[livewire]

 

[Currawong]

Ok, enough of the arguments over which words to use what part of the frequency spectrum.  If you wish to continue the argument, I've moved the discussion of it to this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/581024/frequency-range-discussion-from-lcd-3-thread
 

 

[SteveM324]

I've had my LCD3s since Tuesday and I've been comparing them to my LCD2 r2 through my LF for the last several days .  Well I like the 3s better for their greater HF extension and air while being ever so slightly less bright at times.  They seem faster and with greater clarity.  Soundstage is better as well.   The improvements are very nice indeed but certainly not a night and day difference.  I still like the r2 on its own very much, only in direct comparison to the 3 do I hear its very few shortcomings .  I like the 3 so much that I could probably sell off all my other headphones and not have remorse. 
 
One note, I heard changes as I burned in my LCD3 over the first several hours so I ran them in for about 72hrs and they are sounding really good now.  Also I used my ALO Chain Mail cable for both headphones during my comparison.  I'm listening to some Santana now and OMG does it sound great!  The LF/LCD3 is a killer combination. 

 

[Jian]

Quote:

I've had my LCD3s since Tuesday and I've been comparing them to my LCD2 r2 through my LF for the last several days .  Well I like the 3s better for their greater HF extension and air while being ever so slightly less bright at times.  They seem faster and with greater clarity.  Soundstage is better as well.   The improvements are very nice indeed but certainly not a night and day difference.  I still like the r2 on its own very much, only in direct comparison to the 3 do I hear its very few shortcomings .  I like the 3 so much that I could probably sell off all my other headphones and not have remorse. 
 
One note, I heard changes as I burned in my LCD3 over the first several hours so I ran them in for about 72hrs and they are sounding really good now.  Also I used my ALO Chain Mail cable for both headphones during my comparison.  I'm listening to some Santana now and OMG does it sound great!  The LF/LCD3 is a killer combination. 

I use LCD2s only for Jazz and chamber music, and not as my primary headphone. The LCD3 now becomes my all rounder, and my HE6 is now sitting on the backup bench.
By the way, ALO chain mail rocks!

 

[sillysally]

You guys with your break-in theory may be right, at-least I hope so. I have had to re-make my HPEQ for the LCD-3's twice with-in about 36 hours.. At first the HPEQ sounds good with the LCD-3 but then the LCD-3 starts to loose some of its tonal quality's, the HPEQ doesn't change it always remains constant.
 
So I guess I will start using pink noise and let run.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

For the LCD3s, I don't think there is a quality control issue, at least can not be proved by the the different FR charts from different buyers, at the moment. 
 

 


Well people who have had more than one pair of the same version of LCD-2's have often reported that one pair sounds different than another. I know this was true for me when I had 2 pairs of the R.1.      We will just have to wait until people begin to get 2 pairs of the LCD-3 to really know.
 
 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

You guys with your break-in theory may be right, at-least I hope so. I have had to re-make my HPEQ for the LCD-3's twice with-in about 36 hours.. At first the HPEQ sounds good with the LCD-3 but then the LCD-3 starts to loose some of its tonal quality's, the HPEQ doesn't change it always remains constant.
 
So I guess I will start using pink noise and let run.

My LCD-2 R.2 needed quite a bit of burn in.   My two pairs of R.1's didn't need any burn in at all.   

 

[NA Blur]

For me the LCD-3 is a funk headphone.  You can really hear the alterations to the airy nature of the LCD-2.  When I did my direct A/B comparison of the two out of my m903 the differences were night and day.  I must admit that the mechanical changes were actually enhancements.  The ribbon cable was the only change I thought was a poor choice.  It tangles easily and is most likely less shielded from noise compared to the cable on the LCD-2.  The leather ear pads are super soft on the LCD-3 though making them probably the most comfortable of all of the headphones I have tried.  The rear-mounted connectors on the ear cups is a nice touch, but the angle seems a bit steep which places a ton of pressure on the cable.
 
