[RCBinTN]

  this may be a dumb question that I know the answer to already. Does anyone make a balanced 4-pin xlr extension cable? Or do just need to buy a long cable?
 
My headamp is 8-9 feet away from my sitting area and I don't like the cable pulling against me. So I end up either moving or just plugging them into my laptop. 

 
I bought cables from Alex at Wywires (Red, for the HP's) and he will make any cable you like.  I enjoy the sound of the Red cable (have two).  But...my longest one is 2M - about 6 feet.  They are not inexpensive, but the quality and sound are good.  I am sure other custom cable people will be happy to make long cables, as well.  Good luck -
 
RCBinTN

 

[greenkiwi]

  this may be a dumb question that I know the answer to already. Does anyone make a balanced 4-pin xlr extension cable? Or do just need to buy a long cable?
 
My headamp is 8-9 feet away from my sitting area and I don't like the cable pulling against me. So I end up either moving or just plugging them into my laptop. 

If you're a bit handy and have a soldering iron, you could make one yourself pretty easily, get a male and female xlr connector and some cable.  
 
You might also be able to talk to some of the ebay sellers and see if they could make one for you.

 

[bfreedma]

  this may be a dumb question that I know the answer to already. Does anyone make a balanced 4-pin xlr extension cable? Or do just need to buy a long cable?
 
My headamp is 8-9 feet away from my sitting area and I don't like the cable pulling against me. So I end up either moving or just plugging them into my laptop. 

 
Blue Jeans Cables made a 4 pin XLR extension for me for a very reasonable price.

 

[Mojo777]

appreciate it guys

 

[DamienShepard]

Anyone ever tried XC on Oppo's HA-1? How was the rig? I would appreciate your response.

 

[x RELIC x]

Anyone ever tried XC on Oppo's HA-1? How was the rig? I would appreciate your response.

Yes, and I absolutely love it.

There is so much detail and the micro details are very easy to hear, but I don't find it too analytical. Just gobs of PRaT and natural clarity. The speed of the XC drivers really keeps up with the DAC implementation and the class-A analog balanced headphone out is dead quiet and authoritative. Bass has so much texture and the mids and treble feel balanced with the bass so that all the frequencies blend together musically. The only thing that I wish it had would be more of an expanded soundstage, but that is something I reserve for tube amplifiers mostly.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

I have been using this very combination for quite a while now, and I think it's a mixed bag at best, esp. depending on the music (& recording to a lesser extent). The gist for me is that in general the HA-1 is very neutral (in the best way, not cold or overly analytical), which puts the pressure squarely on the headphone.
 
And alas the LCD-XC, despite all the revisions until the commercial release, has some quirks, the kind that makes people like Tyll politely decline to review it... Most notably that weird hump around 4k that results in what I'd describe a shouty or perhaps even strident vocals on some records where I usually don't have this issue with other headphones (everything else being equal) To be clear, I'm very partial to vocal/acoustic/chamber type of music and particularly picky in this regard.
 
And the HA-1, due to the above very neutral character, doesn't do it any favors. So I'd say it's good, listenable, but not the best match. I feel like some of my other headphones are a better match for the HA-1, and the XC is better matched with a more forgiving amp (or DAC/amp combo). But whether this could potentially be an issue for you may also largely depend on the kind of music you plan on listening to.
 
N.B.: I'm quite partial to Audeze, since despite the rather large selection of gear I've been through, the LCD-3 (classic) I bought fairly early on is still the one I *always* come back to, and probably the last one I'd sell if it came down to it. I really wanted the XC to be a closed version of this sound... I'm looking forward to the EL-8 impressions & reviews, maybe the closed version will do the trick...

 

[jwbrent]

  I have been using this very combination for quite a while now, and I think it's a mixed bag at best, esp. depending on the music (& recording to a lesser extent). The gist for me is that in general the HA-1 is very neutral (in the best way, not cold or overly analytical), which puts the pressure squarely on the headphone.
 
And alas the LCD-XC, despite all the revisions until the commercial release, has some quirks, the kind that makes people like Tyll politely decline to review it... Most notably that weird hump around 4k that results in what I'd describe a shouty or perhaps even strident vocals on some records where I usually don't have this issue with other headphones (everything else being equal) To be clear, I'm very partial to vocal/acoustic/chamber type of music and particularly picky in this regard.
 
And the HA-1, due to the above very neutral character, doesn't do it any favors. So I'd say it's good, listenable, but not the best match. I feel like some of my other headphones are a better match for the HA-1, and the XC is better matched with a more forgiving amp (or DAC/amp combo). But whether this could potentially be an issue for you may also largely depend on the kind of music you plan on listening to.
 
