[FauDrei]

...It sounds this way simply because you get everything -the whole experience. There is nothing missing... all the reverb, the decay etc... its all there, all at the same time, and for as long as it should be...  
...Once you get past the psychoacoustics... it is hard to listen to anything else...

My LCD-2 experience says different. Chunks of treble are missing.
 
I adapted to sound signature and it's OK while I listen just to LCD's... but then a occasional symphony comes around and I am sitting behind a row of very tall and wide basketball players without direct "line of sight" to the orchestra. Is it recording? No, HE-5 throws a ball to the guys in front and sends them play outside... Seems LCD-2 can not "do air" properly.
 
While LCD-2 betters HE-5 in many technicalities, HE-5's are still on par with them for me. Especially so for classical music and "naturally" recorded (live) performances where those "missing HF chunks" convey the ambiance.
 
Balanced Sucker

 

[immtbiker]

Finally got home from Baltimore and it was Christmas at the mtbiker household (or at least for me 

 ).
 
 
Got home from my my mini-meet with baka1969 and Frank, at Frank's beautiful abode. I opened the LCD-2's a half an hour ago, and I gotta say, it's some of the best packaging that I've ever seen. I think because people's hangers were falling off in shipping and scratching the wood, they are now individually wrapping each cup it 4 layers of saran so the can't fall off. They heard people's complaints and found a solution. I like that. It's very important and saves them money shipping back and forth and tainting a buyer's first impression when unpacking. 
 
One interesting point. Frank, who got them within a week of me, had an L shaped cutout where the hanger meets the cup, and mine have a circle cutout in the wood with a round "shim washer" going from the outside of the hanger into the circle drilled into the cup. This way, there is no play, or chance of the falling out by accident.
It's not something the early adopters are going to be able to get or mod, but cool for me. As with other, smaller companies, Audeze should have 1 final production unit, instead of constantly changing in each batch, but I guess that's a part of their growing pains. The main point is that there was a problem and Alex and Co. actively fixed it. However, if I got mine, I'd feel slightly slighted. However, I'm sure there will be many more improvements that I won't be able to get, so life's a bitch, then you marry one, then you die

.It is not a mod that can be done by Audeze once the drilled the L-shaped hole in the wood.
 
Another really nice touch, is the bottle of [size=10pt]Carnauba[/size] wax and lemon oil and buffing cloth that's included in the box. And the box is one of the nicest ones I've ever seen. Now it's time to test the sound. At Frank's house (we will have a mini-meet impressions thread as soon as we catch our breath...I drove 1000 miles this week), we listened to the LCD-2, the HE-6, the T-1, the HD800's, and one of the newer Shure models. The amp selection was not what he amps deserved of, but Ross and I were on the road and it's nearly impossible to compare 2 top tier headphones when one uses a Speaker amp, and another one uses a non-speaker amp, and 2 of the headphones were between 300 and 600 ohms, it's going to be tough, doing a hardcore, consistent shootout. We'll need to do it again with a larger variety of amps, but we will provide feedback with what was on hand. We also need a non-Blackberry phone camera and a tripod. I'll bring my Digital SLR next time.
 
The one observation that I'll make right away, is that IMHO, with what variables we were using in this particular test, I feel that the T-1s were the undeniable winner. All of them had many pros and cons, but overall, if it was a "if you could only take one headphone to an island for the rest of your life" contest, the T-1's would be my clear choice using soundstage, upper and lower registers and comfort as the parameters.
 
 

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

I switched to the SS Matrix and as the Matrix has done with every can I ever used them they love the LCD2 with the o gain setting. Bass slam with tremendous impact and very tight and controlled. Works well with the CSP-2 and and the matrix. I really am enjoying these headphones and glad my neck is also. These will be here for a long while.

Franks Dec (SP?) tube amp and the T-1 was a match made in heaven. Unbelievable synergy.
 

 

[TheWuss]

yes, i almost mentioned the saran wrap yesterday when i got mine. 

obviously adapting and responding... 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

So even if I am 100% wrong, it doesn't matter, because I am 100% happy.

In the end, that's all that really matters!

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Well said

!

Any thing tha begins with "blah, blah, blah, cannotbne considered, "Well said." I don't think that would ever make it in Stereophile. Just kidding. Just kidding.

 
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

One interesting point. Frank, who got them within a week of me, had an L shaped cutout where the hanger meets the cup, and mine have a circle cutout in the wood with a round "shim washer" going from the outside of the hanger into the circle drilled into the cup. This way, there is no play, or chance of the falling out by accident.
 

