[canali]

thanks...hey i grew up in the 70s/80s with 'bass/treble' tone controls (or simplified EQ)
wish i'd see more of these around....haven't we all wanted to hear a bit more (or less)
of some instruments at certain times when we're listening to audio.
but i can hear the purists loading and pointing their guns at me...oh well, to each his/her own.

 

[WildStyle-R11]

thanks...hey i grew up in the 70s/80s with 'bass/treble' tone controls (or simplified EQ)
wish i'd see more of these around....haven't we all wanted to hear a bit more (or less)
of some instruments at certain times when we're listening to audio.
but i can hear the purists loading and pointing their guns at me...oh well, to each his/her own.

Well the purists can go F..F.. Find out what they are pure to. I am pure to enjoying music MY WAY! If I can make a horrible recording sound better, why not?

 

[omniweltall]

my friend is soooo against tone controls...he firmly belongs to the purist camp.''anytime you adjust one frequency it affects the others!!'' he'll scream (lol)
i don't give a hoot....just look at the number of recordings that were too bright or harsh and later underwent remasters.
if i'm able to enjoy my music more with a bit of tone control, then so be it.
in other words he likes his steak as is...i prefer mine with some salt and pepper.

question however: i contacted schiit on this device...they say it's analog and not digital,
but still a tone control...what would it matter being analog vs digital btw?

steve guttenberg of cnet enjoys this device too.(below)
.i'll seriously consider adding it when i ramp up my gear purchases in a few months.

I also don't get it since tone control is just an added tool in our arsenal. Most sellers won't like tone control as customers won't be buying as many headphones as they'd like

Analog means you're EQ-ing in the analog domain and don't mess up the digital domain. I'm not into digital EQ, and much prefer analog though not as flexible.

 

[canali]

i'm a Rush fan...their 'vapour trails' was poorly produced, such that Geddy Lee went back
to the studio a few yrs later to remaster it....
''Rush fans were ecstatic when the group returned from a six-year hiatus with their 2002 LP, Vapor Trails, but some noticed that the record didn’t quite sound right. “We overcooked it,” bassist/singer Geddy Lee tells Rolling Stone now. “The mixes were really loud and brash. The mastering job was harsh and distorted.”
review of remastered: https://drewsreviews.org/2013/10/02/review-rush-vapor-trails-remixed/

so why shouldn't i have been allowed to tone down that if i wanted to...my purist friend had no reply to this, of course.
to each their own....same with older albums that can be flat sounding (many of us nowadays enjoy a bit of bass boost too, right)
so why not? '''have it your way'' as the burger byline goes.
in the end we're still enjoying the music (perhaps even more because we can tweak it a bit to
our liking) and remaining in this hobby.

even when we watch tv there are different modes available for our viewing pleasure: 'cool' 'warm' cinema, sports etc...
this is changing the way the director cut it and no doubt affects 'the other filters'
..but no one screams out loud when we make adjustments on such for our visual enjoyment.
why can't the sense of freedom/personal choices be more respected for our audio choices?

 

[BrotherKathos]

I honestly find anal purists somewhat laughable. Unless you are in the studio and hooked to the mastering gear, or actually there in person for a performance then you are not getting a pure sound regardless of your setup and how much was spent on it. Eq is absolutely a wonderful tool and those that dismiss it are just shorting themselves. I don’t really need to eq my lcd2c since i like the signature it has with my current amp and dac, but my hifiman he-400i would never even get listened to anymore without my loki. I’ve basically turned it into a planar hd650 through the loki and its very nice now. Went from my least favorite headphone to my second favorite.

 

[FinBenton]

Someone make an amp with Loki style tone controls in it, I'll buy right now.

 

[omniweltall]

I honestly find anal purists somewhat laughable. Unless you are in the studio and hooked to the mastering gear, or actually there in person for a performance then you are not getting a pure sound regardless of your setup and how much was spent on it. Eq is absolutely a wonderful tool and those that dismiss it are just shorting themselves. I don’t really need to eq my lcd2c since i like the signature it has with my current amp and dac, but my hifiman he-400i would never even get listened to anymore without my loki. I’ve basically turned it into a planar hd650 through the loki and its very nice now. Went from my least favorite headphone to my second favorite.

They are entitled to their opinion though. I don't mind people not liking EQ. But I find it laughable when sellers say they don't like EQ. Of course they don't. We can change tonality with it. Makes it that much less likely for us to look for new cans, especially with this price trends.

Someone make an amp with Loki style tone controls in it, I'll buy right now.

That would kick a$$

 

[canali]

i mean even with the chord qutest dac, we can adjust the sound with it's various filters.
so there's that, from one of top audio companies around.

lastly even those who create dacs, amps, iems, headphones and speakers all colour the sound
based on their own predilections/experience etc, don't they....
this is why love the FLC 8S for it's various filters I can add to tweak the sound to my liking.