N.B.: I'm quite partial to Audeze, since despite the rather large selection of gear I've been through, the LCD-3 (classic) I bought fairly early on is still the one I *always* come back to, and probably the last one I'd sell if it came down to it. I really wanted the XC to be a closed version of this sound... I'm looking forward to the EL-8 impressions & reviews, maybe the closed version will do the trick...

When I received my XCs, I thought I made a mistake (bought them without listening). I, too, found there was some stridency in the upper mids which I'm very sensitive to. I used both my Luxman SQ-N100 (tube) and my AK240 to drive them, but the glare was present with either amp.
 
I hoped I was dealing with burn-in, so I let my XCs cook for a couple of weeks straight. Afterwards, the glare was completely gone. I now own a Hugo and with all my amps I find the mids to be very clean with great low level detail resolution. My only minor complaint is I find the bass lacks a bit of slam.
 
I am now completely happy with my XCs and actually feel these are keepers after going through a dozen or so high end headphones over the years.

 

[DamienShepard]

   
Just a couple opinions...I own the X and XC and greatly prefer the X side-by-side.  However, the XC sound good and they're closed.  In an office environment, if there are other people around then you need the closed HP.  With more time and maybe a good amp (the 3's impedance is about 110 ohms, while the XC impedance is 20 ohms), I think you'll see more of a difference between those cans.  So just flex the wallet and pick up the 3 for home use, and the XC for the office.  You'll make a lot of new friends .
 
Cheers -
RCBinTN

I, too, lean towards X a lot more than XC. With the stock cables, my XC resembles X in sound signature pretty much. The closed-back XC also sounds quite open and natural but still lacked the openness prominent on X. And more importantly, X's bass is PUNCHY - whose wilderness & extendedness I've been really obsessed over; XC's bass, while being as lively as X's, sounds more fluid, resonant and tender when putting the two together. This was way different from my initial expectation, since I expected the closed-back cans to be more pronounced in bass than its open-back sibling. Yep, quite the reverse… 
 
To me, both units exhibit near perfect balance of bass, midrange, and treble. Even though I have long been a classical/jazz fan and was not a bass head, the Audeze planars instantly conquered me with their marvelous bass and  turned me into one! I've never been so engaged in electronica and dubsteps, WOW.

 
Some head-fi'er commented that LCD-X pretends to be neutral while in fact it's not neutral at all, which I agree to a certain extent; and obvious to me, XC does have some coloration in midrange, which I stand neutral with. They are both clean , engaging, fun and far from clinical. If it's not for how aesthetic that XC looks compared to X, and if I have to choose only one out of the two with my view based on sound only, LCD-X is the no-brainer.
 
On the good side, XC's look is a killer! Comparably, X's appearance is a bit too "industrial" for my taste. And back to sonic performance, XC is only overshadowed by X when I play tracks of some certain genres. NEVER have I imagined a closed-back to be so spacious, natural and soulful.The fine-tuned resonance adds a lot to the XC's musicality. The isolation is cool, if not great, since it still has noticeable leakage of sound in and out. Sadly I can't tell what they exactly are, as I have returned my LCD-X a week ago (see below). 
 
I bought a Black Dragon V2 Premium single-ended OCC upgrade cable for my LCD's from moon-audio. With the cable my XC then sounded noticeably different. I also tried applying it to my X too, however I don't like the changes and preferred the stock cable. To me the cable's refinement, tightness and control are great additions to my XC, but poison to my X.  So with the upgrade cable my XC gains additional refinement and no longer keep reminding me of how my X sounds. Before this the two headphones were too similar and the XC's lack of openness (when you compare XC to X of course) was a big issue.
 
For a moment I decided to keep both of them. However, my LCD-X had not always been performing perfectly. Note that I did not buy both together, neither did I plan to own a closed-back planar at the beginning.
 
Days before I purchased my XC, I found my X to have a flawed stereo balance after a week of use. Strangely, after my XC arrived the X seemed to have recovered from the unbalance. And after another week, the worst thing happened, when connected to any of my digital sources, my X began produced a sound which was much duller/fainter than ever, like a time bomb finally denoted. And again it lost its stereo balance. Sure, for a while my X had been an all-round champion for a while. Maybe it will recover, maybe it will not - I have lost my patience. Then I returned it to the dealer and I'm still waiting for a refund.
 
Though my XC is almost an equivalent of my X  (be it price-wise or sound-wise) and is now my favorite, there's still something XC can't offer as much as X does. The differences are as subtle as vast, and I don't feel convinced enough to buy another X (yet).  Even so, I still miss the LCD-X a lot… 
 
Besides, if had to buy another pair of headphones, I'd prefer something that tastes vastly different from the Audeze's. I'm now interested in the Hifiman HE-400i. I doubt if there's anyone who has tried it and compared it with the Xs side by side, but guys I would appreciate it very much if you want to share your thoughts and experience. Thanks! 

