[Lohb]

  good to know this.  thanks.  any other suggestions on a reasonable priced headstand for lcd2?

Just search Amazon/ebay for a 'banana rack' or similar term...there is also one that hooks under desks...saw the review a while back.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/249671/the-diy-headphone-stand-thread

 

[CarlosUnchained]

  From what i listened to, you won't need a whole lot of power for the LCD X. I might visit another High end audio store later this month in SF. Believe me i almost cried! 
 
Also awesome!! I just bought Tesseract's Polaris Deluxe Edition to prepare myself for the LCD 2. Any other cool bands you've liked recently testing your audio gear? I'm trying to buy Mean's End - The Didact soon.
 
hehe..

In that genre and similar (progressive metal) I enjoy Northlane, Protest The Hero, Gojira, Arcane Roots, Invent Animate, Architects of course... Listening right now to The Didact, cool! Any other recommendation?
 
Other genre that I like to test new gear is ambient. The surrounding feeling with some ambient tunes is amazing.

 

[SaddleSC]

Just ordered a Audeze Deckard from Ebay. $495. Looks practically new. Hope this is what my LCD 2 needed!

My Deckard from the B-Stock sale should arrive tomorrow. I will post up some impressions with my LCD-2s after I give it a listen

 

[kazuya95]

Hi,

If someone plan to sell his B-Stock LCD2 fazor 2016.
PM me please

Regards

 

[Bubblejuice]

  Tried the LCD x today at a high end speaker store. Man i wanted to cry, never heard such beauty. even for older progressive metal albums. Unfortunately didn't get to try the lcd 2 with a higher end amp, but did try them with the Chord Dave. Still a no go. Thinking of picking up Audeze Decard to power the LCD 2 that i got from the b-stock sale... Hoping i can come somewhat close to the lcd x sound.

Okay, So I just got back from the store not long ago. I have to say I did learn a lot this time around. (Keep in mind, I have good ears, but I'm still pretty new to hi-fi audio. So take my experience with a grain of salt and see if you can compare these on your own).
 
Deckard vs O2 (just the amp) with LCD-2f:
 
First, I tried their LCD-2f with their Deckard + Sony HDD combo (FLAC files). It sounded spectacular. Compared to my O2 amp connected to my PC at home, there was only a few differences. But there was one big one that really made the Deckard my amp goal. 
 
The vocals still came from above me, so that might just be in my head since I'm not hearing anyone else have this issue. Secondly, the sound itself wasn't too much more crisp than my home setup. But the mids and treble felt a little more detailed and separated. Not enough to spend $700 on an amp, but enough so that it was clearly noticeable to me. However, the bass had more body to it, and thus filled the cracks in the music much better. In my home set up I fixed this with a bit of EQ. But with the Deckard I wouldn't need to touch the EQ to my liking.
 
The biggest difference by far was the fact that on my O2 amp, I have to put the volume slightly higher than I want it, to really feel the details of the notes (60% PC volume, 60-70% Amp volume), and to separate every instrument. On the Deckard, I had the volume just right (about 30-40%), and it sounded perfectly detailed. Then when I lowered the volume, it felt just as detailed as the higher volume. Put simply; the music felt effortless (which greatly increased the sound-stage to me personally). The music flowed through my headphones like water. It was really great. My O2, though doing it's best for me, feels like it's struggling now, though it has more than enough power for these headphones.
 
I can't say if it's the Sony HDD, or the Deckard that was making the biggest difference, but since i'm playing FLAC files on my PC anyways, I'm pretty sure the Deckard was the culprit. 
 
Overall, I think the Deckard is completely worth it for the sound I was hearing. I will be saving up for one in the future (Maybe a used or demo version lol). However, if the O2 sound suites you fine. I don't see the immediate need to upgrade. I'll be happy with O2 until I slowly save up for a Deckard.
 
