[Tsukuyomi]

Hello fellow Audeze fans, its coming down to the number for me. Im about to buy the LCD-X this month, but ive wondered something and id like to get your input. Do you think the lcdx would benefit more from being closed or open? I dont mind if dynamic drivers are open or closed. But i feel like planars should only ever be open.. unless im wrong in that way of thinking? any shared wisdom would be appreciated. Also has anyone done an A+B with the open and closed version?

 

[iFi audio]

I dont mind if dynamic drivers are open or closed. But i feel like planars should only ever be open.. unless im wrong in that way of thinking?

To our ears open X sounded airier and more natural, but probably there are as many people happy with them closed.

 

[MIR05LAV]

Hello fellow Audeze fans, its coming down to the number for me. Im about to buy the LCD-X this month, but ive wondered something and id like to get your input. Do you think the lcdx would benefit more from being closed or open? I dont mind if dynamic drivers are open or closed. But i feel like planars should only ever be open.. unless im wrong in that way of thinking? any shared wisdom would be appreciated. Also has anyone done an A+B with the open and closed version?

XC's are really good, sometimes I like them even more than the open variant With LCD-XC/X you can easy have both with one pair. Grilles/cups are easy replaceable. You can buy grilles and cups from Audeze or DIY them
BTW i have made another grill, this time laser cut and engraved + hardwaxed. Wood is padouk. Wchich one do you guys like better? High gloss bubinga or satin/waxed padouk ?

 

[nrbatista]

Great job @MIR05LAV , yet again!

Satin/waxed padouk.

 

[Admiral Kolchak]

XC's are really good, sometimes I like them even more than the open variant With LCD-XC/X you can easy have both with one pair. Grilles/cups are easy replaceable. You can buy grilles and cups from Audeze or DIY them
BTW i have made another grill, this time laser cut and engraved + hardwaxed. Wood is padouk. Wchich one do you guys like better? High gloss bubinga or satin/waxed padouk ?

I really love both!!!

 

[Admiral Kolchak]

XC's are really good, sometimes I like them even more than the open variant With LCD-XC/X you can easy have both with one pair. Grilles/cups are easy replaceable. You can buy grilles and cups from Audeze or DIY them
BTW i have made another grill, this time laser cut and engraved + hardwaxed. Wood is padouk. Wchich one do you guys like better? High gloss bubinga or satin/waxed padouk ?

I really love both!!!

 

[Admiral Kolchak]

Hello fellow Audeze fans, its coming down to the number for me. Im about to buy the LCD-X this month, but ive wondered something and id like to get your input. Do you think the lcdx would benefit more from being closed or open? I dont mind if dynamic drivers are open or closed. But i feel like planars should only ever be open.. unless im wrong in that way of thinking? any shared wisdom would be appreciated. Also has anyone done an A+B with the open and closed version?

Hi! I A/B'd the XC against the 4z, not the X, and ended up buying the XC. I love the XC so much that I just bought a second pair to leave at the office.
Their sound signatures are both beautiful, but at the end of the day I decided that the XC suited more tastes better. To each his/her own.

 

[iFi audio]

BTW i have made another grill, this time laser cut and engraved + hardwaxed. Wood is padouk. Wchich one do you guys like better? High gloss bubinga or satin/waxed padouk

The grill up top on the left pic gets our vote.

 

[ScubaMan2017]

Hi Thread! I was able to try out both closed variants of the LCD-2 and LCD-XC. And I was driving them with a diminutive Schiit Audio Fulla (that was in turn, fed by a Chromebook [all off battery]). Alright so THAT’S what closed planar magnetic headphones should like. Damn, they were (subjectively) nice.

I’m looking for my 3rd headphone (for April 2020)... that’s a bit different. So, either a LCD-*** or a MrSpeaker Aeon or Ether C. Next step = I’ll skim & scan the 230-someodd pages of this thread.

 

[Admiral Kolchak]

In case this is relevant for anybody...

After two straight months of using my XC with my Hugo 2, and enjoying it big time, I just tried my Mojo, which had been gathering dust in a drawer.

My, what a downgrade... The XC sounds much more harsh, with less soundstage and instrument separation, it is a huge difference. It is MUCH less musical.

Looking at the glass half-full: if you have tried the XC with the Mojo and liked it (I know I did, before buying the H2), then you are in for a TREAT if you upgrade to the Hugo2. I know it is much more expensive, but the price is reasonable if you buy it used. I just got a one with the original case for $1.5k. IT IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.

 

[iFi audio]

My, what a downgrade... The XC sounds much more harsh, with less soundstage and instrument separation, it is a huge difference. It is MUCH less musical.

Yeah, downgrades kick us far harder once we properly accommodate to the upper echelon stuff. Months of usage can have this effect, we feel your 'pain'

 

[Admiral Kolchak]

Yeah, downgrades kick us far harder once we properly accommodate to the upper echelon stuff. Months of usage can have this effect, we feel your 'pain'

Hahaha, they do indeed!!!
And thanks but don't worry, after 15 minutes I went back to the H2.

 

[iFi audio]

And thanks but don't worry, after 15 minutes I went back to the H2.

You had to be one happy sailor then!

Other than this, at times not knowing anything better than what's currently available is a bliss. All the money we could save by not digging deeper but just be happy of what we already have...

 

[MIR05LAV]

Hi guys, I might need to sell (for now) my XC with bubunga grills and cups, have some unexpected expenses ;/ It is in classifieds if someone is interested. EU only.

 

[nephilim32]

In case this is relevant for anybody...

After two straight months of using my XC with my Hugo 2, and enjoying it big time, I just tried my Mojo, which had been gathering dust in a drawer.

My, what a downgrade... The XC sounds much more harsh, with less soundstage and instrument separation, it is a huge difference. It is MUCH less musical.

Looking at the glass half-full: if you have tried the XC with the Mojo and liked it (I know I did, before buying the H2), then you are in for a TREAT if you upgrade to the Hugo2. I know it is much more expensive, but the price is reasonable if you buy it used. I just got a one with the original case for $1.5k. IT IS A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN.

It is amazing and yet so fascinating how we need to keep the entire soundchain elite in order for the audio chain to “sound elite.”
If there is one thing that I’ve learned it is that when you play the audio game you can’t cut corners somewhere within your audio chain.
The XC’s really scale well with better and more focused equipment. No doubt that a Hugo 2/Qutest will add improvements over the mojo.
All elite headphones need elite treatment and in my experience and now I think yours, the XC demands just that.

I have been loving mine with a Chord Qutest and as well it is a match made in heaven.