[diamondears]

Actually I'm in the process of selling that pair of LCD-2's because they are the pre-fazor and didnt have enough impact or speed to the sound. Right now I'm testing out the mrspeakers alpha prime, got until next week before the return policy ends. and if I dont stick with those I will get the fazor lcd-2. The alpha prime I am running in balanced, and the lcd-2 I only had in 1/4in. With this amp, it has two full single ended amps stacked on top of each other inside, so when you use the balanced out you get two amps worth of power and sound, where single ended is just one or the other. I will say it seems to sound a bit stronger, like better imaging, and obviously there is twice the power too, and it just sounds like the way an expensive amp should sound. Single ended is amazing too, but you could tell its a bit better in balanced output. I wouldn't buy this amp if you dont have a balanced connector for your headphones. also at this price range I gained ease of use and flexibility. I have used this amp with hd800s, lcd-2, he-560, denon d5000, and now alpha prime, and it always adapted for them, so I didnt have to consider synergy issues or power issues. I just plug in the headphones and it works as if it was made only for that headphone. Honestly any amp more that 2 grand seems extreme to me, like I can justify what I got for this money, with this amp, but it would be real hard to justify 2-5 times that amount for something that barely improves, and if anything just changes the flavor slightly. Honestly at this point you're just paying for piece of mind, knowing that what you hear through your headphones is pretty much the way those headphones should sound ideally. But if you find an amp that does the job and you like the sound a lot, at a much lower price, then thats just as good really.

My unsolicited advise is---don't let go of your LCD-2 Rev. 2 (non-Fazor). It's perfect in a perfectly neutral amp.

 

[abcd]

I have a question. Is there a very noticeable difference between the 1st generation LCD-2 and the fazor LCD-2's? I mean like, a $300 difference in price. I am interested in buying LCD-2's but don't know how worth it is to save about $300 and go with the LCD-2's without fazor. Thanks

 

[jodgey4]

If you want more detail and a more open soundstage at the loss of intimacy, then go for the Fazor. Depending, I wouldn't pay the $300 IMO - I like a (relatively) closed sound.

 

[diamondears]

I have a Rev. 2 (not sure what abcd refers to by "first gen") and the Fazor edition, and I'm really wondering how come the fuller and more bodied bass got lost. I mean, technically, how did it get lost?

Does the fazors, which are put on top of the magnet bars, cause the magnet bars to be more immovable, hence prevented the diaphragms, which are in between the magnet bars, from moving more?

 

[saxelrod92]

My unsolicited advise is---don't let go of your LCD-2 Rev. 2 (non-Fazor). It's perfect in a perfectly neutral amp.

At least with my pair, they were just too weak in the bass impact, and too congested in the soundstage. It made them sound pretty boring and didnt give a proper representation of the music. I have not had the chance to hear any other model other than the specific one I own, so I cant honestly say if this was isolated to my specific pair, or just how the pre-fazor from late 2013 sounds like to my ears. It does seem that anyone who felt like me about this, who then got the fazor version said it what they wanted. So I feel good about that. I mean take into consideration I have tried those more neutral, some bright, headphones and almost was fine keeping them. mainly it's just the lack of any impact that bothered me. they sound full, but laidback, and dull. If I end up returning the alpha primes, then I'm going with the fazor lcd-2, and hopefully it will have fixed the issues with my current pair.

 

[diamondears]

I have a question. Is there a very noticeable difference between the 1st generation LCD-2 and the fazor LCD-2's? I mean like, a $300 difference in price. I am interested in buying LCD-2's but don't know how worth it is to save about $300 and go with the LCD-2's without fazor. Thanks

If your budget is tight, get the Rev. 2. If you have the budget, get a brand new Rev. 2...

 

[diamondears]

At least with my pair, they were just too weak in the bass impact, and too congested in the soundstage. It made them sound pretty boring and didnt give a proper representation of the music. I have not had the chance to hear any other model other than the specific one I own, so I cant honestly say if this was isolated to my specific pair, or just how the pre-fazor from late 2013 sounds like to my ears. It does seem that anyone who felt like me about this, who then got the fazor version said it what they wanted. So I feel good about that. I mean take into consideration I have tried those more neutral, some bright, headphones and almost was fine keeping them. mainly it's just the lack of any impact that bothered me. they sound full, but laidback, and dull. If I end up returning the alpha primes, then I'm going with the fazor lcd-2, and hopefully it will have fixed the issues with my current pair.

