[Sound Eq]

  Quote:
I drive my LCD-2 from 3 different amps. I'm quite happy with all of them. The primary is an Oppo HA-1. It's the best of the three, but it's big & heavy, not the best for a desktop. The other two are a Corda Jazz, and a JDS Element. The Jazz is a great amp but analog only - no digital input. If you already have a DAC, then the Corda Jazz is the amp I would recommend. If you don't already have a DAC, I'd recommend the JDS Element. It has both analog & digital (USB) inputs, is relatively small, can drive almost any headphone from IEMs to power-hungry full size, with fantastic measurements and great sound.
 
You mention "warm" sound. These are well-engineered, clean, neutral solid state amps. They're not "warm" - but they're not bright or harsh either. Some might call the sound a bit "dry", but IMO it is the sound of clean stark reality without the euphonic distortions that some amps have. The amp steps aside and what you hear is the recording and whatever your headphones sound like. It faithfully gives you what's in the recording whether it's a string quartet or Swans. The bass is fantastic - clean, controlled, and goes into the subsonic. But it's not elevated in level.

thanks i will read about those
 
what bout the deckard by audeze

 

[MRC001]

what bout the deckard by audeze

The Deckard is a nice DAC+amp at twice the price of the Element. Spec-wise, the Element is cleaner, lower distortion. That doesnt mean it sounds better. Both are well-designed solid state amps which are diabolically hard to differentiate in level matched DBT. The Element is the cheapest DAC+amp I have seen having reference level specs and > 1 W power output. You don't need that power output for LCD-2, but it means you can drive other less efficient headphones too.

 

[Sound Eq]

The Deckard is a nice DAC+amp at twice the price of the Element. Spec-wise, the Element is cleaner, lower distortion. That doesnt mean it sounds better. Both are well-designed solid state amps which are diabolically hard to differentiate in level matched DBT. The Element is the cheapest DAC+amp I have seen having reference level specs and > 1 W power output. You don't need that power output for LCD-2, but it means you can drive other less efficient headphones too.

what about tube dac/amps as really the lcd2 deserves something outstanding within a 1000 usd range
 
not that I am saying that what you are recommending is not top notch, but i want this analog sound signature that is on the warm side as i already have the yulong 100 mkii, which drives the lcd2 great, and i have the mojo as a dac.

 

[MRC001]

When it comes to audio, just cuz you pay more doesn't necessarily mean you get better performance objectively or subjectively.

If you want that tubulicious sound that only a SET amp can provide, you'll need a SET amp. But it will have to have an output transformer to drive the LCD-2. OTL SET amps can be more transparent but that's not an option with the LCD-2 due to its 70 ohm impedance.

I had an OTL SET amp years ago (Wheatfield HA-2) and it was nice but its not my cup of tea. I prefer the stark neutrality of solid state to the warm lush sound of tubes.

PS the LCD-2 is purely resistive load easy to drive, so I suggest try what you already have before buying something else.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

The Deckard has a very nice signature that I would say sounds tube like. I had the Element and it was not to my taste, I preferred the Schiit Modi2U/Vali2 that I upgraded to from the Element. I felt the Element had a bit of grain to it. I prefer the Deckard to all of thee previous amps mentioned though. The Deckard also improves being fed by the Mojo.

 

[thecrow]

what about tube dac/amps as really the lcd2 deserves something outstanding within a 1000 usd range

not that I am saying that what you are recommending is not top notch, but i want this analog sound signature that is on the warm side as i already have the yulong 100 mkii, which drives the lcd2 great, and i have the mojo as a dac.

How about the alo cdm?

 

[Lorspeaker]

http://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm
 
Go for broke....rob your piggy, check this out

 

[Jesse Oh]

  http://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm
 
Go for broke....rob your piggy, check this out

W A N T 

 

[tiger roach]

http://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm

Go for broke....rob your piggy, check this out

Wow that is sexy.

 

[Sound Eq]

  http://www.decware.com/newsite/TABOO.htm
 
Go for broke....rob your piggy, check this out

woooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww any reviews on it

 

[Sound Eq]

what do u guys think of people comparing monoprice 1060 to lcd2
 
do u think those are legit comparisons

 

[davehutch]

Let me tell you my story (which I've already posted):
I spent three Saturday sessions of 3 hours each at HighEnd Headphones listening to almost everything they had. Started at Shure 1540 and went through MrSpeakers EF, HiFiMan Edition X V2, Audeze EL-8, LCD-2, LCD-x, LCD-3, Audioquest Nighthawk and Nightowl, Oppo PM-1, PM-2 and PM-3, AudioTechnica Z2000s, Denon D7200, iSine 20s...you name it, I listened to it.
After the first review of the Monoprice M560s came out from Zeos, I, like many others, took a chance and ordered the M1060, unheard.
 
