Well. because of prior engagement, I had to leave RMAF this morning. But before I left, I made another trip back to Audeze's corner for yet another audition of the LCD3. I just wanted to make sure what I felt yesterday carries over to today and if I am wrong, I want to be the first one to admit it rather than having to get pointed out by another person.
This time I tried it with the Liquid Fire. By now I have tried the LCD3 on four different amps, two desk tops (ALO Isabella, Liquid Fire) and two balance portable amps (SR71b, ALO MKIII). My opinion on the look and feel and comfort remains the same. In fact, the more you wear the new pad the more it tends to grow on you, several people that sat next to me made similar comments. May be because of the good seal, there is a quality of silence when you first put the phone on. The pad gave me a sense of holding something of high quality in my hand. As for sound quality is concern, I felt my impression from yesterday did not change as compare to LCD2. The LCD3 in my opinion, is clearly improved in the following areas over the LCD2 v1 or v2: clarity, resolution, frequency balance, instrument separation, bass quality, smoothness, dynamics, sound imaging and sound staging. There is no question that this a more engaging phone than the previous editions.
Here I want to clarify couple of statements I made yesterday as it seems to cause some confusion. I used the analogy of the difference in improvement being similar to HD600 to HD 800, or HD800 to HE90. I did not mean to say qualitatively the sound improvement between LCD3 over LCD2 is like 600 to 800 or 800 to HE90. I merely using those pairs to illustrate the sound improvement is readily recognizeable. So there is no need to compare the improvement in sound dimension is similar or not to those pairs.
However, I may have to somewhat alter what I said yesterday about the 009 due to the following experience. After I listened to the LCD3, I went over the Jack Wu's table and tried the Stax 009 and the Woo's WES Electronstatic amp combo-the subject matter of Headfi TV Episode 008. This time my impression of the 009 is quite different. I find with the 009/WES combo, the whole sound presentation is not bright at all. I was very impressed and enjoyed my audition even though listening to 192 HD sound track doesn't hurt. My opinion now is that the 009 is technically a better phone but you have to spend about $10,000.00 to achieve that level of performance. Besides, it seems to me that the Stax 009 and may be electrostatic phone in general are very much dependent on its supportive equipment. I still think the LCD3 is more enjoyable phone than the 009. I still love the bass department of the LCD3 more than the 009. The LCD3 can be driven by a portable system that can be enjoyed anywhere you want it to be whereas 009 cannot. Both phones are very engaging in their own ways. It is like two different types of girlfriend, the LCD3 is the kind that is fun and like to tease a lot resulting in you keep wanting to go to her to be teased again and again, whereas the 009 is the type that is so true, so true to you, that reveals everything to you, that when you get tired of being teased by the other girlfriend, the 009 is where you come back for some genuine understanding.
I felt I did not have to retract my statements with regard to the 009/blue hawaii being somewhat bright, as this have been observed by several just within this past few days. But I do not want to risk being misunderstood to say that the 009 is bright. I didn't find that to be the case with the 009/WES combo. For the price that LCD3 is asking for, it is expensive for those that can afford her, but I did not feel it is over price.
