[FullBright1]

Although the marketing language may pitch it as Reference Sound, Audeze have decided to price it according to the value it delivers. .

"value it delivers", according to whom?
And how is this qualified?
Is it qualified by a room full of Audeze employees being asked if the LCD-1 sound is "reference" sound?

How can "quality", regarding headphone sound, be truthfully evaluated as "value"?
So this is the land of murky subjective opinion...
I think the honest sonic value of this headphone is found strictly within the ears of the buyer.
Audeze could confirm the value of the cost of the parts used to create each set, and they could tell you how much money they spent on R&D.
But, "how does it sound", value wise, is to be determined by each person who opens the box and fires them up.
We could, for the sake of fun, say, that if the buyer returns them, then they are of $0 value.
If they keep them, but dont really like them, then that is 50%, value, or the cost of the LCD1 + that overnight shipping, divided by 2.
If you get them and your music collection seems brand new, in a GOOD WAY, then you are getting all the value you can expect.
If a person in a recording studio thinks they are world class headphone studio monitors, then this is again, "full value" price.

 

[MRC001]

There's a raw FR graph posted earlier in the thread, not sure if you've seen that one: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-lcd-1.917165/#post-15249344

Yeah, I saw that. But it was unclear how they measured it and what HRTF reference they used. If raw means uncorrected, the lift around 3k looks too small, that will be a dip after an HRTF correction. Typical HRTF is roughly +15 dB around 3k.
Also, distortion, impulse & CSD are important measurements.

PS: one of the reasons the LCD-2,3,4,X are so heavy (and have such low distortion) is they have magnets on both sides of the diaphragm. It looks like one reason the LCD-1 is lighter is because it has magnets on only one side. All else equal this would mean higher distortion. But all else is not equal, maybe the LCD-1 has other changes to compensate? Anyway, when Jude measures them it will answer this and many other questions.

 

[sennfan83261]

There's a raw FR graph posted earlier in the thread, not sure if you've seen that one: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audeze-lcd-1.917165/#post-15249344

Uncompensated though. @metal571 posted his minidsp ears results, but I think he mentioned that he didn't trust them due to being unable to establish a sufficient seal on the device.

 

[FullBright1]

@FullBright1
Audeze wouldn't shoot themselves in the foot by making a headphone that is priced lower and performs better than the more expensive options in their lineup.

Click on the LCD1 link, and keep scrolling DOWN, and read exactly the descriptive language that Audeze has posted, as their marketing of this set of headphones, as your comment does not reflect how they are describing this gear on their site,
To say they have knowingly posted incredible expectations for this headphone, is to state it mildly.
So, my sonic expectations of this gear are not related to the price, but are related directly to their published description of the sound quality of the LCD1s.
For it to deliver anything less then a stunningly incredible quality of sound, would be in direct opposition to their literal description of this set of Audeze headphones.
They wrote it, i read it, i bought them.

 

[phthora]

Why is the assumption that 'reference' is a term denoting quality? I've always taken it to mean something along the lines of "suitable for monitoring during the production of music," in which case, even modestly priced headphones, like the Sony MDR7506 (a legend in monitoring) would be considered reference. That would also help explain why Audeze has produced different levels of 'reference,' since there are obvious varying levels of quality in gear used for monitoring. The common thread, then, would be a sound signature approaching a flat, studio monitor set-up.

Am I off base here?

 

[Chris Kaoss]

@FullBright1
You're driving in circles untill you get them. ^^
I wouldn't walk through your head within this time of awaiting their arrival.

Looking forward to your review.

 

[Fizzley]

Click on the LCD1 link, and keep scrolling DOWN, and read exactly the descriptive language that Audeze has posted, as their marketing of this set of headphones, as your comment does not reflect how they are describing this gear on their site,
To say they have knowingly posted incredible expectations for this headphone, is to state it mildly.
So, my sonic expectations of this gear are not related to the price, but are related directly to their published description of the sound quality of the LCD1s.
For it to deliver anything less then a stunningly incredible quality of sound, would be in direct opposition to their literal description of this set of Audeze headphones.
They wrote it, i read it, i bought them.

I did read their page for the LCD-1. It all seems like the usual marketing buzz words to me. This is how most all companies push a new product.

 

[HipHopScribe]

Why is the assumption that 'reference' is a term denoting quality? I've always taken it to mean something along the lines of "suitable for monitoring during the production of music," in which case, even modestly priced headphones, like the Sony MDR7506 (a legend in monitoring) would be considered reference. That would also help explain why Audeze has produced different levels of 'reference,' since there are obvious varying levels of quality in gear used for monitoring. The common thread, then, would be a sound signature approaching a flat, studio monitor set-up.

Am I off base here?

I think you're spot-on, that's exactly how I would interpret the meaning of a reference headphone

 

[FullBright1]

The fact that nobody's mentioned the midrange could be a good thing.

