[matthewhypolite]

  Just found this thread having listened to the LCD3s for the first time over the weekend...and loved them!
 
Thought they demolished the LCD2s and had all the soul that the technically superlative HD800S lacked...
 
...but then I look at this and see that (ignoring repeat failures), they have nearly a 30% failure rate??? for something that is this expensive and supposed to be high end? I mean this to me sounds worse than the issues people complain about with HiFiMan in terms of reliability and QC?
 
Surprised the Audiophile media aren't talking about it more TBH and it certainly makes me think twice about buying them now - especially given that they (like everything else worth buying) are insanely overpriced here in New Zealand and I imagine warranty repairs would be a nightmare from here too.
 
That said, I don't want to feel like I am "settling" for something else given that I loved their sound so much.
 
Ugh.

 
The voting results at the top of the thread is not an accurate gauge as their are alot of folks who initially votes "no" but have since had a failure. Not being able to subsequently change your vote skewed the results.
I've also had QC issues with Wifi hifiman, but that was just a small anomaly in one of the drives, nothing to the extent of lcd3, and since my HEK replacement they've been fine. unlike my 5 lcd3 failures.
 
And yes, warranty repairs are indeed a nightmare when living outside the U.S. which i can also attest too.
 
Hope your cans server you well. They do sound pretty great.

 

[MrBenvolent]

   
The voting results at the top of the thread is not an accurate gauge as their are alot of folks who initially votes "no" but have since had a failure. Not being able to subsequently change your vote skewed the results.
I've also had QC issues with Wifi hifiman, but that was just a small anomaly in one of the drives, nothing to the extent of lcd3, and since my HEK replacement they've been fine. unlike my 5 lcd3 failures.
 
And yes, warranty repairs are indeed a nightmare when living outside the U.S. which i can also attest too.
 
Hope your cans server you well. They do sound pretty great.

Well this is the thing - sorry it wasn't clear from my post - I haven't bought them yet!
 
I am still in the listening and researching phase in my laughably vain attempt to try and hit endgame...and this reliability thing is putting me off the headphones that I have liked best by far.

 

[matthewhypolite]

 
Well this is the thing - sorry it wasn't clear from my post - I haven't bought them yet!
 
I am still in the listening and researching phase in my laughably vain attempt to try and hit endgame...and this reliability thing is putting me off the headphones that I have liked best by far.

What other cans did you try that you'd say competes with lcd3?

 

[MrBenvolent]

  What other cans did you try that you'd say competes with lcd3?

I have been a bit all over the place tbh - and the LCD3s are out of the price range I was originally looking at (could have been a mistake listening to them!)
 
Currently I have FAD Sonorous VI (great but comfort issues and closed back)
 
So far I have listened to:
 
HiFiMan HE560 - really liked them. Subtle and airy and no harshness to me. Concerns on HiFiman QC
Oppo PM1 - Fun! But reckon they could get a bit wearing and they were a bit closed in
LCD2 - Good! But not really much better than my Sonorous for the money IMHO and again, a bit too closed in
HD800S - All the meticulous detail and technical strength I expected. Lacking soul...maybe a bit cold?
LCD3 - Loved these. They had "it" as far as my ears/tastes were concerned and were a clear cut above all the rest but are well out of my original budget (The Senns were the ceiling originally) but now thinking about reconsidering the budget.
 
With all the above I would look at a new amp/DAC as well and I liked both the IFi DSD and the Audeze Deckard.

 

[matthewhypolite]

 
I have been a bit all over the place tbh - and the LCD3s are out of the price range I was originally looking at (could have been a mistake listening to them!)
 
Currently I have FAD Sonorous VI (great but comfort issues and closed back)
 
So far I have listened to:
 
HiFiMan HE560 - really liked them. Subtle and airy and no harshness to me. Concerns on HiFiman QC
Oppo PM1 - Fun! But reckon they could get a bit wearing and they were a bit closed in
LCD2 - Good! But not really much better than my Sonorous for the money IMHO and again, a bit too closed in
HD800S - All the meticulous detail and technical strength I expected. Lacking soul...maybe a bit cold?
LCD3 - Loved these. They had "it" as far as my ears/tastes were concerned and were a clear cut above all the rest but are well out of my original budget (The Senns were the ceiling originally) but now thinking about reconsidering the budget.
 
With all the above I would look at a new amp/DAC as well and I liked both the IFi DSD and the Audeze Deckard.

Add the following to your testing:
 
Focal Elear - $1000 - I own the utopia and they are overal the best headphone i've yet heard, the Elear has alot of the same technology at a very attractive price.
Hifiman HEX - $1300 - Havent personally heard them but word is they are good
Hifiman HE1000 V1 - ~$2300 - I current own these are to my ears, are better than the LCD3. I have the V2s on the way to compare. 
Mr Speakers Ether Flow - $1800 - Recently earned Tyll's wall of fame, he thinks very highly of these. Check his site for review.
 
All these cans compete with the LCD3, if you can get ears on, it would broaden your options, since you like the LCD3 sound.

For Dac/Amp take a look at Schiit Jotunheim as well.

 

[MrBenvolent]

  Add the following to your testing:
 
Focal Elear - $1000 - I own the utopia and they are overal the best headphone i've yet heard, the Elear has alot of the same technology at a very attractive price.
Hifiman HEX - $1300 - Havent personally heard them but word is they are good
Hifiman HE1000 V1 - ~$2300 - I current own these are to my ears, are better than the LCD3. I have the V2s on the way to compare. 
Mr Speakers Ether Flow - $1800 - Recently earned Tyll's wall of fame, he thinks very highly of these. Check his site for review.
 
