[kkcc]

   
LOL +1

 
what about a WA22 vs LAu?   

  

 

[Solude]

Overpriced v Overpriced
 
If you have LAu money get a GS-X mk2 on the solid state side and look to Eddie Current or ECP for tubes.  If you've heard the WA22 and loved it, the B22 is pretty much a stand in for it at half the price, none of the hassle.

 

[NewSkool]

Neither IMO. One is affordable and sounds horrible with the LCD-3s (and very underpowered) and the other is way over priced for the performance you get.

Thanks Macedonian. I guess I should ask then what you might recommend to drive the LCD-3's? Looks like you have a GSX MKII? How is it?
Anything that you would recommend around a $2K budget to pair with them?
Thanks.

 

[Solude]

My LCD-3 list looks like this...
 
GS-X mk2 > Apex Peak /w 5692 > Burson Soloist
 
There are others that will do but they cost more than those three price points and don't perform as well.  WA22, B22, GS-1 are also good just not as good as the other amps for the same money.  Some have liked the Schiit Mjolnir which has lots of great points but it's tonal balance and aggression weren't to my liking.  Could have been my source at the time though.  I have another one on route along with the Gungnir so should know one way or the other soon

 

[preproman]

I wonder how the GS-1 with upgraded modules compares to the Soloist.  Should sound pretty similar - I'm guessing. 

 

[undersys]

  My LCD-3 list looks like this...
 
GS-X mk2 > Apex Peak /w 5692 > Burson Soloist
 
There are others that will do but they cost more than those three price points and don't perform as well.  WA22, B22, GS-1 are also good just not as good as the other amps for the same money.  Some have liked the Schiit Mjolnir which has lots of great points but it's tonal balance and aggression weren't to my liking.  Could have been my source at the time though.  I have another one on route along with the Gungnir so should know one way or the other soon

 
And where would you place the Audio-gd Master 8 ? ....
 
I am set on my choice, but I do respect you thoughts .

 

[BournePerfect]

  Overpriced v Overpriced
 
If you have LAu money get a GS-X mk2 on the solid state side and look to Eddie Current or ECP for tubes.  If you've heard the WA22 and loved it, the B22 is pretty much a stand in for it at half the price, none of the hassle.

 
Yep.
 
-Daniel

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  Overpriced v Overpriced
 
If you have LAu money get a GS-X mk2 on the solid state side and look to Eddie Current or ECP for tubes.  If you've heard the WA22 and loved it, the B22 is pretty much a stand in for it at half the price, none of the hassle.

 
sounds about right.
 
LAu is overpriced and underperforms and i haven't heard WA22, but i know its not the greatest value for the money.
 
personally i'm buying a WA22 as an endgame tube amp because i want to tube roll and have a euphonic sounding amp, but performance-wise i don't expect it to compete with GSX MK2 or anything like that.

 

[OPR8R]

The LAu is probably the best headphone amp I've heard (I haven't heard as many as some readers here), but it is probably too expensive for all but the very well off.

 

[Solude]

M8 is an awesome piece of engineering but until I hear one I don't know for sure that it's character meshes with the LCD-3.  I'd kill for some Audio-GD gear made with SMD to get the foot print down.  The ones they do have with SMD are all mid level
 
GS-1 w/ mk2 boards would likely match the Soloist.  Soloist still have the power and supply advantage though.  I believe the GS-1 shipped with a 15VA? transformer to the Burson 35VA.

 

[rgs9200m]

I use an RSA B52 with my LCD3s and there is something special about this combo; the LCD3 is the best headphone that the B52 matches with much better than the HD800 to my ears. The B52 kind of lights it up, but not aggressively, just giving it a sense of life, and also makes the bass very deep and transparent and sonorous.
The Audeze gave me new respect for the B52 which I've owned since new for 6 years. The LCD3 sounds better overall than my former R10s on the B52.

 

[Solude]

Which is odd given the massive output impedance of the B52.  It was pretty much designed from the ground up as a high impedance can amp.  Huh.

 

[rgs9200m]

I thought the Audezes were high impedance, or at least low sensitivity. The HD800s and TH900s are more sensitive to me.
I have to turn the gain up much higher with the Audezes than with the other phones on all my amps.

 

[Solude]

If memory serves the B52 output is 300ohm.  LCD-3 is 60, HD800 averages in the 450ohm range.  Quick and dirty only 1/5th of the power the B52 pushed actually reached the LCD-3 :O

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Doesnt seem like a good pairing with lcd-3, but then again as long as it can make up for the power inefficiencies, some people like the colorations from that impedance mismatch