[Kirisame Touko]

Quote:

On the brighter side of thing, stuff under 1k doesn't get taxed by import duties in Aussie. So you could easily get an used Lcd2 with fully-insured shipping.
 
Doing that here in the EU will cost you 20% VAT together with handling fee  

. Still I got my He-6 cheaper than either the He500 or Lcd2 retail price (700 and 875 GBP respectively)

man that vat tax is a killer. I thought prices in asia were pretty bad but europe is a whole new level. I usually purchased expensive headphones like HE-6, HE-500, LCD 2.2 used and have it shipped to my friend's in america. During my business trip i go and pick it up

when you buy luxury product with american prices, no taxes/shipping wit yen (wit last yr's rate not current) = total currency win.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

All that extra tax (in theory) goes toward healthcare, education, and infrastructure though.

well...thats the problem..it doesnt! its proven they use that income to pay for the countries debts among other things...here in holland life gets more expensive with the years...cutbacks and so on....just recently the taxes on consumer goods went up from 19% to 21% and in the past they did the same with some taxes on gas and diesel for cars...
and its getting worse..
 
we dont see anything from the income from those kind of taxes...they only use it to fill in the gaps in their budgets! but i guess this happens to all EU countries in this crisis

 

[jerg]

Quote:

 
lol not everything revolves around Europe though. If you go with retail prices, actually, forget about the price altogether, the LCD-2 is still a contender in terms of sound with HE-500 and for me actually beat it in most categories. LCD-2 for one has the best bass quantity to quality to control ratio. Even more so than LCD-3. Although LCD-3 is more lively all around.
 
For you I'd highly recommend if you ever go Audeze, to try one out in your own home. If you must audition it, make sure you get at least an hour with it. The Audeze's have a much higher learning curve than the Hifiman's to me. With Hifiman, you can plug them into a toaster and you'll get floored with it's performance. Audeze (for me at least) required a lot longer to get used to the sound. I found this to be the case with both LCD-2 and LCD-3. Even though I had the LCD-2 for 5 months, it took me (and still is) a +month to get a handle on the LCD-3, despite how similar the sound is between the two according to many people.
 
BTW Have you ever heard any of the Audeze's? Also, if yes, for how long and in what conditions?
 
Now the T1 for 799 seems like a good deal. Would've considered it, if it wasn't for the TH-900.

Audeze and Hifiman possess entirely different house sounds though (and rightfully so), and most people tend to just choose one or the other depending on whichever house sound they dig more. That is typically a very rapid realization, unlike your process, where you do not gravitate toward one house sound or the other.
 
LCD2 (r1 or r2) has never been and will never sound fully "open", simply due to its damping scheme. That arguably is a big plus to the HFM orthos, for those who care.

 

[spurxiii]

Quote:

On the brighter side of thing, stuff under 1k doesn't get taxed by import duties in Aussie. So you could easily get an used Lcd2 with fully-insured shipping.
 
Doing that here in the EU will cost you 20% VAT together with handling fee  

. Still I got my He-6 cheaper than either the He500 or Lcd2 retail price (700 and 875 GBP respectively)

Sounds like going the used options would allow me to sample lots of cans for minimal cost. Gee this trying out of new cans and gear is getting addictive. Would you say the LCD2s are complimentary to the HE500s? Would there be reasons to keep both? I don't yet have LCD2s but I'm curious. Also, is there a huge upgrade from HE500s to the HE6s or should I just enjoy my HE500s for now seeing as I'm extremely happy with them (ignorance is bliss in some cases)? Sorry for sounding like a rant. I'm in a server 2012 training course at the moment.

 

[nk77]

Quote:

Hi guys, my first post on this forum. But first just a bit of background how I found you guys. A few months ago my wife came home one day from a night out and didn't have the keys with her. I expected her home later so I kicked up my heels with a few glasses of wine and started listening to some tunes with my UE700 I got of a recent sale at the time. Anyway when she got home, she knocked on the door for about 10 minutes before I realised she was at the door. When she came in she was fuming, pulled the headphones off my ears, broke the cable and threw it in the bin. So in the following weeks I had to look for a replacement phone which led me to headfi via google. So a couple of months have passed and all because my wife tore up my UE700s, have accumulated (added to a AD700 which I had prior for gaming) an RE400, a UE900, a cheapish CMOY Amp, a JDS C5, A Shure SE215, a VSonic GR02, an Audio GD 15.32, a Topping TP60 and a HE500 and an old Pioneer SX2900 stereo receiver. I have coming in the mail, a VSonic GR07 BE, a BTG Audio speaker tap cable for my HE500s (Thanks Brian), a Mad Dogs T50RP, and some new HM5 pads for my HE500. I kind of wish my wife had left my UE700s alone.
 
