[Yoga]

  Would you say the 3F is a "side step" from the X according to your experience with the X?  Or would it be considered an "upgrade"?  I was considering the LCD-3F in the future but not too sure it'll be worth the extra $2000 now based on some reviews on this forum if I'll be expecting a subtle difference in quality between the two.   

It's not an upgrade, it's just different. Quite different in fact, as the 3F has the silky mids. The stuff that gives me goosebumps. It does that while maintaining soundstage, speed and accuracy, the 3F and X are very close on those counts. All depends what type of sound you'd prefer. X is more neutral. To me, they lack some 'magic'. To others, the neutrality is perfect.
 
Edit: A little kick to the upper freqs of the 3F works a treat.

 

[TonyNewman]

  I see.  I like my sound to be highly resolving yet warm with smooth and liquidy mids, along with impactful bass that's detailed, well layered, and extends deep, and definitely a spacious and airy soundstage.  I'm getting that out of my LCD-X's and pretty happy with it, but was pretty curious about the Audeze's "top of the line" LCD-3's.  I guess it's kinda like comparing HD600's to the HD650's then right?

Never heard the HD650s, but I think that might be a good analogy. Very similar headphones - HD650 is said to be a touch darker and slightly more resolving.
 
Can you audition the 3F? Nothing beats some hands on testing.

 

[RCBinTN]

  FredrikT92
 
3F wins in each case for me. It has more 'soul'. Again, the bass is very close, the X being more clinical, but for me, it feels less personal, less like speakers. 3F engages and envelops.
 
By the way - do check out Once Upon A Sea of Blissful Awareness (Shpongle), I have a feeling you'll love it :¬)

 

[RCBinTN]

   
 
I agree completely with this. My LCD-Xs sound amazing out of my Ragnarok. I just picked up Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony on SACD and I was completely lost in it. 

 
Thanks for the tip about the music.  Very nice.  Do you have any recommendations for more organ music?  I'm interested in some heavy Bach pipe organ music that pairs well with the LCD-X.  Enjoy the music!!
 
Thanks,
RCBinTN

 

[Yoga]

  I guess it's kinda like comparing HD600's to the HD650's then right?  

 
Yes indeed. I opted for the 650. Tony, 600? :¬)
 
Edit - just seen your reply (and sig)!

 

[Xoen]

TonyNewman

 Can you audition the 3F? Nothing beats some hands on testing.

 
I'm unable to, unfortunately, but I agree to hands-on testing.  

 

[preproman]

The 3Fs are not like the 3Cs "at all".  The 3Fs are more even across the FR and the highs are not as hard as the X, Plus the X has what seems the be a slight dip in the midrange.  I had them both here doing a side by side to see which one to keep.  

 

[Yoga]

Following on from prep - just got this from Audeze - might be useful to you - 3F graph. Very different to the 3C.
 
 


LCD-X
 

 

[DVass13]

   
Thanks for the tip about the music.  Very nice.  Do you have any recommendations for more organ music?  I'm interested in some heavy Bach pipe organ music that pairs well with the LCD-X.  Enjoy the music!!
 
Thanks,
RCBinTN

 
I don't really have any other organ music recommendations, but these two are pretty good classical recordings:
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WB5DP2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Sheherazade-Toronto-Symphony-Orchestra/dp/B00LAN019G/ref=pd_sim_m_31?ie=UTF8&refRID=08ZBPN3AQ2RVR551TXCC

 

[lamode]

   
Thanks for the tip about the music.  Very nice.  Do you have any recommendations for more organ music?  I'm interested in some heavy Bach pipe organ music that pairs well with the LCD-X.  Enjoy the music!!
 
Thanks,
RCBinTN

 
I haven't listened to this yet (I will in an hour or so) but it might be something for you:
 
EDIT: suggestion withdrawn. I wasn't impressed with the musician's ability at all.

 

[Focker]

 
It's not an upgrade, it's just different. Quite different in fact, as the 3F has the silky mids. The stuff that gives me goosebumps. It does that while maintaining soundstage, speed and accuracy, the 3F and X are very close on those counts. All depends what type of sound you'd prefer. X is more neutral. To me, they lack some 'magic'. To others, the neutrality is perfect.
 
Edit: A little kick to the upper freqs of the 3F works a treat.

 
 
I agree...I don't use EQ, but the little ZO from Digizoid has a treble contour that you can adjust, and it makes a really nice change to the X when it's engaged. I prefer a headphone that is SLIGHTLY tipped up on top, so this gives me that flexibility. It does even more fun things to the low end

 

[BDM-Fi]

  I found the 3F has pretty much all the benefits of the X, but with 'better' (euphoric) mids. The X felt emptier, in comparison. The 3F gives me goosebumps. Preference, of course.

I can attest to that, after auditioning LCD-X and LCD-3F for 4 days at home (on a Woo WA7). 

 

[negura]

  The 3Fs are not like the 3Cs "at all".  The 3Fs are more even across the FR and the highs are not as hard as the X, Plus the X has what seems the be a slight dip in the midrange.  I had them both here doing a side by side to see which one to keep.  

 
This.
 
Actually I think the 3Fs are proper flagship headphones, and I am quite impressed with how much better they are than the 3Cs. The frequency response is much better integrated with the 3Fs. And the 3Fs are not boring like the Xs, which is why I bought a pair of the former.

 

[Yoga]

Just updated the post above with 3F and X freq. graphs
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/684394/audeze-lcd-x/5715#post_11284168
 
Bump at 5Hz for the X, other than that, very similar.
 
3F has the magic mids though ;¬)

 

[BDM-Fi]

  Just updated the post above with 3F and X freq. graphs
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/684394/audeze-lcd-x/5715#post_11284168
 
Bump at 5Hz for the X, other than that, very similar.
 
3F has the magic mids though ;¬)

Actually, the 5kHz level is pretty similar, but there's a profound difference in the 2-4 kHz range.