Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I find these arguments tiresome, because one headphone in a particular rig can sound worse than another; but then you change to another Amp, DAC or even different tubes/opamps or cables, and then the other headphone now sounds better. I'm not going to go into the sonic characteristics of the HD800 and LCD-2 again, I've done that before. I want to stress the importance of gear synergy.
My Eddie Current ZDT with Tung Sol 5751 tube is perfect for my re-cabled HD800 and too dark for my LCD-2. Some people have commented that it's the best they've ever heard the HD800 sound, or the best they've ever heard period. If I change to brighter tubes like my Synvania Gold Pin 5751 then the LCD-2 sound slightly better, but the HD800 don't get worse unless I'm with the stock cable (I'm currently using Warren Audio X10 or Locus Design Hyperion which take the edge off). All the complaints I've read about the HD800 in this thread are non-existent with my particular rig - the bass is strong and deep and the treble is smooth and grain free. On the other hand, my Woo WA6 with Sylvania VT-231 tubes and Sophia Princess 274b is perfect for my LCD-2 and too bright and bass-lite with my HD800. All my complaints about the LCD-2 being dark disappear with this rig. And with this rig I can see how many of the HD800 complaints can be valid, but I can improve the HD800 by changing to some RCA 6DE7 and an Amperex GZ34, at which point the LCD-2 seem dull and closed in again.
Basically, If I only had one or the other rig then my impressions would be limited, and sometimes contrary to what many other people think. Associated gear is extremely important when reporting about the sound of a headphone. It's an all inclusive package made up of individual components, that work better or worse in combination. So I use the WA6 > LCD-2 combo in my bedroom, and the ZDT > HD800 combo in my basement rig, keeping the best pairings together. If I only had the WA6 amp, which phone is better would depend on which tubes and cable I was using. With the ZDT amp the HD800 seems to beat the LCD-2 no matter what tubes I use (so far Tung Sol 5751, Sylvania Gold Pin 5751, GE black plate 5751).
The reason why I think my ZDT > HD800 combo beats the WA6 > LCD-2 combo, even if the LCD-2 have better synergy with the WA6 than the ZDT, is likely because the ZDT is a better amp than the WA6. The WA6 can distort and run out of juice at loud volumes with the LCD-2, while the HD800 don't do that on the WA6. The ZDT can play the LCD-2 to extremely high levels with nightclub levels of bass, without distortion, unlike the WA6. If I could find a better tube for the ZDT/LCD-2 or an amp that is better than the WA6 and has better synergy with the LCD-2 than my ZDT, then I very well might discover that the LCD-2 pass up my HD800 for me.
So far I'm still looking and haven't given up hope. Someday I'll find my quad of Telefunken smooth plate 12AX7 and try one in the ZDT with LCD-2, since those tubes were brighter and worked best with my dark sounding O2 in my old GES amp. I'm keeping an open mind, but so far with the gear that I have the HD800 beats the LCD-2.
I see a lot of HD800 bashing because it seems to be the cool thing to do, but I've found that almost every headphone I've tried will have areas they excel in and areas that they don't, which changes depending on the gear I am using. Don't say that I'm basically just tuning my system to adjust for the flaws in my HD800, because I'm doing the same with the LCD-2 as well, finding the best combination to suit either phone.