[Cecala]

   
 
Why's that?  What was the change?

 
Nothing really, they reinforced the relevant piece of plastic near the hinge that was prone to breakage. Mind you this is pure speculation on my part due to the fact that no further reports came in after that year regarding damage to the hinge component. The headphone itself is identical.

 

[Cecala]

Are we in or are we not?

 

[defcan]

  Are we in or are we not?

 
*looks around*
 
Was that directed at me?  

    If you're talking about my headphones, then yeah, they came in about three days ago.  Sorry for not putting in an update  

   I was gonna at least say they were in, but (and I'm not gonna lie) I was really disappointed with the sound when I first put them on.  Because of that, I didn't wanna field any questions and give out premature opinions before really giving them a fair sit-down, so I was waiting for my day off before saying anything.
 
With that said, my second session with them went completely 180º in the other direction, and I'm not really sure why.  Maybe I was too full of expectations when they arrived, or I could've been tired from work, or maybe I didn't listen long enough to get adjusted to them.  My days are pretty packed over with barely enough time for sleep, so I was only able to get in about 10-20 minutes with them at first, and only slightly longer sessions since then.  Whatever the case, I've loved 'em since that second time, and they've quickly become one of my favorite cans (easily second place, for my preferences, but I don't wanna put it any higher than that without a proper duel).
 
And that day off I mentioned earlier is today (finally).  I've listened to the DX1000 exclusively so far (getting more familiar with them), but I'll do some direct comparisons between them and LCD-3's later on tonight and hopefully have some opinions/comparisons by tomorrow.
 
On a side note for anyone curious, shipping took about three weeks using the slow route, which was actually a week sooner than its earliest estimate (between 4 and 8 weeks).  The extra week, and some change, was from shipping it across the Atlantic since I'm overseas right now.
 
Anywho, I'll try to be back tomorrow with some impressions  

  thanks for waiting.

 

[Cecala]

   
*looks around*
 
Was that directed at me?  

  

 No, it was not directed at yourself although thanks for your initial impression. Let them burn-in for a while then evaluate the phones. They have a tendency of sounding boring at first, this is what happened to me upon my first drive. I thought what have I done, all that money.....then after a while I was very impressed and continue to be so after all this time. This is the mark of a good phone in my opinion, normal or boring and even dull then over time the finer qualities come to the fore and guarantees no fatigue.
Burn-in hard over night is my prescription to bliss.

 

[grizzlybeast]

   
and just right in warmth to me ( subjective ), very deep and less likely to be snappy or slamming on the same high bass tracks that sound too snappy on the LCD-2 on the EF-6.
 
Expect a gentle warmness to the bass on the HP1000, very relaxed mids that feel pushed back, slightly bright and sparkly highs, excellent soundstaging qualities with excellent airiness qualities in stereo image left and right.  The LCD-2 has the better stage depth in a forward sense.  Now, the HP1000 is not as clear as it should be for that price in the midrange and upper regions, however that bass quality is right on par with the Audeze LCD-2.  Also expect really nice comfort, as its in my opinion one of the most comfy headphones out there.  Those earpads are ridiculously plush and the headphone is easily the most deceptively light headphone for something that size.
 
I will of course provide a link to it here once it is finished, sometime in the next two weeks or so is what I am gunning for, but I think I just got more detailed than anything I planned to put into the LCD-3 review haha!

how would you compare the mids of the hp1000 to the denon d2k? the distant sound you describe reminds me of an x1. Actually these sound a lot like an x1 in description. 
 
btw I know this is in a different league than those but that is the reference I know to date.

 

[defcan]

Alright, I haven't done enough listening to give an ultra in-depth review, but I'm gonna try to sit down and knock down some broadsides.
 
Soundstage:
The LCD-3's soundstage is larger than the DX's.  Neither can has the largest soundstage around, so it's a little like fighting over 4th place, but the difference is noticeable (more so on some tracks than others).  I'm not really sure how to describe the difference in soundstage, but imagine holding your arms out to your side so you look like a capital "T".  With the DX1000's, the sound would be coming somewhere between you tricep and elbow, whereas the LCD's would be about mid-forearm to fist (I hope I didn't just confuse anyone with my overly technical description).  The tendency for the DX to have sound closer to your ear can make some music sound more engaging, while making others lack subtlety.  On the other hand, the LCD's can give some songs much needed depth, while making others feel a little further away than they should be, but I'd give the LCD the nod.
 
Sound Signature:
I'd say I'm fairly sensitive to high frequencies and shy away from bright cans, but I've yet to experience any noise fatigue with either of these.  The LCD's are dark and smooth, while the DX's are closer to neutral (whith a slight lean towards dark) and have a crisper texture to the sound; not in a way that makes them bright, but you're more likely to hear fizz and pops with the DX's than the LCD's.  I guess the difference could be described as laid back vs lively.  The DX's seem better suited for energetic music, and the LCD's for more relaxed fair.
 
