[purk]

I've been curious about the Jot, but being as my main headphone is the hd800. I'd guess the LC is a better pairing.

You should try both and don't rule out the Jot.  A friend of mine actually prefer the Jot over the LC and he has the HD800.

 

[Mr Rick]

  You should try both and don't rule out the Jot.  A friend of mine actually prefer the Jot over the LC and he has the HD800.

 
I'll be building a two channel system around the Jot. Hopefully with a Schiit speaker amp.

 

[Clemmaster]

The LC is definitely a better candidate for the HD-800.
Unless you can't hear anything past 6kHz...

 

[bettyn]

  The LC is definitely a better candidate for the HD-800.
Unless you can't hear anything past 6kHz...

Glad to hear the LC is good with the HD-800. Am planning to use this combination. Just received my address confirmation today. Can"t wait until it gets here!

 

[Clemmaster]

I'm not saying it's good or bad.
But from a sound signature perspective, it is a better match for the HD-800 than the Jot.

Some people don't mind bright and will love the Jot with them. I sure do hope they have a very warm DAC in the front end

I sold my 800s long before I got the LC, so I never could confirm it would be good. That 6kHz peak is really a needle in my ears (or pain in my @**, whichever comes first).

 

[chowmein83]

   
Jot has more punch and details. Can be bright at times.
LC has more enveloping sound and warmer tonality.
 
Jot is technically superior. Its tonality might not appeal to bright headphone owners.

@Mr Rick I'm tagging you in this because you might be interested in what I have to say.
 
First off, I have owned both the LC and the Jot. I have extensively compared them on my own headphones and other audio gear (see my profile for more details). And of course, I volume-matched the amps when I did my comparisons.
 
I have to say I disagree with @Clemmaster here - except for the Jot being bright at times part. The Jot can be sometimes bright, but I consider it to be just slightly brighter than neutral. The LC, on the other hand, is what I would consider to be slightly warmer than neutral. Maybe to some people this difference is quite big, but personally I don't think this to be the case - the tonality of both of these amps to me is a lot more similar than you might think.
 
As for the more punch part - nope, I honestly cannot hear a difference between the LC and the Jot. Both are equally punchy, and most importantly they're both the good type of punchy, where it's not exaggerated but highly satisfying.
 
As for the more details part - again, I don't find this to be the case either. The Jot at first listen might seem more detailed because of its somewhat brighter and more forward nature. However, I found that whenever I noticed something on the Jot, I would go back to the Cavalli and find that same detail there with the same amount of clarity.
 
So why did I say that the Jot and the LC seem to present the same amount of detail, even though my sentence above suggests that it may be harder to find the details in the LC? This is simply because of the presentation. Jot is quite upfront and so all of the details are immediately noticeable whether you want to notice them or not. With the Cavalli, the details are all still there but the amp isn't as forward with those details as with the Jot. So with the LC you can choose to tune out on the details, but with a tiny bit of effort you could easily find those details if you wanted to.
 
There is one thing that I find the LC to be superior in - the soundstage. First off, I don't really think that the soundstage size of the Jot and the LC are really that different - soundstage width and depth between the two amps are about the same to me. I also feel that the imaging abilities of the two amps are similar to each other. However, I do feel that the soundstage of the Cavalli is definitely more 3D - as in, you are more easily discern what is further and closer to you in the music, something that I usually call "layering." In comparison, the Jot squishes together what is closer and further to you, making it harder to distinguish exactly how far different parts of the song are from you.
 
Overall, though, I still think that the Jot is a better value simply because while it mostly matches the LC's performance, it's cheaper than even the first run LC by a good margin, and the fact it's not a limited-run product and you can readily buy it. However, I will admit that I kept the LC and return the Jot for two main reasons - 1.) I really like my soundstage technical abilities, which I found the LC to be better at and 2.) I like the appeal of the LC as a limited-run amp that may not be produced ever again in the future. The second reason is really an irrational reason, but hey why not?
 
If I have more time, I would like to write a more detailed comparison between the Jot and the LC, but hope this short comparison helps anybody who wants to know how the two amps stack up against each other!

 

[Greggo]

  @Mr Rick I'm tagging you in this because you might be interested in what I have to say.
 
First off, I have owned both the LC and the Jot. I have extensively compared them on my own headphones and other audio gear (see my profile for more details). And of course, I volume-matched the amps when I did my comparisons.
 
I have to say I disagree with @Clemmaster here - except for the Jot being bright at times part. The Jot can be sometimes bright, but I consider it to be just slightly brighter than neutral. The LC, on the other hand, is what I would consider to be slightly warmer than neutral. Maybe to some people this difference is quite big, but personally I don't think this to be the case - the tonality of both of these amps to me is a lot more similar than you might think.....

