Audeze LCD2 Planar Magnetic Headphones

The Audeze LCD 2.2 is one of the most popular headphones on Head-Fi. Much has already been written about them, so adding yet another review may not offer anything new or different. However, when the 2.2 line was upgraded to include Fazor technology, the reviews were a little more divided. Some loved the upgrade. Others hated it and felt the non-Fazor model was better.
 
Which is it?
 
Well, I can't answer that because I've never heard the non-Fazor model. But, I can tell you the Fazor version is fabulous.
 
Evaluation Setup:
 
Amplifier: TEAC HA-501
DAC: Schiit Bifrost Uber
Source: iPod Classic via Pure i20 dock with coaxial connection
Tweak: Charleston Cable Company Canare cable (not for sonic improvements, but for sturdiness and longevity; stock cable is fragile and doesn't inspire confidence)
 
The way I can best describe the LCD 2.2F sound is to take you through my audio journey.
 
My first entry into "high end" headphones was the Beyerdynamic DT880/250 ohm. At first, these were wonderful. Crisp details that I never heard in my music before. Better imaging than anything I've ever experienced. After about a year, I realized that the initial wonder wore off and they weren't for me. I found them dry, brittle, boring, and lacking bass.
 
The next natural transition from the DT880 in search of more excitement was the DT990/600 ohm. These certainly were very exciting. The bass was much more pronounced, the treble was sizzling, and the v-curve that got me through my youth was in full effect. There was more meat and life on the bones, so to speak. However, after about a year or so, I decided the treble was really too much, especially when fed from a solid state amp.
 
I then purchased the Sennheiser HD600. At first, it was perfect. It was a balanced signature, with much more controlled treble. It was smooth and enjoyable. I was pretty happy with these for about two years, but then I found the bass lacking. They also suffered the dreaded 3-stage blob and made some recordings seem unnatural.
 
The next natural move was to adopt the HD650. These did in fact have more bass, so all was right with the world. However, they were almost too polite and laid back. The treble was clear, and they don't have the lack of treble that so many people claim. It's just sweet and subdued, but almost in an unnatural way. Some tracks sounded marvelous, yet others sounded dull, congested, and claustrophobic. There was too much midbass creep for my liking. Also suffered the 3-stage blob. It took me less than a year to reach the conclusion that I liked these cans, but I still wanted more.
 
About the same time I bought the HD650, I also purchased the Shure SRH1540. Up to this point, all of my headphones had been open designs, and I thought I might try the closed variety. They are pretty darn good, but they really have too much bass for my liking. I always thought of myself as a basshead, but these cans showed me that I wasn't. There was simply too much low bass, and the midbass creep was even worse than the HD650. My search would continue.
 
Enter the Audeze LCD 2.2F. I'm not going to go into exquisite details trying to describe the sound signature using as long list of creative adjectives or metaphors. That's been done countless times here on Head-Fi. Rather, I'll state that these headphones have finally given me the exact sound signature I've been looking for this whole time.
 
Pros:
 
-The sound is balanced from top to bottom. The bass is accurate and tight, while the treble is natural. No sizzle. It's life-like and clear. A criticism of the non-Fazor version is lack of top end clarity and treble extension. Not these. These do treble right.
 
-There is no midbass creep at all. At first listen, I actually thought the LCD 2.2F were bass light. However, once my brain adjusted, I realized it was because there was no midbass creep and what I was hearing was the natural bass range in the recordings. It also cleared the way to hear the deepest of deep bass much more clearly.
 
-Soundstage and imaging is a very personal thing, and also one of the more disagreed upon topics when reviewing headphones. Compared to all of the other headphones listed above, the LCD 2.2F has the best soundstage and imaging. I'm bringing this up because one of the debated weak points of the LCD 2.2 (Fazor and non-Fazor) has been the soundstage. These aren't the last word in width or depth, but I found them to have the most believable and balanced of all my headphones. The image is coherent and extends into the corners that the other headphones miss. There is no 3-stage blob. When sounds track from right to left, the sounds no longer go "over" my head or "in front" of it in an unnatural manner. The sounds go through my head in a natural, linear movement. Very believable and life-like. The soundstage also has excellent height. They are the tallest of all my headphones.
 
The sound is clear and non-fatiguing. With my other headphones, I could get either clarity or non-fatigue, but not both. The LCD 2.2F pull both off. There's no haze, veil, congestion, or claustrophobia. 
 
The sound is fast, accurate, and has a natural timbre.
 
Overall, I love these headphones. When I first got them, I went through a little buyer's remorse because they were expensive. However, I got over that very quickly and they put a smile on my face every time I put them on my head.
 
Cons:
 
Heavy and can make your head uncomfortable after long listening periods. The stock cable is cheap and horrible. I don't believe much in cable magic, but I bought a replacement cable just to have something stronger and more likely to survive years of use. After all, I plan on having these for a long time. They are very expensive, so there is a huge barrier to entry in this realm.

Growing up poor in Bucharpest, life often felt like this:
 
 
 
Then I got a wife and a job.  Now I am like this:
 
 
 
So now I was flush with cash and had nothing to spend it on.  Then I heard about the LCD-2.  The more I kept reading, the more excited I got.
 

 
And then I ordered.  And waited:
 
 
Then one day, a package came:
 
 
And I was like:
 
Then it was time for the unboxing:
 
 
Then came the listening. At first I was like:
 

 
Probably because of burn in or something.  But after 30 seconds the beat dropped, and it was like:
 
It was kind of weird when it was just me, but when I showed it to my wife and friends we were all:
 
Needless to say, when I first heard about burn in I was like:
 
But now I firmly believe:
 
 
Then I started surfing the forums looking for more great gear:
 
 
My friends and I would rock out with our headphones every night:
 
Long after they had all gone home, I was still burning the midnight oil, listening to my jams:
 
 
It was like Wall Street during the coke years.  I'd stay up all night and then go to work and put in my 60.  I thought my performance hadn't slipped at all.  But my bosses were like:

Then I went a step further and started getting all my audiophile packages at work:
 
My boss waited until a new one came and had it sent to his office. I had to go there to pick it up. When I came in, he was like:
 
After he fired me, I came home. My wife was not understanding, she dumped me:
 
I thought she was bluffing, so I gave her some time:
 
But she sent divorce papers over. Then I had to hire a lawyer. He talked a lot about how she wouldn't get a dime, so I was like:

I even sold the Audeze to pay for legal bills and as a result lost all my new friends. The little money the lawyer didn't take went to my ex, as she left court with the last of my cash she did a little dance on the ashes of our marriage:
 
Now I am poor and alone in Bucharpest again:
 
Screw you Audeze.

I felt extremely priveledged to be included in the first group of people to hear the long awaited and much anticipated release of Audeze's LCD2. Some history: I am not new to planar magnetic technology and have been an avid fan and disciple of planar magnetic headphones ever since I was lured into the murky waters by the vintage yamaha orthodynamic headphones. If not for the keen efforts of wualta on HeadFi, this dream would most likely not have been realised. I first heard about Audeze when a friend and fellow discple of orthodynamic headphones discovered this small company in California, managed to make contact with them and establish that initial dialogue which brought to us the LCD1 and now the LCD2. I really liked the LCD1, it was my first glimpse at what modern planar drivers were capable of. The LCD1 was a top performer and finally offered a modern headphone that had better performance than the venerable Fostex T50vx. It did most things that one would want from a headphone but finally didn't have the ability to reproduce the bass notes with the authority that they deserved. The LCD1 was
always aimed at being a market entry headphone with limited production, as it used an off the shelf foster frame and cup the biggest weaknss for these drivers in the end as they were more than capable of superb performance. The LCD2 is finally here to continue the promise from this dedicated company. An aside on Audeze - they have been very open to guidance from the experience of the headphone community and have worked hard to address most peoples concerns/requests in their development
process. I would be remiss if I did not mention the HE5 from HeadDirect. This is another planar magnetic headphone which made a surprise appearance at CanJam 09 and has garnered much popularity amongst headphiles. I have had the opportunity to hear 2 versions of this headphone, the earliest suffered some congestion on the bass and a peakiness in the upper mids, the later version had cleaned up the bass with some damping but the peak remained and although it was still a very good headphone, it still needed some fine tuning. I have not yet heard the HE5LE but this was version is supposed to address the concerns noted in the HE5.
 
Back to the LCD2.
Music chain - RED BOOK CD - Yamaha DVD1700(SACD) - highly modified Sonic Frontiers Transdac - direct coupled tube hybrid amplifier with class A mosfet output.

My music preference is vocal/acoustic/jazz/rock/blues/classical
 
Build quility:
Initial impressions on opening the box were very positive. My review sample did not come in the wooden box but that did not detract from my initial impressions. The black grills against the wood immediately caught my eye , not sure if they had me in mind when they were designing these but they sure had my attention. Weighing in at 1/2kg, these headphones leave you with both visual appeal and a tactile sense of anticipation. The overall engineering is rock solid. Steel sprung headband with metal ratchet type arm adjustments allow for a very sturdy feel. No slipping and no movement once they are positioned where you want them. The foam headband has caused a little stir of dissappointment in the community but make no mistake, they are very comfortable. They do not retain the impression of my sophisticted headphone stand ( a large hand clamp). The cups themselves are solid, lovely wood with a simple finish, as it turns out "Hand selected Caribbean Rosewood". The addition of the mini xlr is a welcome addition and offers an elegant solution to custom cable connectors of many manufacturers. The steel  rill is attractive and finishes the overall look of these headphones. Someone described them as "steampunk". The grill trills when you drag a nail over the surface but I cannot hear any resonance concerns with them. They also are able to screw off, allowing the more adventurous to modify and fine tune the sound to their liking. The Pads are substantial and offer great support and seal to create the soundscape that enables notes to be be free and create that ever important soundstage. I was a little concerned about how hard the leather was, but the lambskin do not sweat ( a huge negative of the stock O2 pads ) and they are more comfy than I had anticipated. You are most definitely aware that you are wearing a serious pair of headphones, none of this " I forgot I was even wearing them" but after 3 hours, I still felt comfortable.

I was told that these drivers had only had an hour of play on them and thus I anticipated the need for a little burn in. I naturally could not wait indefinately to hear them and I am not completely sold on the idea of prolonged burn in. To me if it takes 500 hours for a headphone to sound good to you, you have acclimated to the sound signature and learned how to appreciate it. But that is a can of worms for another debate. I had a few hours before I could sit down with them so I put on some white noise and let them warble.
 
The first night I just sat back and listened to them, I can normally pick up on idiosyncracies pretty quickly with casual listening. Nothing jumped out at me and I thoroughly enjoyed the following 3 hours, would I be a prat to say they had PRaT .
 
The next round comprised listening to some white noise, pink noise and frequency sweeps ( stereophile editors choice test CD ) - subjectively there are no peaks, no inconsistencies, white noise is   homogenous , it extends both high and low.
 
Sound impressions:
An emphasis on impressions - subjective attributes based on personal preferences.
Treble:
I like my headphones to present a detailed top end with air and delicacy. This is evident in most all recordings. Live recordings sound just that, live. The acoustic space and pinpoint timing of a Jazz band is reflected in the percussion, ensuring a particularly intimate experience. Is it the most detailed ortho I have heard, no, some of my orthos are damped to  enhance the top end and moving from such an orthodynamic headphone to the LCD2, the initial reduction in top end energy is  noticeable but that feeling is soon replced by a sense of overall balance and enjoyment. I am sure there will be some who
would like a more pronounced top end, this is afterall a selfish hobby which promotes personal preferences but for me, these headphones offer a perfectly balanced sound.
 
Mids:
The mids are what particularly stand out for me. They have a rich tonal balance with no loss or emphasis, sound "organic" yet are not boring. They have a richness of tone that very few headphones or speakers redropuce, without sounding "lush".  There is no hint of sibilance and will bring even the toughest logger to his knees if he hears xxx (insert favourite female vocalist here) Not many  headphones reproduce the lower mids well as many headphones have a low mid upper bass bump - this directly impacts on the baritone and can often paint a muddled picture in this department. I listened to an assortment of recordings which focus on the voice within an acoustic space, I wish I could share this experience with you. Just breathtaking and absolutely natural.
 