Its a "reference" sound, according to Audeze. This implies accuracy regarding sound reproduction. So, This does not allow for any freq to be hyped as produced by the LCD1.
So, if people are only describing the bass and treble, then i count this as potentially revealing something, that might not support my idea of "reference" sound.
I agree that Audeze's reference sound is THEIR reference sound, and this is not going to sound the same as any other headphone makers "reference sound".
Sure we all understand this...... but, the sound still has to be, according to that word, uncolored and unhyped, balanced, and natural.
Reference sound is really just the idea of reproducing the original in a way that is as truthful to the original sound, as possible.
So, if the LCD1s midrange is not grabbing reviewer's ears, then this could be a reason to wonder why.
Maybe its as you say it might be...that most reviewers, so far, are not really looking for reference mids, they are just listening and noticing the bass and treble while blasting Drake or Pitbul or Dua Lipa into their head.


No burn will i allow the LCD1s to have.. They leave the box, and i wear them. Fang would hate me, but, thats fine.....
What i dont do is try on other sets of headphones during the initial review, or prior to the initial listening session, as i want fresh ears, unbiased.
Im not going to go to a Subway, or a Airport and try to listen and describe them to you.
I want to experience the gear afresh, in a very quiet music room, so that i literally am able to evaluate the deepest sonic experience that they can produce for me, right out of the box.

I hope they affect me like the recent Next CLEER set has affected me, as this gear has been overproducing the goods since their initial plug in.. Its a Dynamic, and not a Planar, yet, its on par with really good PLanar sound, just different.
You know how it is when the music just comes out of the BLACK and its all around you inside your headphones? They are like this. Instrument separation, and overall detail is off the rails, yet without offending you with their high end.
Mildly Crisp, but not etched, trebles. No Beyer ear sting, no Hifiman SSSSSSS, .
The InnerFidelity Editor was pretty much semi-blown away, because they are not super expensive, and they have no distortion that is noticeable, no offending resonances, ... Just really CLEER.. = no hype.
They are able to show you where the individual parts of the music exist , regarding their soundstage reproduction, that is "world class".
How is the midrange? Exacting. and not recessed.

The day the LCD1s are to arrive, i will wear earplugs in the SUV, in the GYM, and back again, so that my hearing is not dumbed down by anything that day, prior to hearing the headphones.
This is the way i prepare for the review. Others, get out the Video Recorder and present a nice movie.
All im going to do is listen and write.
I'll keep it simple.
So, if im able to review this gear, that is what i will do.
I'll compare later with other headphones.
My ears are my graph and my chart.
This seems to work the best for me.

 

[HipHopScribe]

I have a few hours of listening in and I can confirm that the sound is not at all "V-shaped". Bass is well-extended but not boosted. Mids are mostly neutral but I think I hear a bit of boost in the upper mids. Highs are detailed without being too hot or harsh at all. I can definitely see why they'd push these for studio use. Don't want to say much more until I get more time with them.

 

[AxelCloris]

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping the thread on-topic, we appreciate it.

 

[Audeze]

Yeah, and I'm George Massenburg..

George liked the LCD1 and he uses Audeze headphones quite frequently. Here is a direct quote from GM - I’ve used Audeze headphones on every single project for the last three years.

 

[JoeBee]

Boy, you're not kidding about that song from Flying Lotus --

Yeah I thought Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, and The Heliocentics sounded great on the LCD-1.

But Miles Davis' Silent Way, Bach and Vivaldi from Pinnock, Hogwood, Yo-Yo, and others didn't sound as "sweet" as with the 6xx on a CTH amp. Also, George Harrison's solo at the end of The End should sound sweet, but it's more grating for me on the LCD-1.

I'm not listening to test tones or spectrum sweeps, not even at work editing video, and for me the 6xx makes music sound musical -- relaxing and/or engaging, forgiving without bother. I can imagine something better, but it's not the LCD-1. But it could be the LCD-2!

 

[JoeBee]

...the 6xx makes music sound musical -- relaxing and/or engaging, forgiving without bother. I can imagine something better, but it's not...

Oh -- I also don't hear the “V-shape” sound with LCD-1. But yeah, "reference" is almost meaningless.

And as far as studio monitors, the Sony V6 and 7506 are widely used in video but are actually horrendous for music listening. They help users spot noise because they emphasize it.

 

[trellus]

Yeah I thought Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, and The Heliocentics sounded great on the LCD-1.

But Miles Davis' Silent Way, Bach and Vivaldi from Pinnock, Hogwood, Yo-Yo, and others didn't sound as "sweet" as with the 6xx on a CTH amp. Also, George Harrison's solo at the end of The End should sound sweet, but it's more grating for me on the LCD-1.

I'm not listening to test tones or spectrum sweeps, not even at work editing video, and for me the 6xx makes music sound musical -- relaxing and/or engaging, forgiving without bother. I can imagine something better, but it's not the LCD-1. But it could be the LCD-2!

Oddly enough, I had yet to compare the LCD-1 to the HD 650, which is at this moment a few feet away from the LCD-1, but I guess that's because my expectation going in was that it would sound closer to an HD 600 (or Shure SRH1840) than an HD 650, so the very little time I've compared has been with the HD 600 and SRH1840, but I'm not surprised that music with more acoustic instruments would sound sweeter coming out of a tube hybrid and an HD 650 than it does on the LCD-1, although I did briefly listen to the end of Harrison's solo at the end of The End and it didn't sound grating to me, honestly - but definitely clear and uncolored and somewhat aggressive, but I attributed that to the recording itself as it didn't sound much tamer to me from the HD 650.

What volume were you listening at?