[franz12]

Due to the rules of this site I'm not allowed to mention where those measurements came from (hint hint). Yes, they can be trusted. No, the measurements are not from a super expensive HATS system like Tyll's, but generally RELATIVE measurements of headphones measured on the same system are trustworthy as we are not talking about ABSOLUTE values, just comparison values between 2 different LCD2C's measured together.

If you read/watch Tyll's latest Advanced Alpha review he talks about his delay in reviewing the LCD2C. Basically, he has had a set for a while, but it was before "final" production so he wanted to wait until Audeze could send him a production unit, on par with what we are all receiving, to be thorough and make sure he gets his review right. He now has that 2nd unit and is going to get the review out soon. He apologized for not getting it out before the holiday pricing ended, but he wanted to be more accurate about his thoughts rather than rush it and get something wrong.



Based on your impressions from the Clear thread and what are you looking for, I would highly advise you to consider ZMF Auteur. It is not as dynamic and energetic like Clear, but instead it is smooth, musical, natural, and coherent. It is literally the most neutral headphone I have ever heard to my preferences. And this includes sub-bass response on the level of planars. I know you aren't a fan of Zach's website, but I urge you to talk to him personally about the Auteur and even just chat with him about whether or not the Auteur would be a good fit for you. He is always willing to talk to people about his headphones and wanting to make sure you are happy with your purchases.

I know zach works hard to bring a best product to a market. And I surely have no doubt that Auteur will sound great to my ears. But it is 1.6k, which is 0.4k more than clear (taking account its street price). I wish I have it, but I already spent a few grands over past a few years buying hd800s, ether, and hugo. And new products are keep coming to a market in a pretty fast pace these days. One day, I will spend over 2k after some dust settled down. But for now, I hope I can stay under 1k and saving some money. Thanks anyway for recommendation.

 

[Odin412]

I listened to the LCD-2C at yesterday's meet at The Source AV and my first impression is very good. To my ears these headphones have a smooth, non-fatiguing sound. They are also noticeably lighter than the regular LCD-series headphones. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to compare the 2C with a regular LCD-2 with Fazors so I can't offer a direct comparison, but my first impressions of the 2C are very good.

 

[anoxy]

Not good for jazz or vocals? You’re crazy.

Also, headphones aren’t meant to be stage monitors. They aren’t supposed to mimic that experience.

 

[mikewr]

^In the voice of mediation, to be fair, it's an opinion. Different ears who have heard different things come to different conclusions.

If I may chime in on the vocal's of the 2c so the conversation isn't so one sided, for my tastes I think it's really more dependent on the track than the source. I listened to a 24 bit FLAC live recording of some elephant revival performance and ran into the same issue i think I mentioned about female vocals being "shouty/too loud". I know that track pretty well, hence why I was confident adding in my impressions that the 2c's highs were "peaky." I think that's the word I used, if it isn't then that's what I meant. However I listened to a vinyl rip, very beautiful one I might add, of "windmills in your mind" by Dusty Springfield and I enjoyed it much better. The way the track was recorded really went well with the FR of the 2c.

 

[givemetacos]

Not good for jazz or vocals? You’re crazy.

Also, headphones aren’t meant to be stage monitors. They aren’t supposed to mimic that experience.

To clarify, it is mostly female vocals that are a little off to me, not really male vocals. And I'm not saying LCD2C doesn't sound great with those genres, it really is solid with all genres honestly. I am just being nitpicky in comparisons and arguing there are other headphones that can do those particular things better (but other things much worse than LCD2C). And again, it is only when I sit here and do obsessive A/B comparisons with headphones that are particularly strong in those genres. I would have no problem recommending LCD2C to most people as a great all rounder.

 

[anoxy]

Yeah it is definitely dependent on the recording, and such is life. Darker recording are just further darkened by these headphones and make them sound pretty lifeless, but I tend to avoid bad recordings, even if I like the music.

 

[HeretixAevum]

So how much do these headphones actually weigh? Everyone says they're noticeably lighter than regular the LCD-2 yet I read somewhere in this thread that they were 520g? Then I go onto headphone.com which says the regular LCD-2 is 490g without cable. Was that 520g number with the cable? I just want a good apples to apples number so I know how much lighter they are.

