[NeilPeart]

I really enjoyed the LCD-3 but for me it wasn't enough to justify the price.  My headphone preference is still the HD800/Mjolnir but often enough I crave a darker sound so the LCD-2 or HD600 hit the spot.  The LCD-3 was appreciably better in nearly every way (it actually had a soundstage, vocal separations within harmonies are amazing: listen to Beatles Love DVD-Audio and Yellow Submarine soundtrack for great examples that easily highlight the differences).  There were moments when I would prefer the intimate and subdued presentation of the 2 to the 3 but overall the 3 was more impressive.  The LCD-3 was also slightly more comfortable than the LCD-2 due to the earpads.  However, for me it wasn't enough of an improvement to warrant the extra dough.  I'm going to hang on to the LCD-2 and order some LCD-3 earpads when the time comes to replace 'em.  I still think the LCD-3 is the better headphone (at the same level of the HD800, just a different flavor) but value is relative.

 

 

[Rawdawg3234]

Quote:

  I still think the LCD-3 is the better headphone (at the same level of the HD800, just a different flavor) but value is relative.

 

Personally I found the HD800 to be on the same level as the LCD2.  The LCD3's are way out the HD800's league in my opinion of course.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Quote:

+1
 
I find that immediately switching from one can to another is torturous. However if I wait a day in between i'm less likely to try to over examine sound signatures.

 
My experience exactly. I simply cannot A/B headphones (especially the LCD-3) during the same listening session.

 

[vc1187]

Quote:

 
My experience exactly. I simply cannot A/B headphones (especially the LCD-3) during the same listening session.

 
In a listening session, the first headphone I put on (granted it's a high end headphone) will generally always be the one I prefer.  For example, if I am listening to the HD650, then switch over to the HE-6, the HE-6 sounds analytical, sharp, and hot on the treble.  If I am listening to the HE-6 first then switch over to the HD650, the HD650 sounds boring, congested, and bloated.
 
It's all relevant to what your brain adjusts to.
 
More on topic, when I heard the LCD-3 at a meet, I thought it resembled an LCD-2 with higher resolution and instrument separation.  Owning the LCD-2 twice and disliking the clamp both times... the LCD-3 was a world of difference in terms of comfort.  The pads are not as stiff, and therefore much more comfortable in my opinion.

 

[negura]

Quote:

Personally I found the HD800 to be on the same level as the LCD2.  The LCD3's are way out the HD800's league in my opinion of course.

 
To my ears and on my gear the HD800 are well above the LCD-2s with any genre and all recordings. So much so that I've stopped listened to the LCD-2s after I've got the HD800s. The LCD-3s are almost on par with the HD800s overall, and my preference with some genres going to the LCD-3s, and some more to the HD800s.
 
Please note my system is or can be optimised for each of the headphones in turn, including cables.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Personally I found the HD800 to be on the same level as the LCD2.  The LCD3's are way out the HD800's league in my opinion of course.

 
WOW.  I guess that's why they say we all hear different.

 
No but seriously I found the LCD-2.2 to be only a slight level up from the HD650s.  Or I guess I really don't like the dark and closed in, congested type of sound I hear from the LCD-2.2s.  When I got my pair of LCD-3s, it was a world of different and it was by a good margin in the LCD-3s favor.  I sold the LCD-2.2s the very next week.  
 
I like the open, airy, reasonable soundstage, great instrument separation sound

 with the highs being well extended.  The HD800 gives me that - way more than the LCD-2.2.  Hell, the LCD-3 will give me that as well when compared to the LCD-2.2.  

 

[Rawdawg3234]

Quote:

 
To my ears and on my gear the HD800 are well above the LCD-2s with any genre and all recordings. So much so that I've stopped listened to the LCD-2s after I've got the HD800s. The LCD-3s are almost on par with the HD800s overall, and my preference with some genres going to the LCD-3s, and some more to the HD800s.
 
Please note my system is or can be optimised for each of the headphones in turn, including cables.

Yeah I just didn't personally like the hd800's. They were way too overhyped in my opinion and I'd definitely take the LCD2 over them. Not saying they were bad at all. I just expected way more from all the hoopla that went along with them.
Now the LCD 3's on the other hand? As soon as I put them on I thought "now this is how a high-end headphone is suppose to look and feel". It's my opinion that they aren't as hyped up as the hd800's, not even a tenth as much, and are on another level entirely.

