cjc
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2002
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My LCD-2 fazors sound good at low volume to me but, I did like my Hifiman HE-400's played a bit louder.
My LCD-2 fazors sound good at low volume to me but, I did like my Hifiman HE-400's played a bit louder.
One thing about the 2.2's is they seem to keep their distinctive sound across different amps, and also seem to react less to EQ settings. Some cans are real chameleons and can change dramatically on different amps or EQ settings, but the 2.2's distinctive sound seems to always come through.
I have several amps, but none of them seem to change the soundstage much, even though they may change other factors like texture or the highs. Various DSP effects may be the best route with these if you want to simulate a wider more spacious sound. Just my opinion.
With the Bryston BHA-1 and LCD 2.2 pre-Fazor, subjectively they sound a lot better when they're quite loud. Though they're still good even when pretty quiet.
Mine are the pre-fazor, and are a very in-close sound, much like the 650. If you want wider the HD-800 or AKG's are good, but very different sounds.
With the Bryston BHA-1 and LCD 2.2 pre-Fazor, subjectively they sound a lot better when they're quite loud. Though they're still good even when pretty quiet.
Well 2F had more detailed and had a larger soundstage but was less involving because there was less foundation (bass). The LCD2.2 sounded more natural and balanced for me. Also with my amp (bryston bha-1) the LCD2.2 has enough details for my taste.
I don't find the HD650 closed in, I like the HD650, except for the "3 blob" soundstage, not a huge soundstage, but not "closed in" like you get from some closed headphones etc. Maybe we are confusing terminology.
I can attest to that, as a new/first owner of a pair of planar magnetic headphones I was pleasantly surprised by the LCD-2.2s (non-fazor) tonal presentation at all volumes with the BHA-1….my initial impressions were relatively skewed though…finding them while pleasant…lacking base and dynamics, the opposite of what I’ve been reading and even heard at my local dealer with the fazor model…that was until I discovered the balanced cable was wired out of phase.
All has been corrected and I find that they do stand up to all the hype and a nice compliment to my HD700s…wonderful deep extended base and a very natural presentation.
Are the fazor relatively bass light compared to the originals? Or is it a small difference? Same with soundstage etc. are they big differences or small? Can you also compare either of them to the SRH 1540 or HD650?
As I prefer darker headphones... But also don't like small soundstage, that leaves me with a bit of a predicament.
Possibly lol. Perhaps intimate is a better description. I just did a mini-review of the 650 with the Byston BHA-1 on their threads and was quite surprised how much the BHA-1 (a brighter-to-neutral amp) opened up the soundstage on the 650's compared to my other amps when run balanced. Three-blob and intimate is how I would normally describe them, but the combo above did wonders for a wider and more spacious soundstage. Smoothed out that mid-bass hump too, although that's one of the nicer and defining characteristics of the 650.
Quite agree. The 2.2c and BHA-1 are a great pairing - really compliment each other. The great bass of the 2.2c still comes through while the darker presentation of the 2.2c seems evened out by a bit more high end from the BHA-1. Combined with the power and detail of the balanced output it's a very good pair.
If you listen loud a darker sound is less fatiguing. And yes LCD2 sound best loud.
You might damage your hearing listening to planars 'loud', as the distortion cue (which can show with dynamic cans) is not there to tell you they may be into the hearing loss territory.
Edit : (Actually I've been finding IEM's worse with this due to their laser-like presentation at higher volumes)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/earbud-increases-hidden-hearing-loss-risk-study-article-1.2230945
I currently purchased a pair of LCD-2, and I also have SRH1540 on hand.
Regarding SRH1540, it's a closed back design. The air cannot pass the ear cup in and out, so the sound stage suffered quit a bit.
Many people considering LCD-2 lacks the open feeling of most open back headphones, but in my humble opinion, the sound stage is much wider than the SRH1540.
I have never tried HD650, so I cannot comment on this. But the sound stage of my other headphone HD700 is even better than the LCD-2,
but sometimes the brightness of HD700 causes fatigue on my ears, and that's the reason I prefer the warm feeling of LCD-2.