Hi guys (Jeb, this post is for you
I've been quiet for a week now, but I wasn't sitting idle. Since I received the LCD-3 last Friday I've been comparing headphones and fiddling with my system. I've got new output transformers to accommodate the LCD-3F, which have better extreme treble and low bass extension and are more pinpoint accurate, and also the HD800 tap went up from 300 to 380, which resulted in some surprising sonic improvement.
LCD-3F IMPRESSIONS
Compared to LCD-X the 3's aren't natural per se. They have a more laid back sound. When I say that I don't mean they color the female volcals like they belong to transgenders, like some others have commented elsewhere. It just feels like you're further back in the concert hall. The X sounds more like a studio headphone, which can be both good or bad, depending on my mood. Also in the bass region the 3's don't extend as low as the X's and don't punch so hard and the bass is a tad loose, but it's still very good. Now the upsides: they have better treble presence and extension. Also, on the X's the treble feels strained, like there's some constant tension, whereas on the 3's it's not only more detailed, but smooth and relaxing (I know, I know, don't point me to any measurements, please. I gave up staring at measurements 10 years ago). Furthermore the 3's don't have this slight metallic hue in the upper mids and treble that the X's exhibit. Some may find the treble energy a little too much in relation to the upper mids... me too in fact, but I like it. Finally the dynamics are a bit better, but not by much. Overall i'd call it a great headphone for pleasure listening. I like it a lot more than the X exactly because it doesn't have the studio sound.
HD800 - BIG SURPRISE
There's no other way to say it, so I'm come straight out with it. With the change in the tap, the HD800 is now again the best headphone IMO. Put simply, i hear the high end is better extended and the upper mids/lower treble is smoother and more relaxed, while being a good bit more transparent, more than the X's in fact. The lower mids and mid bass increased in presence, while still feeling very tight and well articulated. The low end bass got a bit loose, but it's not that bad. The attack and sheer dynamic swing of the HD800 can hardly be matched by any of the LCD's. Though the 2 and the X feel tonally correct and the 3 being super smooth, acoustic guitar plucks, snare drum, etc, all feel more real on the HD800 in both dimension and time. The real downside of the HD800 IMO is that it's really tough to get it running well with a tube amp. Due to its huge impedance swings, you always tradeoff a little bit of something for something else.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I know this is a headphones forum and I shouldn't be talking like this, but I'm really getting fed up with headphones now. Although I can praise all headphones I've got for what they are, they're no match for real speakers with paper cones, not even the mid-level ones. Look at the photo I've attached. These are old school Fostex FX120 with ferrite magnets. I took them out of the closet, dusted them off, and plugged them in for a reality check. Sitting on my desk 1 meter away from my head, even bare naked w/o enclosures they have a better presentation in almost every way than all of my headphones. I know in a bookshelf box they have a -3db at 55hz, but the base is punchy and tight. Even without a box the mids are smooth and pretty detailed and even despite the aluminum cap the highs are very smooth and natural, with pretty decent precision. These drivers are almost equally transparent (the cobalt magnet version of these will take you to a whole other level though), and more dynamic than all my headphones and on top of that they make a very real (though fairly modest) soundstage, unlike the HD800. They're still in production today and note they are cheapo drivers at only about 400 euro. I jumped on the $1000+ headphones bandwagon less than a year ago in pursuit of the special oh-so-detailed sound of the top of the line headphones, but mostly because I couldn't think of anything else I could upgrade or improve in my speakers system anymore. I have to reluctantly admit that I'm quite a bit disappointed now. Unless you really need the privacy the headphones give you, I honestly feel that a pair of 4/5/8 inch dynamic dransducers mounted in a 20-30 litre box sitting on your desk will cost you the same money or a bit more, but it's a much more rewarding experience. And there's this last but very important thing... headphones simply can't move air the same way speakers do!
Just my 2 cents. Never forget... YMMV!
Cheers,
Mario
