[Trancefreak]

Hi there,

I'm mostly lurking and basking in the vast amounts of knowledge here, far from a regular poster.
Also don't have much of a headphone history, nor can I be described as a audiophile.
Perhaps wannabe-audiophile? On a budget? The reason why will follow.

I'm looking for ( for now ) the end of my search for an all round headphone.
I've been a Beyerdynamic fan ever since people recommended me the DT770 years and years ago ( teenager )
since back then I was a Techno, Dance , Electro music fan. Now, growing older, I enjoy some, but not as much.
Had the DT770 32Ohm, then DT990 32Ohm, now have the MMX300 600Ohm. I'm a passionate gamer as well, but not multiplayer competitive. Immersion if where it's at, for me. It's also how I discovered Ludovico Einaudi and Jeremy Soule. Fantastic background music. Just my thing. Problem is, the MMX300 isn't cutting it, I feel.
I have a Sony WH-1000XM2 because I pre-ordered the Xperia XZ2 compact and it sounds great, but yet closed again and my PC doesn't support bluetooth, nor do I have a receiver supporting bluetooth nevermind Apt-X HD or LDAC. Same with that AIAIAI TMA-2 bluetooth I have for commuting.

Closed phones are great for my bass needs of my teenager years and that mic boom was handy for a while, but I need something more relaxing, open for soundstage and isolation isn't needed anymore. I'll soon don't live in a tiny noisy apartment anymore.

Also, you must know, I've been diagnosed with an 'Audio Bite'.
Basically it's a degenerative nerve from the brain to the ears/hearing that worsens and worsens with going old.
I'm 32 now, and my frequency response both air and bone conduction is -40dB and -35dB left and right in the 1Kz to 2Kz range. Low er and higher frequencies I hear ' normal ' for my age. So I have a V curve built in my ears, hah...
This not only means I hear background noise quite normal, but mainly it means I have difficulty understanding the human voice. Hearing aids don't help, since it's the nerve... they don't transmit very well.


ANYWAY.
I've been thinking about my last headphone.
Beyerdynamic Amiron Home or Audeze LCD-2 Classic.
They seem to be well respected cans in somewhat the same price range and they're brands I think I like.
Both seem okey-ish neutral for the price and will be unamped at first. I figure out the amp later
I'm still comparing the two, but I don't have the knowledge how to interpret words that describe a sound you've never heard before. I can't compare these 2 in a shop, since I don't have high end audio shops nearby ( checked... ).
So again, my audio source would be mainly PC and later and audio receiver/amped, all round music but mainly light classic, movie and game scores, Jazz, a bit of electro and the odd game now and then.

Can anyone help me out here?

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

[kman1211]

I’m sorry to hear about your Audio Bite. I haven’t personally heard the LCD-2 Classic but having owned the Amiron Home for well over a year and being a Beyerdynamic fan myself, I can say the Amiron Home will fit the need for a more open and relaxing sound. I’ve heard the old LCD-2 but not for many years so I don’t remember it’s sound all that well anymore. The amiron can sound pretty good unamped depending on what it’s connected to, it’s an efficient headphone for its impedance. It’s a very good headphone for games, shows, and movie/game scores, in fact one of my favorites for games, it’s a good all-rounder but does seem to shine in that usage. I’m a gamer myself, I focus mainly on single player games. Very familiar with Jeremy Soule due to the games I played. Hopefully someone can weigh in on both the LCD-2 classic and Amiron Home compared.

 

[Trancefreak]

Thank you, kman1211. You confirm about everything I've read, which is good reassurance.
Do you use any form of PCIe/USB soundcard or does the Sony UDA-1 the job? I assume that is your DAC/amp?

 

[QueueCumber]

Sorry to hear about your condition. I'd skip the expensive audio stuff and get into cool video stuff like projectors for movies/music. Then you can use subtitles and facilitate what you hear.

 

[Trancefreak]

Sorry to hear about your condition. I'd skip the expensive audio stuff and get into cool video stuff like projectors for movies/music. Then you can use subtitles and facilitate what you hear.

Hey hey hey! We're not there yet ^^. I'm not deaf yet!
No, i'd really like to continue to pursue good audio for now . I can easily give it to me children by the time I've gone deaf. Get them into the hobby as well .
Highs and lows I can still hear normally!

I'll take your advice in, say 20 years from now

 

[rutter]

What's your budget? USA, EU, or?

 

[kman1211]

Thank you, kman1211. You confirm about everything I've read, which is good reassurance.
Do you use any form of PCIe/USB soundcard or does the Sony UDA-1 the job? I assume that is your DAC/amp?

No problem. The Amiron does have a bit of a v-shape curve to it like most Beyers, largest difference is treble texture though, I find it softer sounding in the treble than most Beyers, it's unique sounding among Beyers but still obviously a Beyer. I use the Sony UDA-1 connected to the computer via USB, so yea it's the DAC/amp I use.

 

[ahmedie]

if your ear are already V shape then you would need mid forward head phone like hd660 or stax stuff

 

[Trancefreak]

if your ear are already V shape then you would need mid forward head phone like hd660 or stax stuff

It sounds logical, doesn't it? Alas.
I tried to neutralise the V-shape with a shevron shaped ( /\ ) equiliser.... Sounds horrible.
My 'hearing' specialist said it's because my brain adapted to it to an extend. I'm better off going normal, somewhat neutral, apparently.

Don't have the money to gamble

 

[Chartreuse]

If you’re going to buy fancy headphones, it’s a huge mistake to not amp them during your evaluation period. Cans like the LCDs just won’t sound like themselves without power... it’s like test driving a car by only going in reverse — the one you prefer will be totally different once you get to the eventual use case.

I’d just get an inexpensive used unit on Audiogon and then upgrade later (good used stuff holds value).

Also, as somebody with the LCD2s, highly recommend.

 

[Trancefreak]

If you’re going to buy fancy headphones, it’s a huge mistake to not amp them during your evaluation period. Cans like the LCDs just won’t sound like themselves without power... it’s like test driving a car by only going in reverse — the one you prefer will be totally different once you get to the eventual use case.

I’d just get an inexpensive used unit on Audiogon and then upgrade later (good used stuff holds value).

Also, as somebody with the LCD2s, highly recommend.

Good point, I do have an old Little Dot MKII, would that suffice for now, you think?
If not, Shiit seems to be all the rage, or that cheaper Aune T1. Something low end to start with.

I used to have Beyerdynamic T1 / Woo WA2 dreams, but I'm not sure that amp suits the Amiron Home or LCD2

As you can read, I've read a tiny bit but I'm still very much in the dark, not to say simply oblivious.
I just wish I could simply visit a brik and mortar shop and try it with a few well known CDs/SACDs I have.

 

[NA Blur]

If it helps I own the Schiit Magni 3 and it sounds so close to my HeadRoom BUDA amp, which costs 16 times as much as the Magni, that I've considered selling it.

The Magni 3 is an awesome amp. And no, it's not bright sounding.