The one observation that I'll make right away, is that IMHO, with what variables we were using in this particular test, I feel that the T-1s were the undeniable winner. All of them had many pros and cons, but overall, if it was a "if you could only take one headphone to an island for the rest of your life" contest, the T-1's would be my clear choice using soundstage, upper and lower registers and comfort as the parameters.
 
 

Great write up Aaron.

 
I too am very, very impressed with the construction, quality of packaging, etc... from Audeze.
 
FWIW, my LCD-2s are like yours in regards to the circular cutout in the wood with a round "shim washer".
 
WRT your final call on the T1s being the "on an island" pair, can't say that I disagree with you either. While the LCD-2s do many things better, I can certainly understand your choice. I'm still tossing back and forth though.

 

[Skylab]

 
 
So you got the newer 8 wire, correct?
 

Yup, the 8-wire. It does look nice though

Franks Dec (SP?) tube amp and the T-1 was a match made in heaven. Unbelievable synergy.
 

Indeed - the CSP-2 and the T1 is a great combo.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Indeed - the CSP-2 and the T1 is a great combo.

If anyone would know...it would be either you or Frank. Wasn't that your Decware first?

 

[immtbiker]

Not mine. it was the first time that I had the pleasure to let it's electrons to flow through my ears. They are insured by Lloyd's of London, you know. I'm not allowed to sleep on my side anymore.

 

[Lunatique]

 In the past I was really trying to find a pair of headphones I could trust to do serious mixing/mastering work on when it's late at night, and I have pretty much given up on that idea. It seems there's always something not quite right with each headphone. I was hoping the LCD-2 might be it, and it gets very close, except that that slightly recessed upper-mids at roughly 2KHz~3KHz. If I do any audio work on the LCD-2, I could end up making that region too bright in order to compensate. This is especially problematic on the bite of the distorted guitar or the snap of some snare drums tuned to that region. The HD650 is actually very good for audio work since the only thing it doesn't do well is the weaker sub-bass, and it actually mirrors most speakers and headphones as only the minority of most audio devices do well in the sub-bass region. On most material you would roll-off the deep sub-bass anyway. I guess the two compliment each other well since they share a similar sonic signature but makes up for each others' weakness.
 
I used to wish that the HD650 and M50 can have a kid and it would have the best qualities of both. Now I wish the LCD-2 and the HD650 can have a kid, so that I can get the better upper-mids of the HD650 and the better sub-bass extension and overall neutrality of the LCD-2.
 
For movies and games, I'm perfectly happy with the LCD-2 since it does not offend in any way and is visceral enough for the explosions and deep drones. But for music I have to add that 3dB to the upper-mids to restore some of the bite and snap to certain instruments that have their attack in that region. HD650 for movies and games is not very satisfying since the sub-bass isn't powerful enough. The M50 is actually pretty satisfying for that purpose, but in general I don't like to wear closed cans unless I'm doing tracking. It just feels unsafe to not be able to hear my environment (in case of emergencies). The D7000 at this point I can't even listen to for more than a minute or so since it's so irritating in its sibilance.
 
I wonder if the individual differences in the frequency response of each LCD-2 (as shown by the graph that comes in the box) can make that 3dB of difference in the upper-mids I've mentioned? Maybe some people got lucky and they happen to not have that 3dB of recess in that region, so they don't think their LCD-2 sounds a bit dark and lack snap/bite?

 

[SP Wild]

Quote:

 In the past I was really trying to find a pair of headphones I could trust to do serious mixing/mastering work on when it's late at night, and I have pretty much given up on that idea. It seems there's always something not quite right with each headphone. I was hoping the LCD-2 might be it, and it gets very close, except that that slightly recessed upper-mids at roughly 2KHz~3KHz. If I do any audio work on the LCD-2, I could end up making that region too bright in order to compensate. This is especially problematic on the bite of the distorted guitar or the snap of some snare drums tuned to that region. The HD650 is actually very good for audio work since the only thing it doesn't do well is the weaker sub-bass, and it actually mirrors most speakers and headphones as only the minority of most audio devices do well in the sub-bass region. On most material you would roll-off the deep sub-bass anyway. I guess the two compliment each other well since they share a similar sonic signature but makes up for each others' weakness.
 
I used to wish that the HD650 and M50 can have a kid and it would have the best qualities of both. Now I wish the LCD-2 and the HD650 can have a kid, so that I can get the better upper-mids of the HD650 and the better sub-bass extension and overall neutrality of the LCD-2.
 
