** Confessions of a Failing Audiophile ** - I hated the LCD2

[Kwisatz]

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.

Nope, I haven't tried them. My last ear buds were the Audio Technica CM7ti, and my last IEMs were the UE Super.Fi 5. I only bought the IEMs for isolation purposes - and wouldn't wear them unless I absolutely needed that isolation. As far as ear buds go, I simply no longer have a need for them. All of my listening is done at home now, and thus portability and size aren't a concern for me.

If I ever need portability again, I'll probably use ear buds again unless I find myself needing isolation as well. While I don't find them as comfortable (or as good sounding) as full size circumaural headphones, I don't have a problem using them for the shorter periods that tend to make up portable use.

So yeah, I didn't mean to blow my ear bud comfort levels into a big deal, so much as point out that swbf2cheater's idealized future isn't necessarily the ideal for everybody.

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

Not quite. 

 
I know.

 

[Phos]

 
Quote:

-All types
 
-Large Spacious sound stage, not neutral, comfortable, great clarity, easily driven, short cable
 
-Nope
 

Have you ever tried the Beyer DT990's?

 

[WarriorAnt]

I'm looking at the gear in your profile and I'm wondering is that the gear you paired the LCD with?

 

[Gwarmi]

Well here's my two cents, a view that has been steadily accumulated over time having had the chance
to audition some of the higher end offerings like the LCD-2 rev2, T1 and HD 800.
 
It really comes back to the music and your tastes, specifically the quality and genre of the music
that you seek out. Any of those cans for someone who does not and will not listen to orchestral,
classical, recordings coupled with specialized record labels like Linn and Chesky records may
find that that their investment returns little value.
 
This has been my experience, the flagships will only start to show their cards when the recordings
themselves are exceptional - I tend to agree with the OP - most of the material in my collection
does not benefit from a Sugden Masterclass HA-4 amplifier, tube stage CD player and
a pair of LCD-2's or <add your flagship here> (STAX excluded, have not heard any yet)
 
In that respect, the LCD-2 is an excellent headphone that would certainly benefit from
a bigger sound stage - they need it for the large scale works ranging from Pink Floyd
live to Diana Krall in Paris.
 
Don't listen to any of this stuff? It's all good - stay with the mid range gear.
 
 
 

 

[Happy Camper]

Subtle is the operative description. While I enjoy my HE-6 combo, I enjoy the ipod-RS-1 and don't feel I miss much. This place is a hype site for profit, we pedal the gear. That's why so many members have left. IMO, flagships, amps and DACs have caught up with cables & cords.

 

[ianmedium]

I think, even though I have the exact opposite feelings towards the LCD's that you have I can see where your coming from and I think your post is valuable to folks who are researching for a new set of headphones.

All of us interpret things differently and your findings are as valuable as mine and reading from both sides can help people make decisions.

In over thirty years of being involved in this hobby I have learned there really is no right or wrong. I have heard stuff that get's huge praise but I just have not found it myself, likewise other stuff that get's torn to bits I have loved.

If someone get's the same amount of aural satisfaction and emotion out of an iPod and iBuds that I do out of my iPod/CLAS/Stepdance/LCD2/ER4S then I am happy for them! Personally, to quote Charlton Heston, Your going to have to prize these out of my cold dead hands

 

[SolidVictory]

I agree with the OP about the diminishing returns on headphones. I've heard the LCD-2 along with a bunch of other high-end headphones at a head-fi meet a few months ago. I wasn't impressed by most of the headphones, but the HE-6 and LCD-2 impressed me.
 
What surprised me the most is that I actually thought my AKG K702's were on par with the HE-6 and LCD-2, just that they all sounded different from one another. I did feel the LCD-2 was technically a bit better than my K702, but I felt that the K702 was more revealing.
 
Overall, I am happy I didn't shell out the money for the LCD-2, because I am perfectly content with my RSA Hornet -> K702 setup. I am actually surprised by how good mid-fi sounds and at how over-hyped high-end sounds.
 
