LCD-X and XC Update

[Dixter]

Ok @Dixter,
Here's what I'll just call EQ Take 1. The XC doesn't have the same sweet spots as the X so it's a small adventure trying to find them on a closed back HP. I think I have it sounding pretty good though.

The "official" pre-amp setting is -19dB (I know it's a lot, the XC requires a bit more power than the X) but using your pre-amp method trick you can probably get away with -14dB for 99% of your songs. Just beware of modern rap sub-bass.

LCD-XC 2021 EQ Revision 10-11-22
Preamp: -19 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 4.5 dB Q 1.3
Filter 2: ON LSC Fc 39.5 Hz Gain 6.3 dB Q 0.7
Filter 3: ON LSC Fc 40.2 Hz Gain 1.3 dB Q 4
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 80 Hz Gain 6 dB Q 1.77
Filter 5: ON LSC Fc 125 Hz Gain 6.65 dB Q 0.7
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 197 Hz Gain -8.02 dB Q 1.4
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 250 Hz Gain 6.65 dB Q 0.6
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 590 Hz Gain 2.05 dB Q 3
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 740 Hz Gain -1.35 dB Q 2.5
Filter 10: ON PK Fc 1015 Hz Gain -2.45 dB Q 1.5
Filter 11: ON PK Fc 1015 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 2.9
Filter 12: ON PK Fc 1300 Hz Gain 0.25 dB Q 3.2
Filter 13: ON PK Fc 1675 Hz Gain 1.4 dB Q 4.5
Filter 14: ON PK Fc 1800 Hz Gain -4.2 dB Q 0.9
Filter 15: ON PK Fc 2000 Hz Gain 0.55 dB Q 5
Filter 16: ON PK Fc 2350 Hz Gain 1.9 dB Q 4
Filter 17: ON PK Fc 2400 Hz Gain 0.25 dB Q 2
Filter 18: ON PK Fc 2700 Hz Gain -0.2 dB Q 5
Filter 19: ON PK Fc 3550 Hz Gain -1.15 dB Q 4
Filter 20: ON PK Fc 4150 Hz Gain 4.2 dB Q 2.1
Filter 21: ON PK Fc 4300 Hz Gain 1 dB Q 2
Filter 22: ON PK Fc 5750 Hz Gain -3.8 dB Q 3.7
Filter 23: ON PK Fc 7300 Hz Gain 2.4 dB Q 3
Filter 24: ON PK Fc 9000 Hz Gain -8.6 dB Q 6
Filter 25: ON HSC Fc 10000 Hz Gain 2.3 dB Q 1
Filter 26: ON HSC Fc 13000 Hz Gain 0.98 dB Q 2.7
Filter 27: ON PK Fc 19000 Hz Gain 1.45 dB Q 0.6

Happy listening!!
-Jonne

@Jonne Haven OK.. I just got it loaded and played back a few songs... I can't believe you went with 27 sliders... I'd say you have a knack for EQ... I don't know how to describe it but its like thick thick thick... putting this EQ on the LCD-XC and then comparing your Magic EQ on the LCD-X is like having pancakes with syrup or pancakes with syrup and melted butter... both are great but different tastes...
For sure though the two EQ's put the LCD-X and LCD-XC in a different world of headphone sound signature... thanks jonne

 

[Jonne Haven]

@Jonne Haven OK.. I just got it loaded and played back a few songs... I can't believe you went with 27 sliders... I'd say you have a knack for EQ... I don't know how to describe it but its like thick thick thick... putting this EQ on the LCD-XC and then comparing your Magic EQ on the LCD-X is like having pancakes with syrup or pancakes with syrup and melted butter... both are great but different tastes...
For sure though the two EQ's put the LCD-X and LCD-XC in a different world of headphone sound signature... thanks jonne

You bet @Dixter!
I'm liking the pancake simile! I appreciate the kudos!

FYI - I made a minor but noticeable change to Filter 4's Q from 1.77 to 1.8 to distinguish between bass guitars and bass drums a bit better.

Blessings,
-J

 

[Kentajalli]

For some reason (unscientific), I have to come to accept that solid core headphone cables sound better!
Why on earth? I don't know, the book says NO too.
So I just finished making my DIY cable for my (yet to arrive) LCD-XC headphones.

