[seamon]

  Okay, so I'm a longtime lurker here but here are my thoughts/experience for anyone interested.
 
I ordered the phones on the 28th and didn't get an update until I called in earlier this week (I actually told them I preferred the aluminum in hopes to get them sooner - wood would have been nice, but honestly I'd rather have had the cans sooner).  I would recommend people call and see what the status of their order is.  I received my order today (Friday the 9th) after calling in on Tuesday.
 
The headphones:
I own Alpha Primes, Senn 650s and 800s (trapezoid/dupont mod) and have owned an Ether 1.0 (downgraded to HD800) so there will be comparisons to these cans.  Also have Th-X00 if anyone wants a comparions. Amps are HA-1, Mxx, and Asgard 2
 
The aluminum looks fine, I wish it was duller (like the LCD-X) but seems very well built.  Comfort honestly hasn't been an issue so far, I flattened out the headband and haven't had issues.
 
The sound is pretty good coming from these (fed through my Oppo HA-1).  Honestly, the mids aren't the best I've heard - they're really good on some tracks but there is some planar-artificial sound on other tracks, I still give the mids edge to the HD650s and Ether.  However, the mids are adequate given what I think are the real strengths of these: bass and imaging.  The bass is AWESOME, heavy and liquid - maybe the best I've heard on a well recorded track.  The imaging is great, also maybe the best I've heard (Ether is pretty good in this regard).  Clarity and resolution is impressive, not quite HD800 level, but probably tied with the Ether.  Treble is forgiving, but I don't mind that.  Soundstage is average, decent width at times but depth is so-so. These sound like an aggressive , souped up version of the HD650s with *slightly* less liquid mids.
 
Let me know if anyone has questions or wants a comparison to the cans I listed.  

Interested in that TH-X00 comparison. Which wood? My friend's Mahogany and my PH are pretty different

 

[akatyay]

^ I have the Mahogany.  Honestly, on first listen, the Lcd-2s just seem straight up better than the TH-X00 Mahogany.  I'll A/B them tonight and see what I hear.

 

[akatyay]

  Interested in that TH-X00 comparison. Which wood? My friend's Mahogany and my PH are pretty different

Okay, I've been A/Bing them a bit and here's my short summary (Mahogany wood X00)
 
LCD-2 has better mids, forward and liquid.  Imaging is better too (expected out of a planar based on what I've heard).  Bass quantity is not as high as X00, I like the bass quality a bit better though, tight and heavy.  I'm seeing now how lacking the X00 is in the mids (however, there is that treble sparkle).  I think the X00 is a little more V-shaped than I gave it credit for previously.  Bass SLAM on the X00 is impressive, but the effect is equally impressive on the LCD-2 due to the weight of the lows.  LCD-2 has a treble roll off (think HD650), so if that's not your thing, might be tough to like this one.  I think, technically speaking, the LCD-2 is better than the X00.  However, the X00 is great in its price teir and I really like how hard the lows kick.  

 

[chillaxing]

I might end up with a black aluminum the way this fiasco been going, hoping for a brushed. anyone want to trade for their brushed aluminum if they get that?  prefered unopen boxes.

 

[gikigill]

  I might end up with a black aluminum the way this fiasco been going, hoping for a brushed. anyone want to trade for their brushed aluminum if they get that?  prefered unopen boxes.

Happy to trade a brushed for your black if I get the brushed one. I,ll be picking it up on Monday.

 

[rs0cal]

  Ah ok, well for that price it would probably be more prudent to just save up for a deckard lol
 
I'm very new to hi-fi audio, so it's safe to say I haven't tried many amp combos. And i've never tried a DAC other than the onboard dac on the Deckard in the store.

Using with B-stock deckard at the moment if that helps.
 
I also came from the O2 amp w/o a dac before. With the O2, it does power it adequately. Reaching towards the 2 o clock mark on that setting is very loud for me already. But in terms of soundstage and instrument separation (imaging), I was not happy with the O2.
 
Once I switched to the deckard, it fulfilled what was missing from the O2, I get more air and the instrument separation is a big WOW factor compared to with the O2 (where the music felt mushed together). 
 
Is it worth $700 for that extra boost from the deckard, I would say No. Id suggest looking for a used unit. I think it improved the overall sound about 35% but they do mesh well together and eliminates the flaws of the O2 being closed sounding and making it airier. The dac will eliminate the noise, but I do kind of find it "too clean of a background" .
 
