[paradoxper]

But he was asking about LCD-2C vs LCD-2F

Ah, he was. Same almost applies.

Constrained I can understand (I would say there is certainly less emphasis) but piercing? That I'm genuinely surprised about, I don't hear it at all. I do on the HD800 though

All the LCD2's were hard in the treble. What I mean by piercing -- it was sharp.

Hell, since everyone loves Tyll or trusts him, or whatever, you can recall him saying the highs were piercing just as well.

 

[wazzupi]

Constrained I can understand (I would say there is certainly less emphasis) but piercing? That I'm genuinely surprised about, I don't hear it at all. I do on the HD800 though

Don't the lcd2c sound amazing on the hugo2 ? Its like the SQ went up a level.

 

[TokenGesture]

Don't the lcd2c sound amazing on the hugo2 ? Its like the SQ went up a level.

I totally agree with you. Really addictive.

 

[wazzupi]

I don't hear piercing and I only listen to warm headphones... Hd650 hp2 aeon open flow lcd2c soon to have any eikon.

 

[astrostar59]

Agree, not much I like at all about the HD800, sort Cory, but I disagree with you on that one. The HD800 is not wire with gain one not coloured either. It is wide soundstage, but the treble is hard and peaky, needs a coloured amp to correct it, and the whole FR is sucked out below 100hz.

I have heard the LCD-4 and the LCD-3. The amps feeding these HPs is key I think, i.e. needs lots of juice like the HE-6. Anyway, this is for my second system that is for fun, my 009 and Carbon with the Kassandra DAC is the serious end.

 

[paradoxper]

Agree, not much I like at all about the HD800, sort Cory, but I disagree with you on that one. The HD800 is not wire with gain one not coloured either. It is wide soundstage, but the treble is hard and peaky, needs a coloured amp to correct it, and the whole FR is sucked out below 100hz.

I have heard the LCD-4 and the LCD-3. The amps feeding these HPs is key I think, i.e. needs lots of juice like the HE-6. Anyway, this is for my second system that is for fun, my 009 and Carbon with the Kassandra DAC is the serious end.

Well, nothing is really wire with gain nor perfect. Listen to an ECP amp with the HD800 or Dynahi and then come back to me.

Anyways, I'm only relaying my experience. If some don't hear the hardness or grain, good for them.
In the end, everyone should find their own truths.

And I still think you should cut the schiit and get a T2 built.

 

[gLer]

Absolutely. Compared to the Stax SR-007/009 Code-X, HD800 (my personal references) the top end sounds constrained and it comes off as being piercing in nature.

Piercing treble? Grainy treble? What on earth were you listening to the LCD-2 from?

I think the general consensus is the LCD-2 has nicely rolled off treble (not nice if you like your treble, which you seem to do). Certainly doesn’t make it piercing, unless you blast your headphones or EQ them to the extreme to get more treble energy, which you really shouldn’t do because that’s not how they were tuned.

Smooth, laid back, that’s what the LCD-2 is all about, fazor or no fazor. If you like your treble, the LCD-2F has a bit more energy (and therefore a bit more perceived detail and soundstage) than the 2C from what I gather. My 2016 LCD-2F has very pleasing treble detail, far less rolled off than I was lead to believe from reviews.

You want piercing treble? Take your pick from any number of “TOTL” cans, including HD800, Beyer T1, Fostex TH-900...

 

[franz12]

Piercing treble? Grainy treble? What on earth were you listening to the LCD-2 from?

I think the general consensus is the LCD-2 has nicely rolled off treble (not nice if you like your treble, which you seem to do). Certainly doesn’t make it piercing, unless you blast your headphones or EQ them to the extreme to get more treble energy, which you really shouldn’t do because that’s not how they were tuned.

Smooth, laid back, that’s what the LCD-2 is all about, fazor or no fazor. If you like your treble, the LCD-2F has a bit more energy (and therefore a bit more perceived detail and soundstage) than the 2C from what I gather. My 2016 LCD-2F has very pleasing treble detail, far less rolled off than I was lead to believe from reviews.

