[vmullot]

  As many, I am lusting after the LCD-3.  It is mostly self-torture though considering that they are waay out of a reasonable price range for me at this time.  A few questions:
 
Since this is such a phenomenal headphone, is it kind of half-assed to listen to them unbalanced?
 
Are these a limited run?  Will they be discontinued soon (and effectively double in price used as a result)?
 
Where can I actually listen to these beauties myself without throwing caution to the wind and popping two grand (which  happens to be almost ten percent of my savings)?
 
----->>  I have the Denon AH-D7000, Headroom Ultra Destop Amp & HPS, Technics 1200MK2 w/ Audio Technica AT120E cartridge, and digital transfer through laptop.  Would the LCD-3  be overkill for my system?

If you don't have budget try before buy would be my advice. And as already said if you're happy with what you have don't change.

 

[KoreUptd]

I'm located in central California..  Don't know of any hi-fi music stores around, though it would be awesome to walk into a store and be able to listen to headphones (something I only vaguely remember as a child).
Ideally, I'd like to be able to bring my D7000 with me to the store and switch btw headphones on the fly...
never been to a headfi meet - sounds like it could be really fun.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Hey MacedonianHero! I seen you posted ages ago on a thread about amps for lcd-3 about you were listening to the Wa22 amp with the lcd-3. I am looking for an amp to buy with the LCD-3 the same time. I am still quite torn apart of what im going to get.
 
Been considering going SS, but I am a bit sensitive against SS amps as I find them a bit harsh against my head, but I am not sure if these headphones will sound bright with a proper SS amp?
And the wa22 (which I tried google as much as possible about) have everything I want but dunno if it pairs up that well, and starting to find more people that doesn't think it is such a good amp as some people think.
 
Zashoomin mentioned the Little Dot MkVIII amp, but is it truly balanced? I see it put outs more power and someone mentioned that lcd-3 works well when it get much much power + It's alot cheaper hehe.
 
Do you know if there are any other decent options if I wanna go balanced?
I got myself as I mentioned already, a truly balanced source, (Hegel hd20) and I want to get an HD800 in the future and not having to upgrade the amp.

I liked the WA22 with the LCD-3s, but I needed about $1k in tube upgrades to get them there. For less $, I'd recommend the Bryston BHA-1 or Burson Solosist. FWIW, I'm not a fan of LD desktop amps...cheaping out on a tube amp especially. You really want a good transformer (unless the amp is OTL that is).

 

[DarknightDK]

I can also vouch for the WA22 and LCD-3 pairing. Paired together and with the right tubes, the LCD-3s sound liquid, extended and euphoric. A fantastic musical experience. Definitely a good match.

 

[negura]

Tubes and LCD-3s: Taboo MK3. It is the tube amplifier sound you both expect and are surprised with. It's more neutral than many tube amps with great focus, energy, airy treble and fast transients, but it has the grand soundstage, deep bass, dynamics and micro-details you'd expect from tubes. There is substance to SET sound. It's preferable that you have a very good DAC ideally with preamp function.
 
Tube wise, you'd want to go with something like:
Amperex 6922
6P15P-ER, Siberian MILSPEC. You get even better transients and dynamics over stock
RCA 5Y3GT (1950s) or USAF-596
 
The really good part is that for some weird reason both the output tubes and RCA rectifier are severely undervalued for NOS tubes of such SQ. The 6922 is another matter.

 

[thegrobe]

X2 ^
The Taboo mk3 is fantastic with the LCD-3. Even more so with the CSP preamp in the chain.
The amp is also very responsive to tube rolling, so the ability to tweak the signature to your exact preference is there.

 

[OPR8R]

X2 ^

The Taboo mk3 is fantastic with the LCD-3. Even more so with the CSP preamp in the chain.
The amp is also very responsive to tube rolling, so the ability to tweak the signature to your exact preference is there.

+1 or 2 (Negura was first), I guess.
 
I wish more people could hear the Taboo/CSP3 setup with their LCD3's.  The pre-amp / amp combo starts getting a bit pricey, but there is a lot of value there.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

 
+1 or 2 (Negura was first), I guess.
 
I wish more people could hear the Taboo/CSP3 setup with their LCD3's.  The pre-amp / amp combo starts getting a bit pricey, but there is a lot of value there.

 
I don't get it. I have never seen a headphone setup with pre-amp before. Isn't that a little bit overkill?
 
What are the improvements over the taboo amp alone?

 

[OPR8R]

I don't get it. I have never seen a headphone setup with pre-amp before. Isn't that a little bit overkill?

What are the improvements over the taboo amp alone?

It's also a speaker amp. LCD's have more weight and texture with preamp added.

 

[Androb]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will pull the trigger on an Lcd-3

 

[Zashoomin]

  Thanks for the replies. I think I will pull the trigger on an Lcd-3

You won't regret it.  They are a wonderful headphone.  Tell us what you think if you do decide to get them.  

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Thanks for the replies. I think I will pull the trigger on an Lcd-3

Congrats! You should be very happy with them.
 
What amp/dac are you planning on using with them?

 

[Androb]

Sounds good, will take me 2-3 months to save up tho for it but I will be using hegel hd20 then as dac since its already standig here. And I think im going for ld mkvi+, since I got a quite nice SS speaker amp here if I don't like the ld.
Also got a diy copy of black cube so that delivers quite some power!

 

[FrankCooter]

Sitting here drinking a few beers and listening to some early 70's Grateful Dead . Had the LCD-3's about three months now and am enjoying them immensely. Running them with a DIY 45 dht tube amp fed with an NOS Metrum Octave dac. Perhaps not the most "neutral" system in a modern sense, but a very engaging classical analog-like presentation reminescent of a good vinyl rig. Slightly warm and full, but excellent detail, definition, and speed, just a half step up off electrostatic standards. Vocals, particularly female, are more rounded and three dimensional than my Stax 507's. Power and impact of live electric guitar is better as well. Compared to the HD800's,the sound stage is smaller,but the resolution is on par,and there is none of the irritating etchy top end. Bass is the best I've ever heard in any headphone.

No headphone is perfect. Some will find the top end a bit rolled off by modern standards, but my 60 year old ears can't hear it. A bit bigger sound stage would be nice. But overall, great fun and my favorite non-electrostatic headphone for classic rock.

 

[vmullot]

Sitting here drinking a few beers and listening to some early 70's Grateful Dead . Had the LCD-3's about three months now and am enjoying them immensely. Running them with a DIY 45 dht tube amp fed with an NOS Metrum Octave dac. Perhaps not the most "neutral" system in a modern sense, but a very engaging classical analog-like presentation reminescent of a good vinyl rig. Slightly warm and full, but excellent detail, definition, and speed, just a half step up off electrostatic standards. Vocals, particularly female, are more rounded and three dimensional than my Stax 507's. Power and impact of live electric guitar is better as well. Compared to the HD800's,the sound stage is smaller,but the resolution is on par,and there is none of the irritating etchy top end. Bass is the best I've ever heard in any headphone.

No headphone is perfect. Some will find the top end a bit rolled off by modern standards, but my 60 year old ears can't hear it. A bit bigger sound stage would be nice. But overall, great fun and my favorite non-electrostatic headphone for classic rock.

Like it!!! If you didn't already be sure to change the stock cable, it reaaaaally makes the difference (with Q in my case). Had a super evening yesterday listening to Cassandra Wilson wonderful "new moon daughter" album.