A short review of HD820 vs Audeze LCD-XC's

[Beagle]

Axel Grell has said that he prefers HD800S over HD820 and that the HD820 is mainly targeted to the Asian market. Where people live in small apartments and there open back - headphones would be annoying.

And the HD800S is for people who live in big houses?

 

[Preachy1]

Hi, the Sennheiser store in San Francisco has had a production model for the past 2 weeks. just walk in and give them a listen! you just can't but them yet.
I think they might be the only ones in the cont USA ?
They also have the HE1 that blows everything out of the water, I did have to wait about 6 weeks to try the HE1's though.


I'm somewhat more muscular than the average so I never felt like they were heavy even after hours of use. the wood is super durable, mine doesn't have a scratch on it.
I swap "backs" to transform them into LCD'X in quiet areas. it opens the soundstage up, if you're interested I'm selling my pair / 3 cables / 3 ear cups & original box so I can buy the Abyss Diana,
Diana's sounded better to me than Focal clear, LCD-MX4, LCD-X, Mr. Speaker Aeon Flow open, and Ether C flow open. on side to side comparison.

Hey, one comment caught my eye here. I recently got a pair of LCD-XCs (by “recently”, I mean today!). When you say you swapped the backs, how did you do this? I’d like to try this as well. Did you swap them with, say, the backs from a pair LCD-2s?

Thanks in advance!

 

[trellus]

i got mine for 300, but after that i sold them and got HifiMan HE500, the best decision I ever made.

I really like the HE500 as well, just haven’t given up my HD 700 for them.

 

[anorphirith]

This may be unpopular opinion [...]

I have the option to go to a shop San Francisco before buying my headphones. they literally have ALL the high end headphones available.
So I can listen to them and clearly see which one is superior and buy that one.
Sen knows that most people rely on "brand" and "reputation" and "price" to buy something. specially since in audio, the only way to know if it's actually better than the competition is to try it for yourself.
Thus all the thick layer of BS in the audio business. people read fake marketing sugar. or specs that are hard to assess a headphone with.
Looks like Sen is banking on that at the moment. people who will buy the HD820. and think it's the best thing ever simply because they haven't heard the rest

And the HD800S is for people who live in big houses?

wow you're relentless

Hey, one comment caught my eye here. I recently got a pair of LCD-XCs (by “recently”, I mean today!). When you say you swapped the backs, how did you do this? I’d like to try this as well. Did you swap them with, say, the backs from a pair LCD-2s?
Thanks in advance!

With LCD-X, but you don't really need to swap back just remove the cups

 

[FastAndClean]

@FastAndClean
I also have the HE500, such a ridiculous pair of Headphones,
really love them, since I got the HD800, I was thinking very often about selling them,
but every time when I pick them and hear some Rock or Jazz, they surprise me again and again.

I was thinking of selling them to, they are heavy, but every time I listen to them I realize that I will make a big mistake if I do it, such a gorgeous smooth sound, and that midrange, my god

 

[koiloco]

I was thinking of selling them to, they are heavy, but every time I listen to them I realize that I will make a big mistake if I do it, such a gorgeous smooth sound, and that midrange, my god

Don't make the same mistake I did.
I have the HE6 now but still miss HE500 from time to time...a lot.

 

[Beagle]

Thus all the thick layer of BS in the audio business. people read fake marketing sugar. or specs that are hard to assess a headphone with.
Looks like Sen is banking on that at the moment. people who will buy the HD820. and think it's the best thing ever simply because they haven't heard the rest.

Or people who spend their time comparing one headphone to another without a proper original frame of reference, i.e. actual live sounds. If that's all they do, they are selecting based on personal subjective taste.

 

[chef8489]

Or people who spend their time comparing one headphone to another without a proper original frame of reference, i.e. actual live sounds. If that's all they do, they are selecting based on personal subjective taste.

If a person is involved it is subjective. If equiptment measurments are involved it is objective.

 

[Art Garfunkel]

And in the event if a person involved in measurements is using a measuring apparatus that they judge to be correct but measures differently (or provides differring results) from another's testing gear? Back to square one. From my perspective, for what it is worth, to not rely on one's own ears to makes one's decisions on things sonic is absurd.

 

[chef8489]

And in the event if a person involved in measurements is using a measuring apparatus that they judge to be correct but measures differently (or provides differring results) from another's testing gear? Back to square one. From my perspective, for what it is worth, to not rely on one's own ears to makes one's decisions on things sonic is absurd.

No you should use your ears when deciding on gear for yourself as you are the one that must live with that decision.

 

[omegaorgun]

yeah I listened to a production model ...

Have you ever tried an Eikon? I'd live to have a comparison between it and the XC.

 

[halcyon]

I understood what Sennheiser wanted to do, take an amazing sounding headphone and offer a close back version... in my opinion it's a tremendous failure.

Thank you for your honest and critical comments. So rare here.

Question, in your opinion, what would be a good price for the HD820, considering that all closed headphones are always compromises one way or the other?

Clearly, if it's not up to the quality of 800S, the price should be less (esp. when there are other quite competent closed back headphone).

But how much lower price, in your opinion (just off the top of your head)?

 

[omegaorgun]

Thank you for your honest and critical comments. So rare here.

Question, in your opinion, what would be a good price for the HD820, considering that all closed headphones are always compromises one way or the other?

Clearly, if it's not up to the quality of 800S, the price should be less (esp. when there are other quite competent closed back headphone).

But how much lower price, in your opinion (just off the top of your head)?

On a few of the discord audio channels a few bash the XC but most owners seem to love them. Have you ever compared them to any of the ZMF headphones or an Alpha Prime etc?

 

[anorphirith]

But how much lower price, in your opinion (just off the top of your head)?

I'd be interested at about 800-1000? even that may be a bit high since you can get the closed back Aeons for about that price and they definitely sound better....

On a few of the discord audio channels a few bash the XC but most owners seem to love them. Have you ever compared them to any of the ZMF headphones or an Alpha Prime etc?

no i would probably need to go to a meet to do that. I just bought a pair of denon7200 ill be comparing with.
but I did compared them with a lot of headphones and they're hard to beat under 2000$. specially since you can convert them into lcd-x by just removing the cups. the Abyss Diana were clearly superior.

 

[Beagle]

Thank you for your honest and critical comments. So rare here.

Rare?