[x RELIC x]

The sound wasn't as full bodied as expected from a 6W amp into a relatively sensitive and low impedance headphones. I mean, if the amp was muscular, it would have a tight fisted grip on the transducers and really control the bass and give it a full bodied sound. I don't hear this with the Lyr even with different tubes. Or maybe the Lyr is not fully broken in yet.

Thanks!

 

[Rossliew]

  Sure.... How long have you used your XC (in terms of hours)?

Not long hahah..just got it last Thursday night and only managed to listen for a few hours at most.

 

[gulf1263]

One of the things that convinced me to buy the Audeze LC-XC were the two dealers who bent over backward to allow a audition.
I tried them through a Marantz and Integra amp, receiver and Blue-Ray and a tube amp that was close to the Woo Wa 7 Fireflies amp I will be using to drive them.
Everything was positive and the dealers were willing to guide me.
I never listened to vinyl since I don't have room or funds for a decent set up.
These folks sold product by guiding me versus selling me and I appreciated that.
Time is split between Alaska and New Mexico so I have had to upgrade slowly, new home theater gear in Alaska, upgraded amp and Blue-Ray.
The Chicks (and Guys) Dig It factor may be a problem because a female type friend has very good taste and is liable to try to make off with both the Woo Wa 7 Fireflies and the Audeze phones.
I listened to my very, very, very old Sennheiser 230 phones (late 1980's), they are still smooth in the mid range but don't have the range of modern phones and are much more fatiguing compared to the PSB M4U 2's or the Audeze.
We are lucky to have such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to modern audio equipment, truly we are blessed.
If you don't like one product then there is a very good chance someone has something different that you might like.
It will take me several weeks to break in the new amps and headphones but so far they  sound great, I will begin trying a different DAC in a few weeks, MYDAC may be a match up with the Woo and Audeze.
Thanks to all the folks who took time to write up their impressions and guide me on my journey of discovery.
Art

 

[kothganesh]

Not long hahah..just got it last Thursday night and only managed to listen for a few hours at most.

It took me a few days with the Mojo for the XC to "reveal" itself. Does yours sound muffled?

 

[gulf1263]

My Wa 7 is running in, along with power cords and Venom Defenders.
I will be running a signal through the Wa 7 amp in a few days and expect my new Marantz amp and blue-ray to arrive in about a week so it appears it will be some time before everything is run in.
The phones sound fine as it from my Predator...as I said even in their current state they are much better than my old Sennheiser's.
I have become a member of Headphone Fondelers Anonymous, they are just so damn beautiful.
Art

 

[Rossliew]

It took me a few days with the Mojo for the XC to "reveal" itself. Does yours sound muffled?

Not really, it sounded thin but not muffled. On the other hand, with my Little Dot Mk 3 OTL amp, it sounded airy, fuller bodied (yet not thumpingly so) and sweeter. It sounded more TOTL, if you get what i mean. The OTL amp works wonders with my Senns but with the low impedance XCs, it should not work so well and yet (despite the relative lack of bass grip) it sounds good. If all you listen to were audiophile material, the Mk 3 might be all that you ever need.

 

[Lan647]

 
I'll make it simple! 

Pros: 

- Beautiful african rosewood earcups! 
- Pads even softer than those of the LCD-3.
- Excellent isolation capabilities.
- Very easy to drive, improves only marginally with a headphone amplifier.
- More treble presence and sparkle compared to the LCD-2 rev 2 which in turn leads to... 
- Improved imaging over the LCD-2 rev 2. 
- Treble behavior is overall great
- Heavy, hard-hitting bass is great fun for some music.
- Overall, best closed-back headphones I've heard. 

Cons: 

- HEAVY! 
- HEAVY! 
- Bass can be too much and is a tad boomy/resonant compared to the LCD-2 rev 2, and not as finely textured. 
- Midrange slightly lacking in organic presence compared to the LCD-2 rev 2.
- Overall resolution is top-notch for a closed can, but not quite on on par with the LCD-2 rev 2.
- The price is very high, $1000-$1200 would have been more appropriate in my opinion.
- Did I mention they are heavy? 
 
 
Again, superb closed-back headphones from Audeze! A very engaging listen, if a touch bass heavy for my tastes. The sound signature would suit portable use marvelously if only the headphones were smaller and lighter.

 

[DannyB]

Any cable suggestions for the XC? 

 

[x RELIC x]

Spoiler

=Quote

I'll make it simple! 


Pros: 


- Beautiful african rosewood earcups! 

- Pads even softer than those of the LCD-3.
- Excellent isolation capabilities.

- Very easy to drive, improves only marginally with a headphone amplifier.

- More treble presence and sparkle compared to the LCD-2 rev 2 which in turn leads to... 
- Improved imaging over the LCD-2 rev 2. 
- Treble behavior is overall great

- Heavy, hard-hitting bass is great fun for some music.
- Overall, best closed-back headphones I've heard. 


Cons: 


- HEAVY! 

- HEAVY! 

- Bass can be too much and is a tad boomy/resonant compared to the LCD-2 rev 2, and not as finely textured. 

- Midrange slightly lacking in organic presence compared to the LCD-2 rev 2.

- Overall resolution is top-notch for a closed can, but not quite on on par with the LCD-2 rev 2.
- The price is very high, $1000-$1200 would have been more appropriate in my opinion.

- Did I mention they are heavy? 

 

Again, superb closed-back headphones from Audeze! A very engaging listen, if a touch bass heavy for my tastes. The sound signature would suit portable use marvelously if only the headphones were smaller and lighter.

Your audio impressions between the 2 rev2 and XC are pretty much the polar opposite of mine. I find the 2 has much more bass presence (and a bit boomy) and the XC to sound very articulate and textured, especially with the mids (I'm using stock cables).

