Introducing the Audeze LCD-R!

[eskamobob1]

Just wrote this for somewhere else and figured I would post it here.

Amps that are signed off by the manufacturers as stable with the LCD-R are

• Chord TT2 Rear XLRs
• Woo WA33/22/8
• Riviera AIC-10
• Analogue Squared Paper TUR-08 (though the designer feels it wont sound good despite being stable)
• Pass Labs F7
• Raal HSA-1B Ribbon Port (may need anti-hiss adaptor depending on revision)

Known Unstable combos

• Bakoon 13R/Enleum 23R
• Front output of TT2
• Any output of Hugo2
• Any output of Dave
• Cayin C9
• Masskobo 428
• Bakoon HPA-21 & 01M
• Any/all Eddie Current amps (though he will work with you to get a transformer that can do it for a fair cost)
• Raal HSA-1B standard port
• Raal PDA-1a
• Anything Traformatic

Ones I think I was told work but cant find the confirmation in my email from when I asked (so double check before you try):

• Viva Egoista 845
• The rest of the pass lab amp lineup
• Firstwatt J2
• Oji Special BDI-DC44B2 －G Tuned Ⅱ
• MassKobo 394II
• Auris Nirvana

 

[ThanatosVI]

Just wrote this for somewhere else and figured I would post it here.

Amps that are signed off by the manufacturers as stable with the LCD-R are

• Chord TT2 Rear XLRs
• Woo WA33/22/8
• Riviera AIC-10
• Analogue Squared Paper TUR-08 (though the designer feels it wont sound good despite being stable)
• Pass Labs F7
• Raal HSA-1B Ribbon Port (may need anti-hiss adaptor depending on revision)

Known Unstable combos

• Bakoon 13R/Enleum 23R
• Front output of TT2
• Any output of Hugo2
• Any output of Dave
• Cayin C9
• Masskobo 428
• Bakoon HPA-21 & 01M
• Any/all Eddie Current amps (though he will work with you to get a transformer that can do it for a fair cost)
• Raal HSA-1B standard port
• Raal PDA-1a
• Anything Traformatic

Ones I think I was told work but cant find the confirmation in my email from when I asked (so double check before you try):

• Viva Egoista 845
• The rest of the pass lab amp lineup
• Firstwatt J2
• Oji Special BDI-DC44B2 －G Tuned Ⅱ
• MassKobo 394II
• Auris Nirvana

Wow the Woo Wa33 can drive the LCD-R as well. Such an impressive amp.

One day...

 

[eskamobob1]

Wow the Woo Wa33 can drive the LCD-R as well. Such an impressive amp.

One day...

Its the best I have hear LCD-R thus far and I dont even realy like the WA33 on anything else tbh (though I do think i need to hear a second one cause the one I have acess to sounds nothing like the descriptions online asside from "dry" tbh)

Honest, WA8 is pretty great as well and how I use my LCD-R 100% of the time. I think in raw technical performance its roughly comprable to the jot but the presentation its self is much much more subjectivly pleasing and just has better synergy overall IMO. That said, if you listen loud the WA8 can get kinda unhappy and distort the bass (but im talking like uncomfortable loud)

 

[ThanatosVI]

Its the best I have hear LCD-R thus far and I dont even realy like the WA33 on anything else tbh (though I do think i need to hear a second one cause the one I have acess to sounds nothing like the descriptions online asside from "dry" tbh)

Honest, WA8 is pretty great as well and how I use my LCD-R 100% of the time. I think in raw technical performance its roughly comprable to the jot but the presentation its self is much much more subjectivly pleasing and just has better synergy overall IMO. That said, if you listen loud the WA8 can get kinda unhappy and distort the bass (but im talking like uncomfortable loud)

The Wa33 Was the amp I was aiming for in 2020, but it was always too expensive.

In the meantime I got compareable amplification for a gooföd price.
However the Wa33 working with a different principle and tube setup, could become a nice complement one day....

 

[eskamobob1]

The Wa33 Was the amp I was aiming for in 2020, but it was always too expensive.

In the meantime I got compareable amplification for a gooföd price.
However the Wa33 working with a different principle and tube setup, could become a nice complement one day....

What did you end up with? TBH I dont know what almost anything in your sig is outside of the server and cans -.-

 

[VandyMan]

Just wrote this for somewhere else and figured I would post it here.

• Woo WA33/22/8

Woo WA5 too

 

[ThanatosVI]

What did you end up with? TBH I dont know what almost anything in your sig is outside of the server and cans -.-

I ended up with the Octave V16. That one retails somewhere between the regular and Elite Version of the Wa33.

For most this won't be a "cheaper alternative", I just got lucky on a used deal.
It’s just another Player in the summit fi tube amp game.

 

[eskamobob1]

Woo WA5 too

Good call! I'll add it

I ended up with the Octave V16. That one retails somewhere between the regular and Elite Version of the Wa33.

For most this won't be a "cheaper alternative", I just got lucky on a used deal.
It’s just another Player in the summit fi tube amp game.

Haven't heard of this one. Ill look it up. Always nice to have another option if one happens to pop up used

 

[deafenears]

Swapped the pads on my LCD-R today. Really helped with comfort with the fazors - I was borderline ears touching only when cups were off center, they don't touch at all now unless I press firming on the cups.

 

[axsnyder]

Did you notice any sound changes?

 

[cwoo]

Swapped the pads on my LCD-R today. Really helped with comfort with the fazors - I was borderline ears touching only when cups were off center, they don't touch at all now unless I press firming on the cups.

Which pads did you go with? And yes, as @axsnyder asked, I am curious on how the sound was affected by the change. I haven't mustered up the courage to swap mine yet.

 

[deafenears]

Which pads did you go with? And yes, as @axsnyder asked, I am curious on how the sound was affected by the change. I haven't mustered up the courage to swap mine yet.

Audeze leather, it's easy enough to swap back and forth a few times before the stickiness wears out.

 

[M3NTAL]

@deafenears - did you remove the acoustic mesh on the new leather pad? How have they been otherwise?

 

[eskamobob1]

I'll give proper impressions later (when I don't have to type it all on my phone) but Jason from TSAV gave me the go ahead to run LCD-R on his OG Cavalli Liquid Gold. Chain ended up being roon ethernet -> Weiss 502 -> OG LAu -> LCD-R. I did have to turn down the gain on the dac just to get it to not be way too loud but it was quite a combo. Jason is apparently quite confidant that any of the old Cavalli designs will be 2 ohm stable but not exactly the easiest things to repair anymore so use at your own risk....

 

[deafenears]

@deafenears - did you remove the acoustic mesh on the new leather pad? How have they been otherwise?

I left the acoustic mesh there. I thought about removing it, and easily enough with a blade knife after. Sound wise, seems similar to me, didn't notice much of a difference so kept it. Also keeps the dandruff out