[ArcticHeadCase]

Hi HeadFiers,

Would anyone know what is going wrong here? I bought a used LCD-2 Classic here in Norway, to use with my Astell & Kern Kann Alpha. It came with the stock cable, terminated with a 6.3 mm jack. I got a cheap converter to 3.5 mm with it so I could try it on the DAP, while I am waiting for the delivery of an Oidio cable with 4.4 mm balanced connector.

The problem is that even with high gain, the sound is awful, very constrained and far-away sounding, especially in classical music recordings. Much worse than when I connect my LCD-1 with Forza Audio 2.5 mm balanced cable. I know Forza make excellent cables, and that going from single-ended 3.5 mm to balanced makes a big improvement in the sound on the player. But now the difference is so big that I suspect something is wrong. Or maybe I am just doing something wrong. It looks like @NewEve got this combination to work in 2021, see the review here : https://www.headpie.net/2021/09/astell-kern-kann-alpha-x-audeze-lcd-2.html. From the photos it looks like they used the 3.5 mm output.

Any suggestions? Many thanks in advance!

 

[Audeze]

Make sure you test the LCD-2 Classic on another source to verify that the issue is consistent between other devices. With and without the adapter, to narrow down what the issue might be.

Your A&K source may also be the factor in combination with that cheap adapter used, so always test things separately with other gear.

Is the 3.5mm adapter one with at least some cable slack? Do not ever use 6.3 to 3.5mm that are just barrle plugs. That can damage your input jacks.

 

[ArcticHeadCase]

Wow, thanks a lot, Audeze, for your reply! Glad I became a member on Head Fi!! I will try the headphones with the 6.3 mm jack on a desktop amp in a hifi shop in town. Don't expect there to be any other headfiers here in the far north of Norway and it's summer holidays here.

And yes, sorry I used a barrel type converter, just a piece of metal, no cable involved. It's the only thing I have here right now.

I think it may actually be the completely different tuning of the LCD-2 C compared to the LCD-1 that is causing me trouble. LCD-1 is very direct and easy to drive, LCD-2 C is very laid back and needs more power. Classical recordings with orchestra sound very far away. It's much better with electronic music but that's not something I listen to a lot... So I may have just bought the wrong headphones. I will try the MM-100 when they arrive here in Norway.