[money4me247]

  As long as you like them and enjoy them, that's what matters most.  Trying to argue against the LCD-X in an LCD-X thread is for sure a losing battle, so I try not to drag conversations like this on with rant after rant, but I will chime in every once in a while if I see someone asking a question I think I can definitely answer from personal experience. I found their dark signature pleasing myself, but a combination of a preference for my 560's more linear signature and a displeasure with the X's immense heft that pressed down on my head to be fatiguing caused the X to not last too long with me. I'd for sure recommend them to people who can take the weight, but I just can't recommend it to people who want the ultimate in neutrality and/or want comfortable headphones.  Both Innerfidelity and Headroom frequency graphs show it to have less upper midrange and lower treble compared to even the LCD2 and LCD3, and my subjective impressions agreed with them.  However, they weren't too unlike my HE-400, which I loved for 2 and a half years prior.  I could have just as easily fallen in love with them as my 560-- but again, the weight.  Whenever Audeze makes an LCDX-2 with a suspension strap and a slightly airier signature, I'll be for sure having to try it out again, but in the mean time I just might have to save up for an HE1k (and no I'm not resorting to having to buy some stupid 3rd party strap when the company should be doing it themselves.)

+1000 on almost everything you said... except the 3rd party strap.
 
check this out:

Spoiler: 3rd party strap

 
looks pretty legit imo

 

[TMRaven]

Yeah I've seen that strap here and there.  It definitely looks nice, and goes way nicer with the vegan options for the LCD, but I want to see something like that from Audeze themselves-- particularly a leather one that goes with their leather options.  It's not so much about wanting something that looks great, but wanting the company that makes the headphones to man-up and actually listen to the community.  They gave their new EL-8 sorta a suspension strap headband, and showed one with the LCD-Z prototype, so hopefully Audeze has taken a turn for the better.

 

[money4me247]

  Yeah I've seen that strap here and there.  It definitely looks nice, and goes way nicer with the vegan options for the LCD, but I want to see something like that from Audeze themselves-- particularly a leather one that goes with their leather options.  It's not so much about wanting something that looks great, but wanting the company that makes the headphones to man-up and actually listen to the community.  They gave their new EL-8 sorta a suspension strap headband, and showed one with the LCD-Z prototype, so hopefully Audeze has taken a turn for the better.

yea, i totally agree. audeze rly needs to get on their game with that. their lcd headphones are among the most uncomfortable headphones in the whole industry.
 
luckily their headbands are replaceable so if they ever develop that lcd-z headband, it should be an easy swap. hopefully, not too expensive though. the 3rd strap is made out of leather though & honestly looks pretty official. without it, i would have definitely returned the lcd-x myself due to comfort reasons.

 

[HiFiChris]

 
^That's what the discussion pro/contra LCD-X for studio use is like.  

 
Imo if you want to achieve the closest to neutral sound when mastering/mixing with headphones you should get either the Etymotic ER-4S, UERM, JHA Layla (I haven't heard the Layla yet though) or HD 800 (which is a tad off neutral).
If you only want neutral-ish sound, the LCD-X is no bad solution and I think you can still get a balanced mix even though it is rather on the dark side.
As mentioned before, getting your hands on a pair of those would be the best solution as only you can judge if they suit your purpose.

 

[SuperU]

  +1000 on almost everything you said... except the 3rd party strap.
 
check this out:

Spoiler: 3rd party strap

 
looks pretty legit imo

 
That strap looks really nice. Is it leather?  Can I ask where you got it?
 
While I don't find my LCD-X  heavy,  they are not as comfortable as headphones I've had with a strap like that. Since I use the LCD-X all day, every day, getting them as comfortable as possible would be nice.

 

[Arnotts]

   
That strap looks really nice. Is it leather?  Can I ask where you got it?
 
While I don't find my LCD-X  heavy,  they are not as comfortable as headphones I've had with a strap like that. Since I use the LCD-X all day, every day, getting them as comfortable as possible would be nice.

From Lohb
 
I've bought one myself.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/754938/planar-pad-for-audeze-hifiman-fostex-t50-rp-modders

 

[estreeter]

If an engineer told me he mastered one of my favorite bands using a pair of LCD-X, you can rest assured that I wouldnt be buying that album. For all their strengths, where is the soundstage and imaging of the HD800 ? I've never experienced a pair of open cans that make me feel like I'm listening to closed cans quite like the Audeze creations. The HD800 is the closest thing I've ever heard to a pair of studio monitors wrapped around my ears - major no-brainer. 

 

[Articnoise]

  If an engineer told me he mastered one of my favorite bands using a pair of LCD-X, you can rest assured that I wouldnt be buying that album. For all their strengths, where is the soundstage and imaging of the HD800 ? I've never experienced a pair of open cans that make me feel like I'm listening to closed cans quite like the Audeze creations. The HD800 is the closest thing I've ever heard to a pair of studio monitors wrapped around my ears - major no-brainer. 

 

I don’t think that using headphones for setting soundstage will be a hit. It would not be something that will sound correct in a speaker system. For placement in the soundstage the difference going from LCD X to HD800 will be minuscule better at best.

 

[potkettleblack]

The X's sound like a closed can?
 
You wouldn't buy an album (from your favourite band no less) if it were mastered with an X?
 
Where is the imaging of the X?
 
Why do people feel the need to make silly exaggerations regarding preference in order to punch their point home (?)
 
