[SP Wild]

  For any readers that have HE-400 and are thinking about LCD-2; the LCD-2 has advantages that I now cannot live without, and I think it still comes at a great price for how much enjoyment I get from them. 
 
The main thing really is the tonality and naturalness -- the LCD-2 sounds soooo realistic (the treble sounds very natural and detailed, it's just a little dark. nothing a little EQ cant fix). It's really important for listening to music, especially for vocals and natural instruments. And from this naturalness, along with the strange but awesome 'liquid' Audeze house sound, makes the LCD2 sound absolutely GORGEOUS. as well as transparent. But yeah, this kind of natural sound signature, I truly would die if I didn't have. it's that important to me now. 
 
While the 400 is high wow factor, zippy, engaging (way more engaging than HD650, for me), it just doesn't take my breath away like the LCD. 
 
Also, I use Fiio e17/ e9 combo, and it sounds incredible to me. I went to a hifi store to try out different DACs and amps. while I heard a difference with more expensive gear, it was really quite minor. I'm fairly new to the high end audio scene so my ears are not as trained as some of these other goofballs on here, so I might get some flak. Buuuut if you are new and on a budget, and wanna get a lot of sound out of a cheap-ish setup, I'd totally recommend LCD2 and e9. 

 
The LCD2 is the only way to sample true hi-end sound without having to deal with moronic summit-fi posters.  Thank goodness there are good summit-fie'rs to keep that place from falling into the same trap that killed hi-fi...yes hi-fi died a while ago, and won't be coming back the way it was - never.
 
Read this and understand - kappish?
 
http://lenardaudio.com/education/09_mix_5.html

 

[HPiper]

I finally got to audition the LCD2 is a quiet good environment and now I see the light. What a gorgeous sound these phones produce. Wow. I will say that planar and dynamic phones produce a different sound from one another and I can see how some people might prefer one over the other and while I'd say I am in the dynamic camp, these phones could make anyone change their minds easily.  Just total smoothness from bottom to top, detail to die for, and no harshness on top at all. I had a lot of fun listening to these. I would like to get some HD800's but there is a good chance I will end up with some of these instead.

 

[dfarina]

I had a set of LCD-2.2's about 6 months ago and sold them,regretted it ever since.Today I got a great deal on the used market for a basically new LCD-2.2 that had less than 5 hrs on them.The graph chart has a date of Aug 30/2013.To me they sound like they have a slight bit more sparkle in the high frequencies compared to what I remember of my old set of LCD-2.2.Maybe they sound that way because they need more time to burn in,but I thought I read somewhere that possibly the newer LCD-2.2's might have a bit more high frequencies then the older LCD-2.2's(still revision2)??

 

[Taowolf51]

Very possibly, LCD-2's have been getting less and less dark with time.

 

[Lohb]

I have designed a leather headband cushion for the crown pressure of LCD-2's that fits under the band and velcros over the existing headband at 3 points with thin straps...but I need a photo with my cushioned headband on a pair of LCD-2's/3 to show how it fits on, and show how it tapers down with the headband shape.
I already have one winging its way to a HifiMan HE-6 owner, but I don't have any Audeze owners locally.
So if anyone can get me a few good photos with it on the headband of a pair of Audeze sent to me by email, then PM please to discuss a circa 50% d/c on the proto leather headband cushion. 

 

[dfarina]

After listening to the LCD-2 rev 2 for a couple days now I am convinced the late 2013 versions sound brighter than the early 2013 versions.No idea what Audeze has done,but thats what my ears are telling me.Overall I am VERY pleased with the sound.

 

[MaJoMax]

  After listening to the LCD-2 rev 2 for a couple days now I am convinced the late 2013 versions sound brighter than the early 2013 versions.No idea what Audeze has done,but thats what my ears are telling me.Overall I am not sure if I like this better,I am sure over time my ears will adjust and it will be fine.

Do you notice any changes in yours FR graph when comparing to others one?

 

[White Lotus]

  After listening to the LCD-2 rev 2 for a couple days now I am convinced the late 2013 versions sound brighter than the early 2013 versions.No idea what Audeze has done,but thats what my ears are telling me.Overall I am not sure if I like this better,I am sure over time my ears will adjust and it will be fine.

 
Are the pads different? AFAIK, that is the only difference between early 2013 and later 2013 models.

 

[dfarina]

Yes,my current LCD-2 has the softer pads,my previous one had the firmer ones.I guess we can assume these pads make a sonic difference if my ears are correct?Here is the graph from my current LCD-2's,looks to me like it has a little more of a spike at 10K than my old graph,but I can't say for sure....

 

[MaJoMax]

Yes,my current LCD-2 has the softer pads,my previous one had the firmer ones.I guess we can assume these pads make a sonic difference if my ears are correct?Here is the graph from my current LCD-2's,looks to me like it has a little more of a spike at 10K than my old graph,but I can't say for sure....

I believe the softer pads do make a bit of sonic differences.

 

[Contrails]

Last night, I went to a local headphone store here in Jakarta to check out some new headphones.  I currently have the he-500 plugged into a v200.  Great sound but the clamping force is doing my head/jaws in, and no improvement after  year of use, time to sell them and move on to something else. 
 
These are my initial impressions and you may or may not agree with them and that's ok.  I tried a few headphones on different set-ups.  I purposely played average classic rock recordings on these phones cos that is what I will be mostly listening to and I wanted to know which sounded the best to my ears, again IMO. 
 
