[paruchuribros]

Like I said go try the HD600 series with better equipment then see if you come away with that opinion. The LCD-2F doesn't compare to my 650 setup no matter what is driving it. My 650 shares the same rig as my HD800 and HE1000 and I would say it competes well with even those two but both are a bit more resolving than the HD650.


If anyone is in Cali this weekend PM me and I'll happily bring my HD650 rig, measurement rig and I'll measure your LCD-2's in all areas and use my mic to see which one matches the original recording closer. I'll also post the findings on here. Funny enough I did this with my dealers Ether and he hasn't touched his Ether since haha

I respect your judgment. But in my books, Philips X2 is better than HD650 (bought them to compare with HD650 and sold HD650 within a month). So, HD650 can't even come close to the LCD 2 in my opinion.

 

[DavidA]

I respect your judgment. But in my books, Philips X2 is better than HD650 (bought them to compare with HD650 and sold HD650 within a month). So, HD650 can't even come close to the LCD 2 in my opinion.

Gotta love this hobby, so many different opinions.
 
I'm with @EdwardPL on the HD-650, they will scale with great equipment and for some friends its an end game headphone matched with TOTL DAC and amp.  I got the X2 last Dec and they when back to Amazon within a week, bass was muddy and a little one-note, mids were decent but the highs were grainy and off to me.  The LCD-2 is another headphone that didn't seem to scale when I tried them on some TOTL gear last year and to me they are not very dynamic IMO.

 

[PinkyPowers]

The LCD-2 is another headphone that didn't seem to scale when I tried them on some TOTL gear last year and to me they are not very dynamic IMO.

Dynamic is not really a word I'd use to describe them. That doesn't mean they lack dynamism. Not really. It's just not their main characteristic. I love the LCD-2 because it is such an easy-going, laid-back headphone. For some, this is a fault. For me, it is a selling point. These things turn me into a puddle of liquid pleasure.

 

[Malfunkt]

Put it this way. I love love the HD650. Owned one twice. Expect to own another again in the future but promised myself I'd get an HD800 or HD800S first. 

To me the LCD2 or at least the very one I'm listening to right now is much more dynamic - in the definition that quieter segments are quieter, louder passages are louder. The planar drivers on the LCD2, to my ears, have more resolution than what I ever heard on the HD650. But its odd, because its not as if the HD650 doesn't have detail, it just sounds a bit smeared - the 'veil' if you will. Although the LCD2 (and especially my version) is even more rolled off, it has alway had more fine detail even on the top end.
 
I'm sometimes at odds with the LCD2. Even in the past day, I'll listen to music on my D2000 and think "hey, I could almost just live with these" and toss around the idea of getting rid of my LCD2. But then, you sit down and really listen to a piece, something that is produced very well, and realize how awesome these still are.

Having one of those moments right now. I'm listening to a BT's new album right now, and he has impeccable production skills for electronic music. Listening to this album, it is so rich, spacious, and the bass - sometimes I think there isn't enough on the LCD2 - not so! it is perfect, especially with this album.
 
Not my most favourite music, but worth the experience.
 
Open in Youtube to watch in 4K if you have the resolution. For the impatient, bassier parts from 9minute on.

 

[EdwardPL]

I respect your judgment. But in my books, Philips X2 is better than HD650 (bought them to compare with HD650 and sold HD650 within a month). So, HD650 can't even come close to the LCD 2 in my opinion.

What did you drive them with? I had the X2 and it was a fun headphone but it didn't even resolve subtle details in my own tracks. The HD650 on my system resolves better than all my headphones apart from the HD800, HE1000 and Elear(about on par with Elear but Elear has a cleaner background and is technically better in extension and distortion in the bass)

When I hear people talk about lesser headphones or most Planars being better than the HD650 I'm a 100% positive that they are not being driven to their potential(Yes you can drive a 650 decently for about 1K but there's a difference between maxing them out and getting the most and just simply driving them). I know most people wouldn't spend 3K on amps and DACs for a 650 but when you do you are rewarded with a superior headphone than what people would "upgrade" to.

As mentioned the LCD-2 doesn't really scale much and does thrive better on entry level to mid ranged systems but as you get up it's all HD650. Another headphone that scales well is the AQ Nighthawk but its sound signature may not be to everyone's taste.

Those that have pre fazor LCD-2's there's so very few hat may actually perform close to or a bit better than a 650 and close to a HD800 but these are hard to find. Most units found if they have not failed will fit the standard but there's some variations that perform fantastic but most people won't sale them. I had a 2.1 that was about on par with my 650 on mid ranged systems and it was a great headphone but it also suffered from poor driver matching. The good thing is the LCD-2's are more consistent now than they've ever been regardless of the downgrade in sound IMO

 

[John Q Lin]

For me hd650>x2. I own both.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

When did this thread become the HD650 is better than everything else?
 
