[korzena]

Hi, just bought LCD2 (rev.2) and Schiit Lyr (JJ tubes). Great sound and everything!...apart from one thing - I would like the soundstage to be more spacious, to have more air.
The thing is especially apparent to me when listening to soundtracks like Dark Knight, Tron, Inception or some 'spacious' electronic music.
 
Is there a way to "increase" the soundstage of the LCD2s?

 

[korzena]

Different tubes for Lyr?
Appropriate DAC? Which one? (At the moment my source is just an iPod 5G classic, but it was used also as a source for my other headphones (e.g. Audio-Technica W5000) and I didn't notice any problem with the soundstage)

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Hi, just bought LCD2 (rev.2) and Schiit Lyr (JJ tubes). Great sound and everything!...apart from one thing - I would like the soundstage to be more spacious, to have more air.
The thing is especially apparent to me when listening to soundtracks like Dark Knight, Tron, Inception or some 'spacious' electronic music.
 
Is there a way to "increase" the soundstage of the LCD2s?

Hi there, you may want to post in the LCD2 thread within summit-fi as it has more peeps posting and reading there.
 
The LCD2's don't have a very spacious soundstage, it's more intimate than other phones. Some different tubes may help a little but I can't see them making a massive difference.

 

[korzena]

Thank you for your answer and the suggestion to post in more popular thread. I've just done it and waiting for more answers.
 
By the way, with a greater soundstage LCD2.2 would be ideal headphones for me! But I will probably have to accept them as they are. No ideal things in this world!
 
Quote:

Hi there, you may want to post in the LCD2 thread within summit-fi as it has more peeps posting and reading there.
 
The LCD2's don't have a very spacious soundstage, it's more intimate than other phones. Some different tubes may help a little but I can't see them making a massive difference.

 

[paradoxper]

I'd look at upgrading your source to improve in those desired areas. While tubes are
a nice and easy way to tune SQ to your taste. I don't really seeing it helping out 
in soundstage. 

 

[dukeskd]

Hate to say this but.. nothing is going to improve the soundstage of the LCD-2s. It's just the core of its signature sound by Audeze. If you want soundstage, the best headphone that would satisfy that need is the HD800.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Hate to say this but.. nothing is going to improve the soundstage of the LCD-2s. It's just the core of its signature sound by Audeze. If you want soundstage, the best headphone that would satisfy that need is the HD800.

Disagree, within a certain context. It's well known the LCD's aren't detail monsters, nor do they present the deepest or widest soundstage.
But those areas can be improved with better source. As stated he's using an Ipod. The addition of an adequate source would not only
help out areas of soundstage but also the rest of the spectrum.

 

[dukeskd]

Quote:

Disagree, within a certain context. It's well known the LCD's aren't detail monsters, nor do they present the deepest or widest soundstage.
But those areas can be improved with better source. As stated he's using an Ipod. The addition of an adequate source would not only
help out areas of soundstage but also the rest of the spectrum.

Nothing is going to change the soundstaging signature of the headphone. Of course this all depends on the recording but, LCD-2s will always have the narrow soundstage. It doesn't mean its bad its just the way they reproduce audio. However, the LCD-2s do have excellent imaging capability even in such a narrow soundstage which I find to be very very strange.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Nothing is going to change the soundstaging signature of the headphone. Of course this all depends on the recording but, LCD-2s will always have the narrow soundstage. It doesn't mean its bad its just the way they reproduce audio. However, the LCD-2s do have excellent imaging capability even in such a narrow soundstage which I find to be very very strange.

In comparison to, say, the HD800, then yes. But in general saying you're stuck essentially is wrong. It's all subjective anyhow,
I still find even with incremental improvements to LCD's they retain their intimacy, which is what makes them pretty addictive.

 

[korzena]

Thanks for ensuring it's not only me who thinks the soundstage width of LCD2 is not satisfactory.
I am going to upgrade my source and change the tubes in my Lyr, but I don't expect huge improvement in the soundstage after the upgrade. Maybe the only way to go will be EQing as it's been recommended to me in another thread. Unfortunately it might be the only effective solution to really enjoy spacious electronic music or soundtracks like Tron or Dark Knight.
 
What are the biggest disadvantages of using software EQ or software DSP features like crossfeed (e.g. increased spatialization)?
 