Bass:
The downfall of so many great orthos - do you leave them slightly underdamped so that the bass throbs with a little less control than would be ideal or do you tighten it up so that the bass is several dB down but very tight and accurate. The LCD2 has no problem here - it just keeps going down. The acoustic bass of YoYoMa's cello on the Appalachian Waltz reverberates with multilayered bass that it transfixed me for the moment. I initially thought I heard some low bass warble but it turned out after much listening and reflection that I was hearing bass notes in the music which had never featured in my experience
of the music before. This was only on one particular electronica piece of music which I don't listen to ferquently but does extend the bass notes pretty low. Bach's Toccata's and Fugues sound vivid, Ulanji's bass drum virtuoso is thunderous and never did I feel the bass was congested or lacked definition. Tha bass is tight, punchy, fast and layered with all the texture of the mids. Does it sound as deep as the venerable TP , no, the TP's feel like they have greater impact but they are also closed and lose some of that depth and layering as a consequence.
 
Overall:
I have been modifying vintage orthodynamic headphones for some time and have a good feel for what I am trying to achieve when I start out with any given model. The LCD2 accomplishes many of these objectives and manages to retain an open soundstage  without compromising the depth of bass extention or delicacy of treble articulation and the mids are just "to die for". I knew that my time was coming to an end with this pair of headphones and my final wow came when I listened to a piece of
Scottish Folk music recorded by Linnrecords , William Jacksons CorryVrechan. It is a very dramatic piece of music with wide  dynamic swings, drums, bass, bagpipes, pennywhistle, just a lovely shamble of music. It was the perfect note to finish my experience as it left me feeling invigorated and so completely convinced that these headphones were a must have for my collection. I for one am convinced that this is the advance in magnetic planar technology that I had hoped it would be.
 
..dB

I would like to preface this by saying I've not had the kind of time I had with my Denon AH-D7000s - which were my favorite headphones that got almost 100% of head-time and hundreds of hours of use - as I have with my LCD-2s.  However, I shall be using them as the basis of comparison since I found - and still find - the D7000s to be an amazing pair of headphones, especially for their price point.  I bought these headphones at the beginning of September with the intention of getting a sample of their sound and perhaps even making them my top choice of headphone.  For the sake of reference, I was using a Nuforce Icon HDP as a DAC and amp.  At this point, I can definitely say they are now my go-to headphones.  On to the review!
Revision: After having spent six months with these headphones, I've come to a few new conclusions that I think are worthy of sharing.  These new conclusions will be based partly on my experiences with the LCD-2s and the Audio GD NFB-10SE - a combo I am loving - and the much extended listening time I've had since the original review.  The revised sections will be marked as such.

Packaging and Design 
   This was the most over-packaged headphone I've ever bought.  It was in the beautiful wooden box, with foam, inside of another cardboard box, inside of a larger cardboard box.  The box that carries the LCD-2 itself is a dark, polished wood with the Audez'e logo on the bottom right of the lid.  Inside is red silk(?), and some foam on the inside of the lid to protect the LCD-2s.  The LCD 2s smelled strongly of Oak - due to the wood polish, I presume - and leather.  The headphones themselves are extremely sturdy and heavy (this will be discussed further in the 'comfort and use' section).  These won't be breaking anytime soon.  
   These are completely open, and although very attractive and stylish looking off the head, look absolutely foolish while on the skull.  The headphone jack is a large, silver 1/4 inch (or 6.33 mm) plug with a bit of black rubber that screws on.  Overall, these headphones are sturdy and well-made, but I gave them a half-star less because of the weight and how ridiculous they look on the head.

Comfort and Use
  This seemed to be a point of contention on the LCD-2 thread before it was locked.  I will admit it's a bit of hit-and-miss in terms of comfort, but I found having the large back end of the leather pads sitting at the point where the jaw meets the neck is prime.  These aren't nearly as comfortable as my Denon D7000s - which disappear on the head without question -, but for somebody with an enormous noggin' (I have to adjust it almost all the way up) it's not so bad.  If you have a small head and/or neck, you'll have to get adjusted to the heftiness of the LCD-2s.  The clamp force is a measure greater than what I expected or am used to, which may become an issue depending on the music you're listening to or how long you use them.

Sound
     
     Highs:  The highs on the LCD-2s are brilliant.  The Beyer Dt990s up until hearing the LCD-2s had the best highs I had ever heard, especially paired with a warm amp.  However, once listening to Dream Theater, Rush, and various classical music, I have found a clear winner.  Sibilant is not even in the same building as these headphones.  Cymbals and hi-hats are perfectly crisp, high vocals are engaging and wonderful.  There is absolutely no artificial tonality to these headphones.  It feels as if the singer is in the room with you as the music plays.  I used to think the Denons had natural-sounding highs, but the LCD-2s are far superior.  A word of advice, though:  these headphones, like most, shine when given proper recording.  Give it a 128 kbps, and you won't feel the magic.  I can definitely say the mids and bass on these cans are definitely their strong point, but the highs are certainly no slouch.
     Revision: The highs are heavily dependent on how well textured the amp or source is.  My Nuforce is a bit laid back, at least in comparison with my NFB, so the highs weren't as articulate as they could be. With the NFB, the highs are distinct and well-articulated, but it seems to bring the highs themselves closer to an in-your-face Grado signature.  The strengths of the LCD-2 highs - natural, non-sibilant and engaging - were amplified, but very occasionally the highs were striding the fence on sibilant.  
     Mids:  The crown prince of mids has earned his title.  The vocals are never harsh, or artificial.  Every note is sweet and perfectly executed.  "Spanish Harlem", a song I've noticed thrown around a lot as a benchmark for engaging mids, sounds mesmerizing on these headphones.  It's like Rebecca Pidgeon is whispering into your ear the entire song.  Voice has a very live, natural quality to it.  I had never realized how recessed the midrange had been on my Denons or M50s until having heard these.  Listening to the song "Autumn Serenade" from "Standards" is stunning.  The Denons have sweet, engaging vocals, but the LCD-2s bring life and naturalness to singing in a way no other headphone can.  Another song by Livingston Taylor, "Grandma's Hands", is conveyed with a natural energy that I've yet to hear again.  There is no negative to the mids.  If you enjoy mids, go for a pair of LCD-2s.  You will not be disappointed by any means.
    Revision: The mids are, and remain to be, the strength of the LCD-2s.  In general, the NFB provides a lot more power and articulation than the Nuforce did, which lends better distinction to the vocals.  This shouldn't be mistaken for emphasis or edginess.  Mid-range clarity and naturalness is merely enhanced, as if the singer cleared their throat and gave it some extra oomph.
   Bass:  The bass of the LCD-2s does not have the impact of my D7000s, by any stretch.  That is something you will notice immediately coming from a pair of fun and bassy headphones to these.  Although it doesn't have as much impact as a pair of D7000s, it certainly has plenty of impact to spare.  With the song "Slam" by Pendulum, the first minute or so of the song can be a challenge for a headphone to really deliver the kind of 'Slam' for which the song is titled.  The LCD-2s do so perfectly, and with a refinement that trumps the Denons.  A very good test of bass is the song "Failure in the Flesh" by Through the Eyes of the Dead, which can also be challenging for a headphone to do properly.  On the LCD-2s, the drum notes and vocals have a beautiful union of force and refinement.   There is no muddiness whatsoever, no matter how low or how strong the bass goes.  The bass on these beauties is liquid, refined and extended.
    Revision: As with the mids, the bass isn't necessarily emphasized over the rest of the frequency range.  Everything in the lower end is just better articulated, textured and powered over the Nuforce's performance.  I would also compare the change in signature from the Nuforce to NFB with leaning towards the AKG, but the bass proves this not to be.  Bass notes are tighter, punchier and faster, but still fast and natural.  
    Soundstage:  Oh yes, soundstage.  Most closed headphones simply can't compete with open headphones in terms of soundstage, and the LCD-2s don't make me disbelieve this.  The soundstage is much wider than my Denons - which I believe is again from the open design -, and much deeper.  All the notes feel as if they're placed accurately and distinctly in space.  Listen to any drum-heavy song, and you'll understand what it really means to feel the music.  "Festival De Teum" feels down right ethereal through these cans.  If that choir is 10 feet above you, and thirty feet forward, you'll definitely know it with these headphones.
   Revision: Not much to say here, but I definitely feel like soundstage was improved.  This might be because presence and transience are far improved, so each note feels distinct in space, but I do believe depth is noticeably better.
   Presence and Transience:  One of my problems with choosing which headphone stays or goes was how different the presentation was between the Denons and LCD-2s.  The D7000s have, hands-down, some of the best instrument separation and presence I've ever heard.  However, after a lot of listening to the LCD-2s, I've decided I prefer them.  Everything is transparent and clear through these headphones, which was a caveat for the Denons.  As with soundstage, any drum-heavy track will reveal just how well these headphones do Presence, and how quickly.  The Dt990s are the fastest headphones I've ever heard by far, but the LCD-2s aren't too far behind.  Cymbals have a crisp, clean quality, and every note feels distinct.
   Revision: If you had a problem with the LCD-2's presence and transience, the NFB will fix it in kind.  Every single part of the music is distinct, clear and clean.  This might be the largest improvement I heard from the NFB, and generally brings the LCD-2s closer to the Grados or AKGs in this respect.  Heavy metal, rock and classical all benefit extremely well from this enhancement.  It's almost as if the LCD-2s were veiled with the Nuforce, and now it's being set free by the change in source/amp.
 Conclusion:  These are all around the best headphones I've ever heard.  Nothing sounds bad on them, and everything feels natural, transparent and liquid.  According to the FR graph, these headphones are reasonably neutral, and I have to agree.  They're not bottom-heavy like my Denons were, or too focused in the mids and highs like I find my Grado Sr-80s.  They're not as comfortable as my Denons by a large margin, and might cause some fatigue after extended listening.  When properly amped, they can deliver sweet musical bliss.  I only have experience with the Meier Opera and Nuforce Icon HDP, but the Amp Recommendations thread has impressions for every amp under the sun with these.  Overall, I would definitely recommend this to any headphone user (if you have $1000 to drop) with a proper amp and a large cranium.
  Revision: The LCD-2s are truly chameleons in the way they respond to changes in amps.  The sound signature remains slightly dark, and their strengths are the same - transparency, clarity, midrange, naturalness, etc. - but each amp seems to add its flavor to the headphones themselves.  I wouldn't say it's drastic, as with the Paradox t50 mods, but it's certainly noticeable.

These were recommended by local dealer HifiSound who had just received his first order of LCD-2's. I compared them to Grado RS1 and other headphones in my price range in the UK.
 
Love the deep and punchy bass, it is full but tight with no sign of the one note bass in other phones.
 
The midrange and treble are very clear and sound natural. Strings, percussion, guitars and vocals are all clear.
 
They are heavy but quite comfortable for me. I could and do listen for ages because the sound is really relaxing and musical.
 

This is purely preliminary, as I have owned the LCD-2s for only a few days, and I am not yet running them on my rig of choice.
 
Equipment
 
I am using a 2008 Mac mini running OS X 10.6.7 for playback. Primary playback is through Fidelia, with some secondary listening on Pure Music. All files are lossless ALAC or uncompressed AIFF files. Most files are iTrax 96/24, Linn 192/24, HD Tracks hi-res, or DVD-Audio tracks [specific discs listened to more than once noted below]. Signal out is USB into an Audiophileo Model 1, into a PS Audio DL III DAC w/ Cullen IV Mods, running balanced into an RSA Apache. Plenty of quality cable, too, 
 
My LCD-2s have the stock cable. That may change.
 
