[TheMiddleSky]

I have had the LCD-X for 2 years and am very satisfied with it. It is an absolutely great listener. It has the typical Audeze sound, but not like an LCD-2 1. It plays very very bright, sometimes too bright. With tracks that are brightly mixed, it can quickly become too much. It's like a toddler screaming and you get a headache. It's extremely open and wide and delivers a lot of details, which can get tiring. Also sometimes too much in the mids and highs, which trump the bass, which then comes across weakly. You have to be aware of this when you buy it. It's one of the very bright types. If you like it rather dark and discreet, you won't be happy with it.

But there are many tracks for which it is absolutely perfect. Especially recordings that are dark and boringly mixed, sometimes the LCD-X is the only thing that helps to hear it properly. Therefore he stays with me, I love him a lot for his work. Where I hate him, live recordings that are brightly mixed, he becomes unbearable. After 10 minutes you have enough of it.That's the hour of the DC Audio A2c. He is in his element there.

For me, a listener you should definitely try out before you buy. It's not to everyone's taste. It's analytical, very broad, very open, extremely bright. But of course it has the famous Audeze bass, but it doesn't come across as well as it should, because there is a massive overlay of mids and highs. Test it.

That's why it's always nice to have several listeners, so for every purpose and every mood!

Just wondering, which headphones that you think have "normal" treble for you? Or perhaps something you think has dark character.

 

[Swisshead]

The most balanced one is the LCDi4. It is absolutely perfect in every respect. It could hardly be better. Sometimes so perfect that it almost gets a bit boring. I love different characters.

Very dark is the Nighthawk. Raven black. Very special signature, I like it. Also rather dark the A2c. But there you can raise the upper mids and highs with the RME via EQ very easily, then you think it's a completely different make. Then also sensational. It reacts extremely well to small EQ adjustments. Nighthawk does not. You can screw up the treble as you like, black stays black!

Also with the LCD-X it helps very well to take the trebles down a bit. This massively reduces the whole thing.

But like I said, I absolutely love the LCD-X. But it shouldn't be the perfect listener for everyone. Therefore I recommend to listen to a rehearsal before. You have to rehearse every single one of them.

 

[TheMiddleSky]

The most balanced one is the LCDi4. It is absolutely perfect in every respect. It could hardly be better. Sometimes so perfect that it almost gets a bit boring. I love different characters.

Very dark is the Nighthawk. Raven black. Very special signature, I like it. Also rather dark the A2c. But there you can raise the upper mids and highs with the RME via EQ very easily, then you think it's a completely different make. Then also sensational. It reacts extremely well to small EQ adjustments. Nighthawk does not. You can screw up the treble as you like, black stays black!

Also with the LCD-X it helps very well to take the trebles down a bit. This massively reduces the whole thing.

But like I said, I absolutely love the LCD-X. But it shouldn't be the perfect listener for everyone. Therefore I recommend to listen to a rehearsal before. You have to rehearse every single one of them.

Well have to agree with bolded statement above. When everything seems perfect, it's just become too natural or "playing too safe" and make us craving something with stronger character.

So I guess, you need to try stax sr009 or RAAL sr1a to taste the delightful shining bright treble

 

[betula]

I have had the LCD-X for 2 years and am very satisfied with it. It is an absolutely great listener. It has the typical Audeze sound, but not like an LCD-2 1. It plays very very bright, sometimes too bright. With tracks that are brightly mixed, it can quickly become too much. It's like a toddler screaming and you get a headache. It's extremely open and wide and delivers a lot of details, which can get tiring. Also sometimes too much in the mids and highs, which trump the bass, which then comes across weakly. You have to be aware of this when you buy it. It's one of the very bright types. If you like it rather dark and discreet, you won't be happy with it.

But there are many tracks for which it is absolutely perfect. Especially recordings that are dark and boringly mixed, sometimes the LCD-X is the only thing that helps to hear it properly. Therefore he stays with me, I love him a lot for his work. Where I hate him, live recordings that are brightly mixed, he becomes unbearable. After 10 minutes you have enough of it.That's the hour of the DC Audio A2c. He is in his element there.

For me, a listener you should definitely try out before you buy. It's not to everyone's taste. It's analytical, very broad, very open, extremely bright. But of course it has the famous Audeze bass, but it doesn't come across as well as it should, because there is a massive overlay of mids and highs. Test it.

