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

[IPodPJ]

Why are some people trying to tell the OP "well you need to do this, you need to do that, yadda yadda yadda...."  Some people just don't like planars.  I don't know why that's so hard for some people to understand.  Sure, there are definitely amps/this/that/the other thing that will improve the performance of a headphone, but typically if someone doesn't like the general nature of the phone no amount of gear swapping will change that --- even the HD800.... the only headphone I've ever heard that changes so drastically from one amp to another, still has a general signature that doesn't please everyone.
 
We all know there is no one perfect headphone for everyone, and we all know we each hear differently.  It's much easier to please someone with speakers than it is with headphones, because you hear every, single nuance with a high-end, headphone system.  I love the HD800, someone else loves the LCD-2, he loves the HE-6, she loves the SR-007, etc. etc. etc.  Let's be thankful we live during a time when we have so many choices to choose from.
 
Audio is a very personal hobby, and I learned a long time ago that some people get easily offended if you don't like the way their system sounds.  They could hype it up as the best thing ever, and you may think it sounds like absolute crap -- the worst thing you've ever heard.  That's just the way this hobby is.  Don't take offense, because what matters is how it sounds to you.  If you enjoy pursuing the ultimate system so you can extract every last subtlety and can afford it, go for it.  If you are content with what you have, terrific!  The funny thing is that for myself and many others I've talked to, when we listen to our high-end gear we concentrate more on what the gear reveals and less about the music.  Some of the most pleasurable moments I have listening to music is when I'm not analyzing anything through the system I've invested tens of thousands of dollars in, and just enjoying listening to the beautiful tunes through a crappy sounding $50 Logitech 2.1 computer speaker system.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

His definition was technically wrong too, as is most of the use of the term here on Head-Fi, but your just an *******. 

 
No reason for personal attacks or insults.  I'm simply reinforcing the view of the OP and agreeing with his assessment.  I don't see what the problem is?  I'm not arguing with him or even challenging him.  I'm simply agreeing with him.  

 

[Vonx]

Quote:

Why are some people trying to tell the OP "well you need to do this, you need to do that, yadda yadda yadda...."  Some people just don't like planars.  I don't know why that's so hard for some people to understand.  Sure, there are definitely amps/this/that/the other thing that will improve the performance of a headphone, but typically if someone doesn't like the general nature of the phone no amount of gear swapping will change that --- even the HD800.... the only headphone I've ever heard that changes so drastically from one amp to another, still has a general signature that doesn't please everyone.
 
We all know there is no one perfect headphone for everyone, and we all know we each hear differently.  It's much easier to please someone with speakers than it is with headphones, because you hear every, single nuance with a high-end, headphone system.  I love the HD800, someone else loves the LCD-2, he loves the HE-6, she loves the SR-007, etc. etc. etc.  Let's be thankful we live during a time when we have so many choices to choose from.
 
Audio is a very personal hobby, and I learned a long time ago that some people get easily offended if you don't like the way their system sounds.  They could hype it up as the best thing ever, and you may think it sounds like absolute crap -- the worst thing you've ever heard.  That's just the way this hobby is.  Don't take offense, because what matters is how it sounds to you.  If you enjoy pursuing the ultimate system so you can extract every last subtlety and can afford it, go for it.  If you are content with what you have, terrific!  The funny thing is that for myself and many others I've talked to, when we listen to our high-end gear we concentrate more on what the gear reveals and less about the music.  Some of the most pleasurable moments I have listening to music is when I'm not analyzing anything through the system I've invested tens of thousands of dollars in, and just enjoying listening to the beautiful tunes through a crappy sounding $50 Logitech 2.1 computer speaker system.

Word.
 

 

[Vonx]

Quote:

 
No reason for personal attacks or insults.  I'm simply reinforcing the view of the OP and agreeing with his assessment.  I don't see what the problem is?  I'm not arguing with him or even challenging him.  I'm simply agreeing with him.  

Haha, if you think you are being clever with your satirical denial, it's not working.
 
You just took a jab at someone who was expressing their frustration, that's fudged up.
 
And I still find it sad that somebody with 2k + posts still doesn't know the proper definition of an "audiophile"
 
I just broke it down into greek and latin roots and you still don't seem to understand
 
/thread

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

Haha, if you think you are being clever with your satirical denial, it's not working.
 
You just took a jab at someone who was expressing their frustration, that's fudged up.
 
And I still find it sad that somebody with 2k + posts still doesn't know the proper definition of "audiophile"

I'm just giving positive reinforcement to his own exclamation.  He looks as if he needs some support so I'm giving it to him.  From his viewpoint he's a failed audiophile and I think he's right about that.  Most of the other posts are not siding with him.  Perhaps you should attack them instead of me.  
 
I'm confused does the OP not want people to commiserate with him?

 

[koolkat]

While I agree that headphone manufacturers should cater to our needs, they need to design a product
that's better than their competitors'. If they need to use thick cables or really big cups to achieve that
particular sound they're after, then that's what they should do. This doesn't apply to low end consumer
audio.
 
I.e most serious-bsns audiophiles are in the hobby for the sound, not for the comfort or design of the product. 
So the number one priority for flagships is to sound good, and then comfort and everything else comes after.
 
 
Also, comfort is subjective.
 
I don't like sticking things into my ear hole, you don't like putting on "heavy" headphone sets.
If we're talking about ease of use, then there really is no contest. The smaller the form factor of the
product, the easier it use to handle but comfort is another thing altogether. This doesn't only apply
to the LCD-2.
 