Bass:
The bass on these two are very different animals.  The DX is more mid-bass focused and has a noticeably harder punch, while the LCD extends much lower, has more detail, and is more focused.  Now, I say "focused" because the DX's bass tends to bleed over into other frequencies slightly.  With the LCD, the bass is a thing onto itself, keeping other sounds seperate, but the DX infuses its bass into some of the song slightly; nothing bothersome or extreme, but enough to mention.   And while the LCD definitely has punch, the difference between the two is like the difference between a really...... really hard push, and an actual punch.  It basically comes down to which youd rather have: sub-bass detail, or slam?  Fun or accuracy?  They're both good in both departments, but have a trade off in those areas.
 
Overall, the LCD is technically superior and has a more even sound.  Example being In the Hall of the Mountain King.  The song speeds up towards the end, during which string instruments play rapid notes.  Each note is quick and wavers just a bit, which was easily noticeable on the LCD's.  This is a nitpick, however, since much of their detail is the same.  It's only after swapping back and forth rapidly that some of those minute differences emerge.  For most music (depening on your tastes), they'll give about the same amount of detail.  The biggest difference between them is how they present the music as opposed to the amount of music that they present.
 
My personal pick for sound quality is the LCD, the main factor being it's ability to dig deep and give detailed sub-bass.  Also, I feel that it's darker tone and distancing gives it a richer sound.  That, and they are more nuanced, giving those small, extra details when available).  With that said, I love the impact of the DX's bass and their comfort is a big win since they're much lighter and don't squeeze my head like a vice.  Plus, they're much easier to drive.  This might not be a big deal for some people, but the DX1000's give me great sound without makeing me feel tethered to an amp, which is a bonus.  So other than the occasional album I've really been looking forward to, I'd feel comfortable saying I'd choose the DX1000's for most of my listening.
 
If you really like live/instrumental music (opera, orchestra, jazz, blues, etc) then the LCD's would get my vote.  Otherwise, I'd go for the DX's (pop, hip hop, electronic dance music, anything with artificial bass).  Rock, however, was a split for me... sort of.  Stevie Ray Vaughn.... LCD.  Def Leppard.... DX.  Basically, studio vs stage.
 
Anyways, hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I'm sure there's much to clarify.

 

[grizzlybeast]

What a great write up! 
 
I have an lcd2 on the way and know that the lcd3 does everything better. Someone preferred the dx1000 to the lcd2.
 
One thing you didn't mention was the midrange. I have heard the midrange of the dx1000 being desribed as distant but you don't give any impressions of the likes maybe because it has already been covered.
 
I am already considering this headphone though because I was debating between the two and before I got a resolving answer I hastily pulled the trigger on the long wanted lcd-2.  They don't sound different enough to need both. It would be cool to see a frequency graph of both together. 
 
After going back and reading it makes me thing that I picked the wrong phone. I just didn't want a recessed midrange. Im a basshead first and a midrange head second. 

 

[Cecala]

Thank you defcan for a very nice review. The soundstage effect on the Dx1000 is unique in that you need  the right music to really understand how big it is. I've had times when I could swear I heard something outside my window and took off my phones only to discover it was the music itself. This is one phone which will grow on you over time as it will show it's finer qualities to the listener. I also use this phone for film listening and it is sublime for it's bass quality and quantity. Those explosions will rattle your head and bend your spine.
One tiny item you forgot to mention is the massive price difference between the two. I feel really good I did not give in to temptation and purchase a side step at best.

 

[Cecala]

Bump for the hell of it.

 

[kookoo]

Everytime I see this thread, I get so temped to buy the JVC...only to realise that my wallet is really that slim.

 

[grizzlybeast]

fwiw someone here let me borrow some dx700's to check out.... Man these are my favorite headphones to date. I prefer them to the lcd2 and tons of others. I am not saying they are better than all the others I have tried but I definetly prefer them to the rest. I need to save up and get some. I was wondering how the mids on the dx1000 would compare to the dx700 because they sound really good to me.

 

[wink]

For me, it's NO CONTEST - LCD-2 All the way.

 

[grizzlybeast]

the dx700 has more wow moments. More distortion, equal detail, better instrument seperation at times, wider soundstage, better height and width, less transparency, worse center image, but sounds almost as natural. As a whole I like the dx700 presentation. Man i wanna hear the dx1000, I would be willing to swap them out with someone for a week to hear the difference once I get them.
 
a lot of people prefer dx1000 over the lcd2 but say the lcd2 is technically better. I say the same for the dx700

 

[Cecala]

  the dx700 has more wow moments. More distortion, equal detail, better instrument seperation at times, wider soundstage, better height and width, less transparency, worse center image, but sounds almost as natural. As a whole I like the dx700 presentation. Man i wanna hear the dx1000, I would be willing to swap them out with someone for a week to hear the difference once I get them.
 
a lot of people prefer dx1000 over the lcd2 but say the lcd2 is technically better. I say the same for the dx700

You can purchase the DX2000 which I hear is identical in sound to the DX1000, only they are available in black & brown only. I have the 1000's and yes they are coloured although JVC either got it right by design or by mere happenstance. I don't care because whatever happened, magic was the result.
 

 

 

These pads are a real joy to behold, you have to try these to really appreciate the quality.

 

[grizzlybeast]

^the dx2000 is out of my price range by a leap.