[OPR8R]

  Does any one feel that the LCD-3 pairs better with a certain DAC?
I already read a lot of negativity towards saber based dacs, but why?
Same question for why it pairs good too..

 
My lazy analysis tells me DAC's with some output to them (like a pre-amp function) add gain, which LCD-3's will probably appreciate.  I don't know about the quality of one chip over another.

 

[negura]

nm

 

[undersys]

   

Maybe the wrong choice of words.. but care to eliberate ?

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Does any one feel that the LCD-3 pairs better with a certain DAC?
I already read a lot of negativity towards saber based dacs, but why?
Same question for why it pairs good too..

Go for a neutral DAC. I certainly would stay away from "warmish" sounding DACs.
 

  I don't have anything yet...
 
I was considering an Audio-GD PCM1704, since I've heard that Saber DAC's sound to bright... 

I wouldn't say bright...but the ones I've heard/owned (W4S DAC-2, Peachtree DACs and Benchmark DAC-2) all had an upper mids shout that became fatiguing over time. That's not to say all Saber based DACs are that way as there's much more to a DAC than the chipset.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

the mytek 192 uses a sabre chip as well i think. but i don't find it bright even with hd 800 or t1. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

  the mytek 192 uses a sabre chip as well i think. but i don't find it bright even with hd 800 or t1. 

So it's got a good analog section that offers a balanced sound. Nice to hear!

 

[undersys]

  Go for a neutral DAC. I certainly would stay away from "warmish" sounding DACs.
I wouldn't say bright...but the ones I've heard/owned (W4S DAC-2, Peachtree DACs and Benchmark DAC-2) all had an upper mids shout that became fatiguing over time. That's not to say all Saber based DACs are that way as there's much more to a DAC than the chipset.

 
Thanks for the feedback MacedonianHero, its always well constructed and helpful.
I was originally looking at the Audio-GD NFB-17.32 but that will be slightly warm, so I am now looking at the Reference-5.32 which uses PCM1704.
 
Sounds like a safe bet to me.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Does anyone know if the "driver failure issue" with the LCD-3 has been addressed by the company? 

 

[Argo Duck]

Well Audez'e is reportedly fantastic at fixing these failures after they occur...

I have the impression there have been fewer reports as the months have rolled by but that proves little. Knowing they can be quickly fixed, people may simply get them fixed and not post about it as much. And maybe head-fi LCD3 owners aren't a significantly representative sample :eek:

 

[jerg]

My understanding is that LCD3s had driver membrane tension issues early on in its inception, and so quite a few early adopters had the LCD3s just randomly cut out and die on them. Later on the tensioning was better managed by Audeze but still slight variations caused significant variability in FR (hence some people who have gone through or auditioned multiple LCD3s reported vastly different impressions from case to case).
 
Whether or not Audeze has this completely under control now we don't really know, but It's been a while so maybe they do.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

I almost jumped on that bandwagon when it was a hot topic around here. Mine were never defective as such, but are not as extended in the treble as some others. Some people considered this also a defect, and Audeze seemed to accept those for repair as well. However I really like love mine as they are, and am too worried that the theoretical improvement might make them no longer sound the same way... So I didn't send them in, and over time made some tweaks through tube selection. Of course, YMMV.
 
After some extended listening to the LCD-XCs, which are very nice in their own way, and everything else before, my LCD-3s still remain, no question, my pry-them-from-my-cold-dead-hands headphones.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Double-post?? Sorry.

 

[Saraguie]

Double-post?? Sorry.

No sorry I'm doubly glad to hear you say it !!!!

 

[Moonhead]

Can you good people help me here, as I understand all the planar headphones sounds there best with loud volume.. 
 
I know the HE6 sounds best at high volume, LCD X is said that its the same thing. 
 
But what about the LCD 3 ?

 

[Solude]

That's not true.  What planars do enjoy is no increased distortion when cranked up.  Dynamic drivers sound better at low volume because they start to break up at high volumes.