[g4747]

  You didn't mention what it was about the headphones that disappointed you.  Some prefer non-Fazor (like me) and some prefer the Fazor sound.  It's more important to figure out what you dislike, what your chain looks like, and what you're listening to along with what you felt was missing from the sound.
 
Your set looks like it was made right after mine were http://people.duke.edu/~mepm/images/misc/LCD-2_Graph_LNCPapa.png and I absolutely love the sound.

 
Sorry if I was unclear.

I was disappointed because I was expecting the fazor version (its almost mid-2015, I could not imagine I will receive something that "old") and I got the non-fazor version of late 2013.
Also I was dissapointed because the oil was dry and as an overall unboxing experience I was not pleased. I have nothing against the headphones themselves.
 
I can't musically justify my disappointment as I am a total noob.
I am just asking for your opinions as you have a more trained ear.
 
So to rephrase, as at the moment I am unable to judge by myself and considering all the limitations (personal bias, other equipment) and as objectively as possible (I know I am asking for something nearly impossible but I hope you understand) do you think that the fazor version is worth the trouble sending the r2's back or should I stay with the r2's?
 
When my ear will be trained enough to tell the difference between fazors and non fazors it will be too late to ask for a replacement.

 

[Kozic]

Hello to the community.

George from Greece here.

I am sorry for crossposting but I I understand that some of the threads for LCd-2 are inactive. If that's against the rules, please delete the post. 

First post in this thread as yesterday I received my LCD-2 R2.


I have to say I'm a little disappointed and before sending them back I would like to ask your opinion.

My pair was manufactured on September 2013 (see chart) so it's pre-Fazor.


Keep in mind that I'm totally new in the hi-fi world.

I don't think that I can identify all the details that most of you hear and describe here. I am amazed by this ability and that's what I'm looking to cultivate.

I was just looking for the best headphone my money can buy (and believe me I was saving for a looong time) and start from there.

I am pursuing musical excellence with my wallet and your reviews at the moment  as I don't have any hi-fi opinion formed yet.

My previous headphones include a pair of Parrot Ziks as I'm travelling a lot and the Sennheisers HD435.

So....the ultimate question for me: Should I return them and get the fazor ones? I would like to make the "best" choice for the money it costs as I will be buying such an expensive pair of headphones once or twice in my life.

And as a follow-up: Do you think the non-fazor ones are a compromise because the new are better or it's more of a deal of acoustic preference?

The thing is that I don't think I will be able to tell the difference but also I don't think I will be able to get a new pair anytime soon. But if the fazor ones are without doubt defined as an improvement then it's better to wait a little longer.

If it's worth all the trouble (it will be a LOT of trouble, waiting times from/to Greece will be long) I don't mind waiting. If I can persuade the retailer to change them....if not I will contact Audeze directly.


It just ruined the unboxing experience for me as I was waiting to see the fazor ones but it's ok if you tell me it's ok. :tongue_smile:  

Also the wood treating oil was dry in the bottle and that was also disappointing but that's what almost two years of waiting have as a result. 

Please excuse the postimage upload but I get this message: Your account does not have the required permissions to access this page. I guess it's because I'm new here.

 
http://postimg.org/image/mbhk725m5

Hi
So first thing what amp/DAC are you using that can make a huge difference in sound.
Next would be what don't you like about the LCD2-2,to dark(not the treble for you)?
Give us so clue of what sound you like and I'm sure someone here can point you in the right direction.
PS The "best" headphone all comes down to sound preference so if you are going to spend that kind of money know what you want.

 

[diamondears]

Hello to the community.

George from Greece here.

I am sorry for crossposting but I I understand that some of the threads for LCd-2 are inactive. If that's against the rules, please delete the post. 

First post in this thread as yesterday I received my LCD-2 R2.


I have to say I'm a little disappointed and before sending them back I would like to ask your opinion.

My pair was manufactured on September 2013 (see chart) so it's pre-Fazor.


Keep in mind that I'm totally new in the hi-fi world.

I don't think that I can identify all the details that most of you hear and describe here. I am amazed by this ability and that's what I'm looking to cultivate.

I was just looking for the best headphone my money can buy (and believe me I was saving for a looong time) and start from there.

I am pursuing musical excellence with my wallet and your reviews at the moment  as I don't have any hi-fi opinion formed yet.

My previous headphones include a pair of Parrot Ziks as I'm travelling a lot and the Sennheisers HD435.

So....the ultimate question for me: Should I return them and get the fazor ones? I would like to make the "best" choice for the money it costs as I will be buying such an expensive pair of headphones once or twice in my life.

And as a follow-up: Do you think the non-fazor ones are a compromise because the new are better or it's more of a deal of acoustic preference?

The thing is that I don't think I will be able to tell the difference but also I don't think I will be able to get a new pair anytime soon. But if the fazor ones are without doubt defined as an improvement then it's better to wait a little longer.

If it's worth all the trouble (it will be a LOT of trouble, waiting times from/to Greece will be long) I don't mind waiting. If I can persuade the retailer to change them....if not I will contact Audeze directly.


