Audeze LCD-3 and $1K amp or Audeze LCD-2 and $2K, where is the sweet spot?

[SoupRKnowva]

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Getting the LCD3's is going to give you the best non-Stat phone period so you won't suffer the coulda-shoulda syndrome and you'll be done on that end.

 
I think there's probably quite a few HE-6 owners out there that would have something to say about that  

 
...not that im taking sides, i havent gotten to hear a unvieled LCD-3 yet

 

[pp312]

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Hmm. in my experience, running headphones from high end amps to cmoys, I've never experienced any amp that can drastically change the final sound to such a degree.
 
An LCD3 running off a cmoy still sounds like an LCD3 (though not a great one). And HD800 running off a cmoy still sounds like an HD800.
 
I've taken both headphones and run them off Lyrs, headroom amps, Burson amps, RWA amps and they still don't sound anything alike. They sound slightly different from one amp to another but no amp can (or should) make one headphone sound like another one.
 
If an amp can so drastically change the sound of a headphone compared to other amps, then I would suggest the amp is broken and not doing its job properly.

 
 
You've said what I meant in far fewer words, which should be a lesson to me. And I love your avatar too. 

 

[sridhar3]

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I think there's probably quite a few HE-6 owners out there that would have something to say about that  

 
...not that im taking sides, i havent gotten to hear a unvieled LCD-3 yet

 
It's always going to be a matter of personal opinion, given how different the sound signatures of the LCD-3 and the HE-6 are.  The amplification requirements of the HE-6 are also far far different from those of the LCD-3 (and every other dynamic on the market).  I'd wager that a majority of those who have heard the HE-6 have heard them with suboptimal amplification.  In my personal experience, when supplied with gobs of Class A power and plenty of current on tap, the HE-6 demonstrate their true potential as a reference-class headphone.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

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It's always going to be a matter of personal opinion, given how different the sound signatures of the LCD-3 and the HE-6 are.  The amplification requirements of the HE-6 are also far far different from those of the LCD-3 (and every other dynamic on the market).  I'd wager that a majority of those who have heard the HE-6 have heard them with suboptimal amplification.  In my personal experience, when supplied with gobs of Class A power and plenty of current on tap, the HE-6 demonstrate their true potential as a reference-class headphone.

 
Agreed, driving them off of a powerful and high end speaker amp, they sounded almost the same as the Sr-009s tonally, and with only slightly less detail/transparency. it was pretty eye opening, even compared to driving them off of the Dark Star.
 
but i would still love to hear the LCD-3s the way they were meant to be heard, i just dont see them beating the HE-6s...but i would be happy to be proved wrong

 

[MacedonianHero]

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but i would still love to hear the LCD-3s the way they were meant to be heard, i just dont see them beating the HE-6s...but i would be happy to be proved wrong

 
I really enjoyed the HE-6s (owned them for over a year) and as great as they were, the LCD-3s were a cut above to my ears...so I am HE-6-less now. 

 

[SoupRKnowva]

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I really enjoyed the HE-6s (owned them for over a year) and as great as they were, the LCD-3s were a cut above to my ears...so I am HE-6-less now. 

 
Ive seen you say that several times MecedonianHero. What amp were you powering the HE-6s with? was it the Liquid Fire then as well?
 
not saying you're wrong or anything, just curious

 

[MacedonianHero]

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Ive seen you say that several times MecedonianHero. What amp were you powering the HE-6s with? was it the Liquid Fire then as well?
 
not saying you're wrong or anything, just curious

 
Speaker taps of my brother's McIntosh amp was the most powerful amp I used them with. Don't get me wrong, they were very good and I did enjoy them. But I did still prefer both the HD800s and LCD-3s over them.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

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Speaker taps of my brother's McIntosh amp was the most powerful amp I used them with. Don't get me wrong, they were very good and I did enjoy them. But I did still prefer both the HD800s and LCD-3s over them.

 
huh...at least no one can say you didnt give them enough power

 
I cant wait to get back to ChiUniFi 6.5 so i can hear the LCD-3s again, ill be giving them quite a bit more time this time around.

 

[MacedonianHero]

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huh...at least no one can say you didnt give them enough power

 
I cant wait to get back to ChiUniFi 6.5 so i can hear the LCD-3s again, ill be giving them quite a bit more time this time around.

 
LoL, I had to keep the volume dial pretty low to keep from blowing them (but they did get very loud very fast). I still think the HE-6s are amongst the top 3-4 headphones I've ever heard. 

 

[Lappy27]

I have LCD-2 rev.2 paired with a Bryston BHA-1 headamp since the last seven weeks. I find the match really, really good. Lots of energy, resolution and musicality.
 
That said `Buy it nice or buy it twice'.
 
I certainly will end up with a pair of LCD-3 one day. I love the Audeze sound (I compared it to HD-800, HE-500 and T1).

 

[Magick Man]

Agreed, driving them off of a powerful and high end speaker amp, they sounded almost the same as the Sr-009s tonally, and with only slightly less detail/transparency. it was pretty eye opening, even compared to driving them off of the Dark Star.

but i would still love to hear the LCD-3s the way they were meant to be heard, i just dont see them beating the HE-6s...but i would be happy to be proved wrong

You wouldn't be wrong. Properly driven with a quality speaker amp, and with a capable source, there's nothing more fine in the realms of orthos and dynamics. Also, they respond to EQ like nothing else, so you can duplicate virtually all other headphones.

 

[K3cT]

I haven't kept track of the HE-6 in a while. Did Hifiman release any sort of fixes or revisions such as newer cable or pads for the HE-6? 
 
From what I remember, that headphone probably has the most delicious "in-your-face" presentation from upper midrange to treble but spatial imaging is not the best especially in regards with center image and there was a noticeable treble ringing/etch, not too different from what most Stax Lambdas suffer, which can induce ear fatigue quickly. 

 

[Solude]

That the vast majority of 'professional' reviewers have declared the HE-500 the better HE-6, I've not had interest in HiFiMAN for a while.

 

[nigeljames]

Most reviews I have read seem to indicate that the HE-6 is significantly better if amped properly.
I think it would be very difficult though to compare the two phones directly given the differing amping requirements.
I can not recall any review where the reviewer has stated the HE500 is the better phone (preferred maybe,but better no)  when the HE6's have been properly amped.

 

[Solude]

6moons, InnerFidelity, Headfonia prefer the HE-500 on the usual suspects.  6moons and HeadFonia will agree that on a coloured power amp the HE-6 can sound good.  Who you got