New Audeze Models, LCD-X and LCD-XC

[Thad E Ginathom]

Priced between the current LCD-2 and LCD-3 models, there is a new LCD-X, with a closed-back sibling, LCD-XC.

Here's the US$ price distribution...

• LCD-2: $1,145
• LCD-X: $1,699
• LCD-XC: $1,799
• LCD-3: $1,945

Prices as per Audeze Site



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[vkalia]

I am tempted by the XCs...

 

[indialogue]

Very confusing now. Despite reading several reviews, I've still not been able to understand the key difference between the LCD-X and the -2 and -3. BTW, there is a 20% discount running on the LCD-2s - Thad, you were looking to get one? Maybe now's the time, I worry that the LCD-2s will be killed soon!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

there is a 20% discount running on the LCD-2s

Oh! Thanks! But not financially possible at the moment. If it were, I'd probably go for the LCD-X. Audition would be the thing. My AT AD900s were bought on the basis of, yes, I could hear the difference over the 700s.

I see it's a Black Friday offer and ends tomorrow. Maybe a good thing I didn't know about it earlier :lol:

 

[vkalia]

If anyone is interested, i am thinking of selling my LCD2s and getting a pair of LCD3s.

 

[indialogue]

If anyone is interested, i am thinking of selling my LCD2s and getting a pair of LCD3s.

I'd have been really interested if I hadn't bought the HD650 a few months back. Best of luck for your sale!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I think... not without audition, as I've only tried LCD-2 for a few minutes in a shop. So it would have to be a local sale. I also look for bigger discounts than most people here are willing to give. Not wishing to start a sub-discussion on second-hand values, but some of my best kit was new, but ex-demo, with discounts of up to 50% but with full warranty and all.

But, vkalia, please post about your LCD-2 experiences!

 

[vkalia]

My LCD experience can be summed up in one word: *awesome*. Paired with Viren's 2A3 integrated amp, the result is absolute magic. Lush mids, slamming bass and a warm treble - this is exactly the kind of sound I love. For the $1000-1300 they go for, I really cannot think of a better value in high-end headphones, especially if someone is a music lover first and audioweenie second.

Which is why I am selling them - so that I can get the LCD3 and get that little bit more awesomeness I may end up buying a LCD3 anyway, and take the LCD2 with me when i travel - although the rational part of me is saying wait for the LCD4, whenever it comes out.

 

[esanthosh]

If anyone is interested, i am thinking of selling my LCD2s and getting a pair of LCD3s.

LCD2 v1 / v2 / Bamboo?

How is the weight and comfort?

 

[vkalia]

LCD 2.2s, rosewood.

I wouldn't call them sublimely comfortable or anything - but they aren't uncomfortable either. I actually find them more comfortable than Momentums, as they do a better job of encircling my ears. You are simply aware that you have them on, that's about it.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Enjoyed the enthusiasm of your previous post

Back in May, when I was in Singapore, I gave them a quick try at Stereo. I wasn't really there to audition them, but I wanted to see if I could bear the weight.

The guys, by the way, are friendly and helpful. I was really surprised that they were willing to let me audition a >S$1,000 item without the prospect of a sale. Even if it is a demo piece, it is all wear and tear.

It was not uncomfortable, or too heavy, on my head, but it was only a five/ten minute test. I'm coming from an A-T ATH-AD900, which is so light that it almost floats on the head. You really can forget you are wearing it. It is such a gentle touch that one has to get used to the fact that it is actually not about to fall off!

I am actually prioritising amplification over new 'phones --- because I believe that the AT ATH-AD900s have a lot more to give. But my next step in amp upgrade is going to be a steep one, so goodness knows when that will be.

 

[vkalia]

I am in the opposite camp, when it comes to amplification.

With well-made solid state amps, esp those running in Class A, I think it is virtually impossible to tell the sound of different amps apart. With tube amps, it is a different story, though.

I have an Audio GD based rig, an SA31SE amp and a NFB 2.32 DAC and I am quite happy with it. I listened to a Bakoon rig @ Mukong Audio in Singapore and while it wasn't a fresh a/B comparison, I didn't really hear anything different from the LCDs off the Bakoon.

I've listened to an ATH-A900X and while it was decent, I didn't find it that impressive, to be honest. I do like the ATH-W1000X woodies, though.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

With well-made solid state amps, esp those running in Class A, I think it is virtually impossible to tell the sound of different amps apart

Really! So you you think I'd do better to spend 1,000 on 'phones, rather than amp?

My current amp is a recently bought ifi iCAN, by the way, and I am only just getting used to it. Upgrade is long-term thinking.

 

[vkalia]

Really! So you you think I'd do better to spend 1,000 on 'phones, rather than amp?

As long as we are talking solid state, a competently-designed solid state amp with enough power and headroom should be more than sufficient.

In the speakerfi world - I used to own a Parasound 100-150W Class A amp. I A/Bed it with a Mark Levinson when buying and to be honest, couldn't swear to much of a difference. My personal solid state decision has been to buy the above-mentioned Audio GD SA10SE amp, which has 8W of power - more than enough to drive any headphone. I have no plans of upgrading it until it breaks.

The caveat, of course, is competently-designed. Some amps use a lot of negative feedback to lower distortion numbers - and while these measure well, they sound like crap. Class A/low feedback designs also sound better to my ears. A good article by a guy who knows his stuff:
https://passlabs.com/articles/audio-distortion-and-feedback

In other words, that rules out some of the op-amp heavy, low-current designs using a lot of transistor chips to boost gain. Those measure well but don't sound nearly as good. The Class A high-current designs, with beefy power supplies (e.g., most of John Curl designs) are the way to go.

TL;DR version: yeah, my personal belief would be to spend up to a certain amount on the amp to ensure quality - after that, focus on the headphones

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

My years-back upgrade from an ordinary-fi 120-watt amp to a hi-fi 50-watt amp was a revelation, and I discovered that I had previously been listening to distortion!!!! In that sense, I know that amplifiers do make a difference, but in changing from a Sherwood to a Cyrus (even entry-level model) was a change of class of equipment.

Now I have changed from the headphone-out on my Echo Audiofire interface, which was OK, but I think that it was probably only designed for casual monitoring (by a DJ, say, rather than a mixing engineer) to my new ifi iCAN. I was thinking of it as a step on the ladder of headphone amplification --- but I have no idea what might be possible. It was only plugging my headphones into an integrated amp away from the computer that made me aware that they could give far more than I was getting at the computer. I just wonder if they can give more yet, before I even think of moving into Audeze territory.

Most of my listening these days is late night. I am not (bar replacement) going to invest more in the hifi, but will stick to the PC/headphone side.

Upgrade fever is all very well, and buying stuff to experiment is fun but soon outstrips financial ability (I can experiment with $150 but not with $1,150!) but I do like the idea of keeping something until it breaks.

 

[vkalia]

That has been my experience as well. I noticed an improvement in dynamics in going from the amp on a basic mid-fi receiver (Kenwood or something like that) to a hi-fi high-current design like the Parasound.

However, I couldn't tell much of a difference between a $1000 Parasound and a $8000 ML.

My general rules in picking amps:
- Class A design
- Low negative feedback
- Beefy/heavy innards (that usually means toroidal transformers, which means higher current capabilities)

That has stood me well.