New Audeze LCD3

[ag3ten]

($800USD) Selling a Pre-Fazor 2012 23xxxx Audeze LCD-3 in 7/10 condition if anyone interested.
for $800 USD and shipping to anywhere in the world.
Comes with GUNCASE, custom cable, xlr, quarter inch
PM if interested

 

[ManicNick]

Can anyone explain why my LCD-3 with serial 261XXXX has fazors but they have sound like a pre-fazor version (darker, warm, intimate, lush etc)?
I have one with serial 271XXXX that sounds more analytically with more highs and without magic tonality as version with serial 261XXXX.
Maybe old softer pads does matter?

 

[ManicNick]

Left = 271XXXX
Right = 261XXXX

 

[Pharmaboy]

I'm not familiar with these numbers (261, 271) or what they signify. But a few comments:

• Audeze is infamous for QC issues. These tonal differences you hear could simply be greater-than-expected variations from unit to unit
• Replacing pads on these headphones is difficult, so much so that few users do it. It's possible they have subtly different earpads. But that would depend more on how old each one is & how much use it got. IMHO, the sonic differences you describe are more likely the result of different drivers than different earpads or even fazor vs none
• These HPs are infamous for driver failures. Unless you owned both HPs from day-1, it's possible one or both had drivers replaced. It's one of the great unknowns w/Audeze exactly which drivers they replace defective ones with.
• Finally, I heard fazor technology at length in my friend's newer production LCD-2 several years ago. I also owned a pre-fazor LCD-2.1 (one of the early ones), and found the primary differences between them were not tonality (warmth, romantic sound, etc), but treble. Specifically, the one w/fazors had nice treble that would suddenly, briefly, for no particular reason, sound edgy and bright. I couldn't trace it to a particular genre of music or volume used. Some users call this "treble screwery," and that sounds right to me. I say because the presense of fazors in one LCD-3 doesn't imply it will sound more or less dark, romantic, etc. It mostly implies differences in their treble sound...

Suggestions:

1. Ditch those extremely uncomfortable headbands with one of Audeze's aftermarket carbon fiber headbands. URL below links to the one I used. Replacement is easy and it makes a huge difference in comfort:
2. And keep the 261, the one that sounds fascinating. An LCD-3 that sounds like that is a beautiful thing. I had a pre-fazor LCD-3 that sounded like that, and I often regret selling it.

https://www.moon-audio.com/audeze-s...MI0fPqnIjj-wIV18DICh0avwflEAQYASABEgLpTfD_BwE

 

[gimmeheadroom]

My LCD-3F is lucy in the sky with diamonds. I never heard a non-fazor version though.

 

[Pharmaboy]

My LCD-3F is lucy in the sky with diamonds. I never heard a non-fazor version though.

That makes you a lucky fellow...hold onto that thing.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

That makes you a lucky fellow...hold onto that thing.

Yeah, that's what I have heard. The only complaint I have is I couldn't get one in bamboo and the wood on this pair doesn't do it for me

It's too hard to sell anything in Europe anyway

 

[Kazej]

if anyone has an LCD-3 prefazor and is willing to let it go to a great and loving home who has legit interest in this specific pair (I'm in the UK),

then please do not hesitate to contact me!

regards,
K

 

[RicciFlow]

Recently purchashed the LCD-3 and very happy so far. I auditioned it against the LCD2 on a Burson Soloist amp using my Chord Mojo 2 as a DAC and hi res Qobuz as a source. Tonally the 2&3 were very similar but the 3 just had greater sense of detail and natural timbre on this setup. I couldn't pass up purchasing the LCD3.

So far very happy but definetely improved using some adjusting on the Mojo 2 with some DSP adjustments. Plan to invest in a dedicated headphone amp and for now still using the Mojo 2 as my DAC. If anyone has any recommendations for an amp it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ardilla]

Recently purchashed the LCD-3 and very happy so far. I auditioned it against the LCD2 on a Burson Soloist amp using my Chord Mojo 2 as a DAC and hi res Qobuz as a source. Tonally the 2&3 were very similar but the 3 just had greater sense of detail and natural timbre on this setup. I couldn't pass up purchasing the LCD3.

So far very happy but definetely improved using some adjusting on the Mojo 2 with some DSP adjustments. Plan to invest in a dedicated headphone amp and for now still using the Mojo 2 as my DAC. If anyone has any recommendations for an amp it would be greatly appreciated.

I always loved my LCD-3 with the Auralic Taurus.

Get an amp with enough power

 

[RicciFlow]

I always loved my LCD-3 with the Auralic Taurus.

Get an amp with enough power

I have seen the Auralic Taurus come up a few times in the headphone amp poll LCD3 thread. Would love to try and find a local dealer and give it a listen.

 

[ardilla]

I have seen the Auralic Taurus come up a few times in the headphone amp poll LCD3 thread. Would love to try and find a local dealer and give it a listen.

It's long time discontinued. 2nd hand it's the only option.

But there are many others, but for me it is a bit of magical combination

 

[Pharmaboy]

My pre-fazor LCD-3, like all the planars I've had here, loved power. It didn't absolutely require mega-power to get up to volume, but you really only got the sonic goodies (and there were many) when a strong desktop SS amp was driving it.

I got the best sound with it (as with many other headphones) with the Violectric V281. It also sounded amazing on my then-Lake People G109-A single ended amp. Planars love Violectric!

 

[ardilla]

My pre-fazor LCD-3, like all the planars I've had here, loved power. It didn't absolutely require mega-power to get up to volume, but you really only got the sonic goodies (and there were many) when a strong desktop SS amp was driving it.

I got the best sound with it (as with many other headphones) with the Violectric V281. It also sounded amazing on my then-Lake People G109-A single ended amp. Planars love Violectric!

True!

The V200 and V281 I have tried with my HE500 also are wonderful.

 

[RicciFlow]

My pre-fazor LCD-3, like all the planars I've had here, loved power. It didn't absolutely require mega-power to get up to volume, but you really only got the sonic goodies (and there were many) when a strong desktop SS amp was driving it.

I got the best sound with it (as with many other headphones) with the Violectric V281. It also sounded amazing on my then-Lake People G109-A single ended amp. Planars love Violectric!

I am definetely interested in potentially running my LCD-3s with a Violectric amp, a local dealer stocks Burson, Schitt, Violectric and Woo Audio so planning to audition amongst those companies