It just ruined the unboxing experience for me as I was waiting to see the fazor ones but it's ok if you tell me it's ok. :tongue_smile:  

Also the wood treating oil was dry in the bottle and that was also disappointing but that's what almost two years of waiting have as a result. 

Please excuse the postimage upload but I get this message: Your account does not have the required permissions to access this page. I guess it's because I'm new here.

 
http://postimg.org/image/mbhk725m5

Sorry if I was unclear.


I was disappointed because I was expecting the fazor version (its almost mid-2015, I could not imagine I will receive something that "old") and I got the non-fazor version of late 2013.

Also I was dissapointed because the oil was dry and as an overall unboxing experience I was not pleased. I have nothing against the headphones themselves.

 
I can't musically justify my disappointment as I am a total noob.
I am just asking for your opinions as you have a more trained ear.

 
So to rephrase, as at the moment I am unable to judge by myself and considering all the limitations (personal bias, other equipment) and as objectively as possible (I know I am asking for something nearly impossible but I hope you understand) do you think that the fazor version is worth the trouble sending the r2's back or should I stay with the r2's?

When my ear will be trained enough to tell the difference between fazors and non fazors it will be too late to ask for a replacement.

If you're just disappointed with the wood cleaning oil, don't be. You're very very lucky you got a NIB LCD-2.2. I bought an LCD-2F, then bought a used LCD-2.2, and after comparing the 2 side by side, I sold the LCD-2F.

If you like transparent and neutral upstream gears, the LCD-2.2 is perfect. One advise that could matter in terms of SQ, especially if you have ears on bigger side, make sure your ears are as high and as behind as possible in order to prevent your ears from covering up a big chunk of the drivers and therefore avoid masking/rolling-off treble.

The LCD-2.2 is an excellent phone with articulate bass to sub-bass. Sounds very realistic actually. for me it's only weakness is its inefficient and big, I like efficient and portable, even at home (I like relaxing on the couch/Lazboy).

Remember, that kind of LCD-2.2 sound is the sound that MADE Audeze Audeze.

 

[joeexp]

Remember, that kind of LCD-2.2 sound is the sound that MADE Audeze Audeze.

 
 
+1

 

[g4747]

Thank you all for your replies.
I will be ordering an amp this week as I am currently building my system and doing research for what fits the audezes. I am in love with their looks so there was no question about buying them first. 

Until the amp arrives, they will be driven by a Meridian explorer (probably inadequate).
 
What I am asking I understand that can't be actually answered.
Let's try once more.
In your opinion and judging the headphones only (as possible as that is), do you think that the fazors are an improvement over the r2's or more a matter of personal preference?
 
To make a simile, is it like going from a fiat to a ferrari (improvement) or from a porsche to a ferrari (personal preference)?
 
Maybe an owner of both of them could answer to that question, considering that everything else on his/her system remained the same.
 
Maybe what I'm asking is childish but I have just received my new pair of headphones and before using them I would like to be sure that I have made the right choice,
I don't have the budget to make mistakes.

 
Also I don't have the knowledge to judge if I like their sound as compared to what I'm comparing them to (parrot ziks, sennheisers hd435) almost any more expensive headphone would be an improvement. By your answers I understand that the fazor ones can't be clearly described as better headphones, is that right?
 
 
If my personal opinion is of any use I am blown away by the r2's. But what if the fazors are slightly better? I can;t even test them, I have to drive to Athens (250km away) to find a pair to compare.
That's were your valuable knowledge comes to rescue.
 
 
ps. Audeze removed the option to put fazors on my drivers, the only option is to exchange them for a new fazor version.

 

[NoxNoctum]

So how often do you guys use the oil stuff on your rev2s and earlier? (my LCD-2f didn't come with the oil, I think I read somewhere Audeze starting using a different kind of wood that didn't need it) I've had mine for several months and haven't used it yet. TBH I'm a bit nervous to try to.

 

[NoxNoctum]

   
Sorry if I was unclear.

I was disappointed because I was expecting the fazor version (its almost mid-2015, I could not imagine I will receive something that "old") and I got the non-fazor version of late 2013.
Also I was dissapointed because the oil was dry and as an overall unboxing experience I was not pleased. I have nothing against the headphones themselves.
 
I can't musically justify my disappointment as I am a total noob.
I am just asking for your opinions as you have a more trained ear.
 
So to rephrase, as at the moment I am unable to judge by myself and considering all the limitations (personal bias, other equipment) and as objectively as possible (I know I am asking for something nearly impossible but I hope you understand) do you think that the fazor version is worth the trouble sending the r2's back or should I stay with the r2's?
 
When my ear will be trained enough to tell the difference between fazors and non fazors it will be too late to ask for a replacement.

As a noob myself I'm quite sure you'll be able to tell the difference easily. Personally I ended up just buying one of each version that way I didn't need to worry about it. And when you throw the DAC and amp variables into the mix... they're just so many different things that effect the sound. I wanted to be able to listen to each with all the various gear I plan on experimenting with.
 
