Not just for modern genres - I listen to mostly jazz and classical, and I adore my lcd-x. They allow music of any genre to flow from the proper foundation.
Audeze LCD-X
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Not just for modern genres - I listen to mostly jazz and classical, and I adore my lcd-x. They allow music of any genre to flow from the proper foundation.
phthora
Headphoneus Supremus
I agree. People get stuck on this idea that the linear bass extension means that the X will excel at modern tracks with deep sub-bass, and it certainly does. But, this is no one-trick pony. The X can be a lifesaver when it comes to less than stellar older recordings. The driver speed and clarity help to take some of the muddiness, hollowness, or harshness that often marks vinyl rips, albums recorded on analogue equipment, or live recordings, especially when all three of those features are present. I've got myself quite a collection of Led Zeppelin live boots from 40 years ago and the LCD-X is one of the few headphones that makes those deeply flawed recordings sound decent. Lots of planars will lend them clarity, but the X also makes those old recordings sound vital and energetic, where other planars usually sound thin and overly delicate.
Precisely correct.
There is no reason to romanticize and get tribal about it. LCDX are a very good headphones. They’re not without faults, and I would dismiss those who say otherwise, but they’re a god dame good performers among anything in that price range. To me personally, they have “it” factor. Something I can’t quite articulate or put in words. There’s this kind or presentation, inner detail that surprise me every now and then still. Hard to put it into words but it’s there. I like it. I enjoy it. I respect them for it. They might not be “best”, nor flagship like quality but they sound special. It’s a good choice to have in your arsenal among other great headphones. Can they be improved? Sure.
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I’m not sure anyone’s getting tribal, but I agree that the lcd-x have an ‘it’ factor that a lot of cans miss out, which makes them a great all arounder. Are they perfect? No. In fact I have a pair of anax modified hd700 In my home office that can do space and air in a way the lcd-x never could, and a pair of hd600 at my bedside that are the very model of sophisticated neutrality. But if I could only have one, it’d be the lcd-x, which is why they get place of pride in the main rig.
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Personally, I don’t really have a favorite headphone that is what one would consider an all rounder performer. I do try to acquire headphones with specific strengths that excel at certain things. LCDX are my bass reference cans that are also technically capable. A2C are close backs that are great for modern music and super portable alternative. ADX5000 which Ive auditioned and are on their way, excel on jazz, classical and older rock. They also have great air and stage qualities. So there you go. Different tools for different job.
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Hi Everyone
I would like to ask a few questions regarding this headphone and hopefully you can help me. I have recently purchased the LCD-X headphone and using it with a &dragonfly Red.
At the begining it was like a different world (i have na HD650 with a base Crack, Sine and DS770 - 32 ohm), the whole thing is much bigger then the rest. i was really impressed with them. After a few days when my ears started to get used to the sound im starting to find things, im not sure should be. My main grip with the sound is as follows: (will try my best to describe them)
The sound seem a bit disjointed. Not all the song, but there are ones when it seems like just different instruments in a space. Have listened to the other headphones and while they sounds thin and with much less weight, but they sound like a whole. Like music playing. Im using Tidal master/hifi btw.
The other thing is the music sound a bit far from me. i dont mean to have it in my face, just sound distant (especially with Sonaworks). Also not every song.
I have tried to use them with Sonarworks, but im not sure i like them, like it is not the right eq for this headphone.
I dont think the Heaphones are faulty, they are ok.
My first question is regarding the amplification. I like the Dragonfly Red (nice portable unit), but a better Dac/am will surely improve the sound. My budget is not much at the moment, so how much improvement can i expect from a basic Schiit stack / JDS lab elements / Ifi Black label / Chord Mojo?
My other question is for people who use this headphone for mixing/mastering music. My interface for music making is an Audient ID22. But it sounds really different from my Dragonfly Red. On that rig i have a lot of Hi res music, but if i listen to the same song in Tidal/DR (my laptop) it sound like how it should, while on the ID22 it lacks a lott of the bottom. A different sound.