We get it - and agree - that the 800's are better for mastering - but don't get carried away.

 

[money4me247]

 
I don’t think that using headphones for setting soundstage will be a hit. It would not be something that will sound correct in a speaker system. For placement in the soundstage the difference going from LCD X to HD800 will be minuscule better at best.

I agree. the sound stage differences are small enough that it wouldn't be my primary concern if using the lcd-x for mixing. i would give the hd800 a bigger edge in instrument separation and imaging though. for me, the primary concern would just be the audeze sound sig & coloration, but honestly, the lcd-x will work fine. i just think there are better options out there for professional mixing. if you already really enjoy the lcd-x's sound & want to use it for mixing too, it'll work. just note that your listener's may not get the same experience as you when mixing on the lcd-x. my biggest concern would be that your track will be overly bright or sharp on certain playback systems as not everyone has headphones with audeze darkness.
 
hahaha cute cat meme. i stand by my opinions firmly but it's chill if others disagree.

 

[416288]

I think a lot of you who don't have music production experience are kind of forgetting that headphones simply do not replace quality nearfield monitors.  That's never been what my quest was about.
 
You would never rely on any headphone to create or adjust the stereo image in your mixes.  Some people have had success overcoming that technical brick wall with headphones by using an amp or even VST with crossfeed (like the SPL Phonitor for an amp-based solution, or 112db's Redline Monitor as a VST solution on your master bus in conjunction with a DAW).  The fact remains, a pair of actual studio monitors can't be replaced by and large.
 
That said, nothing reveals flaws, completely negates any room acoustics, lets you hear the smallest changes in automation and panorama, and lets you examine microdetail quite like an excellent pair of headphones.  They're also a much more intimate listening experience, and a majority of music consumption is done on (admittedly low quality) headphones or very small speakers in this day and age -- not including the perils of the average car audio system.
 
Speakers -- specifically nearfield studio monitors -- provide a much better and understandable perception of tonal balance, imaging and phantom center, as well as natural room tone.  They will always have a place in the production process, but when you need to get "down and dirty" and really listen for clicks, clips, pops, or the most subtle nuances of your vocal track's breath noise, you're going to don headphones.
 
The two systems, speakers and headphones, work as a team to let you experience your work from two distinct vantage points.  It's crucial that your monitors are accurate and neutral, but it's also crucial that the headphones you use are equally balanced, truthful, and very resolving.  I'd trust an Audeze LCD series can to that duty, but I haven't really figured out which one (which is why I solicited opinions in the first place, and just wanted to clarify to whoever's still reading that no, nobody will use strictly headphones in the production, mixdown, or mastering process).
 
If the LCD-X are revealing, relatively neutral, and accurate, that definitely gets them points in studio use as far as I'm concerned.  However, I prefer headphone listening for pleasure, and I'd like whichever kilobuck+ headphone I get to be just as good at relaxed music listening.  I apologize if I started a small spat by being vague.

 

[TMRaven]

LCD3 is the most detailed and resolving of the LCD line, but the extra mid-treble emphasis on the X will make macro detail more apparent.  For the sole purpose of mastering and zero'ing in in flaws in recordings, HD800 will be way better.  Not to mention its comfort will make it better for long-term studio usage.  I wouldn't use an HD800 (stock) to enjoy music with though,  

 just me.

 

[money4me247]

  LCD3 is the most detailed and resolving of the LCD line, but the extra mid-treble emphasis on the X will make macro detail more apparent.  For the sole purpose of mastering and zero'ing in in flaws in recordings, HD800 will be way better.  Not to mention its comfort will make it better for long-term studio usage.  I wouldn't use an HD800 (stock) to enjoy music with though,  

 just me.

Interesting comments!
 
I also personally think that Audeze headphones are very forgiving in nature, so would not be my personal first choice for serious professional work. rich texture, smoother treble, and darkness can smooth over or hide source flaws quite well sometimes. but yes, both the LCD-3 and LCD-X have high detail resolution if that is what you are looking for specifically. Either one would work. Just pick whichever one you personally prefer in terms of sound signature.

 

[estreeter]

 
The X's sound like a closed can?
 
You wouldn't buy an album (from your favourite band no less) if it were mastered with an X?
 
Where is the imaging of the X?
 
Why do people feel the need to make silly exaggerations regarding preference in order to punch their point home (?)
 
We get it - and agree - that the 800's are better for mastering - but don't get carried away.

 
I'll get as carried away as I feel necessary - engineers master using nearfield monitors even if they might spend some time listening to a mix with headphones, and the HD800 is the closest thing I've heard to a pair of nearfield monitors strapped to my head. You like the LCD-X - I get that - doesnt make it the right tool for the job in this instance.  If we're talking the ability to enjoy my treasured remaster of Born to Run, that's a very different conversation.

 

[fradoca]

Well,
Erik Labson at Universal Mastering,Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis mastering and even Bob Ludwing the greatest of them all use the lcd-x as a second reference for listening.
I've said second reference.The first reference will always be their high performance speakers in a perfect acoustically treated room.Even Ken Andrews mixing engineer
for  bands like Paramore Nine inch nails etc has mixed a whole album using only the lcd-x.That said the lcd-x can be a nice and very useful addition for checking things that the monitors won't reveal.
I'm not saying it's the jack of all trades headphone but i use headphones since i was 25 (now 43) and as mastering engineer i really consider the lcd-x driven by my bha-1
a true reference.That's my opinion and as always everyone is free to express his own.