[daveDerek]

while the LD2+ looks tempting, it's big brother looks even more so - rather pretty! check this out:
http://www.little-tube.com/forum/for...sp?TID=23&PN=1

 

[nabwong]

The best compliment i can give the LD2+ is that they make the HD580 come alive. ( I used to hate the hd580 ). This amp is a no brainer especially for the budget conscious.

 

[tbonner1]

Hey Nabwong,

Can you compare the sound of the LDII+ with the NAD on the:

1-HD 580's

2-Shure E4C

Thanks
Tom

 

[Jbucla2005]

I have the LD2 and am curious how it compares to the LD2+. IMO the LD2 is nice but if you are looking for the richest tone I think more expensive amps can do better. It also lacks some inner detail which is improved somewhat by changing tubes. Don't get me wrong, I really like my LD2 with NOS GE 1U5's in the front but an MG Head OTL has replaced it as my main headamp, which to my ears is superior in all ways except speed. The LD2 is fast. It likes my Grados most, and my MG Head likes my Senns most. However, I heard that the new LD2+ drives Senns better and apparently has better tone, which the Mullard tubes probably have something to do with.

 

[Svperstar]

ooooo note on the door that says I have a package from China at the Airport post office

Can't go pick it up till 6:30 though

I only have some ghetto RatShack cables to test its preamp capabilities but they will do for now, I might just sell my GL so I would hate to drop serious $$$ on RCA Interconnects only to turn around and sell.

Can't wait to hear my tubes

 

[golgi]

Just remember to burn it in for a while as it won't sound it's best right out of the box.

I was really interested in getting that ASL MG head amp but then got the LD2+ since it was a lot less. However, I may have to check one out sometime to see how it compares upon your recommendation.

 

[Jbucla2005]

Quote:

Originally Posted by golgi Just remember to burn it in for a while as it won't sound it's best right out of the box. I was really interested in getting that ASL MG head amp but then got the LD2+ since it was a lot less. However, I may have to check one out sometime to see how it compares upon your recommendation.

Be sure to put some good tubes in it when you do.

 

[Svperstar]

LDII+ is here

I just put the tubes in, and it is sitting right now "charging up" or whatever, the manual is all in chinese so eh. Been plugged in for almost 5 minutes now.

I am listening to some lossless Nirvana/Pear Jam tracks I have heard 1,000 times on my Gilmore Lite to make sure I have the Gilmore sound in my head before I switch over to the LDII+ .

I have never owned anything Tube before, so I don't know how long it is supposed to site before I plug in headphones. The tubes have an orange glow about them. I heard a few very faint clicking noises when I first turned it on.

I think I am going to let it sit for another 20 minutes before I start listening, give it a chance to warm up a bit. Then I am gonna listen alone, and then try its pre-amp out.

Luckily it came with some nice gold plated RCA cables, prolly not the best in the world but they are thicker than the crappy RatShack RCAs I have in a box.

Is it ok to just plug headphones in or should I turn it off first?

 

[Jbucla2005]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar LDII+ is here I just put the tubes in, and it is sitting right now "charging up" or whatever, the manual is all in chinese so eh. Been plugged in for almost 5 minutes now. I am listening to some lossless Nirvana/Pear Jam tracks I have heard 1,000 times on my Gilmore Lite to make sure I have the Gilmore sound in my head before I switch over to the LDII+ . I have never owned anything Tube before, so I don't know how long it is supposed to site before I plug in headphones. The tubes have an orange glow about them. I heard a few very faint clicking noises when I first turned it on. I think I am going to let it sit for another 20 minutes before I start listening, give it a chance to warm up a bit. Then I am gonna listen alone, and then try its pre-amp out. Luckily it came with some nice gold plated RCA cables, prolly not the best in the world but they are thicker than the crappy RatShack RCAs I have in a box. Is it ok to just plug headphones in or should I turn it off first?

Just turn the volume down and plug in the phones.