Anyhow I'm in no way any good at writing impressions or reviews but I just want to say that the HE500s are the best sounding things I've ever heard and is the sound I've been searching for my whole life. I'm currently driving them with my Audio GD 15.32 but hope to drive them with the TP60 when my speaker tap adapters come. I hope they'll sound better but I'm extremely happy with them as they are, just hoping to be happier. I have one questions though. Would I have problems with a T-Class amp driving headphones, because I believe they like to see a decent load. Thanks in advance and I hope I've posted in the right place and all.
 
Cheers. 

 
Welcome  mate. I had good and bad experiences with T-amps. Mostly because I got the cheaper <$150 ones. Too much noise, some came faulty. One had a lot of heat. Another worked perfectly then just died. Then again, guys on whirlpool were using it without any issue and noise. So I believe the ones I got (from eBay) were not very well built possibly. I was using them to run speaker setups. But cheap - even tried the jaycar amp as well. The TP-60 looks nice. For that price it's comparable to the ever popular Emotiva mini-x A100 amp although with the poor Aussie dollar, T-amp might be the cheaper choice. But since you already have it - doesn't matter. I would be interested in hearing impressions when you get the adapters.
 
Quote:

 
We should make you the poster boy for newbie Head-Fi'ers! lol that's quite an accomplishment. Welcome, and I guess we don't have to say "sorry about your wallet."

 
I think in this case it's sorry for the wife. Or the cables because he is going to be enjoying the cans so much....
 
Quote:

LCD 2.2 Bamboos are $1185AUD and LCD 2.2 (regular) are $1330AUD is similar in price to the HE6 which is $1399AUD here in OZ and almost twice the price of the HE500s

 
Bamboo at addicted to audio is $1149. Pity they like to jack prices by a lot when they arrive in Oz...

 

[nk77]

Quote:

 
lol not everything revolves around Europe though. If you go with retail prices, actually, forget about the price altogether, the LCD-2 is still a contender in terms of sound with HE-500 and for me actually beat it in most categories. LCD-2 for one has the best bass quantity to quality to control ratio. Even more so than LCD-3. Although LCD-3 is more lively all around.
 
For you I'd highly recommend if you ever go Audeze, to try one out in your own home. If you must audition it, make sure you get at least an hour with it. The Audeze's have a much higher learning curve than the Hifiman's to me. With Hifiman, you can plug them into a toaster and you'll get floored with it's performance. Audeze (for me at least) required a lot longer to get used to the sound. I found this to be the case with both LCD-2 and LCD-3. Even though I had the LCD-2 for 5 months, it took me (and still is) a +month to get a handle on the LCD-3, despite how similar the sound is between the two according to many people.
 
BTW Have you ever heard any of the Audeze's? Also, if yes, for how long and in what conditions?
 
Now the T1 for 799 seems like a good deal. Would've considered it, if it wasn't for the TH-900.

 
Considering the LCD-2 - if you can get it second hand then that is a bonus. But apparently from what I read you need quite a decent amp for it to run. Was this the case for you?
 
I thought the LCD-3s were much different to the LCD-2s and were were more similar to the HE-6s. Again, things I have read on the HE-6 speaker amp forum (I think) not heard myself.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

Sounds like going the used options would allow me to sample lots of cans for minimal cost. Gee this trying out of new cans and gear is getting addictive. Would you say the LCD2s are complimentary to the HE500s? Would there be reasons to keep both? I don't yet have LCD2s but I'm curious. Also, is there a huge upgrade from HE500s to the HE6s or should I just enjoy my HE500s for now seeing as I'm extremely happy with them (ignorance is bliss in some cases)? Sorry for sounding like a rant. I'm in a server 2012 training course at the moment.

No reasons to keep both. The lcd2 and the 500 are more similar than they are different. I would look at Stax or high end dynamic (K1K, Hd800, TH900) if you want compliment to orthos.
 
The upgrade depends on how you define huge. If you are chasing that last 10% then yes it is huge. If you look at it from a monetary/price for performance perspective then it's a small upgrade.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

 
lol not everything revolves around Europe though. If you go with retail prices, actually, forget about the price altogether, the LCD-2 is still a contender in terms of sound with HE-500 and for me actually beat it in most categories. LCD-2 for one has the best bass quantity to quality to control ratio. Even more so than LCD-3. Although LCD-3 is more lively all around.
 
For you I'd highly recommend if you ever go Audeze, to try one out in your own home. If you must audition it, make sure you get at least an hour with it. The Audeze's have a much higher learning curve than the Hifiman's to me. With Hifiman, you can plug them into a toaster and you'll get floored with it's performance. Audeze (for me at least) required a lot longer to get used to the sound. I found this to be the case with both LCD-2 and LCD-3. Even though I had the LCD-2 for 5 months, it took me (and still is) a +month to get a handle on the LCD-3, despite how similar the sound is between the two according to many people.
 
