[Scott Branham]

  I'm not sure if my pair is somehow defective or if my expectations were somehow set too high for $1,000 headphone but I constantly flip flop between feeling these were worth the $ and they don't sound as good as you would expect. All kinds of reviews constantly praise them as being some of the best headphones they've ever heard - so am I just expecting too much from the headphone world in general? Some music, especially alternative or really any music with a ton of elements going at once, it all sounds kinda mashed together and not really easy to pick out specific elements. I have considered that maybe the music I'm listening to is simply badly mastered but how could it be that so much of it is? I am running them off of a magni/modi 2 stack but from what I've read that should power them pretty fantastically. Hip hop definitely seems to shine, especially recent hip hop with that minimal beat kind of sound. I will be picking up a jotunheim in the near future, hopefully that might improve it.
 
Any ideas? They just don't really give off an $800 improvement over my dt770s kind of deal, beyond build quality.

Let's see a pic of them, parttimelovah.

 

[TWerk]

If you haven't been in the hobby awhile, yes, it is very likely expectations were a little too high. LCD-2s, IMO are right up there with the best headphones you can own. They have great bass, great mids, great treble, a big expansive soundstage and are just so involving and lovely. I love them and think they really get you most of the way there to audio nirvana for a budget-conscious audiophile. Upgrading from something like the LCD-2 gets very expensive very quickly.
 
That being said, in general, the differences between headphones are not like remarkable and totally mind-blowing. You also need to give things time. You will start to hear qualities you appreciate the more you listen to a new headphone.
 
But, if you're new to the hobby, I'm not surprised to read your impressions. The ears kinda get better at picking up on the difference once you're in the hobby for a long time and you try many, many headphones. I think the ear needs training and that takes a lot of time. My ears are still learning and I've been doing the headphone thing for 3 years now. It's one of those things that's really rewarding once you find what you're looking for.
 
In the end, if you're happy with something like the DT770's, count yourself lucky because you are satisfied without breaking your wallet. The DT770 is a good headphone too, don't kid yourself - I have a pair of my own too.

 

[TWerk]

Oh and I wouldn't recommend spending tons extra on a new amp and dac. Throwing extra money at the situation won't generally help. I can appreciate my LCD-2's plugged right into my laptop. To me, they sound great that way. Amps can improve the sound, but in reality they are all fairly close and the headphone generally sounds quite similar on any amp that is giving it enough power. Some warm the top end, some a bit leaner than others, but the differences are much less than the differences in the headphones themselves. I think they sound rather close through my laptop and my $400 amp/dac.
 
Better? Somewhat maybe, but it's not that much so.
 
All IMO.

 

[Scott Branham]

I've always been an IEM guy. Tried a pair of DT990's once and immediately sold them as my 1964 Ears and Copper Turbines just seemed so much better. After a few years I've now, all at once got a DT770 Pro, HE-400s, and a couple sets of d5000. 1st time I listened to any of them was last night. Out of my computer, they sucked. Ipod was actually pretty dang killer. I started with the 770, moved to the 400s, and then to the d5k. I felt thed 5k was as close to my home theater sound (Paradigm studio 100s, SVS pb13 ultra, Rotel, and Emotiva) as I've gotten. All of them had their attributes, but the Denon...certainly gave me the wow factor. Hoping the LCD-2 gives me the same thrill, especially once the Deckard arrives. Will be fun to put them all through the paces.

 

[TWerk]

A lot of it is finding a sound signature you like, also.
 
Pro 900 for example, has such a great tuning for EDM. You cannot get an LCD-2 to sound like the PRO 900, but you also can't get the PRO 900 sounding like an LCD-2. 
 
The good thing about the LCD-2 is that it is strong everywhere, so that basically everything sounds good with them.It's not a one trick pony headphone.

 

[parttimelovah]

 
 
But, if you're new to the hobby, I'm not surprised to read your impressions. 

 
I am relatively new and very glad to be reading this - I just need to give them more time it seems. Thanks for your input guys

 

[TWerk]

I know. I owned the TH900 like 3 times, Audeze multiple times, been though, done that, got a t-shirt for it. I did this with a lot of headphones.
 
It's totally normal and I'm glad to read someone being honest here with impressions and saying how you feel. It could be now is not quite the time for an LCD-2 for you too. Maybe like me, you will return to it after a few years, maybe not.

