[Muffinhead]

I know these amps are not in the same price catagory, but would I see a substantial improvement in performance if I chose the more expensive one? How about the WA6 vs the Lyr 2? 

 

[NA Blur]

What headphones do you plan on using with the amp(s)?
 
What music do you listen to and what source ( i.e. PC, portable, CD player etc ).
 
Why are you looking at tube amps and not solid state amps?
 
What connectors do you need such as balanced, inputc, etc?

 

[Muffinhead]

1) Either HD800's or LCD2's (I'm buying both, trying them out, then returning one)
 
2) I listen to rock for the most part, with both electric and acoustic guitar parts. 
 
3) I've heard that, tonally, tube amps offer a much more musical tone than solid state amps. Additionally, I think a tube amp would help tame the sharp treble of the HD800's
 
4) I don't care much about connectors. If I can get better sound with a $1000 amp and unbalanced cables, rather than a $800 amp with balanced cables, then that's what I would pick. I suspect the former is the better option. 

 

[NA Blur]

The WA6-SE holds a special place in my audiophile heart because it does tame the HD600/650/800 headphones from Sennheiser by better supplying enough power the these hungry cans as well as provide some harmonic distortion which softens the treble. The higher output impedance of most tube amps also adds emphasis to the bass which is nice for the somewhat bright HD800.
 
I have not heard the Lyre is a long time and cannot comment on it.

 

[Muffinhead]

So would you say that, for either of the headphones mentioned, the WA6-SE would be a good choice? I intend for this to be an amp that I will use for a very long time, basically an end-game piece of equipment. I'm also wondering if my money would be better spent on a DAC, (I already have a Modi), or cables, etc. 

 

[thejammonster]

Your two headphone choices are VERY different not only in sound but in specs, as well. The Lyr 2 is going to put about twice as much power into the LCD-2's 70 ohms while the WA6 is going to put about twice as much power into the HD800's 300 ohms. How much of a difference will that make? I can't honestly say. I know the Lyr 2 made the LCD-2 thump when I demoed them but the WA6 may very well do the same. It will really depend on your headphone sound signature preference, I think. I don't know about the WA6 but the Lyr 2 has a 5 year warranty and a 15 day return policy, so keep that in mind.

 

[Muffinhead]

Would the benefits of the Mjolnir 2 being balanced outweigh the supposedly better quality I'd get from the WA6-SE, you think? I know I've heard the LCD2's are pretty killer with the Schiit Lyr 2, and the HD800's being really good with the WA-6SE. I can only imagine the sound getting better going from the Lyr to the Mjolnir. I really have no idea which headphone I'd like better; I currently have the HD600's, but crave a little bit more bass and of course more hifi-ness, but don't really identify with a swampy, dark sound, not that I know the LCD2's sound like that. Point is, I want to choose among two headphones that are completely different from each other. 

 

[Pawn]

You can't go wrong with either, that's the good news. Sample both. That's the best tip I can give you.