 

[HeretixAevum]

OK, I found some pics here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NYtKA9OZzql47gakb4Nw3FUlWGkkVrs9
Five hundred and forty grams. Geez... I hope that's an inaccurate measurement.

 

[gLer]

OK, I found some pics here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NYtKA9OZzql47gakb4Nw3FUlWGkkVrs9
Five hundred and forty grams. Geez... I hope that's an inaccurate measurement.

Yep, that’s very accurate. My aluminum LCD-2F weigh 625g! But it’s not the weight as much as the distribution of the weight. By all accounts the new 2C headband is incredibly comfy, and I find my LCD-2 super comfy with the Lohb strap. I think anyone who has issues with the weight should harden up a little, but I do understand they may not be perfect for every head shape. I don’t notice mine after a while and have had all-day sessions with them without any issues. In fact my ZMF Atticus is lighter and feels even more so with the great suspension system, but the pads get warmer and are therefore less comfy on warmer days. So it’s not all about the weight. But then I like large, significant, well built headphones, so YMMV

 

[anoxy]

I know someone already mentioned their weight in this thread, but if someone doesn’t chime in I’ll weigh them when I get home from work later.

 

[HeretixAevum]

I know someone already mentioned their weight in this thread, but if someone doesn’t chime in I’ll weigh them when I get home from work later.

Cheers, that would be helpful. The various figures I've come across have been a bit conflicting and inconsistent.

Yep, that’s very accurate. My aluminum LCD-2F weigh 625g! But it’s not the weight as much as the distribution of the weight. By all accounts the new 2C headband is incredibly comfy, and I find my LCD-2 super comfy with the Lohb strap. I think anyone who has issues with the weight should harden up a little, but I do understand they may not be perfect for every head shape. I don’t notice mine after a while and have had all-day sessions with them without any issues. In fact my ZMF Atticus is lighter and feels even more so with the great suspension system, but the pads get warmer and are therefore less comfy on warmer days. So it’s not all about the weight. But then I like large, significant, well built headphones, so YMMV

You're right, I'm probably fixating too much on the number. What ultimately matters is do I find it comfortable or not, particularly with longer listening sessions. Luckily my standards for comfort, which have been quite anal in the past, are somewhat more lax now as I no longer really do all day headphone sessions anymore as I favour speakers now for my primary listening. And as you say, how well the weight is distributed matters as much as the weight itself, and that suspension headband does look good. Also to put it into perspective, it's significantly less weight than a motorcycle helmet and I don't find myself whining about the weight of those...

I've never tried an Audeze, but I've always looked on in envy at how deep and spacious the earpads look. The closest thing to that level of ear room I've owned was the Denon D2000.

When I've got the money I think the best thing to do is just go and demo them at my local store where I would be buying.

 

[givemetacos]

Cheers, that would be helpful. The various figures I've come across have been a bit conflicting and inconsistent.


You're right, I'm probably fixating too much on the number. What ultimately matters is do I find it comfortable or not, particularly with longer listening sessions. Luckily my standards for comfort, which have been quite anal in the past, are somewhat more lax now as I no longer really do all day headphone sessions anymore as I favour speakers now for my primary listening. And as you say, how well the weight is distributed matters as much as the weight itself, and that suspension headband does look good. Also to put it into perspective, it's significantly less weight than a motorcycle helmet and I don't find myself whining about the weight of those...

I've never tried an Audeze, but I've always looked on in envy at how deep and spacious the earpads look. The closest thing to that level of ear room I've owned was the Denon D2000.

When I've got the money I think the best thing to do is just go and demo them at my local store where I would be buying.

