[gimmeheadroom]

Love your enthusiasm! I have been away from headphone listening for a little while but you inspired me to turn on my FiiO M11 and Violectric amp and refresh my memory how my LCD-3F sounds again. Glad I did!
I wasn’t even aware Audeze refreshed this headphone. What’s different, new drivers?

Depends when you got yours. Recently all that changed is the pads. Upthread, some kind soul posted his response from Audeze about what happened in/after 2016.

 

[Tuneslover]

Depends when you got yours. Recently all that changed is the pads. Upthread, some kind soul posted his response from Audeze about what happened in/after 2016.

I bought my LCD-3 used a couple of years ago. The original owner bought it new in 2017.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I bought my LCD-3 used a couple of years ago. The original owner bought it new in 2017.

So then nothing changed but the pads since then.

 

[Tuneslover]

So then nothing changed but the pads since then.

Thanks for updating me.

 

[Strat1117]

Love your enthusiasm! I have been away from headphone listening for a little while but you inspired me to turn on my FiiO M11 and Violectric 220 amp and refresh my memory how my LCD-3F sounds again. Glad I did!
I wasn’t even aware Audeze refreshed this headphone. What’s different, new drivers?

Thanks @Tuneslover, I try to make my posts at least a little bit interesting to read. I’m gratified you enjoyed it.

As for changes, Id take @gimmeheadroom at his word, those details are lost on me other than the obvious - the headband and the earpads. Maybe someone with more tech savvy can chime in on any othe specific internal changes. It is widely know that they made big mods on the LCD-X drivers in 2021 (for better or worse), but I don’t think those changes applied to the 3.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Thanks for updating me.

Just passing along what I learned from helpful members in this thread!

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Thanks @Tuneslover, I try to make my posts at least a little bit interesting to read. I’m gratified you enjoyed it.

As for changes, Id take @gimmeheadroom at his word, those details are lost on me other than the obvious - the headband and the earpads. Maybe someone with more tech savvy can chime in on any othe specific internal changes. It is widely know that they made big mods on the LCD-X drivers in 2021 (for better or worse), but I don’t think those changes applied to the 3.

Oh I think the headstrap change was before that but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Audeze]

Thanks @Tuneslover, I try to make my posts at least a little bit interesting to read. I’m gratified you enjoyed it.

As for changes, Id take @gimmeheadroom at his word, those details are lost on me other than the obvious - the headband and the earpads. Maybe someone with more tech savvy can chime in on any othe specific internal changes. It is widely know that they made big mods on the LCD-X drivers in 2021 (for better or worse), but I don’t think those changes applied to the 3.

The driver changes were ONLY for the X and XC. No other headphone on our line.

Yes, the pad change was universal to ALL our headphones in a rolling change late 2020. The headbands were changed to suspension style long before.

Any other changes are parts/supply/cosmetic, and do not affect the sound or performance in any way.

 

[chesebert]

The driver changes were ONLY for the X and XC. No other headphone on our line.

Yes, the pad change was universal to ALL our headphones in a rolling change late 2020. The headbands were changed to suspension style long before.

Any other changes are parts/supply/cosmetic, and do not affect the sound or performance in any way.

So that means unit to unit variance is significant from run to run. My 2018 LCD3 sounded overly warm, lacked resolutions and the mid range lacked a sense of realism and palpablility. These negative traits were not present on the one I just got back in September this year. I didn’t change amp or source during the time.

So my take away: if you keep buying LCD3s, good things will happen.

 

[Audeze]

So that means unit to unit variance is significant from run to run. My 2018 LCD3 sounded overly warm, lacked resolutions and the mid range lacked a sense of realism and palpablility. These negative traits were not present on the one I just got back in September this year. I didn’t change amp or source during the time.

So my take away: if you keep buying LCD3s, good things will happen.

Our unit to unit variance is quite consistent (+ or - 1db here or there), the pad swap in late 2020 however did affect the sound especially at 3khz because as most people know, pads do affect the sound quite a bit. I would recommend you put new pads on that 2018 unit.

 

[chesebert]

Our unit to unit variance is quite consistent (+ or - 1db here or there), the pad swap in late 2020 however did affect the sound especially at 3khz because as most people know, pads do affect the sound quite a bit. I would recommend you put new pads on that 2018 unit.

Well, I sold the 2018 one in 2019 because I couldn’t live with it I guess I will never know now.

 

[M-83]

Recently had my Schiit Gungnir Multibit A1 upgraded from Gen2 USB to Unison USB.

Results are fantastic paired with Ragnarok 2 and LCD-3.

Bass quality and quantity has improved, more detailed, imaging is absolutely superb.

Amazing.

 

[M-83]

I use a reasonably priced aftermarket balanced XLR 2.5m cable with LCD-3, although have just bought a preloved "Audeze ADZ6B4 Balanced XLR 4 Pin 2.5m Cable" from eBay as I wanted to see what a "stock" cable sounds like before I consider looking for a preloved Premium LCD Cable on the classifieds.

I wondered if anyone has any experience with ADZ6B4 sound quality wise that they could share thoughts on?

​

 

[Tuneslover]

The driver changes were ONLY for the X and XC. No other headphone on our line.

Yes, the pad change was universal to ALL our headphones in a rolling change late 2020. The headbands were changed to suspension style long before.

Any other changes are parts/supply/cosmetic, and do not affect the sound or performance in any way.

Thank you for the explanation. I purchased my LCD-3 used from a fellow Audeze owner. It did have that the old style headband on it but I purchased the new style headband shortly after purchasing the LCD-3, it’s much more comfortable.

Theses headphones have the brown cushiony ear pads which are still on them now but I did purchase a replacement one but I was sent the black ear pads identical to my LCD-2C.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I use a reasonably priced aftermarket balanced XLR 2.5m cable with LCD-3, although have just bought a preloved "Audeze ADZ6B4 Balanced XLR 4 Pin 2.5m Cable" from eBay as I wanted to see what a "stock" cable sounds like before I consider looking for a preloved Premium LCD Cable on the classifieds.

I wondered if anyone has any experience with ADZ6B4 sound quality wise that they could share thoughts on?

​

The stock Audeze cables are fine. They're not the most beautiful cables in the world but they're fine.