Music [all rips at full available resolution]:
 
Riccardo Muti/CSO Verdi Requiem [HD Tracks]
Robert Shaw/ASO Verdi Requiem [Telarc]
Cantate Domino [HD Tracks]
Accardo/Orchestra da Camera Italiana Vivaldi Four Seasons [HD Tracks]
Jackson Browne Running on Empty [DVD-A]
Claire Martin Witchcraft [Linn 192/24]
Carol Kidd Tell Me Once Again [Linn 192/24]
Diana Krall Look of Love [DVD-A]
T. Rex Electric Warrior [DVD-A]
Fleetwood Mac Rumours [DVD-A]
Eagles Hotel California [DVD-A]
Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet [DVD-A]
AIX All Star Band Moonlight Acoustica
AIX All Star Band Goldberg Acoustica
Jazz Side of the Moon [HD Tracks]
 
Comfort
 
My headphones are of the 2011 "final" vintage. They are actually quite comfortable, though heavier than other cans I own. They appear to be well made, quite solid, and the aesthetics are very pleasing. Others who own them have already described the very "plush" presentation in which these arrive. The wooden box, though not heavy, is very attractive. The inclusion of a frequency response graph is a nice touch. Much thought seems to have gone into making the purchaser very pleased to have waited for these hand-built headphones. They have a wonderful "new material" smell.
 
On the head, I have not found the LCD-2s uncomfortable from a pressure, weight, or temperature perspective. As a result of some medical issues three years ago, I lost a fair bit of muscle tissue in my neck, but I still find the LCD-2s comfortable to wear for several hours at a time. The Senns are more comfortable, to be sure.
 
Listening:
 
At first listen, my rig appears to have plenty of power and headroom for the LCD-2s. I say "appears," because as noted in a couple of my posts in the forums, I am getting something that sounds like clipping, crackling, or membrane breakup on the drum thwacks in the Dies Irae of Verdi's Requiem on the Robert Shaw Telarc recording. The Riccardo Muti recording does not exhibit this behavior, but some Telarc recordings are renowned for their bass transients and dynamic range. Alex Rosson at Audez'e is trying out the same track. It is possible the problem lies upstream, but if so, it is not audible on any other headphone [Sennheiser 800, Darth Beyer Terminator IV, Jerry Harvey JH13 Pro]. I plan to run the LCD-2s on a Decware Taboo amp, which outputs 6 watts per. It has not yet arrived.
 
Most of my listening reference comparisons will be to the Sennheiser 800s that I run balanced on the same rig, with some reference to the JH-13s, which I still find amazing..
 
Soundstage
 
The soundstage of the LCD-2s is not as wide as the Senns, nor as tall, but it may be deeper. When I sketch out the Senn soundstage, as compared to the LCD-2, it is stretched wider and taller, but not as deeply three-dimensional. This means that on large scale orchestral works, such as the Verdi Requiem, the LCD-2 feels a bit more constricted, though instruments sound correctly placed. On more intimate recordings, like the jazz and vocals, those differences are less obvious.
 
The Senns appear to have more air around treble note instruments like flute and high-hat, less discernibly so on piano and violin. I am not at all sure it is a natural sound, though, as noted below.
 
Vocals
 
The LCD-2s are gorgeous with female vocals. Carol Kidd just has to be heard to be believed. My assistant is a Brit, for whom Carol Kidd and Claire Martin are icons. When she listed to Kidd, she literally cried hearing Moon River.
 
I felt the same way listening to Muti & the CSO's rendition of Verdi's Requiem. The cadence of this Requiem is quite a bit different from the Shaw recording, and in some spots, those differences are breathtaking. The LCD-2s bring a lushness to the massed choral works. I didn't do any extensive listening to Beethoven's 9th, but I am going to. I expect the pleasure to be similar. The combination of richness in the human voice, whether solo or massed, along with the front-to-back depth of the LCD-2s delivers an immersed quality to these works. Similarly with strings.
 
Highs
 
I am very much undecided on the highs. As you read this, you should know I am in my mid-50s, and all the tests indicate my hearing is not what it used to be. Those same medical issues I mentioned above left me with tinnitus as well, so I have to hear "past" that. Just the same, the Senns sound more airy than the LCD-2s. No shock there given what everyone else has written. But I do not find the LCD-2s dark at all. They simply sound more natural to me. On the Vivaldi Four Seasons, the upper strings do not sound "flattened" or "compressed," as they can with inadequate high frequency extension. Similarly with the air of a live performance [Running on Empty] or Mick Fleetwood's cymbal work. The LCD-2s sound completely natural, and only sound "un-airy" if I listen again after the Senns. I believe that the open-ness of the Senns, plus their very exacting detail, might create an artificial sense of air and high frequency extension.
 
[FWIW, although I did my best to level set the two headphones, I will be the first to admit that it is unlikely they were truly level.]
 
Bass
 
As noted above, something in my system is producing a problem with the Telarc Verdi recording, but only on the LCD-2s.  I am not faulting the LCD-2s, because I don't know enough yet what the source might be. I have a friend waiting for his to arrive; we can compare his set. And I have another amp on the way as well. I also plan to test the LCD-2s on CD playback of the original with my Oppo BDP-95 to see if any DAC or file issues are at work.
 
Having said that, I found the LCD-2s brought forth all the bass I could ask for. I never really thought the Senns were light in bass until now. And it's not muddy, floppy pants bass. It's the real deal. Not the somewhat exaggerated bass of my Terminators, either. There are some amazing lower register notes on both Requiem recordings and the Cantate Domino [you really ought to hear that recent re-release from HD Tracks]. Bass transients attack and decay very timely, lending a sense of precision to the bass. On fun stuff like Running on Empty, bass notes are delivered with significant authority.
 
Conclusion
 
It's early, but it's not hard to imagine that I will get another set of these, if the initial impressions hold up. I simply won't want to have to choose where to have them.

I am gonna make it short. This is it! This is the headphone for me from trying out lots of different ones.
 
LCD 2 sounds really warm with my WA 6 SE. But that doesn't mean the sound is muffled. The mid and treble is super clear without going too bright!.And it sounds so real. Especially the instruments. I am a basshead and I have to say this headphone has the best bass I ever heard. I compared it with D5000/7000 and Ed 8 which are all fantastic in the bass department. Ed 8 and D7000 have very very good bass that are well controlled, D5000's one is a lil bit boomy, uncontrolled. The LCD 2 has the deepest bass. It goes way down. The bass depth is just incredible. And it has reasonable soundstage which I found is as good as D7000. 
 
Btw, although it's a bit heavy, But I never found it uncomfortable. I can wear it 2 - 3 hours with no problem.
 
If you like your music to sound real, I suggest this is the one for you. Especially good for pop and hip hop. Actually it's capable at doing any genre from what I tried. There is no doubt why this is headphone is ranking number one here! It really bring the music to real life for you! 
 
And IMO, no headphones ~$1000 price range can compete with LCD 2.
 
 
 
 

Pros of Audeze LCD-2 R2:
1. Midrange (natural, detail, seduction..->phenomenal mids makes even harshest rock or terrible mordern electronic pop sound super smooth and emotional/touchy but still full of energy)
2. Treble (oudstanding quality and natural treble, slightly lacks the quantity though)
3.Bass (Very detailed, fast, tight and powerful bass. Although I know it will be hard to implement this for such an open and top-tier hi-fi headphone, BUT a little more kick, impact, solid at mid-bass and bigger amount at sub-bass would become perfect )
4. Good design and material (excepts the stock cable and tough pads)
Compared headphones: few Denon, Beyer, grado, Sony fullsize models, jvc, sony, westone..iems

To me the Audeze LCD-2 has a very full sound; they are the closest thing to what well-placed, full-range speakers would sound like if they were put on my head. Everything is there, with plenty of detail and perfect placement. They are extremely well-balanced, and quite agile. Hypnotic even. Also effortless, like you would expect a planar to be. The LCD-2 is both subtle and overwhelming, like attending a live symphony for the first time.

Physically, the LCD-2 is a very substantial headphone. They do feel a bit heavy at first, but their weight quickly becomes unnoticeable. By the second listen they did not seem heavy at all to me. As far as the foam padding for the headband goes, it was not as dense as I was expecting; it is a very fine type of open cell foam, and it slopes away at the ends. I think that it could be a bit denser, like a memory foam, and perhaps contoured into a more convex shape for added stability. And yes the foam could use at least a stretchy fabric cover (I did promise to nitpick in this department after all).

The LCD-2 comes in a classy wood box with a padded velvet lining, but you have to remove the substantial cable to store them in it. The cable is easy to remove and re-attach, however. As far as the cable goes, I suppose that I prefer a softer, more supple type of wire, wrapped in fabric rather than techflex. But this is both personal preference and quite correctable, much like the headband. The clamping around the ears does feel tight, especially with eyeglasses and I suppose that is my only real comfort issue; hopefully the earpads will break in a bit to alleviate this.

Back to the sound. I would say that when you first listen to the LCD-2 the one thing that stands out more than anything is that nothing stands out. No humps or divots anywhere, if that makes any sense. The highs are quite extended and offer all the detail you could want, without being fatiguing in any way. Absolutely everything is quite defined and right where it should be, placement-wise. The lows are extremely detailed and extended as well, without any of the punchiness that I have come to expect from a good headphone.
 
As the best headphone that I have in my collection prior to acquiring the LCD-2 is the HiFiMAN HE-5, I will be mostly using it for comparison. I remember being surprised when someone commented that the HE-5 had "one note" bass, now I understand. The HE-5 has headphone bass that goes low and punchy like a subwoofer, while the LCD-2 has a more natural, nuanced, and integrated bass presentation. The lows are all there, and they extend nicely with brilliant, realistic texture without distracting from the rest of the overall presentation.
 
While I really like the HE-5, the LCD-2 is a step up. I had been without the HE-5 for some time and was unable to do a direct comparison right off the bat, but I could still tell that the LCD-2 is a different beast, with a more understated overall musicality that sacrifices nothing. I would go as far as to say that the LCD-2 relegates the HE-5 into becoming a "fun" headphone; when you want to get serious, put the LCD-2 on.
 
The mids on the LCD-2 are all there as well and quite sweet without any added warmth; the detail is completely present without distracting from the music in any way. Everything is so well balanced on these headphones, while they cannot be called mid-centric you really know there is something special going on in the meat of the spectrum. The highs are not rolled off at all either, they are quite extended and full of exceptional detail much like on the HE-5 but are somewhat smoother to my ears. We're definitely talking minute differences here, and the HE-5 holds up very well in comparison.
 
You're not going to miss a thing with the LCD-2, but they do seem to focus on what is most important. I have been in a happy genre rut recently, and they seem to have taken me out of that. I am now attracted to the more diverse music in my collection than I have been for quite some time. I really enjoy throwing different things at these headphones, and they are absolutely up to the task.

The soundstage of this "headphone" (I want to call them earspeakers, the first time I have ever had that sensation) is multi-dimensional. Not noticeably wider than deeper, or vice versa but quite present. The LCD-2 offers mid-theater like proximity, without sacrificing any intimacy. They seem to reverberate without adding any resonance as well. If it wasn't for the stiffness of the new lambskin pads against my eyeglasses, I wouldn't even be aware that I was wearing headphones.

The LCD-2 is surprisingly easy to drive, as some have said it is even possible with an iPod, yet they seem quite capable of picking out any flaws in mid to high end systems as well. I am listening to them through my EF5 for now, with a Bel Canto DAC1 processing lossless music files.
 
After a listening session with a Woo WA22 and a balanced DAC, I have surmised that the LCD-2 is quite capable of "scaling up" in respect to the source and amplification. Soon I will be upgrading the chain with further with a re-clocking s/pdif converter into a balanced source, and I already have a much better balanced amplifier on the way. I also have the mini-XLR connectors en route for the fabrication/modification of a silver balanced cable that I have laying around that was never finished correctly. So this "review" is really a collection of initial impressions, which may well evolve in the future.
 
I was not blown away at first, but the LCD-2 does seem to get better and better (and better) with each listen. They seem to only want to reveal a bit about themselves at a time. It's like learning to appreciate a fine wine, or the difference that a really good cigar offers; your senses have to catch up to the added nuances. I would go as far as to say that the auditory information offered by the LCD-2 is like seeing the sun set on the water for the first time. It's hard to take it all in on the first observation, or listening session, but you are rewarded with new revelations every time you come back for another look (or listen, as it were).
 