So, I want to just know 1 thing... with the Deckard push the HD600/HD650/HD6XX well enough for me to enjoy them, or will I have to invest in an MHA-150 (not that I don't want one)?

 

[EdwardPL]

When did this thread become the HD650 is better than everything else?

So, I want to just know 1 thing... with the Deckard push the HD600/HD650/HD6XX well enough for me to enjoy them, or will I have to invest in an MHA-150 (not that I don't want one)?

That's going to be your judgment. For me the Deckard didn't really do great with the 650 I didn't find the Deckard very resolving for the 650 and HD800. If I didn't hear better equipment I might have thought differently so who knows. I do prefer my Modi M and Vali 2 with the 650 over the Deckard. Unless you want a more present upper mid range and slightly better micro detail and resolution and more cohesion, you would prob be better off with the LCD-2 with the Deckard. If you have plans to upgrade your system for the 650 then you have endless possibilities. Funny thing is I keep my 650 around to justify more expensive gear as it shows the most scalability. If you want to hear the 650's resolution and detail capability the Schiit Jot is a good shout but I personally would always pick tone and engagement factor over technical ability and that's why my LCD-2.1 + 650 are my all time fav headphones.

 

[EdwardPL]

Gotta love this hobby, so many different opinions.

I'm with @EdwardPL
 on the HD-650, they will scale with great equipment and for some friends its an end game headphone matched with TOTL DAC and amp.  I got the X2 last Dec and they when back to Amazon within a week, bass was muddy and a little one-note, mids were decent but the highs were grainy and off to me.  The LCD-2 is another headphone that didn't seem to scale when I tried them on some TOTL gear last year and to me they are not very dynamic IMO.

Glad to see someone else who has experienced the 650's scalability. When people run their 650's on equipment like an O2 I just can't stress how much they are missing out!

 

[WayTooCrazy]

That's going to be your judgment. For me the Deckard didn't really do great with the 650 I didn't find the Deckard very resolving for the 650 and HD800. If I didn't hear better equipment I might have thought differently so who knows. I do prefer my Modi M and Vali 2 with the 650 over the Deckard. Unless you want a more present upper mid range and slightly better micro detail and resolution and more cohesion, you would prob be better off with the LCD-2 with the Deckard. If you have plans to upgrade your system for the 650 then you have endless possibilities. Funny thing is I keep my 650 around to justify more expensive gear as it shows the most scalability. If you want to hear the 650's resolution and detail capability the Schiit Jot is a good shout but I personally would always pick tone and engagement factor over technical ability and that's why my LCD-2.1 + 650 are my all time fav headphones.

I don't mind upgrading (if funds are present). I have been having a discussion with myself for a while now and it has been between upgrading the headphone setup or concentrating on the near-field setup. I think I enjoy a near-field setup more than headphones in general. Though, I do also enjoy a good headphone setup. If money were not an issue at the moment, the top of what I've listened to was the LCD-2f on the MHA-100 (I don't have access to much high-end gear in my area). It sounded VERY good. I enjoyed it better than the MHA-100 paired with the MHP-1000. Though, in the end... I'd end up using the MHA-100/150 to power a set of speakers for near-field and would most likely not even bother with headphones if the speakers were present.
 
So, if the HD650/HD600/HD6XX works well with the Jot, and the Deckard itself isn't as good as the Jot... that may be the direction I will go. I acquired my Deckard at a good price and could pretty much sell it for what I paid. With that said, this is my current setup and I've been pretty happy with it.

 
On a side note: Does anyone run their LCD-2f with Silver cables? I'm looking at some Toxic Cables, Silver... (DIY of course) and want to see if anyone else runs silver and likes it.

 

[DavidA]

  When did this thread become the HD650 is better than everything else?
 
So, I want to just know 1 thing... with the Deckard push the HD600/HD650/HD6XX well enough for me to enjoy them, or will I have to invest in an MHA-150 (not that I don't want one)?

You need the MHA-150, LOL.  While I haven't tried the Deckard I don't know of too many SS amps under $1k that do the HD-650 justice while you can get some good tube amps for under $500 that pair well with the HD-650.  From many of the descriptions of the Deckard / LCD-2 pairing it would seem that the Deckard is a slightly warm SS amp with harmonics that match it very well and could well sound better than the LCD-2 driven by a Liquid Carbon, Dark Star, MHA-100 or Master 9 or 11.
 
@EdwardPL, asside from the Jot, what are amps that you consider might work with both the LCD-2 and HD-650?