 

[parttimelovah]

Usually the time I find them the least impressive is when I'll first start listening for the day; after listening for a little while I find them pretty fantastic to listen to. But I'll occasionally get too tripped up in that first period of time where I guess my ears still need to adjust(?) and get a little paranoid lol

 

[Scott Branham]

​My issue with the DT 900, was it seems so...weak. I was only powering them with an ipod and a fiio E7, so maybe not enough juice? I've really not listened to enough cans myself to have an accurate baseline of realistic expectation. All I know is the 900s were anemic, and the Turbine Copper IEMs would slam, were clean, dove deep, had powerful subbass, and were extremely dynamic in comparison. Just my ordering all these phones was a true leap of faith considering that experience and knowing how I love huge home theater sound, and felt all 4 sets of my IEMs easily outperformed the one set of cans I tried. But again, the cans weren't amped. Having been tinkering with the d5000, I feel quite relived. I do feel the DT770's will certainly benefit from amping, as they feel restrained. So needless to say, I have high hopes for the LCD-2, but I have no fear of over expectation.   

 

[Scott Branham]

  Usually the time I find them the least impressive is when I'll first start listening for the day; after listening for a little while I find them pretty fantastic to listen to. But I'll occasionally get too tripped up in that first period of time where I guess my ears still need to adjust(?) and get a little paranoid lol

​I'd still love to see a pic of you LCD-2's. You get wood, alu?

 

[illbleed]

Order #1390XX (placed order on the 23rd) but haven't received mine yet.. the status was last updated as Completed Waiting to ship a day ago. I'm hoping i'm getting the bamboos!!! Also it's insane that they come with the hard case at the price.

 

[Koolpep]

Usually the time I find them the least impressive is when I'll first start listening for the day; after listening for a little while I find them pretty fantastic to listen to. But I'll occasionally get too tripped up in that first period of time where I guess my ears still need to adjust(?) and get a little paranoid lol

Haha, same here. For one year I am thinking of selling them. When I give them their "last chance " I start the session and think, yep, they need to go and end with "no way, they sound way too good. Maybe it's the pads warming up and providing a better seal, my brain adjusting or my amp warming up, no idea but the result is the same. They are not going anywhere. LOL

 

[ImNegan]

I'm not sure if my pair is somehow defective or if my expectations were somehow set too high for $1,000 headphone but I constantly flip flop between feeling these were worth the $ and they don't sound as good as you would expect. All kinds of reviews constantly praise them as being some of the best headphones they've ever heard - so am I just expecting too much from the headphone world in general? Some music, especially alternative or really any music with a ton of elements going at once, it all sounds kinda mashed together and not really easy to pick out specific elements. I have considered that maybe the music I'm listening to is simply badly mastered but how could it be that so much of it is? I am running them off of a magni/modi 2 stack but from what I've read that should power them pretty fantastically. Hip hop definitely seems to shine, especially recent hip hop with that minimal beat kind of sound. I will be picking up a jotunheim in the near future, hopefully that might improve it.

Any ideas? They just don't really give off an $800 improvement over my dt770s kind of deal, beyond build quality.

I own quite a few LCD-2's and I've never felt the were worth the money. On my reference tracks they really struggle to pick up those micro details where my HD800 and HD650 do it with ease. I just find them a bit grainy and mid-if ever since they changed materials on the driver to help with failures. To ben fair the 650 scales like a mofo so it's not a fair comparison but because of the price of the LCD-2 it kind of is. A lot of the money has gone into the premium build which also doesn't have great longevity. I really like my LCD-2.1 which I think is where most of the positive reviews first came from because they resolve extremely well just below my Senns.

 

[Lohb]

 I really like my LCD-2.1 which I think is where most of the positive reviews first came from because they resolve extremely well just below my Senns.

2.1s just BELOW Senns.....oooooh

 

[Fearless1]

I own quite a few LCD-2's and I've never felt the were worth the money. On my reference tracks they really struggle to pick up those micro details where my HD800 and HD650 do it with ease. I just find them a bit grainy and mid-if ever since they changed materials on the driver to help with failures. To ben fair the 650 scales like a mofo so it's not a fair comparison but because of the price of the LCD-2 it kind of is. A lot of the money has gone into the premium build which also doesn't have great longevity. I really like my LCD-2.1 which I think is where most of the positive reviews first came from because they resolve extremely well just below my Senns.

Yet you bought more the one pair, well that just doesn't make sense.