Audeze LCD-2 Impressions Thread

[Roses54]

I don’t know, i only made the photos

Oh… Well the pics are still awesome haha

Looks the same as mine, and the wood is called Shedua.

You sure its not rosewood? Thats the only LCD 2 available on Audezes site

 

[InvisibleInk]

Oh… Well the pics are still awesome haha


You sure its not rosewood? Thats the only LCD 2 available on Audezes site

I'm not sure of anything. Just saying it looks mine, and mine is a Shedua wood from late 2020.

 

[lesale08]

Mine's almost due for pad replacement. Loving the silver colorway.

 

[Zerviscos]

A proper unicorn 2.2 PF versus Fazor 2021, would the PF still be better? Been trying to hunt for a good deal on a 2.2 PF and honestly it's been hard to have both the unicorn fr and good price in one package.

 

[pofofo]

Im wondering that myself. I have a 2.2 PF in very good condition, but can not stop wondering how the new LCD-2 with the new type of pads sounds.

 

[mikecheck95]

Im wondering that myself. I have a 2.2 PF in very good condition, but can not stop wondering how the new LCD-2 with the new type of pads sounds.

I think resolve is trying to get a new LCD-2 in for review. The consensus is that the ones pre-2016 have less capable drivers (in terms of high frequency extension and detail) than their newer models with the fazor.

The LCD-2 fazor that I heard (which I believe was a 2021 model) was detailed, musical and dynamic.

 

[Roses54]

I think resolve is trying to get a new LCD-2 in for review. The consensus is that the ones pre-2016 have less capable drivers (in terms of high frequency extension and detail) than their newer models with the fazor.

The LCD-2 fazor that I heard (which I believe was a 2021 model) was detailed, musical and dynamic.

I see you own the X. How would you compare it to the 2?

 

[mikecheck95]

I see you own the X. How would you compare it to the 2?

Ya so I actually purchased the LCD-2 first and was pretty happy with the sound quality. It was the best headphone I had heard at the time (coming from Sennheiser HD600, Hifiman Sundara, and the audio technicas I still own which are mainly used for zoom lectures at this point). But I couldn’t let go of my curiosity (as I had a bit more budget to spare) about the LCD-X so I returned the LCD-2 and purchased the X from a local shop.

The differences I noticed were that the sense of bass slam on the LCD-2 seemed greater but the general sense of detail, imaging, seperation, even soundstage were slightly ahead on the LCD-X.

Another thing worth considering is that the wood on the LCD-2 is beautiful. The finish on the wood however, is a little susceptible to minor blemishes especially where the metal parts make contact with the finish (in other words, if you get it, you kind of have to baby them if you want to keep them looking pretty).

A thing I really wanted to do was try the LCD-3 hoping for similarities in bass punch with the LCD-2 with similar resolution, imaging, soundstage as the LCD-x. Unfortunately, I never got to do this.

The tunings of both the LCD-X and the LCD-2 need EQ. The LCD-X needs more (around -5db to -7db gain in the upper mids) to sound “normal” in my opinion but it’s so efficient and low distortion that it doesn’t matter.

There is no longer a big difference in weight but I have the carbon fiber headband for my LCD-X anyway (mainly because of the “cool factor”).

All in all,

I’m happy with my LCD-X. I have my EQ dialed in perfectly and they do everything I want them to. I KIND OF miss how pretty the LCD-2 was though… there’s something about the look and feel of the classic Audezes that is really special. They are form and function. You will be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t find enjoyment from the LCD-X though. Even Amir at ASR gave them a good review (with EQ).

 

[lordearl]

Is anyone able to comment on the size of the cups on the LCD-2 versus the Beyer DT880? Are they bigger or smaller than the DT880, and if bigger - roughly how much bigger?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Quite a bit bigger. Noticeably so.

 

[deafenears]

Is anyone able to comment on the size of the cups on the LCD-2 versus the Beyer DT880? Are they bigger or smaller than the DT880, and if bigger - roughly how much bigger?

