[Jones Bob]

My confusion exactly. Why would the 3 be morphed into the X unless there is a LCD-4 lurking and this is just an attempt at streamlining ?

My confusion too. Was thinking of sending my 3Cs to Audeze to get Fazored, thinking that is the only difference. I expected a little clearer top end, maybe better imaging. I went to my local dealer and auditioned the first 3F, to hear if there was much difference. I then took those home to audition and A/B with my 3C in my system. Quite a large difference, especially in the bass. I suspected then that they had different drivers. Took back those 3F, and bought a new pair. Those still sound quite different than my 3C.

Maybe Audeze should have released them as a LCD-4, or there is a true LCD-4 lurking very soon. They would look very luxurious with ivory cups.

 

[HK_sends]

Still don't know what to do

Decisions decisions...

 
Just go for it! If you decide to sell them later in Europe, you might even make a profit!
Cheers!
-HK sends

 

[citraian]

It's not that easy to sell a pair of LCD-3s especially when you don't have any feedback at all on head-fi

 

[fenderf4i]

When you get your unit changed to fazor's, they're changing the stators as well. The diaphragms stay the same. The new stators are what causes the change in efficiency, not the fazor's.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

Updated: Thanks for the clarification, fenderf4i. I had already written this before reading it, so I'll leave it as-is since some of it still seems relevant. So seems that "driver changes" I refer to  = stators.
 
Well, even without clarifications from Audeze, this discussions seems to indicate that there is more going on than just the Fazor addition...
 
I wouldn't be too surprised, I remember when the LCD-3 was released (and I checked the specs before eventually buying one), the LCD-2 had a lower sensitivity on their spec page (~91-92 dB IIRC)  When I looked at all this yesterday, I noticed that the current model now has the same 94 dB sensitivity as the LCD-3... so maybe also using the same driver but with different voicing? Quite possible in light of the different versions Head-Fi'ers compare in the LCD-2 thread.
 
It would make sense for Audeze from a production point of view, it's not that large a volume, and producing different drivers requires different fabrication tools or at least setups. So it seems they may have phased out the pre-Lotus drivers used in the LCD-2s in favor of the Lotus ones introduced with the LCD-3, and now they are phasing that one out for the current drivers introduced with the LCD-X/C... it's just more obvious due to the Fazors. They may even use the different diaphragms as advertised, but the driver setup using them has changed? But it's obviously hard to visually check, who would want to risk damage by opening the metal framework holding it...
 
This is obviously just speculation on my behalf, but I don't think it's unreasonable. And it certainly makes it very unlikely for me to send in my LCD-3 for an update since I really like it the way it is, esp. with my WA22, and I'm not entirely sure *I* would consider the changes an actual across-the-board *improvement* (i.e. not just sounding *different*).
 
That's really the crux of -to mod or not- in general: most people seems to simply assume updates (often at an extra cost) are always positive but why? What if thing are different in negative way? And in the case of this driver mod, it's not something you can press an undo button and have it like it was before... And then there's also the chance of damage or loss during shipping either way.

 

[rgs9200m]

I would certainly not blindly go modify my LCD3 "classic" if I was happy with their current sound as is (which I am with mine). I don't think the change could be undone.
I mean, you don't know what you're getting into if you haven't heard the new ones, preferably in your own system.
(Look at the Stax SR007 mark1 vs mark2, where the original is considered the gold standard for this phone.)
 
Besides, the introduction of the new LCD-X phones at just below the LCD3 price seems awkward, and I would speculate that a new flagship is in the works,
especially with this fazor thing. And the last thing you want to own if a new top Audeze comes out later is some modded "almost-flagship" that you have to offer with
a tortured explanation to a potential buyer down the line.

 

[commtrd]

  I would certainly not blindly go modify my LCD3 "classic" if I was happy with their current sound as is (which I am with mine). I don't think the change could be undone.
I mean, you don't know what you're getting into if you haven't heard the new ones, preferably in your own system.
(Look at the Stax SR007 mark1 vs mark2, where the original is considered the gold standard for this phone.)
 
Besides, the introduction of the new LCD-X phones at just below the LCD3 price seems awkward, and I would speculate that a new flagship is in the works,
especially with this fazor thing. And the last thing you want to own if a new top Audeze comes out later is some modded "almost-flagship" that you have to offer with
a tortured explanation to a potential buyer down the line.

These are very salient and well thought out discussions and since my LCD3 just sound so spectacular I decided to just keep them the way they are and just listen and enjoy. After all these phones are just beautiful and exquisite the way they are. I will just continue to read these awesome threads you guys are writing and wait to see if/when a flagship model comes out and then the ineveitable endless analysis on those to see if a purchase may be warranted. Thanks guys yall rock!

