[cwoo]

I got the LCD-R in yesterday (running off jot a only). I heard some people compare it to the susvara, and to me it's pretty different. LCD-R is much more "fun" and engaging. Can be pretty intimate but also has pretty good stage size. Susvara on the other hand is much more laid back and not as in your face. Susvara is easily more natural. This isn't to put the LCD-R down whatsoever (anyways the comparison is a bit incongruent anyhow), but rather to say that they do very different things in my opinion and I gravitate to either based on music and mood. I think I prefer the LCD-R over the LCD-4z, mostly for preferences (LCD-R being a lot more fun and engaging and has very nice bass slam). I haven't owned the lcd24 for sometime and don't have the LCD4 anymore, but if I could compare directly, I think LCD-R may be the one I would keep out LCD-4, LCD-24, LCD-4z and LCD-R.

Overall very nice headphone and absolutely stunning fwiw but between 1266tc/susvara, I will probably be letting the LCD-R go soon as tends to happen seemingly every headphone that is not mysphere or sr1a.

Wow, that was a short stop in your stable. Got it yesterday and it's gone "SELLING: LCD-R, Verite O, LCD4z, Stellia, Clear, Eddie Current Black Widow v2"

 

[chargedcapacitor]

Wow, that was a short stop in your stable. Got it yesterday and it's gone "SELLING: LCD-R, Verite O, LCD4z, Stellia, Clear, Eddie Current Black Widow v2"

Bet he didn't even try it with another amp!

 

[paradoxper]

I got the LCD-R in yesterday (running off jot a only). I heard some people compare it to the susvara, and to me it's pretty different. LCD-R is much more "fun" and engaging. Can be pretty intimate but also has pretty good stage size. Susvara on the other hand is much more laid back and not as in your face. Susvara is easily more natural. This isn't to put the LCD-R down whatsoever (anyways the comparison is a bit incongruent anyhow), but rather to say that they do very different things in my opinion and I gravitate to either based on music and mood. I think I prefer the LCD-R over the LCD-4z, mostly for preferences (LCD-R being a lot more fun and engaging and has very nice bass slam). I haven't owned the lcd24 for sometime and don't have the LCD4 anymore, but if I could compare directly, I think LCD-R may be the one I would keep out LCD-4, LCD-24, LCD-4z and LCD-R.

Overall very nice headphone and absolutely stunning fwiw but between 1266tc/susvara, I will probably be letting the LCD-R go soon as tends to happen seemingly every headphone that is not mysphere or sr1a.

This is their story. Very good not quite 1% good enough. Glad you got the chance to try them though.

 

[brams]

Great comments @sa11297.

I have always admired those who are able to cement their impressions of a product in a fairly short period of time. Earlier in my audio journey I thought I could do the same, but over time I found that I had to live with a component for a long period and try it with a number of different components before drawing any long lasting conclusions. In fact, there have been a few times where my perception of an item's performance has changed (sometimes dramatically) over time. Usually what it takes is a synergistic (and many times unexpected) pairing with another component.

Let's face it: most totl equipment nowadays perform at a really high level ... mostly different flavors of the same dish as opposed to a fundamentally different dish. As a result, nowadays for me it's more about picking a flavour and optimizing around it as opposed to searching for a holy grail.

 

[M3NTAL]

Nice impressions @sa11297 - I hope the LCD-5 and CRBN scratch the itch. The LCD-R is still being compared to headphones that cost more and don't come with an amplifier (included in the price) - High praises for Audeze + Schiit still.

 

[sa11297]

Nice impressions @sa11297 - I hope the LCD-5 and CRBN scratch the itch. The LCD-R is still being compared to headphones that cost more and don't come with an amplifier (included in the price) - High praises for Audeze + Schiit still.

Yeah. I should be clear. I am beyond happy with my 1266tc, Susvara and Mysphere 3.2. (In fact I would be pretty happy with just the Mysphere 3.2 as it seemingly does everything to my ears.) I have tried and liked but ultimately sold many headphones (lcd4, d8000, d8000 pro, meze elite, etc) because those three make them a bit redundant for me.
The new releases (and my recent venture into electrostats) is mostly something fun for me to do, not really me being dissatisfied with what I have or expecting the 1266tc/susvara/mysphere to be dethroned. But I may be pleasantly surprised and find a new "keeper" after thinking I had found endgame, as was the case with the Mysphere for me.