My Rev. 2 is July 2012 and they doesn't sound like what you described at all. I use it in my office and I always swap it with the Fazor one at home as I always miss its deep, articulate, detailed, tight, punchy and full-bodied bass. I use O2 and DacMagic+ with MacBook Audirvana+ as player. Nothing I could ask for really.

I suggest try it with a really neutral amp.

 

[saxelrod92]

Did you check the date of manufacture with Audeze? My Rev. 2 is July 2012 and they doesn't sound like what you described at all. I use it in my office and I always swap it with the Fazor one at home as I always miss its deep, articulate, detailed, tight, punchy and full-bodied bass. I use O2 and DacMagic+ with MacBook Audirvana+ as player. Nothing I could ask for really.

What gears you using with them?

Yea after many months of looking into this, for some reason the older versions from 2012 and back are described as what you say, but some feel they can be too dark or whatever. But the versions made around late 2013 (mine were built in june 2013, and I got them in september), seem to get impressions similar to what I'm describing, and those people felt the fazor version solved all the issues with that version. I'm using what I have in my signature. A V281, with a bifrost uber. I've used hd800's, he-560, d5000, and alpha prime on this set up and they all have the proper impact and sound you expect high end headphones to have, but that lcd-2 I have doesn't, like its not properly conveying music because its too weak sounding. parts that have good bass end up sounding weak in the bass or at worst the bass gets completely drowned out by the mids. It cant hold down its frequency spot properly. All the other headphones didnt have this issue, they just had a differ flavor representitive of their sound, but at least they all conveyed the bass, mids, treble properly and with the right impact. idk what it is about those late 2013 models, or if I would feel the same even about the pair you have, but its pretty jarring how dull and lacking of impact they are (also there is nothing objectively wrong with them, like the drivers are fine, seal is fine, pads are fine, they are built correctly).

 

[diamondears]

Yea after many months of looking into this, for some reason the older versions from 2012 and back are described as what you say, but some feel they can be too dark or whatever. But the versions made around late 2013 (mine were built in june 2013, and I got them in september), seem to get impressions similar to what I'm describing, and those people felt the fazor version solved all the issues with that version. I'm using what I have in my signature. A V281, with a bifrost uber. I've used hd800's, he-560, d5000, and alpha prime on this set up and they all have the proper impact and sound you expect high end headphones to have, but that lcd-2 I have doesn't, like its not properly conveying music because its too weak sounding. parts that have good bass end up sounding weak in the bass or at worst the bass gets completely drowned out by the mids. It cant hold down its frequency spot properly. All the other headphones didnt have this issue, they just had a differ flavor representitive of their sound, but at least they all conveyed the bass, mids, treble properly and with the right impact. idk what it is about those late 2013 models, or if I would feel the same even about the pair you have, but its pretty jarring how dull and lacking of impact they are (also there is nothing objectively wrong with them, like the drivers are fine, seal is fine, pads are fine, they are built correctly).

I see. Trust your ears. Either get a replacement Fazor edition or used Rev. 2 (2012).

 

[cav1sa]

Ha ha that was fast. I just ordered an iFi micro iDSD. Thanks again for the comments, guys!
This forum is great. Or very, very bad.. I'm not sure.

 

[saxelrod92]

I see. Trust your ears. Either get a replacement Fazor edition or used Rev. 2 (2012).

exactly lol, after months looking into this on the threads, and trying out the opposite extremes in terms of headphones (I consider the hd800 the opposite extreme of an lcd-2), I continue to think the fazor version would sound better to me than the older models. and thats only if I choose to return the alpha primes I'm trying right now. Their issue is one of comfort not sound though. The cups cant tilt up and down much, and on my head headphones like to be in a more V shape, slightly, so because these cant tilt much on that axis theres more pressure at the top than bottom. I dont want to get too into it because I've already discussed this with mrspeakers, and other forum members, its just my head. I'm seeing if the pads break in a bit to change this by monday, if not, then I'm returning them and getting the lcd-2 fazor. One thing though about going for an lcd-2 right now, is not knowing if Audeze is going to suddenly unveil a new revision in Jan like they did last year with the fazor. Since they have been working on that suspension headband assembly which could trickle down like the way the fazor did, and if so that would fix my comfort issues with the lcd-2 (but I get used to them, unlike the alpha primes so far).