I usually use the dimensions from Dekoni replacement pads to work out roughly the size of cups. For Audeze, 118mm x 113mm vs. for Beyer 102mm:

https://dekoniaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Screen-Shot-2019-10-09-at-12.22.25-PM.png
https://dekoniaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2020-10-09-1536x1536.jpg

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

Ya so I actually purchased the LCD-2 first and was pretty happy with the sound quality. It was the best headphone I had heard at the time (coming from Sennheiser HD600, Hifiman Sundara, and the audio technicas I still own which are mainly used for zoom lectures at this point). But I couldn’t let go of my curiosity (as I had a bit more budget to spare) about the LCD-X so I returned the LCD-2 and purchased the X from a local shop.

The differences I noticed were that the sense of bass slam on the LCD-2 seemed greater but the general sense of detail, imaging, seperation, even soundstage were slightly ahead on the LCD-X.

Another thing worth considering is that the wood on the LCD-2 is beautiful. The finish on the wood however, is a little susceptible to minor blemishes especially where the metal parts make contact with the finish (in other words, if you get it, you kind of have to baby them if you want to keep them looking pretty).

A thing I really wanted to do was try the LCD-3 hoping for similarities in bass punch with the LCD-2 with similar resolution, imaging, soundstage as the LCD-x. Unfortunately, I never got to do this.

The tunings of both the LCD-X and the LCD-2 need EQ. The LCD-X needs more (around -5db to -7db gain in the upper mids) to sound “normal” in my opinion but it’s so efficient and low distortion that it doesn’t matter.

There is no longer a big difference in weight but I have the carbon fiber headband for my LCD-X anyway (mainly because of the “cool factor”).

All in all,

I’m happy with my LCD-X. I have my EQ dialed in perfectly and they do everything I want them to. I KIND OF miss how pretty the LCD-2 was though… there’s something about the look and feel of the classic Audezes that is really special. They are form and function. You will be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t find enjoyment from the LCD-X though. Even Amir at ASR gave them a good review (with EQ).

I am sorry to intervene here in this rant, but there ere is nothing wrong with the LCD-2. I see no blemishes. Ear pads are fine. Sound is out of this world, as always.
This is not a new pair of LCD-2, not at all. These are over 10 years old. And I use them almost every day (because they sound like nothing else, of course

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I am sorry to intervene here in this rant, but there ere is nothing wrong with the LCD-2. I see no blemishes. Ear pads are fine. Sound is out of this world, as always.
This is not a new pair of LCD-2, not at all. These are over 10 years old. And I use them almost every day (because they sound like nothing else, of course

Outside of perhaps swapping the pads out for new ones, and replacing the grills for the newer one with mesh, I just see a gem here. I'm jealous.

 

[mikecheck95]

I am sorry to intervene here in this rant, but there ere is nothing wrong with the LCD-2. I see no blemishes. Ear pads are fine. Sound is out of this world, as always.
This is not a new pair of LCD-2, not at all. These are over 10 years old. And I use them almost every day (because they sound like nothing else, of course

I dont think I said there was something WRONG with them… I actually said were the best headphones I had heard at the time and said they were only topped by the LCD-X which is Audeze’s higher end set.

The newer ones have a lacquer on the wood that is susceptible to cracking around the bar that controls the cup-swivel. Yours is waaay before they started using this lacquer. The lacquer probably works extremely well to protect the wood from temperature/humidity changes however, you do need to be more careful with them than the aluminium LCD-X.

The X, I think, could survive a fall from my head to my desk and look normal (have never done this but I feel confident with that claim). The LCD-2, I would panic if I dropped them even 5 centimetres onto a hard surface. And then you know you’re never getting a set of cans like the ones you loved so much. I also bought mine right as the Shedua (my preferred wood) was being phased out.

Your “vintage” LCD-2s there are gorgeous. I would trade my LCD-x for them with new pads in a flash.

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

Slightly off topic, the older LCD-1.