[deadmanssanctum]

So the LCD-X(2021) was my first high end headphone. I've had it for about 4-5 months and honestly I really love it. I love the tonality of my Focal Clear OG more but with the contrast of types I appreciate the headphone even more. I see the LCD-X as something that makes me not want or need another high end planar, it's executed so well in its technical performance that I can't help but put them on. I will say though that without another high end headphone to appreciate them and contrast them the LCD-X would become less interesting due to a less balanced tonality. Either way I thoroughly enjoy this headphone and the amazing customer support Audeze has.

 

[bust3r]

Well, it's a VST/AAX-plugin for a DAW, not a system wide EQ like Equalizer APO. We use FabFilter Pro-Q along with other plugins as a tool for production, mixing, and mastering in Pro Tools, Ableton Live and other hosts. It's clinical, surgical, "lifeless", mathematically correct. This is one of the most convenient and versatile tools for music production, especially given its visual signal analysis. A tool for a sound engineer in order to create music but not for listening)) FabFilter Pro-Q is mainly used to correct separate instrument resonances, tones, and to fit an instruments into the mix. So I guess, FabFilter Pro-Q is not applicable for an audiophile experience.

Ahh, ok I see. I'll take this out of the list of EQ options then.

 

[Uguccione]

In older days phones that didn't work without heavy EQ were considered junk. It is a really lazy way from Audeze to release them with tuning like that dumping problem on end user.

Effectively... .
Yesterday I had my first listening session with the X / 21s. The previous owner had told me that the headphones had been playing for about 25-30 hours; so let's say they were still in full running-in.
Having said that, I felt them a bit empty in the low and mid-low range, very similar to the HD800 in this frequency range; but above all I found them shrill, bordering on distortion (indeed, the sensation is just that of a distortion) in the medium-high, on female voices when they are a little screamed. So - let's say - in dynamic peaks.
With an aftermarket cable (Duelund) things on the medium-high are a bit 'improved, but certainly the problem has not been solved.

Give it time to go up to 100 hours before trying other cables and/or changing pads.

I do not equalize (first commandment of the decalogue of the perfect audiophile).

 

[mikecheck95]

Effectively... .
Yesterday I had my first listening session with the X / 21s. The previous owner had told me that the headphones had been playing for about 25-30 hours; so let's say they were still in full running-in.
Having said that, I felt them a bit empty in the low and mid-low range, very similar to the HD800 in this frequency range; but above all I found them shrill, bordering on distortion (indeed, the sensation is just that of a distortion) in the medium-high, on female voices when they are a little screamed. So - let's say - in dynamic peaks.
With an aftermarket cable (Duelund) things on the medium-high are a bit 'improved, but certainly the problem has not been solved.

Give it time to go up to 100 hours before trying other cables and/or changing pads.

I do not equalize (first commandment of the decalogue of the perfect audiophile).

If there is one thing this headphone does right it’s having exceedingly low distortion up to insane volumes. I think what you’re hearing is a large peak above 10k. It’s usually around 11.5k and you can bring it down with a parametric eq filter.

 

[Uguccione]

I want to clarify that I have listed the only two things that have not convinced me. For the rest it seems to me an excellent headphones and I'm glad I took it.

 

[The French]

Hi,

Regarding EQ.
It was complicated a few years back, but now, it's pretty easy, even for someone who know nothing about that.

On PC, you've got APO+ Peace. Totally free.
You just need to install those, choose 10 bands.
Then open the results, for your headphones, listed here :
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq (results folder)
Then copy paste the corrections in APO/Peace, to apply, save...that's it !


On Android
There is Wavelet, which natively works with very few players.
But if you've got Android 10 or above, you can use a little trick to EQ every single player your DAP or phone will play
It looks complicated for a newbie (I am one), but it's not.
The app is on the Google Store.
Then go here and try to apply the Enhanced session detection, dont be scare, it worth it.
https://pittvandewitt.github.io/Wavelet/
Once installed and the Enhanced session detection applied, you just have to tell the app what HP you have, it will apply the EQ automatically, using the results listed in the link of jaakkopasanen. It's like magic.

I personnally use UAPP on Android. It's a pay app, but if you have Qobuz or Tidal, it's very usefull.
I've also bought the Tonebooster EQ, directly from the App. You can then do exactly the same thing as on APO/Peace

There is also Roon, but it's much more expensive, and I don't like the idea of being stuck in a echosystem.
Plus, there is the "Core" thing... That's not for me.

I don't have a Mac, nor an Iphone, so I don't know any solution on those devices.


That said, EQing is an Audiophile thing.
To try to always improve what can be improved....but it's a never ending story.
The Harman graph is not necessarly the graal people may think it is.

I'm not using anymore on my XC.
Because I've installed Dekoni pads, so I don't have any solid graph to refer to.