My idea is, that Iwill use a Toslink/optical output on my soundcard and will route the sound to my dac/amp, and mixing music like that. Is it possible/sensible to do it?
Sorry for the long post. Happy to be in the LCD-X club.
I would like to ask a few questions regarding this headphone and hopefully you can help me. I have recently purchased the LCD-X headphone and using it with a &dragonfly Red.
At the begining it was like a different world (i have na HD650 with a base Crack, Sine and DS770 - 32 ohm), the whole thing is much bigger then the rest. i was really impressed with them. After a few days when my ears started to get used to the sound im starting to find things, im not sure should be. My main grip with the sound is as follows: (will try my best to describe them)
The sound seem a bit disjointed. Not all the song, but there are ones when it seems like just different instruments in a space. Have listened to the other headphones and while they sounds thin and with much less weight, but they sound like a whole. Like music playing. Im using Tidal master/hifi btw.
The other thing is the music sound a bit far from me. i dont mean to have it in my face, just sound distant (especially with Sonaworks). Also not every song.
I have tried to use them with Sonarworks, but im not sure i like them, like it is not the right eq for this headphone.
I dont think the Heaphones are faulty, they are ok.
My first question is regarding the amplification. I like the Dragonfly Red (nice portable unit), but a better Dac/am will surely improve the sound. My budget is not much at the moment, so how much improvement can i expect from a basic Schiit stack / JDS lab elements / Ifi Black label / Chord Mojo?
My other question is for people who use this headphone for mixing/mastering music. My interface for music making is an Audient ID22. But it sounds really different from my Dragonfly Red. On that rig i have a lot of Hi res music, but if i listen to the same song in Tidal/DR (my laptop) it sound like how it should, while on the ID22 it lacks a lott of the bottom. A different sound.
My idea is, that Iwill use a Toslink/optical output on my soundcard and will route the sound to my dac/amp, and mixing music like that. Is it possible/sensible to do it?
Sorry for the long post. Happy to be in the LCD-X club.
Broken record time for me here but if you'll read some of my previous posts I am completely smitten with the combo of the X with the iFi Micro Black Label. I keep the bass boost off and the 3D on. I also listen thru Roon which has the Reveal built-in and it does make a difference.
I think the Dragonfly doesn't do justice to the LCDX. There is improvement even beyond the four DACs you mention as possible upgrades, but I would recommend to pick something at least from that level. (iFi BL).
The lcd-x sound neither disorganized nor distant by nature, so you definitely have an issue of some sort. What you are describing sounds like a phase problem to me. Could something in your chain be out of phase?
I also recommend a proper amp - a basic Schiit stack at the very least.
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Interesting that the disorganization happens on some songs and not others. To me that seems to be a recording problem.
The distance feeling is definitely an open back trait that your 650s really don't have compared to a big planar.
I can voucher on using the JDS Labs EL 2 stack. Can you get a different sound out of higher end gear yes but on a budget I think this is a great pairing.
What your describing sounds like transparency and imaging.
When you say: "The sound seem a bit disjointed. Not all the song, but there are ones when it seems like just different instruments in a space. Have listened to the other headphones and while they sounds thin and with much less weight, but they sound like a whole." it sounds like you are hearing instruments properly displayed in space like separate images for the first time. A headphone (or speakers) that image well give the illusion of having the sound float in the air and have a very accurate and distinct spatial character. If I remember correctly, none of the other headphones you mention are known for great imaging.
Likewise, you say: "The other thing is the music sound a bit far from me. i dont mean to have it in my face, just sound distant (especially with Sonaworks). Also not every song." Which sounds to me like the more transparent nature of the LCD-X over your HD650 is displaying what the actual sound and staging of the song is compared to your other setup. If two different songs have a very different sense of width and height through the same setup what you are noticing is how the two songs are recorded and how accurately the information has been reproduced. Try and find two songs that have the most jarring contrast and play them back to back using the Crack+HD650 combo first and then the LCD-X+Red combo next. You should hear the same differences but portrayed differently. Maybe less exaggeration in one way or another.
