Audeze LCD-5 Review, Measurements, Interview

[mikecheck95]

Unless you use a passive filter system like the DCA headphones it’s almost impossible to tune a bass shelf into a planar driver. If you like a flat response fine but if you want a bass shelf you need, at least for almost all planars, eq

What I don’t get is why no one has created a with a passive filter.

 

[558752]

Lcd-5 + toxic bwxl cable bring out a warmer fuller bodied sound, without losing it's clarity ..

 

[ptr516]

I feel like I am one of the rare stock tuning LCD-5 enjoyers. I have tried different EQ profiles and filters in the past but always ended up reverting back to stock. Grateful to have enjoyed a lot of music on these headphones over the last three years.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I feel like I am one of the rare stock tuning LCD-5 enjoyers. I have tried different EQ profiles and filters in the past but always ended up reverting back to stock. Grateful to have enjoyed a lot of music on these headphones over the last three years.

Not that rare. You can add me to that list

 

[wellers73]

Not that rare. You can add me to that list

Me as well.

 

[Goldhamster916]

Can someone recommend a small travel case for the lcd 5? A case which barely fits the headphones themselves and is much smaller than the default case. Something which has easily place in a smaller backpack.

Would be much appreciated

 

[558752]

Can someone recommend a small travel case for the lcd 5? A case which barely fits the headphones themselves and is much smaller than the default case. Something which has easily place in a smaller backpack.

Would be much appreciated

Any headphone case than measure 22 x 22 x 7 will be good enough. Unless u want to get the audeze travel case.

 

[taubenuss82]

Not that rare. You can add me to that list

Did you compare to other Headphones? Only if you compare you will understand how the LCD-5 sounds. I compared it against the Focal Utopia. Utopia is much more neutral but also not perfect. Tried to eq them with different eq settings from Autoeq but don't liked any of them...there could be many reasons why...

Did someone compare against DCA NOIRE X or Stealth or Expanse?

 

[anoxy]

Not me clicking through pages 150ish-170ish from 2-3 years ago reading all the EQ arguing and then clicking to the end to see it still going on I don't want to resurrect it even more, but I've never EQ'd a headphone in my life and these sound incredible with some of the suggested settings I've found online. Consider me a convert.

Ended up EQing my LCD-2C as well when comparing them and was pleasantly surprised at how much more resolving they became.

 

[VandyMan]

I like the EQ that Audeze provides for the LCD-5. I think it is better than the AutoEQ choices. However, I think the difference made by the Audeze EQ has been exaggerated. It is not a night and day difference. I find the claims of people who hate this headphone without EQ, but love it with EQ, to be a bit surprising. To me the EQ just adds some subtle refinement.

 

[Maco30]

Hi. How do I get to the EQ for my LCD-5. I am using an android tablet connected to a burson amplifier.

 

[anoxy]

I like the EQ that Audeze provides for the LCD-5. I think it is better than the AutoEQ choices. However, I think the difference made by the Audeze EQ has been exaggerated. It is not a night and day difference. I find the claims of people who hate this headphone without EQ, but love it with EQ, to be a bit surprising. To me the EQ just adds some subtle refinement.

I've just been using the one Resolve shared in his review, which is a pretty minor tweak. The oratory harman target is nice as well, but it definitely adds more body to the sound.

Hi. How do I get to the EQ for my LCD-5. I am using an android tablet connected to a burson amplifier.

I've seen people use Wavelet with Android with good results.

 

[paulrbarnard]

Did you compare to other Headphones? Only if you compare you will understand how the LCD-5 sounds. I compared it against the Focal Utopia. Utopia is much more neutral but also not perfect. Tried to eq them with different eq settings from Autoeq but don't liked any of them...there could be many reasons why...

Did someone compare against DCA NOIRE X or Stealth or Expanse?

My point was I have tried different EQ settings and prefer them without. How will listening to other headphones changes an AB between with and without EQ?

 

[mikecheck95]

Did you compare to other Headphones? Only if you compare you will understand how the LCD-5 sounds. I compared it against the Focal Utopia. Utopia is much more neutral but also not perfect. Tried to eq them with different eq settings from Autoeq but don't liked any of them...there could be many reasons why...

Did someone compare against DCA NOIRE X or Stealth or Expanse?

I have compared with the DCA stuff. I think the new DCA headphones are better tuned out of the box. But the LCD-5 is fine and you might prefer it if you have a preference for less bass or listen to a lot of acoustic music. Personally, I really like how both the DCA and Audeze headphones remain lean through the lower mids. A lot of headphones that people praise for their euphonic tuning are too hefty-sounding in that region in my opinion. I do wish the LCD-5 had more oomph in the sub bass but luckily there are many ways to add some extra bass energy. I do wish there was a cable that added a bass shelf though.

I think what happens when you add bass is that you lose detail and then you need to counteract that with more upper treble. I think what Audeze has done is slightly relax the upper treble, allow the mids to be forward and then keep the bass linear. Which allows great listening enjoyment at low volumes and provides tons of information so it is easy to get amazing instrument seperation and realistic timbre and spatial cues.

Might be a little dry for some people. For me, that’s what I want in an expensive set of headphones.

 

[Drewligarchy]

Hi Everyone -

Knowing that the LCD-5 ear pads are glued on, I figured they may need to go to Audeze if you want replacement ear pads.

Then I remembered that the LCD-4 (similarly with glued in ear pads) initially required you to send the headphones to Audeze, but then offered the pads for purchase later in its lifecycle.

So, I did a search and found official (I think) LCD-5 earpads at Audio46 and B&H and bought the last pair at Audio46 (they haven’t come yet).

I then searched for the SKU and found it available at Audeze UK and other European stores, but not at Audeze US. My thought here is that Audeze figured maybe it’s best we replace them ourselves in the US, but overseas it’s cost prohibitive - so we’ll sell them separately outside the US.

Anyway, the above is entirely speculation, but makes me think - are they difficult to put on as they are glued? Don’t want to mess it up. I did replace the earpads on my LCD 4 a number of years ago and that worked out fine - so if it’s similar I’m probably ok.

Anyone have any experience replacing the pads in the US or elsewhere?

Incidentally the SKU I’m looking at is:

EAR1047-KT