[MayaTlab]

I was able to hear them at a Paris audio show this WE. Not good conditions to have any opinion overall, but I was able to try it with my own tracks / computer as a source against various other Audeze HPs and higher-end ones (Meze, Hifiman, etc.).
What I will do in conditions like these is play noise or sweeps (programmed, various speeds, or manual), and the LCD-5 is one of the very few HPs I've heard so far that seemed to interact pretty well with my anatomy to produce a fairly smooth FR in the trebles, without too many obvious high-Q / high-magnitude peaks or dips above 5-6kHz or so. Sounded very EQable throughout the spectrum, to me a very rare quality (which I didn't find in the other Audeze HPs I tried before past 5kHz or so, or most other HPs for that matter anyway).
Their design worked very well for me (good seal) and I found them quite comfortable, unlike previous Audeze.

 

[GOKYO]

This is the crux of the issue - far to many people are making statements based on measurements and methodologies they don't sufficiently understand. The questions shouldn't be around the raw graph, they are better when related to audibility. Is a DAC A better than DAC B because DAC A's noise floor is -124db and DAC B's noise floor is -122db when both numbers are orders of magnitude below audibility?

Spikes? Audible impact nearly totally dependent on how much of an octave the spike covers - narrow enough and it's inaudible.

Headphone measurements are particularly difficult, not only because many posters are unfamiliar with the multiple models and methodologies but because headphone placement is so crucial to consistent results. A fraction of an inch of pad placement variance can have major impact on the measurements used as examples here.

The above is not intended to support the "believe your ears" camp, but to point out that most of the discussion of measurements I'm seeing here don't address audibility. This is a particular issue with those who come over from Amir's forum, where the level of understanding of the objective data generated by that site seems unfortunately low.

Even as a pretty firm objectivist, I don't believe that headphones should be bought on graphs alone. I do find that with a good bit of experience correlating graphs to very basic listening criteria, I can identify headphones that probably won't fit my personal preferences and can knock out perhaps 25-30% of the market without listening. The rest certainly need an audition to see if they are candidates for purchase. The fit on my head may result in significantly different sound due to my individual physiology and how the pads conform - not going to get that from any measurement, at least not yet.

Thank you!......excellent post

 

[WoollyGeezer]

Does anyone know how power delivery differs between a 1/4 and XLR? I've been going between the xlr and 1/4th lcd5 stock cable and the burson seems to play nicer with the 1/4". Not sure if it's placebo but the sound is more alive to me but not necessarily cleaner.

It should just be two separate grounds correct?

 

[Benno1988]

Does anyone know how power delivery differs between a 1/4 and XLR? I've been going between the xlr and 1/4th lcd5 stock cable and the burson seems to play nicer with the 1/4". Not sure if it's placebo but the sound is more alive to me but not necessarily cleaner.

It should just be two separate grounds correct?

It would be how the two circuits are implemented in the Amp, nothing to do with how the cable handles the two grounds/negatives.

*Usually* if an amp offers both, the XLR tends to sound better (depending on your own ears of course), not because its balanced, but because they spent more money and time on that part of the circuit.

 

[hifixman]

I only had 30 mins listening before I go to work, nice clarity and the bass is soo good I was a bit worried about the mids forward but everything sounds just fine I will play with EQ later but not sure if needs, not a big fan of the case I prefer the old style that is my only complaint at the moment, the fit is perfect for me. I definitely need more time with them but everything is looking promising .
#Happy.

how about stage? I always found audeze cans too congested and close to face with small stage.

 

[barbz127]

Are the LCD-5's as enjoyable at lower volumes as they are higher? Wondering whether the dynamics/bass/etc need the volume loud to shine.

 

[chargedcapacitor]

Are the LCD-5's as enjoyable at lower volumes as they are higher? Wondering whether the dynamics/bass/etc need the volume loud to shine.

I think so. At lower volumes, the bass kicks and percussion hits harder than an LCD-MX4 at higher volumes.

