[MattTCG]

  Like Matt said, the bass of the LCDs has a bit more weight to the bass, and it is a bit cleaner too.  That is the thing I noticed about orthos is that they do a good job of putting focus on all the parts of the sound.  Everything is in very clear focus with excellent detail and texture.  But I feel that for me, there wasn't as coherent or natural a whole to the picture as something like the HD800 or even the HD650 in some respects.
 
The HD800 does not have the warmth or boosted mid bass of the HD650, it is very balanced all the way through.  That said, the HD800 has very articulate bass that can punch quite nicely when called for (this is where giving them enough voltage comes in).  Where the HD800 excels for me is creating space.  Better than any other headphone I have spent a lot of head time with, the HD800 allows me to forget I am wearing headphones and places me in the performance, especially with well-recorded classical and acoustic.  It comes closest to a live performance for me (my goal).  I think with that ability, they would be phenomenal gaming headphones (albeit quite expensive one).  You aren't going to be overwhelmed by huge farting bass during explosions, but you will have quite an immersive experience I would imagine (I don't game on my computer anymore).  
 
Like I mentioned before, I think the Sennheiser siblings are excellent complements to each other.  One allows me to be in the recording and the performance, the other lets me lose myself in the music.

 
^^ +1 
 
The bass is cleaner and more articulate on the lcd series. A little better textured. It's a very good hp, just too heavy for me. 

 

[pdrm360]

  Any of you hd650 owners have LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-x, T1, or similar headphones?
 
And if so, have you liked any of them enough to replace your hd650's as your main listening headphones?

 
I really like the T1, they're my favorite for general listening, the LCDs are also good but too heavy for me. 

 

[FlySweep]

I found the LCD-2's stage too closed in.. the 650 certainly trumped it in this regard.  Also, the LCD-2's resolving ability isn't all that far ahead (if at all) of the 650.  The LCD-2 does offer more note weight and slam (but that generally seems to be a "planar vs dynamics" thing, IME).  All that being said.. I liked my time with the LCD2r2.. but preferred the 650 on the.. you guessed it.. Crack.
 
I really enjoyed the LCD-X.. it's not 'perfect'.. but probably my favorite (currently available, non-DIY) planar.  It's the only (currently available) open planar that I'd leave the HD650 for.  I liked it that much.  Problem is.. I don't feel it's worthy of the ($1500) price tag.  Chop that figure in half.. give or take a couple hundred... and I'd jump on it.

 

[JamieMcC]

  Any of you hd650 owners have LCD-2, LCD-3, LCD-x, T1, or similar headphones?
 
And if so, have you liked any of them enough to replace your hd650's as your main listening headphones?

Have both 650 and T1 and at first I wasn't sure about the T1.  But here's the thing those T1's sneak up on you and all of a suddenly the 650's are gathering dust.
 
The  T1's  surprise me regularly in their refinement and capabilities  in revealing the subtle nuances and details that the 650 completely misses. Also those out of can moments when you think a sound has come from another room in the house you take the cans off to listen but its really the phones happens all the time and always makes me smile.
 
The 650's are my other half's favourite and get regularly used by both of us. However the T1 are my go to cans.

 

[SP Wild]

  I found the LCD-2's stage too closed in.. the 650 certainly trumped it in this regard.  Also, the LCD-2's resolving ability isn't all that far ahead (if at all) of the 650.  The LCD-2 does offer more weight (but that generally seems to be a "planar vs dynamics" thing, IME).
 
I really enjoyed the LCD-X.. it's not 'perfect'.. but probably my favorite (currently available, non-DIY) planar.  It's the only (currently available) open planar that I'd leave the HD650 for.  I liked it that much.  Problem is.. I don't feel it's worthy of the ($1500) price tag.  Chop that figure in half.. give or take a couple hundred... and I'd jump on it.

 
HD650 were the cans that started it for me.  I disagree with your assessment in all aspects.  My LCD2s have supplanted my HD650 in every which way.  The T1 was also a great sounding can to me and is overall a marked improvement over the HD650 to me.

 

[FlySweep]

   
HD650 were the cans that started it for me.  I disagree with your assessment in all aspects.  My LCD2s have supplanted my HD650 in every which way.  The T1 was also a great sounding can to me and is overall a marked improvement over the HD650 to me.

 
Interesting.. glad the LCD-2 worked out for you... it's made many ex-650 owners happy, too.. so you're not alone in disagreeing with me (LOL).
 
