[Dim666]

Here : https://forum.tellementnomade.org/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=28523

A French Audiophile forum where I am active

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Ok thanks so much, I'll try and demo whichever is available tomorrow just to get a general feel and get back with thoughts! I think it'll come down to either the LCD-2 for planar or the Clear if I decide to go with the dynamic, more technical route.

I am currently eyeballing an LCD-2 Classic because there's some insane deals...

 

[PapaIV]

I am currently eyeballing an LCD-2 Classic because there's some insane deals...

Ah good to know! Yeah I think I’m going with the LCD as well, everything I’m reading about them seems just right. The only problem is deciding between open and closed! I’ve read their respective threads and the closed version seems to have a more balanced FR without that much of a HF roll-off and a bit more bass but it probably has a somewhat smaller stage and some people find the mids a little “shouty” at higher volumes. I did read however that the latest revision of the 2C has a more balanced FR, on par with the closed version, is that true ?

 

[yrstruly]

Ah good to know! Yeah I think I’m going with the LCD as well, everything I’m reading about them seems just right. The only problem is deciding between open and closed! I’ve read their respective threads and the closed version seems to have a more balanced FR without that much of a HF roll-off and a bit more bass but it probably has a somewhat smaller stage and some people find the mids a little “shouty” at higher volumes. I did read however that the latest revision of the 2C has a more balanced FR, on par with the closed version, is that true ?

Fwiw the soundstage of the closed is really good for a closed back and I don’t find the mids shouty at all - they’re on the smoother side if anything!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I went with the LCD-2 Classic (open) because of the sale. $450 shipped is an insane deal and there was no way to pass it up. I adored my old LCD-2s years back and I've a feeling this will bring me right back to that.

 

[PapaIV]

Fwiw the soundstage of the closed is really good for a closed back and I don’t find the mids shouty at all - they’re on the smoother side if anything!

That’s great to hear and it makes my decision even harder! Just one more question! How does the 2CB present the rhythm section with stuff like Tool, Metallica, AC/DC? Do you get a good sense of rhythm with clearly defined kick drums and snappy snares?

I went with the LCD-2 Classic (open) because of the sale. $450 shipped is an insane deal and there was no way to pass it up. I adored my old LCD-2s years back and I've a feeling this will bring me right back to that.

Ah congrats! I’ll be ordering my pair either from Thomann or Wifimedia cause I want a good return policy. Haven’t found a good sale in Europe yet so the difference between open and closed is just 100 euros. Do post your impressions when you get them although I’ll most likely order mine within the week!

 

[Mhog55]

I would not recommend the Clear even to my worst enemy.

To me, the Ananda simply sounds natural and maintains the brightness and impact that cymbals have. The Clear sounds too warm, dull, and loses all the naturalness and brightness of the high frequencies.

Wow. I was considering trying the Ananda SE. If you consider the Clear warm, dull, dark, I'd definitely hate the Ananda.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Wow. I was considering trying the Ananda SE. If you consider the Clear warm, dull, dark, I'd definitely hate the Ananda.

Yeah it's been a while since I've heard the Clear but warm, dark, and lacking brightness are NOT words I would use.

 

[Mhog55]

Yeah it's been a while since I've heard the Clear but warm, dark, and lacking brightness are NOT words I would use.

Not even remotely

 

[firesign]

Wow. I was considering trying the Ananda SE. If you consider the Clear warm, dull, dark, I'd definitely hate the Ananda.

Well... you probably will.

Yeah it's been a while since I've heard the Clear but warm, dark, and lacking brightness are NOT words I would use.

Not even remotely

The Ananda is, IMHO, the best balanced neutral sound I've ever heard in a headphone. It may have better or worse technicalities, but speaking of tonality, for me it is the most natural, neutral and balanced tonality that I have tried so far. Again, IMHO.

Since here at head-fi I can only show it visually, I'll give you the graph so you can understand why the Clear seems warm and dark to me, compared to the neutral sound that, as I said, the Ananda has:

The Clear is missing a lot, a lot of energy above 3 kHz (red fill in the graph). Apart from other problems for me such as too much energy between 800 and 1500 Hz...