I was always outspoken and very critical of LCD-2F and the weight distribution problem. I had a Lohb strap and it was more tolerable, I got used to it, and I was able to be "fine" with it. I never loved the comfort and I would never praise Audeze for the comfort on that headphone. I now have LCD2C and comfort has shifted to being one of the highlight features. Weight-wise, it isn't really that different from LCD-2F. But the suspension system makes all the difference. I want to say the actual driver enclosures and ear pads slimmed down as well as the drivers feel more sleek and closer to the head. All this really does make it a much better experience. I also have an Elear, which weighs a ton and that thing is pretty uncomfortable to me as it causes some hotspots on the top of my head (I think my head is somewhat pointy). And on the opposite end are my ZMFs (Auteur and Atticus) which are also very heavy, but those are super comfy and have the most ideal headband in that they bend in any shape with any clamp force so they carry their weight really well. So yeah, weight isn't everything and manifests itself in comfort in very different ways for people. But if you had to buy blind and are worried about comfort with LCD2C, I would say it is one of the safest bets among all the heavier headphones available.

 

[anoxy]

Agreed. Comfort is fantastic on the 2C and I don’t find the weight to be an issue at all, but some of y’all have pencil necks so of course comfort varies.

 

[lentoviolento]

I was always outspoken and very critical of LCD-2F and the weight distribution problem. I had a Lohb strap and it was more tolerable, I got used to it, and I was able to be "fine" with it. I never loved the comfort and I would never praise Audeze for the comfort on that headphone. I now have LCD2C and comfort has shifted to being one of the highlight features. Weight-wise, it isn't really that different from LCD-2F. But the suspension system makes all the difference. I want to say the actual driver enclosures and ear pads slimmed down as well as the drivers feel more sleek and closer to the head. All this really does make it a much better experience. I also have an Elear, which weighs a ton and that thing is pretty uncomfortable to me as it causes some hotspots on the top of my head (I think my head is somewhat pointy). And on the opposite end are my ZMFs (Auteur and Atticus) which are also very heavy, but those are super comfy and have the most ideal headband in that they bend in any shape with any clamp force so they carry their weight really well. So yeah, weight isn't everything and manifests itself in comfort in very different ways for people. But if you had to buy blind and are worried about comfort with LCD2C, I would say it is one of the safest bets among all the heavier headphones available.

Can you compare atticus to lcd2c?

 

[pwjazz]

It's interesting. As I listen to the LCD2C more, I realize how much its character can change depending on source and volume. Listening on my Magni 3, if I turn up the volume the bass becomes more prominent (as one would expect based on equal-loudness curves), which thickens up the sound and causes it to sound more congested. However, I tend to listen at fairly low volumes, where the bass is a lot less prominent and everything sounds much more open. This is very different from my more bass-light headphones where I find myself turning up the volume to bring out more bass.

Interestingly if I listen straight from my Macbook Air or iPhone SE, bass is much less prominent even at louder volumes, making these sources kind of nice for when I'm listening to things like classical or progressive metal. I was actually blown away by the soundstage and imaging on Pink Floyd's "On the Run" when listening straight out of my iPhone.

My comparisons are not mirroring this personally. I'm using Bifrost Multibit+Jot and Ifi iDSD BL. I find the LCD2C a fantastic listen. It is warmer than the HE560 for sure with a meatier midrange and more fleshed bottom end. The treble on the 560 I find more airy and revealing. If I could have the low/mids of the 2C and highs of the 560 I'd be blown away. The 560 hits harder, while the LCD2C goes deeper and has more layers. The LCD2C gets congested much easier than the 560, as the LCD2C is with its thicker sound. I've owned a Magni 3, and the Jot has been much better BAL to the 560 in terms of technical ability. YMMV - I may be keeping both of these headphones. The 560 is more of a detailed stripped back listen. The LCD2C is a very enjoyable experience, MUCH easier to amp however is more 'veiled' in comparison with rolled treble. More suited to a relaxing listen.

The LCD2C treble is rolled and sounds a bit V shaped with what treble is there being more forward than the 560, I'd call the 560 more linear for sure.

560 with stock pads has a brighter presence especially on strings, given that 'artificial' but wickedly detailed presentation. Focus-A pads resolved this for me. LCD2C has a lot of reverb, 560 is MUCH cleaner. More detail present with an 'out of your head' experience on some sounds.

Dear god the 560 feels much cheaper than the LCD2C