I'm only using it on my Denon D7000, to temper its low end.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

And lose ability to use Exclusive mode, letting OS mixer and sound from other apps corrupt audio signal even more.

 

[Uguccione]

Hi @The French, thanks for the long reply. I don't actually equalize because I'm a No-Eq. (lol) and not because he doesn't know how to do it (at least on an amateur level).

I also use UAPP which I find excellent

 

[mikecheck95]

Hi,

Regarding EQ.
It was complicated a few years back, but now, it's pretty easy, even for someone who know nothing about that.

On PC, you've got APO+ Peace. Totally free.
You just need to install those, choose 10 bands.
Then open the results, for your headphones, listed here :
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq (results folder)
Then copy paste the corrections in APO/Peace, to apply, save...that's it !


On Android
There is Wavelet, which natively works with very few players.
But if you've got Android 10 or above, you can use a little trick to EQ every single player your DAP or phone will play
It looks complicated for a newbie (I am one), but it's not.
The app is on the Google Store.
Then go here and try to apply the Enhanced session detection, dont be scare, it worth it.
https://pittvandewitt.github.io/Wavelet/
Once installed and the Enhanced session detection applied, you just have to tell the app what HP you have, it will apply the EQ automatically, using the results listed in the link of jaakkopasanen. It's like magic.

I personnally use UAPP on Android. It's a pay app, but if you have Qobuz or Tidal, it's very usefull.
I've also bought the Tonebooster EQ, directly from the App. You can then do exactly the same thing as on APO/Peace

There is also Roon, but it's much more expensive, and I don't like the idea of being stuck in a echosystem.
Plus, there is the "Core" thing... That's not for me.

I don't have a Mac, nor an Iphone, so I don't know any solution on those devices.


That said, EQing is an Audiophile thing.
To try to always improve what can be improved....but it's a never ending story.
The Harman graph is not necessarly the graal people may think it is.

I'm not using anymore on my XC.
Because I've installed Dekoni pads, so I don't have any solid graph to refer to.

I'm only using it on my Denon D7000, to temper its low end.

If you’re using a mac you can use Soundsource with apple’s native AUNbandEQ plugin! Iphone idk.

 

[mikecheck95]

And lose ability to use Exclusive mode, letting OS mixer and sound from other apps corrupt audio signal even more.

What’s wrong with OS mixer?

 

[Uguccione]

I, essentially, don't want to lose the bit-perfect, and with equalization you lose it.
Then maybe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but it remains a practice that psychologically I do not like.

 

[mikecheck95]

I, essentially, don't want to lose the bit-perfect, and with equalization you lose it.
Then maybe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but it remains a practice that psychologically I do not like.

I don’t think “bit perfect” makes as much of a difference as EQ does or that the difference is even comparable.

Especially when we’re talking about downsampling high res files to anything above CD quality. It likely falls under the category of “inaudible”.

 

[Uguccione]

I once tried to equalize the Nighthawks with Oratory's data. In the end they sounded like the Hifiman HE-400i (lol). They were no longer the same, they had become depersonalized.
Each headphone (but also each audio product) has its own personality behind which lies the designer's idea. I like to understand what the designer had in mind when he thought of that product, his idea of his sound.

Then it is obvious that I am looking for a substantially correct sound, but not at all costs.

This of course is just my opinion

 

[Uguccione]

The mysteries of hi-fi: yesterday second listening session and magically all the problems were gone. Maybe it depends on the adaptive abilities of our brains, or I just got a recording that suited the character of the X / 21 ("Hearts and Bones", Paul Simon - Qobuz hi-res), or both.
Really great headphones. I don't feel the weight because I listen in bed, however they are not very comfortable, they feel in the head, you never forget that you are wearing them.
My ears barely touch the fazors, but not enough to bother me.
The idea of robustness is remarkable, with all that metal. The first time I picked them up, I felt like I had bought an iron.
They are detailed in character, highly detailed, yet engaging. They don't have the midrange sonic magic of the HD800s but they have a lot more slam and power to engage.

I have a bad habit of always writing first impressions hot, so take everything 'cum grano salis'.
Maybe tomorrow I'll change my mind

 

[The French]

I don’t think “bit perfect” makes as much of a difference as EQ does or that the difference is even comparable.

Especially when we’re talking about downsampling high res files to anything above CD quality. It likely falls under the category of “inaudible”.

Clearly, bitperfect doesn't change much, while EQ does change a lot.

But I still perfectly unterstand the will to have bitperfect.
Specially if you don't want EQ.

The first thing I do after switching EQ off, is activating bitperfect, or exclusive mode on PC.
Can I here the difference ? I'm pretty sure no one can...but that's true to many differents things in that hobby.