[jozefs]

LCD-3 pre fazor sounding better for me, than fazor version, WHY?

 

[jozefs]

I use LCD-3 pre fazor with AUDEZE premium blue balanced 4-pin XLR cable and VIOLECTRIC 281 headamp, it is Good combination? What do you think?

 

[Articnoise]

  LCD-3 pre fazor sounding better for me, than fazor version, WHY? 

 
Preference I guess. LCD-3 pre fazor is more laid back, forgiving, creamy and mid centric. 

 

[exsomnis]

I use LCD-3 pre fazor with AUDEZE premium blue balanced 4-pin XLR cable and VIOLECTRIC 281 headamp, it is Good combination? What do you think?

Haven't heard it myself but it's a well regarded amp. Definitely one of the top headphone amps to have.

As @arcticnoise said, the LCD 3 classic has that sweeter treble and warmer mids. I love it myself but once my LCD 3F 2016 broke in, it's clarity was clearly ahead of its predecessor and quite a bit closer to neutral.

 

[jozefs]

I have AUDEZE LCD-X too, and this is more neutral than LCD-3 pre fazor

 

[terry parr]

once my LCD 3F 2016 broke in, it's clarity was clearly ahead of its predecessor and quite a bit closer to neutral.

 
after having owned the LCD 3F for some time now (over a year), I still can't listen for more than a few minutes, then they're right back on top of the bookcase gathering dust for a few more weeks.  never have cottoned to the sound signature of these phones (although the bass quantity and quality had me from the word "go.")  but the etchiness with how these phones reproduce the instant that a note or chord is struck on a grand piano is awful. (and, not mention how a lot of the detail with how a jazz ride cymbal is played is either distorted (the sound of the cymbal being hit with the stick), or the detail of hits on a hi-hat by the drummer are simply missing. 
 
what I hear through these headphones is excellent bass reproduction, but also transient distortion.  (enough for me not to make the superior bass response as a trade-off, worth it).     
 
my quick take:  exceptional bass, recessed mids, distorted highs, "closed-in" sound, as if a blanket were draped over the speakers and you're trying to hear the music through a blanket is the best way I can describe it.  but, did I mention it has great bass? 
 
granted, I appreciate the top-end clarity and treble extension (without any trace of distortion) that an AKG "K"-series will give you. 
 
I listen to acoustic-based jazz a lot of the time  (but not exclusively.  the latest album that I've added to my collection is the "In Mind" album by the group Real Estate). 
 
I've read reviews where people have said that the 3's benefit from some run-in time (and since I've been thinking lately that I haven't listened to mine long enough for them to even break-in), that I might as well go for a "burn-in."  so, the 3's are set to a classical station (at a sound level that I would normally listen to).  
 
I was thinking of going for a cable replacement ( cryo-treated, braided silver), but I don't want to be throwing "good money after bad".  a good silver replacement cable sets you back about 300.00-400.00.  ugh.  (c'mon, Audeze.  we're spending this much on your phone.  ship a quality silver cable, as an alternative). 
 
hopefully, i'll hear improvements in this headphone (that excels in what it does best), but at the same time leaves quite a lot to be desired. (if you're a fan of acoustic jazz, acoustic piano, acoustic drums, female vocals, etc.), and you appreciate an open, airy sound. 
 
not that i'm expecting "open and airy" after a break-in period with these phones (a planar simply has certain fundamental characteristics), but i am hoping to hear improvements. 

 

[exsomnis]

after having owned the LCD 3F for some time now (over a year), I still can't listen for more than a few minutes, then they're right back on top of the bookcase gathering dust for a few more weeks.  never have cottoned to the sound signature of these phones (although the bass quantity and quality had me from the word "go.")  but the etchiness with how these phones reproduce the instant that a note or chord is struck on a grand piano is awful. (and, not mention how a lot of the detail with how a jazz ride cymbal is played is either distorted (the sound of the cymbal being hit with the stick), or the detail of hits on a hi-hat by the drummer are simply missing. 

what I hear through these headphones is excellent bass reproduction, but also transient distortion.  (enough for me not to make the superior bass response as a trade-off, worth it).     

my quick take:  exceptional bass, recessed mids, distorted highs, "closed-in" sound, as if a blanket were draped over the speakers and you're trying to hear the music through a blanket is the best way I can describe it.  but, did I mention it has great bass? 

granted, I appreciate the top-end clarity and treble extension (without any trace of distortion) that an AKG "K"-series will give you. 