A week or two after I received the LCD-2 I got my old favorites, the HE-5 back from China. They still sound fantastic to me, and I still think they are great headphones. The LCD-2 in comparison are weightier, from both a physical (putting on the HE-5 is like a breath of fresh air comfort-wise; the pads don't need any breaking in--so I can keep my glasses on while wearing them--and they are much less "hefty" than the LCD-2) and from a sound quality standpoint. Both of these headphones do everything right IMHO, but the LCD-2 keeps the bright top end while also adding some more overall weight, or body, to the sound. They also seem to provide a bit more texture.
 
The HE-5 in no way sounds anemic, like say an under-amped K701, but the LCD-2 is just a bit more full sounding. The only area that feels out of whack is that it seems like the HE-5 should be easier to drive than the LCD-2, since it sounds and feels lighter, but it's the other way around. The HE-5 never struck me as a physically lightweight headphone but compared to the LCD-2 they seem downright dainty. In a back-alley brawl there would be no contest.
 
I really was missing the HE-5 when I was without them and the replacements didn't disappoint, they sounded great right out of the box as I said earlier. So great that I had to do some real switching back and forth to be fully convinced that the LCD-2 has a little more to offer. But they do cost almost 40% more; even so the HE-5 really does hold their own against them.
 
My balanced tube amplifier has taken a detour for now (hopefully I will have it worked out soon), but both of these headphones sound great out of my EF5 hybrid amplifier with a Bel Canto DAC 2. This is Orthodynamic planar goodness at its finest, and I can't wait until it's my turn to demo the HE-6!

So I've had my pair for around a month and they have very quickly shown themselves to be deserving to be amongst some of the very best headphones I've ever heard.
 
Bass:
Absolutely the best bass of any headphone I've ever heard. Deeper, more defined and controlled than anything out there. The amazing thing is just how scary good it is and with ZERO bleeding into the mids.
 
Mids:
Along with the T1s, I consider the LCD-2's mids to be the best I've ever heard as well. Both male and female vocals excel exceptionally well with them. Incredibly organic and upfront with outstanding detail, presence and still very musical.
 
Treble:
Very nice treble, but with some of my recordings, they can seem a bit recessed and set the cymbals too far back in the sound stage. But definitely not a show stopper in any way. With other recordings, the treble is full of life and energy. So it could simply be the great transparency of these headphones showing what is on the recording.
 
Sound stage:
I would rank the sound stage capabilities of the LCD-2s right after my two current favourites (HD800 and T1...in that order). They do portray the sound stage in a very life like way and in proper proportion left to right and front to back. But when compared to the HD800s and T1s they are slightly behind.
 
Comfort:
This area is not a concern to me in anyway, but as I find the HD800s very comfortable and the T1s/D7000s comfortable, I find the LCD-2s adequate...but still heavy. The one kink in their chain.
 
Value:
What can I say, they are 30% and 40% less than the T1s and HD800s respectively, but in quality they are on par (and in many areas even better). Great value IMHO. Their build and construction is simply outstanding and exude $1000+ quality!!!
 
Amazing job by a 2 year old company to come out with a product that competes with the "big boys" in the industry...beyerdynamics, Sennheiser, Grado, Ultrasone, etc... that have all been around much, much longer. Congratulations to Audeze!

 
Hello I thought I'd do a short review of the LCD2 since I just got the privilege of giving them an extended audition at home with my own equipment. Equipment used for the audition are:
 
Macbook Pro optical out --> Cambridge Audio DACMagic --> Schiit Asgard --> LCD2
 
For some background on my listening preferences, I own a Sennheiser HD650, an ESW10JPN, and a Fostex T50RP that I have done some damping modifications on. I've heard the HD800, the T1, the HE5, and many other headphones as well. My portable set up is a HM801 with either a Sleek CT6 or Westone UM3X. I've noticed that I dislike over-accentuated treble, and I tend to look out for midrange presence and detail, as well as good bass quality in a headphone. Used to have the RS1 and sold it off because it was too bright for my tastes. I generally listen to jazz, rock, and latin music, and sometimes some classical.
 
Now, I've always been satisfied with my audio set up, especially with the HD650 in my desktop audio chain. Its lush midrange and weighty bass have always impressed me, and I've spent many hundreds of hours with the HD650 on my head. Sure, I wish it had better soundstaging, and I wish the bass went deeper, but they have always been acceptable compromises for me.
 
When I first put the LCD2 on my head and pressed 'Play', the best description of my reaction would be O_O. It was the best headphone I have ever heard, even compared to the T1 powered by the HP4 that I auditioned extensively at Stereo. It wasn't absolutely perfect, but I highly doubt any headphone can be 100% perfect, and generally view comments like "this is the best headph4n3 ev4rr!!" with a considerable amount of skepticism.
 
I'll go into more detail of the LCD2's sound, starting with the bass. The bass goes a lot deeper than the HD650's bass, with about the same quantity. In other words, bass quality is significantly heightened. I cannot adequately describe how REALISTIC the bass is. Percussion instruments are superbly detailed on the LCD2, and I can actually picture the drummer in front of me letting the drums have it. Bass guitars go all the way down and allow me to hear every pluck of the strings. I always thought that the HD650 was pretty good in the bass department, but the LCD2 totally trounces it.
 
The midrange is what I always look out for, and it's absolutely perfect on the LCD2. Remember I said earlier that no headphone is 100% perfect? That merely means that no headphone can get everything absolutely right, but some headphones can certainly achieve perfection in a specific area. To me, the LCD2 achieves absolute perfection in the midrange. I've read with some degree of skepticism about how people feel like singers are singing right in front of them with the LCD2, and guess what, it's ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Voices are perfectly weighted and detail is impeccable. I almost teared listening to Time To Say Goodbye by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli. I have never felt any way like that with a headphone before. Coming from what I thought was a really good midrange on the HD650, this was an utter revelation to me. Not just voices are perfect, pianos are perfect too. On the HD650, I always thought that pianos lacked some detail and were a little 'fuzzy', for lack of a better word. On the LCD2, piano notes were clean, clear, and beautiful and decayed into the background perfectly naturally. Listening to some Bill Evans almost made me tear again. Damn, this is getting embarrassing.
 
Anyway, many people have commented on the highs of the LCD2 being recessed and the weakest point of the headphones. Although I've mentioned that I don't like over-extended treble, treble detail is still important to me and I wouldn't accept a phone that fuzzes up the highs. This is the reason I kind of dislike Denon headphones, I think treble sounds unnatural with them. The HD650 is not known for awesome highs, and I acknowledge that, but they are detailed enough and sound natural to me. With regard to the LCD2, I was happy to find that my fears about its treble were quite unfounded. The treble was clean, detailed, and natural, with good decay and sufficient sparkle. Granted, people who love Grados, Etys, the HE5, and the DT880 may not be entirely satisfied, but I'm sure Senn fans will definitely appreciate the LCD2's detailed and natural treble.
 
Speed is something pretty important to me in a headphone as well, and I acknowledge that the HD650 is not exactly the king of speed. When I heard the LCD2, its speed was a revelation to me, probably because of the nature of its driver technology. Transient response was perfect, and the speed of the drivers allowed each instrument its own space which never faltered even in very busy passages. Playing some Metallica and Arctic Monkeys fast tracks, I was amazed at how the LCD2 was able to deliver all the detail of each instrument even in the busiest passages.
 
The LCD2's soundstage isn't as expansive as the HD800 or T1, but it's enough for me. A 3D soundstage all around one's head is certainly delicious, but it's not really an important factor to me.
 
The biggest problem I have with the LCD2 is its build quality. The one that I tested had the new aluminium blocks and the fabric-sheathed cable, but it still looked pretty... ghetto, to be honest. I wasn't expecting HD800-level build quality, but at the very least, I think the hole in the wooden cups that is connected to the U-shaped metal ring should be reinforced with metal or even plastic. The wood around that area looks a little rough, which is kinda unpleasant in a headphone that costs a significant amount of money.
 
That's the end of the review. It's an amazing headphone, basically. I'm sure Senn fans will not be disappointed with the LCD2 as an upgrade from the HD650. Trebleheads should look elsewhere, but do note that the treble of this headphone is in no way unnaturally recessed, to my ears at least.
 
You can see some pics of the headphones and the original review here. Thanks for reading!
 
http://jaben.net/forums/index.php?topic=17565.0

 

Caveat 

I am an unabashed fan of orthodynamic headphones. Have been a dedicated orthohead for over two years now. All thanks to dBel84 for introducing me to some home made SFI driver based headphones at a meet. The Orthodynamic thread soon became a sanctuary and the folks who take part in the thread very close friends. We are dedicated group who share a passion for planar driven headphones and in our ideal world planar headphones would take back their rightful place at the head of the pack in audiophile headphone listening.         
 
    I have heard the best that the dynamic and electrostat headphones have to offer in the form of the HD800, T1 (not enough listening time however), PS-1000, Koss ESP950, Stax O2, lambda, SR-404 and they have all fallen short of what orthos can do.
 
 

Equipment

 
Amplifiers :
EHHA-2 prototype
EHHA-1
Stacker 2
ALO Rx
 
Sources :
Sonic frontiers TransDAC heavily modded
Assemblage DAC 2.7 heavily modded
Ipod
 
Reference headphone - Smeggy built Fostex T50RP woodies aka "Thunderpants"
 
 
 

Music

With my review playlist at the ready I sat down to put the LCD-2 through its paces. I listen to every kind of music in nearly every type of digital format. My playlist reflected this. I wanted to see how the LCD-2 would perform in an everyday situation for me rather than just running through some reference discs. Genres from Indie rock to Southern rock, Country and folk to hardrock and metal, from jazz to pop, with western classical and Indian Classical rounding up the list. Their formats ranged from Mp3s, FLAC to XRCDs and DTS-HD Master Audio recordings were.

           

Initial Impressions

When Don informed me that he had the newest Audeze LCD-2 in his possession and invited me over to a listen, I jumped at the opportunity. Being a planar fan through and through I was excited to see what progress Audez'e had made over the promising LCD-1 that I had owned. With Portland's very own M Ward's - Post war at the ready I arrived at his place. As Don brought out the headphones, my jaw dropped at the gorgeous headphones he held in his hand. With the limited time at hand, after ogling at the LCD-2s build quality he set me down with his system with a cup of coffee in hand and left me to run it through its paces. I sat mesmerized for a full 40 minutes listening nearly to the entire album. When I was done all I could remark to Don was, "wow, that is something else". Yes I was a bit at a loss for words unlike today writing this review. I had one of the best vintage orthos tuned by dBel84 and a pair of the Fostex T50RP woody thunderpants. I ran a few tracks again going back and forth between the headphones and came away with the conclusion the LCD-2 was clearly the better headphone. All from within 40 mins of listening to it. I did find a few 'faults' at first with the LCD-2. I commented that I felt the bottom end was a bit flabby and that the high frequencies weren't hot enough to my tastes. But overall the headphones were the first ones that sounded ultra refined with oodles of detail and yet remained musical to me. I thanked Don for the opportunity and reluctantly left.
 
A couple of days later kwkarth agreed to come over to my place with his review pair of the LCD-2s so I could listen to them on my rig. We spent well over an hour running through some reference material. We also got around to trying the LCD-2 out of a portable amp with an Ipod as a source. The ALO Rx amplifier + Ipod combo did a commendable job here and confirmed to me that the LCD-2s could after all be driven comfortably with a portable amp such as the ALO Rx. This is good news to those who plan on using these headphones on the go as well. The audition was still too hurried to form any compelling impressions and I persuaded Audez'e to let me borrow the LCD-2 from dBel84s for a few days. Much to my delight they agreed.
 

Build Quality:

Soon as I got home, i gingerly brought out the headphones. Like a voluptuous woman pining for some love, the LCD-2 screamed at my hungry eyes for attention, to reach and caress her curves. I admit, I did. The headband foam was nice and soft, the pads were of high quality leather, they had worn in nicely since the first time I tried them on. The mini-XLR jacks is something that all would agree to being made standard on high end headphones. The cable was a far cry from the thick unwieldy one on the LCD-1 and neatly terminated into a Neutral jack. To top it all off, I was ecstatic to see 4 screws in the back which give immediate access to the rear of the driver, the area of most interest for us orthoheads who like to tune and configure orthos to our tastes. The guys at Audez'e had clearly been paying attention to our wish list.
Holding the LCD-2s in your hand, you know its a high end product, the result of quality workmanship and sound engineering.
 
