[Kendoji]

Going to bump this thread, simply because I'm still tormented by the choice between these two cans.  My heart tells me LCD-2 but my wallet says HE-500.  Unfortunately I can't listen to either of them before I order.  How about the next person who posts in this thread just tells me what to do, and I'll blindly do it!  

 

[justin w.]

buy both, return/sell one?  only way you'll ever know.

 

[Kendoji]

Haha fair enough.  I'll probably have to start with one of them and see how that goes first.  And yep it would be easy to sell on if I'm not entirely happy.  Think I might just go for the Hifiman to start with.

 

[ardilla]

Amp?
Quote:

Going to bump this thread, simply because I'm still tormented by the choice between these two cans.  My heart tells me LCD-2 but my wallet says HE-500.  Unfortunately I can't listen to either of them before I order.  How about the next person who posts in this thread just tells me what to do, and I'll blindly do it!  

 

[LugBug1]

Nice bump! Seems like a cool thread
 
Yeah I'd probably recommend the hifimans if you are new to orthos. Simply because they are a more balanced headphone with the airyer soundstage. The LCD2's are a more aquired taste, you'll either love them or not as they are dark and more intimate sounding. Plus a lot of peeps have issues with the comfort.
 
Then if you find yourself yearning for a darker richer sound than the hE500's you can always sell them and give the Audeze a whirl.
Both as good as each other at what they do but the hifmans are the better all rounder.  

 

[Kendoji]

My intention is to get the Violectric V200 and V800.  Until then I'll use what I have i.e. my TubeDAC-11 and either my little Leckerton or the budget PH-6 tube hybrid amp from Grant Fidelity. 
 
edit: @ardilla

 

[Kendoji]

And thanks LugBug1, that's good to hear.  It does sound like the HE-500 is a fairly safe option to start with.

 

[ardilla]

I really like the HE-500. But the LCD-2 is very good indeed with the V200
Quote:

My intention is to get the Violectric V200 and V800.  Until then I'll use what I have i.e. my TubeDAC-11 and either my little Leckerton or the budget PH-6 tube hybrid amp from Grant Fidelity. 
 
edit: @ardilla

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

I really like the HE-500. But the LCD-2 is very good indeed with the V200

Yeah I'd like to hear the V200 one day, though I have read that it is a little warm sounding... Is that what the LCD2's want?

 

[brokenthumb]

Quote:

And thanks LugBug1, that's good to hear.  It does sound like the HE-500 is a fairly safe option to start with.

 
I did the same thing last year.  I bought the HE-500 first and really loved it, I then returned it to try the LCD-2 and never was satisfied with them.  I ended up selling the LCD-2 and decided to try the HE-400 before I jumped back to the HE-500.  I like the HE-400 even more than the LCD-2.  Still deciding if I want to buy the HE-500 again, the HE-400 are really good already.

 

[oblique63]

Quote:

 
I did the same thing last year.  I bought the HE-500 first and really loved it, I then returned it to try the LCD-2 and never was satisfied with them.  I ended up selling the LCD-2 and decided to try the HE-400 before I jumped back to the HE-500.  I like the HE-400 even more than the LCD-2.  Still deciding if I want to buy the HE-500 again, the HE-400 are really good already.

 
What did you prefer about the HE-400 exactly? How did the bass compare on both?
 
I'm curious cause I've listened to the rev 1 LCD-2, and I liked the bass on it, but it was much too dark for me, so I ended up going for an HE-5LE, but I'm not terribly fond of the bass extension on it.

 

[brokenthumb]

Quote:

 
What did you prefer about the HE-400 exactly? How did the bass compare on both?
 
I'm curious cause I've listened to the rev 1 LCD-2, and I liked the bass on it, but it was much too dark for me, so I ended up going for an HE-5LE, but I'm not terribly fond of the bass extension on it.

 
The LCD-2 bass had better texture and extension but the HE-400 sounds tighter and faster to me.  I prefer the treble of the HE-400, the LCD-2 just sounded a bit too dark for me also.
 
Other things I enjoy on the HE-400 over the LCD-2 are the bigger soundstage and the instrument separation is better to my ears.  The LCD-2 sounds a bit syrupy/romantic while the HE-400 and HE-500 sound extremely fast.  The weight of the actual headphone is also much better on the HE-400, I can wear the HiFiMan much longer.
 
The LCD-2 does sound very lifelike with instruments and voices and they have mids that are the best I've ever heard, the HE-500 and HD650 take second place here.  Both are very good but I preferred the HiFiMan's in the end.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
The LCD-2 bass had better texture and extension but the HE-400 sounds tighter and faster to me.  I prefer the treble of the HE-400, the LCD-2 just sounded a bit too dark for me also.
 
Other things I enjoy on the HE-400 over the LCD-2 are the bigger soundstage and the instrument separation is better to my ears.  The LCD-2 sounds a bit syrupy/romantic while the HE-400 and HE-500 sound extremely fast.  The weight of the actual headphone is also much better on the HE-400, I can wear the HiFiMan much longer.
 
The LCD-2 does sound very lifelike with instruments and voices and they have mids that are the best I've ever heard, the HE-500 and HD650 take second place here.  Both are very good but I preferred the HiFiMan's in the end.

 
 
Wow i was going back and forth.  I didn't know which one you like the best until the end..

 
Good post though..

 

[driver 8]

I'm not sure which of these I prefer as I don't use either too often nowadays, but I thought it would be worth noting that I've owned 2 HE-500's and the second one is less "zingy" than the first. 

 

[ardilla]

LCD-2 is great with the V200. Also - the LCD-2 isn't as "warm" as you might think
 

Yeah I'd like to hear the V200 one day, though I have read that it is a little warm sounding... Is that what the LCD2's want?