Drop products have high customs tax, because I am living in the EU.
Audeze LCD-2C Classic - Impressions Thread
- Thread starter XERO1
- Start date
It will cost you around 350€...
Try SMSL SP200 THX 888. £260 on Amazon UK, mine shipped from Germany from the seller - I assume similar prices elsewhere in EU. I'm waiting for my LCD-2C still but that's the AMP I'm going to use with it.
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asianguac
New Head-Fier
Try looking for one used! I picked one up off of r/avexchange.
Thanks for your input, guys!
xRaptorxPunisher
100+ Head-Fier
We're not talking about a few DB here. I take it you wasn't around when the OG LCD-3 first came out? That headphone had worse varience than the current LCD-X. Units were literally varying from mushed, compressed messes with weird treble spikes and zero ability to show any sort of detail, resolution while some of them were phenomenal. The LCD-2C and 2F does seem to vary less than some of the others I've heard but the varience is there whether people want to put their head in the sand or not. I've been around Audeze's for a very long time, a good friend was a dealer so I got to spend time with many units and the differences were very interesting. I've also owned more Audeze headphones than any other brand of headphone(dealer mates rates and all that, plus ability to cherry pick) so have gotten used to the varience and heard it for myself, not just regurgitated some nonsense.
I've never heard a 2C that sounded flat out bad to me, my last unit was very good, timbre wasn't overly off but the rest didn't resolve as well, had weird spikes and bass didn't have the best pitch differentiation. This isn't exactly new news the varience of Audeze headphones has been around for a long time.
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Agreed. I owned four different pairs since its release and tried a fifth one in a shop. None stood out as noticeably different, although I didn't A/B tested them.
probert10
New Head-Fier
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Super fun setup under $1K with the LCD2C!
Tuneslover
Headphoneus Supremus
My 789 is arriving later today and yesterday I purchased the Audeze LCD-2C (a balanced cable is being built as I write this). So I'm about to hear how these components play together. Incidentally I have the SMSL SU-8 DAC and Schiit Modi MB as DAC's.
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Which cable did you go for?
Tuneslover
Headphoneus Supremus
I bought the LCD-2C at "The Headfone Shop" (Toronto) and they deal with "Audio Sensibility" (Toronto).
Here is their website: https://audiosensibility.com/blog/
Here is the description of the cable: We have developed our own Teflon-insulated, Kevlar re-inforced 7N OCC copper Impact SE and 7N OCC Silver Statement headphone cables. It has the additional benefit of being cryogenically treated and terminated with Mundorf Supreme (9.5% silver) solder.
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probert10
New Head-Fier
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Nice, let us know what you think when you get it all setup. Do you find much difference between SMSL & Schiit?
Tuneslover
Headphoneus Supremus
Sure, I'll get back to you but I'd like to break in the 789 and LCD-2C for a couple of days first. I'm curious how the DAC's compare too especially with this transparent amp.
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I am sharing this as fellow audio enthusiasts might learn something from the story:
I have basically overspent on audio in the last year and after realising it now I am in heavy downgrading phase (at least for now). I enjoyed my beautiful combo of the Hugo TT2 and Empyrean for 10 entire months. After auditioning the TT2/MScaler/Empyrean (£8000) I was mesmerised. I wanted to have it. I was coming from Qutest/CMA600i/LCD2C at the time. I preferred the TT2/MScaler combo with the Empyrean versus other flagship headphones I auditioned the same time like the HD800S, HE1000V2, ZMF Verite and Auteur or LCD4.
An £8000 combo with the MScaler was definitely out of my budget so I decided to save up for the TT2/Empyrean combo at least which was already a huge financial stretch for me back then.
So I decided to go downgrade route and be more reasonable. Life is not just headphones, is it?
Now I am rocking the LCD2C again (old time favourite) this time with the RME-ADI2 DAC. I was unable to keep completely still though and ordered a THX-789 arriving in a week. Everyone is saying the RME is held back by its amp section. We shall see.
Even this trio cost less than third of my previous combo. This is a difficult game to find your perfect position in the triangle of personal budget, level of audio addiction and value for money. I might not be at my ideal spot in the triangle yet, but I am getting there.
Luckily the buyer of my TT2 will bring along his Arya (and Susvara and LCD3) so we are going to have a small private CanJam in a few days. The Arya has been on my radar since its release but have never heard it. (I did own the Edition XV2 and auditioned the HE1000V2).
I am pretty sure I will stick with the RME for now (and the THX-789 if I like it enough). But The bug is already biting me from the inside to consider the Arya or simply purchase a secondhand Final D8000. The D8000 seems to have the perfect bass (according to reviews) which is my main focus in my audio addiction. (Yeah, I know Abyss... But that's more than twice the price of a secondhand D8000.)
For now my downgrading project led me to RME-ADI2 with LCD2C and THX-789.
In a few days I will have a chance to try the Arya finally, and even if I go crazy again and get a secondhand D8000 my combo of the RME-ADI2/THX-789/D8000 (£3100) would still cost half of my previous TT2/Empy pairing (£6300). If I choose the Arya, even less (£2100). If I choose to stick with the LCD2C, even less than that (£1700).