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  You need the MHA-150, LOL.  While I haven't tried the Deckard I don't know of too many SS amps under $1k that do the HD-650 justice while you can get some good tube amps for under $500 that pair well with the HD-650.  From many of the descriptions of the Deckard / LCD-2 pairing it would seem that the Deckard is a slightly warm SS amp with harmonics that match it very well and could well sound better than the LCD-2 driven by a Liquid Carbon, Dark Star, MHA-100 or Master 9 or 11.

If I'm completely honest... the Deckard sounded slightly warmer than the MHA-100, but was "right" there within shouting distance of it with the LCD-2f. I believe the Deckard was made to complement the LCD-2f and maybe to a lesser extent the rest of their headphone line. I only say this, as I've tried the EL-8O with the Deckard and it was nice, but not nearly paired as well as with the LCD-2f.

 

[Arttt]

after spending few evenings with lcd2 shedua, i can't help noticing  a slightly different tone to sound character , compared to lcd2 bamboo.
2my ears  new shedua sounds more refined and resolution is higher, a song like "Diana Krall -  Exactly like you " really shows the difference
 
lcd2bamboo rev2 had a lush presentation that was warm and full-bodied but kind of stripped of some micro detail that he560 has, for example ...
 
now with shedua i can really hear how Diana takes a breath in before she sings, i can " hear the room " and its very complex song with lots of instruments, yet i get stuff like breathing in all that drama of dums sax chello piano , and the breathing is with a rich texture to it, i can hear different emotions in the breath Diana takes before she signs , its amazing 
 
Background is blacker too , very silent.
 
im not sure but it looks like audeze made some adjustments to lcd2 shedua , now it sound more mature and serious , better balance to it all , but the sound is not as bold and thick as it was on lcd2bamboo.
 
so i guess some may like sonic changes and some will dislike them...
 
with jazz,  classic , folk , rock , shedua is awesome.    such a rich , well balanced tone to it.
 
 
 
Has anyone else compared shedua to previous lcd2 versions ???
I'm interested to hear impressions of other listeners )

 

[EdwardPL]

after spending few evenings with lcd2 shedua, i can't help noticing  a slightly different tone to sound character , compared to lcd2 bamboo.
2my ears  new shedua sounds more refined and resolution is higher, a song like "Diana Krall -  Exactly like you " really shows the difference

lcd2bamboo rev2 had a lush presentation that was warm and full-bodied but kind of stripped of some micro detail that he560 has, for example ...

now with shedua i can really hear how Diana takes a breath in before she sings, i can " hear the room " and its very complex song with lots of instruments, yet i get stuff like breathing in all that drama of dums sax chello piano , and the breathing is with a rich texture to it, i can hear different emotions in the breath Diana takes before she signs , its amazing 

Background is blacker too , very silent.

im not sure but it looks like audeze made some adjustments to lcd2 shedua , now it sound more mature and serious , better balance to it all , but the sound is not as bold and thick as it was on lcd2bamboo.

so i guess some may like sonic changes and some will dislike them...

with jazz,  classic , folk , rock , shedua is awesome.    such a rich , well balanced tone to it.



Has anyone else compared shedua to previous lcd2 versions ???
I'm interested to hear impressions of other listeners )

I had 2 LCD-2 Sheduas and an LCD-2.1 and 2.2.

On my system the Shedua wasn't as good as the other two. The Sheduas had a leaner, more uneven treble while the other two were more cohesive. Micro detail was best on my 2.1 but I think my 2.2 was a poor grade LCD-2. The 2016 LCD-2's take a drier, grainier approach but give the impression of more detail due to the thinner sound. Some people confuse perceived detail with micro detail which is basically like an oversharpend TV compared to a more natural screen that has high resolution.

It really depends on what grade your 2.2 are which sadly is the risk with buying Audeze headphones you can either get a good set, a standard set or a veiled set. It's less of an issue with the 2016 drivers which are more consistent although there's still variations. I found the mids on the older models to be more natural, engaging and effortless while my 2016 drivers have a strained character to them; they don't sound as natural voices sound more distant and less engaging.

 

[Malfunkt]

Glad to see someone else who has experienced the 650's scalability. When people run their 650's on equipment like an O2 I just can't stress how much they are missing out!

 
 
Interesting to hear your experiences with differences in sound between the LCD2 versions. I've had a number of people remark on my set and surprised at what is driving them (simple O2/ODAC). I'm not going to say that the LCD2F or 3F were 'bad' as I didn't have enough time to really listen to them, but for certain my old LCD2 was different. The LCD3 classic I heard driven out of a Woo Audio set was fantastic though, very liquidy and yummy.