 

Does it have 'sachu' bass?

I am notorious to be very picky with the low frequency response on any system I listen to. I personally feel most people are only exposed to a flat monotonic bass note on headphones. Orthos opened my eyes and gave me hope that they can reproduce speaker like texturing in low frequency notes. This drew me back into the headphone scene. Whenever i try a new headphone I am instantly focused on the low frequency reproduction capability.
 
I like the low frequencies to be extended, tight, accurate in tonal reproduction and most importantly textured. Largely, orthos do a fairly decent job in this area albeit after a fair amount of tuning, but still end up compromising on one of the other areas. Having owned and heard the LCD-1 and sold primarily for its lackluster performance when it came to low frequency response I wasn't prepared to accept the fact that the LCD-2s could come anywhere close to the prowess of my reference TPs.
           
     First thing I tried was an Indian Classical piece From the album, The Valley Recalls - 2. The impact of the Ghatam was everything that I expected it to be. The tablas and Mrudangam were sounding surreal, quick with just the right impact. Some orthos veil the notes from how a Tabla or Mrudangam sound but the LCD-2 was a revelation here. I had to convince myself what I was hearing was right. I quickly switched back to my reference headphones and could make out that the "tok" sound on a tabla was sounding off, more like a "tick" on the Fostex thnderpants. back on the LCD-2 I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the amalgamation of 3 ancient Indian percussion instruments fire away in harmony. As the track reached its crescendo, the tabla master Zhakir Hussain furiously thumping way on the tablas while the mrudangam was trying to keep up the tempo, each and every note blended blissfully. I felt I was back in the First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland where they once performed a year or two ago.
          
        Next I tried some Electronica,Pop the Cherry and Currywurst by Aerodromme. Breakbeat drum and bass and electronica usually don't have ultra low frequency material. What i look for here is impact. On the EHHA, the LCD-2s were head pounding but lacking some definition. Switching to the Stacker 2, the definition got back, more tighter bass but the impact was not as great. I stuck with the Stacker 2 amplifier as for the first time, I was able to rock hard to Electronica and DnB and actually appreciate the details in the recordings which i once thought to be non-existent. One only expects the 4 by 4 beat in a DnB track to stand out , but with the LCD-2 it transforms the experience and gets a rave going in your head.
         
   On M Ward's "Poison Cup" and Patricia Barber's Companion album, I could actually feel the pads vibrating on the ultra low bass notes. The double bass was as real and as tactile as it can get. It was like an onion. You can keep peeling away layer after layer of bass. They one upped my much vaunted thunderpants in the low frequency reproduction in everything except the impact levels. The LCD-2 were just as effortless as the thunderpants throughout. Fabulous!
           
       One further thing that I noticed was that some notes sounded stunning different on the two headphones. I don't quite know how to explain this but the notes just sounded real on the LCD-2. I was stunned and disappointed at the same time. As much as I hate to admit it I felt let down by my reference headphones. I again attribute the LCD-2s prowess in recreating tonally accurate notes to its open design, not to mention what appears to meticulously tweaked driver to extract every little bit of ortho goodness available. For a closed headphone my reference headphones are still the best I've heard. But overall, the LCD-2 frankly walked away with the prize. My reference headphones were no competition to be fully upfront.
           
           

The all important midrange.

Midrange is the stronghold of nearly all orthos. No, your dynamic headphone or stat headphone just don't do it like an ortho and that's a fact. The dynamics lack the emotion while stats sound thin to these ears. Perhaps the only stat to come close to otho like sound in the midrange is the Stax O2 MK1. To date the best midrange I have heard on any headphone has been the ultra rare and venerable Yamaha Yh-1000. It gave me the first eargasm ever listening to Margo sing Sweet Jane. It is very hard to describe the emotional involvement that one goes through when one listens to something so superlative, one that hasn't been experienced before and try to put words to describe the feeling. Its just something you have to hear for yourself. But then the YH1K is so rare a headphone that only a handful have had the privilege. I like my vocals just a bit upfront so I raised my eyebrow when i saw the freq curve on the LCD-2 prior to listening to it thinking, hmm that doesn't look good for the midrange. That 6-10dB drop from 1kHz onwards is significant i felt.
 
Those first 40 mins laid any apprehensions I had to rest. Now M Ward is a handsome albeit short man with a voice that makes girls swoon. Listening to him sing "Rollercoaster" left me swaying too and thinking I could kiss the man, he is after all singing right in front of me. It felt so real, you could hear each and every breath he took between verses, the backup vocals were something I had never heard on my reference headphones in the "Eyes on the Prize" track, at least not as clearly. I could pick out 3 distinct voices in the background. I was dumbstruck. I knew then, this was it. We finally had a pair of headphones that could go toe to toe with the Yh-1000 and then some. The difference between the two is the ultra low distortion levels. Both have the same emotion and awestruck feeling that they leave in their wake. But, the LCD-2 goes one step further giving you the blackest of black backgrounds.
 
The track 'Good Ole Boys like me' By Don Williams brought me to tears. His silky smooth yet rough in a complex way reminded me why he was my favorite Country artist. To round up the male vocals test, i played Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills and Pantera's Cowboys from hell. Till date I never knew one could actually discern details in genres such as metal, that one could connect with the normally screeching vocals on an emotional level. With the LCD-2 it wasn't just mindless headbanging, but it was headbanging with emotion.
 
For female vocals i rifled through Loreena Mckennit - A Phrygian Moon and Mummer's dance first. The lovely Canadian's voice sailed through the blob sitting between my ears. The tonal accuracy is nothing like I have heard. I rang up Rachel Yamagata's "I'll find a way" to hear her Sweet nasal voice sending shivers down my spine just as it did once in a demo room at RMAF. I felt I was back at the Crystal Ballroom a year ago when I saw her perform live (even with a slight case of the flu, the poor dear). The LCD-2 was resolving enough to show some distortion in the music however which I was surprised by. As I had listened to this track so many times in so many high end systems that while it was barely noticeable on them, it immodestly stood out on the LCD-2. Margo is a favorite of mine and naturally any female vocals test I do involves Sweet Jane and Blue Moon Revisited. I felt like I could just die and go to heaven listening to her on the LCD-2. I was on such a high listening to the LCD-2 that i played Lisa Gerrad's 'Elysium' track on the Gladiator OST. One of the most moving pieces of cinema scores ever created and the LCD-2 didn't disappoint as it moved me to my core. To round up the female Vocals test the Companion album by Patricia Barber (XRCD) was played a full 4 times from end to end. Every time revealing more and more details in the midrange. Putting it simply, the midrange on the LCD-2 is godlike.
           
           

Man it feels good to get high..

As noted in the initial impressions, i felt the energy in the highs were a tad lacking. However, as I got to spend more and more time with the LCD-2, it was apparent that they in fact extended just as well as the best headphones without adding coloration, being absolutely neutral in reproducing source material as it should be. I did miss the leading edge on tracks like the 'Librarian' or on any of the metal tracks. The strength however lies in the LCD-2s resolving power. I thought my reference headphones were the best resolving orthodynamic headphones I had heard. Boy was I wrong. The LCD-2 made mince meat of them in this regard. For instance, you could hear every creak in "I'll find a way", the cymbals were lifelike. On M ward's 'Chinese translation', his power with an acoustic guitar was there in its fully glory, each string being plucked, his fingers sliding up and down the strings, On Don Williams track too, one could hear the guitar plucks being as close to lifelike as it can get. On My Morning Jacket's " Touch me I am going to scream. Part2" there are at various points where the keyboards come in and while the Fostex thunderpants clouded the consecutive notes, the LCD-2 picked them apart beautifully. 
 
Special mention for the Indian classical track. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia on the bamboo flute and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma on the ancient instrument the Santoor (hammered Dulcimer), two living legends coming together to create some of the best pieces of music ever played. Each strike on the santoor and its harmonics were reproduced seamlessly. There is this section of the track where Shiv kumar sharma ramps up the tempo on the Santoor (each strike being as precise and fast as a pinprick) and so does Hariprasad Chaurasia on the flute (increasing the pitch as well) blending the two instruments into something only the Gods could have scripted. The urgency in the tempo one feels yet calmness reverberated by the tonal qualities of the instruments strike a balance that i had never experienced before listening to this track.
 
 

Soundstaging

This is an area that most vintage orthos are severely handicapped at. I personally am not a soundstage freak. I don't want an area spanning a football field between my ears but enough to give breathing space for all the elements in an orchestra to come through without glazing over is fine. Even this modest task is mucked up by most vintage orthos. The other thing that most headphones and not just orthos suffer from is a fractured soundstaging, its not a seamless transition from left to middle to right.
 
 The only headphone I have heard do this superlatively has been the HD800 and it maintains this advantage over the LCD-2. However the upside on the LCD-2 is that there is actually enough of a soundstage. For example listening to The Battle - Gladiator OST you feel like you are actually there, the opening scene flashes before your eyes, you are there on the battle field, charging at them barbarians yelling "Roma Victor!". Listening to Rachael Yamagata singing "I'll find a way" I was transported back in time just as mesmerized to the Reimyo room at RMAF with the lights dimmed down. That feeling of immersion in the music was something I had never experienced with an orthodynamic headphone before. The open nature coupled with the transducer design is to be credited for this.
 

Imaging

Imaging to me is more important than soundstage. My reference headphones have a problem with imaging well cause of their closed nature. It falls short with complex music where instruments lose their focus and get mixed up. The one headphone that did this better than anything else was the Stax Omega 2 or O2 MK1. The O2 is superlative in this field. I was overjoyed when I could pick out each and every instrument in the Listen Up! DTS master audio recording. This is one of the hallmarks of these headphones and so easily noticeable that I made a comment to the effect to Don about it when I heard it the first time. When Omar Hakim(on drums) goes off on a solo in the dts recording I was spellbound listening to each instrument, the hi-hat, the cymbals, snare, tom toms and the kick drum all in their rightful spaces with room to breathe.
Switching to Loreena Mckennit's "Highway man", the complex jamboree of instruments in the mix filter through the music that made me aware of what instrument was playing where in the scene and importantly how it sounded. My reference headphones just utterly made a hash of it here.  I was hearing details in the background that I had never heard before, such as the backup vocals on M ward's "Post war" track.
Conclusion:  The LCD-2 was right up there alongside the O2 in imaging.
 

Hallmarks

Low level listening.
The LCD-2 is probably the best headphone I have had the pleasure of using for low level listening. Just for this reason alone I want to buy these headphones. Most headphones if not all that I have heard need to me to up the volume control knob to get full dynamic range reproduction. Not the case with the LCD-2 which translates to safer listening.
The LCD-2s retrieval ability at low listening levels is by far the greatest thing for me. How many times have you had to turn the volume down so your wife or gf wouldn't beat you in the head with your headphones cause you were disturbing her? For me its come close to being atleast once. It is frustrating listening to music at low levels simply because all, yes all headphones that I have listened to simply cannot sustain a full dynamic range at low levels. Some need to be turned up to hear and low frequencies notes at all, others make Margo of Cowboy Junkies sound like those American Idol wannabes.
But in comes the LCD-2, it makes it all seem so effortless at low volumes. There is all the low frequency extension, the shimmer in the highs and maintains that seductive midrange. I was sold on them after they kept me awake till 5 in the morning for two nights in a row of low level listening. This means my ears get to enjoy music without damaging for a very long time..maybe even till I am 40-50 years old.
Nothing even comes close to it in this department.
 

What does this all mean to you and to me?

Staying true to the one and only rule of the audiophile world I will say trust your own ears. But if you don't know what you are hearing, then yeah just take my word for it.
 
The boys at Audez'e have come a long way since the LCD-1 that they released at last year's Canjam. To think a company's first real headphone product can sound as good as it does, look and feel good as good as it does just blows me away. These guys have undoubtedly put a lot of pain and effort, while all the time listening to the community for feedback and suggestions in bringing out the best they could offer. In my eyes and to these ears, they have surpassed every expectation by light years.
 
