[swbf2cheater]

The world doesn't cater to audiophiles, it will cater to normal people in the future...most of which prefer earbuds.  The technology will eventually get smaller and smaller as it should and large cumbersome sets like the LCD2 will stop being produced.  There will be no need for large sets once that happens, if you can get that sound in a small set why the hell would you want it in a giant set that makes you look silly?
 
Also, i hate iems, but I love earbuds of the hanging style.  Sticking something inside my ear canal is worse than wearing a giant satellite dish on my head like the He500 and LCD2...my earbuds vanish in my ear and sound every bit as good as some full size sets, especially the new M2C.  Which is a major reason why I sold all my gear and plan to stick with them until something even better comes out.  
 
 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Or better yet, get a used set of Mackie HR624 powered monitors.  The MK1 version sells for about that much on ebay/CL and is all setup and ready to go and they beat almost every headphone ever made in just about every category except bass extension. 

 

[UtzY]

For me, earbuds are very uncomfortable, much more than earpad headphones.  

IEMs are just behind circumaural in terms of comfort. (Not all, of course) 
 
 

 

[Kwisatz]

It doesn't really matter what the world in general caters to. There will always be niches that a company steps up to serve. So long as there is still a significant amount people that want something, there will be a business that caters to them - no matter how ridiculous their desires might be. You wont see the death of the full sized headphone in your life time.

Also, I don't care how silly I look with headphones on when I'm home. Even the concept of big headphones looking silly is subjective. Some people actually prefer the looks of larger sets aesthetically speaking. Fashion, much like sound is a personal preference. If it wasn't, everybody would be wearing contacts now. Smaller is better right, and what's better than invisible?

Signed,
A big headphone and glasses wearer.

 

[swbf2cheater]

Full size sets will only be produced for nostalgic reasons and nothing more.  And I really need someone to explain to me how feather light earbuds that hang gracefully on your ears are less comfortable than full size sets that weight 200grams+ that clamp and get hot on your ears within a few minutes.  Seriously...i just dont get it.  There are some seriously uncomfortable earbuds out there like the MX980 but I worry you are missing the good and comfortable ones.  
 
That just makes no sense what so ever to me and sounds more like a personal bias thing than actual truth or fact.  It's only been in recent times that people use headphones as a real accessory 100x more than ever before, with the release of the Dre Beats line.  Beyond that, no im sorry thats just not true to anyone but audiophiles.  Only an audiophile willing to make a compromise would wear such a set of headphones.  Thats a silly notion that anyone would prefer a giant piece of gear when a much smaller and more comfortable version exists. 
 
Its stubbornness and nothing more in my view and I wish it would end.  I am a rare breed of ( now former ) audiophile who does not want to make a compromise...great sound for poor comfort.  Thats nonsense to me.  Earbuds are the future, wait for the planar and ortho tech to reach earbuds and the majority of the world will progress onward with hi fi sound while the stubborn audiophiles wear satellite dishes on their head.  
 
I cant wait for the need for any external gear to come to be.  I'm eagerly waiting for the days when I can get implants in my ears with insane sound quality every bit as good as my own ear drums can produce.  Until then, I'll stick with the most comfortable and practical solution as found in earbuds with are immensely comfortable, fun, easily drive, and dont make people stare at me like im crazy.

 

[deadlylover]

I only have a few words for you.
 
High-end Stax.

 

[swbf2cheater]

no thanks, I'm never paying more than a few hundred for a piece of audio gear ever again
 
mid fi is the way to go, its where the fun is at, staxx isnt a brand i consider to house a fun sound.  

 

[Sundance]

Quote:

I only have a few words for you.
 
High-end Stax.

This better be sarcasm because Stax is not the answer to every Head-fi grievance. And this is coming from a "high-end" Stax user.

 

[deadlylover]

Quote:

This better be sarcasm because Stax is not the answer to every Head-fi grievance. And this is coming from a "high-end" Stax user.

 
Yes it is.
 
Kidding, of course it was a joke.

 
Quote:

no thanks, I'll stick to my HD 598 which have never let me down and likely sound just a little bit inferior

 
If it's any consolation, perhaps you just don't really care about how things sound, and only really listen to the music.
 
That's pretty much how I roll, and I don't view gear as "better" or "worse" than each other, I only view them as "different".

