[temporaryname]

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For anyone in the know, does Audez'e plan to release a revised arc assembly in the near future? No matter how great it sounds, it still bugs me greatly that a $2k headphone doesn't look and feel like one. 

 
I welcome any design changes that would be for the better, but I don't think any are likely. Why change something that isn't broke? (that said, the current design is wobbly on my head)
It costs $2000 because the sound quality is worth $2000 in today's market. It already comes with wood and leather, as opposed to plastic, so it's already more expensive and luxurious looking than most headphones. Making it even more expensive and luxurious in terms of materials will just cut into Audeze's bottom line and considering their recent build quality and 3 year warranty upgrade, they're going to need to take care of it.
 
No matter how much I wish they'd price it more aggressively to shake up the headphone industry, I still have to hand it to them. They've created a beautiful sounding addition to our headphone world with planar magnetic technology and I'm grateful for it. Let them reap the profits and reward of their work.
 
That said, it's good to hear that LCD-3 customers have gotten good customer service from Audeze. Unfortunately, my friend has LCD-2's which exhibited a channel imbalance and had the cable fail on one side. It took Audeze 6 weeks to reply to his emails, then they refused to reimburse him for shipping and shipped his LCD-2's back without a replacement cable. He got them back over a month ago and he's still waiting for an answer in regards to the cable. I guess premium customers get premium priority.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I dont see what's wrong with the headband. The problem is the weight. Which would need either smaller driver, or no wood or metal but plastic instead. I'd like to see what a good lcd3 would sound like in a plastic and metal enclosure. I bet it could sound just as good. Of course all the moneybags would be up in arms because it wouldn't look as classy.

 

[ianmedium]

I dont see what's wrong with the headband. The problem is the weight. Which would need either smaller driver, or no wood or metal but plastic instead. I'd like to see what a good lcd3 would sound like in a plastic and metal enclosure. I bet it could sound just as good. Of course all the moneybags would be up in arms because it wouldn't look as classy.

Way to go with judgement there pal!
Not all of us are moneybags we just spend what we do have carefully and some of us prefer metal and wood to plastic especially when it comes to dropping 1K of big ones!

 

[Anaxilus]

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some of us prefer metal and wood to plastic especially when it comes to dropping 1K of big ones!

I think you made his point actually.
 
Some would say they spend carefully on materials that don't crack, distort or change over time. 

  It's all preference, except where it's performance.  

 

 

[Anaxilus]

Leben or Mini Torii deserve no better than a midrange phone.  The DIY O2 is better.

 

[Shubar]

It shouldn't really matter about others' opinions in the sense that if people are more honest about their actual and realistic budget, the choice would become self apparent.
 
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What would you say is the capping point for 'acceptable' amps as in price range and quality?  If ever I decided to scar my wallet and purchase an LCD-3, do you think my current NFB-10SE would be sufficient to make the upgrade worthwhile?
 
 

 

 

[Sweden]

Do the O2 sound better or measure better? Two very different things.

 
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Leben or Mini Torii deserve no better than a midrange phone.  The DIY O2 is better.

 

 

[purrin]

LOL. I'm pretty sure he means sounds better. Personally, I don't feel the Mini Torii is that bad. The Leben however, is one of those pieces of equipment that is a poster child of "colored" tube amp, or goes a long way in helping to establish the misconceptions of how tubes sound like (it's these very misconceptions that nwaguy and his minions, who have little to no experience with good tube gear, have used to bolster their argument for the Objective2 amp over gear (tubed or otherwise) which actually sounds better); but to each his own. Which BTW, Anax is no huge fan of the Objective2 amp either.

 

[Anaxilus]

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Do the O2 sound better or measure better? Two very different things.

From the standpoint that an amp should let musical information pass through unmolested and minimize its impact on the phone and source, the O2 is better on both counts.  The Mini Torii I heard was slightly more transparent than the Leben but I'd consider both exercises in coloration.  If that's what is desired that's fine but no way can that alone constitute being 'better'.  Fyi, I used to stalk the Zen Torii on the Decware site and always heard good things about the Leben so I wanted to like them.  I just don't see or hear the performance for the money.  Bear in mid too that as good as the O2 is for the money I also don't think it's the endgame amp some wish it to be either.  Great price/performance item though.  My 2 cents.

 

[Anaxilus]

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Personally, I don't feel the Mini Torii is that bad.

It's not that bad.  Almost nothing is.  I'm probably coming off a little harsh on the Mini Torii.  It's not that good or great either.
 

 

[Sweden]

I have not heard a better amp with the LCD-3 than a CS300. Hope my new Stacker ll will change that though!
Compared to a Burson the Leben sounded full of life, dynamic, holographic and organic, and the Burson was..well...dead. 

 
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LOL. I'm pretty sure he means sound better. Personally, I don't feel the Mini Torii is that bad. The Leben is one of those pieces of equipment that's a poster child of "colored" tube amp, or the misconceptions that many of those with little experience have of tube sound; but to each his own.

 

 

[dj nellie]

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Given your budget:
 

• $1800 PS Audio PerfectWave mk1 (used) - Upgrade to mk2 at a later time (World Class DAC that will beat or equal $20K Esoterics, Wadias, etc.)
• $1800 Eddie Current Super 7 - Second run will have improvements such as the new C-core transformers (which I've heard) and take more types of tubes. Lowest output Z of EC amps should gel well with the LCD3. Would be crazy not to get this at $1800. Only problem is that you will have to wait many months for the second run.

 
Thanks for the suggestions.  Given my current equipment, will the bigger gains result from upgrading my source first before my amp?  The Lavry seems to be a solid DAC, but might be a bit outdated.  And is it fair to assume that the PWD MK1 would be a significant upgrade over my DA-10?  I'll be using my Halide Bridge for USB-SPDIF conversion.

 

[purrin]

I'd replace the V200 first.

 

[Sweden]

I have to try out this cheap amp just for the praise. I have no problem what so ever with coloration, just that it's the right coloration. I want something that is both transparent and musically engaging.
  
 
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From the standpoint that an amp should let musical information pass through unmolested and minimize its impact on the phone and source, the O2 is better on both counts.  The Mini Torii I heard was slightly more transparent than the Leben but I'd consider both exercises in coloration.  If that's what is desired that's fine but no way can that alone constitute being 'better'.  Fyi, I used to stalk the Zen Torii on the Decware site and always heard good things about the Leben so I wanted to like them.  I just don't see or hear the performance for the money.  Bear in mid too that as good as the O2 is for the money I also don't think it's the endgame amp some wish it to be either.  Great price/performance item though.  My 2 cents.

 

 

[rhythmdevils]

In don't think that was meant as praise for the o2 amp