AUDEZE LCD-Pro

[zeleknot]

  The headphone hasn't even come out yet and there's next to no information about it, so really the topic shouldn't even be a thing yet.  When people have nothing to talk about, and too much time on their hands, you get this.

Not entirely true! (lol at myself for not knowing how to quote from other threads so just doing a copy paste from an LCD-4 thread....sorry)
 
Originally Posted by Audeze 
 
About  10% to 15% of our market is Pro Audio users, mostly LCD-X/XC models. From mastering engineers to studios to mixing engineers. The new LCD model was designed based on feedback from the recording engineers and producers who use our LCD-X and XC and requested a lighter headphone for long mixing/mastering sessions, but still have a neutral tonal balance, and a more affordable price point. This is NOT a less expensive LCDX, nor replace any other LCD series headphones, but instead a product specifically designed for the Pro Audio community, or those people who love the Audeze sound, but have had problems with the weight of our current models. It uses cast magnesium earcups and reduces the weight significantly. It has a special earpad design that is shallower (due to the lack of Fazors), and uses memory foam. This also makes it a louder headphone for use with any mixing console's headphone output (instead of needing an external amp). We hope to be shipping the new LCD model in about 2 months with a price of $1200. 

 

[ubs28]

If these are lightweight and only $1200, then I'm interested.

I'll try them out if I can get my hands on them. I really didn't like the weight of the other Audeze headphones.

 

[Mediahound]

My quick thoughts on them:
 
 

 

[Skyfall]

I too had a listen with LCD Pro along side with X and 4 at the CanJam SoCal a few weeks ago. I remember the set ups were Perfect Wave DAC to Phonitor E made by SPL on single ended mode and a seemingly looked like an upgraded cable.
 
First of all, the new Pro is super comfy and pretty lightweight and I also l love the way it feels ..softer plus it came with the carbon fiber headband so it's a plus already. It fits very very nicely and you really can listen to them all day now.
 
The sound. I only listened to it no more than probably than 5 minutes then switched to lcd X and 4 and the Isine so please take my first impressions with the grain of salt.
 
Remember back in the day when people used to ask "what is the next upgrade to HD650 ?" and everyone would recommend LCD 2. This feels like that, a very nice and much improved HD650 and even better then the current LCD 2F to my ear but not to lcd X. The sound has a thicker and palpable texture compare to lcd X but less extended and non-airy, somewhat intimate soundstage with excellent depth and layering. Although this one is a non-fazor but the imaging is still very good. It retains a full blown Audeze house sound ie. yummy, addictive and bass-ier but very clean with much darker background and good macro details but not micro details...what I'm saying is the resolutions is not on par with lcd X but still very good.
 
Overall. I really loved what I heard and I think with this price point it's going to be very interesting buy.

 

[High-End-Addict]

  More pictures from the Canjam Socal thread, these were originally posted by @miceblue 
 

 

Exactly what I need : Audeze Quality with heavy duty finish.
Now waiting the release...

 

[RaptorX2]

The whole LCD-2 being an upgrade was mostly proven to be people using gear that favors the LCD-2. On higher end gear the HD650 more of an upgrade over the LCD-2.

That said, I would love the Pro to have the old school LCD-2 sound. The LCD-2.1 for example is my fav tonality on a headphone and I'd happly pay the preminum of the Pro to have that back. My LCD-2.1 was more resolving, more refined and more cohesive than my 3 LCD-2 2016 drivers I had.


It doeant have to be as resolving as an HD800, H650, Elear but at least on par with a good cherry picked LCD-2 pre fazor.

 

[Mediahound]

I would love the Pro to have the old school LCD-2 sound. The LCD-2.1 for example is my fav tonality on a headphone and I'd happly pay the preminum of the Pro to have that back.

 
It doesn't. It's closer to the LCD-X and even leans beyond that in terms of tonality/neutral sound signature. 

