Just got the LCD-2 today. Been listening for a few hours so far through Prismsound Orpheus and DACPort. Had HD650 and LCD-2 is definitely in a different league. I have Geithain RL922K and Adam S3A in my studio, and LCD-2 sounds neutral and translates well. I don't find the phones dark sounding at all. Sounds alot more like the Geithains than the Adams.
However, the phones are not comfortable. Not a deal breaker, but could definitely be better imo. I did get the travel case and wished I could put the phones in the case without separating the cable. That's all for now.
I couldn't stand the way mine felt at first. They, for me, were not comfortable at all. Now I don't even notice them and they feel good but that took a few days and after a few weeks and my getting stronger, there is not issue. Good for neck muscles. :^)
You gotta use a good DAC with a good power cord. I connect my Esoteric D-07 DAC it with a Siltech Classic Anniversary Silver Gold G-07 Power cord and there is night and day difference. The analytical aspects of the Esoteric are preserved while the music sounds lively and all. With the Leben CS300XS equipped with 50's vintage Amperex Bugleboy 12AX7s and 50's Mullard EL84s, the LCD2 never sounded better. Still a league behind the ED10 though, IMO.
Could'nt agree with you more.
The other day I stumbled upon an old Vincent SV-123 Stereo Reciever and Tuner catching dust in my son's room.
I decided to setup a temporary rig while waiting for the high end amps I had ordered.
Olive 6HD Music Server>Vincent SV-123 (pre-amp)>Fi009> LCD-2
The LCDs are singing and how!!
Compared to the NuForce HDP, the instrument seperation is excellent, soundstage is huge, bass is tight and heavy. I dont have the audiophile lingo to describe in detail, except to say that it sounded GREAT.
I have a ref stereo setup in my media room (Anthony Gallo Ref 3.1 speakers/ Denson Beat Amps) and this one easily surpassed it.
Now I will be able to compare this setup when I receive the Woo WA22 & Lyr
Skylab, have you got your ED10 back? Let me know your impressions of the post earpad fix ED10 - coz after 5 days of LCD2, and tonight switching the LCD2 stock cable to the Norse 8 conductor cable - when I pick up the ED10 again (hard to resist), I feel the ED10 is still a league better than the LCD2, including the bass. The other thing is after wearing the LCD2 for some time, swithching back to the ED10 is like there is nothing on my head at all. The weight and comfort of the earpads are just amazing especially considering what the ED10 is delivering.
Skylab, have you got your ED10 back? Let me know your impressions of the post earpad fix ED10 - coz after 5 days of LCD2, and tonight switching the LCD2 stock cable to the Norse 8 conductor cable - when I pick up the ED10 again (hard to resist), I feel the ED10 is still a league better than the LCD2, including the bass. The other thing is after wearing the LCD2 for some time, swithching back to the ED10 is like there is nothing on my head at all. The weight and comfort of the earpads are just amazing especially considering what the ED10 is delivering.
I listened to ED10 at NYC meet, this was the pair fixed pads. For they money they suck. They were brittle sounding, with fake plasticy bass and bad impulse response. All the supporting great was very nice, by I hated ED10.
Lol, I guess it all comes down to preference. On my Leben the ED10 sounds considerably better than the LCD-2. LCD's bass may have more texture but is much shallower than ED10's bass. Mid to mid high is second to none, as some said in the ED10 thread, simply world class. I would not be as bold as ATHFan who claimed that ED10 is "the best dynamic headphone beating HD800 / T1 / PS1000", but it would be a long way to say that they suck. And if they do, they are still better than the LCD-2, IMO. I will certainly give the LCD-2 more head time though. My ED10 is around 500 hours now, give or take, but my LCD-2 is still around the 100 hour mark, and I just got the Norse 8 conductor cable tonight, which definitely needs burn in.
I listened to ED10 at NYC meet, this was the pair fixed pads. For they money they suck. They were brittle sounding, with fake plasticy bass and bad impulse response. All the supporting great was very nice, by I hated ED10.
Skylab, have you got your ED10 back? Let me know your impressions of the post earpad fix ED10 - coz after 5 days of LCD2, and tonight switching the LCD2 stock cable to the Norse 8 conductor cable - when I pick up the ED10 again (hard to resist), I feel the ED10 is still a league better than the LCD2, including the bass. The other thing is after wearing the LCD2 for some time, swithching back to the ED10 is like there is nothing on my head at all. The weight and comfort of the earpads are just amazing especially considering what the ED10 is delivering.
It's the cold and clinical aspects of the DAC1 that provide the sharp contrast to the LCD-2's warmth and smoothness, making me think they could complement each other. A tube buffer or tube amp would probably help as well though. I use a less clinical SS balanced DAC, the Mini-i, with some upgrades on the digital side and a balanced euphonic tube amp, it works out pretty well.
I do own the Benchmark DAC1 and have ordered both the LCD-2 (payment made, waiting for shipping confirmation) and the Lyr (shipped), I could get back to you with impressions when I recieve them both if you're interested.
I just spent some time listening to the LCD-2 for the first time. I'm running them balanced with a Beta 22 amp. My other headphones are HE-6, HD800 and SR-007mk1.
The LCD-2 are good, but not great in my opinion.
The bass impact is very good on the LCD-2, but bass texture/detail isn't as good as on my other headphones. Mids are good and vocals have a rich sound on the LCD-2. Highs aren't so great - seem somewhat muffled. The sound of the LCD-2 is pleasant and not fatiguing, but it's supressing some detail.
I find that the HE-6 has most of the nice properties of the LCD-2 (lush, non-fatiguing sound) while offering better highs and detail. In general, I like transparency and detail (I like listening to studio monitors, for example), so these may not be my cup of tea, but I like experimenting.
So far, I'm not sure on what music (if any) the LCD-2 wins when compared to the other headphones, but I'm looking forward to listening to them some more. I only spent about an hour listening to them so far.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
