[hardtarget666]

AudioGD NFB-10 (ES/WM) is another amp that is fully discrete. Initial impressions from users talks about a good synergy between LCD-2 & NFB-10ES.

 

[ptrok]

Quote:

A perfect amp for the LCD2 would something that sounds clean, perhaps to the brighter side, and provides ample of current. 
 
I still don't like the Concerto with the LCD2 no matter what people say here. The Burson HA160 does a much better job.
 
Also wrong headphone to buy if you're looking for an expansive soundstage. HD800 or Stax Lambda would perfectly fit that bill. 

I like all the sound signatures described by the owners but would like an amp that could open up the soundstage a little so as to give the music depth. Don't like the exaggerated treble and tinny description of the Hd800 or the price increase...lol. As for the stax, I am not familiar with them and will look into it, thanks.
 

 

[gogogasgas]

RE: Mier Concerto with the LCD-2s. Seems like people either love it or hate it as a combination.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

RE: Mier Concerto with the LCD-2s. Seems like people either love it or hate it as a combination.

 
As they say you can't make all the people happy all the time, nor would you ever expect to either. Not one piece of gear on Head-fi is universally loved. The Concerto is a bang on neutral amp and pairs very well with the LCD-2s to my ears and has plenty of headroom too. A few don't think so, heck many don't even like the LCD-2s no matter what amp you pair with them.
 
Number one rule of audio...if it sounds good to your ears, then it is. And the corollary, if it doesn't sound good to your ears....it is not (no matter how much it costs).

 

[Currawong]

I do like how the Phoenix opens up the soundstage to make the LCD-2s more Stax-like (except tonally) but while keeping the dynamic punch. That is possibly why the NFB-10 owners have had good luck too.

 

[gogogasgas]

Quote:

Number one rule of audio...if it sounds good to your ears, then it is. And the corollary, if it doesn't sound good to your ears....it is not (no matter how much it costs).

So true! But there are some combinations of gear that sound crap to the majority. Checking in here to read a poster's experience with a piece of kit at least shortens the list, saves time and potentially saves the punter some money. Plus, I learn so much about audio in these postings!
Quote:

I do like how the Phoenix opens up the soundstage to make the LCD-2s more Stax-like (except tonally) but while keeping the dynamic punch. That is possibly why the NFB-10 owners have had good luck too.

Yes, I might have to bite the bullet and go with the Phoenix. I can't see anything else out there in the solid state world that offers the Phoenix's audio and design quality, incredible versatility and more than fair pricing.
 
HELP department: The next bit is off topic (and even this parameters of this site): If any Head Fi members have any experience or knowledge of the Ortofon RS-309D tonearm, or the other tonearms in the current Ortofon range, could you contact me directly. Thanks

 

 

[wht]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Quote:

RE: Mier Concerto with the LCD-2s. Seems like people either love it or hate it as a combination.

 
As they say you can't make all the people happy all the time, nor would you ever expect to either. Not one piece of gear on Head-fi is universally loved. The Concerto is a bang on neutral amp and pairs very well with the LCD-2s to my ears and has plenty of headroom too. A few don't think so, heck many don't even like the LCD-2s no matter what amp you pair with them.
 
Number one rule of audio...if it sounds good to your ears, then it is. And the corollary, if it doesn't sound good to your ears....it is not (no matter how much it costs).

The Concerto/LCD-2 pairing works for me.

 

[sokolov91]

Quote:

 
 The Naked Truth About Opamp
 
 I still love the sound of my IC-based amp, but this makes sense.
 
 Mike

They also base their entire business on asserting IC op amps sound bad...
even the crazies over at 6moons liked the Concerto and specifically said that it laid waste to Burson's claims. Doesn't mean the article is misinformation on a technical level, but if the info doesn't actually relate to sonics it doesn't really matter...
 
FWIW for the money I thought the concerto was a very good amp and sounded great with the LCD-2.
 

 

[okw3188]

Yeap, Concerto and LCD-2 for me too. I found out the hard way, as I began with a DIY QED Silver Spiral interconnect between CD and amp. The high frequency was too bright to my likings.
 
But it's all rectify when I replace the interconnect with a PCOCC cable, it makes me feel like listening to the fantastic combination again and again, whole day long....
 
Quote:

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Quote:

RE: Mier Concerto with the LCD-2s. Seems like people either love it or hate it as a combination.

 
As they say you can't make all the people happy all the time, nor would you ever expect to either. Not one piece of gear on Head-fi is universally loved. The Concerto is a bang on neutral amp and pairs very well with the LCD-2s to my ears and has plenty of headroom too. A few don't think so, heck many don't even like the LCD-2s no matter what amp you pair with them.
 
