[Rob80b]

Hi Guys
 
After two weeks with my pre fazor 2.2s I’m starting to get a grasp on the overall sound… timbre is very good and extremely natural sounding and overall fairly linear.
I would not say these are dark, nor actually warm with regards to the sounds they essentially produce, at least not in comparison to the Sennheiser HD600/650 series, which are warmer overall. Surprisingly sound stage is very true to the recording, sometimes super wide with depth, other times closed in and intimate… but always different depending on the recording.
Their base production which is highly regarded is very evident…. listening to Mickey Hart’s “Planet Drum”…  track 7 “Temple Caves” reached waaayyy down..it’s in the sub territory, …..the other percussion tracksare very tactile with excellent attach and decay.
The kettle drums on George Crumb’s “An Idyll for the Misbegotten” for flute and percussion.. (New World Records) are truly amazing for a headphone and the flute had the necessary bite… adding contrasts to the percussion… spatial cues and soundstage were very good.
Of course this all carried over to Dave Holland “Emerald Tears” solo acoustic base, sound stage adjusted accordingly, being more intimate and close miked… the tone was very natural
Dead Can Dance “Spirit Chaser” faired very well with regards to soundstage width and an excellent listen allround.
If one was to go by the frequency graph one would almost expect Kathleen Battle’s  “Grace” album to be a let down but quite surprisingly it reproduced Battles high notes flawlessly.
 
Now here’s where the LCD2.2s let me down slightly and what I’m currently wrestling with…listening to the John Surman Quartet “Stranger than fiction” an album I’m extremely familiar with…instrumentation overall was excellent except.. John Marshall’s percussion and what I call his “dancing cymbals” which are IMHO very important in terms of the overall interplay lost their shimmer and were unnaturally placed much farther back in the mix.
The lack of extended treble also caused an odd occurrence with Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No 1 (Vox) where the solo violinist went from being in front of the microphone for the middle and lower octaves to jumping, psycho-acoustically speaking, five feet back when he jumped to the upper octaves.
 
Moving on to some electronica by ORB, Orbital, FSOL…Kraftwerk etc all was good as was most pop..so far
 
So mostly satisfied with the LCD2.2 although I do miss the treble extension but then I guess that's where my HD700s come in.

but still....

 

[jodgey4]

 
Now here’s where the LCD2.2s let me down slightly and what I’m currently wrestling with…listening to the John Surman Quartet “Stranger than fiction” an album I’m extremely familiar with…instrumentation overall was excellent except.. John Marshall’s percussion and what I call his “dancing cymbals” which are IMHO very important in terms of the overall interplay lost their shimmer and were unnaturally placed much farther back in the mix.
The lack of extended treble also caused an odd occurrence with Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No 1 (Vox) where the solo violinist went from being in front of the microphone for the middle and lower octaves to jumping, psycho-acoustically speaking, five feet back when he jumped to the upper octaves.

You say the overall balance of the headphone isn't dark, yet you're describing a darker sound. The transition takes place right at the top of the mid-range, so I must ask... how do you feel upper female vocals are portrayed? Is the timbre full and proud, or overly sweet?

 

[sikki-six]

I've been listening to 2.1s against HD600s maybe for a week through Lyr 2. They are clearly two different 'phones: the Senns are brighter, but sound more closed-in. Sounds have much less weight. The Audezes are simply a bit more fun with a weighty low-end and clear treble. LCD seems to have more headroom, less sense of compression (even with a compressed master-track). Strings and basslines sound simply gorgeus and clear, it's a lovely sound.
 
I'm still keeping the Senns, they have a drier, less "hyped" sound that's very useful for mixing etc.

 

[Rob80b]

  You say the overall balance of the headphone isn't dark, yet you're describing a darker sound. The transition takes place right at the top of the mid-range, so I must ask... how do you feel upper female vocals are portrayed? Is the timbre full and proud, or overly sweet?

