Poll: Audeze LCD-2 rev1/rev2 owners desert Island scenario. - Page 5

Seems for myself to be a pattern as I prefer a Grado SR125 over the SR 225, prefer the Sennheiser HD 600 over the HD 650 .... andin terms of the LCD-2 I would choose the R1 over the R2.

The r1 has a richer and more natural sound,  a unique and more listenable and non-fatigueing sound signature - my drug of choice.

would a lcd-2 version 1 with alo chain mail cable sound as good as a regular lcd-2 revision 2?

Depends. Do you believe in copper fairies or silver nymphs? 

Can I get a golden princess? Would the Alo cable make the rev 1 sound drastically better compared to Rev 2 without any modifications?

Since I've never heard these two different variations, I'm trying to put out feelers for which version I should get. Either trade my T1 with Black Dragon cable for the LCD-2 v. 1 with Alo chain cable or put out 800 bucks for the used LCD-2 with stock cable.

Get the Rev2. 

The Rev1 I owned was not listenable.  I have a Rev2 here that is one of the better headphones on the market.  The difference is huge.  If I were pricing them I would put 600 dollars between them.  There is no cable that could have made my Rev1 sound good.  This Rev2 doesn't need fancy cables. 

Of course, there's some variation unit to unit, so your mileage may vary.  But generally, a Rev2 is going to be better bet at getting an excellent headphone.  IME

Just to make things more tasty, I have the early version of revision 1 whose pads I've had swapped to the new version and I definitely prefer mine over the revision 2. In fact, the owner of that revision 2 was left looking for a revision 1 to replace his after that meet. 

But if I were in your shoes, I definitely would get the latest version with the bamboo composite. It seems to be a safer bet. 

To make things even more tasty, this Rev2 sounds noticeably better than the LCD-3 I heard.  It might just be a crap shoot. 

But it also probably depends on whether you're sensitive to the reverb or not, which is what ruined the Rev1 for me, and why the Rev2 is so much better.  If you're not sensitive to it, it may not matter as much. 

Thanks guys!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils 

To make things even more tasty, this Rev2 sounds noticeably better than the LCD-3 I heard.  It might just be a crap shoot. 

 

But it also probably depends on whether you're sensitive to the reverb or not, which is what ruined the Rev1 for me, and why the Rev2 is so much better.  If you're not sensitive to it, it may not matter as much. 

Yeah, I think we can agree that the LCD3 is a bit of an enigma. Veiled or unveiled, it never struck me as a "game-changer" like the LCD2 did. 

Well from descriptions from people who seem to know what they're talking about, it seems like they are capable of incredible things and can in fact be a game changer.  But there's so many variables and unknowns.  The ones I heard were not by any means.  But a pair that has greater speed and clarity than the HD800 certainly is. 

Based on everything I've read and from the ones i've heard, if I had an unlimited budget and wanted an Audeze i'd get the LCD-2 rev2. 

Speed? Undoubtedly. Clarity? Probably not. If by clarity you mean of course, transparency and that sense that there is nothing obstructing between you and the music. I find this area to be the HD800's greatest strength and it's probably one of the best, if not the best, I have heard yet in a headphone. The SR-009 perhaps can challenge this claim but until I have actually heard the thing it remains a speculation. 

Shame about the HD800's grainy and peaky treble though. Its midrange is also nothing stellar. 

One thing I really like about the LCD3 is how smooth the thing sounds though. No ringing, no treble peaks and no reverb whatsoever. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils 

To make things even more tasty, this Rev2 sounds noticeably better than the LCD-3 I heard.  It might just be a crap shoot. 

 

But it also probably depends on whether you're sensitive to the reverb or not, which is what ruined the Rev1 for me, and why the Rev2 is so much better.  If you're not sensitive to it, it may not matter as much. 

I think it may just be somewhat of a crap shoot as you say.  I have the Rev. 1 with the ALO cable and I find the sound very good though lacking slightly little in soundstage and air.  I heard a few other Rev. 1 and was similarly unimpressed.  One in particular sounded downright dull and muddy.  I honestly don't think it's the cable, I think I just got lucky on the drivers  FWIW, I bought mine 2-3 months before they released Rev 2 so maybe it has newer style pads?.  

People sometimes underestimate the difference that changes in pads can make to sound of a headphone.  In the end though I'm planning on selling mine and getting either T1 after hearing it at a recent meet or the Shure srh-1840 due to comfort.  To answer the OP though, I'd say my Rev. 1; though I can't speak for others I've heard. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWahl 

I think it may just be somewhat of a crap shoot as you say.  I have the Rev. 1 with the ALO cable and I find the sound very good though lacking slightly little in soundstage and air.  I heard a few other Rev. 1 and was similarly unimpressed.  One in particular sounded downright dull and muddy.  I honestly don't think it's the cable, I think I just got lucky on the drivers  FWIW, I bought mine 2-3 months before they released Rev 2 so maybe it has newer style pads?.  

 

I'll tell you what I think. I think that with a small company like Audeze variability is a real problem, both due to consistency of supply and quality control, and general experimentation. I think if you put three Rev 1s together, especially from different periods (say, one from the first batch around May, 2010, one from Xmas, 2010 and one from June, 2011, just before Rev 2), they would sound noticeably different, though I'm inclined to think Rev 2s would be somewhat more consistent for the obvious reason that stability increases as the company gets more experience. Has anyone ever compared Rev 1s from very different periods?

Head-Fi will always be Head-Fi.