[Armament]

I'm not sure what to think of these. I got some LCD2s last week and they sound amazing. The LCD2s sound closer and more intimate, lows and meds are the best I've ever heard. The highs are decent but seem to get taken over by the meds sometimes. I received the Beyerdynamic T1s this morning and I'm not really liking them so far. Treble hurts my ears, music sounds like it's a bit far away. When I hear the letter "S" sound it stands out a lot. I also get a bit of distortion at higher volume levels. Not sure if my issues are due to under powering or what. I have a Creative ZXR sound card that I'm using for the LCD2s and they sound amazing. I also tried to use a TTVJ Slim that I bought to use with my Shure SE535s. That amp powers the LCD2s perfectly and they sound just as good as my PC sound card. The T1s sound like crap through that amp as well. Maybe my ears just don't agree with the sound signature? Should I give them a shot for a week or throw them up on eBay? I had planned on getting an amp for these but something came up today and I don't have the money for an amp at the moment.

 

[Head Injury]

The ZXR sound card seems to claim 80 mW of power at 600 ohms, which is enough for volumes of around 115 dB with the T1. Not likely to be power trouble, a new amp won't fix it.
 
It's probably just their sound signature. The T1 has a lot of extra energy from 7-10 kHz and this might not agree with your ears. Give it some time, see if you grow to like it, and if not sell/return them or try to fix them with EQ.

 

[earthpeople]

   Maybe my ears just don't agree with the sound signature? Should I give them a shot for a week or throw them up on eBay?

 
These two things here. Give them a real shot for a few days to let your mind adjust and see if you warm up to 'em. Another amp may help but it isn't going to transform the headphones so if you don't like them now, it's probably safe to say you should just try something else -- it'll be more efficient that way. 

 
 
FWIW, I love my T1s but am not much of a fan of the LCD2s. 

 

[Armament]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll give them a bit. They do sound clearer than the LCD-2s but I dunno. They feel a bit "thinner" and sound kind of mechanical with some tracks. I could probably fall asleep with the LCD-2s but these are a bit sharp lol.

 

[Doflamingo]

Yeah they are definitely thinner and more "mechanical" as the treble is elevated and the soundstage is much larger overall. This kind of characteristic won't go away with burn in really - you will either love the spaciousness and detail or not like them like you do now. The HE560 might be a better compliment for the LCD2.

 

[Armament]

  Yeah they are definitely thinner and more "mechanical" as the treble is elevated and the soundstage is much larger overall. This kind of characteristic won't go away with burn in really - you will either love the spaciousness and detail or not like them like you do now. The HE560 might be a better compliment for the LCD2.

Ha that's interesting. I'm very new to this and seem to have explained it pretty well. I must have good ears for this type of thing.

 

[CrocCap]

deleted

 

[Armament]

Double post, can't delete this.

 

[Armament]

  you could try the felt ring damping mod, its easy to do, cheap, and reversible.  It should help tame some of the treble spikeyness.

I'll look into it for sure! Thanks.

 

[breizh]

I own the T1
I used to pair it with the Schiit Asgard, very good, enough power, good bass, and warm body
I then got a Teac HA-501, I sold the Asgard...
With the Teac I find the T1 too thin, sometimes harsh, less full bodied - the soudnstage is better, transparency and clarity also, but in the end I think it's not the best pairing for the T1 - I mean it seems not to provide enough power in these hungry 600 ohms headphones
I also have and AKG K550 and the fidelio X2, both are very good but the X2 is marvellous with the Teac
An I've just ordered an Icon audio hp8 MKII for a best pairing with my T1...
So, it's really a problem of synergy between amp and headphones, the right combination is not always easy to find
 
richard

 

[Focker]

The T1s benefit from a quality amp. You don't need to break the bank, but even though the specs on the sound card say it's rated to drive a 600 ohm headphone, I think you're doing the T1s a disservice not giving them a better dance partner. 

 

[Armament]

  The T1s benefit from a quality amp. You don't need to break the bank, but even though the specs on the sound card say it's rated to drive a 600 ohm headphone, I think you're doing the T1s a disservice not giving them a better dance partner. 

Is there anything you can recommend at or under $250? I can go used if need be.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Is there anything you can recommend at or under $250? I can go used if need be.

 
The Schiit Magni 2 Uber outputs 160 mW RMS per channel at 600 ohms and is just $149.
 
The Modi 2 DAC (not necessary, but recommended) is another $99, bringing everything conveniently $2 under your budget. ^_^

 

[Armament]

   
The Schiit Magni 2 Uber outputs 160 mW RMS per channel at 600 ohms and is just $149.
 
The Modi 2 DAC (not necessary, but recommended) is another $99, bringing everything conveniently $2 under your budget. ^_^

I just looked those up. They would certainly look beautiful on my desk.. would those pair with my LCD-2s as well?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I just looked those up. They would certainly look beautiful on my desk.. would those pair with my LCD-2s as well?

 
Oh yeah, the M2U can easily drive most headphones out there. Many amps are much more expensive yet nowhere near as powerful! But as previously noted, it's not likely an amp will suddenly make you like headphones you dislike.