 

[makan]

Anyone find a way to either replace the jot-a feet or raise the height of them? I am trying to find a solution and am not sure if the feet are glued or not, and if it is a good idea to try ripping them off and putting on some higher feet. I wants to stack it on my Ifi ican pro but right now there is not enough clearance.

 

[brams]

Anyone find a way to either replace the jot-a feet or raise the height of them? I am trying to find a solution and am not sure if the feet are glued or not, and if it is a good idea to try ripping them off and putting on some higher feet. I wants to stack it on my Ifi ican pro but right now there is not enough clearance.

I would leave the existing feet on and use stick-on furniture feet on the open areas at the bottom of the Jot-A to raise the height. Stick-on feet made from various materials are readily available on Amazon or any hardware store. For example, doubling up round, stick-on felt pads would work just fine and is an inexpensive solution.

 

[brams]

Yeah. I should be clear. I am beyond happy with my 1266tc, Susvara and Mysphere 3.2. (In fact I would be pretty happy with just the Mysphere 3.2 as it seemingly does everything to my ears.) I have tried and liked but ultimately sold many headphones (lcd4, d8000, d8000 pro, meze elite, etc) because those three make them a bit redundant for me.
The new releases (and my recent venture into electrostats) is mostly something fun for me to do, not really me being dissatisfied with what I have or expecting the 1266tc/susvara/mysphere to be dethroned. But I may be pleasantly surprised and find a new "keeper" after thinking I had found endgame, as was the case with the Mysphere for me.

Even though it would likely would not make my list of best headphones, from memory the Mysphere sounds great and probably gets nowhere near the attention it deserves. The beauty of this hobby is that every listener assigns different subjective weights to the same objective attributes.

I guess what many are saying indirectly about the LCD-R is that although it immediately impresses with its speed and smootheness, it tends to be a unit that further grows on you over time. Basically, its hard to fully appreciate its many attributes unless you live with it long term and experiment with a number of different components. I am even finding that I am liking the Jot-A more than I i intially did especially when I leave it on constantly and use with a good dac.

 

[deafenears]

Anyone find a way to either replace the jot-a feet or raise the height of them? I am trying to find a solution and am not sure if the feet are glued or not, and if it is a good idea to try ripping them off and putting on some higher feet. I wants to stack it on my Ifi ican pro but right now there is not enough clearance.

The feet pops right off.


After that, you can use whatever other feets you have to raise the height.

 

[M3NTAL]

Just a friendly reminder to new LCD-R owners - I am keeping a SN list (link below) - PM me if you want to add yours to the list.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/introducing-the-audeze-lcd-r.958720/post-16549100

 

[VandyMan]

The more I listen to my LCD-R, the more I like it. This one is a long-term keeper for me. I use it in my work setup (mostly) driven by the Jot-A with the LCD-X 2021 Audeze preset in Roon (plus a little bass boost PEQ). I've tried it with my Woo WA-5, as I've previously mentioned, and that is an improvement. However, the Jot-A is more convenient for my work setup and gives me maybe 90% of what I get on the WA-5. I added the USB-C DAC card to the Jot-A and I'm finding it provides a little more smoothness to the LCD-R, which suits all day work listening.

 

[chargedcapacitor]

After over a week of listening only to the LCD-5 and tuning the EQ to my preferences, I think I can finally wrap my head around how the LCD-R compares to the LCD-5. I initially gave my impressions on how the LCD-5 compares to the LCD-R in terms of bass; I did this first since the lower frequencies are always easier to accurately compare.

So how does the LCD-R stack up against the LCD-5? In my opinion (after tuning the EQ on both cans just right), the LCD-5 does everything the LCD-R can do, but better. The differences seem to be primarily in frequency response and amplification. Both headphones are extremely fast and detailed, but the LCD-5 is a bit faster and more detailed. Both headphones have great bass, but the LCD-5 has better bass. Both headphones are very dynamic and holographic, but the LCD-5 is a bit more dynamic and holographic.