Quote:

Disagree, within a certain context. It's well known the LCD's aren't detail monsters, nor do they present the deepest or widest soundstage.
But those areas can be improved with better source. As stated he's using an Ipod. The addition of an adequate source would not only
help out areas of soundstage but also the rest of the spectrum.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

Thanks for ensuring it's not only me who thinks the soundstage width of LCD2 is not satisfactory.
I am going to upgrade my source and change the tubes in my Lyr, but I don't expect huge improvement in the soundstage after the upgrade. Maybe the only way to go will be EQing as it's been recommended to me in another thread. Unfortunately it might be the only effective solution to really enjoy spacious electronic music or soundtracks like Tron or Dark Knight.
 
What are the biggest disadvantages of using software EQ or software DSP features like crossfeed (e.g. increased spatialization)?
 

I personally don't have major gripes about the soundstage, never really did. Even with more limiting gear that confined it more so than not.
 
I still really believe source will be the most helpful. Upgrading from my Bifrost to a Gungnir yielded improvements all around,
very noticeably was soundstage. As said it won't bring it to levels of HD800 or take away that intimacy the LCD's provide.
But the changes made for an even more enjoyable experience.
 
 
Unfortunately, I don't believe EQ'ing really solves anything relative. It's a great way for minor fixes, it's also a great way to ruin music easily.
Of course, I'd recommend demoing a few such as TBIsone, AngelTone, Redline Monitor, etc. There's a ton of very good VST EQ's, DSP's.
 
The clearest disadvantage of using the aforementioned is relative inexperience can lead to ruining music. 
Other than that, I can't give a meaningful answer to that, you don't hold "purist" views or anything, so there's really no negatives.

 

[korzena]

Quote:

I personally don't have major gripes about the soundstage, never really did. Even with more limiting gear that confined it more so than not.
 
I still really believe source will be the most helpful. Upgrading from my Bifrost to a Gungnir yielded improvements all around,
very noticeably was soundstage. As said it won't bring it to levels of HD800 or take away that intimacy the LCD's provide.
But the changes made for an even more enjoyable experience.
 
 
Unfortunately, I don't believe EQ'ing really solves anything relative. It's a great way for minor fixes, it's also a great way to ruin music easily.
Of course, I'd recommend demoing a few such as TBIsone, AngelTone, Redline Monitor, etc. There's a ton of very good VST EQ's, DSP's.
 
The clearest disadvantage of using the aforementioned is relative inexperience can lead to ruining music. 
Other than that, I can't give a meaningful answer to that, you don't hold "purist" views or anything, so there's really no negatives.

 
Thanks paradoxper!
 
Actually I agree with you that for many kinds of music LCD2's soundstage is good enough. It's mainly with "spacious music" (some kinds of electronica or soundtracks) that I find the LCD's soundstage width disappointing.
It came to me as a surprise that my IEMs (Westone 3) can sound quite spacious on these kinds of music and LCD-2 cannot. Well, there is no ideal headphone I suppose.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

 
Thanks paradoxper!
 
Actually I agree with you that for many kinds of music LCD2's soundstage is good enough. It's mainly with "spacious music" (some kinds of electronica or soundtracks) that I find the LCD's soundstage width disappointing.
It came to me as a surprise that my IEMs (Westone 3) can sound quite spacious on these kinds of music and LCD-2 cannot. Well, there is no ideal headphone I suppose.

I listen to mostly metal, but one of my fav listens is from BT it's ambient/atmosphere/electronic and while the experience is much more
enveloping on, say, the HD800, I've found with some of my fav software EQ's the LCD-2's can put out quite a good experience themselves,
 
Nope, as previously said in another thread, there's no perfect headphone and there's always a trade off.

 

[3rdear]

Quote:

It came to me as a surprise that my IEMs (Westone 3) can sound quite spacious on these kinds of music and LCD-2 cannot. Well, there is no ideal headphone I suppose.

I had similar experience with the Victor FX700 IEM.  The FX700 sounded more out of head and visceral.  When I first listened to the LCD2, it sounded like it came from left side/right side or kind of "boxy", that is, until I acclimated to the sound.  It isn't until you listen to live recordings or movies that you'll see how capable it can be with soundstage.    

 

[korzena]

Quote:

I had similar experience with the Victor FX700 IEM.  The FX700 sounded more out of head and visceral.  When I first listened to the LCD2, it sounded like it came from left side/right side or kind of "boxy", that is, until I acclimated to the sound.  It isn't until you listen to live recordings or movies that you'll see how capable it can be with soundstage.    

I believe it's possible, but I don't understand WHY the soundstage of this headphone can be good on live recordings and movies, but not too good on 'spacious' electronic or soundtrack music.