NO problem
@nicolo!!
I love my LCD-X, and listen to it often w/ many different amps - from the Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold to my E.A.R HP4, ALO Studio Six, Schiit Vali, or some of my favorite portables like my CEntrance HiFi-M8 or ALO International.
I agree that you need a resolving amplifier to truly make the X SING - and the Geek Out EM actually does a surprisingly bang-up job with em! There's a bit of magic in that combo actually - reminiscent (to me) of the time I discovered what a surprisingly sweet-sounding combination the HRT microStreamer and LCD-3 made! I didn't expect anything from that rig (as the microStreamer, on paper, didn't have the power to make the 3 come alive) - I just tried it during my review process. But I ended up loving it!
The advantage, as I'm sure you know, with the LCD-X (and XC) is that it's far more efficient than the LCD-2 and 3, but follows the Audeze tradition with regards to its outstanding resolution capabilities. The reason you need a resolving amplifier for the X is that it's gonna show you what your amp is doing, and if that means exposing flaws that's just part of the package - so the old school recording engineering phrase: crap in - crap out, applies here! It's a good thing Light Harmonic bestowed some of their Da Vinci DAC magic into the Geek Out!
Amarra's the source via my MacBook Pro Retina SSD drive and Audeze LCD-X cans as requested:
Spinning Radiohead's "Everything In It's Right Place" - the cascading synths are liquid-like in their presentation. I've heard many systems mask this captivating quality of this recording, but when its right I often describe this sounding like an audible pond - a stone dropping in the water and the ripples flow with texture you can practically reach out and touch. The sound is rich and colorful, open and airy. Thom Yorke's vocals hover, panning right to left, left to right. The transient attack and movement of the various samples are sublimely executed. I love this track. It's one of my favorite system tests, as it often sounds congested on systems with inadequate resolution. No such worry here. The soundstage is wide and deep with superb dimensionality. This is a fantastic demo track for this combination. The sound is more akin to a reference-level desktop rig than a small USB DAC/amp. Lemme put it this way: I'm glad you asked, as I'm loving this right now!
Moving onto something acoustic and sparse: I chose Ani DiFranco's "Hearse" off
Which Side Are You On? This recording is detailed and wide-open. The guitar and drums have a wonderfully natural decay - they trail off with an analogous quality that I rarely hear in the digital domain. The recording sounds lifelike, it's textural and warm-bodied. Her vocals are emotively charged and her guitar strumming is so dimensional there's no need to engage the Geek Out's Awesomifier. As a matter of fact when I engage it I lose the gestalt of the music. Without it, the sound is engaging and dynamic.
Trying one of my favorite ear-candy tracks: The-Drum's "Sirens" off their
Contact album (experimental electronic - with a touch of found sounds that gives the music its soul - I reviewed this record for Part-Time Audiophile and if this genre is of interest to you I highly recommend it) the sound is wildly dynamic and gripping. Synth pads slam with precision and authority. Other spacey elements soar, their echoing effects ping back-n-forth from front to back, left to right and right to left. The transient speed here is wicked - making for an engrossing listening experience. Overall this is the most fun I've had with the Geek Out! I can't help it but hit repeat over and over again.
The Geek Out and Audeze LCD-X is my favorite pairing thus far in my evaluation of the Geek, right behind my LCD-3's and XC's. The sound is coherent and window-like (or "transparent" as we all say - it's just that the word has come to represent so many things in hi-fi). It's a wonderfully engaging little system. I could listen for hours - and I probably will! The midrange is rich and silky, the low end extended and powerful. The highs are also extended but not sharp or overbearing. Sometimes uber-resolving systems have a tendency to shout at you if their not well-controlled. That's not the case here. The sound is balanced from top to bottom. I'm pumped you asked me to give this another listen, as I'm working on my review of the Geek Out for Part-Time Audiophile. This combo has inspired me.
That maybe the best compliment I can pay it. I can't find anything to gripe about. And as a matter of fact - I'm not going to take these off!
Back to listening.
I hope that gives you a glimpse of how much I'm enjoying this pairing and why.
If you have any other request please feel free to share! You got me glued to my music!