 

[diamondears]

exactly lol, after months looking into this on the threads, and trying out the opposite extremes in terms of headphones (I consider the hd800 the opposite extreme of an lcd-2), I continue to think the fazor version would sound better to me than the older models. and thats only if I choose to return the alpha primes I'm trying right now. Their issue is one of comfort not sound though. The cups cant tilt up and down much, and on my head headphones like to be in a more V shape, slightly, so because these cant tilt much on that axis theres more pressure at the top than bottom. I dont want to get too into it because I've already discussed this with mrspeakers, and other forum members, its just my head. I'm seeing if the pads break in a bit to change this by monday, if not, then I'm returning them and getting the lcd-2 fazor. One thing though about going for an lcd-2 right now, is not knowing if Audeze is going to suddenly unveil a new revision in Jan like they did last year with the fazor. Since they have been working on that suspension headband assembly which could trickle down like the way the fazor did, and if so that would fix my comfort issues with the lcd-2 (but I get used to them, unlike the alpha primes so far).

By the way, ain't the Violectric warm? Try a really neutral and transparent amp. Could be the Bifrost warm too (haven't heard it)?

 

[saxelrod92]

By the way, ain't the Violectric warm? Try a really neutral and transparent amp. Could be the Bifrost warm too (haven't heard it)?

no the V281 is dead neutral man, the most "warm" it ever gets is a slight organic sound, and I really do mean slight. Otherwise its very neutral, very detailed, very reference level. I mean at most its probably closer to sounding warm than it would to sounding bright, but it's definitely very neutral. Also the bifrost seems more organic than warm too, specifically because I have the uber upgrade in it, and the gungnir supposedly sounds a bit edgy at times, some people have mentioned. so the bifrost uber is still pretty close to neutral. there is nothing warm or bright in my system. Bright headphones like the hd800 sounded bright, dark headphones sounded dark, neutral headphones sound neutral. I know for sure its not my system. Believe me its not a subtle thing with the lcd-2 pair I have, I'm sure if you heard it you would instantly notice the fault, even after getting used to it for a few months you still notice it. And I know theres no way the new models, or the old models, could all sound like this, because if they did theres no way this many people would like them so much.

 

[diamondears]

no the V281 is dead neutral man, the most "warm" it ever gets is a slight organic sound, and I really do mean slight. Otherwise its very neutral, very detailed, very reference level. I mean at most its probably closer to sounding warm than it would to sounding bright, but it's definitely very neutral. Also the bifrost seems more organic than warm too, specifically because I have the uber upgrade in it, and the gungnir supposedly sounds a bit edgy at times, some people have mentioned. so the bifrost uber is still pretty close to neutral. there is nothing warm or bright in my system. Bright headphones like the hd800 sounded bright, dark headphones sounded dark, neutral headphones sound neutral. I know for sure its not my system. Believe me its not a subtle thing with the lcd-2 pair I have, I'm sure if you heard it you would instantly notice the fault, even after getting used to it for a few months you still notice it. And I know theres no way the new models, or the old models, could all sound like this, because if they did theres no way this many people would like them so much.

Why not have it returned and exchanged for a new one? You bought it used? Very glad I got 2012 and 2014 versions...

 

[saxelrod92]

Why not have it returned and exchanged for a new one? You bought it used? Very glad I got 2012 and 2014 versions...

no I bought it brand new, and at the time was going through a move, and long story short I didnt sadly get around to using them until nearly 6 months later after getting them, and by the time I learned about the issues with the sound I was having it was way too late for any returns lol. So yes they are actually over a yr old, in my possesion, but only a few months of actual use (thats what I'm trying to advertise them as for potential buyers, since its true and I figured a good deal for anyone wanting the older model in good condition).