 

[Kwisatz]

Earbuds aren't weightless and require a certain amount of a seal to register any real bass. Combine the two things and you have a weight and contact on the inside of your ear that some people such as myself find rather uncomfortable. For you, the weight and clamp of full size are more of a bother. To me, having something in my ear is more of a bother. Headphones that rest on my ears are the worst for me. Simply put, I don't like things touching my ears.

You're making the same mistake that some of those "audiophiles" that you claim not to be part of any more make. Your experiences can not be extrapolated out to apply to everybody. They are not facts, but simply observances. People that prefer something different are not necessarily stubborn, but simply have preferences that run counter to your own. Welcome to the diversity of the human race.

 

[wind016]

I agreed with pretty much everything in the OP. The LCD2 was pretty meh when I heard it and I didn't get the hype quite honestly. Have you heard the Stax O2? I actually found the Stax O2 mk1 to be worth me paying for, but I got everything used for about the same price as a new Ultrasone ED8 and a decent amp. It has all the detail of high end with the best plus, having almost nonexistent fatigue. The lack of fatigue and detail is worth it for me, but I wouldn't go all out and get a Blue Hawaii or something.
 
High five for earbuds! I only wished earbuds isolated, but I can't stand IEMs. My other option is to use Audio Technica ESW10JPN, but I'm hoping the K550 will fill the gap. I've been using the Sennheiser MX980 and Cowon everyday though. I just wished I had a full size to block out noise.
 
Personally, I don't actually feel like I HAVE to put on my Stax O2 to enjoy music. I'm perfectly happy with my earbuds and just plugging it into my mp3 player. They're detailed, easy to listen to, and easy to use without all the rules that come with Stax. This hobby is a bunch of hair-splitting and sometimes I just feel like I'm just not "audiophile" enough to join in the party. I don't really demand much from my audio equipment. I just don't want it to hurt my ears.
 
BTW, what did you think of the Sennheiser HD800? I suppose that might be the best logical choice after the HD598 if not going the O2 route.

 

[swbf2cheater]

The flaw in that logic is I can't feel the buds in my ears, so I never get the sensation that something is in my ear, I always get that with iems but never my favorite hanging buds...so that logic eludes and preplexes me.

Its definitely stubbornness and unwillingness. They are facts, facts that apply to me and 99%p of the rest of the world who think audiophiles are nutjobs for wearing radar dish. Its an ego centered elitest mindset we audiophiles have, a defense mechanism to help justify a thousand dollar set that has lots discomfort and a few flaws...we all do it...I choose not to do so any longer

 

[Kwisatz]

The flaw in the logic only applies to you and people who are biologically like you. Some find glasses comfortable. Some do not. Some find contacts comfortable. Some do not. Some people like warm pillows. Some like cold. I could go on forever. You're not getting the fact that you are not the definitive sample of a human. You are not representative of 99% of the population or whatever delusion you have there. You are you, and can only speak for yourself on subjects that concern your own senses. You are not right, nor wrong. It's opinion and preference.

That aside, as far as comfort goes, a lot of it is what you're used to. I initially found glasses a bit uncomfortable when I was a kid. Now I'm not bothered by them at all. Wearing them day in and day out for so many years has changed my perception. I wore helmets for motorsports where I had them on my head for the majority of the day for a good portion of my youth. From that experience, the weight of headphones on my head is negligible. Likewise, if I wore earbuds as much as the previous experiences, there's a good chance I'd get used to them too. (Not to say I haven't worn ear buds a lot. I used them quite often at school. I still haven't gotten to the point where I find them comfortable for over a couple hours though.)

 

[nick n]

Ever tried the Sony PFRv1? Just curious as it may fill those needs you listed to a greater extent. I hear the foam mod helps a fair bit.     They are one of the next on my list anyhow. I'd be curious to hear what you think of them if you have tried them.

 

[Dreaming Of A Better ...]

ok so you don't like the sound of LCD-2, now there's nothing wrong with that, everyone has their own idea of what the "perfect" sound is.
 
as for the weight & comfort you're not the first person that complained about it, personally i never had any trouble with the LCD-2 and i can wear them for hours.
 
last thing, i don't understand your criticism about the poor value for money, that happens in every hobby, and with 15 years experience surely you must know this, and if it hasn't changed in 15 years it won't happen as long as there'll be people buying expensive audio equipment.