The LCD-2 pre-fazor was my first Hifi headphone, and so in that way Audeze holds a special place in my heart. Back then, I had them with a Norne Draug2 cable hooked into a Schiit Valhalla, which was directly plugged into my computer with no DAC. Not really a hifi setup by any measure, but it stole my virginity as far as deep bass was concerned. After listening to a few popular Gorillaz tracks on the headset, all other bass became petty and cheap to me. I figured that upgrading to the LCD-3 would be an upgrade in high-frequency response, and unfortunately for me I was wrong.
Now I have a Schiit Gungnir and Mjolnir 2 set up balanced and I don't mess around with low-fi file formats anymore, and a solid-core silver headphone cable into my LCD-3Fs. Admittedly, using a tube amp to power dark headphones is a poor way to pursue a crisp, clear sound. In that spirit, I'll refer to what this headset does well here and what would be wrong with the headset even if I had a solid-state amp.
The first issue is, as stated above, that no matter how aggressively one EQs this system, bass and low-mids reign in tyranny over your listening experience. If that's something you enjoy, then grab a good DAC and a tube amp of any decent manner and have a blast. For me, bass comes a dime a dozen and doesn't really impress me. Especially after having heard headphones that make you feel like you're in a massage chair, other speakers and headsets don't cut it in terms of bass response. Even headsets touting 'basshead' qualities lack even the ability to be compared to the massive and sometimes overwhelming atomic shockwave that is Audeze. In short, buy planars if you want to get that nice head massage you've always wanted out of your headphones.
The second issue is comfort. Honestly, seeing as how they've released the LCD-4 with the newer headband, I don't see why they don't do this with all their other LCD headsets, but maybe I'm just a Plebeian who doesn't know how marketing works. The headband is a thick leather strap that fits rather blindly over your head and feels often times like you've taken a rope and using both hands pulled down so the rope just digs into your head. Then there's the weight, which in itself is a ridiculous and often obnoxious reminder of how little product testing Audeze seems to have done. If they felt they had to keep the weight to provide some advantage, they're wrong. After hours on the head, both the LCD-2 and 3 put a crook in your neck that stays for hours after wearing. After making a habit of wearing these headphones, you begin noticing that your neck just aches more often. This is an issue that can be resolved easily enough by removing all these metals and dense materials from the construction, but I'm still waiting. However, at the end of the day, the Audeze look is still irrefutably timeless and modest.
I always say you can tell how serious a headphone manufacturer is by the cables that come in the box, and how well versed an enthusiast is by noticing the importance of this. Headphone cables make or break a driver's ability to be taken full advantage of. You want to hear the best out of your headphones? Get a silver plated or a silver-core cable from a reputable company. Norne's great at what they do, but their cables do add a pretty substantial weight. Find a cable that suits the headphone, not just in quality but in comfort as well.
My point here though is that some headphone companies don't bother to make substantial cables for their headphones, and unfortunately Audeze is one of those companies. If you choose Audeze, or indeed Sennheiser or Sony or just about any other (good) 'mainstream' headphone brand, take the time to account for the cost of the cable as well, because you'll be remiss without.
Audeze is a great 'statement' headphone, or rather it's a brand or series of products focusing on their entertainment value rather than absolute purity. Most headphones push or pull at the sound signature in different ways to provide the desired effect, and Audeze's desired effect is one that makes an impact (pun intended) on the user's perception of how a 'warm' headphone should sound. If you're looking for a headphone that focuses on the luscious, sensual aspects of the music it plays and sucks you into it's bass like a giant blob monster, then spend your ticket on Audeze. If you're looking for clarity and detail that feels like a microscope into the music, you should look elsewhere. For the buck, the LCD line provides a sound that is both warm but without prominent distortion or sibilance. With the right EQ, these headphones can almost give off the illusion that they give a damn about being resolving.
Now I have a Schiit Gungnir and Mjolnir 2 set up balanced and I don't mess around with low-fi file formats anymore, and a solid-core silver headphone cable into my LCD-3Fs. Admittedly, using a tube amp to power dark headphones is a poor way to pursue a crisp, clear sound. In that spirit, I'll refer to what this headset does well here and what would be wrong with the headset even if I had a solid-state amp.
The first issue is, as stated above, that no matter how aggressively one EQs this system, bass and low-mids reign in tyranny over your listening experience. If that's something you enjoy, then grab a good DAC and a tube amp of any decent manner and have a blast. For me, bass comes a dime a dozen and doesn't really impress me. Especially after having heard headphones that make you feel like you're in a massage chair, other speakers and headsets don't cut it in terms of bass response. Even headsets touting 'basshead' qualities lack even the ability to be compared to the massive and sometimes overwhelming atomic shockwave that is Audeze. In short, buy planars if you want to get that nice head massage you've always wanted out of your headphones.
The second issue is comfort. Honestly, seeing as how they've released the LCD-4 with the newer headband, I don't see why they don't do this with all their other LCD headsets, but maybe I'm just a Plebeian who doesn't know how marketing works. The headband is a thick leather strap that fits rather blindly over your head and feels often times like you've taken a rope and using both hands pulled down so the rope just digs into your head. Then there's the weight, which in itself is a ridiculous and often obnoxious reminder of how little product testing Audeze seems to have done. If they felt they had to keep the weight to provide some advantage, they're wrong. After hours on the head, both the LCD-2 and 3 put a crook in your neck that stays for hours after wearing. After making a habit of wearing these headphones, you begin noticing that your neck just aches more often. This is an issue that can be resolved easily enough by removing all these metals and dense materials from the construction, but I'm still waiting. However, at the end of the day, the Audeze look is still irrefutably timeless and modest.
I always say you can tell how serious a headphone manufacturer is by the cables that come in the box, and how well versed an enthusiast is by noticing the importance of this. Headphone cables make or break a driver's ability to be taken full advantage of. You want to hear the best out of your headphones? Get a silver plated or a silver-core cable from a reputable company. Norne's great at what they do, but their cables do add a pretty substantial weight. Find a cable that suits the headphone, not just in quality but in comfort as well.
My point here though is that some headphone companies don't bother to make substantial cables for their headphones, and unfortunately Audeze is one of those companies. If you choose Audeze, or indeed Sennheiser or Sony or just about any other (good) 'mainstream' headphone brand, take the time to account for the cost of the cable as well, because you'll be remiss without.
Audeze is a great 'statement' headphone, or rather it's a brand or series of products focusing on their entertainment value rather than absolute purity. Most headphones push or pull at the sound signature in different ways to provide the desired effect, and Audeze's desired effect is one that makes an impact (pun intended) on the user's perception of how a 'warm' headphone should sound. If you're looking for a headphone that focuses on the luscious, sensual aspects of the music it plays and sucks you into it's bass like a giant blob monster, then spend your ticket on Audeze. If you're looking for clarity and detail that feels like a microscope into the music, you should look elsewhere. For the buck, the LCD line provides a sound that is both warm but without prominent distortion or sibilance. With the right EQ, these headphones can almost give off the illusion that they give a damn about being resolving.