I would spend about $300 for the type of improvement I'd get from the deckard, so I'd suggest you audition other amps/dac if you can. I understand now that amps/dac have a large diminishing return when it comes to improving the sound, so you could definitely live with the O2 for awhile if youre trying to save for a specific amp or have disposable income.

 

[kazuya95]

I might end up with a black aluminum the way this fiasco been going, hoping for a brushed. anyone want to trade for their brushed aluminum if they get that?  prefered unopen boxes.

Hi , Please could someone give me the link for the b-grade lcd2?
All the b-grade are fazor 2016?
Does the lcd2 aluminium exist in black ?

Regards

 

[Lohb]

However, your neck will still need stretching after a long session with these.

Add a high chair that supports the back of your head to the mix if you can afford it.
Dedicated listening spot.
 
Try as they may, no-one will be able to drag you away after a while.

 

[DavidA]

Hi , Please could someone give me the link for the b-grade lcd2?
All the b-grade are fazor 2016?
Does the lcd2 aluminium exist in black ?

Regards

If you didn't get a notice of the b-stock sale then you can't just get to the site, I just tried to search on the Audeze site.
 
all b-stock is newest version of Fazor, from Dec 2015
 
As for black aluminum I've never seen one, maybe someone else can say if they are available.

 

[Bubblejuice]

  Using with B-stock deckard at the moment if that helps.
 
I also came from the O2 amp w/o a dac before. With the O2, it does power it adequately. Reaching towards the 2 o clock mark on that setting is very loud for me already. But in terms of soundstage and instrument separation (imaging), I was not happy with the O2.
 
Once I switched to the deckard, it fulfilled what was missing from the O2, I get more air and the instrument separation is a big WOW factor compared to with the O2 (where the music felt mushed together). 
 
Is it worth $700 for that extra boost from the deckard, I would say No. Id suggest looking for a used unit. I think it improved the overall sound about 35% but they do mesh well together and eliminates the flaws of the O2 being closed sounding and making it airier. The dac will eliminate the noise, but I do kind of find it "too clean of a background" .
 
I would spend about $300 for the type of improvement I'd get from the deckard, so I'd suggest you audition other amps/dac if you can. I understand now that amps/dac have a large diminishing return when it comes to improving the sound, so you could definitely live with the O2 for awhile if youre trying to save for a specific amp or have disposable income.

Thank you for the input. I find it invaluable. I mean, this whole hobby is really based on personal value. I know I wouldn't spend $700 for the improvement. But $300 I would most definitely consider. However, I doubt i'll find one at that price. Hi-fi equipment doesn't seem to devalue very quickly.
 
I'll confirm either tomorrow or tuesday whether the sound I remember is worth the money. These headphones have been worth every penny, without a shadow of a doubt. If the deckard becomes my end game with these, then I'll probably consider the price. If I feel there's room for improvement after I listen to it again, then I may hold off.
 
By the way, do you find your vocals coming from in front of you, or from above you?

 

[Bubblejuice]

  Add a high chair that supports the back of your head to the mix if you can afford it.
Dedicated listening spot.
 
Try as they may, no-one will be able to drag you away after a while.

Haha yeah, good idea. I have a small recliner for music listening. But these are my main driver replacements. So I'll have them on my head for hours at a time, every day. Unfortunately my desk chair doesn't have head support, so i'll probably have to fix that. 
 
Oh man, even more so than now?

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Anyone planning on DIY custom cables or picking up a set from somewhere? I totally want something that looks great (maybe has brown in the cabling or wood "Y" splitter or something).

 

[darkninja67]

I am using Q Cables French Silk in brown with my LCD-2s.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Anyone planning on DIY custom cables or picking up a set from somewhere? I totally want something that looks great (maybe has brown in the cabling or wood "Y" splitter or something).

I've really grown to love the sound of the silver plus gold I built, using Toxic's Silver Poison wire.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

I've really grown to love the sound of the silver plus gold I built, using Toxic's Silver Poison wire.

 

I do like their wire. It is nice and soft. I have not tried Double Helix stuff, but Toxic wires are less expensive and still high quality. I was going to try Cardas..but that is kind of spendy for OCC stuff.