The LCD-3 is a more fun headphone.  It has no more brightness issues and is more comfortable than the LCD-2, although the headband has those evil little bumps on it like the AKG K701 and Q701 creating pressure points on your head.  The LCD-2 is more airy and the much desired lift in the treble, although sometimes irksome, brings life into cymbals, bells and other treble dependant instruments.  My DT990's have the best airy nature of all the headphones I have and both the LCD-2 and LCD-3 did not have a tremendously wide soundstage.  I prefer my Brainwavz M2's for that.
 
For $1000 more than the price of the LCD-2 the LCD-3 was really disappointing for me.  It is a laid back and slightly darker LCD-2.  If that is worth $1000 to you then by all means go for it, but the treble in the LCD-2 is appreciated and the neutrality it creates is preferred.
 
Neither headphone did well with jazz.  They both lacked the pump of the kick drum and the cymbals wash out easily.  Oddly enough the LCD-3 did better with rap and funk, but I really do not want a $1900 bass head can.  My AH-D2000's do just fine there at more than a $1500 discount.
 
Instead of the LCD-3 I suggest:
LCD-2 at $950
Brainwavz M2 at $70
Denon AH-D2000 at $320
Total: $1340 < $1900 cost of the LCD-3.  Heck you even have some room for a CEntrance DACport ( $400 ).

 

[CEE TEE]

@NA Blur  Thanks for sharing your experience.
 
Are you comparing to LCD-2 r2?
 
When you say "no more brightness issues"- which issues specifically?
 
When you say that there is a "much desired lift in the treble" of the LCD-3 but that "it is a laid back and slightly darker LCD-2" please explain this a bit more.
 
I know we use terms a bit differently from person to person, just want to clarify your impressions. 

 

[visualguy]

Quote:

For $1000 more than the price of the LCD-2 the LCD-3 was really disappointing for me.  It is a laid back and slightly darker LCD-2.  If that is worth $1000 to you then by all means go for it, but the treble in the LCD-2 is appreciated and the neutrality it creates is preferred.
 
 

Agreed, unfortunately. I decided to return my LCD-3. I thought they would sound better than my LCD-2r2, but they sound somewhat worse. I wish I could keep the ear pads, though...
 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

Agreed, unfortunately. I decided to return my LCD-3. I thought they would sound better than my LCD-2r2, but they sound somewhat worse. I wish I could keep the ear pads, though...
 

 
Nooo... Don't! I found a way to make them sound more like the r2s.... A free unobtrusive mod. You should at least try it first. Stay tuned....

 

[googleli]

I like the LCD3 very much for how it sounds. Rev 2 to me was a joke making it sound more high end, an electrostatic wannabe (without coming even close) by giving up its original lush sound signature. I thought Rev 2 was just a temporary solution due to driver failures of a batch of Rev 1's several months ago, and now the sound signature of LCD 3 confirms it.  Luckily the 3 brings the Rev 1 sound back and now sounds much less muddled with details while retaining the smoothness, and no way I am changing anything to make it sound like the Rev 2.

 

[DarknightDK]

Quote:

 
Nooo... Don't! I found a way to make them sound more like the r2s.... A free unobtrusive mod. You should at least try it first. Stay tuned....

Looking forward to it!

 

[googleli]

I have ordered the Norse Litz cable but am also interested in the Qs and ALO chain mail. I have the ALO cable for SR71B and that system sounded too bright to me even for the Rev 1, so I am not sure if ALO is something I want for my Leben. If someone has bothy the Norse cable, even the previous one, and the ALO chain mail cable, I would be very grateful if you can give us some comparisons. If the chain mail does stand out, I will order the 16 wire version once it comes out. Many thanks!

 

[capone]

^^^googleli, your impression of the rev2 out of line from EVERYONE that's heard it.
... Your impression was also under meet conditions.