That's why it's always nice to have several listeners, so for every purpose and every mood!

I am quite sensitive to treble and prefer slightly darker, warmer headphones. While the X is indeed the brightest Audeze, I still wouldn't call it a bright headphone. Yes, there is quite bit of treble energy compared to other Audeze models, but nowhere near to the level of real bright headphones. The X is more energetic and punchy everywhere versus the more laid back sounding LCD2/LCD3. With my music I actually quite like this characteristic while it still remains in the Audeze realm. To me the treble is not too much, but just about the maximum level of clarity and punch I still find enjoyable. I also wouldn't call the X completely neutral. It is just 'Audeze neutral' which to me is a very good balance between real neutrality, clarity and bass slam, punchy sound with a hint of warmth.

 

[betula]

I promise I will stop praising the LCD-X, but to me it is a great find when it comes to my personal taste and value for money. I listen to a lot of modern music with electronic ambient artists like Shpongle or Carbon Based Lifeforms, so the best possible bass (extension, layering, details) for the money was always my number one priority. During the years I owned many headphones and auditioned even more from £200 to £5000.

To my experience, at least in hi-fi world, we could call sub 1K headphones entry level, between 1-2K mid-fi and above 2K summit-fi. I owned and loved headphones from all three categories. It would be another essay to discuss what improvement is worth it and what not.
In my experience the LCD2C is great option in the sub 1K category if good quality bass is someones priority. And the LCD-X is a great option in the mid-fi category. Especially at current price with the creator edition or secondhand creator edition pack. With the X you can basically get the best available bass under £2K for £750 secondhand. Sure, good bass is not everything and we all have different priorities, but man the X is a good deal these days when it comes to sound.

Yes, the dip in the upper mids can be bothering if you are A/B testing with other headphones, but the sensation of the dip actually disappears if you listen exclusively to the X for 1-2 hours.

 

[ronhGA]

I promise I will stop praising the LCD-X, but to me it is a great find when it comes to my personal taste and value for money. I listen to a lot of modern music with electronic ambient artists like Shpongle or Carbon Based Lifeforms, so the best possible bass (extension, layering, details) for the money was always my number one priority. During the years I owned many headphones and auditioned even more from £200 to £5000.

To my experience, at least in hi-fi world, we could call sub 1K headphones entry level, between 1-2K mid-fi and above 2K summit-fi. I owned and loved headphones from all three categories. It would be another essay to discuss what improvement is worth it and what not.
In my experience the LCD2C is great option in the sub 1K category if good quality bass is someones priority. And the LCD-X is a great option in the mid-fi category. Especially at current price with the creator edition or secondhand creator edition pack. With the X you can basically get the best available bass under £2K for £750 secondhand. Sure, good bass is not everything and we all have different priorities, but man the X is a good deal these days when it comes to sound.

Yes, the dip in the upper mids can be bothering if you are A/B testing with other headphones, but the sensation of the dip actually disappears if you listen exclusively to the X for 1-2 hours.

I went from the Clear being my ideal to the X. As you just stated the upper mid dip struck me at first but, yes, in a couple of hours I was completely over it and now I very much prefer the X (and XC) to the Clear. Who knows, maybe in a few months I’ll be back to the Clear but for now, whether it’s new toy syndrome or whatever, when I’m listening to my phones I reach for Audeze. The bass in both models is just perfect to my ears.

 

[Swisshead]

If you like trance music. That's where the X shows its full potential! That's where I like him the most of all my listeners. Rich, full, crisp basses, mids very nice and highs too, because trance albums were mostly recorded rather discreetly in the highs. Ingenious here. Well the music is not everybody's taste, but in between I love it.

Where I also use the X a lot is generally with recordings that were recorded rather bland. The X is able to breathe life into dull, insipid recordings. It's damn good at that. Even better than the Clear.

When you see that the X has been around for several years now, it has to be said that Audeze built an excellent headphone that was years ahead of the rest. Even today, the X is still able to compete with many new developments. This must be held absolutely to its credit!

 

[Swisshead]

To fall in love with! It's so harmonious. It'll make you a whole new listener.

 

[betula]

If your priorities are clarity and bass slam, I don't think there is another combo under 3K that can beat this.

