LCD-X vs Focal Clear

[twnznz]

Long-term review. I'm lucky enough to own both the LCD-X and Clear. Running both from a Chord Mojo.
Brief comment: I would like a nice Class A headamp with something like AK4499 to test matching, but since the AK factory fire I don't think I'm getting one

These two are absolutely in the same class and comparable, but have their respective strengths and weaknesses

10 second summary:
Clear
- Clear has more treble presence
- Per the name, Clear resolves better in the treble region.
- Clear is somewhat laid-back. ("slowest") [sennheiser] --------- [clear] ----------------------------- [grado] ("fastest")
- Clear is lighter and more durable (see comment at bottom)
- More intimate soundstage.
- Physically lighter and more comfortable. More portable.
- Slightly harder to drive.

LCD-X
- LCD-X has meatier bass
- LCD-X can resolve complex/wall-of-sound tracks more confidently. (I suspect this is a general benefit of planar drivers)
- LCD-X is quite fast. ("slowest") [sennheiser] -------------------------------[lcd-x]-----------[grado] ("fastest")
- LCD-X, while sturdy physically, has fragile diaphragms which can be broken if not used correctly (see comment at bottom)
- Slightly wider soundstage.
- Physically heavier and less comfortable. Less portable.
- Slightly easier to drive.

My preference is the LCD-X overall, but I don't particularly want to give up either pair.

On durability: With the LCD-X you need to put your headphones on somewhat slowly and let the earcups seal slowly. You can't just slap 'em on repeatedly.
I did this and after about a year, one of the driver diaphragms gave out. Basically, because of the way the planar diaphragm works, stress can cause it to unseal from the rim or cause a micro-tear. When this occurs it sounds as though you have a plastic shopping bag crinkling in your ear. Because of this durability concern which I haven't experienced from dynamic drivers, I deduct some points for durability.
I raised a support case with Audeze and they replaced both drivers with a matched pair.
Used properly, you will not experience this problem, and I don't think it's a big enough deal to deter people from buying the LCD-X. But it's worth mentioning. As I say, put the headphones on respectfully and you won't have this problem, ever.

The Clear are fantastic, but I have never heard headphones rip wall-of-sound tracks apart like the LCD-X (I listen to a heap of prog rock, Devin Townsend et al, so this matters to me). The Clear sound a bit more "confused" than the LCD in that regard.

 

[jonathan c]

Long-term review. I'm lucky enough to own both the LCD-X and Clear. Running both from a Chord Mojo.
Brief comment: I would like a nice Class A headamp with something like AK4499 to test matching, but since the AK factory fire I don't think I'm getting one

These two are absolutely in the same class and comparable, but have their respective strengths and weaknesses

10 second summary:
Clear
- Clear has more treble presence
- Per the name, Clear resolves better in the treble region.
- Clear is somewhat laid-back. ("slowest") [sennheiser] --------- [clear] ----------------------------- [grado] ("fastest")
- Clear is lighter and more durable (see comment at bottom)
- More intimate soundstage.
- Physically lighter and more comfortable. More portable.
- Slightly harder to drive.

LCD-X
- LCD-X has meatier bass
- LCD-X can resolve complex/wall-of-sound tracks more confidently. (I suspect this is a general benefit of planar drivers)
- LCD-X is quite fast. ("slowest") [sennheiser] -------------------------------[lcd-x]-----------[grado] ("fastest")
- LCD-X, while sturdy physically, has fragile diaphragms which can be broken if not used correctly (see comment at bottom)
- Slightly wider soundstage.
- Physically heavier and less comfortable. Less portable.
- Slightly easier to drive.

My preference is the LCD-X overall, but I don't particularly want to give up either pair.

On durability: With the LCD-X you need to put your headphones on somewhat slowly and let the earcups seal slowly. You can't just slap 'em on repeatedly.
I did this and after about a year, one of the driver diaphragms gave out. Basically, because of the way the planar diaphragm works, stress can cause it to unseal from the rim or cause a micro-tear. When this occurs it sounds as though you have a plastic shopping bag crinkling in your ear. Because of this durability concern which I haven't experienced from dynamic drivers, I deduct some points for durability.
I raised a support case with Audeze and they replaced both drivers with a matched pair.
Used properly, you will not experience this problem, and I don't think it's a big enough deal to deter people from buying the LCD-X. But it's worth mentioning. As I say, put the headphones on respectfully and you won't have this problem, ever.