Construction:
- each conductor is made by two varnished single cores of pure silver, fully annealed wire (0.3 mm each) and a dental-floss! shoved into silicon-heat-shrinks.
The dental floss is to help the strands not to tear in use, as they are soft and very thin. The silicon heat shrinks are also soft, rubbery and stretchable.
The plugs are the best quality gold-plated ones I could get for little money. The length is about a meter. It is single ended, as I have a Hugo2.
Electrical Spec:
- 0.15 ohm per conductor
- 40pF capacitance between +/- of each side. Negligible between right and left (less than 10)
- Inductance did not even register! very low.

I will know, if they work! (wiring issues?) and if it sounds any different to bundled cable next week.
BTW! Silver does not have any magical properties that I could find, so why do I use it?
Because, it is the softest metal I can find, with high conductance. solid core wires tend to be stiff. Pure, fully annealed Silver happens to be the softest, but it can tear! hence the dental floss.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

For some reason (unscientific), I have to come to accept that solid core headphone cables sound better!
Why on earth? I don't know, the book says NO too.
So I just finished making my DIY cable for my (yet to arrive) LCD-XC headphones.



Construction:
- each conductor is made by two varnished single cores of pure silver, fully annealed wire (0.3 mm each) and a dental-floss! shoved into silicon-heat-shrinks.
The dental floss is to help the strands not to tear in use, as they are soft and very thin. The silicon heat shrinks are also soft, rubbery and stretchable.
The plugs are the best quality gold-plated ones I could get for little money. The length is about a meter. It is single ended, as I have a Hugo2.
Electrical Spec:
- 0.15 ohm per conductor
- 40pF capacitance between +/- of each side. Negligible between right and left (less than 10)
- Inductance did not even register! very low.

I will know, if they work! (wiring issues?) and if it sounds any different to bundled cable next week.
BTW! Silver does not have any magical properties that I could find, so why do I use it?
Because, it is the softest metal I can find, with high conductance. solid core wires tend to be stiff. Pure, fully annealed Silver happens to be the softest, but it can tear! hence the dental floss.

In my experience I do not recommend silver plated conductors, at first they can impress the listening due to the medium-high charge they offer, however over time you will tend to not stand them anymore.

The problem is not silver but silver mixed with copper, because pure silver conductors are completely different.

 

[Kentajalli]

In my experience I do not recommend silver plated conductors, at first they can impress the listening due to the medium-high charge they offer, however over time you will tend to not stand them anymore.
The problem is not silver but silver mixed with copper, because pure silver conductors are completely different.

You did get it, that I did not use silver-plated?

 

[Guy Fawkes]

Construction:
- each conductor is made by two varnished single cores of pure silver.

Forgive me but english is not my mother tongue. However from what you have written, I seem to have understood that you are using silver plated conductors. I'm wrong?

 

[Kentajalli]

Forgive me but english is not my mother tongue. However from what you have written, I seem to have understood that you are using silver plated conductors. I'm wrong?

Yes, you are wrong.
Pure means 100% (actually 99.99%).
What I am using is 100% silver, not plated.
Don't worry about your English, you are doing fine.

 

[DaveC1964]

I have some new LCD-X cans (new 2020) version). I am using them with a Kann Cube non balanced because I don't have cables yet for 2.5mm balanced. I was using the cube with some cheap Bose cans and the sound was harsh and brassy. With the X now the sound is warm, the bass is full and tight. The issue now is it is almost too dark, there seems to be a "hole" in the upper mid/treble. Is that an issue with the cans or the cube? The cube does have an EQ but it seems to lower the volume when used and I heard it was not advisable to use EQ. Suggestion? I could live with it because my ears don't like bright treble anyway but ideally the highs could stand to be slight bit more.

 

[Strat1117]

I have some new LCD-X cans (new 2020) version). I am using them with a Kann Cube non balanced because I don't have cables yet for 2.5mm balanced. I was using the cube with some cheap Bose cans and the sound was harsh and brassy. With the X now the sound is warm, the bass is full and tight. The issue now is it is almost too dark, there seems to be a "hole" in the upper mid/treble. Is that an issue with the cans or the cube? The cube does have an EQ but it seems to lower the volume when used and I heard it was not advisable to use EQ. Suggestion? I could live with it because my ears don't like bright treble anyway but ideally the highs could stand to be slight bit more.

Others may differ, but I don’t think it’s the LCD-X. More likely your brain is still expecting the ‘harsh and brassy’ sound from the cheap Bose cans you were using, and has not yet acclimated to the Audeze. Eventually, assuming your pair is functioning normally (and I know nothing about the Kann Cube, so I’m not considering it’s contribution to the sound, one way or the other), what sounds dark to you now will open up to reveal a lush, detailed but naturally warm and musically satisfying tonal balance.