Whether the sound improvements really worth it for you depends on a lot of factors, budget most of all. I have heard somewhere, that your audio equipment shouldn't cost more than fifth of your saved money on your bank account. I think it is a pretty good guideline.
Most high-end audio equipment aim to represent sound as lifelike as possible. If you mostly listen to EDM you might be happy with good mid-fi equipment. High-end to my experience is really about lifelike vocals and instruments. You might not want to spend another £$€ 5000 for a 20% improvement in realism when you mainly listen to electronic ambient on your £2K system. Food for thought. We all are on a journey.
Yes, the TT2 with Empy sounds much more lifelike and much more spacious than the 2C out of the RME. But it comes down to my previously mentioned triangle. Budget: can you really afford it without a second thought? How important music listening really is in your life? Are you getting the most out of your money for your personal needs?
Reviews and threads are only helpful to a certain extent. You must try it yourself! We all are pursuing the same mirage of perfect sound that doesn't exist. Forget the goal and focus on the journey is my advice.
I have basically overspent on audio in the last year and after realising it now I am in heavy downgrading phase (at least for now). I enjoyed my beautiful combo of the Hugo TT2 and Empyrean for 10 entire months. After auditioning the TT2/MScaler/Empyrean (£8000) I was mesmerised. I wanted to have it. I was coming from Qutest/CMA600i/LCD2C at the time. I preferred the TT2/MScaler combo with the Empyrean versus other flagship headphones I auditioned the same time like the HD800S, HE1000V2, ZMF Verite and Auteur or LCD4.
An £8000 combo with the MScaler was definitely out of my budget so I decided to save up for the TT2/Empyrean combo at least which was already a huge financial stretch for me back then.
So I decided to go downgrade route and be more reasonable. Life is not just headphones, is it?
Now I am rocking the LCD2C again (old time favourite) this time with the RME-ADI2 DAC. I was unable to keep completely still though and ordered a THX-789 arriving in a week. Everyone is saying the RME is held back by its amp section. We shall see.
Even this trio cost less than third of my previous combo. This is a difficult game to find your perfect position in the triangle of personal budget, level of audio addiction and value for money. I might not be at my ideal spot in the triangle yet, but I am getting there.
Luckily the buyer of my TT2 will bring along his Arya (and Susvara and LCD3) so we are going to have a small private CanJam in a few days. The Arya has been on my radar since its release but have never heard it. (I did own the Edition XV2 and auditioned the HE1000V2).
I am pretty sure I will stick with the RME for now (and the THX-789 if I like it enough). But The bug is already biting me from the inside to consider the Arya or simply purchase a secondhand Final D8000. The D8000 seems to have the perfect bass (according to reviews) which is my main focus in my audio addiction. (Yeah, I know Abyss... But that's more than twice the price of a secondhand D8000.)
For now my downgrading project led me to RME-ADI2 with LCD2C and THX-789.
In a few days I will have a chance to try the Arya finally, and even if I go crazy again and get a secondhand D8000 my combo of the RME-ADI2/THX-789/D8000 (£3100) would still cost half of my previous TT2/Empy pairing (£6300). If I choose the Arya, even less (£2100). If I choose to stick with the LCD2C, even less than that (£1700).
Whether the sound improvements really worth it for you depends on a lot of factors, budget most of all. I have heard somewhere, that your audio equipment shouldn't cost more than fifth of your saved money on your bank account. I think it is a pretty good guideline.
Most high-end audio equipment aim to represent sound as lifelike as possible. If you mostly listen to EDM you might be happy with good mid-fi equipment. High-end to my experience is really about lifelike vocals and instruments. You might not want to spend another £$€ 5000 for a 20% improvement in realism when you mainly listen to electronic ambient on your £2K system. Food for thought. We all are on a journey.
Yes, the TT2 with Empy sounds much more lifelike and much more spacious than the 2C out of the RME. But it comes down to my previously mentioned triangle. Budget: can you really afford it without a second thought? How important music listening really is in your life? Are you getting the most out of your money for your personal needs?
Reviews and threads are only helpful to a certain extent. You must try it yourself! We all are pursuing the same mirage of perfect sound that doesn't exist. Forget the goal and focus on the journey is my advice.
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Well said betula. Many times I have made cuts to other areas, and waited for months to buy soundgear whose budget was way above my monthly income. There comes a point where in the pursuit of constant upgrades, we lose the main reason we started this hobby, which is to simply enjoy music.
Today I ordered the AudioGd R2R 11, to accompany my Lcd 2 classics, which are a few days away from arriving. This headphone, dac/amp combo will be endgame for me, budget wise, as I am already stretching the situation! Now this waiting period is the worst!
Today I ordered the AudioGd R2R 11, to accompany my Lcd 2 classics, which are a few days away from arriving. This headphone, dac/amp combo will be endgame for me, budget wise, as I am already stretching the situation! Now this waiting period is the worst!
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