[BassDigger]

I think that in most balanced amps, with SE outputs, the SE output is compromised, compared to the balanced output.
 
It's easy enough to get a balanced cable and fit it to the LCD2, so to just get the best option, whether it's balanced or not, would be my advice.
 
EDIT: "p.s. I don't listen to my music at loud levels, and I am not a basshead."

 What's the relevance?

 

[CanadianMaestro]

SE output is not "compromised". It just has half the V swing of the bal output. Can still drive many HPs with authority, the BHA-1 that is. Don't know about other bal amps like WA22, etc.
 
If our friend has a "no compromise" mind-set, all I'm saying is that he should take a serious gander at going balanced for a headphone like LCD-2. 

 

[CanadianMaestro]

   
EDIT: "p.s. I don't listen to my music at loud levels, and I am not a basshead."

 What's the relevance?

Some have a misconception that amps with lots of juice are only good for playin' loudly and with bassy music. Not necessarily true, obviously.

 

[jodgey4]

SE output is not "compromised". It just has half the V swing of the bal output. Can still drive many HPs with authority, the BHA-1 that is. Don't know about other bal amps like WA22, etc.

If our friend has a "no compromise" mind-set, all I'm saying is that he should take a serious gander at going balanced for a headphone like LCD-2. 

Even the Bryston engineers will tell you the SE is compromised. Amps designed to perform with balanced outputs usually have an SE thrown on just for convenience, and that output isn't given much attention. Same exact story with my NFB-28, even the Ragnarok and Mjolnir have the same thing, ask Schiit. Please do your research before posting. Balanced is not always better - you're paying for two amps, so parts are usually cheaper when compared to similarly priced SE products.

 

[MRC001]

  Thank you, but I was hoping to get something MUCH cheaper.
 
So I'll rephrase - what is the CHEAPEST amp that will sufficiently power an LCD-2?
 
Thank you.

The cheapest I have found is the Meier Corda Jazz. It is just an amp - no DAC. Costs around $400 when I bought it over a year ago. Its low price belies its absolutely excellent sound quality. Super clean, neutral, transparent, enough oomph to drive almost any headphone, with selectable gain (high/low) and it also has the best crossfeed circuit I've heard, which can be turned off if that's not your thing. It also has no potentiometer in the signal path, but a ladder stepped switch electronically actuated by an analog potentiometer that is not in the signal path. This is totally unheard of at its price range, providing perfect channel balance and the same transparent sound quality throughout the full range of the volume knob. Its sound compares with amps that cost several times its price. You can find reviews here on this site.
 
PS I just looked at Meier's site and the price of the Jazz has dropped to $340. He's based on Germany so we can thank Greece and the historically low value of the Euro vs dollar for that. Definitely fits the bill for "cheapest amp that will sufficiently power an LCD-2". More than sufficient.
 
PPS I have no business affiliation with Meier other than being a very satisfied customer.
 
PPPS Recommend way to get the most out of the LCD-2 or any good headphone, on minimum budget: make your DAC a high quality sound card (like an ESI Juli@), run sound card analog output to a Corda Jazz. Cost would be about $150 for the sound card, $350 for the amp, total $500 for a DAC and amp with great sound and that will let you listen to anything and drive almost any SE headphone.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Even the Bryston engineers will tell you the SE is compromised. Amps designed to perform with balanced outputs usually have an SE thrown on just for convenience, and that output isn't given much attention.

SE doesn't sound compromised to my ears -- I use it with my HE560.
 
I didn't say balanced was always better. Definitely with LCD-2.2 in my experience.
 
cheers

 

[MRC001]

SE doesn't sound compromised to my ears -- I use it with my HE560.
I didn't say balanced was always better. Definitely with LCD-2.2 in my experience.

Running my LCD2-F from the Oppo HA-1, I can't tell a difference in sound quality between SE and Balanced. But it takes long enough to swap the SE to Balanced cable at the headphone, and adjust the volume 6 dB to account for the SE lower output level, it's not an ideal switch. Fast switching is better for hearing subtle differences.
 
That said, the HA-1 was designed to run in balanced mode from the DAC implementation through the analog stage; measures slightly better in balanced mode. And the 6 dB higher output enables me to use low gain mode. So I'm sticking with balanced output whether or not I can hear any difference in sound quality.

 

[Stealthyduc]

I bought the JDS labs Element about a month ago with my LCD-2s and it sounds great. I'm not a seasoned veteran by any means but the pair definitely sends shivers down my spine (in a good way).

 

[CanadianMaestro]

So many amps, so little time.....

 

[Amish]

Having owned the BHA-1 and SE as well as a couple pair of balanced cables for my LCD2 I can say without a doubt that the BHA-1 using balanced cables was a marked improvement. I'm not talking SQ here..but it really brought the LCD's alive.
 
A good amp with just SE output is amazing too with these headphones. I still haven't found an amp that makes me smile with my LCD's as much as the Project Ember amp does. It just can't be beat in it's price range. IMO of course.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

  Having owned the BHA-1 and SE as well as a couple pair of balanced cables for my LCD2 I can say without a doubt that the BHA-1 using balanced cables was a marked improvement. I'm not talking SQ here..but it really brought the LCD's alive.
 
A good amp with just SE output is amazing too with these headphones. I still haven't found an amp that makes me smile with my LCD's as much as the Project Ember amp does. It just can't be beat in it's price range. IMO of course.

Why'd you sell it?

 

[jodgey4]

Those saying that balanced on a BHA-1 is better still can't say if that's a product of amp design or actual power output. I just don't want people to conflate the two. Saying balanced is always better than SE is not viable, when all other variables are the same (power, slew rate, internal noise levels, etc.). The only time this would certainly be true is over long runs, where balanced wins due to common noise rejection.

 

[Amish]

 
Why'd you sell it?

The BHA-1? Because I preferred the Ember. I'm on my second Ember which is the mkII (sold my first Ember to put money towards the BHA-1) and though the BHA-1 is an amazing amp and one of the most dead silent amps I have had the pleasure to use but I found I missed the Ember so I bought the Ember mkII and ran it along side the BHA-1. After a couple of months I realized the Ember was the more enjoyable amp for me so I sold the BHA-1 because I didn't see the point of having it just sit there.
 
Also I have to admit that I'd not buy another BHA-1 again.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Bryston a while back when they first came out with the BHA-1, acknowledged that SE is the "default" state of most, if not all, HPs. As such, the notion that SE circuitry in their amp is an "afterthought" is just plain wrong. Everything Bryston designs and implements is not an after-thought for marketing filler or whatever.
 
http://bryston.com/PDF/brochures/BHA1_BROCHURE.pdf
 
The balanced output is an intentional product of their design and is manifested as boosted voltage swing at the jacks.
 
In the end, their amp does very well with a lot of HPs, SE and balanced.

 

[Amish]

Those saying that balanced on a BHA-1 is better still can't say if that's a product of amp design or actual power output. I just don't want people to conflate the two. Saying balanced is always better than SE is not viable, when all other variables are the same (power, slew rate, internal noise levels, etc.). The only time this would certainly be true is over long runs, where balanced wins due to common noise rejection.

 
To me it comes down to the ouput. SQ sounded the same to me but the output makes a big difference when running balanced.