.  I used nylon adhesive standoffs so that I didn't have to drill out the bottom of the amp in 50 places (lazy).  The power button is a Bulgin stainless steel, standard Neutrik jacks front & back, Furutech fused IEC inlet, Goldpoint volume knob, Quad Alps Blue Velvet pot.  I don't actually think assembling it would be too bad now that I've spent so much time fiddling with my Beta - since I had to move it from its original case that it was in when AtomikPi sold it to me - tuning everything up once the boards are stuffed is what I'd be worried about, setting all the trimmers etc etc.  
 
Dec 9, 2011 at 3:35 PM Post #4,476 of 9,207
That's what I meant, the SE, not ES 
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Dec 9, 2011 at 6:59 PM Post #4,478 of 9,207
The LF is so good now even without full burn in yet. But I guess not everyone wants to spend the cost of half of the amp to get hold of NOS Telefunken CCa tubes as I did... Once you get that though, you may never want to go back to the JJ's. I may eventually get some Siemens CCa tubes as well, but now, with the Rega Saturn -> Liquid Fire -> ALO 16 wire LCD3 cable -> LCD3, I just get the best sound I could afford in an office setting. The Liquid Fire, although being a tube-SS hybrid amp, is more powerful than any SS head amps I have auditioned - yet having that liquidity you find in tube amps. Just so dead neutral and natural to my ears, and at the same time with a sense of energy so strong that everything else (especially my previous portable setups) seems underpowered in comparison.
 
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:03 PM Post #4,479 of 9,207


Quote:
morbidtoaster said:
What I really want is an Apache vs Darkstar vs Beta write up. If the Apache and Darkstar are fairly similar I'd just go best value and get the Apache. But if one of the 3k headamp only shines true over the Apache i'd just go full seperates.
 


 
 
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I can arrange that.
 
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:14 PM Post #4,480 of 9,207
The shipping fees would be legendary, unless you could arrange it locally.  I bet Ray would like to see his top amps go toe to toe with the B22...
 
Dec 9, 2011 at 11:31 PM Post #4,482 of 9,207


Quote:
scootermafia said:
The shipping fees would be legendary, unless you could arrange it locally.  I bet Ray would like to see his top amps go toe to toe with the B22...
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Yeah. I'd love to test the Darkstar against the Liquid Fire and the Manley Stringray. Two of my favorite amps that I absolutely love in my heart. I haven't heard the B22. Still waiting for it to show up at a meet one of these days...
 
Dec 10, 2011 at 2:06 AM Post #4,483 of 9,207


Quote:
austin morrow said:
Yeah. I'd love to test the Darkstar against the Liquid Fire and the Manley Stringray. Two of my favorite amps that I absolutely love in my heart. I haven't heard the B22. Still waiting for it to show up at a meet one of these days...
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I don't know for sure but I bet the Manley Stringray would win that contest...
 
 
 
 
Dec 10, 2011 at 2:39 AM Post #4,484 of 9,207
Quote:
warriorant said:
I don't know for sure but I bet the Manley Stringray would win that contest...
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I've always wanted to hear the Manley Stingray II or the NeoClassic 300B RC Preamplifier.  Manley was a no-show at RMAF 2011, sadly enough.  Someday, perhaps.
 
I'm a bit torn about the Dark Star.  When I heard it, it sounded awesome with the HE-6, but at the same time, it's still basically a gainclone in a fancy case.  I don't know if I can psychologically get around that and shell out $3k+ for a chipamp.
 
Dec 10, 2011 at 6:00 AM Post #4,485 of 9,207
For those of you following this thread, but not the other threads, I've moved two pages of posts here.
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