To me, the LCD-2 is the culmination of the end of a 3 decade drought for a true high end planar headphone that is well designed, well thought out, that can hang with the big guns of the stat world and then some. But, most importantly, it is one that has been tuned to perfection just like the only other ortho in my mind, the venerable Wharfedale Isodynamic that performs at its best from the get go. The Wharfedale was a revolutionary product in design and conception, the Audez'e is a fitting tribute to the pro-genesis of othodynamic headphones and is well poised to herald a resurrection of a once forgotten technology.
 

In Closing

While my reference headphones are brilliant sounding albeit being closed ones the LCD-2 comes along and says ..hang on there son..this is how you do it.
The LCD-2 has managed to show me that the rabbit hole indeed goes deeper. When I was feeling secure that my bleeding wallet had been patched up for good by my reference headphones, that I had reached a plateau with regards to how good a transducer can sound, that "this is it. It can get no better", the LCD-2 like an erupting volcano raised the bar into the stratosphere and in process made my wallet shrivel back in fear. I quickly realized that the asking price on these headphones was a pittance compared to the pure audio nirvana I was experiencing. Its a bit like watching Top gear with Jeremy Clarkson yelling "Power!!" while power sliding an angry yet sophisticated Ferrari V12 for the entire show. It brings forth the same fun, finesse and importantly, the soul and passion that the creator put into making these headphones. It makes you feel special. It makes you feel you are at one with the music, an extension of the audience Patricia Barber was singing to. The power of speed, detail, vividness in the low frequencies, the midrange seductiveness, its ability to ensconce you in the event that knocks on your eardrums and then make it all seem par for the course. Truly staggering.
I found myself scrambling through my music collection as the time to return them was at hand. As Jim James emotionally sang the last verses of track 8 on Evil Urges serenading his lady, the librarian, I found myself joining in, serenading the delightful little creature called the LCD-2, promising her that we'll be reunited soon.
 
"Simple Little Beauty, Heaven in your breath
Simplest of pleasures, the World at it's best"

My wife bought me a pair as a present because I love to listen to headphones. I was shocked at how much better these sounded than anything I have ever owned before. Not only am I impressed with the sound quality, but I actually find I listen to and enjoy them very much at lower volumes than I typically listen to my headphones. Just seems I do not have to turn the volume way up to hear the bass and trebles. The full range of sound comes through crisp and with a strong presence even at low volumes. Plus the sound stage is incredible. The construction is very robust. They are much heavier than most headphones, but not enough to be an issue and I listen to them for hour on end. I have heard they are among the best there is, I certainly would support that statement.

Nice pair of cans.

Liquid organic audio - the LCD2

Been meaning to get around to a full review of these for a while. I have attached some of my early impressions from a comparison thread in which I was able to isolate specific frequency ranges and found the LCD2s performance superior.
 
Since the time of that writing I acquired a Mayflower O2/ODAC which is a better match for the LCD2 than the JDS Labs C5D used in my initial tests. The C5D is still a credible performer but the the O2 felt just a bit more balanced, especially in the mid-range. For the sake of the tests, however, the C5D was able to help spot the differences in the various headphones.
 
Also, I've managed to go to another Head-Fi meet in Calgary where I was able to listen to a set of LCD3 (pre-fazor) on a Woo Audio setup that was smoother with even better bass than my LCD2s. It sounded heavenly with a price to match. Still, my LCD2 shared many of the same qualities and for a fraction of the price. I listened to Mikoss' LCD3Fs (now sold) and thought they were good but sorta preferred the pre-fazor and didn't feel my LCD2 were that far off. He preferred his HD650 of which he is now a ravenous fan (so am I!) and I was able to compare these headphones. I still think the HD650s are amazing though not technically superior, may be the better choice for some ears (and heads) and certain amp pairings.
 
The LCD2 I have are the pre-fazor rosewood versions with the old style cable connectors and foam headband. By a number accounts these have the most bass, and the most rolled off treble of all the versions. I'm sure I would appreciate the qualities that the fazor versions bring, but I am very happy with the overall presentation of the 'classic' LCD2s. 

These are completely non-fatiguing headphones. They do demand that you listen to high-quality works, and do their best on the most dynamic of recordings. They are simply incredible for classic rock, jazz, acoustic, vocal, small orchestration classical, and piano. For electronic and pop they are excellent, specifically with the LCD2's bass reproduction, but in this genre they will do their best with very dynamic electronic pieces, rather than 'club-style' EDM productions, which are best relegated to a 'v-shaped' dynamic headphones. 
 
Given the somewhat cumbersome nature of these headphones, they are not a casual affair. No lying down on your pillow for late night listening. They also require an amp which will likely tether them to a listening-station in your home. They are serious headphones and demand some periodic care and proper handling. Their comfort has either improved with the headphone band loosening and/or I have really acclimated to them. I have no problem just wearing them for hours with a bit of adjustment now and then. Still, they will always have a bit of clamp, they do not disappear, and it has to be said that this can be a major downside of these headphones, enough to turn someone off completely. 
 
Audeze's new EL-8 is really comfortable, leagues better than the LCD2. If one didn't need the robust bass reproduction of the LCD2, the EL8 would be a good choice. Very easy to drive too, and so consider that part of the overall package. 

I have tried and really like the HE-560. It sat somewhere in the middle of the LCD2 and HD800. It kinda throws you off at first, but it may be one of those headphones that grows on you overtime as just a solid performer. Also, was very comfortable, much better than the LCD2 in that respect.

The HD800s I love every time I try them. Completely different sonic signature than the LCD2, and I don't mind it. More treble tilted, with articulate bass range. 

Still, the LCD2 has its own thing going for it and stands alongside the HD800 and HE560. Depending on one's preferences, it could even be preferred. If you want something beefier, that is not muddy, but has a solid weight to its presentation, yet still feeling tonally balanced - the LCD2 is for you. In fact, the LCD2 has an organic presentation that is more akin to actually listening to real-world instruments and sonics - especially the lower-end and mid-range timbres. There is a caveat, the LCD2 is rolled off on the upper end, even more-so than my prior HD650s. It just needs a bit more elevation to give some recordings a bit more 'air' on the top end. Make no mistake, it has exceptional treble detail as discussed in my comparison, but it is rolled off a bit. This appears to be what Audeze has sought to adjust in later versions and in their latest models. That said, a slight bit of EQ works, but most of the time I couldn't be bothered and enjoy them as is. Your brain adjusts.

If one isn't looking to spend a ton and wants a headphone that doesn't require a dedicated amp I would look into the Fidelio X2. Was really impressed with them at a recent meet. The owner, a fellow head-fier, and I compared them back and forth with my LCD2. He was quite taken with the LCD2 and it was clearly a notch above in all sonic aspects. We both agreed, however, that somehow the Fidelio X2 still accomplished being as enjoyable and well-balanced. It was also well-crafted and really comfortable. Quite an admirable achievement by Phillips and a competitor to the HD650 - especially so considering it doesn't require an amp and has a bit more bass heft than the 650.

The HD650 is another consideration and even a replacement for the LCD2 if one needs a more comfortable headphone and is okay with loosing the bass extension. 
 
I wouldn't necessarily recommend the LCD2 right off the bat if you are new to this hobby or high-end headphones. If new, I'd look at the Fidelio X2, the AKG 7xx, ATH-M70x, HD-598. The reason for starting with these is it will help you identify if you really need something more and decide whether it's worth it to take that step forward. Neither of them have significant amping requirements either.

I lucked out, and my used LCD2, were a 1/3 of their new price. I have never seen that type of deal before or after, so I'm glad I jumped on them. They were damaged, with split wood and loose connectors. All of which I fixed with wood glue and filler.

Aside form music listening, which in the first month-or-so of ownership is all I did every evening, I've been using them for some music production and gaming. I've had a friend test these out who is an audiophile beyond most on this planet. He works in the industry and has owned top flight 2-channel setups. For whatever reason, he never had experience these headphones. I watched him just sink into his couch listening to Mozart with his eyes closed, paying attention to every detail. He was in awe, and said 'yup, these are incredible'.

My other headphones compliment it pretty well, though I still wouldn't mind the HD800 for listening to binaural field recordings and other works that need more spatial depth. Also, the HD800 is so comfortable I wouldn't mind owning it just to see if it is my end-game headphone for that reason. Still it doesn't have the visceral low-end of the LCD2 and I'd likely miss that. 

My Sennheiser Amperior is the only headphone not included in the following comparison. In brief, the Amperior has some audiophile aspects to it but has no where near the transient detail nor instrument separation. The bass is not as controlled, and is a bit too mid-bass accented (even more so after exchanging the pads to pleather pads which increase the seal). The treble can be a bit much for some or even strident. Still it is a very good headphone for $110 CDN that I purchased it at, and is great for street use, music production and work. The HD25 I-II is a more balanced headphone and closer to the presentation of the LCD2.
 
 
Comparing a new favourite with some studio classics.
copied from my thread here (5/7/15):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/765538/bandwidth-isolation-tests-with-lcd2-hd650-mdr7550-hd25-comparisons-and-review


I wanted to get my impressions down on these headphones, primarily as I recently sold the HD650 to a friend. In doing this comparison and listening test, I found that the headphones showed their strengths and flaws uniformly. While there may be the occasion where I might prefer one presentation over another for a certain track, for the most part, the headphone with the better technicalities sounded better no matter what the genre. 
 
 
Gear used:
 
Audeze LCD2 revision 1 - recently acquired, just under a week. 

Sennheiser HD650 - owned for almost an entire year. Didn’t think I’d be moving on so early.

Sony MDR-7550 - owned for about a year. Previously owned a Sony MD-EX600 for about a year

Sennheiser HD25 1-II - owned for about a decade. Loaned to a friend who travelled the world and these never left his side. They went through a motorcycle accident, fire and rain. Got back to me in complete disarray. Still using the original drivers, cups and headband. 
 
MacBook Retina 2012 running Vox and Adobe Audition - Vox is a great player for OS X and can synchronize sample rate and obtain exclusive access to the DAC.
 
JDS Labs C5D - this is a capable DAC/amp for use with IEMs/ sensitive headphones and it has enough power for the HD650 and LCD2. Some may scoff at this little amp as it isn’t super pricey, but I found it had sufficient power  for both the 650 and the LCD2. Part of this review uses bandwidth isolation to listen to specific frequency ranges. In this respect, the C5D performed perfectly. If there are benefits I could get from a higher end dac/amp, I would expect it to increase the respective performance of both the HD650 and LCD2. That said, I feel the key technical differences can be sufficiently identified with the components I’m using. Both the HD650 and LCD2 could be driven at equal volumes from the C5D even at 2.5x gain. With the higher gain setting of the C5D there is plenty of room to spare and they can reach ear damaging levels. I’m heading to a head-fi meet soon, so I should be able to listen to some pricier DACs and amps and can update this review if my jaw hits the floor. I’m open minded to re-evaluate, and interested to hear higher end components especially with the LCD2. 


Bandwidth Isolation Tests
 
Why Bandwidth Isolation? When you are comparing headphones traditionally, listening to the full spectrum of music, it is easy to get swayed by the overall subjective experience of what you are hearing. By selectively comparing specific frequency bands, typically the high-end and the low-end, it can become very evident how these ranges are handled. I used my ears for this test, but measuring equipment would be helpful to see distortion and other artifacts.
 
Test track used: Tipper ‘Ambergris’ Fathoms EP - 44.1kHz / 16bit
 
I picked this track for bandwidth isolation testing because of its high-fidelity in both high and low extension and its consistency throughout allows you to listen over a period of time to hear the full frequency range. This track is impeccably produced by David Tipper. Here is a man who knows how to create bass music. His background started in creating tracks for car audio subwoofer tests and he has grown into musical talent. Where some artists in the electronic spectrum are squashing their tracks for the dance floor, Tipper is meticulous in his production. He is known for his SurroundSound production, digital audio mastering, and providing content for DTS Inc. 

 
General Listening Impressions with Test Track
 
HD650 - This is electronic music with modulating waveforms that runs the entire frequency range while retaining integrity. I’m a bit worried how the 650 may perform here on the sub bass. The attack of the bass is there on the HD650. It does extend all the way down, but rolls off with perhaps a hint of distortion on the bass notes. 