 

[bbbonthemoon]

Quite opposite imo, LCD-3 are discussed in head-fi a lot, as one of the best headphones ever, you hardy find any negative post. HD800, on the other side, get bashed for extra brightness and "soullessness" almost in every thread they pop up. That was the reason I hesitated to buy them for a long time... How wrong I was  

 

[negura]

Quote:

Quite opposite imo, LCD-3 are discussed in head-fi a lot, as one of the best headphones ever, you hardy find any negative post. HD800, on the other side, get bashed for extra brightness and "soullessness" almost in every thread they pop up. That was the reason I hesitated to buy them for a long time... How wrong I was  

 
Agreed. People have more recently started to (re)discover the HD800s probably partly due to the latest gen upstream gear and/or as more moved into higher-end gear. I was on the fence a long time with the HD800s, and it's quite easy to have them sound very musical and everything. You do need some good gear, but that's the same for the LCD-3s. Not so much for the LCD-2s but those are in a different tier imo.
 
That said, I am finding the LCD-3s very complementary to the HD800s so they're also a keeper.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
 You do need some good gear, but that's the same for the LCD-3s. Not so much for the LCD-2s but those are in a different tier imo.
 
That said, I am finding the LCD-3s very completementary to the HD800s so they're also a keeper.

 
I agree with this 100%.  Even the HD650 scale higher than the LCD-2.2 IMO..  Good up stream gear will yield you good results wit the HD800 and the LCD-3..

 

[commtrd]

I emailed Jason at Schiit to query him about using the HD800s with the Mjolnir amp and he said they listen to the HD800 with the mjo just about every single day and they sounded great. I am thinking much more seriously about ordering a pair of 800s and then deciding if I want to keep the LCD2.2s.

 

[rrahman]

Quote:

 
I agree with this 100%.  Even the HD650 scale higher than the LCD-2.2 IMO..  Good up stream gear will yield you good results wit the HD800 and the LCD-3..

 
This is interesting, you are clearly not a fan of the LCD's.
 
I thought the HD650/600s were good for their price, but LCD2 completely outclasses them in all aspects in my opinion.  HD800 I would say complements the LCD2 very well, but they are equally enjoyable to my ears.  The LCD3 inches past everything.  
 
You'd probably disagree with this a lot, but I actually think the LCD2 is substantially more enjoyable to my ears than the HE6.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
This is interesting, you are clearly not a fan of the LCD's.
 
I thought the HD650/600s were good for their price, but LCD2 completely outclasses them in all aspects in my opinion.  HD800 I would say complements the LCD2 very well, but they are equally enjoyable to my ears.  The LCD3 inches past everything.  
 
You'd probably disagree with this a lot, but I actually think the LCD2 is substantially more enjoyable to my ears than the HE6.

 
Yea - I guess we just like to hear our music "VERY" different.  To my ears the LCD-2.2s are closed in, congested, and has "NO" soundstage compared to the HE-6, HD800 and the LCD-3s.  I like openness, airiness, good soundstage, and really good instrument separation with good bass.  The LCD-2.2 does not give me this when compared to the other 3 headphones (except bass).  There is a reason the LCD-2.2 is not the flagship and the LCD-3s are.  
 
It's pretty hard to get the HE-6 to sound right.  It's slightly less hard to get the HD800s to sound right, and so on with the LCD-3s.  However, you put the LCD-2.2 on an iPOD and that's as good as your going to get with them (exaggeration).

 

[rrahman]

Quote:

 
Yea - I guess we just like to hear our music "VERY" different.  To my ears the LCD-2.2s are closed in, congested, and has "NO" soundstage compared to the HE-6, HD800 and the LCD-3s.  I like openness, airiness, good soundstage, and really good instrument separation with good bass.  The LCD-2.2 does not give me this when compared to the other 3 headphones (except bass).  There is a reason the LCD-2.2 is not the flagship and the LCD-3s are.  
 
It's pretty hard to get the HE-6 to sound right.  It's slightly less hard to get the HD800s to sound right, and so on with the LCD-3s.  However, you put the LCD-2.2 on an iPOD and that's as good as your going to get with them (exaggeration).

 
What is the difference between openness, airiness, instrument separation, and good soundstage?

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
What is the difference between openness, airiness, instrument separation, and good soundstage?

 
Open - Sound which has height and "air", relates to clean upper midrange and treble.
Airy - Spacious. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. 
Soundstage - The area that appears to the listener to be occupied by sonic images. Like a real stage, a soundstage should have good width, depth, and height.
Instrument Separation - Each instrument has it's own space and can be easily picked out.
 
 
Closed - A closed-in sound lacking in openness, delicacy, air, and fine detail usually caused by Roll-off above 10kHz; in contrast to Open.

Congested- Smeared, confused, muddy, and flat; lacking transparency.