Audeze LCD-5 Review, Measurements, Interview

[deafenears]

You guys are a tough crowd Sankar, myself and our CTO are all electrical engineers with Masters or Doctoral degree, but we need to wear different hats depending on the audience. If you have followed Audeze over the years, we do not wait for a series of technical innovations before a we release a new model. It is always a culmination of what we have learned and some more.

For example LCD-4 was about nano scale diaphragm, we already had the Fluxor magnets and Fazors. LCD-5 uses all the technology but also adds the Parallel Uniforce traces which we teased via LCD-R. Trying to explain the technology in a interview without a white board will feel like watching inception. Our focus with LCD-5 was ergonomics, improved midrange and clarity. Of course we could come up with a series of fancy names for every aspect of research that went into the design: Three years of acoustic research that went into how we designed the earpads with focus on reducing reflections and also retaining the natural response the drivers are capable of delivering and we have a graveyard of earpads that did not make it. How we optimized the magnetic circuit and trace pattern with parallel uniforce technology (using genetic programming for nonliar constrained optimization to equalize the force on the diaphragm). Sweating over every aspect of the design to shave as much weight as possible without compromising quality. The magnetic circuit and fazors were also redesigned to reduce reflections and we also use a new mesh that both protects the diaphragm and also remains completely transparent.

I love it when you share all the design and engineering details, especially in the LCD-R thread. Thanks @KMann and thanks @Audeze .

 

[KMann]

I really hope that you consider a mechanism like Meze uses on the Empyrean and Elite.
Now that you reinvented the headband.

Btw the Design of the LCD-5 is great.

It is certainly not for lack of trying. Designing a magnetic, clip-on and other such mechanisms for the earpad is something we tried, it is not rocket science. We tried really hard, however, we were simply not happy with the seal and bass response compared to tried and tested methods we were already using.

 

[dewald0]

As someone who purchased the LCD-4z in the last month and is still in my return window, what sort of improvements could I expect from upgrading to the LCD-5? The LCD-4z seemed to have been going down the same path that LCD-5 ended up on (lower weight/impedance than LCD-4). But clearly there was something missing from the 4z that the 5 hopes to correct. I'm using the headphones in more of a studio type environment.

 

[Undun]

As someone who purchased the LCD-4z in the last month and is still in my return window, what sort of improvements could I expect from upgrading to the LCD-5? The LCD-4z seemed to have been going down the same path that LCD-5 ended up on (lower weight/impedance than LCD-4). But clearly there was something missing from the 4z that the 5 hopes to correct. I'm using the headphones in more of a studio type environment.

As far as I understand it from Jude's video: improvements in resolution and staging capabilities (not clear to what extent, but the parallel uniforce trace probably has a lot to do with it) and brighter-tilted FR in relation to the 4/4z.

 

[Audeze]

As someone who purchased the LCD-4z in the last month and is still in my return window, what sort of improvements could I expect from upgrading to the LCD-5? The LCD-4z seemed to have been going down the same path that LCD-5 ended up on (lower weight/impedance than LCD-4). But clearly there was something missing from the 4z that the 5 hopes to correct. I'm using the headphones in more of a studio type environment.

Please contact Audeze sales and we should be able to sort it out for you.

 

[ufospls2]

Please contact Audeze sales and we should be able to sort it out for you.

Hey Audeze,

are you going to be offering the stock cable in 4 pin XLR termination at any point in the future? Or is that not in the cards? Thanks for the help.

 

[Dixter]

Because a $4500 dollar headphone sounds better than a 2k dollar headphone.....because $4500 is more than $2000.

I like this answer..... because $4500 is more than $2000.....

 

[MacedonianHero]

To be fair to Sankar, I've spoken to him a few times and he's quite technically competent to be dismissed as just a CEO. This might be a case of wanting to keep things general for the wider audience, especially when you consider Audeze themselves have videos of music professionals with the LCD-5 and not about the tech of it as with the CRBN.

Sankar is an engineer FWIW and really knows his stuff! (BTW, so am I...B.A.Sc., M.A.Sc. P.Eng.).

 

[metal571]

Sankar is an engineer FWIW and really knows his stuff! (BTW, so am I).

Engineering club checking in. Computer here, with a Master's. This is why I too would love if Dr. C could join Sankar and they can do a super deep dive on the tech behind LCD-5 and LCD-R

 

[MacedonianHero]

So please take this with a grain of salt as I've only put Rush's 2112 through these amazing headphones and they seem to hit the "sweet-spot" for me tonally speaking. The LCD-4 were on the warmer/enveloping side of things, but I preferred the treble response of the LCD-4Z for it's more energetic approach. But at times, that energetic approach (especially with Geddy Lee's vocals) could be a tad too much, so I preferred Rush with the LCD-4. The LCD-5 hit the target dead-on...his vocals are outstanding and near-perfect. Sound staging has been elevated over the already impressive LCD-4s too...both front-to-back and left-to-right. Neil Peart's drumming is super-quick...LCD-R/SR-009 quickness. Hard to say which is quicker with only an hour on them and I'll need more time but so far I am quite impressed.

For anyone thinking the previous LCD models were too heavy? Boy, oh boy will you be impressed with the 420g that these headphones come in at. One hour down and absolutely ZERO comfort issues. They seem to melt away on your head. They are smaller too and don't feel as big on my head:

This is gonna be one seriously fun review!!!!

 

[Dixter]

OK...everyone thats an Engineer raise your hand.... not counting the Engineers driving the trains...

 

[MacedonianHero]

OK...everyone thats an Engineer raise your hand.... not counting the Engineers driving the trains...

Lol, when I was dating my wife in high school and told her I was going to take Engineering, she asked me why I wanted to drive a train for a living. I told her, the hat...it was always about the hat.

 

[paradoxper]

Yes, we know you like the TC.

I'm trying to be a good friend and save @ThanatosVI. I'm trying to save you all!

 

[DarginMahkum]

Let's be real for a second, the LCD5 is not released yet and there's not a doubt in my mind it will outperform Stealth. Tuning is subjective, but god is the Stealth an underwhelming product for 3K!

Listening to that garbage tuning of LCD-4 for so long might have influenced people’s evaluation of Stealth. Because a HP is not bass head’s wet dream, and it presents a perfect balance and midrange clarity rather than just “fun”, it doesn’t mean it is bad. I personally wouldn’t pay 500€ For any LCD including the 4. 5 doesn’t seem to be a big departure on the tuning front. Also the distortion is considerably higher. So where does this place 5 if Stealth isn’t worth its price?

 

[Dixter]

Lol, when I was dating my wife in high school and told her I was going to take Engineering, she asked me why I wanted to drive a train for a living. I told her, the hat...it was always about the hat.

everyone likes the hat