 

[glpsace]

Hello,

I ´m new around here, as to the audiophile world. This thread caught my attention but it will certainly take me a while to catch up.

Anyway, I always listened to music but without passion. In the 90´s I was more into classic metal and progressive rock. In the last few years, I "discovered" Instrumental progressive metal but it was only when I found a band called Scale the Summit that I finally discovered what passion for music means. Go figure! So much, that at 46 years old, and for the first time in life, I feel the need to step up the game in order to appreciate even more this amazing band that shook my world.

I will use, at home, My Imac 24 as a source for streaming Apple Music, ALAC High-Res. Plan to get an external DAC and amplifier (or 2 in 1) to connect to an headphone. In the future possibly get a CD player just because I plan to get all the albums in CD.

For now I will need your help in choosing the best possible Headphone (I could go up to 600 / 700 Euros more or less, but won't mind cheaper options for the same sound quality) to listen to this specific band.

For those who never heard about Scale the Summit, I will try to define the style, in my ignorance the best I can. Sorry for the lack of technical terms and please just be patient with me.

It supposedly is integrated in the Instrumental Progressive metal / Rock genre but in my opinion is different of what most consider when thinking of progressive metal.

It can be fast paced at times but the band concentrates mostly in technical melodic leads and riffs instead of shredding. Especially the albums until 2016 (and "Migration" and "V" more than anything else) have a more organic sound with an almost perfect mix between both the guitars, bass and drums.

The last 2 albums is much more about the leading guitar, consequence of the band "transformations" and former problems, but I still love it no matter what.

I hope I was specific enough for you to be able to help me choose a nice set of headphones to appreciate even more their sound.

Thank you very much and cheers!

 

[yrstruly]

That’s great to hear and it makes my decision even harder! Just one more question! How does the 2CB present the rhythm section with stuff like Tool, Metallica, AC/DC? Do you get a good sense of rhythm with clearly defined kick drums and snappy snares?

Yes - they are great for this and metal generally imo.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Well... you probably will.





The Ananda is, IMHO, the best balanced neutral sound I've ever heard in a headphone. It may have better or worse technicalities, but speaking of tonality, for me it is the most natural, neutral and balanced tonality that I have tried so far. Again, IMHO.

Since here at head-fi I can only show it visually, I'll give you the graph so you can understand why the Clear seems warm and dark to me, compared to the neutral sound that, as I said, the Ananda has:



The Clear is missing a lot, a lot of energy above 3 kHz (red fill in the graph). Apart from other problems for me such as too much energy between 800 and 1500 Hz...

I really think this is a case of hearing differences between people because if you were to take an array of headphones, from the warmest and darkest all the way up to the brightest and coolest, the Clear would absolutely land in the latter category, even if the Ananda is higher up on that spectrum. The fact that the Ananda is well under the target on the bass but significantly over the target on the treble is, at least IMO, illustrating its relative brightness. From the graphs, the Clear is far more neutral simply by virtue of not having this big tilt between treble and bass alongside the mids not being scooped out as much.

 

[firesign]

I really think this is a case of hearing differences between people because if you were to take an array of headphones, from the warmest and darkest all the way up to the brightest and coolest, the Clear would absolutely land in the latter category, even if the Ananda is higher up on that spectrum. The fact that the Ananda is well under the target on the bass but significantly over the target on the treble is, at least IMO, illustrating its relative brightness. From the graphs, the Clear is far more neutral simply by virtue of not having this big tilt between treble and bass alongside the mids not being scooped out as much.

The Clear is not neutral because is under the referente graph all the spectrum from the high mids to the high treble.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

The Clear is not neutral because is under the referente graph all the spectrum from the high mids to the high treble.

I didn't say it's neutral, I said it's far more neutral than the incredibly bright Ananda, which is far under the reference in the bass and far over it in the treble. The Clear has a bias towards the mids, absolutely, but that bias is much less than the Ananda's heavy treble emphasis.

If it sounds how you like it, that's great, but using the Ananda as a neutral reference point and calling the Clear "warm and dark" is severely misleading. The Ananda is a very bright headphone, the graph bears this out.