[CanadianMaestro]

Apologies, Folks, in my orig response to Poladise, I stated that I thought that the amp may be the limiting factor messing up SQ here. And yes, I mistakenly misinterpreted Poladise's remarks to mean he was referring to LCD2.2, when it really was the O2 amp pairing that was the likely culprit.  Blush blush blush. So, no, don't sell your 2.2, Poladise, but let's help him find a suitable amp that won't put him in the poorhouse, tubed.
 
My rec:
 
Musical Paradise MP301 Mk3 from Canada. $<400CAD and v.g. SQ. Can also serve as an integrated to drive full spkrs. Sold mine a while back because had no more room for it. Check the limited reviews.
 
Cheers

 

[Poladise]

Thanks Maestro. I've got the MP-401(& 301) on my list along with the Little Dot Mk Vi. My girlfriend has banned me from shipping any more amps into the UK though. Last two orders: broken Decware Taboo mk iii and a broken Music Angel MINI P1 6P1.
 
If anyone knows a good tube amp (£500-£1500) to power the LCD-2s available in the UK, please point me to it.
 
Cheers

 

[Megalomaniak]

   
Sounds like you only read CanadianMaetro's comment who thought I was talking about the LCDs. I was talking about the O2 amp.
I'm never replying to a question (even directly above my post) without quoting again haha

 
Ohmygosh, my bad hahaha.
 
Well, I just read the "With the LCD-2r2" and I thought it was your experience with them haha.
 
For me, LCD headphones should be paired with warmer than neutral amplifiers. I run them with the V281 and its a superb combination. They sound smoother and cleaner than with the Matrix M-Stage I was using before too.

 

[TontonJoK]

My best advice would be to get an Alo pan am before they stop selling it, and add a passport battery

I've tried different amps from schiit, little dot and lake people and the sound was good but the difference was not obvious when switching

When I switch between those amps I have to wait for my brain to adjust to the sound and then question myself about the sonic changes, when I do that with the pan am I know right the way that the improvement is there !

I was about to sell my audeze thinking my hifiman he 400 was closed sounding comparing, but since I got that pan am I just love my lcd 2.2 and would never sell it

 

[TontonJoK]

I agree with Megalomaniak the lcd 2 must be paired to a warmer than neutral amp such as violectric v200 for SS
or Woo wa 7, pan am, schiit lyr 2 ??? (only tried lyr 1 but had electric noise issues) for tubes

 

[CanadianMaestro]

I've always loved LCD2.2 with Burson Soloist. Analog sound (if that equates to tubey, then so be it). Not harsh. You need a v.g. source. No computer files; I find that introduces too much "grain". Then use a good dac. But Soloist is superb, I found. Should be available to audition in UK. Another amp is the Decware line. Dont remember which specific model, but it can easily drive the Beyer T1 600 ohms. http://www.decware.com/newsite/homepage.html
 
Too bad Graham Slee doesn't make tubes. Maybe audition some of his S-S as well?
 
I wouldn't rule out S-S amps -- some like the Soloist can give really analog-like sound with better slam and deeper, more accurate bass of solid-state.

 

[CanadianMaestro]

Poladise:
 
Soloist + LCD2/3:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633831/subjective-review-of-the-violectric-v200-and-the-burson-soloist-for-use-with-audeze-lcd-2
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/viewpoint/0113/aa_chapter_158.htm
http://www.cnet.com/news/the-burson-soloist-will-make-your-headphones-sound-better-than-ever/
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/burson-audio-soloist-headphone-amplifier-page-2
 
Power issues:
https://audeze.zendesk.com/entries/20866002-Selecting-an-amp-
 
cheers

 

[dfarina]

Computer files introduce too much grain?What source do you use?

 

[CanadianMaestro]

USB audio is never as good as BNC coaxial digital.
I don't do computer audio anymore....why compromise?
 
I use Bryston BDP-1 BNC out for my digital files (via BDA-1 DAC), to headphone amp or to main speakers. It is NOT a streamer.
 