 

[kothganesh]

 
These are very salient and well thought out discussions and since my LCD3 just sound so spectacular I decided to just keep them the way they are and just listen and enjoy. After all these phones are just beautiful and exquisite the way they are. I will just continue to read these awesome threads you guys are writing and wait to see if/when a flagship model comes out and then the ineveitable endless analysis on those to see if a purchase may be warranted. Thanks guys yall rock!

I notice you have the Silver Widow. I have the Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir stack as well with my LCD-3. Do you find the cable pushing the treble to (sometimes) uncomfortable levels, given the forward nature of the Mojo ?

 

[commtrd]

 

 
These are very salient and well thought out discussions and since my LCD3 just sound so spectacular I decided to just keep them the way they are and just listen and enjoy. After all these phones are just beautiful and exquisite the way they are. I will just continue to read these awesome threads you guys are writing and wait to see if/when a flagship model comes out and then the ineveitable endless analysis on those to see if a purchase may be warranted. Thanks guys yall rock!

I notice you have the Silver Widow. I have the Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir stack as well with my LCD-3. Do you find the cable pushing the treble to (sometimes) uncomfortable levels, given the forward nature of the Mojo ?

Actually no not at all. And I was surprised that the cable seemed to impart a better sense of airiness and improved timbre with resonance and clarity; for instance guitar and cymbal exhibit excellent tonal quality and decay with the bass just totally hard-hitting yet not muddy in the slightest. And I definitely did not expect any detectable improvement from just a cable as it is just a conductor after all and the wiring to the drivers is not of the same material (silver and gold) so I really just bought it to disprove all the "hype" about cables. Well glad I did because it was an improvement to an already competent system and is a pure joy to listen to. The treble is clean, clear, extended not in the least sibilant. The cable did not unduely emphasize any of the upper frequency response at all and did help with clean punchy bass into mids response. This from a sceptical non-believer in cables' contributing any measurable improvement in SQ.

 

[kothganesh]

 
Actually no not at all. And I was surprised that the cable seemed to impart a better sense of airiness and improved timbre with resonance and clarity; for instance guitar and cymbal exhibit excellent tonal quality and decay with the bass just totally hard-hitting yet not muddy in the slightest. And I definitely did not expect any detectable improvement from just a cable as it is just a conductor after all and the wiring to the drivers is not of the same material (silver and gold) so I really just bought it to disprove all the "hype" about cables. Well glad I did because it was an improvement to an already competent system and is a pure joy to listen to. The treble is clean, clear, extended not in the least sibilant. The cable did not unduely emphasize any of the upper frequency response at all and did help with clean punchy bass into mids response. This from a sceptical non-believer in cables' contributing any measurable improvement in SQ.

Thank you for the detail. I have the Silver Widow for the HD-650. Time to go shopping !

 

[walakalulu]

I agree with the suggestion to leave the lcd 3 alone. Why change for change sake? The fazored upgrade may sound more like their other offerings anyway. I also had the Silver Widows but went back to the stock cable as my preference.
I'll avoid the 'boys in a candy shop' approach to so called upgrading for the moment.

 

[Argo Duck]

+1. Audez'e themselves say the difference is slight. In my case the 3F was my only option as I bought new and recently.

Btw I mentioned a few days ago the 'wow' had gone. Not true. What is true is these are picky hps, as others have said. I need to do some rolling on my tube amp as the 3F sounds awesome on my SS one.

 

[kothganesh]

+1. Audez'e themselves say the difference is slight. .

This is a good data point for me. I was not inclined to change my 3C anyway. The thought of incurring two way shipping back to India is a further deterrent. Thanks.

 

[kkcc]

This is a good data point for me. I was not inclined to change my 3C anyway. The thought of incurring two way shipping back to India is a further deterrent. Thanks.

 
I'm loving my late 26xxxx LCD3 and won't be sending it back for the mod.  I had sent it in for replacing drivers last Sep and it came back sound really good and dreamy and I just LOVE the way it is. I like it much better than the X or XC.  If I still had my early 23xxxx unit which was probably a "veiled" version I would have more incentive to go for the mod.  Not that I don't like more airy/better treble extension (I also love my HD800) but my LCD3 as it is already seems perfect for me.  

 

[sling5s]

+1. Audez'e themselves say the difference is slight. In my case the 3F was my only option as I bought new and recently.

Btw I mentioned a few days ago the 'wow' had gone. Not true. What is true is these are picky hps, as others have said. I need to do some rolling on my tube amp as the 3F sounds awesome on my SS one.

Like you I've held onto my LCD-2. rev. 1 and based on my preferences preferred it to the LCD-2 rev. 2 and did'nt feel like I needed to upgrade to the LCD-3.  
But the LCD-3 with Fazors is really tempting.  
 
Has the LCD-3F replaced your LCD-2. rev.1 for good or do you still feel the LCD-2. rev.1 classic is worth keeping.