Vocals (and general smoothness) were the main aspects where the LCD-R gave the LCD-5 a bit more competition. I actually used the LCD-R as a reference for EQ to see if I could tune the LCD-5 to the same "flavor" the LCD-R has. After several hours of back and forth listening, I feel like I finally found an EQ profile that satisfies me.

So where does that leave my opinions? Well, without EQ, the LCD-R is a more smooth, more musical headphone with the best, by far, vocals I have ever heard. The LCD-5 is more mid forward, but has a dynamic presentation that is immediately noticeable and bass that can almost be felt. I find that without a proper EQ setup, I prefer the LCD-R on older rock and live music, while the LCD-5 sounds better for electronic and pop music. There would be no way I could get rid of either.

After figuring out the EQ, I can't really find any music I prefer to listen to on the LCD-R. When I factor in the weight of the LCD-R, it's low choice in amplification, the chance that the pads will break in and the fazors will touch my ears, I can't really find a reason to listen to / keep them. Even after going back to only the LCD-5, I found a song I wanted to compare the LCD-R to. After a very short listen, it was apparent that the LCD-5 played the song better (to my ears) in just about every metric. In the coming days, I will (almost reluctantly!) be putting my LCD-R up for sale so I can further invest in the amplification for my LCD-5.

 

[cwoo]

After over a week of listening only to the LCD-5 and tuning the EQ to my preferences, I think I can finally wrap my head around how the LCD-R compares to the LCD-5. I initially gave my impressions on how the LCD-5 compares to the LCD-R in terms of bass; I did this first since the lower frequencies are always easier to accurately compare.

So how does the LCD-R stack up against the LCD-5? In my opinion (after tuning the EQ on both cans just right), the LCD-5 does everything the LCD-R can do, but better. The differences seem to be primarily in frequency response and amplification. Both headphones are extremely fast and detailed, but the LCD-5 is a bit faster and more detailed. Both headphones have great bass, but the LCD-5 has better bass. Both headphones are very dynamic and holographic, but the LCD-5 is a bit more dynamic and holographic.

Vocals (and general smoothness) were the main aspects where the LCD-R gave the LCD-5 a bit more competition. I actually used the LCD-R as a reference for EQ to see if I could tune the LCD-5 to the same "flavor" the LCD-R has. After several hours of back and forth listening, I feel like I finally found an EQ profile that satisfies me.

So where does that leave my opinions? Well, without EQ, the LCD-R is a more smooth, more musical headphone with the best, by far, vocals I have ever heard. The LCD-5 is more mid forward, but has a dynamic presentation that is immediately noticeable and bass that can almost be felt. I find that without a proper EQ setup, I prefer the LCD-R on older rock and live music, while the LCD-5 sounds better for electronic and pop music. There would be no way I could get rid of either.

After figuring out the EQ, I can't really find any music I prefer to listen to on the LCD-R. When I factor in the weight of the LCD-R, it's low choice in amplification, the chance that the pads will break in and the fazors will touch my ears, I can't really find a reason to listen to / keep them. Even after going back to only the LCD-5, I found a song I wanted to compare the LCD-R to. After a very short listen, it was apparent that the LCD-5 played the song better (to my ears) in just about every metric. In the coming days, I will (almost reluctantly!) be putting my LCD-R up for sale so I can further invest in the amplification for my LCD-5.

Nice write up! With only so few of us owning the LCD-R its awesome that you put this review together. I love the LCD-R and now am anxious to hear the LCD-5. You'll have no trouble selling that LCD-R! Good luck with the sale!

 

[VandyMan]

After figuring out the EQ, I can't really find any music I prefer to listen to on the LCD-R. When I factor in the weight of the LCD-R, it's low choice in amplification, the chance that the pads will break in and the fazors will touch my ears, I can't really find a reason to listen to / keep them. Even after going back to only the LCD-5, I found a song I wanted to compare the LCD-R to. After a very short listen, it was apparent that the LCD-5 played the song better (to my ears) in just about every metric. In the coming days, I will (almost reluctantly!) be putting my LCD-R up for sale so I can further invest in the amplification for my LCD-5.

Thanks for that write up. I'm keeping my LCD-R, but have been debating if I should trade in my LCD-4 for an LCD-5. My main concern being that the LCD-5 might be too detailed for some older live rock recordings I like. Sounds like with proper EQ, the LCD-5 should be fine.