When They turned up, I couldn't believe the sound quality of them for the price and the very next day, I had another session at HEH. My first job was to A/B the M1060 and LCD-2 as the LCD-2 was one of the two finalists in my headphone choice.
They were SO similar in sound and the comfort was actually better on the M1060 that I couldn't justify spending an extra £600 for the LCD-2s. So far so good.
Next check was therefore between the M1060s and the HiFiMan HEX V2 as this was my other 'finalist'
 
Comfort-wise, the HEX won hands down, but for realism, attack, extended low end, it was the M1060 and don't forget they were £800 cheaper, so I explained to HEH who were very understanding and I walked away quids in.
 
So for me, it was the 1060s closely followed by the LCD-2s, mostly down to price as they're half the price (for me with shipping and import duties), but also because of the comfort of the 1060s.
 
I gave myself an ultimatum though, if the M1060s cracked, I would send them back and buy the LCD-2s instead. Which is exactly what happened.
To confuse the issue more, my LCD-2s turned up faulty and I've now read the review of the M1060s so I'm really in a quandary. I have a new pair of LCD-2s coming tomorrow and I may keep the M1060s anyway as I can always swap them over for the 'version 2' that is promised in a few month's time, without all the faults. After all, it's a 5 year warranty.
 
If I were advising someone now, I'd say wait for the M1060 V2 that has a decent cable and doesn't crack and save yourself some money (and also have a lighter, more comfortable headphone).
Hope that helps.

 

[Sound Eq]

  Let me tell you my story (which I've already posted):
I spent three Saturday sessions of 3 hours each at HighEnd Headphones listening to almost everything they had. Started at Shure 1540 and went through MrSpeakers EF, HiFiMan Edition X V2, Audeze EL-8, LCD-2, LCD-x, LCD-3, Audioquest Nighthawk and Nightowl, Oppo PM-1, PM-2 and PM-3, AudioTechnica Z2000s, Denon D7200, iSine 20s...you name it, I listened to it.
After the first review of the Monoprice M560s came out from Zeos, I, like many others, took a chance and ordered the M1060, unheard.
 
When They turned up, I couldn't believe the sound quality of them for the price and the very next day, I had another session at HEH. My first job was to A/B the M1060 and LCD-2 as the LCD-2 was one of the two finalists in my headphone choice.
They were SO similar in sound and the comfort was actually better on the M1060 that I couldn't justify spending an extra £600 for the LCD-2s. So far so good.
Next check was therefore between the M1060s and the HiFiMan HEX V2 as this was my other 'finalist'
 
Comfort-wise, the HEX won hands down, but for realism, attack, extended low end, it was the M1060 and don't forget they were £800 cheaper, so I explained to HEH who were very understanding and I walked away quids in.
 
So for me, it was the 1060s closely followed by the LCD-2s, mostly down to price as they're half the price (for me with shipping and import duties), but also because of the comfort of the 1060s.
 
I gave myself an ultimatum though, if the M1060s cracked, I would send them back and buy the LCD-2s instead. Which is exactly what happened.
To confuse the issue more, my LCD-2s turned up faulty and I've now read the review of the M1060s so I'm really in a quandary. I have a new pair of LCD-2s coming tomorrow and I may keep the M1060s anyway as I can always swap them over for the 'version 2' that is promised in a few month's time, without all the faults. After all, it's a 5 year warranty.
 
If I were advising someone now, I'd say wait for the M1060 V2 that has a decent cable and doesn't crack and save yourself some money (and also have a lighter, more comfortable headphone).
Hope that helps.

great feedback thanks so much
 
as i want to introduce my friend into a good HP without paying so much so 1060 seems a good choice, i for one am back in love with my lcd2

 

[Lorspeaker]

whew , read some sterling reviews ....
wait for a monoprice with leathercups, longer cables, for under ..errr say $350,
that should bust the price balloon on planars. ;P
 
meanwhile the LCD2 is KING...the smell of wood, (face)oiled leather...the heft on the head.. perfect. LOL

 

[sludgeogre]

  whew , read some sterling reviews ....
wait for a monoprice with leathercups, longer cables, for under ..errr say $350,
that should bust the price balloon on planars. ;P
 
meanwhile the LCD2 is KING...the smell of wood, (face)oiled leather...the heft on the head.. perfect. LOL

It's hard for me to care about monoprice when I've had so many problems with cables and chargers I've bought from them. Everything they make is cheaply manufactured from cheap components. I've had several RCA cables bust the ground off, had them grip too hard to safely remove from devices, had chargers just stop functioning after a month. I can't get myself to buy anything from them even in the $10 range, let alone expensive headphones. I'll stick with Audeze, my drivers may have broken a couple times, but they've fixed them at no cost to me and I'm confident that they have fixed the problem. I'm not confident that monoprice is going to make a nice headphone that doesn't fall apart like the rest of their equipment.