LCD2 - This one of the first EPs I played on the LCD that woke me up to what they are capable of. The full spectrum of detail from the electronic instruments is represented very well. The somewhat darker tilt of the LCD matches this genre of music perfectly. Precise, spacious, with full weight on the lower tones. 

MDR-7550 - The 7550 presents itself with more treble bite than the LCD2, and with more bass punch. The 7550 is remarkably clear and powerful sounding. I’ve been continually impressed by it and its sibling the MDR-EX600. I would say if you like the LCD2 and want a portable and extremely comfortable IEM version, the 7550 may take the prize.
 
HD-25 1-II - Probably the ‘fun’ sounding headphone of this bunch. It has an addictive signature. Punchy bass. It doesn’t have the same clarity as the 7550, and has less separation. The bass rolls off, and although extending deep, is not near LCD2 levels. This headphone is not going anywhere, though. It fits extremely well, seals perfectly, and is excellent for so many applications. 
 
 
Bandwidth Isolation using Test Track 
 
Low Frequency Range

Using Adobe Audition to isolate the lowest frequencies of bandwidth in the test track, it is clear where the LCD2 has the advantage with its deep uniform bass extension. The HD650 cuts off early and does not hit as low. The 7550, its bass is great, but does not extend as deep and has some distortion. The HD25, again like the 7550 audible distortion, and in this case doesn’t extend as far as either the 7550 and nowhere close to the LCD2. 
 
 
High Frequency Range

On the highest frequencies 15k and up, you can hear transients clearly on the LCD2. They are coherent and more information is presented than the other headphones for this test. Harmonics in this range sound like a very high pitched and rapid glissando. With the LCD2 the glide in the harmonics was more continuous and there was just more harmonic information.
 
 

Comparing between the LCD2 and the HD650, there is significantly more information at these extreme ranges being reproduced by the Audeze and I suspect this goes for the entire audible range. I made sure to match the volume ranges, and honestly even if I turned it up on the 650, this information is just not present at the extremes. 
 
I tested the MDR-7550, and it too, did not reproduce these upper harmonics like the LCD2. The harmonics that were present were quieter and subdued, perhaps just a bit more audible than the HD650.
 
The HD25 - again, quieter transients. They were there, and perhaps a touch more audible than the 650.
 
I was surprised by the HD650 not being to translate these high frequency ranges. Its possible that these frequencies are somewhat attenuated. If it wasn’t for the LCD2, I might assume this is the limit for typical dynamic drivers and they pitter out at this point. I'm sure if I had an HD-800 on hand this probably would not be the case! I also have to say, for all of those listening to high sample rate music, you’ll be surprised to see just how little is in the upper ranges, and even more so, how your transducers may not even produce these upper harmonics, never mind our ears inability to hear them past a certain range. The range displayed in Audition will be completely dependent on the file.

Music and Genre Comparison 
 
For the following critical listening test I didn’t stick to an order of preference. I enjoyed the complete piece with each single headphone and occassionly went back to swap back and forth.
 
 
Avro Part & Latvian Estonian Riga Tallinn Choirs - Adam’s Lament
 
HD-25 - Well, it almost sounds like I’m listening to a mono recording. Listenable. No sense of space.  Nice timbre though. The HD-25 has a nice presentation but here it is severely lacking.
 
MDR-7550 - Wow. Night and day difference. The soundstage opens up in comparison to the HD25. Suddenly, strings and chorus, now have nuance and emotion. The 7550 is much more refined than the HD25 and less meaty in the mid-range. Great transparency, and you can hear room ambience and reverberations. Bass is delicate and controlled. You could lose yourself listening to this. Voices are perhaps a bit sharp on the higher octave ranges though.
 
HD650 - It may be just the nature of open headphones versus in-ear monitors, but there is more coherent soundstage with the 650. The 7550 has a wide sense of space, and has more transparency, it just doesn’t present itself as realistically. The 650 though, is softer, relaxed and gentle. Bass notes are not as discernible, and are taken out of the equation emotionally compared to the 7550. There is ‘air’ in the room space with the 650 though. You hold your breath when listening to this piece in quieter segments, almost as if you don’t want anyone to hear you! I have to say though, the 7550 was pretty remarkable in comparison. The 7550's extra detail and transparency edging out the 650. Higher range vocals might be a bit strained with the 650. Overall, with the 650,especially in the mid-range there is a natural, relaxed presentation that is very enjoyable.
 
LCD2 - There is weight and emotion. I feel like the transparency from the 7550 and the naturalness of the HD650 have been blended together. Combine that with overall superior transient reproduction and the LCD2 is clearly preferred. To be fair, the HD650 mid-range is very seductive, and with the whole presentation not being as weighty as the LCD2 some may prefer this presentation. Again that ‘air’ that the 650s deliver just helps give a certain realism to the presentation. The LCD2 has more realism in timbre, but I can see where some may prefer the LCD2 to have a higher treble response. I do have the LCD2 rev1, and have not heard the Fazors or rev2 editions so perhaps this is what has been addressed. I’d give my second choice to the 7550.
 
 
Bach- European Brandenburg Ensemble & Trevor Pinnock - Sechs Konzerte für den Markgraf von Brandenburg (2007) [FLAC]16bit 44.1
Koncerto Nr.1
 
LCD2 - Similar to the previous piece, the LCD2 offers a peerless window into the heart of the performance. It is effortless (aside from the weight of the LCD2!) to listen to all six concertos in one sitting. I feel truly spoiled, as this is the first time I’ve had such fidelity and the ability to listen so intimately to a performance. I haven’t had the luxury of attending many live concerts, and this is real treat. This level of performance makes me want to share this experience. I’ve read articles on websites where people rag on audiophile equipment and ‘over-priced’ headphones. Well, I truly hope performance like this becomes more affordable as I feel it will allow people to appreciate performances and compositions that they otherwise may have ignored in favour of pop-material that translates easier onto their ear buds. I have read that some people feel the LCD2 soundstage closed-in, but that is not what I am hearing here. It is wider and more expansive than the 650. What I hear is the greater realism and detail defines the recorded room space.
 
HD650 - Immediately the performance opens up - literally up. You get the impression that perhaps there was a low ceiling before with the LCD2, not quite oppressive, but the 650 is so effortless a listen. I’m going to miss these. The instruments blur together a bit, whereas they were more separated and defined with the LCD2. Even with the lack of detail the presentation is so great that you just relax and listen. Switching back to the LCD2, there is a range and extension both on the low end and the high-end that ‘completes’ the presentation. The 650 is still very close to the LCD2 in its rendering of this piece. Technically the LCD2 is better and you can hear it. But the 650s mid-range prowess is undeniable and therefore you still get an excellent rendition of the performance. 
 
 
7550 - Again, it is easy to notice that the soundstage of the 7550s, although wide, is not as realistic as with the LCD2 or the 650. As noticed on the Avro Part piece, the low-end of the 7550 helps translates the emotion. While clear, the instruments don’t have as much separation as the LCD2, and the soundstage feels a bit compressed vertically. I feel this has may have to do with the sound waves not hitting the outer ear. Aside from this, you have plenty of detail and fast transient response. The presentation of the 7550 may just be a bit too bass heavy for this genre, and this is where the EX1000 probably would shine. Indeed adding a bit of highend EQ helps. Definitely the bass feels a bit over-represented.  The sound is in you head and sounds panned hard right and left. Still great clarity and performance.
 
HD25 - working all the way down to this sturdy headphone. While not as wide a soundstage, it is more acoustically realistic than the 7550. The stereo phase however is more narrow, the instruments somewhat flat. If you were just strolling around you’d be certainly content. However, if these were your only headphones, you may not reach for this music. The recording is just too dynamic and nuanced for the HD25. I’ve always loved classical and even enjoyed it in the waking hours listening to mono AM radio. The arrangement on its own is a language, but the difference is like reading a lovers' note and having them in front of you. They are still enjoyable and some of that natural timbre comes through, just without the finesse. I’d characterize the deficiencies of the HD25 similar to most dynamic consumer cans. You’ll never know what you are missing but you’ll probably enjoy what you are hearing. Often I’ll be listening to the HD25s, and even now with such a dynamic piece think “these are great!’ And its true. They are classics. I’d choose them as a desert island headphone as I know they’d last and if a part broke i could get Sennheiser to airdrop in a replacement. 
 
 
John Coltrane A Love Supreme 24 bit 88.2 kHz
 
HD-25 - I’m starting to form an impression here that is pretty consistent. On the HD-25 pianos are flat. There isn’t nearly as much detail in the higher and lower transients. 

7550 -  From the opening of the piece, the percussion is more spacious and detailed with more body on the bass. Piano with a bit more dimension. Trumpet much more vividly realized than the HD25 (and almost as good as the LCD). There is a higher-end extension on the percussion and overall sound. A little boxy sounding on the lower-end, not tubby, just a bit boxy. 
 
HD650 - Overall presentation of all instruments just seem to open up. Everything fits together, even if the imaging gets a bit blurred. Is the HD650 too soft though? Moving on.
 
LCD2 - Just on another level of clarity. Percussion more realistic. Trumpet is life-like, you can hear its natural reverb tail and extension - something I wasn’t getting with the other headphones. Bass nicely textured and responsive. Bass never overtakes or interferes with the mid-range. Without such a reproduction, I could see how certain jazz pieces could be passed over. With the LCD2, I get a feeling that there is a better sound out there for a certain head-fier, but I also know I’ve reached a new height as a music listener. I can now begin to really listen to pieces, that until now, were locked away under a haze, veil, and lack of technical performance. 
 
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon
 
LCD2 - Smooth and deep, though a bit dark. Great depth and space. ‘Money’ just straight-up rocks.  Excellent depth in reverb ambience and you can hear those reverberation transients clearly in the room space. Just wow. I need to start listening to more classic rock. 
 
HD650 - A lighter listen. You can still hear those reverb transients but they are bit ‘cloaked’ and diffused. Vocals are still fantastic. I’d say the HD650 make excellent headphones for rock music. Similar issues to the other tracks tested, in the imaging not being as good, and everything just blending together. 
 
HD25 - Wow. These are doing great for rock. Very enjoyable. Not far behind the HD650 here. Great set of headphones.
 
7550 - A little too much bass emphasis. I’d take the HD25 over the 7550 on this one just because of the HD25s more natural presentation. Saxophone sounds great on the 7550. Guitars are pretty dimensional but compete with the lower end somewhat. 

Final Thoughts
 
I wasn’t planning on upgrading headphones. I really thought I’d have the HD650 for years. The opportunity came up to get a revision 1 LCD2 at an unbeatable price. The wood had cracked near the jacks, but it is very minor and barely noticeable - but hence the discount. This was a headphone that was completely out of my price range several years back. Truth be told though, I could have afforded it, I just didn’t know I’d want it! Now having listened to headphones on the level of both the HD650 and the LCD2 there is no going back. They become your audio standards. Next step, I’m going to explore DACs and amplification. Right now, the LCD2 seem like my perfect headphone. It has a similar tonal quality to the HD650, which makes parting with the 650 much easier. The comfort isn’t near the HD650, and what I found was that initially I was wearing the Audeze too loosely. Adjusting the fit, the ear cups are now more perpendicular and the weight distribution is more balanced. I can now wear these for hours with good comfort.
 
For the music I enjoy, a mixture of ambient, drone, binaural field recordings, electronic, jazz, fusion, experimental, orchestral, ensemble and solo piano with the occasional rock, and vocal pieces I couldn’t be without these. Interested to hear the LCD3, LCDX, Alpha Dogs, HE-560, HE-500, and Stax headphones.
 
Regarding the 650, they are excellent, and I respect that many have chosen them as their end-game headphone. It does sound like a bit more can be squeezed out of them with higher-end equipment. For me, the technicalities evident in my listening sessions pointed to the LCD outperforming the HD650 in key areas. Comfort and tonal signature of the HD650 could be a preference over the LCD2, however. I am fan of the 650 and I’d recommend them to many people as an affordable way to get into audiophile sound. The LCD2, are just taking me to a place I’ve never been though. Even having listened to expensive Bowers & Wilkins floor standing speakers (with Classe amplification), this audio rig is just awesome - its mine to listen to and didn't cost a fortune.  
 