 

[OneEyedHito]

Are the LCD-5's as enjoyable at lower volumes as they are higher? Wondering whether the dynamics/bass/etc need the volume loud to shine.

Not for me compared to the Susvara or the Utopia for dynamics. I find the power needs to be up a bit to enjoy them on a parallel plane to the other two. EQ helps to equalize them though.

 

[barbz127]

Not for me compared to the Susvara or the Utopia for dynamics. I find the power needs to be up a bit to enjoy them on a parallel plane to the other two. EQ helps to equalize them though.

This is my issue with the Susvara - it needs to be listened at +70-75db for the dynamics whereas my normal volumes are closer to 60db.

 

[fugimax]

Any idea when we'll see an LCD-5 preset show up in Roon, @Audeze?

 

[Barone Birra]

Any idea when we'll see an LCD-5 preset show up in Roon, @Audeze?

Maybe don't need a preset?

 

[M3NTAL]

Maybe don't need a preset?

There is more to Reveal+ than just an EQ curve. Our individual ears are different and Embody is trying to help correct for that.

 

[sahmen]

UBER First world problem alert!

I've been waiting impatiently for my LCD-5, since I sent my my LCD-4 in for the swap. Now that it is here, I'm kind of feeling too preoccupied with other tasks to even open the box, talk less of giving it a listen. I could of course drop everything and open it, but I wouldn't want to do that just to give it a hasty 30 minute look over, which is all the time I would have at my disposal for it today. I figure that once opened, I 'll ideally need at least 3 hours to give it a proper welcome dance, and that anything less would be too pathetic to befit the grandness, the dignity, the class, and gravitas of these cans... So I am thinking of waiting till Friday to do the honors...

What I can't figure out is which of my two options is sillier... To open it now, and give it a quick 10 minute look with barely a listen, or wait till Friday, but spend several hours per day casting longing and forlorn glances in the direction of the unopened box???

I warned y'all : First world problems on steroids!!! I confess that I do find the silliness of the dilemma somewhat amusing so far... I do not know how I shall feel about this tomorrow. Maybe I shall wind up caving, and doing something different before Friday, hell, maybe even before tomorrow!!!

In the meantime, its back to staring at the still-in-the-box package, in awe!

 

[deafenears]

What I can't figure out is which of my two options is sillier... To open it now, and give it a quick 10 minute look with barely a listen, or wait till Friday, but spend several hours per day casting longing and forlorn glances in the direction of the unopened box???

Better to stare at the headphones itself until Friday when you have time to sit down and listen than to stare at an unopened brown box.

If brown boxes are your thing, you can always put both side-by-side after opening/unpacking for your staring pleasures

 

[ThanatosVI]

UBER First world problem alert!

I've been waiting impatiently for my LCD-5, since I sent my my LCD-4 in for the swap. Now that it is here, I'm kind of feeling too preoccupied with other tasks to even open the box, talk less of giving it a listen. I could course drop everything and open it, but I wouldn't want to do that just to give it a hasty 30 minute look over, which is all the time I would have at my disposal for it today. I figure that once opened, I 'll ideally need at least 3 hours to give it a proper welcome dance, and that anything less would be too pathetic to befit the grandness, the dignity, the class, and gravitas of these cans... So I am thinking of waiting till Friday to do the honors...

What I can't figure out is which of my two options is sillier... To open it now, and give it a quick 10 minute look with barely a listen, or wait till Friday, but spend several hours per day casting longing and forlorn glances in the direction of the unopened box???

I warned y'all : First world problems on steroids!!! I confess that I do find the silliness of the dilemma somewhat amusing so far... I do not know how I shall feel about this tomorrow. Maybe I shall wind up caving, and doing something different before Friday, hell, maybe even before tomorrow!!!

In the meantime, its back to staring at the unboxed package, in awe!

How dangerous would it be to unbox it now and take a listen?
Worst case is listening for hours on end and losing out on some sleep.
So which important Tasks are sheduled for tomorrow and how dangerous is sleep deprivation for that?

Those would be my questions...