LCD-X vs LCD-2f:
 
I tried comparing the LCD-X with the LCD-2f. The sound was clearly within the same family, but it had its own distinct flavor. On the LCD-X, the highs were slightly more detailed, the mid were marginally more prominent, and the bass was just about the same (maybe a little tighter, but I like the way the LCD-2 bass wraps around me). Overall, with the Deckard set up, the LCD-X were about 10-15% better overall than the LCD-2f. Personally I wouldn't spend double for that difference. Especially when the sound that the LCD-2f with this amp give, is already spectacular.
 
LCD-3 comparison:
 
I tried comparing the LCD-2f and X with the LCD-3. There is a noticeable improvement. But I would say it's about the same as the last comparison. The sound stage got about 5-10% bigger too with each model. Enough to notice, personally not enough to justify the cost.
 
LCD-2f with Shiit Lyr 2:
 
No thank you...
 
More detail; The distortion added just didn't sound good with the LCD-2f. The bass was distorted and the mids and highs mashed together. Still had the Audeze sound, but as if I was playing a very low quality file. The Lyr may be a great amp, but when I went back to the Deckard, the clarity of the music was much more enjoyable for me. Personally, the Lyr 2 is a no go for the LCD series.
 
My own LCD-2f aluminum vs Demo LCD-2f rosewood:
 
Pretty much identical. My headphones sounded a bit clearer since the stores ear-pads were squished due to the stands they use, which made the bass a tiny bit muddy. Their headphones probably have more burn in time than mine too. But overall I preferred mine (they had a better seal on the ear-pads). 
 
I also tried their He-500s that were on display. They were also nice, and very different. But that's not for this thread lol.
 
Hope this helps!! Feel free to ask any questions while this is fresh in my mind.

 

[DavidA]

@Bubblejuice, your impressions of the LCD-X and LCD-3 are pretty close to my own impressions but I think the point of the LCD-X being easier to drive makes a larger difference if using a low powered device like a Fiio X3, this is where the X performs much better than the 2 or 3 IMO.
 
Did the Lyr2 have the stock tubes?  Its one of the first things I changed when I got mine.  Granted getting good NOS tubes will raise the price of the Lyr2 to the Deckard level quickly and over a few years it will actually end up costing more since tube have a finite life.
 
The difference between amps is not always the power, but as you have found synergy between amp and headphone, some pairings just sound better together.

 

[Bubblejuice]

  @Bubblejuice, your impressions of the LCD-X and LCD-3 are pretty close to my own impressions but I think the point of the LCD-X being easier to drive makes a larger difference if using a low powered device like a Fiio X3, this is where the X performs much better than the 2 or 3 IMO.

Right, that makes complete sense.
 
They were great in their own right, but the LCD-X alone cost about the price of the LCD-2f + Deckard anyways (emphasis on "about"). I can see why they would be more desirable if you like the sound of other less powerful amps, or if you're on the go a lot with your music and you don't want to lug around a 5 lb amplifier.
 
In that case it's more about; "How can I get the best sound possible within my listening environment, at this budget?"
 

 
Did the Lyr2 have the stock tubes?  Its one of the first things I changed when I got mine.  Granted getting good NOS tubes will raise the price of the Lyr2 to the Deckard level quickly and over a few years it will actually end up costing more since tube have a finite life.

They probably had the stock tubes. They were pre-owned by a friend of the owner. He assured me the tubes were in good condition and he had spares. But I don't know much about tube amps so I can't say more than that about it. 
 
It's just the pairing that didn't bode well in my ears. With the Hifiman and their EL-8s it sounded much better than on the LCD-2f or the LCD-X. I would still prefer the Solid State however for any of the planars i've heard.
 

The difference between amps is not always the power, but as you have found synergy between amp and headphone, some pairings just sound better together.