For movies and games, I'm perfectly happy with the LCD-2 since it does not offend in any way and is visceral enough for the explosions and deep drones. But for music I have to add that 3dB to the upper-mids to restore some of the bite and snap to certain instruments that have their attack in that region. HD650 for movies and games is not very satisfying since the sub-bass isn't powerful enough. The M50 is actually pretty satisfying for that purpose, but in general I don't like to wear closed cans unless I'm doing tracking. It just feels unsafe to not be able to hear my environment (in case of emergencies). The D7000 at this point I can't even listen to for more than a minute or so since it's so irritating in its sibilance.
 
I wonder if the individual differences in the frequency response of each LCD-2 (as shown by the graph that comes in the box) can make that 3dB of difference in the upper-mids I've mentioned? Maybe some people got lucky and they happen to not have that 3dB of recess in that region, so they don't think their LCD-2 sounds a bit dark and lack snap/bite?

Have you tried positioning the cups further back on your ears?  That restores the uppermids for me.

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

Picture of this latest tweak?
 
Quote:

One interesting point. Frank, who got them within a week of me, had an L shaped cutout where the hanger meets the cup, and mine have a circle cutout in the wood with a round "shim washer" going from the outside of the hanger into the circle drilled into the cup. This way, there is no play, or chance of the falling out by accident.
It's not something the early adopters are going to be able to get or mod, but cool for me. As with other, smaller companies, Audeze should have 1 final production unit, instead of constantly changing in each batch, but I guess that's a part of their growing pains. The main point is that there was a problem and Alex and Co. actively fixed it. However, if I got mine, I'd feel slightly slighted. However, I'm sure there will be many more improvements that I won't be able to get, so life's a bitch, then you marry one, then you die

.It is not a mod that can be done by Audeze once the drilled the L-shaped hole in the wood.
 

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

A picture of your graph would be a good start maybe? (Did you see some other graph posted that has 3 extra db printed on the graph compared to yours?)
 
Quote:

I wonder if the individual differences in the frequency response of each LCD-2 (as shown by the graph that comes in the box) can make that 3dB of difference in the upper-mids I've mentioned? Maybe some people got lucky and they happen to not have that 3dB of recess in that region, so they don't think their LCD-2 sounds a bit dark and lack snap/bite?

 

[jimndre]

 
Quote:

 In the past I was really trying to find a pair of headphones I could trust to do serious mixing/mastering work on when it's late at night, and I have pretty much given up on that idea. It seems there's always something not quite right with each headphone. I was hoping the LCD-2 might be it, and it gets very close, except that that slightly recessed upper-mids at roughly 2KHz~3KHz. If I do any audio work on the LCD-2, I could end up making that region too bright in order to compensate. This is especially problematic on the bite of the distorted guitar or the snap of some snare drums tuned to that region. The HD650 is actually very good for audio work since the only thing it doesn't do well is the weaker sub-bass, and it actually mirrors most speakers and headphones as only the minority of most audio devices do well in the sub-bass region. On most material you would roll-off the deep sub-bass anyway. I guess the two compliment each other well since they share a similar sonic signature but makes up for each others' weakness.
 
I used to wish that the HD650 and M50 can have a kid and it would have the best qualities of both. Now I wish the LCD-2 and the HD650 can have a kid, so that I can get the better upper-mids of the HD650 and the better sub-bass extension and overall neutrality of the LCD-2.
 
For movies and games, I'm perfectly happy with the LCD-2 since it does not offend in any way and is visceral enough for the explosions and deep drones. But for music I have to add that 3dB to the upper-mids to restore some of the bite and snap to certain instruments that have their attack in that region. HD650 for movies and games is not very satisfying since the sub-bass isn't powerful enough. The M50 is actually pretty satisfying for that purpose, but in general I don't like to wear closed cans unless I'm doing tracking. It just feels unsafe to not be able to hear my environment (in case of emergencies). The D7000 at this point I can't even listen to for more than a minute or so since it's so irritating in its sibilance.
 
I wonder if the individual differences in the frequency response of each LCD-2 (as shown by the graph that comes in the box) can make that 3dB of difference in the upper-mids I've mentioned? Maybe some people got lucky and they happen to not have that 3dB of recess in that region, so they don't think their LCD-2 sounds a bit dark and lack snap/bite?

 
 
Re-cabling may fix that??