The Official Beyerdynamic T1 Owner's Club / Appreciation / Discussion Thread - Page 237

I have both T1 and LCD2 and IMO the T1 has wider soundstage and better clarity while the LCD2 wins in terms of bass and vocal. LCD2 sounds a little bit veiled and crowded after switching from the T1, but at the same time the LCD2 presents the emotions of singers better. The LCD2 is much easier to drive than the T1, they still sound pretty impressive even on most portable equipments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorvetteGarage 

Thank you elwappo99.

 

Im using a Woo WA6SE amp, Ayre cd player for the source.

 

I listened to the LCD2s for a while today and Im liking them.  Very different sound than the T1's.

 

Will listen to both over the next few days and report. 

 

Thanks.

LCD2 T1 and WA6SE. That's a lovely setup!

My report-

Im liking the LCD2s very much and getting used to the fitment, though the T1s are VERY comfortable as compared.  

After listening to my system for a few days, Im thinking of trying a few solid state or hybrid amps with the LCD2s.

IMO, the Woo WA6SE is the perfect match for T1's.  With the LCD2s, seems there is something missing?  Dont get me wrong, the sound is very very good, but I cant describe in words what it is I think Im missing or not hearing.

Missing the T1s already... oh well, time to experiment with other amps.

I don't really have anything to contribute....just wanted to say how nice it is to have my T1s back :)  I missed them while they were out of commission....last night I had my laptop connected to my Meier amp and the T1s, and even though the source is poor, it still sounded glorious. I'm a strong proponent of having multiple headphones to enjoy, but I'll never part with these beauties...

Okay, that's it...back to the conversation

Hi CorvetteGarage!

Quote:

Originally Posted by CorvetteGarage 

[snip]

 

IMO, the Woo WA6SE is the perfect match for T1's.  With the LCD2s, seems there is something missing?  Dont get me wrong, the sound is very very good, but I cant describe in words what it is I think Im missing or not hearing.

 

[snip]

I'm on the other foot, so to speak - having acquired the T1 only a week ago after two years of listening to the LCD-2 almost exclusively.

I'm sure a lot of LCD-2 fans would cringe if they read this, but I think what you're missing when listening to the LCD-2 is the T1's ability to sound far more natural and, frankly, realistic - almost to a fault, depending on your personal preference.

I'm not one to listen to a lot of classical music, though I do, on occasion, but I've been to two free concerts in the past six months, performed by the local community symphony orchestra.  Having attended one of them in May and another on Sunday evening, I'm now hooked on listening to this live 50-piece orchestra, in a 500-seat church that has great acoustics.  If you've never checked out a venue like this in your area, you really should give it a shot. 

I had an epiphany while seated there in the front row, listening to a live performance of Handel's Messiah - I was no more than 25 feet from the first chair violin and there was no amplification.  I was hearing the orchestra acoustically not electronically:   Listening, it suddenly occurred to me to close my eyes and consider what I was hearing as if I were analyzing headphones.  

Right away, I quickly decided that this imaginary pair of headphones I was wearing sounded a lot more like the Beyerdynamic T1 than the Audeze LCD-2.  It was obvious.  No contest.  This had me chuckling when I realized how obvious it was!  The laid-back, smooth, dark sound of the LCD-2 is not what I was hearing, seated there in front of all those strings and wind instruments!   Detail was through the roof, of course, but again, this is more like the T1, than the LCD-2, for sure.  And there was almost no bass in the signal that I was hearing - it was there, but not with any excess energy - definitely more like the T1 than the LCD-2.  And then, the treble, the sound stage and the imaging (discrimination of instruments - especially individual violins), were especially noteworthy as being much more similar to the T1 than the LCD-2 (though even the T1 is a far cry from offering the sound stage and imaging of being there, of course).  

It's a shame, because I can still say I much prefer the LCD-2.  Now, this is just my personal preference, but the T1 is somewhat bland and boring in comparison, with the exception of its superior treble, sound stage, and imaging - all three of which, as I just mentioned, are much more like the live concert experience than what I get from the LCD-2.  This revelation I had Sunday evening makes me respect the T1 all the more, but it doesn't make me like it as much as I like the LCD-2.  

Still, all it took was a few minutes listening to my local symphony orchestra to realize that the T1 is definitely closer to what I would think worthy of being called a "reference" - though perhaps not that good - just more so than the LCD-2.  If I were going to pick one word that defines how the LCD-2 deviates from reality it would be "fullness" - the LCD-2 just has more "fullness" where reality itself sounds thin and just a little bit boring - like the T1 - like real life!

I liken this to how most people prefer turning up the color saturation of their television sets even when working hard to make the hue or tint as accurate as possible.  Modern color landscape photographs are also heavily saturated - because that's what sells.  People don't want reality - they want reality on steroids.  It seems I'm guilty of that in preferring the LCD-2 to the T1.

Having concluded unequivocally that the T1 is more realistic, I'm actually disappointed in myself for preferring the LCD-2.  I see the LCD-2 as turning water into wine.  Wine is fine, but not when it's supposed to taste like water.  

I have no intention of parting company with either.