 

[BrotherKathos]

They are entitled to their opinion though. I don't mind people not liking EQ. But I find it laughable when sellers say they don't like EQ. Of course they don't. We can change tonality with it. Makes it that much less likely for us to look for new cans, especially with this price trends.


That would kick a$$

I respect their opinions on refusing eq, but it still causes me to dhake my head and sigh as well. To refuse something beneficial out of principle to me is just the definition of foolishness. All you can do is wish them well in their pursuit. They will be buying gear when those with eq just need to turn a knob slightly.

 

[omniweltall]

I respect their opinions on refusing eq, but it still causes me to dhake my head and sigh as well. To refuse something beneficial out of principle to me is just the definition of foolishness. All you can do is wish them well in their pursuit. They will be buying gear when those with eq just need to turn a knob slightly.

Hahaha...agreed, mate.

 

[Slim1970]

thanks...hey i grew up in the 70s/80s with 'bass/treble' tone controls (or simplified EQ)
wish i'd see more of these around....haven't we all wanted to hear a bit more (or less)
of some instruments at certain times when we're listening to audio.
but i can hear the purists loading and pointing their guns at me...oh well, to each his/her own.

I don't mind tone controls at all. The one thing I can say for sure is there is some crappy recordings out here. Tone controls or EQ help fix some of the deficiencies and make the music more enjoyable to listen too. Streaming has been a God send to be honest. With it you're able to get good quality music all the time. Plus, once you start moving up the chain in headphones the more you are able to hear those deficiencies in the music. Headphones like the 2C do a great job of making crappy recordings listenable. That's why I think it's a fan favorite and worth it's asking price to me.

 

[newaudio46]

Before I pull the trigger on the lcd2c, do you all think it’s worth payin another £300 on the lcd2f . So the lcd2c are £599 or £899 for the Fazor lcd2

 

[betula]

Before I pull the trigger on the lcd2c, do you all think it’s worth payin another £300 on the lcd2f . So the lcd2c are £599 or £899 for the Fazor lcd2

Some prefer this, some prefer that. It is impossible to tell which one you'd like more. If you search the thread you can find some comparisons with different conclusions.

 

[newaudio46]

Thanks for th advice, I can’t test them so I will read back and see what people are saying

 

[betula]

I have been thinking about this latest discussion regarding tone controls and EQ. It is definitely a good topic to talk about, but in the end as most things in this hobby it boils down to personal preference rather than objective truth and it is good to respect other's opinion and preference.

While I have always been a purist (prefer to experience gear as the manufacturer intended it to sound like) I admit, under certain circumstances a little EQ can be useful.
On the one hand your ears/audio taste will never develop if you always put a ton of bass on anything you hear. It is like eating everything with loads of ketchup, even a nice steak. (I am sure you know somebody who does this.) On the other hand, of course everyone is entitled to eat/listen to anything adjusting it to their own personal taste. If you want to eat your wagyu beef with ketchup, that is your personal decision and you have the right to do so without facing any judgements.

When I first swapped from dynamic headphones to the 2C I was surprised on the lack of mid-bass. Since a lot of head-fiers describe LCD2 as bass cannons. This is simply not true. LCD2 has a flat and neutral bass compared to most dynamic headphones especially under its price range. But if you don't go immediately after your accustomed mid-bass quantity, you discover that the LCD2 bass has a lot more to offer than mid-bass quantity. Extension, clarity, detail, punch. Qualities you can never hear elsewhere. Qualities you might learn to prefer to the usual mid-bass quantity of other headphones. And perhaps you find your music sounds even more delicate and professional. Discovering an array of different flavours instead of soaking everything in ketchup.

Another thing I'd like to mention is the quality of your system (DAC and amp). Some lower quality DACs and amps might not be able to give back the authority, extension and punch of bass notes. They might not offer an extended, detailed and airy enough treble. You won't notice this until you audition truly higher-end amps and DACs, over the 4 digit mark. The higher-end gear you use, probably the less EQ you need to achieve an enjoyable sound. Also, the more quality equipment you own, the less you want to colour their capabilities.

All I am saying is don't rush to use your preferred EQ, especially if you have just upgraded your gear. Give time to experience how the manufacturer intended it to sound like, and once you really know the new sound, add your own taste if necessary.

I will use another, exaggerated picture. Let's say you buy a convertible car. The manufacturer intended it to be a convertible so you can enjoy sunshine without a roof. You are more than free to install a permanent roof on it to match your personal taste, but does that not defeat the original purpose of the car?

I used provocative examples here on purpose to ignite your thinking. I still think there are scenarios where EQ can be necessary: certain weak recordings or a weak link in your audio chain. In general however I think the less EQ you use the better it is.

EQ and tone controls can be useful, but we have to be very careful using them as they can completely derail your ears and make you stuck in a puddle instead of discovering the vastness of the ocean. My two cents.