Hi jodgey4
 
I do find the overall timbre neutral, if one takes in consideration the lack of upper treble extension, or sparkle lets say…I guess one could call them dark…but as I mentioned not “with regards to the sounds they essentially produce”.
Dark for me is where the phones produce an overall toning down of the whole frequency spectrum...such as the HD600/650, which may have very good treble and base but are IMHO neutrally tinted and an easy listen…the LCD-2.2 I find have more bite and dynamics when called upon.
And as I noted Kathleen Battle’s voice was beautifully rendered and full…extension oddly on par with the HD700s..I would say silky.
I may need to get back to you once I’ve listened to a few more female vocals although I believe I’ve only a few…I’ll need to dig out my copy of Feist’s “Reminder”.

 

[Rob80b]

Being a speaker guy…another observation or analogy I’ve found with the LCD2.2s is that they are more like listening to a pair of full range speakers, full bodied but not as nimble and precise with regards to sound stage/imaging as.. lets say a pair of stand mounts with a properly integrated sub...which is how I would describe the HD700s.

 

[mithrandir38]

Being a speaker guy…another observation or analogy I’ve found with the LCD2.2s is that they are more like listening to a pair of full range speakers, full bodied but not as nimble and precise with regards to sound stage/imaging as.. lets say a pair of stand mounts with a properly integrated sub...which is how I would describe the HD700s.

they're lightning fast headphones, but they're mid centric so they won't be soundstage monsters.

 

[marcan]

I found the 2.2 very natural. No spikes. Just the sound as it should be (with a Weiss 202 and a brysto bha-1). More treble would start to be hyped for me.

 

[Music Path]

Tomorrow i will finally have the lcds 2s in hand, will give my impression later.

 

[chillaxing]

Audeze just got back to me about the warranty and this is what they said.
 
Thank you for contacting us! The warranty is transferable to the next owner and is from the original date of purchase. Just provide the new owner with the original purchase receipt. The owner may register his headphones on our website at:https://www.audeze.com/contact-us/warranty-registration
Let me know if I can help with anything else!
Best Regards 
Kim.
Kind Regards,
Audeze
Audeze Global Support
 
 
 

 

[DavidA]

@chillaxing, thanks for posting the warranty info, good to know.

 

[Music Path]

Audeze just got back to me about the warranty and this is what they said.

[COLOR=212121]Thank you for contacting us! The warranty is transferable to the next owner and is from the original date of purchase. Just provide the new owner with the original purchase receipt. The owner may register his headphones on our website at:https://www.audeze.com/contact-us/warranty-registration[/COLOR]
[COLOR=212121]Let me know if I can help with anything else![/COLOR]
[COLOR=212121]Best Regards 

Kim.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=212121]Kind Regards,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=212121]Audeze

Audeze Global Support

 [/COLOR]


Thats good to know, i m in the same situation as you. Got LCD2 second hand.
Though i didnt know you still have to have the receipt. I actually know when the previous owner bought the HPs.

 

[B-Dawk20]

I think right now, my LCD-2 is enjoyable but I feel (especially after I remember it being so awesome out of the balancing act) it is held back a lot by my setup. Like I think it can be so much more on a more synergistic amp. Also, I am in dire need of a DAC upgrade and that'll help all my cans.

 

[Music Path]

This thing is good. Though quite heavy, one must seat on the right position on the chair, or your back will show disconfort! But in terms of sound they are awsome, their soundsignature is the same of speakers in nightclubs and festivals: tonderous and well defined bass, great mids and darker treble but with detail. You can listen them louder then most HPs without pain in the ears.
This is the soundsignature i wanted.
They are the extenaion of HD650, though will mantain listening to them. They are unique too.

 

[Odin412]

They are the extenaion of HD650, though will mantain listening to them. They are unique too.

 
I'm with you on that one. The HD 650 and LCD-2 are different, but they're my favorite headphones for just enjoying music.

 

[munce31]

  Hey, you should try Australia @$1850 in Rosewood.
Glad I'm not buying now

I'm glad I got mine just before the price increase. Damned AUD exchange rate...