 

[golgi]

I think it should be okay to plug and unplug the headphones on the amp while powered up. When I first got my LD2+ powered up, it seemd like a pretty good sound. But then after about 3-4 hours of initial burn in, it really transformed into a much better sound. After this, every time I use the amp, I just power it up for about 10-15 minutes before actually listening through it. Although it won't hurt anything if you listen to it right away, the sound may not be quite as nice since the tubes haven't really warmed up that soon.

I'll be really interested to see how you like it as a preamp. I haven't tried it in this capacity yet.

 

[Wil]

hey guys.

i ordered a LD2+.

What tubes does it come default with? the little-tube webbie seems to be down.

Also, i used to own a Grado 325i + Cayin HA1A combo which i sold away to finance my speaker setup. Getting back into headphones again coz i cant listen to my speakers late into the nite.

I was thinking of the MS2i / LD2+ combo if budget allows.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[Svperstar]

Early Impressions, only 20 minutes of use or so.

This smooths out the SA5000s quite a bit. It isn't an extreme night and day difference, but it is very noticable. I like it

It gets damn hot, very quick, I am not sure I woudl be comfortable falling asleep with this guy running.

When in pre-amp mode with the Gilmore Lite the bass has a wierd little pang to it I haven't ever heard before on any headphone or amp, the soundstage also shrinks on the Gilmore Lite.

Also compared to the GL the volume knob on the LD feels cheap, not as cheap as the X-Fi Elite Pro's knobs but not as nice. Than again it costs only 50% as much as the GL.

Oh yeah, despite everyone and their mother assuring me it does not this amp does have a slight buzzing as was reported earlier.

This disappoints me a lot. What do I mean by buzzing?

Hook up your headphones, and turn all music/sounds off, then just turn the volume to the max. It is more noticable in the left channel but is also in the right channel a bit. I don't know if this amp has crossfeed, or if maybe my left tube has a problem, either it I am very annoyed that this amp adds noise to the signal.

On the Senn 580s you have to turn it up to about 85% of maximum volume to hear it, however on the hyperdetailed and brutally revealing SA5000s, you can faintly hear it at 55-60% of volume.

Music does drown it out but that isn't the point, it is the principle of the thing, the amp shouldn't add noise to the signal. For example the Gilmore Lite adds absolutely nothing to the signal, turn it to full blast when nothing is playing and that is what you hear, absolutely nothing.

I am going to try swapping the tubes and also switching the wall socket to see if that makes a difference.

Post more later

 

[golgi]

I wonder if it's a defective unit because I just tried this with my HD580s and I don't hear noise of any sort even with the amp turned up to full volume and without any music playing as you mentioned. I tried this in a quiet location because it's in the middle of the night and all is quiet in the house.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svperstar LDII+ is here I just put the tubes in, and it is sitting right now "charging up" or whatever, the manual is all in chinese so eh. Been plugged in for almost 5 minutes now. I am listening to some lossless Nirvana/Pear Jam tracks I have heard 1,000 times on my Gilmore Lite to make sure I have the Gilmore sound in my head before I switch over to the LDII+ . I have never owned anything Tube before, so I don't know how long it is supposed to site before I plug in headphones. The tubes have an orange glow about them. I heard a few very faint clicking noises when I first turned it on. I think I am going to let it sit for another 20 minutes before I start listening, give it a chance to warm up a bit. Then I am gonna listen alone, and then try its pre-amp out. Luckily it came with some nice gold plated RCA cables, prolly not the best in the world but they are thicker than the crappy RatShack RCAs I have in a box. Is it ok to just plug headphones in or should I turn it off first?

Wait, you let the amp turn on without headphones plugged into it? That's generally a bad idea - connect everything and then turn on the amp.

 

[Svperstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr Wait, you let the amp turn on without headphones plugged into it? That's generally a bad idea - connect everything and then turn on the amp.

Why is it a bad idea to turn it on without headphones in?