Is Audeze LCD-2 with very good gear better than LCD-3 with normal gear?

[anetode]

   
But cryo treated, 110% pure platinum cables hand built my monks really makes a huge difference!!!

 
No fair, you can't bring magic monks into this!

 
 

The LCD-3 might only be 20% better, but the 20% is disproportionately important. They're far better than the 2, make no mistake about that.

 
I must have made that mistake as I just sold my LCD 3s. All headphones are a matter of taste and taste cannot be quantified by percentages. There isn't a linear hierarchy of headphones, especially not one guided only by price and product tier. IMHO, WTFBBQ, etc.

 

[AnalogSavior]

Tyll at Innerfidelity is an often trusted source when it comes to headphones.  Rather than tell you what to buy, maybe give this article on the current lineup from Audeze a read.  He is thorough and objective, and provides plenty of measurements if you're into that sort of thing.  It might help you get a better idea of what each has to offer.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/audeze-lcd-x-fazor-and-fresh-listen-current-lcd-2-and-lcd-3

 

[NZtechfreak]

No fair, you can't bring magic monks into this!



I must have made that mistake as I just sold my LCD 3s. All headphones are a matter of taste and taste cannot be quantified by percentages. There isn't a linear hierarchy of headphones, especially not one guided only by price and product tier. IMHO, WTFBBQ, etc.

Sure, I wasn't the one bringing arbitrary percentage estimates into this discussion, I was responding to someone else's percentage estimate. Sure, price etc are not good estimates, but on virtually all fronts the LCD-3 exceeds the 2 (the only area where the 2s might exceed the 3s is the bass, but even then only for certain tastes).

In this scenario - buy the 3+amp or buy the 2+amp and spend the difference on a cable+interconnect+battery pack I think the clear answer is buy the better tranducer. If he were pocketing the difference or something else then that becomes a very different scenario that boils down to a very personalised value proposition that only the OP can sort out for himself.

 

[anetode]

...on virtually all fronts the LCD-3 exceeds the 2 (the only area where the 2s might exceed the 3s is the bass, but even then only for certain tastes).

I disagree with that sort of blanket statement, though it may well be accurate to your tastes. The LCD-3 has more abundant treble, a wider headstage and is slightly more resolving, but in many other ways I found them very close and the LCD-2 to be a better deal overall. Again, matter of taste.

 

[NZtechfreak]

  I disagree with that sort of blanket statement, though it may well be accurate to your tastes. The LCD-3 has more abundant treble, a wider headstage and is slightly more resolving, but in many other ways I found them very close and the LCD-2 to be a better deal overall. Again, matter of taste.

 
The question here is not the 3 Vs the 2 however, I edited my post as you were probably typing this reply - the question at hand is as I summarised it, and I think the only answer here is the 3 and amp rather than 2+ amp with cables+battery pack.

 

[anetode]

OK, I appreciate the calculus.
 
Only one more slightly incendiary suggestion to the op: Alo Audio amps are overpriced and under-engineered, you can get better performance and a better deal with other options.

 

[NZtechfreak]

 
Only one more slightly incendiary suggestion to the op: Alo Audio amps are overpriced and under-engineered, you can get better performance and a better deal with other options.

 
Yes, I'd be interested to know the reasons behind the amp choice (as well as what music the OP likes, what source they will be running and so forth).
 
Personally I'd probably take an HE-500 at run out prices and a Taurus MKII for the same kind of money he's spending here

 

[AnalogSavior]

   
Only one more slightly incendiary suggestion to the op: Alo Audio amps are overpriced and under-engineered, you can get better performance and a better deal with other options.

 
I have no personal experience with ALO, but others who's opinion I trust agree with this.
 
 
Quote:

   
Yes, I'd be interested to know the reasons behind the amp choice (as well as what music the OP likes, what source they will be running and so forth).
 
Personally I'd probably take an HE-500 at run out prices and a Taurus MKII for the same kind of money he's spending here

 
Not a bad suggestion, though I personally haven't liked the HiFiman sound the various times I've tried them.

 

[NZtechfreak]

   
Not a bad suggestion, though I personally haven't liked the HiFiman sound the various times I've tried them.

 
Matter of taste, I wonder if a second hand LCD-2 and the Taurus MKII would be within reach for similar money?
 
Anyways, we straying quite far from the OPs original question here... Maybe they could chime in about whether they'd like to discuss their choices further, or whether they're 100% set and only need the binary decision in the OP answered...

 

[Sebab]

Okay, thanks for all this helpful information!
 
Probably getting the 3s with cheap cables and then I may upgrade the cables in the future.

 

[Sebab]

I just chose the Pan Am because many have said that it's an excellent pairing with Audeze LCD 2 and 3

 

[Sebab]

Still gonna think about the amp though.

 

[anetode]

Think Schiit

 

[Fireboy]

My two bits...

I was fortunate to try the the following cans at the recent Vancouver meetup:

LCD 2
LCD 3
LCD X
HE 500
Stax 009 (I think it was the 009)
HD 800

All had a mix of stock and custom cables. My favourite (besides my own HD650) was the LCD 2. This week I was able to buy a 2nd hand LCD 2 with rosewood in unused condition at a very fair price. I'm lovin it.

I'm driving the audeze with a Ear+ HD Super II by mapletree audio.

 

[Sebab]

Good to know, so why did you like the LCD-2 more than the LCD-3 or LCD-X?