You want piercing treble? Take your pick from any number of “TOTL” cans, including HD800, Beyer T1, Fostex TH-900...

Calm down. SR007 is electrostatic which is in the different league. I heard that electrostatic is generally known for less piercing but smooth treble. But I cannot confirm it as I have no experience with it.

 

[Taowolf51]

Constrained I can understand (I would say there is certainly less emphasis) but piercing? That I'm genuinely surprised about, I don't hear it at all. I do on the HD800 though

I have to agree with him. Upper treble is somewhat elevated. Had to EQ it down a few dB.

 

[paradoxper]

Piercing treble? Grainy treble? What on earth were you listening to the LCD-2 from?

I think the general consensus is the LCD-2 has nicely rolled off treble (not nice if you like your treble, which you seem to do). Certainly doesn’t make it piercing, unless you blast your headphones or EQ them to the extreme to get more treble energy, which you really shouldn’t do because that’s not how they were tuned.

Smooth, laid back, that’s what the LCD-2 is all about, fazor or no fazor. If you like your treble, the LCD-2F has a bit more energy (and therefore a bit more perceived detail and soundstage) than the 2C from what I gather. My 2016 LCD-2F has very pleasing treble detail, far less rolled off than I was lead to believe from reviews.

You want piercing treble? Take your pick from any number of “TOTL” cans, including HD800, Beyer T1, Fostex TH-900...

There has always been some treble issues dating to the Rev 1.

And it is all about context, listening to the 007/009, I find about everything else has grain to the sound.

Further, yes, the HD800 has treble peaks and yes, the Rev 1 and Rev 2 also had peaks, the difference is the HD800 was still smoother while the former still had harder sounding treble.

 

[RatFarm]

The LCD2C is smooth as silk in the treble compared to my T1.

 

[YtseJamer]

Even if I really like the LCD-2C, I have to agree with @paradoxper regarding the treble.

I wouldn't use the word piercing but the treble is slightly rough sounding but it's never fatiguing or irritating because the LCD-2C are well balanced and not bright.

Anyway it's not the end of the world and it's not preventing me to appreciate the LCD-2C! Best LCD-2 headphones in 7 years!

 

[uelover]

Anyway it's not the end of the world and it's not preventing me to appreciate the LCD-2C! Best LCD-2 headphones in 7 years!

I have to give credit where it’s due and I agree with you that it’s the best LCD-2 so far and it also happens to be the cheapest.

 

[433521]

LCD 2c is very colored but I like the sound. Treble has insufficient headroom though, and the sound is clear but not crisp and the bass is certainly exaggerated, though less than the HD 650 I think. Deeper too. More comfortable than anything near it's size.

If you want neutral the Monoprice m1060 is a better headphone and half the price, but I don't like that sound as much. Seems too accurate.

 

[astrostar59]

I think there are 2 ways to look at this. IMO many DACs have a forward and edgy treble response, it seems to be the norm with so many modern digital front ends. Is it Sabre chips or just DS DACs in general. Not wanting to get into any arguments or go too off topic, but a lot of the HP issues can come down to the integrity of the source. The wire with gain statement, it is so wrong IMO. It is a sum of the components that make up the end system. And if there is a general trend of brighter detail freak DACs, then there is a market for a coloured (if you want to call it) HP that makes the best of those sources, tries to fix the digititous of it. Or we hit the pause button after 15 minutes and start surfing Agon for something else (again).

But as you go up the range with DACs this slowly becomes less of an issue IMO, and you can then chase 'wire with gain' type HPs, the noses that reveal more detail. So maybe when we discuss a HP and how it sounds, better or worse in that persons opinion, we also need to take into account the source, it has a huge impact on the HP. After all, we are talking of a speaker millimetres away from the ear, and one that is low mass and not filtered / affected by room acoustics. It has the potential to be a microscope to the source with all it's flaws.

My view on my Stax 009 is it is a microscope to the sound, and without a great amp and great DAC it is not the a great HP. It really does need the source to be well sorted first. Other HPs are much more forgiving IMO, and possibly that is a strength in the LCD2 not a weakness, for the sector it is marketed for?