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/audio-components/digital-player
 
Happy Listening!

 

[Argo Duck]

Gee I'm not sure about the warmer than neutral recommendation, TME of course. I prefer Jan Meier's Classic to the Violectric V100 for example, the V100 being distinctly the warmer of the two. I get best results from tuning my tube amps neutral. Stock, I found the Lyr (original version) too warm and syrupy.

I would say avoid dry upstream gear. Audez'es excel at reproducing fine timbral and harmonic detail, which a dry DAC or amp takes away. Makes an Audez'e sound 'quicker' and 'cleaner' but you might as well go for a dynamic like the Beyer T1 instead.

Concerning Decware, the CSP2+ (2nd hand) or CSP3 (current model) for higher impedance phones; Taboo mk II (2nd hand) or Taboo mk III (current) for orthos. Taboo mk II is definitely the top amp of those in my stable followed by the Meier Classic.

 

[aaronelmore]

I had the opportunity last night to try out a set of LCD-s's on two of the lower end Schiit products.  The Asgard 2 and the Lyr2.  The Asgard sounded great but paired with these headphones was just lacking.  I had to have the volume all the way up to get them to really sing.  One thing that did surprise me however was that even though I had the asgard at full volume there was no noticeable distortion.  Now over to the Lyr2 yes a tube amp and the sound signature was much warmer but power wise holy crap!!!! I couldn't get even close to turning up fully without my skull and poor brain saying STOP.  Now that I am considering getting a pair of LCD-2's I know that i will need to upgrade from my asgard to at least the Lyr2.  Within that price range i see many other options to consider but with my really liking the schiit brand and company I think I have found my next amp. 

 

[Argo Duck]

^ strange you had to turn the Asgaard up full power Does your DAC produce standard voltage out (2Vrms)? Could there be a problem there.

The original Asgaard was 1W 50 ohms and the Lyr 4W. In terms of sound pressure level that gives the Lyr only a 6dB advantage. Certainly noticeable but not huge.

+1 - Schiit is an excellent company.

 

[aaronelmore]

AiDee - Looking at the spec of the DAC the meridian explorer it states that it is a fixed 2v RMS.  You are right the Asgard2 at 50 Ohm is 1W so maybe I need to look into this a little further maybe i had the volume down on the dac or in clementine (thats the flac player i use on my mac).  To bad i don't have the LCD-2's readily available to dig into it My plan though was to still get the LCD's and then later down the road upgrade ams's so we will see hopefully in the near future. Thanks for catching that though now i have some playing and investigation to do. 

 

[saxelrod92]

  AiDee - Looking at the spec of the DAC the meridian explorer it states that it is a fixed 2v RMS.  You are right the Asgard2 at 50 Ohm is 1W so maybe I need to look into this a little further maybe i had the volume down on the dac or in clementine (thats the flac player i use on my mac).  To bad i don't have the LCD-2's readily available to dig into it My plan though was to still get the LCD's and then later down the road upgrade ams's so we will see hopefully in the near future. Thanks for catching that though now i have some playing and investigation to do. 

Yea good idea to look into it a bit, because when I still used the Burson soloist sl which only puts out 650 mW into 50-60 ohms, I could still get full volume by around 1-3 o'clock. but it was still obvious that it wasn't powerful enough because you could hear that it just was not driving them properly with ease. so Something that has twice the output power at that resistance should at the very least sound very loud way before you max it out.

 

[Lohb]

  USB audio is never as good as BNC coaxial digital.
I don't do computer audio anymore....why compromise?
 
I use Bryston BDP-1 BNC out for my digital files (via BDA-1 DAC), to headphone amp or to main speakers. It is NOT a streamer.
 
https://sites.google.com/site/audiomeisterssystem/audio-components/digital-player
 
Happy Listening!

So in your ranking would it be :-
 
BNC Coax
USB
Toslink optical ?