The Clear are fantastic, but I have never heard headphones rip wall-of-sound tracks apart like the LCD-X (I listen to a heap of prog rock, Devin Townsend et al, so this matters to me). The Clear sound a bit more "confused" than the LCD in that regard.

I own the LCD-X (2016 vintage) and Clear (OG). With an excellent R2R non over sampling DAC, SS class A / tube hpa, the Clear and X are fantastic. The Clear never sounds confused and has greater ‘slam’, sonic force, than does the X. Note: I use the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads on the Clear. The X is a great detail retriever and is wonderful in the lower frequencies. Both render vocals beautifully. I have kept and will keep the Clear and X. Last note: I am not an EQ fellow.

 

[iamivancb]

Is is true that both brands have QC issues? Don't know if I should go for the MG Pro for 1199 or for the LCD-X for 1279 coins.

 

[jonathan c]

Is is true that both brands have QC issues? Don't know if I should go for the MG Pro for 1199 or for the LCD-X for 1279 coins.

I own both: LCD-X (2016) and Clear (original). I have had no quality / build issues. All musical enjoyment!

 

[iamivancb]

I own both: LCD-X (2016) and Clear (original). I have had no quality / build issues. All musical enjoyment!

Great to hear that, which one would you recommend if you could only get one? Or would you choose another option like the T1?

 

[dan3952]

Great to hear that, which one would you recommend if you could only get one? Or would you choose another option like the T1?

I've owned the following in the the past at the over $1000 price point:
- Focal Clear Og
- HiFiMan Arya v2
- Audeze LCD-3

I currently own both the Audeze LCD-X 2021 and Focal Clear Mg, and they are a potent one/two punch for me: both of them had outclassed the $1000 T1, by my standards. There's better headphones out there, but none that I'm willing to pay over $2000 for, as I'm still primarily a speaker user. If you do get T1, I would EQ them heavily. My speakers out-resolve both of them, but I can't use them right now due to my living situation.

LCD-X 2021:
- still a laid back, dark upper midrange and treble presentation (like you had thrown a blanket over your speakers), but still livelier than the first LCD-X or the LCD-3
- better for hard rock, and EDM, due to the planar driver's characteristics below 100 Hz and laid back treble
- larger 106 mm driver is superior for busy complex, "wall of sound" tracks (especially loud, raucous, classic rock songs, like ZZ Top's "Waiting for the Bus" and Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same")
- dramatic, tower speaker like presentation due to the larger driver, especially noticeable with the low notes
- dynamics and punch and slam sound great especially with synths and kick drums, outperforming the Arya, HE-1000 and HE-800 in this area
- wider soundstage than any Focal headphones as Focal doesn't offer a driver bigger than 40 mm on even the Utopia (which I have also heard)
- all Audeze headphones sound wonky without EQ, except the new LCD-5 and CRBN, I EQ mine
- I EQ to match the Harman curve: most of your problems are at 4000 Hz or so; they're more or less flat below 2 kHz


Clear Mg:
- better for vocals in particular
- more balanced tonality than most Audeze headphones
- lively, midrange forward signature (the Focal house sound), though less so, than the Clear Og
- better for simple tracks (like "The Rain Song" on Led Zeppelin IV)
- resolution on par with other $1500 headphones, but not some that are over $2000
- below average "in the head" soundstage: a concentrated, congested, "power punch" of sound
- HiFiMan's Aryas blow it out of the water in this area (any of the three they've made)
- smaller sound, like from bookshelf speakers
- still good punch and slam characteristics, though with less potent bass than with planar drivers
- Sennheiser HD800S out-resolves the both of them at the same price, but have a "diffused field" soundstage that distributes the energy over a larger area
- typical 1500 Hz Focal "bump" that I EQ down to reduce nasal voice quality
- I EQ the treble up to match the Harman curve

 

[jonathan c]

Great to hear that, which one would you recommend if you could only get one? Or would you choose another option like the T1?

• Between a vintage (say, 2016) Audeze LCD-X and a Focal Clear (Original Generation), I would pick the Clear.
• With the Clear, I recommend highly the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin earpads:

 

[iamivancb]

• Between a vintage (say, 2016) Audeze LCD-X and a Focal Clear (Original Generation), I would pick the Clear.
• With the Clear, I recommend highly the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin earpads:

Are these Dekoni pads better than the stock ones? Saw they retail at $99. I am talking more about the newer versions though.