1) HD800 + Crack = Too thin, bright, no bass impact.  Soundstage? average.  Yes, average.  I was anticipating a big soundstage (bigger than TH900 and HD650 at least) and I was disappointed.  I am sure if I had put on some classical music such as orchestra and if the HD800 was plugged into a Zana Deux with a Metrum Hex DAC or whatever highend dac, I would have been floored.  But I don't listen to this music, so I am in a way being harsh on the HD800.  It's a F1 car and I wanted to drive it in a traffic jam, not fun.  But very comfortable.
 
2) Fostex Th900 + ALO studio six = Good bass on some tracks, too much bass on others.  But the bass wasn't tight.  It hit and hit hard, but it lacked the tightness I have heard from LCD-2 and even the He500.  Closed cans so it did sound a little compressed compared to the others. Definite V-shape sound.  The treble was too much for me. Beautiful finish and nice comfort.  Also, it was advertised on the website for a certain price and when I went in the store, the price was a lot higher.  The store hadn't updated the new price on the website which was a bit disappointing.  The new price almost puts it into LCD-3 territory which is where I don't wanna go. 
 
3) HD650 + Crack = Big smile.  Just a smooth analogue sound with the right amount of bass.  A little less clearer than the HD800 and TH900 and this was only evident after comparing these phones.  Had a better depth in soundstage than the HD800 but less width, IMO.  I am almost tempted to sell the v200 and He500 and get on the crack HD650 wagon.  
 
Now, I know this is a LCD-2 thread.  So, today I will audition the LCD-2.2.  I will also be taking the V200 and MDAC with me.  I have been reading that these are HD650s on roids.  If the clamping force is too much, I might have to give them a miss.  I really hope not as I heard these a year ago but couldn't afford them back then but I loved them and I still remember that smooth sound and that BASS! Oh boy, that was epic to listen to.  Will keep everyone updated. 

 

[White Lotus]

The clamping force does reduce over time. Do you know which model you're auditioning? It makes a difference (with pads especially).
 
I feel that the clamp and fit might be too much for you to handle..

 

[SP Wild]

  Last night, I went to a local headphone store here in Jakarta to check out some new headphones.  I currently have the he-500 plugged into a v200.  Great sound but the clamping force is doing my head/jaws in, and no improvement after  year of use, time to sell them and move on to something else. 
 
These are my initial impressions and you may or may not agree with them and that's ok.  I tried a few headphones on different set-ups.  I purposely played average classic rock recordings on these phones cos that is what I will be mostly listening to and I wanted to know which sounded the best to my ears, again IMO. 
 
1) HD800 + Crack = Too thin, bright, no bass impact.  Soundstage? average.  Yes, average.  I was anticipating a big soundstage (bigger than TH900 and HD650 at least) and I was disappointed.  I am sure if I had put on some classical music such as orchestra and if the HD800 was plugged into a Zana Deux with a Metrum Hex DAC or whatever highend dac, I would have been floored.  But I don't listen to this music, so I am in a way being harsh on the HD800.  It's a F1 car and I wanted to drive it in a traffic jam, not fun.  But very comfortable.
 
2) Fostex Th900 + ALO studio six = Good bass on some tracks, too much bass on others.  But the bass wasn't tight.  It hit and hit hard, but it lacked the tightness I have heard from LCD-2 and even the He500.  Closed cans so it did sound a little compressed compared to the others. Definite V-shape sound.  The treble was too much for me. Beautiful finish and nice comfort.  Also, it was advertised on the website for a certain price and when I went in the store, the price was a lot higher.  The store hadn't updated the new price on the website which was a bit disappointing.  The new price almost puts it into LCD-3 territory which is where I don't wanna go. 
 
3) HD650 + Crack = Big smile.  Just a smooth analogue sound with the right amount of bass.  A little less clearer than the HD800 and TH900 and this was only evident after comparing these phones.  Had a better depth in soundstage than the HD800 but less width, IMO.  I am almost tempted to sell the v200 and He500 and get on the crack HD650 wagon.  
 
Now, I know this is a LCD-2 thread.  So, today I will audition the LCD-2.2.  I will also be taking the V200 and MDAC with me.  I have been reading that these are HD650s on roids.  If the clamping force is too much, I might have to give them a miss.  I really hope not as I heard these a year ago but couldn't afford them back then but I loved them and I still remember that smooth sound and that BASS! Oh boy, that was epic to listen to.  Will keep everyone updated. 

 
If there is one thing I miss it's my HD650 coupled to an SET amp.  I had a Cayin HA-1 or something or other, but sold that when I got the LCD2s, because I could hear output transformers with my LCD2s - not with my HD650.  My Morgan Jones amp power supplied smoked up - and the amp started zapping me when I touched it - so I'm not risking that one.
 
Now I have no SET sound at all.  My end game was ultimately a refined SET to drive my LCD2s...but I think in my state of finances, I am seriously considering getting myself a crack and reliving that SET sound with my HD650s.  But I'll never get rid of my LCD2s - they mean far too much to me.
 
If it's the tube sound you crave, nothing will give it to you like tubes can.  Fortunately I still have a KT88 push pull integrated for my speakers - which I have no room to setup, which is a bummer.
 

 
 
P.S.  Those LCD2 graphs look freakin perfect to me - the peak past 10khz will add air without affecting cymbals.  Upper mids should not be lacking at all.

 

[Contrails]

 Do you know which model you're auditioning

 
Rosewood 2.2 with leather pads.  I was also hoping to change the headband to foam but not sure if this is possible or not.  

 

[White Lotus]

   
Rosewood 2.2 with leather pads.  I was also hoping to change the headband to foam but not sure if this is possible or not.  

 
I believe the early 2013 models and late 2013 had different pads. I have the later 2013 model, the pads are a littler larger and softer (at least, this is what I'm told).