YMMV, just my $.03, etc., ad nauseum

 

[Dixter]

I have some new LCD-X cans (new 2020) version). I am using them with a Kann Cube non balanced because I don't have cables yet for 2.5mm balanced. I was using the cube with some cheap Bose cans and the sound was harsh and brassy. With the X now the sound is warm, the bass is full and tight. The issue now is it is almost too dark, there seems to be a "hole" in the upper mid/treble. Is that an issue with the cans or the cube? The cube does have an EQ but it seems to lower the volume when used and I heard it was not advisable to use EQ. Suggestion? I could live with it because my ears don't like bright treble anyway but ideally the highs could stand to be slight bit more.

The reason that the cube has lower volume when the EQ is turned on is to give you more headroom for EQ adjustment so it won't clip the signal when played back.... not sure on the Cube EQ but some allow you to adjust this by adjusting the EQ sliders to your sound preference and once done you just drag the whole EQ up or down and all of the sliders will move so you can adjust the " pre amp "

 

[bust3r]

Hey guys, I have a pair of LCD-X's and have them EQ'd to the Oratory 1990 settings, using foobar 2k and MathEQ, and they are more midrange heavy than expected, even with new gear in sig. Shrill sounding in rare cases (Sia's voice in 'she-wolf' is overbearing, sounds like screaming in my face and overpowers everything else).
They probably do not have more than 30-40 total hrs of break in TBH. Would that be why? Or is there other EQ settings I can try to tone down the mids to bring out the sub low end some?
I do bring the low end shelf up slightly on filter no. 1 to 0 dB but anything further than that starts to bring down the entire EQ spectrum, which does give more low end and lowers the mids slightly but they always seems to have a mid peak that stands out more than anything (especially in that particular song) and seems very hard to correct.

And ideas on EQ tweaks I can use? Or is this just the nature of the headphones? Here is a pic of the tweak I apply to no. 1 filter.

 

[Jonne Haven]

Hey guys, I have a pair of LCD-X's and have them EQ'd to the Oratory 1990 settings, using foobar 2k and MathEQ, and they are more midrange heavy than expected, even with new gear in sig. Shrill sounding in rare cases (Sia's voice in 'she-wolf' is overbearing, sounds like screaming in my face and overpowers everything else).
They probably do not have more than 30-40 total hrs of break in TBH. Would that be why? Or is there other EQ settings I can try to tone down the mids to bring out the sub low end some?
I do bring the low end shelf up slightly on filter no. 1 to 0 dB but anything further than that starts to bring down the entire EQ spectrum, which does give more low end and lowers the mids slightly but they always seems to have a mid peak that stands out more than anything (especially in that particular song) and seems very hard to correct.

And ideas on EQ tweaks I can use? Or is this just the nature of the headphones? Here is a pic of the tweak I apply to no. 1 filter.

You could try my EQ and turn down Filter 16 to taste which is the "shouti-ness, shrill" frequencies.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lcd-x-and-xc-update.956949/post-17184196

Blessings,
-J

 

[Dixter]

@Jonne Haven .... wanted to follow up a bit with you... I bought a new DAC/AMP yesterday and have been using it non stop burning the amp in and my ears... using your Magic EQ its been a pleasure... the Dac/Amp I got is the Burson Conductor 3X GT ... the combo with the LCD-X and LCD-XC is addicting to listen to ... thanks again for the share...

 

[Jonne Haven]

@Jonne Haven .... wanted to follow up a bit with you... I bought a new DAC/AMP yesterday and have been using it non stop burning the amp in and my ears... using your Magic EQ its been a pleasure... the Dac/Amp I got is the Burson Conductor 3X GT ... the combo with the LCD-X and LCD-XC is addicting to listen to ... thanks again for the share...

@Dixter Hey man!
Holy crap! I looked up your Burson Conductor 3X GT...that thing is a BEAST! It's beautiful to boot. Surely you have no more problems with my aggressive pre-amp settings now.

I'm stoked that you're using my EQ...at least there is one person out there besides me who can enjoy it! Happy Listening!

Blessings,
-J

 

[bust3r]

You could try my EQ and turn down Filter 16 to taste which is the "shouti-ness, shrill" frequencies.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lcd-x-and-xc-update.956949/post-17184196

Blessings,
-J

Thanks! I'll try your EQ settings. I dont even have a filter 16, mine only goes to 10. I'll have to figure out how to do in MathEQ what you did in Peace.