[Sludig]

I´m looking for a good amp for my LCD-2 and I don´t want to spent a lot, so I´m thinking to purchase an O2 amp which many people have on pair with this audeze with very positive results.
 
But I have a question about the need of power for this headphones, and I don´t know what could be the best gain for them. I had readed about this and there are many differents opinions. High gains are worse for distortion, but I don´t know if a gain of 6x or so would be better to drive them correctly. I hope you help me to you your experiences and if it´s possible the tecnical details of why a high or low gain can work better between the O2 and the LCD-2.
 
Thank you!

 

[HeatFan12]

Hey sludig,

I believe Alex over in the O2 black edition thread has that combo. You might want to check it out. It's in the headphone amp sub forum.

Cheers

 

[Sludig]

ok, thanks!

 

[K_19]

Unless you are going to use the O2 with a low-powered portable source, the 6x gain setting is nearly useless.  When I had the LCD-2 and tried it with my O2, it had more than enough volume at the lower 2.5x gain level... I'd rarely go past 11 o'clock for most modern music.
 
So if you are going to use it with a low powered source, then go for the default 2.5/6.5, but if you are only going to be using it with a desktop source then go for the 1/2.5 option.

 

[skamp]

The gain switch can also be useful when applying attenuation on the source (e.g., Replaygain, subtractive EQ).

 

[mikeaj]

You know what gain is, right?  At a high level, it's functionally just a multiplicative factor.
 
How much gain?  It follows that this depends on how much (voltage) the source outputs.
 
Don't have the gain exceed 7 / X, where X is the source output level in rms voltage.  If you want deafening volumes, find out what X is and use pretty much 7 / X.  Most people won't need as much as that.

 

[adydula]

Hi....this is "Alex"...I use the O2 with the standard 2.5 x gain....and its just fine for me....2.5 and 6.5 is the normal build from JDS.
 
I have used the 6.5 gain but it is not good....stay away with most cans....always run with the lowest gain with this amp.
 
You can crank up the lcd 2's to way beyond the ear damaging levels!!
 
Alex