Hi,
yesterday evening 6pm to 12 pm, I was listening to both LCD and hd800. I did something that probably shouldn't but as it work and couldn't ear noticeable decrease in SQ I did. Connecting both cans at same time to both output from BCL. so during 2 hours, just did a very thorough A/B test. well very funny. I'll try to describe as I'm not native speaking English and worst, now I'm living in Bogota - Colombia, so messing up Portuguese Spanish and English heehe. First I was impressed with the difference between the two cans... Two top tier cans with such a different sound, It shouldn't. My first album was a apple losseless Fred Simon dreamhouse, from naim audio, coming from my macbook, BCL usb. Its a piano based jazz that I'm very familiar, listen to it in a lot of hi end speaker systems, including at my house. Its a small presentation were the hd800 huge sound stage doesn't mean much. I was more focus on the overall presentation and tonal balance. The piano is very differently presented by both. The LCD does sound louder than hd800, I guess due to the more forward presentation, so I had to lower a bit, when changing from lcd to hd800. So back to piano, the first minutes, I thought that the LCD was more inaccurate, it sounded more in my face, as the hd800 sounded more round, soft. After a wile I I change my mind. to my ears, the lcd was presenting with a tad more information, even in simple piano notes. As I could ear clearly the hammer hitting the string, (I thing the attack and decay of the notes) and it had much more attack, (I've lived 5 years with one bosendorfer, don't play but know how it sounds), was more accurate (not perfect accurate) and more visceral and alive. Even when I push the volume up, disconnected the lcd, the hd800 couldn't have the realism of the lcd. Note wasn't tone perfect but the attack and the weight of the notes were there with lcd, not quiet with hd800. I think this is where everyone is praising about lcd 2, not perfect but very very natural with a real feel of presence. As I was all the 48 minutes that this album last, changing between the two, it become perfectly clear who was the winner - LCD 2. It has (to my ears again) richer, fuller more forward presentation, much more alive and the hd800 seems dull and boring (till now, I thought hd800 was very fast and live sound).
Next I've change to something with voice, a album from Rodrigo Leao, Cinema. This record has a tad of sibilance, but a lot of piano, other string instruments, and 4 or 5 different female voices. Here once again, the LCD shined, presenting natural voices, with some magic associated, but still a slight sibilance, much less than hd800, but that is good, if the sibilance is there, it should be audible. I never thought of lcd 2 with recessed highs.. overall tone, with less emphasis.
Then I've changed to other naim album, State of the union. This one has lot of piano, but a lot of percussion as well. So still doing a/b directly, that is, just putting one and other on my head. when the percussion started, this was a real WOW moment with LCD. a lot more punch, even the mid bass ones (don't know how to call it , the instrument) and it was the first time I've listen to a so real percussion at my house. (I've listen to it like this in big hi end systems worth 200.000 or more at meetings) No way I could listen to same real thing with hd800 no matter what... it sounded more plain, without that leather trapping on the hand. By the way I do have bongos at my cousin house, we usually play it a lot, so I do have the real thing reference. At this time, I've just forgot the hd800 and listen only to the lcd. They sure aren't perfect, but they have something that makes them sound so natural and real.. for me that's more important than if it has a huge sound stage (always artificial with cans, no matter what) a lots of air, or if you can pinpoint the eyelash that is growing on the pianist... even that the lcd 2 does it better than hd800. IMO
edit: to be more clear with percussion, with many systems I was always missing that real slam of it. one always tries to turn up the volume never managing that thing; slam, fast, dynamic, visceral sound. With hd800 and other systems, one gets so loud never reaching that ... that real thing. With LCD 2, with a modest amp, source, I could easily get that truth felling, that thing, same with piano notes, string... still to come other genders like electronics and big classical.