Nevertheless, one $1,000+ purchase that I have no regrets about are my JH16 custom in-ear monitors. I am truly amazed by their sound quality every time I use them, and have no regrets spending over one grand on them. I actually recommend getting some custom IEMs for those who have bad experiences with universal IEMs. With customs, it's much more comfortable and way better sounding if you get a flagship model.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I liked the LCD2 when I heard it, but agree with the sentiment.  There's too much gear being pushed and a collection of stuff doesn't make you any happier.
 
Some of my stuff has been stored since moving to Arizona.  Lately, I've been happy running the speakers with digital sources.
 
Part of me wonders if that might be enough.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

u should try out some akgs or some grado gs 1000s for soundstage.

 

[Nick01]

Quote:

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?
 
 
 

Most people use cheap earbuds because they haven't yet discovered better iems or headphones. Or they do know about quality gear but don't have the means to buy. Once they do, they never go back (speaking for myself and my friends).
And the world does cater to audiophiles, if there's demand, there will be supply. It's true that technology do get smaller and smaller, but they also get more complicated, case in point, those multi-driver iems.
And the LCD-2 will stop being produced once the LCD-3 comes out which will be lighter and smaller

 
 

 

[Digital-Pride]

One aspect of this hobby that often gets neglected is musical enjoyment.  Meaning, we tend to spend more time analyzing the sonic character of headphones, amps, dacs, etc. instead of actually just sitting back to enjoy the music.  No question, it's fun to try out different gear and headphones as that is part of the process of finding what sound signature one likes.  That should not change the main goal of attaining maximum musical enjoyment.  Whether the headphones or speakers are 50 dollars or 50,000, whichever achieves musical nirvana for the listener is what one should go with.  After all, isn't that why most of got into this crazy hobby in the first place?

 

[Zombie_X]

I can say that the first time I heard a LCD-2 that I was not impressed at all. It reminded me far too much of the HD650 which I really hate. So I can see what the poster was saying. I also prefer a very neutral and linear sound but have learned to love the warmer headphones. I recently have gotten a Yamaha YH-2 and I really like it. Now I have a Fostex T50RP on the way to try out and mod
 
Too bad it didn't work out for you. Maybe one day you'll find something that blows your mind.

 

[Vonx]

Quote:

 
In comparison to the LCD2, I loved the Hifiman sets and hated the LCD2 but all of them cost way too much and I didn't keep a single one.  And I am pretty sure the LCD2 met the sonic qualities I was looking for.  It does have a large soundstage, but its not a good one for anything except depth, its not neutral, more natural than neutral ( doesnt sound anything like the Shure 840 or 940 that are monitors and DEFINITELY NEUTRAL ) and it has excellent clarity.  Its just terribly uncomfortable and unpractical.  I am tired of making a compromise for the sake of being an audiophile.  Stop the nonsense, dont conform to the audio companies making your headphones.  Make them conform to you, instead.  Thats my new theory.  
 
 
 

In cheer of that new theory, I would now like to gather the attention of all audio companies! *Taps side of wine glass*
 
Ehem, make me an ultra portable IEM that is extremely efficient without the need of an amp, extremely immersive and engaging, highs that dont fatigue but sound like diamonds making sweet love to eachother, detail that makes me turn around and think someone is playing a guitar behind me and wondering why they are in my room, mids that are so lush that you melt into a peice of apple pie sludge, and bass so deep that it will make the hairs on the top of my head stand up like ive been electrocuted, all while being so small and and un-flashy that any steet passer wouldn't notice that I am deeply subdued in audio sonic bliss.
 
All for under $50 bucks.
 
GET TO WORK.
 

 

[disastermouse]

The chase is part of the fun. I'm a fan of the HD 650, but I aspire to a pair of LCD-2 and a DACmini.

The Senns cost me $320, the E9 was $130, the MSII+ was $350. An upgrade to $1,800 will probably not be $1000 worth of 'better', but I do believe they will be thrilling.

Of course part of me thinks I should just save up $12,000 for an SR-009 and Blue Hawaii and just use my current setup in the meantime.....

It might be worth it just to stop the crazy pursuit!

To the OP, what's the point of your rant? Hi-fi Audio isn't a 'need' - no one, not a single one of the companies forced you at gunpoint to buy their wares.