Audeze LCD-5 Review, Measurements, Interview

[Undun]

It feels as if the music has been mechanically processed to sound cool. What other headphones can you guys recommend?

Considering you own "Final D8000 Pro, Final D7000, Empyrean 2, Liric 2, ZMF Caldera Closed, Caldera Open" in addition to the LCD-5, one would think you have no shortage of complimentary takes to the 5s razor sharp portrayal. It would help to understand what precisely you are looking for.

 

[Gaurav Tyagi]

It feels as if the music has been mechanically processed to sound cool. What other headphones can you guys recommend?

Don’t compare LCD-5 to other headphones. Compare all headphones to the actual music being played.

This is my philosophy when I audition a particular headphone. How close does it sound to the real thing that is my criteria. But I am blessed in that regards because I spend a lot of time with my musician friends in recording room as my son is learning to play instruments with them. For others, who are not that fortunate, I recommend to concentrate on the vocals. Because we spend almost the entire day listening to people and can easily identify if it’s coloured in anyway in reproduction. Ofcourse this cannot be done with all tracks but there plenty where the audio engineers and artists put in a lot of efforts to capture every essence of the vocal prowess.

In that regard, LCD-5 (with EQ) is the BEST and I say it without a shadow of doubt in my mind.

In the real world, music happens extremely fast. And hence in playback/reproduction, all the review criteria sound stage, imaging etc are directly related to the speed at which the driver is displacing air trapped within the ear-cup. You often hear people say that electrostatic sound most life like, its because of the speed of the driver. But they do deep bass notes really poorly. LCD-5 is not as fast but is right up there and can produce bass aplenty making it suitable for all genres. Tonality on the other hand can ben adjusted with EQ (digital or analog).

LCD-5 and KSE1200 are the only gear which make upsampling immediately apparent making things sound smoother and well knit together. Music just flows like water.

But then again, everyone has their own personal preference. Some like to be smashed by bass and some like to be impaled by treble and most are in the middle fan of that popular sweet V shape. LCD-5 represents balance, where everything in the track gets its own limelight.

 

[lostumpire]

LCD-5 requires a really good amp. Otherwise it will sound like meh. Even the Voyager is not enough.

 

[Tanalasta]

LCD-5 requires a really good amp. Otherwise it will sound like meh. Even the Voyager is not enough.

I'm not so sure. LCD-5 isn't hard to drive. Perhaps by "good amp" - LCD-5 requires an amp that provides for really good synergy to your music type, source and preferences. As well as the LCD-5 tuning. Many of us EQ the LCD-5 as it readily adopts EQ without a loss of quality. And there are well designed convolution filters widely available.

I'll admit I haven't reached for the LCD-5 for a few months and probably should do so soon.

 

[lostumpire]

I use LCD5 with Niimbus. However, I'm stuck on finding the right level of gain in Niimbus. I tried +6db and +12db. Can anyone help?

 

[EMINENT]

hilol

i do not like nimbus us5 and other violectric v226 i try in dallas and do not recommend

 

[lostumpire]

hilol

i do not like nimbus us5 and other violectric v226 i try in dallas and do not recommend

Alright I will try to stick to Burson Voyager

 

[melissatho]

How are you finding the EQ with the LCD-5? Do you have a go-to setting that brings out the best in them for your music preferences

Don’t compare LCD-5 to other headphones. Compare all headphones to the actual music being played.

This is my philosophy when I audition a particular headphone. How close does it sound to the real thing that is my criteria. But I am blessed in that regards because I spend a lot of time with my musician friends in recording room as my son is learning to play instruments with them. For others, who are not that fortunate, I recommend to concentrate on the vocals. Because we spend almost the entire day listening to people and can easily identify if it’s coloured in anyway in reproduction. Ofcourse this cannot be done with all tracks but there plenty where the audio engineers and artists put in a lot of efforts to capture every essence of the vocal prowess.

In that regard, LCD-5 (with EQ) is the BEST and I say it without a shadow of doubt in my mind.

