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Member Reviews: Audeze LCD3 Planar Magnetic Headphone

Skylab

REVIEW – Audeze LCD-3 planar magnetic headphones

Posted
By Skylab

Pros: World-class sound

Cons: expensive

REVIEW – Audeze LCD-3 planar magnetic headphones   Introduction:   The announcement was a well-kept secret, and it hit the head-fi community like a ton of bricks.  Audeze was coming out with a new headphone, the LCD-3, which would feature a new driver, new pads, slightly uprated cosmetics, and would cost $1,950 – roughly double what the popular LCD-2 cost.  Explosions ensued.  There were lots of people very upset about the much higher price.  I was intrigued.  I sought out a pair at CanJam, and having liked what I heard in what was admittedly a very difficult environment to judge open headphones, I asked Alex from Audeze if I could get a review...
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Currawong

Significantly refined over the LCD-2s, but significantly more costly.

Posted
By Currawong

Pros: They have that orthodynamic magic taken to the next level.

Cons: The magic comes at a heavy price.

If there is a more apt example of the Law of Diminishing Returns than these headphones, I'd be surprised. For the refinement over the LCD-2s, the price is double.  With the new LOTUS drivers, an acronym that appears to target electrostats ("Light Omega Type") there is a significant improvement in all the areas that the LCD-2s had issues. Complex orchestral music is now no longer a blur; the mildly annoying ringing in the treble has gone and everything sounds more detailed and separate. It is easier to pick out individual instruments in good recordings. The penalty is fast-attack fun of listening to, say, well-recorded pop has been replaced somewhat with a more "analytical"...
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dBel84

LCD-3 Planar Magnetic Headphone

Posted
By dBel84

Pros: a wonderful evolution of design and technology

Cons: do there have to be any?

  Where to start? I guess a big thank you to Alex and Sankar for making these available. I finally got to meet the lads at RMAF and the pleasure was all mine - I now have the T-shirt ;-) .    On a more serious note , it was truly a pleasure to meet them and speak about the inovation that has been going on behind the scenes. Not only in headphone development but the fact that Dragoslav Colich joined up with them to assist in engineering their superb line of speakers.  ( now I will admit bias freely - Dragoslav is a demigod in my eyes as he is a zen master of ribbons and planar technology ) so.... I expect even greater things to come.    ...
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dan.gheorghe

King of bass, excellent dynamics, great musicality

Posted
By dan.gheorghe

Pros: King of bass, excellent dynamics, tactile feel of sound, very good imaging, good soundstage

Cons: Very expensive, I do not own one yet

Hey guys, I have re-auditioned the Audeze LCD3 and I have been very impressed. I had to get the HD800 to really understand the LCD3 . First time I have heard it, it impressed me, but I did not think it to be that much above LCD2.  In the last month with HD800 and LCD2 I found myself listening a little more to the sennheisers. LCD2 seemed to lack in dynamics, details and soundstage compared to  HD800. Darku was kind enough again to lend me his LCD3 for a week. I must say these days my impressions of LCD3 had completely changed from the first time I have listened to them. It has...
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larry33myhero

Audeze LCD-3 are simply the best!

Posted
By larry33myhero

Pros: Great bass extension; incredible transparency; very musical

Cons: Price - need I say more?

When $$$ is no consideration - these cans need to be at the top of your list.  I have been an avid Sennheiser listener for years.  Most recently with the HD600.  My amps are Joseph Grado Signature (battery operated), Aspen Audio (model 823 - tube amp) and most recently The Pan Am (ALO Audio of Portland OR - also tube amp).  I compared the new Sennheiser HD 800 to the Audeze LCD-3 recently and here is what I found.  The HD 800 is surgical, quick and a bit bright.  Musical but without the bass extension.  Very clear but could cause fatigue due to its sharp edge.  The LCD-3's are liquid, musical, stunning clarity, deep/powerful bass and present a...
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mikemercer

Audeze's LCD3 Changed Everything for me.

Posted
By mikemercer

Pros: This is no ordinary headphone

Cons: This is no ordinary headphone experience! Having no benchmark for which to draw from (including my HD800's)

While I'm a known advocate for Audeze's LCD3 I've shied away from writing anything official about the cans because Alex Rosson, CEO and co-designer, has become one of my closest friends.  So there's an obvious conflict-of-interest, but I figured if I share that here I could maybe stop some of the vitriol in the commentary that might follow in our wonderfully strange world of high end audio, both personal and in-home. I've also experienced a handful of events over the last two years that have literally forced my hand. Some of my most intense listening sessions have occurred using my Audeze LCD3's. How, as an audio journalist, can I neglect to share about these incredible times...
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Synchronised

The only good thing about the LCD3 is sound quality

Posted
By Synchronised

Pros: Sound quality, Audeze customer support and more comfortable than expected!

Cons: Build quality and Value.

I am not a professional reviewer or anything so I'll just write a few words. I originally had a HD650 which I sold to buy the Audeze LCD3. The LCD3 is by far the best sounding headphone I have ever heard. It sounds amazing. I'm not happy with the build quality of the headphones. Considering that I paid $2000 I was expecting something built like a tank lolol but they are beautifully built! In terms of value they are not worth $2000 unless you think it's worth paying that much for the amazing sound quality. I think it should cost no more than $1400 if you compare it to the LCD2. In terms of comfort they are relatively comfortable but they get very uncomfortable if used for a long...
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Rawdawg3234

WOW

Posted
By Rawdawg3234

Pros: Tight punchy bass, all around exciting

Cons: Weight is almost an issue

Just got them yesterday and I have to say that these are what I've always imagined high end headphones to sound like. I'm very pleased with them so far. Thought the weight would be a problem but after 3 hours I wasn't fatigued at all. Don't get me wrong, you know they're there but not in a bad way. They actually "feel" like $2000 headphones. Too early still to give an accurate sound description but ill say that the bass is the best I've heard. One of the few cans whose bass doesn't feel forced. It feels authentic and gives you an "in your face" experience.
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MacedonianHero

Simply my new favourite headphones

Posted
By MacedonianHero

Pros: Best bass/mids I've heard and true to life sound

Cons: Not cheap, picky of upstream gear and not forgiving or poor sources

Here's a link to a wiki I wrote about the differences between the LCD-2r.2 and LCD-3s that pretty much sum up my thoughts quite well.   http://www.head-fi.org/a/comparisons-of-the-lcd-3-and-the-lcd-2-rev-2   I've had them now for more than 3 months and they still get 80% of my head time. My HD800s/T1s/Ed.8s/HF-2s are sadly not getting the time they rightly deserve since the LCD-3s arrived. I was also able to sell my HE-6s as the improvements in soundstaging and air in the LCD-3s have made the HE-6s redundant in my collection.   Just a few more points, they (LCD-3s) are in fact much pickier of upstream gear than the LCD-2s (as both Skylab and Currawong have...
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