Audeze LCD-2 Closed

[Hankz]

I’ve been listening to my LCD2closed and E3’s today and I’m honestly pleased with both of them. The E3 has a wider soundstage and the bass is a little better but it’s hard to dawg the LCD2 for the money. (Except for its weight)

I switched them in and out of my Cambridge Dacmagic 200 and my Schiit Valhalla 2.

 

[feank]

I’ve been listening to my LCD2closed and E3’s today and I’m honestly pleased with both of them. The E3 has a wider soundstage and the bass is a little better but it’s hard to dawg the LCD2 for the money. (Except for its weight)

I switched them in and out of my Cambridge Dacmagic 200 and my Schiit Valhalla 2.

E3's soundstage wider 20% more?, what about deep and tall?

 

[Hankz]

E3's soundstage wider 20% more?, what about deep and tall?

Aw hell I don’t know but it’s wider. After todays listening session I could be tempted to return the E3’s .. right now my only real complaint against the Audeze is it’s weight. There’s alota good cans in the $2000 price point and I’ve only heard one of them. Now I’m starting to understand why so many of you have a dozen hanging around your listening room.

 

[feank]

Aw hell I don’t know but it’s wider. After todays listening session I could be tempted to return the E3’s .. right now my only real complaint against the Audeze is it’s weight. There’s alota good cans in the $2000 price point and I’ve only heard one of them. Now I’m starting to understand why so many of you have a dozen hanging around your listening room.

That is amazing....keep LCD 2 CB, weight is some that you will use to but sound quality and sensations that some HP brings is not easy to emulate, I had around 20 different HP along my hobby; Empyrean, Z1R and mid fi like DT1990 or Arya but the sensation with M1570 is on top, sometimes you hear some HP one day and find not funny, for instance I bought the 109 pro and don't like me I found too similar timbre than Fidelio X3 so I sold, then I bought Hadenys and didn't find the "click" so I interchange with my friend for the 109 pro again, after some weeks now I found one of my favorites HP. Also I waiting for the Sash Tres SE which is under construction by the creator. In 2 weeks arrives my LCD2 CB (older design) so I can give my impressions and comparisons.

 

[Opalius]

Aw hell I don’t know but it’s wider. After todays listening session I could be tempted to return the E3’s .. right now my only real complaint against the Audeze is it’s weight. There’s alota good cans in the $2000 price point and I’ve only heard one of them. Now I’m starting to understand why so many of you have a dozen hanging around your listening room.

Well, for the price of an E3, you could get both the LCD-X and the LCD-CB… wink wink—that’s what I have. If someone asked me if I wanted to trade either one for an E3, my answer would be a definite no.

To put things into perspective, the E3 costs $2,000, whereas the CB is $800. Aside from the weight difference, I really don’t feel like you’re getting more for the money. Sure, it has a different tuning, but you’d also get that with something like the ZMF Vérité Closed—more expensive, with better materials and a more premium look, but in terms of sound quality, just different, not necessarily better.

Many people tend to compare the E3 to the LCD-CX, as they are closer in both price and tuning. I had the choice to go with the CX, which is an absolutely amazing headphone. The only reason I chose the CB instead was that it had a greater sense of space—it didn’t feel closed in the same way the CX did. The CX, I’d say, has a more "correct" tuning, but the vocals, especially female vocals, are more forward compared to the CB.

 

[Tharnius83]

I think the LCD-2 Closed is the best sounding headphone you can get for 900 US. There is nothing else that exists for this price point that matches it. I used to own the LCD-X, and I think the LCD-2 Closed sounds better than it as well. I didn't appreciate that the LCD-X required significant EQ to get it to sound even close to correct. The LCD-2 Closed only requires just a few EQ adjustments to get it to sound completely correct, since it is far closer to neutral to begin with. In my opinion, this is just a spectacular headphone for the cost.

 

[feank]

In terms of tuning and sound the original version of LCD2 CB (the A design) is different to the new cups ; black with audeze word?

 

[peterinvan]

I think the LCD-2 Closed is the best sounding headphone you can get for 900 US. There is nothing else that exists for this price point that matches it. I used to own the LCD-X, and I think the LCD-2 Closed sounds better than it as well. I didn't appreciate that the LCD-X required significant EQ to get it to sound even close to correct. The LCD-2 Closed only requires just a few EQ adjustments to get it to sound completely correct, since it is far closer to neutral to begin with. In my opinion, this is just a spectacular headphone for the cost.

I auditioned the LCD-2 Closed and the LCD-XC. The XC sounds much better to my ears. I got a pair of the classic Bubinga (2019) LCD-XC for $1000 CDN.

I use the Loki+ to tune them to my preference:

 

[Tharnius83]

I have never heard the XC. What do you find it does better than the 2 Closed ?

 

[trellus]

I auditioned the LCD-2 Closed and the LCD-XC. The XC sounds much better to my ears. I got a pair of the classic Bubinga (2019) LCD-XC for $1000 CDN.

I use the Loki+ to tune them to my preference:

I've wanted for a while to play a bit with a Loki and my XC as I love much about the XC except it feels a little light in the loafers, even if it is more resolving than my LCD-2C closed back which has a more pleasing frequency response without EQ to me than the XC.

 

[Opalius]

If we're talking about the differences between the new and old versions, there is a very slight difference, but it mostly comes down to how close the drivers are to your ears. The A-cup version uses memory foam earpads that position the cups and drivers farther away from your ears. It takes some time for the foam to compress and settle in, so when you A/B test the new and old versions, you might notice a slight difference in soundstage and vocal proximity when transitioning from new to old. In other words, going from semi-memory foam to full memory foam requires heat to mold to your head.

However, when going the other way—from old to new—any difference, if present, would likely go unnoticed.

So, the very short answer is: NO.

 

[Hankz]

I’ve decided to return my E3’s . The only advantage that I could experience with them is their lighter weight and that’s not worth the extra $1000.

I’ll tell ya, sometimes it’s worth trying something perceived to be bigger and better in order to verify what you have is pretty dang good.

 

[Tharnius83]

The only complaint I have with the LCD-2 Closed is the balanced cable that it comes with in the box. The cable has terrible memory, which I just could not tolerate. I ended up replacing it with this one a few days after I got the headphone. It is a far better cable, and sounds better than the stock one as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3T3MYCD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

 

[Opalius]

The only complaint I have with the LCD-2 Closed is the balanced cable that it comes with in the box. The cable has terrible memory, which I just could not tolerate. I ended up replacing it with this one a few days after I got the headphone. It is a far better cable, and sounds better than the stock one as well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3T3MYCD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1

lol - same

 

[feank]