In the real world, music happens extremely fast. And hence in playback/reproduction, all the review criteria sound stage, imaging etc are directly related to the speed at which the driver is displacing air trapped within the ear-cup. You often hear people say that electrostatic sound most life like, its because of the speed of the driver. But they do deep bass notes really poorly. LCD-5 is not as fast but is right up there and can produce bass aplenty making it suitable for all genres. Tonality on the other hand can ben adjusted with EQ (digital or analog).

LCD-5 and KSE1200 are the only gear which make upsampling immediately apparent making things sound smoother and well knit together. Music just flows like water.

But then again, everyone has their own personal preference. Some like to be smashed by bass and some like to be impaled by treble and most are in the middle fan of that popular sweet V shape. LCD-5 represents balance, where everything in the track gets its own limelight.

 

[meomap]

I use LCD-5 with my PrimaLuna HP Int Amp (tubes). Sounds just right for LCD-5....
As current, I tested with my Chord TT2 and it sounds very good too.....

Tried ALO STUDIO-SIX AND AEGIS. Sound a little flat....

LCD-5 needs a lot of power to sound great.....This is the only hp in my arsenals that need lots of power to get right....

 

[Gaurav Tyagi]

How are you finding the EQ with the LCD-5? Do you have a go-to setting that brings out the best in them for your music preferences

I am using Mitch Barnett’s convolution filter and sometime I use Jan Meier cross-feed. The first balances out the overall tonality considerably. The latter is for old tracks which were originally created with 2 channel stereo in mind. On other tracks, this effect collapses the soundstage a great deal but enhances the depth perception and placement of instrument in 3D holographic space. Love that sometimes for tracks that I know are recorded well to capture spatial information.

I have two other headphones namely, HEDDphone Two and AA composer. I like them for different reasons but I can easily let go of those two and spend the rest of my days in this hobby with LCD-5.

 

[FuerstRalph]

Hyped for this!!! Let’s gooooo

 

[audio integrity]

I am using Mitch Barnett’s convolution filter and sometime I use Jan Meier cross-feed. The first balances out the overall tonality considerably. The latter is for old tracks which were originally created with 2 channel stereo in mind. On other tracks, this effect collapses the soundstage a great deal but enhances the depth perception and placement of instrument in 3D holographic space. Love that sometimes for tracks that I know are recorded well to capture spatial information.

I have two other headphones namely, HEDDphone Two and AA composer. I like them for different reasons but I can easily let go of those two and spend the rest of my days in this hobby with LCD-5.

Would you mind sharing what you think the Hedd2 does differently or better than the LCD 5? Thanks!

 

[Gaurav Tyagi]

Would you mind sharing what you think the Hedd2 does differently or better than the LCD 5? Thanks!

HEDDphone 2 excels at vocal performance and midrange. Delivers an easy and relaxed listening experience. Its very details and those details are not pushed onto you like Hifimans do. They just are all there where they should be. The transient speed is ridiculously fast, even better than LCD-5. The highs are excellent but one may find it lacking the bite, specially if one is coming from brighter headphones.

There bass sounds slow not as tight or detailed as the LCD-5. EQ can only fix the subbass extension but still it’s a very average bass presentation. I can live with that though because the other characteristics are superb.

What puts me off is the weight and clamp. Both manifest discomfort after an hour of listening atleast to me.

I have modified my unit a bit.
a) Applied some cloth tape on the flat metal strips. @Currawong’s recommendation. This indeed improves imaging.
b) Placed a block of foam in the front which displaces the air towards the back of the ear, exaggerating bass rumble. Great for movies. True subwoofer effect.

Still, LCD-5 is a better headphone overall specially if comfort and bass performance are your priorities.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

about to get the heddphone 2 gt, should have extra bass and extension in treble, gonna write a review

 

[StandUP]

It feels as if the music has been mechanically processed to sound cool. What other headphones can you guys recommend?

I like the ZMF Caldera, give em a try.