Audeze LCD-5 Review, Measurements, Interview

[All Day Breakfast]

Honestly i think it is a Standard when you buy High End Products that you can expect high End Service. Why should such an expensive Product have an average Service?

I’ve always been impressed with Audeze customer service and I think that’s the wrong concept to apply here. Personally, I wouldn’t classify this backlog as poor customer service, just a fact of life for early adopters on in demand products. At a product launch, as KMann said, they wanted to have something available at CanJam, they announced at an early stage in production, to me it’s understandable that there is a backlog. The same thing happens when Apple and Samsung launch new phones. The same thing happens when Sony launches a new TV or Tesla a new car.

 

[jaboki]

we should appreciate every manufacturer trying their best to create something new and unique.

Imagine going to a "unique" restaurant, paying for your "unique" food, and waiting while you see random people (behind you in line) get their "unique" orders. I'm sure this has happened to many people. How did you feel as hunger set in? Do you care about the unique process of how they are grilling your "unique" food?

The average customer doesn't care about anything else but "I paid ___. Have I received the product/service? Why is that person behind me getting their order before me? (engage anger mode)". You can't blame them though because the transaction thus far has been one sided (paid for the "unique" food) and others are getting their food randomly with no communication before the customer noticed others behind them got their orders.

What do successful restaurants do in this situation? Over-communicate and provide customer service: e.g. "We're sorry, our grill used to make your food has been down, we are working on it now. Here's [a gesture]". Why? Because the customer is hangry and asking for patience isn't going to fix the problem. lol

 

[ThanatosVI]

In my Mind the headphone Company's should appreciate Customers who buy Headphons for 5k without testing the headphones. Most of us just read a few beautiful reviews.

Yes they should appreciate us, and at least they companies I bought from appreciate each and every one of us.

 

[betula]

Imagine going to a "unique" restaurant, paying for your "unique" food, and waiting while you see random people (behind you in line) get their "unique" orders. I'm sure this has happened to many people. How did you feel as hunger set in? Do you care about the unique process of how they are grilling your "unique" food?

The average customer doesn't care about anything else but "I paid ___. Have I received the product/service? Why is that person behind me getting their order before me? (engage anger mode)". You can't blame them though because the transaction thus far has been one sided (paid for the "unique" food) and others are getting their food randomly with no communication before the customer noticed others behind them got their orders.

What do successful restaurants do in this situation? Over-communicate and provide customer service: e.g. "We're sorry, our grill used to make your food has been down, we are working on it now. Here's [a gesture]". Why? Because the customer is hangry and asking for patience isn't going to fix the problem. lol

I am not sure where you are going at with who is being served first.

My point was about high-end boutique headphone manufacturer's customer service in general and not about who is being served first.

 

[jaboki]

I am not sure where you are going at with who is being served first.

My point was about high-end boutique headphone manufacturer's customer service in general and not about who is being served first.

My point is, customer service > patience/appreciation request.

 

[Alcophone]

What do successful restaurants do in this situation? Over-communicate and provide customer service: e.g. "We're sorry, our grill used to make your food has been down, we are working on it now. Here's [a gesture]".

The gesture:

 

[jaboki]

The gesture:

or that, lol.

 

[chargedcapacitor]

Last night, as I continued to burn in the LCD-5 on my system, I listened to the headphone for an hour straight before switching back to my daily driver, the HE-1000SE. After experiencing a forward midrange and hearing every vocal so clearly on the Audeze (which is the best part of the midrange forwardness, being able to make out lyrics of songs for the first time), the midrange on the Hifiman headphone sounded recessed, the bass less extended, and the treble seemed too loud in the mix in comparison to listening to music on the LCD-5. Once I was conditioned to the sound of the LCD-5, the HE-1000SE that I’ve been using for two years sounded “wrong” in comparison. I’ve never had that experience switching between headphones before, so Audeze has definitely tuned its flagship headphone in a unique way.

While I have been impressed with the technical abilities of the LCD-5 so far, it’s certainly not a warm or lush-sounding headphone. I’d say the LCD-5 is very neutral-sounding with solid extension in bass and treble. It’s very competent and confident-sounding, but doesn’t romanticize the music in any way.

Soundwise, I like the default LCD-5 audio profile, but I’m not in love with it. I’ve never been fond of software/hardware EQ per se, but I do like to use cables to make adjustments to the sound of my components. I’m expecting to get the Black Dragon Premium Cable for Audeze today from Moon Audio. My hope is that it does for the LCD-5 what it did for my Senn HD800S — warm up the midrange and tame the forwardness a bit.

