[Yoga]

Anyone managed to do a direct comparison, or had experience of both?
 
Very pleased with the Icon HDP + 650 combo (equally as good as the Rega DAC & M-Stage combo, for a lot less), and the LCD-2 loaners should be with me soon. I've read they are 650s on steroids so it's hard to imagine they'll go back :¬)
 
I was wondering whether the Audio GD NFB10 + balanced 650 would offer closer performance?

 

[Alghazanth]

I highly doubt any configuration with the 650 could come close the LCD2. Since you already love your 650 though, the LCD2 should be an incredible can for you.

 

[Yoga]

Quote:

I highly doubt any configuration with the 650 could come close the LCD2. Since you already love your 650 though, the LCD2 should be an incredible can for you.

The the kind of post my wallet hates, but my soul loves :¬)
 

 

[sphinxvc]

Going balanced is a very, very, very subtle improvement/difference from single ended.  My vote goes for the LCD2s.
 
I haven't heard HD650s balanced yet but I have heard HD600s (edit: and a couple other HPs) SE and balanced.

 

[dahan]

I have heard both headphones balanced and SE. LCD2 can outperform the HD650 quite easily. IMO, all of the improvements from balancing the HD650 is relatively minor, but LCD2 benefits much more from a balanced setup. 

 

[Yoga]

Thanks guys. Just what I wanted to hear :¬)
 
Now I have to decide whether to stick with the NuForce HDP or go for the Audio GD NFB10 or NFB2 + C2.1 combo. Or the Burson 160D. Or keep the Mini-I and M-Stage combo

 

[fabio-fi]

Im considering the LCD-2's too. When it comes to amp, lots of choices.
I always go to a store to demo gear before buying. 

 

[MotifXF]

I am upgrading my setup and need some information to make my decision.
I narrowed my choices to the HD650 with the NuForce HDP or the LCD-2 Rev2 with the Dacmini. These combos seem to go well together based on the comments that I have seen here. 
 
The LCD-2 is obviously the better headphone, but my question to those of you that have heard both with good amps is how much better is it. The budget combo is obviously much cheaper than the LCD-2 combo. If the LCD-2 combo is a 93 out of a hundred would the 650 combo be a 88 or a 80 etc? I just want some opinions to make my decision.
 
Thanks

 

[M3NTAL]

Quote:

Going balanced is a very, very, very subtle improvement/difference from single ended.  My vote goes for the LCD2s.
 
I haven't heard HD650s balanced yet but I have heard HD600s (edit: and a couple other HPs) SE and balanced.

 
 
Contradiction there.  You can't say if there is or is not a difference if you've never tried the 650 balanced. The 600 is not a 650 and they react differently.
 

 

[Yoga]

There is no comparison between the HD650 and LCD-2 (and yes, A/B compared them - including the HDP (which is fantastic value)). The gap between them is much larger than the gap between the DACs.
 
Get yourself the LCD-2's. You can swap out the DAC later if you wish.
 
Quote:

I am upgrading my setup and need some information to make my decision.
I narrowed my choices to the HD650 with the NuForce HDP or the LCD-2 Rev2 with the Dacmini. These combos seem to go well together based on the comments that I have seen here. 
 
The LCD-2 is obviously the better headphone, but my question to those of you that have heard both with good amps is how much better is it. The budget combo is obviously much cheaper than the LCD-2 combo. If the LCD-2 combo is a 93 out of a hundred would the 650 combo be a 88 or a 80 etc? I just want some opinions to make my decision.
 
Thanks

 

 

[drews]

I'd rather have an LCD2+iPod shuffle than a HD650+Beta 22...
 
Drew
 
Quote:

I am upgrading my setup and need some information to make my decision.
I narrowed my choices to the HD650 with the NuForce HDP or the LCD-2 Rev2 with the Dacmini. These combos seem to go well together based on the comments that I have seen here. 
 
The LCD-2 is obviously the better headphone, but my question to those of you that have heard both with good amps is how much better is it. The budget combo is obviously much cheaper than the LCD-2 combo. If the LCD-2 combo is a 93 out of a hundred would the 650 combo be a 88 or a 80 etc? I just want some opinions to make my decision.
 
Thanks

 

 

[Jojomite]

get the lcd2, much better centre image, the hd650 is nonexistent. hd650 is also very veiled compared to lcd2

 

[MotifXF]

Thank you very much for the comments guys. I was leaning toward the LCD-2 anyway. My only concern is the comfort coming from a DT-880. I also hear the new leather headband is less comfortable, but I figure with some stretching it will be fine.
 
As far as the amp goes. I would much rather get the HDP since I can get it used from some one here for around $330, but my concern is their power out put at 50ohm. On the Nuforce page it says the output is 288Mw at 30Ohm and I believe the Dacmini is 1500Mw at 30Ohm. I know the LCD-2 is not as power hungry as the HE500 or HE6 but I don't want to skimp on the amp if it means the headphone could get closer to their full potential. Has anyone compared them on amps with comparable power outputs to see if it makes enough of a difference to justify the extra expense?
 
Thank You

 

[nikongod]

 
Quote:

Contradiction there.  You can't say if there is or is not a difference if you've never tried the 650 balanced. The 600 is not a 650 and they react differently.
 

Id say that the HD600&650 react similarly to similar amps, but the HD650 are so different from the LCD-2 that the question of which is better (including amps that perform nicely with each headphone {VERY different amps}) is unanswerable except on a very personal level.

 

[nikongod]

 
Quote:

get the lcd2, much better centre image, the hd650 is nonexistent. hd650 is also very veiled compared to lcd2

Get the HD650, the LCD2 have etched & strident treble compared to the 650.
 
Something is very wrong with your system if you have no center image on the 650's.