Typing up this review I listened to the LCD2 the entire time. Just as I was about to submit this I got a text from my friend who bought my HD650:
 
 
For me, this is what makes this little hobby so enjoyable. Sharing the experience of music and sound with people.

Hello everyone, I just received my Audeze LCD-2 on 6/16/2014 and figured I'd make a review about it, so here goes nothing.
 
They're the LCD-2 revision 2.2 with fazors is the correct terminology I believe, some people call them revision 3.
 
 
Some pictures before we get started:
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
Previous headphone experience & time spent with them:  
Hifiman HE-500 (3 weeks)
AD900X (1 year)  
HD800: ~5-10 minutes
LCD-3 ~10-20 minutes
 
 
First off, lets talk about build quality & build "luxury" so to speak:   Everything feels insanely high quality, (and is for that matter) it's sturdy, elegant looking, feels great on your head, and even looks great on the desk beside you if you're crazy enough to take them off.
The headband is metal inside, wrapped by lambskin leather with memory foam padding underneath, and then attached by metal rods with notches cut into it for adjusting the head-size.  Those metal rods then attach with a locking screw to 2 "yolks" that screw into each bamboo wood ear cup, that has metal grills on both sides. The ear pads themselves are lambskin leather, with the softest foam I've ever felt inside. When you put them on, it's so soft & cushion-y that you feel as if there's pillows holding the headphones on your head.
 
Alright, now lets talk about comfort.  With the LCD-2 Revision 1, I saw a few videos and read a few posts about comfort problems that people were having.  In the revision 2, and later-revisions they changed around the headband, adding more padding to it & wrapping the entire headband in lambskin leather, making them much more comfortable in lots of peoples experiences. They weigh about a pound, but you honestly don't notice it with the soft and cushy-ness on the pads, it really does feel like the pads are almost filled with air, they're insanely squishy, but still provide the right amount of padding. Something I noticed right away with them, the lambskin leather doesn't get hot on your ears, the pleather ear-pads for my HE-500's got extremely gross and warm after about 20-30 minutes, I've been wearing my LCD-2's for around.. 4 hours now and they are warm, but no warmer than cloth ear-pads would be. +1 for this.
 
Something I really love, they angled the connectors on the ear cups for the cables AWAY from you, so the cable doesn't rub on your shoulder when you turn your head. (I had this issue with my 900X's and HE-500, bugged me to death)
 
The case they come in if ordered with the travel case is absolutely superb. The build quality is something you'd see in a high-quality gun case, waterproof and so well built.
 
 
 

Sound:​

 
 
I'm powering them off an o2+ODAC it sounds like a great pair so far. I am however going to buy a speaker amp and do some volume matched tests vs each-other to see if there's a difference in audio quality.
 
 
The LCD-2 has a very similar sound signature to my previous HE-500, but with less harshness in the treble. I find a lot more detail in my music with the LCD-2 though, I'm noticing quite a few things in music I didn't notice before. (The he-500 are detailed as is, just these are a bit more detailed)
Compared to my 900X's, it has the great sounding treble of them, but doesn't sound overpowering in the treble region like the 900X's did.
 
 
Bass:
 

1. The bass is wonderful, it has such impact and control that you feel as if there's an extremely nice sub-woofer in the room with you, but it doesn't cover up anything in the music, it almost prepares the rest of the music in a way that feels so immensely natural sounding.  My favorite part about the bass is, it doesn't always have impact & vibration, it has it when the song intends it to be there.  I really like how it doesn't cover up anything, but rather transition into other frequencies. Wonderful for bass-heads if you enjoy hearing the rest of your music, and not just the wub-wubs.

 
Mids:
 

1. When the bass starts to transition into the mid-range, it compliments male voices and makes them sound so much more real. The same thing can be said about the mids, it's almost as if every frequency range on this headphone works together in tandem. The mids remain so immensely clear, and I think the most amount of detail is here. You hear the breaths artists take, you hear the artists speaking with their band when the song is fading out. I truly think the mids on these headphones are the best part, so smooth, so great sounding.

 
Highs:

 ​

1. The highs are something else. I've never heard detail in a headphone's high-end range, without it bugging my ears from being to "treble-heavy / sparkly / bright". This is the first time I've been delighted for high notes, they sound so smooth, and bright when they need to be, but not over-whelming and painful to listen to.  I have grown to love piano songs now because of these headphones, and it's so relaxing to listen to the piano IMO. I had a lot of issues listening to my HE-500 at times they were just a tiny bit to much treble, it hurt my ears at times.

 
Side note:
 

1. The sound-stage is quite interesting, it's not very wide, but the detail in it is extremely strange. It seals to your head similar to a closed headphone, despite being open, yet everything is placed around the sound-stage perfectly. I believe the correct term for this is "Imaging".  When noises in your music are coming from different angles, and different distances it sounds like it's actually happening around you.  I've had previous headphones that were decent at this, but nothing compared to these. It's much better at "imaging" than my previous AD900X, and HE-500, despite the sound stage being more narrow. When you listen to songs with a lot of instruments, you can clearly tell that each instrument "has it's own seat" in the music.  I believe this is a combination of "imaging" and "separation".
2.  With my previous HE-500 and AD900X, when tons of things were happening at once in the song, it sometimes sounded as if it was all crunched together, rather than clearly separated.

 
 
Experiences over the last few days:
 
 
 
It's currently 1 AM on the first night of listening while typing this (6/17), and man oh man, I feel as if I've died and gone to heaven. I have yet to listen to a song that hasn't made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Even genre's I've never even heard of or listened to before, these headphones are truly amazing.
I've been hunting down songs via other sites, just to see what other Audeze owners listen to music wise, here's a few songs I've listened to from my own library & from others:
 
 
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits 
 
When the intro starts, you feel the music immediately surround you, at 1:13 the drum comes in. The drum has impact, thump, detail, and really makes you feel as if you're listening to it in person.
At 1:26 the guitar starts in the left ear, and sounds as if it's in the distance, then the drums start to pick up, and you feel every little note and impact from them while clearly hearing the guitar notes that come in from further away than the drums. (Great imaging IMO)
As the guitar moves into the "center stage" at 1:37 you can hear the guitar being played, and not just the notes, the thump from him plucking the strings.
 
 
Lost Cause - Beck
 
This song is wonderful for demonstrating the sound-stage and separation of instruments.  Throughout the entire song, there's multiple guitar notes being played simultaneously, and each one sounds completely separated without clogging up the music, his voice remains remarkably detailed, while you hear the guitar notes as if they're surrounding his voice. 
 
 
Hotel California - Eagles
 
I've always loved this song, when I was younger my mom and I used to sing it in the car. (Hell, we still do) 
 
This is another song that shows off the separation so well, you truly do feel surrounded by the instruments as if you're sitting right there in the room with them. 
The guitar sounds about 2 feet to each side of you, and his voice feels right outside your ears. The drums have a satisfying thump you'd get from really nice speakers & a sub-woofer, at 3:14 the drums make a "thump-tha-tha-thump" noise, and you can track the movement of where the drums are as he plays them from right to left.
 
 
If you'd like me to describe more songs, PM me if you'd like and make a request. I'll do my best to help.
 
 
 
 
Closing thoughts:
 
If you ever have the chance to listen to these, don't hesitate. They have such a natural sound that I think everyone should have a chance to listen to for awhile in their life. It really is an "experience" in my opinion.  I honestly think there's no way to completely understand high-end audio until you've sat down and spent a good amount of time with it. I used to think a lot of it was a waste of money, but once you get a taste, you don't really want to stop.
 
These suckers cost $995 and even more for the rosewood version, are they worth it? It depends on how strapped you are for cash.  If money isn't a problem, hell yes. Buy them and enjoy audio bliss & superb build quality. 

There are loads of reviews for these great cans, so I'll keep this short. Fantastic.
 
What you've read about them is true, they're that good :¬)
 
 

these headphones are delicious. great look, unfailing sound reproduction.

I have been reading these forums for over a year now. I feel like I should give back. They have helped me quite a lot. I thank Ken Ball for steering me here. He has been my guru on this quest for digital/personal/audio heaven. 

I record and make music for a living. I love great sounding records. There is nothing more frustrating than listening to a great sounding record on a wretched sounding rig. You know it sounds good. It sounded good on your CD player in your car? Ugh. The iPod has been a savior and a demon in one swoop.

The search begins. A lot of you came here looking for it. I imagine a lot of you have been Hi-Fi fanatics since you can remember. This is all a set up just tell you my impressions of the LCD-2's...

It took me years to get to my Ultrasone Edition 8's & my HD800's. I won't go into my rant on the 800's but if you read the reviews you will see why people love or wish they could love them. I think they are a lot of work to listen to. The high end wears me out. The Edition 8's are excellent. They are great when I am flying because they offer some isolation.

For reference I have a AOL RX & The SR71-a. 240gb mod. The cabling is all Ken Ball at ALO Audio.

Ken owns a pair of the LCD-2's and sent them to me for a night to put them up against my cans and The T1 as well.

I pulled the LCD-2's out of the box and grinned ear to ear. Ok these are the coolest retro, vintage, steam punk, DIY Mad Max phones I had ever seen. Like something my Dad would have had in '71 sitting next to his new cassette player. I told Ken in an email. Looks do matter. If we are going to walk around with these big clunky things on our heads we want to look as cool as possible. Ok, that's a small part of it but I bring it up because I pulled the T1's out right after it and was really underwhelmed.

I am a portable guy. I travel constantly. I like to have a lot of different music to listen to & I want it to sound as good as humanly possible.

I plugged the LCD-2's in and I was blown away. Out of the box, the first time ever I just listened to the music. I did not have my attention on the top end or were they bass shy? No, just no. They sounded great!

I listened to the Robert Plant & Allison Krauss record. Warm, lush, defined. I was in it. I felt like I was there in the room with the musicians. I listened to records I had produced. Nothing jumped out at me like so many times before. I seem to always have issues with EQ or the stereo field. Not so here. These phones love electric guitars & vocals. This is where so many phones fail. I went on to listen to Classical, Jazz, World, House you name it. It was all ear candy.

I know this is not a technical review. I will leave that to to the guys who can better explain it. This is for the guys that are turning up to find a way to get those files on their little devices to sound better. Do yourself a favor, do your homework. Get the best that you can get. No scratch that go one more than that. You will save in the long run. I have a drawer of road kill. Pre amps, cables & headphones. 

I could say get this amp, get that cable. (Ok, go to ALO & look at Ken's cables) Everyone has different preferences. I bet it will be hard to find people who once have heard these headphones can't all agree that they are some of the best ones out there. For my money the buck stops here.

Funny thing is I don't even own a pair yet but it is not for lack of trying. I am bugging everyone. I want no scratch that I need these headphones.

If you are in the music business I think this is the perfect reference headphone. I think these days a bigger majority of people listen to music on headphones. The people in the business have to start mastering & mixing things with that in mind. Walk down the street. Most the kids you see have a pair of white ear buds sticking out of their head Times have changed. For us bigger kids we have gone past the funky ear bud. We are on to bigger and better things and so are Audez'e.

Line up everyone. These guys are on to something.

Monotune
 
I have to amend this review. By some Miracle Alex got me a pair. I had to send Ken's back but here I am right now listening to my own pair. The customer service alone is worth the price. These cans are every bit as good as the ones I had borrowed. Actually better. They are mine all mine.The pair I was sent was a lot lighter than Ken's for whatever reason. So I amend this review they are not heavy in fact quite comfortable. Also I bought ken's modified cable for these and it is genius. Really to my liking. It is a bit more open than the stock cable. Excellent!

Late to the game I know. I've had these for about a year, and paired them with the JOT. Overall I love these more than my Sennheiser HD-650's. They are more articulate and overall more up front. I guess if you like the Magneplanar speaker sound you will like these. But there is some bass there. Neko Case Hell-On sounds first row not these headphones. Vocals are up front, but the instruments don't suffer. Sound is well balanced across the lows, mid-range and highs.