I listen to acoustic-based jazz a lot of the time  (but not exclusively.  the latest album that I've added to my collection is the "In Mind" album by the group Real Estate). 

I've read reviews where people have said that the 3's benefit from some run-in time (and since I've been thinking lately that I haven't listened to mine long enough for them to even break-in), that I might as well go for a "burn-in."  so, the 3's are set to a classical station (at a sound level that I would normally listen to).  

I was thinking of going for a cable replacement ( cryo-treated, braided silver), but I don't want to be throwing "good money after bad".  a good silver replacement cable sets you back about 300.00-400.00.  ugh.  (c'mon, Audeze.  we're spending this much on your phone.  ship a quality silver cable, as an alternative). 

hopefully, i'll hear improvements in this headphone (that excels in what it does best), but at the same time leaves quite a lot to be desired. (if you're a fan of acoustic jazz, acoustic piano, acoustic drums, female vocals, etc.), and you appreciate an open, airy sound. 

not that i'm expecting "open and airy" after a break-in period with these phones (a planar simply has certain fundamental characteristics), but i am hoping to hear improvements. 

Having a blanket over the sound and etchiness with treble is what I would describe the 3Fs before burn in was complete. It took somewhere around 48-72 hours for my pair.

Once they burned in they really opened up - soundstage was well defined, treble was natural and each instrument distinct from each other, such that you could easily tell them apart in the soundstage.

I had the advantage of comparing a dealer's well worn copy against my own so the differences before and after burn-in were quite significant. There was a blurb on the Audeze website at some point about how they did burn in but I don't think that's the case anymore.

BTW, what amp & DAC are you using with the 3F?

I am a big fan of hard bop piano jazz, particularly Oscar Peterson and Thelonius Monk, and the 3Fs are amazing with any decent recording. Clear, liquid piano, tasty well herbed bass cello and defined, refined high hats.

 

[jozefs]

It is very interesting for me,...

 

[Gamergtx260]

Having a blanket over the sound and etchiness with treble is what I would describe the 3Fs before burn in was complete. It took somewhere around 48-72 hours for my pair.

Once they burned in they really opened up - soundstage was well defined, treble was natural and each instrument distinct from each other, such that you could easily tell them apart in the soundstage.

I had the advantage of comparing a dealer's well worn copy against my own so the differences before and after burn-in were quite significant. There was a blurb on the Audeze website at some point about how they did burn in but I don't think that's the case anymore.

BTW, what amp & DAC are you using with the 3F?

I am a big fan of hard bop piano jazz, particularly Oscar Peterson and Thelonius Monk, and the 3Fs are amazing with any decent recording. Clear, liquid piano, tasty well herbed bass cello and defined, refined high hats.

Similar experience. Although mine was originally with 2014 drivers, had to replace them with 2016's because they broke. When I received them after the upgrade they were a joke. There was no treble and the beautiful midrange was all gone.

But, after some burnin around 2 weeks of just casual listening (because they fixed my drivers in 2 days there could have not been much burnin) they surely improved. The treble was clear, bass more tighter but that's all. No more creamy mid range as before. If you had never tried the older LCD 3s, you will agree with what I said. But if you haven't and you still like the 2016 drivers then I'm happy for you.

I had to sell them after spending lots of happy hours and moved to my all favorite HD 800.

 

[exsomnis]

Similar experience. Although mine was originally with 2014 drivers, had to replace them with 2016's because they broke. When I received them after the upgrade they were a joke. There was no treble and the beautiful midrange was all gone.

But, after some burnin around 2 weeks of just casual listening (because they fixed my drivers in 2 days there could have not been much burnin) they surely improved. The treble was clear, bass more tighter but that's all. No more creamy mid range as before. If you had never tried the older LCD 3s, you will agree with what I said. But if you haven't and you still like the 2016 drivers then I'm happy for you.

I had to sell them after spending lots of happy hours and moved to my all favorite HD 800.