BTW Have you ever heard any of the Audeze's? Also, if yes, for how long and in what conditions?
 
Now the T1 for 799 seems like a good deal. Would've considered it, if it wasn't for the TH-900.

thanks for ur suggestions and ideas..am always open for suggestions as u already know
 
yes i heard the lcd2.1 and lcd3 (dont know which version) on two occasions...
 
once in a premium audio shop in september last year..i had around 1 hour each in a quiet listeing room with if i am not mistaken a violectric v200. all with standard cabling..i liked the sound..but not that much i wanted to buy one..as i just had bought a he500...and for me the price was a bit to steep..
 
the second time was in november last year...on a benelux headfi meet..it was a small meet..so not so loud around u...also with a v200 and with my 337 (back then with colder sylvania tubes in it)..i didnt like how they sounded on my amp by the way!!..on the v200 it was very good!
 
but i believe u totally (as ur an owner and i respect ur opinion) if u say the audezes need lots of time to get used to...then i guess i have to try it out then...
 
so when i have my new amp...i will consider to get a loaner for a month (the shop has some demo models of certain cans to try out for a low price..if u buy the phone its deducted from the price) to try it out..but it probably will be the lcd3 then...as i guess thats the only one who could be better then the he6/he7..
 
but thanks for ur suggestion...i appreciate that!

 

[nk77]

Quote:

On the brighter side of thing, stuff under 1k doesn't get taxed by import duties in Aussie. So you could easily get an used Lcd2 with fully-insured shipping.
 
Doing that here in the EU will cost you 20% VAT together with handling fee  

. Still I got my He-6 cheaper than either the He500 or Lcd2 retail price (700 and 875 GBP respectively)

 
Yep LCD-2 bamboo from headamp is free shipping at the moment for $995 even to Aussie land (so under the $1000 limit). Won't get charged customs tax which is good news. That is one great thing about Aussie customs but I wish the threshold was a bit higher. Then I suppose our economy will begin to suffer. 
 
Did you get your HE-6 used? And still cheaper???? That is not fair.

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

well...thats the problem..it doesnt! its proven they use that income to pay for the countries debts among other things...here in holland life gets more expensive with the years...cutbacks and so on....just recently the taxes on consumer goods went up from 19% to 21% and in the past they did the same with some taxes on gas and diesel for cars...
and its getting worse..
 
we dont see anything from the income from those kind of taxes...they only use it to fill in the gaps in their budgets! but i guess this happens to all EU countries in this crisis

Guess you should come here then... It ain't good, but at least not THAT bad. 
 
Quote:

Sounds like going the used options would allow me to sample lots of cans for minimal cost. Gee this trying out of new cans and gear is getting addictive. Would you say the LCD2s are complimentary to the HE500s? Would there be reasons to keep both? I don't yet have LCD2s but I'm curious. Also, is there a huge upgrade from HE500s to the HE6s or should I just enjoy my HE500s for now seeing as I'm extremely happy with them (ignorance is bliss in some cases)? Sorry for sounding like a rant. I'm in a server 2012 training course at the moment.

HE-500 and LCD-2 complimentary? Nah, not that much IMO. My Stax setup and HE-500 on the other hand. Very complimentary.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

 
Considering the LCD-2 - if you can get it second hand then that is a bonus. But apparently from what I read you need quite a decent amp for it to run. Was this the case for you?
 
I thought the LCD-3s were much different to the LCD-2s and were were more similar to the HE-6s. Again, things I have read on the HE-6 speaker amp forum (I think) not heard myself.

 
Both LCD-2 and LCD-3 don't need as much power as the HE-500. Although both Audeze's are pickier in what amp they will sound good with. HE-500 is remarkable at it's pairing. Yea, used LCD-2/3 is a great option. I went with used for both and saved money and time. I ran the HE-500, LCD-2 and LCD-3 from Emotiva. HE-500's "sound" was really good with the Emotiva. The problem I had with the pairing was lack of depth and funny centerstage. Soundwise, the HE-500 is amazing.
 
With LCD-2, it took me the most time to get used to, but with Emotiva, it was the best combination of bass fun and control. At low volumes, still got great bass. Problems - none. Now were there things I wanted to better, for example, more air? Yes, of course. Although was it bugging me, like HE-500's soundstage? No.
 
