[bzippy]

Hope you enjoy your LCD2Cs! I'll be praying for our wallets.

Let us know your thoughts on the LCD2C. I'm looking to upgrade from my 600 soon too.

So I've had the LCD2C for over a week now and I'm very disappointed to report that they're definitely not for me. They're kinda like the nega-600 in a lot of ways: bassy, thick, with a huge drop out in upper mids / lower treble, then the treble returns at the top (the S sounds). The result is a kind of a thick/muffled/hollow sound, which I guess could also be called warm? But the sort of warm I prefer includes a smooth yet still clear high end, which these don't have because of the prominence of the high end. Further, I think the treble seems disjointed and kinda distracting, probably because it is contrasted with the utter lack of high mids.

So I definitely do not recommend the LCD2C to fellow 600 lovers, unless you are really wanting something opposite in nearly every way.

But I'm not giving up on sub $1k planars (beyond my M1060C that is, which I'm still really digging btw). I have a set of HFM Ananda coming this week, and I'm holding off on starting the RMA on the LCD2C so I can compare them side by side. I don't know if I've ever seen so many superlative comments as I've seen researching the Ananda, outside of maybe the Focal Clear. I'm talking phrases like "best treble I've ever heard at any price" and "really can't find any faults" (I'm sorta paraphrasing), coming from fairly well established online reviewers (not rando headfiers). Anyway, I'm really looking forward to trying these. My main worry is that they won't be smooth enough in the high end for me.

 

[buke9]

So I've had the LCD2C for over a week now and I'm very disappointed to report that they're definitely not for me. They're kinda like the nega-600 in a lot of ways: bassy, thick, with a huge drop out in upper mids / lower treble, then the treble returns at the top (the S sounds). The result is a kind of thick yet hollow sound, which I guess could also be called warm? But the sort of warm I prefer includes a smooth yet still clear high end, which these don't have because of the prominence of the high end. Further, I think the treble seems disjointed and kinda distracting, probably because it is contrasted with the utter lack of high mids.

So I definitely do not recommend the LCD2C to fellow 600 lovers, unless you are really wanting something opposite in nearly every way.

But I'm not giving up on sub $1k planars (beyond my M1060C that is, which I'm still really digging btw). I have a set of HFM Ananda coming this week, and I'm holding off on starting the RMA on the LCD2C so I can compare them side by side. I don't know if I've ever seen so many superlative comments as I've seen researching the Ananda, outside of maybe the Focal Clear. I'm talking phrases like "best treble I've ever heard at any price" and "really can't find any faults" (I'm sorta paraphrasing), coming from fairly well established online reviewers (not rando headfiers). Anyway, I'm really looking forward to trying these. My main worry is that they won't be smooth enough in the high end for me.

For sub $1K planars the HE-500 is the way to go in my opinion. It is to me one of the best sud $1K Headphones period. Yes takes a bit of juice to run them but very good.

 

[bzippy]

For sub $1K planars the HE-500 is the way to go in my opinion. It is to me one of the best sud $1K Headphones period. Yes takes a bit of juice to run them but very good.

Alright, thanks. I'll look into 'em.
Well suited to a 600 fan, would you say? [my half-assed attempt to end my hijack and bring this back to the OP topic]

 

[buke9]

Alright, thanks. I'll look into 'em.
Well suited to a 600 fan, would you say? [my half-assed attempt to end my hijack and bring this back to the OP topic]

Yes I believe so they are not straight neutral but not crazy off . They do need a bit of power to run them yes.

 

[MozartMan1201]

AKG K812
or
Replace stock HD600 cable with thicker HD650 cable, noticeable improvement!

 

[bzippy]

Yes I believe so they are not straight neutral but not crazy off . They do need a bit of power to run them yes.

And you prefer them to the newer & easier to find 560? And have you heard the Ananda? Just a little reading today suggests the lineage is 500 --> 560 --> HEXv2 --> Ananda, with the Hexv2 & Ananda being very similar. I dunnno, maybe not, I'm still reading as we speak.

 

[buke9]

And you prefer them to the newer & easier to find 560? And have you heard the Ananda? Just a little reading today suggests the lineage is 500 --> 560 --> HEXv2 --> Ananda, with the Hexv2 & Ananda being very similar. I dunnno, maybe not, I'm still reading as we speak.

That is the chronological order of them but to me the 560 is far apart from the 500. The 560 is more sensitive and does sound that way as well.

 

[bzippy]

That's what I'm concerned about regarding the Clears. So it seems like I should go for something else with a slightly warmer sound. Have you tried the hifiman Aryas? I've seen them compared with the Clears a lot but I'm not sure if the sound signature is that similar.

Have you gotten anywhere on this? It's funny you asked about the Aryas as I do now have the Anandas. You'll see above that I don't think the LCD2C are a good choice as a 600 upgrade. But I've had the Ananda's for about a week now and I think they could very well fit thr bill. My only gripe is a peak in the higher treble region, which is definitely in contrast to relatively smooth 600 high end. It gives the Ananda's an extra bit of clarity, detail, life (think: air, mouth sounds, breath, cymbal zing, finger noise on strings, etc) and I'm still kinda unsure about it. Some recordings really benefit, but on brighter recordings I find myself needing to shave a few dB off the 8kHz-ish bands. Many people are wild about this treble character though. So whether you'd be into it, I can't say. But from what I've read the Arya is even more peaky on top, so I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be into those. One video review I saw said that the Ananda are more like the Clear, while the Arya are more like the HD800. I don't have any trouble believing that at all.

I also want to revise what I said about the Focal Clear. After a lot of back & forth this past couple weeks comparing my 600 & my Clear with the LCD2C and the Ananda's, I'm once again blown away by the near perfect tonality of the Clears. They're my only headphones that I never feel the need to EQ. And their warmth is actually on par with the 600, when compared with something a bit brighter like the Ananda's. So I highly recommend they be considered as an excellent upgrade for a 600 lover. The only downside is you won't get much, if any, improvement in space / soundstage. But the gains in clarity and precision are undeniable. Plus the low end that I always wished the 600 had.

 

[tutetibiimperes]

That's what I'm concerned about regarding the Clears. So it seems like I should go for something else with a slightly warmer sound. Have you tried the hifiman Aryas? I've seen them compared with the Clears a lot but I'm not sure if the sound signature is that similar.

I can't comment on the Clears, but I do have the Elear, which has a similar-ish Focal 'house sound' (and I have it EQ'd to bring up the missing treble and fill the missing midrange hole) and can compare to the HD6XX/HD650. The Focals have an intensity that was a bit jarring at first compared to the Sennheisers. After getting used to it they're a lot of fun, but they do demand your attention while you're listening whereas the HD650s are the kind of headphones you can lean back in your hair and drift off to sleep with.