 
Thank for this description! I am waiting on my LC and very excited about it, but of course continue to wonder if I made the right choice and how this all plays out over the next few years of headphone hobby stuff. I much prefer a warmer signature and value spacial cues and layering above absolute detail resolution so it sounds like the LC is going to have as good a chance as any to be my own personal end game. I have balanced cables ready to go for my Nighthawk and R70x, have high hopes my new DT 1990 will still benefit even though single ended, and my PM-3 as well (though that is mostly for travel and office use, and I am probably not going to spend the extra money on a balanced cable for the PM-3).
 
Now the big question is, which higher end headphone is going to be the perfect addition to my home listening studio given the LC and the stable mates listed above? I am looking at HD800S, Ether Flow, and Elear. Any opinions on these three and how they would fit in? I have heard the HD800S and was very impressed... I owned HD700 and heard original HD800 many times, but I probably won't get a chance to hear the Ether Flow or the Elear anytime soon but will try to work something out.

 

[scanspeakman1]

   
Thank for this description! I am waiting on my LC and very excited about it, but of course continue to wonder if I made the right choice and how this all plays out over the next few years of headphone hobby stuff. I much prefer a warmer signature and value spacial cues and layering above absolute detail resolution so it sounds like the LC is going to have as good a chance as any to be my own personal end game. I have balanced cables ready to go for my Nighthawk and R70x, have high hopes my new DT 1990 will still benefit even though single ended, and my PM-3 as well (though that is mostly for travel and office use, and I am probably not going to spend the extra money on a balanced cable for the PM-3).
 
Now the big question is, which higher end headphone is going to be the perfect addition to my home listening studio given the LC and the stable mates listed above? I am looking at HD800S, Ether Flow, and Elear. Any opinions on these three and how they would fit in? I have heard the HD800S and was very impressed... I owned HD700 and heard original HD800 many times, but I probably won't get a chance to hear the Ether Flow or the Elear anytime soon but will try to work something out.

 
Till so far I have been using the LC with my Ether 1.1 . Really good combination. Love listening for longer periods of time. Currently I am "Ether-less" and awaiting my upgrade to Ether Flow. So I cannot comment on that combo but I cannot imagine this will sound any worse.....
 
Scanspeakman 

 

[mandrake50]

   
Jot has more punch and details. Can be bright at times.
LC has more enveloping sound and warmer tonality.
 
Jot is technically superior. Its tonality might not appeal to bright headphone owners.

Seriously.. I ask again, in this context, what does "technically Superior" mean?
This is something thrown around quite often, but I am unsure of what it means. Especially since we all perceive things differently.
I am sincerely curious.

 

[heliosphann]

My v1 Liquid Carbon is up for sale in the FS/FT forum. Hate to let it go, but its older sibling doesn't let it get any playtime anymore. 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

 
Seriously.. I ask again, in this context, what does "technically Superior" mean?
This is something thrown around quite often, but I am unsure of what it means. Especially since we all perceive things differently.
I am sincerely curious.

 
Well, the Jotunheim is a more precise amp, then the LC. Its also more forward, with less rolled off edges.  But I'm not sold on flat out "superior".  The Jot was awesome with my HD650s and MDR-Z7.  But not with the Focal Elears.  And I suspect an HD800 (any variant) owner would prefer the LC by leaps and bounds.  But that is speculative, and everyone's taste is different.
 
Now planars would be an interesting amp shootout.  I think both amp would drive most planars quite nicely but with different flavors added.  So I think that might be a push.
 
I want a Jot, but not to replace my LC.  I want it as a compliment...

 

[krud484]

 
Seriously.. I ask again, in this context, what does "technically Superior" mean?
This is something thrown around quite often, but I am unsure of what it means. Especially since we all perceive things differently.
I am sincerely curious.

I think he meant the volume pot, or rather the spec sheet. The Jotunheim can supposedly drive the HE-6. The LC only does 1.5w into 50 ohms; the HE-6 needs 5w into 50 ohms to be driven properly.
 
The LC can be overclocked to do 2.8w, and I would love to know the circumstances on how to obtain that. I don’t need that much personally, but no one talks about how to get it. How unstable can it be? What would it even sound like?
 
Edit: typos

 

[Priaptor]

Anyone interested in a Version 1 LC I have mine listed. Looking for quick sale. Have the Lau and not looking back. The LC is amazing and really got me hooked on headphones as I am a big system guy. Love both the LC and Lau with my HD800s and LCD-X (latter also listed) and now finding myself listening more and more to my headphone system and less and less to my big system.

 

[Angaria]

If someone in Chicago wants to compare the new Hifiman He1000 v2 (which I have) vs the original on a bunch of different norne cables.... with your cavalli amp, let me know.

 

[doraymon]

Just checking in as my LC should be with me very soon...