If I compare the two headphones comfort-wise, the Hifiman wins easily. The HE-1000SE is a supremely comfortable headphone with thick and wide earpads that cushion your ear versus the Audeze, which has earpads that don’t compress but sit on top of your ears instead. Maybe Dekoni will make some aftermarket LCD-5 earpads in the future that are softer and compress a bit. I understand why Audeze designed the earpads to sit on your ears for sound purposes, a la the Abyss Diana, but I really like the old-school type of earpads that are more like pillows for your ears.

Also, after an hour of wearing the LCD-5, it was a relief to switch to the much-less-clampy HE-1000SE. The LCD-5’s pressure will take some getting used to. I’m looking forward to when Audeze has their less-clampy headbands available in the future and I can trade in the current headband for it. In the meantime, if anyone knows how to reduce the clamping pressure of the LCD-5 without damaging the headphone, I’d appreciate some advice.

I had the same experience with my LCD-R, going back to the Arya. After several days of listening only to the LCD-R, the Arya almost sounded "broken". It was lacking in dynamics, mushy, and had less detail in an immediately obvious way. I sold my Arya with no regrets, but I do miss the comfort every now and then.

But boy oh boy the Arya is a comfy headphone, and the Susvara was by far the most comfortable high end headphone I have ever owned. Unless Audeze comes out with some sort of spring steel headband, I don't think the LCD-5 will ever measure up. Personally, I find I can ignore the clamp force. If my head were any larger, there would certainly be some comfort issues.

When I went from the LCD-R to the LCD-5, I was not immediately in love with the tonality as well. While it was more clinical and resolving than the R, the music didn't have the same romantic warmth. I personally use EQ to approximate the Harman-ish target, so after much A/B testing and EQ modification, I was finally able to settle on a profile I could put into my RME Adi dac. I now get a sound close enough to the LCD-R signature, while having all the technical advantages of the 5. In due time, I'll make adjustments and touch up the FR. I don't think I'll be getting rid of my LCD-R just yet; it has been such a smooth and musical headphone for me. I'll cross that bridge when I can finally wrap my head around the LCD-5.

 

[dukeskd]

I had the same experience with my LCD-R, going back to the Arya. After several days of listening only to the LCD-R, the Arya almost sounded "broken". It was lacking in dynamics, mushy, and had less detail in an immediately obvious way. I sold my Arya with no regrets, but I do miss the comfort every now and then.

But boy oh boy the Arya is a comfy headphone, and the Susvara was by far the most comfortable high end headphone I have ever owned. Unless Audeze comes out with some sort of spring steel headband, I don't think the LCD-5 will ever measure up. Personally, I find I can ignore the clamp force. If my head were any larger, there would certainly be some comfort issues.

When I went from the LCD-R to the LCD-5, I was not immediately in love with the tonality as well. While it was more clinical and resolving than the R, the music didn't have the same romantic warmth. I personally use EQ to approximate the Harman-ish target, so after much A/B testing and EQ modification, I was finally able to settle on a profile I could put into my RME Adi dac. I now get a sound close enough to the LCD-R signature, while having all the technical advantages of the 5. In due time, I'll make adjustments and touch up the FR. I don't think I'll be getting rid of my LCD-R just yet; it has been such a smooth and musical headphone for me. I'll cross that bridge when I can finally wrap my head around the LCD-5.

The LCD-R definitely wins the romance category.

 

[Trance_Gott]

The LCD-R definitely wins the romance category.

And which wins the category best headphone for metal?

 

[fugimax]

A week after they should have been here ... FedEx finally delivered my 5's.

Time to dig in!

 

[dukeskd]

And which wins the category best headphone for metal?

the TC, hands down.

 

[Trance_Gott]

the TC, hands down.

I had it. But the mids no no no

 

[dukeskd]

I had it. But the mids no no no

With a tube amp, mids get much better. Combined with the transient speed and the bass reproduction, can't see anything better in the planar realm.

 

[chargedcapacitor]

And which wins the category best headphone for metal?

They are both great (IMO) headphones for metal, but only if another amp is used on the LCD-R. The bass kicks can get lost in busy passages on the LCD-R, but the LCD-5 will eat every bit of it up and ask for more.

I A/B compared the LCD-5 against the LCD-MX4 (which has better bass than the LCD-R, IMO) with Pantera-The Great Southern Trendkill, and the LCD-5 handled every song with authority, while the MX4 would get a bit congested in comparison, especially with the kick drums and percussion.

Personally, I like the way electric guitars sound from the LCD-5 more than the LCD-R, but that's because I prefer my mids to adhere to the Harman target.