Right. My O2 still has plenty of power to run my LCD-2f. But the synergy worked soooo much better. Otherwise, the O2 is still a great option, considering the price difference.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

[quote name="Bubblejuice" url="/t/509710/audeze-lcd-2-impressions-thread/9990#post_13089498"
It's just the pairing that didn't bode well in my ears. With the Hifiman and their EL-8s it sounded much better than on the LCD-2f or the LCD-X.[/quote]

Which EL-8 did you try? Did you try those on the Deckard and the Lyr as well?

 

[drwlf]

  Well, I received a reply to my ticket, Audeze surely got a surprise for me as well.
 
My order was canceled, or whatever "We are unable to fulfill the order at this time." means, and my question/desire to upgrade to LCD-X was unanswered, I even mentioned that PayPal invoice/bypassing the credit card processor-thing as an option, IF there was a problem with my payment.
I'll try again, but the ending statement with:
"Thanks for your interest in our B-stock sale. Unfortunately all B-stock inventory has sold out and the sale is now over. We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.
Amazon.com or an online dealer may be able to assist you. You can try BHPhotoVideo.com, Crutchfield.com, Razordogaudio.com or Adorama.com for starters, they're all good dealers with most items in stock and they often have B-stock units available." doesn't really encourage me.
 
Crapping out on other Black Friday deals, as I thought this was *the* deal, along with "all accepted orders will be honored"-tweet? I'll let you decide if this is good PR for Audeze or not.

 
And an update: on the same train with @CarlosUnchained, trying again to get a clear answer worked - I was offered a voucher for either LCD-2 for the Black Friday price or the upgrade path to LCD-X for extra 500$, just before they sent the e-mail message to all? Black Friday purchasers/people who had problems, about the same vouchers.
 
Opted for LCD-X for 999$, and the order status is now "Completed - Waiting to Ship", hence this message.
 
Unbelievably enough, after a prolonged hassle and a lot of uncertainties, Audeze honored their deal when I'd estimate, most other companies wouldn't. Some other companies might just cease communications, end a ticket abruptly, which I kinda was expecting, but wasn't the case with Audeze. My sincere thanks to Audeze, and it certainly made my year brighter. In the end, I guess it's a win-win situation for all, Audeze gaining a satisfied customer who might very well buy another product, and spreads favourable word of mouth in RL and here

 

[areek]

  LCD-2f with Shiit Lyr 2:
 
No thank you...
 
More detail; The distortion added just didn't sound good with the LCD-2f. The bass was distorted and the mids and highs mashed together. Still had the Audeze sound, but as if I was playing a very low quality file. The Lyr may be a great amp, but when I went back to the Deckard, the clarity of the music was much more enjoyable for me. Personally, the Lyr 2 is a no go for the LCD series.
 
 

I've been using the Schiit Lyr (original, 1964 paired amperex tubes) with Schiit Bifrost for a month now. The sound initially felt odd coming from my previous O2+ODAC combo, I was acutally overwhelmed by the Lyr's ability to provide a sound that is more punchier and lively sound. But after listening to it for sometime, then going back to the O2, the difference was night and day, in a good way. I guess the lyr-2 synergises less with the LCD series than the original does.  

 

[DavidA]

  I've been using the Schiit Lyr (original, 1964 paired amperex tubes) with Schiit Bifrost for a month now. The sound initially felt odd coming from my previous O2+ODAC combo, I was acutally overwhelmed by the Lyr's ability to provide a sound that is more punchier and lively sound. But after listening to it for sometime, then going back to the O2, the difference was night and day, in a good way. I guess the lyr-2 synergises less with the LCD series than the original does.  

for the LCD-2 / Lyr2 combo the tubes that I like are Telefunken CCa's, 74/75 Reflectors, and Siemens Lornez, these are all fairly clean sounding tubes but due to demand have really gone up in price over the last 2-3 years, double to triple what I've paid a few years ago.  The 3 pairs of Amperex tubes that I have are all on the warmer side IMO and are not as clear sounding as the other 3 three that I've listed.
 
 

 
Right. My O2 still has plenty of power to run my LCD-2f. But the synergy worked soooo much better. Otherwise, the O2 is still a great option, considering the price difference.