The LCD-3 I feel are a bit restrained by the Emotiva, although I'm starting to like it more with time. The LCD-3 sound a bit underworked.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

 
Yep LCD-2 bamboo from headamp is free shipping at the moment for $995 even to Aussie land (so under the $1000 limit). Won't get charged customs tax which is good news. That is one great thing about Aussie customs but I wish the threshold was a bit higher. Then I suppose our economy will begin to suffer. 
 
Did you get your HE-6 used? And still cheaper???? That is not fair.

Careful with that though, customs may sometimes count the handling fee/insurance or the shipping fee in the calculation. But I'm not sure how your country's custom works obviously =p.
 
Yes I got mine used; also I did some tricks with custom declaration. Yes it's still cheaper than a brand new He-500 with next day shipping 

 
I sure as hell won't pay 950 GBP (~1500 USD) retail for the He-6, or 700GBP retail for the He500 for that matter.

 

[nk77]

Quote:

Careful with that though, customs may sometimes count the handling fee/insurance or the shipping fee in the calculation. But I'm not sure how your country's custom works obviously =p.
 
Yes I got mine used; also I did some tricks with custom declaration. Yes it's still cheaper than a brand new He-500 with next day shipping 

 
I sure as hell won't pay 950 GBP (~1500 USD) retail for the He-6, or 700GBP retail for the He500 for that matter.

 
Yep plenty of tricks with customs declaration...

 But no, handling and insurance is not included here in Oz. Just declared value. Simple as that.
 
And nope, not paying retail for those either. Let alone an Audeze. Not saying I don't wish to try them at some stage though.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

thanks for ur suggestions and ideas..am always open for suggestions as u already know
 
yes i heard the lcd2.1 and lcd3 (dont know which version) on two occasions...
 
once in a premium audio shop in september last year..i had around 1 hour each in a quiet listeing room with if i am not mistaken a violectric v200. all with standard cabling..i liked the sound..but not that much i wanted to buy one..as i just had bought a he500...and for me the price was a bit to steep..
 
the second time was in november last year...on a benelux headfi meet..it was a small meet..so not so loud around u...also with a v200 and with my 337 (back then with colder sylvania tubes in it)..i didnt like how they sounded on my amp by the way!!..on the v200 it was very good!
 
but i believe u totally (as ur an owner and i respect ur opinion) if u say the audezes need lots of time to get used to...then i guess i have to try it out then...
 
so when i have my new amp...i will consider to get a loaner for a month (the shop has some demo models of certain cans to try out for a low price..if u buy the phone its deducted from the price) to try it out..but it probably will be the lcd3 then...as i guess thats the only one who could be better then the he6/he7..
 
but thanks for ur suggestion...i appreciate that!

 
Ya no problem. Although one thing I should mention. I asked around LCD-2/3 with V200 and people usually recommend not to do that as they are both on the dark side. Man I hated my LCD-2 when I first got them. They lacked air, width and treble response. Now for me at first, and this will be the case for you as well, coming off a well lit up HE-500, the Audeze's will sound dull. It took me about a week or so after 8 months on the HE-500 most of the time.
 
Then I listened to the LCD-2, actually kind of forced myself to sit through it, for days. Then I got used to it and really started loving it. For two months with work and LCD-2's, I didn't use the HE-500 at all. When I plugged it back, the bass was lacking (relatively), there wasn't much depth, the treble seemed glaring and unnecessary. I felt like "Stop shouting HE-500, we get it already." 
 
Then for a few weeks, I tried to use them both together, mixing here and there. Over time, I eventually grew more fonder of the LCD-2, especially with regards to soundstage presentation and comfort. The rest is history, with LCD-3's coming home and HE-6 on a hold.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

 
Ya no problem. Although one thing I should mention. I asked around LCD-2/3 with V200 and people usually recommend not to do that as they are both on the dark side. Man I hated my LCD-2 when I first got them. They lacked air, width and treble response. Now for me at first, and this will be the case for you as well, coming off a well lit up HE-500, the Audeze's will sound dull. It took me about a week or so after 8 months on the HE-500 most of the time.
 
Then I listened to the LCD-2, actually kind of forced myself to sit through it, for days. Then I got used to it and really started loving it. For two months with work and LCD-2's, I didn't use the HE-500 at all. When I plugged it back, the bass was lacking (relatively), there wasn't much depth, the treble seemed glaring and unnecessary. I felt like "Stop shouting HE-500, we get it already." 
 
Then for a few weeks, I tried to use them both together, mixing here and there. Over time, I eventually grew more fonder of the LCD-2, especially with regards to soundstage presentation and comfort. The rest is history, with LCD-3's coming home and HE-6 on a hold.

and all headphones u used on ur emotiva? maybe the headphones will be reacting different on my opamp based new amp? well...we have to see then in december as my amp is finished end of november IN CANADA...