 
I do love the classic LCD 3s but I've grown to love the resolution and balance of the 3F 2016s too.  Can't stand the HD 800 myself. 

 

[jozefs]

I prefer LCD-3 pre fazor sound,

 

[terry parr]

  I prefer LCD-3 pre fazor sound,

​not sure if the fazor might be contributing to the harsher-sounding highs in my pair.  I've thought of that, too. 
 
 
appreciate the replies from exsomnis and Gamergtx260, ​ both saying that they've heard differences in these phones after a fair amount of run-in time.  that's encouraging to hear, at this point. 
the only other headphone that I've ever noticed a difference (after substantial playing time) is the AKG K701.  the difference was definitely real (and not "psycho-acoustic" (with my hearing simply adjusting to the sound), or me wanting to hear a difference so bad that there was a perceived one.  those headphones actually do benefit from a break-in period.   
 
I haven't noticed this with any other phone that I've had.  not with any GRADO, and not with a pair of (later version) 702's.  (and, I should've noticed a break-in difference with these, seeing as how the 701 and 702 are so similar in design, transducers used, etc.  but, I haven't.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

what amp & DAC are you using with the 3F?
 

 
 
i'm old-school, exso.  I'm using so-called "vintage" receivers (but, good ones) for headphone amps, right now.  the SONY STR-6055 and the Technics SA-500.  two very fine-sounding amplifiers with high-quality component parts with excellent-sounding headphone outputs. 
 
the DAC built-in to my ROTEL 1570 CDP is the Wolfson 8740. 
 
 
i'm not a portable listener, as my job wouldn't allow for that.  my job takes me outside, and i'm on the road, driving much of the day, so my music listening is something I do at home in the evenings (when most people are watching t.v., watching movies, or gaming).  i can't listen to my favorite music (and they way i like to listen to it) in a noisy environment.  so, my main listening rig at home is my only listening rig!  I look foreward to getting home and slipping-on the headphones and getting immersed in the music (with no other distractions) for awhile.  it's how I un-wind, shut the world out...and I guess you could call it a form of meditation.   
 
(told you I was "old-school.")  not many of us left who simply sit and listen to the music, where, for a period of blocked-out time the music is the only focus.   
 
speaking of the two amps that i currently have, not only do I like the sound of these two amps, I also appreciate the flexibility of having a balance knob and tone controls, where it's very easy to make slight adjustments to the sound signature from song-to-song (although, most times the tone controls just stay set where they are).  unless, of course i'm switching from an AKG phone to the LCD-3's.  (then, a major adjustment to the bass and treble are made!) 

 

[murl]

I have owned the LCD-3s since December 2016 with fairly minimal use.  I was listening today and the right driver just stopped working.  I tried different cable/adapter and it didn't change anything.  I checked the amp with another pair of headphones and it worked fine.  I emailed Audeze tonight so hopefully I will hear something from them tomorrow or Monday.  Is the customer service generally good?

 

[analog'd]

  I have owned the LCD-3s since December 2016 with fairly minimal use.  I was listening today and the right driver just stopped working.  I tried different cable/adapter and it didn't change anything.  I checked the amp with another pair of headphones and it worked fine.  I emailed Audeze tonight so hopefully I will hear something from them tomorrow or Monday.  Is the customer service generally good?

they have been incredibly great to deal with at every turn with me over the last few years, including when I had a driver fail. i have called when i've either needed help or had a question. an actual live human being has answered every time and i've received immediate assistance. that included very fast turn around when they replaced the drivers and when I needed the adhesive rings that are used to connect the ear pads . I would anticipate excellent service from them.    

 

[Articnoise]

  I have owned the LCD-3s since December 2016 with fairly minimal use.  I was listening today and the right driver just stopped working.  I tried different cable/adapter and it didn't change anything.  I checked the amp with another pair of headphones and it worked fine.  I emailed Audeze tonight so hopefully I will hear something from them tomorrow or Monday.  Is the customer service generally good?

 

Sorry to hear that!

 

Was your LCD3 new and made with the 2016 driver (serial number 282)? If so it’s the first 2016 driver that I heard of that have had this problem. Many older LCD3 driver have had this problem.