Number one rule of audio...if it sounds good to your ears, then it is. And the corollary, if it doesn't sound good to your ears....it is not (no matter how much it costs).

The Concerto/LCD-2 pairing works for me.

 

[RedBull]

Even Lehmann BCL and LCD-2 works for me. I like it slightly better than DV337 with LCD-2.

 

[Equus]

Quote:

I like all the sound signatures described by the owners but would like an amp that could open up the soundstage a little so as to give the music depth. Don't like the exaggerated treble and tinny description of the Hd800 or the price increase...lol. As for the stax, I am not familiar with them and will look into it, thanks.
 

Added detail and separation might also give the sound depth, depending on what you're going for.  There's amps that to my ears give a very wide expansive left to right staging, while there are some that might not be as wide but give a very good sense of layers and space around the sounds.  Either can be good, depending on what you want.  For me, the LCD-2's give so much information that the "width" of the soundstage sometimes isn't as important sometimes as the detail, space, and specificity of the sound, but it's all a matter of taste.  From the limited time I've spent with HD800's, I sometimes think the soundstage is unnaturally large, almost like it's stretched.  There's definitely some music and tastes that it works for though, so YMMV.  To be fair, I also haven't heard the HD800s with an amp that doesn't cause me fatigue at some point.
 
When you say "soundstage" and "depth" are you talking about left to right staging, separation and layers, or both?

 

[ptrok]

Quote:

Quote:

I like all the sound signatures described by the owners but would like an amp that could open up the soundstage a little so as to give the music depth. Don't like the exaggerated treble and tinny description of the Hd800 or the price increase...lol. As for the stax, I am not familiar with them and will look into it, thanks.
 

Added detail and separation might also give the sound depth, depending on what you're going for.  There's amps that to my ears give a very wide expansive left to right staging, while there are some that might not be as wide but give a very good sense of layers and space around the sounds.  Either can be good, depending on what you want.  For me, the LCD-2's give so much information that the "width" of the soundstage sometimes isn't as important sometimes as the detail, space, and specificity of the sound, but it's all a matter of taste.  From the limited time I've spent with HD800's, I sometimes think the soundstage is unnaturally large, almost like it's stretched.  There's definitely some music and tastes that it works for though, so YMMV.  To be fair, I also haven't heard the HD800s with an amp that doesn't cause me fatigue at some point.
 
When you say "soundstage" and "depth" are you talking about left to right staging, separation and layers, or both?

I'm greedy in the fact that I would like both but I am more concerned with depth if I were to choose one of the two. Due to the comments of others I have also been looking into Audiogd as a possible alternative as well. The fact that they are located in China, makes it easier and cheaper for me to deal with them. But I am still saving up so I have time to think about it.

 

[zilch0md]

Hi gogogasgas,
 
Apparently, all of Schiit's circuits are discrete:
 
Quoting from http://schiit.com/schiit-faq/general-questions/:
 

First, use the simplest, purest possible circuit to achieve a specific goal. We’re not in the business of building discrete op-amps; we’re in the business of making music. That’s why you’ll see that all of our circuits are discrete, feature zero feedback, a single voltage gain stage, and are single-ended and noninverting.

 
Mike

 

[RedBull]

I have nothing again Schiit, I never heard any Schiit products and I'm sure they are good, but I don't believe in generalization that no-opamp has to be good, like I used to.  I know some products that's VERY good on paper but <blah> on sound, at least to my ears, so, I suggest you forget about IC and non IC based at the moment, listen, judge, then you can read whether they're using IC or not.  My Lehmann BCL (to my ears) are better than those Class A, fully discrete, using the best component in the world etc etc, ok ay okay, Apache is REALLY good I admit.
 
Wish I could listen to the Asgard tho one day, quite an interesting product it sounds, from people feedback.

 

[El_Doug]

...the Apache is op-amp based  
 
Quote:

I have nothing again Schiit, I never heard any Schiit products and I'm sure they are good, but I don't believe in generalization that no-opamp has to be good, like I used to.  I know some products that's VERY good on paper but <blah> on sound, at least to my ears, so, I suggest you forget about IC and non IC based at the moment, listen, judge, then you can read whether they're using IC or not.  My Lehmann BCL (to my ears) are better than those Class A, fully discrete, using the best component in the world etc etc, ok ay okay, Apache is REALLY good I admit.
 
Wish I could listen to the Asgard tho one day, quite an interesting product it sounds, from people feedback.