Quote:

 
In the nicest way possible, this is absolutely one of the most lol worthy statements I have ever read here
A 350+ gram set of headphones with massive earpads and a giant cable is comfortable...thats a seriously magnificent and bold statement on par with my own

 

 

[olor1n]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Not everyone agrees with you that the LCD-2 is uncomfortable. That's absurdly presumptuous of you to generalise that people put up with these "issues" to conform and for the status of ownership.

 

In the nicest way possible, this is absolutely one of the most lol worthy statements I have ever read here
A 350+ gram set of headphones with massive earpads and a giant cable is comfortable...thats a seriously magnificent and bold statement on par with my own
 

 
I refer you to my previous post. Thanks for illustrating my point.

 
Quote:

I rescind my previous empathy for the OP.

People have stated that while they don't agree with your assessment of the LCD-2, they also understand where you're coming from. To reply that those holding tolerances and preferences different to yours as stubborn is poor form imo. You're entitled to your views OP, but you also need to show others the same courtesy.
 

 

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

au-dio-phile: noun
 
Lets break it apart.
 
audio: of or relating to acoustic, mechanical, or electrical frequencies corresponding to normally audible sound waves which are of frequencies approximately from 15 to 20,000 hertz
 
phile: noun greek: love: lover : one having an affinity for or a strong attraction to
 
Love of sound.
 
You can still love sound without owning a single headphone. Your interpretation of what an audiophile is, is heavily misinformed and contorted. 
 

Audiophile, a term that continues to be bandied around in various guises of actual meaning.
 
For me its not all entirely complimentary, unlike your casual or serious music lover who cares little for the equipment, an audiophile
tends to his/her equipment with great tenacity and seriousness - in some cases to the point of obsession resulting in obscene
amounts of money being spent for potentially no perceivable benefit. At this point, the music is nothing more than a testing medium
for the actual equipment that they adore above everything else.
 

 

[oqvist]

No comfort is not entirely subjective... A 500G load on your skull is worse physiologically then a 250 load. I dare to say that is fact lol
 
Large or small earpads is subjective I suppose. I have more problems with to small earpads that don´t circumvent my ears.
 
I have yet to hear someone argue that the LCD-2 is more comfortable then an HD 800 for example which is even bigger. And if there is one not due to the HD 800 being lighter on the head
 

 

[olor1n]

Quote:

No comfort is not entirely subjective... A 500G load on your skull is worse physiologically then a 250 load. I dare to say that is fact lol
 
Large or small earpads is subjective I suppose. I have more problems with to small earpads that don´t circumvent my ears.
 
I have yet to hear someone argue that the LCD-2 is more comfortable then an HD 800 for example which is even bigger. And if there is one not due to the HD 800 being lighter on the head
 

 
I don't see anyone here arguing that.
 
 

 

[oqvist]

Vonx seem to argue that comfort is subjective for example. Which it is to some extent since we have different skull shapes and sizes but weight is weight no matter how well distributed.
 
I don´t see why people arguing about someone finding the LCD-2 or other planar uncomfortable due to the above fact that they weight 500g+

 

[swbf2cheater]

Quote:

I'm just giving positive reinforcement to his own exclamation.  He looks as if he needs some support so I'm giving it to him.  From his viewpoint he's a failed audiophile and I think he's right about that.  Most of the other posts are not siding with him.  Perhaps you should attack them instead of me.  
 
I'm confused does the OP not want people to commiserate with him?
 

 
 
It is just a topic proclaiming my failure to accept and justify such an insane price point for a piece of uncomfortable art.  I think its great some people agree and some people disagree, makes me really happy to know I'm not alone.  I hope some companies catch wind of this and start to realize they need to take a step back and rethink some things.  

 
 

 

[Nick01]

Quote:

People can disagree with me until they are blue in the face but in my eyes none of them are justified in their views that the LCD2 or any of the hi fi sets have sound quality that rival their price tags over some of the awesome sets found in Mid-Fi land.  If you think the LCD2 if worth an extra $800 or so over the HD598 you are mistaken in my eyes.  I don't hear anything that screams this is worth that kind of money.  Especially so in the Edition 8 which costs upwards of $1600 new.  Being my favorite of the hi fi sets, it was THAT SOUND i searched for, for the last 15 years.  But I paid $1500 for it and it was still inferior in some areas to the HD 598.  
 

 
This is diminishing return, and part of life, not just headphones. My $1000 cans don't sound 10 times better than my $100 cans. Yet I would still buy the $1000, just like you did with the ED8. It's a shame that you're so jaded.

 

[swbf2cheater]

I'm definitely Jaded and very proud.  I do not feel okay with justifying anything or making excuses for keeping/buying something with some problems.  If some people can't accept that, well thats there prerogative and I support it regardless
 
We should not have to make any excuses or compromises.  They manufactures should be doing that, not us.
 
Edit: Oh and btw, I do feel like I failed the community.  I lost my audiophile card and had the tech nerd version of a nervous breakdown over having to make so many excuses to people asking about the headphones i own. 
 
 
 
 

 

[Nick01]

Quote:

I'm definitely Jaded and very proud.  I do not feel okay with justifying anything or making excuses for keeping/buying something with some problems.  If some people can't accept that, well thats there prerogative and I support it regardless
 
We should not have to make any excuses or compromises.  They manufactures should be doing that, not us.
 

 
Does this have anything to do with your recent drama with the headphones.com and the problem with the ED8? I hope mine doesn't end up with the same fault....