 

 

[RCBinTN]

 
When I received my XCs, I thought I made a mistake (bought them without listening). I, too, found there was some stridency in the upper mids which I'm very sensitive to. I used both my Luxman SQ-N100 (tube) and my AK240 to drive them, but the glare was present with either amp.
 
I hoped I was dealing with burn-in, so I let my XCs cook for a couple of weeks straight. Afterwards, the glare was completely gone. I now own a Hugo and with all my amps I find the mids to be very clean with great low level detail resolution. My only minor complaint is I find the bass lacks a bit of slam.
 
I am now completely happy with my XCs and actually feel these are keepers after going through a dozen or so high end headphones over the years.

 
That's great to know - thanks for sharing your work.  I find the XC improve every time I listen to them - maybe it's the burn-in thing.  I've only got 30-40 hours on mine.
 
I did note one thing about my XC (and I really feel for you, @DamienShepard, if my X broke I would be very unhappy).  The XC are my only closed cans, since I no longer own the Ultrasone Ed8.  My other cans - the X and HD800 - are open.  When I return to the XC, I find they feel, well, closed, with a smaller sound stage and kind of like ear muffs.  However, the longer I listen, the more the XC open up.  The sound stage becomes wider and the mids reveal more detail...it just takes a while to get used to the different sound stage of the XC and the X.  Once I get used to the XC again, I find their sound to be great except, as you note, somewhat less bass slam than the X.  Still, I continue to enjoy the sound of both these HP's, and the XC are very handy when you need a closed can.
 
Enjoy the music!
RCBinTN

 

[jwbrent]

   
That's great to know - thanks for sharing your work.  I find the XC improve every time I listen to them - maybe it's the burn-in thing.  I've only got 30-40 hours on mine.
 
I did note one thing about my XC (and I really feel for you, @DamienShepard, if my X broke I would be very unhappy).  The XC are my only closed cans, since I no longer own the Ultrasone Ed8.  My other cans - the X and HD800 - are open.  When I return to the XC, I find they feel, well, closed, with a smaller sound stage and kind of like ear muffs.  However, the longer I listen, the more the XC open up.  The sound stage becomes wider and the mids reveal more detail...it just takes a while to get used to the different sound stage of the XC and the X.  Once I get used to the XC again, I find their sound to be great except, as you note, somewhat less bass slam than the X.  Still, I continue to enjoy the sound of both these HP's, and the XC are very handy when you need a closed can.
 
Enjoy the music!
RCBinTN

wait till you get to the 250-300 hour mark, you will be very happy with the final sound. Also, I find the DHC Molecule SE Synergy cables work very nicely with the XCs, improving the bass tightness and liquifying the mids and trebles when compared to the stock cables. 

 

 

[szymonsays]

Well, after a few weeks of waiting i've finally grabbed an ideal pair of XCs However, i will mention that Audeze should improve or otherwise supervise their quality control a bit more. I returned the used pair i originally bought to the owner because of a few defects (pictures were posted a few pages back), and thought i'd pony up a little more money to buy a new pair to avoid such issues. Unfortunately, the new pair i bought also had similar issues and i had to return it for another pair. Luckily, this one was fine Maybe i was just unlucky or perhaps there was something Audeze overlooked?
 
Another thing i'd like to mention to current Audeze LCD-XC owners is to check the foam pad in the travel case. In the previous two travel cases that housed the Audeze LCD-XC and were eventually returned, i noticed a blotch of hardened glue residue that could potentially scratch or gouge the wooden cup. It was specifically on the right side for both cases. The used pair i originally bought unfortunately came with a deep gouge because of it. The travel case that came today with the XCs is fine. 

 

[szymonsays]

I can't say anything about the new travel cases that Audeze currently offer their customers. Maybe those will be fine

 

[RCBinTN]

 
wait till you get to the 250-300 hour mark, you will be very happy with the final sound. Also, I find the DHC Molecule SE Synergy cables work very nicely with the XCs, improving the bass tightness and liquifying the mids and trebles when compared to the stock cables. 

 

 
Thanks for the info, and for the tip on the cables.
BTW, you must have been an early adopter of the XC to have the purple wood...those cans are beautiful.
 
Cheers -
RCBinTN

 

[jwbrent]

   
Thanks for the info, and for the tip on the cables.
BTW, you must have been an early adopter of the XC to have the purple wood...those cans are beautiful.
 
Cheers -
RCBinTN

yes, I was happy to get the last pair of Purple Heart LCD-XCs. According to Audeze, there were only 12 pair ever made.