All these cans compete with the LCD3, if you can get ears on, it would broaden your options, since you like the LCD3 sound.

For Dac/Amp take a look at Schiit Jotunheim as well.

Thanks mate - appreciate your input and recommendations!
 
Unfortunately Mr Speakers and Focal cans are just not available locally here - we are a small market - and I wouldn't want to spend that much without a good listen first!
 
The HiFiMan X would definately be a contender in the LCD3 price bracket so will have to have a listen to those. The HE1000 only seem to be on the ground in the V2 flavour and they are really blowing the budget at a cool NZ$5300 (US$3700!)
 
Jotenheim also on the list - for that level of recommendation and price, I would be happy ordering blind.
 
Cheers

 

[zilch0md]

Add the following to your testing:

Focal Elear - $1000 - I own the utopia and they are overal the best headphone i've yet heard, the Elear has alot of the same technology at a very attractive price.

(Snip)

Knock-knock!
Who's there?
Elear
Elear who?
Another Elear with drivers that knock when bass signals are strong.

(Going by reports on the Elear thread, I wouldn't want to replace an LCD-3 with an Elear until Focal gets that problem worked out.)

 

[MrBenvolent]

I know there are no guarantees in life, but for anything with such a high price of entry and with ambitions for "TOTL" status I would expect better QC and/or a longer, stronger warranty...but it certainly doesn't seem that Audeze are alone here

 

[matthewhypolite]

Knock-knock!
Who's there?
Elear
Elear who?
Another Elear with drivers that knock when bass signals are strong.

(Going by reports on the Elear thread, I wouldn't want to replace an LCD-3 with an Elear until Focal gets that problem worked out.)

Only been following the Utopia thread, was not aware the Eldar had an issue.

 

[mscott58]

I know there are no guarantees in life, but for anything with such a high price of entry and with ambitions for "TOTL" status I would expect better QC and/or a longer, stronger warranty...but it certainly doesn't seem that Audeze are alone here

 


If you read through a good portion of this thread you'll learn that Audeze did look into this and changed out their film supplier to try to deal with this issue. If you want any proof of this, scroll backwards and see how far apart the postings are now versus what they used to be.

Also the survey at the top (as has already been pointed out) is affected by a high level of selection bias. Not to say there a small number of failures, it was far more than it should have been, but most people who came here were looking for a place to vent their frustrations after a failure, hence the bias.

Cheers

 

[MrBenvolent]

 

  I know there are no guarantees in life, but for anything with such a high price of entry and with ambitions for "TOTL" status I would expect better QC and/or a longer, stronger warranty...but it certainly doesn't seem that Audeze are alone here

 


If you read through a good portion of this thread you'll learn that Audeze did look into this and changed out their film supplier to try to deal with this issue. If you want any proof of this, scroll backwards and see how far apart the postings are now versus what they used to be.

Also the survey at the top (as has already been pointed out) is affected by a high level of selection bias. Not to say there a small number of failures, it was far more than it should have been, but most people who came here were looking for a place to vent their frustrations after a failure, hence the bias.

Cheers

Those are great points - thanks for that reassurance as I am reluctant to take them off my shortlist...I enjoyed them so much!
 
Would definitely work with the reseller to get the most recent production date for the unit if I decided to purchase.

 

[Argo Duck]

Those are great points - thanks for that reassurance as I am reluctant to take them off my shortlist...I enjoyed them so much!

Would definitely work with the reseller to get the most recent production date for the unit if I decided to purchase.

Yes those are great points of mscott58's. Absolutely correct. I'm a statistician and we simply have no idea from this poll of the number of people who haven't had problems with their LCD phones. As well, I suspect a 30% failure rate would have long ago put Audeze out of business :eek: I can't think how they could sustain either their business or their status as a viable headphone manufacturer at that rate!

OTOH it is undeniable that some of us have had heart-breaking failures more than once. What this thread's about.

I'm - so far - one of the lucky ones with an LCD2 rev 1 (bought new, direct from Audeze several years old just days before the rev 2 changeover) and LCD3-F (2 years, bought in NZ) both going strong.

 

[MrBenvolent]

 and LCD3-F (2 years, bought in NZ) both going strong.

 
Who did you buy from?
 
Cheers

 

[mscott58]

Yes those are great points of mscott58's. Absolutely correct. I'm a statistician and we simply have no idea from this poll of the number of people who haven't had problems with their LCD phones. As well, I suspect a 30% failure rate would have long ago put Audeze out of business

I can't think how they could sustain either their business or their status as a viable headphone manufacturer at that rate!



OTOH it is undeniable that some of us have had heart-breaking failures more than once. What this thread's about.



I'm - so far - one of the lucky ones with an LCD2 rev 1 (bought new, direct from Audeze several years old just days before the rev 2 changeover) and LCD3-F (2 years, bought in NZ) both going strong.

 


My stats professor from b-school would be glad to find out I retained a thing or two...

 

[Chikolad]

It might also be worth checking whether in case of a driver failure, would the local dealer in NZ be able to replace the drivers themselves (with a new pair of matched drivers Audeze supplies in advance).
The dealer here in Israel does it and it saves having to mail the headphones to Audeze and back - almost makes the failure a non-issue.