I bought the LCD-2 and had them for roughly a month.  I didn't get a chance to drive it off a speaker amp or anything (which I have with every other planar I've owned).. but I had a couple of amps that offered plenty of current at the LCD-2's impedance rating.  No amp that I tossed at them opened up the (lack of) soundstage width.. nor did I find the LCD-2's resolving ability significantly ahead of the 650.  The LCD-2 was better than the HD650 in some areas.. but not significantly better, IME.. certainly not as good as the price chasm between the two phones might suggest (but yeah.. diminishing returns and all.. I know I know).  As I said.. I really enjoyed the LCD-2.. but I didn't feel it offered a significantly better (if any better) listening experience over the 650/Crack... part of that is subjective.. part of that is objective (experience).  I did find the LCD-2 very comfortable (fit was great and I didn't take consequence with the weight.. both aspects were much better than the HE-500), though.. contrary to popular opinion.  I had a very 'new' pair so they may have had a better generation of pads.

 

[joebobbilly]

Well I just got possessed today and nabbed up an LCD2... I'll throw in my 2 cents when they arrive in a week or two and I get some real listening time.

 

[MattTCG]

haha...you have no willpower. 

   But then never do it. 

 

[bleudeciel16]

well my crack will be here in a few weeks.  very excited to see how much of an improvement it is over my lyr.
 
lyr will stick around for driving planars, if and when I move in that direction.
 
does going balanced really do anything other than make the price go up?

 

[brokenthumb]

I came back to the HD650 after owning both the LCD-2 and HD800 and don't miss them at all.  Last week I purchased another HE-500 and what am I listening to right now... the HD650, go figure.
I'm waiting for a Stax amp to come in and then I'll compare to the Stax SR-407.  If I still prefer the HD650 I'm going to be purchasing a nice amp for them.  I'm thinking Crack w/Speedball, WA6, WA6SE, or Mjolnir.  The DNA Sonett looks intriguing also.  So many to decide from!

 

[bleudeciel16]

Man.  I never get tired of these cans.  I will be a very stupid man if I ever sell them.  (I won't)
 
I really feel I found the perfect headphones to suit my personal taste in headphones.  (which makes me REALLY curious to see how the crack will sound)
 
Which leads me to think that maybe I should just stop here, be content, and not waste my money on four digit orthos that I'll probably not like as much.  A lot more money is at stake when it comes to picking end game headphones. 
 
Tough decisions!  (1st world problems!)

 

[joebobbilly]

  haha...you have no willpower. 

   But then never do it. 

I blame it on lack of sleep

8 hours within a 48-hour period is not enough for me, leaves me with very little inhibitions... I'm soft like that

 

[BobG55]

  I came back to the HD650 after owning both the LCD-2 and HD800 and don't miss them at all.  Last week I purchased another HE-500 and what am I listening to right now... the HD650, go figure.
 

+1 

 

[FlySweep]

  I came back to the HD650 after owning both the LCD-2 and HD800 and don't miss them at all.  Last week I purchased another HE-500 and what am I listening to right now... the HD650, go figure.
I'm waiting for a Stax amp to come in and then I'll compare to the Stax SR-407.  If I still prefer the HD650 I'm going to be purchasing a nice amp for them.  I'm thinking Crack w/Speedball, WA6, WA6SE, or Mjolnir.  The DNA Sonett looks intriguing also.  So many to decide from!

 
Yep.. I've owned a grip of full sized phones.. HD600 (twice).. the entire HE-x00 (HE-500 twice).. LCD-2.. HD800.. a couple of the better "mid-fi" Beyers (880/600 & the T90).. even the Koss ESP-950 (which I loved.. and still regret returning.. but the 650 softened the blow of that dumb decision).. lots of buying and selling (check my feedback!  LOL).. but I don't think I kept any of those phones for more than seven or eight months (HD800 included.. but I still do love that beast).  I've had the HD650 for six plus months and while I plan to buy a planar this year.. there's literally nothing out there that would make me move the HD650 at this point... and I'm in NO rush to get that planar.  As Jamie mentioned, the Crack's 'vintage' look makes for an excellent conversation piece and I've yet to have one (non-audiophile) person hear them and not be thoroughly blown away.
 
Obviously, headphones make the biggest difference in a rig.. but for me, the Crack made me appreciate and enjoy the HD650 more than ever.. the key word there is ENJOY.  I forget about technical ability.. distortion specs.. driver speed.. etc etc.. The combo delivers to me something I and many others have desperately sought in this (expensive) hobby: contentment.  I'm more content with the Crack/650 than I have been with any other phone/amp combo (I've owned) to date.  I've heard better phones.. I've heard more capable amps.. but the HD650/Crack deliver a certain degree of sustained enjoyment I just haven't experienced (w/o spending significantly more to get).

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Well put.