After owning the O2/ODAC and comparing it with a Polaris borrowed from a friend, the Polaris pairs well with a much wider selection of headphones.  The adjustability of the output resistance/impedance really makes it much more flexible to tailor to different headphones.  The reason has something to do with harmonics from what other posters on the HE-400i, HE-560, and HD-800 threads noted, which I think is a part of the synergy aspect.  Like pairing wine and food to enhance each other.

 

[CarlosUnchained]

   
And an update: on the same train with @CarlosUnchained, trying again to get a clear answer worked - I was offered a voucher for either LCD-2 for the Black Friday price or the upgrade path to LCD-X for extra 500$, just before they sent the e-mail message to all? Black Friday purchasers/people who had problems, about the same vouchers.
 
Opted for LCD-X for 999$, and the order status is now "Completed - Waiting to Ship", hence this message.
 
Unbelievably enough, after a prolonged hassle and a lot of uncertainties, Audeze honored their deal when I'd estimate, most other companies wouldn't. Some other companies might just cease communications, end a ticket abruptly, which I kinda was expecting, but wasn't the case with Audeze. My sincere thanks to Audeze, and it certainly made my year brighter. In the end, I guess it's a win-win situation for all, Audeze gaining a satisfied customer who might very well buy another product, and spreads favourable word of mouth in RL and here

Guess what? I tried this time to pay with a credit card instead of the debit one, same problem. I called them and they are going to investigate further in the case. I'm getting tired, I just want my cans.
 
Next time I'm going to try with Paypal I guess.
 
Happy to hear you got an offer as well. What did you purchase?

 

[drwlf]

 
Guess what? I tried this time to pay with a credit card instead of the debit one, same problem. I called them and they are going to investigate further in the case. I'm getting tired, I just want my cans.
 
Next time I'm going to try with Paypal I guess.
 
Happy to hear you got an offer as well. What did you purchase?

 
The LCD-X as mentioned, and I made my post due to the fact that the order status is now "Completed - Waiting to Ship" and my credit card has been billed - I should be receiving the cans, eh? Just waiting for the tracking code.
 
Btw, make certain that your credit card doesn't have safety limits in place, e.g. 1000$ for an internet purchase.
Additionally, PayPal isn't an option for this one - there's no place to add your personal voucher from the Black Friday hassle, as the location to enter it is in the default check out-page of Audezes webstore where you normally to add credit card details, paying with PayPal redirects you to PayPals check out-page which obviously doesn't have an add voucher-option. Noticed this myself as I would've normally used PayPal, I'm wary of adding my CC details anywhere.

 

[Bubblejuice]

[quote name="Bubblejuice" url="/t/509710/audeze-lcd-2-impressions-thread/9990#post_13089498"
It's just the pairing that didn't bode well in my ears. With the Hifiman and their EL-8s it sounded much better than on the LCD-2f or the LCD-X.

Which EL-8 did you try? Did you try those on the Deckard and the Lyr as well?[/quote]

Open back. Yeah, I tried it with the Deckard too. I didn't really like them as much as any of the others ones with either amp.

 

[Bubblejuice]

  I've been using the Schiit Lyr (original, 1964 paired amperex tubes) with Schiit Bifrost for a month now. The sound initially felt odd coming from my previous O2+ODAC combo, I was acutally overwhelmed by the Lyr's ability to provide a sound that is more punchier and lively sound. But after listening to it for sometime, then going back to the O2, the difference was night and day, in a good way. I guess the lyr-2 synergises less with the LCD series than the original does.  

Maybe so. I hear very mixed things about the Lyr + LCD series. The one they had at the store just didn't work for me. With whatever tubes it may have had. 
 
The Bifrost may may a big difference considering there was no DAC connected to the Lyr 2. But the Lyr 2 could also just synergies less. I'm glad you like yours though! I still can't afford my goal amp+dac lol