[Monsterzero]

The Audeze isnt going to provide a night/day difference vs HD650 in the sound stage and mids area,and frankly I did not like either for rock/metal which comprises nearly all of my listening.
The LCDs strong suit is sub-bass and on albums like Ajja&Cosmosis 'Alien Jams' you hear quite clearly that bass response and its pure deep goodness.Unfortunately a lot of rock and metal do not have that deep diving bass,so IMHO youre not really using the best trait that makes the LCD-2 worth getting.

The HD650 scales up pretty well but as mentioned previously the sound stage will never open up and make you forget the HD700/800

 

[Jamie G]

The Audeze isnt going to provide a night/day difference vs HD650 in the sound stage and mids area,and frankly I did not like either for rock/metal which comprises nearly all of my listening.
The LCDs strong suit is sub-bass and on albums like Ajja&Cosmosis 'Alien Jams' you hear quite clearly that bass response and its pure deep goodness.Unfortunately a lot of rock and metal do not have that deep diving bass,so IMHO youre not really using the best trait that makes the LCD-2 worth getting.

The HD650 scales up pretty well but as mentioned previously the sound stage will never open up and make you forget the HD700/800

Firstly mate, thank you for introducing me to Ajja & Cosmosis...other than rock / metal, electronica and chillout are my other main listens, so this is right up my street. Nice one!

I do love my bass, and there are times when i would love a bit more bass...and ANY sub bass from the 650's so maybe the LCD's could be a win. Not sure.

 

[Monsterzero]

Firstly mate, thank you for introducing me to Ajja & Cosmosis...other than rock / metal, electronica and chillout are my other main listens, so this is right up my street. Nice one!

I do love my bass, and there are times when i would love a bit more bass...and ANY sub bass from the 650's so maybe the LCD's could be a win. Not sure.

As a former DJ i enjoy exposing new music to people,so youre welcome.If you do a lot of trance/psybient listening then perhaps the LCD-2 is a good choice.Thats all I used my pair for and ended up selling them to grab the Atticus.

When i had my pair it was #4 for doing rock/metal in my collection behind the AKG K240 sextetts,AD2000s and HE-500...At the end of the day I didnt like the mids on the LCD-2s.I found them too small and one-dimensional and not pronounced enough for me.Both the AD2000s and sextetts have a bit of peak @5k which makes the guitars come quite forward,and I like that,while others might hate it.

 

[D2Girls]

Hey op just some tips. Source better masters, don't listen to remasters if you can manage it. Never use Roon, it's not going to change how anything sounds. It's not worth $500. I'm advocating against streaming services because they almost always have remasters instead of the original versions. Lastly, you say you'd live in the U.K and it's impossible to get a Jotenhiem? Pretty sure schiit eu which is based in the U.K. sells them...

 

[Jamie G]

So, something interesting has happened. I'd been looking for a cheap Audioquest Jitterbug for a while on ebay as i'd read good reviews and decided £30 to (potentially) eek a bit of improvement out of my files was probably worth a shot. Anyway, spotted one just after posting this thread and snapped it up. Long story short, this little thing has made a big change. Its not apparent all the time, but i now find the overall presentation to be smoother, fuller/warmer and the 650's maybe even sound like they dig a bit deeper. A lot more to my liking. A really good investment in my opinion!

So i think i'll hold off on the idea of changing DAC/AMP or headphones for the time being, and maybe instead add tubes into the mix as a couple of you guys suggested above. A Valhalla 2 sounds like the most suggested, but i'm thinking a Little Dot MkII could be a good shout. Cheap, good reviews and pairs well from what i've read.

Unexpected outcome based on how i started the thread but appreciate all your input.


Jamie