Which do you prefer?

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by klfl 

I have both T1 and LCD2 and IMO the T1 has wider soundstage and better clarity while the LCD2 wins in terms of bass and vocal. LCD2 sounds a little bit veiled and crowded after switching from the T1, but at the same time the LCD2 presents the emotions of singers better. The LCD2 is much easier to drive than the T1, they still sound pretty impressive even on most portable equipments.

totally agree. i think the HD 800 is slightly better than the LCD-2 with vocals due to their treble and air, as well as the extra detail. the LCD-2 does present the vocals closer to you though and with a heavier feel. so i guess it just depends on preference as well as the genre of music you're listening to. as for the T1, i feel like the vocals are sometimes a little too far back.

i always think the T1 is right in the middle for most things while the LCD-2 and HD 800 each go to opposite ends in terms of their sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubstep Girl 

 

totally agree. i think the HD 800 is slightly better than the LCD-2 with vocals due to their treble and air, as well as the extra detail. the LCD-2 does present the vocals closer to you though and with a heavier feel. so i guess it just depends on preference as well as the genre of music you're listening to. as for the T1, i feel like the vocals are sometimes a little too far back.

 

i always think the T1 is right in the middle for most things while the LCD-2 and HD 800 each go to opposite ends in terms of their sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by klfl 

I have both T1 and LCD2 and IMO the T1 has wider soundstage and better clarity while the LCD2 wins in terms of bass and vocal. LCD2 sounds a little bit veiled and crowded after switching from the T1, but at the same time the LCD2 presents the emotions of singers better. The LCD2 is much easier to drive than the T1, they still sound pretty impressive even on most portable equipments.

I agree 100% with both quotes..

Quote:

Originally Posted by klfl 

I have both T1 and LCD2 and IMO the T1 has wider soundstage and better clarity while the LCD2 wins in terms of bass and vocal. LCD2 sounds a little bit veiled and crowded after switching from the T1, but at the same time the LCD2 presents the emotions of singers better. The LCD2 is much easier to drive than the T1, they still sound pretty impressive even on most portable equipments.

Agree!

So I was considering having my T1's re-cabled / re-terminated for remove cables using the mini xlr connectors like the LCD2 uses.

Questions:

- Has anyone here done this? (if so what did it cost approximately).

- Any recommendations on shops / companies that would be good place to have this done?

- Any reason why this shouldn't be done (besides for resale / warranty reasons)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by barid 

So I was considering having my T1's re-cabled / re-terminated for remove cables using the mini xlr connectors like the LCD2 uses.

 

Questions:

- Has anyone here done this? (if so what did it cost approximately).

- Any recommendations on shops / companies that would be good place to have this done?

- Any reason why this shouldn't be done (besides for resale / warranty reasons)?

Brian @ BTG Audio:

http://btg-audio.webs.com/

Quote:

Originally Posted by barid 

So I was considering having my T1's re-cabled / re-terminated for remove cables using the mini xlr connectors like the LCD2 uses.

 

Questions:

- Has anyone here done this? (if so what did it cost approximately).

- Any recommendations on shops / companies that would be good place to have this done?

- Any reason why this shouldn't be done (besides for resale / warranty reasons)?

Any reason to do that? The cable on the T1s is a pretty solid cable overall. Plus, if there's any issues, beyerdynamic so far as been very good about fixing the headphone cables. 

Yeah no particular reason.  I have a Toxic cable for my LCD2 and I liked the idea of the removable cable.  was just a thought.
 

Burson Soloist arrived today!

In short, I much prefer the Soloist with the T1 than with the LCD-2.  And yet, I prefer the DACmini CX with 1-Ohm output impedance mod -> LCD-2 vs. T1.

Comparing these two amps with these two headphones really exemplifies the importance of carefully matching headphones to amps.

The DACmini CX with 1-Ohm output impedance mod is brighter than its factory-default DACmini CX siblings, that ship with a 10-Ohm output impedance.  That brighter, more neutral flavor of the DACmini CX works very well to make the LCD-2 rev.1 sparkle.  DACmini CX + LCD-2 is a great match, especially with the 1-Ohm output impedance mod.

Ever since getting the T1 a couple of weeks ago, I've been listening to it almost exclusively on that same DACmini CX, which lacks the warmth of the default DACmini CX. 

Now that I've heard the T1 with the Soloist, I'm a lot happier with the way it performs.  Where the LCD-2 is almost too euphonic, too full, too warm with the Soloist, the T1 is just right!  And with the Soloist putting out 2.67x the power of the DACmini CX, the improvement in dynamics is obvious - both with the T1 and the LCD-2.  The T1 really wants more power than I had imagined.  I'm running it on Medium Gain, with the Soloist stepped attenuator at about 11 o'clock.

More later, except to say, I like my T1 more than ever before, now that I've found a good amp for it!

Mike

Here's more on the Burson Soloist + T1  (vs. other combinations of the Soloist, DACmini CX, and LCD-2).

http://www.head-fi.org/t/613800/burson-new-soloist-headphone-amp/480#post_8974654

Mike

so its a good match with T1 cause its warmish sounding?