 

[Lan647]

 

Spoiler

=Quote

Your audio impressions between the 2 rev2 and XC are pretty much the polar opposite of mine. I find the 2 has much more bass presence (and a bit boomy) and the XC to sound very articulate and textured, especially with the mids (I'm using stock cables).

 
No way, dude... 

 

[rudi0504]

Any cable suggestions for the XC? 

The best cable for all Audeze Headphone is SAA Endorphin balance 3 Pin

 

[sbradley02]

  Thanks but i figured i also don't have a matching amp to really have an iron-fisted grip over it. Which amp are you using to pair with the XC, may I ask?

Currently using Asgard which I feel is so so.
 
Looking forward to my Geek Pulse X

 

[BeyerMonster]

  I'll make it simple! 

Pros: 

- Beautiful african rosewood earcups! 
- Pads even softer than those of the LCD-3.
- Excellent isolation capabilities.
- Very easy to drive, improves only marginally with a headphone amplifier.
- More treble presence and sparkle compared to the LCD-2 rev 2 which in turn leads to... 
- Improved imaging over the LCD-2 rev 2. 
- Treble behavior is overall great
- Heavy, hard-hitting bass is great fun for some music.
- Overall, best closed-back headphones I've heard. 

Cons: 

- HEAVY! 
- HEAVY! 
- Bass can be too much and is a tad boomy/resonant compared to the LCD-2 rev 2, and not as finely textured. 
- Midrange slightly lacking in organic presence compared to the LCD-2 rev 2.
- Overall resolution is top-notch for a closed can, but not quite on on par with the LCD-2 rev 2.
- The price is very high, $1000-$1200 would have been more appropriate in my opinion.
- Did I mention they are heavy?
 
Again, superb closed-back headphones from Audeze! A very engaging listen, if a touch bass heavy for my tastes. The sound signature would suit portable use marvelously if only the headphones were smaller and lighter.

YMMV of course, but wrt your points in bold(emphasis is mine)
Unless you got one of the LCD-XC's when they were offering 4 colors, the LCD-XC comes in Bubinga, not Rosewood.
I've only had minimal listening time with the LCD-2 (no idea what rev), but the LCD-XC bass is about as far as it could possibly be from boomy. It's REALLY tight. I'm honestly completely baffled here. What are you using as source material?
Maybe I just unwittingly have overdeveloped neck muscles or some reviewers are really tiny people, but I've worn the LCD-XC and LCD-3 for 6+ hours with no fatigue due to weight. Sure, they're heavier than a lot of other headphones, but they're not THAT heavy. I get way more neckstrain by craning my neck downwards to work on a laptop for half a day than I ever did listening to the LCD-XC while looking forward.

 

[Lan647]

  YMMV of course, but wrt your points in bold(emphasis is mine)
Unless you got one of the LCD-XC's when they were offering 4 colors, the LCD-XC comes in Bubinga, not Rosewood.
I've only had minimal listening time with the LCD-2 (no idea what rev), but the LCD-XC bass is about as far as it could possibly be from boomy. It's REALLY tight. I'm honestly completely baffled here. What are you using as source material?
Maybe I just unwittingly have overdeveloped neck muscles or some reviewers are really tiny people, but I've worn the LCD-XC and LCD-3 for 6+ hours with no fatigue due to weight. Sure, they're heavier than a lot of other headphones, but they're not THAT heavy. I get way more neckstrain by craning my neck downwards to work on a laptop for half a day than I ever did listening to the LCD-XC while looking forward.

 
Bubinga is the name for african rosewood, sillie willie! The LCD-XC bass by itself is not boomy per se, but when you compare it to the LCD-2 (which, along with the other open-backed LCDs has perhaps the best bass reproduction of any dynamic headphone) the XC comes off sounding a little bit more subwoofer-ish. Two other people I know who also listened heard the same. Nothing wrong with source material. As I had both headphones for comparison directly and you didn't, we can pretty much assume my opinion is more valid. 

The weight thing is subjective so no point arguing. 

 

[BeyerMonster]

 
Bubinga is the name for african rosewood, sillie willie!

While I have seen a few references to Bubinga that call it "African Rosewood", I've read many others that state it is not a "true rosewood" and/or it is truly a completely different species of wood with different grain patterns as well as sonic qualities when used in instruments (likely not entirely relevant as headphone cups). Example: http://www.sheppardguitars.com/bubinga.htm
 
Since Audeze themselves sells a variant of the LCD-2 as "Caribbean Rosewood" and the LCD-XC as "Bubinga", I mentioned it, so people don't buy one and expect the grain to be a close match.
 

  The LCD-XC bass by itself is not boomy per se, but when you compare it to the LCD-2 (which, along with the other open-backed LCDs has perhaps the best bass reproduction of any dynamic headphone) the XC comes off sounding a little bit more subwoofer-ish. Two other people I know who also listened heard the same. Nothing wrong with source material. As I had both headphones for comparison directly and you didn't, we can pretty much assume my opinion is more valid. 

 
I own the LCD-3. The LCD-3 is often described as having tighter bass than the LCD-2. To my ears, the LCD-XC's bass is less forceful, but tighter and arguably more precise than the LCD-3. The difference is readily apparent, and not at all subtle. Neither is in any way shape or form, "boomy". So while your opinion may be valid, I don't think your opinion is in any way "more valid" than mine or x Relic x, to which you responded "No way, dude". FWIW, amplification used for comparison was Schiit Mjolnir and Violectric V200. I heard the LCD-2 on a Bryston BHA-1. Unknown revision.
 

 
The weight thing is subjective so no point arguing.

 

It's not a point to be argued, per se. However, it's repeated so often that I think it's worth taking the opportunity to voice my opinion, the same way that you did.