[mlxx]

Well for the sake of discussion only, and assuming arguably the top two [affordable range] amps being GSX Mk2 / Violectric V281 both of which provide excellent SQ and beyond adequate power to drive basically any HP but specifically LCD4.
IMHO it really gets down to the dac as the final arbiter of just how good a system can or will sound. To me it seems like too much emphasis is placed on the amplifier when the the dac is really where the rubber meets the road IMHO.

Yet many say the GSX Mk2 is too bright and the 281 is too warm.
I wish it was that easy. As long as you like it though is all that matters.
Which DAC do you recommend?

 

[commtrd]

Oh gosh that really leads to a trip down the wormhole doesn't it? Right now the way I am thinking, it is the V281 for the tad bit of warmth presented (I like that) and the Yggdrasil dac because I think the R2R ladder is just very desirable when combined with FPGA technology for processing. Also with an eye towards affordability, (it does matter to a lot of folks) for a little over $6k to include balanced cabling for the HP, and the price of LCD4, you can have a pretty robust and good sounding setup for approximately $10k. Of course the sky is actually the limit with summit-fi level audio gear, so if cash is available to get a Dave or higher level dac, well then a person can go that way. However, even with my little power-challenged system that is single-ended thru, it manages to sound pretty darn nice and certainly tolerable until such time as I can manage to put together an upgraded desktop solution.

 

[mlxx]

Hmm..
I think the GSX Mk2 is better but if you can't audition them first, the 281 is a safer bet as the GSX Mk2 treble may be too hot for some.
Pass on the Yggy and stick with your hugo2. Actually the LCD4 is pretty good straight from the hugo2 for its price point.

 

[commtrd]

Actually happy with what I got. However, I really wish the Hugo 2 could output balanced also. IF it could do balanced out, I would not look at another dac for a good long time.
Good with what I have for now, sounds awesome but still dreaming about where to take it all from here. The audiophile dilemma...

 

[mlxx]

Yeah forgot the GSX Mk2 needs a balanced DAC to get balanced out, new GSX mini fixes that.
Your current setup should also work well with 4 too, can't see any reason why it won't especially when you can bump the DAC volume via the hugo2 if it needs a little extra power.

 

[wdh777]

I use a GSX Mk2 running balanced into a Hugo TT with my LCD 4s and it sounds fantastic. I do have it on high gain though. Probably going to sell the gsx mk2 soon though as I have a Hugo TT2 and HMS on order and the TT2 should have more than enough power for the LCD 4s.

 

[paulomario77]

You guys are discussing mainly SS amps, but what about tubes? I have a Stellaris on order, but wonder if it'll be enough for the power hungry LCD-4. My ZDS just didn't work well with the the Audeze, and prefer the WA22 over the iFi Pro iCAN, but I feel the bass in underpowered in both. My DAC is a DS Jr, so it shouldn't be the bottleneck in my chain.

 

[JLoud]

I use a Woo WA5le and love it with the LCD-4. Plenty of power and I really like the soundstage. Also bass hits hard and treble is articulate. I haven't been able to find a solid state amp I really love. A few that are ok, but just haven't found one that I like as well as tubes. May just be my preference.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Yet many say the GSX Mk2 is too bright and the 281 is too warm.
I wish it was that easy. As long as you like it though is all that matters.
Which DAC do you recommend?

FWIW:
https://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HeadAmpGSXmk2.pdf

Not only does it measure dead flat (unlike the other amp you mentioned), but it doesn't sound bright when you put a source upfront that isn't right. With the GS-X Mk2, garbage in = garbage out. It won't colour what's upstream to your liking, but rather amplify it and pass along the original signal.

 

[mlxx]

I also said I liked it better. You have never heard people say they find it bright for whatever reason?
99% of DACs out there measure dead flat too, more so than amps. It is not the entire reason why things sound the way they do just to measure flat.
It has been a little brighter for me when compared with other gear but I still liked for other reasons better than a lot of amps.
To me its bigger issue was more of a slight edginess in the treble than brightness. More like a wire with grain than a wire with gain.
That was with an Yggy, LCD4, HE1000, HD800, and Abyss 1266. This edginess wasn't there with all the other 5 or so amps I tested that day with same DAC and hp's.
It was the brightest of the lot though, you could be totally right and the rest of gear was just crap as you say.

The 281 has a dip switch which rolls off the low frequencies on purpose to overcome ground hum issues I seem to remember.
Seeing the measurements, it is probably on by default and why it looks like that.

 

[koven]

I also said I liked it better. You have never heard people say they find it bright for whatever reason?
99% of DACs out there measure dead flat too, more so than amps. It is not the entire reason why things sound the way they do just to measure flat.
It has been a little brighter for me when compared with other gear but I still liked for other reasons better than a lot of amps.
To me its bigger issue was more of a slight edginess in the treble than brightness. More like a wire with grain than a wire with gain.
That was with an Yggy, LCD4, HE1000, HD800, and Abyss 1266. This edginess wasn't there with all the other 5 or so amps I tested that day with same DAC and hp's.
It was the brightest of the lot though, you could be totally right and the rest of gear was just crap as you say.

The 281 has a dip switch which rolls off the low frequencies on purpose to overcome ground hum issues I seem to remember.
Seeing the measurements, it is probably on by default and why it looks like that.

I have similar impressions of the GSX mk2. Highly resolving and powerful but somewhat sterile, one of the colder SS amps I have used, Ragnarok being the coldest. I also found the treble a bit etchy at times. Back then I used Yggy, had LAu too which was a significantly better amp IMO.

 

[mlxx]

^ Wow! Sure does look sexy though.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I also said I liked it better. You have never heard people say they find it bright for whatever reason?
99% of DACs out there measure dead flat too, more so than amps. It is not the entire reason why things sound the way they do just to measure flat.
It has been a little brighter for me when compared with other gear but I still liked for other reasons better than a lot of amps.
To me its bigger issue was more of a slight edginess in the treble than brightness. More like a wire with grain than a wire with gain.
That was with an Yggy, LCD4, HE1000, HD800, and Abyss 1266. This edginess wasn't there with all the other 5 or so amps I tested that day with same DAC and hp's.
It was the brightest of the lot though, you could be totally right and the rest of gear was just crap as you say.

The 281 has a dip switch which rolls off the low frequencies on purpose to overcome ground hum issues I seem to remember.
Seeing the measurements, it is probably on by default and why it looks like that.

Paired with a top flight DAC like the DAVE or even Hugo2, it's bang on neutral. The 281 rolls off quite a bit too much for my liking (both ends).

 

[mlxx]

Paired with a top flight DAC like the DAVE or even Hugo2, it's bang on neutral. The 281 rolls off quite a bit too much for my liking (both ends).

Just remembered that I have only heard the 281 singled ended. That was the day I checked out the Blu/Dave and wasn't expecting having to connect up amps. No balanced cable.
Was just a touch warm to me.

 

[jlbrach]

the 281 balanced is a completely different amp