 

[Zoom25]

  I too had a listen with LCD Pro along side with X and 4 at the CanJam SoCal a few weeks ago. I remember the set ups were Perfect Wave DAC to Phonitor E made by SPL on single ended mode and a seemingly looked like an upgraded cable.
 
First of all, the new Pro is super comfy and pretty lightweight and I also l love the way it feels ..softer plus it came with the carbon fiber headband so it's a plus already. It fits very very nicely and you really can listen to them all day now.
 
The sound. I only listened to it no more than probably than 5 minutes then switched to lcd X and 4 and the Isine so please take my first impressions with the grain of salt.
 
Remember back in the day when people used to ask "what is the next upgrade to HD650 ?" and everyone would recommend LCD 2. This feels like that, a very nice and much improved HD650 and even better then the current LCD 2F to my ear but not to lcd X. The sound has a thicker and palpable texture compare to lcd X but less extended and non-airy, somewhat intimate soundstage with excellent depth and layering. Although this one is a non-fazor but the imaging is still very good. It retains a full blown Audeze house sound ie. yummy, addictive and bass-ier but very clean with much darker background and good macro details but not micro details...what I'm saying is the resolutions is not on par with lcd X but still very good.
 
Overall. I really loved what I heard and I think with this price point it's going to be very interesting buy.

 
Thanks for your impressions. I'm interested in your comment about it being better than the current LCD-F. Do you have any experience with the LCD 2.2 classic/pre-fazor? If so, I'd love to hear about how the Pro compares.
 
If the Pro is similar to the LCD-2.2 but with better comfort and build quality, I might be sold.

 

[DivergeUnify]

I'm okay with a more reference sound. Would be interesting to see if they update other members of the lineup without fazors.

Agreed.  I hope they can finally segway into a more correct sounding lineup. less mid suckout and more balanced treble/less spike would have me ready

 

[dr3wd4wg]

 


 

 
Tried the LCD-Pro at AXPONA 2017 today. These are by far the most comfortable model in the LCD family. This is due to the lightweight construction, carbon fiber headband, and incredibly soft pads. They were powered by a Deckard and sounded like an LCD-X sans fazor, which is what they essentially are. 

 

[XERO1]

 
Tried the LCD-Pro at AXPONA 2017 today. These are by far the most comfortable model in the LCD family. This is due to the lightweight construction, carbon fiber headband, and incredibly soft pads. They were powered by a Deckard and sounded like an LCD-X sans fazor, which is what they essentially are. 

 
Agreed.  Too bad their SQ is only so-so.  I directly compared them with the LCD-X at CanJam SoCal and I much preferred the SQ of the LCD-X.  But their comfort is excellent.  The new earpads that they use are pretty sweet.

 

[TMRaven]

I'm just hoping this headphone is tuned neutral unlike the LCD-X.  So far reports of more up-front upper midrange/lower treble, and less of a mid-upper treble peak sound promising.
 
I thought I was done with Audeze for good because of their refusal to make a comfortable headphone, but this one tempts me greatly.

 

[Routes]

Nice to see them making an effort to address comfort complaints!

 

[ubs28]

Agreed.  Too bad their SQ is only so-so.  I directly compared them with the LCD-X at CanJam SoCal and I much preferred the SQ of the LCD-X.  But their comfort is excellent.  The new earpads that they use are pretty sweet.

How much of a downgrade is it over the LCD-X?

 

[XERO1]

How much of a downgrade is it over the LCD-X?

 
The main sonic shortcoming that the LCD-Pro had was that its imaging and overall SQ was noticeably more diffuse and less precise when compared to the LCD-X.
 
To put it another way, it was like going from a HD 800 to a HD 650.

 
The Pro doesn't have a Fazor or double-sided magnets, which were removed to reduce their weight and cost.
 
But after listening to the LCD-X, I pretty much lost interest in the Pro.
 
I think Audeze went too far in trying to reduce weight and cost, and seriously gimped what could have been a great headphone.