If you're not going to insure the shipment, which will cost about $15, then please let me know so I can take your name off the list
Also, PLEASE DO NOT USE USPS. Use FedEx Ground or UPS if you have to, with a signature requirement. Yes, i know everyone has stories about which carrier they hate the most. However after 10 years of shipping packages I know that anywhere in the country a USPS packge is far, far more likely to become lost, misdelivered, or subject to some kind of mail carrier shenanigans
I'm not a fan of using either but this is your demo program so I have zero issue using FedEx and insuring. This is a great program and I'm more than happy listening to the LCD-X's as we speak. Wasn't sure how much I would like their neutral sound sig but damn man... These things are amazing. What I have at the moment are my HE-400's w/ Alpha Pads (huge improvement btw) and my TH600's which to date are my favorite headphones ever and the Philips X1's. The X's make the bass of the TH600's sound slightly bloated and very unrefined when comparing the two. Huge difference. Now of course when the bass does start pumping they don't hit as hard the TH600's but its as close to perfect bass that I've heard in a headphone. At no point do you ever say man I wish these had just a touch more or I was the sub-bass was more present. Compared to the LCD 2's its not even close, I'd take the X's in a heartbeat
Right now My set up is:
V1 DragonFly DAC
Pioneer SX-980 Set to flat with only the Loudness switched on
Portable SR-71a w/ Magnus 1-IC & Fiio E12 (It's an ok pairing)
Foobar2000 with mostly 320 and above music.
So its not super complicated or anything but I've gotten amazing results with everything I've used. The biggest surprise was the SR-71a paired with the X's. I had zero hope for this combo because of how bad it paired with my LCD 2's. But the X was a totally different story. It has zero problem pushing them to great full sounding limits. Totally unexpected results but of course the best was still my Vintage Pioneer. That thing could power the Sun and just brings another level to whatever I plug into it no really a shocker they go together as well as they do. What was surprising is I didn't think they would be as flexible as they are in regards to different types of music. I've got very odd taste in music so one minute I'll be listening to John Mayer Live (Don't hate) switch to Metallica, Esperanza Spalding, Dubstep (Nero), Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar,Drake, Chillstep, Yo-Yo Ma Goat Rodeo Sessions, The Roots, and Always finish with the King of Pop Michael Jackson. So Its not an easy mix of sounds to say the least and at no point did I feel it necessary to switch to another headphone regardless of how heavy the music got. They stood in there like champs and did an amazing job.
Comfort is about the same as the LCD 2's but I assume that these are using the same pads as LCD 3's so there is definitely an improvement over the LCD 2's but they are still on the heavy side so its not that much of a difference but its clearly noticeable. Football jacked my neck up so I can only wear them for so long before the pain starts but they are still very enjoyable up until that point.
Sound...My opinion is my opinion so I won't spend to much time talking about this. We all already know they are more neutral than the 2's but when I was thinking neutral I was thinking flat and somewhat boring (cough HD-800's) but that notion was quickly smashed the second I flipped the switch on. They still do all the things that we love about the Audeze line great but these have a much better soundstage than the 2's and mids are just butter. Every vocal note that came out was fantastic and the sound separation is second to nothing I've ever owned or listened to. They did a fantastic job of these headphones.
Overall I'm very impressed. Absolutely love these and will definitely consider them when my fun money gets back to full strength. Now I will say I would have loved to have demoed these along with the HE-6 for a true heavyweight smackdown. I'll be shipping to the next person probably tomorrow or Monday at the latest depending on my schedule this weekend but I think I know what my big headphone purchase will be this year.
Thanks again Justin
Thanks,