I suppose V281 may also synergize better with the headphones you have (HD-800, HE-6) as it gives them some warmth.
I am looking for an amp for LCD-X so my case might be different.
Why did you choose Taurus over Bryston?
And what is the biggest difference in sound between Taurus and V281?
Hi Korzena,
I very much recognize myself in your dilemma, it was pretty much the one I had a couple of months ago, before I purchased my V281. I fortunately had the chance to listen to the V281, the Taurus and the Bryston at the same place I bought my V281 and LCD-Xs (at Computer Lounge in Auckland NZ). It's not easy to put your finger on the specific differences between the Taurus and the V281 without unpacking quite a portion of your music collection; both are excellent Amps and certainly qualify as endgame Amps if you're out to get the best for your LCD-Xs.
Nevertheless, and with the exception of the BHA-1, the Taurus and the V281 are serious overkill if you're only wanting an Amp to drive your LCD-Xs. The LCD-Xs are extremely efficient and easy to drive; I can drive to more than desirable levels from my iPhone and and Macbook, but of course not with the quality of a dedicated Amp, such as the V281, the Taurus, the BHA-1 or my good old V100.
When it comes to driving the LCD-Xs, the BHA-1 has more than enough juice and offers balanced output as well, something the V281 and Taurus will also provide but at a higher cost. The V281 and the Taurus are excellent Amps and certainly among the 10 most capable and versatile out there, but in my humble opinion, a bit too expensive to drive a pair of LCD-Xs. If I were you, I'd seriously consider the BHA-1 for functionality, build quality and the pedigree - Bryston makes really excellent gear.
If you want the very best performance out there, also consider the V100, the V181 (also with balanced output) and the V200. These last three Amps have analogue specs that put many DAC's digital performance to shame. and they are among very few Amps that will deliver the the full digital performance of your D/A converter to your headphones, and thus fully render High-Resolution audio (129 dB SNR, -109 dB THD and a frequency response of 0-55kHz). The Taurus doesn't really get there (as independent tests have shown), and neither does the Bryston.
If I only had my LCD-Xs, I would be more than happy with my V100 (or a V181 or V200), but if you have the money to buy the Taurus, the V281 or the BHA-1, there's nothing stopping you. With the V281 you'll be more than covered to drive absolutely any headphones (except electrostatic), past, present or future.
My impressions with the three Amps is that the Bryston is indeed brighter but not overly so, and I'd say it takes specific recordings to appreciate that. I find the Taurus slightly brighter than the V281, but not by a huge margin. I didn't do a blind test, so I would reserve my opinion here to the status of impressions. When it comes to the soundstage, it is also very subjective, but I find the V281 to be more open and pleasing (but I listen mostly to Classic, Jazz and acoustic music). The LCD-Xs are as neutral as I have heard Planar-Magnetic headphones, and I only considered Planar-Magnetic headphones after the LCD-Xs came out and after Audeze's fazor technology. Before that I always swore by my HD-800s. As far as I'm concerned, the LCD-Xs will do fine and benefit from both the Violectrics or the Taurus, but I would prefer them over the Bryston. I would also prefer the V100, V181 and V200 over the Bryston, for signature, performance and ability to drive virtually any headphone out there, but of course not if you feel they add warmth.
My guess is that you would be happy with either the V281 or the Taurus, and perhaps with the V100, V181 or V200. You would nevertheless only get the ultimate audio performance from the Violectric Amps. I have unfortunately not been able to audition the Questyle CMA800, but from what reviews and head-fiers say, the Questyle would certainly not add the warmth you dislike from the V200 (although I'd attribute the warmth more to the LCD-2s than the V200, especially if they aren't fazor editions) and it would also be at the top of my list along with the newest Amps from Headamp and the BHA-1. I have also recently found out that Pass Labs is soon releasing a dedicated headamp, and that would certainly be worth considering if waiting isn't an issue.
For headphones as easy to drive as a pair of LCD-Xs, I would also definitely not exclude a Benchmark DAC 2 DX or an Anedio D2, which both also feature some of the very best headamps out there, yet not with the same output power and voltage, nor with balanced outputs. They are also at the same time state of the art D/A converters and for a fantastic price.
My idea is not to confuse you by adding more components to your list, but to put your future purchase into perspective considering the real demands that the LCD-Xs pose. They can certainly benefit from Amps as competent as the Taurus and the V281, but they don't by very far need that kind of output power or voltage, and can be easily driven by smaller yet equally well performing Amps and DAC/Amps.
Personally, if I had no intention of buying headphones that demand more from your Amp in the future, I would go for a Benchmark DAC 2 DX, or if saving almost $800 is a good thing, for the Anedio D2. You would be getting a state of the art D/A converter and a state of the art Amp in one package - when it comes to driving a pair of LCD-Xs and anything else with exceptions like a HE-6 or a K1000. If it came down to the very best performance out there from a dedicated Amp regardless of money, I'd go for the V100, V181 or V200, but that of course means spending some more on a DAC, in which case the two DACs above mentioned would certainly be on my shortlist.
Again, if money is no issue, you can't go wrong with the V281 or Taurus, and especially if you want to get more demanding headphones in the future. If that's not the case, go for a DAC/Amp solution like the Benchmark or the Anedio, or a separate DAC and Amp, like BHA-1, the CMA800 or the V100/V181/V200 with an Anedio D2 or Benchmark DAC 2L (without headamp).
Hope to have helped a little.
Cheers!
!