In theory, a change in amplification might help; you could get a warmer and less wide sounding amp, or switch to a more forward sounding tube amp but that might not "fix" the problem. In all honesty, your just experiencing two different characteristics of headphones in a new manner.
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TheMiddleSky
Headphoneus Supremus
Others already wrote a solid answer to your question. I don't listen to your exact LCD-X, so I can only imagine what happen here.
From my perspective, in case all of your chain actually working well (no problem with channel match and phase), then can be you notice the little problem in centre imaging area of LCD-X. Which is actually also happen with most of Audeze models except the LCD-4 and 4Z. (Also happen to plenty of planar driver headphones out there).
LCD-X itself already improve a lot in centre imaging compare to old LCD-2 (non fazor), and LCD-3 (non fazor). I'm not saying Fazor alone dramatically improve centre imaging, as LCD 2 Classic and LCD-1 get much improve in this area compared to old models above.
To be more detailed about centre imaging here: If you play a vocal song, with vocal supposed to be exactly coming from dead centre, in LCD-X there's very slight gap in dead centre imaging of vocal. I have tested with many, and not all folks here in my community notice this problem or perhaps notice it but not think it's a problem.
Yes, the tonality could be thick or full body, but the "little gap" itself could lead you to experience something is hollow in the middle of midrange area.
I suspect this problem happen to you because you wrote your problem not appear in all songs, which is you need a song that really put strong focus in the centre of midrange to experience this "hollow".
Either what I wrote above, or perhaps you simply not adjusted yet with planar sound in general. I can't be sure unless I heard your exact unit.
Thanks everyone for the answers.
Yes, i think the problem (?) is all that was said above. Only have them for 6 days and my mind is adjusting.
Anyway, will try to buy an amp/dac for my home set up. Depends on money, have to sell first.
maybe you can help with the second problem, regarding mixing/mastering. Does the ID22 supposed to have this much dryer, less bass sound? Or they just cant drive my LCD-X properly?
And if I use the tosslink output on my ID22 to my next Dac/amp, will i get the same sound as the dac/amp normaly does?
Thank You one more time.
Yes, i think the problem (?) is all that was said above. Only have them for 6 days and my mind is adjusting.
Anyway, will try to buy an amp/dac for my home set up. Depends on money, have to sell first.
maybe you can help with the second problem, regarding mixing/mastering. Does the ID22 supposed to have this much dryer, less bass sound? Or they just cant drive my LCD-X properly?
And if I use the tosslink output on my ID22 to my next Dac/amp, will i get the same sound as the dac/amp normaly does?
Thank You one more time.
The biggest mirage of this hobby is the chase of endgame.
There is no endgame. Or there might be, but not as you would expect.
To think more expensive is always better is one big mistake to make. But you won't know, unless you actually try...
People seem to think there is one endgame for all or at least for almost all... This is not true.
There are several endgames depending on your taste and genre preference.
I would say, in 2020 the technical capabilities of a £1000-1500 headphone can satisfy most needs. At least 20-30% better than £5-600 headphones and at least offer 80% of certain flagships around £3000. Sweet spot of price/performance? Might well be.
There is no endgame. Or there might be, but not as you would expect.
To think more expensive is always better is one big mistake to make. But you won't know, unless you actually try...
People seem to think there is one endgame for all or at least for almost all... This is not true.
There are several endgames depending on your taste and genre preference.
I would say, in 2020 the technical capabilities of a £1000-1500 headphone can satisfy most needs. At least 20-30% better than £5-600 headphones and at least offer 80% of certain flagships around £3000. Sweet spot of price/performance? Might well be.
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