What are your suggestions? I would like the versatility to change tubes and go both thick and Tubey euphoric to analytical without losing the bass response. Do you have better suggestions in the price range, and maybe best case above?
I will be auditioning the new Eddie current Zana deux shortly to see if it is worth stepping up. Listening to a friend's original ZD, it made both hd800 and Audeze HPs sing as well as the rest of the TOTL HP options, but then he got the EC 2a3 to really confuse things.
However, I am changing my mind on selling the mojo given my new r2r Havana tube dac that is smoothing out the highs and taking the mojo to a new much, much higher level with versatility.
Oh okay. Well given your preferences, then I think perhaps the 339 would be perfect for you. The ZD super will cost you more obviously, but should also be great. Whether it is an ideal amp with planars, though, is another question. At that price range, you have lots of options.
I was thinking more along the lines of hybrid amplifiers, which would allow you the chance to roll tubes while maintaining a tighter, solid state sound that tends to work well with planars, let alone the fact that hybrids tend to output a great deal more current than voltage, the former of which planars feed on.
Since you already own a Mjolnir, it may not make sense to step "down" to the Project Ember or the Lyr2, but both should be pretty nice for the LCD-2. The Cavalli Audio Liquid Crimson is in an entirely different price bracket (but in the range of the ZD), and it looks like one of the better hybrid amplifiers available right now. Based on some research and my sense of what planars need, if we are talking about just driving the LCD-2s, the Liquid Crimson seems like a competitive choice. However, if you really are serious about a thicker, tuber sound, then the 339 or ZD Super might "do the trick."
I envy your opportunity to try out both the 2a3 and the ZD!
Perhaps
@MJS242 , who owns both the 339 and the ZD, has heard the LCD-2 from both and could make some comment?
P.S. The 339 is a great amp!
PPS. It may be useful to know that Craig Uthus of Eddie Current uses the LCD-2.2 and HD 600 almost exclusively to tune his amps. So perhaps sending him an email about what he thinks could be useful. With that said, your wallet will whimper after buying one of his beautiful amps.