[SMG52]

   
High power is technically either lots of voltage or current, not both because they're inversely related mathematically (P = VI), so the answer is yes, a powerful amp is needed to properly drive the LCD-X. One that outputs high current, not necessarily high voltage, because most portable devices w/ headphone jacks aren't capable of outputting very much current.
 
Low-impedance efficient headphones aren't necessarily easy to drive, they're just easy to get loud—and in fact, they're usually harder to drive than high-impedance inefficient headphones, because the majority of amps don't output very much current at low impedance.

This being said, any recommendations amp-wise in the under one thousand dollar range? Been wondering about the Violectric V200......

 

[dukeskd]

  This being said, any recommendations amp-wise in the under one thousand dollar range? Been wondering about the Violectric V200......

I would recommend the Auditor.

 

[leesure]

This being said, any recommendations amp-wise in the under one thousand dollar range? Been wondering about the Violectric V200......

A few of us are enjoying them through Mjolnir's.

 

[megawhacko]

I have an lcdx and wa7 coming next week. If I'm not crazy about the wa7 I was considering the mjolnir/gungnir. It sounds good though?

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
I agree. People generally seem to think that high impedance headphones are harder to drive. It is true for some headphones, like the notoriously hard to drive HD800, but the reason HD800 is hard to drive is not necessarily because of its high impedance. For example, the 600 ohm Beyer T1 is easier to drive than the 300 ohm HD800. In fact, high impedance headphones have an advantage over low impedance headphones when it comes to amp picking; their high impedance ensures a high damping factor and thus low distortion with a wider range of amps.
 
With a high impedance headphone, you can use a tube amp with a high output impedance (e.g. OTL amps) as well as transformer-coupled tube amps and solid-state amps. With a low impedance headphone, however, OTL amps are not recommended at all and even some transformer-coupled tube amps still have a high output impedance, limiting one's choice to solid-state.

What makes high impedance cans like the HD800s and T1s harder to drive is that the amps need to swing voltages to really get them going and not many can do this properly (and still supply a reasonable amount of current).

 

[leesure]

I have an lcdx and wa7 coming next week. If I'm not crazy about the wa7 I was considering the mjolnir/gungnir. It sounds good though?

Yes.

 

[NinjaHamster]

I have an lcdx and wa7 coming next week. If I'm not crazy about the wa7 I was considering the mjolnir/gungnir. It sounds good though?

 
The Mjolnir/Gugnir combo sounds like absolute Schiit ... ie. great !

 

[cizx]

I'm sure you'll be happy with the WA7.  The only thing standing in the way is upgraditis.

 

[zorin]

  What makes high impedance cans like the HD800s and T1s harder to drive is that the amps need to swing voltages to really get them going and not many can do this properly (and still supply a reasonable amount of current).

An amplifier needs, in the case of 600 Ohm T1, to have a big 'overcoming impedance' headroom, that is to have an ability to supply the big voltage swing to overcome the T1's impedance load of just over 1400 Ohm at the bass frequencies peak at 60-100 Hertz. That is a big voltage swing to deal with the peak of 1400 Ohm impedance as opposed to the nominal value of 600 Ohm. So when you see a designation '600 Ohm headphones', that does not mean that 600 Ohm is the peak impedance load of these headphones and that this 600 Ohm impedance is all that an amplifier has to deal with. With the amplifiers that cannot provide the required voltage swing / peak for the bass frequencies, the bass would sound more weak. I wonder, how many complaints about the anemic bass of the high impedance headphones are due to the inability of particular amplifiers to supply the required amount of voltage of the electrical current to move the headphones' diaphragm to resonate fully at the frequencies of bass ?
See the impedance curve of T1 on an 'Electrical Impedance and Phase' graph and the 1400 Ohm peak at the bass frequencies of 60-100 Hertz.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/BeyerdynamicT1SN3964.pdf [Thanks to innerfidelity.com]

 

[megawhacko]

I'm sure you'll be happy with the WA7.  The only thing standing in the way is upgraditis.

Yeah I've got the disease lol. About once a week I change my mind on what amp/DAC I want.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

I am waiting for a Taboo MKIII the next week. Can't wait to hear how it sings with LCD-X and HD800

 

[leesure]

I'm sure you'll be happy with the WA7.  The only thing standing in the way is upgraditis.

And if you like the WA7 and STILL have upgraditis, get the new tubed power supply for the WA7 that Woo showed at RMAF.

 

[SMG52]

  I am waiting for a Taboo MKIII the next week. Can't wait to hear how it sings with LCD-X and HD800

 

[figaro69]

  I am waiting for a Taboo MKIII the next week. Can't wait to hear how it sings with LCD-X and HD800

I have the previous version of the Decware Taboo.  Congratulations...great amp.  Forget about the stock tubes, though.  You will need to upgrade to get the best out of it.  Since I am expecting to get my LCD-Xs on Monday, I'll let everyone know how they sound out of the Taboo, Ray Samuels Darkstar, Burson Soloist, Grace 902, and Heardroom ultra desktop amp.  If you by any chance own the T1s, you are in for a real treat the Taboo!!!

 

[dan.gheorghe]

  I have the previous version of the Decware Taboo.  Congratulations...great amp.  Forget about the stock tubes, though.  You will need to upgrade to get the best out of it.  Since I am expecting to get my LCD-Xs on Monday, I'll let everyone know how they sound out of the Taboo, Ray Samuels Darkstar, Burson Soloist, Grace 902, and Heardroom ultra desktop amp.  If you by any chance own the T1s, you are in for a real treat the Taboo!!!

Thank you figaro69. I already have some tubes coming with it : 1x amperex 6dj8, 2x amperex EL84 (heard they pair well with HD800) , 2 x 6p15p-er, RCA 5y3GT & 6922 "pinched waist" . 
 
This will be my first tube amp ever . 
 
Can't wait for your impressions with LCD-X. Tried the T1 once  but I wasn't so impressed by them. They are too bright for me.
 
How do you like your taboo compared to Burson Soloist and the others in your collection?