 

[iamivancb]

I've owned the following in the the past at the over $1000 price point:
- Focal Clear Og
- HiFiMan Arya v2
- Audeze LCD-3

I currently own both the Audeze LCD-X 2021 and Focal Clear Mg, and they are a potent one/two punch for me: both of them had outclassed the $1000 T1, by my standards. There's better headphones out there, but none that I'm willing to pay over $2000 for, as I'm still primarily a speaker user. If you do get T1, I would EQ them heavily. My speakers out-resolve both of them, but I can't use them right now due to my living situation.

LCD-X 2021:
- still a laid back, dark upper midrange and treble presentation (like you had thrown a blanket over your speakers), but still livelier than the first LCD-X or the LCD-3
- better for hard rock, and EDM, due to the planar driver's characteristics below 100 Hz and laid back treble
- larger 106 mm driver is superior for busy complex, "wall of sound" tracks (especially loud, raucous, classic rock songs, like ZZ Top's "Waiting for the Bus" and Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same")
- dramatic, tower speaker like presentation due to the larger driver, especially noticeable with the low notes
- dynamics and punch and slam sound great especially with synths and kick drums, outperforming the Arya, HE-1000 and HE-800 in this area
- wider soundstage than any Focal headphones as Focal doesn't offer a driver bigger than 40 mm on even the Utopia (which I have also heard)
- all Audeze headphones sound wonky without EQ, except the new LCD-5 and CRBN, I EQ mine
- I EQ to match the Harman curve: most of your problems are at 4000 Hz or so; they're more or less flat below 2 kHz


Clear Mg:
- better for vocals in particular
- more balanced tonality than most Audeze headphones
- lively, midrange forward signature (the Focal house sound), though less so, than the Clear Og
- better for simple tracks (like "The Rain Song" on Led Zeppelin IV)
- resolution on par with other $1500 headphones, but not some that are over $2000
- below average "in the head" soundstage: a concentrated, congested, "power punch" of sound
- HiFiMan's Aryas blow it out of the water in this area (any of the three they've made)
- smaller sound, like from bookshelf speakers
- still good punch and slam characteristics, though with less potent bass than with planar drivers
- Sennheiser HD800S out-resolves the both of them at the same price, but have a "diffused field" soundstage that distributes the energy over a larger area
- typical 1500 Hz Focal "bump" that I EQ down to reduce nasal voice quality
- I EQ the treble up to match the Harman curve

Well, it may depend because I both listen to complex and simpler stuff. Comfort, durability and detail retrieval are also quite important for me.

 

[baunauf]

Seems like a weird comparison given their massively different driver characteristics.

 

[jonathan c]

Are these Dekoni pads better than the stock ones? Saw they retail at $99. I am talking more about the newer versions though.

Here is something that I posted in September 2021 in the Focal Clear thread:

 

[jonathan c]

Seems like a weird comparison given their massively different driver characteristics.

Neither a weird nor unusual comparison. The same can be said about comparing dynamic h/p to e-stat h/p…. It’s all a matter of what one is interested in…

 

[baunauf]

Neither a weird nor unusual comparison. The same can be said about comparing dynamic h/p to e-stat h/p…. It’s all a matter of what one is interested in…

Well, when I am shopping for a headphone based off of the music I listen to, it's pretty clear cut what signature I'm aiming for. You can usually tell this from FR graphs. OR just buy everything and return what you don't like .

 

[dan3952]

Well, it may depend because I both listen to complex and simpler stuff. Comfort, durability and detail retrieval are also quite important for me.

Detail retrieval: Sennheiser HD800S is tops at its price point; I find the Clears and the LCD-Xs to be behind those, but offering about the same resolution between the two. I could hear more texture in bass guitars with HiFiMan Aryas (planar drivers offering you more apparent but not real detail as any Sennys have weak bass).
Comfort: Sennheiser > Focal > Audeze. Audezes are always the heaviest, but offering a bigger driver as well. Focals and Audezes are both built well.

LCD-X: more musical and more of a "feature" headphone
Clear Mg: more technical and more well rounded

 

[iamivancb]

Well, when I am shopping for a headphone based off of the music I listen to, it's pretty clear cut what signature I'm aiming for. You can usually tell this from FR graphs. OR just buy everything and return what you don't like .

Well, the problem is when you equally like things like rock, metal, prog, classical, jazz, funk, electronica, folk and some oriental stuff.