Audeze LCD-3 Impressions Thread
Jan 8, 2014 at 6:17 PM Post #2,221 of 6,420
Sorry, it doesn't matter to me how awesome sounding the DAC is, if it doesn't support all of the formats/sampling rate/bitrate that's available today, it's not good enough for me. I know that there's some debate about validity of anything above 24/96 and EVEN 16/44.1 but in some cases I can clearly hear the difference, and I really hate being limited in any way shape or form.
 
So anyway, there's a few options for me based on DACs: Antelope Zodiac Platinum, Auralic Vega (of course with some headphone Amp), Resonessence Invicta. (If you've got any other DACs you can suggest here)
 
Biggest problem with Zodiac Platinum is what I said from before (Their company is trying to hide info on the DAC itself as if it's magical and can do wonders because it costs so much and has 4 DAC chips/64bit AFC whatever) and also the lack of any discussion about it + No reviews whatsoever, and the ones we have are by questionable "audiophiles" (6moons.... I mean I don't doubt that guy likes sound and music, but it's hard to follow what's going on in it, there's too much unnecessary information and because of that reviews are really not to the point and end up being useless for some of us)
 
What would you say would make me happy eternally, I mainly listen to these genres: Prog Rock/Metal, Classical, Jazz, New Age/Electronica (Era/Enigma and the like)
And based on music elements my priorities are: Detail, Musicality (I know it's a hard combination, and maybe the other proper term for this would be PRaT) and Instrument Separation.
 
If anyone can please suggest me anything good once and for all? Maybe I need to post this in a new topic... though usually these things don't get much attention :p
 
Anyway, thanks, and yes, I'm serious.
 
Jan 8, 2014 at 7:00 PM Post #2,222 of 6,420
I have not read through this thread myself, but at least my DAC (Hilo) is included in the shootout: http://www.head-fi.org/t/689783/december-2013-mid-level-dac-comparison
 
I have not heard Antelope's latest DAC, but I compared their Zodiac Gold + Voltikus with Hilo and I preferred Hilo. The Zodiac have some added "warmth" to the sound for an "analog" sound and I don't like any form of coloration. However the company is fine, Igor Levin (CEO) is a very funny and competent guy.
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 3:18 AM Post #2,223 of 6,420
I would go for the Vega + GS-X if I had the money
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:07 PM Post #2,224 of 6,420
  People I need your help here, the thing is that I've got now the LCD-3's and it's one of the best if not the best (I haven't heard the SR-009 yet) headphones atm, at least the best that I've got :)
 
I'm looking for getting a better audio setup, something that will really wow me, I'm pairing the headphones with the STX sound card, and I must say that I don't know why you're saying it's such a mediocre sound card/DAC, I'm finding it quite good actually.
 
Like I've posted before about this, I went to listen to the Antelope Zodiac Platinum DAC, and while it's great there are some things I'm not really sure about, one of them being that their customer support is really too careful about giving out information about the DAC, which is a warning sign... the thing is that at this price point I'm looking to be getting something really really really amazing for a really long time.
 
So anyways, please people help me out here, I'm looking to spend about this amount of money for the best DAC at this price point, that there can't be possibly anything better and something that will really pair well with the headphones. - Say, can Resonessence Invicta possibly be a better DAC?
 
Any help is appreciated :)

First off, what amp are you using? No reason to buy a Vega if it's being bottlenecked by your upstream.
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:13 PM Post #2,225 of 6,420
No headphone amp whatsoever. The only one right now is the STX card.
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:16 PM Post #2,226 of 6,420
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:23 PM Post #2,227 of 6,420
He said he would buy a Vega and an amp :)
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:47 PM Post #2,232 of 6,420
Oh God.
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 4:06 PM Post #2,233 of 6,420
  Sorry, it doesn't matter to me how awesome sounding the DAC is, if it doesn't support all of the formats/sampling rate/bitrate that's available today, it's not good enough for me. I know that there's some debate about validity of anything above 24/96 and EVEN 16/44.1 but in some cases I can clearly hear the difference, and I really hate being limited in any way shape or form.
 
So anyway, there's a few options for me based on DACs: Antelope Zodiac Platinum, Auralic Vega (of course with some headphone Amp), Resonessence Invicta. (If you've got any other DACs you can suggest here)
 
Biggest problem with Zodiac Platinum is what I said from before (Their company is trying to hide info on the DAC itself as if it's magical and can do wonders because it costs so much and has 4 DAC chips/64bit AFC whatever) and also the lack of any discussion about it + No reviews whatsoever, and the ones we have are by questionable "audiophiles" (6moons.... I mean I don't doubt that guy likes sound and music, but it's hard to follow what's going on in it, there's too much unnecessary information and because of that reviews are really not to the point and end up being useless for some of us)
 
What would you say would make me happy eternally, I mainly listen to these genres: Prog Rock/Metal, Classical, Jazz, New Age/Electronica (Era/Enigma and the like)
And based on music elements my priorities are: Detail, Musicality (I know it's a hard combination, and maybe the other proper term for this would be PRaT) and Instrument Separation.
 
If anyone can please suggest me anything good once and for all? Maybe I need to post this in a new topic... though usually these things don't get much attention :p
 
Anyway, thanks, and yes, I'm serious.

 
I am not sure why you would believe that.  You're seriously selling yourself short if you only look at DACs that support the highest res formats.  You probably won't listen to anyone else anyways so more power to you.
 
Jan 9, 2014 at 4:33 PM Post #2,234 of 6,420
   
I am not sure why you would believe that.  You're seriously selling yourself short if you only look at DACs that support the highest res formats.  You probably won't listen to anyone else anyways so more power to you.

 
It's not that I won't listen, well yeah, I won't listen if you start suggesting me DACs that end up at only 24/192, that's for sure, like I said, don't like being limited...
I tried posting about the Zodiac Platinum DAC and nobody is talking about, which means it gets no attention because it's probably not good enough and there are better products at this price.
 
 
  What amps do you have in mind?

 
Taurus Mk2 or GS-X Mk2 (mark 2, mark 2, mark 2, mark 2 mark 2 XD) basically atm if these are said to be pretty good with the headphones :)
 
But also thinking later on adding tube amp like the Studio Six.
 

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