It's not night and day but it's definitely noticeable. If you can't afford to own both (which I grant is a bit excessive) you could always buy from Crutchfield to try out the Fazor version temporarily. They give you two months to try gear and then return for any reason at all. I did this extensively with several bits of gear and they were extremely flexible and gave me no trouble at all (they also ended up walking away with $3000 of my monies so it wasn't a waste of time for them either

). If you decide you can't live without the Fazor version you can always sell your rev2s. I think there's a pretty good market for them. 
 
What kind of music are you listening to?
 
It definitely comes down to personal preference though. Just look up opinions on this forum, it's split pretty much down the middle. The 2f has better imaging (more "3d" like) but less bass and is less intimate and is a bit less "magical". For me, I generally prefer the rev 2 for metal and the 2f for rock. Other genres I'm still experimenting with.

 

[g4747]

The way you describe it, it seems like there is a change in the signature that qualifies as a "different" one and not a "better" one.

If the difference is between a more neutral sound and a more "Audeze" characteristic sound, I could choose either of the two and still be happy as I don't know which one I would like. I would just hate not having a clearly improved one.


You must be under the impression that I live in U.S. but I live in Greece. I have to travel 250 km (500 km in total) to Athens to find a different pair. 


Returning my 2.2r for 2.2f will require a lot of effort for many reasons (waiting time, persuading the retailer to return them to Audeze for a new pair etc).

I waited one month for this pair.


That's why I was disappointed because spending 1k euros for your first hi-fi pair of headphones and realizing that you have the old, worse version, is not a nice feeling.

 

[joeexp]

  The way you describe it, it seems like there is a change in the signature that qualifies as a "different" one and not a "better" one.

If the difference is between a more neutral sound and a more "Audeze" characteristic sound, I could choose either of the two and still be happy as I don't know which one I would like. I would just hate not having a clearly improved one.
  You must be under the impression that I live in U.S. but I live in Greece. I have to travel 250 km (500 km in total) to Athens to find a different pair. 
  Returning my 2.2r for 2.2f will require a lot of effort for many reasons (waiting time, persuading the retailer to return them to Audeze for a new pair etc).

I waited one month for this pair.
  That's why I was disappointed because spending 1k euros for your first hi-fi pair of headphones and realizing that you have the old, worse version, is not a nice feeling.

Go back to the dealer  - and tell him, he was mis-selling you those Headphones. It's 2015! - Why is he giving you a 2013 model???
I would go back!

 

[g4747]

That was exactly my initial thinking and that's why I was disappointed.
But if the fazor one is not better but just different I will be in a lot of trouble for no actual reason.
I should not receive such an old model, no question about that.
But I'm trying to see if changing them for a new pair is worth it.

 

[joeexp]

Tough one. Some people prefer the version without fazor - some don't. Some say there is  better imaging due to the Fazor, but the LCD2.2 has better bass slam.
 
I'd keep the one you have now and ask for a discount! 

 
Yes a discount for selling something old!

 

[LNCPapa]

I've listened to both quite a bit - and I prefer the non-Fazor.  To make things worse, I got a chance to listen to both the LCD3 in both Fazor and non-Fazor options... and I really loved the LCD3 non-Fazor.  The sad part is the LCD3 non-Fazor is quite hard to find new now and I can't afford to get it at the moment anyway.  The longer it takes me to actually make a move the harder it will be to find a non-Fazor.  As someone mentioned earlier, the bottom end of the graph is very different between F and nF.  nF has beautiful, full, and brown-note deep bass but is slightly lacking at the top end and in spatial positioning.  The F as I mentioned is much better with the top end and space... and is very good on the bottom end but not EXCELLENT like the nF.
 
It all comes down to personal preference and what kind of music you listen to.  What parts of the music really stand out for you?  Use that to make your decision.

 

[g4747]

Thank you for a very detailed answer. I feel a little better now.
Not because you justified not changing them (I'm determined to get into the trouble if it's worth it) but because at first I thought that non fazor was hands down an inferior and outdated product and that's why it was replaced by 2.2f.
Personally I hear classic rock most of the time, including Pink Floyd and acoustically similar bands.
I think I might be fine staying with my non fazor ones. Is that wise?

I'm reposting the graph as I can post pictures now. It seems a little weird to me between 10k and 20k compared to what I've seen.
Also there is no drop around 35 Hz.

 

[jodgey4]

What do you like most about the non-Fazor version you have?
 
What do you like least?
 
At the end of the day it's the sound that matters, so that's what you should focus on.

 

[g4747]

If only I had the trained ears to tell you jodgey4... Or the possibility to compare. Unfortunately I don't.

Also I have just started this hi-fi journey (previous headphones: sennheisers hd435) so at this moment I am just asking you if I got a good deal or not.
If all of you said "buddy, the seller tricked you, 2.2r are noway as good as the fazors, try for a refund or exchange" we would be having a totally different conversation.
 
I will find all the details in sound that you are talking about in due time but I would like to be sure beforehand that my base on which I will build this experience is a solid one. And only experienced users have this answer, even if what I'm asking is not that objective.
 
I hope that I'm being understood.