 

[Focux]

If your priorities are clarity and bass slam, I don't think there is another combo under 3K that can beat this.

oh god no thanks for reminding me how much i missed it ever since i sold'em off =/

 

[nonamepew]

Hello, I ordered an LCD-2C and I was somewhat confused about whether should I spend double the money to get Hifiman Arya. I asked this on the LCD-2C thread and many of you suggested to get LCD-2C based on music taste which I described briefly on that thread. Now guess what, I ended up cancelling my order for LCD-2C and ordering LCD-X instead. I have also ordered an SMSL SP200 to pair with it. Amp would be arriving by next week and headphones may take another 3-4 weeks. Till then I would be trying this amp with my trusty HD 6XX.
I am also looking for a new DAC for this setup. There is no hard budget limit but I do not want to spend much now, I have already spent twice the amount I originally planned to spend.
Based on my soft budget limit and availability (which is a huge issue here in India) here are some DACs which I have shortlisted.
Schiit modi 3 (as a temporary cheap solution until I save up for a better DAC), SMSL M300, SMSL M500 and Topping D90. D90 would be a stretch and I'd go for it only if anyone suggest that it would have a huge advantage over something like M300 or M500. If there are any other options then I would look for it.

 

[ronhGA]

Hello, I ordered an LCD-2C and I was somewhat confused about whether should I spend double the money to get Hifiman Arya. I asked this on the LCD-2C thread and many of you suggested to get LCD-2C based on music taste which I described briefly on that thread. Now guess what, I ended up cancelling my order for LCD-2C and ordering LCD-X instead. I have also ordered an SMSL SP200 to pair with it. Amp would be arriving by next week and headphones may take another 3-4 weeks. Till then I would be trying this amp with my trusty HD 6XX.
I am also looking for a new DAC for this setup. There is no hard budget limit but I do not want to spend much now, I have already spent twice the amount I originally planned to spend.
Based on my soft budget limit and availability (which is a huge issue here in India) here are some DACs which I have shortlisted.
Schiit modi 3 (as a temporary cheap solution until I save up for a better DAC), SMSL M300, SMSL M500 and Topping D90. D90 would be a stretch and I'd go for it only if anyone suggest that it would have a huge advantage over something like M300 or M500. If there are any other options then I would look for it.

IMHO, for the money I would recommend not getting the SMSL at all and going with the iFi Micro BL to tackle both your DAC & Amp needs. It's what I use as a desktop system and it pairs fantastically with the X. I use mine on the ECO setting and it's still plenty of power.

 

[nonamepew]

IMHO, for the money I would recommend not getting the SMSL at all and going with the iFi Micro BL to tackle both your DAC & Amp needs. It's what I use as a desktop system and it pairs fantastically with the X. I use mine on the ECO setting and it's still plenty of power.

I would really prefer a separate DAC and AMP. Mostly because of flexibility. And the AMP is already on the way and here, almost every mid-high end device comes with no return, replacement only policy

 

[User00]

I haven't tried those budget dacs but the d90 is an excellent dac and I loved it with my sp200 and lcd-x

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Hello, I ordered an LCD-2C and I was somewhat confused about whether should I spend double the money to get Hifiman Arya. I asked this on the LCD-2C thread and many of you suggested to get LCD-2C based on music taste which I described briefly on that thread. Now guess what, I ended up cancelling my order for LCD-2C and ordering LCD-X instead. I have also ordered an SMSL SP200 to pair with it. Amp would be arriving by next week and headphones may take another 3-4 weeks. Till then I would be trying this amp with my trusty HD 6XX.
I am also looking for a new DAC for this setup. There is no hard budget limit but I do not want to spend much now, I have already spent twice the amount I originally planned to spend.
Based on my soft budget limit and availability (which is a huge issue here in India) here are some DACs which I have shortlisted.
Schiit modi 3 (as a temporary cheap solution until I save up for a better DAC), SMSL M300, SMSL M500 and Topping D90. D90 would be a stretch and I'd go for it only if anyone suggest that it would have a huge advantage over something like M300 or M500. If there are any other options then I would look for it.

I do think this is a wise decision to get best from both side.

I think better to spent the cheapest dac you think still acceptable (modi 3 is totally fine!), and saving up for higher end later. Or buy the highest end you can afford now, in preparation for long journey.