Best amps for orthos

@Tchoupitoulas Sorry, I should have mentioned in my post! I am pretty much only looking at the LCD-X '21, to be eventually modded by our resident ortho master! My heart says save up and say the LCD-4 instead, but I think I can be quite content with a modded X for some time

Edit: a MJ1 was actually near the top my amp list, but I haven't heard many stellar impressions of it with the LCD-X (or any LCD-series) and the LauX is just so good with them...

And in an effort add something to this thread, if of dubious value, I did happen to try the LCD-X and 4 briefly out of a Phonitor X and a Ferrum amp without the Hypsos PSU at the Schiit Audio show, and wasn't particularly blown away by either of them--I would say that the Simaudio Moon 430HA was the second best I've ever heard the X, albeit with a large delta between it and the LAuX.

 

that was my decision as well... just waiting on @rhythmdevils supply chain...

(FWIW, LCD-x can be found well below list as well...used or I got mine on a screaming black-friday deal)

 

I listen to my LCD-4 with the LAuX and find the pairing to be exceptionally good. I go back and forth about whether I prefer these headphones out of the LAuX or my Stratus. I mention this only to point out that the LAuX really is synergistic with the LCD-4 and, when purchased on discount, great value. I heartily endorse @rhythmdevils' recommendation of this pairing.

I much prefer the LAux to the MJ1 with these headphones, too.

All this is a long-winded way of suggesting that the LAuX would serve you nicely for the LCD-X and the -4, if you choose to buy the latter.

 

I’m so sorry for the wait everyone I promise it will be worth it.

 

Sounds fantastic with the LCD-3 too.

 

Once my saving is a bit recovered I want to try venture into tube amps. Is something like the DNA Stratus or Eddie Current Studio B able to drive planars well? I really like the Diana TC but they are not exactly easy to drive with impedance 32 ohm and sensitivity 91 dB/mW.

 

Depends on the planar. Most would consider DNA Stratus or Eddie Current Studio B under powered for a Susvara, but they're plenty powerful enough for more efficient planars like the Empyrean Elite.

 

@JeremiahS, a knowledgeable audiophile friend has recently said that he gets good results using the Studio B with a high gain preamp to drive the HE6 OG. Please consult with Craig or other knowledgeable sources if you would like to experiment with this approach. I am interested what results other people can get with this route.

 

3 weeks ago I picked up a used Icon Audio HP8 t-c tube amp on the recommendation of a friend. Am currently rolling NOS tubes in it now (1 x driver/12AX7 or 12AT7; 2 power/6NS7s). It's the most powerful tube amp I've ever had IMS, and has easily the best bass of any, enough to compete w/several of my SS amps. I'm talking bass with both depth/reach and impact, rare for tube designs in my experience.

I played around with various dynamics & planars. The HP8 quite easily drove my Final D8000. And to my great surprise, it also easily drove my power-hog ZMF Ori. Couldn't get the volume pot over ~9:30 on the dial before loudness was too great.

I'm not saying this or any other tube amp is the ideal amp for planars--that would be the most powerful, well-designed & voiced SS amp you can get. But this amp definitely does not embarrass itself driving even inefficient planars.

 

FWIW, I have a Studio Jr and a DNA Starlett, and I don't think either are up to much with my LCD-2F. I prefer the solid-state BHA-1 and (though I'm lukewarm on it, generally) the Liquid Gold X.

 

what does the BHA-1 do well with planars? Slam? Impact? What do you like about it over the LAuX? I’ve heard very conflicting reports on that amp, while the Liquid Gold x is generally well-regarded.

 

I have some notes in posts #90 and #94.

I spent some time with the LGX, but it didn't wow me. I wouldn't mind hearing it again, especially at sale prices, but every time I plugged the Audeze into the Bryston, I just connected more. The BHA-1 seems polarizing, but I think there's a vocal minority here that reps it.

 

If I remember right I think @rhythmdevils said the Stratus didn't work well with the LCD-4. If that is true then Diana TC is probably the same story.

I heard the new WA33 with push pull 2A3 is supposed to be really good but I haven't heard it... I tried WA6 SE and it's pretty hopeless with planars generally.

That's an interesting idea. GS-X MK2 is a really strong preamp: quite neutral and more importantly has very low noise floor and black background and has unity gain mode.

Would you say that Studio B is dry sounding?

Isn't D8000 quite easy to drive?

 

I wasn't keen on the LCD-4 out of my Stratus when using the Bifrost 2 DAC - too much dark on top of warm on top of yet more warmth. But the amp can drive the LCD-4 well enough. It's more a matter of system synergy. IIRC, I think it was a case of @rhythmdevils not liking the pairing, not that the Stratus couldn't drive the LCD-4 satisfactorily.*

* two edits needed here: 1) "satisfactorily" is too vague; I need more time to evaluate this properly, and I want to distinguish between satisfactorily and ideally - I'm certainly not saying the latter; 2) with the BF2, and following rhythmdevils, I preferred the LGX over the Stratus with the LCD-4​

I recently upgraded to a Gungnir A2 Multibit and the LCD-4 sounded great from this chain. I'm afraid I lent the LCD-4 to a friend soon afterwards, though, and haven't spent enough time with the combination to comment at length or properly on the potential synergy; also, I typically listen to the LCD-4 from my Mjolnir 1 or Monoprice Liquid Gold X, and I've not had chance to compare them all directly yet.

I know @loadexfa likes his RD modded LCD-4 from his Stratus. He might be able to offer better impressions of the stock LCD-4 from this amp.

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I should note that I've heard a few other planars from the Stratus and found the pairings to be very good. The LCD-2C I prefer from the Mjolnir 1 but the Stratus does a fine job driving it. The HE 1k v2 sounds as good, if not better, from the Stratus as it does from the LAuX and the Phonitor X. And the RAD-0, which is pretty easy to drive, sounds phenomenally good from the Stratus. I'm going to post some proper impressions of this last pairing in the next week or so.

 

Yes, D8000 is easy to drive. But in the manner of all "easy to drive" planars, it still only sounds its best when it's driven by a powerful SS amp, not a tube amp. I get my best sound out of the D8000 from the LGX, and almost as as good a sound from the V281.

That's a little weird since the V281 is better in most ways than the LGX, but I've come to expect these little surprises in headphone audio.

 

How do you like the LCD-4 and LCD-2C from the Phonitor X? Do you prefer the LGX or the SPL there?

That's one shootout I would have liked to have done, but I didn't have an SPL amp handy to compare to the Bryston and Monolith. I remember the Phonitor X comparing favorably to the BHA-1 however.

 

I'll get back to you about this! I received the Phonitor very recently, thanks to its sale here by a generous Friend, and I've yet to compare the LCD-2C with it properly. First impressions are that the pairing works well. Quite how well, and how well the LCD-2C from the Phonitor X compares with the LGX, I still have to figure out.

I'll be getting the LCD-4 back before long and haven't heard it from the Phonitor X yet. But I'll post impressions of them all here in the next few weeks!

 

For a really inexpensive solution the Cavalli Liquid Spark drives my M1060 the best of any headamp I have ..... including my Sunrise 3 and my M^3. There may be synergy because the peak power is at 50 ohms exactly what the M1060 is rated. But the amp has lots of power in that 40 to 60 ohm range and could possibly mate well with some of the other orthodynamic's .... and the amp is definitely good sounding.